How to explain my hiatus this summer… I don't know a good way to do that. I was struggling to write happy stories, and when I attempted to write, I noticed a change in my tone. That is the reason for my break. Nothing has happened to me personally, but it has to people I care about.

Honestly, what brings me back is going back and reading the encouraging comments on my story. Thank you.

Back to my story…

"You have your memories back," Dracula states the moment Mamoru answered the phone.

"That I do," he replied, wondering the reason for the call.

"You were right, she was upset, and you could feel that." Dracula paused a bit and sighed. "That all happened at quite the distance."

Mamoru heard a rustling and then Lucy's voice. "Yes, I stole the phone. Just so you're aware, my dopey husband is jealous. My eyes hurt from rolling them at him so often, and I'm a vampire!" She teased. "I shouldn't be able to feel pain."

"Sorry?" he answered, unsure.

"Boys," she huffed. "That's not my point. Your bond is strong." He noticed a change in tone when she said scoldingly, "And that doesn't mean ours isn't Dracula! It's probably part of the whole king and queen thing." He then heard a sigh, and she said, "Mamoru. I'm worried. Please be careful. It's possible the magic believes you need such a strong bond. Trouble might be on its way."

"Other than Beryl?" He asked skeptically.

"She might be the trouble. Word is she killed Usagi in the past. She's probably going to try to do that again. Here, talk to Dracula."

Dracula took the phone and said, "She's right."

"And magic is on my side in this battle? Does it even have a will?"

"Good magic, yes."

Mamoru sighed, "I just got amazing memories of my parents back. I remember the song my mother sang to me before bed every night."

"And you want to focus on that."

"Yes. I really do. I just want to enjoy what has been returned to me."

"Of course you do," Dracula said. "And you should. Just don't forget two things. Beryl is out there. She is real, and she has destroyed all you loved in the past."

"And two," Mamoru prompted, not able to think of what it could be.

"You weren't the only one affected by the experience of getting your memories back. Usagi not only saw her mother for the first time in over four hundred and forty years, but she also discovered that her mother was alive and in Japan for quite some time. Yet she didn't reach out and find Usagi."

Mamoru pinched the bridge of his nose. "Crap. I was so distracted by… I didn't even think about that! That had to be so hard for her to hear."

"Not like you would think it would. Remember that time changes a lot of things. Pain fades over the passage of time for vampires—centuries and lessons in losing people time and again change us. Usagi has even more lessons in that than I do. I believe it's the view she's held onto of her mother over all these years that will cause some pain."

"She always talked about how her mother adored her and spent all of her time with her. And now she lived a whole life not searching for her daughter. Why? Why work to protect me and hurt her own child at the same time?"

Dracula's tone grew solemn, "I could only come up with one reason. I'm curious if you'll reach the same one.'

"And if I do?"

"It's unfortunate. It would mean that her mother isn't the strong woman she believed her to be."

Mamoru sighed. "She did love her daughter, but that wasn't the reason she was with her all the time, was it? You think I will end up on the same track because I mentioned it."

"That is probably true."

"Will the answer hurt her?"

"Does it matter as far as your thinking goes?"

"Yes," Mamoru admitted. "I am a very rational man except when it comes to her pain. I'm not sure, at the moment, I would be able to process an idea that could mean she would be hurting."

"I don't believe the answer will deeply hurt her. In fact, while it might not be pleasant, it might remove the pain of her mother not seeking her out."

"Give me a hand here," Mamoru requested. "I will tell you if I think it's wrong, but on the spot, I'm struggling."

"Okay. Why keep away from the daughter you couldn't be parted from in your first life?" Dracula prompted.

"It can't be that her affection changed by being reborn. In her words, she was willing to sacrifice a woman who was her best friend for her daughter."

"Exactly. So she still has to love her."

"But it's not like she couldn't face her. She didn't do anything to her in the past."

"True, I don't think she did anything. But what if she didn't do something?"

Mamoru sighed and sat down hard on the couch. "Dang. You're right. She never left her side. Usagi said that all the time."

"Which means?" Dracula said, prompting him to reason it through.

"Which means that she didn't want Usagi asking questions she didn't want to answer. And that she spent this life in a kind of misplaced repentance. Usagi wouldn't have blamed her."

"Or she knew Usagi wouldn't have blamed her and would have given her forgiveness freely. She might not have wanted her daughter to forgive her at all."

"It's not her fault her husband did that to Usagi," Mamoru said. "And based on the time, her father probably arranged the marriage. She probably didn't even pick him. And it seems like she spent her life as a mother hovering around Usagi, trying to protect her from her father."

"Yes," Dracula said. "Which means that she might know what I only suspect and that Usagi's marriage was the reason he murdered his wife. A strong witch could have stopped a vampire, and he didn't want her in the way."

"She doesn't want Usagi to blame herself."

"Precisely."

"So she hid from her daughter to ensure her happiness and keep her from asking questions?"

"That's what I think," Dracula agreed.

"It's sad that she was afraid to face her daughter. She wasn't saving her. Usagi will have realized this all already."

"Correct. But it still doesn't mean her mother was strong enough to face her daughter with the truth."

Mamoru sighed. "I want to change the past for her and protect her from everything." He then paused and added, "What if I fail again?"

"What if you don't? Why focus on a potentially negative outcome?"

"Because it's quite literally our history."

"Don't be like her mother and get overly wrapped up in the past. You owe it to Usagi to look forward and have hope for the future," Dracula gently chastised.

"You're right. My 'if it can go wrong, it will' attitude needs to be set aside for her." He leaned forward and asked, "Any recommendations on how I can achieve that?"

Dracula replied, "Picture a happy future with the woman you love. Do you see one?"

"Yes."

"Now, do everything in your considerable power to achieve it. Not only are you a powerful vampire because of her blood, but you also have a spectacular support system around you. I will point out that this means eliminating Beryl completely. You've never killed before, but you may need to. Come to terms with that now so you don't hesitate when it comes time."

Firmly Mamoru said, "I won't hesitate. I can promise that much already."