The end

"Rudolph darling come down" Freda Sackville-Bagg called up the stairs towards her son's room. The vampire clan had settled into their new home just fine and had now been living peacefully for many years.

"Coming mother" the thirteen-year-old called back as he finished dressing and quickly flew out the door and floated downstairs where he was greeted by many from the clan.

"Good morning Rudolph" Frederik greeted his son and ruffled his hair.

"I just finished brushing it" the younger vampire said annoyed as he batted his father's hands away and tried to repair the damage done, while floating out of his reach.

"Give it up bother. Your hair is a lost course" Gregory said as he come up next to his younger brother who just puffed out his cheeks.

"Are you existed about tonight?" Anna asked as she joined them.

"Of cause I am. I've only been looking forward to this day since the last time Tony was here" Rudolph said excitedly. It had been so long since he last saw his mortal friend since Tony had to move back to San Diego with his parents eventually and the trip was difficult to make because Rudolph had to make it across the ocean before the sun rose and there weren't many hiding places when flying over the open sea, but this time Tony was going to come to him and it almost made Rudolph's heart beat with excitement. Anna giggled as the lighted expression on her brother's face.

"Attention everyone" Frederic said loudly and got the attention of the entire clan. "Our mortal ally Tony can arrive at any moment, but we don't know who he is bringing with him or how much they know so let us be cautious and not frighten them when they arrive" the vampire instructed and a small round of applause was heard as a sign of confirmation.

Rudolph short after left the castle and flew to the tallest tower and started scouting for anything that resembled the headlights of a car in the tree lines around the castle.

"Come on Tony. Where are you?" the vampire asked impatiently as he jumped around the spire in anticipation, when finally, a light broke through the three line and steadily made it across the bridge. "YES finally" Rudolph yelled and wasted no time jumping off the roof and dove towards the ground as fast as he could. "THEY'RE HERE, THEY'RE HERE" the young vampire called all the way down and was already on his way over the gates to meet the car halfway, when someone grabbed the caller of his cape and yanked him back. When he looked back he saw Gregory looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Did you already forget what father said?" he asked as he crossed his arms. Rudolph opened his mouth to protest, but the elder vampire just grabbed his brother once more and dragged him inside. The front door slammed shut just as the outer gates opened and the car came to a stop. Rudolph waited impatiently for someone to knock on the door so he could open it as a normal mortal. The moment the first knock was heard Rudolph opened and was almost about to jump into Tony's arms when he realized that it wasn't his friend on the other side but a grown woman.

"Excuse me I'm looking for a Rudolph Sackbilly… Suckvally… Saluvilly Bag?" the woman said and was clearly struggling with his name. Rudolph did nothing to hide his disappointment and just how unimpressed he was with this woman's attempt to pronounce his name.

"Sackville-Bagg. It's Rudolph Sackville-Bagg" he finally said. "That's me, but where is Tony?" he asked and tried to look around her so see his friend.

"In the car. I'll go get him" she said before turning and walked away. Rudolph stepped out on the front stairs and waited excitedly as she opened the door and helped a figure out of the car, but his excitement slowly faded away when the pair returned to the light from the hall way and the vampire saw that it was an old man she had brought.

"Oh no" came a small voice behind him and Rudolph turned quickly to see that his mother was holding her hands up to her mouth in surprise. When the young vampire turned back around he saw the two mortal slowly climbing the stairs.

"Easy grandfather, easy" the woman encouraged and soon after they came to a stop in front of the boy. Rudolph looked up at the old man and took in his thin, dry skin, the sunken in eyes, the weathered face and the white hair. Without even noticing it he started floating until he was on eye level with the elder. He didn't take any notice of how the woman gasped in surprise or how his father hissed at him to get back on the ground, he just looked into the clear blue eyes, that looked fondly back at his red once.

"Tony?" Rudolph whispered as he felt a fear, unlike anything he had ever experienced, started creeping into his heart as his eyes filled with tears and his voice threatened to break.

"Hey Rudolph, still staying cool as ever?" a raspy warn out voice answered and Rudolph threw his arms around his friend as he let his tears fall.

"Grandfather we need to get you inside" the woman said a little unsure.

"Yes, of cause Klara" Tony said as he bended down and placed Rudolph back on the ground. The little vampire quickly whipped his tears away before anyone saw and followed the two mortals inside. Everyone was very quiet and stepped aside to let them pass.

"I thought I might stay in my old room?" Tony said as they reached the bottom of the stairs that lead up towards on of the towers.

"Actually, it's my room now but I don't see why not" Rudolph said and tried to make it sound like a joke and it did get a chuckle out of Tony but the vampire felt his dead heart sink all the same. As they slowly climbed the stairs Tony quickly lost his breath. Rudolph looked at the woman who seemed very calm if a little concerned, but when Tony started coughing loudly Rudolph decided that he didn't care about what she knew anymore. He had already revealed himself once.

"Take my hand" Rudolph said with a smile and held out his hand for Tony to take. The old man looked at his granddaughter for a moment before smiling happily and grabbing the vampire's hand tightly. Rudolph tried not to notice too much how different Tony's hand felt in his.

"Grandfather you… you're…" Klara said in horror as the pair lifted from the ground and hovered over the steps.

"Haha, I told you I wasn't crazy" Tony said as Rudolph pulled Tony up the staircase with ease now that they were airborne. When the girl got over the chock she came running after them.

"So, then you are a…" she started before trailing off, and Rudolph just smirked as he looked back at her and bared his fangs with a hiss. She gave a squeal of fright and jumped back as the pair landed softly in the hallway in front of Tony's old room. Both Rudolph and Tony laughed at her reaction. "Then everyone downstairs… they're all…"

"Don't worry they won't hurt you" Rudolph said casually as they stepped inside but Klara didn't follow them as a thought seemed to strike her and she bolted downstairs. "What's with her?" Rudolph asked as he hovered a few feet over the ground and look out in the hallway after her.

"She must have forgotten something" Tony said knowingly and with an amused tone that made the vampire look at the human questioningly, but he never elaborated on it. The old man took a seat on the bed and absentmindedly started stroking the soft sheets. A sad expression soon overtook his face and he looked back at his friend who were hovering in front of the closet looking at him unsure.

"I remember that old thing quite well, how about you?" Tony asked and gesture towards the closet. Rudolph turned his head and smiled at the memory.

"Like it was yesterday. I still can't believe you actually locked me inside that thing" Rudolph said and the two chuckled at the memory, before a heavy silence fell over the pair.

"Rudolph came here" the old man said and patted the spot next to him and the vampire slowly flew over and settled down on the instructed spot. He didn't look at the other, he just looked at his hands. "Rudolph there is something I have to talk to you about" Tony said quietly and placed one of his hands, on Rudolph's. It was big enough to cover them both. The vampire gulped hard before looking up at his friend.

"You have come here to die, haven't you?" he asked as his eyes became shiny with tears and Tony just nodded before embracing his immortal friend.

"Though it seems you and I are worlds apart…" Tony said before pushing the younger away so he could look at him. "I can feel that we all connected heart" the human let his hands find rest over his old and weak heart before reaching over and placing it on Rudolph's chest "to heart."

"Of cause, we will always be connected" Rudolph said quietly as tears started streaming down his cheeks.

"Still my words can't convey what you mean, who needs to when I say; I will always stand by you" Tony said and gently whipped the tears from Rudolph's face. "Differences don't matter friend are true" the human said with a smile and the vampire smiled back before lifting off the bed and zooming over to the window.

"Come and take my hand together we can fly, we could soar across the moonlight sky" Rudolph said excitedly and turned to look at Tony while he eagerly held out his hand for the other to take. His smile dropped when he saw that Tony was still sitting on the bed. "Don't tell me I have to go out alone?" Rudolph said nervously and tried to smile through the fear. The old man slowly came over and took the offered hand.

"Darkest night or dawns first ray. I am never far away" Tony said with a smile before they rose over the ground and Rudolph gently pulled the other out the window. The vampire slowly guided them across the sky and when he turned to look at Tony he saw that the other had his other arm out to balance him and his eyes were closed as he enjoyed the night air on his face. They spent the next while just flying in silence until Rudolph was suddenly yanked to the side and downwards. The vampire yelled in surprise until a laughter reached his ears.

"Cone on then, I thought you said floating was boring" Tony said as he pulled them sharp to the side so they turned one of the castles many corners. Rudolph light up and took charge by steering them upwards once more, all the way to the spear of the tallest tower and then straight down, left and right, over, through and below all the bridges and arches.

"Are you alright Tony?" the younger asked eventually and looked at his friend. He looked for signs of discomfort but all he saw was exhaustion. He quickly landed on a rooftop and the two settled down as they looked over the star filled sky and the dark horizon.

"Of cause I am, I just want you to remember that when you think of me I'm right there by your side" Tony said absentmindedly as his eyes glided over the sky before he turned to look at Rudolph. The other nodded before turning away from the old man. "Let's get back it's cold tonight"

"You're right" Rudolph said and stood with Tony. As they made their way back towards Tony's room an idea struck him. "Hey Tony?" he called with a smirk.

"Yes?" Tony looked over at his friend nervous for what was going through his mind.

"You can trust..." Rudolph said before letting of Tony's hand and let the old man drop a little before diving down and toke his hand once more "…I will catch you when you fall." Rudolph steered them right once more and Tony laughed at the scare he had gotten.

"Never gets old, does it?" the old man asked.

"Never" the vampire confirmed as the got close to the window. When they finally returned to Tony's room both were in high spirit but when the old man once more took a seat on the bed exhausted, Rudolph lingered a little by the window before closing it and joining the old man, his mood considerably more gloom. Suddenly the door was opened and Klara came in looking horrified while dragging a young boy with her.

"There you are. Where have you been?" she asked terrified and Rudolph noticed how she kept a close eye on him while steering the young boy behind her.

"Mom this place is full of vampires. Grandfather wasn't crazy after all. I told so. I said it so many times" the boy said excitedly clearly not at all afraid.

"Rudolph this is my great grandchild Denis" Tony said as the boy tried to peak out from behind his mother.

"Hi, you must be Rudolph. Grandfather's told me so much about you. I hope we can become friends too" the young boy said while trying to escape his overprotecting mother.

"Grandfather let's just go home already" Klara pleaded as she could hardly keep her son back.

"I already am home my dear. You know why I came here now let the boy come say hello" Tony said and Denis finally broke free from Klara and excitedly came over. Rudolph happily shook the boys hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Denis" Rudolph said and flared his fangs to see if he could scare the boy.

"WAW look at those fangs" Denis said and leaned in to get a better look. Rudolph just huffed out a small laugh as Denis started a long story about how they had arrived here. Eventually Klara came over to them as well and joined the conversation.

"Can you see how we aren't different after all?" Tony asked his granddaughter and she just sighed and nodded before leading her son out the door.

"Come one dear let's leave your great grandfather to it" she said and Denis looked disappointed.

"Alright, hey Rudolph lets have some fun together soon okay?"

"Of cause, it's a promise" the vampire said as he waved softly after the boy. Short after the door closed Tony decided to lie down and Rudolph sat on the edge of the bed careful not to jostle him. The old man had closed his eyes and was breathing deeply clearly sleeping. The vampire was content with just watching his friend but with the fear that every breath was going to be the last. Suddenly the old man sat up straight gasping for air.

"Rudolph, where are you?" he called only half awake. The younger flew up in front of the old man and gently got him to lie back down while still hovering over the bed himself. "I couldn't find you… Rookery was there… he had me… he was…" Tony trailed off as he realized it was all a dream. Rodolph slowly lowered himself onto the bed next to Tony, so he way lying by his side, his head gently resting on Tony's shoulder.

"Anytime you're lost my friend, call my name and reach for my hand" Rudolph said quietly.

"I will always stand by you" Tony said in a groggy voice as sleep started to take him again.

"Differences don't matter friend are true" Rodolph said with a smile and he felt a hand slowly stoke his hair. His eyes started watering again and he sniffed several times before he tried to speak again. "Come and take my hand together we can fly, soar across the moonlight sky" he lifted a hand into Tony's line of sight. The old man took it and held it tight. "High above the clouds we go. Precious glances at the world below" Rudolph continued and tried to create a better dream for his friend and the vampire shifted his head so it was right over Tony's chest and he could listen to the soft thumps of his heart.

"Afternoon adventures" Tony said as he was sinking further and further into sleep.

"Fantastic worlds we can explore" the vampire continued with a shaking voice. The hand on his head had stopped moving and was now just resting on his hair.

"Places never seen before" Tony's voice was foggy with exhaustion. Rudolph took several heaving breaths as he tried to control his breathing through his tears that was soaking the sheets below them.

"Darkest night or dawns first ray…?" Rodolph praised it like a question. He just needed to hear it one more time. He looked up at Tony's face and saw that his eyes once more was closed.

"I am never far away" Tony said it was a clear promise and the grip of their joined hands became stronger for just a moment before getting weaker and weaker

"When you think of me…" Rudolph wouldn't say any more as he couldn't hold back his crying and just began sobbing.

"I'm right there by your side" Tony said before his hand slipped from Rudolph's head, his chest caved in as his breath left him and Rudolph lay as quietly as possible to hear as the sound of Tony's heart because weaker and eventually stopped beating.