A/N: Here we are: the last chapter of this attempt at a 'season III fix-it' for everyone's favorite dhampir.

26. Beginnings

Cold. A breezy flutter of draperies, and sunlight. Ravenna clutched sleepily at the covers, her hand reaching of its own accord across the cool sheets to feel-

The space beside her was empty. Her eyes opened, and in a messy tangle of black hair Ravenna groggily rose, propped on her arms. The air in the room was chilly with the open window after the nightly rains, but still laced with the scent of wild pine and fresh dew and summer. And then there was another scent, lingering on the sheets, in her hair, on her skin. Her lips curved upward. Looking about herself, Ravenna felt briefly disappointed that she had not awoken to flickering eyes of gold and a sharp smile to kiss.

She reclined back onto the bed, drawing the sheets over her bare form. Memories of the night came to the fore, each more vivid and wonderfully teasing than the last. Ravenna recalled his hands on her, her hands on him, the details of him burned into her spirit and etched onto her skin. The restraint fallen to pieces the deeper she kissed him, the desperation of longing which led them to an unending downward spiral of feeling, touching and possession. She recalled the scars, his plea to forget; his attempt to bury himself into her as though she were his talisman; his need of her, manifest into burning lips traveling the length of her body, showing her the heights one could fall from.

And then his tickling whisper against her ear before rest took her, and the things he had said. Ravenna turned on her side. After their tumultuous night together she hurt in a way which riled her, and only made her desire more of it. She still felt his taste in her mouth. Sleepily Ravenna rose to sit in bed again, clutching the blanket at her chest, wondering where Adrian had gone. Her mind awake, new thoughts began to sift through the fabric of her conscious. She felt as though all her struggles and learning and years spent in service of the greater good had somehow brought her here. And though Ravenna knew her goal could not be abandoned, the notion of leaving here now was rolling thunder and shadow on a bright day. They would need to speak of it. But what would she say? That she loved him, she enjoyed having him and was happy he appeared to fare better, but eventually she would need to depart? To leave him? What of her promise to never allow any harm come to him again?

Ravenna paused.

She loved him? A concept foreign to her, but for swirls of forgotten languages on veal pages during candle lit nights. Odes, odysseys and hymns, all dedicated to its myriad of forms and outcomes. All praising its delights and despairing over its iniquities.

Was this it? Was it that which the ancients favored and relished to explore, and which now monotheistic religion diminished and forbade in its earthly form?

Ravenna rose from the bed, wobbling slightly, one hand propped against the wooden post. The past night had been more demanding than she had thought, the young woman considered with half a smile. His strength, though controlled and reined, still slipped at times and a light bruise or two had made an appearance on her hip, her rear. Not that she had been gentler. Ravenna reached for her nightgown then crossed the empty chamber on bare feet, searching for her discarded slippers. She then donned her robe and left the chamber. She paced through the corridors, listening for any sign of where Adrian may be. Torn between the green meadows of her growing affection and the grey chains of duty, she wavered back and forth, both dreading and needing to see him, to hold him. To tell him.

He was not in the kitchen, though Ravenna noticed the table was laden with bowls of forest fruit and nuts. There were pitchers of cold water there as well. She helped herself to some of the fare before resuming her search. Ravenna stepped through the main reception hall, and after a few more failed attempts she had one last place to search. An unlikely option, but beyond it lay worry. And so she went.

As Ravenna neared what she knew to be the engine room of the castle, she heard sharp sounds of metal ringing against metal, and the rumbling roar of heavy objects falling and shattering. She lengthened her stride until she reached the entrance.

Adrian stood with his back to her, tall and straight, his shirt rolled to his elbows. He was currently in the midst of displacing a large melted copper sprocket from its original position. Wide eyed, Ravenna cringed when a deafening roll echoed through the chamber, as the blond threw the immense burden over a pile of similar discarded items. As he did so Adrian lifted his gaze to see a waiting Ravenna, her arms crossed and gaze questioning as she watched him.

Ravenna nearly crumpled under the brightness of his features. He was the same, and yet he was not. The frown and scowl from the early days of their meeting were gone. He did not smile but the unseen burden ever coiling around him did not seem to weigh as heavily on his step.

Adrian appeared none too affected by the inhuman effort he had made, and as their eyes kept trained on each other Ravenna felt the now familiar stirrings inside, ones only he could awaken.

Adrian stopped before her, and glanced her over. Ravenna regarded him, unmoving. She smothered the needling thought of how things stood between them now, even as he reached for her, the back of his hand gently grazing her cheek.

"You disappeared," she said, following his shadowing gaze as it rested on the still present bruises gifted in the struggle from the forest.

"You slept so soundly and deeply, I did not wish to wake you," and he smiled, a brittle thing. Ravenna felt weak, and wanton, as though sharp spears were flung between her ribs and only he had the power to retrieve them, either leaving her whole or tearing her apart.

And then Ravenna fell against him, wishing there was no quest, no aim, no Styria. For one split of time she selfishly desired her task had never been entrusted to her, all the while blessing that it was. When his arms wrapped around her Ravenna sighed at the renewed sensation of ease. Her own trembling arms came around his neck and she inhaled him, the tip of her nose pressing into the hollow of his neck.

"What are you trying to achieve here?" she spoke into him.

His chin rested on the crown of her head. "Remember the task of dislodging the melted metals from there?"

"Yes," she said softly, dejectedly. Ravenna felt her bones nearly crack when Adrian brought her even closer against him. She sighed, feeling the damnable rousing stir in her belly again. He was so warm.

"May I look into your eyes?" she heard the soft words, and slowly lifted her head.

His gaze was steady and determined but imbued with the same light from the woods, from last night. "You still have research to pursue in the Hold, from what I recall?"

"Yes," Ravenna said, distracted by the sunlight straying over his pale features, setting his mane of hair a deeper gold.

"We will restore the engine room," he leaned closer to her face, and Ravenna felt warmth on her lips. She shivered, one of her hands grasping his nape, demanding more tender torment. She would never tire of it.

Adrian broke away and pressed his face to hers. "Once you are done, we will transport this castle to Styria, so that you may complete your task. It may take more time, but it would be reclaimed with the speed of travel owed to the mechanism." He looked back into her ice blue depths. "What say you?"

It was then that it dawned on her. The tightness of his grip. His face when he had glimpsed her. He had been reeling. Perhaps he thought she might refuse?

It seemed trust and fear mingled as he struggled to change and reclaim his faith in both himself and others.

"You want me to stay."

He blinked, and his eyes softened on her. "For as long as you desire. But I would need your aid, for this to be possible," he waved a hand towards the dismantled engine room. Infused metals required knowledge of alchemy which he did not wholly master. "What say you, Raven?" Adrian asked again, and the look on his face spoke of so many things, all of which were clashing and crumbling within her.

The air in the room seemed charged. Ravenna felt as though she were levitating, light as a leaf flowing on a mild wind. Then her gaze was drawn by his lower lip, and she tilted her head to nip on it. She felt his sigh against her mouth. "Yes," but it came cracked and faint with the feel of him, with his lips hungrily pressing on hers.

And then she was feverish again, and needed him. She felt his need, and then sense was no more, the engine room was no more, and all Ravenna knew was him. And he gave her all she asked for and more, both uncaring of the cold messy floor; the ruined remnants of darker days and the sun their uncaring witnesses.

"I truly... must... bathe now," Ravenna panted when it was done, and Adrian was drawing her in a sitting embrace. "... and you ought to eat," she admonished lightly, being met with a quirked eyebrow and a small smile, revealing one fang which was her undoing. "Do not look at me that way. You may be half-vampire-"

"Go," Alucard helped her to her feet. He held her hands, placing a chivalrous kiss on each in turn. His eyes were mischief. "I will follow in a moment."

Assured but throwing him a mock scolding look nonetheless, Ravenna turned from him. "I would not wish to have to return for you," she threatened impishly.

Alucard was fastening his shirt over his chest, a roguish grin on his face. "Are you certain?"

With a good humored huff Ravenna left him, her smile as wide as the horizon. She followed the path through the castle, soon reaching the balustrade and winding stairs in the reception hall. Her step was light, her worries and darkness set to rest. He was yet learning to fight against his fears, that of loss chief among them, and she would do her utmost to aid him.

As Ravenna walked to reach a hall which led to the bath chamber, she heard noise, sudden and not completely foreign.

Knocking?

After a brief pause which had her stop in her tracks, the knocking resumed. This time louder.

Warily Ravenna approached, following the wide corridor towards the gates and fastening her robe.

Another knock. She considered waiting for Adrian, but thought she heard a feminine voice on the other end. Intrigued, Ravenna listened again, but there was only knocking. She reached for the handle and slowly and painstakingly cracked one of the gates open, careful to stand to the side.

Her eyes met steely grey ones, a black head of messy hair. An angry scar, a sharp jaw lined with stubble. A young man, standing before the gates. His garb was worn with travel. Then those foreign eyes widened, regarding her untamed hair, moving to her robe as it slid off one naked shoulder.

"Uh... is-... we seek Alucard. Is he here?" the man had a voice too, it seemed.

This must have been a mistake. She frowned. "... Who?" But why would anyone come here of all places, seeking someone they thought they knew?

Grey eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Alucard. You know, tall, blond, very annoying, the son of Dracula and all that? Where is he?" His tone had become demanding, wary.

"Ravenna, what is it?" she heard his voice from behind her then, and the stranger appeared startled.

She turned her head towards Adrian, who had come to stand behind her, unable to say anything except,-

"...Alucard?" she mouthed in confusion.

The son of Dracula seemed stricken, and his gaze shot towards the person standing outside. Ravenna had never seen him so... so... astonished? Angry? Happy?

She turned back to the man before her, whose face had changed from confused to knowing. It was a face demanding blows. A grin was plastered on it. "Well, this, I did not expect," he churned, crossing his arms.

She heard one, single word, a mesh of relief, surprise and utter exasperation.

"Belmont."

"Alucard."

They knew each other? Ravenna stepped back, felt his hand resting on her shoulder. The gates instantly opened wider, revealing another approaching figure. A female, donned in blue robes, with hair of fire.

The stranger cleared his throat, the grin still present. "Well, won't you invite us in?"

A/N:

Well, that was that. I left somewhat of an open ending - because 'dastardly plans'. Saddened though I am, this was the ending I had in mind and I have nothing else to offer you now dear reader. I hope you enjoyed, and thank you for your reviews and/or attention - there is no higher reward, they meant so much. I also have the habit of writing companion pieces to fics, so I may or may not revisit these two in the future. It certainly feels like I'm not done writing Alucard.

Now... well, let's see what season IV brings (Warren Ellis, I'm watching you).

Until next time