The final Farewell Circe placed the jars on the shelf, humming softly to herself. It had been a week since Nevina was lost and found her way back thanks to "a nice man in a red coat". Her parents had reasoned with themselves that she couldn't mean Alucard. He was dead. Wasn't he? She stopped her humming, and sighed, letting her hand play with a soft strand of her white hair. She felts strong arms encircle her waist from behind, and a kiss laid tenderly upon her neck. She twisted slightly, expecting to meet the eyes of her husband. And instead found herself staring into red, sunglassed eyes. She felt her knees grow weak, and dark spots popped in her vision, and she crumbled against him. When she awoke again, she was laid down on the sofa, and he, he who should have been dead, was sitting beside her, playing with her hair. "You are awake, beautiful. I'm sorry for frightening you, though, having you fall into my embrace like the swooning maid you once were felt wonderful" He smiled, and she blushed. She scrambled to a sitting position, inching as far away from him as possible. "Alucard" His face lot up, "my love still remembers my name!" She tried to scowl, but she ended up crying, covering her face with her hands. She didn't fight as he pulled her against him and allowed her to cry against his chest. Which was when she realized, there was no heartbeat. He was dead. She pulled away, and looked at his face. He looked the same, his touch felt the same. His chest was just as firm and comforting. He even smelt the same. And yet...how could he be? She found her voice again, "how did you...what are you doing here Alucard?" He kissed her hair, and played with the ends of her long white locks. "I came to see you, and my child, Circe" She stood quickly, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his lap. "Alucard, stop it. I'm not free to be yours anymore" His eyes were sad, and he put his lips near hers, brushing them softly while his arms again encircled her waist. She knew she should fight against him, it was only right. She was married to Inger now. She was happy. And Alucard was dead. Quite suddenly he released her, and pulled back. "Your right, Circe. You always have been". She slowly scrambled off his lap, and backed away, eying him. What does one tell the father of your child when he has been dead for years? And whom you still might have buried feelings for? "You should have told me, Circe" Alucard spoke first, his eyes were lowered. "If I had known I had fathered a child, your child, especially your child, things would have turned out differently" She felt tears coming yet again, and she shoved the emotional ache from her. "I wanted to. I just...didn't know how" He stood, and walked towards her. His taller form yet again setting her heart at odd tempos. He stood near to her, and tilted her chin up. His familiar scent clinging to the air around them. The last time they had stood this close....she had ended up pregnant. "A simple, "Daddy Al, guess what your poking did?" Would have sufficed, my love". She wanted to look down, but his gloves finger kept her face at an upward tilt. She couldn't stop the tears this time. "Alucard, you know you would never had settled down happily. You loved me, yes, I loved you, yes. But we could never settle together and raise a family" She could see her words stung him, but also that he understood. "Perhaps you are right...." He sighed, and stroked her cheek. "I'll leave again. It's not for the dead to occupy the space of the living" She wanted to ask him to come again, to visit. But he was right. "Might I ask one favor from my old flame?" His eyes were sad, and she nodded. "Anything short of bedding or stripping with you" She saw a slight twinkle in his eyes, "nothing of that sort. I understand the body I once kissed and fondled is now belonging to another man. But might I perhaps beg borrow of those kissable lips in one final, passionate, completely French, kiss?" His hands clenched hers, and she stood on tiptoe, his hands moving to hold her waist. Her lips touched his, and he bent closer to her, and they kissed without restraint. They kissed with all the passion from their previous time together during which a child had been conceived. And he was, surprisingly, the first to pull away from her. "And now, I bid you my final farewell, oh fair Eve whom I might never have. For I am but a lowly serpent in this beautiful Eden" she opened her lips to protest, but he disappeared. Gone.