~FLASH BACK~

VAN HELSING POV

It was the year 1461, a year before Dracula was murdered. You were a simple peasent girl then. I am not sure why neither one of us remembered Egypt but back then I was one of Dracula's leading generals. Though I wouldn't say we were truly anything close to friends. I remember you were accused of stealing food from a nobleman's garden and he and I had come for the trial.

Serenity is shackled before a judge, jury and the rest of the memebers of the village as Gabriel and Vlad ride up.

"Another trial? It seems that these people will hang you for any reason." Gabriel told Vlad.

"Very true Gabriel, I must ride home and attend to my wife, you may stay and watch. If you think the punishment not fair then you have my permission to change it." Vlad told him as he rode off.

Gabriel went in for a closer look. There on under the hanging noose stood a woman, she was average height with long red hair and eyes that from what I could tell were emerald green. He heard people talking and then the judge says.

"What do you have to say then?" the Judge asks the woman.

She raises her head up and looks at the judge. "I did what I did to save my starving family, if I was wrong then please hang me now for I do not wish to be right." She said with no fear in her at all she knew she was just trying to feed her family.

"Then you plead guilty, hang her" the judge says.

"No!" I yell out from the crowd. I dismount my horse and go to the stage the judge sits on. "Judge I will take her, I need a servant and I am in short supply recently." I lied to him.

"Lord Gabriel she is but a common thief, she may still you valuables." The judge said in protest.

"Let me worry about that, what shall it cost to release her?" I ask them.

The judge looked over at the man who accused her.

"Four potatos." The man said with his head down.

"Potato's? Really that is what this all about?" he said with a laugh "Alright I will have someone deliver them to you tonight. Now judge would you let my servant free?"

The judge nodded to the hangman and let the girl loose. She slowly walked down the stairs to find the man who just saved her waiting for her.

"Come this way my dear, you have work you should be doing." He says as he grabs her and puts her on his horse then get on behind her and they ride off.

Slowly they approach a small cottage in the woods. Well-kept though, smoke coming from the chimney and a wonderful smell. She didn't turn back to look back at him but she couldn't help but as "Are you going to kill me?"

He frowned not wanting her to see though. "No I am not going to kill you. I find it ridiculous that you were going to die over four measly potato's." he says as the approach the house and he jumps down from it. He quickly ties the reigns to a tree. Then returns to the woman.

"Come I am going to help you down, I promise I won't hurt you." He tells her as she looks down from the horse. She jumps down into his arms and he puts her on the ground. "What's your name woman?" he asks.

"I am called Serenity sir." I tell him as I curtsey.

He looks at me and barely smiles. "Well you have manners that is a good thing. Come lets get you inside and out of those rags." He says as he brings her into the house.

The outside of the house made it look small but it wasn't in fact it was rather large. They walked together to the kitchen where and older woman stood over the stove cooking.

"Mrs. Harring." The man called out to her. The woman turned around startled.

"Oh Gabriel you finally brought home a girl! You are getting married!" the woman cried out in joy.

Gabriel and Serenity both looked at one another confused. "No Mrs. Harring this is our new helper Serenity. Take care of her for me I need a bath so would you please draw me one." He says before the woman has time to answer then takes off up stairs.

"Darn boy, I am cooking doesn't he know I can't do fifty things at once, you dear go up and run his bath. It's the first door on the left up stairs. Make sure it is nice and hot and put two soaps in for him if you please for our benefit." The woman says with a laugh.

SERENITY POV

I walk up the stairs and reach the first door on the left and open it to see a bath tub with a few shelves with towels upon them. I walk inside and start the bath. (Pretend they have modern hot and cold water) I start to look around the bath room for the soaps the woman walk talking about. I open a cabinet and there stand two soaps.

"Not much variety if you ask me." I say to myself as I open one of the bottle and pour some of the liquid in. "Maybe this will make him smell better?" I say with a giggle. I turn to put the soaps away as the door opens.

There the man stands completely naked as I look up at him. His eyes are closed as he says "Thank you Mrs. Harring, I need this bath to relax."

"I'm not Mrs. Harring" I say as I cover my eyes.

"Oh good lord!" he exclaims as he attempts to cover himself. "What are you doing in here?" he asks.

"She was cooking downstairs and she asked me to come run your bath" I say as I try to leave but somehow manage to trip but his one arm catches me making him loose balance and we both fall into the bath tub.

"Are you alright?" he asks me while trying to keep himself covered.

"I am going to get back to helping Mrs. Harring down stairs" I say as I stand up. The amount of water must have been too much for my old dress to hold since I heard it tare straight down the back. Oh dear god how humiliating.

"Don't move, I will get you something to cover up with." He says as he gets out of the tub and wraps himself in a towel and walks right past me.

I can only imagine what he thinks of me. I barely know this man and I have seen all of him and he has seen the back side of me. Heaven help me.

He comes back in quickly and puts his coat over me and lifts my head up.

"Are you alright?" he asks me yet again. "You seem to have a little scratch above your eye." He says as he touches it.

Ow! Hello that hurts I think as I flinch from his touch. I look up at him and he looks very caring at least when he is wet.

"Let me wash that out for you" he says as he wets a rag and cleans the cut. "There all better."

I look up at him embarrassed. "Thank you and I am so sorry Master" I say.

"No don't call me master, my name is Gabriel." He tells me as he keeps looking at the scratch.

"Gabriel, that sounds familiar. I have never met you before though." I say as he looks down at me and our eyes meet.

We broke our glance and began down stairs.

Mrs. Harring looked at us in a state oh shock. "Just what were you two doing up there?" She asks us.

"I tripped and we both fell into the tub." I admit to her.

"Do we have a dress she can wear?" Gabriel asks Mrs. Harring.

"I believe there is one I made for my niece but she never came for it. The young miss is welcome to wear it." Mrs. Harring said as she went back to her sleep.

We walk back upstairs into a bedroom as he goes to the closet and takes out an emerald green day dress. "I believe this will suit you since this is all we have for now." He tells me handing me the dress.

"Thank you" I say as he walks out and shuts the door. I quickly drop his coat and get dressed in the green dress.

I walk back downstairs alone to help Mrs. Harring.

"Alright we will take this to the table now, go ahead and set the table all you need is in the cabinet." She tells me.

I walk to the cabinet and open it and grab three plates and cups as well as cutlery for a three people. She quickly shut the cabinet and set the table for three. Mrs. Harring come up and nodded in approval.

"Good job girl, now are you going to tell me how you ended up here?" she asks me in a hushed tone.

"He saved me from being hung, he bought me I guess you could say." I tell her in reply.

"Oh really for how much?" she asks as she sits the pot in the middle of the table.

"Four potato's." I say with a sigh.

"Potato's? Did I hear you right?" she asked me.

"You heard her right, four potato's was her price and now she is here." Gabriel said as he entered the room.

"Only four potato's though I mean look at her, nice age good smile and teeth, and birthing hips what more could you ask for?" Mrs. Harring asked as she circle me.

"Shall we eat?" he asked pointing at the table.

"Oh I almost forget, I have to go help Mr. Jenkins bad back and all. You two eat up. See you in the morning." She told them as she dashed out of there.

Serenity just stood there in shock. She did know Mrs. Harring could move that fast.

"Please let us eat." He said as he pulled her chair out for her.

She slowly walked forward and sat in the chair. He went to his across from hers and began to put portions of the soup in her bowl.

"Serenity is it?" he asked me.

"Yes it is sir Gabriel." I said trying not to make eye contact with him.

"You will need to bathe tonight and tomorrow I will take you into town to get you some suitable dresses." He said as he ate his soup.

"Servants dresses?" I asked confused.

"You are not my servant that was just an excuse so they would let you come with me." He says continuing to eat his soup.

"Thank you for all your kindness. I don't know how I could ever repay you." I tell him as I take a spoonful of the soup and eat it.

"No need, I a glad I was able to save your neck. No one deserves to be treated like that." He says as he finishes his soup. Wow he is a fast eater.

He began his second helping and I was not in half way done with my first.

"Serenity are you promised for or anything I should know about?" he asks me as he looks up from the soup.

"No sir, I have never been promised to anyone or anything like that." I tell him looking down at my food.

"Good no worries there then. There is a ball in two days if you do not know how to dance then I expect you to learn by then for you shall be coming with me." He orders her.

"I already know how to dance my lord." I tell him.

"Good, well it's getting late we had better get to bed. Are you coming?" he asks her.

She looks up at him surprised. What exactly is he trying to imply here? "What do you want me to do?" I ask very hesitant.

"Nothing will happen, I do not have a spare bed so either sleep next to me or on the floor." He says as he stands from the table and starts to walk up stairs.

I rise from the table and walk up stairs to the bedroom. I open the door and see he is in his night shirt about to get into bed when he hands me one of his night shirts.

"We shall have to get you some night clothes as well." He tells me.

"No one has ever been this kind to me in my life." I tell him as I walk in the room and shut the door. I turn away from him.

"I better go run the bath then." I say as I go to the door and he sits up.

"I will assist you if you wish, you do have long hair." He says.

"No thank you I think I can manage this time" I tell him.

After my bath I walk back into the bed room and see him fast asleep. I lay my green dress on the bed and quietly climb into bed. I do my best to get comfortable without waking him. Just as my eyes start to close I feel him roll over in the bed and now his face is looking at the back of my head. I feel him move again and his arm comes over my body and pulls me close to him.

"My Lord?" I ask but he says nothing and stay asleep.

I shrug it off and drift off to sleep. That night I stay still and don't toss and turn for once.

The next morning I woke up and saw hair in front of me. I lifted my head and looked at Gabriel. Yep he was naked. I quickly looked down at me but I was still dressed in his night shirt.

"I get hot at night, I had to get rid of that shirt" I hear him say as I slowly look up at him.

"I am so sorry my Lord I did not mean to fall asleep on your chest. Please forgive me." I say as I turn away from him.

"Don't fret, nothing happened though I do think you kept me close because you were cold." He says as he puts on a pair of pants and I hide my eyes.

"The green dress will do for now. Can you ride side saddle or must you ride with me?" he asks as he puts on his shirt and starts to button it up.

"I can ride side saddle my lord." I tell him as I quickly jump into the dress when we hear the door open and there stands Mrs. Harring.

"I knew you two would start to like each other eventually. Did everythigng go well." She asks.

As I go to turn around mortified I trip on the dress and fall face first onto the floor.

"My god are you alright?" Gabriel asks as he helps me up.

"It seems I can't stay on my feet when I am around you." I tell him as he helps me to my feet.

"Sorry to disappoint you Mrs. Harring but nothing happened besides sharing a bed last night." He tells her as he takes my hand and walks me down stairs.

He goes to a closet and pulls out a cloak. "Here it will be chilly and until we get her a proper coat this will have to do." He tells me as he hands it to me.

I put the cloak around me as I go to to the tide straps Mrs. Harring comes forward with a pin and pins the two sides together.

"There now it will stay shut." She tells me with a wink.

"Come, we are going to town Mrs. Harring anything the house needs?" he asks her.

"I don't know about the house but you need a wife Gabriel!" she yells at him as we exit the door.

After going to the stables and getting a horse from me we take off to town.

Once we arrive Gabriel ties up our horse's and we walk to the dress makers shop together. "Dressmaker I need at least seven dresses for this young woman here." He tells the man as he pulls me forward.

"Ah of course my lord. Any particular color or style?" the dress maker asks as he starts to measure me.

"One must be a ball gown and green just like the color of her eyes." He tells the man as he watches him measure me.

"Two day's my lord and they will be ready for pick up or delivery?" the dress maker asks.

"I will pick them up. She needs them very soon. The ball is two days from now." Gabriel tells him.

"Well the best I can do is tomorrow afternoon." The dress maker tells him.

"That will do just fine." He tells him as he takes my hand and we walk out of the shop.

We continue to walk the streets as it unfourtunitly begins to rain. He pulls me out of the rain and into a small store where Vlad and his future wife happen to be.

"Ah Gabriel, terrible weather out today." Vlad says then directs his attention to me. "Any who is this beautiful creature?" he asks.

"The girl I saved the other day, her name is Serenity we just came to get her a few dresses and such." Gabriel says as he stands a little further in front of Serenity.

"I do hope you are going to bring her to the ball? It would be wonderful to see her in a ball gown." Vlad says as he can't take his eyes off me.

"Yes she will accompany me." He says as he takes my hand.

I look down shocked that he just grabbed my hand.

"Very well Gabriel, I will see you in two days. A pleasure to see you miss Serenity. I will introduce myself when we meet again." Vlad says as he walks away with the other woman.

We went back to the house in the pouring rain. Quickly we ran inside to dry ourselves by the fire. I start to shiver against my will as he wraps me in a blanket.

"Thank you" I tell him as we both stare into the fire.

"Do not leave my side at the ball, the man you saw today will be up to no good." He tells me as he takes off his coat.

"I will do as you wish." I tell him as I take my blanket and lower it so I can take my cloak off.

"Serenity when I grabbed you hand earlier, forgive me I know it was out of turn." He tries to say.

I summoned up all of my bravery and strength and put my first finger over his lips. "No need to say anything. I understand you were protecting me." I tell him with a small smile on my face.

The next morning he was gone. I went out to the garden and sat down looking at all of the wild flowers. To be honest when I stole the potato's it wasn't for my family, they were already dead. I was going to give them to the orphanage to help feed other children with no food.

I lay back on the grass, the weather is actually warm today and I can look up to a bright sun and blue sky. I feel relaxed until I hear a horse approaching, I quickly sat up and looked around as Gabriel's horse stopped in front of me.

"I have your dresses, would you like to put something on that was made for you?" Gabriel asks me as I look up at him.

I smile and nod and follow him into the house. He gives me the packages of dresses as I go up stairs. Out of the seven dresses there is a black, brown, blue, yellow, red and two green. I held the ball gown up. It was the fanciest dress I had ever seen. I can't wear it now I need to get dressed and go back down stairs to help with the food. I put on the blue dress and quickly dash back down stairs.

I walk to Mrs. Harring as she stirs whatever is in the pot and she turns around to be.

"Ah give us a spin." She tells me.

To humor her I do spin and smile at her as Gabriel re enters the room and I freeze.

"Blue is a beautiful color on you Serenity." He tells me as he walks up face to face with me.

A part of me really want to lean forward and kiss him but I can't he is a lord and I well I am a peasant plain and simple. I lower my head not expecting him to notice.

"The ball is tomorrow. Will this be the first one you have attended?" he asks still advancing towards me.

"Yes it is, I am looking forward to it very much." I tell him as he backs me against a wall in the opposite room of Mrs. Harring.

I look at him nervously. I don't know what to do or say. Keep calm I keep telling myself. Just keep calm and everything will be alright.

He leans in and ever so slowly his lips touch mine. I feel safe with him and needed. He looks up at me from the kiss.

"If you don't want me at all then please tell me and I will never speak of this again." He tells me nervously.

"I just have one question. Why did you save me the other day?" I ask him praying for a better answer than I don't know.

"I feel like I am drawn to you, almost as if I already know you. I can sense when you are happy or scared, sad or hurt. Loved or lonely." He says as he caresses my cheek with his hand.

"I feel something like that towards you too." I tell him as I put my hand on his head. Then my minds slaps me back to reality. "You and not in the same class as me though, I am just a peasant." I say as I try to back away.

"I do not care about class and I have no family to prevent me from marrying whoever please!" he tells me as he takes my hand in his. "I know we just met a day ago but I feel as though I have known you my entire life Serenity and I never want to be away from you side. Tell me do you feel the same for me?" he asks me.

I look up at him, I can't lie to him. "I would not leave you ever if I was given the choice." I tell him as I thrust my lips forward to meet his.

He pulls away from me just for a moment and looks down. "I know this is fast an you will more than likely deny me but I can not bare the though of you being with another please Serenity become mine for now and always?" he asks me.

I can't believe what I am hearing. "Did you just ask me to marry you?" I ask him.

"Not just to marry me but to stay by my side as long as we both shall live." He says looking me in the eyes.

"Yes, I will it would be my greatest pleasure." I tell him as I lean in and kiss him.

"FINALLY" we hear Mrs. Harring yell from the other room as she being to laugh.

The next night, the night of the ball we walk into Vlad's castle and are taken to the ball room where people and dancing and drinking the night away. Gabriel tightens his grip on me as we walk forward and are confronted by Vlad himself.

"Gabriel, Serenity glad you could come. I am so happy to see you here. Serenity you may call me Vlad or Dracula." He says as he makes a slight bow.

I nod my head as does Gabriel.

"You two look closed than when we met up in town on that rainy day." He says as he looks me up and down.

"Serenity has agreed to become my bride this coming Sunday." Gabriel tells him as he puts his arm around Serenity and pulls her close.

"Then may I have the first dance with you since after Sunday you will only dance with your husband Gabriel?" Vlad asks.

I look to Gabriel and see that he is worried, I squeeze his hand to try and comfort him. "Of course Dracula." I say as Vlad pulls me away from him.

Vlad takes me in his arms as we dance around the ball room. "Ashame you will be married to Gabriel soon, I could have made you my bride." He tells me.

I look up at him then the other way. "I love Gabriel no other could claim my heart." I tell him.

Vlad spins me around then dips me. "Do not be so sure Serenity, others can sneak their way in" he tells me as his hand goes down my chest then brings me back up.

"Be prepared for anything young one." He says as he releases me to Gabriel.

The night went on and Vlad kept watching me from a distance and Gabriel noticed.

We went home after the ball and life returned normal until Sunday.

"This is our wedding day. " I say as Mrs. Harring helps me into my white wedding dress.

"And you look like an angel. Gabriel is a lucky man." Mrs. Harring tells me as she put the veil over my face. "Be happy and have love child. That is the key to true happiness."

We ride off to the church where Gabriel is already there at the alter waiting. I walk inside and see the doors to the chaple closed. Mrs. Harring opens them as the bridal march starts, I walk down the isle when I notice most of the town in there. I look up front and there sitting in the first pew is Vlad alone. I ignore him and forcus on Gabriel.

I finally reach him and he takes my hands in his. The priest comes forward and we say our vows and the priest pronounces us man and wife. Gabriel takes me in his arms and kisses me as the crowd celebrates.

Five months went by after that, Gabriel tried to distance himself from Vlad but that never worked.

Today was the worst day I could have ever imagined. I came home from getting supplies for Mrs. Harring and I see a group of men. I run forward and the men separate. "What is going on here?" I yell demanding an answer.

One of the men push Gabriel to the ground and put a knife to his throat. "Is it quite simple Serenity if you agree to leave Gabriel and come back with me I will allow him to live, if not I fear the ground will be painted red." Vlad says as he walks around me.

Gabriel lifts his head up. "Serenity listen to me it's just a trick he wants you for himself" he yells.

"If I agree will you let him free?" I ask Vlad

"Of course my dear but you can never return to him." Vlad explains to me.

I can't bare to see Gabriel get hurt. I drop the basket and go to Vlad. "Then I am yours" I tell him as he smiles at me.

"Release him" Vlad orders as he grabs my hand and takes me away from Gabriel.

"NO!" I hear Gabriel yell our way.

~PRESENT~

"A year later I murdered Dracula myself. You were never found they say he killed you but since you were immortal you did not die but left to find me again. Those are the only memories I remember from that time. I do remember the wedding night though that is for another time." Van Helsing says with a smile on his face..