Skylar wandered around the castle, looking at every book, every broken wall, or shattered glass from a mirror, window, or vial from Dracula's research rooms. As she peered down from the window, she saw Alucard bidding Sypha and Trevor farewell. Skylar felt her heart thump. It wasn't something she was familiar with. It wasn't a feeling she hated, but couldn't quite tell if it was one she liked either. She felt this when Alucard pressed against her back and begged her not to leave him. An image came to her mind. Alucard alone. In a flash, she saw herself alone like that. Alone. Afraid. Desperate for a companion. She was not about to do that to Alucard. He was put through enough heartache after losing his parents. Skylar went back to exploring the castle.
"..." Skylar was silent for the first few minutes, exploring in silence. Then, she saw Alucard in the main hall. He was staring at something. Maybe his imagination was seeing his father walking down the steps of the grand staircase.
"Is this how the castle felt to you?" Alucard asked the air. Most likely thinking of his father. Skylar watched from a distance as he walked up the stairs, his hand trailing up the railing as he spoke, seemingly to no one. "Before my mother first arrived at your door?"
"..." Skylar didn't need to ask what he meant. She could feel it. She knew Alucard meant the castle felt cold, empty, and devoid of the warmth of a family or joy.
Alucard's thoughts preoccupied him, so Skylar followed him unnoticed. Alucard walked the halls in silence until he reached his father's study. The shards of the mirror on the ground, his father's chair on its side on the floor. Skylar watched Alucard as he made his way inside. She knew it wasn't her place to go inside or to say anything just yet. Alucard pulled the chair upright and angled it to face the doorway. Skylar went inside and stood to the side, her hands behind her back, palms against the wall, leaning back on it. Alucard sat in the chair and looked ahead, at the doorway, as if he were seeing someone there. Skylar guessed it was his mother, possibly. Skylar saw Alucard's hands tremble at first. Then tears began to fall from his eyes. Skylar felt her heart tighten in a way that hurt inside. Skylar made her way over to Alucard as he cried, and she hugged his shoulders, burying her face in his hair.
"..." Alucard held onto her arms, crying more now that she embraced him. "... Thank you, Skylar..."
"Always, Alucard," Skylar said, holding his trembling body. The two stayed like that for a while. No words, not trying to ease with words, just an embrace of silence and physical contact.