Ragna opened the door to a room, but not just any room. It was...a room whose door hasn't been opened in a long time. Ragna sensed a faint smell of nostalgia coming from this room. His eyes scanned the inner parts of the very dim room.

After a sound of a light clap by a girl behind him named Rachel Alucard, the candles hanging on various places on the walls lit up almost immediately, thus illuminating the room.

After Ragna could get a clear view of the room, he was completely astonished. It looked just like a kid's room full of toys and other childish things you'd find in a day-care centre.

Ragna turned himself backwards to look at Rachel as he asked, "You said we were going to a room that hasn't been opened for a long time, right? I was honestly expecting a forbidden weapon to be in here, not some kid's room. Why the hell did you bring us to this place? It looks all dusty here."

Rachel, ignoring Ragna's gaze, slowly stepped into the room. Her eyes slowly scanned all around before closing. As she had her eyes closed, she replied, "I wanted to share you what used to be my sanctuary, Ragna."

"Your sanctuary?" Ragna asked, feeling confused. "I'm not sure what you mean by that. For some reason, this room gives me a creepy feeling."

Rachel stood in the centre of the room. She opened her eyes half-way as she asked, "Ragna, do you remember when you were a child?"

Ragna slowly stepped further inside the room. "When I was a child? I haven't been a kid since that bastard took everything away from me." He clenched his fist, just recalling that horrible incident.

"But before Terumi took what was left of your childhood away, were you happy?" She asked, still having her eyes half-opened.

"Was I happy?" It took Ragna a bit of time to think back to when he was just a kid, living in the church with Celica, Jin, and Saya. "...I guess you could say that. I mean, I only had to worry about Jin bullying Saya every now and then. Other than that, yeah, I guess I was happy."

Rachel closed her eyes again as she said, "Children can be cruel sometimes."

"What?"

She said with her eyes closed, "Children are brimming with energy, not knowing what to do with it. They need their parents to set them straight, make them use their energy in the right ways for the right things. However, their innocence makes them cruel. What they sometimes do, they don't realise the impact that it makes on other people. Thus, they can sometimes be cruel. It's up to the parents to make them realise the consequences and repercussions of their actions."

Ragna tilted his head in confusion. "Uhh, rabbit, that's kinda deep, not that you're not ever NOT deep. But why are we in this room with you rambling about children and parents?"

"I told you, Ragna. This place used to be my sanctuary. ...I also wanted you here to hear me out on something..." Rachel said that with a rather somber tone.

Ragna could sense from the tonality that it wasn't going to be something pretty. He only waited for her to start.

"...Do you know what day it is today, Ragna?"

"...No..."

"...It's the third Sunday of June... Father's Day. Ragna, I'm sure you know the answer to this, but do you ever remember your father?"

"...No..." Ragna could only say again.

Rachel slowly opened up her eyes fully as she looked up at the ceiling of the room. "...Not every adult you have ever known grew up with having a mother and father in their life to guide them. Some even consider themselves lucky to have grown up with only one parent. There are even those that didn't grow up with any of their real parents in their lives at all."

Ragna stared at Rachel's back with the back of her head tilted downwards with her front facing the ceiling. He didn't feel like saying anything to that. He didn't know what to say to that.

Rachel continued, "...I don't remember my mother at all. My father wouldn't talk about her, no matter how many times I asked him about her. Long before you were born, centuries ago, my father would always visit me and tuck me in bed in this room."

"Should have guessed. This was Rachel's room when she was younger..." Ragna thought.

"My father always told me that it was important to be kind to others. However, my father also taught me that spoiling someone isn't love. There are times when you have to beat the lesson in them so that they won't forget it. I was once caught up in my own beliefs, blinded by them, even. Thanks to my father, though, I now possess the wisdom and humbleness that I do."

That made Ragna think, "Now that she mentioned her dad, the rabbit's been kinda like a mum to me. She'd always bitch about a mistake I make, and made sure I didn't forget what Master has taught me. She warned me about going through hell, and yet... I did, anyway."

"...He is now dead, but I always make sure to visit him whenever I'm not busy..." Rachel's tone turned darker with that statement.

Ragna felt a chill go down his spine as he continued to look at Rachel's back.

"However..." Rachel turned around to Ragna, and much to his astonishment, her face was full of waterfalls of tears. "...Not a day goes by that I don't miss him."

Ragna's were wide the instant he saw Rachel's face full of a tears on the surface. He couldn't believe his own eyes. Rachel Alucard, a woman so full of willpower and zeal, was crying? The sight of her almost made him dart for the exit out of bewilderment.

He saw Rachel walking towards him, still sniveling. His felt his feet glued to the ground; he couldn't move. Ragna could only stare straight ahead at the weeping petite woman.

Rachel continued after she was within reaching distance of Ragna. "I was very fortunate to have known my father throughout the years he was alive. I trusted him. I adored him. I obeyed him. When he died... I was... That was the one of the only times I felt unsure of myself. I wondered how I'd fare without him... However, he'd tell me to stop crying, and believe in my convictions until the very end of my life. Ragna, I... I'm...so sorry..." Rachel covered her crying face with both her hands, feeling ashamed for showing weakness in front of Ragna.

To her surprise, however, she became wrapped in Ragna's arms in a tender hug. She gasped, surprised at his touch. Rachel didn't resist, though. She trusted his arms.

"Geez, rabbit..." Ragna started as he continued to hold the blonde in his arms, "I'm not really good at stuff like this, but if you want to cry, then go ahead."

Rachel softly spoke as she took in Ragna's embrace, "Ragna... This is the first time since my father died that I entered this room. You are also the first visitor to ever be invited in here."

Ragna couldn't help but chuckle, "I guess I'm that special, huh?"

Rachel didn't comment on his question but instead said, "...Ragna, I honestly don't know why I decided to share this room of mine with you, but... I didn't want to cry without someone with me here."

"Couldn't you have asked the old geezer for that, instead?" Ragna asked, and it was a good question, too."

Rachel paused for a moment, then answered, "...I needed some fresh company, Ragna. He's been like a father, but he could never replace my real father. My real father will always be Clavis Alucard."

Rachel Alucard has always felt lucky to have known her father. Nobody in the world could replace her father.

On this Father's Day, she reminiscent about him with a man close to her heart, one who she could trust herself to. She had looked over him like a mother. As she does, however, she is silently wondering if her father would be proud of how she guides him to be the best man he could be.

This is my Fanfiction to say Happy Father's Day to all the father's out there who lovingly support their children!

I miss my own father.