Alucard sipped from his blood packet casually while he waited for Integra to finish changing. He was leaning against the wall outside her room, contemplating literally sticking his head in to see waht was taking so long. Before he could make up his mind, the door knob clicked, turned and swumg inwards. He stayed where he was.

Silence.

"Master? Are coming out?" He moved to the doorway and glimpsed Integra's unsure face beofre the door was slammed shut. "Master! What wrong with this one!"

From outside the room, the vampire could hear the 18 year old inside reply, "It's strange at the bottom!"

"What do you mean, 'strange'! Here, let me see!"

"No!"

He smirked, "Master, you've tried on a dozen dressed so far. I'm supposed to be giving you my opinion of them, remember? You ordered me to. Master, I havn't seen a single one of them!"

"They're all just...sort of..." she trailed off in a series of irritated mumblings.

"I'm coming in, Master."

"Wha--? No!"

Alucard walked forward, phasing through the wall in Integra's bedroom. Integra screamed at him adn threw a coat hanger at his head. "I said NO! That was a direct order! What do you think you're doing?"

Alucard was ignoring her, grabbing several dressed thrown about the room andwas now approaching his master with them. She was glaring dagges at him while simultaneously, pulling the top of her dress back up (let's just say it was a goodt hing Alucard wasn't looking until then...for Alucard's sake). He got about an arm's length away from her, and immediately started pulling up hangers, holding the dresses up to her shoulders and then scanning up and down. Integra didn't know what to do; she just tried to stay still. The first few dresses, he threw down on the bed, one after the other. Sometimes he made a face, sometimes not. He was still clutching his blood packet in one hand.

"You better not spill any of your dinner on these dresses. The stores are only lending them to me to try on before I buy. They will not take them back stained and I'll end up having to pay for a ruined dress. So don't spill!" Alucard didn't reply, just moved on to the next dress.

He held up one dress to her, looked at her, looked some more, glanced back up at Integra, and nodded, handing the garment to her. "This one," he said, sipping some blood. "This one brings out your eyes and accentuates your...figure." He grinned, looking her up and down when she turned and held the dressu p to herself infront of the mirror.

"Very well," she sighed. "I despise fromal balls. They are pointless."

"Why are you going then?" Alucard asked, sitting down on the edge of her bed.

"I have to go. The Queen wants all her guests to meet the new director of the Hellsing Organization," she replied.

He nodded, sucking the remnants from the medical blood bad.

"And who's escorting you?" he asked, hopeful.

"Who do you think? Walter, of course." Alucard made a face.

"Walter can not escort you," he said matter-of-factly.

"And why not, might I ask?" countered Integra, hands on her hips, cool stare at the vampire.

"Because he is your butler. A servant. It is not proper."

"No," she smirked, eyes locked in a vicious challenge with the ruby ones just feet away from her. "What you mean to say is that he is too old for me. Or, actually, what you were thinking is that he looks to old for me, right? I need an escort that does not look to old. That is what you were implying, was it not?"

Alucard stood up and grinned. He shrugged nonchalantly. "It would not hurt."

"Hm," scoffed Integra, turning around to kick the heels she was trying on, off to the side. "And who do you suggest, Alucard? If you are so knowledgable in Ballroom etiquette."

When she turned around, it was not to the blood red coat and matching hat she had expected. Instead, Integra turned to see a sleek black double breasted tail coat, white waistcoat, blood red cravat, white shirt and black trousers. She had to admit, he wore the outfit well. She just calmly stood and looked over her vampire casually. He didn't say a thing, just flahed her taht wide, cocky grin of his. Finally, Integra spoke.

"Alucard. Do you mean to imply that you should be the one to escort me?"

"I do, indeed." He approached his young master. "I was noble once. I can be the perfect gentleman." As if to illustrate his statements, Alucard bowed elegantly and softly took Integra's fingers in his own. With his sanguine eyes on her the entire time, he brough the back of Inegra's hand to his lips, and lightly kissed it there.

With out so much of a flicker of surprise in her icy eyes, Integra slowly withdrew her hand. "That's a very thought gesture, I'm sure," she replied sarcastically. "But you forget, Alucard." The vampire straightened, frowning suddenly, eyeing his clever master "You are my servant." he grimaced. "It just would not be proper." He glared at her, hating her for making a mockery of him. He, who was once feared by all who knew of him. "You are dismissed." As soon as she said it, he began to sink through the floor in an inky puddle of swirling dark magic, his red eyes challenging her own up until they were gong through the floor.

When he had fully disappeared, Integra shook her head in annoyance and wasted no time in continuing to get ready for that night's activities.

Down in his room in the basement, Alucard sat with nothing to do. He was thinking about his master getting dressed up to go to a ball where there will be hundreds of undeserving men there looking at her, possibly even dancing with her. He belonged to her, his master, Integra Fairbrooks Wingates Hellsing, and he knew she would not allow him to escort her. But she was his just as much as he was hers. He tasted her blood, was bound to her no matter what. She was bound to him as well, was she not? And yet, she was the only one giving orders. He obeyed. Always. Well, maybe not always. He smirked at the mental note. Still, he obeyed most of the time and what did he get in return? Cold, donated blood. He shifted in his chair, agitated. He told himself that since he was bound to her, he should escort her and be there to protect her. You never knew when freaks were going to suddenly decide to attack. However, since she would never allow that, he reasoned that she should just not go to the ball. If he couldn't stare at her and watch her dance, then nobody would. Now all he needed to do was arrange for a way to keep Walter from interfering. Easy enough. With that, Alucard stood and made his way to Walter's room where he knew the butler was busy getting ready also.

Walter C. Dolneaz was smoothing his waistcoat, looking at himself in the mirror. He wondered whatever happened to that young, handsome man from years ago. Looking at his aged face, he could no longer see any connections. All it took to recover that link, however, was a quick flex of his fingers, and he knew that he was still as deadly as ever. Even if he was not as nimble, nor as handsome.

"Is the Angel reminiscing? Regretting, perhaps, not taking me up on my offer?" the velvetty voice drifted out of nowhere; the room grew slightly darker. Walter did not yield; he never showed a weakness.

"Regretting? No, I believe I'm lucky. I still have my health, my wits," he turned, "my abilities. I wouldn't want it any other way," the butler said. Alucard was standing right behind him now, which did somewhat shock Walter, but he made not a single flinch. "Can I help you Alucard?"

Alucard was grinning casually. Walter was certainly a dear old friend, but he was sure even Integra's loyal butler would forgive him for...protecting his precious master. "Are you sure you feel up to escorting Integra tonight, Walter? You look a little tired."

"I feel fine. You know me; I stay up late almost everynight."

"Perhaps that is why you are tired," replied Alucard, staring deeply into Walter's eyes. When Walter moved to turn around, he found that he couldn't. His limbs turned heavy like sandbags and his eye lids drooped. He was no longer thinking clearly, just in a daze. "You should lie down," he heard. "I will take care of Integra. I'm sure she would understand." Walter stepped over to his bed and lay down, hearing Alucard, understanding the words, but not realizing the implications, all the problems that would no doubt arise. Alucard looked over him. He blinked several times, trying to stay awake, but it was just no use. Slowly, the world around him became black and he was lost in a deep, deep sleep.

Meanwhile, Integra was slipping on her incredibly plain high-heels; she had just grabbbed whatever would work when she went shopping and she still didn't care about her selection. She did a few practice laps around her room, finally being able to walk without wobbling on the fifth try around. She picked up a pair of earrings from the top of her dresser; Walter had picked them out for her after she had pointed to a pair of silver cross studs. She agreed that this pair of hanging earrings was much more becoming than those she had almost purchased. She stepped infront of her full-length mirror and leaned forward to slip the hooks into the tiny holes in her earlobes, shaking her head a little to watch them dangle and shimmer.

"Is my master accessorizing? The workaholic herself?" His voice erupted from right behind her. She turned quickly to find herself face to upside down face with the resident headache. He was hanging from the ceiling, only his upper body exposed. He was back in his usual attire, seemingly no longer the "gentleman" from before.

"Alucard? What do you want? I'm trying to get ready."

"I see that. I'm afraid there's been a change of plans."

Integra's brow furrowed. She gave her servant a cool stare. "What do you mean?"

Alucard disappeared and rematerialized standing up right infront of Integra. He spoke calmly, "Walter does not feel well. He's laying down now. I have no idea what has come over him. Perhaps it is what you humans call a 'bug'."

"Doubtful. What are you up to, Alucard? Jealous you are not the one to escort me?"

"You can check on Walter yourself if you would like. He is sleeping now."

"I don't have time; I have to go to that ball." She tried to pass Alucard to go to her room's door to leave, but Alucard's arm shot up and rested on the top of her dresser, trapping Integra in a corner, surrounded by the antique mirror, her dresser, and Alucard. "Alucard, move."

"I can't allow you to go to that ball, Master." He looked down his nose at Integra, smirking only a little.

"Move, Servant," She spat. He leered at her, smirk gone completely, and he stepped back to allow Integra to pass. She did so, glaring daggers at him as she moved to the open door. When she was just a couple of feet away, the door suddenly swung infront of her and slammed shut. Integra jumped; the door had passed less than an inch away from her face. Before she had the chance to even think about reaching out and opening it, she heard the sound of the lock sliding hard into the frame. She cursed her old house and the old doors; all the room doors locked from the outside with a key. She turned to yell at Alucard, but he was no longer there. She heard a dark chuckle behind her. She spun back around to see Alucard walking through the door, holding a small, bronze key. "Bastard," she stated. "Give that to me."

"Not until the ball is over, my Master."

"Do not disobey me, Alucard! Give me that key, you undead filth! I'm going to be late!"

"No, master! You're not even going to show up!"

Integra glared at her servant. He had raised his voice to her, his master. She raised her hand and slapped him full and hard across the face. "Don't you dare speak to me like that ever again! You give me that damned key right now or, so help me--" Before she could finish, Alucard stepped forward and grabbed Integra by her upper arms. He smirked down at her while he forced her backwards until the backs of her knees came into contact with the only chair in her room, the high backed, upholstered chair that he himself sat in every few nights to watch his master sleep. He pushed her down into the chair and placed a hand on either armrest, leaning forward and down into her fuming face.

"Let me explain, my Master. Walter is not able to take you. You will not allow me to escort you. Therefore, you will be without protection for the night. If I allow you to go, I would be disobeying every one of Van Helsing's descendents." He grinned a fanged, dark grin.

"No, I don't believe you. What is the real reason for this? You put Walter to sleep didn't you? Why?" Alucard grimaced. He should have known she would see past his "duty" charade.

"They do not deserve it."

She looked momentarily puzzled. "Who does not deserve what?"

"They, the people at the ball--"

She cut him off, "The men."

He knew it; she could read him like a book. She already knew what angered him. He continued,"...yes,the men. They do not deserve to see you...like this."

"In a dress, you mean?"

"Glowing."

She didn't say anything. She couldn't. It was a long uncomfortable silence. Finally, she had to speak."The Queen wishes me to go." Silence. Alucard stared straight at her. "I answer to the Queen; I must do what she wishes of me."

"NO!" Alucard growled, clenching his fists where they supported him on the arm rests. Integra flinched, but regained her cool composure.

"YES, Alucard!"

"The Queen will understand, I'm sure. " His voice was low, borderline growl.

"Understand what? What do I say to her! My vampire is jealous!"

"Your escort was ill!"

"Don't yell at me!"

"You should have let me escort you!" He shouted back. Integra had had enough. She grabbed his coat and pushed him back; he was momentarily caught off balance, but regained his stance quick enough to pull the escaping Integra back down into the chair. "You are the most stubborn Master I've had yet." He groaned.

"You are the most disobedient, immature Servant I've had!" she countered, viciously. She kicked at his legs and swatted at his arms. He batted every attempt away like gnats and grumbled low to himself. The struggle went on for a few minutes before Alucard became fed up and he decided to try a different approach. Wrapping one long arm under his master's knees, and the other behind her back, he was able to quickly lift her kicking form up from the chair and step over to her bed where he dropped her. He quickly climbed onto the bed just in time to wrap an arm around Integra's waist as she was perched on the other side, ready to climb off. He pulled her back to him; she landed with her back against his chest, gasping in shock and anger as he held her there tightly with both arms, and she not able to move her own. "Let me go!"

"Not until morning, Master. It's late, just go to sleep." he spoke very calmly to her.

"I will not sleep, you bloody twit! I will kill you over and over and over--"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But by morning the ball will be over and I won't care anymore." He smirked and she could sense it. She elbowed him in the stomach as hard as she could and felt him flinch, but it must not have affected him much. She kept trying to kick at him, but her efforts were futile and she was quickly tiring. Her eye lids became heavy and her attempts to escape weaker. She rolled her eyes and grumbled expletives at her vampire when she felt him running his fingers through her hair, twirling long strands around his fingers.

"I hate you," she mumbled, closing her eyes.

He chuckled, feeling her relax against him, her head heavy on his chest. "I know, Master."