AN: I own nothing and will NEVER, I promise, make any money off of writing this. All of the characters belong to their respective owners.

The rushing hiss of the water was ominous. It promised a cool and refreshing death with a simple wave of fine mist that clung to the skin and hair. The droplets reflected what little light was to be found there so that even the ugliest thing would have seemed magically lovely. A billion liquid stars spread over the body of the universe.

Alucard smirked to himself. Somewhere in this comforting blanket of darkness was a cowering monstrosity. How dare a squirming worm like this Freak attempt to take shelter in this wonderful world of perpetual darkness? She sullied it with her disgusting presence.

He caught a whiff of her scent and followed it swiftly down to a deadend.

She was huddled in a ball, her red eyes were scarlet disks in the darkness. "Well, get on with it. Kill me." She said to him, her voice lacked any emotion. "I know who you are. The people that made me told me about you, Mr. Trump card."

Her mind was very easy to read, almost pathetic, really. Did she have no mental abilities at all?

"Those ghouls outside aren't yours." He stated with a chuckle. "That's certainly interesting."

She shrugged. "Those things are creepy as fuck. Besides, why would I want a braindead army? I want you to kill me. Please get it over with. I won't try to get away or anything, I promise." She turned to face him head-on. "I'd much rather be dead than go on like this."

He chuckled. "Technically, you are dead."

She narrowed her eyes at him and stood up. "Stupid smartass vampire...so are you going to kill me or what?"

"You sound eager." He said, this Freak's suicidal attitude amused him. He'd never met one with a deathwish before. "What's the rush towards an inevitble end? Put up a fight!"

"Nope." She crossed her arms stubbornly. "You can't make me. I didn't ask for whatever those guys did to me to make me like this. I just want to die peacefully knowing I haven't hurt anyone. Maybe God will-"

He scoffed. "Keep talking about God and you'll get your wish." He stared hard at her. "You're telling the truth. How strange. The chip hasn't made you bloodthirsty, psychologically, anyway. It makes the Freaks go raving mad with power and Thirst. You seem sane enough, except for your lack of self-preservation."

"Oh, believe me, I don't want to die anymore than I did when I was human. However, it's merely the right thing to do in this situation." She replied with conviction. "So, if you would be ever so kind as to splatter my brains all over this cave wall, I would be eternally gratefull, thank you."

He couldn't help it, the laughter simply burst from him in manical torrents until bloody tears trickled out of the corners of his eyes. He decided he would simply have to present this strange case to his Master. How amusing it would be to see her reaction to a Freak with control over its bloodlust. "I'm afraid I can't oblige your request."

"What? Hey, what do you think you're doing asshole? Kill me, damn it! Rip me to pieces!" She was hefted over his shoulder and the unnamed Freak might as well have been fighting against adamantium. He rolled his eyes. Well, she certainly didn't have any sort of remarkable strength even by a Freak's low standards. She was practically human.

After a little while, she gave up and turned to muttering and grumbling. She perked up when she saw the number of Hellsing vehicles that surrounded the laboratory where she was made just a few hundred yards from the cave. "Firing squad?" She asked hopefully as Hellsing soldiers approached. "That would be pretty quick. I like that idea. Do that."

"I never believed suicide could be charming, but it looks good on you." He deadpanned.

"You're absolutely morbid." She growled back at him.

"How hypocritical." He returned. He unceremoniously dropped the Freak onto the ground hard. She glared up at him. He ignored her and bowed low as his Master approached.

A faint curl of smoke trailed up from the butt of the cigar that was held gracefully between her gloved fingers. "What took you so long, Servant." She demanded sharply. Her eyes darted to the Freak and back to Alucard. "What is the meaning of this?" She was absolutely livid with rage. "I specifically ordered you to leave nothing alive!"

"Master, there is something odd about this Freak. " Alucard hauled her to her feet, his hand tightened like a vice around her upper arm. "Her control over her bloodlust leads me to suspect that the chip that was implanted in her brain is in some way defective or held in check. I believe that if we figure out what is unique about this one, then perhaps we could find a way to isolate it and perhaps such research could even be used to destroy the chips."

"Are you suggesting that I harbor a parasite for the sake of a traitor?" She snapped. Walter's betrayal was obviously still a very sore point with her, he noted. While he truly did not care one way or the other, he had a feeling that this was something she might be interested in attempting. If, of course, he could get her past the anger stage of grief.

"Walter was brainwashed, my Master. The chip had no small part in it, as you are well aware."

She frowned hard. "Would it bring him back? Is it worth it?" He heard her teeth grinding against each other. It was entirely her decision to make. Either way, he didn't care. Sir Integra adjusted her glasses with her free hand. "Fine, I give you permission to commence with research."

"What is your name, Freak?"

"I don't know." She said in an empty, confused way. "I can't remember anything from before I was made. The doctors called me X13."

"That must have been shorthand for experiment number thirteen." Observed Sir Integra. "Your name from now on is Lucky."

Lucky blanched while Alucard snickered. "Is that supposed to be some kind of joke? Come on! Besides, Lucky is what you call a one-eared mongrel you find on the street."

"You might as well be a beat-up mutt for all I care, parasite. You should get used to it." She glowered at Lucky. "Consider yourself as property of the Hellsing Organization. Be satisfied with even having a name at all." Having said that, she dismissed Alucard with a wave of her hand and took her leave to go to the temporary military tent where she would discus the things they had discovered inside the base with her chief of command.

"Why couldn't you have just killed me back there and saved me this humiliation?" Lucky complained loudly to Alucard. "All I wanted was to take a dirt nap or sleep with the fishes. Was that too much to ask?"

"Shut up, pet."

~_H_E_L_L_S_I_N_G~

Lucky was unsuccessful in her attempt to hide her awe upon their arrival at Hellsing Manor. She snuck peaks at the sprawling grounds as they were allowed entrance through the main gates. She stared at the old stone walls and appreciated the expert craftmanship that went into building such a beautiful and formidable estate. An ominous air hung over the mansion that enhanced the mystery bestowed by its dark beauty. The sun was rising, but she was forcing her eyes to stay open, not only because she didn't trust her new captors, but also because she was afraid that this would be the last she saw of the outside world for a very long time. She savored these last few minutes despite the burning and tingling that the faint sunrise was causing. Her eyes would feel dry and itchy omorrow night, but it was a small price to pay.

Once inside, she was hustled quickly into an elevator with Alucard and a small young vampire who introduced herself as Seras Victoria. Seras was friendly to her, even though Lucky couldn't bring herself to trust that the good treatment would last. She knew that Seras was much more powerful than she appeared and was certainly almost, if not an equal, threat as Alucard was. "This was short notice, so you will have to sleep in Seras's old coffin in the broom closet."

"I'm not complaining. I used to sleep in an old storage crate." She replied as she hopped into the satin-lined casket. She smiled contentedly as she pulled the top down. In the comforting darkness, she nestled herself into the pillow and soon fell fast asleep.

"Master, do you think that it truly was a good idea to bring back a Freak?" Seras asked as they left Lucky to her slumber.

"I do, Seras. Walter's betrayal has cut my Master's heart very deeply and I feel that she needs both answers and closure."

"Where...where is he?" She asked timidly.

"In my former prison. My coffin has been consquently moved to your room, Seras." What he said made sense. After all, his dungeon was the most secure place in the entire mansion, besides Sir Integra's office and bedroom. "He does nothing. He simply lays there with his hands and feet shackled. He does not even attempt to eat, blood or otherwise. He merely sips cold water and stares at the cieling. Pathetic, really."

"Can you hear what he's thinking?"

"I do not even care to try." He answered darkly. "I won't deny that I feel a certain urge now and then to do it, but I resist because I desire to shred his mind like cheap fabric as pentinence for the trouble he's caused."

"At least you managed to convince Father Anderson not to use Helena's Nail by teaming up with him against Walter to bring him down." Anderson had been about to use the Nail to bring about Alucard's death, but Walter's appearance had distracted them both and united them against a common foe. Afterwards, Seras had done her best to keep the pair from duking it out in a battle royale by reminding the paladin of his duties to the children of the orphanage. Father Anderson had smiled, strangely enough, and nodded, before vowing to return to fight Alucard another day. Oh, and to take out Seras, too. He mentioned her as if she were an afterthought, then disappeared in a whirlwind of Bible pages.

"Hm, yes. Indeed." He chuckled. "What a preposterous thing he is. I've never met a more interesting human."

"Hey!" Seras grumbled. "Does that mean I wasn't interesting at all?"

"No, you were, and still are, quite boring." He teased, rolling his eyes. "Now get some sleep. We have a long night ahead of us tomorrow."

"Yes, sir." She glared half-heartedly at him before retiring to her four-poster coffin. His own coffin took up half the room while hers was squished into a corner. Before she fell into a deep sleep, she decided that she would help the new and odd addition to the household feel welcome.

The next night, Seras rose a little earlier than she was used to. Alucard was not even up yet. She wanted to do this without her Master hanging over her shoulder and judging her. Seras retrieved her breakfast, plus an extra two bloodbags. "I wonder if the reason this Freak is unwilling to drink is that she doesn't know we can feed without hurting or killing humans?" She mumbled to herself. She knocked hesitantly on the broom closet door. "Hello? May I come in, please?"

"Sure." Lucky peered at her after opening her coffin lid a smidge. "What do you want?"

Seras wiggled the bloodbags in front of her. "Erm...breakfast?"

"Excuse me?" Lucky examined the bags, opening the coffin lid a bit more in order to see them better. "You mean we can drink that? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, of course. It doesn't taste as good as it would fresh, but it keeps us from starving. Did you not know that?"

Lucky pinched the top off of one of the bags and sniffed it. "No. The people who did this to me tried to make me feed on living victims that they locked inside my cage. It was maddening, but it didn't seem right to take a life, you understand. They told me I would starve if I didn't kill. I opted to die of thirst or suicide if I could help it before I hurt anyone. I think they wanted me to turn out to be a monster or something and when I didn't, they got really pissed." She took the time to gulp down a few mouthfuls of blood before continuing. "Beatings didn't work either because I healed too quickly, so the pain never really lasted."

"Wow, you're being very forthcoming about everything that has happened to you." Seras remarked. "Thank you for sharing that with me."

Lucky shrugged her shoulders. "What's the use in being whiny or pissy about what happened to me? Anyway, there's no use in harboring a grudge because the way I see it, all those guys that did this to me are dead now. Besides, a desire for revenge is pointless. Now that I know I can exist without having to hunt, there's no need for me to commit suicide. The only thing left for me to be upset about is that I'm a lab experiment again." She finished the last of the first bag and drained the second. "Do you have a napkin?" Seras lent her a handkerchief to wipe her mouth. "Thanks. Anywho, I don't like being pinned up. Is there any way you could get your Master to let me get some exercise out in the gardens? If she has any quelms about me running away, then she can simply have you babysit me."

"Babysit?"

"Guard, babysit..it's all the same thing." She said flippantly. "Could you at least ask, please? You guys seem decent enough and I don't think my request is all that much to ask."

"Well, uh..yeah..sure. I'll go right now." Seras turned to leave, but Lucky's hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Hey,..um...do you think we could be friends?" Lucky asked, blushing. "I could really use one in this place."

Seras grinned. "Of course! Bye!"

"See ya."

Seras left the basement in a hurry. It had been a long time since she felt she had a friend. She was determined to help Lucky any way she could. In a way, she could empathise with the other woman. Although they had faced dissimilar circumstances, both of them had managed to conquer the demons of their past without outside help.

Seras found Sir Integra in the library reading a book on exorcisms. "Yes, Seras, what is it." Sir Integra didn't even look up from the page she was reading.

"Lucky asked to have a walk in the gardens."

Sir Integra snorted. "What does that girl think this place is? A prison? As long as you or Alucard is keeping watch over her and she doesn't feed on my men, I don't give a damn where she is or what she does."

"Okay, Sir Integra..thanks.." She sweatdropped and laughed nervously. Even as a fully-fledged Draculina, Integra could still scare her without trying. She gathered her wits and ran back downstairs to tell her new friend the good news.

"She said it's okay and that you can go wherever you want as long as you don't bother the guards and have me or Alucard with you." She relayed the verdict with an excited smile. "Let's go for that walk!"

"I saw the gardens on the way in and I think they're magnificent." Lucky told her. "I can't wait to see them up close."

"Yeah, it's nice to have time to relax and enjoy things." Seras replied with a thoughtful look in her eyes. "To tell you the truth, I've never really had the time to relax since I became a part of the Hellsing Organization. We were always training or fighting because of the Freaks, but ever since that full-out war a few weeks ago, there's been almost nothing to do. Occasionally, we're called in because of cases of Freaks that survived in isolated labs like the one we found you in, but nothing that was really hard to deal with."

"Seras," Lucky was bent over examining a little yellow peony blossom. "Do you know anything about the process that turned me into a vampire?"

"Not really. We only know that it has something to do with implanting a chip into a nearly dead human's head. The chip is what causes the synthetic vampire powers."

"Would I die without the chip?"

"Maybe. It depends on the shape you were in before the chip was implanted, I guess. Like I said, we don't have much to go on. That's why you're so valuable to us. It's because you seem to be able to somewhat repress aspects of your implant."

"Yeah, I overheard that part. Did the other Freaks go berserk with a need for blood?" She climbed a nearby oak tree with ease and took in the view of London it provided.

"Something like that. Although, I think that the other Freak vampires really wanted the transformation and that's what made them so eager."

"If it's something as simple as my way of thinking that has this chip in check, then the others must have been pretty weak to have been taken in by the need for power so easily. Speaking of which, I'm not sure if I would have wanted this or not, Seras. If I'd been asked instead of kidnapped, I'm not so sure if I'd have said no. Immortality is something loads of people dream about, you know?"

"Yeah, I was made because I was afraid to die. I was a police officer before this and, long story short, I was mortally wounded and Alucard gave me a way to hang onto life."

"Why do vampires have to wax philosophic all the time?" Lucky smirked. "Brood, brood, brood. Damn! I simply disliked the idea of murder. This blood donor thing I can live with and not worry about being evil or shit like that. It's like eating a soyburger or something."

"Yeah, I guess. You know, Lucky, don't be offended, but you're kinda weird."

"I thought you'd say something like that. Oh well, better to be weird than be swallowed by my own guilty feelings. Where'd you get those blood packs, anyway? Just for future reference."

"They're in a huge refridgerator on the main floor on the west side. I'll take you there before we go to sleep this morning."

"You know, I wish I could dream, Seras." Lucky suddenly blurted out.

"Yeah, that's something I miss about being human, too. The next best thing is astral travel. I'll try to teach it to you if you want. I don't know if it's something that Freak vampires can do, though."

"Astral travel...isn't that sort of like an out of body experience?"

"Yep, you can go anywhere you want in spirit-form, invisible to humans and most vampires. The natural vampires who are really powerful like Alucard or me could probably sense you even if we couldn't see actually see you. Well, actually, Alucard could probably make out a very faint outline of you because he's so old."

"Hm, is that how it works then? The older a vampire is, the more powerful it is?" She hung upside down, her brown hair nearly touching the dirt. "Makes sense. It's like the opposite of a human."

"Lucky, do you think you'll get your memories of being human back?"

"Maybe. This amnesia thing really has me annoyed. I mean, I'd like to know if I left behind people that really needed me. Like a little brother who's wondering where his sister went, or maybe an older one who's feeling guilty now because of my disappearance. Or maybe a sick parent or grandparent who depended solely on me. Heck, even if it turned out that I have a deadbeat dad and alcoholic druggie mom and I was a cocain addict selling my body for my next fix, I still want to know." She gave a bitter laugh and sighed.

"What would you like your life to have been?"

"Hm..I don't really know. Interesting, I guess. If it turns out I went to community college and ended up working in a cubical, then I would wonder what the fuck my human self was thinking. I hope I worked at a zoo or someplace outdoors. Maybe a park ranger. I love animals. I'd like to have had a huge family, too. A bunch of siblings that annoyed the shit out of me, but weren't actually assholes. I'd want my parents to have been happy with their lives, still married after years and years or divorced and remarried or whatever. Just happy and alive."

"That sounds really nice. I hope you had a nice life before."

"Yep, and even if I didn't, well, I've got a better lot in life now, right?" She grinned at her cheerfully.

"Right."

"So what was your life like before?"

"Well, I..don't really like talking about it. Could I maybe tell you after we've been friends a bit longer?" Seras bit her lip.

"Oh, yeah. Sure thing, babydoll. Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. You don't have to tell me at all if you're not comfortable with it." She righted herself and casually perched herself on the branch.

"No, I'd like to tell you someday. Just not today." Seras said with a sad smile. "Will you tell me about your human life if you ever remember it?"

"Of course. Nobody else would be interested."

"I beg to differ." Alucard's voice caused them both to jump. He had appeared out of nowhere just a few yards away. "Seras, you didn't even think to invite me on this little outting? I'm hurt." He chuckled at his own sarcasm. "And for your information, Seras, I would be able to see an astral being as clearly as I can see the tangles in that blonde mop of yours."

"M-master..."

"You no longer need to address me as such. You are a No-Life Queen now and my equal. My name is Alucard. Use it."

"What should I call you, other than an eavesdropping assface?" Sneered Lucky.

"Name-calling? Your childish attitude fascinates and amuses me, as does your gall and lack of wit. As for your question, you may call me Alucard as well. Consider it a token of my appreciation for being a welcome distraction from the boredom I have been subjected to these past few weeks."

"I'm pretty sure you just insulted me in a roundabout way."

"You would be correct in that assumption."

"You know, how about I amuse you with my fists, Mister Alucard?"

Seras waved her arms about in a panicked manner. "No, no, please don't fight. Really, there's no need for it!"

"Very well, I accept your challange, Lucky. Although, to make it fair since I consider myself a reasonable vampire when it comes to mere games, I will refrain from using my usual tricks and bludgeon you with my fists alone. Also, I promise not to kill you. It will be good for us both to relieve a little of our tensions."

Lucky glared at him resentfully. "Oh, buddy, I've been waiting for this since you tossed me over your shoulder like a sack of wheat! Hell, yeah, beating you up will make me feel a hell of a lot better!" She glanced to her right where Seras was still trying to keep them from engaging each other. Apparently, she hadn't noticed that her words were going unheeded. "Let's go some place less pretty. I'd hate to mess up any of the flowers."

Alucard cackled madly. "Ah, yes, of course you would worry about something so trivial as ruined flowerbeds. You keep me guessing, Freak. And your strategy to keep me out of your mind is interesting, even if it doesn't really work. Your thoughts are as strong as your emotions and hiding them from me is like trying to hide an elephant behind a tiny bush. You get an "A" For effort, though." It took a few minutes for the three of them to walk to a spot of bald ground behind the barracks that served as a training area.

"What is he talking about?" Seras whispered to Lucky as they made their way over.

"Well, I was trying to keep him from reading my true thoughts by thinking surface thoughts like little random facts I remember or stuff like that, but apparently he can see past that." She shook her head. "It was worth a try. Now get out of my head." She growled at him.

"You dare to order me around?" And just like that, they began pummelling each other. It was a very short fight with Alucard being the ultimate winner of course and with hardly a scratch on him. Lucky was practically a pulp, though. Both eyes were blackened and her nose oozed blood, and Seras was sure she'd heard a rib snap sometime during the fight. In spite of that, both Alucard and Lucky were grinning manically and shook hands.

Alucard threw her a blood pack. "Drink this, it will make you heal even faster."

"Sure. You know, now that I've tried my best to kick your ass, I kinda like you a bit more than I did. Even if you did punch the living daylights out of me."

"I believe the respect to be mutual. Not many would have taken me on even on such limited and favorable terms. You have earned that much, at least. My victory is merely technical. I call this match a draw on the grounds that you have courage and strength of spirit. These are human traits that I admire greatly and for them to be present in a Freak vampire is truly remarkable. I commend you." He smiled proudly, showing more than a little fang in the gesture.

"Yeah, thanks. Nice fighting with you, hope to do it again sometime. Thanks for the blood, too. I'm sure that was meant to be your dinner. How about you stop the whole 'lone-wolf' act for a bit and hang out with a couple of good-looking girls for a while. It has to be a better prospect than going around creeping out all of the poor humans or whatever it is you do in your spare time that doesn't involve killing, maiming or painful activities."

Alucard's eyes glinted behind his tinted glasses. "I will gladly take you up on that offer."

Seras looked several times back and forth between her former master and her new friend. "You people scare me." She said, her left eye twitched a little.

"Lead on, ladies." He swept down in a charmingly formal bow.

"I'd like to see the rest of the gardens, if you two don't mind." Lucky said cheerfully. "I only got to see a little of them before a certain assface got in my way." Alucard merely smirked at the verbal abuse and allowed her to take them back to the gardens where they spent a peaceful night of enjoying the grounds.

When it came time for them to finally part ways, they did so with a silent agreement to meet up again as soon as possible. Alucard and Seras left Lucky at her broom closet and continued on to their shared quarters. Seras sat on the edge of her coffin while her former Master sipped a glass of red wine. It was the only human food that she had ever known him to consume. She wondered if he simply did it out of habit because she knew for a fact that human food and drink tasted like ashes to vampires. "Why do you stare at me, Seras?"

"I don't know, Mas-...Alucard. It's just that..I..well...Lucky...she.."

"You find her familiar in some way, do you not? As if you've known her and that is why you get on so well with her."

"Uh..huh...yes, I suppose that's what it is." She thought about it for a few minutes. "I like her. If we find some way to get that darn chip out of her, without killing her, I'd like to turn her into a real vampire if that's what she wants."

"No, Seras. Even if she wants it, do not do that. She is fine as she is and would be an even finer human if we can, as you have said, reverse the remaining effects of the chip and remove it entirely from her body." Alucard took a long draught from his wine and swirled it in his cup. "I have given the matter some thought and I believe to have come to a conclusion which explains both her amnesia and the chip's apparent defect. I believe that she was delt a blow to the head quite soon after the chip was implanted. The blow would have caused the amnesia, but may have also damaged the chip before it had time to fully take over."

"That makes perfect sense, but how are we going to use that theory to help Walter? Are you suggesting that we bash him in the head with a bat or something?" She tried to imagine hitting him with an aluminium bat and couldn't help but giggle.

"An amusing thought, Seras, but no. I would like to try electrocution. Sort of like electro-shock therapy which they use on mental patients. We'll try it on Lucky first."
"How would shocking them half to death help them?"

"The electrical signals sent by the chip would be interrupted by an EMP and destroy it. The EMP would leave organic matter, in this case our dear Lucky's brain, unharmed. Well, maybe. It could also make her a brain-dead vegetable."

" I don't think she'll take too kindly to that idea."

"I will bring it up with Sir Integra as soon as she awakens. Now, get some sleep Seras. You have been up for far longer than you are used to. It's nearly six in the morning."

"Yessir." Alucard rolled his eyes. She still took orders from him. He was hoping for at least a bit of self-realization after she became a Draculina, but no, she didn't even ask for ten more minutes.

"And, Seras, yes. It is a habit."

"Good morning, Alucard."

"Yes, sleep well." He sensed her fall into the abyss of sleep and almost immediately heard the sound he had been waiting for; the ringing of his Master's wake-up alarm. If he hurried, he smiled lecherously, he might catch her in a state of undress. She was always deliciously cranky in the morning before her coffee and first cigar of the day. Perhaps she'd throw her favorite ashtray at him. He chuckled as he phased up through the floor and into her office.