To anyone who didn't know the Draculina, it would seem as though she had only grown stronger with the war's passing. It was true. Seras was far stronger than she had started out and produced a more confident air about her. Occasionally she would spend the better part of the days in the company of Hellsing's director. They would hold idle conversations about nothing in particular, or she would help brush Integra's hair and see her off to bed. Only a year or two had passed, but they had grown considerable close. Both women had lost a great deal of friends and family both; and together they shared and attempted to fill the void created in Alucard's absence. However, seeing as she was a vampire, it only served her better to rest when the sun ruled over the endless sky. It seemed that no matter what she did, Seras couldn't shake the images and scenes that haunted her behind closed lids. While at first she would settle and drift into a comfortable sleep within her coffin or sometimes even her Master's, her peace was short-lived.
Tonight was one of those nights. It would all start as simple, flickering images that were too fast to comprehend. She would toss and turn, or press a hand to the side of her coffin. As time wore on however, they progressed and with them Seras grew more distressed. They turned into full-on nightmares; playing out like horrible movies that threatened to break the young blonde. Sometimes she would wake, blood running down her cheeks, whimpering in the dark confines of her "bed." It was only due to these horrific memories that the habit of breathing was brought back tenfold as the Draculina choked and gasped for air.
Some nights it was a replay of her times as a juvenile. Of the time her parents were killed right before her eyes, blood everywhere as their murderers laughed and took pleasure in the gruesome scene they had created. She had hid in the closet, watching – consumed with raw terror as one of the men defiled her mother's corpse, taking her then and there despite the damages already caused. Before long, the scene would alter and morph until it reached the night of the biggest battle Hellsing had ever faced. They had lost all of their soldiers, and Pip… Seras didn't want to think on it; but even that was vividly slapped across the dreamscape created by the darker recesses of her mind. Of course, she had drank his blood; but that didn't eliminate the fact that he had died trying to protect her. Then there was Walter and his betrayal. Seeing him on Millennium's side, finding out he had been playing them for so long, it had broken her inside. She knew it did an even greater toll on Sir Integra and it pained her to know, to feel such strong emotions. The Draculina's shoulders shook, overwhelmed with everything that seemed to flood and strip her of the strength she previously had. To make matters worse, the display of Hellsing being in ruin, England torn to pieces and burning, and lastly but surely not least – her Master disappearing all came rushing forward. He had vanished like smoke right before their very eyes.
In the moments that she wouldn't wake however, she knew just who was behind the sudden sense of comfort and reassurance that would cradle her. Pip's spirit could always feel the distress and knew just how frightened she was. He would often replace the terrifying images with some of the memories he still held onto of France. Of the laughter he and the Geese shared, of his travels, and light snippets from his work. The Frenchman would especially wrap her in the smaller, gentler memories of the times he and she had shared. Their first encounter when he mocked her, the way he would tease her and she would sometimes retaliate, the times they honed their shooting skills, the "date" when walking back with groceries in Rio and of course, the first kiss he stole from her before the fallout and the one she had given him upon his passing. All the while, he would whisper things to her; kind words and silly but sweet nothings. Mostly he would repeat a certain set of words, and Seras always kept them in mind.
"Sshh, Mignonette. I am here, I will protect you and I could hold you forever."
Captain Bernadotte would do this every time. He would chase away the nightmares, instill a sense of safety and peace, and hold her fears at bay. Once the Draculina's whimpering ceased and a faint smile was detectable upon her lips, he would slip back into a remissive state; lingering should she need him again. It was only thank to Pip that Seras was able to sleep soundlessly.