She watched him phasing into a wall after they had come back from their mission.

Lately she often caught herself staring at him; she didn't quite understand why, but it was strange. It was like she couldn't help but seek his company.

Although her self confidence had increased over the years, she was still too shy to actually talk to him so freely: after all she knew he was rather solitary, and she didn't want to disturb

him.

Since his return a few months ago, he'd been his usual self. He would tease her, mock her, but even praise her for her vampiric abilities. His compliments were rare, which made her

appreciate them even more. Smiling, she remembered how she used to be so scared of him. But now things...had changed. Seras had grown up, both as vampire and as person; that

wasmaybe the reason, that she saw her previous Master differently. She was going mad to find a reasonable answer, but she simply couldn't. She headed down to her room in the

dungeon, just to move from the spot in which he disappeared. She desperately needed to talk to someone, someone like

"Pip, can I talk to you?", asked Seras timidly, summoning him.

"Of course Mignonette, is everything ok?", he asked smiling at her and sitting on the only chair that there was in the room.

"I don't know. I'm so confused. It's just that everything is normal, but it's not. I mean, I think things haven't changed that much, but to me they have indeed changed!", she paced up and

down the room.

"Calm down. What do you mean?", he asked puzzled. Seras tried to choose her words carefully.

"It's strange really. I-I've been having thesethese weird feelings.."

"Feelings about what?", he asked concerned.

"Feelings about Master.."

"Oh, I see." He fell silent, sounding disappointed. He shifted his gaze from her.

"Are you angry?"

"No, Mignonette. It's just that I knew that sooner or later you'd have felt like this. But I am not ready as I thought I'd be", he admitted bitterly.

"What are you talking about? Please Pip don't misunderstand me, it's not like that, I'm not in love with him!"

"No you aren't not yet. But you're attracted to him, I can feel it. I'm inside you, remember?"

"Come on, why on earth should I be attracted to him?! He's rough, harsh, nerve racking and he's-

"Yet you are loyal, even faithful to him, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am. But that is because he's like family to me. He was the first one to make me feel like a had a home since my parents died. He did it in his own way, of course.

And he may not be your typical gentleman, but sometimes you can still see hints of something good in him."

"See? You started telling me he's harsh and now you're finishing making the list of his merits. You don't need my help, I'm sure that you'll sort out your feelings with time."

"I'm so sorry Pip, I didn't mean to upset you. You know what, let's forget about this, I'm just rambling! "

"You have nothing to apologize for. But now if you'll excuse me, I'd really like to rest."

"Oh..ok." She knew that when he was upset it was better to leave him alone, so she reluctantly let him go back inside her shadows.

'Good job Seras, you've hurt him', she thought angrily. Seras tried to calm down by taking a walk in the garden of the manor. She felt very guilty for making him jealous; she should have

talked to Integra instead, they had got closer over the years. She sighed and lied down on the grass, watching the stars, which were starting to fade away.

It was something that she used to do when she was feeling lonely at the orphanage. She clenched her fists; she didn't need those memories right now!

She helplessly bit her lip trying not to cry. She used to bottle up her emotions and then she always bursted out when she couldn't take it anymore.

Then she felt a presence approaching her. What a perfect timing he had.

"Police Girl, I thought you were done making yourself miserable.", he said with a smug look on his face.

"I'm fine Master.", she said sitting up. He looked down at her smirking.

"Oh, really? So you just painted your face blood red to get a new look? What a nice idea", he taunted her.

"Thank you Master. But you're not helping me."

"My pleasure Police Girl. Anyway, are you planning on getting a tan? It's almost dawn."

"Oh Master why are you so mean to me?", she huffed.

"I'm not mean, I'm just trying not to make you look pathetic. And if you have a problem, face it."

"You're right. But it's not that easy!"

"Don't make up excuses, only cowards do it. You can do better."

"Thank you Master." She couldn't help but smile a little. She appreciated his attempt at kind words. They made her feel better.

"Now go in your coffin and get some rest."

"Goodnight Master. I'll try to follow your advice!", she smiled sheepishly.

He patted her hair in response, and grinned. "Oh and Police Girl? make sure to clean your face and be careful about your mental barriers, I'm sure you wouldn't want someone to know

your naughty thoughts about me" And with that the blasted vampire left, laughing like a maniac.

"Damn you, Master! I hate you!" Seras Victoria wanted so much to kill her Master. But first she had to make it up for hurting Pip.