A/N:Need more IXS .
Even in the depths of the sub levels she would hear her. Through the large manor and stone walls her vampire senses wouldn't tune out her night terrors. How Alcuard ignored it was a mystery. Surely he cared about his master? Then again maybe she thought too much of him. Without a beating heart she could still feel that twinge of pain that came with heartache. Tonight was an especially loud episode and with Alucard gone for once she decided to do something about it.
Phasing through the levels she appeared in Integra's room without so much as a knock. Integra could yell at her later for it right now she needed to be consoled.
Integra's shoulders were shaking as she sat upright in her bed holding her face in her palms. She was covered in sweat and her heart beat was pounding rapidly against the room's silence.
Integra was awake from the terror, she could still leave without her noticing her but it wouldn't stop them. Maybe if she talked to her...
" Sir." She squeaked. Integra's head snapped upwards in surprise, and the sadness that had been swimming in her blue orbs quickly vanished.
"Seras what are you doing in here?" The usual strength behind her voice was lacking.
"I..heard you screaming. "
Integra's face paled.
"Yes well... I'm fine now. Go back to your room."
Despite the order, her feet remained glued to the spot and it looked like Integra was still too shaken by her nightmare to fight her off.
She wasn't leaving her like this. Too many nights this woman was left to deal with this all alone.
"Would you like a glass of water?"
Integra opened her mouth to protest but the words fell short at seeing the concern in Seras' eyes. With a nod of her head Seras was off fetching the glass. When she returned Integra wordlessly accepted the water, drinking it at a surprisingly fast pace.
She studied Integra as the water quickly left the glass. Her complexion looked gaunt in the dark room, no doubt a result of her troubled sleep and without her glasses she felt as though integra was more vulnerable. The dull click of the glass being set on the table beside her had her snapping out of the reverie.
"Thank you seras..."
"Your welcome." She sat down on the side of integras bed hoping she wouldn't push her away.
"This isn't the first time I've heard you crying out..."
Integra briefly stiffened. She hadn't realized they could hear her it was the last thing on her mind.
"I'm afraid they just won't go away..."she breathed.
"When did you start having them?"
It was a very personal question. She couldn't stop the words from leaving her mouth either.
"It's hard to say... It's never the same dream." Integra was lost for a moment, her mind traveling to a far off place, only to return with a troubled expression. Seras waited for her to speak but she never uttered a sound. There were tears in her eyes. The observation had her pulling Integra into a comforting embrace.
She could feel all of Integra's tension ease away at the simple gesture, and soon warm arms were returning the embrace.
"I want to help you," she cooed. "you deserve a good nights sleep after all the work you do during the day." Arms wrapped even tighter around her as she said this. "What can I do to make it better?"
She could feel Integra still trembling in her arms, her small frame unable to fight off the involuntary reaction. Seras did her best to calm her, stroking her hair, marveling at how soft the strands were beneath her hand.
"Stay." Her chest swelled at the word. She wouldn't have left if she had told her too but hearing Integra say this meant she was finally letting down her guard, that maybe she would care to confide in her.
"Okay ."
Integra knew that keeping Seras with her was beyond appropriate but it had been so long since she had felt the warmth of another's embrace, despite what little heat her body actually gave off. The feeling had her holding on tightly, recalling what it felt like to be held by someone that cared. She had needed the embrace more than she thought as Seras comfort somehow gave the tormenting emotions an escape, leaving her mind in the form of tears. Before she was aware of it, or able to stop it, she was sobbing into Seras' shoulder.
"Do you want to talk about it ?"
The question had her heart constricting as she recalled the source of her nightly terrors. If she told her. Nothing would ever be the same...
"It's complicated."
"I have all eternity to listen." She joked. A soft chuckle left Integra, the feminine sound music to Seras' ears.
"I often have terrors about my father's death... And of others that are still alive. Sometimes I'm the one pulling the trigger. Other times I'm just watching. Doing nothing. I can't imagine losing the people I've killed in these dreams...and it makes me miss my father."
Seras moved a hand up the small of her back slowly massaging circles against the fabric. A sigh left Integra as the action began to comfort her.
"I can't say that I know what you're going through. But I do know that dwelling on the past is never a good idea. There are far too many regrets. It's best to live in the present. Enjoy what you have you know?"
Integra pulled away to look at Seras.
"My past haunts me Seras. I would gladly live in the present if these memories just went away." There was a hint of anger behind her words. Had she said the wrong thing? She wasn't very good at this...
"Then perhaps you need to make new memories. To replace the bad ones."
Integra's eyes darkened briefly.
"And just what kind of memories are you suggesting?" Integra's voice came out sultry, the soft breathy tone causing her to suddenly feel very aware of the current position they were in. Integra was pressed firmly against her, the warmth of her body and curves giving way to a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"Good ones." It was all she managed to say before warm lips found hers, soft and full of longing.
This hadn't been what she meant but she wasn't going to protest. Integra was the one who initiated it ,and it felt too good to push her away. Deep down she knew she always had an attraction to the woman.
"Seras." Integra breathed. "Please..."
The need behind her words had her quickly returning the kiss. Integra's breath hitched slightly at the sudden heat in their kiss and she was pushing against Seras with need.
"Are you sure about this?" She gasped between kisses.
"No." Integra replied. "But I'm too awake now to stop it."
Integra hand moved to Seras thigh, trailing up its length and pushing up her skirt.
This one act had Seras hands questing in a similar manner, as she pulled the bottom of Integra's night gown upwards. Integra didn't stop her, and helped by lifting her arms. When their eyes locked once more there's was a burning fire in her blue orbs. This was the Integra she knew, not sad and lost but strong and unflappable. Except now, there was desire in the usual steely gaze, twisting her stomach with knots. Their lips touched again, but this time it was more urgent, as if time was slipping away from them, a dream that they both would soon wake from. The feeling had Seras moving against her just as urgently, pushing her back against the sheets and unhooking Integra's bra. A gasp left Integra's lips as her chest met the nights cold air. Seras lips trailed away, moving down to suck on a taut nipple. More sounds of ragged breath met her ears and she wanted to draw them out even more. She tenderly brushed a hand against the flat span of Integra's stomach, the muscle moved beneath her hand, sensitive to the light touch.
"Seras..." She moaned her name, enticing her to drag the hand to the area between her legs. In one gentle movement her hand was beneath the band, sliding the garment off to allowing her hand to move freely up and down against her.
Another gasp, and she was moving her hand faster, wanting to see this beautiful woman on the brink of pleasure.
In this intimate moment she could see the emotions clearly playing across Integra's face as she gave into the desire. There weren't anymore barriers to breakdown this was Integra's true self, and she craved it. How she no longer looked so serious, that the small lines from knitting her brow so often disappeared, and how even her eyes felt softer. Seeing her in this rare and personal state was making her heart throb and her body wet. It was confusing to say the least. A sudden hitch in Integra's breath oddly drew her attention to the nape of her neck. She wanted to kiss it, to feel the pulsing vein beneath her lips.
Without a second thought, her lips were tenderly exploring the skin causing Integra's pulse to quicken even more.
"Yes ..." She breathed. "feels so good."
Seras couldn't help smiling into her neck as she heard this, finally she was able to make Integra feel better. She inserted several fingers inside of her and another soft mew escaped her.
As she pumped faster Integra's body started to squirm beneath her.
The grip on her shoulder's tightened and she could feel Integra's climax approaching. Faster still, and suddenly Integra's muscles clamped around her followed by a cry of pleasure. In the moments following Seras found herself captivated by how beautiful she looked, breathless and exposed. She stared too long though and blue eyes were flying to hers. A tinge of pink spread across Integra's face when they locked. She was blushing!
"Thank you." She said before the silence grew.
"You're welcome." Seras didn't want this to be over but there had been a shift in Integra's behavior. Something told Seras she should go. Without so much as a goodbye she phased away, sinking through the mattress and heading back to her room to think about what just happened.
