Seras took the steps six at a time, flying into the main hall. The assembled group stared at her in puzzlement as she skidded to a stop and stood at attention, smiling nervously. Integra frowned as she turned back to the main door into the mansion. After a few minutes, the sound of a car pulling up reached Seras' ears, and she began to dance in place ever so slightly. Finally, the door opened to admit the group that Integra had been dreading. A sneering Maxwell, with father Renaldo at his side, and two standing guard behind.

"Sir Integra."

"Maxwell."

Pleasantries were spoken in tones that could kill small mammals. The procession of Iscariot and Hellsing wound it's way upstairs, with one from each group excusing themselves and staying behind. Finally, after they had all disappeared behind closed doors, the two quickly ran at each other.

"Seras!"

"Yumiko!"

Wrapping each other in a tight hug, the two laughed and spun around, separating and holding each other at arms length.

"God, I wondered when I'd get to see you again!"

"I know! I got such a look when I asked for a few days off that didn't involve fasting in some mountaintop monastery."

Seras giggled and tossed her arm around the small girl's shoulder, leading her downstairs.

Seras sat across from Yumiko in the kitchen, a teakettle between them.

"So Seras, how long do you think the new treaty negotiations will take?"

"Knowing those two…long enough for hell to freeze over."

Yumiko giggled and nodded, taking another sip from her cup, Seras' full and untouched.

"Considering it's something they both want, and even after what happened at Badrick, it might only take a couple days."

"Badrick? What happened there?"

"A vampire showed up, killed quite a few people, and I was sent in with Alucard. It took awhile for Anderson to show…"

"Seras?"

"It's just…he surprised me, stuck a dozen bayonets in me, but missed my heart on purpose. A 'wee bit o' foon' or something.

Seras undid a button and yanked down the collar on her uniform, exposing the scar on the front of her neck.

"Through and through."

Seras pointed at her neck and a dozen other places while Yumiko winced in sympathy.

"On top of that, when Sir Integra went in to try to sort out the whole mess, he killed her two guards, and then tried to kill her too. Bloody hell, where does the Vatican find these psychos?"

The teacup stopped, half-tilted at Yumiko's lips.

"Yumi…ohmygod! I'm sorry! I didn't mean…"

Yumiko smiled and shook her head.

"It's alright."

"No, it's not! That was…I mean, like I'm one to talk! I-"

"Seras…"

"Y-yes?"

"It's fine, really."

The two sat a moment in silence, Yumiko sipping her tea, Seras' shoulders slumped and staring at nothing.

"You haven't touched your tea, aren't you thirsty?"

"All the time…"

It was Yumiko's turn to feel uncomfortable, looking away.

"…But I won't give in."

"You mean you don't…"

"Yep. Not a drop so far."

"I'm…surprised. I've never heard of a vampire refusing to drink for so long."

"Well, Sir Integra says it's because my coffin is lined with dirt from around my old home. It helps, even with Mas-Alucard constantly urging me to drink."

"Did someone say my name?"

Alucard fizzed into being behind Yumiko, resting his hands on her shoulders. Yumiko stiffened in surprise, and watched as Seras' eyes flared red and narrowed on the vampire behind her.

"You know, Seras, things would be so much easier on you if you did drink the blood."

"Master…"

"For instance…"

He tugged at a lock of Yumiko's hair, lifting it and toying with it between his fingers.

"You could have a civilized conversation with your new friend…without the urge to jump across the table and tear her throat out."

Seras slowly rose, her lips pulled back and fangs bared. Alucard grinned with an air of almost pride at the sight before raising a finger to waggle at her.

"Tell me, do you run to her defense as a friend…or as a vampire, jealous and possessive over something you want?"

Seras' eyes widened and she took a step back, her mouth agape, before lowering her head. When she looked back up, Yumiko could see her fangs had retracted and her eyes had returned to a bright blue, though they still glared at Alucard.

"Get. Out."

Though Yumiko couldn't see it, Alucard shook his head with an expression of disappointment before floating back and vanishing into the wall. Across from her, Seras slumped back into her seat, dropping her face into her hands. After a very quiet few moments Seras stood and grabbed Yumiko's hand, lifting her to her feet and pulling her out of the room.

"Seras?"

"C'mon! We're getting out of this nuthouse!"

After a growl from Seras sent the guards at the front gate running, the two walked away from the mansion unimpeded. The two were soon walking side-by-side randomly through the night streets of London, taking in the sights and sounds.

"So, Yumiko…"

"Yes?"

"What's it like? You and Yumie? I mean, how does it work?"

"Heinkel usually wakes her when she's…needed. Afterwards…she just sleeps again and I wake up. Sometimes she makes an effort to…clean herself up before she switches back."

"So you two are separate?"

"Mostly. I can see what's happening and hear what she thinks when she's awake, though it feels so distant…it's like a dream, or a nightmare, really, that fades quickly. Why do you ask?"

"Just…sometimes I wish it was like that for me. This…thing is always…whispering in the back of my head. Master was right. You are my friend. But when he showed up…you became…mine…and I didn't want him touching you, or even being near you. Sometimes it's quiet, like now, but it starts screaming at me when I'm fighting, or when there's blood around…blood…"

Seras head snapped upwards, and she slowly turned on the spot, sniffing the air. Yumiko thought Seras looked almost cute, with her nose twitching like that, until she saw Seras' fangs had shown themselves again.

"Seras?"

"I smell blood. Lots of blood. It's fresh…"

And then, a muffled scream, cut short, reached the limits of her vampiric hearing. She quickly dashed off towards the sound, with Yumiko hitching up the bottom of her habit and chasing after her. They arrived in front of a small office building, and the scent of death and hot blood slammed over Seras in waves. Shaking her head to clear it, Seras ran towards a pay phone, dialed a number, shouted instructions into the receiver, and cursed as she reached for a sidearm that wasn't there.

"Seras!"

Yumiko ran up and stopped next to her, gasping for breath.

"There's a freak in there, attacking people, but I don't have my gun, and it'll take time for reinforcements to get here!"

A second scream reached them both. The two unarmed girls shared a nervous look before Seras bolted for the door, crashing it inward with a powerful kick.

"Seras! You can't go in alone!"

"And you can't handle a freak unarmed, can you? I'll be fine!"

"Seras…be careful…"

"Right. Stay out of sight till the others get here."

Seras disappeared from sight, and Yumiko retreated to the mouth of an alleyway across the street, rosary squeezed tight in her hands.