Integra sighed and sat back in her chair, exhaling the smoke from her cigar. She had seen the family doctor for her yearly check-up earlier that day and had only recently gotten back.
He had told her that she was overworked and that it was taking a toll on her body; also that her stress levels were through the roof. Integra had simply snorted at this, until he had made her tell him how many hours of sleep she had gotten in the last week and how many meals she had eaten. The answers, 9 and 8 respectively, had been startling. Integra hadn't even realized what she did to herself.
However, in her opinion, that did not warrant his prescription – a vacation. All she had to do was catch a bit more sleep, maybe eat a bit more. She did not need a vacation, of all things.
As Integra thought irritably on her doctor's prescription, which sat atop a few scattered reports and request forms, a knock sounded on her office door and Walter stepped in.
"Sir Integra," he started, walking to her desk, papers in hand, "How was your appointment?"
"Fine," said Integra through her cigar, subtly shifting a few papers on top of her prescription.
"Good," said Walter with a smile, which turned to a more neutral expression as he looked through the papers in his hands. "The Geese request a plumber; apparently, the toilets in their wing are backed up and none of them are able to do anything about it. I have yet to look into it myself, but I have little doubt that it is a s—"
He was cut off as a rather flustered looking Seras burst into the room. "Sir Integra!" she cried, coming to a halt just in front of Integra's desk. "Could you please," she started desperately, stressing the 'please', "keep Captain Bernadotte out of my hair during non-training hours!"
Moments after Seras had finished her plea and before Integra could respond, Pip slipped in the office door and came to stand next to Integra's desk, leaning lazily on a corner. "You know our toilets are not working, right, boss?" Pip asked, cigarette dangling halfway out of his mouth as he spoke.
"You!" cried Seras, pointing an angry, accusing finger at the mercenary.
"Me what?" inquired Pip teasingly.
"You have harassed my fledgeling, and not for the first time today," said Alucard in a bored tone as he stepped from the shadows in a corner of the room. He had probably been there all along, waiting for an opportune (for him, at least) time to reveal himself.
"Well, I—" started Pip, somewhat nervously due to Alucard's presence in the room.
"Not. Another. Word," hissed Integra, glaring at all four intruders. Due to all of the sudden commotion, Integra had the beginnings of what could prove to be a nasty headache. Perhaps her doctor was right after all. Maybe being away from the mansion was what she needed.
"Now," said Integra, once everyone was silent, "I am going to take a vacation. You are each going to tell me a destination, going counter-clockwise and starting with Walter. From these and a few ideas of my own, I will choose where I am going." With that, she nodded to Walter, signaling him to start.
"Skiing in the Alps," he said, curious as to Integra's sudden desire for a vacation.
"A Caribbean cruise!" said Seras with a dreamy smile.
"Vegas," said Pip. "Gambling, women…" he trailed off, smiling.
"A tour of Europe," suggested Alucard.