"Lady Integra, do you know what's wrong with the Master?"
Integra Hellsing looked up at the police girl, Seras Victoria, while she lit the last of her cinammon-scented cigars. She looked at the vampire with an intensity that rivaled her Master's. "Like I know what goes through that creature's brain."
Seras had a face that would have gotten sympathy from anyone except Integra. She twiddled her fingers in front of her. "Well... he's been awfully quiet recently. He hasn't even been bothering to phase through doors. He knocked on my door to come in last night. It's like he doesn't want to use his powers at all."
Integra looked out of the window. She had heard of Alucard doing such things in old texts stretching back to even Abraham Van Hellsing himself. It always seems to happen when the month he visited England for the first time rolls around and he's awake. It stated in one text from the 1920s that he would only mutter a woman's name for the month, and would refuse to leave his coffin. At least now his moping was merely to act human. Integra looked back at the young vampire. "Your master is lovesick."
Seras nearly fell over in surprise. "Lovesick?! For who?"
And then, as if almost on cue, Alucard opened the door to his Master's office. He was in a sorry state: wearing a black thermal shirt and his normal red pants, his hair was pulled back into a ponytail in a sorry attempt to tame his long hair. His eyes seemed dull, and circles had formed around his eyes. Even Integra could tell he had probably not eaten in at least two weeks. His look even found pity from Integra. He attempted his usual grin at his master, but even that had no energy in it.
"Master, may I please leave the manor? I need to go somewhere."
"'Need to go somewhere'? Where, praytell, do YOU need to go?"
Alucard walked past Integra to look out the window. "Carfax Abbey." Integra looked at him with no emotion, although for some reason it still hurt her when her answer came out.
"No."
Alucard, instead of his usual anti-authoritative self, sat down in a chair next to the window, placing his face in his hands. Then, Integra saw small trickles of blood start to drip from his hands. The slight shudder of his shoulders didn't even escape Integra. The No Life King...was crying.
Integra knew that if Alucard was in a sorry enough state to cry (an act looked down upon for its waste of blood) then she knew he would not be able to be of any use at all if she left him like this.
"Very well, Alucard. You may go to Carfax Abbey. You can leave whenever you like, but you better be back by sunrise." Integra said with a low growl. Alucard looked up through blood-stained eyes and smiled. It made Hellsing uneasy, because it wasn't the maleficent smile of a vampire, but rather the genuine smile of a grateful man. Alucard stood up and bowed slightly to Integra. "Thank you, Master." He left his Master and the police girl in the room as they stared at him in awkward silence as he walked toward the door.