I do not own Hellsing nor do I have any interest in it save for pleasure.


Authors Note:

- Italics are thoughts. "sent or projected thoughts."

-Bold words are with emphasis not necessarily yelled or shouted.


Looking Up


It was early evening at Hellsing. Walter sat with Seras at the kitchen table, "Miss Victoria, is this what you remember seeing on Incognito's face and body, at least nearly?" He asked pointing to a sketch he had been doing of what Seras was saying.

"Yes that's it; also he could use the patterns like deadly ribbons. There were patterns all over the room as well; here they looked something like this. Walter, I swear he used the laser just as Master Alucard uses magic. Incognito almost cut me in half." Seras was looking over Walter's shoulder. He was working on researching the information that they had as he convalesced.

"And you are quite certain he is of the 'Dark Continent'?"

Seras shuddered "Yes. I know it was mentioned though I do not know by whom or where or even when. Also logically, Alucard and I paled to white, he was a gray color, and with his body tattoos he looked slightly purple. Oh that is right! I forgot" she hit her forehead with the heel of her hand. "When Harry and I visited Helena, the little girl looking vampire; she said that we needed to find the Eve, the original from which the chip was created. You needed a real vampire before you could create the chip, before you could create counterfeit vampires with the chip. She said she knew that no vampire from here is involved, it was not any she knew, I believe." She shuddered again. The memories of that last night when she saw Helena, that encounter was still a horror to her.

Walter put a hand on her arm. "Steady on, I am very sorry to have to ask you to relive that night again Miss Victoria." Walter very much meant it. She has had more than her fair share of pain as of late. Combined with the stress and sudden responsibility, I worry for her. "Damn it Alucard where are you?"

"It's alright Walter, I can handle this, and it has to happen. We need to figure out more about this old threat before we get completely ambushed about the new one that we were warned about." She took a breath and continued. "His tattoos were purple, as was his laser, as was the patterns he projected, as was his odd glow. Then there is the weird head disappearing thing he did. Walter I am also sure that he didn't just drain Helena He Ate Her!" Seras was thrown back in time to seeing the tiny childlike head fall from Incognito's body. She began to shake. She could hear Helena warning her about the trap that had been laid; she smelled the fire, heard Incognito mocking her, the books burning, and the blood, always blood.

"Miss Victoria, this is enough; I have enough information to work from. Don't think on that wretched night anymore!" Walter looked at the young vampire worried, her eyes were out of focus said she wasn't in the here and now, she was still trapped there. "Seras Victoria Snap Out Of It!" Walter touched her hand as he used the voice that brought her out of her blood lust once before, during the Valentine brothers attack. She blinked and then looked at him. She was beginning to calm. She saw so much That Night, the night of the complete seal release. Maybe she saw too much.

"I'm sorry Walter. I guess I still cannot wrap my brain around everything from That Night" She shook her head to clear it. "Well I'm going to get my nightly headache."

"Miss Victoria?" Walter asked stopping Seras literally half out the unopened door. "You have been drinking your blood nightly?" There was a mild reproach in his voice.

"Yep or rather yes Walter I do. I am thinking of going to His Room, attempt a direct connect and all."

"That is a good idea. I think another good idea would be to give you more blood at night. Take one bag with you now and try to call him immediately after drinking it." He smiled

"Good idea Commander" Seras said as she got one. Seras smiled at her co-Commander. She then poked at the air and looked like a person going down in an elevator's slow descent. She sank into the floor, with a 'why is this taking so long' expression on her face and looking at her nonexistent watch.

Walter was surprised at the humor but loved it. By the time she was out of the room he was laughing out loud. Hmm I'll have to get her a wrist watch. Actually perhaps two watches one for every day wear and one for the nicer occasions.

Walter and Seras worked to keep one another laughing. They and the troops needed it. One irritation that Walter had, so many troops still acted uncomfortable, and distrusting around Miss Victoria. It hurt her, it always had. Aside from showing her the respect she deserved and leading by example he had no clear idea what else to do. But then Her Majesty did say that they would get their leader back soon didn't She? He sighed and rubbed his forehead.

Seras sat in Alucard's room hoping it would make it easier to contact him. She really did miss him so much. She knew he was not dead; no one and nothing could kill him. He never responds. Sometimes I think he is close. Once again she opened her senses trying to get a message through to Alucard or to at least feel him; once again there was nothing. "Master I need you where are you?" No response, there never was.

Police Girl, was that you?


Walter had again lost himself in the library for many hours. His body had finally objected. As he was finally standing he heard someone come in.

"Walter!" Seras said like a boo! Walter jumped and spun hand over his chest startled hearing her voice.

"Miss Victoria! Please, in the future, do refrain from abruptly appearing unannounced. Startling one in times such as these could be,…unpleasant." Walter was not acting the part of the old man covering his heart. He had prepared his gloves to slice whoever that was attacking into cube steak; or ash them.

Seras swallowed hard. "Walter I will absolutely take your advice." She was nowhere near the strength of her Master. Walter could not ash Alucard, Walter could however ash her. "Do you have any idea what time it is?" Seras composed herself quickly and went on the offensive. It made Walter smile. She was taking charge if she was using that tone of voice on him.

"Mentally no, my body however has begun objecting to my research, or at least the length of it." He sighed and stretched. That hurt damn it "Have I missed my dinner?"

"Yes." She had her hands on her hips now.

"Mea culpa, mea culpa, Seras. It is my fault, it is my fault." He smiled with the just the corners of her mouth. "Does your presence mean that you were interrupted and taken from training the men and sent here to fetch me, because everyone else is afraid to do so, or do I get to have your lovely company for dinner?" He tidied up his notes and put away books.

"Dinner companion." He looked at her startled. "Yes it is that late."

"Goodness!"

"And the staff is afraid."

Seras was surprised to see a wicked smile cross Walter's face, just for a moment then it was gone.


It was the next night and once again in Alucard's room sat Seras. She even sat on his beloved coffin hoping bring him closer. Everyone knew better then to even breathe on his coffin much less touch it. "Master Alucard!" Seras sat quietly and imagined her senses radiating out of her like a blaze of astral light. Once again there was nothing. He never responds. Seras found herself becoming irked at him. "Master where in the blazes are you?" As always there was no response.

Hmmm Police girl?

"Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen." Walter greeted the assembled troops.

"Sir!" They all knew by now that he was no longer the butler. He was Commander Dornez.

"I have elected to train with you lot this evening." He could see the surprise in their collective faces. This made him smile, internally at least. In the room, check one freak three ghoul no civilians kill every one. It was like a verse of a twisted nursery rhyme to him. Damn that trooper stepped in; I must pull back my wires and miss him! Walter was able to do so just in time.

Seras saw this and other similar behaviors from her vantage point atop the cat walk. They seem to either think Walter is too old, still injured, or they just flat do not know him. She sighed Many see him as Walter the Butler still and not as the Angel of Death. Seras wondered how to best handle this new problem. The Queen had promised that their lack of a leader was being attended to. Integra should be back soon. How much longer would it be? The talk with The Queen was a week ago. Seras rubbed her head and then shook it. Seras knew she had to stop this 'coddling' of Walter behavior and soon before he got angry. Hey now there is an idea. Seras smiled. Now how do I pull it off?

"Walter!" Seras ran towards Walter's retreating form after the training fiasco.

"Yes Commander Victoria?" Walter said sharply.

"Well," Seras began and winced and wished she had waited. Precious few would be able to discern the irritation from him but she was one who could. He used Commander when they were training or with the men and Miss otherwise. "I have an idea that I need your opinion on. I am fairly sure that you will like it." Seras smiled wide enough to show fang. Walter liked it already. Seras relayed the idea to him as they walked back to the mansion.

"Well Miss Victoria that plan sounds as though it may work, allow me to ponder on it for the rest of this evening?" He smiled. He did indeed like the idea very much. His face returned to its noncommittal mask.

"Of course Walter, I want you to see if it needs tweaking." He must like it, that smile lasted a full three seconds.

"Please allow me, Ladies first." Walter said as they reached the door Walter opened it and offered Seras a small bow. "Most especially when the lady is able to absorb more damage than I currently." He quickly smiled again.

"Oh Walter you slay me!" Seras looked back in time to see the wicked smile again. Once again it was gone one second. She shook her head.

"Ouch!" Walter groaned clasping hand to heart. "With that pun, it is actually the other way around!"

Seras giggled.


"All right every one!" Seras said with her 'Commander Victoria voice. "Tonight we run timed drills through the building; every one up to the observation cat walks. The building will be reset for everyone. No one gets an advantage. This should help you learn about the styles of those you work with. Watch them all carefully. You never know when you may learn a new move or two."

"Yes Ma'am" All of the troops felt confident that it would be they who won the bragging rights for this contest.

"Alright, Johnson you go first."

One after another the men went through each time within a second maybe three of each other. They had their running bets and there were a few nice moves.

"Ok my turn now." Seras said brightly.

"Huh, what, whoa!" were pretty common interjections when the men heard that. Commander Victoria had worked them and trained them but few had seen her work at all, when she was working they all were working, none had really gotten a good chance to see it, now they would.

Oh man you guys are worried about or impressed by me? Oh this is gonna be fun to watch. Seras took a deep breath, grabbed a gun and started. Her final time was a full two minutes ahead of the best score already posted. "That felt good, Time isn't so bad either."

"No indeed Commander Victoria," Walter said as he wrote down the time. "From what I am able to remember your time has improved by at least a full forty five seconds." Walter looked as if he was remembering. Then shook his head. "I would need to check records to be sure, and may I say your form has improved, you are no longer dipping your left shoulder."

"Really? Cool!"Seras smiled, lots of fang showing. "Thank you Commander Dornez."

"Will you be so kind as to reset the course for me?" Walter smiled as he went down the stairs with his normal gait. The troops watching him move to the starting point. I can almost read their minds; Oh man he's going to embarrass himself, remember not to laugh, he wouldn't have made it through last night if I had not helped him.

"Hey Johnson!" Seras called as she passed Walter on the stair.

"Ma'am?"

"The second I say go, hit that stop watch, oh crud, actually you say go and I'll man the watch." Seras said as she go to the top. Johnson nodded. "Are you ready Commander Dornez?"

"Yes Commander Victoria thank you." Walter nodded. He stood as he always did stoic, unmovable.

"Commander on Johnson's mark then!" Seras called out with a smile. "Keep your eyes on the simulator. Do not blink"

"Go" Johnson and the rest were looking a little oddly at her. Then at the Walter as he seemed to just step then was in motion.

Right then. Walter did not hit top speed right now; he decided that holding back just seemed smarter. His time and accuracy were still enough to impress the troops. Their jaws hit the ground when they heard the conversation between the two commanders after his run.

"Holding back a bit?" Seras said concerned "Are you still on the mend or just a bit rusty?"

"Yes on all counts. I shouldn't be concerned though, I am mending quite nicely. I just felt going at top speed was unnecessary. Did I not beat you?" Walter drank from a water bottle handed to him by a startled troop.

"Actually we tied. We both held back and we tied!" Both of the commanders laughed.

"Hmmm, well next time I will simply need to be quicker!" Walter challenged.

"I will as well Commander Dornez. Yes sir, it is on!" Seras smiled with a nod of her head.

"As you wish Commander Victoria." Walter said with a nod. Good now she has a reason to push herself a bit harder.

"It would seem we have a lot of witnesses to the challenge. Everybody dismissed, oh and Walter?"

"Yes?"

"Tag you're it!" With that she poked Walter then ran five paces and phased through a wall. Walter still almost got her with a wire. "That is one point for me." She cheerfully announced.

"As you say, 'it is on.'" Walter shook his head. It has been a very long time since I played like this. Walter smiled.


"We are having a meeting is that a save time and zone?" Seras asked Walter as she poked her head through a wall a few hours later.

"Meeting have to be had so safe zone I agree." Walter nodded and waited for Seras to come in and sit down. "So are we ending the scores at the end of each night or will we go cumulative?" Walter asked.

"Mmmm, cumulative if that is ok with you. It will give you a chance to catch up!" She giggled.

"As you wish Miss Victoria." Cheeky. "As to the supply of bullets?" Walter asked with a grimace.

"Can we ever have to many or even enough?" Seras sighed worried over the supply.

At the end of the first day one the score stood at: Seras four, and Walter Two. His two hurt, actually they were more painful, neither had thought about the silver in his wires. He decided to carry those in his waistcoat until needed and wear the ones without silver, he occasionally wore to practice in them. It was a good idea they were a tad heavier. The game of tag they played was quite unique. It was for training as much for play. Right now they were at the "beginner" level. This meant that it was touch only, by hand or by tip of wire. They both had access to their natural abilities. Seras decided that until Walter was fully healed she was staying with speed alone. The other rules were fairly mundane they both agreed to when it started in the day, when it ended, not during training or other actions. There was also the general 'do not let this game make you stupid' rule.

"Master Alucard answer me please." Seras chanted sitting on Alucard's coffin over and over again until she got her headache. She was tired and she felt bad rather quickly. She stopped and stumbled back to her own coffin.


"Push through them!" Seras said, she was in the thick of it all again. There were ghouls everywhere it seemed. Ever since the night of the Incognito fight; Seras had found herself becoming less and less repulsed by the fight, the violence, and the blood. To be honest she was finding that what her master had said was true; Seras was enjoying it more and more. She was a 'full blooded No-Life-Queen' now. Not that this fact meant much to anyone but her and Walter, and probably the Queen as well. There were other things that she enjoyed as well. Coming up with the logistics for what they did and how they did it. That was her favorite part right now, though the fight was catching up.

"We are on it!" One of the troops yelled as bullets flew.

"Good! Keep on." She had busted through the ghoul line and went for the freak in charge. "Bastard!" Seras yelled and killed him. She caught movement out the corner of her eye. It was outside, Seras was fairly certain that she saw red eyes though. "Damn! I see another" She yelled into the radio and went through the window. "I'm going to have an extra bag tonight." She muttered. She suddenly felt a pain through her forearms and dropped her weapon. She looked and saw glowing red eyes looking at her laughing. "You hit hard for a freak." Seras faced her opponent who came into the light while attacking. O this is so going to hurt! She could tell whomever this was he was a close in fighter and she was down blood. Maybe this was a real vampire?

"You aren't too bad yourself. By the by I'm not a freak by your standards." He laughed. They engaged again and Seras was hurting. She could not help it. She let her fangs grow her nails became claws. She was being thrown into frenzy. She was hurt and hungry. Now his eyes grew big.

"What the hell?" He nearly screamed.

He had no fangs, was Seras' thought for half a second before she attacked. His pause and shock was enough to give her the opportunity she needed to win. Seras put her hand into his stomach and 'cut' up. Now her blood lust took over and she drank all of him that she could.

"Whoa, he was strong." Seras felt a little light headed. The body was still there. Not that Seras realized it. She went stumbling back to the troops. By the time she got to them she felt fine; and she had regenerated herself and her clothing.

At the mansion after the men had been dealt with Walter found Seras staring out a window.

"Are you well Miss Victoria?" Walter put his hand on her shoulder.

"Hm, Yes I guess Walter. I think I blacked out, I think I may have been thrown into blood lust and blacked out." Seras looked concerned.

"Why do you say that?" He watched her very closely. Alucard had once mentioned that with new full vampires it could happen, it was nothing to worry about. But if they find it to be an easy excuse then they would have to be dealt with.

"I had finished the primary freak. I saw movement out the corner of my eye. I gave chase… After going through the window? Yes... I went through the window, but my clothing." She looked down her uniform was in perfect order. "I did not catch him, he hit me first. We fought he said he 'wasn't a freak by my standards'. Wait, I remember he hurt me bad; my fangs and claws came out, something was very odd with him something not right." She shook her head. "I must have fed on him before he died. I feel fine now and I feel stronger. He must have been a true vampire right?" Seras looked to Walter. She was visibly upset.

"I think you must be correct. Well then my dear Miss Victoria it would seem that tonight is a milestone for you, your first kill of a true Nosferatu."

"Yay for me, that must be why I feel stronger. I thought I remember Master saying something about how I could gain strength like that."

"Yes that is correct." Walter nodded. "Apparently you have also figured out how to regenerate your clothing as well as yourself. I would lay odds the staff will be happy with that." He smiled.

"They shouldn't get too happy too quickly. I have absolutely no clue how I did it." Seras shook her head.

"I would think that if we work together we can help you figure it out." Walter wanted to help Seras grow. And he had been around Alucard enough that Walter felt that he could help Seras a bit here and there, after she discovered an ability for the first time.

Seras was feeling stronger and went to Alucard's room. She sat on his coffin. She relaxed and saw her senses flying out of her much as Walter would fling out his wires. "Master Alucard, I have killed my first Nosferatu tonight. You are still needed here. Answer me please or just come home!" Now Seras was dead tired. She lay on Alucard's coffin a moment to make the world stop spinning. It stopped she however slipped into Alucard's coffin and slept.

Hmm? Was that Police girl? No she isn't strong enough. An image of her asleep in my coffin? Not likely, she wouldn't dare. He laughed to him self.


Where is that girl? Walter wondered. Where could she be? Her coffin has not been slept in! Walter was becoming concerned. Where could she be? Could she…? I may as well check. One duty that Walter retained was bringing Sears' blood to her every evening. On occasion he could tell she needed another pack before she could. He had a sneaky suspicion that tonight may be one of those nights. He worried over her as though she was his favorite niece. Walter went to Alucard's Room and opened the door. He opened the coffin slowly and inside slept Seras until the light hit her eyes, and then she was awake very fast and had Walter by his tie with her fist cocked back to pummel him.

"Ohmygosh!" Seras realized who she was about to make pâté of. "Oh Walter I am so sorry! I didn't realize! Did I hurt you?"

"No Miss Victoria you did not. I was given to understand from Alucard that you might become more aggressive at this point." Walter was glad Seras did not 'tag' him.

"He is here?" Seras asked hopeful. "He got my message? Am I in his room and his coffin? Oh he is so going to kill me." Her eyes got big and she scanned the room.

"No Miss Victoria; Lord Alucard has not returned. He had mentioned this possibility a little while back. About the coffin and room..." Walter handed a blood pack to Seras.

"I came here last night to try again since I was feeling stronger." Seras drank the blood very quickly. "So I came here and sat on the coffin as before." She accepted the next blood pack then continued. "Instead of how I had been trying before I did some, visualizing? I thought it worked." Seras drank the second."I could almost see him, lying in a coffin. I could almost feel him. I tried to talk to him. I guess I could either talk or see." She drained the third pack. "I doubt that it worked." Seras sighed and shrugged.

"So do you feel better?" Walter looked at her critically making sure she was being truthful.

"Yes Walter I do feel much better, really." She liked that he worried. It was sweet. "So anything new on the radar, do we have something to do tonight?" She looked hopeful.

Walter laughed. "Yes we do or at least you do. I am still on the injured reserve list." He frowned.

"Do not worry you'll be out ashing the bad guys soon!" Seras smiled. and laughed.


A few nights later Walter did go out. The Hellsing Troops after that, never again thought of him as a butler or as an old man. "Shall we lads?" was all that Walter asked. He wore no obvious armour and was planning to use only his wires. Then he moved. Again they were in shock.

"Hey let's get going!" Seras yelled at the men. "We don't want the Angel of Death to have all the fun do we?" The men at that point went in and lay waste. "We are having an easy night so far eh, o Angel of Death?" Seras laughed. She had no idea how very much she resembled her Sire at that point.

"Yes it is a shame really. But such is life." Walter tried not to sound too disappointed.

"Well there are a few areas that need simple looking over. Of course one should be prepared for trouble." She smirked.

Walter smirked back "Yes of course. I have always found that couples are great bait. Shall we?" He nearly snickered at the look on the troopers faces.

"Yes let's!" Walter and Seras took out four more ghoul that night. It became habit that after the large operation if there was one, they would go look about in the city; either alone or as a couple.


One night as Walter was out alone he saw a man jump from a third story window and land with no trouble. Well I think that chap bears watching at least. Walter followed him for a bit, until the chap stopped and looked at Walter.

"What in the Hell do you want?" The young man's red eyes were gleaming in the low light.

"I want only your unlike my good fellow."

"Not a chance!" The man growled.

"A very good to absolute certainty." Walter prepared to fight the man to a degree he wished he had not. This one was very odd. The young man didn't really fight as much as avoid Walter's attacks while moving constantly all over the place. Over fences, across roof tops and the like they went. This vampire was leading Walter on a merry chase. He even caught his own arm with one of his wires. It bit deep. This however only served to enrage Walter. He moved faster than ever and finally caught the vampire. There was an explosion of blood to the point of a mist that surrounded the body. This surprised Walter but he could not stay around, there were already Police Officers everywhere. Walter did not know what was wrong with the vampire he just ashed, but he knew something was not right. He would have to think about it elsewhere.

Walter recorded in his journal:20 June, Friday

I had a most curious experience this evening in my duties. I was out on a patrol and found something. I first witnessed what appeared to be a young man jump out a third story window and land without harming himself. Finding this rather odd I decided he needed to be watched. When he turned to confront me with 'What the Hell do you want?' I saw his red eyes. Being more my younger self I answered him in a somewhat cheeky manner and attacked.

This Nosferatu had no intention of engaging me in battle instead he ran as a coward would. Many would not have been able to keep pace with him. I admit to having gotten rather winded during the chase myself. His skill at defending himself was the best one actually, to not be there when or where the blow would land. I even caught my own arm in my wires. It has been a very long time since I did that.

For once since the defeat of Incognito I have been glad Alucard was not here. If he had been I would not for the eternities hear the end of it! Miss Victoria looked so worried she asked if I minded her licking the wound. After she asked she realized how it might sound and became very flustered. "Only to heal it Walter I swear!" It was sweet. I was happy to have her do it. If she had not I would be back to the injured reserve list.