Part Two

"So you think that you can just set anything you want on fire, do you?" Integra stared intently at Alucard, calmly blowing cigar smoke in a thin stream right at the vampire's arrogant face.

Alucard waved his hand to ward off the smoke before smirking. "To be fair, I did not attack that Dairy Queen on a simple whim. I happen to have a personal vendetta against them. They deserved to get burned to the ground. The cashier denigrated my clothing… I simply 'denigrated' his place of work."

She casually flicked some ash into the silver tray then tapped one pile of papers on her desk. "This is a stack of complaints." She tapped another pile. "This is a list of all the debt you just put me in."

"Wow, for a pile that large the words sure are tiny…"

Integra tapped another pile, one that seemed much larger than the other two. "AND THIS," she growled in a much louder voice, "IS THE LIST OF EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT I HAVE HAD TO ATTEND COURT ON YOUR BEHALF, COVERING YOUR IRRESPONSIBLE ARSE WHILE YOU JUST GO OUT AND MAKE ME MORE HEADACHES!"

Alucard shrugged in a very innocent manner. "It's not my fault you get headaches so easily."

There was a loud clang as the silver ashtray smacked him very forcefully in the face and spilled ashes all over his clothes.

And then, like a gift sent from the good lord Himself, in entered Seras with a little puppy bundled up in her arms. And Integra got a grand idea of how to punish the king of vampires.

So now here he was, sitting in his throne in the basement, sipping on his glass of wine, perfectly at unease. The dog's brainless skull was resting against his knee while it emitted the most obnoxious whining sound he had ever heard. And it just didn't end. No matter what he did, the dog would just not SHUT UP.

"What do you want?" he snapped, finally losing his patience. Vlad cocked his head at the voice, then directed his attention elsewhere. The vampire watched dubiously as the dog's nose went to his hand. After about three seconds, it started to lick him. Alucard's irritation vanished when he realized what the puppy sought. Sighing, he took off his glove, revealing the deep, angry burns that made up the Hellsing seal, and offered it to the dog again. Immediately, the pink tongue darted over his injury. "No amount of licking will heal that wound, I can assure you."

Vlad didn't seem too convinced. The dog stopped licking just long enough to look the vampire in the eye. Alucard arched an eyebrow, wondering what was going through the beast's mind. He had his answer when the dog suddenly jumped up onto his lap and attacked his face.

Well, attacked in a rather adorable fashion, if the vampire was being perfectly honest.

"Gah!" Alucard exclaimed as his face was covered with puppy kisses. "All right, all right, you're cute. Now knock it off!"

The dog did stop on command (as Alucard did have the ability to direct animals), but not without an expression that almost looked like a grin. The vampire sighed and scratched the pup behind the ear, absentmindedly running his fingers through the thin fur. For such a little thing, it certainly had quite a bit of energy. "You know, I actually do like dogs, despite what people think. Your kind is… messy, and annoyingly optimistic, but… I honestly can't think of any creature that can so easily cheer someone up. When I was human, I had a few dogs. It's been a while, but I remember them. My first one… huh. I've forgotten his name. Ah, that's what happens when you live for so long, you forget quite a bit. But he was a lot like you… bigger, much bigger. But he was a loyal hound."

Alucard closed his eyes and heaved a heavy sigh. The dog cocked his head, watching his master with curiosity. The vampire continued on, even though he knew nobody was around that could understand his story. "Even though I'd be gone for months at a time, sometimes a full year, he'd always get so excited to see me again. He acted just like a puppy, though he probably weighed a good hundred and fifty pounds. But I was gone for a long, long time at one point. Three years, I was away. He was already fairly old by then- spoiled rotten by the servants, he'd lived a full life. I wouldn't have been surprised to find he'd passed away in my absence, but the funny thing is… he hadn't. I came to the castle gate, and there he was, lying on the front steps. He perked up when he saw my face, and I remember that same youthful joy in his eyes even when he hobbled out to meet me. His muzzle was all gray, and he had a terrible limp. I stooped down to pet him, and he started whining… and the next thing I know, he can't stand anymore. His legs just… gave out, right beneath him. I tried to hold him up, but he couldn't move. I remember kneeling down, holding his head. At that point, I knew he wasn't going to live to see another day. He gave me one last lick, and… that was that."

He shook his head. "I still to this day can't believe he lived for so long. He was a few years older than most dogs lived at the time. A maid once told me he waited on those steps every day I was gone. I think… he was just waiting for me to get back. He knew he was going to die, and he suffered through pain for three years just to say goodbye to me. And let me tell you, Vlad: nobody else has ever, ever waited for me before."

The dungeon was silent, save for the natural noise of the living creature in Alucard's lap. Vlad seemed to sense something was wrong, and laid his head on the vampire's arm, waiting for some semblance of resolution. Alucard noticed this and seemed to shake himself of his thoughts, and continued petting the dog. "It's one of the reasons I really don't like getting dogs. I already think humans are short lived. Canines… they love too much, and they die too quickly."

A door creaked open, and a fluffy blonde head poked into the room. Alucard watched, amused, as Vlad immediately perked up as a familiar voice called out, "Um, Master? Is… Is Vlad here?"

In response, a high-pitched yip echoed through the room as Vlad leapt off the vampire and raced towards the door, nearly falling on his paws when he came to a stop in front of his owner. "I think that answers your question, Police Girl," Alucard responded, resting his cheek on his knuckles in a bored manner.

Seras giggled as Vlad jumped up into her arms and licked her cheeks. "Thank you so much! I hope he wasn't a bother!"

Alucard rolled his eyes. "Oh, he was. But as always, you're welcome for saving your ass. Did Integra notice anything when she stepped into her office?"

The draculina stepped further inside, cradling the puppy in her arms like an actual baby. "She said that it smelled oddly like disinfectant, but otherwise, I don't think she noticed the piddle-spot. I'm so glad Walter was understanding enough to clean it up."

He hummed. "Train him better, Police Girl. He's your mongrel, and as such, he's your responsibility. Next time, I might not decide to hide him for you."

"Yes sir!" Her stiffened posture would have been very soldier-like were it not for the wriggling black ball of fluff in her arms.

The vampire blinked, and for one split second, Seras could have sworn he smiled. "Go on then, off with you. Take him outside."

Seras nodded and set Vlad down. "All right! You wanna go outside, boy? Huh? Wanna go for a walk?" Vlad's bottom wriggled as his tail thumped violently. He howled. The draculina sprinted away with a mad grin, and the puppy chased after her, barking.

Back in the darkness of Alucard's chambers, a small chuckle could be heard.

Alucard's in for a rather rude awakening when he realizes both Integra and Seras waited for him for thirty years, isn't he? Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the continuation to the story. I teared up a bit, writing about his dog from the past. Honestly, I can write about people getting brutally murdered without even blinking, but dogs are too good for this world. This fic was originally going to be really light and fluffy, and then I was kind of like, "Why don't I let it consume my soul instead?"