Seras' eyes fluttered open when the first rays of light touched her face. The warm rays woke her from her dream, a dream of being in the arms of a lover. This 'man' had no face, nor even an appearance. As the dream was disappearing through her memory like sand through her fingers the only thing her mind held onto was the warmth and feeling of regret as he disappeared. Seras rolled her eyes at such a dream and tried to get up…before she realised where she was.
She sat up on the sandy grass and the feeling of fatigue and aching came to her instantly. As Seras forced her sore tired arms behind her to sit up she wished she hadn't fallen asleep.
"But how…." She whispered. How did she fall asleep out here, she couldn't remember. Lifting her heavy and tired body up from the ground she turned and looked for her uncle's house. The sound of the waves in the background as she pushed herself up onto her feet. She attempted to jog back to the house, but as she did so her leg muscles almost gave way as she stumbled out of fatigue. "I really shouldn't have slept out here." She regretted. After collecting herself she slowed to a walk and walked toward the house.
Inside the house was her uncle, she just shut the door and his voice drifted over from the living room.
"Where were you last night?" He asked, not a hint of suspicion I his voice, sounding like an innocent question. Seras knew differently. She winced as he spoke. Expecting reprimand.
"I fell asleep outside…" But then she wished she hadn't said that….why didn't she just make something up….At this she had to lean on the kitchen side in her weak condition, she wanted desperately to go to her own bed. Sure enough Alex appeared in the kitchen dashing toward her.
"You were what! Do you know what could have happened!" He almost yelled. Although she didn't try to defend herself, she knew she should have come in. "I thought you had gone home, or gone to a hotel. You know you can sleep in here…" He sighed. Putting his hand on his forehead and shaking his head. His tone softened. "Are you alright?" Seras nodded.
"Just tired, I'll be alright when I have a nap and get a shower." Alex chuckled.
"What am I going to do with you?" He smiled. Seras let out a breath she had been holding, even though she was now 19 and classed as an adult, she still felt like a child around her uncle and parents. Alex put his hand out to help her, but before she could take it the air was cut with the sound of the phone's harsh ringing. Alex immediantly turned around and ran to the hallway and to the phone.
"Thanks for the help…" Seras mumbled. Stepping away from the surface and walking, more like dragging herself over to the guest room. But before she got there she overheard the conversation her uncle was having.
"…is Seras here you say?" He spoke. Seras realised her parents must be looking for her, it wouldn't take long to find out that she was no longer a police woman. Seras prayed her uncle wouldn't tell them. She just couldn't face them right now, not on the phone, definitely not in real life. She imagined the look on her father's face…her feeling of regret increased and a feeling of sickness covered her. "No sorry. You just missed her. She was here, but she left last night." He said. Seras' ears perked up at this. She was glad he didn't let them know, but at the same time she wanted him to let them know….she was starting to confuse herself.
She pushed the door to the room open and sat in the bed. The room was blandly decorated and hardly ever used, a little bed in the corner with a bedside table and lamp. The walls were a pale green matching the lamp. When Seras had sat down Alex came in. "It was your dad." He said matter-of-factly. Seras nodded.
"I know….why…" She began. Alex smiled.
"I didn't think you'd want to face them. I can imagine what your dad would be like. Don't worry, they know your ok. But they won't drive down here and pick you up either." Seras had her mouth open to say something, but it never came. Instead she replied.
"Thank you…" And clamped her mouth shut.
"I'll come get you at lunch. If you wake up before, just come find me and I'll make you something. Ok?" Seras nodded her thanks before he shut the door. Alex was back to his usual relaxed and joyful tone, but as she took off her clothes and laid them out on the carpeted floor, she thought back to the conversation last night. When he seemed like a different person. What if she took up his offer, her family was religious to an extent, and she had dreamt of this since she was a little girl. But she never thought she'd get a chance like this. After all, it was just a few days ago that she was stuck in a mundane job where vampires didn't exist! Seras laid down on the bed and brought the covers up to her face. This was a lot better then outside, the comfort of the bed called to her tired body, and her eyes began to droop instantly.
Meanwhile…"Where have you been disappearing Alucard?" The blonde woman sat at her desk, with her usual pile of paperwork in front of her. She sneered at it and pushed it aside, while bringing out her lighter and lighting her cigar that hung loosely from her lips.
"Why do you care Integra?" The tall red-clad vampire Alucard spoke smoothly, neither lying nor telling the truth. Integra lit her cigar and clicked her lighter shut.
"I care because I am the one responsible for you. I can't have you gallivanting around in the human world." She placed her lighter down on the desk.
"I am not, 'gallivanting' as you so keenly put it. I am on my own business." He dodged the question. Enjoying toying with her.
"Stop it Alucard…" She was about to continue, but Alucard interrupted her.
"As the sun is rising I will take my leave." Alucard removed his hat and gracefully bowed; while at the same time began to sink through the floor. "Good day…my master."
Seras opened her eyes drowsily…what time was it? She glanced around for her alarm clock…no alarm clock. Her eyes shot open in slight alarm as her sleep dosed mind didn't recognise the room, but just as she did the memory of what happened came back. She groaned and got up, still scanning the room for a clock, she twisted around to look at the wall the bed was next to, 2AM. Great. Seras shook her head and got up. Rubbing her eyes to wake herself up. Just then there came a knock on her door.
"Yes?" She lazily answered. A muffled voice fed through the door.
"Oh your awake. Good, I have bacon butties here for ya'." Alex answered. Seras smiled at the kind gesture, laughing inwardly at the word 'butties'. She hadn't heard that in ages. Seras sat back down on her bed in her small top.
"Come in," She said as she got back into bed and pulled the covers over herself. At that Alex came in with a plate in each hand, his kind cheery face made her feel like she has always been here with her uncle. He made her feel right at home. He pushed the door wide with his elbow and then pushed it closed with his leg.
"Still like ketchup with it right?" He laughed. Seras nodded.
"You bet!" She happily replied.
"None of that brown stuff for me." He said as he laid Seras' plate on her covered lap and sat gently down on the bottom of her bed with his own. No words were spoken, like two pea's in a pod, they both instantly tucked in. Trying not to let any ketchup escape from the bottom.
Once their meal was over Seras sat licking ketchup from her fingers as Alex lifted her plate and piled it with his. "Get dressed, I arranged a trip to help you to decide." He said as he opened the door. Seras looked up at this.
"Huh? Where?" Alex didn't turn as he spoke, he just continued out into the hall.
"To Rome. You don't have a job anymore correct? Well, at least there isn't any point going back." Seras tried to say something, but she couldn't get a word in. "I already phoned ahead, a helicopter will be here in an hour." Seras almost jumped out of bed as the door closed behind him. She pulled the door open again and yelled down the hall into the kitchen.
"A helicopter? Not a plane?" Alex's voice answered her, his voice echoing from the kitchen, accompanied by the smell of bacon.
"No, I don't travel the public way. I need to go here and there in a hurry. So I naturally can't use the plane." Seras' mind wondered to where on earth he would need to hurry to in a rush…then she smacked her forehead when it clicked. Vampires don't just exist in England….they must exist around the world.
"But don't you have agents around the world to deal with other places," She spoke curious. After a sleight pause Alex's voice reappeared.
"Let's just say I get called to go after the 'big' ones." Seras didn't like the idea of the 'big' ones. He made them sound like fish…but she knew what he meant. When Alex didn't continue she went back into her room to get dressed.
But just as she picked up her clothes from off the floor another knock at the door. Seras rolled her eyes in a 'now what' kind of look. She opened the door and Alex was there with a bundle of clothes in his arms and a silver cross necklace.
"Here, you should wear these." Seras reached out and took them, intrigued with her reflection in the shiny cross.
"Where…" She began. But Alex interrupted.
"Spares…in case an agent comes over." With that Alex smiled and turned, leaving to finish what he was doing. Seras placed the folded bundle of clothes on her bed. Her old ones were left discarded on the floor.
She picked each on and looked at it carefully. Her new clothes looked like a replica of what Alex was always wearing. A look dark brown jacket that fell to her knees, a simple short sleeve top to wear underneath with dark loose pants to match. Plus at the bottom of the pile were a pair of black boots, she thought that Alex would never wear them, but she liked them already.
She placed them all on in almost no time at all, and even managed to clean herself up at least for her to look presentable in the en suite in the room. After combing her hair with her fingers she then went back into the room and picked up the heavy cross and placed it around her neck. It hung loosely on her chest. Seras frowned, if she so much as jumped that cross would go flying into her face…. But she supposed she should wear it. After all, her uncle was a catholic. Seras sighed and leaving her clothes in a mess on the floor she opened her door, not noticing the shadows elongate and an angry pair of red eyes glare out at her….
"You ready to leave?" Alex's voice came from behind. Seras was stood outside admiring the countryside and the bright sun overhead, she loved the sun. She felt its warmth on her surprisingly pale skin, possibly because she was too busy and had not enough relaxation of recent. But the thought of that made her think back to her parents and the job she might never get back to. Her smile faltered, but she re-caught it before it disappeared as Alex stood next to her.
"You sure about this?" Alex closed his eyes as the late sun touched his face.
"Absolutely…think about this as a holiday." Seras noticed Alex once again wore his long dark coat, now matching hers. He held his hand up, she thought he was covering his eyes against the sun, but then he spoke.
"It's coming." At this she turned to try and see the helicopter, she could see nothing…
"Where?" She asked. But he didn't answer. Sure enough after a few more minutes the helicopter came into view for her. A black spot on the horizon, she stood and watched as the spot grew into the figure of the helicopter. The copter slowed as it came above them, blowing up powerful wind that threatened to blow her back, both hers and Alex's coat blew back violently. She at first tried to hold it, but then realised how futile it was and let it blow. But that was when she caught the glint of reflected light of something…there under his coat was a long blade…a sword? She couldn't tell, but then she shook her head. What did she expect? Holy water and a cross? She smiled at herself before watching the black copter land.
