Bump In The Night

(Just a fun little note: So far, all of the chapter titles are song titles. I'm too lazy to come up with my own. xD)

The next day passed by quickly. I still had some work to be done, so I finished that first.

Not without staring at my computer background for a while. I still couldn't believe I'd actually seen Alucard like that. It was too good to be true, really.

Once I got the last of my work finished, I hung out with mother, although all she was doing was going over paper work from the Order. Some real important business concerning my taking over Hellsing.

The other Knights didn't believe I could do it because I wasn't a Hellsing by blood. Integra had adopted me when I was an infant and had raised me as her own.

Not that I didn't get into some trouble around the Manor. There had been a point when she had forbidden Alucard to be around me because he was the one who got me to cause trouble.

But, having Seras baby-sit me had some perks. She took very good care of me when I was little, with Alucard always watching close by.

Eventually though, I threw such a fit that Alucard was the only one who could calm me down.

I smiled at the thought.

"Belle, what are you thinking about?" Mother asked. I blinked, looking at her. I had been sitting on her desk, and I didn't realize that I had touched a hand to my lips to hide my smile.

"That time when I threw a fit."

"Which time? There were a few, remember?"

"Right. I was thinking about the one where Alucard was the only one who calm me down."

"Ah, yes. That time," Mother rubbed her eyes behind her glasses, "How could I have forgotten?"

"Mother, you look tired. Why don't you go lay down?" I said, moving next to her.

"I can't. The Order is trying to prove that you can't be my heir. You're too young. You party too much. I was younger than you when I took charge."

"Mother…"

"Didn't you say you were going somewhere tonight, Belle?" She looked up at me with tired blue eyes. I winced.

"Y-yeah, I was…"

"Just be careful. We don't need to give the order a reason to think that you aren't fit to take over."

I nodded, then hugged her, "Please, go get some rest. You look tired. You haven't slept at all, have you?"

"Too much on my mind," She said, wrapping at arm around me, pressing her face against my shoulder. How many times had she held me the way I'm holding her now...?

"Please, try and get some rest. For me. I want you around a little longer. I know it's selfish of me but…"

"All right, all right," She pushed me back and moved back from her desk.

"Thank you, mother," I smiled at her. She gave me a sleepy smile in return, then stood and left the room.

I stood there for a moment, hesitant. I had to return Alucard's coat still but… I looked out the window, at the sun.

Would he mind…?

I walked out, still pondering the thought. Surely, he wouldn't mind if it was me. Anyone else, he might but me…?

I pulled open my door and found his jacket where I had left it, stretched out across my bed. I smiled and picked it up, then retreated.

----

I was still debating on whether or not this was a good idea when I stood outside Alucard's door. I hesitantly cracked it open and shivered at the chill that drifted out of the room.

I stepped in quietly, the coolness of the stones seeping through the bottoms of my shoes, the cold wrapping its arms around me, touching me through my clothes.

I had only been down here once, and had gotten in more trouble than ever.

Isabelle ran quickly through the halls of the Hellsing Manor. It was the day after her seventh birthday and one of her nannies was scolding her for daydreaming during teaching.

"Last night was your birthday, but now you have to pay attention," Her nanny was saying as Isabelle stared off out one of the windows, waiting for the sun to set so she could play with Alucard or Seras, "And dancing with that monster of all things. That's not something you should be doing, Miss Isabelle. He's your servant, not your friend."

That snapped her attention back and she glared at the woman before her. When the nanny went to hand Isabelle a paper, the little girl jumped up and bit the nanny, hard before running out.

The nanny's screams brought Wulf in and sent Isabelle running down the hall and down to the dungeons under the Manor, where she had gotten lost.

I walked through the room quietly, looking for Alucard's chair in the dim light. I knew he'd be there; he never slept in his coffin.

Isabelle pulled open and intimidating door, hoping that Wulf wouldn't think to look there. The door was heavy, but she opened it enough to where she could slip through.

She stood there for a moment, listening for sounds of Wulf, when she felt a presence behind her.

She turned sharply, surprised to see Alucard, but he was different. Anger was rolling off of him, his red eyes narrowed to slits. His hands were fisted and she could see that he was tense.

"What are you doing here, Isabelle?" He hissed, his voice full of rage.

"I-I… I'm hiding from Wulf…" She stuttered, watching as Alucard crouched to her height. His hand lashed out suddenly and grabbed her wrist. He looked at for a moment, as if he could see something hidden there.

"You bit a nanny?" He said softly. His hand was so large, and she was suddenly aware of how easily he could break it.

"S-she called you a monster, Alucard…" Isabelle whimpered softly.

"I am a monster," Alucard looked up at her and jerked her closer, sending her stumbling against her chest, "I can protect you from all monsters but myself."

She pushed away from him, looking up at his blazing red eyes.

"You aren't a monster, Alucard. You're my friend," She smiled at him. And regretted it.

I found Alucard in his chair, sound asleep. I smiled, thankful he was sleeping. I draped the coat over the arm of his chair and recoiled as one of his eyes flicked open sleepily.

"Isabelle?"

"I'm giving your coat back before I go," I said softly, smiling at him, "Just go back to sleep."

Alucard watched me for a moment, sleep tugging at his eye, before closing his eye again. I exhaled slowly.

Alucard snarled then, "Not a monster? How do you know what a monster is, human?!"

Isabelle flinched back, trying to pull out of his grasp, but he didn't let go.

"Not a monster? I could kill you if I wanted to," He growled and lifted her up suddenly as he stood. He held her close to his chest and turned, walking further into his room. Isabelle whined, trying to get him to let go of her wrist to no avail.

He stopped at his chair and kicked open the coffin behind it.

"Not a monster," he snorted then dropped her in the coffin. Isabelle was stunned, blinking up at him fearfully. She had gone to sit up, but he returned the lid to the coffin and she heard him sit on it.

"Alucard! Alucard, let me out!" She demanded, slamming her little fists on the lid, kicking at the lid, "Alucard!"

I ran a hand over my eyes, sniffling as I walked back out. I opened the door and stepped out, then sit on the floor outside his door.

Alucard finally lifted the lid from the coffin when Isabelle started crying. He slid the lid off easily and crouched next to the coffin, one arm stretched across the opening, barring her exit.

"Never forget, Miss Isabelle. I am a monster," He said softly, giving her a sad, pointy toothed grin.

I had never wanted to go down to the dungeons after that.