Ten

I woke up to the sun against my eyes, so I turned the opposite way, cuddling against Alucard. I noticed the sun hadn't yet hit his eyes.

Closing my eyes, I nodded back off. But of course, Alucard had to wake me back up. He flipped over so that his back was to the sun, so I was still safe from it, hiding in his shadow.

Looking at Alucard, I noticed he opened his eyes a fraction of an inch, then closed them again. I was pretty sure he went back to sleep.

Since I couldn't get back to sleep, I studied him. But only until he decided to put his face in the crook of my neck. His cool breath on my neck sent chills down my spine and made me sigh. A few minutes later, though it could have been hours later for all I cared, Walter knocked on the door.

"Miss Hellsing?"

"Don't say anything." Alucard said, his mouth right by my ear.

Walter knocked again. "Miss Hellsing?" When I didn't answer, he left, probably in search of something.

Squirming, Alucard lifted his head up to look at me. I scooted myself closer to him, and he pulled me closer. I put the side of my head on his chest and he put his face between the top of my head and the pillow. I was almost positive he was half out of it.

I breathed in his smell, and I noticed there was something capturing about it, but it wasn't cologne.

Once again, I was nodding off, when I was woken up again. "Miss Hellsing?"

It was Walter. Seriously, for all he knows, I might not even be in my room. When I heard Integra, I knew that's exactly what he thought.

"Sarah? Sarah-Rose?" I didn't answer, too content with my position. "Walter, just open the door, please." She said to Walter. "Sarah?"

The door opened, and I heard Walter gasp. "Walter, what is it?" Integra was getting frantic. "Walter, what- Oh my lord."

I wondered what they saw. Me, sleeping, (actually sleeping. Not the other meaning.) with my servant? As I pondered this, I realized the position we were in. When Alucard had flipped over, my leg had rapped around his waist. It didn't help that my pj bottoms were short shorts. And Alucard's hands were around me, and my shirt was riding up. It didn't help that my shirt was a spaghetti strap shirt. I realized I was in some deep shit now.

When Integra was out of shock I heard her hop to my bed, Walter's steps behind her. I was amazed I kept still, seeing as I was shaking on the inside. I think Integra was inspecting her daughter and servant.

"Sir Integra?"

Integra didn't answer Walter, so that scared the crap out of me. "Walter, what should I do?"

Integra was unknowing for once. "Me? Are you asking me, Sir Integra? Do, correct me if I'm wrong, but, I'm just your butler. Do what you feel is right."

"I don't know." There was a long pause. "She tried to commit suicide because of him. Thank god she didn't succeed. Now, she's laying with him in bed?"

"Sir, what do you feel the right thing to do is?" Walter just wanted Integra to be happy with her choice.

"I will repeat myself: I don't know." There was another long pause. "She said she loved him. She said she loved us. I'm afraid to lose that now."

Integra was afraid of losing my love? She couldn't lose it. "I feel the same, Sir. But, what do you feel is right?"

There was a sigh that sounded like defeat. "Let them sleep for now. Come wake her up in another two hours because that's when we are introducing the new soldiers." The sound of crutches and a hop hitting the floor told me she was leaving.

"Yes, Sir." Walter said following her out and shutting my door.

A few minutes later, Alucard lifted his head and nuzzled against my neck. "Go back to sleep. I enjoy the sound of your breathing."

I laughed a little. "That's because it tells you I'm still alive."

"Yes, it is. I'm-." He sighed. He seemed to struggle with his words for once. "Why did you do that? Two weeks ago? You could have told me."

I tilted my head so that I looked up at his face. "Would you have really listen? Would you have noticed what I said, when your mind was rapt around Mina?"

Alucard's eyes were smoldering with passion. The ember color of his eyes only made me fall deeper into them. It was like he could see into my soul, which he probably could.

"I'm sorry." I had been staring in his eyes for so long I was startled when he talked.

I closed my eyes and snuggled against him. I was able to actually get two more hours of sleep.

There was a knocking sound that woke me up. I growled at it. "Go away."

"Miss Hellsing, your mother requires you." I groaned and cracked an eye open. I realized Alucard wasn't with me anymore.

Rolling out of the bed, I went over to my door, opening it to find Walter with his hand raised to knock again.

"Oh, good, you're awake. Please get ready and come down to the foyer in about fifteen minutes. Oh, and do you know where Alucard is?" I could have sworn I saw pink tinge his cheeks, but that might have been my eyes playing tricks on me.

I shook my head. I didn't. "No. He wasn't here when I woke up."

Walter nodded. "Be down as soon as possible." Walter left, taking his dental floss of doom with him. Wonder how he learned to do that.

I walked to my closet, choosing what to wear. Finally deciding, I picked out my black skinny jeans, long sleeved button down shirt, and a red vest to go over it. Yeah, it too makes my breast look bigger.

After I got dressed, (and put on a push up bra) I slipped on some pumps that didn't hurt my feet. I walked down the stairs, my hand sliding across the railing. When I came to the foyer, Integra raised an eyebrow.

"Do you usually dress like that?"

I looked down at myself. "Sometimes. Why?"

Integra shook her head. Nothing. Follow me."

Instead of going out the front door, she headed towards the back of the house. I knitted my eyebrows together, but followed.

She was going to the staircases. I wondered why she just didn't take the elevator instead. I looked at Walter who was right behind me.

"Why cant we take the elevator?" I whispered.

Walter looked down guiltily. "She doesn't know it is there. Her father had it installed while she was still a child. Her father took pity on this old man." My mouth made an 'o' form. "It also helps when she wants something in a hurry."

I smiled, and saw Walter smirking. I laughed to myself as we walked down to the auditorium room.

I had never seen this room before, but it looked similar to the soldiers training floor. It also had a small stage.

The room was hot and humid, probably to the fact that there were about two hundred men and a few women in the room. I saw Seras and a bruised Pip on the stage. Well, Seras was hiding behind Pip and in the shadows, so they probably hadn't recognized her yet.

"'Ello, you two. 'Ow are you, Miss 'Ellsing?" Pip asked in his French accent.

I stuck my thumb up. My throat was starting to hurt again.

He nodded. "Good, good. Now, zen, Sir Integra, 'ow would you like to lay it on zem?"

"Same way we did The Wild Geese." I looked at Integra, then back at Pip. He looked at Seras.

She sighed. "Yes, Sir."

Sir Integra faced the soldiers as Pip called them to attention. "Oi! Dogs! Attention!

The room slowly died down in noise. Soon, it was as quiet as church the last time I went.

Sir Integra walked up closer to the edge of the stage. "I am Sir Integra Hellsing, the owner of this organization, which has currently been threatened. You will need to guard it with your life. You will need to put yourself between it and what ever comes after it. Is that understood?"

Most nodded. "What is it we're protecting you from?"

"Vampires." The entire room was silent. Then, I thought the ceiling would collapse on us, the laughter was so bad.

Once the laughter died down, the man spoke again. "So, you're saying we will be fighting demons?"

Integra nodded. "Yes. Seras?" Seras walked up and a low whistle went throughout the room. "This is your enemy. A vampire, in the flesh."

There were a few snickers this time, but nothing bad. "Really? Prove it."

Seras squeezed her eyes shut and concentrated on something. Then, she phased through the stage floor, and walked out of it.

"Tada?" Every mouth was gapping. "Sir Integra? May I go back to bed, now?"

Integra nodded. "Yes, of course." Just as Integra said this, Alucard phased in. "These are the new soldiers?"

Alucard's gaze went on each one of them, all at once. I saw quite a few people sweat drop. Especially some of the bulky ones. I giggled at that. Alucard turned towards me, and a very slight smile touched his lips.

Turning back to the new soldiers, I felt something tickle my sides.

"Ah!" Everyone but Alucard looked at me. It tickled me again and I started laughing.

"Alucard!" Laugh. "Stop!" Laugh. "Please!"

Somehow I had gotten onto the floor without realizing it. "Alucard!" I yelled at him, clutching my sides.

The tickling slowly faded away, so I could finally breathe again. I was gasping for breath when I noticed Alucard was no longer in the room. I looked up at Integra and saw she was glaring towards the exit of the room. Pip came up and stuck his hand out for me to take.

Once I was upright again, I looked at Integra, who looked at me.

"So, what now?"

Integra nodded to the door on the back of the stage. "We leave them to there own thoughts." Integra left, and Walter followed. I looked at all the soldiers.

"Yeah, uh, Alucard, he was tickling me with his shadows. Just so you know. And he'll probably like to mess with you all." I said before I ran off after Walter and Integra.

Integra was already gone when I walked into the room. Walter was opening the hidden elevator. "Would you like a ride up?"

Nodding, I followed Walter into it. "I'm going to the kitchen, just so you know."

I nodded. "Yeah, I was going to go up there anyway. Ow." I said, putting my hand to my hand to my throat. I winced.

"You should have some tea for your throat."

I looked at Walter. It must have been funny because he laughed. "I take it you don't like tea?" I shook my head. "Well, I learned something new after you lived here for almost a month."

I smiled at that. When we came up to the kitchen, I ran for the cereal. I grabbed a box of cereal. Turning to Walter, I spoke again. "I'm gonna head up to my room, 'kay?"

He nodded. "I will come and get you if we need you."

Opening the box, I munched on the cereal as I walked to my room. As I went and sat on my bed, I thought about everything to do. Love, tv, friends, music, tv, writing, drawing, tv. Yeah, tv, would do today. But friends..? I didn't have any here because most of my friends came from school. I stared at the wall blankly before I got up and walked to Integra's office.

"Integra?" I knocked on the door. I heard Alucard stop talking.

"Come in, Sarah-Rose." Integra sounded exasperated. I cautiously opened the door, and closed it behind me. I saw Alucard standing up, leaning over Integra's desk. I bit my lip, fighting back tears. Alucard leaned back, glaring at Integra. Integra looked pissed. At me.

I was afaid now. "Uh, I can come back another time." My throat was hurting from fighting back tears.

Integra was mad at me. "You've already interrupted us. What did you come here for?"

"Uh, well… I was wondering…" I bit my lip again.

"Talk, don't mumble, Sarah-Rose." She wasn't yelling, but her voice was rising.

My lip trembled, but she couldn't see it because my head was tilted down. "I just wanted-"

"Sarah-Rose Hellsing! Speak up!" Integra stood up, her palms slamming onto her desks.

I yelled, curling into a ball on the floor. The cereal I was holding spilled onto the carpet. The entire room was silent.

"Sarah?" Integra was worried now. What's with her and mood swings?

"Sarah-Rose?" Alucard was now worried. I was rocking back and forth. I felt his gloved hand on my shoulder. "Rose?"

A sob escaped from my lips. Alucard lifted me up, placing my head on his shoulder. A sob racked through me. I felt Alucard's shadows rap around us. Alucard sat on the bed, sitting me next to him. We just sat there as I cried.

About thirty minutes later, I wiped my eyes.

"So, what was it that you came in for when Integra made you cry?" Alucard seemed mad, but I don't think it was at me.

I sniffled. "I just wanted to see if I could go back to school."

He moved back, an incredulous look on his face. The hand that was playing with the tips of my hair stopped. "I have never heard a teenager say they would like to go to school."

I tilted my head at him. "Alucard, I have to get outside sometimes. Be with people my own age. Not older than me by 10-500 years."

Alucard's hand started twirling with my hair again. I think it was a subconscious thing. "Okay, that makes some sense."

"Alucard?" He looked back down at me. "What were you and Integra talking about?"

He sighed. "Integra ordered me not to tell you."

I thought for a second. "Well, I order you to tell me."

Alucard smiled for a moment, but then fell. "Now that you have your claim on me, she realizes that she would rather have me as a husband, man-whore, man-slut… Which ever you think fits. But I told her no."

"My claim on you?" I furrowed my eyebrows together.

Alucard's bright ember colored eyes softened. "Love wise."

I practically melted then. But that came when he kissed me.