Do not own! Not mine!

Flora's POV:

Everything was hazy and dark. The only thing solid was the seat and Alucard, and even they seemed blurry at times. Nothing was working like it was supposed to. When I tried to sit up, I couldn't move. When I tried to squeeze Alucard's hand to show him I was still conscious, my fingers only twitched. I whined in fear, unable to do anything but breath and lie there in his lap. He kissed the top of my head, and I nuzzled him, trying to communicate my fears. He nuzzled me back, and I heard a disapproving cough from the front seat, but it could have been my senses still going haywire. I felt so dizzy. Suddenly, Alucard stood up, and my vision heaved as he started walking somewhere. I whimpered, pressing into him fearfully as bright light flashed ahead of us. He stroked my back, rocking me and murmuring "It's alright my little huntress. That is help."

I wasn't reassured, and pressed closer, afraid that the only solid thing in the world right now was going to be wrenched away. "It's alright." He soothed me, loosening his grip. "Let them take you. Let them help." I whined, feeling hands start to pull me away from him. I weakly clung to his jacket, nearly fainting from the effort of resisting the hands. A finger touched my forehead, and I heard a voice inside my head. 'Flora, let them help you. I do not have the medical skills needed to heal you. I will still be here, but you must let go of me.' I whimpered, shaking my head a little. 'I can't see anything! I can't feel anything! I can't smell anything! You're the only thing keeping me in reality!' I wailed inside my head, trying to get him to understand. He sighed. 'I know little huntress. They will fix all that, but this will be a time when reality has deserted you. Be brave for me. Endure it. Just like a true Hellsing would.'

He was suddenly gone, and I went limp as the world dipped and spun around me. The clutching hands pulled me somewhere, but then all sensation was lost in a fog of confusion, pain, and dizziness. Fear was pulsing behind and ahead and around me, clouding my thoughts even more. I whimpered, trying to stay strong. Slowly, agonizingly slowly, sensation came back. First muffled sounds, like a murmuring crowd of voices. Then, there were blurry shapes and bright lights pulsing against my temples and making my head hurt. I frantically searched for Alucard, but my sight was still so dim. I whined, fingers curling around cold metal rails as I tried to hold back my fear.

Alucard's POV:

After I put Flora in the medical bay, Integra called me to her office with a snap in her voice. I stood slightly... well, not NERVOUSLY, but cautiously. "Walter has told me about you and Flora." she barked, clenching her cigar in her hand. I felt a trace of concern. "And?" I snapped, not wanting to waste time. "HOW DARE YOU ATTEMPT TO SEDUCE MY COUSIN!?" she roared, slamming her hands down on the desk. I gulped. I would have to tread very carefully if I wanted to see Flora again. "I did not attempt to "seduce" anyone." I growled. "Each and every time, since the very first time I was aware of her, she has come to me. It is a mutual bond." I had a feeling the old standby, "we're just friends", would never work on this level.

"I have never attempted anything with her and have no wish to do so. When she comes around, she would and will tell you the same thing." Integra growled. "She's a teenage girl, for god's sake! Have you no sense of decorum? Of course she'll bloody think something romantic's going on!" I sighed, although she did have a bit of a point. "Master, you're being childish. One might even think you're being jealous." I said impatiently, tapping a foot. She spluttered, wrenching out her pistol and firing several rounds into uncomfortable places. I let her have the shots because I did not want Flora or myself punished in any way. "Alucard, as the head of the Hellsing family, I FORBID you to associate with Flora in any way, shape, or form. I don't even want you in the same room as her! And that order remains for the duration of her stay. Out of my sight!" she hissed, crushing my hopes of a lighter punishment. "Yes master." I said icily, phasing away.

Flora's POV:

I curled up in the bed, eyes darting around the darker corners of the hospital ward. They reminded me of the shadows obscuring my vision as I fell unconscious. There was a tapping sound, and I flinched, looking at the window. Alucard was standing there, hanging upside down and looking sad. I walked over and began to open it, but he stopped me with a metal word. 'No.' I gaped at him. 'Why not?' His eyes flicked away from mine. 'I am no longer allowed to...associate...with you. Integra has even forbidden me from being in the same room.' I gaped at him, knees buckling. 'But...but...how long!?' He closed his eyes as of the words physically pained him. 'Until you go home.' A tear slid down my face, and he reached out, but curled his fingers into a fist, looking frustrated. I quickly wiped it away, sniffling. He pressed his hand against the glass. 'No, shhh, don't cry. Shhh, everything will be alright.' he said soothingly, sliding his hand across the glass like he was rubbing my back. I shook my head dumbly, more tears pouring down my face.

'No it won't! I'm tired of all my friends abandoning me! I hate it! Why does everyone want to leave me!? Am I that bad a person?' He clenched his fist. 'I DO NOT wish to leave you. Anything but..." His fingers trailed across the glass, like he was stroking my face, his own face full of longing. 'You are not a bad person. You are a wonderful person, clever, stubborn, intelligent, skilled; I could never stop going...' I wiped my eyes off. 'You're just saying that to make me feel better.' He gave me his usual smirk, but it was sadder. 'That is what most people usually say. I just happen to think it's true.' I pressed my forehead into the glass, my hand mirroring his. 'What am I gonna do all by myself?' I asked sorrowfully, and he smirked a little more normally. 'That's my girl. Now, goodnight-' He reached through the glass, gently grabbing my hand, curling his fingers around it and kissing me on the forehead. "-and goodbye." he whispered, ruffling my hair and vanishing.

3rd Person POV:

The next few weeks following Integra's new orders were gloomy ones at Hellsing. Flora only picked at her breakfast, and spent almost all of her time at her tiny computer, watching Vocaloid. When Walter and Integra combined forces to make her eat lunch and dinner, she ate the food silently and methodically, before quickly excusing herself. When they booted her outside, insisting she got some fresh air, she simply sat on the steps and picked at rocks. The beach, an amusement park, picnics; even Integra's desperate offer of buying a cat, only sparked momentary interest. The reason for this was painful obvious. She was still pining for Alucard. Integra had given her a serious talk about the consequences of not only mortal and vampire matches, but of his especially dangerous case. Flora listened quietly and politely, before smirking like Integra had made a big and unnecessary speech, and rolling her eyes in exasperation.

Walter told her about how there were many more males in the world who would love to be her boyfriend and that she didn't have to break her heart over her first crush. Her answer shocked him. "I know that!" she had snapped, doodling on a piece of paper. "Who wants a boyfriend!? Icky romance." He had stared at her, before saying "Pardon me mam, but what about your own feelings for Master Alucard?" She had thrown, and missed a pencil at him. "He's my only friend here! Eww!" she snapped, turning her back on him pointedly. He and Integra had met right away. "It's textbook mam. Alucard has been her closet and most common point of "human" contact. Now that he is gone she feels alone. She does not wish to reach out to anyone here because she feels we are the ones that took her friend away from her, which is partially true, in a way. So she is basically sulking in a corner until we can coax her out of her mood." Walter reported as Integra rubbed her forehead.

"That's fixed easily enough then. Go find some people suitable enough to be friends of a Hellsing." That was easier said than done. Few were the children of the right age that had legal clearance to even know about Hellsing, and even fewer were children willing to go there. One, Jack Irons, immediately began courting Flora. "Here, I bring you a flower, your namesake, in the hopes you will cherish it until it withers away!" he warbled, holding a rose out to her as, thankfully unnoticed, her eye twitched in annoyance. "Walter!" she wailed, fleeing back to her room. "I'm terribly sorry sir, but Mrs. Flora has demanded that all future presents are to be given to me first." he said, bowing. Jack shrugged and handed him the rose, slouching away with his hands in his pockets. Flora stood with her back against the door, panting. Walter knocked and she opened the door cautiously. "Is he gone?" He chuckled a little and gave her the rose. "I believe it's safe to come out now." she sighed in relief and slumped against the closed door. Something on her nightstand caught her eye and she walked over, seeing a striking black and red rose and a note.

"Since there are rules, I had Police Girl put this here. That blowhard of an English idiot is going to ruin your appreciation for flowers, so I thought this might help. I hope you aren't aware of the intentions the Englishman has, but I would cut it off quickly if he tries anything. As always, nothing meant, Alucard."

She smiled happily, putting his note in the notebook she had along with the others. She sniffed the flower, interested to see it had both black and red petals at the same time and then quickly glanced around, brightening and hanging the flower from her closet so it could dry and she could take it home. The other flower she carelessly threw in the trash. A few days later, Alucard was chuckling over HER latest note.

"Hey, you were right. Idiot is long gone! Integra sent him packing and yes, I'm fine and completely unviolated. I swear, they're so OBVIOUS about trying to "fix" me it's almost sad. I know they mean well, but I still don't like that Integra won't let us talk face to face. She broke up the best prank team ever. We'd have the Wild Geese jumping at shadows in no time! Oh well. Next time...We're kinda like pen-pals now! That's better than nothing I suppose, but I miss you. Your letters aren't as funny when I can't see your face and I'm pretty sure you can say something similar about mine. Meaning nothing as always, Flora."

He sighed, folding her letter up and tucking it in his pocket. She was right. Though he savored each and every word of her letters, it wasn't the same as hearing her speak them. He missed the AURA she excluded, her presence, her mellow voice and the way she used it. He missed other things about her, but tried to veer away because they led to excruciating internal debate. How warm she was in his lap. How soft she was when she hugged him. How enticing her heartbeat was, thudding against his own chest. How trusting her face was as she clung to him, seeing him as what kept her in reality. How she felt snug against his body.

These things always made him pause, shake his head and question the last line they always included in the letters, "meaning nothing". Did she really mean nothing to him? He could tolerate being only a friend to a mere human, but...these cravings for her...they were not the cravings of someone who was "just a friend". He WANTED her, but didn't know, refused to know, how or why. Those were answers he thought best left unknown, or at least denied. Did she feel the same? There was never a hint in her letters and Integra's orders applied to her mind as well so w couldn't find out that way. His eyes glowed red as he let out a frustrated sigh, growling a little.

Flora's POV:

"I made some of my cookies, just as a bit of a thank you." I said, holding them out to Seras. Her face lit up and she gobbled them down in seconds, beaming at me. "Thanks Flora. Anything for me to tell master?" I hesitated. "Umm, nah, I'm good." I said shrugging. She handed me a note, looking concerned. "Hey, are you sure?" she asked, putting a hand on my shoulder. I fidgeted, not meeting her eyes. "Flora...you DO like him!" she gasped, looking excited. I flinched. "No! It's just..." I squirmed, feeling antsy. Her mouth formed a thin line. "C'mon in and let's have a girl chat." She said firmly, yanking me in her room, and I looked around for a place to sit. She shoved me down on her coffin, and suddenly vanished like Alucard did. She came back, handing me a cup of tea. "Alright then, what exactly is going on?" she asked, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall.

"I don't know..." I said miserably, sipping at my tea. "I just keep feeling weird when I read the letters and look at the stuff he gave me...and I keep thinking about maybe something being missing when I look in the mirror or one of the soldiers walks by...it's all so confusing!" She looked thoughtful. "Umm...I think I know what's going on." she said, blushing. I gulped. That wasn't a encouraging voice. "You're a teen, so the only explanation I can come up with is...you're going into heat." I gaped at her, my cheeks flushing. "I...I what!? Like a cat!?" I yelped, eyes watering. She shrugged. "I don't know. Do you feel weird when..." she whispered in my ear a little bit, and with every word I felt more and more embarrassed. Maybe it WAS a good thing Integra had banished Alucard. She finished and pulled back. "Yeah..." I whispered, turning bright red. She blushed slightly as well. "I...um, I'm gonna go outside and think." I said, edging away towards the door. She nodded, and I quickly darted outside.

I sat down by one of the catnip bushes, because they reminded me of home and my cats. Speaking of... "Meow?" a cat inquired, stopping dead in its path. I froze, seeing its lack of collar. "Hey kitty, do you want some 'nip?" I asked him, picking a leaf and holding it out. He sniffed, evidentially deciding I was trustworthy and sitting down an inch from my lap, pawing at the leaf excitedly. I hesitantly stroked him, and he arched, purring. He turned and lightly jumped into my lap, nuzzling my chest. I stroked him more, and he purred louder, kneading my lap with his paws. "Hey, aren't you a friendly little guy..." I crooned, making sure he had no collar. "Sorry buddy, but my life's a bit weird right now, I can't keep you." He mewed reproachfully, poking his cold nose into the hollow of my throat. I fell back, letting the warm earth cushion me as I sighed. "Well, it all started just after school ended and this lady came to my house..." I started telling the cat how my summer had gone so far, not noticing him as he climbed up and sat on my chest, neatly folding his paws just above my neckline.

"…and so then- hey! Um, you're a cat, but please, that's not a good spot for ANY male to be right now in my life." He cocked his head, mewing in confusion as I gently lifted him off my chest and cradled him in the nook of my arm. "Oh hush now. This is comfy too you know." I scolded, nuzzling him a little. He gave me a peeved look, then sighed and nuzzled me back. He licked my chin and I giggled. "None of that either. Anyway, so after that..." I continued on, telling my little audience everything. "-and now Seras says I'm in heat like a cat! No offense. But it's not fair! I keep feeling weird about the stuff he sends me, but I don't want to feel weird about it, because I don't care about him that way because it just is all so confusing! And now I can't see him anymore anyway, but I want to and I don't know if that my hormones or because I like him and-"

A gentle grip of teeth on my arm broke off my increasingly hysterical rant, and I looked down to see the cat looking up at me in concern. I nodded. "Sorry buddy. I just don't know how to feel anymore." I said in frustrated fear, cuddling him. He nuzzled my cheek, purring softly. "Yeah, I suppose I need to pull myself together. I just don't really have anybody on my side in all this. Seras is nice, but she's sometimes such an idiot, and she hit what I'm hitting YEARS ago, and mostly forgot it. Integra's probably going to shoot down anything and everything if it involves association with Alucard. Walter's a guy and he'll probably tell Integra everything anyway. Obviously I can't talk to Alucard at all, especially about me getting all these weird female feelings for him. I suppose I got YOU on my side Mr. Cat, but you can't really help." He licked my nose, mewling reassuringly and hoping away from me. I dimly realized it was almost sundown and quickly hurried back in, hoping I wouldn't be in trouble.