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Oxford St.

Cat went back down the hall and into her room. She grabbed the money Integra had given to her and pushed it securely into her front pocket. She looked at the clock and saw it was only 11:50. After hearing what Integra had said she felt a bit bad that Alucard would have to go shopping with her, but she did not have much of a choice. She could not keep wearing the same clothes each day. That was unsanitary.

Cat left the bedroom with a bit of reluctance and made her way to the kitchen. Once there she picked up two blood packs and considered them then she reached further back on the shelf and pulled out one of the coveted O positives. She hoped giving it to him would keep his mood a tad less cynical.

She pulled out the small piece of paper Walter had given her as she left the kitchen. On it he had drawn a petite map showing her how to get to Alucard's room.

"Don't bother knocking on the door; it will just annoy him," Walter had told her earlier.

She reached Alucard's door shortly and gave the knob a tug. The door let out a hideous screech and Cat cringed. She did not know why it mattered if a noise woke him up. In fact it might be all the better if he woke up before she had to go inside and give him a shake. She looked into the darkness and wished she had brought along her flashlight. The dark room reminded her of the shaking door she had encountered the day before. She relaxed after a moment as her eyes adjusted to the dark and the light from the hall spilled onto a set of stone stairs. She pushed the door all the way opened and hoped it would stay propped against the wall. Then with a deep breath she slowly took a step down the stairs. After the first step did not prove to be dangerous she took another and then another. After nineteen cold steps later she was at the bottom. It was considerably darker down here but she could still make out the walls of the room. They were spread wide apart and the back wall must have been at least sixty feet away. She cautiously stepped further into the center of the room. There stood a tall backed chair next to a small table. A crimson liquid stood in a long stemmed glass and Katherine crinkled her nose. She picked it up and sniffed lightly. The liquid was thankfully wine. She could not have imagined how disgusting a cup of old blood would be. Thick and jelly like with the smell of rancid death coming off it. She turned to her left and saw a long black box sitting about six feet from the chair. She walked up to it and on closer inspection found it to be a carefully constructed coffin. She reached out to touch the smooth black wood but stayed her hand inches from the surface and thought better of the action.

Cat looked at the glowing hands on her watch and saw it was 12:05. She struggled with the idea of waking him up now or waiting until 12:30 to give him some extra rest. She knew whatever she chose he would analyze. If she woke him up now would it show punctuality or would he take it as a cruel gesture? On the other hand if she let him sleep longer he might think she was simply scared to wake him and he would see her as weak, but also he may see it as a kind gesture and then decide her kindness was weak. She just could not win either way. She took a deep breath and held the blood packs in the nook of her arm.

"Alucard," she knew it would take only that to wake him. Perhaps he even already knew she was there.

The lid of the coffin slid to the side and hovered next to its other half. Cat tentatively peered over the side of the coffin. When nothing jumped out to scare her she moved closer and looked inside.

Alucard laid motionless inside. His hat, gloves, and coat were off and his glasses were pushed crookedly up on his forehead. One hand rested on his chest and the other was limp at his side. His head lolled slightly towards his shoulder and his chin propped itself on his chest. Cat realized his chest had not moved the entire time, but it did not matter she supposed since he was not alive anyway. His hair looked shorter than it had before and it draped delicately over the side of his face. His mouth was turned down at the sides giving him a sad lonely look. Cat thought perhaps this was the only time he let down his protective wall. He looked deeply asleep but she was sure he was not. He had opened the coffin after all. She thought it would be safe to joke around.

"You look just like an angel. Can't you stay like this more often," she watched as his eyes fluttered beneath their lids then slowly rolled opened. He looked at her lazily then closed them again and turned his head to the side. She fancied the peachy look his face held in the moments between conscious and unconsciousness. In those moments he looked more alive and less like a blood sucking monster.

He sat up lazily with his eyes still closed, "What are you doing in here."

"We're going shopping today remember? It's what you get for destroying my things. Here I brought you this," she tore the tube off one of the blood packs and handed it to him.

Alucard took the bag roughly from her hand without looking at her or thanking her. She supposed it was to be expected. She watched as he put the corner of it in his mouth and squeezed it. He gulped it down rapidly so she opened the next one and held it out.

He looked over at the second blood pack and stared at it. Walter usually only brought him one and would only bring another if Alucard asked. He never considered that some days he may be hungrier than others. He took this one gently from her and sucked on it thoughtfully.

Cat watched as he dreamily drank the blood. She wondered what he was thinking about and if it was pleasant or not. She wished she could see his thoughts the way he forcefully looked at every one else's.

She snapped back to reality when she realized Alucard was looking at her and she had been staring at him. She casually held out the third blood pack full of the O positive.

Alucard gave her a quizzical look, "What are you getting at?"

"What! I'm not getting at anything. I just thought you'd need this since we're going to be out for a while today. I heard you had a rough night," she reached the pack closer to him so he would take it.

"So Integra is telling just anyone our business now. It is none of your concern," he took the blood anyway and drank it more slowly than the others.

"I know it's none of my concern. I could care less if you get your head torn off by some catholic priest, but I don't feel like having you drag yourself around all day. It would be embarrassing in public. It's bad enough you wear that huge red hat and coat," Cat was pleased at the dirty look this comment got. She wondered if anyone had ever told him before how ridiculous and out dated they were. She was not even sure if they were dated at all. When had it ever been fashionable to wear something like that?

"This is the only thing I need to fashion," he reached into the coffin and pulled out his Jackal.

"I hope you aren't planning on bringing that with you," she rolled her eyes at him. He rested the gun on his shoulder and laid his cheek on the cold metal. He acted like it was a beloved friend rather than simply a gun.

"Of course I am. You never know when I may need it."

"Why would you need it! We're going shopping in the middle of the day. You're going to be the only undead one out there," she gave him a desperate look. It was all she needed to be stopped leaving a store after he set the alarm off with that silly thing.

"What if someone tries to rob you? You can see that wad of money from a mile away," Alucard gestured to her bulging pocket.

Cat just sighed, "I'll wait for you by the front door."

As she left the room Alucard smiled. She had been here for barely two days and she was already fitting in with the likes of everyone else. She showed no fear on her face or in her emotions, only curiosity and the more usual annoyance that always entered people's thoughts when he was around. He hoped she would be willing to train to become one of the more elite soldiers. If she was a good shot he would not mind having her come along on missions. It would make things more interesting.

Cat sat by the front door waiting for Alucard. She cupped her head in her hands and closed her eyes. She was getting bored and he was taking his sweet time. It was not as though he needed to get ready like girls did. He was already wearing clothes and he probably had shoes on in that coffin too.

Finally after five minutes that lasted for hours she heard the big clumping footsteps that always accompanied him. She looked up and was a little surprised.

Alucard had swapped his red coat for a simpler black one and he had left behind his hat. His glasses were a shade of black instead of the offensive red and he had lost the odd gloves all together. He had kept his massive work boots but had shortened his hair considerably. It now stuck out to one side in the front and then faded to a neat two inches in the back.

"Well don't you look just as pretty as a picture," Cat stood up and smiled. She just could not help herself.

"Come on, before I change my mind," he opened the front door and gestured her out. He led her out to the car and politely opened the door.

"Well thank you sir," Cat simply beamed. She also noticed Integra watching from a third floor window.

Once they were in the car the driver started off for the street. Cat had assumed he knew where they were going until he stopped at the end of the drive and twisted around in his seat.

"Where to Miss?" he stared at her expectantly.

"Oh…well I don't know I've never really gone shopping before and I don't know my way around," she felt embarrassed and noticed the frustration on Alucard's face.

"Well that's alright Miss if you just tell me what you need I can give you some suggestions," the driver smiled reassuringly.

"I need an entirely new wardrobe," Cat laughed. It was a rare thing to need to go out and buy a complete wardrobe all at once.

"A new wardrobe you say? Well then the place you ought to go is Oxford St. They've got lots of shops and department stores. You'll find everything you need right there," the driver looked at her to be sure she liked the choice.

"Then off we go to Oxford St," she turned and looked at Alucard, "Are you excited?"

He slumped down in his seat as the car turned out onto the street, "I would hardly call it that."