I had only planned their trip home to be about two pages but it just kept going and going
WHEW Enjoy

Euphoria

Cat woke up strangely refreshed. She opened her eyes without moving and found she was in the same position that she had fallen asleep in. She wormed her way back to the top of the bed and looked at the clock. It was already ten in the morning. The room was still completely dark. Alucard had been sure to close the curtains tight when he arrived.

She kicked back the covers and slid off the bed. She looked at the spot where her head had been and was disgusted to find a large reddish brown spot. There must be more blood in her hair than she had thought. She grabbed a few clean towels out of the closet and immediately got into the shower. She stood in the corner of the shower waiting for the water to get warm and thought about the past night. Was there going to be a big report on all the bodies in the woods? Did Alucard get rid of them somehow? Surely some of the people that died would be missed, even monsters had friends.

Cat backed up underneath the hot water and nearly jumped when she saw the crimson flow wash over her. She closed her eyes and began to scrub.

Friends of monsters could be a problem. What if they wanted revenge on the people who had killed them? Was there such a thing as a werewolf zombie? She wondered if they could be raised from the dead like vampires. They probably could not be. It did not seem fair to become two different monsters in one life time. You got to pick one or the other; you could not have it both ways.

What was she thinking of! You did not get to pick at all. It was not something you chose to do it was something you were forced into against your will. People did not wake up one day and say, hey, I would like to become a monster today. They did not go out and find a werewolf and ask him or her to change them. People did not go out seeking vampires either, did they? Integra always said that killing them was doing them a favor because they had not chosen to be that way, but if they did not want to would they not have been able to resist better? Cat was around monsters all the time and she had managed to keep her self from being changed into something else. Maybe people wanted to be monsters. It was something out of the usual. In an ever changing world people had to find greater ways of entertaining themselves. People also had to find ways to make money or to live longer or to cure diseases. Being changed into a vampire would fix any health problems one might have, especially that pesky dying thing. What would it be like to live forever and never have to worry about running out of time to do the things you wanted?

"Oh it's too early I can't think straight!" she rinsed the massive amount of shampoo she had used out of her hair and turned off the water.

The room seemed to be extra quiet. The day before birds and bugs could be heard outside the windows and people could be heard buzzing around in other rooms and the halls. Today though, there were no sounds at all except for the hum of the air conditioner.

Cat sat down on the bed wrapped in a few towels and picked up the phone. She dialed room service and ordered breakfast for herself. She thought she should let Alucard sleep for a while longer before she asked him to take her home.

She began to dig through her bag for clean clothes and then opted for the hotel robe in the closet instead. She snuggled back into the covers of the bed and waited for room service.

What would there be to do now that the mission was over? It had been the first real thing to happen in so long and it would not have even happened if it was not for Anderson. If he had not let out information about Hellsing then the wolves would have probably just taken care of the problem themselves. Cat could see Anderson as a real problem. She could not have him trying to kill Alucard all of the time. It was hard enough to go out in public with Alucard or to get him to follow orders without craftily bending them, but with someone like him out there to fight it was impossible. Anderson was nice enough, but he was too demented for Cat's tastes.

Room service interrupted her thoughts of maniac priests and she took over the tray of food gratefully. She had eaten everything in the room yesterday and had not realized how hungry she was for real food until she smelled the eggs. She shoveled the first few bites into her mouth then chewed thoughtfully.

How long would she be staying at Hellsing? For the rest of her life she supposed. It was a job she was already good at and it was a home she was already fond of. It was even a family that she already favored over other people in the world. She was sure that when she turned eighteen the only thing that would change would be how much they worried about her. Now it was understandable that Integra wanted a close eye kept on her. It would be hard to explain the body of a sixteen year old girl in a Hellsing uniform to the Queen, but once she was eighteen she would basically be free to do whatever she wanted so long as she kept with her duties at Hellsing. She pictured herself at Hellsing forever, having birthdays there and growing older. Turning twenty and then thirty and then forty. She had never pictured herself growing older before and now when she did…she did not like it. She hated the idea of becoming older and older and eventually being as old as Walter and all the while Alucard would be the same. She would get old and wither away and he would see it like a picture show, in the blink of an eye to someone who time did not matter. She could not let herself grow old, she did not want anyone to see her like that and so the only option she had would be to….

"What is the matter with me," she chewed a piece of bacon absently, "I think it's time to go."

She shoved the tray of food away and reluctantly slid off the soft bed to find some clean clothes. Once dressed she fixed her hair and brushed her teeth and made sure everything was packed before she went over to wake Alucard.

She tip toed over to his coffin and pressed her ear against the lid. Sometimes she could hear him muttering in his sleep or even breathing which she thought was probably a habit that never died even if the body had long ago.

It was completely silent inside so she tapped lightly, "Alucard? Can you manage to get up so we can leave? I'm growing tired of this place."

She heard a mumble inside and the coffin lid slid open a second later. Alucard sat up and slumped over. His hair was unusually out of place and his eyes were still only half opened like they were swollen which of course they were not.

"You look terrible, what happened?" Cat cocked her head to the side and starred at him. He usually looked so meticulous.

"I over ate," he let the coffin drift back to the floor while floating in place. When it bumped lightly on the carpet he stepped out and closed the lid. The coffin sank down through the floor and was gone. Cat assumed it was going home.

"You ate more than one person?" she did not care that Alucard often ate innocent people, but it seemed wrong to eat more than one. Almost like eating multiple pieces of pie when it was not necessary.

"Oh yes, several," he lumbered over to the closet and pulled out his hat and coat. Then he sat on the floor and pulled his boots out of the closet as well. Cat had never seen him take his boots off before, let alone put them on. He smiled dreamily as he slid each boot on. After he laced them he hopped off the ground and clapped his hands together, leaning towards her and smiling even wider, "Well then, how shall we travel home?"

"You're in a state of euphoria. It is not as pleasant as I would have expected it to be," Cat eyed him narrowly and picked up her pack and gun case.

"Yes yes, come along," he waved her comment aside and opened the door, ushering her out.

Cat decided she may as well take advantage of his giddiness while it lasted. There was no telling when it would happen again or if it would happen again at all. "Might we take a plane home? Not a commercial jet, but a sea plane or something small like that?" she had always loved flying, but seldom got the chance because her Aunt had never had money for vacations.

"A little plane? Aren't you afraid it would crash? Most humans prefer big stable things," he smiled at a maid in the hall and she quickly ducked back into the room she was cleaning.

"Oh no I find them charming and you can tell that you're flying in them. It doesn't feel like you're just sitting in a car," she had only been on a plane twice, but it was enough to crave something more exciting.

"Very well then we'll take a car out to the sea and see if we can find a private plane to borrow," he pressed the L button in the elevator and the doors closed quietly.

"Will you be like this for very long? It's a little unnerving. I feel as if I'm being tricked into going with you," Cat looked up at him and grinned devilishly.

Alucard laughed wickedly, "You were tricked into going with me at one time don't you remember? I tempted you with optional freedom and you followed along obediently," the elevator doors opened and Alucard bowed her out.

"Oh, I knew you were lying, but what choice did I really have. If I had said no to that as well you would have probably picked me up and threw me in the trunk of the car. I'm surprised you did not do it sooner," Cat stood and waited as Alucard checked them out of the hotel. They walked out of the sliding doors in silence and Cat followed him to a black car. "This looks fast. Are you driving?" he opened the trunk and she tossed in her bags and hoped in the front seat.

"Of course I am, it would take all day to get to the coast if we have an old man drive us," he turned the key and the car roared to life. He waited barley a second before he backed it up with a screech and with another he peeled out of the hotel parking lot.

"Technically you are an old man Alucard and you shouldn't forget it," she looked over at him and he smirked, shifting the car into gear and going faster.

The three hour drive to the coast barley took one. They crossed over a bridge to a large island that had many docks full of schooners, yachts, and speed boats. As they entered the road that twisted around the island Cat could see sea planes speckled in with the boats. She pressed her hands and face up against the car window like an excited child being taken to the circus. She had always loved the ocean and boats, the sky and planes. It was all so much more interesting than riding in a car down a boring street.

Alucard drove almost half way around the island before he stopped in a small harbor. From the parking lot Cat could already see a bright red sea plane floating on the water. A man was sitting on one of its pontoons reading a skinny novel and sipping a bottled drink through a straw. His hair was a dirty blond and hung choppily just past his ears.

Alucard pulled the bags out of the trunk and started stomping down the dock. Cat skipped after him, enjoying the sparkling blue water and hot sun. She would have to plan a trip to the beach one day when she had time. She suspected that would be any time in the next month. Exciting things were few and far between.

As they got closer the man looked up from his book. The way he looked reminded Cat of someone, but she could not recall who. He starred at Alucard and casually sipped at his drink. When they got a bit closer he stood to face them.

"What can I do ya for friend?" he closed his book and shoved it inside his baggy jacket.

"The lady would like to ride a sea plane back to London," Alucard gestured towards Cat who had slipped off one shoe and was dangling her foot in the water.

"Would she now? To London aye, that'll cost you a pretty penny, but money wouldn't be a concern to someone of your status would it…Sir," Cat heard the sarcasm in the man's voice and peaked at him and Alucard from the corner of her eye. She had always found the way in which men did business so odd.

"Of course not," Alucard grinned widely and pulled a wallet out of his coat. Cat had only seen him actually use money once or twice before. Usually he just scared people into doing what he wanted.

The man counted the pile of money Alucard handed him and nodded in approval, "Right then, if you'll just step over here with me Sir I'll get her started up. You keep over there Miss, you don't wanna get smoke in yur pretty hair," he winked at Cat and she smiled. "Now Mr. I don't want any trouble, but seeing how you're payin me so generously I'll just ask for the sake of askin and pretend like I didn't hear whatever the answer may be," he paused and looked at Alucard.

Alucard nodded for him to go on.

"Now I seen my share of sketchy fellows and down right freaks bein a sea plane pilot and all so I know you ain't just some regular business man if ya get my drift. But I just gotta ask Mr. are you plannin on doin to that little girl whatever it is yur type of person does to pretty young ladies? I'd be mighty sorry to be takin part in anything like that," he looked at Alucard seriously.

Cat could not hear what the man was saying over the roar of the plane engine, but it was not very hard to guess. People always thought there was something wrong with a young girl traveling around with someone so sinister looking. Cat fancied that she could be more dangerous than Alucard in a way because he was under the control of Integra and she had free will. She giggled at the thought and decided she would have to mention it to him sometime.

"Ah, how endearing for you to be concerned, but you have misinterpreted our situation. The girl is not my captive, but my accomplice," Alucard grinned at him slyly and handed him a few more notes.

"Well that's a comfort to my old heart. How nice for a little girl to break such a taboo all on her own. There must be a lot more to her than her looks," he flashed a toothy grin at Cat and waved her over. "Come on now poppet, she's all warmed up and ready to fly," he opened a hatch and put the bags inside. "You get in first Sir and hand me that hat and goggles in there. Here you go poppet, fit this snug on your head and put them goggles over yur eyes. You don't want any foreign bodies flyin in 'em. My, aren't they a brilliant green! Only seen one other set of eyes like them in my life."

Cat adjusted the goggles over her eyes and was relieved to find they were not uncomfortable. Cat gave him a big grin with the goggles on, "And what is the name of our skillful pilot?"

"The name's Marco and yours?" he stuck out his callused hand.

"Katherine Deschain," she lightly shook it.

"Well Miss Katherine you hop right up in there in front of yur friend. It's really only meant for one, but you won't mind being a little snug will ya?" he gave her a boost up into the fuselage and she hunkered down in front of Alucard for the long flight.

"No I don't suppose we will," she snickered at the look of annoyance on Alucard's face. He was always bothered when she held onto him or was even too close. This must be nearly unbearable.

"Right then passengers! I'll just hop up into my seat and we'll be off! I haven't had anyone to fly around in such a long time. We'll stick to the coast mostly, I wouldn't want somethin bad ta happen and we not be able to make an easy emergency landin," he sat down in the cockpit and started pushing buttons and pulling levers.

"Have you ever crashed before Marco?" Cat was not regretting getting into the plane, but she wondered if they were to crash if Alucard could do anything about it.

"Oh don't you worry poppet only once! And it was cause some bloody bastard was shootin at me! I was in the World War ya know. Not officially, but lots of us with planes liked to take things into our own hands," he eased the plane away from the dock and turned it to face out towards the North Sea. "Hold on tight now!" he had to yell over the roar of the engine, "take off can be a bit rocky!"

"Let me sit up on your lap Alucard," she scooted back and pushed his knees down with her elbows.

"No. What for?" she looked at his face and was a little hurt at how disgusted he looked.

"I want to be higher up so I can see everything when we take off! Come on, hurry up!" she held on to the edges of their little compartment and lifted herself up so he could put his legs down. He did reluctantly and she perched herself on top. This gave her about eight more inches of height so she could see out over the plane and all around. She would be able to see the entire coast of England all the way home. The plane started to move forward slowly and then gathered speed. She turned to the side to look for a seatbelt, but there was not one. She turned to her other side to surely find one there and was shocked when there was nothing, "You have got to be kidding me!"

"What is it now?" Alucard asked exasperated.

"There isn't a seatbelt! Hold onto me," she snatched up his wrists and wrapped them around her waist not caring if he protested. She was not going to fall out of a plane because his blood high had ended. She crossed her arms over his to be sure he would not let go and braced herself for lift off.

Flying in the plane was more exciting than she had expected it to be. For the first hour she practically hung out the side of the plane watching the North Sea pass underneath them and the beaches and forests go by. Alucard had gone to sleep after ten minutes of flying, but kept his arms locked around Cat. She suspected that even if she tried to remove them they would not budge while he was unconscious. Not long after the first hour passed she became tired from holding herself so close to the side of the plane so she leaned back against Alucard and watched the clouds pass by. Once in a while they would fly high enough to go through a very low cloud. Everything would turn a misty white and she could feel the moisture dew up in her hair.

Before they hit the two hour mark Cat had fallen asleep. Her head lay comfortably back on Alucard's shoulder and his head had fallen over so his cheek rested on her forehead. She sleepily nuzzled the curve of her nose into his cold jaw line and sighed.

The pilot turned around to check on his passengers and he smiled at the strange sight, "Well isn't that a strange and enchanting sight to see. I suspect it to be out of character for the both of them, but the innocence of sleep brings out much deeper things. Even for something such as that," he looked at Alucard warily and wondered if he had been truthful. It would be a shame to see such a dear girl turned into a vampire child bride, but he was often wrong in his assumptions and they had gotten him into plenty of trouble in the past. It was best to just stay quiet and let things be how they would be.

He turned back around in his seat and pushed the plane to go a little faster. He wanted to arrive at the London docks before night fall.

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