Ch 4: Dreams
After Constance left her office, Integra sat in her chair smoking. After having spoken with the young doctor, Integra was almost convinced that she would be able to handle her duties. She would have been completely convinced, but she had seen many doctors and other employees leave the Hellsing organization, unable to handle the pressures that Hellsing's true mission put upon a person. Perhaps that was why she had not told the doctor about Hellsing's real mission or about the undead agents that worked for her yet. She had sensed strength in Dr. Williams, however, and held a glimmer of hope for her. As she thought about the new doctor and the challenges she would face, she suddenly sensed the presence of her chief agent in the room.
"Good evening, master" Alucard purred as he emerged from the shadows.
"Alucard" Integra said, which was about as close to a greeting as she would give him.
"I see you are in a lovely mood as always" Alucard replied sarcastically, grinning from ear to ear. Teasing his master was one of his favorite pastimes, mostly because of the way she reacted to it.
"Don't toy with me, Alucard" Integra snapped, "What do you want?"
"I thought you might like a report on the police-girl's progress." he answered, chuckling inwardly at how quickly his master became irritated. "She is showing improvement in her battle skills and seems to be drinking more of her own will."
"You came here to tell me that?" Integra asked "Not much of a report."
"I was also rather curious about the woman who just left here." he queried, looking toward the door Constance had left through.
"Since when do you take interest in the hiring of new personnel?" Integra asked. She knew that Alucard couldn't care less about most humans. At any rate, he had never quizzed her about new arrivals. But she supposed it could not hurt to tell him. "Her name is Constance Williams and she's the new resident trauma surgeon. She came here from the United States"
"Interesting" Alucard murmured, raising an eyebrow.
"Don't get any bright ideas." Integra ordered. "We need a talented doctor and the last thing I need is you scaring her off"
"Sounds like someone is jealous" Alucard smirked. "Don't worry, master. It's not like I want to ask her out on a date." He grinned as a look of renewed irritation crossed Integra's face.
"Spare me, Alucard" Integra snarled as she turned her attention toward some paperwork on the desk. "You are dismissed."
"As you wish, master" Alucard purred as he touched the brim of his hat and disappeared through the same wall that held her father's portrait.
Constance settled into the large bed with a grateful sigh. It had been a long day. She was drowsily contemplating the unpacking that she would need to do over the weekend when the suffocating feeling washed over her again. It was almost as if there was pain in the air that she breathed. Constance tried to will it away, telling herself that she was just tired, but it continued to grow until Constance felt that her chest would implode if she did not do something. She threw the covers off of herself and nearly ran to the window to open it. She gulped the heavy air desperately and after several minutes, calm had returned enough for her to sleep again. Leaving the window open, she slipped under the covers again and stared at the ceiling until sleep took her.
The dream began as it usually did. Her, in a dark forest, walking toward a glowing light. She knew that he would be waiting for her when she reached the light. He had been coming to her since she was a little girl and although she had been afraid of him as a child, she had come to welcome the guide that appeared to her in this dream. She had long ago learned that his only purpose was to give her advice and his advice, when followed, usually brought good results. When she reached the light, he was there as she expected. He wore a robe the color of a midnight sky with a cowl that covered his face, a face that she had never seen. As she stood before him, he spoke to her without words
"You have arrived to the place you are meant to be." The guide said.
"If that's so, why am I feeling this way?" she asked in desperation.
"No one said that this would be easy." he answered. "Stand fast, child, for there will be more pain that you must bear, but you cannot run away."
"How can you place this on my shoulders?!" she cried, but the guide held up his hand as if to silence her.
"I will never give you more than you can bear." he said " I know it's hard to take comfort in that. But you cannot run away."
Constance knew that begging the guide to take this burden from her was useless. Ever since he had told her who she was and what she must do, she had known that she had no choice. For that reason, and the fact that she never backed down from a challenge, she had left the land that was her home to make a new home in a strange place. She steeled herself and told her guide "I don't like this, but I will stay."
The guide nodded at her as he disappeared in a blinding flash of light.
Constance's eyes flew open and she sat straight up in her bed. She looked around the room that was brightly lit now that it was morning. Shaking off the effects of her dream, she dressed and made her way to the dining room for breakfast.
When she reached the room that served as a cafeteria for Hellsing personnel, she saw several men that appeared to be soldiers and a few women that looked to be maids and nurses. She was not surprised to see the soldiers as she remembered Sir Integra telling her that the Hellsing organization was a private army charged with the duty of protecting the Queen. Much like the Secret Service in the States, Constance thought. After gathering her breakfast, which consisted of a bagel, some fruit and coffee, she sat down at the table that was the least occupied. While she ate, many of the soldiers came over to sit at the table and introduce themselves. Some of the women came and introduced themselves, glad to see another woman employed in a house that consisted mostly of men. Constance was chatting with her new acquaintances when another soldier came and sat down at the table that was quickly becoming crowded.
"Captain Pip Bernadotte." he said by was of introduction and held out his hand.
"Dr. Constance Williams" Constance replied as she shook his hand with some difficulty due to the crowded conditions.
"New doctor, eh?" Pip asked. "I heard through the grapevine that you're from the States, right? How did you land this gig?"
"I worked in an emergency room in Detroit. I was told that they wanted someone with a lot of trauma experience." While she explained her qualifications for what seemed like the millionth time, she regarded the young man. He was quite tall and had braided blond hair that fell past his waist, which was unusual enough for a soldier. But more striking was the patch that covered his left eye, giving him the look of a pirate. The cocky grin on his face heightened the pirate image.
"You think that they would have hired someone from Los Angeles." Pip said teasingly as he smirked and nudged the man next to him in the ribs. He was teasing her because it was in his nature and part of him wanted to see what this lady was made of.
Constance felt a brief flash of anger run through her body at what she perceived to be a challenge to her ability to handle her job. "L.A" Constance rolled her eyes and gave a derisive snort. "L.A. is where Detroit doctors go when they want to retire." This caused the other men and women at the table to erupt into laughter and brought a brief flash of color to Pip's face.
"Well I hope you're as tough as you talk. You'll need it to work here." Pip said as he rose from the table. "I gotta go to work now. See ya around, Doc." He walked away with many of the men at the table following him.
When she returned to her room, the first box Constance opened was a box that contained all of her CD's. She selected one and took it to the stereo set. Seconds later, the screeching voice of Steven Tyler echoed through the room. As she opened the other boxes, she thought about the conversation with the Captain in the dining room. She had long ago learned to deal with the teasing and put downs of men that seemed to be threatened by a well-educated woman working with them, so she felt no real anger. Pip and the other people she had met seemed nice enough, she thought. Putting them out of her mind for now, she continued with her unpacking, working well until after dark until it was done.
After Constance left her office, Integra sat in her chair smoking. After having spoken with the young doctor, Integra was almost convinced that she would be able to handle her duties. She would have been completely convinced, but she had seen many doctors and other employees leave the Hellsing organization, unable to handle the pressures that Hellsing's true mission put upon a person. Perhaps that was why she had not told the doctor about Hellsing's real mission or about the undead agents that worked for her yet. She had sensed strength in Dr. Williams, however, and held a glimmer of hope for her. As she thought about the new doctor and the challenges she would face, she suddenly sensed the presence of her chief agent in the room.
"Good evening, master" Alucard purred as he emerged from the shadows.
"Alucard" Integra said, which was about as close to a greeting as she would give him.
"I see you are in a lovely mood as always" Alucard replied sarcastically, grinning from ear to ear. Teasing his master was one of his favorite pastimes, mostly because of the way she reacted to it.
"Don't toy with me, Alucard" Integra snapped, "What do you want?"
"I thought you might like a report on the police-girl's progress." he answered, chuckling inwardly at how quickly his master became irritated. "She is showing improvement in her battle skills and seems to be drinking more of her own will."
"You came here to tell me that?" Integra asked "Not much of a report."
"I was also rather curious about the woman who just left here." he queried, looking toward the door Constance had left through.
"Since when do you take interest in the hiring of new personnel?" Integra asked. She knew that Alucard couldn't care less about most humans. At any rate, he had never quizzed her about new arrivals. But she supposed it could not hurt to tell him. "Her name is Constance Williams and she's the new resident trauma surgeon. She came here from the United States"
"Interesting" Alucard murmured, raising an eyebrow.
"Don't get any bright ideas." Integra ordered. "We need a talented doctor and the last thing I need is you scaring her off"
"Sounds like someone is jealous" Alucard smirked. "Don't worry, master. It's not like I want to ask her out on a date." He grinned as a look of renewed irritation crossed Integra's face.
"Spare me, Alucard" Integra snarled as she turned her attention toward some paperwork on the desk. "You are dismissed."
"As you wish, master" Alucard purred as he touched the brim of his hat and disappeared through the same wall that held her father's portrait.
Constance settled into the large bed with a grateful sigh. It had been a long day. She was drowsily contemplating the unpacking that she would need to do over the weekend when the suffocating feeling washed over her again. It was almost as if there was pain in the air that she breathed. Constance tried to will it away, telling herself that she was just tired, but it continued to grow until Constance felt that her chest would implode if she did not do something. She threw the covers off of herself and nearly ran to the window to open it. She gulped the heavy air desperately and after several minutes, calm had returned enough for her to sleep again. Leaving the window open, she slipped under the covers again and stared at the ceiling until sleep took her.
The dream began as it usually did. Her, in a dark forest, walking toward a glowing light. She knew that he would be waiting for her when she reached the light. He had been coming to her since she was a little girl and although she had been afraid of him as a child, she had come to welcome the guide that appeared to her in this dream. She had long ago learned that his only purpose was to give her advice and his advice, when followed, usually brought good results. When she reached the light, he was there as she expected. He wore a robe the color of a midnight sky with a cowl that covered his face, a face that she had never seen. As she stood before him, he spoke to her without words
"You have arrived to the place you are meant to be." The guide said.
"If that's so, why am I feeling this way?" she asked in desperation.
"No one said that this would be easy." he answered. "Stand fast, child, for there will be more pain that you must bear, but you cannot run away."
"How can you place this on my shoulders?!" she cried, but the guide held up his hand as if to silence her.
"I will never give you more than you can bear." he said " I know it's hard to take comfort in that. But you cannot run away."
Constance knew that begging the guide to take this burden from her was useless. Ever since he had told her who she was and what she must do, she had known that she had no choice. For that reason, and the fact that she never backed down from a challenge, she had left the land that was her home to make a new home in a strange place. She steeled herself and told her guide "I don't like this, but I will stay."
The guide nodded at her as he disappeared in a blinding flash of light.
Constance's eyes flew open and she sat straight up in her bed. She looked around the room that was brightly lit now that it was morning. Shaking off the effects of her dream, she dressed and made her way to the dining room for breakfast.
When she reached the room that served as a cafeteria for Hellsing personnel, she saw several men that appeared to be soldiers and a few women that looked to be maids and nurses. She was not surprised to see the soldiers as she remembered Sir Integra telling her that the Hellsing organization was a private army charged with the duty of protecting the Queen. Much like the Secret Service in the States, Constance thought. After gathering her breakfast, which consisted of a bagel, some fruit and coffee, she sat down at the table that was the least occupied. While she ate, many of the soldiers came over to sit at the table and introduce themselves. Some of the women came and introduced themselves, glad to see another woman employed in a house that consisted mostly of men. Constance was chatting with her new acquaintances when another soldier came and sat down at the table that was quickly becoming crowded.
"Captain Pip Bernadotte." he said by was of introduction and held out his hand.
"Dr. Constance Williams" Constance replied as she shook his hand with some difficulty due to the crowded conditions.
"New doctor, eh?" Pip asked. "I heard through the grapevine that you're from the States, right? How did you land this gig?"
"I worked in an emergency room in Detroit. I was told that they wanted someone with a lot of trauma experience." While she explained her qualifications for what seemed like the millionth time, she regarded the young man. He was quite tall and had braided blond hair that fell past his waist, which was unusual enough for a soldier. But more striking was the patch that covered his left eye, giving him the look of a pirate. The cocky grin on his face heightened the pirate image.
"You think that they would have hired someone from Los Angeles." Pip said teasingly as he smirked and nudged the man next to him in the ribs. He was teasing her because it was in his nature and part of him wanted to see what this lady was made of.
Constance felt a brief flash of anger run through her body at what she perceived to be a challenge to her ability to handle her job. "L.A" Constance rolled her eyes and gave a derisive snort. "L.A. is where Detroit doctors go when they want to retire." This caused the other men and women at the table to erupt into laughter and brought a brief flash of color to Pip's face.
"Well I hope you're as tough as you talk. You'll need it to work here." Pip said as he rose from the table. "I gotta go to work now. See ya around, Doc." He walked away with many of the men at the table following him.
When she returned to her room, the first box Constance opened was a box that contained all of her CD's. She selected one and took it to the stereo set. Seconds later, the screeching voice of Steven Tyler echoed through the room. As she opened the other boxes, she thought about the conversation with the Captain in the dining room. She had long ago learned to deal with the teasing and put downs of men that seemed to be threatened by a well-educated woman working with them, so she felt no real anger. Pip and the other people she had met seemed nice enough, she thought. Putting them out of her mind for now, she continued with her unpacking, working well until after dark until it was done.