Ch 12: Conversations II
About two weeks after Constance had returned to work, she was summoned to Sir Integra's room. Integra had fallen ill and had requested that Dr Williams and no one else be sent to look after her. After Dr Williams had revealed her secret in the dark depths of the dungeon, Integra had somehow felt more comfortable around her. She also wanted to talk with the doctor about what she had seen that night.
"Looks like a nasty case of the flu." Constance said after examining Integra. "Bed rest for a few days, lots of fluids, you know the drill. I would also recommend that you give those cigars a rest." She began to pack up her supplies when Integra placed her hand on her arm.
"Don't leave yet." Integra croaked. "I wanted to talk to you."
Constance set her bag down on the floor. "Sure, what would you like to talk about?"
"The incident in the dungeon. How did you do that? And how were you able to nearly beat Alucard?"
"I'm not sure, really." Constance said, gazing at the wall.
"Have you always possessed this power?" Integra asked.
"Not until about a year ago, and even then, I never used it." Constance went on to tell Integra about the guide that had appeared to her since she was little, but only in the recent past had told her about the extraordinary creature that she was.
"Sounds like we have something in common. Bound by who we are." Integra mused as she looked at the dark haired doctor. "When I was little, all I wanted was to be like other girls. I wanted to play with dolls and have tea parties. But it was always target practice and lessons about how to kill vampires." The pain in Integra's face was showing. "Even now, I sometimes wish I were not me. I should be finding someone to grow old with and starting a family, not killing monsters and battling with the Catholics."
Before Constance could answer, Integra had sat up in bed and thrown her arms around the doctor. Constance was utterly shocked. This was Sir Integra; a woman who Constance had come to believe was almost incapable of such an act. Her shock grew when she felt Integra's shoulders shaking and heard the sound of her sobs. Her illness must be really getting to her, otherwise she would never do something like this, Constance thought.
"All I wanted was to have the life most people take for granted. Wasn't that good enough for your god?" Integra cried, burying her head on the doctor's shoulder, seeking comfort as a child would seek comfort from its mother.
"Shh" Constance murmured as she stroked Integra's head "It's all right, there is time for all things." This was the only piece of advice she would give Integra, knowing that she needed a place to lay her pain more than advice. Integra knew what she had to do, Constance thought, and she has the strength to do it.
When her tears began to dry up, Integra pulled back from the doctor in horror as she realized what she had done. It was unacceptable to break down in front of someone who worked for her like that.
"Don't worry, I won't tell if you won't" Constance said, smiling at Integra as if she had read her mind. She rose to leave again, when Integra grabbed her arm again.
"I.I know this sounds strange, but will you stay with me until I fall asleep?" Integra asked. She was embarrassed about having broken down in front of the doctor, but did not want to be left alone either.
Constance smiled gently as she sat back down. Integra grasped her hand and closed her eyes, muttering a sleepy "thank you."
When Integra's deep breathing told of heavy sleep, Constance gently extracted her hand from Integra's grip and crept from the room. As she slipped out of the door, she nearly walked right into Walter. He started to say something, but Constance put a finger to her lips to silence him and said in a quiet voice "Sir Integra's resting comfortably. She'll be alright in a few days." Smiling at Walter as they walked down the hall away from Integra's room, she continued, "I don't know about you, but I could use something to eat. Would you like to join me?"
"I'd be delighted, Miss Constance" Walter replied.
Alucard watched Walter and the doctor walk away from his master's room, chatting like old friends. She certainly has a way with humans, he thought with an inward chuckle. He phased through the wall to check on his master as he usually did and was greeted with a most unusual sight. He had expected Integra to be shedding tears in her sleep as she usually did, but instead found his master with a beautiful smile on her face and no trace of the tears he had witnessed every night for the past decade.
It seems like everyone who comes in contact with her gets back something that they lost, Alucard mused quietly. For the police girl, it had been her confidence and now Sir Integra was smiling a smile that was not grim or forced. He felt a rush of gratitude to the doctor, something that he had not felt for a long time.
About two weeks after Constance had returned to work, she was summoned to Sir Integra's room. Integra had fallen ill and had requested that Dr Williams and no one else be sent to look after her. After Dr Williams had revealed her secret in the dark depths of the dungeon, Integra had somehow felt more comfortable around her. She also wanted to talk with the doctor about what she had seen that night.
"Looks like a nasty case of the flu." Constance said after examining Integra. "Bed rest for a few days, lots of fluids, you know the drill. I would also recommend that you give those cigars a rest." She began to pack up her supplies when Integra placed her hand on her arm.
"Don't leave yet." Integra croaked. "I wanted to talk to you."
Constance set her bag down on the floor. "Sure, what would you like to talk about?"
"The incident in the dungeon. How did you do that? And how were you able to nearly beat Alucard?"
"I'm not sure, really." Constance said, gazing at the wall.
"Have you always possessed this power?" Integra asked.
"Not until about a year ago, and even then, I never used it." Constance went on to tell Integra about the guide that had appeared to her since she was little, but only in the recent past had told her about the extraordinary creature that she was.
"Sounds like we have something in common. Bound by who we are." Integra mused as she looked at the dark haired doctor. "When I was little, all I wanted was to be like other girls. I wanted to play with dolls and have tea parties. But it was always target practice and lessons about how to kill vampires." The pain in Integra's face was showing. "Even now, I sometimes wish I were not me. I should be finding someone to grow old with and starting a family, not killing monsters and battling with the Catholics."
Before Constance could answer, Integra had sat up in bed and thrown her arms around the doctor. Constance was utterly shocked. This was Sir Integra; a woman who Constance had come to believe was almost incapable of such an act. Her shock grew when she felt Integra's shoulders shaking and heard the sound of her sobs. Her illness must be really getting to her, otherwise she would never do something like this, Constance thought.
"All I wanted was to have the life most people take for granted. Wasn't that good enough for your god?" Integra cried, burying her head on the doctor's shoulder, seeking comfort as a child would seek comfort from its mother.
"Shh" Constance murmured as she stroked Integra's head "It's all right, there is time for all things." This was the only piece of advice she would give Integra, knowing that she needed a place to lay her pain more than advice. Integra knew what she had to do, Constance thought, and she has the strength to do it.
When her tears began to dry up, Integra pulled back from the doctor in horror as she realized what she had done. It was unacceptable to break down in front of someone who worked for her like that.
"Don't worry, I won't tell if you won't" Constance said, smiling at Integra as if she had read her mind. She rose to leave again, when Integra grabbed her arm again.
"I.I know this sounds strange, but will you stay with me until I fall asleep?" Integra asked. She was embarrassed about having broken down in front of the doctor, but did not want to be left alone either.
Constance smiled gently as she sat back down. Integra grasped her hand and closed her eyes, muttering a sleepy "thank you."
When Integra's deep breathing told of heavy sleep, Constance gently extracted her hand from Integra's grip and crept from the room. As she slipped out of the door, she nearly walked right into Walter. He started to say something, but Constance put a finger to her lips to silence him and said in a quiet voice "Sir Integra's resting comfortably. She'll be alright in a few days." Smiling at Walter as they walked down the hall away from Integra's room, she continued, "I don't know about you, but I could use something to eat. Would you like to join me?"
"I'd be delighted, Miss Constance" Walter replied.
Alucard watched Walter and the doctor walk away from his master's room, chatting like old friends. She certainly has a way with humans, he thought with an inward chuckle. He phased through the wall to check on his master as he usually did and was greeted with a most unusual sight. He had expected Integra to be shedding tears in her sleep as she usually did, but instead found his master with a beautiful smile on her face and no trace of the tears he had witnessed every night for the past decade.
It seems like everyone who comes in contact with her gets back something that they lost, Alucard mused quietly. For the police girl, it had been her confidence and now Sir Integra was smiling a smile that was not grim or forced. He felt a rush of gratitude to the doctor, something that he had not felt for a long time.