Shalrik stood impaled to the wall, a shaft of solid silver through his
heart. Alucard walked up to him, smirking. Silver solidifying in his
mouth, Shalrik managed to udder three words, but Matthew could not hear
them. A year later, Alucard would tell Matthew what Shalrik had said, "It
ends... Dracula."
Matthew's leg had recovered enough for him to walk, with help. Seras stood to his left, and in a manner similar to those two months ago helped him walk from the castle. Alucard had disappeared again, probably to report back with Sir Integra. Alexander left through a different exit, for his own reasons deciding not to attack them... yet. Matthew shook his head. Yep, they would be fighting each other next time.
The helicopter arrived to take Seras and Matthew back to the Hellsing headquarters. After Seras helped him into a seat, he looked at her. "You know, Seras, I think that all things considered this has been a perfect night."
She paused in thought, then slowly nodded. "I think I finally have peace with this town."
"And I have peace with what I've become... Or at least enough of it to continue on."
::One Month Later::
Matthew awoke and looked at the clock. It was 9:00 AM. 'Time to get up, Matt.' He hauled himself out of bed and tested his leg. It had been a month since the battle with Shalrik, and a good week of that was spent getting his leg working again. His e-mail conversation with Akira had grown more frequent and less depressing. They were adjusting to how things had changed. 'You know what they say, the relationship that can handle long distance is the one that will last.'
They had had few missions since the defeat of Shalrik. A couple more of his earlier creations and one of his enhanced vampires had survived, but eventually gave in to their instincts and started attacking humans. They fell quickly.
Matthew still had problems with his becoming a vampire. The only reason he could drink the blood he needed was because Seras was always with him. He figured it was the same for her. He also regretted not being able to visit his family or Akira, even when nothing was happening.
Walter hadn't worked up any new weapons for Matthew, which was actually a relief. Just because Matthew had joked about being able to take out a small country didn't mean he wanted to try any time soon. As with his body, his weapons had been repaired and were ready for the next time they would be needed.
Matthew walked across the room to where his clothes waited for him. As he stripped out of his bed clothes there was a knock at the door. "Hang on a sec'!" he yelled out. "I've gotta get dressed!" He quickly pulled on his jeans and got a shirt on, then turned to the door. "Come in!"
The door opened, and Seras entered, her hands behind her back. "Good morning, Matthew."
"Good morning. What's going on?"
Seras, smiling big, walked up to about three feet from him. Suddenly, she brought her hands around, a small wrapped package in her hands. "Happy birthday!"
Matthew's jaw dropped in shock, but he quickly closed in and smiled. "Thanks!" he said, receiving the package from her. 'Once again trying to cheer me up. She must have known I wasn't looking forward to today.' It was November 1st, 2004. His twentieth birthday, and it was the first one where he was completely isolated from his family. He'd figured he would be dwelling on his losses; family, girlfriend... humanity. 'Who'd've thought I'd be here after twenty years...' "How'd you know?" he asked.
With a chuckle, she replied, "I checked your personnel file."
He raised an eyebrow. "Curious, huh?" She nodded, and Matthew smiled. "Well, again, thank you." He unwrapped the package. Two paperback novels were contained inside. He smiled again, reaching up with his free hand to hold her shoulder. "Thank you, my friend." He set the books on a nearby table, and after a pause looked back at Seras. "Hey, Seras?"
"Yes?"
He smiled. "I'm in the mood for some chai. Wanna join me? My treat."
She chuckled. "If that's what you want to do. It is your birthday."
"Excellent. Meet me at the motorpool in fifteen minutes, ok?"
With a smile and another chuckle, she said, "All right."
Seras left for her room so she could change into civilian clothes. Matthew put on socks and shoes, pulled on his leather jacket, and put on his sunglasses. It wasn't snowing quite yet, but it was very cold outside. Fifteen minutes later, he stood at the door leading to the motorpool waiting for Seras's arrival. She rounded the corner moments after, wearing her black jeans, white sweatshirt, and red fabric jacket with black boots, red lensed sunglasses, and a red berette. Matthew looked her over for a moment. 'Wearing that, she looks a lot like Akira...'
Seras had picked up on that. "Is that a complement?"
Matthew looked shocked. "I thought you said you didn't read my thoughts!"
She shrugged. "Hard to miss them when you broadcast like that." She smiled. "I'll show you how to keep your thoughts in later."
"Ok," he replied. "And yes, that is a complement. To both you and her." Seras blushed a little. Matthew extended an arm, and Seras took it. "Shall we?"
"Certainly."
As they walked into the motorpool, Matthew spoke. "You know, I think today is going to be a perfect day."
Matthew's leg had recovered enough for him to walk, with help. Seras stood to his left, and in a manner similar to those two months ago helped him walk from the castle. Alucard had disappeared again, probably to report back with Sir Integra. Alexander left through a different exit, for his own reasons deciding not to attack them... yet. Matthew shook his head. Yep, they would be fighting each other next time.
The helicopter arrived to take Seras and Matthew back to the Hellsing headquarters. After Seras helped him into a seat, he looked at her. "You know, Seras, I think that all things considered this has been a perfect night."
She paused in thought, then slowly nodded. "I think I finally have peace with this town."
"And I have peace with what I've become... Or at least enough of it to continue on."
::One Month Later::
Matthew awoke and looked at the clock. It was 9:00 AM. 'Time to get up, Matt.' He hauled himself out of bed and tested his leg. It had been a month since the battle with Shalrik, and a good week of that was spent getting his leg working again. His e-mail conversation with Akira had grown more frequent and less depressing. They were adjusting to how things had changed. 'You know what they say, the relationship that can handle long distance is the one that will last.'
They had had few missions since the defeat of Shalrik. A couple more of his earlier creations and one of his enhanced vampires had survived, but eventually gave in to their instincts and started attacking humans. They fell quickly.
Matthew still had problems with his becoming a vampire. The only reason he could drink the blood he needed was because Seras was always with him. He figured it was the same for her. He also regretted not being able to visit his family or Akira, even when nothing was happening.
Walter hadn't worked up any new weapons for Matthew, which was actually a relief. Just because Matthew had joked about being able to take out a small country didn't mean he wanted to try any time soon. As with his body, his weapons had been repaired and were ready for the next time they would be needed.
Matthew walked across the room to where his clothes waited for him. As he stripped out of his bed clothes there was a knock at the door. "Hang on a sec'!" he yelled out. "I've gotta get dressed!" He quickly pulled on his jeans and got a shirt on, then turned to the door. "Come in!"
The door opened, and Seras entered, her hands behind her back. "Good morning, Matthew."
"Good morning. What's going on?"
Seras, smiling big, walked up to about three feet from him. Suddenly, she brought her hands around, a small wrapped package in her hands. "Happy birthday!"
Matthew's jaw dropped in shock, but he quickly closed in and smiled. "Thanks!" he said, receiving the package from her. 'Once again trying to cheer me up. She must have known I wasn't looking forward to today.' It was November 1st, 2004. His twentieth birthday, and it was the first one where he was completely isolated from his family. He'd figured he would be dwelling on his losses; family, girlfriend... humanity. 'Who'd've thought I'd be here after twenty years...' "How'd you know?" he asked.
With a chuckle, she replied, "I checked your personnel file."
He raised an eyebrow. "Curious, huh?" She nodded, and Matthew smiled. "Well, again, thank you." He unwrapped the package. Two paperback novels were contained inside. He smiled again, reaching up with his free hand to hold her shoulder. "Thank you, my friend." He set the books on a nearby table, and after a pause looked back at Seras. "Hey, Seras?"
"Yes?"
He smiled. "I'm in the mood for some chai. Wanna join me? My treat."
She chuckled. "If that's what you want to do. It is your birthday."
"Excellent. Meet me at the motorpool in fifteen minutes, ok?"
With a smile and another chuckle, she said, "All right."
Seras left for her room so she could change into civilian clothes. Matthew put on socks and shoes, pulled on his leather jacket, and put on his sunglasses. It wasn't snowing quite yet, but it was very cold outside. Fifteen minutes later, he stood at the door leading to the motorpool waiting for Seras's arrival. She rounded the corner moments after, wearing her black jeans, white sweatshirt, and red fabric jacket with black boots, red lensed sunglasses, and a red berette. Matthew looked her over for a moment. 'Wearing that, she looks a lot like Akira...'
Seras had picked up on that. "Is that a complement?"
Matthew looked shocked. "I thought you said you didn't read my thoughts!"
She shrugged. "Hard to miss them when you broadcast like that." She smiled. "I'll show you how to keep your thoughts in later."
"Ok," he replied. "And yes, that is a complement. To both you and her." Seras blushed a little. Matthew extended an arm, and Seras took it. "Shall we?"
"Certainly."
As they walked into the motorpool, Matthew spoke. "You know, I think today is going to be a perfect day."
