When lines blur

She watched as her children clambered around her. She did not know what they looked like except she knew she adored them like every mother adored her children.

She sighed in contentment as her husband massaged her shoulders affectionately. She gazed into his ruby eyes. She could look into them forever but in truth, she did not know what he looked like or who he was. She could not remember how they met. She only knew she loved him and he loved her.

And that he was human. And that was enough for now.

Her life was wonderful. It had its ups and downs like every other person's. She went through trials like any other and enjoyed triumphs like her neighbors.

She would not have it any other way.

If only she could remember what the events in her life were. If only she could recall what was it about this existence that made her so happy.

She knew she loved her job. It was simple and gave her time with her family. She could not tell you what she did and in honesty, she did not know. Sometimes there was a typewriter, sometimes she would be building a big bridge while surrounded by people who did not speak English.

But it never involved undead monsters.

Every now and then, she would have this nightmare. It seemed so real. She could almost taste the gunpowder, death and misery in her dream.

But why did the nightmares feel more real? Why did it seem like her life was instead, the dream?

And then, without knowing why, she was alone in a big empty nothingness. She was floating in the stars. She smiled, laid down and closed her eyes. Her nightmare was starting again, and in them she would always see those familiar red eyes.

And she knew she was home again.

- - - - - - - -

Integra winced as she held the bridge of her nose. Her dreams of late were getting stranger and stranger but while she knew they bothered her, she could never remember what they were about. She only knew that in her dreams, it felt as if the lines between her dreaming world and the real world were blurring.

Which was the dream? Which was her real life? If she had a choice ...

Shrugging off the last traces of her lethargy, she roused herself to return to work.

"Had a good nap, my master?"

Ignoring the taunt in Alucard's voice, she hastily patted down the creases in her suit. She heard him ask, more urgently this time, as she turned the knob to her study room.

"You can't tell which is which anymore, can you?"

Stepping into her study, she walked resolutely to her desk. Easing herself into the familiar clutter of papers, she began studying the documents, ignoring everything else around her.

She continued reading until she was sure that he had left the room - out of boredom perhaps.

She muttered quietly, to no one in particular, "No, I can't tell which is the nightmare anymore."