Well here it is the much (well slightly) awaited chapter of shine! Actually I'm in a pretty bad mood right now because I've already written this chapter. I just lost it to my carnivorous computer. Note that I've taken pieces of both the English and Japanese translation as I saw fit. Call it artistic license.

Disclaimer: No.

Rated R for angst and semi-explicit smoochies (eventually).

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Seras woke up for once feeling strangely content. She stretched languidly in her coffin as she opened her eyes. It had been a long time since she had gotten such a good nights sleep. She sighed and crawled out of her coffin, wincing for a second when her feet touched the cold stone floor. The young vampire slipped into her fuzzy slippers and walked over to the mirror. Running her fingers through her hair, she took in her appearance. The color was back in her cheeks, and the dark circles that had been haunting under her eyes were gone. She turned and looked at her side. Not bad, it was hardly sore at all. She wondered if she owed it to the blood, or her Master's attention to her wound last night. A slight blush colored her face as she gathered up her toiletries.

She slipped into the bathroom, setting down her clothes as she turned on the water. She hopped into the shower, sighing as the warm water hit her back. Ahh, she felt wonderful, no long ponderous baths for her today! She hummed slightly off key as she washed her hair, her thoughts turning to last night. No matter what she did, her Master seemed to be creeping more and more into her mind lately. Especially after what had happened yesterday. It had been terrifying when she thought he had died. When he had reformed in front of her eyes it had been one of the happiest sights in her life. And not just because he had saved her butt from Anderson either. No, she just couldn't imagine what she would do if he wasn't around.

And then... There was the OTHER thing that had happened last night. She lathered up her skin with her lime green shower puff. 'I wonder if Master thinks I'm pretty,' she thought to herself. Her fingers grazed the skin on her side where he had intimately caressed last night. With a sigh, she certainly hoped so. Finishing her shower, she stepped out, slowly toweling off and fluffing up her hair before getting dressed.

She slipped into her standard uniform, blue on blue with white gloves. There hadn't been a day she hadn't worn gloves since she became a vampire. There were too many nasty things she could hurt herself by touching as she had learned. She brushed her hair out until it was dry and slipped back into her room.

She had a few things she had been assigned to do today. The first of which was helping supervise the new Hellsing applicants. Not exactly something she relished, but it could be fun. Seras made her way to the complex testing site on the Hellsing compound. She made sure to give all the soldiers and staff she saw a toothy grin. Secretly, she loved watching some of them skitter away. She wondered if they thought she was looking at them like lunch.

Her little task was fairly easy. She briefed the groups on their little obstacle course and they went to it. Nothing of real interest happened until she briefed one of the very last groups. It was a fairly scruffy lot, and she wasn't sure many of them would be up to the task of upholding Hellsing's strict code.

"...The course is pretty straightforward. Shoot the targets and make your way to the exit," she said, indicating the points on the dry erase board map. "If you shoot a non-target you fail, and the test will end. Any questions?" she finished, just as she had several times already today.

"Yeah," said one of the scruffy looking men near the front. "I hear there's a real vampire in this unit. Is that true?" he asked with a condescending tone.

Seras gave him her much-loved fangy smile that she had picked up from her Master as she walked towards him.

"Oh, I think there is something wrong with your gun," she said sweetly. The man looked down curiously. Seras calmly reached out and bent the thick steel barrel into a clean right angle. "See? It's bent! You better get a new one or you'll miss your chance to test!" She smiled sweetly as the men straitened up, mumbling as they all took a collective step back from her.

That would teach them to imply she wasn't a "real" vampire. A small part of her wondered when it had gotten so fun to tease humans. Had she been so easy to scare?

After the testing was over, she gratefully made her way back to her room to change. Today by God she was going home. She was up rather early, so it was still light out. Hopefully no one would be looking for her till later if they needed anything more. But just in case she would be stealthy today. She grabbed the pistol Fargason had given her and loaded it with a fresh clip. One never knew what one might face in London these days.

Ready, she poked her head out the door, looking around as covertly as she could to see if the coast was clear. Silently she stalked down the hallways, jumping from shadow to shadow. This was fun, she thought. She could see why her Master was always skulking around scaring people. If she hadn't wanted to get caught she might had been tempted to say boo to a few of the house staff.

This time she made it all the way to the gate without incident. The guard there just smiled at her as she passed. 'Good boy, don't poke the vampire,' she thought with a smile. She started to whistle as she made her way down the sidewalk. She briefly considered taking the subway to her old place, but immediately decided against it. No, she was pretty sure she would keep her distance from those for awhile. Besides, it was a lovely day. The sky was nice and cloudy as was usual for London, so the sun hardly bothered her. She sighed happily as she walked home.

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Seras grabbed her extra set of keys, and went over to the complex's neat row of mailboxes. She bent down to insert the key and open it. She let out a small gasp when she saw the plethora of letters and parcels. She gathered then up and hurried to her flat.

Opening the door, she quickly set her load on the nearby couch before stopping to look around. Just like she remembered it, the faint smell of cheap wood furniture and stale potpourri hung in the air. She quickly opened a window to let in a little fresh air. Home.

Giving the place a cursory glance she realized it was just as it always had been. Nothing had been moved, although a bit more dust than usual had settled. Even though it felt like a lifetime away, it hadn't been too terribly long since she had been here.

Even though she had been living here for several months she had never made friends with any of her neighbors. The odd hours that the special police force had called for gave her a very chaotic schedule. No one really paid much mind to her coming and goings. She wondered if any of them even knew she was "dead", supposedly buried and gone. 'It really doesn't matter,' she thought. After all, she had a six month pre-paid lease on this place, dead or not.

Deciding to follow her usual routine, she made for the kitchen. Putting the kettle on the stove, she rummaged around in the fridge. Some old oranges, eggs of debatable freshness, a bit of slimy lunch meat, and some cottage cheese that just might have been milk. Yep, this was her fridge alright. As much as she loved to cook, she rarely had time to eat in back in her 'human days'. She sighed and tried the freezer. Ah, steak and kidney pies, her favorite. She opened up one of them and popped it in the toaster, feeling strangely nostalgic.

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Seras sat down at the old dinner table with her pie and tea. She just looked at it for a few moments before letting out a deep sigh. Her eyes flicked over the various pictures on the adjacent table; mostly ones of her and her Father.

"I'm sorry, Daddy. Look's like I can't eat these things anymore," she mumbled to the pictures. "I finally made it into the police force...but...now..." What could she really say to her dead father? She wondered if he already knew what she had become. She was startled out of her contemplation by a sudden gust of wind. The curtained flapped wildly against the sill and the glass rattled ominously. She quickly jumped up and moved to close the window as a few errant leaves blew is.

For a few moments she stared out the window, the hairs of the back of her neck prickly. Had that...had that somehow been a sign from her father? Again she was startled, this time by a sharp rap on the door. Seras nearly jumped out of her skin as she spun towards the door.

"God...Daddy?" she whispered. Quickly she pushed the foolish notion out of her head. 'Stop being silly, Seras,' she chided herself as she silently slipped across the room. Flipping off the light switch she pressed her back to the wall, pulling out the Walther PPK she had wisely chosen to bring.

"Who is it!?" she called, her voice wavering imperceptibly.

"Please let me in. I've come a long way to find you, Seras Victoria," said a slightly cultured male voice. Her eyebrows shot up as she desperately tried to place it. Her curiosity got the best of her, and she cracked the door open. She locked on the face, a rather non-descript middle aged man with graying hair. Instantly, her mind flashed back to the MI-5 agents who had told her to shoo. Her eyes narrowed.

"How did you find me?" she said stepping back a bit. Still on the defensive as she let him in to the foyer.

"Investigating things is my business, as you well know."

"Actually I don't know anything about you," she said curtly.

"Ah, pardon me. My name is Harry Anders of M-I 5. But please just call me Harry."

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Seras stared out the window watching the sidewalks absently. After exchanging "pleasantries", she had finally gotten "Harry" to get to his purpose. Without giving her any specifics he had told her he had somewhere she needed to go. Part of her wanted to refuse. But he seemed a decent enough fellow, and his mention of having known her father piqued her interest. Especially after what had happened early. Maybe this WAS a sign from him.

They pulled up to a rather secluded area in one of the better parts of town. The buildings were old, and surrounded by trees. They parked and walked over to a majestic old brownstone on the far side of a neat largely spaced row of houses. As they approached Seras' eyes flicked onto Harry checking his gun. On instinct, she immediately pulled out her pistol.

"You won't need that," he said matter-o-factly. "I have to look out for myself, not having all the advantages of non-humans," he said with a wry grin. She raised an eyebrow at him, but said nothing as she holstered her gun.

They walked over to the door; it was old hardwood with a thick brass door handle. He rapped lightly on it.

"Miss Helena? This is Agent Anderson of MI-5. I'd like to talk to you." Silence greeted him. "I'm sorry to disturb you. I just need to ask a few questions, really," he said, sounding sincerely apologetic. Slowly the door creaked open, and they entered. The place was a bit eerie at best. It was dark and full of old wood and books. Golden light spilling onto the floor from countless candles. The air smelled faintly of the must of old books ands beeswax from the old fashioned tallow. The air was filled with the soothing strains of opera. Seras looked around wide-eyed, not sure what to make of a place like this.

"Normally I don't entertain guests, you well know," said a soft, almost ethereal voice.

Seras' eyes snapped over across the room, trying to take in the site of the strange little girl sitting there. She was small and delicate, and incredibly pale; she reminded the blonde of white lily. The candle light reflected off her eyes, Seras wondered for just a moment if it was the trick of the light that seemed to make her eyes shine gold.

"It was very smart of you to bring this girl to hide behind," she said with the barest hint of a smile. It hit Seras like a ton of bricks, this strange little girl...

"Wait... She's...you're a vampire," she nearly whispered. Helena's lips again quirked up.

"You have not been one of the night for very long." She got up from the old easy chair that looked huge in comparison to her. Her feet making no sound as she walked with a fluid grace over to Seras. She looked up at her, her gaze intent.

"You are a wonderful age. Were you reborn through carnal means? Or have you yet to know the pleasures of a woman?" Her soft lilting voice held a teasing air.

Seras looked a bit dumbfounded at this little girl before her. She seemed an incredible contrast, poised and intelligent in that tiny body. She couldn't help but ask...

"Miss Helena, you are... Well... I mean, when did you become undead?" she stammered.

"A long time ago," the pale vampire said tiredly.

"And you have always been just as you are now?" she asked, shocked.

"Yes, just as I am right now. Now and forever," she said with that same imperceptible smile, but she also sounded vaguely sad. She turned her burning amber gaze on Harry. "I'm a private and not a threat. Why do you bother me?" she asked in a much sharper tone when she spoke to the man.

Harry proceeded to apprise her of the current situation of the artificial freaks popping up over the world. Seras wasn't really listening, she was lost in thought. She...she couldn't imagine being trapped as a child forever...

"...Miss Seras Victoria is a member of the Hellsing organization," she heard him say. Her head snapped up as a panicked look overtook her. Helena turned around; her fierce glare pinned on Seras now.

"I've only killed...that is to say. I've only exterminated those artificial freaks he was talking about. I've never..." she desperately tried to explain. She had a feeling this small girl could easily kill her without batting an eye.

"Do you have any idea how many of my friends Hellsing had killed?" she said flatly.

"I...I'm sorry," Seras could only think to say.

"That apology is not yours to give," she said, advancing on her. Seras tried not to flinch as she reached one small delicate hand out to her, holding it over her unbeating heart. She felt a curious tingling, almost like butterfly wings brushing over the edges of her mind. Before she could really identify it, it was gone.

Helena stepped back, looking at her again. "Oh, I see. You were sired by the one who is being kept by Hellsing." Her voice was almost teasing again.

"Are you talking about my Master?" Seras asked, wide eyed.

Helena smirked knowingly. "You are very fortunate, Seras Victoria."

Seras stood there, contemplating what she could mean as Helena and Harry continued to talk about the freaks...

"If you could ask around... I have a feeling there is a traitor in the ranks of your commune," the MI-5 agent was finishing.

Seras could almost feel her exasperated mental sigh.

"We vampires have no such 'communes'. We are each separate individuals. Free from land and religion, and all types of human bondage." For some reason, Seras felt this was being aimed at her...

Helena sat down with a weary sigh. "But eternity is tiring... I have no wish to be disturbed by this growing problem. These artificial vampires could very well be a danger to my kind..." She paused for a moment, as if in thought. "No matter how far the science of man advances, one can never create something from nothing... Think back to the beginning... The seeds of life that sprung from the primordial ooze... They must have something to base their work off of. They must have an original vampire."

Seras was quite surprised that someone as seemingly secluded as this strange vampire would have so much insight into what was going on; when a moment ago she had seemed to know nothing about any of it.

"You must find this traitor to our kind," she said simply, now looking at Seras again. "Now if you would excuse me, I grow weary of this talk. Good evening, Miss Victoria, Mr. Anders," she said curtly. This was clearly their cue to exit.

As they made their way to the door, Seras again felt the tickling at the back of her mind. She turned around and looked at the strange vampire-child. Something in her gaze told her that Helena was trying to give her a much kinder goodbye. Seras gave her a tentative smile before walking out. As she shut the door, she heard the soft whisper in the back of her mind, 'Come visit me again, Miss Victoria.'

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The drive back was much different from the drive there. There was no uncomfortable silence, or since of foreboding.

"She seems so lonely," she mumbled half to herself. Harry Anders smiled kindly at her.

"I want to thank you for coming. I'd like to return the favor, take you out to eat..." he trailed off. Something in his tone made Seras feel like blushing.

"Thanks, but you don't have to worry about it," she said, remembering the early incident with the food. There was a few seconds of silence as they both just watched the road.

"So, I've heard you don't drink fresh blood," he said, trying to sound casual.

"Just medical blood," she answered, equally casual. She felt his eyes on her for a moment.

"Christ... If I was 20 years younger," he mumbled, his voice slightly low.

Seras gasped softly, realizing the implications of what he had said. He had almost... Offered to allow her to feed off of him. For some reason the thought of someone willingly offering their blood...was almost like a lover's invitation to the vampire's ears. From what she had gathered, a vampire's bite could be an incredibly erotic experience for both parties. Seras squirmed uncomfortably as flashes of watching her Master drink that woman's blood came to her.

Oh God, was she getting aroused by the thought? Her eyes flicked over to the man. He really wasn't bad looking, strong features, carried himself well. She had no doubt that if he WAS 20 years younger she would take him up on his offer. She blushed and looked out the window.

They pulled up close to the Hellsing compound. Seras smiled nervously as she slid out of the car, she could feel his eyes on her again. Perhaps secretly she was happy with the rare attention. These days, men seemed to look at her with fear and disgust. Thinking that perhaps she had made a new friend today, Seras said a friendly goodbye. She gave him a charming smile and a wave as he drove away. Turning back towards the way of the manor, she started to walk off...

The horrendous sound of an explosion slashed against her delicate ears. She spun around, just in time to see the hellish show of Harry's car being blown to bits. The twisted flaming pieces of metal fell to the ground in an imitation of some kind of macabre rainfall. Seras broke out of her trance, drawing in a breath of forgotten air.

"Harry!" she screamed, terrified.

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Seras tossed and turned in her coffin. Waking up in a cold sweat for the second time that day. She felt like crying, but her head ached so badly and her eyes were so swollen she doubted she could get anything more out.

Why did these terrible things keep happening around her? Every time she started to fit in... To maybe make a friend or find some peace... Something like this happened. A thought in the back of her mind nagged at her, wondering if this time she really was the cause of this death. Was that explosion meant for her?

Seras whimpered as she rolled over on her side. She suddenly wished for the reassuring feel of her Master's strong arms around her. It seemed the one constant in her life was also the most inconsistent. She...she just wished...

"Master..." she whispered almost pleadingly as her thoughts trickled off into oblivion, sleep taking her tired body once again. Seras never noticed the red eyes that opened on the lid of her coffin, and stared at her for several moments.

Alucard slid through the thick wood, materializing for a moment beside her. He wondered if the police girl realized she was calling out to him in her sleep. He frowned as he absorbed her anguish through their empathic link. Unbidden, his hand seemed to extend on its own, trembling as he reached to touch her. He finally gave in and lightly caressed her hair.

Even deep in sleep, her Master's presence fortified her. Unconsciously, she moved into him, her face nuzzling his hand with a soft mewl. After that, she seemed to slip into an easier rest.

Alucard let out a shaky sigh as he forced himself to pull away. Things could get bad if they continued on like this. He had to get out of here before he did something he regretted again.

He dematerialized through the lid of the coffin. But he couldn't resist giving her mind just the softest of mental caresses, almost unconsciously. As he left, Seras again turned over in her coffin, letting out a soft sigh as her dreams turned to much more pleasant thoughts.

"Master..." she murmured again. But this time it was more of an endearment than a plea.

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Phew, that one took a little while to write. I toyed with some ideas for a few days, and ended up scrapping what I wrote and redoing it all.

I'm kinda saddened I haven't gotten much positive response yet, but I suppose it is early still. It's just kinda hard for me to write when it feels like no one is reading it ; so if you would be so kind as to leave a lil review, you would make my day. Not to mention make me update faster! hint hint