Down, deep within the chambers in the basement of the Hellsing Organization's headquarters, there was a room behind a locked door. Inside this room there were a few items that made it different from every other room in the tunnels, even different from any other room in the mansion above. There was a table, with a single wineglass, a bottle of wine, and a pair of round glasses, with two chairs surrounding the table. On one of the chairs there was a red trench coat hanging over the back, and a red hat hanging over that. The one thing in this room, though, that made it unique, was who was in it. This was the residence of the infamous vampire known as Alucard.

This poor soul was lying on his side on the bed, half crunched in a ball, feeling an emotion he had felt for the first time he could ever remember.

Fear.

A few stories upward, on the third floor of the mansion, Integra stood by the window of her office, staring out at nothing, like she has for the last couple of nights. It has seemed to become a habit of her lately. She stood there for hours, thinking about random things, worried about Alucard, until her thoughts were broken by a knocking at the door.

The door opened, and Walter stepped through. Integra had not summoned him for anything, which was why she was surprised to see him.

"Have you talked to him yet?" Walter asked, referring to Alucard. "He hasn't come out of that room for days."

"Is that what you have come to bug me about?" she asked, looking annoyed. "I will talk to him when he needs to be talked to. Right now, he needs a little time alone."

"Despite the fact that he isn't human, he still does have feelings. You would have to be blind to have not seen that by now, especially in Alucard's case." With that, Walter walked out of the room.

Integra knew exactly what he was talking about, although she would never admit it until hell freezes over twice. Maybe he is right though, she thought. Maybe he has had enough time alone.

Elsewhere, down in the streets of London, Raven walked alone through the streets, with his hands in his coat pockets, and the wind blowing against him. He had just been walking aimlessly for days, getting to know the land well, for his next encounter with Alucard. He had never faced an opponent has skilled and powerful as this vampire, and he had never had to try a second time to capture or kill his prey. Alucard had been the first to ever get away.

This angered him in a way, but he was prepared for this situation. He knew well ahead that Alucard was a tougher opponent than anything he had ever faced. But he was still confident that he would be the first to defeat that monstrosity. After seeing Alucards performance in their first fight, he had no worry at all about the outcome of their next fight. Still, Alucard was not one to be taken lightly, and this was no time to be getting cocky. He had enough experience to realize that.

He continued on, until he sensed someone ahead of him. He broke his stride, stopped, and looked up at the only other person within sight of where he was.

It was the priest, in his usual gray robes, with his glasses shining slightly in the light of the sunset behind him. He was holding no weapon, but he could barely see a sword or two concealed in his gray trench coat. The tall priest had a slight grin on his face.

The priest kept his grin as he spoke. "You're after the vampire known as Alucard? I have a feeling we could really help each other out."

Walter walked through the chambers below the Hellsing mansion. I'm not going to stand by and let Alucard suffer like this. If Integra won't help him, then I'll have to talk to him.

He finally made it to Alucards door, surprised to see Integra already standing there. "A change of mind? Or perhaps a change of heart?" Walter was half mocking her, and half expecting to actually get an answer.

"Not one word of this to anybody else." Integra used a firm voice, and had no need to use threats, because she knew Walter got the gist of it.

"Very well, I'll wait out here. Which was it? Mind, or heart?"

Integra didn't answer him. Instead, she unlocked Alucards door, and casually walked inside, closing the door behind her. Walter didn't expect a response anyway. He did not even bother to eavesdrop. He just stood there, until somebody came out of that room.

Raven stood, absolutely motionless, across the street from the priest, and heard his proposal. He finally learned that his name was Alexander Anderson, and that he was obsessed with the "purification" of all vampires, especially Alucard.

Ravens response came cold to Anderson. "A generous offer, but Alucard is my prey, and mine alone. I do not need assistance."

This angered Anderson. "I will be the one to destroy him! I have been trying since before you even knew who he was!"

"Try me. I've known about him for quite a long time. Probably since before you were even born." The hunter was calm, unlike the priest.

"That is far from the point! I've been fighting him for a lot longer than you have! All the battles I have fought against him! They will not be in vain!"

Raven seemed like he was ignoring the majority of what Anderson was saying. "That's my point exactly. You've had your chances. Too many, if I might say so. It's my turn to have him for a few rounds. And believe me, a few rounds is more than I'll need."

Anderson always had a quick temper. He couldn't take it anymore. He drew his swords, and prepared to attack the hunter for his arrogance.

Walter had waited for over thirty minutes now. Integra was still in there. He had bee practicing a few drills with the strings that pop out of his fingertips, whipping them around, the such.

After fifteen minutes more, the door opened up, and a frustrated-looking Integra walked out.

"There's no getting through to him. He's hard to talk to when he's overconfident, and he's hard to talk to when he's depressed. I can't stand him sometimes!" She walked down the passageway, and when she passed Walter, she stopped for a moment, saying: "If you want to talk to him, go right ahead. But I wouldn't expect any success, if I were you." With that, she continued down the hallway, soon out of sight.

Walter, turned and walked in the opposite direction from Integra, and made his way back to Alucards door.

Walter didn't bother to knock, because he already knew that Alucard would most likely not want to be disturbed at this point. If Integra couldn't get him moving again, Walter knew this would be quite a challenge for himself.

He opened the door, entered the room, and closed the door behind him. He didn't go anywhere from there. He just stood by the door, and faced Alucard.

After a long silence, Walter said: "Come on, old friend. This isn't how the great Alucard would deal with any problem." Even before saying this, he knew it wouldn't do any good to say it, but he had to open with something. Now, he just got straight to the point. "What is it that's really bothering you?"

Alucard did not answer for a long while. He was still laying, muscle for muscle, in the same position he was in before Integra walked in on him. This didn't bode well for Walter.

After a long pause, Alucard actually spoke. "He actually had the potential to defeat me. Permanently. It's been a very long while since I've faced an opponent to be cautious around."

"That's not what the problem really is though, is it?" Walter had been on the battlefield with Alucard more than enough times to se past this part of him.

"No…I'm out of practice for situations like this. I haven't had to worry about anything in my life for what seems like an eternity."

"You're merely experiencing what everyone else does. You're just overreacting into a nervous breakdown. It's only human for you to feel this way."

"I know. That's the problem right there. I'm not human. I'm far from human!" Alucard started to raise his voice slightly on his last sentence.

"Well, you're just going to have to accept it. The hunter is still out there, and he wants to finish the job. You're going to have to fight him again sooner or later, and right now, he's winning. The Alucard I know would be too stubborn to give another man a victory so easily."

This comment hit Alucard harder than his current depression. He's right, Alucard thought. There's no way I'm gonna let a second-rate hunter like that ruin me this way! I've destroyed bigger scum than him. I am not going to fall. Especially not this way!

Getting his thoughts together, Alucard casually sat up, hopped to his feet, grabbed his hat and his trench coat at the same time, and slipped them on. Grabbing his guns and sliding them into place in his coat, he said, "Thank you, Walter. You've always been a good friend."

Walter said nothing. He just smiled, and left the room. Alucard had not heard a comment like that from Alucard in ages. Behind him, he heard a loud, insane laugh from Alucards room.

He slowly walked down the hall, savoring the sound of Alucard's fading cackle. "Alucard. The one who does not perish," he said quietly to himself, smiling, as he continued down the hall.