A/N: Ahhh... Chapter 11. This one took longer than usuaal because it is a tad longer than usual. That, and because I stared at the screen for a while thinking, Where on Earth am I taking this? In any case...

RenegadePineapple... I guess so... he he... Oblivionknight7, I have NO bloody clue. However many It takes to finish it nicely, or until you all get bored of it. TornadoReviewer, Death's Integrity, allergi, Thank you so very much, and here are some cookies. Ice Appeal, Vaampyr'sDaughter, WHAT THE HELL IS A 'MARY-SUE,' AND HOW DO I MAKE HIM SOUND LIKE ONE? IS THIS A BAD THING? AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

Eva: Mz? MZ? I got this, hon. Don't worry.

MZM: -sniffle- M'kay.

Eva: My sincere apologies, friends. She's jumpy. -clears throat- Disclaimer: MZM doesn't own Hellsing, or any of its characters. Hellsing is (c) Kouta Hirano. However, this storyline, me and The Staircase are (c) MZM

This means she owns me... which can be such a bother.

MZM: E-Eva?

Eva: -rolls eyes and puts out cigarette- Coming, dear. Anyway, enjoy.

MZM: EVA?

It had been quite a week.

No one gave his Master any peace; someone was always in the room, asking her if she was hungry, thirsty, or if she wanted more painkillers. He could feel her frustration from across the mansion, and when mixed with her satisfaction at denying death, it cheered him greatly. That was his Master, an eternal paradox.

Walter had been almost constantly at her side, watching over her like she might slip away if he blinked. As a result, no one had given much thought to Alucard. He was free to do what he wished, and took to wandering the halls, patrolling his domain. However, he was strictly forbidden from entering her room. So, he did nothing. Just walked.

3 AM. This was the first night his Master had slept alone, and he had strolled up and down the hallways near her room, his feet betraying his thoughts. He felt something was going to happen… Not that I care. Still, his boots clomped up and down those same halls, and he felt more alert than usual. He passed by her room for the thirty-seventh time that night, and that's when he saw her.

Alucard froze in his tracks.

Lord Hellsing stood in the doorway, a determined look on her face, leaning heavily on the frame. Her legs looked like they were going to give out, and her whole body shook. Her hair hung limp, not at its usual jaunty angles. The pale yellow strands fell around her face, and her cerulean eyes spat an emotion that bordered on anger. She wore her usual suit pants, but they were wrinkled and creased. Her jacket was not in evidence. Her white blouse hung loosely from her frame, and her collar was not buttoned completely. Her glasses were crooked on her nose, and the black stitches stood out on her paler-than-normal skin. The blue tie hung from her neck, loose and sloppy. Her hands shook, and her knuckles were white. Sweat at the strain of being out of bed ran down her face, and she suppressed pants of exertion. Yet there she stood, defying her own broken body with rage in her eyes.

In short, she was wickedly beautiful.

The Nosferatu smiled. This is the Master I know. Alucard took slow steps toward her, and she made no move other than to follow him with her eyes. He stopped directly in front of her, no more than a foot from his Master. The No-life King grinned wider, exposing his elongated canines. She only sagged against the doorframe a bit more, expression unchanged. No words were spoken, no thoughts exchanged. There they stood for a moment, time still for both of them.

The spell was broken when Integra closed her eyes and tightened her grip on the doorframe, which in turn reminded Alucard that she was only human. And just as frail. He bent his long limbs, gracefully and slowly dropping to one knee, then looking up at her with hooded crimson eyes. It was only fitting.

She looked down at him through a light-headed haze, her stomach turning. The nausea was eating her inside out, making her want to collapse. It took her a second before she realized what he was doing. How… unlike him. He was offering himself as a support. He wanted her to lean on him. He should have known better. Integra lifted her eyes from his, and continued down the hall, heading to her office. Her right hand slid along the wall, and her entire being had narrowed down to putting one foot in front of the other. The going was slow, and painful. Each step sent fire up her chest, and her neck throbbed in time with her pulse.

Her mind registered that he'd said something, and she stopped, hoping he'd repeat it. She'd heard him, but she hadn't actually heard the words. Only noise. In fact, she was currently having trouble telling up from down, and it was all she could do to stay on her feet. He spoke again, and this time the meaning did not elude her. "Let me help you, my Master."

She scoffed, and continued down the hall.

She heard him again, and he sounded closer. "They say only a fool turns away a helping hand when in need." He teased her, MOCKED her. Leave me be. She didn't stop; just put more attention on her feet. Left, right, left right… He sighed, and there was a rustle of leather. Integra almost fell over as he ducked under her outstretched hand on the wall, knocking it away. She began to fall, and grabbed the first thing her hands rested upon. Which, of course, was Alucard. That bastard.

He only grinned, and matched her pace, moving to the middle of the hall. If she let go, she'd fall. Integra was forced to hold on, and she did so, gingerly, her hand on his shoulder. Alucard supported almost all her slight weight, and slowly, Master and Monster made their way to her office.

It had been quite a week.

Seras looked up at the grey building. This is it, then. She jammed the paper in a pocket of her new jeans, and nervously played with her plain white shirt. It was so comfortable… so… unusual for me. She grabbed her suitcase and rolled it up to the door.

"No. That won't work. I'm trying to make you look respectable, hon, not like a whore." Eva closed her eyes, and sighed. "Go take it off." Seras' face fell, and she trudged back into the stall. The cute little pink tank-top and denim skirt flew over the top, and landed next to Eva. She regarded them with disinterest, and waited for Seras. She itched to take a drag on a non-existent cigarette Seras appeared once more, clad in a pair of nicely snug jeans, and a red tee shirt. The shirt had a little white kitty on it. "Whaddya think?"

Eva's fingers twitched, deprived of their usual cigarette to twirl. She sighed. "Those'll do." Seras disappeared again, happier this time. Eva sighed. She herself wore black dress-pants, and a silky red collared shirt. The woman had sunk into a folding chair in the dressing room hallway, elegantly sprawling on it as only she could. Not that she'd ever be caught looking shabby.

Seras emerged again, Black jacket, faded jeans; band shirt- "No."

She rang the doorbell. Her vampiric hearing picked up footsteps, and agitated muttering.

The door opened and half of a face showed behind it. "Who's there?"

Seras hooked her fingers in the door, and pulled it open a tad more. "Hi, I'm Seras. Eva sent-"

At the mention of Eva's name, the door swung open and the older woman beckoned. "Well, come in then. And be quiet. It's late and I don't want to wake the children up."

Seras nodded, and picked up her case. The woman looked back at her. "You didn't bring much, did you?" Seras gulped, and nodded again. "Uh… yeah!" The woman, presumably Sherry, frowned at the exclamation. Seras winced, and quietly followed after her.

The shopping bags lay underneath the table, and the two women faced each other over tea. Seras drank hers slowly, the liquid burning her throat, but not from heat. Eva had grasped the handle of hers, but had not yet lifted it to her lips. The human watched the vampire, expression giving nothing away.

Seras put hers down. "Umm…is there something wrong with your drink?"

Eva released the mug, pushing it out of her way. "No, don't worry about it. I don't care for tea anyway. I think one has to be born British to really like the stuff." Seras' eyes lit up with curiosity. "You're not British? What are you then?" Eva laughed, and then smiled. "That's a story for another day."

Seras blinked unhappily, and sipped at her tea again.

Eva startled her when she spoke. Not the words, but the tone. It sounded like envy, or regret, or curiosity, or fear, or maybe even all of them together. "Isn't drinking that really pointless?" Seras almost dropped her cup. None of that but curiosity made sense. Why would she be envious, or regretful, or fearful?

It took Seras a minute or so to answer, so when Eva spoke again, her mask was up again. It was polished, refined, but still a mask. "Seras?"

Seras jumped, and almost spilled tea all over the table.

"Uh, yeah… it is, I guess. It kinda hurts too… not nearly as much as solid food, but still."

Eva nodded, a few black wavy strands escaping her artful braid. "Good then. You'll be able to keep up a façade of eating. How often do you need blood?" She tapped a slender hand on the table, the other arm hooked around the back of her chair.

Seras put down her cup. "Not very, by my own choice."

The human woman's eyes flicked up to look at the vampire's. "Perfect. One more question. Is there ANY way Hellsing could trace you?"

Seras was just about to give a definite 'no,' when she remembered her Master. . Funny, she almost forgot. She wondered if he was alright… what if? Nonsense. Master could take care of himself. She just hoped he hadn't hurt anybody. Funny she almost forgot. "My… um… ah… Master…" Surprise flickered across Eva's face, but it was soon gone. "He could find me through our connection."

Eva stared off into the distance behind Seras, who remained hunched over her tea. "Is there any way you could hide from him? Block him?"

The blonde shook her head. "No. I'm not strong enough."

Eva focused in on her. "So how do we make you stronger?"

Seras groaned.


A whole week wasted.

She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, suppressing a gasp at the pain. They hadn't let her work for a whole week. They'd probably put her back in a wheelchair, and dote over her again for another couple months. Ridiculous.

When Integra opened her eyes, He was still there. Neither had said a word to the other since they met at her door, yet he still wouldn't leave. He was probably waiting for her to say something. Truthfully, she didn't know what there was to say. He was leaning against the wall, next to the door, his eyes on the floor. It looked like he was deep in thought. Visions of carnage, I'm sure.

Her own vision swam for a second, and she gripped the arm of her chair, waiting for it to pass. This is absolutely UNACCEPTABLE! This wasn't going to beat her. She wouldn't let ANYTHING beat her. ANYTHING.

She was a Hellsing, damnit.

He watched the floor, waiting.

What happens now, Master? Do you even know… Integra?