Illness

by: Alucard's Bane

Disclaimer- I don own Hellsing.

AN: HI! Chapter two! and thanks to Dark Angel for the romanian!

Integral sighed as she flipped through a large leatherbound book, she suddenly threw the book down onto the floor in anger. Nothing! Not a syllable about Alucard's condition! Coming to the library had been a complete waste of her time. She sighed again and pulled herself out of the overstuffed red-velvet chair, maybe Walter might know something. She smiled silently to herself. And maybe he'll have some of those raspberry biscuits I love so much.

break-

Integral made her way down to the first floor, past the dining hall for the soilders, past her dining room, past the pantry, and stopped short of the swinging doors that led to the kitchens. The smells coming from that room were simply intoxicating and her stomach let out a low rumble. Her cheeks tinged. Has it really been that long since I have eaten? Her stomach let out another rumble as she remembered she had been so absorbed with Alucard's predicament that she has skipped breakfast and lunch. She walked into the kitchen and was happy to see that Walter was sitting at the counter, having a snack. "Walter," she said, rather quietly. "There you are."

Walter placed his bloodbag down on the table and smiled, Integral smiled back at him. It was so nice to have him back with her again. "Ah, yes, Integral. What is it?" Integral sat down on one of the stools, and Walter placed his hand on hers. "It's about Alucard, isn't it?" she nodded.

"Yes," she looked up at him, a concerned look on her face. "What do you think is wrong with him, Walter? I've never seen him ill before, I didn't even know that vampires could get ill. What if he dies? What if..." her eyes widened with her next thought. "What if he is dying!"

Walter gently squeezed Integral's hand. "Now, now, Integral. It's not as bad as him dying." he got up from his sitting position and walked over to a tea kettle sitting on the stove. He took a teacup out of the cabinet above his head and filled it with the warm brown liquid from the pot. "Here," he smiled warmly as he set the tea in front of Integral. "Drink it, it's chamomeille." he placed a spoonfull of sugar into the cup as his wires flicked around the kitchen and returned back to him with a box of raspberry tarts.

"You are a mind reader, Walter." she sighed as she sipped the tea and took a bite of the biscuit he sat in front of her.

"A recently acquired habit, I'm afraid." he smiled as Integral nearly choked on her tea. "Now, now, don't get tickled or I will have to clean up your mess..." he adjusted his monocle.

"Yes, Walter." she chuckled and continued to drink the tea.

break-

Integral sat at her desk, her chair turned towards the windows, paperwork lying long forgotten on the oaken surface. It's nearly sunset. she thought. Many things were running through her mind, and even though Walter had been bringing her tea every hour on the hour, it brought no relief to her buzzing nerves. Her head dropped against her shoulder as the days events began to take their toll on her.

But even sleep didn't stop the nagging worry at the back of her mind. Her dreams were filled with images of Alucard being impaled, of him dying as her father had, and of her, being completely helpless to stop it. She suddenly snapped awake, having that nauseating feeling in her stomach when something was off. She looked out the windows to the sky, it was dark...she leapt out of her chair.

The double doors to Integral's office flew open, and Integral's head whipped over in that direction. Alucard was standing in the doorway, his hair more tousled than usual, and his eyes burning with fever. His clothing was in utter disarray, and as he moved towards her, she remained behind her desk afraid that if she moved, her legs would go out from under her. "Master," he muttered weakly. He walked over to her and began to nuzzle her jawbone and she stiffined.

"Alucard!" she snapped as he placed his hands on her arms, locking them to her sides. "What is the meaning of this! Stop this instant, servant!" her skin goosepimpled as he continued to sniff her, nuzzle her, and even nip at her jawbone. "ALUCARD!" she snapped again. "RELEASE ME THIS INSTANT! THAT'S AN ORDER!" she stumbled back as Alucard released her from his death grip and she landed rather harshly on her bum. She stood up and brushed his hair out of his eyes, he was staring back at her with full recognition. Her order must have snapped him back to reality. "Alucard?" she placed her hand on his cheek, his eyes softened somewhat as if he enjoyed her cool hand on his face. "Do you feel all right?"

He nodded. "I'm all right." he removed her hand from his face. "Are there any missions tonight?" he turned to look out the windows Integral had been so intently watching before. "There should be..." his eyes got a distant look to them. "The moon is red tonight." he looked at Integral, his eyes were still blazing with fever. "Tell me Master..." he walked towards her again and whispered in her ear. "Tell me your orders..."

"Your orders are to go back to your chambers and rest, Alucard," she glared at him icily as she shoved him away. "You are in no condition to fight tonight." she added quickly. "Even if their were any missions..."

"But," he began. "I feel fine, it's just a blasted fever! What could possibly go wrong!"

"Everything," she snapped. "You could mistake one of our men for the enemy, you could miss the target, your accuracy could be down, and..." You could get hurt. "No, I will not risk my men because I let you go out onto the field knowing full well that you are sick." I don't want you out of my sight. "Now obey my orders and go back to your quarters. I will come down in a little while to check on you." Please, Alucard...

"Yes," he glared at her. "I will do as my master wishes, only because I am forced to do so," and with those words, he disappeared. Integral sighed and threw herself down into her chair.

"What I go through for that vampire..."

TBC...

Ah, there's chapter two for all of those who couldn't wait pokes darkangelallways and I hope the paragraphs are fixed now, wankydoodle. And as always, thanks to everyone that reviewed...to quote SuccubusJ 'Reveiws are like cookies! munch, munch Mmm...cookies' Ah, I hope that everyone realizes that this will be AxI and that Alucard will become somewhat OOC in later chapters because of the fever. I appreciate each and everyone of you that read me!