Illness

by: Alucard's Bane

Disclaimer- I do not own the fat chubby cuteness that is Kouta Hirano...I could just pinch his wittle cheeks!

Hi all, and welcome to chapter 9, where Alucard is acting even weirder and Integral is dead to the world...sort of...I'm so glad that you all like it, and once again, I'm sorry if the characterization is off.

Chapter 9

Alucard's red eyes snapped open at the feel of someone's rather cold hand on his face. He shifted his gaze around the room until it settled on a blonde woman sitting next to him. "Seras?"

"Oh!" the cool hand jerked away from his forehead and he released a tiny groan of displeasure. "You're awake!" he felt her brush his hair from his eyes, and once again the hand rested on his forehead.

"Where is Master?"

"She's upstairs, napping..." she placed her hands on either side of Alucard's broad shoulders and shoved him back down into his coffin. "She's taking a break, and I'm watching you until she wakes up."

"Oh, I see." he let out a small sigh and complied when Seras shoved him down into the satin lining. "...is it raining, Seras?"

Seras looked at her master quizzically for a moment before she realized that he probably couldn't tell what was going on in the manor while he was like this. "Yes, it just started a few minutes ago,"

"I thought so," he muttered quietly as he shifted his position in his bed. "If it is, Integral won't wake up until it stops."

"Oh, has she always been like that?" she was trying to make light conversation to keep Alucard from falling back asleep. She didn't want him to go to sleep...he might not wake up, and she didn't want that.

"Yes," he grunted. "She would always sit in the library and doze while it was raining..." he turned his gaze from the ceiling to her. "Why are you suddenly so interested in Integral's sleeping habits?"

"Erm...no reason, Master." she dipped a washcloth into the basin of water she had refilled earlier and began to wash his face, which in turn was eliciting what sounded like purrs from the elder vampire. He unconsciously leaned into Seras's hand as she was washing his face. "Does that feel nice, Master?"

"Yes, Seras," he purred. "Yes it does..."

Seras sighed as she removed the cloth from his face and dipped it back into the basin, her mind drifted as she again began to wash Alucard's face and he, again, began to purr. "Mm...Imi este somn.." his eyelids started to droop as she rubbed the cool cloth against his face.

"Master!" Seras stopped what she was doing, had he just talked to her in Romanian? What had he said? "W-what did you say?"

"I'm sleepy...police girl..." she stiffened as she heard her old nickname come over his lips, he must have been tired if he was calling her that. The last time he had called her that was when Pip was still alive.

"All right then, Master. If you're tired," she caressed his forehead. "Go to sleep, then." she didn't receive as response as Alucard had all ready drifted far into la la land.

break-

"Vlad," someone was shaking the young boy on the shoulder, he swatted the hand away as he grunted and rolled over in his sleep. "Vlad, trezese-te..." the shaking became more violent "Trezese-te!"

"Mama..." the boy rolled over on to his back and sat up, rubbing his eyes. "What is it?"

The black haired woman standing beside the bed had a look of absolute dread on her face. "Hurry, my son...you must get out of bed, now..."

"De ce?" the young boy pulled his bedclothes back and stood in front of his mother while she hurried and dressed him.

"The Turks have come today..." the woman suddenly looked up at the face of her ten year old son, which was contorted in rage.

"De ce? Why do they have to come and take us away from tata?" Vlad stamped his foot on the floor. "I will not go!"

"But, Vlad, my son, we must if we are to protect the people."

"We can protect the people by other means, mother!" the young boy looked at the woman stood in front of him. "We can wage war against them, mother!" he shouted.

"Shh, no, Vlad, we mustn't do that...War would most certainly mean our end...no, your father will not risk opening war with the Turks..."

"The people mother! I have seen them! They hate living under the Turks's thumbs! They hate the Turks as much as I do! They will fight for their king if he only but calls them!"

"That is why, my son, your father will not risk it...it would mean certain death for them." Vlad's mother took him by the shoulders and looked at him with pleading eyes. "Please Vlad, understand."

"I understand." the boy snapped, pulling his mother's hands from him. "I understand that all of you are worthless cowards!" realizing what he had just said, he turned his hazel gaze upon his mother. She was staring at him, he looked for rage in her chocolate orbs, but he could not find any. All he could see was hurt. "No," he started as the woman turned and started for the doorway. He knew what would happen now...the boy didn't know how he knew, but he knew that his mother would never come back for him, not matter how much he cried for her to.

break-

"Don't leave, mama! Don't go! I'm sorry! NO! Please! MAMA!" Alucard shot up in his coffin, crimson tears streaming from his face as his body shook from the nightmare. Seras was curled up on the floor next to the coffin, apparently no one had heard his outburst. He lifted himself out of the coffin, stepped over his slumbering fledgling, and moved towards the door. He would just go out on the roof for a little while until he stopped crying, and then perhaps he would take a short walk to stretch his legs.

Hopefully, he wouldn't run into anyone on the way up there. His powers had become rather weak since he had become ill and he couldn't teleport anymore. Since when had he had a dream like that? Since he came back from Rio?

He didn't notice Integral as she opened the door to her room and stepped out of it. He didn't notice the odd look that passed over her face when she saw him walk by, and he didn't notice her start to follow him up the stairs and onto the roof.

He sighed as the cool night air collided with his face, it had been a long time since he had been out here. A little bit too long. He walked over to his usual sitting place and sat down, crossing his legs under him. He set his hands under his chin and looked out at the gleaming lights of London.

Integral silently watched him from the doorway that led to the roof. What on earth was he doing up here? He was supposed to be in bed. She saw something scarlet trickle down his cheek and she felt a funny twinge in her stomach. Was he crying? She let her curiosity get the better of her as she slipped out the door and closed it quietly behind her. She walked quietly, but yet cautiously over to his chosen spot.

"How long have you been here?"

She froze. When had he...? "Not long..." he quickly wiped his face with his glove and grunted. She took it as an invitation to sit, so she did. "Why are you up here?"

"No reason..." he answered. "I'm just...thinking..."

"I see," she answered, and took a look at the glove he had wiped his face with. It was stained red. So, he had been crying. She pretended not to pay it any attention and instead joined him in gazing at the lights of London.

The long silence was finally broken by Alucard. "It's a lovely evening, don't you agree?"

"Alucard," Integral shifted her gaze on him. "Every evening for you is lovely..." she turned back to London and inhaled deeply. "But, yes, I suppose it is..."

"Seras told me that it was raining earlier, was it?"

"Yes, it had just started when I came from having a bath...I had just woken up when you walked by..."

"I see." he shifted one leg out from under him and let it hang over the edge of the roof. "So, you just decided to sate your curiosity and you followed me..."

"Yes," Integral replied somewhat sheepishly, her cheeks tinging pink. A low chuckle started to come from Alucard and soon it was quickly becoming laughter as Integral's lips curled into a smile. His laughter was infectious and she soon found herself laughing with him. "W-What's so funny?"

"Y-You," he stuttered between guffaws. "You...you were embarrassed..." he stopped laughing long enough to see some semblance of anger pass over her face, but it was quickly gone and was replaced by her smile. It wasn't long before both of them cracked up again and were laughing on the roof like madmen.

Alucard's dream was suddenly forgotten as both he and Integral sat on the roof, reminiscing about the mischief they got into when she was a child. Integral was smiling at him as he recounted the time about a cookie jar and hot fudge, when he suddenly stopped and stared at her. "What?"

"I haven't seen you smile in a long time, Integral."

Integral's smile faded and was replaced by a red-ish tinge on her cheeks. "I.."

"No, don't stop...I like it when you smile." he watched as her lips curled back into the smile she had been wearing for the past hour. "That's better." he ran a long finger down her cheek, her eyes widening and her cheeks flushing as he did so.

"A-Alucard..."

"I have to go now, Master. After all, I need my rest and I am quite tired..." he smiled at her as he reached down to take her hand. She took it and he lifted her to her feet. He pressed a kiss on her forehead and whispered "Thank you," as he began to walk towards the door and slipped out of sight, leaving a bewildered Integral behind.

TBC...

YAY! THIS CHAPTER IS A LONG ONE! YAY! Thank you to all who read this and review, and thanks to all that read and don't review. I'm so glad that you all like it! FF7:AC comes out on the 13th and even though it will be subtitled, I'm still going to buy it! Until chapter 10!

Imi este somn I'm sleepy

De ce? why?

Trezese-te Wake up

Also, sorry if some of Alucard's past doesn't click with the history books...haha...I'm not a history buff...