Matthew awoke and slowly sat up, reaching over to turn off his alarm. That dream… That was night everything changed… The night his life took a damned sharp turn down a path he would've have guessed really existed… Ever since that night it had been hazy. He could pull out vague details, but that was it. But now, it was all an open book.

He pulled his legs in, placing elbows on knees and head in hands. 'Man, I really didn't know what I was getting myself into, did I?' He sighed, and was about to flop back onto his bed when he sensed something. 'Seras… Something's bothering her… I should go see if I can help. I owe her for all the help she's given me.' He hopped up from his bed, checked that his clothes weren't too wrinkled, and slipped into the hallway.

He carefully made his way to Seras's room and knocked on her door. "Come in," came the reply. He pressed against the door and stepped inside. Her room was similar, but better decorated. She'd found some paintings for the walls and had some knick-knacks for her dresser. She also had a four-poster coffin bed. He suppressed his shudder. Seras was lying on her bed and looking towards the door. She smiled as he entered. "I should have known it would be you." She gestured to a chair.

Matthew grabbed it, spun it around, and straddled it backwards. "I figured it was high time I helped you with something. I could tell something was troubling you, so I came over. Figured I could help, or at least distract you with some random blather."

Seras chuckled. "I think I would appreciate some random blather about now."

"Ok," he replied, "I'll start there. First, the whole crisis of faith thing I mentioned. I told you what I think about God. The whole laying out a challenge thing. Well, as a sort of 'why the hell not?' thing, I asked to be able to see a sunset again. Then you go and tell me that I always could and just didn't know it, but in a way that was my answer. Yeah, it's a coincidence, but maybe that's how He works, huh? So, I let that be it, and the crisis was solved. Second, that led to my rut yesterday. Before we headed out, I asked Sir Integra about using e-mail again."

"I know," she commented. "I felt how happy you were when you left her office. It's also why I stopped by, when your mood shifted pretty seriously."

Matthew smiled. "And I appreciate it too, if I haven't said it too many times yet. Well, I'd sent out an e-mail giving some of the details to my father. I knew I could trust him, and Sir Integra didn't shoot me down, so I felt I should tell him what I could. He'd replied, and Akira had sent one too. I read both of them and replied. Dad's told me exactly what I needed to hear from him. But Akira's… She said she wanted to see me again, and to be with me, which helped. But she's been into vampires for as long as I've known her, though in a much more fictional sense. I know she didn't mean to ask me something that would cause a serious mental lockup, but it still did. She suggested my turning her. The very idea…" He shook her head. "I'll talk to her about it. Now that I've gotten some sleep under my belt I'm somewhat past it."

Seras nodded. "I understand. And if you need any help let me know." Matthew was silent, just watching her. She smiled. "I guess it's my turn, huh?" He nodded. "Something you're quite familiar with, actually. Drinking blood." She shuddered. "Seeing Anderson again today really shook me." Considering she'd shrieked, Matthew had guessed that. But in the end, she really couldn't hide it from him at that point. "I can't get myself to drink it. I know I should be taking my own advice. But when I get shook like this, it just feels… wrong…" She trailed off. Apparently it was even worse than that…

Matthew hopped up. He actually already had something of a solution, and if it worked it might help the both of them. "Hang on a sec. I'll be right back." Without waiting for a reply, he scrambled out the door.

He returned a few minutes later holding a bag of medical blood. He grabbed the bag from the bucket on Seras's table and tossed it over to her. She caught it and looked at him. "I'm not sure how you usually drink this stuff, but I'm gonna show you how I did it before. I found it pretty easy, actually." Like before, he bit off the bag's drain tip and downed it like a pouch drink. Tossing the bag into the bucket, he looked back to Seras and said, "Goes down pretty quickly that way. Still gotta find ways to start, but at least that way it's over fast."

She watched him for a moment longer, then slowly copied his actions. Soon, her bag joined his in the bucket. Matthew raised an eyebrow. "Yes, that was better. Thank you."

"If you'd like," he said, "I could stop by every couple days. Make sure we're both drinking this stuff."

"That could work," she admitted, laying back down and giving him a smile.

A few hours later, Matthew's time mostly spent reading a book and trying to relax, the call came in to report to Sir Integra's office. He met Seras at the top of the stairs to the main floor. The briefing was just starting as they arrived. Fargason was speaking to Sir Integra. "From the information gained from the vampires and Iscariot, we have determined the manner of threat we may face."

"Another ancient master vampire," she replied. Probably a guess, but with a lead in like that it made sense.

"Indeed," Fargason replied. "We have sent what information we have gathered to Iscariot and are awaiting their reply. Though I find it very odd that they would use Anderson for their envoy rather than Maxwell…"

Alucard's disembodied voice came from the shadows. "Maxwell probably didn't want to stare down the barrel of my gun again."

Fargason's eyes shifted toward the corner of the room for a moment, then back to Sir Integra. Matthew guessed he was mildly annoyed… or maybe amused… but was trying to ignore Alucard. "While we do need a little more time to determine the best course of action, I do have an idea for what our next mission should be. A data-gathering mission. We may be able to learn more about this threat." He nodded to Seras and Matthew. "For the first part of this, I would like to send Victoria and Jemeth back to the vampire's residence to search for anything which might help our investigation."

Sir Integra considered the plan, then nodded. "Approved." She turned to Matthew and Seras. "Go see Walter for some concealed weaponry. I don't want anyone taking any unnecessary risks with this new threat arising. In the meanwhile, I'll speak with Alucard. If he knows anything, it might be helpful. Dismissed."

"Yes, Sir Integra." Seras saluted and started for the door. Matthew bowed his head and followed.

The two made their way to the armory, where Walter waited patiently for them. "While I'm afraid you cannot take your usual weapons," he said after their usual greeting, "I do have something that will give you some added defense should you need it." From under the table, he produced two conceal carry holsters for wear under a jacket. He passed the smaller one to Seras and the larger on to Matthew. From a case, he produced a pair of pistols. "These are Walther PPKs."

Matthew smiled. "Ah, James Bond guns."

Walter chuckled. "Indeed. These fire 32 caliber silver bullets. Not mercury charge: they are too small for that. There is a magazine already loaded in each. Here are two spares for each of you." He set four magazines on the table. Matthew and Seras each grabbed a pistol and two magazines, sliding them into the appropriate places of the holsters. "Oh, before I forget. Mr. Jemeth, how did the shot shells in you Valkyrie work?"

Matthew lightly bit his lower lip for a moment. "Not so well, I'm afraid. I only got the chance to use one against one vampire, but all it did was slow him down. I'd have to be a pretty close range to take one out, but if enough get close I could probably take out several in one shot. Good for defense. And they'll still work well against ghouls, so I'll keep using them."

"Ah, then I'll not abandon the idea. Good luck Ms. Victoria, Mr. Jemeth."

"Thank you, Walter," Seras replied.

A few minutes later the pair arrived at the Hellsing motorpool, where Seras checked out another sedan for their use. As they approached it, Matthew turned to Seras with a big grin on his face. "Hey, Seras."

She looked a little wary at his sudden change. Matthew was almost bouncing, something she'd never seen him do. "Yes?"

He continued grinning. "Can I drive?"

Still wary, she asked, "CAN you drive?"

He nodded. "Very well. Haven't driven much since I've been in England, though, so I'm a little out of practice. I want to drive before I get too rusty."

She paused for a moment, as if considering the hell she'd get into if he crashed the car. "Well… All right."

It seemed that was enough to satisfy him. Matthew just assumed a more standard smile and approached the right side of the car. At least he remembered it was all backwards in England…

He took to the car quickly, having a feel of how it handled before leaving the headquarters driveway. Remembering to drive on the 'wrong' side of the road, they quickly started across London. As they went, the dream from the night before drifted back to the front of his mind. "I had another dream last night."

Seras looked over at him. "Really? What of?"

"That fateful night a month and a half ago."

Her lips pressed together in concern. "I see…"

"You know, after it happened I could never really remember it all. After this dream, though, I can. Even what I was thinking when it happened." He sighed. "I never really knew what I was getting myself into, did I?"

Seras shook her head. "There was no way you really could know."

After a pause, Matthew spoke again. "Have you ever," he said, "regretted not being allowed to die? Well, I guess technically we are dead so we didn't dodge that one. But still, have you ever regretted your decision to become a vampire?"

"At times, but I've become a little more comfortable with my decision as time went on." She paused. "Are you?"

Matthew shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe. I've always told myself that when my time to die came I'd meet it head on, especially if dying meant protecting those I care about. A month and a half ago: was that my time? Was I meant to die then?" He sighed. "I suppose I'll never know. I'm here, and though the job description has been changed I know who I am, and I'm not going to loose myself to what I've become."

Matthew parked the car near the residence of the previous night's battle and the two started walking up the road. Strangely, there were very few people out that day. It would be a short walk, but the coffee shop was on the way and Matthew wanted some chai. He turned to Seras, determined to talk her into drinking a cup as well, when he sensed something. There was little time to react.

"Move!" He threw himself against Seras, tackling her and moving them both under the cover of an overhanging roof. Behind them, a bullet hit the pavement. It spewed mercury as it hit. "Damn! Not good!" He got up and helped Seras to her feet.

"Come on!" Seras rounded a corner into a nearby alley, then took position to watch where the bullet had come from. She drew her PPK. Matthew follow suit. Now and then, Seras peered around the corner. Suddenly, she aimed and fired three bullets. After a pause, she said, "All clear." The two stepped out of the alley. Matthew saw some ash settling on the ground coming from a window in a multi-story apartment building. "There was only one shooter. My first few looks confirmed that."

"Nice work," Matthew complemented. "And a good shot too."

She looked back, wearing the slight smile. "Thanks. I used to be a cop, you know."

Matthew nodded. "We should probably get out of here, in case whoever sent that guy realizes he failed."

"I agree," Seras replied. "Let's go." She led the way, slipping the PPK back into its holster. They walked quickly, Seras taking the driver's seat of their sedan. Matthew didn't complain. They were well on the way back before either spoke again. Seras looked over for a moment to get his attention. "You know, you've taken to this pretty well." He looked over at her, a look of question on his face. "Well, maybe not the vampire part, but neither have I. But on missions, I can feel a confidence come to you." She made another quick glance over to him. "You've come close to giving me orders."

He looked away with a sheepish expression and a nervous chuckle. "Well… When we're on a mission, everything's clear. We've usually had a specific goal. And if something happens, I've always had a pretty fast reaction time. I had a good idea of how to react, so I did it." Matthew looked back over. "Sorry if I overstepped my bounds."

They were waiting at a light, so she looked back over and smiled. "You haven't, yet, but it's all right. I'm pretty forgiving on that. Just be careful you don't step on the wrong toes."

"Like Sir Integra…"

Seras nodded.