I don't think I have read all of the manga then… I must have missed some! I did not know they were already a couple .. Now I need to re-read! I have always loved reading cute get together fictions and that is what I had planned to do for this one. I'm a bit of a sap… .

The holidays have made it more difficult to write the update. Also I had my birthday and am going to be starting a new job that will be 3 12 hour days instead of 5 days a week. Hoping that means that I will have more time for stuff that I want to do! I worked the holidays because nursing doesn't stop for holidays! However it did give me some ideas for the story.

Also did anyone catch my Raven reference? If you didn't know it… I am a huge Steelers fan, born and raised in Pittsburgh… and I really dislike Ravens…. Hehe

Chapter 7: The Plan

Seras and Pip stood near the corner of the wall by the training area and watched as the troops received their patches and swiftly began to attach them to their uniforms.

"I'm surprised soldiers and mercenaries know how to sew." Seras stated as she watched the progress.

"Mercenaries, if not soldiers, know the value of having certain skills at one's disposal, ma chere. Sewing is useful not only for patch work such as this but when it comes to keeping oneself together as well." He gave her a rougeish wink. "I have several other skills that I could show you if you allowed me."

Seras blushed and looked pointedly at the ground, "I'm sure you do…".

The new commander picked that time to approach the two holding a new patch in his hand. "New orders from the top, need to have these on all the uniforms."

Pip ripped the patch out of his hand and threw it to the ground. "Are you stupid or just plain crazy?"

It took only a brief minute for the realization to strike the commander before he mumbled an apologize and quickly beat an escape back to his live troops.

Seras tried unsuccessfully to hide a chuckle. "I think you may have scared a few years off of his life, and you say that I scare people."

Pip smiled at her, "As I said before, I have many talents". He bent down as if to place a kiss on her lips but instead continued further to pick up the patch. He caught Seras as she unconsciously leant in to return the kiss before she righted herself and pretended that it hadn't happened. He turned it over to examine it, careful to avoid the trigger that would release the silver. "I can't help but think that these would have been useful if we had had them earlier."

"But then you would be gone for real, and I wouldn't have you as my familiar." She pulled the patch from him and placed it in her pocket. "I… I couldn't have dealt with that, not with Master leaving as well. I couldn't lose you…".

Pip ducked behind the wall pulling Seras with him, pressing her into the wall as he captured her lips with his own. He broke away from the kiss when she hadn't responded immediately.

"Ah, sorry ma chere, you were saying such nice things about me that I couldn't help myself!" He grinned at her.

She stammered as she spoke, "It's not that I didn't want… it or like it… I was surprised."

Pip's face relaxed as she spoke, brushing the mussed hair out of her face. "I am glad that I am able to be here with you. As your familiar I have even more time with you. If I were still human I would…"

Seras silenced him as she pulled him in for another kiss. She held him close, "You're not allowed to leave me… You can't."

"Don't worry so much, you're going to be stuck with me for a very long time." He released her only when he heard William clear his throat.

"Sir Integra has requested to see both of you in her office as soon as possible." He turned on his heel before walking back to the house with both Seras and Pip close behind him.

XxXxX

Integra was sitting at her desk as they walked in. "Thank you, William, that will be all for now."

"Of course, Sir," He closed the doors behind him as he exited.

"Sit," she directed them to the chairs in front of her desk. "As you are well aware we are preparing for the altercation with this, as of yet, unknown, group. Our plan heavily utilizes your unique abilities. I expect that you will not disappoint in this." She took a drag on her cigar and ashed it before continuing. "Our plan is to use the upcoming Christmas celebrations to draw them in." She stood up and walked to the board set up in the corner of the room that had blueprints of the building and grounds pined to it. She indicated where areas had been drawn in the hallways and some of the smaller rooms. "Here we will be placing barricades and cover areas. We are expecting to have them enter the building from this point here." She moved and indicated a point on the map on the grounds. "We will hide the majority of our troops in these rooms here, here, and here." She pointed to the areas on the map. "They will be fully equipped and will remain there until our trap has been sprung. The rest of the force will be on the grounds, pretending to be indulging and intoxicated. They will be equipped as best they can be while still appearing to be off duty. Their weapons and other items will be located within grasp and will be hidden in the tents and crates around the area. Captain and Seras, you will be providing reconnaissance on the grounds until first contact is made. Afterward you will join the remaining forces and assist as you see fit. Your main objective will be to locate their leader and take them down. I want them brought to me alive, if possible. They have stirred the hornet's nest and they will pay the price. Any questions?"

"No sir!" They both said in unison.

"Good, I will be having the rest of the troops receive their briefing shortly. I want both of you to start your reconnaissance tomorrow night. We have only a few days before Christmas and I want this mess cleaned up before the first of the year. You are both dismissed."

After they both had exited the room Integra called for William. "Have these plans delivered to the commander of the forces and continue the preparations in the house. Inform him that he should conduct the briefing as soon as possible and to have his troops ready to go at a moments notice."

"Of course, sir". He bowed slightly and left to do as directed.

Integra moved back to her desk, wishing again that she knew where Alucard was. She had relied on him for so long that not having him near her was disconcerting.

XxXxX

Pip and Seras began walking towards her room. The briefing with Integra had taken some time and they both had wanted to see the preparations that were already under way. They had physically visited every area that she had indicated on the blueprints, speaking with the construction teams at work.

"What do you think of the plan?"

"It's a good plan… It depends on forcing the enemy to make the first move, so I wonder how long it will actually take. I think it will work only if we can make a target that is just too good to pass up. But still I expect it to take some time before they bite."

"Do you think that the barricades will hold?"

"I think that having them built before hand will ensure that they stand a bit longer. When we were building them the last time we had to use whatever material we had on hand. Some of them were not very strong. I wish that we had the foresight for these before… it could have saved more of my men. But as they say hindsight is 20/20."

Seras turned to look at him, concern written on her face, "I'm sorry we couldn't save more of your men. I know they meant a lot to you."

"They were mercenaries, they knew that it was part of the job… They knew that there was a chance they wouldn't come out of it alive."

"Sounds like a hard life."

"What of you? You were a cop before this, right? That job also carries some risk with it as well, no?"

"I suppose you are right," She sighed, "it's not something I expected. I mean we know it could happen. But it happened so rarely that I guess I took it for granted that everything would be O.K. Until one day it just wasn't."

"That's when you met your Master, isn't it?"

"He saved me. He killed me first, but he saved me. He gave me a choice."

They had arrived back to her room and she moved to the table where her dinner sat. She sighed as she moved to the chair. Before she could move the chair she found that it had already been moved for her. Behind it stood Pip, gallantly indicating that she should sit.

"My lady, may I present your dinner!"

She tried not to smile and failed miserably. "Pip, I would never think that anyone could make those blood packs seem appetizing. But I think that you have done it."

"Who said anything about the blood?" He gave her a suggestive wink. "Although I would consider myself more of a desert dish, myself. I am sweet, tasty, and go straight to your hips!"

"Pip!" She yelped in response.

"My dear draculina, I told you I would show you my moves. I intend to do so." He bent down and blew on her ear, "Now eat your dinner, no desert if you don't finish every drop."

She gulped and quickly tore open the packs before pouring them into the provided bowel and started to eat.