A/N As promised, a longer-than-usual chapter. Happy now, Jing? Have your stupid story. I'm just celebrating the arrival of summer. And Annie really has this thing with slapping people. She's much more physically expressive of her emotions that her mother ever was.

Enjoy, guys. (pssttt...I reeeeeeaaaallly like reviews...)

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Every night was the same around Hellsing. Or close to it. Perhaps the only thing that was truly the same was Annie's routine. She would sit at her desk, filling out papers, issuing orders. At ten, she would get up for a stretch. By midnight, she had already had a cup of tea. When 2 a.m. rolled around, she would call up for cofee. At two thirty, she would sit for a spell, looking out at the grounds. Then it was back to work. Somewhere between 3 and 4 a.m., she turned in for the night.

This was her routine, such as it was. There she sat, a solitary figure, cloaked in shadow. She never turned on the light unless someone happened to venture in for some reason or another. Instead, she prefered her lighting to be natural. The moonlight would stream through the windows, accentuating her aristocratic features in a soft, pale glow. Under its influence, her eyes turned a bright shade of red. The shadows played across her face as she moved, down her face, neck, chest. She was often compared to Artemis, mythological Goddess of the Moon and Hunting, by those who saw her in such a state. Which was usually only a handful of people, but nevertheless, she was a sight to behold. The night was truly when she was in her element.

This particular night, Annie was a bit out of sorts. It had been two weeks since her discussion with Father Alex. As far as anyone could tell, it played over in her mind. It bothered her. When things bothered her, she grew listless. She shuffled the papers in her hand again, for what had to be the thousandth time. It must have dawned on her how rediculous and pointless holding them was, because she set them down. After taking a long look at her desk and sighing, she stood, shoved her hands in her pockets, and aimlessly walked to the window.

Seth watched her from the shadows. He hated lurking, but it had its benefits. He'd rather feel guilty for lurking then feel awkward because she was aware of his presence. When she didn't know he was there, it made it easier for him to admire her. Openly gazing at her made him rather uncomfortable. Not only that, but (intrinsically, he blushed) his gaze liked lingering on parts that it wasn't, well, socially acceptable to linger on. He felt like a stalker. A perverted stalker.

Thanks, Dad, he thought acidly, I seem to have inherited too much of you for my own good.

After all, if he couldn't hold a real conversation with her, what gave him the right to...look at her?

He reflected on the months that had gone by since she brought him into this world of night. He was becoming accoustomed to his new, strange sleeping habits, although sleeping all day still seemed a bit odd. He wondered if Seras had had the same problem. The two of them had become friends, even support for tough times. Which basically meant she gave him sympathetic looks when he was ordered to do something that forced him to embrace his vampirism. Seras had told him her biggest problem had been bringing herself to drink blood. He grew used to it soon enough. It was the powers he was having a problem with. He could just hear Annie now...Seth, use your "third eye". Seth, change into mist. Seth, read his mind. Seth, rip that ghoul to shreds without hesitation. Couldn't he go back to when he was a kid? It was the exact oppisite back then. Seth, get out of bed, it's nearly 10. Seth, be careful not to break that. Seth, be a perfect little gentleman...

"You can come out, by the way. I know you're there."

He jumped, startled. He'd been caught. Guiltily, he stepped out into view.

Annie stood at the window, arms folded across her chest. She leaned on the wall, supported by her shoulder. Her eyes never left the mansion grounds, but she continued to address him.

" It doesn't matter if you hide. In fact, it's a waste of energy. I can still smell you. I know when you're there and when you aren't. Even my father could never hide from me when he was in the room. And he, my dear Seth, was far more expirienced and gifted than you."

He shifted. "I..I do shower, you know."

Annie rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Moron. I didn't mean you smelled bad. Everyone has their own scent. Hadn't you noticed that yet?"

Seth hadn't noticed. Or at least, he hadn't noticed noticing. Now that he thought about it, the air did seem to be different around different people. It was always the best when Annie was around. There was just something about the fragrance of her presence. It was like freshly baked apple pie and Ice Cream. He paused. Did ice cream even have a scent? Whatever. Even if it didn't, she still reminded him of it. Warm and inviting, but still had a certain aloof coolness that blended in so well you didn't mind. It mingled nicely with the residue scent of her shampoo, a Cinnamon-Vanilla blend. All in all, she ended up making him quite hungry, and usually in more ways than one.

Pushing those thoughts aside, he went to lean against the wall oppisite her. They stood silently, just looking out the window. He looked to the stars. Her eyes were fixed firmly on the ground.

"Don't you two make a lovely pair? Like Greek statues."

Seth turned to see Seras walk in. Annie didn't move at all. He was actually relieved to see Senior Officer Victoria. She broke the silence, and in this case, that was a good thing. A very, very, good thing.

"Did you need something?" Annie didn't seem relieved. If anything, she seemed annoyed to be pulled out of whatever reverie she was in.

Seras shrugged. "Actually, I was just coming to see if there was anything you needed me for. See, I was going to take a walk but..."

"Go ahead. There's nothing happening tonight."

"I'll go with you," Seth interjected.

"Uumm...actually, Seth, I, uh, I was kind of planning on going alone. Well, not really alone, but kind of. Its a long story."

"But its safer when--"

"Seth, she's a vampire. And a much more expirienced one than you. Do you honestly believe she needs protection? Let her go alone." Annie didn't move a muscle. She simply stood there, uninterested in the topic but eager to end it with a clipped remark.

Seras looked gratefully at Annie, then apologetically at Seth. "Sorry. Next time, maybe?"

Seth looked at the ground sheepishly. "Sure."

Annie rolled her eyes. "Is there anywhere in particular you were planning on going?"

"Just around London. Close enough that if you need me, you know how to call." She took Annie's silence for acknowledgement, and turned to leave, before pausing. "Sorry Seth. I'll see you later, alright?"

He nodded glumly. She gave him a small smile and left the office. Suddenly, a thought occured to him.

"Hey...what did she mean by that? That you 'knew how to call'? I didn't see a phone anywhere on her.."

"Since I was little, and infant even, I've been able to touch others' minds...take and leave images. It was more primative back then; now I can leave messages and impressions, too. I can 'talk' to her. Maybe someday you'll learn how, but that remains to be seen. "

"Oh..." He trailed off. There was something else, something nagging at him...what else had she said? He wished he had gone along with her because then he could ask--That was it! The thing about not really going alone!

"Hey, Hellsing?" That's what he called her most of the time. While privately, he still thought of her as Annie, he addressed her as "Hellsing." Sir Hellsing was her mom's title, as far as he was concerned.

"Hmm?" She had gone back to her grounds-gazing. He wondered what was so captivating, but that could wait for another time. Or at least until after he had asked about this.

"She said something about going alone but not really?"

"Mmmhmm."

"How is that possible?"

Annie remained silent for a few moments. He could see she was trying to think of a way to put it. Her eyes gave it away.

"Seras isn't..the only one in her body. That's the whole point of her taking these walks. Sometimes she needs to go sort it out. Its kind of like taking a walk with your sweetheart, only you can't hold their hand." She laughed bitterly. "Not that I'd know anything about taking a walk with a sweetheart. I only ever had one, and he ran off like a scared rabbit when he found out what I was."

Seth cleared his throat, discomfort written on his face. "Uh, Hellsing..."

"Yes, Seth, I'm well aware that I'm saying this out loud in front of you. You need to hear it. I don't care if it hurts your feelings. Do you know how much it hurt my feelings? Do you even care?" Anger was seeping into her voice. "Do you have any idea how long I waited to hear from you? You didn't even send me a card. Not a single one. I didn't expect any presents, but hey, is it so hard to wish someone a happy birthday?"

"I'm sorry," He mumbled.

"Sorry," she spat the word out. "Sorry doesn't uncry tears. It doesn't mend broken hearts. Yea, you're here now, but what would have happened if those vampires had never attacked your house? Would you still be saying you were sorry? Would you even be talking to me? How long would it have taken before you finally came to see me, or at least let me know you didn't hate me? Ten years? Twenty? Never?"

"I don't know. I was a stupid kid, I didn't know--"

"Didn't know? Didn't know what? That after making a girl feel special, just up and leaving, without a word or an appearance for four freaking years would hurt her feelings? Didn't know that, Seth? Or maybe, you didn't know that one day you'd end up working for her, so you didn't know to be nice?"

"No, thats--"

"Oh, I know. You didn't know that common curtosy dictates that you at least show your face at places where I may be present."

"Annie, will you let me talk?"

"Oh, now you want to talk? Hmmm, seems you didn't have a lot to say up until a few months ago, and now you seem to have so much to say to me. How interesting."

"For the love of--" He muttered to himself. "Could you quit it? I already feel bad enough, alright? You don't need to remind me that I was being a jerk. I know that. You don't have to rub it in."

"Oh, ever so repentant and honest. Are you really just a misunderstood angel? Should I start polishing your halo?"

Something finally snapped. "You're one to talk! You always strut around like God's gift to humanity, when really, you're nothing but an immature little girl!' He yelled. " Its always about Anessa. Nothing matters as long as Anessa is happy. Anessa is so perfect that its a suprised she doesn't just get taken up into heaven right now! By the way, did anyone bother to tell you that proper ladies don't walk around with their shirts unbuttoned halfway down? But thats part of your little ploy, isn't it? Get every guy in the vicinity staring at your breasts so that you can completely dominate them! I'm not an idiot, Hellsing! I know how much of a control freak you are! You find out everyone's weak spots and then exploit them, just because you can! You wonder why you have no friends? Its because no one dares get that close to you! Keep it up, and everyone's going to hate you, just like they did your mom! Did it ever occur to you that other people mattered, too? Maybe I wanted to make it up to you! But that really doesn't matter to you, does it, because Anessa seems to be the only one with feelings. Before you start harping on people about how unperfect they are, take a look in a mirror. You're a broken mess, just like the rest of us. The difference is, the rest of us accept it and move on. You're stuck trying to be perfect, and trying to make us think you are." He stood, shaking with rage. unconciously, he had clenched his hands.

Annie stood there with a look of utter hatred on her face. Slowly, she walked towards him. On one hand, she always wore a ring. It was gold, with a garnet set in it; a birthstone ring. She raised that hand. In one quick, fluid movement, she smacked him as hard as she could across the face- backhanded. The force jerked Seth's head sideways.

He brought one of his own hands up to his face, and touched the blood that trickled down. He met Annie's eyes, filled with rage. if she couldn't face the truth, so be it.

He didn't need her.

0o0

Annie left her office abruptly. She stormed out into the hall and up to her room. Who did he think he was? She was the head of Hellsing, a no-life princess, and the king's personal consultant. Never had she been talked to in such a way, and never so offensively. She seethed with hatred.

Thats how he felt, was it? Then he obviously never wanted to make anything up to her in the first place. Fine. She had gotten along fine without him before, she could do it again.

He didn't matter at all. She would ignore his very existance.