Chapter 15 There's No Place Like Home

Amy helped the redhead over to the sort of swing under the platform then directed Pip to a bedroom to lay the still unconscious Doc down. Annabel began talking to the Tardis.

"Hello again. Been awhile. I understand now what happened before. Probably couldn't help yourself, stranding me in Egypt. You did kinda save me though, protecting me from those two incubi in Rome." She reached out a hand toward the glowing green pillar even though it was too far to reach. "Did anyone ever tell you that you have a warm feel to you? It's very comforting." The hum of the Tardis grew louder for a moment. "Yes, people should definitely say that more often because it true." It hummed again. "I'm a complete mess inside and out…"

Pip and Amy popped back out into the main room to hear Annabel talking aloud to the ship. Both shared a look of 'has this woman officially gone nuts' on their faces.

Annabel giggled slightly. "… I half expected him to trip over that overlong scarf…he did that many times?" She giggled some more.

"Annabel, what are you doing?" Pip asked with an Amy trailing behind him down the stairs.

"Talking to the time vortex. I can sort of hear her in my head. You know once you get past the gruff engine sounds she's really quite sweet."

The Scottish woman offered a hand. "I'll take your word for it. I think the Doc's going to be out for a while and only he knows how to pilot this thing. There's a sort of bathroom and a large wardrobe. Would you like to clean up?"

"Hot damn yes!" Grabbing for the arm. "Oh, talk to you later Tardis, maybe," then hobbled with Amy to another room.

With considerable help Annabel used the elaborate looking sonic shower getting sparkling clean. Amy sifted through the massive closet to find something for her to wear besides the dingy medical gown that was less than dignified for her backside. Annabel turned out wearing a sky blue blouse with frilly short sleeves and a frilly neckline that exposed her collarbones paired with a seventies bell-bottomed cut slacks in blue. She refused shoes and used a brown belt to hold up the pants. Amy had second thoughts on having her wear the revealing shirt showing her obvious under nutrition, but Annabel didn't mind as it was comfortable and complimented her bright blue eyes. Amy retrieved something edible from the food stores for all those awake. The redhead got something like a fruit smoothie that tasted like berries on a protein binge.

Annabel sat on one of the tan seats on the platform, Pip was in the other and Amy occupied herself on the swing. It was at this time that Pip explained everything that happened in her 'apparent' absence. A variety of emotions crossed her face during this, mostly shock, horror, anger, and worry. She didn't speak until he was finished.

There were so many things she wanted to scream out: the fact that there was a double, the poisoning of Seras, the treatment of Deatrice, the interaction with her Red, the Captain's accident, the double's lying to Integra, the worry that the double could harm someone else she cared about, and the fact that they all think she was the real McCoy.

Amy jumped at the appearance of blue flames on Annabel's head and shoulders through the clear platform floor. The one and only Phoenix let out a mighty, long-winded scream of frustration and fury that bounced off the walls. Pip had to clamp hands over his ears lest he go deaf. Annabel gasped for air afterwords, slumping in the seat. She didn't say anything for the next twenty minutes or so.

'That bitch is gonna get what's coming to her! No one pretends to be me except me! I hope we can get back there in time. I would think the Doc would have woken up with the sound I made. I hope he's alright.' She stared down at her long-ish nails. They were shorter than she expected them to be for someone comatose for eight months. 'They starved me, but gave me a manicure?' One hand moved around to her back to feel the slight raised ridges of Alucard's name on her back. She never thought she would be so glad to feel it there. She missed him so much she nearly broke down in tears. 'Not yet,' she told herself, 'the day's not over yet.'

It was then she sensed something she failed to notice until now. There was something off about the Captain, his presence tingled her spine softly. His aura felt larger than before; too large for a normal human. She watched him in her peripherals for many minutes. 'My god, is this unnatural presence growing? Its still Pip, I know that, it's just more of him.' Her mind turned to the wound on his shoulder. He refused to comment about it. Then it hit her. 'The werewolves. He must have been bitten by a werewolf! The vibe he's throwing off kinda feels like one of those werewolves, and he hauled me and the Doctor around with a supposed weak leg.' Annabel smiled to herself and watched him scratch at his patch for the third time. 'stubborn man.'

Annabel stood up and walked over to Pip using the metal railing for support.

Pip stared up at her. "What is eet?"

Annabel reached out and ripped the leather patch off his face. "Ah ha! I knew it! Your eye grew back! And I bet that arm is healed too." Amy bounded up the stairs to see for herself. Pip pawed at his face blinking both eyes. He knew something was going on but didn't realize his left eye had fully regenerated. "So… when were you going to let the cat out of the bag… or should I say wolf?" She panted a bit from the effort of staying upright and of walking over to him.

"I wasn't really holding eet from you. I'm just a bit overwhelmed at what's happening to me. I could become incredibly dangerous."

She could understand that, however she gave him a grand smile. "You know you worry too much, Pip." Both green-brown eyes stared at her in disbelief. "Red told me a bit about werewolves. Most of them do not become mindless beasts that kill without distinction. Sure there's an increased urge to hunt and munch on raw meat, but a lycan retains their intelligence and cunning whether you are in wolf or human form. However, I should tell you the first transformation could be quite painful, at least that's what Red told me."

"Can zee transformation be controlled?" Pip asked.

"The stronger ones, I think, can control it after a time." Annabel turned around to get back to her seat. Her legs were outright killing her. Halfway there her legs buckled, but before her butt could touch a solid surface the Frenchman caught her and placed her back in the seat. "Good reflexes. You know your new condition might actually solve a problem." She mused happily to herself.

"What problem?" Pip asked. Annabel only smiled bigger. "When is zhis first beastly change going to happen?"

"That I have no idea. I only know it's not instantaneous with a bite." Then she added jokingly "Maybe you could go back to the complex and ask one of your furry cousins about it!" She giggled at the crude look he gave her. He went back to his seat and huffed. She couldn't help herself. "Deatrice will finally have a pet! And, Seras can take you for moonlight walks"

A hand covered his eyes. "Mon dieu, make her stop."

Amy joined in with a few giggles of her own. "Your girlfriend just might have to take you in to get neutered."

Annabel full out snorted into laughter at that with tears glistening in the corners of her eyes.

He shook his head pitifully. "Qu'ai-je fait pour mériter cela?*"

(*What have I done to deserve this?)

The pair of women settled down.

Annabel grew serious. "I know this is a time machine but don't ya think we should get the ball rolling? Seras is still sick and my double needs to be dealt with."

Amy crossed her arms while she leaned on the control center. "I could try to rouse the Doctor again, but he's got a serious bump on his head, two in fact. I don't know enough about flying his blue box I could wind up on the blimey sun for all I know."

"Maybe I can talk to her again." Annabel pushed herself off the seat again to simi-launch at the hexagonal hub of the ship. She grasped at the edge to hold herself up.

'That woman doesn't stay still for a sec.' Amy puckered her lips at the thought. 'Mind me, she's been immobile for months; could be making up for lost time.'

"Hello Tardis," she started off again. "I was wondering, could you fly off somewhere on your own, on purpose… No?… Could you… oh, takes years… I'm not even asking through time just… I'm not overextending myself… alright maybe a little, but you do understand my urgency… I guess he's always in hurry too… wait a minute… that's his real name? It's so beautiful… no, won't tell a soul… Hey! You're distracting me…"

Amy leaned in to whisper to Pip. "I think your friend's gone daffy."

"No, zee machine's sound is changing in pitch with her conversation. Eets two sided. Eets strange zhis acute sense of hearing. I couldn't even hear zee engine when I entered here."

Amy shrugged her shoulders.

"…So you won't move an inch? Alright at least make sure to get back to London in time when the Doctor gets ya going then… Can ya play music then?" Annabel smiled when hidden speakers blasted to life with rock and roll.

Amy's jaw dropped dumbstruck. "How did you do that? You just asked and it happened. Dang, you got some leverage."

Annabel lowered herself to the glassy surface, laid on her back, and let her arms swing to the music. "I suppose. Something to do with having an old soul she tells me." She replied then hummed to The Last DJ.

00000000 April 7 2009

Once in the kitchen Alucard divested the fridge of blood sucking empty each blood pack in mechanical fashion. Integra watched as clothing mended and her servants overall posture improved. Absently she waited for the mark across his neck, left ear to reform, and obscene cut upon his face to disappear. To Integra's puzzlement the blemishes on his perfect face did not go away. She realized they were in fact scars. 'How could Annabel have done that to him, leaving a permanent reminder of her betrayal?' Then she thought of her cousin David. She had done something similar to him, although he deserved it. As mean as her servant was did he deserve such from the one he likely loved? Integra didn't think so. 'What exactly had set her off like that? And why did she not resurrect from the ashes? Could have the Sekhmet cult have diminished her so much that she had not enough life force left to resurrect? They do seem to drain life.' She pulled out a cigar and lit it. Plumes of nicotine smoke drifted to the ceiling. 'Oh god, the little girl, she's going to be heart broken. I've lost a good agent… and a friend. Damn it!'

"Are there any other orders, my Master?" Alucard stared off next to Integra at nothing. Those red eyes normally gleaming with mischief, hunger, and power were empty of any kind of life save a dark pain dwelling inside. His voice too lacked any sort of emotion like the typical eagerness, scorn, or anger that typically accompanied it. That worried the Hellsing heir.

"I have none more tonight, Alucard."

He nodded then walked off out the door instead of teleporting wherever.

000

Alucard made the long walk down to his chambers ignoring the Bug as she tugged on his coat briefly. Detecting the hint of her Auntie's magic and the elder median's black mood she scampered off. The first thing he did when he entered his abode was to grab the lone throne chair and threw it into the far wall. With a crash it splintered into a hundred chunks of black kindling. The small table was next, exploding to bits and collecting right next to the former throne. Two glass goblets and a candle stick went with it as the elder vampire didn't bother to remove the items off the furniture's surface. The large bed was next using his shadows to burrow between wood planks, through nail holes, and twisting around mattress springs to pull the entire bed apart at once. For an instant breaking timber and ripping fabric joined in the chorus of his tormented being. The only thing left now was his beloved coffin. Should he tear that apart too knowing by doing so could irreparably weaken him to the point of making him completely useless to Sir Integra? Nothing yet lessened the damnable ache inside his chest. The feeling of weakness already consumed him. It probably wouldn't matter either way.

He slumped collapsing on his back on top of the cold black resting place. Annabel's death by his own hand was ten times worse then by that priest's blade, and she didn't come back. Deranged or not, he wanted her back, needed her back. Hell, when had he become such a dependent fool? Arms went limp over the sides to touch the cold stone floor. She promised to come back to him. She didn't. It was those foul incubi that turned her this way, turned her against him, her mate, and forcing his hand to shoot her dead in his Master's office. The last couple weeks he scouted all over the British island for a sign of any of those creeps. Not a single one he sighted until one of them purposely showed himself literally at Hellsing's front door. How was he to exact revenge when he could not find a single one of those bastards? So instead he tore at his own meager things and himself.

Who cared if he continued on with perpetual scars on his face and form? Not him. The demented Spaz certainly didn't. What was the point of looking his best when he was simply a tool to be used now and no more a lover?

Blood dripped freely onto the coffin lid and raven hair of its own accord. Alucard didn't care that it happened now. Monsters don't cry.

00000000 Somewhere between here and there at whatever time.

After an unplanned nap on the floor Annabel spied the Doc sitting on one of the bucket chairs sipping tea. There was a black jacket cushioning her head. Pip probably put it there earlier. She sat up with some struggle then rubbed her head.

He smiled down at her. "I find the engine hum very soothing. I think you did too."

"She lulled me to sleep?"

"Hm, I bet she felt you needed it. Anyhow, I found a pair of crutches for you to use if you like. Free of charge." The Doctor motioned at the two aluminum blue walking sticks leaning against the control center.

"Thanks," She said pulling herself up then wobbling over to grab the crutches.

"You like doing things yourself." He observed.

"Yep! Where's the Captain and your friend?"

"Washing up I think. What has me curious is your ability to speak to my ship. Old soul is all that Amy mentioned. Just how old are you?"

"You shouldn't ask a woman her age." She teased. "Physically I'm twenty-five. However, according to a high source, I'm spiritually four thousand years old."

"Hm, born during the first civilization of humans. You're the truth behind the circumventing phoenix myth."

She clicked her tongue. "Yep."

"Its not often I meet someone older than myself."

"A bit over nine hundred; that's still impressive." He looked at her wondering. "Oh, your ship told me. She told me quite a number of things actually. Your secret is safe with me Doc." She flicked his nose then went to sit in the other seat.

Whatever secret it may be he left it alone, instead he prodded for different knowledge. "I understand there are a few vampires residing at the Hellsing Manor."

"Yes."

"Real ones? Drink blood, avoid sunlight, no reflection, stakes through the heart, vampires?" eagerness shone in his eyes.

"Yes, yes, yes, depends on the mirror, and generally yes. My Alucard is a true nosferatu where as Seras is his fledgling. You can meet them if you like just don't be too nosy with Big Red or he might eat you." She smiled briefly before it turned into a sad frown. A lost look appeared in her eyes.

Amy popped out of one of the curved archways then Pip out of another a few minutes later. Arms crossed his chest and he looked downright uncomfortable in his skin.

"Alright!" The Doctor jumped up. "Let's get this show on the road!"

000000 April 8 2009

Walter dusted the tenth coat of armor on the first floor trying to keep himself distracted of the recent loss of Miss Phoenix. It certainly hit hard on the tiny draculina. She didn't calm herself out of crying until an hour after sunrise. Annabel's actions against Sir Integra did put some validity towards the Captain's claims and just a tiny bit of wishful thinking that he's right; that he'll return with the genuine article. He placed the redhead's ashes in nice and proper urn and that in a secure room near the medical ward just in case she should resurrect at a later time. It was doubtful though.

The old butler saw black, white, and gray approach him at the corner of his eye. "Mr. Alucard, could you not sleep? The sun's barely past its zenith." He didn't respond. 'I guess he's not up for talking, quite understandable.' He thought and turned his head away fully to wipe a speck off the helmet.

Moments later two lanky arms lazily wrapped around the old retainer then tugged his old frame to a well muscled one. Alucard leaned in and whispered. "What are you up to my delicious Spaz?"

'Oh… bullocks.' Walter stiffened in alarm. "Alucard, I'm Walter, the Angel of death, not Miss Phoenix."

The vampire didn't seem to hear and proceeded to rubbed fingers over his pectoral region. Walter jerked his head back to see red eyes drooped and unseeing and faint red stains behind pale cheeks. The old retainer knew that if he struggled it would only make matters worse, so he added a sterner voice in the hopes of dislodging Alucard's delusion. "I'm Walter Dornez and I will not be mistaken as a woman! Unhand me at once!"

He responded with "You are too tasty to let go" in half mumbled fashion and walked one hand downwards on Walter's dress shirt.

"Wake up, damn you!" He screamed.

Alucard latched his mouth onto Walter's neck about to bite when a bullet careened through Alucard's skull knocking him away several feet onto the floor.

Integra lowered the pistol she had borrowed from the armory. "ALUCARD, GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF!"

Coherency and wakefulness returned to the elder median. He stared with shock at what he had done to Walter, nearly molesting the poor butler. 'How could I have mistaken the old man for Annabel?' He stood, said "Forgive me old friend," then turned away back to the basement presumably.

Integra and a ruffled Walter shared worried looks. Integra took a mental note that if her servant did something like that again she may have to lock him up in the old cell for an indeterminate amount the time. Can't have a dangerously unstable and morbidly depressed vampire reeking havoc on her personnel like that.

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It was an hour pass sunset. Seras was still hanging on though each day she grew weaker. Integra hadn't seen her servant since the incident with Walter. The captain was off on some insane personal mission to Egypt according to Walter, and she was running low on her favorite cigars. The Hellsing leader grew frustrated over the lack of progress on the so called Sekhmet cult, and their gall of one of them appearing right on her front lawn. At least a way to destroy those creatures was revealed. A vampire bite. She had three vampires to do that, unfortunately one was too young, one was dying, and the last was possibly compromised due to heart break.

Sir Integra scribbled on her umpteenth official form and report of nonsense mayhem. She was about to stab the call button for another cup of tea when a strange sound started warbling through her office. It was like a motor trying to start and it was too close to be outside. To the left of the room Integra noticed a fairly good sized object slowly materializing. Jumping to her feet, the regal blond grasped her substitute gun and approached the now solid object, which appeared to be a mid twentieth century Police box. She aimed at the door just asking for someone to pop out into her line of fire. No one comes into her office unannounced.

It did open to a man about her height in a casual tan jacket and sporting a tidy red bow-tie. He took a full step out before his face turned forward and eyed the barrel shoved in his face.

He opened his mouth to speak when someone shorter and female tripped onto him knocking him down along with her person to the ground to the side of Sir Integra.

"Sorry Doctor. Still getting used to-" She gasped. "Integra!" The blond stared down in surprise at none other than Annabel Phoenix. She nudged off the Doctor as best she could to sit up and he scooted a few feet off to put his feet under him in order to stand. Integra still held her gun at the ready.

"Ya know you should look before you leap, Doc." A Scottish woman of ginger hair drawled from the blue box's doorway.

"Miss Phoenix?" Integra questioned.

"The one and only." She spouted with a goofy grin.

Just then the door burst open with the old retainer warming up his wires. Not a second later the tiny draculina darted passed his legs with a hopeful look in her eyes.

"Deatrice!" Annabel cried arms reaching out for her. The little girl launched into her waiting arms. "My baby! Oh, sweetheart, I missed you so much!" Tears glinted into her eyes as she hugged Deatrice tightly.

"I missed you too Auntie!" She felt warm wetness drop on her bare shoulders making her hug the girl even tighter. "Auntie you feel bony." The observation murmured in her ear.

Integra lowered her pistol. After the Scotswoman, Pip Bernadotte, her captain, emerged from the police box. She nearly hesitated, not sure what to make of his two working eyes. "Captain, care to explain what is going on here?"

"Eets a long story and I will explain but I need to be sure Seras is okay first." He helped pull Annabel off the floor with Deatrice helping as well.

Annabel added. "Yes, and I need to know where that tart who's pretending to be me is so I can kick her doppelganging butt afterwords."

Integra stared in mild awe at the captain. 'Bloody hell, the man was absolutely right. I'll be sure to listen to his theories more often.' "Captain, I owe you an apology." He returned an 'I told you so' look. She turned to the redhead "Annabel, you, she… died yesterday."

"If anyone wants to know I'm the Doctor and my companion here is Amy Pond. If I recall there is still a sick girl to cure."

Annabel snapped out of her shock and hobbled quickly to and out the door. The gaggle of people followed after her with Pip taking her side and Integra and Walter taking the rear still quite bewildered.

The Captain hands balled into fists at their pace. He knew she was going as fast as she could with those crutches but it wasn't just the need to see his mignonette again but something under his skin begged to come out. Almost as soon as he left the confines of the Tardis the skin all over his body itched something fierce. And it doubled in intensity with each passing minute. He started perspiring with the nearly painful feeling. 'Mon dieu, am I going to transform now? I need to see Seras before that.'

Annabel glanced at him briefly like she knew what was happening.

Pip, unable to wait any longer, wrapped an arm around Annabel, crutches and all, lifted her up, and ran the rest of the way to the medical ward at a speed unheard of for a human. The others tried to keep up.

"You could have warned me Pip." She squealed but didn't resist being packed off. She noticed how hot and slightly moist his body felt, too hot. 'He must be close to changing. No wonder he's in a hurry.'

In no time Pip barged through the double doors and set Annabel right beside where Seras Victoria lay, unconscious and stiff in pain. The second Pip released her he yanked off his green coat tossing it onto an empty bed and stood at Seras's feet on the right clawing his fingers into the sheets and mattress. He seemed to use all his attention on holding back the wolf that was now a part of him.

"Okay," Annabel whispered, planting hands on both sides of Seras "focus on curing, focus on curing." She let a little bit of the dam held behind her eyes leak a little.

By then all the others were in the room with them plus a Dr. Smith who looked back and forth between Seras's prone form and the Captain's shaking form. Worry creased his features for both of them.

When the fire angel felt a tear drip down she swiped it, made sure it sparkled like her healing tears normally did, then touched the wet finger to Seras's lip. The patient took in a lungful of air then her stiff limbs relaxed like morphine to a burn victim. Seras blinked open her eyes, saw Annabel, smiled then darted her eyes down to Pip.

"Pip?"

"So glad you're alright Mignonette." He grounded out, the boiling pain in his body too much to control his voice.

Seras sat up and tried to reach for him but he jerked his head away. "Pip?" She called out louder, worry laced her being.

Dr. Smith closed in but Annabel held up a hand to stop him. "This is expected. Just stay where you are."

"What's happening? He doesn't feel like Pip anymore!" Seras cried pulling her feet away and tucking them under her legs.

"It's alright Seras." Annabel tucked an arm around her to hug her as well as to support herself. "The Captain brought me to you to save you, and he did."

"Wha…?"

"What is happening to Captain Bernadotte?" Integra demanded. A verbal response had to wait as Pip let out a great yell of pain.

The first noticeable thing was the arms. Skin stretched as bones elongated between the finger joints and arm segments. Fingernails were growing into claws though no one could tell as they punctured into the bed sheets. Coarse hair a similar color to his braid grew in thick around his arms and on the tops of his hands. Arms thickened in muscle. The t-shirt Pip wore stretched taught around biceps and around his torso too as his chest expanded to fill larger lungs, a wider ribcage, and thick powerful chest and back muscles. The spine lengthened and curved outward a bit. Pip's neck thickened and head shifted forward. Human nose elongated into a dog-like snout with the jaw keeping pace. Every tooth grew sharp and more were added to the rows. Pointy canines poked beyond the darkening fleshy lips. Round ears migrated, became pointed and enlarged atop his head all the while more hair sprouted at every free spot on his face and neck. The shirt gave up the ghost ripping at the seams to expose even more of the brownish red hair, slightly protruding spine, large defined shoulder blades, and a broad chest of raw strength. A tail ripped through the back of Pip's pants just below the leather belt. Leg muscles become evident under the pant leg's fabric and the bottoms of his boots disconnected with a soft pop revealing clawed hairy feet.

While all this is taking place Pip is yelling in pain although it slowly turned into a wolf like howl. Most everyone gaped at the Captain's unexpected transformation. Near the end Pip panted heavily into the bed sheets glad the physical agony was over.

Integra stared. An eye twitched. "A werewolf… my commanding officer is a were…wolf!" She turned her gaze to her retainer. "What's next? You going to turn into a bloody fairy, are you?"

"P- P- Pip? Is that… you?" Seras asked uncertainly once she found her voice. The big wolf head shifted to her and whimpered unintelligibly. Green-brown eyes stared at her, the same green-brown eyes that were Pip's, Seras knew. She reached out a hand and lightly stroked his forehead. She relaxed a little and smiled softly. "You are kind of cute as a wolf. And you still have your braid."

He let out a soft whimper-moan and inched closer. Seras invested the other hand into his hair just behind a pointy wedge of ear gliding her fingers upward petting it. Pip crept fore paws-hands around her waist. Seras leaned in to hug the big furry head. Pip breathed a contented sigh, then climbed fully onto the hospital bed, tugged her closer, then lowered his head on her lap. She in turn cuddled in further planting a kiss on his head. Pip's new tail wagged in contentment.

Annabel sighed happily. 'Ah love. Its gotta be.'

"Pip's a big doggy." Observed Deatrice down by Annabel's side now.

"That he is. Seras better make sure he has all his shots." The words slipped out of her mouth. She slapped a hand over it, knowing the pair on the bed was giving her the stink eye. "I'm leaving the room now."

She hobbled away when Dr. Smith caught her by the arm. "Not just yet Miss Phoenix. I want to check you over. We can use the examination room this way, and I'm sure Sir Hellsing has a few questions."

She allowed the nudging to the room but called over her shoulder. "Hey Doctor Who, you are going to help explain, so I don't sound completely bonkers."

"Right." The Doctor replied with Amy following after him.

Once sitting on the exam bed, she had Dr. Smith, Sir Integra, Amy, and the Doctor in her sights. The only one missing and the one she really wanted to see was Alucard. Her senses were in such disuse she couldn't sense him or anyone human beyond a hundred yards. Walter took Deatrice elsewhere as he knew this wasn't for her ears. She protested but Annabel assured her it will be alright.

Dr. Smith examined her, doing the usual stuff, listening to her heart, blood pressure, checking ears, and whatnot while she and the Doctor divulged where she had been all this time, what had happen to her, although she left a few sensitive parts out, and explained the events leading to her arrival back here. She kept searching with her senses trying to feel for her beloved. Unfortunately he wasn't near enough to be had. Anxiety and loneliness grew as she continued not to sense him or see him. 'Can he not sense me? Perhaps he's out on a mission. Yeah, that's it. He's just off the property at the moment. As soon he returns he'll appear right before me.' She kept telling herself. However, by the way Integra evaded her initial asking of where he was, told her something was up.

"So, there's still a bunch of incubi loose in Egypt as well as a pack of werewolves." Integra rephrased.

"Yes, ma'am."

"I'm going to assume that the Captain filled you in with everything that happened here before he left."

"That's correct; I'm guessing some major things happened the last two days."

The blond nodded.

"Then spill. I've been put through the ringer. I'm tired, hungry, and I want to see Alucard." Her voice laced with ire. "I need my Red."

Integra saw the raw pain in her eyes. 'God, I think something's happened to this girl that she hasn't told yet.' She didn't pry having a suspicion of what it was. She knew her cousin's habits after all. "The previous evening, your double tried to kill Alucard then me. She very nearly succeeded."

"So, you shot her?"

"No, Alucard did, through the chest, believing it was you. He had no choice since he is bound to protect me."

Annabel paled. 'My god, he thinks I'm dead-dead, and by his own hand. My poor Count.'

Integra added. "There's more. The fight with her did not leave him entirely unscathed."

Annabel's mouth flapped open with bewilderment. She shook her head thinking nothing can hurt her vampire.

She took a silent breath. "I know not the extant; however, judging by the scars left on his face and neck it may be much."

Aghast was her face. It couldn't be possible to leave lasting marks on his person, and then she remembered something. 'Holy fire. My blessed fire could do that if it's intense enough. Hers was the same.' Eyes closed to process this new info. Hands turned to fists as anger grew inside her. "That Bitch! No one marks my Red but me! If she was still breathing I'd toss her god damned fucking hide into an active volcano! See how she likes boiling under a million tons of lava!" She punched a lit fist into the exam bed giving it a nice sized charred crater. She took deep breaths more to allay her companions' concerns then to calm herself down. "Where's my Red?" She cried close to tears.

"He should be in the basement but he's not complying with my orders to show up here." Sir Integra said. "He could very well be delusional. He mistook one of my personnel for you earlier today in broad daylight."

"He misses me that much." The redhead murmured. It was almost endearing.

"Well go get him!" Amy blurted suddenly.

Everyone looked at Amy. "I really like you." The redhead told her smirking then tried to push off the bed.

"Not so fast." Dr. Smith held her back. "I haven't finished yet, and what I can tell so far you're pushing your undernourished body too much."

She grumbled. "I want a second opinion." She said staring right at the Doctor.

In favor of not getting reamed for agreeing with Dr. Smith he said simply "I'm going to stay out of that one."

She grumbled again down into her folded arms. "Fine, then you John Smith can go down to the basement and tell my delusional blood sucker that I'm up here."

"Uh, I don't think that be good for my health, Annabel."

An idea struck her. "Hey, Integra, have you tried the com system rather than the mental connection? Maybe he'll respond if what he's hearing is in the real world."

It was worth a try. Sir Integra jabbed the intercom button on near her, opposite Annabel. "Alucard-" She started.

Annabel interrupted with a bellow of her own. "RED! There's a dog, a bird, and an alien in the infirmary! Get your mosquito biting ass up here!"

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B/N: Poor Alu! Get your ass up there you poor sap! You need your Spaz back and she needs you. So move your undead ass! Quick CM round up the fans, we got a bat to drag back upstairs!

Review as per usual!