The next morning, Integra waited until Walter had served her breakfast before speaking to him.
"Walter."
Her voice was a bit meek and he took note of the tone.
"Is something wrong Sir Integra?"
She couldn't look up at him as she spoke.
"I've been having an odd dream lately and I want to ask you about it. Please sit."
Walter's eyes widened for a moment before he took the chair immediately to her left.
"I'll try to help you, but I'm not very good at deciphering dreams."
She shook her head, staring down at her food.
"It doesn't need explanation in that way."
He was becoming uneasy about this.
"Well by all means than, I'm listening sir."
She closed her eyes shivering slightly.
"I...two nights in a row now, I've dreamed that someone has come into my room and kissed me."
She opened her eyes just enough to see Walter's reaction out of the corner of them. As she suspected, his initial reaction was one of complete shock. This expression changed quickly as he spoke.
"I'm afraid I don't understand what you're asking me Sir Hellsing."
She looked up at him finally.
"I'm asking you why you're doing this to me."
The look of shock returned as he stood and quickly backed away. He didn't have an answer to give her. He didn't know why he felt compelled, even at this second. He tried to deny it.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
But his voice was scared, his eyes were scared.
"Just..."
She stared at him as she continued.
"Please tell me I can trust you. And stay out of my room from now on. I'll take my clothes to the laundry myself."
He shook his head, trying to compose himself.
"Integra, I..."
She glared and cut him off.
"Only an equal may call me by name without my title. And you are not my equal!"
She of course didn't mean this, she'd always loved him. But she felt she needed to be forceful, and that meant calling rank. He nodded profusely.
"I'm sorry sir. Please forgive me. I don't know why I've done it."
She turned away from him as he fell to his knees, wishing that Alucard was back already, but realizing that would only create a conflict between the two men, and that was the last thing she wanted. Alucard would be more protective than he already was. She looked down at him, cold eyes keeping her exterior from cracking, all the while fighting off images in her head of an experience she had resolved never to have. Like the monarch of old, she'd vowed to herself to remain a virgin and be the end of the Hellsing line. Quite the opposite of her father, she didn't care for such relationships, yet she felt somehow drawn to certain people. She refused to call it love, but she guessed that it was the closest thing to the emotion that she'd ever allow herself to feel.
"If you swear to me on your life that you will never violate my personal space in such a way again, I will not inform Alucard of your treason."
He stood slowly on shaking legs and nodded.
"I swear to you Sir Integra Windgates Helling, on my honor as one of your protectors as well as my life, I will never do this again."
She wasn't entirely sure she believed him, but she was willing to give him a second chance. After all, if he did anything to her, she had the pleasure of allowing Alucard to take care of him. She hoped a day would never come where he would betray her, but she could feel the calm sea within him beginning to churn with uneasiness. It mimicked her own uneasy, stormy sea.
"Very well. Please leave me."
He bowed low.
"What do you desire for lunch today sir?"
She was silent for a moment.
"I'm going out to lunch. Clean the china."
He found this order a bit strange but nodded anyway.
"Which set sir?"
She smirked slightly.
"All of them."
And without further word, he left her. She took a deep sigh of relief as he left. That aught to keep him busy for some time.

~~

That evening after dinner, Integra was feeling uneasy about going to bed. Something was nagging at her. A pair of lone eyes set upon her that afternoon in town. The chance meeting of another member of the round table. The disapproving stare he gave to her. The way he watched her the whole time she was there...Something felt wrong. She went down to security before going about her usual nightly rituals. She was assured that everything was alright and sent to bed. However, before she made it to her room, someone grabbed her from inside the darkened library. She screamed and struggled as she was pulled backwards. Faster than lightning Walter was at her side and all she could see in the darkened room were the flashes of his weapon as the sliced through her enemy. She was amazed at his speed with this weapon, and accuracy in the dark, with only the light from the hall to illuminate it. When the light was turned on suddenly, she fell back in horror against the wall to see that they were androids of some kind. She turned to the window suddenly as she heard applauding and Walter stepped in front of her, pulling out his wires again. She stared at the man in the window as she recognized him to be one of her uncle's friend's. He had no planning as far as she was concerned, in her attempted murder two years prior.
"Well done butler."
He turned to Integra with a grin.
"And here I thought you only had one pet to protect you. My mistake."
Walter growled and Integra turned heel, running for the cabinet on the other side of the room. Before she got there however, one of the androids grabbed her ankle and she tasted blood as she hit the floor with a groan. She'd bitten her lip in the fall. She turned back to Walter who was caught between trying to help her, and figuring out what to do with the man before him.
"Walter!"
She cried out as she did everything she could think of to make the now lifeless machine let her go.
"I order you to take care of him right now! Do I make myself clear?"
He nodded and turned back to the man with a smirk.
"Order understood perfectly Sir."
She turned away as the battle engaged and began to drag the corpse with her as she again made her way for the gun. Too late as Walter finally gained the upper hand and sliced the man in half. However, Walter's eyes widened in shock as the man fell. With his dyeing energy he pressed the singular button on a black remote. Without a seconds more thought, he bolted towards the confused girl, slicing the arm off of the android which let go the second it was severed from its host, and picked her up, diving out of the room just as the androids exploded. It was only at this time that guards came running. Integra found herself suddenly pinned below the older mans body and she felt her cheeks heat as she realized this. Time seemed to stop as he stared down at her, hand moving to her head to check for anything she might need medical attention for. The look in her eyes startled him and he got up, lifting her slowly into his arms and carrying her back to her room.
"Walter..."
Her voice was unintentionally weak, though it wasn't due to an injury. Before she could think about what she was doing, she kissed him. He stopped short as he shut her bedroom door behind him, staring down at her now in shock.
"Sir Integra...?"
He was startled, delighted, frightened, confused...His lips slid over hers again, giving her the kind of kiss he had wanted to give her the nights before. Integra herself was quite confused by the situation. By one token she was rather enjoying the kiss, but by the other, she couldn't believe her first and possibly only kiss was with Walter. Just hours ago, she had scolded him for kissing her, and then in the blink of an eye, for no apparent reason at all, she had kissed him. To further her confusion, he had kissed her back, and now it seemed at though their lips were glued together. He stood there, leaned against her door, holding her tightly as if he were afraid to let go. She slowly became aware of his trembling...was Walter...scared? She finally pulled her face away from his and stared silently but questioningly into his eyes. He looked away and slowly set her to her feet, but his hand never left the small of her back, and she didn't try to move away. Once on her feet, she frowned as she noticed the height difference. And then she noticed, being so close to him, that, though he was getting on in his years, his body was still quite supple and worked. He was by no means weak and she wondered for a moment if her strength was in her mind alone. In that moment she allowed herself to feel small and helpless pressed up against his warm body.

To his surprise, she hadn't run away. She hadn't spoken, and she seemed calm as ever, despite having nearly been killed just moments ago. He looked down at her finally. Fifty Five...He was fifty five and he realized with a pang of regret that she was fifteen. To the child, he was sure the age was simply a number. He knew she was wise far, far beyond her years and by law, in just six months, she would legally be an adult. But still...the gaping difference in age scared him. Looking down at her however, he was torn. The right thing to do would be to back off, to beg her forgiveness and cut off all of this bedamned emotion he was feeling. The only emotion that had ever given him so much trouble. He remembered the last girl he'd fallen in love with and how it had turned out. The girl he swore to love for the rest of his life was now in a form he had no desire for. But here in his arms before him was a second girl, almost the same age, who though he cared deeply for, he knew he could never have. Her destiny was far greater than to be anyone's wife, he could feel that much.
"This..."
He finally released her but she didn't move.
"Walter?"
She was far too confused to care how close she was to him at the moment. Her body wanted to feel his warmth while her heart ached for a completely different man, and her mind was in a fit over whether or not she should pursue this.
"This is so wrong."
He moaned as he dropped to one knee, bowing his head and kissing the back of her hand as a loyal servant would.
"I know."
She Whispered softly as he released her hand though continued to stare at the ground.
"I'm sorry, please forgive me."
She placed her hand on the top of his head.
"These feelings cannot be squelched easily. I know what I said earlier, but...I'm very confused."
He looked up at her.
"Don't be. The answer is no."
She blinked, taking a few steps back.
"How did you know?"
He looked away.
"I was wondering the same thing myself. But no, it can't go on. I love you far too much in far too many ways for it to continue."
She stared down at him silently for a long moment before whispering.
"So...I can still trust you?"
He looked up at her quickly.
"Always. Until my dyeing breath, Sir Integra, I am first and foremost, your obedient servant."
She turned away finally returning somewhat to her senses.
"I'll like a hot bath and Chamomile. And for breakfast I'll take poached eggs and crumpets with Earl Grey."
She was silent again for a moment as she listened to him stand.
"Oh, and I'll be locking my door tonight."
He had no arguments and left to prepare her bath, heavy in thought. As he again closed the door on his way out, Integra wondered if it really was the end, or if either of them would be able to stick to their convictions long enough to douse the budding flame.