Acceptance

Seras had made it back to Hellsing Manor just before the sun had made it halfway across the horizon; the irritation settling in her skin, but not burning her completely like it did other vampires. Panting a bit from the growing irritation, she began to scratch at her arms and legs, feeling as if the burn marks were eating her alive.

"Don't scratch, Police Girl. It will only make things worse."

Seras lifted her head up to see her Master's Master, Sir Integra Hellsing, standing there with a cup of tea in hand and fully dressed in her pantsuit. Resisting the urge to scratch more, Seras stood up straight and saluted her boss briefly before returning to stand at attention. "So? Where is the Dhampir?" Integra asked before taking a sip of Ceylon. "Uhm, he-he's not coming back tonight, Sir. He's not coming back right away, at least." Seras was not sure if she wanted to go and give his reason as to not coming back. "When you go back there, tell Integra I am coming back. But on two things. One, not right away. Two, it's not because of my Dad either…I will go back there, but only because of you."

"And what was his reason as to why?"

"Dorian and I talked last night. I think I made him feel a little better." Seras dug her foot into the hardwood floor, feeling embarrassed about the situation. "He IS coming back though, and it's…not because of Master either."

"Then what IS making him come back?"

"…me." Internally, Integra was mad and pleased at the same time. Unknowingly, Seras had done her job and done it well. But Dorian was going to be stubborn until the bitter end, wasn't he? She would have to break him down first to show who was boss around here.

"Well, him coming back because of you is better than him not coming back at all. I would hate to have father hunting son and keeping him here against his will entirely. Good work, Police Girl. Dismissed."

As Integra walked off with cup of tea in hand, Seras retired to her room, closing the door behind her and just staring at her coffin. Oh how she wanted a real bed. Hopefully Dorian didn't forget to bring the extra blankets and things when he came back to the Manor. Reluctantly opening the coffin lid, she clambered in REALLY hoping that the dhampir came back sooner rather than later. She was VERY tired of sleeping on a layer of dirt only covered by a piece of cloth. Except that layer of cloth gave her some respite as she finally fell asleep at last, heavy and dream-filled.

Packing his stuff after Seras left, Dorian went and had taken a quick power nap before waking up again when the day was still somewhat fresh. Rubbing the sleepiness out of his eyes, he looked over at his digital watch to see what time it was. The green light illuminated that it was only eleven in the morning. "Well, better to have some sleep than no sleep at all." he yawned, removing himself from his coffin uneasily to go and try to remove the smell of blood and sweat upon himself.

Having thoroughly showered and putting on fresh clothes, the half-blood's mind began to wander. What if…what if he went to someone else and told his problems to? Heaven forbid he went to a psychologist, he'd make the psychologist go crazy! But what other options did he have? Well, there was one, but just him setting foot in the place would lead him to be staked to hell and back. Then again, it wasn't like they could detect him being a dhampir in any case. Putting his shoes on, Dorian set out to the last place he wanted to go. Yet, maybe there he could get some sense of peace in his mind.

The church was not too far from the remnants of what he called home, so he walked briskly wishing to get out of the bright sun even though he was wearing a hood. How he was a dhampir and still wound up with hives when exposed to the sun he would never know. Finally setting foot into the massive church peppered with a few people in the pews, his green eyes scanned for the confessional booth. Finding none, his hopeful look turned to one of sadness as he began to turn and walk out of the church.

"Something troubling you, child?" Dorian turned to the sound of the voice, seeing a woman in probably her twenties with straw-blonde hair in…priest's clothing. Maybe she just liked to be different. "Uhm, just…things…bad things." Dorian said nervously. He didn't expect to be greeted so quickly. "But I am sure you are busy-"

"God and his servants always have time to listen." the woman replied, motioning for him to come with her. Dorian complied, following her into what looked like an office with a coffee maker. "Coffee?"

"Please. Thank you." Dorian took three sugars and two creamers as the nun in priest's clothing poured him a fresh mug of coffee. Well, at least things were going okay so far. Here was to hoping the good streak would continue. "So, what has been troubling you?"

Taking a deep breath, he poured the additives into his coffee before finally speaking. "Well… last night my…." his voice began to crack, the wound opening itself up again. The nun gently patted his hand in encouragement as he fought to gain his voice back.

"My adoptive parents. They were killed last night. Part of me wishes I went with them." Dorian fought back the tears, not sure if the tears of blood or human tears would appear before the nun. His hand instinctively went to the peridot choker adorning his neck. "This is all I have to remember them by. I wish there was more."

"Child." the nun smiled warmly. "There is much more than just that they left behind with you. Don't you remember anything about them?"

"There's so much that I do. I could never forget them."

"Do not let their passing on send you into despair. 'Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.' Rejoice in that they are in a better place, and will be waiting for you. Rejoice that will be watching over you. Rejoice that God can hear your sorrow. 'Cast your cares on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.'

"Take comfort, my child, and remember them. Honor and love them like they were still living. Have faith. And remember: 'Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.'"

Feeling an odd sense of peace in his heart, Dorian had finally finished his coffee as the nun talked, giving a small bow of his head in gratitude for her listening and advice. "Thank you so much. I…I have a hard time opening up to people sometimes."

"Oh, child, do not worry. There will always be willing ears to listen to what you have to say in times of sadness. Remember that."

"Thank you. I will remember that."

His arrival back to the house let Dorian see the large, black hearse parked outside the broken down doorway and the elderly butler to Integra standing outside the driver seat door. "Ah. Dorian. I was beginning to wonder where you went off to. Did the walk do you some good?"

"Y-yes, it did. If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here?" the dhampir stepped closer, peering into the window to see what was in the long end of the hearse.

"Ah, very simple, young sir. Sir Integra asked for me to help you deliver the coffin to the Manor so that there would not be too much of a fuss by the public.

"And I do apologize for not introducing myself earlier. I am Walter Dornez." Walter bowed slightly to the half-blood.

"And you already know my name, so nice to meet you formally." Dorian bowed slightly back. "So, I take it she wants me back tonight?"

"As relatively soon as possible, yes. Shall we?" Walter motioned to the car, but the dhampir was reluctant. "I told her I wasn't coming back right away."

"With all due respect, Dorian, Sir Integra has the concern that you might become a liability if you are out for too long, and may have to get Alucard out to come and get you."

What the hell is with this woman and thinking I'm some sort of freak accident waiting to explode? Dorian fumed internally, not wanting to show his anger to the butler. Besides, Walter was only the messenger. After a tense few minutes, Dorian finally conceded. "Fine. But I have to do something first."

"Say no more, Young Sir Dorian." Walter replied, turning behind him through the open car door and revealing two urns. "I already took the liberty of getting these. I am sure you want to give your respects your way." Dorian was very surprised. Did Integra order this as well? But then again, Integra didn't really care. She only did her job, nothing more nothing less. "Did Integra-"

"Far from it. This was on request from Miss Victoria actually." Seras. What a sweetheart. Giving a warm smile, Dorian gently took the empty urns and nodded his thanks before heading back inside the house.

Integra waited in her office for the son of her charge to come walking through the doors as she had seen the black hearse pull up into the driveway and into the garage. Taking a drag off her already lit cigar, she contemplated how she was going to gain control of this. Dorian was a stubborn little bugger, much like his father. Yet she saw that he could be very polite and-dare she think it- timid. No. She had to be careful. Alucard pulled that off at times, and it never failed to make her stare when he just appeared in his office, picked up a book and just read for hours.

The heavy wood doors opened, making Integra look up from her paperwork to see Walter coming in with Dorian following close behind. "Ah, welcome back Dorian. Walter?" Walter nodded, leaving the office and closing the massive doors behind him leaving the Hellsing heir and the son of Alucard alone in the room.

"Did you enjoy your time away?" Integra asked, finishing her initials on a contract before pushing it to the side. "I honestly wish it could have been longer." Dorian said deadpan, green eyes doing their best not to glare. "A shame I am considered a 'potential liability.'"

With that comment, Integra felt a headache coming on. "Dorian, I'm more concerned on if you went on a mad killing spree out of revenge. Pitting father against son would not only be unfair, it would be disadvantageous." A green eye twitched at this. "Disadvantageous to who exactly?"

"Let me clarify. The last time….Alucard had children was when he was still human. This would be an advantage for him to have children within this day and age." Integra said, taking a drag off her cigar. In truth, it was advantageous for her to have him around to learn as to the strengths and weaknesses of dhampirs.

Dorian was not entirely sure to believe the Hellsing heir, instinct telling him to just play along with the charade. Blue eyes made contact with green ones as they just looked at each other for a tense two minutes. "Well?"

"To be fair, Integr-Oh, Sir Integra- you have my father come out to exterminate vampires, eliminating my parents from existence and you expect for things to go all peachy-keen because me and him are related? You really are as daft as they come."

White gloved hands came to slam down on the table before her. "You dare to call me daft? It is you who is daft for calling me as such! Mocking me will get you no freebies here."

"I never intended on getting freebies."

"If I didn't figure any better, I would have thought Alucard raised you from his hip. I just wish Abraham had gotten YOU as well. Maybe I would lose my mind from having two vampires under my care, but at least you wouldn't be so unruly."

That shocked Dorian into silence. No, he was nothing like his father. Dorian actually had a moral center, did not kill senselessly like Alucard and definitely was not waiting for the perfect fight. Ebony hair hid his eyes as Dorian hung his head slightly, which made Integra cock an eyebrow.

No. He was nothing like Alucard. Dhampir he may be, but damnit he was not a cold-blooded killer. "If you will excuse me. I have unpacking to do."

"…Dismissed." This sudden change in attitude baffled Integra. How is it he went from being defiant to timid? So fierce and went docile? Perhaps her assumption of Dorian being like Alucard didn't really have any merit. But she would figure it out in due time. Watching as the half-blood left, she took another drag of her cigar and coughing up the ash that was left off the burnt end of the filter.