Disclaimer: Most characters in this fiction belong to the great master Kouta Hirano. Except Duke, Mary & Ann, which are of my invention. Barnabas is not exactly an OC, you'll later understand ;)

(Re) Building an Empire

First week

The arrival to the new mansion with the other kids was the best thing that could have happened to Barnabas. While the others were weeping around for their lost families, this kid was rejoicing that some mighty force had made fall a wooden beam on his abusive uncle. For the first time in his short decade of life he was truly free and it's was the moment to enjoy the abridged remnants of his innocence. Of course life would never take an expected course like his long deceased mother used to say, sweetening the intangible destiny with the word fate. But he was eager to discover every inch of his new home in the hope that the future would be brighter than his past. The house was packed with interesting people, strange scents and forgotten corners. The place was the perfect example of an old house with secret passages. So far he had discovered one to the attic from his room, even if the adults hadn't let him use it for some unknown reason. The little girls didn't like to play with him because they used to say he was creepy, but he didn't mind it, it was easier to explore by oneself. Sometimes he wandered outside, getting sure of keeping his path nearest to the mansion. Some others he stayed home looking the busy life of the others pass before his eyes. Among those idle days, in one of his wandering to the kitchen, he met Ann.

"Miss Ann." The woman corrected every now and then since was she had appointed him to help her with the chores. The boy had gone tired of wander in the halls filled with human misery, all the time by himself because the other little boys called him meanie for being happy for the massacre in London.

"Please call me Mrs Ann, why can't we enter in the library? The other day we were watching TV and Mister Peterson took us the remote saying 'children should not be watching this, go and pick a book'. And then he shooed us out of the living room. We weren't watching it, we were playing doll house with Elena, and TV wasn't even interesting!" The boy pouted, upset for they had stopped broadcasting cartoons, replacing them with a 24/7 news show.

Ann handed him some folded blankets. Most guest were capable to do their beds themselves, however some others were in so severe condition they had to change blood stained bedding almost daily. They walked through the halls saying hi to every person in their way, it had turned routine, and it gave the mansion a warm feeling.

"Lad- Sir Integra is using the library as a temporary office," Ann couldn't get accustomed to address a young woman with such title, not that she was getting used to have a new master anyway. "Why don't you ask her in the place of fussing at me?"

The first room they had to clean out had about fifteen cramped people. The queen size bed was shared by eight women in terrible condition; they spent most of their time sleeping... or unconscious. Ann bit her lower lip in frustration, the Sir had been calling out every hospital in London to treat those poor women, but the aid was longing to arrive. Upon her arrival, some other women in better shape stood up from the couch, the other side of the room, and help the boy with the blankets. There were two more resting their backs against a wall, their only bedding a quilt. This last one started to remove the most injured women from the bed like it had turned a routine.

"How are you doing, Barnaby?" Mrs Davis looked at him with watery eyes, her talking nothing more than a whistle. He didn't like people to call him that fondly, it made him remember his mother. But he let the woman do so, probably for the same reason.

They put her down among the other women in the quilt.

"Today I'm asking Mrs Integra for a book. Everything is so boring here!"

"It's Miss Integra, Barnabas." Ann corrected while changing the blood stained blankets. Then she changed topic "I heard she's contracted a new manager of sorts some days ago, he's at her office all day, I'm wondering if it could be better to assign him a permanent room in the mansion. I expected Sir Integra to give me instructions but she hasn't yet and I'm worried."

"Have you seen him? Maybe he has the looks..." Coralline Evans had just been widowed, not that she was happy about it, but she liked to take things from the bright side.

"I saw him the other day, it's an old man." Barnabas prompted with a shaky voice at the end of the explanation. "He was walking by the hall with the Lady in Red."

Ann finished the bed and helped to carry again the women from the quilt to the bed.

"I've told you a million times, that Lady in Red doesn't exist. It's just your imagination."

"Of course it's real. She has red eyes, and when she doesn't want people to find her, she changes to a shadow." The boy remembered that one night he went down to snatch a glass of milk from the fridge and found the Lady in Red sitting on the kitchen table, sucking at a bag of medical blood. It was just a glimpse, the next second she had disappeared in the darkness, only the overwhelming feeling of being watched was left behind.

"Such a lively imagination you have, boy." An old Madame with burnt spotting on her face, patted him on the messy boy's white hair. Then she addressed to Ann. "And what does Sir Integra says about this?"

"I haven't asked her. Why would I? He's just inventing stories because he likes to be afraid." Ann continued, mockingly "Maybe I could ask her to introduce this Lady in Red to you."

"No!" His plea almost choked him. Point taken he liked scary things; this female in red dress was the most frightful thing he had ever faced. "It's a spirit that possesses Mrs Integra; sometimes she hides in my closet."

When the new owner arrived, the same day he did with the children from the orphanage. The tanned, Indian like woman, ordered her soldiers to take down a big box from the jeep. Barnabas saw it, it was a coffin. At first he thought she was carrying with a deceased family member; but the woman had never set a funeral, nor even had buried the box. The next night, in his daily wander, he saw Miss Integra go up to the attic and spent all the night in there. After all, Barnabas shared room with her, along with the other orphans. Miss Integra almost never arrived to sleep, or did it at hours he should be sleeping, which made the boy wonder if she ever sleep at all.

However, some arguments later the boy realized those women were only teasing at him for their own amusement and set aside the subject of the Lady in Red for someone who cared about. Ann asked a couple of questions to the women before heading out of the room. Barnabas was happy to leave before the arrival of the new staff doctor who gave him the creeps. It hadn't anything to do with the man being legless, more so it was the guy had this military air that resembled a lot to his late uncle.

Barnabas and Ann continued their round of chores for hours. In the mansion, every person had a task to help with, unless you were one of the most injured ones, but even with the extra hands it was still a tiresome job for the maids. After the beds there was job in the kitchen, to feed all the people in the mansion that weren't able to come down to the dining room, which meant going upstairs with food trays five times or more. Mary was in charge of dinner preparations and was a demanding boss. Sometimes too bossy for the boy's taste, as she ordered him to help also with the dishes. But the boy was so energetic that by the end of the day he was still fine enough to want to play. The other kids didn't share his enthusiasm, most of them worn out by their feeling of lost than from anything else. So, he asked Ann when she would take him to Mrs Integra, so he could get permission to enter the library.

"It's your lucky day... well... night" Ann removed her apron to hang it on the wall after arranging the last plate on the shelf. "Sir Integra wants to introduce us the new mansion manager just now."

"Oh Ann, are you expecting to take the boy with us?" Mary rolled her eyes; she had entered just in time for hearing the proposal.

"I want to ask Mrs Integra for a book."

"It's Miss, Barnabas." Ann corrected for the unkempt time, and then she motioned to her workmate. "He wants permission to enter the library and snatch a book, what would be the problem? Anyway, I wouldn't like him to disturb Sir Integra in their room."

Mary nodded reluctantly and let it go.

"Whatever, just clean your face, kid."

Another busy day led to another terrible night. The fact of having that wild vampire free in her domains simply had gotten into her nerves. Every Night she had the eyes wide open with a strong grab on her holster, ready to fire in the earliest provocation, and that was something that in long term would end up killing her. Duke was still working as the usual, it had been some tiresome days since his arrival, and not that she had had a lot for hiding him. He was the most unobtrusive vampire ever; no one would ever notice that the owner of a multinational supermarket chain was working as secretary mostly because he looked like one of those affected by the attacks. More else, as a nosferatu he was excellent at cloaking his real condition, wearing sunglasses with the excuse of having hyper sensibility to light due to an explosion at his home. More else, he had this strange habit of going to sleep late, which meant he was awaken most part of the morning. This was particularly useful so far for his knowledge in management made him a good ally when it came to understand financial statements and stock invoicing, however Integra knew that in the future that would bring troubles for keeping the creature under control.

This specific night his office's floor was packed of files around Duke's legs, he was immersed in the management of local aid, making calls to several NGOs to share out what the France government had sent them. Integra was satisfied with the productivity of the man, thanks to his interventions she was starting to focus in the real goal of her organization. Seras had gone for another night of hunting and had returned with an outcome of three vampires. Things were slowly taking their right place when someone knocked at the office door. She knew who was it so she let Ann and Mary come in; the older woman was pushing a tray car with a tea set and some appetizers.

"Good night Sir." Ann saluted with her perky attitude. "I thought you would like to supper something earlier as you've been working nonstop since yesterday night."

"Good night." Mary blunted, still hurt for their first argument "Sir."

"As I summoned you, let me introduce the new medical aid supplier and international aid manager..." Integra paused, damning the vampire for not allowing her to remember his name.

Duke stood up briefly to shake hands with both ladies.

"Duke Milford, though Duke plainly is well for me." The next second he was back, completely focused at his task. Mary looked bemused, like she was expecting something more intriguing. Ann promptly rushed to serve tea, urging her partner to help with the food.

"Don't add milk to it, Ann." Integra sat on the big table on the middle of the room, she let the maid pour some tea on cups and serve her a slice of carrot cake.

"Of course not, Sir. I already know how you like it" The maid winked. The next moment she was helping a cup for Duke.

"That's so kind sweetie, thank you." The vampire spreader out a flashy smile, this time disregarding accidentally his fangs. Ann only froze holding the teacup midair, Mary had the eyes wide open, but only an infantile yelp saved Integra from an awkward explanation; a kid was behind Mary, grabbing her skirt like he would fall if he let it go.

"And who might you be?" Integra changed the topic quickly, she motioned to Mary. "This is not place for your children, Mary."

"It is not mine, Sir. And before you accuse Ann, you should know whose you share room with. After all they are all under your care."

Not aggravated as the maid expected to inflict damage, Integra half smiled at the kid.

"You must be one of the orphans" she didn't feel anything at all using that word to describe him, it wasn't lack of touch, it was more about she being an orphan herself "what's your name."

"Barnabas..." the boy was at unease, looking everywhere but where Duke was. It was obvious he was the most sentient in the room.

"Sir, Barnabas only wanted to ask you for something, right?" Ann pushed the boy one step forward. Integra raised an eyebrow, tuning her back she could see Duke had left aside his work, amused by the little boy.

"I... I wanted to... a book?"

Integra looked around like she had just notice her office was actually a library. Actually, she was expecting a bigger request. A book was fair. "Sure, take one."

Sir Integra asked the maids to return later once the kid had gone. They immediately understood there were other issues with her boss aside of the simple introduction of another member to Hellsing; both bowed an apology for bringing the kid with them, Ann seemed more troubled than her younger partner, and went out in silence. Integra pondered if it could be correct to reveal them the true nature of the vampire, she knew they wouldn't approve it, but she was their leader and they had to comply her decisions. More else she was overtaking responsibilities with Sir Irons' business while following the normal missions of Hellsing, but this was a problem she had decided to have it solved by the end of the week.

The library wasn't exactly how the boy had imagined. While he patted over old tomes of boring books about military, travel and tomes of an old encyclopedia. Integra tried to do not put the boy much attention, but it was inevitable, he started to read loud voice the names on the book's spine with his slow and jagged understanding of each title. After five or six badly read books' names her patience nerve snapped.

"Is there something that interests you?" This one was Duke who predicted her actions. The boy jumped two steps back when heard the vampire, but he recovered easily with the kindness of the monster.

"Everything looks boring." Barnabas pouted."I like scary tales, is there something like that here?"

Duke put a face of perplexity. Scanned the books' spines without result, a moment later he had pulled Integra to help him find something appropriate to the child. The head of Hellsing rolled the eye for being taken into such meaningless situation, though she didn't have to think it twice, her hands knew the exact location of a copy of Bram Stoker's Dracula. Duke looked at her with distrust; he shook his head trying to point out that the reading was not child friendly. Integra smirked back.

"I read this first time when I was your age." She handed the old book to the kid. "It's about a monster that moves from Middle Europe to terrorize London."

"Excuse me? Are we talking about the same book?" The vampire crossed his arms, then he made his hand spin by the wrist "I don't think terrorize it's the correct word."

"Can I have it, then?" Barnabas's eyes were shining with expectation; he was an unusual kid, wanting a book over a toy. Integra nodded at him, and the next second the boy was running out of the office. Turned back and peaked by the door threshold once only to scream a bare thanks and ran out again at full speed.

Duke stared at the spot where the boy last had appeared. After a few seconds realizing Barnabas wouldn't come back, he glared at Integra. His red eyes shone under the sunglasses and gave her shiver that she would never admit.

"What?" She sneered at his stare.

"I found Barnaby's family yesterday. Why haven't you informed him?"

"For their family, it's the same dishonor dying in London than staying with us. Believe me, I'm not proud of my decision, but it's the better way to avoid an international conflict."

It was early in the morning and Integra was on her third cup of coffee. Ann didn't returned when the boy was gone, instead, Mary stayed to inform that the mansion didn't have a wide basement like the one the Hellsing Household used to own, more else, they were using the theirs as a wine cellar. However, as member of an old nobleman family, Sir Irons owned a family cemetery in the backyard of the mansion. Integra hadn't noticed this, she had been so busy lately that her only possible opportunity to know the house was that first day trip that the maids had given her, which she was so absorbed for the recent events that she had barely paid attention to it.

Integra programmed the next day to pay a visit to the dead. The place was bigger than expected, the stones and marks covered a wide part of the hill in amongst trees and tight bushes. It looked like a horror story with eroded names of forgotten legacy that died long ago. Fortunately the day was shining bright and the place looked less overwhelming. Integra wasn't afraid of coming there in night-time; it was more a matter of principles. As much as she didn't like to annoy Seras with the sun, the older vampire that walked beside the draculina was in a terrible mood and somehow that made Integra proud of her decision. Both vampires were wearing wide-brimmed hats; Seras had formed hers after Alucard's. She was pouting slightly about being still awake in the early hours of the morning. While Duke wore a weird black frayed bush hat, and to top it all he had arrived late, wearing his pajamas when everyone knew his sleeping time started until noon.

"There's a row of crypts facing the road along the bottom." Mary pointed towards that direction and headed without caring if she someone was following her.

Integra wondered how many members of the Irons family were resting under those gravestones, but she never dared to ask to the Maid. It wasn't her business after all. Instead, she looked back at her two vampires. Seras and Duke were talking happily, their dialogue was far from audible but the Draculina's expression said it all. She was recapping him some of his missing years with the Count as she pointed the hat more than once and meekly mimicked poses and expressions of Alucard. The vampires had matched the moment they met; both shared a connection she would never understand. It was the complete opposite of what she had seen along her years as vampire hunter, considering how territorial they were it was clear that Duke was making a huge effort for getting along with the youngest child of his former Master. Nevertheless the good manners the recently arrived vampire had showed, Integra wasn't an inch near to low her guard.

By the end of the trip, they arrived to a dark walking road in the middle of the forest. That place was cold and damp; the only sound was the one of some unknown bird chiming a bad omen for anyone stepping on its domains. Seras removed her hat as the sunlight shrouded by the treetops, Duke coped her. The Draculina filled her lungs with the mist surrounding them, she grinned a point-toothed smile, looking pleased for the place. The other vampire coughed for hiding his chuckle, he seemed happy for the place too. It was creepy indeed, but nothing to intimidate her. The only problem was, where were the crypts?

"Down here." Like she had read her mind, Mary called up everyone from a hidden spot under the dead leaves. She was standing in broken structure of stone walls. It looked more like an abandoned house and no one would ever wonder that the remains of the most important members of the Irons clan laid there. "Would you mind to give me a hand?" Her eternal frown inquired Duke.

"I- I just bought these clothes," he shook the hands flatly "what about you Seras?"

"I'll do it." The girl was excited for her new resting place. She lifted the thick stone covering the hole on the mossy rock with a display of her shadowy arm. A heavy crack shredded the stone halfway out of the way; a plume of dust went out of the hole. Covering her face with a medical mask Mary lighted a flashlight to lead the path. The entrance led downstairs to a long crypt with vaulted ceiling. The maid placed the only light in one corner so it could illuminate most part of the room. Coffins arranged in row alongside it, about half a dozen of them. The place reeked like moist and dust, Integra had to cover her mouth and nose with the sleeve, she could bet Mary knew how necessary the mask would be and never gave her new boss one just for sheer self satisfaction. Looking again at the vampires, of course they didn't mind the environmental conditions. In Seras' case, her face was more like the one of kid whose parents had let her take part in the decoration of her room. She was bouncing from a coffin to the other with the simple pleasure of touching the corroded wooden surfaces. She started to talk about how magnificent this place was, Integra nodded just for doing something.

Duke's case was completely the opposite; he was hugging himself as if he could feel the cold. His steps had left him the closest possible to the stairs leading the entrance without dirtying his pajamas, his eyes were shining bright red, but his expression was of pure discomfort.

"Hum, Miss Mary, you said there was a row. You mean this?" Seras pointed the perfectly arranged coffins by her side. It seemed she had never been in a crypt before.

"I said a row of crypts, not coffins" The maid pointed twisting the eyes up in exaggerated annoyance "follow me and I'll show you the others." She strolled back to the entrance, grabbing the flashlights before.

Seras was overly excited when she understood there was the possibility of owning a crypt all for herself. She practically bounced after the maid who was already upstairs. Integra was about to leave when Duke grabbed her by the arm. That sole second she wondered why they had been left alone in that abandoned place. She didn't know how to react; her only certainty was the gun in her holster.

"Is it really necessary?" Until then she realized how much the vampire was trembling. He was an odd vampire, he's shared so many centuries among humans, experiencing their way of living that he had forgotten what is to feel like a real vampire.

"Jack asked me to take care of you." Those words moved the vampire, she knew how important that person was for Duke. He let go of her arm and after an unnecessary sigh he reluctantly nodded with the eyes tight shut, giving up in his plea of staying inside the mansion.

"I'm keeping this one." He looked back; the darkness wasn't an impediment for him enjoying the view. "There's no way I would enter in another of these."

Integra approved his decision. Seras returned to meet her boss in the entrance upstairs.

"Sir, I think I've found mine! It's bigger than my Master's chambers in the mansion." She chirped overjoyed.

Integra walked upstairs when another pull on her arm made her slow down. This time it was so faint she only hesitated a split second, enough for understanding that the odd vampire wanted to be led out there by her. Maybe there were more than one ways for domesticating a wild vampire.

It was early in the morning and she still had tons of work to do in the office but she was there finding a home for her pet vampires. God how I need a cigar!, she thought.

Author's Note: Long chapter yay! Thanks for the comments and reviews I decided to make long chapters even if they take more time. After all, a lot of things can happen in only one day.

I gave some hints about who Barnabas could be. He won't appear in the next chapters which will give you time which Hellsing character he is.

Jo: I'm sure Integra will find a way to scold Pip too :P