People were moving, shifting, passing one another, barely making any kind of exchange if an individual did in fact stop to smile or pass a careless hello, but other than that, streams or clusters kept and moved amongst one another. So it wasn't an ocean. Is was more of a series of whirl pools that would catch a body and then push it towards another, and that one would pass the body along to another, and another, as none wished to alter whatever collection of beings they already possessed. Integra was one such pool of circling water. Eyes would be drawn towards her figure, out of general curiosity, a sense of reverence, or when their gazes were taken by her reserved beauty. She sat at a table while most were standing, accompanied by her butler. There were several open seats at her table, but as her eyes roamed the room, none approached. The currents passed her rocky, hostile shore, unwilling to crash upon her stony barrier.

An alien current split the brushing whirls as it moved towards the woman, capturing her blue eyes. Integra watched the man's progress as he approached, with interest and a mind to speak to him. It had been two months since she had last spoken to Enrico Maxwell. Because of the phone call that had been…permitted, Alucard was speaking, though he did so on very rare occasions, and his voice was quieter than it had once been. He had calmed from the silent state of turmoil he had been trapped in before. The vampire did not exactly smile, but his lips might twitch upwards and a content look would pass through his eyes. But he never laughed. He did not tease, raise his voice, or reveal any of his raw and often corrupt emotions. Emptiness still pervaded every ounce of his being, as if he were missing half of his 'soul', his existence. Melancholy would creep into one's face if their eyes remained on him for too long, and the melancholy was like a parasite. It dug into your heart and ate away at every little detail you could find yourself appreciating or enjoying. The parasite would die after a few hours, when the vampire left your memory.

Integra recalled this as she watched the white haired man approach, glancing at the shadows by the wall when Maxwell became lost in the crowd for a moment. When she sought him once more, she froze, her eyes fixed to the familiar priestly figure that made its appearance, towering over the heads of most in the clusters. Maxwell stood before her, and noticed her distraction. He turned as Anderson reached the table as well.

Integra stared at the priest, unable to form thoughts in her mind. Suddenly Walter intruded into her state of numbness, his suggestion revealing to her that she was not only glaring at the paladin, but every fiber of her body emitted a force of utmost loathing for the man, so that Anderson had stiffened while Maxwell had retreated back towards him for protection. The woman closed her eyes and took a breath. She sighed it out as she let her gaze fall upon Maxwell, blatantly making a show of ignoring Anderson, acting as if he were an object as she spoke.

"What is it you want, Maxwell?" Maxwell didn't speak as he saw the blue eyes try not to move to Anderson. He wondered if she would even notice if he responded. "…Behind you…"Integra growled, gritting her teeth as her hands clutched one another cruelly, eyes burning into Maxwell as her stunned numbness melted into hatred. "Why?...Why is…that here? In England, Maxwell?"

The man's face did not bother with a mask as Maxwell's temper was lit. He scowled at Integra while Anderson showed nothing but minor disapproval, with a hint of disdain as time went on. "This is meant to be a peaceful gathering, Hellsing. Without hostilities…granted a few rather involuntary habits, Sow, but mostly peaceful." His eyes narrowed when Integra sneered at his words. Foreign representatives speckled the room, hinting to the purpose of 'peace' Maxwell was mentioning.

Integra disregarded the man's tone, deriding it with a pleasant smile that somehow held the effect of a glower. "Oh, yes, Maxwell. Peace is your highest priority isn't it?" The Iscariots' faces darkened, aware of the fanatic religious desire to rid the world of its heathen inhabitants. For a man that fantasized about religious warfare, ancient Crusades, Maxwell felt himself close to slapping the wench as she continued to smile. Then, he suddenly saw something painful enter the smile, but it instantly formed a deeper hatred. Integra leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms, a line replacing her smile. She looked directly at Anderson for a moment, unsettling the men around her, but she soon returned her attention to Maxwell.

"Alucard is here as well. I don't see how this can be…comfortable, barely peaceful…"

Maxwell's eyes widened with the priest's. Anderson strained his senses to find the creature, to know where he was at the moment, in the interest of avoiding him…but, he couldn't sense the demon. He gazed blankly at the floor while Maxwell jerked towards him. Enrico's head turned, searching the area quickly before staring at the woman seated before him. Hostility had escaped the man now, confronted with memories of fire.

His voice was unsteady, so he cleared his throat to give himself time to strengthen it. He had never told Anderson about what had happened the night he had been brought back to the Vatican. His eyes told Integra this, receiving a blink. "I didn't think that you would bring your vampire…here." Eyes moved randomly and then settled on the woman again as Maxwell moved about nervously, eventually crossing his arms as well. "Where is…he?" Integra could tell he wanted to be discrete but could not come up with another way to voice the question.

Integra sighed and looked at the shadows, taking the Iscariots' and Walter's eyes with her. Walter gave his eyes to the table and closed them as he rested his hands in his lap. Unusual as it was, he was sitting with the woman, for the sake of granting her his company…for the ghostly shadows gave her none.

"I don't know. If Alucard doesn't want to make himself known, he won't be. He might be in the shadows, or he might have left…because of your priest, Maxwell."

Integra looked at the white hair and saw that Maxwell was still watching the wall, but her attention was redirected to the quiet paladin when she noticed the tightness in his jaw and the way he glared at her table. But, it wasn't a glare meant for her…or Walter. "Here he is."

Walter didn't move as his mistress's gaze flitted over him and to his side. No one was there. Her eyes continued to move and she turned in her chair. There. In the corner farthest from the priest, in the back of the room where only a tall potted plant stood, the crimson phantom watched them from its undistinguishable silhouette, in amongst the shadows. Alucard's intent eyes were locked onto the priest's glare and the bitterness he could preserve within it. But the demon himself had no emotion, only openness, as if watching the man was the only purpose his existence served to accomplish.

Maxwell saw this and bit the side of his mouth and waited for Anderson to soften, but the paladin had taken his eyes from the demon and was scowling to himself. Why wasn't he going to the vampire? Maxwell couldn't fathom why Anderson was acting this way. That stubborn… "Anderson. I don't believe that Integra Hellsing is currently a threat against my wellbeing…" Blue and green eyes were on the white haired man, as he ignored the stares, focusing solely on the paladin. His mouth was hard, his expression stern, reproachful even, as he watched Anderson's blank eyes. "I think a conversation with the demon would not be…inexcusable, considering the circumstances under which the two of you were last…together." Maxwell cleared his throat purposefully, and dropped his eyes to an empty chair that he moved towards awkwardly. He sat down, across from the female Hellsing, unable to look at her as he folded his hands into his lap. "In fact, I think you should speak with the demon, Anderson. To…ensure that all…that all past events will not…reoccur in the future. That…" He fidgeted as he glimpsed Walter's smile, and had to duck his head for a moment to collect himself. "So that…to make sure that all of that has been settled."

"I see no need to…" Returned a flat voice, but it was cut off by an exasperated growl and the sharp look Enrico shot at the priest.

"Well, I think there isa need to do this, Anderson." Maxwell snapped back and threw a loose hand towards the shadowed tree, fixing his posture to appear presentable to those he realized might be watching. He watched the hesitant priest out of the corner of his eye, and frowned. "Go."

Maxwell hissed under his breath when he saw the paladin finally pass the table and start towards the corner. His eyes met Integra's before he was ready to, and her strong gaze sent his to the surface of the table, where he scowled at the dark wood and threw an unintelligible insult at the woman.

"That was quite selfless, Maxwell." The man hissed again as Integra's lips threatened to slide into a smirk. "I'm impressed."

"Shut up, Protestant Sow. I doubt your vampire appreciates my pity."

This quieted Hellsing and she in turn peered over at the shadows behind her chair, and then forced herself to focus on a painting hanging from the wall in the opposite direction. "I will not thank you for your help, Maxwell."

"Good. I don't want your thanks." Maxwell grumbled, cringing when he saw that Walter was still entertaining a small smile.

*~*~::..+..::~*~*

Alucard gazed up at the priest's eyes, lifting his hands to grasp his holy garments so he could guide the man through the wall behind them, leaving the room quietly. Integra and Maxwell noticed that the two were gone when Walter watched the empty space. He informed them that the two had gone into the next room, to be alone.

They were sitting in complete darkness, the vampire feeling the warmth of the living body, his back pressed against Anderson's chest while Anderson's back was leaning against the wall, his arms lying beside the demon on his lap. Alucard took these arms, and matched his hands to the priest's. Then he directed one to his face and left it there, allowing Anderson to cup and stroke his cheek slowly, to run his fingers over the demon's throat. A chin gradually met with the beast's hair, the cold silk easily pillowing it and then a tan cheek. Anderson's hand descended with his other, to hold the vampire against his chest, to let Alucard feel his chest move with his breaths, and to feel his heart beat with life.

He could not tell from the dead heart if the demon enjoyed such contact. Alucard struggled with emotion because of his unresponsive heart. It would not beat quickly with fear or excitement. It would not 'stop' for shock. It could only feel…present, that it was there…or it could feel like an empty hole…a draft that chilled his 'soul'. He told Anderson of his bliss with a deep, gentle, yet resonating purr that lasted as a quiet vibration, a movement like a heart beat in his chest. Then it was no longer needed. Touch and closeness was accepted and desired. He pressed himself against the warm chest and closed his eyes as the human did the same.

"I still resent your decision, Alucard."

The eyes remained closed as the strong, yet low, voice leveled the quiet instantly. Alucard did not change for a time, but he took a deep, unnecessary breath before he spoke. "I know, Judas Priest." He could feel an alien stiffness in Anderson's muscles as the he remained in the man's arms.

"You sent me away…by force. As if it were that simple to leave you behind… I could have left at any time. I was even tempted too, but I didn't. I stayed…and you ruined all of that, you threw me through a window, Alucard. You showed no remorse, only…coldness… You didn't shed a single tear."

"So you would be safe, Anderson."

Green eyes opened, flaring in the darkness as they watched the black hair. "I know emotion is not your strong point, but then…and even now with these simple touches…your monotone. I know you feel something…but I can't see it."

It was quiet for a moment, drawing out the man's tone, warping the silence with its echo. Then Alucard's head tilted towards the priest. "I love you."

Anderson sighed while his eyes became lidded, but he was not content. "That's almost a common word, Alucard."

The head rubbed into the priest's chin, and then moved to graze his cheek. "Would you like me to throw you to the floor and take you with a heated passion?"

The priest's face fell slack as his nerves quaked at the soft, somehow contradictory, voice that did not fit the vampire's languid form. "No." He replied both angrily and with a sad bitterness.

"I will do it if you want me to, or I will allow you to take me."

"I said no, Alucard." Anderson voice rose, the bitterness becoming kindling for his frustrated anger. "I want to know how you were able to muster the strength to throw me through a window and force me to leave when I came to return to you. And you know what strength I'm referring to, Vampire." He twisted his words, but did not lean away from the soft hair touching his cheek.

"I killed myself." Anderson's anger simmered down to almost nothing as he listened to the voice. "I felt and thought of nothing…for that time. But when you left, I was unable to stave it off… But I did not cry, Anderson. I would only cry if you died, or if our separation would not be better for you than…"

"It was not better, Alucard. I would live, I did live…I am alive, yes. But you know I do not fear death."

"Anderson…" The vampire's words were only a whisper now, to make the priest calm in order to hear him. "If you are alive, there is a chance of meeting one another again… But if you are dead, you will go to Heaven."

Anderson frowned at this, creasing his brow as he listened to the beast. "A Judas going to Heaven? I doubt your claim…to a degree, Alucard. But what is your point? If I do go to heaven, if the Lord forgives me for my sins, why is that a bad thing?"

"It's not, Anderson. It's a good…and desirable fate…one that I want you to have, my Love." The name of endearment struck the priest for a moment, but then it warmed him as he agreed with it wholeheartedly, waiting for Alucard to continue. "But, Anderson, there is no possibility of us seeing one another again, if you die."

"You aren't immortal, Alucard. One day you would join me." Anderson held the vampire closer, pressing his cheek into the black hair.

"Anderson…if I cannot touch a crucifix, I cannot imagine that I will ever be able to reach Heaven."

Anderson froze, cruelly reminded of something he so easily forgot while he held the vampire to his chest, or whenever he beheld Alucard's company. Alucard was still a monster.

"I am going to Hell, Anderson. There is no question to a solid, self-explanatory fact, such as this. When you only consider what and who I am, what I have done and how I exist…it's obvious."

The man tightened his arms and kissed the demon's head and then his brow, closing his eyes to cut off his sense of sight to feel the cool form against his chest. "If I died before you, and then, later, found myself to be in Heaven while you were in Hell, I would go to you."

Now red eyes opened and blinked at the un-hindering darkness. "I wouldn't want you to."

A kiss touched the vampire's skin again. "But I would."

"Don't, Priest. Never do such a thing for me. Never. I did not want you to stay because I felt as if I were killing you, Anderson. I would be the cause of your death…and my own inability to compromise would cost myself any amount of time that I could possibly scrape from this age, to be with you…if you were with the Vatican. Ultimately, I am a selfish creature, Anderson." The eyes closed again as the kisses continued, burning the cold flesh with shame. "And I hate it."

"When you're more indulgent, I'm happy, Alucard."

"No you aren't, not completely…and neither am I. I don't know how to make anyone happy, Priest."

It was quiet as the kisses continued to burn the vampire, scorching his skin when they became more tender.

"I would do anything to make myself happy, Anderson… You should hate me."

"No, Alucard." The kisses stopped and the priest sighed as his face lowered to an icy cheek, warming it with his own heat. "You would do anything to keep those you love, safe. You do everything to make yourself miserable and to give others a chance at a happiness that does not include you."

"I'm selfish and wretched, Priest."

Anderson could not argue with the stubborn belief, so he brushed it away by shifting the arms he had wrapped around the demon. "I liked it when you called me Love." It was some of the affection the priest was searching for from the vampire.

It was tranquil now, and both of the beings could feel this. Alucard spoke, a peaceful sigh filling his voice. "I have so many names for you."

A chuckle gently shook the demon. "I know. And I like them all."

random? a little. lovey-dovey, out of character? very.