Chapter One: 26 Candles

OBLIGATORY PROLOGUE: How they met and how they fell in love.

Ever since the first day they met, Pip admitted he and Seras got off into a rocky start.

He knew he was an ass to her when he laughed at her for claiming she was a vampire. On Pip's defense, she certainly did not fit the description of a vampire. However, with a little thing Seras loved to call "Aggressive Reasoning", she proved to her arrogant Captain she WAS a vampire when she merely defeated him by flicking an index finger at him.

At that point, their relationship went from rocky start to pure rivalry.

That very same day with the finger-flicking incident, The Wild Geese were to practice immediately in the fields (along with Seras). Five minutes after the men started their shooting round practice, both Pip and Seras got into a heated argument about how The Geese were not capable of shooting 400-500 meter targets. Pip Bernadotte mocked her that "small standard arms are not able to perform such impossible tasks." He also added that anyone who was able to shoot from such a distance was a "monster", which pissed Seras off. So naturally what was a poor little vampire to do? Prove him wrong.

Seras calmly ignored her captain's complaints and went three steps ahead of the geese. She looked at her target and before anyone could ask, she grabbed a gun (which was hidden beneath her side of her skirt) and began shooting with force. The Wild Geese all opened their jaws as they saw the vampire girl in action. Finally as the last "Dungoon" sound was heard, Seras snickered at her perfect aim. The cockiness quickly went away when Pip pointed out that she killed not only all the enemies but the hostages as well. Seras screamed and groaned in embarrassment which only made the men laugh hard, especially Pip. Seras (who was know humiliated twice) walked toward her captain in silence. Pip backed away a step or two and then was shocked to see Seras lift her right hand toward him.

" I made a fool out of you earlier and you made a fool out of me now. Call it even?" Seras asked as she now began to grin and laugh herself.

Pip blinked for a moment and then grinned at the spiky haired girl. He couldn't resist her truce since cute girls are his one weakness. "AlrightI guess we can call it even." He then lifted his right hand and shook it with Seras.

The moment when both their hands touched, both Seras and Pip felt something. Sure they were both wearing gloves and technically their flesh wasn't touching. But that didn't stop the spark of electricity they both felt. Immediately Seras comically jumped/flied back about ten feet away from him and slightly blushed while Pip stared at his hand for a moment and lightly blushed.

But pretty soon the moment was ruined when Pip's lieutenant, John began humming their favorite cadence song from The Geese's favorite movie, "Full Metal Jacket." Pretty soon, all the men were humming the song and urged Bernadotte to "serenade" to Seras.

Pip then smirked at an innocently curious Seras and then began running toward her while shouting loud and proud. "I don't know what I have been told, an Eskimo's XXXXX is mighty XXXX. "

Seras eyes widened in horror and began yelling angrily "FILTHY PERVERT!" Then as she noticed how close he was coming to her, Seras ran like hell all the way to Hellsing mansion while comically crying to Walter for some comfort.

From there, Seras and Pip's relationship status went from rocky to rivalry to comradeship/friendship.

Two weeks passed since then and both Pip and Seras found them-selves no longer feeling any tension between each other. Both quickly adapted to their new situation quickly. Sure both the Captain and Vampire both had their funny heated arguments about almost everything but in the end they would both laugh it off and got along with each other.

Even Pip's men who were scared of her at first, were all touched at Seras's funny and pure heart. It especially touched Pip's heart since despite her fiery rants and outbursts and her amazing fighting skills; the girl was very sweet, kind, and caring to everyone around her. So it was safe to say that The Wild Geese and Seras became fast friends and grew attached to each other those two weeks.

The trip to Brazil was what changed it all for both Pip and Seras. They were sent to Brazil along with Alucard in order to compete a mission. Right after the battle and Pip highjacked the helicopter, Seras, Alucard, and Pip escaped at another area in Brazil in cheap but adequate hotel. That night, Alucard was filled with too much blood lust happiness in his victory against some a member of Millennium and left outside to wander the night on his own.

After changing into a cleaner set of clothes, Pip and Seras began to go out into the streets and take a walk. In that walk both Seras and Pip began talk about personal stuff such as their likes and dislikes, their favorite movies, their favorite type of bands and singers, and eventually they somehow ended talking about their pasts.

Seras felt her heart breaking when she found out Pip never knew his parents and how often the other kids at school teased him as a child. He also told her all about his stubborn old grandfather raising him to follow in the footsteps into becoming a mercenary and honor the family business. Seras couldn't believe her captain had such a sad past.

Seras began to look at Pip differently now. Sure he was a handsome yet perverted mercenary at times, he was a really a good guy. He treasures his men and always looks after them by taking the time to see if they are well. The captain also had a strong set of admirable morals. Almost the same ones Seras believed in too. Seras also loved the way his uncanny ability to cheer anyone up. Seras blushed immediately at the moment she began to have all these thoughts about the captain. It just hit her that she no doubt, was developing feelings for her captain.

So it was natural after Pip's story that Seras told him her darkest secret about her past she's been keeping for a while. It was the only way to thank him for sharing something so painfully personal to him.

Pip was stunned and shocked to find out what his Seras Victoria has been through all her human life. Her once so happy life with her loving parents was soon to be shattered by criminals. Her father was beaten to a slow and horrible death. Her mother on the other hand was not only tortured into a rapid death, but what the criminals did to her bodyUnforgivable. Poor Seras who tried and fight the all criminals, ended up severely wounded and was forced to witness her parents death. Then on top of that, Seras had to grow up in a strict and cruel orphanage where she was teased often. Then Pip just couldn't but feel worse when Seras began explain how she died as a human and thus revealed why Alucard referred her too as "Police Girl."

Pip couldn't believe how someone like Seras who was such a nice girl, could have gone through some much hell in life. He was more amazed at the fact she found the will to live through the pain and to become a police officer just like her father. Most kids who witness stuff stuff like that would most likely become horribly messed up like becoming a druggie, a hooker, a serial killer, and other things. Hell, if he knew what the girly has been though, he would have been a little easy on the perverted stuff. Seras although explained to Pip despite how her human life turned out, she promised herself she wouldn't give up not matter what life threw at her.

Pip began to look at Seras differently after she finished her story. Rather then seeing her as an adorable nice girl who was fun to tease, he now saw her as a damn amazingly good girl with a strong heart. A girl who

Pip at that moment realized what was happening. Something he thought would never happen. He was having feelings for Seras Victoria.

It would be a lie to say that Pip Bernadotte hasn't ever been with a woman. No. The infamous Captain was known to have a way with women and usually ended up sleeping with every woman he meets. However, when it came to love, Pip was never really interested. He was a mercenary. His one and true love was money and it has been this way for years. Hell the only thing he loved about women was their looks and body. All in all, Pip never truly had feelings for a woman before.

Now things were different.

Even though they haven't known each other long, Pip knew Seras was someone very special to him.

As they walked the streets of Brazil, Pip realized it was almost dawn and comically panicked for Seras being out too late. Seras smiled and pulled her pink hood over her face. It covered her completely and she reassured Pip she wasn't going to die as long as she was covered up completely. He sighed in relief and began to get hungry. He suggest they go get some groceries and some fast food. He then smacked himself remembering Alucard told him Seras refuses to drink blood and is in some sort of hunger strike. He thought Seras would get pissed if he mentioned human food to her.

Instead Seras smiled and agreed while holding his hand and ran to the nearest restaurant, to his luck it was a Mc Donalds. Then after, he began to shop for some milk, bread, butter, and water on the way back to the hotel. There Pip began telling Seras a funny story about the time about his first mercenary mission he was in when he seventeen years old. As Seras began laughing along with Pip at the end of his story, the two of them were happy that this bizarre war had brought them together.

Location: Hellsing-Outside-Field

Date: Present: Thursday, June 24th (Two days before the incident.)

Time: 8:45 pm

"I don't know what I've been told" Pip loudly sang to Seras as she stood beside him, as they both watched The WIld Geese engage in target shooting practice. Seras twitched at anger, as her captain started the first line of that vulgar cadence again.

"CaptainDon't you dare!" Seras warned as she lifted her index finger to him. The very same one she used to flick (and severely injure) him when they first met. Pip immediately stopped and grunted.

"Okay. Okay. No need to get feisty Migonnete" Pip began as the smirk began to reappear in his face. "Then again, I do like my girls to be on the sassy side."

Seras blushed immediately and turned away from him. "Captain! Please stop saying things like that! It's embarrassing. "

Pip laughed. "But I can not resist. You are too cute when you get angry."

Seras gave him a deadpan gaze, which only made Pip laugh more since she was as intimidating as a baby kitten. "You only just proved my point with that adorable look on your face, Mignonette."

Seras rolled her eyes. iWhy do I even bother?/i She thought to herself.

She looked at her watch and noticed the men have been practicing for about forty-five minutes. She then began to turn to her captain.

"Captain Bernadotte. Your men have been Training for about forty-five minutes. Time for a ten minute break before we start hand to hand combat training." Seras said as she began to look at her clipboard, which the Captain himself gave to her that listed today's training schedule. As Seras's eyes lifted toward the Captain's, she noticed he was staring at her but lost in thought.

"Huh? Captain? You okay. " Seras asked kindly, her tone filed with worry now. Seras then began to wave one hand toward the captain. "Earth to Cappy!"

Pip snapped out of it his trance and merely laughed. "Sorry Mignonette. I sometimes get lost in my own thoughts."

Seras mouthed out an "o" and nodded. "I see. Well you still must be exhausted from our trip to Brazil so it's understandable. I'll go tell the men it's break time and check on the equipment. Stay here and relax okay? "

With that she gave Pip one of her cheery warm smiles and jogged up to where the men were.

It was true that Pip was kind of in daze but not because he was tired. Rather than getting lost in his thoughts, he was thinking about one thing only. Seras. He couldn't get her off his mind no matter how hard he tried.

As she came back along with The Wild Geese, the lieutenant John, ran toward the captain and gave him a huge noogie to the head. The rest of the men and Seras began to holler in laughter.

"How's my OLD-er man doing?" John screamed as he let go of his captain and smacked his shoulder.

Pip laughed and asked "Oye! What John! What you blabbering about?"

"What the hell? Don't tell meAre you serious Pip? I can't believe you of all people forgot! " John whined as the rest of the geese men groaned at their captain's response.

"Forgot what?" Seras began. "What did he forget?"

John shot up when he heard Seras's voice and wrapped an arm around her. "Oh? Well, pretty girl… it's like this. In about two days, on exactly June 26th, the old geezer right will be celebrating his 26th birthday party!"

Pip then pushed John away from Seras and laughed bitterly. "Fuck. Don't remind me. I AM getting old. No wonder I forgot."

Everyone laughed except Seras who was still in a state of shock at her Captain's age.

"Twenty six years old?" She repeated which caught The Geese's attention.

Pip blushed lightly. "Erryeah. Ah Shit. Don't tell me I look older than I look now."

"No. That's not it. It's just that" Seras said laughing. " I guess I never really thought about your age at all until now. I never knew you were so young! I mean you are only twenty five years old and you are a captain of mercenary group and escaped death more than like twenty times! I just can't believe you are only twenty five at this moment and will be twenty six in two days!"

"What can I say Mignonette? I am an experienced young man. Good looking too, I like to add." Pip said as he winked at Seras while the rest of the men laughed.

Seras rolled her eyes. "Moving on. What are you planning to do on your birthday anyway? Oh wait a second, don't we have training that day?"

"No need to worry about that. I talked to Sir Integra about this and because our captain did an amazing job in his mission yesterday, we can get the day off on the Captain's birthday." John proudly pointed out.

Then suddenly Sam, a short golden haired mercenary began to shout out " ALLLLLL RIIIIIGGGHHHTTT! NOW LET'S MAKE THIS THE BEST "BERNADOTTE BIRTHDAY BASH!" EVER!"

This caused a huge riot between the men as they began to holler and shout cheered together, while Pip shook his head and grabbing a smoke.

"Damn. They never change." Pip said as he began to smile at confused Seras. "Ah! What is the matter my dear?"

" Oh, it's nothing. From the look of this commotion, I assume this "Bernadotte Birthday Bash" must be some kind of party huh?"

Pip then blow out some smoke and gave one of well known perverted smiles. "Yeah, You can say that"

Seras raised her eyebrow but then shrugged. "That's nice. As long as you're having the time of your life."

"Yeah-err..Seras ummm." Pip then began to rub his neck and looked at the floor. "Umm SerasYou will come to the party right? I mean, I know it's sudden but surely you must know we arefrfr-friends. And you're practically like one of the Wild Geese now soIf you're not busy or anything like that and of course with your Master's approval, would you like to come and hang out with us on my birthday?"

If there was ever a time Seras wanted to scream from excitement it would be now. She began to feel for the first time butterflies in her stomach and felt like her legs would turn into jelly. She finally now knew what all the girls in her orphanage meant when they talked about their crushes.

Seras nodded and looked down while blushing some more. "I'd love to Captain. Thank you so much for inviting me."

For a moment the two of them were quiet until Seras nervously broke the silence by changing the subject. "So, Twenty-six huh? You are one of the youngest mercenary captains I know. Well you're the only mercenary captain I know. But still. Are you excited at all? "

Pip then comically sulked at a near by tree then sarcastically said. "Very excited."

Seras, who now had a sweat drop on the back of her head, patted the captain's shoulder. "Cheer up. It's not like you are turning to an eighty year old."

Pip then comically snapped to Seras. "Easy for you to say! You're a vampire! You will never grow old! Speaking of which, how long have you been a vampire for? A hundred years? "

Seras then smacked Pip in the head and shouted. "CAPTAIN BERNADOTTE! YOU KNOW FOR A FACT THAT I AM NOT HUNDRED YEARS OLD!"

"Then how old are you? " one of the Wild Geese Men asked. Seras and Pip turned and noticed the men's riot from earlier ended and now all of them were sitting a few feet away from them, listening to their conversation.

Seras blushed. "I am not as old as you all think."

"Then tell us. What are you seventy years old? " John asked as he finished drinking some water. "Say come to think of it, when did Mr. Alucard turn you into a vampire, Miss Victoria?"

Seras took a deep breath and timidly announced. "I died as a human and became a vampire exactly a month and a half ago. I haven't been a vampire a long time like my master if that's what you al thought. As for my age, I am only nineteen years old. "

The Wild Geese Men jaws dropped and then they all screamed out. "Nineteen!"

Seras was tomato red as she nodded and quickly turned to take a quick glance at her captain. The cigarette fell from Pip's mouth and then he repeated in a whisper."Nineteen..."

"Captain, I told you already I was turned into a newborn vampire about a month and half ago! Why are you acting so shocked?" Seras whined.

Pip shook his head and pointed to Seras. "Yeah butYOU DIDN'T TELL ME YOU WERE ONLY NINETEEN! I MEAN, DAMN IT! YOU'RE JUST A CHILD! "

Seras then began to yell back. "HEY! ALL I HAVE YOU KNOW I WILL BE TWENTY IN ABOUT SIX MONTHS!"

Pip then shouted back. "DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT YOU ARE A CHILD!"

"CHILD!" Seras roared with anger.

"YEAH! A CHILD! YOU'RE PRATICALLY A BABY, SERAS! "

"WHAT THE HELL? BAAAAABBBBYYYY!"

"YEAH, A BABY!"

Seras and Pip began growled at each other while all The Wild Geese just watched at amazement how these two were capable of being able to fight about everything. Pip was the first to give into the fight by laughing since Seras resorted to hissing at him in order to "intimidate" him. Pip couldn't help himself anytime she attempted at a fierce look on her face.

"Okay. Maybe you're not a baby or a childbut you are way younger than I expected." Pip sighed.

Seras blinked for a moment. "huh? Why do you say that? Do I look older than I look? GAH!"

She began to touch her face. "DON'T TELL ME I HAVE WRINKLES!"

"Trust me sweet heart, that ain't the reason why we thought you were older," said John which made all the men in the field laugh.

"Huh? Pip what is he talking about-" But before she could finish, Seras noticed Pip's green eye looking down at her most noticeable part of her body. Then all the Wild Geese Men began whistling at Seras and began screaming some dirty remarks about her breasts and legs.

Sometimes she wished she was born with a smaller set of boobs. Then maybe men wouldn't treat her with such vulgarity all the time.

Seras covered her arms and then yelled. "PERVERTS! YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT MY BODY! "

Pip shrugged trying so hard not to laugh. "Sorry, but I can't help it if you have a face of a beautiful young girl yet have a hot body of a sexy Greek Goddess. "

"DAMN YOU, YOU SLEEZY DISGUSTING FRENCH MAN AND HIS DIRTY PIG GANG!" Seras stomped at the ground in order to make all the laughing men that were standing, fall over flat on their bottoms.

"Break time's over, LADIES. Hand to hand combat practice starts now! And as a special treat, I'll be your opponent for today." Seras announced as she made her way toward her captain and gave a hand to her captain.

"As for you Captain Bernadotte, I will make sure to fight you first. After all, we want to show all the men out here how even an old dried up old prune like you can still have a lot of fight in him."

Pip comically twitched in anger. "You'll regret those words, bat girl! "

Seras grinned. "Will I?"

Seras then comically ran away from Pip as he began chasing her all around the field. As Seras began running, she began worrying about what to give Pip on his birthday. She would have to think about it later in the morning before bedtime and will need to find out some information of what stores were open at night, and finally think of an excuse to miss practice with The Wild Geese.

Seras wasn't sure much how she was gonna pull this off, but she was sure of one thing. She wanted to make sure she got him the best birthday present he has ever gotten in his life.

*Note: Lol sorry for the LONG "Obligatory Prologue" but I wanted it to be there to show everyone when and how Seras and Pip started developing feelings for each other.

Anyway, Poor Seras. Always being picked on for her boobs! XD Pip and his men are such perverts but that's why we love them!

As for Pip's birthday date, I wasn't sure if it was mentioned somewhere when his real birthday is. So if you know please tell me. I decided to make his Birthday June 26th, since that was the date when that movie "Full Metal Jacket" was released. (This is the movie where Pip got the Eskimo Song from XD)