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"Alright. That is enough for today." Dr. Theodore Jepsen, Walter's philosophy professor, announced from the front of the lecture hall. "Be sure to read Chapter 38 in your textbooks; I expect every single one of you to know it front to back before next lecture."

There were murmurs of acknowledgement as the student shuffled their papers and books into their bags and chatted with their friends.

"Hey, Dornez!" Mikael Walker, Walter's roommate, scurried up to the row where Walter was sitting and plopped himself down on the table. "That was your last lecture of the day right? Want to go out to grab a bite to eat with some of the guys?"

"As tempting as greasy sludge from whatever shack you frequent sounds," Walter snapped his bag shut and slung it over his shoulder, giving Mikael a sardonic look, "I will have to pass. I have two papers due at 8 am tomorrow."

"You are so perfect, aren't you?" Mikael chuckled, crossing his arms and tapping his foot against Walter's chair. "Your side of the room is clean as a whistle, your notes look like they were transcribed by a calligrapher, and you are the only one in the entire university who knows more about the Second World War than the professors do. Wasn't your secret?"

"I don't know what you are talking about." Walter nudged him out of his way and strutted down the stairs. "Go out and eat and drink to your hearts content, but don't expect me to clean up your vomit if you can't control yourself."

"Yes, 'Mummy'." Mikael rolled with eyes with a smirk before marching up the stairs to join his friends. 'That guy really is a strange one.'

Walter didn't have any high expectations when he came to Oxford, but he was quickly realizing how noisy and suffocating it was here. Especially since here he wasn't the Angel of Death or Hellsing's butler, but a normal student.

Shutting the door behind him, Walter placed his bag on his desk and lit up a cigarette.

The dorm room was about the same size as his bedroom back at Hellsing, except he had it share it with a bothersome 17-year old punk.

"Was I just like him back at home?" Walter scoffed, unlatching the window and pushing it open so some fresh air could filter into the room. "Dear God, I hope not. If so, I better work on becoming that 'refined gentleman' Olivia used to pester me about becoming."

Taking a seat on the window sill, Walter took a long drag of his cigarette and watched the students bustling around on the lawn below.

It was interesting to interact with kids around his age and to witness what normal teenager were like, but Walter didn't envy them.

None of them could understand the thrill of slicing an enemy into mincemeat with the flick of their wrists; of being the source of fear and dred to creatures of the night everywhere, and to have the chance to be immortalized beyond their degrees and family's wealth at the expense of betraying their country.

The transmitter was hidden in the bottom drawer of his desk, secured by a lock and wire trap that would dice the hand of any possible thieves. Its presence was still jarring but Walter repressed the feeling until it was nothing more than a tiny pebble in his chest.

"You've made your bed," Walter exhaled, glancing over at the rabbit doll on his dress. "Now lay it in."

Moments later, there was a knock on the door and a letter was shoved through the bottom crack followed by the house fellow bellowing, "Post call for Mr. Dornez!"

"Let's see what we've got here." He strutted over to the door and picked up the letter, flipping it over to read the sender's name.

Oh, how Walter was thrilled Mikael wasn't in the room at the moment. The bastard would never let him live down the goofy grin on his face as he read the name 'Olivia Emese Song' on the sender's corner.

Rushing back to the window sill, Walter tore the envelop open and unfolded the letter inside:

Dearest Walter,

How is university? Have you made friends, and are your classes fun? I hope you remember that most of them haven't experience combat with the undead, so if you are in the midst of a fight, mind your strength and don't kill anyone. You are a Politics and Philosophy Major, right? I am glad you aren't a medical student because the idea of you as a doctor frightens me to no end.

I am staying in Amiens, France at the time of writing this letter and will hopefully be in Paris by the time it reaches you. I met a lovely lady who creates manga and actually knows of Hellsing. Her house is snug but comfortable; I cannot say the same for her tastes in human food though.

Oh right! She is a vampire! A good one though. Sometimes I forget there are peaceful vampires in the world.

Anyways, I've included a photo with this letter to ensure you haven't forgotten what I look like. Try not to throw any darts at it when you are stressed over exams.

I love you and miss you, Walter.

-Olivia.

Reaching into the envelope, he pulled out a photograph of Olivia standing in a vast sunflower field. She was smiling with one hand on her hat and the other holding her dress down as a gust of wind was passing by.

"I'm glad you can smile freely again." Walter sighed, tracing his pointer finger over her face. "Make sure to maintain it until I see you again."

Then he went and placed the photo next to the rabbit doll, smiling fondly at both of them before stubbing out his cigarette and closing the window.

"Well, I guess it is time to be a good student and finish my homework." He groaned, plopping himself down on his desk chair and flicking the lamplight on.

He grabbed his philosophy textbook and flipped it open to Chapter 38, but before reading, Walter lifted up the letter Olivia had sent him and re-read the last line with a smile.

"I love and miss you too…"

"Are you sure you can't stay for a few more days?" Fay pouted as she, Olivia, and Alucard stood on the platform of Amiens Station. "You haven't seen how beautiful the city looks during Christmas!"

"Ms. Valentine, we have already stayed for an extra week! It is already 11 pm and this is the last train!" Olivia laughed, drawing her in for a hug. "I promise to call and write often. After all, you promised to give me the first copy of your manga when it is finished."

"Of course, I have to show my muses my gratitude." Fay giggled, returning the hug with such vigor that it cracked Olivia's back.

"No…" Olivia groaned, giving Fay a shaky grin as she rubbed her back. "No…problem. It was….an honor."

"You are too sweet. Oh!" Fay rummaged through her coat pockets before handing Olivia a letter written in French. "Paris is bigger than Amiens and I don't want you dragging Alucard's coffin through the streets, so I called a friend of mine and asked them to meet you at the train station. They own a small but fancy 20 room hotel called Hôtel le Saint Grégoire. It is located in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, which contains most of the sites your parents visited." Fay clasped Olivia on the shoulder and smiled. "Safe travels, Olivia."

"You are too kind, Ms. Valentine!" She squealed, placing the letter in her bag. "You are like a fairy godmoth—wait, is that friend of yours a human or vampire?"

"Does it matter?"

"Well, I have to know which story to tell in regards to…" Olivia gestured to Alucard's coffin. "THAT."

"Oh, they are human and I already told them the story your master conjured up about him being your dead husband."

"I see. Thank you." Olivia chuckled before feeling someone tug on her dress and gazed down to find Alucard staring back up at her.

"The conductor is getting impatient, mamă." He hummed as he continued to tug on her dress, completely committed to his role as the impatient child. "And he is giving you dirty looks for 'keeping your son out past his bedtime'."

And to add to the façade, Alucard yawned loudly and rubbed his eyes; Fay just rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Really? Well I can't have that now." Olivia replied, scooping him up into her arms. "Alright, Ms. Valentine. We have to be going now. Thank you again for everything."

"I should be thanking you. It has been lovely meeting the daughter of Jwa-jin and—," Fay directed her attention towards Alucard and gave him an over-the-top curtsy. "It was an honor to see you again, Your Majesty. Maybe the next time we meet you'll be a giant chicken or a baby panda bear."

"I can still kill you, no matter the form." Alucard cackled, reaching out and kissing the back of her hand. "Until next time, Duchess of Regena."

"Likewise, Voivode of Wallachia."

Waving goodbye to Fay one final time, Olivia and Alucard boarded the train and the conductor shut the door behind them, mumbling something rude in French about how long Olivia had held up the train.

"It is about two hours to Paris," Olivia pointed out as she stepped into their cabin, minding the coffin sitting in the middle of the room. "Feel free to sleep until we arrive. I know Ms. Valentine kept you up with her sketching, but hey, you are a pretty good model and the drawings came out great!"

"I suppose so." Alucard muttered, snuggling against Olivia and closing his eyes. "Try not to move too much."

"Don't you want to sleep in your coffin instead?"

"I'm comfortable right here." He grunted, making a point to cling to the front of her dress so she couldn't move him.

"What if my legs fall asleep or I have to use the bathroom?" Olivia teased, placing her right hand on top of his left. "Whatever will I do?"

"Too late to think about that. Now shut up and let me sleep."

"As you wish, my little prince." Olivia giggled, kissing the top of his head and watching the nighttime sky race by as the train thundered down the tracks.

"You must be Mademoiselle Song." The owner of Hôtel le Saint Grégoire greeted Olivia on the Gare de l'Est platform in Paris with a polite bow. "It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, I am Mariam Chevalier."

Mariam appeared to be in her mid-30s with brown eyes and black hair done up in a pompadour, a typical hairstyle of the 1940s. Her clothes were of the last fashions: a long, flowing yellow dress with a cinched waist, a silk stole wrapped around her shoulders, and a pair of amethyst bracelets that radiated wealth.

In short, Olivia was beginning to suspect France had a network of gorgeous fairy godmothers.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well." Olivia beamed, returning the bow with Alucard fast asleep in her arms. "I'm so sorry you had to wait here late at night, but my son doesn't fare well in the sun and I would prefer not to receive strange looks because of my….husband."

"I understand. Fay told me everything over the phone. My condolences." Mariam bowed again before glancing over at Alucard, the smile growing across her face. "And your son is very cute. He has your hair."

"Oh, thank you, Ms. Chevalier. And," Olivia shifted Alucard to one arm so she could reach into her bag and grab the letter Fay had written. "I think Ms. Valentine wanted me to give this to you."

"I see." Mariam elegantly plucked the letter from Olivia's hand and scanned its contents, letting out a puff of laughter at the end. "It appears you are no ordinary guests. Fay requests—no, demands that you and your son receive the best possible care."

"Please don't mind Ms. Valentine." Olivia's cheeks flushed in embarrassment, finding Fay's letter to be a bit too much. "I apologize—."

"Nonsense. I pride myself on giving my guests the best possible care, and you and your son will be no different." She placed her hand on Olivia's back and nudged her forward. "Come, come, I brought two of my assistants to carry your luggage into the car."

Right on que, a man and woman dressed in matching blue uniforms swooped in and carried Olivia's suitcase and Alucard's coffin to a very sleek silver Rolls Royce.

'At least that is familiar.' Olivia mused as she sat next to Mariam in the passenger section, recalling a similar Rolls Royce in Sir Hellsing's car collection.

Once the luggage was secure, the assistants scurried to the driver's section of the car and soon they were pulling out of the parking lot and cruising down Boulevard de Magenta.

"So how long have you been in Paris, Ms. Chevalier?" Olivia inquired, curious about their gracious host while also mesmerized by Paris' beauty at night.

"Oh, about twenty years now. I was born and raised in Bamako, Mali until my mother and I immigrated here to be closer to my father." Mariam answered, reaching into her handbag and offering Olivia a hard candy, which she graciously accepted. "You see, my father was from Paris and my mother was from Bamako. However, my father's work in the government kept him in Paris for most of the year, so most of my interactions with him were over the phone. Eventually my mother put her foot down and said we would live with Father in Paris. It wasn't easy at first, but at least we knew the language and I soon made a name for myself. Now my family and I live comfortably and Hôtel le Saint Grégoire is one of the most popular hotels in the city."

"A happy ending!" Olivia cheered, shifting Alucard's head off her shoulder when he 'accidently' started drooling—he definitely wasn't asleep anymore.

"Yes, a happy ending indeed." Mariam smiled fondly, pleased with what her years of hard work had granted her. "May I ask for your story as well? Do forgive me, but you are rather young to be a widow and a mother."

"Uh…"

"What can you tell me about your late husband? I assume he died in the war, correct?"

"Uh….," Olivia glanced down at Alucard, who was still pretending to be asleep but the arrogant grin on his face gave him away. "Well, when we first met, he swept me off my feet and flew me up to the moon….literally."

"How romantic." Mariam sighed, placing her hand over her heart.

'Yes, draga mea,' Alucard's infuriating voice echoed inside her mind. 'How romantic.'

"Excuse me, Ms. Chevalier, but could we pull over on that bridge over there? I need to launch my son into the bottom of the Siene."

"I…beg your pardon?"

"Nothing, Ms. Chevailer." Olivia mumbled, leering down at Alucard who just smiled angelically in return. 'Alucard, I love you but you can be such a pest.'

'But I wouldn't be the monster you love if I wasn't.'

"Um," Mariam interrupted the intense staring match Olivia was having with her son. "Did I hit a nerve? I didn't mean to reopen old wounds."

"No, no. It's not your fault; I'm just tired from the long trip." Olivia reassured her, mustering up her best smile. "Please forgive me."

"No, I understand completely. Fret not, I have the perfect room set aside for you and your son." There was a certain twinkle in Mariam's eyes that reminded Olivia so much of Fay.

'I can see why they are friends now.'

Hôtel le Saint Grégoire was an elegant yet charming hotel with a lounge bar, a garden, a laundry room, and a vaulted dining room.

Olivia and Alucard's room was on the top floor. It was a deluxe suite with a king sized bed, a breathtaking balcony view of the area, a lounge area (where Alucard's coffin was placed), a walk-in closet, and a bathroom fitted with a porcelain tub and a variety of spa toiletries.

In short, Olivia felt like a princess.

"This is too much, Ms. Chevalier." Olivia gasped, placing Alucard (who had fallen back asleep) on the bed and took in the luxury suite with starry eyes.

"Well, Ms. Valentine said to give you the best and I intended to deliver." Mariam chuckled, handing Olivia the room key. "Breakfast is served at 6am and ends at 8:30 am. I hope to see you there. My kitchen staff is second to none."

"We will be there bright and early." Olivia nodded, holding the key to her chest. "Thank you again for everything, Ms. Chevalier. How can I ever repay you?"

"Think nothing of it. I would never charge a friend of Fay a dime." Mariam bowed again and moved towards the door. "I will take my leave now. Sweet dreams, Mademoiselle Song and welcome to Paris."

The moment Mariam closed the door behind her, Olivia flung her hat across the room and spun around with her arms outstretched.

This room was bigger than her bedroom back at Hellsing and the view outside was so gorgeous that she truly felt like she was in another world.

"Having fun?" Alucard interjected, back to his normal size and lounging on the bed with his arms behind his head; Olivia tripped over his coffin and landed flat on her face. "How graceful."

"What are you doing back in your normal form?!" She exclaimed, scrambling to her feet. "And why do you look so 'at home'?!"

"I'm enjoying myself, much like you were a moment ago." He laughed as she glared at him with flushed cheeks. "And, my, my, this is rather comfortable bed. I already feel myself dozing off…"

"Oh, no, no!" Olivia huffed, marching up to the bed and placed her hands on her hips. "Sleeping next to you is a battle in of itself! You hog the blankets, kick me to the edge of the bed, or hold onto me so tight that I fear my ribs will shatter!"

"But I'm so comfortable~." Alucard whined with that shit eating grin. "What kind of wife kicks her husband out of bed?"

"You barely fit on the bed, you redwood!" She pointed to his legs that were hanging off the bed and touching the ground. "This bed wasn't meant for people over 190 cm! Most beds aren't!"

"Then I'll be in my child form." He retorted with half-lidded eyes. "Problem solved."

"Your sleeping patterns are the same, regardless of your form!" Olivia groaned, grabbing his hands and trying to hoist him onto his feet. "C'mon, up, up! Off to your coffin!"

"Are you giving me an order?" Alucard teased, becoming dead weight while watching Olivia attempt to lift him up.

"For the final time, I'm not your master!"

"Then I'm not listening." He stated plainly, transforming into his child form yet still not moving an inch. "You are doing nothing but wearing yourself out. Might as well accept me as your bunkmate, mamă."

"Fine!" Olivia released him and threw her hands into the air. "But if you kick me again, I will drag you into your coffin and nail it shut!"

"Promises, promises." Alucard snickered, watching Olivia gather her clothes and storm off into the bathroom. "Where would you get the nails anyways?"

"Shut up!"

As it turns out, Alucard didn't cause any bodily harm to Olivia during their slumber but he was guilty of stealing the blankets at least six times.

Not because he was cold but because it annoyed Olivia.

At the first signs of dawn, Alucard finally decided to let her sleep in peace and quietly moved out to the balcony.

Paris had changed since the last time he'd been there but he still recognized certain landmarks, like the Père Lachaise. Alucard also pinpointed all the locations Olivia intended to visit over their weeklong stay, finding nothing spectacular about them.

But they were important to Olivia, so they were important to him as well.

Scanning the area one last time, he was about to head back inside when the waft of fresh blood invaded his senses. His mouth watered as he sensed the smell coming from the garden below, and he didn't hesitate to leap over the railing.

The source turned out to be an injured baby robin that fell from its nest and was attacked by a stray cat.

"How unfortunate." Alucard muttered, cupping his hands under the bird's form and lifting it up to his face. "Newly born and already on the verge of death." He licked up some of the blood from the bird's beak. "You couldn't fly away yet you still fought against the feline who put you in this state. That is an admirable trait, so as a reward for your efforts, I will put you out of your misery." He smiled and licked his lips. "Besides, it's been a while since I've feasted on live prey."

The little robin left out a pitiful squeak as Alucard sunk his teeth into its bleeding chest before falling silent.

Unfortunately, one of the guests happened to be in the garden as well and nearly went into cardiac arrest when she saw an 8-year old boy eating a robin.

"O-O-O-Oh my Lord!" She fell against one of the marble pillars and clutched her chest. "Monster! MONSTER!"

A half-eaten carcass in his grasp, Alucard leaned back on his heels and grinned at the woman with his blood stained razor sharp fangs.

"Do you mind, madam? I am eating my breakfast."

"S-S-Someone! Help! I—!"

"There you are." Olivia breezed past the petrified woman, her nightgown blowing behind her and her bedhead prominent. "If you wanted blood, Ms. Valentine gave me several pouches. You could've had some of those instead of terrorizing the other guests."

"Ah, but nothing is quite as refreshing as fresh blood." Alucard took another gulp from the bird while Olivia ran her hand down her face.

"I'm sure." Olivia sighed, tapping her foot as he finished up. Once Alucard was done, she scooped him up in her arms and marched back towards the hotel entrance. "If you are going out on a hunt, try to stock up at night."

"You…." The woman shoved her finger in Olivia's face, nearly poking her in the eye. "You have a demon child!"

"I am aware of that, but that is still very rude of you to say." Olivia snarled while swatting her hand away. "Alucard, can you do something about her so I can go back to sleep?"

"It would be my pleasure."

The woman only had a second to react before Alucard cupped her face in his hands as his eyes began to glow.

"Everything is perfectly fine." He whispered, tendrils with eyes jutting from his form and wrapping around the trembling woman.

"Ev….Everything is….just fine…" The woman slowly responded, her eyes becoming red and her expression blank.

"Good. Now, forget all you have seen and return to your room."

And so she did, her eyes still red and her expression flaccid.

"That is still really creepy, y'know." Olivia shivered as one of Alucard's tendrils caressed her cheek, to which he just laughed and nuzzled his still bloodied face against her neck.

"Why are you so grumpy, mamă?"

"Not another word, young man." She hissed, chopping him on the forehead. "Not. Another. Word."

Two hours later, Olivia was well-rested and in a better mood, so she and Alucard went down to the dining area for the "second to none" breakfast.

"Wow, this breakfast is delicious!" She marveled while taking another bite of her pain au chocolat. "It tastes like a chocolate cloud!"

"I'm glad you are enjoying it." Mariam chuckled, placing a cup of coffee in front of her. "And how about you, young man?"

"My food is delicious as well." Alucard replied in perfect French, taking a huge bite of his chausson aux pommes and smiling angelically.

"My, my! What a smart boy you have, Mademoiselle Song!" Mariam laughed, patting him on the head. "I shall leave you two to finish your breakfast in peace."

Once Olivia was sure Mariam was gone, she whirled towards Alucard and pointed her fork at him.

"You're nothing like typical vampires, so the fact that you can eat human food shouldn't surprise me." She then pointed her fork at his food. "But why didn't you tell me earlier? I could've cooked something for you!"

"I've heard what the other soldiers say about your cooking, so I don't believe I was missing much. Besides, I cannot taste food like you humans can. It becomes ash in my mouth, so why should I bother when blood tastes better?" He explained, tapping his own fork against hers like it was a fencing match.

"I guess you have a point." Olivia put her fork down and grabbed her napkin so she could wipe the crumbs off Alucard's cheeks. "You don't have to eat anymore. Ms. Chevalier is gone."

"Does eating with me make you happy?"

"….Yes."

"Then I'll keep eating until you are done." He bit off another piece of the apple turnover to prove his point. "It's as simple as that."

Olivia could only grin and continued to eat her breakfast, one of the cracks on her heart mending ever so slightly.

"So where to first, Navigator?" Alucard asked as they stood on the sidewalk in front of the hotel, holding Olivia's parasol over his head.

"Luxembourg Gardens. It is about a two minute walk from here and it was one of my parents' favorite parts of Paris." Olivia held up the map Ms. Chevalier had given her. "Luxembourg Palace is also there but I doubt we will be able to go inside, considering the Paris Peace Conference is in motion there."

"And afterwards?" Alucard held his hand out for Olivia to take and allowed her to lead him down the sidewalk.

"I would like to visit Café de Flore. It is the oldest coffee house in the city and I hear a majority of Paris' celebrities frequent there. Maybe I can get an autograph."

"You don't know any French celebrities, though."

"They don't know that." Olivia giggled, looking both ways before crossing the street. "What about you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you want to go anywhere in particular? You are allowed to have some fun as well."

"Your definition and my definition of fun are vastly different, remember?" He chuckled, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand. "But I'll pass. Do whatever you wish and I shall follow you."

"Hmm. I guess I'll just have to find something that will catch your interest. After all, this is sort of like a vacation and I want to create pleasant memories with you." Then she picked him up and placed him on her shoulders. "Don't you want to create memories with me as well?"

She was smiling up at him with nothing but genuine warmth and affection in her eyes, and Alucard noticed Olivia wore that same expression ten years ago when she asked him to be her friend.

"Yes." He answered, sweeping a lock of hair behind her ear. "Just lead the way."

Luxembourg Gardens was a breathtaking 23 hectare paradise of flowers, tree-lined promenades, and music with a hint of magic lingering in the air.

"Wow!" Olivia breathed out, surrounded by hedges and rows of flowers of all kinds. "It's like a painting come to life!"

"Really? I don't recall paintings being this nauseating." Alucard pinched his nose and eyed the flowers with disinterest. "I prefer that perfume you were wearing at the ball than this infernal headache."

"Stop complaining and be a good son." She laughed, putting him down and leaning forward to smell the flowers. "We will move to a less congested area soon. Anya told me she and Apa loved to smell the flowers here, and I am not leaving until I memorized every scent."

"The human olfactory receptors are truly amazing." Alucard muttered, walking down the row with his hand in his pocket. "Call for me whenever you are ready."

"Off to find a willow tree?" Olivia teased before returning to the flowers and imagining her parents' doing the same during their honeymoon all those years ago.

'What were you two talking about as you stood in this same spot? About your future? The view from your hotel or the delicious food you had for breakfast? I wish I could know.'

Each flower had a unique scent with one smelling like fresh soap and another smelling like fresh berries; those two flower scents stood out to Olivia since she recalled them being her parents' favorites.

Eventually she reached the end of the row and leaned in to take a whiff of the final flower….only to have a hand shoot out of the hedge and snatch her hat off her head.

"H-Hey!" Olivia clawed through the hedge, ready to confront whoever took her hat. "How dare y—!"

"It's impolite to yell at strangers, you know." A teenage boy chuckled, plopping the hat on his head. "It gives off the wrong impression."

He was a head taller than her; wore a black suit with a red tie and a matching black overcoat nestled on his shoulders; had thick black hair that curled below his shoulder blades, and a pair of red tinted sunglasses that covered his maroon eyes.

This was what Alucard looked like when he was 18.

"Aw, my son is all grown up." Olivia giggled, a light blush on her cheeks. "May I have my hat back now?"

"How about we make a trade?" Alucard phased through the hedge and held out her parasol, which she took, followed by a daffodil. "Will that suffice, draga mea?"

"I would say so." Olivia buried her face against the flower petals to hide her reddening, grinning face. "What brought about the sudden change? I though you hated the smell of flowers."

"I do, but what kind of son would I be if I left my darling mother all by her lonesome?" He replied, holding his arm out for her to take. "Shall we?"

"Have I told you today how much I love you?" Olivia glowed, lacing her arm with his and kissing him on the cheek. "Lead the way then, my darling escort!"

The two of them strolled through the remaining sections of the East Gardens until they eventually ended up at The Medici Fountain. Sculptures, mini pillars, and plane trees lined the long basin of water, and although Olivia didn't recall her parents mentioning this place, she still took in the fountains beauty with a smile.

With Alucard holding her hand, Olivia leapt onto one of the mini pillars and began to hop up the line to the grotto at the fountain's head.

"The sculptures in there are beautiful." She gestured towards the man and woman embracing on a grassy plain and the large figure looming on the ledge above them. "I wonder if it is based off a story."

"It is based off the love story of Acis and Galatea." Alucard explained, having actually been in Paris when the fountain was built. "Galatea was a sea nymph and was considered the most beautiful of her 50 sisters, yet she only had eyes for Acis. Polyphemus, a cyclops, had also fallen in love with Galatea and grew jealous of Acis. So, when he found the couple together, Polyphemus crushed Acis with a boulder as vengeance. However, Galatea had her own revenge and turned Polyphemus into a river spirit."

"Jealously is a frightening thing." Olivia noted as she reached the end of the trail and grasped Alucard's shoulder as he lifted her up and placed her back on the ground.

"But it is entertaining to watch." Alucard smirked, linking their arms together again. "You humans go to such childish and destructive lengths over petty things."

"Well, I cannot say you are wrong, but," Olivia cleared her throat, feeling the need to defend humanity. "There are certain people and things worth fighting for and, if the thought of losing something precious fuels your actions, well, I cannot chastise them without being hypocritical."

Alucard stared down at Olivia for a moment before placing her hat back on her head.

"I figured you would say something like that." He snickered, pulling the brim over her face.

"Did you expect anything else?" She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Not at all." He hummed, sweeping a lock of hair behind her ear. "Your hair has gotten quite long. It reaches your ankles now."

"Finally!" Olivia cheered, spinning around and letting her hair fan out around her. "It is finally the length I want it at!"

"Care to share why?" Alucard plucked the daffodil from her hand and tucked it behind her ear.

"Mmmm. Maybe tomorrow." Olivia giggled as she tugged him forward. "C'mon, I want to explore some more! Let's go look at the azaleas next! My parents loved azaleas and had them in their wedding."

It was evening by the time they visited all the sections of the gardens with the rose maze being the final piece of the puzzle that led out to the main street.

"Let's have a race!" Olivia pointed to the two entrances to the maze before pumping her fists. "First one to the main street is the winner."

"And what are the stakes?" Alucard closed the parasol and hooked it on his wrist, intrigued by the notion of a challenge.

"If you win, I'll ask Sir Hellsing to create a new gun for you. One with bigger rounds and explosive mercury tips."

"Interesting. And if you win?"

"If I win," Olivia clasped her hands together and bounced on her heels. "I want you to take me flying across Paris."

"That's all?"

"Yes, that would make me the happiest girl on the Earth. So," She stuck out her hand. "Do you accept my challenge?"

"Of course." Alucard smirked, clasping her hand in his and shaking it. "May the best soldier win."

"Great! I'll go this way! You go that way! And no cheating! Navigate your way out of the maze like a human!"

"You have my word." He held his hand up like he was swearing an oath. "No tricks and no cheats."

"Good! See you on the other side then!" Olivia rocketed through the left entrance and took a right followed by a left, another right, a left, another left, and a right. "How far have you gotten, Alucard?!"

"Oh, a decent amount." His voice came from somewhere in the middle of the maze. "Although, I was expecting more of a challenge."

"H-Hey! Cheater! How did you get there so fast?!"

"I studied the art of tactical planning as a human, you know. This maze is no different from a battlefield."

"Hmph! Well I still intend to win!"

And Olivia raced further into the maze, counting the lefts and rights until she heard the sound of someone laughing.

'The exit!' Olivia squealed in delight. 'Here I come!'

And she darted around the corner, smiling widely….only for it to drop moments later as the air became ice cold.

Olivia had walked into a dead end and standing at the end….was Richard Hellsing, stubbing his cigarette out on one of the roses.

The three gunshot wounds from that night burned her skin, and Olivia's mind became engulfed in a black mist as she beheld the monster that was responsible for Martha's death.

Four years…..she had waited for this moment for four years…

Without thinking, Olivia whipped out her gun and shot him in the knee.

"FUCK!" Richard howled as he crumbled to the ground, blood gushing from the wound. "WHO THE FUCK—?!"

"Enjoying your holiday, you piece of dog shit?" Olivia smiled, trudging forward like a predator before prey. "You murder Lady Hellsing by blackmailing a pitiful yet equally disgusting man, and then you run away before anyone can uncover the mystery. You truly are pathetic."

"Y-YOU?!" Richard fell back with his eyes wide in terror. "HOW THE HELL DID YOU FIND ME?!"

"It appears luck is on my side." She shrugged. "You know, I made a vow on Martha's grave that if Sir Islands didn't bring you to justice, I would take care of business myself. However, you fled the country like a frightened dog and haven't been seen since. Yet…here you are and here I am." Olivia shot him in the shoulder, relishing in the sight of his agony. "I don't intend to make your death a quick one. I've waited for this moment. In fact," She pocketed her gun and pinned him to the ground by digging her heel into his chest. "Using a gun is too merciful for the likes of you."

"Do you really think you can kill me?!" Richard growled, trying to shove her away which just made Olivia increase her weight on his chest.

"I killed an entire family with only one arm. I don't think I'll have a problem with you!" Olivia kicked him in the face, breaking his nose and cracking some of his teeth. "You heard about the fate of the man you blackmailed, correct? I intend to do worse to you."

"You stupid bitch!" He gargled, blood pooling into his mouth. "If you try to kill me, my 'darling' brother will have you executed for treason. You don't want that, don't you?!"

"How dare you lecture to me about treason?!" She jammed her heel into his throat. "You are lucky Sir Hellsing loves you so much. But…he isn't here is he?" She bent down and hoisted him up by the collar. "Too bad your little plan failed, Richard Hellsing. I am alive! And I can finally avenge Martha's death!"

"But I did kill you!" Richard blurted out, a smug grin on his face. "I've finally won against the little half breed who humiliated me—me! A Hellsing and the rightful heir to the family! It was your fault that cow died, not mine! If only you knew your place from the beginning, if only you took me up on my offer…" He reached out and swatted the daffodil behind her ear away before bunching her hair up in his blood stained grasp. "You have gotten quite beautiful in the past four years….such lovely hair.."

"Get your fucking hands off of me!" Olivia snapped his wrist back and slammed his head repeatedly against the ground. "You still are a sick fuck who doesn't understand a thing! Your brother loves you! Everyone but him suspected you! He loves you! HE LOVES YOU AND YOU BETRAYED HIM BY KILLING HIS WIFE OVER SOMETHING SO VILE AND CHILDISH!"

With every blow, the dark mist dissipated as, once again, Olivia was ensnared by her grief and tears quickly clouded her vision.

"Sir Hellsing still has a picture of Martha hidden in his desk…." She whimpered, her bottom lip quivering and her hands trembling. "He still grieves Martha after all this time and he doesn't know it was his own brother that murdered her!" Olivia violently shook Richard's unconscious body back and forth. "YOU SAY YOU ARE THE RIGHTFUL HEIR TO THE HELLING FAMILY, BUT YOU DON'T MEAN KNOW WHAT THE WORD 'FAMILY' MEANS, DON'T YOU?! DON'T YOU?!"

"Get away from Mr. Hellsing!" A voice bellowed from the entrance of the dead end. It was Jonathan Duval, Richard's ever faithful driver and now bodyguard. "Step away from Mr. Hellsing this instant!"

Olivia paid Jonahthan no mind and just stared at Richard's bloodied, unconscious face as if it held the answer to all her questions.

"I'm warning you! Release Mr. Hellsing or I'll shoot!"

Olivia still didn't react.

"I warned you!"

Jonathan fired a complete round of bullets….but they never reached Olivia.

"I was wondering what was taking you so long." Alucard crushed the bullets one by one in his hand and peered over at Richard's pathetic form. "It appears you found a turncoat and his pet. How interesting."

"H-H-How did you—?!" Jonathan sputtered, wondering how the hell this guy caught all his bullets with ease. "Who you think you ar—?!" He was immediately silenced when Alucard whipped out his pistol and pointed the barrel to his forehead.

"You truly are a stupid little dog if you believe you can attack my 'wife' and live long enough to demand answers from me." Alucard chuckled, his eyes blood red as he cocked the hammer back. "A bullet alone will not constitute as penance for—."

"Stop it." Olivia stood up and dropped Richard's body on the ground, a foreign look in her eyes. "Don't hurt him, Alucard."

"Why shouldn't I?" Alucard inquired, placing his finger on the trigger. "I was ordered to protect you and protect you I shall. This 'bodyguard' poses a threat to your safety, so I am doing only what is required to keep you safe."

"Then take me back to the hotel." Her skin was stark white and there was sway in her step. "Please, Alucard….let him go."

"…..As you wish." Alucard placed his pistol back in its holster, the smile gone from his face.

"Gather up your master and take him to a hospital." Olivia stumbled forward, bracing herself against the maze wall. "And if you breathe a word of this to anyone, I'll have my 'husband' track you down and paint the walls with your innards. Do you understand?"

"Y-Yes, ma'am! Roger that! Loud and clear!" Jonathan saluted her as his body became drenched in sweat.

"Then get moving." Olivia brushed past them, her sight becoming unfocused. "Take me to the exit, Alucard."

"Be right there." Alucard grabbed Jonathan by the tie and yanked him in close, the smile back on his face. "I would love to see you try to challenge. It has been a while since I've feast on a man."

Jonathan shivered as Alucard ran a finger down his neck before following after Olivia, his laughter filling the air.

"Christ, Mr. Hellsing." He darted forward and gathered Richard up in his arms. "What the hell did you do?!"

An hour later, Olivia stood in the middle of the bathroom, bare and still dripping wet from her bath.

No matter how hard she scrubbed her hair, she still felt his fingers.

Such lovely hair

Such lovely hair

Suchlovelyhairsuchlovelyhairsuchlovelyhairsuchlovelyhair—

"FUCK!" Olivia picked up her hairbrush and hurled it at the mirror, shattering the glass into hundreds of pieces. "FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU!"

The ghost of Richard's touch was like millions of spiders crawling across her scalp, and without a moment's hesitation, she snatched up one of the glass shards and sawed at her hair until only uneven patches that sprung out in all directions remained.

Livid, Olivia dug the shard into her cursed hand until the blood overflowed from her palm and poured onto the floor. But no amount of physical pain outweighed the emotional hurricane, and with a strangled cry, Olivia threw the shard against the wall and crumbled to the ground with her head against her knees.

The sounds of boots clicking against the bathroom tiles were her only warning before a red overcoat was placed on her shoulders and a gloved hand gingerly grasped her injured, cursed hand.

Olivia peered up to find Alucard crouched next to her, and, while maintaining eye contact, he brought her hand to his mouth and licked at the wound

"Why didn't you kill him?" His breath tickled her skin. "He betrayed our master and it is our duty to eliminate those who defy him."

"Because…..I…I realized it wasn't my right." She touched the bullet wound on her chest. "For all my hatred towards Richard and how I desperately wish for his demise, as I looked down at his disgusting, treacherous face, I realized Richard was not mine to kill; he was Sir Hellsing's. That bastard killed the wife of the Head of the Hellsing organization, so it is only right for the Head of Hellsing be the one to end his life, whether by his own hand or by giving me the order. Either way, it is Sir Hellsing who must pull the trigger, not me….." She peeked over at her cursed hand and whispered, "I'm nothing but a solider, and they act on orders….not emotions.."

Alucard didn't comment on her reasoning and continued to lick up her blood until her wound was healed.

"Thank you for the meal."

"Glad you enjoyed yourself." Olivia muttered, looking at the severed locks of hair scattered across the floor alongside the glass shards.

("Anya, I want to have long hair like you when I grow up!" Five year old Olivia beamed as she watched her mom brush her hair. )

("My, my. Your hair is long enough to sit on now, Ms. Olivia." Martha hummed. "You must be happy about that."/"Yes." Olivia closed her eyes and sighed blissfully. "It is almost as long as my mother's was, although she rarely let it down. I just hope I can maintain it properly.")

Olivia pulled Alucard's coat tighter around her bare form as her eyes dulled slightly, but she was suddenly brought out of her daze when Alucard tilted her chin up with his finger.

"You're not crying." He caressed her dry face, as if suspecting she was hiding her tears.

"Richard Hellsing isn't worth a single drop of my tears nor is his presence enough to deter me from my mission." Olivia stood up and averted her eyes. "I would like to get dressed now. Please excuse yourself."

Still holding onto her hand, Alucard pressed a kiss against her palm before phasing out through the wall.

"Don't keep me waiting for long. I have something to give to you."

When Olivia emerged from the bathroom in her nightgown and with Alucard's coat still nestled on her shoulders, she found the balcony door open and Alucard standing on the railing.

"What are you doing?" She stepped over the threshold and shivered as the cool night air wrapped around her.

"You requested that I take you flying across Paris.." He held out his hand. "Shall we?"

"But I didn't win the race, Alucard." Olivia took his hand anyways and let him hoist her up on the railing. "You don't have to do this."

"But I do." Alucard retorted, sweeping an arm under her knees and lifting off the railing. "I would be a lousy son and husband otherwise. Besides," He grinned widely, his fangs shining in the moonlight. "Humans can't fly without a pair of wings."

And he shot off into the night, appearing as nothing more than a streak of crimson red along the cityscape.

The wind cut through Olivia and she clung onto Alucard for dear life as he made sudden drops and sharp turns to rouse a scream or squeal from her.

"ALUCARD!" Her cries echoed far and wide when he leapt from Notre Dame Cathedral. "ENOUGH!"

"WHAT'S THAT?! GO FASTER?!" He cackled, stopping a meter from the ground and soaring off into the sky at maximum speed with Olivia shouting explicits in his ear.

Yet she was laughing all the while…but she was also—.

"You're crying." Alucard stopped suddenly when he felt his neck becoming wet. "Why now all the sudden?"

"It's because I'm happy right now." Olivia confessed, gazing at his moonlit profile in utter endearment. "I met the creature who murdered one of my dearest friends, and I sawed off the hair I worked so hard to grow out …and yet….at this moment….I can't help but feel pure happiness."

"Tsk. My wife is such a crybaby." He sighed, wiping her cheeks with a smile. "If she keeps crying unceasingly, she will become ugly and no one will look at her."

"You're the one to talk. I recall you having a sob fest last week." Olivia giggled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and rubbed her nose against his. "We are quite a pair, aren't we?"

"Yes we are." He raised his fingers to his lips, prepared to give her another indirect kiss when she stopped him.

"I know you're 515 years old, but I think you can do a little better than that after everything we've been though." She teased, gently cupping his face and connecting their lips in a chaste kiss before pulling away. "That is how you kiss someone, old man."

"Such bold words!" Alucard's voice dropped an octave and his grip on her legs tightened as that infamous grin spread across his face. "Allow me to amend my past mistakes then, draga mea."

Then he grasped the back of her head, tangling his fingers through her hair, and re-connected their lips once more, the edge of his fangs poking against her lips.

'Better…' Olivia giggled, deepening the kiss as the bustle of the city below them faded into silence. 'Much better…'

Back in Amiens, Fay was hard at work with the next chapter of her manga, this time sketching the man and woman with Alucard and Olivia's likenesses kissing under the watchful eye of the moon with these words in the textbox above them:

Life broke her.

Life broke him.

But when they got together,

Their pieces became whole.

A/N: That quote at the end is from cfmusings on Tumblr. And Alucard's comment about Olivia becoming ugly if she keeps crying is a throwback to the same comment Olivia made about herself in Chapter 17.

*Aggressively hums "Let Me Be Your Wings" from the Thumbelina Soundtrack or "A Whole New World" from the Aladdin soundtrack.*

So yeah! Very busy chapter! And the new icon shows Olivia's hairstyle. (It is Saya from Blood+ by the way). And haven't you noticed flower fields were starting to mean something positive for Olivia? For most of her life, flower fields have signified death. She was picking flowers when her family and Martha were killed…then she and Alucard had an official confession in the Amiens flower field and they had a 'date' in the Luxembourg one. But then Richard showed up so flower fields are cursed. Sorry, Olivia.

And Alucard's height is 210 cm which makes him roughly 6'9". This is according to an official Hellsing chart I found. Père Lachaise is a cemetery in Paris. And Alucard didn't dress like that when he was 18 (obviously) but that is how his appearance was. And if you want Olivia's current height, she and Walter are both 5'7" and still growing. Damn, people in the Hellsing world are tall.

And the willow bark comment is basically Olivia asking Alucard if he is looking for aspirin since willow bark contains salicin which is an anti-inflammatory agent similar to aspirin. And I was just having fun with the flower scents to be honest. So if you are a botanist, have mercy on me. Lol.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It is supposed to somewhat mirror the previous one since the last chapter Alucard weathered his demons with Olivia's support and this chapter, Olivia' weathered some of her demons with Alucard's support. And check my tumblr blog! I posted some stuff that corresponds to this chapter, tagged with #chapter 36. And you guys are still more than welcome to draw stuff too! *wink wink* Lol!

Thank you so much again for reading this chapter! And please leave a review! I love them so so so so so much~!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you in the next one where we will look more in the post-WW2 world, check in on Arthur, and have more fun stuff for the whole family! :D

Thank you again! :D