Chapter 13

It was only a few weeks until Integra and Seras were to give birth. Integra was thankful for the drastic decrease in vampire activity. It was almost impossible to get Alucard to leave Seras's side. He was bound and determined to stay with his mate no matter what happened. As far as he was concerned, it could be judgement day and he still wouldn't leave Seras. And she understood why he felt that way. Their daughter would come into the world soon, and he wanted to be with Seras when that moment came. It still amazed her how attentitve and protective he'd become of Seras since learning she was pregnant.

She lay in her bed looking upward at the ceiling. How she hated being so stationary. Kenneth was taking care of Hellsing affairs for the time being. She appreciated his being of assistance to her, but deep down she always needed to be the one in charge of the operation. That was how it had always been since she'd lost her father and inherited Alucard. Of course now there were changes that she knew would naturally have taken place. She got married and now expecting a child, she knew she could not always be in the thick of Hellsing buisness.

Making his rounds throughout the mansion, Walter stopped by Integra's bedroom. "Is there anything I can get for you Sir Integra?" He asked.

"Yes. Have Megan come to my room. If I don't have something to get rid of this restlessness I'll go mad." Integra answered.

"I will go get her at once Sir." Walter said.

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Out on one of the balconies stood Alucard and Seras. He stood with one arm across Seras's shoulders. He joined his other hand with hers across her pregnant belly. They both stood looking into each other's eyes while Zoey sat sketching them. A few nights earlier Alucard himself had requested of Zoey to do a portrait of them both while Seras was still pregnant. Seras wore her favorite white gown and matching robe. Alucard wore a white dress shirt and his grey trousers. His hair was shoulder length. The sky was clear and full of stars. The moon shown directly between the two as if Alucard himself had commanded it.

"All right. I've finished the rough sketch. I should have the finished product in a couple of days depending on how much work I have to do for Sir Integra and Kenneth."

"Take your time my dear. I'm very grateful to you for doing this for Seras and I." Alucard replied.

"I hope you'll be happy with it. I know you probably have high expectations." Zoey said with a nervous quiver.

"I do not doubt your talents Zoey. You should not doubt them either. I have every faith the portrait will turn out just fine." Alucard said.

"Thank you. Well, I guess I better get inside and get started on cleaning this up so I can put color to it." Zoey answered and left for her room.

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Megan entered Integra's bedroom. "Was there something you needed?" She asked.

"Yes. Is there something you can give me to calm this irritating restlessness? I can't hardly bare it anymore." Integra answered with a frustrated sigh.

"Of course. I'll bring some special incense to help you relax." Megan said.

"Thank you. Tell me, has Simon made any progress with his experiments for a blood substitute?" Integra asked.

"Not yet. He's had a few near hits, but has yet to come up with a sucessful formula. He's been trying every day though." Megan answered.

"Oh well. I know these things can take a great amount of time. But if he ever does succeed, I'm the first on his list of clients." Integra replied.

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Pickman sat in his room on his bed. He stripped his shirt off and tossed it on the floor. He was still a bit out of breath from training and target practice. He grabbed the remote to his stereo and turned it on. He clicked the remote until it went to the track he wanted, then he tossed it down on his bed. He plopped down on his bed as the track began to play.

"ALL ABOARD! HA HA HA HA!"

"Crazy, but that's how it goes
Millions of people living as foes
Maybe it's not too late
To learn how to love
And forget how to hate

Mental wounds not healing
Life's a bitter shame
I'm going off the rails on a crazy train"

As he got comfortable, he heard a knock at the door. He turned down the stereo just enough so he could hear whoever was outside. "Who is it?" He asked.

"It's Zoey. Can I come in?" She asked.

"Yah, door's unlocked." Pickman answered.

Zoey opened the door and walked into his room. She blushed slightly seeing him shirtless. "Oh, is this a bad time. I can come back..."

"It's all right. Just had a really hard night training that's all." Pickman interjected. He looked over and saw the blush on Zoey's cheeks. Then he realized it was because he had his shirt off.

"Sorry." He said and went to put a shirt on.

"Oh no, it's all right. I don't know why I'm blushing." Zoey replied.

"Taking leave from work for the night?" Pickman asked.

"Oh I finished working a while ago. I was busy working on the portrait of Alucard and Seras and needed a little break. I thought I'd stop and see you for a little while." Zoey answered. Just as she spoke the song finished playing. Pickman clicked the stereo off not wanting the loud music to interfere with conversation.

"I always listen to that song after a hard training night. Helps me relax." Pickman said. "How is Seras doing?"

"She's having to spend most of her time in bed now. Alucard insists upon it. She's grown so heavy with the baby that it's hard for her to stay upright most of the time. That and it keeps her pretty tired most of the time. It's hard on her body trying to sustain the hungers of two vampires instead of just one." Zoey answered.

"Alucard's pretty protective of her. And seeing as she's the first vampire I've ever heard of to actually get pregnant he's probably got good reason to keep such close tabs on her." Pickman replied.

"I hope she'll be all right." Zoey said.

"She'll be all right. Hell if she can put up with Alucard as long as she has, she can get through giving birth. I'm more worried bout the medical staff who will assist Sir Integra for her birth. She's already pretty touchy as it is. I can just imagine how giving birth is going to make her act."

Pickman paused to take in a breath. He was still a bit short of it as he spoke with Zoey. "Quite frankly, and excuse my language, but if Kenneth wants to get through this birth with his balls intact, he'll stand a good distance away from Integra when she's giving birth." He said.

"Stewart, there's something I wanted to ask you. You don't think I'm holding out on you, do you?"

Pickman looked puzzled for a moment. "Holding out on me?" He asked.

"I mean with...us. You don't think I'm moving too slow do you? Or if asking this makes you think I'm moving too fast. I mean...well...I meant to say..."

Pickman got up and then sat down next to Zoey. "Zoey, you have to move at whatever pace works for you. If you're asking what I think you're asking, then no."

"No?"

"No, I don't think you're holding out on me. You can't make yourself move any faster toward a serious relationship than I can for myself." Pickman said.

"I guess." Zoey replied quietly.

"There's something else going on isn't there? Something's bothering you."

Zoey looked down, her eyes welling up with tears. There was something else bothering her. Something she had tried to put in the back of her mind and never think about again. She looked up, her lips quivering and her eyes wide and glassy.

"I...I've never really talked about what happened to me when I first came here. Seras tried to get me to open up, but I was always afraid that talking about it with her would upset her. She was already so angry and sad about what that vampire did to me. I didn't want to make it any worse."

"Zoey, you don't have to hide it from me. If you want to talk about it, I'm willing to listen." Pickman said.

Zoey pushed herself toward him and wrapped her arms around him. The flood of tears finally came. He put his arms around her and held her close.

"It's all right Zoey. It's all right to cry." He said trying to reassure her.

"Please Stewart just...hold me."

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Seras and Alucard were back in her bedroom. Alucard sat on the bed with his legs open. Seras lay between them with her upper body propped on his chest. He had both arms wrapped around her. One arm went around her shoulders while the other encircled her belly. Seras lay on her side trying to gain some relief from the pain in her back. Alucard slid his hand down her back and rubbed it gently trying to bring her a little relief.

Seras rested her hand against her stomach. She grimaced slightly feeling a sharp kick inside it. Alucard placed his hand over hers. They both felt a bump against their hands under Seras's gown. A few seconds passed before Seras felt another kick to her insides.

"Ohhh, this baby thinks she's Bruce Lee." Seras sighed.

"Perhaps we should sign her up for martial arts classes when she's old enough." Alucard mused.

"That or gymNASTics classes." Seras said with a yelp.

"Are you all right?" Alucard asked with concern.

"I'm ok. It's just a bit uncomfortable that's all. She's moving around a lot now in a very cramped space." Seras answered.

"Seras...listen. Can you hear it?" Alucard asked.

The two were silent for a moment. "I can hear it, her heart beating." Seras answered. "It's slow but I can definitely hear it."

"Seras, breathe like Megan taught you. That should help take the edge off the pain."

Seras took in a deep breath and began to let it out slowly. She grabbed hold of Alucard's hand and squeezed it tightly. He leaned his head in close to hers nuzzling her face with his. She drew in a sharp breath feeling another kick. Alucard moved his hand slowly around her belly. He felt the baby's position.

"She's just energetic tonight. She isn't in the position yet. Try to relax Seras."

"I'm trying." Seras said.

"I know you are. She'll be with us soon, and then you won't have to go through this anymore."

Seras pushed her head against his chest. She took in another deep breath and exhaled slowly. After a few moments the child inside her calmed. Seras let out a sigh of relief. Her body relaxed against Alucard's. He rested one hand against her cheek stroking it softly. Seras tilted her head so that her face met his. The sun would soon rise. The pair became still as their eyes closed. A pair of large bat like wings began to grow out of Alucard's back. When they reached their full length, they wrapped around Alucard and Seras. The two became enclosed in a sort of cocoon where they would remain until the sun set once more.

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Many days passed. Kenneth kept up with Hellsing affairs so Integra could take it easy. Not that she wanted to, but the state of her body really gave her no choice in the matter. For her and Seras both the simple act of trying to get up required help. And then there was the process of walking which was almost as hard as getting on their feet. Both of them found it hard to walk without looking like they were waddling like ducks. Although Seras did not do a great deal of walking. Alucard saw to that. So concerned was he for both her and the baby he kept her bed ridden allowing her only to move when she absolutely had to. He didn't meet with much protest from her because she was really too tired to move much anyhow.

Integra lay on the examining table while the doctor performed the routine ultra sound. She and Kenneth looked at the monitor seeing the fully formed fetus moving around energetically. Integra tried not to appear uncomfortable, though sometimes a swift kick to the kidneys was hard to ignore.

"Well, everything seems to be just fine. All the limbs, facial features and reproductive organs appear normal. The baby has a good heart beat and is quite energetic." Said the doctor.

"So I've noticed." Integra said with a slight grimace.

"Your due date is still a few days away, but technically the birth could be any time now. I don't expect there to be any problems, but we will have all the necessary equipment just in case something should go wrong."

"You...you think something might go wrong Doctor Travalian?" Kenneth asked with a concerned look.

"I think everything will go smoothly. We just like to take precautions just in case of an emergency. Sometimes first time mothers can experience difficulty during child birth. But I don't anticipate anything going wrong."

"Like the doctor said, it's merely a precaution." Integra sighed feeling the baby calm down at last.

"Yes. It's better to be prepared for any possible situation." The doctor replied.

"And what about Seras Victoria? How are the final days of her pregnancy progressing?" Integra asked.

"Amazingly, everything seems to be going well. There have been no problems that I have detected. Of course I would feel more at ease if Alucard wouldn't look at me like he wants to turn me inside out." Doctor Travalian answered.

"I apologize for him doctor. I suppose he really can't help it. Seras is his mate, and he is very protective of her. He was always protective of her ever since he turned her, but he is even more so since she got pregnant. That's why I haven't sent him out on missions if I can possibly help it. He gets difficult to deal with if he has to be away with her being so close to giving birth." Integra replied.

"We're done for now. Watch yourself carefully Sir Integra as you could go into labor anytime now. I'll have the staff prepped and ready for you." The doctor said.

"Thank you doctor." Integra said as Kenneth helped her off the examining table. The nurse helped her into a wheel chair and wheeled her back to her room. She had a bath drawn so she could clean up and relax.

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That evening...

Alucard moved Seras to the birthing room they'd chosen. Now that their child was soon to arrive, he wanted her in those quarters when the time came. She found it more comfortable being there than in her chamber in the sublevels. Candles and the soft fragrence of incense filled the room. This made it much easier for her to relax. She lay in her bed trying to get comfortable, though in her condition that was easier said than done.

Her overwhelming stomach made it hard for her to lay in any position than on her back. As she lay in bed she heard a knock at the door.

"Seras, it's Zoey. Can I come in?" She asked.

"Oh of course Zoey. Come in." Seras answered.

Zoey opened the door and walked in. "I've finished the portrait. I wanted you to see it."

"Yes please. I've been so anxious to see how it turned out." Seras said quietly.

Zoey held up the framed piece. Seras smiled softly. "It's beautiful Zoey. It's absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much for doing it for Alucard and I."

"I'm suprised he's not with you at this very moment. I was hoping to show it to both of you at the same time." Zoey said.

"Oh, Alucard is well, um...he had to go work off a little pent up...energy."

"Is he at the shooting range playing with his guns?" Zoey asked.

"Not that kind of energy. Let's just say our having to abstain has been rather difficult for him. So he has to, well to put it politely, scratch a particular itch in the privacy of his own coffin." Seras answered.

"Oh." Zoey was silent for a moment until the meaning of what Seras had just said truly sank in. "Ohhhhh."

"I better get going Seras. Sir Hellsing has several reports she wants me to file tonight. When you see Alucard..."

"I'll be sure he sees the portrait." Seras replied.

"Well, I better get going. Those reports aren't going to file themselves. Good night Seras." Zoey said and exited the room.

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Later in the evening...

Integra lay in bed trying to get some rest. It was ten in the evening. She huffed and sighed trying to get comfortable. If not for her oversized belly she'd have tossed and turned until the bed fell apart. But all she could do was move her head back and fourth and that had gotten beyond frustrating. She felt several kicks to her insides. Her muscles were starting to tense and her lower body ached intensely. She breathed through the spasms thinking that would finally quiet them down. The opposite happened. The spasms began to grow in frequency and intensity. The time was at hand.

She called to Alucard who immediately appeared before her. He approached and layed his hand upon her belly. "The baby has moved into position master." He said.

"Get me to doctor Travalian. Then get Walter and have him bring Kenneth." Integra said in between spams.

Without a word Alucard carefully lifted Integra into his arms and opened a portal. They appeared in a hospital like room. Alucard placed Integra on the bed. Integra pressed a button for the intercom summoning the doctor. Alucard sent a mental message to Walter informing him Integra had gone into labor. Not soon afterwards he and Kenneth rushed through the door.

"Alucard!"

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