Chapter 4

Seras sat on her bed with the most shocked expression on her face. It rivaled that of the expression upon Alucard's visage. He could not believe what he had just said, and Seras could not believe what she had just heard. It was a mistake. It had to be a mistake.

"That isn't possible. I cannot be pregnant. I'm undead for pitie's sake!"

"My senses on this have never been wrong. But...this can't be right. We're both undead creatures and cannot produce offspring, not sexually." Alucard said.

"Are you sure that it's not Integra's pregnancy you're sensing? You are bonded to her through her blood after all, maybe it's her child you're sensing." Seras replied trying to rationalize the situation.

"Then why would I feel it in your body? No Seras, this isn't Integra's child I'm sensing."

Seras looked down at her stomach. She placed her hand against it and suddenly jerked it away. "I..."

"You felt it too didn't you?" Alucard asked.

"Yes." Seras answered with a wide eyed expression.

"I don't understand. Alucard, how could this have happened? My reproductive organs don't function. How could I possibly have conceived?"

"I don't know. I'm still trying to make sense of this myself. I have never doubted my senses, but I find myself doubting them now. I'm taking you to the infermery. I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but I want you looked at by the doctor." Alucard replied helping Seras to her feet.

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Walter was making his rounds throughout the mansion making sure all was in order. "Walter, I need you to fetch doctor Travalion. I've brought Seras to the infermery. Something has happened to her."

Walter looked both puzzled and worried. If something had happened to Seras Alucard was the one who always took care of her. She was a vampire, and human medical science was of no use to her. Walter hurried to find the doctor and bring him to the infermery. He didn't know what was going on, but for Alucard to insist Seras be looked at by a doctor meant it had to be very serious. He picked up his normally steady stroll to a very brisk walk. He hoped it wasn't as bad as his thoughts led him to believe.

As soon as he found the doctor they both hurried to the infermery. They found a visibly shaken Seras sitting on the examining table and a very worried Alucard standing beside her.

"I don't get it. She looks fine to me. She can't be sick and injury would not,"

"Do not argue with me human. Something has happened to her, and I want her examined." Alucard demanded.

"Alucard, calm down. I'm sure Miss Victoria is all right." Walter said trying to reassure his old friend.

"What is wrong with her?" Doctor Travalion asked.

"I think she is pregnant." Alucard answered.

Walter and the doctor both stared at Alucard and then at each other. "Alucard, that is physically impossible." Walter stated.

"I know that Walter. But when I placed my hand on her belly I felt something move. I felt it in the vacinity of her womb. I want an ultra sound done on her." Alucard insisted.

"It's best not to argue with him doctor." Walter said.

"Very well. Seras I need you to unbutton your shirt and lay back." The doctor instructed.

Seras did as she was asked. The doctor brought the ultrasound machine over to where she was. He squirted a jelly like substance on her belly and then pressed the probe against it. As he explored the image of a very tiny form began to emerge on the monitor. The doctor was astounded at what he saw. There on the screen was a very tiny image of what appeared to be an embryo. He was even more shocked to find there was a very faint heartbeat.

"I...I don't believe what I'm seeing." The doctor said.

"Good lord, I...I am pregnant." Seras gasped.

"That explains why you're so hungry all the time. The blood you ingest has been shared by the child." Alucard said. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"This is biologically impossible." The doctor said still in a state of shock.

"Everyone, before we all start panicking let's think rationally here. As impossible as it is for Miss Victoria to be pregnant, obviously she is. Now let us all think for a moment and figure out how in the world this could have happened." Walter insisted. Out of all of them, he was the most calm and rational person in the room.

"Miss Victoria, I know you are very shaken up at the moment. But as nervous as you are I need you to think back to the very first moment you started feeling strange." Walter said calmly.

Seras thought for a moment. "I do remember feeling a little weird after Alucard and I started drinking the cattle blood rations. But I just thought it was my body adjusting to the cattle blood. All I've ever drank before it was the human transfusion blood." She replied.

"But I myself have drank animal blood after having human blood. I never had any feeling of transition with it." Alucard said.

"You say you started feeling funny when you started drinking the cattle blood. There had to be something in that blood that somehow has regenerated your reproductive organs. Walter, is there any more of that cattle blood left?" The doctor asked.

"Yes. Sir Integra was going to have it thrown out since we're going back to human blood. I'll have a sample saved before it's disposed of." Walter answered.

"Yes. When you have the sample bring it to me for immediate analysis. I have a feeling whatever is in that blood has something to do with Seras's pregnancy." Said doctor Travalion.

"Um...what are we going to tell Sir Integra?" Seras asked with a nervous gulp.

Alucard looked away for a moment and sighed, "Leave Integra to me. I'll do the explaining as best I can."

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Integra was in her office. She was keeping herself busy to avoid thinking about her want for a cigar or a drink of brandy. She was thumbing through papers when Alucard appeared in front of her desk.

"I don't recall summoning you Alucard." She said dryly.

"There is something I must tell you master. I honestly don't believe what is about to come out of my mouth but nevertheless I will say it. Seras Victoria is pregnant."

Integra looked up at Alucard with a stern expression. "Alucard, if this is your idea of a joke I am not amused." She stated firmly. The serious expression upon Alucard's face did not change. Integra suddenly realized her servant was not joking.

"Seras Victoria cannot be pregnant. You are probably sensing my own pregnancy." She said not believing what she'd heard.

"No master. I'm afraid it is Seras. I felt movement inside of her womb when I touched her stomach. I even had the doctor do an ultrasound upon her and saw proof of the child. I believe she is at least a month along, same as you."

Alucard noticed Integra's hands clench into fists. One was so tightly clenched the paper within it was severely deformed by the pressure. Alucard knew an explosion was fourth coming.

"Walter, you better get to Integra's office. She's about to have one hell of a fit."

On his way to Integra's office, Walter heard Alucard's mental summons. He shook his head with dismay knowing the explosion that was about to take place. The both of them were in for some heavy duty screaming.

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Feeling scared and confused Seras left the infermery and headed for the one person she knew she could talk to, Zoey. She was in her room working on the sketch she'd drawn not long ago. She heard a knock at her door.

"Zoey, it's Seras. Can I come in? I need to talk to someone so bad."

Zoey hurried to her door and opened it. She saw Seras visibly shaken and in need of some comforting. She ushered Seras in and sat her down on her bed.

"Seras, what's wrong?" She asked with a concerned look.

"Zoey, I'm...I'm pregnant." Seras answered.

"Seras, how can that be? I thought vampires couldn't have babies."

"That's what Alucard and I both thought. The doctor thinks something may have been in the cattle blood we both drank and somehow its regenerated my reproductive organs. Alucard sensed the child when he touched my belly. He even had me looked over by Doctor Travalion and the ultra sound machine indicated the presence of the child. It even had a very faint heartbeat." Seras explained.

Her eyes welled up with red tears as they began to fall. She buried her face in her hands. "I'm so scared." She sobbed.

Zoey put her arms around her friend. "Oh Seras don't cry. I'm sure everything will be all right." She said trying to comfort Seras.

"What if he doesn't want the baby Zoey? What if he demands I get rid of it? What if Sir Integra makes me get rid of it? What if something happens to me? Will Alucard be angry with me?" She asked between sobs.

"That is enough Seras Victoria." A voice said sternly.

Seras and Zoey both looked up to find Alucard standing in front of them. "I'll not hear such nonsense coming out of your mouth." He scolded.

Seras looked down with bloody tears still rolling down her cheeks. Zoey had to admit she was a little nervous being between the two vampires. She looked back at Seras who was visibly shaking.

"I'm scared. This wasn't supposed to happen." She said shakily.

"Nevertheless it has. I will set your mind at ease right now. I most certainly will not demand you terminate this pregnancy. As for Integra, her temper will cool in a while. Walter and Kenneth are in there with her and they've gotten the doctor to help her settle down. She's got a great deal upon her shoulders and this was the last thing she wanted to hear. But it is something she will learn to deal with." Alucard replied calmly.

"You're not angry?" Seras asked.

"No. I am not angry. I'm more shocked than anything else. Remember I'm just as suprised about this as you are." Alucard answered.

"What about Sir Integra?" Zoey inquired.

"Let us just say in the span of two minutes she screamed far above any creature's tolerable hearing level and said every four letter word in the book and then made up a few of her own." Alucard said.

"What are we going to do?" Seras asked.

"I don't know, but I have a feeling if the two of us get through this in one piece we'll be spending the next eighteen years wishing we'd kept our hands to ourselves."

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It took a while, but Kenneth, Walter and the doctor finally got Integra calmed down. Though she wasn't screaming at the top of her lungs anymore, she was still quite upset.

"I cannot believe this. How can this be happening?" She demanded.

"Sir, we're going to have a sample of the cattle blood tested to see exactly what was in it to have caused this to happen." The doctor answered.

"Integra, you must remain calm. Remember a heightened stress level is not healthy for the baby. I'm sure there is a logical explanation for this." Kenneth said.

"You're not the one facing the prospect of having another vampiric mouth to feed. Leave it to Alucard to let this happen. And why didn't Seras Victoria come to me with these concerns sooner. For all I know the two of them could have been planning this. He isn't content enough with just a mate. He wants a bloody brood as well!" Integra yelled feeling her temper rise again.

"Sir Integra, you must calm down. This isn't healthy for you. I have no doubt that Alucard and Miss Victoria had no prior knowledge of this. I certainly don't believe they would have planned it either." Walter replied trying to keep everyone calm.

"It's just like him to pull a stunt like this. He's the one who probably had it tainted in the first place if that indeed is what caused this. I could just ram a wooden stake through his heart right now. I'd castrate him if not for the fact he'd grow it back!"

"Enough! Now you listen to me woman!" Kenneth shouted with manly athourity. Integra was shocked silent.

"You hold your tongue while I have my say. I don't believe for one moment that Alucard planned this, and I most certainly do not believe that Seras knew any better. I don't know how in the world a female vampire can become pregnant, but it has happened. That poor girl is pregnant and scared right now. And she probably feels completely alone! We are all the family she has, and it is our responcibility to be there for her. So you just stop with your threats, and calm yourself down right now." Kenneth demanded.

Walter, Doctor Travalion and Integra all looked on in utter amazement. A man had dared to raise his voice to she, Sir Integra Wingates Hellsing. And more than that, he'd dared to defend Alucard and Seras though he'd only known them for a few months. Was he insane? Did he have any idea of what he was doing?

He didn't speak with arrogance or even a hint of fear. He simply spoke his mind whether Integra wanted to hear it or not. She looked away for a moment realizing she was being irrational. She let out a frustrated sigh. She folded her hands on top of each other and rested her forehead upon them.

"Why now?" She asked herself forgetting there were three men in the room.

"It can't be helped now Integra." Kenneth said lowering his voice back to a reasonable level. "But Seras is going to need all our support. Though the both of you are pregnant, you're human Integra. You will know what to expect. Seras is not human. And she is probably terrified right now because she does not know what to expect, nor does Alucard for that matter."

"I...I know that." Integra sighed. "I apologize for my outburst. I know logically Alucard would have no need to impregnate a female. When he was free he could make his dark children at will just by turning them. And he is very content with the mate he has in Seras Victoria. But it can be so hard sometimes keeping the two of them fed. How in the world are we going to provide for both of them and a child as well, provided the child even makes it to be born."

"We'll find a way to work things out. Right now we need to focus on making sure you and Seras have healthy pregnancies and births. It's going to be a difficult time for all of us adjusting, but we all have a duty to support each other and you Integra." Kenneth stated.

"I guess you're right. I just need some time alone to figure all of this out. This is going to stretch our agreement with the red cross." Integra said silently.

"Right now you should just focus on being relaxed. There isn't anything here that can't wait til morning. You should just leave this for now and go relax. If you want I'll have one of the maids draw you a nice hot bath. That should help ease your mood." Kenneth said.

She didn't want to leave the paperwork, but realized Kenneth was right. Now that she had a new life growing inside of her, she had to pay more attention to her body and what was going on inside of it.

"Very well. Walter, I'll leave you to tidy things up here." Integra said getting up from her desk.

"Very good sir." Walter replied.

"I'll have a maid get your bath ready Integra." Kenneth added.

"All right." Integra answered. She wanted to grab Kenneth by a part of his male anatomy and teach him what happened to arrogant men who raised their voices to her. But she knew it was not done out of arrogance or to be dominating. But it still didn't stop her from thinking about putting a good hurting on the man.

Kenneth breathed a sigh of relief once she was out of the room. Walter nodded his head in silent approval of Kenneth's stand against his wife's ranting. The man was proving he could stand his ground with the likes of Integra. Though Walter felt he'd been a little shaky in the beginning, he was proving himself an able husband for the Hellsing leader.

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Alucard escorted Seras back to her chamber. This had been a most shocking evening for them and those close to them. Though the sun would not be rising for another two hours, Alucard felt Seras needed to rest. He had Walter bring her another ration. After she fed Walter left her room. Once she was done, Alucard put her into a trance to calm her nerves and get her to rest her body. It also provided him a little time to digest the entire situation as it presented itself. But he did not go back to his own chamber. He knew where Walter was headed and soon went to join him there.

Walter was in one of the private studies having a glass of brandy. Alucard joined him there to discuss the events of the past two days and evenings.

"Is Miss Victoria all right?" Walter asked.

"She's resting. I wanted her to feed first before I put her to sleep. It's been a trying night for her and she needs to rest." Alucard answered.

"It's been a strange night for all of us. Both Sir Integra and Miss Victoria...pregnant. I fully expected to learn of Sir Integra being with child. Miss Victoria on the other hand..." Walter began handing Alucard a bottle of blood mixed with his favorite wine.

"Believe me when I tell you I'm as shocked as you are. I never imagined this was even possible." Alucard interjected.

"The next eight or so months are going to be very interesting around here. You may want to stock up on your blood wine. While these months will be interesting, I can say with all assurance they are also going to be very trying for everyone. Most especially trying upon us men." Walter said.

"No doubt I will probably learn the hard way why there were times when my father made great efforts to avoid my mother when she was pregnant." Alucard replied.

"There are times when I don't know who it's harder on, the mother or the father." Walter said.

They looked at each other for a moment knowing the coming months were going to be rough. "I guess we'll find out soon enough." Alucard said. He raised a small glass of blood wine to his lips while Walter took a sip of brandy.

"Indeed." Walter finished.

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