disclaimer: the characters belong to their respective owners. the only thing i own is the story and Ana.

[EPILOGUE: Paris, 1991]

Rain beat down softly on the twilit evening as the train station was abuzz with soon-to-be-passengers and their families and friends alike.

"Are you sure it's time?"

She paused, turning slightly to meet his blue eyes; her silver eyes softened even as she took in his pale countenance, the strawberry-blonde hair on his head that framed his long face nicely, his casual garb. "Of course I'm sure. Besides, this is something I have to do." She turned again to hug her friend.

The alchemist hugged back tight, squeezing, letting her slip away, smiling wryly at his vampire friend, his sisterly-companion that had shown up on his father's doorstep as if it were only yesterday. "Be safe, then. Send me a letter once you've found what you were looking for." He requested.

The Draculina smiled back, nodding. "I will. Thank you again, Jon, for everything." She turned away to board the train, her black bag slung over her shoulder.

Jean-Francois Flamel watched the train slowly pull away from the track, taking off into the growing darkness. "Be safe, Ana."

::::::::d-b::::::::

Van Hellsing surely outdid himself with this mansion.

She briefly appraised it, puckering the cigarette between her lips, raising a hand to pluck it, taking a drag and exhaling, stepping closer to the high gates.

The two guards on either side of the gates straightened when seeing her step out of the darkness, her pale face a white flame in the calm evening, silver eyes stoic. "Excuse me, miss, this place is off limits to the public. If you get closer, you'll be considered trespassing." One of the guards informed, perking her ears.

She paused and blinked once before she huffed, taking another drag on her cigarette. "I'm an old acquaintance of the Hellsing family. Won't you let me in to see an old friend?" She crooned, her eyes glowing crimson as she exhumed a thin amount of power, letting it numb their minds, duping them to believe she wasn't a threat or trespasser.

The second guard smiled slowly, tipping his hat down a smidge, "I'm sure they'd be happy to see you, Miss Tristainia." The second one clicked a button on a small remote he had in hand; the gates creaked open, wide enough for her to walk in.

She strode calmly past them, casting away the "charm" once she was at the front steps of the house.

Here goes nothing.

"I'm sorry, mum, but I don't believe this establishment is open to the public." She looked up briefly to see a man coming down from the wide stairwell on the right side of the foyer, donning a butler outfit with pulled back black hair, a monocle, and gray eyes.

"The 'public' doesn't concern a Draculina like myself." She shrugged, seeing him stiffen.

The butler narrowed his eyes slightly. "How did you get in?" He asked cautiously, beginning to wonder just who this vampire was, and what her business was in regards to the Hellsing Organization.

She took a generous drag from the cigarette in hand. "The front door, like a proper guest. Enough of that, though; I came to see if an old friend was here. Judging by the traces of his power I could sense easily, it appears my journey didn't end in vain after all." She informed, a nostalgic twinkle appearing in her eyes, her face softening, exhaling the smoke.

He calmed just a smidge, nodding. "You are an acquaintance of Alucard's then." He mused.

She nodded back, smiling at the name. "Where is he?" She returned.

::::::::d-b::::::::

"I should warn you he's not particularly kind to guests." The butler informed as she followed him down to the sublevel basements, her boot heels clacking lightly on the cold flooring.

"That doesn't surprise me; it was a miracle he took such a liking to me in the first place." She chuckled.

"I didn't catch your name."

"Humans first."

He smiled slightly at her cheeky response, "Walter Dolnaez."

"Ana von Tristainia."

Her ears twitched as they were slowing down, coming to the last door in the dank and dim corridor, sensing he was present inside the last room.
It had been so long since she'd seen him.

Walter came to a halt before the door, gesturing she enter. "It was quite a curious pleasure making your acquaintance, Miss Tristainia."

"Likewise, Walter. Surprised you didn't think of killing me; you are a hunter, if I'm correct, judging by the fact that an esteemed hunting clan like the Hellsings would only require a vampire hunter for a butler." Ana paused short of opening the door, looking at his gray eyes, holding his stare calmly.

Astute creature she was.

"Retired, I'm afraid." He answered, smirking a little, peeling his gaze away to leave her be in the dark corridor.

Here we go.

She opened the door, exhaling; she'd snubbed the cigarette in the corridor, fiddling with the dead bud between the fingers of her left hand, and now standing in complete darkness.

Even before being a vampire she never feared the dark.

A low growl sounded from the depths, stirring her from her thoughts; he was agitated, if she wanted to put it lightly... Someone got moodier in the past ninety years.

"I'm surprised you managed to make it down here. Surely the guards would've already obliterated your existence off the face of the earth before you could ever dream of meeting me… Such a loyal fan." His low voice hummed.

She smiled and refrained from chuckling at his sarcasm, taking a step forward and another until she was walking further into the abyss-like basement room.

"I wouldn't take a step closer, were I you. You might just lose your head… literally." She now could make out a high-backed throne chair.

A pair of crimson eyes glowed from beneath the brim of a hat.
Oh nostalgia.

She finally decided to speak. "Is that any way to greet someone you haven't seen for almost a century?" She drawled, noting the confident aura around the room faltered when her words seemed to soak in.

The abyss lightened, showing two rows of dimly-lit blue fluorescents installed in the two walls on either side. He had taken a liking to crimson, judging by his hat and the long duster he wore, preferably to match his eyes; she smiled slowly. "I hear your name changed; not like it changes who you are, who you were during those days in London… When it was just us two." She continued walking, coming short of a foot away from his lanky form that occupied the chair.

Alucard felt the shock melt from his features to be replaced with a smooth grin, crimson eyes gleaming. "You haven't changed one bit. You're still the confident queen of night I remember… Ana." He rolled her name with his tongue, testing it once again, finding it still sounded beautiful even after ninety-something years of separation.

Ana grinned back, her face soft, silver eyes warm. "Vlad." She reached to touch his cheek, fingers grazing his pale skin gently.

He slid his eyes closed and sighed, that night she'd spent with him resurfacing, coming out of the rain, watching her sleep off the weariness of that week's events… "I knew you'd come back." He murmured, opening his eyes partly to look up at her from beneath his brow.

She chuckled softly, smiling, watching him kiss her wrist lightly. "I told you I would, didn't I? That I'd keep your heart safe with mine, until we met again." She neared him, releasing his cheek to fold her arms around his neck, hugging him.

He held her close, squeezing on her waist, his fingers curling in her mane of wild hair.

::::::::d-b::::::::

"An employment opportunity?"

The head of the Hellsing family had fallen to rest on the shoulders of a girl that didn't look to be much older than fourteen or so with blonde hair and tanned skin; even though the title fell to a child, the kid really put on the air of a tough cookie.

She admired her already.

The girl raised both brows, her blue eyes sharp, inquisitive, behind the silver-framed glasses she wore. "Forgive my saying so, Miss Tristainia, but you're not very old, in terms of vampiric age. If you were… born, almost a century ago, then your power must not be very strong." She pointed out, sitting back in the high chair that had once belonged to her father and now belonged to her, keeping her eyes on the Draculina.

A chuckle sounded from the corner; she narrowed her eyes in slight annoyance at his amusement. "Is something funny, Alucard?" She asked tartly.

"Master, you forget that Ana is my fledgling, the first one, actually, that survived that… time period. Time spent in solitude has made her strong, isn't that correct, pet?" He smirked over at his fledgling that was being interrogated.

She plucked the cigarette from her lips, exhaling. "Damn straight." She winked.

Integra exhaled, hating being cowed, even though the opportunity to have a solid two-man –in this case, vampire— extermination force seemed the wisest option right now. "I've come to the realization that your ilk never plays fair… Very well, since you were so highly recommended by.. well, him." She ignored the quiet chuckle from her inherited pain… er, pet. "I will give you the job. Both you and Alucard are to be field agents and to exterminate any threat to the Crown and the Protestant Church of England. Am I clear, Miss Tristainia?" She set her with a stern look from above the rims of her glasses, affirming that she truly was the head of Hellsing.

Ana grinned, nodding. "Crystal, mum."

Alucard grinned at the scene, for once feeling at peace with things; perhaps it had to do with Ana being back… Either way one thing was for sure.

Life had just gotten much more interesting.

and so it ends.. but don't fret, duckies. there's a sequel in the making~ just to clarify, this was a backdrop-story of sorts of how Ana and Alucard met in the past. actually to be honest i created this solely because i was curious if i could incorporate Dracula and Hellsing in the same sitting effectively.. hopefully i pulled it off successfully. some feedback would be greatly appreciated, i know i sound desperate for it, but such is the plea of an aspiring artist and writer.. /le-sigh

anyway, thanks for taking the time to read this! until next time, ja ne~ - Sarudoshi 2014