Alright then, so here it finally is, the last one shot to tie up this little collection. This one is definitely on the cheesy side as well, and maybe not as exciting as it could have been, but this was the way I always intended to end this little group of oneshots. I had originally wondered whether to go right up to the end, where the OVA leaves off, but I don't really have anything new to add. So this last scene takes place at the 25 year mark, and you can imagine that the next scene is the epilogue to the OVA. So, without further delay here's the final chapter and I hope you enjoy.

Seras strode through the halls of the Hellsing mansion, feeling completely at ease as she only did within the confines of these walls. While her physical form was traversing a corridor in the east wing, her consciousness crossed and threaded through every corridor, extending throughout the entire mansion. She could see Sir Integra pouring intently over a report in her office, the troops playing cards in their barracks, the kitchen staff engaged in an argument over the weekly meal schedule. She and the mansion had practically merged into one entity.

It was fascinating to reflect on how things had changed in the 25 years Seras had been a member of Hellsing. When she'd first become a vampire, she would never even have dreamed of the power she would one day possess, and how comfortable she would feel in wielding it. Every living being in the Hellsing mansion was under her protection, her shadow invisibly encircling and shielding each and every one of them. It was a feat she had mastered only recently and was still quite proud of.

A scene in the foyer caught Seras' attention and she stopped walking, focusing her senses. Usually, with her shadows spread across the whole mansion, she had only a vague perception of what was going on in each room. If anything piqued her interest she needed to focus in to get a real read on what was happening.

It appeared the newest batch of recruits had arrived. Seras had been anticipating this day, and the fresh hell she would bring down upon them during training in the weeks to come. Throughout the years Seras had changed and perfected many aspects of her training regimen, and she liked to think she had mastered the art of whipping the newbies into shape.

Seras smiled to herself, watching as the group of fifteen or so fidgeting young soldiers was herded into the mansion. She recognized Officer Wright leading the ranks, one of the first soldiers whose trust Seras had gained in the early days of Hellsing's rebirth. Officer Wright was now in her early fifties, and consigned mostly to deskwork and greeting new recruits, her retirement looming close around the corner. She was one of the Hellsing organization's oldest members. Many of the troops from the old days had grown old and retired, while Seras had remained the same age.

Seras smiled sadly. She was just beginning to feel the weight of what an eternity of youth really meant. Even Sir Integra was looking older these days, lamenting each new wrinkle and grey hair. Soon all of the people Seras had known from her early days of being a vampire would be gone. She hoped that even when that time came, her loyalty to Hellsing would continue to spur her onwards.

Having heard enough of Officer Wright's recitation of the history of the Hellsing organization, Seras pulled her consciousness back and continued her journey down the hall towards her quarters. Though she slept less these days and spent more time out and about in the mansion during the day, Seras often took her rest in the late afternoon, when the sun was at its strongest, until nightfall. That time was soon approaching.

However as Seras neared the steps that would take her down into the basement, she became aware of a minor disturbance among the new recruits. Shifting her consciousness once more, she focused back on the foyer just in time to see a young man slip away from the main group and out into the adjacent hall. Officer Wright, absorbed as she was in regaling the troops with an account of one of Hellsing's recent missions, did not appear to notice.

Seras continued to watch for a few moments, her interest piqued, before she turned and began to walk towards the young man's location. He was now in one of the mansion's many libraries, but appeared to be passing through in search of something else. He certainly didn't seem to have a definite grasp on where he was going. For a moment Seras worried that he might be a vampire spy, but a quick scan of his vitals confirmed that he was human, and that his heart was beating a bit quicker than was normal.

Seras continued to watch the young man from the shadows as her physical form closed in on him. Deciding a good scare was an appropriate punishment for his trespassing, Seras drifted into the shadows along the wall as he turned the corner and entered the room. She watched as he glanced back and forth between the two doorways on either end of the room, sizing up his options, then shrugged and moved towards the door on the right. As he passed by and turned his back to Seras, she materialized out of the shadows behind him.

"The standard tour not entertaining enough for you?" she asked, smirking as the man jumped slightly at the sudden new presence in the room. To his credit, he recovered well as he turned to face her. Seras could see that he was a tall, well-built man in his late twenties or early thirties with brown eyes and sandy brown hair: fairly standard issue for a Hellsing recruit.

Seras had adopted her more human appearance for the moment, not wanting to give her game away just yet. The new soldier looked her up and down for a moment and then grinned, "Not exactly, there's just something I was rather intent on seeing that I don't believe is on the tour."

"Oh," Seras replied, one eyebrow raised, "And what's that?"

"Well, uh, you actually," he said, giving a sheepish smile.

Seras resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Couldn't even wait until training for your glimpse of Hellsing's pet vampire, eh?" she asked, a bit irritated by his nerve. She was a senior member of the Hellsing organization, not some sideshow for the new recruits' amusement.

"Oh no it's not that," he responded, taking a sudden interest in his boots, "I just wanted to thank you, um, in person."

Seras was a bit taken aback at this, but did not let it show as she waited for the young man to go on.

"I just didn't know when I'd have a chance to speak to you alone. I'd heard the Hellsing vampire has eyes all over the mansion, so I thought if I wandered off looking all suspicious you'd maybe, um, find me," he finished lamely, glancing up to meet Seras' eyes.

Seras was fairly confused at this point, though she did well not to show it. She supposed many of the new recruits had thanked her for her service in the past, but none had gone to quite these lengths to track her down for a private chat. "And what exactly do you have to thank me for?" she asked.

The soldier blinked at her for a moment. "Oh, right. I suppose it's been a while and you wouldn't really…." he trailed off for a moment, then his face set and he stood up straight and gave a salute, "Officer Brandon Wilson, reporting for duty."

Seras stared at the soldier, her curiosity piqued. She hadn't really though much of him on first sight but now she supposed there was something a bit familiar about him. Her eyes widened a moment later as a memory clicked into place. She had a sudden flash of a frightened young boy in tattered rocket ship pajamas sobbing as she held him close. She let out a small gasp.

"Ah, so you do remember me then," Brandon said, smiling once more, "I remember you of course. You look the same, mostly, though somehow less…abjectly terrifying than I remember."

At this Seras smiled and let go of her human appearance. The shadows trailed outwards from her left arm, her canine teeth elongated into fangs, and her eyes took on their red glow once more.

Brandon nodded at this, seeming unfazed. "Ah yes," he replied, "That is a bit more how I remember it. Though there was slightly more blood on your uniform then."

Seras was still a bit shell-shocked, and looked the soldier up and down. This was truly the most she'd ever felt the gravity of her unchanging appearance. Here was a young boy who had lived an entire life, had grown into a man, all while Seras had remained the same. She couldn't reconcile the soldier before her with the small boy she had saved so many years ago.

Brandon seemed to read Seras' confusion and said, "Sorry to drop in on you like this. I just had to see you again, to thank you. Hellsing has been my goal ever since you rescued me from the rubble that night. I wouldn't have even had a future if it weren't for you. I just wanted you to know what your saving me meant."

"O-of course," Seras stammered. What she couldn't say was that Brandon had saved her as well that night. He had given her a purpose again, solidified her unwavering devotion to Hellsing and the fight against vampires. Instead she swallowed and said, "I'm glad to see you're looking well."

Brandon nodded. "I had distant relatives in Dorset. Cousins. They took me in and raised me after…everything. But I've always known I wanted to join up with Hellsing in the end," he said, his eyes set and his tone suddenly serious.

"Well Hellsing is happy to have you," Seras responded, still feeling overwhelmed by this sudden arrival from her past. After a pause she broke her stoic demeanor completely and did something she hadn't in quite some time, she pulled the young soldier into a tight hug with her right arm.

Brandon gave a short laugh and returned the gesture. Seras noted he had gained a foot on her since the last time they had met.

"It's great to see you," Seras said, this time with more emotion in her voice despite the echo that accompanied her true appearance. Then, after a moment had passed, she set her features back to their normal stern and commanding look and said, "Now then soldier, get back to your ranks before I have you discharged from Hellsing before you've even officially joined."

The young soldier snapped to attention again, his face serious at the implications of Seras' words. "Yes, sir!"

Officer Wright looked up with a start as Seras led the sheepish rogue officer back amongst the ranks of his fellow recruits, appearing not to have noticed his absence amidst her discourse on the Hellsing line of succession. Sir Integra had also made her appearance by this stage, and was watching with a raised brow from her perch at the foot of the staircase.

At Seras' appearance the new recruits all drew a sharp breath, scrambling out of the way to avoid being touched by her shadows. Seras rolled her eyes and deposited Brandon in the middle of the group.

"It appears you lost one, Officer Wright," she said, a hint of laughter in her voice to convey that she wasn't angry.

Officer Wright blinked, looking back and forth between Brandon and the other recruits as though trying to do a quick head count. "Oh, terribly sorry Officer Victoria, I seem to have gotten a bit wrapped up in the, er, history lesson," she apologized.

"Quite alright," Seras responded, "But see to it you keep a better eye on this lot. We wouldn't want them wandering into anything…dangerous." She gave a smirk that displayed her fangs and felt a sense of self-satisfaction as several of the new recruits gulped.

With that done she allowed Officer Wright to continue her speech and took her place at Sir Integra's side to observe the proceedings.

"And what was that about?" Integra said in a low voice, keeping her gaze fixed pointedly ahead.

"Nothing to worry about Sir, just one of the new recruits letting his curiosity get the better of him," Seras responded with a casual wave of her hand.

Seras was almost positive that Sir Integra could tell she was lying, but if Integra did she didn't acknowledge it. Instead, after a pause, Integra asked, "Anything to worry about?"

Seras looked out over the new recruits again, all of them pretending to pay attention while simultaneously casting sidelong glances in her direction. She knew it wouldn't be long before she had learned all of their names, trained them, and begun to think of them as comrades. And then not soon after that they would have grown old and retired and a new batch would take their place. This would continue, on and on while Seras remained, never changing as everyone she knew eventually moved on and left her behind.

But then she looked at Brandon, one of the first she had saved, now standing proud and ready to take up the mantle of Hellsing. She remembered why she fought, to prevent tragedy, to save lives. She remembered why Hellsing would always be her sole objective and her home.

"No," she said with a smile, "Nothing to worry about at all."

End

So that's that. I finally had some free time and decided I needed to wrap this up once and for all. I had a lot of fun writing these and I hope you enjoyed them. Thanks to everyone who's read and reviewed since the beginning. Until next time!