Alucard Gets Scrooged

Disclaimer: I don't own any material contained within this story. All copyrighted content remains the property of the person, people, or organization that holds the copyright. This story is solely for fun.

AN: I'm putting a temporary hold on my other fics, because I really want to finish this short one by next weekend. Sorry, but I hope you all enjoy this. Oh, and a special thanks to Jean Thine, who I think wrote the first Hellsing\Christmas Carol story. Although mine is quite different, you put the bug in my head.

10:00 PM; December 24, 2030

Alucard teleported his injured master to the mansion's medical wing. He would've stayed with her, but Integra dismissed him. The fifty-two year old Hellsing did not like anyone to see her vulnerable, especially her 'pet' monster. Integra didn't truly believe that Alucard would lose respect for her. After all it wasn't her fault that she couldn't regenerate from a gunshot wound like he could. She was only human. And over the years she'd come to understand that her continued refusal to become anything else actually enhanced her pet's opinion of her.

He viewed her ability to reject his 'gift' of immortality as a true triumph. Not many others possessed the strength of will to refuse his offer even once, and he'd offered to 'turn' her many times. No, there was no risk of losing his respect. However, Integra still couldn't stand the idea of him watching her unconscious form lying on an operating table while the doctors removed the bullet and 'patched her up'. So, the aging knight had sent her pet away.

To say that Alucard was upset would've been a serious understatement. It wasn't that he believed his master's life was in danger. He'd seen the wound. The bullet didn't pierce any vital organs or arteries, and there was no chance of her bleeding out before the doctors fixed her up.

No, Alucard knew his Master would be fine. But what bothered him was the fact that she'd been hit at all. Thirty years ago it never would've happened. However, the Hellsing's age was starting to catch up with her. She was moving slower, her response time had decreased significantly and she wasn't as strong as she'd once been. Yes, she'd be fine... this time; but what about the next mission... or the one after that? How long could she last given her present state of decline? And even if he talked her out of going on missions, something that the vampire knew full well he wouldn't be able to do, how much time would it add? She was already in her fifties. How much longer could she live, another thirty years... forty if he was lucky. Then what? He respected her refusal to be 'turned', but this was not like with his previous masters. Integra had left no heir. What would become of him when her blood line ended?

Such were Alucard's dark musings as he stepped into the mansion's main hall and was assaulted by the rainbow of colored lights, multitude of green plants and chorus of holiday musics. Alucard was momentarily taken back. Integra had agreed to allow his fledgling to decorate the main hall, but he'd never expected her to attack the project so enthusiastically.

The No-Life King was still looking around in stunned amazement as his fledgling happily skipped over to him. "Oh, Master, do you like it?" She asked with a hopeful expression on her face.

Alucard turned to look at his fledgling. She was even wearing a special Christmas outfit, a green, tight fitting and slightly revealing elf costume. On the top of her head rested a red 'Santa' hat. If Alucard were in a better mood, he would've smirked at his fledgling and made a crude joke about whether he had to wait a day or could 'unwrap' her now. However, Alucard was not in a better mood. He was angry, depressed and troubled. "You did all of this?"

"Yup." Seras proudly responded, misinterpreting her master's question. "It took quite a bit of work, but I think it turned out well, don't you?"

"Oh, yes. It turned out beautifully..." The ancient vampire latched unto his fledgling's shoulders and moved her in front of him. He glared at her while he continued. "While our master was getting shot, you were prancing around with tinsel and holly!"

Seras was shocked, first by her master's reaction then by the revelation that Integra had been shot. "S-Sir Integra's been shot? Is... is she okay?"

"Oh, she'll live, no thanks to you." Alucard's arm reached out to grasp one of the banners that stretched across the room. "How many hours did you waste on this junk!" Alucard ripped the banner down and threw it to the floor.

Seras attempted to defend herself. "Master, I had no idea Integra was in trouble. B-believe me if I'd known..."

Alucard angrily turned on his fledgling. "If you'd known? You would've known if you'd been out there in the field like you're suppose to be instead of in here decking the halls! What's wrong with you anyway? What kind of a vampire chooses decorating a tree over the chance to kill something?"

"It... It was for Christmas. I... I thought." Seras managed to choke out in between her sobs.

"Christmas. Christmas! A celebration of Christ's birth, what possible meaning could it hold to you. You are a vampire, a demonic creature of darkness. You should hate Christmas as much as I do."

"Master!" Seras didn't mean to shout, but she was genuinely shocked by her master's claim. He knew the true meaning of the holiday, he'd just said it. How could he possibly hate the celebration of such a pure gift of love. "Y-You don't really hate Christmas, do you?"

"You don't believe me, Police Girl?" Alucard asked in a threatening tone. "Perhaps you need a demonstration." Seras's eyes grew wide as her master glared down at her. The fledgling vampire shook her head 'no', but it made no difference. Her master shifted into a mass of shadow tendrils and tore every decoration in the room apart. Then he teleported away, leaving Seras in a torrent of, recently made, red and green confetti.

Alucard teleported to his room, grabbed his wine glass and several packets of blood then sat down in his thrown. The vampire poured himself a drink, downed it in one gulp, poured himself another then proceeded to sit and brood in the utter darkness of his chamber.

There he remained until midnight, when he was startled by a wrinkled face emerging from his glass. "Alucard?" It spoke in an eerie voice.

Not one to be easily frightened, the vampire looked curiously at his now animated wine glass and responded, "And what do you want?" Rather than reply, the 'face' just melted back into the glass from which it came. Alucard stared at his glass for a moment, wondering if a vampire could drink too much blood in one sitting. But, then the No-Life King's attention was averted to a metallic clanging sound behind his thrown. The vampire raised one eyebrow and turned to look behind him; but before he could discover what caused the sound, Alucard found himself staring eye to eye with the same wrinkled face that had emerged from his wine glass. Only this time, the ancient vampire recognized the face. "Angel?" The No-Life King asked, puzzled by the aged, former Hellsing butler's presence.

"Yes, Old Partner. I'd wager you're rather surprised to see me."

"Yes, surprised and... pleased."

"Oh?"

"Of course, I didn't get a chance to do this last time." The vampire spit out as he quickly moved his head and sunk his fangs into the old man's neck. However, something unexpected happened. The vampire's teeth did not pierce flesh, nor did his mouth receive the sweet taste of fresh blood. Instead, Alucard's fangs 'ghosted' into his 'old partner's' neck as if the man wasn't even there.

After a brief moment, Alucard pulled back. "What the?"

Walter chuckled slightly. "Sorry to disappoint you, Count, but I'm afraid I don't have any blood left for you to suck. I've been dead for the last thirty years. What you see before you is nothing more than a spirit."

"So, you died a traitor's death and have returned to haunt me, is that it?"

Walter's lip curled slightly, into that faint trace of a grin that only someone raised among the British aristocracy could manage. "Not quite. Believe it or not, I'm actually here to help you."

"Help me? Help me what?"

"Avoid your fate." The once butler, raised his hand and immediately a metal clamor followed. It was then that Alucard noticed Walter's 'dental floss of death' was unstrung and dangling from his fingers. Alucard followed it with his eyes and saw that the thin wires trailed behind the aged Englishman and were fastened to large metal chains.

Walter indicated the chains. I went to my grave never having made a reckoning of my sins; and upon my death, I received these. Each one represents a person I wronged in my life. For the last thirty years I have tried to ease my burden by atoning for my actions." Walter flicked his wrist and pulled the chains closer. He pointed to one of the larger ones. "This one represents my betrayal of the Hellsing organization, more specifically... my betrayal of you."

Alucard looked scornfully at his former partner. "And you want to 'help me' so that you'll be freed of that chain. Well, I don't need... nor do I want your help! You deserve your punishment. In fact you deserve far worse. You are a traitor! And I'm not about to do anything that will help you 'ease your burden'!"

Walter smiled at the vampire. "You know, I expected you to say something like that. You're still the same bastard you've always been." There was no anger in the Englishman's voice. If anything, it sounded nostalgic; and perhaps feeling a little nostalgic himself, the No-Life King grinned at the open and honest accusation.

Then Walter continued, "Fortunately, you are not the one who gets to decide whether or not I'm freed of this chain. I have arranged for you to be visited by three more ghosts tonight. They each come in an attempt to spare you from your dark future. If they are successful, I will have atoned for my betrayal."

Alucard chuckled darkly. "And if they're not, you'll keep that chain. Well then, I can still ensure your punishment continues. I simply won't play along with these 'ghosts'."

Walter stared at the vampire. The butler looked a little deflated; but after a moment, he replied. "Well, whether or not to 'play along' is certainly up to you; but in the end you will end up suffering far more than I." Walter pointed to his chains. "This was my punishment for fifty-five years of harming others, and you've been at it for centuries. The first ghost will appear in one hour. While you're waiting, you should think about what your punishment will be." And with those final words, the former butler's ghost vanished from sight.

(Well, I hope you're enjoying this. I know it's a little different. Please Review and let me know what you think. Thanks.

PS. Rachel (Raefactor) Is in a pretty bad way. She's been sick for quite awhile now. So if any of you happen to believe in faith healing, would you please say a prayer for her? Thanks.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid.)