Epilogue: Seven Years Later

AN: This epilogue actually ties into another one of my fics, a one-shot mostly about Seras and Alucard. See if you can guess which one. ;)

PS. Warning: this one's a little fluffy. :p

Integra was sitting behind her desk, going over reports and requisition forms when one caught her eye. It was from the newly established India branch of the Hellsing Organization and had been filed by Keith. On the surface it was a simple requisition form requesting a shipment to replenish the branch's supply of medical blood packets, however Integra recognized the importance of this request. There were only two field agents in the Indian branch, yet the requisition form was made out for enough transfusion blood to meet the needs of a hundred agents in any normal Commonwealth agency. Few of these blood packets were for medical use, however, instead the vast majority would be used to meet the nutritional needs of the young vampire which had been split from Alucard seven years ago. And Integra, knowing how Alison's 'sire' got when the blood supply ran low, quickly signed her name to the bottom of the form and stamped the top right corner with an "urgent" seal. She placed it in a short stack with a few other forms – the priority reports and requisitions – and replaced the paperweight on top of the stack.

It was a good thing that the highly organized, English woman took this added precaution, for no sooner did she return to her paperwork than a light breeze curled the edges of the sorted stacks and tugged at her hair, lifting it slightly and causing it to drift subtly to the left. The corner of Integra's lip turned upwards. "I don't often leave my windows open; you'll have to do better than that if you intend to sneak up on me."

"And what makes you think I want to do that?" a voice asked from somewhere behind the lady knight.

"You could've used the door," Integra replied without bothering to turn around. She knew who was behind her, and he had no desire to harm her.

"The window's a more direct rout."

"And since when did you become the direct one?" the lady knight replied coyly.

The voice behind her chuckled as arms suddenly wrapped around her front. "Oh, since I discovered it was much more fun to go for what you want in life than lie around dreaming about it."

"Oh? And what is it you want?"

"You."

"Why, Michael, I hope you don't mean to imply I'm an 'it'," Integra responded in a mock warning tone.

"Never," her soldier answered as he gently rubbed his cheek against hers.

"Good," Integra stated before turning the conversation to more immediate concerns. "I take it your mission was a success?"

"The targets have all been neutralized... not that you were expecting to hear anything different. I'm sure that if you weren't completely confident I could handle that infestation on my own, you would've sent in the big guns, anniversary or not."

"You know me well," the lady knight replied. "Even still, there's always the chance of an unexpected complication."

"True," Michael consented before moving his mouth to Integra's right ear. "Are the twins in bed yet?" he whispered an a slightly suggestive tone.

"Yes, I had Seras tuck them in an hour ago," the Master of Monsters answered.

"Seras?" Michael questioned. "Big Red couldn't have been too pleased about that."

"Well then he'll just have to get over it," Integra scoffed. "I've already given the two of them the night off and sent them down a... special gift," she defended. "I don't think asking for a few minutes of my own servant's time is unreasonable, even on her anniversary."

Michael said nothing in reply. The vampires were Integra's 'pets', not his. She was their master, and he recognized that it was no more his place to interfere in that relationship than it was Integra's place to question him about his decisions regarding Sara*. Still, giving no reply at all could've been interpreted as a display of disapproval, so the man let out a short, non-committal grunt in response.

"So then, if the kids are asleep, I suppose that means we can... 'play'?" Michael suggested.

"Duty before pleasure," Integra replied. "I've still got some paperwork left, and you need to write up a mission report."

"Oh, but I'd much prefer a post-mission... 'debriefing'," her soldier responded with a rumbling purr

Integra rolled her eyes. "Oh really, you couldn't come up with anything more original than that?" she complained.

"Sorry," Michael apologized for the bad pun. "Come to bed, and I'll make it up to you," he continued and lightly nibbled on the lady knight's right earlobe.

"You never give up, do you?*"

"Nope, I'm a member of the Hellsing organization, her Majesty's most secret, best trained and equipped fighting force. We do not surrender," Michael replied, nearly quoting, word for word, the claim the Hellsing leader had made back when he'd suggested they surrender during the Order siege.

Integra laughed lightly and shook her head. "Fine," she consented with a chuckle. "I'll be along in a few minutes. I just have to file the papers I've already read and signed, and then I'll call it a night. However, I expect you to file that report first thing in the morning."

"Sure thing, Boss," Michael replied with a grin as he made his way to the office door.

Integra stopped once on the way to her bedroom. She wanted to look in on her children, make sure they were okay. It was an emotional desire, not a logical one.

The two Hellsing heirs were important to everyone in the organization, even Alucard, though he'd never admit it. Eventually one would take control of the organization, while the other would follow in their father's footsteps and learn to wield the vampire slaying whip. In London, the capitol and seat of power in a nation that had been a major world power for more than five hundred years, no two children were more important to the future of humanity than Integra's twins; for they represented the future of mankind's protection against its ancient, most feared predator: the vampire. The Hellsing organization housed, perhaps, the most powerful beings on the planet, and they would permit no harm to come to their young charges.

Yes, the twins were as safe as any human could be, yet parental instinct still demanded that the lady knight look in on them. And as she reached the door to their room, she found that she was not the only one so motivated. "How are they?" Integra whispered as she came up along-side her husband.

He smiled at her. "Sleeping soundly."

The dark beast in the corner of the room raised his head and opened one eye. Seeing, who it was standing in the doorway the devil dog seemed satisfied that all was well. It bent down and nuzzled the small tabby between its paws, let out a silent yawn and then rested its head back upon the burgundy carpeting and resumed its napping.

"Not that your pets would have it any other way," Michael continued quietly.

Integra let out a single, dry chuckle. "Indeed. Sometimes I think those two are more protective of the twins than we are," she quipped happily.

The lady knight's left hand had been hanging loosely by her side, and she now felt warm fingers curl around hers. She said nothing, but her lips pulled into a contented smile as her and her husband stood there staring at the fruit of their love. They'd be heading off to bed themselves in a little bit, but for now they waited and thanked the Good Lord for the blessing's He'd bestowed upon them.

*For anyone unfamiliar with "Castlevania: Lament of Innocence", Sara is the name of the person who's soul was bound to the Whip of Alchemy to turn it into the Vampire Slayer. In other words she's the spirit of the whip, the one Michael was 'talking' to when he first took possession of his ancestral weapon.

*Line taken from "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic"

Okay, for anyone who hasn't guessed yet (or who's never read my one-shot "A Bedtime Story", that's the fic this is meant to tie into. If you haven't read it, you may want to. It shows how Seras and Alucard are getting along after being together for seven years and provides a couple of quick glimpses into what Integra's and Michael's kids are like.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid.

To OneImpressedMuggle, AKA insert cleverwitty pen name, AKA Heh whoops: Thanks for the reviews. :) I'm glad you liked this fic so much and thought I did a good job of balancing my OCs with the canon characters – always a little difficult to pull off well. :p I'm also pleased that you enjoyed the last battle and thought that the canon characters stayed IC throughout their romances. :D Hopefully you'll have as much fun reading the epilogue and will continue to enjoy my writing. ;)

To Ghost: Thanks for the review. :) I'm pleased that you thought the fic had a good balance of humor and that the plot developed well. I'm glad you found this one while I was still writing it too. :) And I hope you have as much fun with whatever fic of mine you decide to read next. ;)