Iron Bars. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I do not own Hellsing. Sue at own risk.

Warning: Reading this may seriously damage your health. It may cause heart failure, back spasms, hearing deficiency, long-term mental damage, short term mental damage, liver failure, kidney disease, tummy ache, blindness, lung failure and a runny nose. I am not responsible for reader’s safety while reading this, if you experience any of these symptoms please contact some one who is not me.

Authoress note: My brain is tired of revision and is taking a break for a day or so and in that time I thought it would be helpful if I updated this.

Walter cursed himself, he should have known some how he should of known. He knew Hellsing had kept the vampire but . . . He had forced himself not to acknowledge it, vampire or no what Hellsing had done was cruel, almost needlessly cruel. But another part of him knew why it had been done, Alucard had grown restless towards the end, people had gotten hurt.

“why was he locked away” Integra had asked.

It had been difficult to explain why the vampire had been put away as it were, without making the young master dubious about bringing him up. Walter was unsure why he wanted the vampire brought back up, after all Alucard was a Vampire, what they hated and hunted, yet the old butler felt a strange emotion towards him, sort of loyalty rather than a friendship.

Integra bit her bottom lip, one of the only child-like quirks she had held onto, she seemed to age years in the span of days since her father died. This loss of innocence made Walter grieve slightly but then had he not also been young when he lost his innocence, when he stopped thinking the world was a good place and that all people were fundamentally good.

“I think I need to speak to this vampire again” Integra whispered Walter smiled slightly before he managed to stop himself “I hold on illusions, I know Hellsing is weak and will be weak until I am of age” she paused for a moment “what we need now is a show of force and control”

Walter was impressed, Integra had put her finger on the exact problem of the organization and she had already formed a working plan. She was right. He smiled widely for a moment before stopping when Integra looked at him oddly

“you will make a good leader Integra” Walter nodded to her “Hellsing will be strong under you”

to Walter’s surprise Integra blushed slightly before coughing and standing. She walked briskly towards the door, she paused and looked at him, Walter nodded and followed.

The Corridors were dark and unmistakably dank, Guilt ate at Walter’s gut, Alucard had been condemned down here for twenty years, after twenty years in this hole Walter was surprised the vampire hadn’t let himself die, it seems Alucard was stronger than any truly knew.

Walter turned up his nose at the door Integra stopped at, dried blood marred its surface, the painted rune, put there more for show than anything else, Walter doubted a rune or anything else could truly hold Alucard prisoner if he truly wanted release. He knew honor and pride had kept the vampire down here more than any power Hellsing claimed to have over him.

Integra pushed the already open door a little and took a deep breath

“thank you foe what you said Walter, I hope it will be true” she said as she began her decent into the room.

Walter waited for what felt like a life time, his heart pounding in his chest and he knew not why, he knew Alucard would not harm Integra, he also knew Integra wanted Alucard to return to the ranks. But still a feeling of foreboding weighted him down heavily.

He could hear Integra speaking softly, but he could hear no replies, he guessed Alucard was speaking directly into her mind. He tried to mentally envision the vampire, what he would look like after twenty years of starvation, why he wasn’t speaking.

He jumped as he heard footsteps on the hard stone steps, quickly he stood straighter, tiding his appearance to one less disheveled. Integra appeared first, she looked calm considering, she turned and looked at Walter and dipped her head slightly before turning.

“come on then” she snapped but not unkindly.

It was both better and worse than Walter had dared to think. Alucard had always been thin, but Walter winced to see how the rags, of what was once clothing, hung on him now. his hair had grown out completely, longer than Walter had ever seen it before, and it had become ashen, it hung like tangled wool completely covering the vampires face, some ends dragging on the scummy floor. Although Walter could easily see the pain movement caused the vampire had not totally lost his grace in movement.

“hello Walter”

the arrogance and humor had not left his voice.

Alucard: FREEDOM!!!! . . . . sort of.

Light: thank you to all those who have reviewed my little fic. I hope you have enjoyed it. It is not over I am hoping to add a few more chappies.

Alucard: god help us