Author's Notes: This is set after the current chapter of manga that are released only in Japan. May be an AU because no one but Hirano knows how it will end. Slight femme-slash although the relationship could be taken as just friends or more. Written as part of my ficlets for the LiveJournal community, 30Kisses.
Disclaimer: I do not own Hellsing.
They walked alone down the London streets, finally going home. Integral couldn't believe it was over now. She had won, hadn't she? Integral wondered if all victors of war felt like her. She had expected it to be better but her success was so bittersweet. At least Millenium is no longer a threat, she thought to herself. She had done her duty and destroyed her enemies. London was safe once again. Or was it?
She doubted Millenium had deployed all of their vampires to London. Integral was certain Major Max would not have kept at least a few behind, so they could plan for another battle in the future. At least he had been killed. She had his head as proof. Well, he had been a worthwhile adversary. But, Doc had not been found and Integral was sure the mad scientist was busy at work creating new monsters, probably in the Middle East. It seemed that region of the world attracted the lawless.
Integral looked over at Seras. Of everyone, that girl had lost the most, but she never failed in her duty to protect Hellsing and London. Somehow Seras still retained some of the innocence she had before the war. Sometimes Integral thought Seras had more humanity left then she did. It surprised her that she had come to care quite a bit about the young vampire, more then she ever would have guessed when Alucard brought her home. Integral was glad she had not lost her in the war but she had lost enough herself.
Walter. She could feel her eyes start to mist up as she remember him the way he was…before Millenium killed him. Integral thought she hated the most for taking him away. If Walter had died normally in the course of war, it wouldn't have been so painful. Death is something that happens in war. Instead Major Maxx played such a cruel joke on her. He had taken her most loyal servant, a man she would have entrusted her life to, and turned him into her enemy. She still remembered the look of peace in his eyes as she stabbed him with her sword. For a few seconds she looked into the eyes of the real Walter. It infuriated her that the Major was laughing as he watched her do it. But, Integral had gotten the final laugh. She had enjoyed watching Alucard remove Maxx's head. Her only regret was that the fat little man had not suffered more. The bastard seemed to actually enjoy it.
"We're here, Sir." Seras said as she looked at Integral with concern.
"So we are." Integral said, her voice just above a whisper. She did not want to speak aloud, afraid her voice would betray her. A tear drop fell onto her cheek. Integral did not try to stop it, nor did she wipe it away.
"I know, Sir, I know. I cry sometimes before I go to sleep. I think about him. You probably lost more people then me. It doesn't make you weak, you know."
Another tear drop fell as being back at Hellsing brought back memories of her youth and Walter. It surprised her, when Seras retrieved a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped the tear drops from her face. She didn't resist when Seras pulled her into her arms and held her and as Seras stroked her hair. Just this one time, Integral Hellsing allowed herself to be human. She knew that soon she would return to her role of Master of the Monster. It was a role that cost her a little bit of her humanity every day.