There's something about the person you love stalking towards you while walking backward, at least to Integra there was. The look in Alucard's eyes sent a small shiver through her spine, and while he leaned in she could feel her heart racing fast as her cheeks heated up a bit from the closeness. She didn't think there would ever be a time when being this close to Alucard wouldn't have an effect on her. The feel of his lips brushing against her neck, cheeks growing a shade dark and the motion of a blond haired woman adjusting how she is sitting on the stool.

It wasn't until he moved away to stand behind the bar that she felt like she could finally breathe.  She thanked him for the whiskey, happily taking the glass as she sipped at it. When he mentioned the reason for not fixing his apartment, what he said made sense, and plenty of it. What she hadn't been ready for, however, was that once their drink was finished, and he wanted to dance.

"Maybe that's so... but don't you think a house or apartment that's fixed up would be easier for us to live in?"

This time she could hide the blush that revealed itself on her cheeks. How long had it been since the two of them had danced anything together? She took his hand, slowly getting off the chair and looking up at him, squeezing his hand softly. "I'd love to dance."

The air in the room felt like it had raised several degrees and the passion building between Alucard and the woman he loved, was palpable.  There was no doubt he could have taken her before he even poured drinks, but he found immense, salacious pleasure in the dance leading up to the act itself.  Though he was taken aback by her question, a surprise he wasn't expecting.  Them, together, him waking up next to her every day. The thought of her being around more, with him, all he could respond with was, "Yes," followed up only a brief moment later with  "When do we start looking?"

His smile only broadened when she accepted his offer to dance, he lead her a few paces away from the stool.  He kept her hand in his as his other hand went delicately to her waist, lightly holding her against him.  As Alucard wondered if this is what happiness was, he realized that he wonders this a lot in these sweet, private moments together. He continued grinning as he lightly kissed the top of her head. "Let me guess Tegs, you're wondering the last time we actually danced like this.  It was the day of your Succession Ceremony.  Do you remember? Your father had to postpone the party because of the debacle I made of your engagement to that self-entitled twat." He gave a warm laugh at the memory.

There was never a time where Integra wasn't in awe of how easily Alucard lead her in a dance. She kept her eyes on him as she smiled, allowing him to lead them in the dance to the soft music. Not long after her head was resting on his shoulder, her head turned as she enjoyed dancing with him, the feeling of his lips gently kissing the top of her head as a smile broadened.

"We can start looking as soon as you want. How do you always know what I'm thinking by the way? I'd swear you know me better than I know myself at this point."

She tilted her head back a bit as she looked up at him as she laughed softly. "I do remember that self-entitled twat. The very one you threatened because he slapped me across my face." She was quite grateful she'd never been forced to marry said man, for she knew she couldn't have survived such a thing. She couldn't imagine being a stay at home wife, especially having been raised to lead the organization of Hellsing. With that gone though, it was hard to get rid of old habits and she still felt like she needed to do something and not sit at home.

Alucard took his hand and slid it across her back, bringing their hands against his chest, he quite happily danced with the love of his life.  He closed his eyes, letting everything outside the room fade away to nothingness, there was only him and her right now. 

“I want you with me again, I will do anything to get you at my side.  I am willing to start first thing in the morning if need be.”

The man pulled Integra a little tighter against him when he heard her mention that her betrothed had smacked her across the face. “That boy was lucky all I did was threaten him…” Alucard said with only the slightest bit of firmness in his laughter, softly adding at the end, “no one hurts my Tegs.”   

After he stopped talking, realized the music wasn’t playing anymore. “When did the music stop? Shall I flip the record?”  He asked, not moving away from her at all, he only moved enough to bow his face low enough to kiss her hand. He would go and flip the record if she wanted him to, but he didn't want to separate from her so soon.  He was enraptured in being close to her, the warmth of their bodies being near, the feel of her body against his, he didn't want to end the moment, not yet. 
 

Alucard watched from the door to the hotel as Aaron drove Integra away. They both had work they needed to get done, but that didn't stop him from trying to convince her to stay, or from smiling ear to ear when he thought back on the evening.   When Integra was gone, Alucard walked over to the desk where the maid Alice and desk clerk Margrette were talking. 

Margrette looked at Alucard and her face went a soft shade of red, "What do you want?"

The man gave her a bemused expression, "What did you say Maggie?"

She rolled her eyes at Alucard and gave an annoyed sigh, "What do you want, siiiir." She finished with a sarcastic note.

"Maggie, you are damn lucky you are VERY good at what you do. But I do grow tired of your insolence. "  He rubbed his temples in frustration. "Alice, the penthouse is clear for cleaning.  Maggie, when Alice comes back with the key you are free to rent the room out again."

He tossed the key over to Alice, who caught it giving a polite nod to her boss.  He then went to his office to finish up the work he had started the day before. 

Some Time Later

Sarah awoke slowly and rolled over. The small clock on the nightstand read 6:22 pm. Yawning, she rubbed her eyes and sat up. She'd arrived in Detroit at a ridiculous hour of the morning, and opted to catch up on sleep rather than get right down to business. For once, there was no need to rush, no need to hide, or obfuscate. She was free, and no longer in danger. The thought still seemed so strange, but full liberation was a strange feeling she welcomed. 

Her stomach growled as she brushed out her long red hair. Dinner would be the first priority. She dressed quickly, a green pencil skirt, cream colored blouse, and a matching green scarf tied neatly around her neck. Finally, she slipped into a pair of black flats and headed down to the hotel restaurant and bar. 

A hostess greeted her politely. 

"How many in your party, Miss?" 

"Just one. Feel free to squirrel me away in a corner and keep your bigger tables open. I'm not picky."

The hostess nodded and led her through the dining room to a small table close to the bar. There weren't many patrons, and the restaurant seemed fairly quiet. Sarah took her seat and ordered a pint of cider when the waiter handed her a menu. Looking over the menu, she couldn't help but smile. There she sat, in the open, a free woman. 

Erich had heard about a dive before. He heard the phrase at least. And being that this was the first time away from his sister, he also made sure to pack a little phrase book to keep in his pocket in case he needed it. He made his way into the Chaise Hotel and it fit the description he had heard. It was perfect for him. No fancy people would be bothering him here, and he could just not talk to folks and there wouldn't be too many who would question it.

After paying for his room and letting the bell hop take his bags up, he made his way to the restaurant and bar. He was starving, and was willing to eat just about anything, or rather, anything that five dollars and sixty two cents would buy him tonight.

He looked to the bartender and asked...

"Sprichst du Deutsch?"

The bartender shook his head.

"English only buddy."

"Menu?"

Erich had picked up on a couple of things, and was hoping the menu had a picture or two, or at least a word he might recognize. It did not. So he turned and looked around the room, spotting a few older men drinking what he assumed was whiskey by the smell, and then a single lonesome woman in the corner, he figured he would try his hand with the woman. Men were easily irritated by his presence and inability to communicate. Women, in his experience, were more patient. So he stood and walked over to her.

"Entschuldigen Sie, meine Dame. Sprichst du Deutsch?"

It wasn't what she'd expected when the young, blonde man approached her. Some cheesy pick up line, sure- but not German. With a bit of surprise in her eyes, she nodded.

"Ja, ich spreche etwas Deutsch. Vielleicht nicht gut."

Sarah gave the young man a sheepish but friendly smile, praying that she wasn't absolutely butchering her words. She could remember Ina's sharp, disapproving groans when she blundered her pronunciations. Like most things in her youth, Sarah hadn't really taken her lessons very seriously. And, like all those things, she was finding that she needed them more and more every day.

Erich nodded and sighed relief. It was getting more and more rare to find someone who could help him. He was very glad that this young woman knew his tongue.

"Würden Sie mir helfen, etwas für das Abendessen zu wählen? Ich spreche kein Englisch, daher ist es für mich ohne Bilder sehr schwierig."

He did not sit, not encroach any further, but instead handed her the menu he had in his hand.

"Alles wird wirklich funktionieren. Ich bin kein wählerischer Esser."

He waited patiently, not moving an inch then, for her to point at something for him so he could be on his way and stop bothering the nice woman's meal.

The man's voice was clear and confident, making it very easy for Sarah to understand him. Gesturing toward the seat across from her, she replied more cheerfully.

"Ich helfe Ihnen gerne weiter. Möchten Sie gerne sitzen?"

Her waiter reappeared, giving a slightly confused glance to the sudden addition of a guest. Sarah smiled at him.

"Change of plans, I'll have a guest with me after all."

Nodding, the waiter disappeared to retrieve another set of silverware. Sarah returned her attention to the gentleman taking a seat.

"Mein Name ist Sarah Winters. Wie heißen Sie?"

Erich nodded and took a seat across from the woman.

"Ich heiße Erich."

He bowed his head slightly then.

"Ich habe nicht die Absicht, Ihr Abendessen oder Ihre Einsamkeit aufzuerlegen. Ich habe auch nicht viel Geld, deshalb kann ich es mir nicht leisten, für Ihre Mahlzeit zu bezahlen. Ich möchte Ihnen ehrlich sein."

He looked back toward the menu again.

"Was werden wir zum Abendessen haben?"

Sarah waved dismissively, shaking her head and grinning.

"Mach dir keine Sorgen um das Geld. Du hast mich vor dem Essen alleine gerettet."

The waiter returned, setting the utensils and a fresh water glass before Erich. Sarah looked over the menu with a critical eye.

"Tell me, what are the specials tonight?"

By rote, the waiter rattled off several dishes. None of them seemed to particularly jazz Sarah, until he mentioned the prime rib. She raised an eyebrow with a grin and handed the menus to him."

"We will both have the prime rib. Horseradish on the side, garlic mashed potatoes, and roasted asparagus. And a good bottle of pinot noir- mid range, but I'm not picky about the brand."

The waiter nodded and quickly headed for the kitchen. Sarah took her napkin from the table and spread it neatly across her lap, then took a draw from her cider.

"Ich hoffe du magst Rindfleisch. Ich kann kein gutes Steak auslassen."

Erich took a sip of his water while the interaction between the other two happened. Then he was asked a question, so he spoke up.

"Rindfleisch ist wunderbar. Bist du sicher, dass es dir gut geht, wenn ein Fremder wie ich mit dir zu Abend isst? Du bist eine Frau allein in einem Hotel. Ich würde einem Fremden nicht trauen, wenn ich Sie wäre. Ich habe gesehen, dass einer schönen Frau viele schlimme Dinge passieren."

He spread his silverware out in proper fashion as he spoke. The forks went on the left, knife on the right, spoon to the right of that. He even set his water glass just slightly further to the left so there was room for when he got another drink. He had heard Sarah talk about Pinot Noir, so he felt it was safe to assume there would be another glass. He took not that she did not adjust her silverware at all after placing the order though.

"Ah, aber ich bin eine Frau, die sich bei Bedarf verteidigen kann."

She gave him a wink and drank a bit more of her cider. It was crisp and cold, a perfect precursor to the meal in that it helped to awaken her taste buds. 

Her new guest went about carefully arranging his flatware in a very orderly fashion; a behavior again reminding her of her nanny, Ina. 

"Besuchen Sie Amerika oder sind Sie hierher gekommen, um zu leben?"

Hoping not to seem to be prying, Sarah arranged her flatware in loosely the same fashion. She was far more interested in the story of the man now sitting across from her.

Erich folded his hands in front of him and then looked up into Sarah's eyes.

"Wir wohnen jetzt hier. Meine Schwester und ich werden nicht nach Deutschland zurückkehren."

He let his gaze linger and refused to look away. He would not lose to the woman across from him, but he also would not speak about his parents or what was happening in the Fatherland. He still did not know who he could trust, or with what information. The more people he came across that knew his language, and worse yet, possibly knew who he and his sister were, the more danger she would be in. No, it would be better to let the past remain there. Now was the time to live for, and nothing else.

"Du bist also aus Amerika. Wie haben Sie Deutsch gelernt?"

He picked up his water and sipped it, still not taking his eyes off of the red-headed woman in front of him. He knew, after all, that she was not German. Her hair, her features, and mostly her speech. She had picked up German by being taught it, not by learning it.

There was something about the way he said that they would not return to Germany that piqued Sarah's curiosity. Still, she knew that Germans were a proud people, and if there was something he didn't wish to speak of, she wouldn't press him. Where the Irish were nosey and proud of it, the Germans were much more private. At least, that's what she'd always gathered from Ina.

"Meine Kinderfrau war Deutsch. Sie kam aus Freital bei Dresden. Sie sprach Englisch, bevorzugte aber Deutsch. also musste ich lernen."

In an attempt to add some levity, Sarah chuckled softly.

"Ich habe lange nicht Deutsch gesprochen. Sie können lachen, wenn ich Fehler mache."

The waiter reappeared with two glasses and a bottle of wine. He poured hers first, then Erich's. She nodded her thanks and picked up the glass as he walked away. Holding it toward Erich, she offered

"Ein warmes Brot für neue Bekannte."

Erich raised a glass himself followed by an eyebrow.

"Ich werde nicht über dich lachen, das wäre unhöflich. Ich werde dich aber korrigieren. Wolltest du gerade jetzt Brot sagen?"

He clinked their glasses and then sipped. The wine was fine, though he preferred bier himself. That alone was the biggest problem he had managed to come across since setting foot in the United States. Bier was cold here. He still could not understand why the people here wanted to ruin their drinks in that way, but he assumed it must be because they had much more access to these ice boxes and so they chilled everything.

"Meine Kinderfrau sprach auch deutsch, so habe ich gelernt."

Her cheeks blushed just slightly.

"Nein, ich wollte kein Brot sagen. Sie sind freundlich mit meinen Fehlern."

Sarah was about to say something else when the waiter appeared beside the table once again; this time with a tray loaded with food. Sarah grinned happily as it was laid out for them. This was the first real meal she'd had in quite a long time. Even with Gavin and Will they had settled for a quick bite on the run; but that was best for the situation. 

The savory aroma of the prime rib wafted into her senses. She could already taste the peppercorn crust along the edges of the meat. 

"Will there be anything else?"

Sarah looked from the waiter to Erich.

"Ist die Mahlzeit nach Ihrem Geschmack?"

Erich nodded as he licked his lips.

"Es sieht lecker aus."

He then watched as Sarah shook her head slightly and nodded to the waiter while saying something in English.

"Danke, dass ich heute Abend mit Ihnen zu Abend essen durfte. Das Unternehmen wird geschätzt und Sie sind sicherlich viel hübscher als der Barkeeper."

He made a face then to indicate his dislike of the man and then gestured for Sarah to have her meal before he would begin as was proper.

Sarah let out an audible giggle with his comment as she began to cut into her steak.

"Danke vielmals. Ich bin froh, Gesellschaft zu haben."

Without thinking about it, she continued and steered the conversation back to her father.

"Mein Vater ist vor sechs Monaten gestorben. Ich hatte seitdem nicht viel Gesellschaft."

She closed her eyes briefly and scolded herself for going there. That was nothing this kind stranger cared to hear about. 

"Es tut mir Leid. Sie müssen meine Probleme nicht kennen."