Aurora picked up Billy's hand and moved it from her stomach, between her breasts and laid it atop her heart.  She took a deep breath and let him leave it there if he liked.  Silent she listened to him breathe, the sounds of the city of Detroit at night that were distant outside the window, and eventually his soft snoring.

Eventually, even her busy mind couldn't resist the urge to fall into blissful, dreamless sleep.

---

The sound of birds chirping and the smell of breakfast woke her.  She'd been sleeping deep and late.  Billy had let her sleep in.  The space where he'd been was a mess, but he likely had someone who cleaned the room and would make the bed up after she'd gone.  So, she got up and found her way to the bathroom.

Reluctantly she put Integra's outfit back on, swearing to herself she do some shopping today and be done with the other woman's attire.  Integra was nice, but this was... a bit much.  She felt like her mom in this sort of get-up!

When she came out to the kitchen she was humming softly to herself, paused to steal a bit of food that Billy was just plating up and smirked like the thief she was.

"Thanks for letting me sleep in."  she remarked, knowing it was probably best he got up and didn't stick around for round two of the awkwardness they stumbled through last night.  For as bad as figuring out bedtime was at night, she greatly feared what wake up time looked like in the mornings even more.  Both of them feeling warm and affectionate and having little drive to leave each other's arms... it would have been either the best thing ever or the worst depending on how much they decided to talk rather than just kissing.

"I should pick up a new outfit before we fly home to Philly to talk with mom and dad - that way I can give Integra her outfit back.  I assume since I'm broke at the moment that my boyfriend doesn't mind fronting the cash for said outfit?  And speaking of Integra... when will she be coming by?"

Aurora settled down at the table and waited to see what all Billy had made.

Billy slid open the oven and pulled out a couple of warm plates of pancakes, a plate piled high with bacon and sausage and he even found time to make toast. He place them all on the table and then slid a warm empty plate out for him and Aurora.

"I didn't let you do anything. I told you I would make breakfast, and so I did."

He grabbed syrup out of the cabinet near the icebox and put it on the table. Then he turned and took the pot of coffee and two mugs and poured each of them a glass.

"Also, you're only allowed to go shopping on my dime if you buy at least a few outfits. I don't want to run into this problem again, so we can keep an outfit or two here for you, I've already made room in my closet."

As he sat in a chair at the table, he pointed down the hall toward a small pile of clothes.

"As for Integra, I could ring her. I know she's in one of two places, and she should probably come with us to Philly to see your folks since she knows what the hell happened and I'm just the boyfriend this time."

He slid three pancakes off the plate onto Aurora's and then another three onto his own.

Aurora's stomach rumbled loudly and she blushed.  "Guess I should have eaten more ice cream last night."  She instantly grabbed up a pat of butter with a knife and began spreading it neatly across her pancakes.

"And yes, Integra coming along would be good.  Less chance of a full parental meltdown with her there... that and she can give her point of view on the events."

She popped a bit of pancake into her mouth and made a sound of approval before grabbing up another bite quickly.

"I'm glad you're okay with me having some clothes here.  I was going to bring it up but I realize now that with our track record of talking about taking steps, well you might have seen it as me rushing things.  So... thanks for that one too and YES, you did let me sleep."

She smirked.

"You could have chosen to wake me up with kisses and we could have had a whole other mess of stupid things to say to each other... instead I get to enjoy smiling at you across the table and this delicious food."

Under the table, she put her foot alongside of Billy's as she'd done in the restaurant in New York.

"Will you come shopping with us then?  Or will you do some work and leave that part to us and we'll meet you at the airport once we're done?"

"Oh, um... I thought that we could go shopping, you could maybe pick out some new shirts for me while we were out. Did you want to just go with Integra then and I'll meet up with you later? I don't mind. Just, you mentioned that I have a lot of blue shirts."

He took another pancake off of the stack he had made then and began to eat that one too with some bacon between bites. He was just as hungry as Aurora's stomach had protested at being. It didn't help that he refused to eat anything he was making until she woke up today. She had slept late.

He reached over then and picked up the phone off the wall and dialed Alucard's number.

"Morning. If my sister is there can you send her over please? She has business to attend to."

"You do have a lot of blue shirts."  She said between bites of pancakes.

"It's just... in my experience most guys don't like shopping.  Of course, I'd love for you to go.  Gives me a chance to try on things and get the opinion right from the horses mouth.  Besides, if you let Integra and I go alone I'm bound to piss her off without people shooting at us.  Consider it a means of protecting her from having to play nice with the boss' girlfriend."

She laughed.

"All jokes aside, I kinda like Integra.  She's nice and tough and ... hell, you picked a good one to work as your right hand."

Billy hung up the phone.

"I think so. I just hope she likes the job and I'm not a bad boss. Cause if I am and I lose her, there goes my only sister AND half of my cigar business."

He smiled and then gulped down the remained of his coffee.

"Alright, if I'm going shopping I need to shower and change before she gets here. You can leave all this, I'll clean up after I get out of the shower and make my bed."

He kissed her on the forehead and squeezed her shoulder before he made his way back toward his bedroom again.

Aurora ate her fill and once done, she decided to pick up a bit.  He told her to leave it, but what else was she going to do while she heard the shower running?  Certainly not steal a peak... after how much of a stir just climbing into his lap had caused, she had no desire to again see the dust on his ceiling up close and personal.

Instead, she began to put the food into the fridge and stack the plates near the sink and as she did, confident that she could still hear the shower running and that she was safely alone, & unable to be seen or heard, she began to sing & dance about the kitchen.

"They say that falling love is wonderful.  It's wonderful, so they say.  And with the moon up above, it's wonderful. It's wonderful, so they tell me.  I can't recall who said it, I know I've never read it, I only know they tell me that love is grand, and the thing that's known as romance is wonderful, wonderful in every way, so they say... "

Lost in her song and dance, Aurora never heard the door opening.

Integra had a rather decent night, gotten some sleep for once and gotten a rather good start to the day. She hadn't smoked yet however and was dressed in her usual attire, though there was no tie this time as she left the top few buttons of her shirt undone. She'd heard from Alucard that Billy was calling her back to his place and so she'd gotten Aaron and Jason to drive her back to the apartment. 

She nodded to Charlie and Oscar. "Mornin' Boys." Not paying much attention to them as she gave them a short wave before heading into her brother's apartment. She could smell the remnants of breakfast as she headed towards the kitchen, hearing someone sing. She tried to enter as quietly as she could before leaning against the doorframe as she glanced a the woman dancing and singing about the kitchen and cleaning. She grinned softly as she waited for a bit, before speaking up.

"Mornin, Aurora."

Aurora about jumped out of skin and almost dropped the plate she was holding, scrambling hand over hand to catch it before it hit the floor.  THIS was NOT her proudest moment as an enforcer and protector in the employ of her Don... dressed in someone else's clothes, singing and dancing, and not armed.

She sighed, realizing Integra wasn't there to kill her.  And then she laughed, crimson-covered her cheeks in a flash.

"I'd really appreciate it if we never spoke about this..."  She put the plate down.  "I've... um... Billy... um... it was just a really long night.  And I um..." 

She looked at Integra, "Your hair looks nice today."  

She turned back to filling the sink with water and soap.

"So, how was your evening?"

Integra chuckled softy as she wat hed Aurora jump before looking like she was quite embarrassed. She gave the girl an easy smile as she nodded, understanding that she didnt want this to get out, Integra could respect that.

"No problem, I'm sure my brother would have just stood here  and watched silently." She chuckled at the thought, shaking her head as she walked to grab a drink while she was here, knowing he probably had some orange juice or something. 

"My Evening was good, how was yours?" She pulled a glass from one of the cabinets as she filled it with juice before glancing at Aurora. "Want some?"

"Please."  Aurora said in response to the question of her wanting orange juice.

She then began to wash the first plate.

"Last night was..."  She paused listening for the shower, hearing it still she dared to speak on the matter openly. 

"Well, it had some incredible moments, but..."

She looked over to Integra with a little sadness and lowered her voice.

"I tried being straight forward like you advised.  I just wanted to come back here and make sure he knew exactly the way I felt & that I was ready for us to take things to the next level like I thought he wanted... like he said in his letter.  He says one thing and then he does something so different and he tells me he wants me to be like I was here in private, in public!"

Her voice had gotten louder as she progressed so she pulled her voice back down to a whisper, "I mean... what's the point if I already know it's not something he wants?  It's like offering a man a bowl of chocolate ice cream when you know he will inevitably turn it down because he doesn't want chocolate ice cream today.  What man wants to be tormented with something he's apparently decided, for what I can only assume are religious principles, he doesn't want?"

She sighed.

"I felt like a fool last night.  I gotta be honest, I'm not sure I'm going to do too many sleepovers.  Things just get messy when we get alone and try to talk to each other.  It's like I suddenly become a complete woolheaded ninny who can't say a damn thing right and he's ... well, one minute he's a lusty fool for me and the next more chaste than a priest on Sunday and there is no damn middle ground.  I can't figure which way is up with him... and I don't know if it's because of me cause, I'm terrible with people, or if it's because of him and something in his past I don't yet understand."

She put the plate she'd washed far too much, the only plate she'd been scrubbing repeatedly for several minutes now, into the dry rack.  Clearly so taken up with what she was saying that she forgot what she was doing.

"I mean, he says he wants to wait for marriage and in my head, I should respect that.  Right?  It's his deeply held religious belief and loving a person means respecting what's important to them.  So, here I am thinking I should definitely not do what I did last night and dial shit back... I tell him I'm going to do that and he breaks down threatening to toss me about the room like a damn ball again if take away his fun."

She shakes her head.

"Does that even make any sense?  Am I mad?  Help me understand... what is it he wants!  Please.  Whatever it is... I'll do it.  I just can't keep fumbling around like a damn novice.  All my life I've worked hard to be good at the things that matter to me... and this, Billy, matters to me more than anything has in a long while and yet - God Integra, I feel like I'm failing utterly and I don't want to.  Will you ... can you help me?"

Integra pulled out another glass and poured some juice for Aurora, sliding the glass over to her before turning and putting away the juice, listening to the woman speak as she took things in. Honestly, she had been prepared for anything with becoming Billy's Right-Hand woman. What she hadn't prepared herself for... was the relationship advice she was going to give to his girlfriend as a sister. Hell, she was still trying to figure out her own relationship with Alucard... and she'd known the man for 16 years. Maybe that's where they had an advantage, not that she could ever tell Aurora or Billy that... wait sixteen years and stay close as hell... feelings will guide you. Bloody hell she could imagine the conversation that would spark.

"Yeah, it makes sense..."

Drinking some of the juice, she leaned back against the counter, just patiently waiting for Aurora to finish talking before sighing a bit. "I'll be honest... this isn't my area of expertise, but what in the hell... it seems more like you two are playing a game of tug-o-war..." She drank a bit more juice as she thought. "When I was telling you to be straight with him... I should have been clearer, but I guess my brother is seeing things a bit differently. You two need to get on the same wave-length. And if I ever hear you tell me he tossed you like a ball... I'll beat him myself." She grumbled that last part a bit as she thought of her brother doing that to Aurora.

She seemed to think for a bit more before turning to look at Aurora. "Bloody Hell, God forbids... Look, Aurora... You are straight-cut... Hoist up your kaffies, sit down and make a list of what you and my brother want until it's ingrained in both of your Knowledge boxes...."

Aurora nodded, "A list of wants... that makes a whole lot of sense but um..." 

She furrowed her brow.  

"Just one question.  What hell is a Kaffie?"

Integra paused for a moment as it was pointed out how many British terms she'd just used... and her accent had kicked in quite a bit as well, and still was. She paused for a moment as she seemed to think of how it would translate over to American English. 

"Kaffies? Well... Shit... uhh." She paused again, running a hand through her hair as she tried to figure out how to word this. 

"It pertains to... I guess your equivalent is trousers?" She seemed unsure before nodding and repeating it. "Yeah... something along the line of trousers, pants or whatever..."

Aurora chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense."

She looked towards the bathroom.

"He's wanting to come clothing shopping with us.  I pointed out all his shirts are blue and he's willing to let us help him diversify a bit if I agree to leave an outfit or two here in his closet."

She bounced on the balls of her feet a bit and then took a drink of juice.

"How's your head today?"

She raised an eyebrow as she finished the juice, putting the glass in the sink before glancing back at Aurora. 

"He's agreed to go shopping... and allow others to pick out new shirts for him?" She smiled softly as she shook her head, amused at the thought of such a situation.

"Honestly I should grab the rest of my stuff and put it into Alucard's place... but I need to talk that man into finding something that doesn't look like it's falling apart." She smiled as she thought about it, and the recent things that had gone on between them. 
 

"My head? It's alright, a lot better than it was when it first happened, but concussions apparently just take time. I try not to let it slow me down." 

"So, how long have you and Alucard been seeing each other?  I've never met him, but he must be a pretty impressive guy to hook up with a smart gal like you.  Some fellas can't handle a woman with a bit of gumption."

She smirked.

"Probably why I go in for stronger guys.  Takes a lot more to make that sort feel less standing next to a capable woman, ya know?"  She finished her juice.

"Is Alucard a big sorta guy as well then?  You know, real strong, and handsome sort - like Billy?  Or is he a thinking sorta man?  Educated and brilliant?"  She leaned on the counter enjoying something she so rarely got to do that it made her almost giddy.  Aurora wasn't sure how she hadn't screwed up yet and pissed of Integra but she was going to enjoy this for as long as possible!

Hearing Aurora asks how long she and Alucard had been seeing each other, she smiled softly, shaking her head a bit. "Well... we've known each other for 16 years... and I guess for a period when I was 18 we were inseparable... but most recently... or if you mean dating... that's only really been uh... 3 months roughly..." She seemed to think of that a bit, before shrugging slightly. 

"Honestly he keeps thinking he isn't good enough to be with me and calls himself lucky... but I think it's the other way around. I don't know what I'd do without him really... he's always been there, The only time he wasn't was the one fight we had..." She turned before pulling herself up to sit on the counter, just chilling there as she leaned back until her head was resting on the cabinet behind her. She didn't sit like this often because most of the time her training from Hellsing had her instincts telling her this was not the proper way to sit, but then there were moments where she just didn't care.

"He's tall... but not as big as Billy, no. He's charming in his own way, a tad over-protective at times has a temper against those who wrong him, but he's sweet. Just don't tell him I said that." She grinned softly as she crossed her arms loosely in front of her. "My father was kind enough that when we took him in sixteen years ago he had Alucard take the same lessons I did."

"Well, he sounds pretty amazing."  She rinsed out her glass, she noted that Billy's shower wasn't running anymore.  She smirked at the thought of him just on the other side of the door.

"Hey... do you know when Billy's birthday is?"  She asked quietly.  "I'd like to do something really special for his birthday and I need time to plan it."

A soft smile came to Integra's face as she nodded at the statement. "He is pretty amazing... he's saved my life more than a few times too."

The question about Billy's birthday however, stumped her slightly as she frowned a bit.  "You know...  i dont think me and him have ever talked about birthdays. We will have to find that one out."