Blue Rose
Chapter 3

A week passed, and Christmas was just around the corner. Integra wasn't a big celebrator of Christmas, but still kept the manor prepped up for the holiday to bring some cheer to her staff. Only thing missing was a tree to put in the main hall downstairs. Seras was thrilled with the idea for having a Christmas tree; it was her favorite thing about the holidays, just to decorate something so wonderful, and bring joy to everyone who looks at it. Like every year, Walter was the one to be sent out to get the tree; he never drove into the city to buy one, always got one from the forest not far from the estate. Seras was very excited she was able to go along this year, last year she couldn't cause she had a freak problem to take care of in London. She dressed up warmly, a red wool cap upon her head, and a warm, long, cotton blue coat that fell few inches past her knees, with a wooly trim, tan boots to go along with it, and a pair of red gloves to cover her hands. She waited at the door for Walter to come down, tapping the tip of her boot against the marble floor. She smiled widely seeing him approach her with a long black trench coat, much like she was wearing, but for men, and a red scarf wrapped about his neck, tucked into the coat. He tugged at the black leather gloves he wore as he approached the door, he didn't wear any sort of hat, which made her happy, she loved to see his long dark hair pulled in a ponytail, only to have her wonder what he would look like if he let it down.

He looked to Seras and smiled, "I see your ready to go." He chuckled lightly as he reached for the door.

She smiled and followed Walter out the door to the car in the driveway. "I'm so excited Walter! When I was little, father and I would always go out and buy a tree together, I never got a fresh tree from the forest before."

He opened the car door for her, after she step in the car he shut the door behind her, and moved to the drivers' side getting in. and started driving off onto the main road heading east towards a patch of forestland near by. Seras sat watching the scene as they drove along, Walter turned his head looking over to her, she was so young, and acted like a child still, she showed no signs she was of vampire blood, only if she smiled and showed off those fangs, and flashed her red eyes, but beyond them, she was woman, a sweet and very beautiful woman. He blinked then turned his attention to the road, what was he thinking? Though she maybe dead, he was old enough to be her grandfather, besides he was too old to think about women, even her. He threw those thoughts out of his head and continued on towards the forest.

"I can't wait Walter, I hear the forest is so beautiful in the winter." She let out a dreamy sigh just imaging it.

He smiled softly, "Yes, I agree, it is very beautiful all around the seasons; summer, spring, and fall, but winter, there's something enchanting about it."

Seras slowly looked to him as he spoke, Something enchanting? She thought to herself. She looked ahead as they just entered the forest; she smiled widely at the sight of the trees covered in snow and icicles, a blend of blue and white all together, truly it was a wonderful sight to behold. Walter glanced over, and smiled warmly seeing her reaction to the forest wonderland.

"I remember when I took Sir Integra out here to get the tree, she was just excited as you, but she was younger then of course."

She looked over to Walter, "What ever happened to her, Walter? All the memories you have of Integra are usually sweet, but when I see her she just as cold as winter..."

He sighed softly to her question, "It's just her role in life that made her what she is now, being head of Hellsing took her childhood away it seems, I tried to keep her enlightened, but she insisted on proving to people she was worthy to run the family. Plus playing master with Alucard is a chore itself."

"Oh..." She looked down sighing lightly, "Do you wish she was the same little girl she was before she became head of the Hellsing?" She looked over to Walter, awaiting his answer.

"There are times, yes..."

"Do you love her a lot?"

He blinked looking over to Seras, "Of course, but as daughter. Since her father died I never could trust Sir Richard with her, so I took her instead, but times I wish I did a better job raising her to be more free spirited..."

Seras nodded slowly, and smiled to him, "You did a wonderful job, Walter. Like you said earlier, she chose to be the way she is now, you can't help it." She reached for his hand, laying it upon the armrest between them with hers. Walter blinked lightly to her hand then smiled softly.

They drove for a few minutes more, before they stopped along the road. Walter exited the car, moving to the trunk as Seras stepped out looking around with great awe in her eyes. She lived in the city all her life until she became a vampire, she never really seen the forest in the winter, or ever really, it was a fairy tale to her. Walter pulled out a saw from the trunk, closing it afterward looking over to Seras as he started to move into the forest.

"Come on, Miss. Victoria!" He called out.

Seras blinked hearing him, then jogged after him catching up. They walked along a made path, before they trailed off in the forest. The snow was up to their ankles, a chilly breeze cut between the two trailing dust of snow behind. Seras walked along behind Walter letting him lead they way, she glanced to the trees now and then, noticing some life still played during the winter. A deer soon scurried across the trees, Seras gasped with excitement.

"Walter, a deer!" She pointed out to the creature running off into the woods.

He smiled to her nodding, and then brought his finger to his lips making a hushing noise, "Its best to keep quiet when you see them, they get scared easily." Seras blinked, then bit her lip a bit embarrassed with her outburst. She looked around again hoping to see more wild life, but before she knew it she felt a snowball hit her shoulder, she blinked and looked over to Walter with an innocent look upon his face.

"Oh I see how it going to be." She grinned and reached down to scoop up the snow in her gloved hands, making a ball out of it. Walter eyes widen seeing she was getting ready to throw it. He tried to move, but was tagged with the snow on his back, he laughed looking to her.

"So you wish fight back, hmm? So be it!" He placed his cane and the saw down on the ground then started to make another snowball. Seras watched him, but noticed how he was making a big one this time; she blinked then waved her hands.

"Walter, I was only kidding..." She chuckled nervously then started to run seeing the large snowball coming her way, but tagged her good in the back, almost tipping her over. Walter laughed whole heartily at the scene, then blinked again seeing Seras was coming back with more, he moved into the trees using them as shields to protect him as he made more to return fire.

The two continued with their game of snowball for a good half-hour, Seras and Walter soon finding themselves at a large hallow tree, using it to block snowballs against each other, but once Walter got a good hit at Seras face, she went down, laying in the snow face first. Walter gasped and moved over to her quickly, placing his hand upon her back trying to look at her face.

"Seras are you alright??"

A groan was heard then she turned quickly smashing a snowball in Walters face, smearing it all over, she laughed softy at the sight as she watched him wipe away the snow with his sleeve, letting a chuckle pass his lips. The two looked to each other with smiles upon their face, but slowly they faded as they gazed into each other hues, a silence was passed between as they sat in the snow before the large hallow tree, his arm was around Seras waist when she turned to face him. "So close...he's so close..." she thought to herself, but the two pulled away startled by the noise of the deer passing though. They quickly stood, brushing the snow from their coats, and moved on picking up the saw and his cane he dropped. The two didn't speak a word for the whole time until they arrived at the pine trees.

"Well..." He cleared his throat, as he broke the long silence; "Since this is your first time picking a tree out in the woods, care to do the honors of picking one out?"

Seras looked to him, then smiled nodding, she started to look at each tree; the hall was huge so the smaller ones wouldn't do, but can't have it too big. It took her awhile but she picked out what she thought was the prefect tree. She helped Walter cut it down with the saw, and drag it back to the car. She wonder how Walter could have done all this alone in the past years, placing it on the car was surely a chore, then tying it up. It had to take them at least a good 20 minutes, but they finally got the tree on, and started to head back home, but the silence between them returned on the ride home, even when they got home. Both ignored Integra's question of why it too so long, and why their coats were so wet.

He was so close... Seras thought again, as she walked down the steps to her room, to rest for the day.