Alone No Longer

Your Hand in Mine

*spoiler warning for a hellsing characters biology. Trigger warning for animal death

Hans trailed Sabine back to their quarters and found her quietly crying to herself. Her back was to him, but he could see the slight shake of her shoulders and smell the salt of her tears.

"We could run away together, Hans. Start a family, just the three of us?"

Her voice wavered as she turned around to face him. Had he ever seen her look so heartbroken before?

"You wouldn't have to be a soldier anymore. We could have a normal life! I'm not much of a homemaker, but we can make it work."

She took a step towards him and reached out her hand, begging him to consider.

"We can have our white picket fence..."

Hans knew that it would be difficult to get them out unharmed. Their bond was strong enough to break the Major's control, but he would have to remove their tracking chips before the Doctor detonated them remotely. Still, it was possible. There was no one in the organization that could stand against him.

He could do it, but why would he?

In the outside world it was only a matter of time before he was recognized as either a war criminal, or worse, a werewolf. Hunters had ways of finding his kind and Hans couldn't protect his family forever. They were outnumbered. Eventually he would fall. Sabine and his children would be slaughtered without mercy, their heads mounted on pikes and paraded around like trophies. At least with Millennium his children had a chance to reach adulthood.

Hans met Sabine's eyes... but hesitated.

She was desperately seeking his help. If he betrayed her now, would she ever willingly reach for him again?

Encouraged by his uncertainty, Sabine moved closer.

"Please Hans."

He grabbed her outstretched wrist and yanked her against his chest. He glared down at her. Couldn't she see that he was trying to make the right decision?

Fresh tears fell from her eyes, but she refused to look away.

"You chose me once before, choose me again? Be on my side!"

Her voice cracked with emotion and her bottom lip quivered. The whine in her second voice tugged at the bond between them, urging him to ease her worries until she could smile once more.

His eyes followed the line of her throat to the bite mark that marred the skin on her shoulder.

Where did his loyalties lie?

With the Major?

With Millennium?

He hadn't claimed her because of the Major's orders. That decision had been his alone.

Hans wrapped his arm around her waist and embraced her as if they were dancing. Lowering his mouth to her neck, he slotted his teeth into the mark for a perfect fit. The magic that tied them together flared to life, soothing and comforting in its warmth. His senses filled with the taste and scent of Sabine, while her choked sobs quieted to match his steady breathing. Her rapid pulse slowed until her heart beat with his. The bond between them was unbreakable. She was his and he was hers.

So why did he hesitate?

The intercom crackled to life and the disembodied voice of the Major ordered him to report to the observation deck. Immediately.

It was a direct command from his master and one that Hans shouldn't have been able to refuse, but with Sabine held in his arms and her flesh between his teeth, the pain of the binding spell was little more than an uncomfortable annoyance.