RP -- HELLSING -- INACTIVE -- Order 14: [HL][OA]

[Angel_Of_Hellfire]

Edmund nodded,
"They have expressed interest in meeting you, yes. Perhaps we should talk more once we've arrived back home?"
He queried, looking briefly out the car windows at passers-by.  

[Sir_Catherine]

"Yes, let's." she agreed as she pulled them into the car park nearest the book shop. "A late tea in our rooms together tonight?" She took his arm, both wanting to show the effort on her part to bring them together and genuinely wanting to enjoy his near presence.  

[Angel_Of_Hellfire]

"Certainly."
Edmund said with a smile as he led them on their way.  

[Sir_Catherine]

In the book shop no one glanced at them as they came in save for the clerk who gave a friendly greeting. The same woman directed them to the shelves of parenting books, up against a quarter of the store dedicated to books for children, and then left them alone. Handy shelf tags gave Integra all the further direction she needed and soon she held a short stack of books on pregnancy.
"I'm going to find a chair and sift through these, Edmund."  

[Angel_Of_Hellfire]

"Alright. I'll go look for books for the young one, you look at... whatever it is that you're going to look at."  

[Sir_Catherine]

Settled into an overstuffed chair, she fought the urge to close her eyes and instead perused the books' indexes. From covers to subjects to chapters the books absorbed her interest and she took in a barrage of data. The ones that merited further reading she set to one side for purchase. Two times she went back to the shelves for further selections, occasionally changing her mind on ones she'd previously chosen.

The facts could be gotten from any doctor and informative reading via her computer, but the comfort of books at hand and the ease of having them at her bedside for worried nights, as well as being able to find her own answers instead of asking embarrassing, seemingly petty questions of another person was invaluable.  

[Angel_Of_Hellfire]

Edmund perused the books awhile, grabbing a pile of books he liked when he was a child and then brought his selections over to where Integra was sitting. As he set the pile down on the nearby table he queried,
"Interested in what I've found?"  

[Sir_Catherine]

She looked up, silent a moment while she filed away the last item she'd been reading on. "Certainly," she said, setting aside her current short stack and shifting others so they could go through his choosings together.

The books were varied and seemingly random, reflective of piecemeal childhood memories and as such they called her own childhood books to mind; few fleeting titles, more images and impressions than concrete notions of what she'd read.  

[Angel_Of_Hellfire]

Edmund's stomach growled lightly and he glanced down at it sheepishly,
"Perhaps we should go fetch something to eat, dear?"  

[Sir_Catherine]

Integra began to agree when her insides spoke otherwise. "You go ahead, I'll stay here, thanks. There's a few of these I'd like to look more closely at." Perhaps locate the nearest loo.  

[Angel_Of_Hellfire]

Edmund cocked his head to the side slightly
"Shall I pick anything up for you while I'm out?"  

[Sir_Catherine]

"A sandwich if you would. I thought I spotted a park a few blocks off. I'll make my purchases while you're out and meet you at the front."

She brushed a long strand of pale hair away from her eyes. Dressed in non-descript clothes far from her usual formal attire and wearing contacts rather than her accustomed over sized glasses she was rather safe on her own without major disguise. A thorough false identity was in her purse, one that could be confirmed by trustworthy public officials if need be and wasn't likely to be questioned by lowly cashiers to begin with.  

[Angel_Of_Hellfire]

"Sounds good dear."
He kissed her lightly on the forehead and went out to go get sandwiches.  

[Sir_Catherine]

It still felt strange having a man hovering over her, bestowing affectionate kisses and friendly overtures. Her husband, a man she'd made love to on more than one occasion now, but still held at distance. Introspection was exhausting though, Integra nudged her internal questions aside.

She waited in line calmly enough but with a cold stature that kept strangers from standing uncomfortably close as busy shoppers are wont to do. One of the benefits of her nature she reflected, noticing the distance kept. The street was noisy and the sidewalk just beyond the doors mildly crowded as she stepped out to await Edmund's return. The air in the bookshop had been warm and stuffy. Outside was cool and breezy, relieving some of the unease she'd been fighting.  

[Angel_Of_Hellfire]

Shortly after Integra had exited the store Edmund came back with two sandwiches and a soda.
"You found what you were looking for then?" he handed her a sandwich "Hungry yet?"