A week had passed quickly with little recovery for Lexy. She had begun eating again (which she had refused the whole first day) though she didn't take in much.
She had started speaking more and seemed more conscious than before even going so far as a ghost of a smile passing her features. Though the doctor said she still hadn't accepted things as they were.

The three agents had taken her on a tour of the base (which Manning had thrown a tantrum about) and introduced her to some of the more kindly agents. Lexy was quiet for the most part unless she was spoken to directly to which she would respond politely but with few words. She spent most of her time with Abe or rather vise-versa. He often brought her to the library where they would read for long hours, or listen to some of his favorite classical music until she would say she was tired and he would take her back to her room, still unsure she would be able to navigate headquarters in her state.

This night was no different. At around seven thirty she had closed the book she was reading, went and put it back in it's place on the bookshelf and looked to Abe.
He recognized the motion and before she could say herself he spoke.
"Ready for bed?"

She nodded, he marked the place in the four books he was reading and lead her to her room.
Immediately she went to sit on the edge of the bed, it had become more habit than impulse. He would lead her to her room, she'd sit and either he bid her goodnight or he tried getting her to really talk.

This time he went back to the door. "I'll be right back." He said before closing it behind him.

A few minutes later he returned carrying a tray of food and set on the bedside table before sitting next to her. He did this for every meal to make sure she was really eating.

She looked at it, a chicken cutlet, mash potatoes and gravy and a large glass of milk, she shook her head.

"Lexy you haven't eaten anything since breakfast and you barely ate then. You need to eat something." He tried to prompt her.

"I'm not hungry." She said quietly before turning her eyes to the floor almost ashamed.

Abe new there was something wrong but he still couldn't sense her thoughts or emotions. "Lexy please, I want to help but you need to tell me whats wrong first." He gently cajoled.

She glanced up at him then looked back down. "I'm vegan." She answered so quietly Abe had to strain to here her.

He stared at her for a long moment. Vegan, so she didn't eat meat, dairy, seafood or eggs. Well that explained why there was always leftovers from her meals. She'd only been eating the plant based foods for the entire week. Abe felt the weight of such an obvious answer weigh over him and felt guilty and embarrassed that he hadn't figured it out sooner, along with shame, worry and frustration. He was about to ask her why she never told him then realized she'd been in no condition for idle chatter. Neither had any of them asked what she liked to eat and just assumed she ate what everyone else did. He wanted to smack himself, he usually relied on his ability to read people, but couldn't with Lexy.

He looked back at her, she was still staring at the floor with a looked almost ashamed at herself.
Abe reached and took her hand. "Lexy, I'm sorry. We should have asked what you liked to eat. I'll be back as soon as I can." He stood and left, taking the tray of food and milk with him.

He returned sometime later with a new tray of steaming vegetables, fruit salad and a glass of water.
"Do you like steamed vegetables and fruit?" He offered her the tray.

She nodded, gently taking it, too his great relief.

"Now please eat." He sat back down next to her.

She did eat. Starting with the steaming cauliflower and broccoli before finishing it and moving to the fruit salad. Here she paused.
"Mom made fruit salad like this."

Abe had nearly leaped in surprise from the sudden words, but he didn't want to startle her so he swallowed down his excitement and simply asked,
"Did she?"

Lexy nodded. "The way she cut the fruit, always in little cubes."

She seemed like she might stop so Abe pressed for more. "And was your mother vegan too?"

She shook her head. "Just me and dad. Mom and Brandon always said I was his little shadow, I followed and copied everything he did." She smiled at this, then her smile faded and her eyes welled up. "They're really gone aren't they, forever I mean."

It wasn't a question but Abe swallowed hard and nodded solemnly. Then suddenly he felt whatever it was keeping her mind from his melt away and was flooded with memories and emotions. Her family life, her last conversation with them, then her running and seeing them dead and torn apart.
Large tears began streaming down her face. He could feel everything she felt, the pain, grief, loss, the aching misery of being so completely alone, and the fear of not knowing what was going to happen to her.
Abe took the tray from her and gently wrapped her in his arms. She turned and sobbed into his chest.
Finally, he thought, she was beginning to fully comprehend everything.
She cried long into the night until she'd passed out in his arms. He tucked her in and headed back to his own tank.

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The next week and a half Lexy spent mostly in her room, crying often, anything that remotely reminded her of her family sent her into a bout of tears. The others did what they could to comfort her but knew she needed to grieve before she could move on. She was almost never left alone, either with Hellboy, Liz or Abe, the latter who she spent the most time with.

It was on the fourteenth day that she hadn't cried at all and the question was brought up about what to do with her.
It was Abe who had asked the professor in private, away from Manning, as he feared Lexy would be sent off alone into the world. He'd become fond of her, they all had, and felt somewhat responsible for her current situation. If he hadn't asked for Lexy's help back in Seattle this entire situation might've been avoided.

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They were sitting in the study on an early Thursday morning discussing the situation.
"What can we do for her professor? She has no where to go."

Broom looked to Abe. "Are you sure there is no one? Not even close friends of the family?"

Abe shook his head sadly and set down a beige file containing information about the Tanner family. "Both of her parents were single children and their parents had passed away long ago, as for close friends many of their neighbors didn't even know them by name. Her family didn't know too many people, they weren't very social. She has no one."

The professor nodded sadly. "I understand your concern, it's neither my wish to send her away so unprepared and after such a tragedy. But as you know we don't foster civilians, despite their unfortunate circumstances and though we may want too."

Abe nodded understandably. "I know, but..." He paused wondering if it was really a good idea. "I had a thought."

Broom nodded him to continue.

"What if...what if Lexy became an agent?" Before the professor could comment Abe continued. "I can understand your doubt but Lexy has a true heart and she's very principled. When she heard that the Mngwa was loose in the city she was so worried for the other civilians and offered to help in navigating around the city."

Professor broom sighed deeply and Abe sensed he was still doubting his idea.

"She's no weakling either. She could scale the buildings like no other I've seen and she even beat Hellboy to the Mngwa from twice the distance." He knew keeping up with Hellboy was a feat in it's own hoped it would help sway the professor's decision.

"And are you sure your not just saying these things because you are concerned for her?" Broom asked seriously.

Abe shook his head stubbornly. "No, I truly believe she can do it. Not to mention that we're always short on agents that are willing to work with us and Hellboy. If I didn't mean any of this then I'd be putting her into more harm. She's strong."

The professor stared long into the crackling flames alight in the fireplace and thought hard about Abe's words. Many of the things he said were true. Agents willing to work directly with Hellboy, Abe or even Liz were scarce if any. Not to mention those who were, were in it simply for the money or they were eager to exploit the bureau's secrets.
If everything he said was true Lexy could be an asset to the bureau, not to mention with the lack of any outside connections making her disappear would be all that easier. But there were risks, plenty including security risks, and her own safety. Their job was not an easy one, especially the field agents. They dealt with things the average person couldn't comprehend and death was just an everyday thing. She would have to become a very strong person, even more so than Abe thought she was, to handle it.

He finally sighed and turned back to the other. "You truly think she can handle such a life?" He asked seriously.

Abe remained firm and nodded. "I believe she can. I think she needs this place, and we could really someone like her."

"I trust your judgment Abe, alright then, you may ask her. If she accepts then she will start her training next month. But Abraham you will be in charge of her studies and every month you will give me a report on her progress. If she can't keep up then I'll have no choice but to send her off. I don't like it an more than you do but what we do is perilous and like you said it would be putting her in harms way."

Abe nodded, he knew that he would hold responsibility for her if it was a go, in a way he was rather glad about it. She'd saved his life and now he was returning the favor.
"I understand professor and I know she'll become a great agent." Without another word Abe hopped up and went to talk to Lexy about it.

When the door had closed behind him Broom took out his tarot cards. He already knew the past and placed two down, one for the present and the future. The present, 'Death', meaning ending, closing one door to open another, ending a chapter in one's life. The future, 'Strength', having heart despite setbacks, knowing one can endure.
He raised an eyebrow. She had potential just as Abe had said. Perhaps she could make it to field agent status after all.

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Abe's Pov

Abe knocked on Lexy's door sensing she was awake.

"Come in." Her voice came soft.

He entered and found her sitting on her bed. Not like before, but cross legged and comfortable. Her things had been shipped over from Seattle, some of it went straight to her like clothes and some books while the rest was currently stored in a warehouse nearby.

She was reading right now, a red book with no real title on the cover.
"Hey Abe," She greeted him with a smile. "What's up?"

Since she had been grieving for her family she had returned to her normal self, or as close to normal as she could be. Her eyes were bright and she expressed much more emotion to others, though he could sense she was still a bit guarded, which he could understand.
He took a seat next to her and read a few lines from her book.
"What's this?" He asked after not recognizing any of it.

"Daughter of Venice by Donna Jo Napoli." She showed him the full cover which was missing the title but had a beautiful painting of a young Italian women in a Renaissance dress overlooking a river filled with gondolas.

"What's it about?" He sensed that she was feeling content but mentally stimulated by the book.

"It's a about a young noble woman named Donata who lives in 1592 Venice. She's coming of age and goes against living the life of a noble woman and becoming a scholar to help her family."

"Sounds very interesting."

She nodded. "It really is." And she smiled a genuine smile.

He was glad to see her smile, but knew he had to get down to business. "And how are you feeling today?"

Her smiled faltered for moment. "I'm...okay I guess."

Abe nodded understandingly and gently placed his hand on hers and felt her emotions and memories flow through his mind. She was still thinking a lot about her family but took comfort in his presence, which he was grateful for.
"I understand how you feel."

And she knew he did. He'd explained about how he could read people's emotions and memories. He'd expected her to be angry but she was very understanding and actually was rather soothed by the fact that she didn't need words to communicate how she felt to him.

"Lexy, there's something important I have to ask you, about what's going to happen to you." He paused and felt her fear build a little. She was afraid of facing the world alone without anyone by her side. But she nodded for him to ask his question.
"Professor Broom and I have been discussing your situation and after much thought, well what if you had the chance to stay here, what if you could become an agent of B.P.R.D.?"

She stared at him for a long moment, wandering if she had heard him correctly. "Me become an agent?" She asked very confused.

He nodded. "Yes, you would be trained and eventually work here at the base. Like Clay or Hellboy or me or Liz." He hoped she liked how the idea sounded.

Lexy turned her eyes to the ground. "I..I don't know, I mean I've never had to make a decision like this before."

"I know, and you don't have to decide now. Take a couple days to really think it over."

"Okay...um okay, I will."

He gave her hand a gentle grip before standing. "I'll bring dinner in an hour." And he headed out.

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Abe expected her to take a few days to make her decision, but the next morning when he brought her breakfast Lexy was sitting upright on her bed a serious expression on her face.

At first he was worried because he couldn't sense anything from her.
"Are you alright?"

She nodded. "I've made my decision, I want to become an agent." She said it so matter of factly and her face was set in pure determination, so much so that he almost didn't believe her.

"Are you sure Lexy?" He asked wanting to give her every opportunity to back out.

She nodded. "I'm sure Abe. I know I can do this." And that settled the matter.

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The others were soon notified that Lexy would become an agent and Abe decided to start her training in two weeks rather than the next month so she could have a head start.

He started her out with the basics of what the paranormal was, what different creatures, cultures, places, people, organizations and items that were considered paranormal and how they were defined into different categories.
Next she began focusing on specific ancient paranormal cultures, then religions and cults, learning their beliefs, history and languages.

Hellboy took it upon himself to start training her in the more physical aspect of being an agent, tracking your enemy, shooting or traversing an unfamiliar area unseen. The first thing he taught her was how to take a punch, then how to take a bullet (in a bullet proof vest of course). Then weight training and martial arts. Now red was more of a just 'go in and punch em' sort of guy so Clay took over here. He was a master in multiple forms martial arts from around the world. Tai Chi, Aikido, Hapkido, judo, Jiu Jitsu and Krav Maga.
One by one she learned them all.

The training was never easy and it became a normality for her to wake up in terrible pain from the day before and begin again with physical training in the morning with Hellboy and Clay, then long nights with Abe in the study with a new lesson. Often times she would fall asleep in the study in her books. But she was determined not to give up. Yes her family was gone, and she still grieved for them, but she knew her family wanted her to not only survive but thrive. To be able to live her life. So she refused to give in, to be beat and she practiced hard everyday.

She was already a practiced free-runner which made her physicality training that much easier. Target practice was never easy. She was used to using rifles and the standard issue light weight handguns made her hands shake and she felt like she was throwing around a child's toy.
Hellboy had come up with an unorthodox solution.
He ran to his room and returned in minutes with a large black handgun. He handed it to her with a simple 'try this kid'. The gun was heavy, she had to take it in two hands and it's weight steadied her arms. She aimed, fired and blew the target away with a single shot.
Hellboy clapped her on the back. "Nice shot kid!"
That was how the 'Jackal' became Lexy's first and favorite weapon, always at her side.

As for her studies, she was a fast leaner. The languages came easier to her than they would to most, her favorite became the ancient runes of the Celts which she learned backwards and forwards within a month.
Abe was rather amazed at her ability to retain almost everything she read within the first or second reading, but was glad she was making excellent progress.
Just as he promised Abe delivered a report every month to Professor Broom on what Lexy had learned, and tested on.
He too was pleasingly astonished at her learning capabilities and her determination to do her very best. As her agency status grew closer he warmed up to her, eventually becoming a father figure to her and aiding her in her studies.