I would like to thank some people for reviewing Set Me Free and motivating me to write this: Bmangaka, Bloody Wynter, LightenUpYaFreak, Twilight'X'Addict, Kylria, Sammy, and annyX). Thanks for the awesome reviews!

Disclaimer: I don't own Hellboy or any of the other characters...except Kate, of course. They are the property of Mike Mignola, etc.

She woke up in strange warmth. She thought she was dreaming until she moved and felt the blanket wrapped around herself. The demon-men had never given her a blanket… Had they decided to smother her? It would be a sweet relief.

"You don't remember what happened?" She heard the voice and sat up quickly. Crouching beside the couch was a blue man. She shrank back, not sure who he was. "Kate, do you remember me?" She looked at him curiously, but she couldn't think; her mind was not cooperating. "I'm Abe, Kate. Do you remember me?" The name rang a bell in her head.

"Y-you r-rescued m-me," she whispered. He didn't smile, but he placed a comforting hand on her arm.

"At least you remember. Hellboy's the one who got you out."

"N-no. You m-made the v-voices g-go away." He nodded.

"So that's what you meant." He looked away, then back to her. "I'm sorry, but I didn't make them go away completely. I could only block them for a little while. But I can teach you to block them." She nodded. "Do you remember what happened?" She started shaking. Abe sat beside her and wrapped an arm around her. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up so soon."

"N-no, I'm j-just c-cold." She pulled the blankets around herself with Abe's help. "I o-only r-remember w-what they d-did to m-me."

"Don't think about that. Try to think more recently." She closed her eyes.

"I r-remember…a b-b-big shadow a-and b-bright l-light. There w-was…" She almost gagged. "He k-killed them, d-didn't he? The d-demon-men, they're g-gone?" Abe nodded. "G-good." She fell silent.

"You haven't talked very much in a long time, have you?" She shook her head. "Then we'll have to work on that, won't we?" She nodded.

"It's h-hard, b-but I c-c-can s-sometimes."

"Well, don't strain yourself." She nodded.

"How l-long have I-I b-been a-asleep?"

"A day or so."

"Wow. I've n-never s-slept so l-long b-before."

"I'm sure you're tired."

"D-did he g-get a-all of them?"

"All that he found." She nodded and finally took in her surroundings. The couch they were sitting on was in a large library, apparently with two levels. Books were everywhere, and there was a big tank type thing all along one wall.

"W-what is th-that?" she asked, pointing to the tank and the four podiums in front of it.

"Oh, that's my tank. I live in there most of the time."

"Y-you're n-not w-wearing that b-black thing l-like when I m-met y-you."

"I only need it if I'm out of the water for a long period of time. I have a refresher for times like now, when I'm only out for a short while."

"Oh. Th-that's interesting. There a-are a l-lot of b-books."

"They are Professor Broom's collection. Would you like to read some?" She looked down in embarrassment.

"I d-don't kn-know h-how to r-read v-very w-well. I haven't r-read a b-book in so l-long."

"I can help you."

"Th-that would b-be nice. Th-thank you."

"You're tired, so you should rest for now. We can read later."

"H-how d-did you know I w-was t-t-tired?"

"I guess you could say I hear the voices, too."

"W-what are they?"

"The voices?" She nodded. "They're people's thoughts, actually. Did you know that?"

"I s-suspected it m-might b-be." She yawned.

"We'll talk later." He made to stand up.

"A-are y-you l-leaving?"

"I was going to let you rest." She blushed.

"You b-being here w-wouldn't b-bother m-my rest."

"Would you like me to stay?"

"P-p-please."

"All right, then. But you have to promise to rest."

"I p-promise." Abe fixed the pillow for her to lie down and made sure the blankets were all tucked around her so she would stay warm. "Th-thank y-you." She almost instantly fell asleep in her little cocoon. It was but a few moments later when Hellboy cautiously opened the doors to the library.

"Is she still asleep?" he asked in as quiet a whisper as a big half-demon like himself could manage.

"She was awake for a short while, but she has gone back to sleep for now," Abe answered quietly.

"Damn. I figured she'd be tired after 10 years of whatever they put her through." He paused. "So, did you find out what they did or what they wanted her for?"

"I thought it best not to bring up the subject so soon of her leaving them."

"Well, you can read people, can't you?"

"I try to refrain from that unless absolutely necessary." HB gave him a weird look. "Unless it's an accident. That's why I wear gloves, remember?"

"You don't always wear gloves. You're not wearing them now," Hellboy pointed out.

"So I'm not." He did not elaborate further, and Hellboy had to be content with that. "You may sit with her if you like." He glared at Abe. "What? You think too much." HB grumbled under his breath as he sat on the steps nearby. "I shall return to my tank and watch from there."

"Want me to turn the pages of your books?"

"I believe I am too anxious for her welfare to read at the moment."

"All right." It wasn't long before HB looked over and saw Abe staring out from behind the glass of his tank. "She'll be fine, Blue." Abe nodded.

"When she woke, she had forgotten what happened. She thought those men had come to kill her."

"Isn't that usual for victims of torture? Don't they forget because they've been conditioned to prepare for torture?"

"Yes, but that's not what startled me. She wanted them to kill her."

"Not surprising after 10 years. I'm surprised she never committed suicide."

"They never gave her the tools."

"You read it from her?" Abe sighed.

"Yes." There was a note of sadness in his voice.

"What's bothering you, Abe?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Yeah, and you're hard to read." He sighed.

"She was always cold and alone. She was so…"

"So what?"

"She was so relieved when we saved her. But…"

"Are you going to keep making me ask?"

"No. She was just as relieved when she thought she was going to die."

"Ouch. That's not good."

"I need to keep a close eye on her."

"Getting close to her?" Hellboy kidded.

"She might try to commit suicide." HB sobered.

"Oh, yeah. Well, you're the one for the job."

"Perhaps I can help." They watched in companionable silence as Kate seemed to sleep peacefully.

TBC

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