Extraordinary : Hellboy, meet Elizabeth Sherman

A/N: This is my first story for Hellboy. The second movie is my favorite, seriously, of all time, it's so great. Humor, romance, and adventure all spooled into one film. It's great. Anyway, these are just little glimpses into Hellboy and Liz's life, starting from when they first met.

I

The smell of burning flesh reached Manning's nostrils before the truck turned the corner. Manning covered his mouth as an agent threw up in a wastebasket. Abe Sapien closed his eyes, sighing.

"Misery. All I can feel is her misery." Deep blue eyes opened. "Why didn't we bring Red?"

"First impressions make all the difference, Abe." Manning took a deep breath as the garbage truck rolled to a stop. The doors opened, and the smell overwhelmed everyone. Manning blanched, his face sallow and his limbs shaking. "Jesus Christ..."

Ash and rubble loomed above them. What used to be two city blocks was now... melted. Smoke weighed down the air, stinging Manning's skin. Abe wished that Red was with him. Red would know what to do. Hell, he can't get burned anyway.

"If we're going to do this, we have to do it now." Abe spoke curtly. "She's tired. She's about to faint."

Nodding, Manning and the agents moved out, quietly carrying the large, heavy box on their shoulders. They made it to the apartment building, climbed the stairs, then waited outside of the door. Everyone was sweating profusely. Manning panted, his heart racing. Ears were strained, trying to listen for any signs of danger and death. Abe pressed his hand to the wall. Manning wiped his brow with the back of his sleeve.

"Well... Abe?"

"Go. She's unconscious."

The operation went off beautifully in Manning's eyes. They moved in to find the eleven year old girl on the floor. The team swiftly picked her up and placed her into the fire-proof container. Manning closed the box, sighing with relief. Abraham Sapien watched as the man, his superior, grinned, clapping his hands together.

"Good work, boys."

Abe felt sick to his stomach as he followed them out, trying not to think too much, especially not about the child being carried away to the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense.

II

Two days had passed since the "addition" of Miss Elizabeth Sherman, and she hadn't eaten or drank. Manning stood outside of the thick fire-proof room, knocking insistently.

"Elizabeth, we're here to help! Please, eat something, sweetheart."

Silence bore through the door that was soon followed by a loud cry and a the sizzle of flames. On his handheld monitor, Manning looked at the camera. She was crying, backed into the farthest corner of the room.

"I-I-I... I-I don't d-deserve l-l-life!"

Looking around, horrified at the fire she created, she screamed and sank to the ground. Manning frowned and was about to knock again when a heavy hand landed on his shoulder. Cigar smoke filled his nostrils, and a low growl rumbled behind him.

The next thing Manning knew, he was thrown into a spare conference room. Hellboy's tail curled menacingly as he slammed the door closed behind him.

"H-Hellboy, you stop this—!"

"Manning, since when do we recruit little girls? What the fuck, man?"

Before that stone fist could break Manning's face into multiple, bloody pieces, Manning screeched.

"You kill me, and they'll throw her back on the streets! Do you know what will happen to her, Red? Do you? She burned down two city blocks because a group of boys were trying to kill her!" Manning's chest heaved as the demon lowered his fist. "She's safe here... but she won't eat or drink."

It didn't take much time for Hellboy to put on his coat, grab a warm stack of pancakes, and pour a glass of cold orange juice. Manning watched in awed silence as Red knocked softly on the door to the girl's room. He read her name on the file, then tossed it back to Manning.

"Liz?" The sizzling and sobbing stopped. "You, uh, don't know me, but trust me when I tell you that I'm better than the asshole who's been poundin' on your door all morning." He pressed his ear to the door, balancing the meal on his one arm. "What's the problem?"

Peering at the camera, Manning saw that girl was standing, still on fire, and walked to the door.

"I'm a monster." He couldn't help it, honestly, he couldn't. Hellboy laughed, setting down the plate and glass so that he could clutch his stomach. The door shook, hissing slightly. "I'd burn you alive. I'm a freak, and this is a punishment for... for my sins."

Pressing his forehead to the door, Hellboy let out a long exhale.

"First thing, you can't burn me. Try all you want, and I'll still be smilin.' Two, the, uh, Devil... he's got bigger fish to fry for sins. You're just a kid. You don't seem that bad to me."

Elizabeth Sherman, age eleven, licked her lips.

"Do you promise that you won't be burned?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die." The lock gave a loud click. One the other side of the door, Hellboy heard her praying. "May I pray with you?"

"Yes."

Swinging the door open, Hellboy saw a little girl with midnight black hair trembling. Her face was still red from crying, and her eyes were squeezing themselves shut. Her soft, airy voice mixed with his low grumble.

"Our Father, Who are in heaven

Hallowed be Thy Name;

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

and we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil. Amen.

The holy words echoed off of the walls. No fire. Yet. Elizabeth basked in the silence, surprised that she still had control. She opened her dark eyes. Hellboy heard the door click shut behind them.

"You're... you're..."

Adrenalin coursed through her. She backed up against the wall, white hot flames whirling around them. The rosary beads wrapped around Hellboy's left wrist glowed.

He didn't even blink, though he did glance at his coat, at the material that was beginning to burn.

"A monster? Well... I think demon is technical term." He held out his arm, the cross dangling from his wrist, and smiled. "But I'm a true Roman Catholic." Elizabeth inhaled sharply and the fire stopped. Hellboy brushed off his jacket as if he were ridding dirt from it. She bit her lower lip and ducked down her head, her black hair falling in front of her eyes. Hellboy sighed. "It's the stumps, isn't it? Not my greatest feature—"

"Your horns are fine." She peered up from under her bangs. "What's your name?"

"I was born Anung un Rama, but 'round here people call me Hellboy." He sniffed, wiping the tip of his nose with the back of his left hand. "Friends call me Red."

She was such a skinny little thing back then. She had never had any friend... the only people who had ever loved her were her parents... and they were...

"I'm Elizabeth Sherman. 'Liz' for short."

III

Manning almost pissed his pants when Hellboy opened the door. He picked up the plate of pancakes and orange juice. He saw the girl staring after Red, smiling slightly. Immediately, the agent narrowed his eyes.

"Excuse me, young lady, but—"

"Shut yer pie-hole, Manning. She wasn't talkin' to you." Hellboy turned on his heel. "They're cold..."

"That's alright."

And that was when Manning saw something so extraordinary that it took his breath away. Hellboy faced the little girl, the girl who had burned down two city blocks, and smiled. Not a victorious smirk or the smug grin that Manning loathed... no, it was a warm, caring smile.

That was the day that Elizabeth Herman and Hellboy first met. It was also the first time that they ate breakfast together.

IV

A/N: Well, that's the first part. I'll continue if people want me to. I hope that you guys liked this. Please, read and review. I don't mind flames at all. Thank you!

-mia