(A.N. All I can say about this chapter is- Damn hormones…)(Listen to When We Die by bowling for soup, its perfect for this chapter)

"But there ARE no other options! We MUST follow regulation, and this IS regulation. You think we can just have some fish-thing wandering the streets?!" Agent Tom Manning erupted, his slight double-chin jiggling hilariously as he got more and more frustrated with Hellboy.

"Look- you aren't listenin'. She doesn't look like this all the time. When she wants to, she can look like a normal kid." Hellboy retorted.

"Oh- and THIS is supposed to help convince me to release it, the fact that it can morph or something!?" Manning was red in the face now.

"She, not IT, Manning. I think we all know how well THAT term is taken around here." Abraham used his words like daggers in a manner I hadn't thought he possessed, as old memories of the years of testing in the supposed 'safety' of the BPRD, and being titled an 'it', were drudged up. I sensed he never wanted such things to befall me, and I couldn't help feeling my heart flutter at the fact that Abraham had just defended me and the possessiveness I felt coming from him, but quickly suppressed the feeling, as I knew what I felt he would immediately sense due to our obvious mental tie.

"Excuse me, but it seems to me that it's all of you that aren't listening," I chimed in, breaking the building argument between Hellboy and Agent Manning. I continued agitatedly, "Now that everyone but me has gotten to voice their opinion on my future here or elsewhere, I was wondering if I might have a turn. Let me make it clear that I do not WANT to leave, now that I have found Dr. Sapien and these resources that may help me find the answers I seek. And even if I did want to leave, I would have nowhere to go. I am a target out there." Hellboy and Manning blinked, as if surprised to find me standing there, which I had been doing for the last 20 minutes as they discussed arrangements for me here at the Bureau, and what I had shown Abraham.

"Gee, sorry kid… I guess, I guess this whole thing can't be that easy on you. Having a friend die and all…" Hellboy apologized, rubbing the back of his neck with his flesh hand, and I saw the sensitive side of him again, the kind that had loved his father (I had yet to find out what had happened to him, but I had an inkling it had something to do with the Library) and, this other figure… Liz Sherman, Pyrokinetic, and stationed at… But then a wave of misery and remorse from Hellboy hit me like a brick wall before I could find out any more of this Liz girl. He loved her, that much was obvious, but something terrible happened with her too, another one of Hellboy's loved ones, although she was left alive.

I realized I was doing it again- prying into people's minds, and quickly withdrew, but not quick enough to avoid Hellboy's eyes jerking open from his pose of nonchalance in facing Agent Manning in their argument.

"Damn it!! What was that?!" he screamed at me. "Don't you think I've been around Abe for long enough to know when someone's poking around in my head? Don't you EVER bring her up! You have no right, just- just- JUST STAY OUT OF MY FUCKING HEAD!!" He ranted, and finally his anger boiled over, and he raised his right hand, balled into a fist and swung. Abraham grabbed me by my waist, and jerked me backward, twisting around to put himself in front of me, as Hellboy's lethal fist nearly grazed my cheek. The massive stone appendage collided with a steel pillar, leaving a considerable dent.

Hellboy's fist dropped to his side, and his eyes widened like a shocked child's. His liquid gold eyes dodged around, avoiding mine. "I- I'm so-sorry… I, I" He stammered. And with that, he turned on his heel and marched down the hall, head hung low, and after an awkward moment of having to watch him storm down the hall, slammed the massive steel door leading to his den.

I turned, wide-eyed to the massive dent in the steel pillar. My hand stretched out before I realized what I was doing, and gingerly ran my fingers over the impression Hellboy's fist had left. A shiver went through my body. That could have been my head. I spun around and wrapped my arms around Abraham, hugging him tight. He went rigid for a moment and I sensed shock and self-consciousness, before returning the gesture.

"What was that for?" He asked me when we had separated.

"You just saved my life- that was a sign of thanks and affection, no?" I responded.

"Y-yes" he reassured me, a little taken aback. "But I really wouldn't say that's what happened, I…" He trailed off as I pressed a finger to his lips, and took his hand, leading him back to the Library.

"I think it's time you tell me about Liz Sherman…"


We sat in adjacent armchairs in the library by the hearth of the fireplace. I waited for Abraham to compose his thoughts and tell me Liz's story. I sat rapt, watching him think. He really was amazing. His aqua and navy on dolphin-gray form cut an impressive figure, but that normally wasn't what I paid attention to when I was around him. What drew me in the most was his mind. Lord, how much he knew, how much he has seen, it was amazing. Finally he began.

"I think the best way to begin is by telling you how Liz and Hellboy came to this state in their relationship." I raised my nonexistent eyebrows (well, technically I had purple markings on my forehead that mimicked eyebrows, but still…)

"So they were in a relationship. I could tell he loved her, but…" I mentioned.

"Yes, actually she was pregnant…" my brows, if possible, shot up even farther.

"So… what changed?" I asked, rapt.

"Well, as you probably know, Liz was a pyrokinetic, thus her involvement in the Bureau. She came to be here when she was just a teen, not much younger than yourself, when she… she had an episode, when her parents were in the house, and, well, you can imagine… After a number of years at the Bureau, Liz began to find comfort at Bellamie's Mental Hospital. She would often run there after an episode, and eventually left the Bureau all together, for as long as she was under the hospital's observation, the government couldn't stop her. Hellboy eventually coaxed her back, and after a time they formed a relationship. Eventually they conceived twins." At this my face lit up.

"So, Hellboy's a fath…" I began, before Abraham began to shake his head.

"Her abilities… caused… a miscarriage." He said with some difficulty, looking as if he was far away. "Ever since then she's locked herself away at Bellamie's. She's always blamed herself, and Hellboy's always blamed himself. And that's where they are now, all a jumble of blame and hurt and heartbreak…"

I had to do something about this. In the few days I had come to know Hellboy, there wasn't a time when I hadn't sensed Liz tugging at the back of his mind. This had to be made right…

"There's more I want to know, if you don't mind." I proceeded.

"Anything" Abraham responded, looking me straight in the eye again.

"Hellboy's… father. What of him, and his relations here?" I asked.

"Well, Professor Broom was…" he paused, then smiled and went on. "I'm curious to see the extent of your abilities. Why don't you see if you can find out yourself." He encouraged me. I rose from my chair, and wandered around the room, my hands outstretched, pausing here and there. Finally I came upon an intricate bookstand, stationed by the fireplace, blanketed in a thin film of dust. My hands found the object, and gently skimmed over it, finally resting on either side, and then the barrage of memories attacked me.

Hellboy as a child, stationed in Broom's lap, being showed the numerous books and items being hauled in. "This is our home now son…" Professor Broom whispered to the strange child on his knee.

Many other intimate moments throughout Hellboy and Broom's life played out before me, and the introduction of Abraham in the 80s, then Liz in the 90s, and finally, I was horrified to witness his death, and Hellboy's entrance to the room not long afterwards. I couldn't take anymore, and quickly drew my hand away from the stand.

"Oh… I" there were no words to describe the immense story that had just been thrust upon me in a matter of only a few seconds. I stepped away from the stand that had been stationed there for so long, only to walk into Abraham, directly behind me.

"Oh! Sorry, sorry, that was my fault, I should have not been drawn so close, I, I" he realized he was babbling, and took a step back.

"Think nothing of it." I giggled. At least our fumble had lightened the mood. "There is one more thing, though…" I implored.

"Yes?"

"What of your past?" I cautiously asked.

He was suddenly not all there, as if his consciousness was far away. "Langdon Everett Caul. That's the only thing that I remember before the plumbers finding me in the basement of Saint Trinian's hospital. I was not long after moved here to the Bureau, where some of my first experiences were… unpleasant, to say the least… Well, when Professor Broom found of my existence, he put an end to such testing and other things, and paired me with Hellboy to form the special agents team. We handle things out of the ordinary with some of the other agents here, like Myers." He explained. "Although, you may shed a little more light on the subject of my own origins. So tell me- what do you know of yourself other than the research you and Quince had done."

I sighed, and racked my brain for the most distant and mistiest of memories. "I am fey- or a fairy, I know that much. Not the typical kind you think of from fairy tales, but simply one from folklore- a Nix to be more specific. You would be considered a Nook. Water creatures bound to a body of water, each having their own abilities and adaptations. I know at some point someone came and took me away from the body of water I was bound to, and it was terrible. Then all I remember was those hospital scenes, and doctors, and- Oh God, I knew I wasn't always like this, but" my breath was coming quick now and I realized I had raised my voice. Abraham had his arms on my shoulders and was mildly shaking me, staring at me with a panicked gaze.

"I- I- I'm sorry." The words stumbled out of my mouth, and I took deep breaths to steady myself, although it wasn't really working. He guided my head to his chest and we sat down on the steps in the Library.

"Shhh…" he comforted me, and my breathing slowed. I couldn't make myself raise my head from his chest and look up at him I was so embarassed.

"I'm so sorry, I never expected that to happen, I should have more control over these sorts of things." I apologized, horrified at my breakdown.

"No, I'm sorry I brought it up." He responded. I don't know how long we sat like that, his arm wrapped around me and my head gently resting on his chest, but I couldn't help but savor it.


(Abe POV)

"I wonder…" I said after a while of comforting Viola, still held to my side.

"What? What is it?" she implored, eager to know, and broke away, looking me in the eyes.

"Well, as you can imagine, in my many years here I have taken an interest in my origins, and done my own research on our kind. I found that one of the more common myths relating to the 'Nixies' is a vocal or musical lure, of sorts. I was wondering if you might…" she had already begun singing her way up the B flat major scale in augmented tones.

Her voice was soothing and hypnotic at the same time, and something awakened in me. Before I knew what I was doing, I had her in my arms, our bodies pressed close. She arched her back and angled her head to let me trail a number of soft kisses up her gilled neck, and run my nose along her jaw line.

It seemed as all sense had gone from my mind as I held Viola by the small of her back and one arm, her arms snaked around my shoulders. I finally silenced her song with a kiss. I don't know how long we stood there in the soft glow of firelight like that. Although it seemed like an eternity, I know it could have only been a few moments before I though What am I DOING?

My eyes shot open, and I quickly released my grip on the girl, practically letting her fall on the floor. I ran from the room as fast as I could, shocked at my own behavior.

So, the myths were true. 'The voices of sirens'… I thought to myself, but still knew that wasn't the real reason for my actions.


(Viola POV)

I sat on the carpeted steps of the Library, alarmed at my sudden decent from Abraham's arms, trying to sort out what had really just happened. But the only things that were clear to me were how much it hurt to watch him run from me, and that I longed for his touch again…