Thanks for the vote of confidence in my writing. I really enjoy writing this and your encouragement means more to me than my friend's insults, though I know he does it so I can start writing better. Thank you and I appreciate you as a human being.


The Life of Past and Future

Chapter seven: Talks and Gifts

Melissa, Agent Myers, Liz and the twins sat at a table together eating breakfast. Liz was focusing on the twins who thought it was more fun to fling food at passing agents then actually eat it. Agent Myers stared at the sulking Melissa who was situated across from him.

"So, I hear your birthday's tomorrow."

"Huh, oh, yeah, gonna be twenty-one."

"What you want for your birthday?"

Liz looked away from the twins to answer that.

"Nothing, she's being a brat, I mean we're willing to get her almost anything and she doesn't want anything." Melissa had to smile at the smirk Liz had.

"Well I'm sorry, maybe next year I'll let you waist government money on me."

"Not government money, Manning's money."

"Even better."

A shrill alarm went off, it took Melissa a few seconds longer to respond then the rest of the agents in the room. A mission, finally, something to get her mind off her problems with Nuada and the war.

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The team walked into a large museum. Dr. Krauss had informed them of the situation on the way there. Apparently something unseen was attacking the humans who decided to visit the museum for the day.

"Hey Blue, why this place seem so familiar?"

"Because, we had been here to fight the hellhounds back when."

"Oh, damn, hope it's not them again."

Everyone split to check floors, Liz went with Hellboy, Nuada went on his own, Abraham with a few agents, and Melissa with Myers. Each took certain floors and exhibits, wanting to get this job done as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Melissa and Agent Myers walked through the exhibit of Ancient Greece, the objects shined in their cases, weapons, jewelry, pottery, everything was lovely. Melissa treaded softly with her spear in her right hand, Myers held his gun at the ready, incase something decided to spring at them. The woosh of soft wings had them turn to look at the upper window.

An angel-like creature gently lowered itself to the floor, his hands were wrapped around the neck of a terrified woman. The two agents began to approach when the sound of wings behind them had them turn around to see another angel-like creature lower to the floor, this time with a little girl cradled in its arm.

"Hello girl, it is an honor to meet you." the one with the woman greeted.

"Melissa, what's he saying?"

"I said it is an honor to meet her."

The woman clawed at the hand around her neck, her eyes silently pleading the two to save her, eyes darted to the child as well, begging for the child's rescue as well.

"Isn't it amazing how fragile humans are, with a flick of my wrist I can snap her neck, or, I can drop her from the ceiling and watch her body shatter as it hit's the floor."

Agent Myers took a few steps toward him with his gun aimed at his head.

"Put the woman down now."

"As you wish."

With that the Avariel took to the ceiling, the woman screamed in horror as she was dropped. Her scream was silenced when she hit the floor. The Avariel lowered himself back to the ground, smirking at the look of shock on the two agents faces.

"I did as you asked, now you will do as I ask."

"You killed her." Melissa said, still shocked at what happened.

"He told me to put her down and I did, my own way of course, but I put her down."

"Why did you do that, what do you want?"

"I did it for my own amusement, what I want is Nuada's head."

Melissa tore he gaze away from the dead body to the elf's eyes.

"You have to get through me first."

The Avariel chuckled. "Yes, we have heard you would be fighting in this war, no problem, you either move out of the way or the child dies as well." the two agents turned to see the other Avariel hold a dagger to the girl's neck.

"The honor of elves keeps you from killing an innocent child, also the treaty keeps you from killing humans, have you lost your honor and pride?"

"Spoken like a true elf, I see Nuada and Nuala have taken the time to educate you one our history and traditions, fine, we will release the girl."

The other Avariel placed the girl on the floor who ran into the arms of Agent Myers. Melissa focused on the talking elf, her spear extended as she prepared to fight.

"What are you doing in here."

"Our leader finds it much easier to attack directly than to attack pathetic armies and it's very easy to get the former prince out into the open, all we needed to do was attack a few worthless humans."

With that the Avariels pulled out their swords and attacked Melissa, ignoring the other agent in the room. Melissa's eyes turned red as her wings quickly sprouted, allowing her to avoid the attacks.

"Now I see why you dress like a whore, the black shirt and capris allow you quick transfomation. It was a waste of energy, you will be dead soon enough."

The fight took to the air as the Avariel flew up. Agent Myers held the girl close as he radioed for the other agents to hurry up to the Ancient Greece exhibit. The weapons sang as they clashed against one another. Melissa received a wound to her abdomen and leg that was slowly healing while the other two had wounds to their arms, sides, and legs. The three separated back to the ground.

"I see you have been trained well, this will be more entertaining then we anticipated."

They attacked her again, one from the front another from the side. Melissa jumped over one and flew up again. Light filtered in from the window, making the three appear as angels fighting an endless battle between heaven and hell. Hellboy was the first to run into the room. He fired shots that the two Avariels avoided. At the sound of more agents coming they lowered their swords.

"It seems we will have to continue this fight another day, it was a pleasure."

And with that the two elves took their leave. Melissa lowered herself to the floor and collapsed onto her knees as the rest of the team came into the room. Liz ran to kneel next to her as Abraham called for medical attention to see to the wounds that were not healing. Melissa's head was turned to Myers, agents came to question him on what was happening, he understood the look in her eyes, Myers looked to the other agents and went on explaining how a harpy had killed the woman and attacked the two of them.

"Are you alright?"

Melissa looked into Nuada's eyes, hers softened at the look of concern on his face. She nodded her head 'yes' as one agent helped her up to walk her out of the building and back to the truck so she could receive medical attention.

(Truck)

"This is quite fascinating, it seems some type of poison was on the weapon you assailant was using." Dr. Krauss waved is hand at her shocked face. "Do not worry, the poison is not meant to kill but prevent you from healing, a few bandages shall have to suffice until I can find an antidote for it so you may heal yourself once again. Amazing how they figured out how to defeat your secret weapon."

Melissa groaned as two agents treated her wounds with ointment and bandages. She looked ahead to see Manning talking frantically to the press, probably trying to explain the phenomenon with the least bit information on the harpy as possible. She looked to the building to see EMT's wheel out a body bag, Nuada followed behind it. She lost her breath for a second as the sun hit is skin. A delicate hand on her shoulder made her look away from the gorgeous elf.

"He still has that effect on you I see."Nuala said with a smile.

"He always has."

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Back at BPRD headquarters Dr. Krauss had made a cure for the poison so Melissa could finish healing. The rest of the agents got back to their daily activities of training, eating, researching, or just watching TV and playing cards.

Melissa stood in front of the shelves in the library trying to find a good book to read that had nothing to do with faes or any history. The doors opened to let Nuada walk in, he shut the door behind him to allow the two some privacy for the talk that was to come, something he didn't want to do, but needed to do.

"Girl come sit with me."

Melissa sighed before walking up the stairs to sit in a chair near Nuada, she leaned against the arm rest to look him in the face. Both remained silent for a few seconds, everything Nuada had planned on saying left his mind at the sight of her tired, brown eyes.

"Is there something you wanted to tell me?"

Nuada snapped out of his daze. "I wish to know what really attacked you."

Melissa shifted in her seat before answering. "It was two Avariels with swords."

"And you fought them on your own?"

"Of course, Myers was holding the girl, I know how to defend myself Nuada, I've been trained to and I did a damn good job too."

"That is besides the point, you should never have engaged in combat with them."

"It's a war Nuada, I'm not going to sit on the sidelines as faes and humans die, I'm going to do what I can, we have already talked about this."

"Yes and now you could not even heal properly yourself because you do not listen to me."

"If you want someone who does everything you tell them to then get yourself a elf maiden, I do what I think is right whether you agree with it our not."

"What did those elves want."

"Your head, and so do the Drows, I meant to tell you but forgot because of how big of an ass you are."

"Continue to insult me and I will teach you your place, and believe me, it will not be enjoyable."

"Nothing with you is enjoyable, Nuada, you shun people away, and then you get angry when they leave your side."

Melissa gasped as Nuada leapt from his seat to wrap a hand around her neck.

"What are you saying girl."

"I'm saying no one dares be with you because you push them away. How can you expect someone to stand by your side when you put a wall between you and them, a woman can only take so much anger before she feels like her life is worthless and she must leave before the loneliness and hatered consumes her, making her bitter, just like you."

The hand on her neck loosened a bit. "They leave because they are fools."

"They leave because you give them no reason to stay!"

Nuada roughly kissed her. The hand around her neck moved to support the back of her head as he placed his other arm beside her, to hold him as he leaned down closer. Melissa tried to remain still, but ended up kissing him back. They stopped when air became dire.

"Woman need more than physical love, Nuada." Melissa softly whispered. "We need to feel loved both body and soul, otherwise we will die slowly from the bitterness and loneliness that consumes us."

"I understand, I will try to find a way to balance my emotions with this war, but please, do not leave me, I will not survive another heart break."

"I won't, I will be hear as long as you need me."

"For eternity."

(March 19)

Melissa played with her new necklace as she watched Nuada in the distance, he had woken her in the middle of the night to head to Vermont where one of his regiments had entered a battle eand lost many. He had given her simple gold necklace with a red faerie pendant dangling from it as a quick apology for the abrupt change of plans. The ride on top of a subway train was enjoyable, though, and the glamour that hid them from the view of humans in plain sight was cool.

The morning was spent healing the casualties in the underground den. Nuada went off around noon to speak to one of the lieutenants to find out what had went wrong. One of the trolls that she trained with in New York was there as well, he has spent his time carrying the wounded and collecting damaged weapons. At this very moment, though, he was approaching her with a moving bag.

"Hello little one, I hear you were born on this day twenty-one years ago, is that correct."

"Yes it is."

"Then, as a gift of you birth and a remembrance of Kalle, I present you with this."

The Troll turned the bag over and what appeared to be a small rat dropped into his open hand. Melissa took a closer look to see that it was a white baby fox and not a rat.

"It's so cute!"

Melissa took it into her hands and held it close to her chest. The small fox was the same size has her hand, from finger to wrist, but its five tails went further up her forearm. Its ice blue eyes stared at her as its grey tipped ears twirled to take in sounds and its tail swished back and forth.

"He is a kuda-gitsune, they only grow to the size of about a large rat. He is yours to do as you please."

"Thank you, I love him already. I'll name him Katsu, where did you get him?"

"He was sent to us from a forest in Japan, one of the faes found him beside his dead mother, it seems not even the most innocent of creatures can escape the pain of war."

The troll walked away to continue collecting weapons that needed to be repaired. Melissa held Katsu close as she slowly approached Nuada, who was talking to a half-breed lieutenant. She stood next to him, not really paying any attention to the conversation, all of her attention was focused on Katsu. His arm wrapping around her waist made her look at him, though.

"What is that in your arms?"

"His name is Katsu, one of the trolls gave him to me as a birthday present, he's a kuda-gitsune who was found in Japan next to his dead mother. Isn't he cute."

"Yes, for now, when he is about a year he will be able to control the minds of those around him."

"Oh, I guess I have to be really nice to me then."

"You are too powerful and intelligent for him to control, the red ape, on the other hand, will have something to worry about in the future."

Melissa turned to meet the eyes of the half-breed. "Hello, and you are?"

The half-breed bowed to her. "I am Kanji, a half-elf, half-siren, it is an honor to meet you."

"Everyone seems to say that, it is an honor to meet you too. Half-elf, half-siren, that explains your beautiful looks and voice."

Kanji chuckled. "Everyone seems to say that as well."

The three talked a bit more about the faild battle before Kanji had to leave to talk address some other problems. Nuada and Melissa spent the rest of the day in Vermont helping with the casualties with their wounds and the lieutenants with their battle plans. Around one in the morning the two headed back to New York.

"I am sorry for making you spend your day of birth taking care of wounded soldiers."

"Don't worry about it, I got to meet one of your armies, got a gorgeous necklace, and Katsu. Today was a good day."


Yay, I'm legal now, eighteen. I can buy cigarettes, get a tattoo, get a job as an adult, got to strip clubs, get into some clubs, order online, order by phone or TV, but I still can't drink. Well there's a downside to everything. I'm working the war, I really don't know what to do with it but I'm trying. All your reviews give me great joy, please continue and enjoy your day.