Hellboy? Me? Own? Ha I ain't that smart!
The weeks slowly passed and fell the odd little family fell into a comfortable routine.
Hellboy and Abby started sparing every morning, Hellboy refusing to admit he lost, often.
Abby then spent her evenings propped up against Abe's tank reading or fiddling around on her computer, getting up only to turn the pages for Abe.
Every now and then Vanessa would stop by and take the girls out.
During these times Sophie would stay with Hellboy.
On one of these occasions the girls returned to find Sophie bobbing in the deep end of the pool.
Vanessa was about to panic when Abby and Liz both started laughing when Sophie grinned and waved at them.
Abby walked over and raised an eyebrow at her, moments later Sophie started rising and Abe surfaced, Sophie kneeling on his shoulders.
Abe gave her a sly look and Abby shook her head, both of them laughing slightly as Liz commented, "You know Abe, I think you're spending too much time with Abby."
A few weeks later Abby sat in her customary place by Abe's tank, Abe floating behind her reading over her head.
Suddenly the doors bust open admitting a now 6 month pregnant Liz, who looks beyond pissed and is yelling at a timid looking Hellboy.
"I'm as fat as a whale, I can't see my feet but I know their swollen, and it's all your FAULT!"
Abby smiled slightly, trying to hide it behind the book in her hands and when Abe spoke up she groaned and slid down the tank hiding her face entirely.
"Actually Liz, it is quit imposable for it to be entirely Reds fault."
Hellboy flinched as Liz began to blaze, she spun on her heels and marched up to the tank, as she did Abe swam down and hide behind Abby as best he could.
"You butt out you, you… glorified goldfish!"
She then turned and marched out the door, grabbing Hellboy's left arm on the way and dragging him with her.
As the door swung closed behind them Abby sat up and turned to face the tank, "I know you were trying to help sweetie, but next time…"
Abe swam up a bit while she was talking and then held up his hand to cut her off, "I know I know, keep my mouth shut."
Abby laughed, "And you didn't even have to read my mind! But yeah never correct a pregnant woman. I learned that with Vanessa!"
Abe chuckled and shook his head, moments later the alarms started going off.
Abby stood and gathered her things as Abe exited his tank.
As the two walked down the hall to the conference room Abby laced her fingers with his and leaned her head on his shoulder.
Abby sigh of happiness turned to a groan of frustration when she spotted her father outside the door to the conference room.
He headed towards them when he spotted them.
"Abigail, Krauss tells me you don't know how to operate a firearm."
Abby looked up but kept her weight against Abe, "Yes and your point daddykins?"
Manning gave her a look, "Krauss and I agree that no one is to go on this mission if they can't use a firearm."
When Abe felt Abby's grip tighten on his hand he pulled it behind him, which forced her to take a step behind him.
He turned and put him self between the two and placed his other hand on her opposite shoulder.
"Tell you what, as soon as we get back, I'll take you to the range and teach you to shoot, alright?"
Abby sighed and looked down and away from him.
Abe took his hand from her shoulder and pushed up her chin.
Abby flicked her eyes up to his face and sighed again, "oh alright. Go on you're late for your meeting."
Abe smiled and leaned forward, giving her a quick kiss and squeezing her hand before turning and joining Hellboy at the conference table.
Abby glared at Manning as he followed Abe, before turning and storming back to the library.
Three hours later Abby was curled up on one of the chairs in the library finishing her book when Manning came in and stood a little ways in front of her with his arms crossed.
Without even looking up from her book Abby said, "Are you goin to tell me what you want or do I have to read you?"
Manning rolled his eyes and grabbed the book, Abby jumping up and lunging at him to retrieve it.
"Hey, it's rude to take other people's things you know?"
Manning glared at her, "And you know you could be out with the other freaks if you could shoot so come on."
He then turned and walked out the door leaving Abby sputtering after him.
After a few seconds she growled and hurried after him.
She caught up with him outside a door with "Shooting Range" in big black letters.
As they stepped inside he handed her a pair of earmuffs, telling her to put them on.
He walked along the back of several lanes, passing different carts of gadgets and random racks of gun parts.
When he stopped at a lane near the middle, he turned to say something only to find her not behind him.
He huffed and glared at her till she walked over to him.
Abby looked at the small table in front of them as he opened a case, inside was a hand gun that looked as if it would fit her hand well.
He then turned to her and started speaking.
Abby blinked rapidly and raised an eyebrow before shouting, "What!?"
Manning closed his eyes a minute taking a deep breath and as he opened them Abby projected, Just concentrate on what you want to say and I'll hear it.
Manning gave a sarcastic smirk before handing her the gun and pulling out his own, you could have mentioned that sooner! Now take the gun in your hand like this…
As he thought this he watched his own hands as he positioned his first hand, seconds later he jumped as six shoots were fired right next to him.
He looked up to see Abby in a perfect stance, holding the gun right.
He then looked down the lane at the target, reaching up and hitting the button to bring it to the station.
When the paper was in front of them his mouth fell open.
Five of her shoots were in the second smallest ring the sixth was in the center.
Manning blinked and looked at her in disbelief as she put down the gun.
I thought you said you couldn't shoot?
Abby rolled her eyes and then glared at him, I said I didn't know how. And I was lying. So sue me.
She turned and started walking away but Manning put down his gun and grabbed her arm.
She stopped and turned back towards him, What!?
If you know how to shoot why didn't you say so you could have gone?
Abby blinked at the sheer curiosity in his voice before giving herself a shake and turning away.
I don't like guns ok.
Well why not?
I just don't drop it!
When Manning steps in front of her and grabs her arm to stop her she twist out of his grip, stepping to the side, unfortunately the turn throws her off balance and she trips over one of the carts and throws out her arm to catch her self.
Manning cringes as she hits the ground landing on her arm and he swears he heard the bone crack.
He pulls off his earmuffs as he kneels down to help her up and sure enough her elbow appears to be twisted the wrong way.
Abby tries to yank her arm away from him but hisses in pain.
When Manning glares at her she takes of he earmuffs with her good hand and looks off to the side.
She hears him sigh almost sadly before he helps her up, careful of her arm stating, "we better go get that looked at."
Reluctantly she lets him lead her to the medical bay.
Several hours later Abby is grumpily sitting on the couch in the library, her right arm in a cast from the wrist to the shoulder and in a sling, trying to finish her book that is propped on the arm of the couch when Manning comes in with two steaming cups.
He walks over to her and holds up one of the cups, "Hot chocolate?"
Abby eyes the cup for a minute before setting aside the book and accepting the cup.
Manning then takes a seat next to her, slowly sipping his coffee.
They sit in silence for several minutes before Manning asked, "So, you ready to tell me why you hate guns enough that you would stay here instead of going with Abe?"
Abby sigh and lowers her hand so the cup is balanced to the arm of the couch.
"I've just had bad experiences with them ok."
When Manning gives her a look she sets the chocolate aside so she doesn't accidentally spill it.
"I don't really hate guns, I don't trust the operators."
She looks over and sees Manning set aside his coffee and turn his full attention to her.
She sighs again and closes her eyes, "it's not that I don't trust Hellboy, even tho his aim sucks," at that Manning snorts, "I just don't trust…"
She trails off and bites her lip, she glances at him and when she sees the worried look in his eyes she breaks.
"alright fine! I don't trust me with the gun ok! I used a gun for defense for years so I wouldn't be dependent on my "freak" powers and when Vanessa was pregnant we were attacked and I got distracted and not only hit our attacker but I hit Vanessa! She slmost lost Sophie cause of the shock to her system!"
Abby reaches up with her good hand and brushes furiously at the tears streaming down her face.
She feels the couch shift and moments later Manning puts his arm around her shoulders, careful of her elbow and pulls her to him, kissing the top of her head and smoothing out her hair.
"It's alright, everyone has a right to panic. It was an accident. She obviously doesn't blame you. And that brat of her's is as bad as Hellboy."
Abby chuckles and nuzzles his shoulder.
They sit like that a moment before she leans away from him, looking him in the eye.
"Why where you goin to let them take me?"
Manning sighs and when he reconnects their gaze his eyes are sad.
"I'm sorry I really am. I panicked. I didn't know what to do. They threatened to fire me and take you anyway if I didn't hand you over. I couldn't let them take you away all together. I just wish I could explain that to your mother."
Abby eyes him for a minute before turning her upper body and punching him in the shoulder with her good arm, then she huffs and lays her head on the same shoulder.
Again they sit in silence for several moments before Manning asks, "So that's it? I'm forgiven?"
Abby takes a deep breath before mumbling under her breath.
Manning cocks his head to the side trying to look at her, "What was that?"
Abby huffs and sits up, "I said I never really hated you. Besides after a few talks with Abe he's helping me get over some of my anger towards people. I couldn't hate you any way, you're my daddy."
Manning blinks before both of his eyebrows shoot up, after a moment he stares off towards one of the bookcases.
Abby shifts so her heads back on his shoulder, "You know mom always said I was just like you."
Manning inclines his head, "Did she now?"
Abby looks up at him thru her bangs, "Yeah, pig headed, insensitive, pain in the ass."
Manning scowled, "She really called me all that?"
Abby gave a half shrug, "Yeah well she loved you even more for it."
Manning sighed, "I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you. I …"
Abby holds up a hand to stop him, "Daddy do me a favor."
Manning tilts his head down to look at her, "What?"
Abby closes her eyes and shifts her head a bit, "Stop with the mushy stuff and be quiet, injured persons taken a nap."
Manning chuckles and reaches his arm behind her to pick up the book she was reading, settling down to read it himself.
When Abe and Hellboy return they don't get the normal greeting.
Normally Manning is waiting for their debriefing and Abby and Liz are off to the side chatting.
This time they only find Liz sitting on a crate, she smiles and gets up when she sees them.
Hellboy grins and walks over giving her a kiss before asking, "What you do kill Manning while we were gone?"
Liz shook her head, "I haven't seen him since you left," when Abe raises his hand to interrupt she waves him off, "I haven't seen Abby either, I'm sorry about this morning."
Abe shakes his head and makes a motion with his hand as if to wave the thought away, "Quit alright, I shouldn't have butted in."
Liz smiles and shakes her head as they walk towards the library.
Abe, whose walking slightly behind Hellboy, nearly walks in to him when he stops dead in the door way.
"Red is something," he pauses a moment as Liz raises her camera and he sees Abby sitting on the couch with her right Arm in a cast and sling, leaning on Manning's shoulder both sound asleep, "wrong?"
Hellboy gives him a look and he walks over, placing a hand to the cast and sees their conversation from earlier.
When Hellboy sees Abe grinning he raises an eyebrow, "What, something bad happen?"
Abe just shakes his head and kisses Abby on top of the head before shooing Hellboy and Liz out.
He then turns off the light so only his tank light eliminates the room.
He then covers the sleeping family with a throw blanket that was on one of the chairs, before slipping into his tank to sleep himself all the while making sure no one disturbs them.
A/N: I myself am unsure of how i like this chapter, i have written it 4 times. So please let me know if you like it and i swear i'll be more to my pace next chapter.
And to all of my previous reveiwers I thank you dearly.
