Note: Poem used is "Spring Night" by Sara Teasdale

--

Turning to face the darkness, she could see the man coming forward. He too wore a long dashiki, with many necklaces. At that same time, Abe had been awakened, slightly disoriented by the quiet murmur of voices. He made his way toward the place where Liz was.

"You are István Raseinai. The Raja natural," she said, trying to stall for time. She could see him smiling in the dark.

"Yes, that is who I am. Now give me the boy," he stepped forward. Within a second Liz had two flames in her hands, a look of fortitude on her face. She heard a sickening laugh. Abe appeared behind her, unsure of what was going on.

"Liz..." he began. She didn't hear him.

"Your fire is very beautiful, Elizabeth. But flames cannot endure water," the Raja said. She stared at him, shock on her face. How did he know... A rain immediately started to pour, and she struggled to keep her flames.

Realizing he was moving closer she hopelessly shouted, "Red! Clay! Somebody help me!"

"Leave her alone!" Abe's voice called out. Liz looked at him, surprised to see him there. The Raja made no acknowledgement of the paranormal man.

"Abe, get out of here!" Liz shouted at him, knowing he was putting himself in danger. The sleeping folks a distance away all awoke with a jolt. Hellboy immediately realized Liz was not by his side, and bolted into the darkness in the direction of her voice.

"I envy you for your power, but it will be mine also, soon enough," the Raja grabbed for the boy. Liz thrust her herself at him, and he was forced to back away. She was still retaining her fire, despite the heavy rain. Just then, HB lunged onto the scene. Seeing the man that Liz was walking towards, he prepared to take him down.

"Liz!" he called her name. She stopped, hearing the familiar voice.

"Red..." she didn't finish, because just as Hellboy had almost reached the Raja a flash of lightning corrupted the area around them, blinding them for a few long seconds. When they regained their focus, they could see no Raja. He was gone.

"Amadi! Amadi!" Liz shouted, looking around desperately for the small boy.

"Who's Amadi?" Hellboy asked, coming over to her.

"He was the boy that the raja was after... he took him! He took him," she said, grief on her face. The other members of the BPRD arrived at that moment, flashlights abound.

"What happened?" Myers asked, seeing Abe holding Liz's arm in confusion, and the flames dying around Liz. The rain stopped, and the night stood still. Without a word Liz walked back in the direction of their camp, and bewildered, the others followed. She was able to get another fire going.

"It's a wonder the lightning didn't strike us," Abe commented. HB felt his uneasiness growing. Liz sat, staring into the fire.

"What were you thinking?" Hellboy asked her, a bit of anger in his voice. She hadn't heard him speak to her like this in a long time.

"What?" she asked, staring at him. He sighed, frustrated.

"What were you thinking, going out there alone? You could have been killed... and so could Abe," HB said. Liz couldn't believe this. He was blaming her?

"I tried to get you to go with me, Red. You wouldn't wake up. I didn't know that was going to happen!" she said, louder than she intended. HB looked into the flames, his worry had morphed itself into anger, anger at her for almost getting killed.

"What if I hadn't come when I had? What would you have done?" he asked her, still not fully understanding the situation. Liz felt deep fumes raging in her. What would she have done? She would have burned the Raja, burned him to death. That's what she would have done. She stood, anger apparent in her voice.

"I don't need you to take care of me," she said, her voice cutting. HB stood also, looking into her eyes.

"But they had to take care of you in that hospital, didn't they?" Hellboy seethed, immediately regretting his words. He watched as a dark cloud descended over her face. Flames appeared in her eyes. The glow from the fire only illuminated it, making it harder to bear. He wasn't angry with her, he never had been. He had only been terrified... terrified that he almost lost her. Upset that she didn't feel she needed his care.

"Liz, I didn't mean..." he never finished. Almost as soon as he had begun saying the words, her hand flew up, and in a blind fury struck him hard across the face. The slap resounded with a sickening sound. It didn't really hurt, not physically. It stung, both on his face and in his heart. Liz had never harmed anyone... ever.

Her body began to smolder with igniting flames, but they quickly died down. Tears flooded her eyes, and she felt her heart break. The anger left almost as quickly as it had come. Why had she just hurt the one she loved most? He looked into her eyes, seeing the distress there. All were quiet around the fire, all having witnessed the fight.

"Red..." her voice quietly cried. She shook her head, and suddenly rushed past him and into the forest. Sounds of her vomiting up the little dinner she had had were heard, as Abe went to check on her.

Hellboy just stood there, shocked by what had just happened. No one said a word. Slowly he sat, the painful realization spreading over him. He had been hit many times, had attempts made on his life. But this was personal. This was Liz. After a few long moments Myers came to sit by the big demon. HB made no response.

"You know, sometimes, when people are angry, they say and do things they don't mean..." Hellboy held up a hand, silencing him.

"Myers, I appreciate ya trying to help, but you're not," HB said. Myers nodded apologetically, and moved back to his spot.

"Well I'm going back to sleep. And it would benefit you all to do the same," Manning said, lowering himself to the ground. After a little while Liz came back, and silently laid down near the fire. Hellboy watched her, waiting til he thought she was asleep. Then, he too laid down, close enough to her that he felt she was safe. Looking up, Liz could see the dark blue shade of the sky between the tree branches, almost black, but not quite.

The sounds of nature surrounded them, and Liz once again marveled at how beautiful everything was. Hearing Hellboy's deep breathing, she turned to watch him. Remorse flooded her being. Remorse at what she had done. She sat up, and scooted closer to hisstill form.

Leaning over, she pressed a heartfelt kiss to his cheek. The same cheek that she had earlier struck. With her hand she ever so lightly stroked his face, letting her eyes linger on him for a few moments. Then, with as much subtleness as she could, she went back to her old place. The sky was so beautiful...

Oh, is it not enough to be

Here with this beauty over me?

My throat should ache with praise, and I

Should kneel in joy beneath the sky.

O beauty, are you not enough?

Why am I crying after love

With youth, a singing voice, and eyes

To take earth's wonder with surprise?

--

Early the next morning the group ate, and prepared to head out. Liz told them what Amadi had told her. "If we go in that direction for a few hours, we should find it," she told Manning and Myers. When she was left to get ready, Hellboy slowly walked over. She looked at him, unsure of what to say. That anxious feeling came, the one where the very person you want to avoid suddenly shows up at your doorstep. He looked to the ground, the same feeling coming over him. He couldn't avoid her though. He didn't want them to apart.

"Liz... I just... I want to..." he began.

"Don't, Red," she paused, looking toward the sky. "I'm sorry. For everything. But, I just can't talk about it right now. And... I think we need some space," she finished, looking him in the eyes. As much as it hurt to say the words, she knew she couldn't be with him right now. She needed to figure some things out for herself. She didn't want to hurt him again. Never again.

Space. The word sent fear through Hellboy's soul. He didn't want space from her. Quite the opposite. He wanted to be with her, every moment. He wanted to take care of her. Even though she didn't need him to.

Liz saw the hurt in his eyes, and looked down. Was this it? Were they ending before they had really begun? A few days. Only a few days had passed since they had shared their first kiss. It was more like a week, but still. Letting out a heavy sigh, Hellboy watched as she turned to finish getting her things together. The group set out, Liz right behind Hellboy. Myers had taken the lead this time. Agent Coal brought up the rear, with Abe right in front of him. Thoughts of Amadi weighed heavily on Liz's mind. She knew they had to help him, he didnt deserve to be used by the horrible Raja.

"I hope he's okay," she said quietly, not meaning to say it out loud. Hellboy looked back at her, questions in his eyes. "Amadi," she murmured. HB plodded on. "We're gonna find him," he tried to reassure her. With all that had happened neither of them was quite sure of anything anymore. Except one thing. And that was how they felt about one another.

HB had only caught a small glance of Amadi the night before, Liz hadn't elaborated on his story. It surprised him that she seemed so concerned about the little boy, one that she had only met the day before. Although they were all tired, the traveling party stopped only once for a nature break.

Hellboy and Liz remained constant in their pace, neither willing to slow down or let the weariness over take them. It was especially humid that day, and soon HB had had enough. He took off his long sleeved black shirt, and settled on walking through the forest without one. Liz felt sweat rolling over her body, her bangs plastered to her forehead.

"Raseinai... from what I can tell he's a pretty powerful guy," HB said as they made their way onwards.

"I don't know if Ill be able to kick his ass like I thought I would... so, anything happens, watch out for Abe, will ya?" the question startled Liz. It sounded almost comedic, yet there was a seriousness in it that proved otherwise.

"HB, what are you talking about?" Liz asked him. He didn't look back at her.

"Well, just in case anything happens… to me, I mean. And I don't make it out of there…" he trailed off. He felt her grab his arm firmly, and was forced to stop. A darkness shed over her eyes. The intenseness of her gaze caught him off guard.

"Nothing is going to happen to you," she said quietly. He realized there was a protectiveness in her voice, that he hadn't heard before. There was also a certainty that said she wouldn't let anything happen to him. But, doubt somehow seeped in.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Liz," he looked into her deep brown eyes, then turned and began walking again. He remembered her telling him something similar before they came to Africa. And now they were two agents short. One dead and one…who knows. They were silent for the rest of the way. His words had awoken something in Liz, a feeling of trepidation filled her. She brushed it aside over and over again, determined to stay focused. She wasn't going to let anything happen to him. Of that she was sure.

Please review! Any suggestions for how I could make this story better?