Hi everyone, okay so here is chapter 28, I have also done a drawing of Abe and Belle together if you'd like to have a look as it is now on my profile as my picture. Abe is probably the hardest character I have tried to draw yet. If you do have a look mention what you thought in your review. I hope you enjoy R&R please thankyou :)

As Abe had recovered with each passing day, Belle spent most of her time with him, the merman still unaware of just how bad her injuries had been. Though as the doctor who had tended to her came in to check on Abe's status, he asked her casually how she was feeling. 'I should hope you have gotten more rest, you wouldn't be in so much pain that way' he remarked in a serious tone.

'I'm okay, the fact that Abe's awake has helped a lot,' she replied softly, the doctor giving her a slight nod before turning back to Blue. After he left, Abe now came to the tanks glass wall and put his hand against it. 'Belle…are you sure your okay?' he questioned, Belle knowing it was better to tell him herself.

'I didn't want to worry you,' she sighed, lifting up the bottom of her t-shirt to show the beginning of the bandages which wrapped around her torso up to the base of her ribs. 'Belle,' he breathed, looking at her with concern, 'have you been in much pain?' he asked gently,

'It was very painful at first, but I just tried my best to put it out of my mind,' she remarked. 'It's okay now though, it's healing,' she assured him.

'I'm glad, I just wish I could have stopped this creature before it had a chance to do all it did,' Abe replied regretfully.

'Abe…we cannot predict how entity's will act, all we can do is do our best to stop them,' Liz said coming into the room, 'sorry to interrupt, I just wanted to borrow Belle,' she explained.

Following Liz from the room, and seeing Red now go on, Liz took Belle down to her room where her bed had many magazines scattered across it. 'Belle, I wanted to ask if you would help me with something. I know you're still recovering, but Abe will be out very soon, so I wanted to see whether you thought an engagement party would be a nice way to celebrate both our news and your safety. If you don't want to though I understand we can postpone it…'

'No,' Belle interrupted with a smile, 'I think that would be nice,'

'Perfect,' Liz beamed,

'Well it looks like I have some plans to help with then,' Belle smiled. 'Speaking of which, I really need to unpack, I just haven't gotten round to it since my return…'

'Need a hand?' Liz offered, Belle shaking her head.

'It's okay I think I've got it covered,' she replied, Liz insisting to help her lift the cases on the bed while Belle emptied them, feeling that constantly crouching down or bearing the weight of the cases herself was not a good idea for Belle.

After leaving her to it, Belle began to go through all she had brought with her, when she got side-tracked finding the album she had hidden in her bag. Flicking through the pages, Belle smiled at her happy memories captured and saved in the photo's before her. But coming to a picture of her, Glenna and Harold, she paused, her father looked so full of life, the smile on his face genuine, his eyes shining with pride as he rested his hand on Belle's shoulder.

Sighing, she put it to one side, looking back to her cases after a moment and almost wishing that she could have asked him and gotten an answer. Wishing that she could see what had happened to him that night, but little did she know the answers to her questions lay in the presence of someone who was dangerously near her...though she was completely unaware of it. That was when she found it, a letter, hidden within the top of one of her cases. To begin with she thought it had to have been Dale, possibly wishing her the best and hoping she would see him again soon. Though the writing upon the envelope told her differently, it was small, curled, alike her own. The silver ink being one she recognised…breaking the seal on the back and removing the letter, she opened it tentatively and read the message on the page. Reading it through again, Belle looked up from it, the letter falling into her lap as she looked around her, uncertain how to react. Seeing her mobile, she picked it up and dialled Dale's number, her friend not keeping her waiting. 'Hey Belle, how are you feeling?'

'Did you know?' she asked, Dale sighing on the other end of the line, he had been expecting this, but her voice was so hard to decipher…the tone was unreadable. 'Yes, of course I knew, but you have to understand Belle, it was best you didn't know about it, we couldn't tell you, it was too dangerous. If we had it would have made things harder.'

'How much more do you know that you haven't told me?' Belle questioned, giving away the slightest hint of hurt in her voice.

'Belle, that's it I promise you, I didn't want to keep it from you, not any of it. But I was forced into not saying anything, and if I thought it would help you I was willing to agree to it. My priority was getting you out of there.'

'I know, but to do that, friendship bears a considerable weight doesn't it? I have made a false judgement, and I regret it, my attitude is now something I cannot undo.'

'Belle, it was to be expected, you couldn't have known…please don't believe I did this to betray your trust I would never do that to you. You have got no idea of just how much I miss you and value you, if only you could see that.'

'Dale…I…never mind, just do me one thing if nothing else,'

'Anything…'

'Say I accept the last request…'

'Belle…' he breathed,

'Goodbye Dale,' she responded, sliding her phone down and gathering herself.

Taking the letter with her Belle went through the bureau, going to the room where Abe was recovering. Pressing against the door lightly opening it, and walking in Belle saw Abe look to her with a smile, despite the silent motion she made to walk towards him, Red having already left the room making it somewhat easier for her. 'Hello,' he greeted,

'Blue can I talk to you…please...' Abe then lowered himself in the water to look at her directly as he placed his hand against the glass. 'Is something troubling you?' he asked, Belle nodding slowly. 'I've just found a letter in one of my cases, and I've made such a wrong judgement,' she said regretfully.

'What does it say?' he asked, Belle drawing a deep breath as she looked across the page, bringing a voice to the words written.

'Dearest Belle,

I know by the time you read this, you may have already made your mind up about me. But please, believe me when I say I never wanted you to get hurt. Since your arrival, I have known you would need a way of escaping, but until the day I saw you rekindling with your childhood friend Dale, I hadn't known how to help you. I can only now ask that you see I wanted to help you…but your father…he is an over-powering man…but it is now that I ask the impossible of you my daughter. Do not ever think that he is your father. Harold, is a different man, he is not the man I married and I don't think he ever will be, I only see my husband in my memories, and the dreams that aren't turned to nightmare's. You think I have not ever understood you, nor did your father when you tried to convince us in the truth. But I have believed in you more than you could have ever realised. I will continue to wish and pray for you, I know at least that you are safe and it makes me happy. Please do not risk another return to see me, I know what Harold is capable of, his violent streak has escalated and I do not want you to see it, or experience it. I am safe and fine, he will never touch me I can assure you. But I owed you the truth and the truth is that night, your father…he was in deep despair, over a problem I could never to this day decipher. But whatever was inflicted upon him that night has made him into the man he is today. One day you will discover the reasons for his change, which deep in my heart I know, but I cannot bring myself to write them upon this page. I can only tell you it is linked with someone you believe to be an ally, not a close one, but regardless they have become present in the lives of you and your new friends. I knew what drove you to leave in November, you sought your true future and destiny, and I know that you will find it. My cruel and unforgivable words were only inspired and brought to life by the knowledge that if you left you would never need to lose sight of the times when we were all able to be there for you. The last thing I can offer now is the apology I could never expect you to accept. I'm sorry to say that we shall never meet again as I will not endanger you any longer. Love your mother Glenna.'

After reading the final word Belle looked up to Abe, the merman watching her with a sympathetic expression. 'I don't believe how I never saw it; I never heard a stray thought from her mind in all the time I was there…'

'But Belle…you have to remember that your mother wasn't the only one who concealed her true intentions. After all didn't your chauffeur do the same thing?' he pointed out in a soothing voice, 'yes,' she confirmed

'I also know that when you worry, your mind isn't set on the thoughts of those around you, which in turn leads us to be more oblivious to the facts which may in turn help us. When I have been worried my mind is clouded, and I find it harder to see the reasonable way to think…But it's something we can't help Belle, don't be upset please.'

'I'll never be able to tell her I'm sorry too…not in person…' she said resting her head against the glass as she looked at him weakly.

'Have you ever wished that you could have said something…while you had the chance to say it and make everything okay?' she asked, Abe sighing as he nodded,

'Yes, but fate will find a way for you to say the words you wish to…and everything will be okay Belle.' Looking over at the rubix cube resting on the side she took it in her hands, 'I never could do rubix cubes,' she smiled, 'I had one when I was younger, I used to play with it for hours trying to make it back into the way it was.'

'Well three decades and I've only completed to sides,' he remarked, Belle chuckling a little as she rested it in her lap, when her face lost some of the happiness at seeing the letter again. Abe's voice now spoke to her again, knowing what was on her mind, 'it's okay…'

'Its times like this, when I wish you could give me a hug, I think I need it' she remarked honestly, smiling weakly at him as Abe continued to watch her sympathetically. 'I know, and as much as you need me, I will be here,' he promised her.

'I know I can trust you, ever since that first day. You have always been there for me from the start and I'll never forget that instantaneous moment where I was at last able to feel safe from the moment you took my hand.'

As they pressed their hands in the same place against the glass, Abe looked at Belle with a gentle encouragement. 'Belle the moment I can leave the confinement of this tank, I shall take your hand and allow you to feel that once more.'

'Thank you,' she whispered.

Yet a few miles away in an FBI base, things were not going well. Fentran had demanded that he not be disturbed, his continuous reprimanding of those who had worked with Abe on his mission, and those who had gone to the aid of Abe and Belle a week ago feeling the heightened anger. Though two men now joined him in his office as he bellowed and yelled at the pair of them. Neither man cowered or made any effort to argue back but stood and listened to Fentran's rage. Both men were close in appearance with ebony black hair and quick sharp features. By their physique they were strong, though both had pale complexions, their faces lined from stress. 'How the bloody hell did she get out?!' Fentran demanded,

'Sir, it would seem that it was well planned, she would appear to have many on her side…but alas we are not the only ones who have failed in your plans are we?'

'Shut up,' he growled, 'you idiots are worthless, your better off dead, even that beast was incompetent, but it had the strength and yet it still didn't kill them did it?! WHAT THE HELL DO I HAVE TO DO TO GET RESULTS AROUND HERE?' he spat furiously; his form beginning to shake with anger the eyes of the two men before him widening slightly. 'Sir…please control yourself, you cannot have an outburst now…you must restrain yourself…if someone were to walk in…'

'I DON'T GIVE A DAMN!' he snapped before straightening up slightly, putting a control over himself, his body still having an occasional tremor through it. 'Just keep an eye on the old man, his time is nearing its end, and when it does he will attract the girl's attention. Though I don't doubt that her friends will try to intervene, but once released he will be unstoppable.' His voice was struggling to remain level and even, when the men stood before him remarked, 'don't you think you're underestimating the situation? It's not going to be easy, look at what they've faced before now; do you really believe they won't be able to handle this?' Fentran lowered his gaze for a moment, an evil grin forming across his lips.

'They will weaken eventually…but meanwhile the true predators grow stronger,' he said walking around his desk, 'patience and tactic play the main part to begin with, then we abandon brains for brawn and brute strength, something which when the time comes, fate shall provide.' It was then as a noise sounded from his desk, that Fentran went and glanced over one of the monitors, 'Manning's coming, such a fool…you two, leave, go back to where you are required and continue to wait for further instruction,' he said the demand clear in his voice.

'Yes sir,' they both nodded turning and leaving the room without another word said against him. Looking back and viewing from the large glass panes the FBI agents who worked below unaware of the danger present in the building, Fentran sat down at his desk, beginning to roll up his sleeve. The reddening mark Manning had seen was now darker in it's shade, going nearer to black than any other colour as it travelled up his arm, stopped near his shoulder and stretching out across his chest. 'Such a memorable moment,' he breathed, running a hand up the scar and feeling it's rough uneven texture, a strange feeling rushing through him as he then rolled down his sleeve again. Fentran then reached for the link to his secretary and requested her to come up to his office. 'Also tell all agents stationed that I do not wish to be disturbed for the next hour,' he remarked, his secretary ensuring to be up in a minute. His tone now became deep as he told her finally 'Good, I do not expect to be kept waiting…'

During this time, Hellboy and Liz had been going over invitations for the engagement party, Hellboy acting suspiciously cheerful when it came to Myers. 'Alright, what have you done Red?' Liz asked, folding her arms expectantly, 'nothing…yet, I was just thinking about his new all expenses paid trip to the Antarctic,'

'Oh Red you haven't,' she said, hiding a small smile at Hellboy's only too believable plans.

'Not yet…he can stay for the wedding I suppose…' he mused, Liz shaking her head, 'what? He said he liked the cold,'

'You really are jealous of him aren't you?' Liz said her arms loosening their hold, 'I'm not jealous, but he's not messing with mine and Abe's girls, I mean come on, the last thing Abe needs is Myers coming in and making things difficult for him…' Liz knew Hellboy meant well, but she was also certain that John wouldn't get in the way if he knew just how much Belle meant to Abe. 'They'll be alright, when you have eyes for only one person, it doesn't matter who appeals to you, your mind stays set,' she remarked honestly, leaning in and kissing Red softly. 'I love you Liz, never forget it,' he replied,

'I won't because I'll always love you too…' Everyone is said to have someone they can find complete safety in, someone who they can trust and who they believe will never let them go. As Hellboy sat with Liz one arm around her waist as they continued making arrangements for the engagement do, Abe now slept contently, thinking over just what he would say to Belle when he left the tank, his gentle aura continuing to surround her, even as she lay in her own room, sleep coming as she held in her hand the folded letter…

So as you can gather, all is not over with Belle and her family, and there is still much to come which the four friends are unaware of. Bit of a cliffhanger over what some of it means but I hope you enjoyed :) I just want to say (I know I've said this in a lot of chapters now) but really thankyou to my reviewers. You are all great, had a couple of new reviewers lately "LadyAquanine73551," "Angelic-reader" and "PuppyLoveSisters." I also want to say thanks to my most frequent reviewers "silverrain1312," "megumisakura," and "angel-protectress." Thankyou to all of you, and keep reviewing, and to all my other reviewers thankyou just as much hope you enjoyed, review and I'll be updating soon xxx