Good evening everyone :) I hope you're all okay. So here is Chapter 51, which will have a mixture of everything from the romance scenes, to some interesting turns in the over all plot. A few have mentioned how it's getting darker now with the plot, and their very much right...
I would also like to say a really big thankyou to all my reviewers as the review count is -as it stands- 259...which is the highest review count a Hellboy fanfic has ever recieved, out of the 818 fanfics for the section. So I am very pleased and couldn't be happier to be honest, so thankyou to you all. Especially LadyAquanine73551, Silverrain1312, Kiimm and Angel Protectress, these four have given me so much support, compliments, reviews and just generally been the some of the most amazing reviewers I could ask for. You're all truly great! and if I could thankyou with something like cake I would :) haha, but honestly, you are all just fantastic, you've all been with this from the start and have always given me a nice insight on what you think of the plot, the romances and the characters.
So thankyou to all of you, and just all my reviewers who have kept me going for nearly a year of this fanfic. You all deserve a mentioning tonight, but I think it would take a chapter just to thank you all individually lol. So do enjoy and as always, review! Thankyou x
Arriving at a pristine building on the outskirts of Connecticut, Belle pulled her car in at the back entrance, taking some bridal magazines off the back seat as she and Liz went round the front. 'Are you sure I'll be alright in here?' Liz queried anything completely new to her also unnerving.
'You'll be fine, Laina is an expert at anything tailor-made, and trust me once you get in there you won't want to leave,' Belle assured her as they stepped inside. Looking around the beautiful cream and white interior with pale gold drapes lining the room, the two being greeted at the front.
'Oh Miss. Lucivia, welcome, and you must by Miss. Sherman, go on through, Mrs. Grange will be expecting you,'
'Thankyou,' Belle smiled passing through a thick curtain like material which hung over the door and entering the main designs room.
'Belle Lucivia, and not a minute late,' Laina beamed, her accented voice more prominent in person. She was tall and slender in figure, her silvery blonde hair twisted upwards and held in tightly. She seemed to still hold a more youthful appearance in hiding any lines of age well. 'So you must be Elizabeth,' Laina remarked assumingly, as she turned to the pyrokinetic.
'Liz,' she corrected with a slight smile.
'Liz, sorry I do apologise. So you are the blushing bride to be? Well let's just see how you envision your perfect dress. You're a size six right?'
'Yeah…' she answered in surprise,
'Good,' she nodded as they all took seats on the two chaise-longs centred around a mannequin, other dresses lining the room on similarly sized mannequins, though this one remained bare. As Laina started to take notes she presented them with a variety of designs and colours, along with fabric samples.
'Now we have many dresses for you to look at for ideas, but as we're planning on making a dress completely unique, we shall work through each stage of the dress. So tell me, what is the colour scheme you wish to have? Traditional white…? Pale gold…? It's just so then we can build on the colours for your bridesmaids.'
'I'd like white with a mixture of some red,' Liz began.
'The symbol of love…red, mixed with the purity of white. A rare combination…but none the less elegant…So what shade of red were you thinking?'
'How about ruby…?' Belle suggested holding up a sample colour chart, 'it's not too bright or dark, but with a slight metallic sheen it would give off a beautiful effect.'
'Ah yes, one of the more popular shades of red,' Laina nodded.
'Well I love it…and I'm sure HB will as well…'
'What a simplistic nickname, your fiancé's I presume?'
'Yes,' Liz answered, Belle not needing her clairvoyant abilities to understand the smile upon Liz's features.
'Well…now onto the actual style of the dress…because that should help with the overall design.'
'Well I did like some of the full length fitted dresses,' Liz mused, Belle thinking it would be perfectly suited to her. 'I wouldn't want a big ball-gown just something more simple but still…'
'Elegant,' Laina finished for her, 'a lot of young women go for the fitted wedding gowns now, so it's not at all uncommon a choice. So now that is settled in order to incorporate the red, were you thinking ruby coloured rhinestones, red embellishments, or perhaps a sash?' As she watched the plans and basic design sketches take form, Belle knew that once finished Liz would be utterly speechless of the results…
Getting home sometime later, Belle and Liz had carried the various bridal magazines in, Hellboy opening the door for them. 'Well…did you enjoy yourselves?' he grinned,
'Yes,' Belle said initially enthusiastic when her tone became more serious, 'have we missed anything?'
'Nah, not much, except Clay's trying to get hold of results from forensics,'
'For the bullet…?' Liz responded; Red nodding as Abe emerged from the kitchen.
'Good evening,' he greeted pleasantly, Belle going to him as they went into the dining room where dinner was laid out for them.
'I'm so relieved that Agent Manning's okay…' Belle said sitting back as they enjoyed their meal.
'Yes,' Abe agreed, 'so has much been arranged for the wedding this afternoon?'
'Yes a main point of it has,' Belle replied thoughtfully. Though as Hellboy tried to pry further to no avail, Liz remaining firm on the subject, Belle and Abe left them to it as they went downstairs after dinner…
However after gathering some notes and going into his room, Abe was surprised and perplexed to see Belle hold up a tape measure. 'Suit measurements,' she said in way of explanation, trying to suppress a laugh at his expression. 'Laina agreed to tailor the suits for you and Red for the wedding, so I need to get the measurements to her.'
'Ah,' he responded in understanding as Belle approached him, putting the tape around his waist as she brushed her hair back over her shoulders to check the size and writing it down. Moving around to check each measurement carefully, Belle felt the heat rising in her features as she blushed deeply, kneeling down to take the final measurement she needed.
'Sorry about all this, Laina apparently likes to be thorough,' she remarked apologetically, looking down when Abe's hand touched the tip of her shoulder lightly, bringing her to look up at him after writing the last details. Kneeling to her level and kissing her softly, Belle looked into his eyes with a slightly flustered though loving expression. 'Thankyou…' she breathed.
'It was nothing my dear,' he replied, 'though I'm certain Red's will be interesting.'
'I left it to Liz,' Belle said smiling, 'I don't think I would have managed with Hellboy's remarks.' Chuckling as he leant in once again to kiss her, Belle got up, suggesting they go outside for a while, Abe readily agreeing.
Meanwhile in Hellboy and Liz's room, they'd had more than their fair share of a romantic evening, Liz going to get ready for bed after the film they'd been watching finished. 'Red…are you looking forward to the wedding?' Liz asked as she brushed her hair back, Hellboy glancing over as one of his cats walked up his arm.
'Of course I am babe; I'm getting married to a girl that's never left my mind since I met her. Why wouldn't I?' Smiling as she came over and sat with him, the black cat that had been walking over his shoulders leapt down lightly and walked under her arm, rubbing the top of his head against her hand.
'I just never took you for someone to be into marriage…I was surprised when you proposed…'
'I want to make you mine completely Liz, I love you, and I want everyone to know that whether they think it or not, I'm man enough to treat my lady with everything she deserves.'
'To me you're the greatest man I know,' she breathed, Hellboy sitting up and tilting her chin up with his normal hand as their lips brushed against each other. 'I just wish sometimes that Father could be here…I mean with all this crap with Fentran…I'm sure Father would have helped.'
'But you know we have many people here to help us…and together we are all strong enough to put things right. You've pulled through before with just the knowledge that your Father was always there for you, and he still is. You just can't see it. But he's still here.' Looking at his fiancé, Hellboy knew Liz was right; it was thanks to the prayer beads his Father had always worn, that Red had regained his sanity when fighting with his inner demon. But that was the moment he realised he hadn't done it alone…Myer's had thrown him those prayer beads…Liz had believed him to be a man…something which no one else seemed to see, but she treated him as she saw him. Like a true man…
Abe had always stood beside him, and been a best friend to Hellboy, even during his moments where he acted simply on impulse, Abe having a level of patience and rationality in the situations they faced. Even his calm reassurance had always proven to be helpful for Red, and lastly Belle, the young lady who in just over half a year had gained the trust of their family, fought beside him, helped and given advice when it was needed and simply been a loving God-mother to his children...
'You know something Liz…' he began, taking her hand, 'I think I really have a lot of people that I need to thank sometime…' he remarked, Liz smiling as he added, 'and I know who to start with.' Kissing her again as he swept her up in his arms, Liz was placed in Hellboy's lap as they enjoyed the moment, the cat that had been sat with them now curling up at the bottom of the bed, casting a look over at his owners before falling asleep…
Though outside, gazing out over the gardens, Belle sighed in contentment as she sat on the stone rail, Abe leaning against it beside her. 'You know…I think Liz and Hellboy's wedding will be completely perfect' Abe seeing the admiration shining in her eyes as she spoke of it.
'Yes it will, I think you've thought out just about everything…' he responded taking her hand, noting how the Ceylon Sapphire glittered on the gold chain around her neck. 'Blue always looks so beautiful on you…' he remarked softly.
Putting her free hand to the delicate pendant Belle looked at it fondly, 'I never have it off…I love it so much…'
'I'm glad,' he smiled, Belle leaning her head against his. '…and I shall always have a part of you with me,' he added, lifting the silver chain he wore from under his black jumper, Belle nodding as she took his hand.
'I've so often said things both spoken and written which have held a lot of meaning behind them, but that is a permanent voice of the feelings in my heart for you,' she whispered, 'even when we're apart, that shall keep us together, and link us…'
'It was so thoughtful…'
'Everything you do for me is thoughtful Abe, and you know, I'm glad I left my house in Maine…because I found my home here with you…' she said softly, Abe watching her eyes sparkle as they leant in to kiss…
XXXXXXXXX
Three am, and the bureau was in near darkness with the exception of a single light in the back hallway. Sitting on the stone balcony in the gardens now alone, Belle had been unable to sleep, everything seeming to worry her concerning Fentran, her Father, the mark which seemed to lion them and the involvement of her loved ones. Gathering together all she knew, Belle could not understand where the true animosity between Fentran and her Father had come from. She knew Harold had disrupted an attack which Fentran had inflicted upon her Father's former colleague Phil, but there had to have been something deeper…something more behind whatever Harold had become involved in…unless…
'Can't sleep?' Hellboy asked breaking the quiet atmosphere as he walked outside to join her, bringing Belle from her thoughts.
'Hi,' she smiled softly, 'I didn't expect you to be up…was it the children?'
'Yeah, they soon went back to sleep though, I saw the back light on and the hall light, so I knew someone was out here…'
'I guess I've been a bit restless lately,' she admitted. 'With mother disappearing and Agent Manning getting shot with still no solid evidence…it's all been so intense.'
'I'm not gonna lie to ya Belle, this job is never easy but I stick by what I said. You're a strong lady and your going to find your answers, and with it your bound to find a fight but hey. That's what I'm here for.' Sighing as she looked out, Hellboy then suggested she come inside. 'Probably not a good idea to be out here on your own,' he noted, Belle agreeing.
'I suppose I should have guessed it wouldn't have been completely safe out here alone at the moment, I just didn't want to disturb Abe…it's been a long day.'
'Come on then, let's get inside, you need some sleep and I need a beer,'
'It's three am,' Belle responded in mild disbelief,
'Yeah I've done worse,' he grinned, 'you should have seen the time I got Manning drunk…'
'Dare I ask how that went?' Belle replied laughing,
'Put it this way, he didn't know what hit him when he woke up the following morning in a closed off area with a sedated entity,' he smirked, 'I've never seen that guy run so fast…' Continuing to laugh as Belle bid him goodnight, she went back to her room, when Hellboy put his head around the door. 'Hey Belle…'
'Yeah?' she replied looking at him as he smiled at her,
'Keep your chin up…' watching as he left the room, Belle thought about what he said as she got ready for bed at last and curled up under the duvet, feeling the gentle warmth replacing the cold she had felt outside. Glancing over to her bedside table where her family picture sat, Belle picked it up looking over the faces in the photo, her eyes casting a glance to the larger portrait above the bed of her with Abe, Hellboy and Liz. Smiling when she looked back, Belle wished her mother and father could be there to give her the answers she desperately needed to know…
Elsewhere in Fentran's office, the rogue Agent was on the phone, having a bitter conversation with one of his accomplices. 'So I just had a file on my desk this morning. Now I expect you to tell me what the bloody-hell Manning is still doing alive! That blundering idiot could have seen anything…well what the hell did…' he began when he received the start of the excuses that only further provoked his rage. 'Forget it! Just set things straight before I decide on cutting some "weaknesses" as well.' Slamming the phone down on its hook and running a shaking hand over his left arm of his jacket, Fentran ripped the seams on the side, splitting the sleeve open revealing the mark which seemed to throb on his arm.
'Those fools!' he growled viciously when he secretary called through on his intercom.
'Sir is their anything you require doing before my shift ends?'
'No!' he initially snapped in response, though upon reconsidering and composing his tone he pressed the button and added in a more sleek voice. 'Actually…yes I could do with something seeing to in my office…if you could take some time to work a little overtime…I can assure you'll receive your worth in additional payment…' he said smoothly.
'…Certainly Agent Fentran I shall be up in a moment.'
'Thankyou,' he answered, the grace in his tone having a slightly dangerous edge… 'I think it's about time I taught these incompetent idiots the meaning of life and death…'
XXXXXXXXXXX
'So you think Abe and Belle can find out who shot Manning?' Liz replied as the two in question mounted the stairs the following morning.
'Well their here in any case' Hellboy agreed looking in their direction, the two guests turning to them.
'Ah Agent Sapien, Agent Lucivia good morning,' Johann's voice recognisable to them both…
'Good morning Agent Krauss, Former Agent Clay,' Abe nodded politely, his arm around Belle's waist.
'What are you both doing here?' Belle asked with a light smile
'We're here to try and uncover more on the shooter that killed your Father and attempted to murder Manning.'
'You believe it was the same person?' Belle asked tensing, the thought of being at another scene where her Father's killer had been present unnerving her immensely.
'Yes…'
'So do we have any ideas other than our unsupported accusations of Fentran?' Abe asked.
'Unfortunately not, but that's where you come in,' Clay replied directing his remark at Abe and Belle as Hellboy folded his arms with interest.
'Forensics is allowing us to see the bullet?' Belle said in surprise,
'Yes,' Clay nodded,
'You should be able to get somezink from it ja?' Johann added the two exchanging glances before nodding.
'I should imagine so, it should at least show who loaded it into the gun,' Abe explained.
'Yeah provided it wasn't someone else who did it for our shooter,' Hellboy remarked making a valid point.
'Though the handling of an item with telepathy shows the journey of the object, so we should see something of whoever fired the weapon.'
'So where is the bullet?' Hellboy asked
'A Forensic lab on Colony Street in Meriden, so over on the east side of Connecticut…'
'It's alright, we can handle this,' Belle reassured them.
'You positive?' Hellboy queried, Liz also surprised by Belle's suggestion.
'Of course, you've got two children and I think they'd like a day alone with you both.' Seeing Liz's smile at the idea, Red finally agreed to it, also pleased they'd have some time together to bond more with their children. Yet it was the results of their trip to the crime scene forensic lab which would determine what it was they were looking for exactly.
'But the minute there's any action, I want to hear about it,' Hellboy grinned.
'Of course,' Belle nodded,
'You never change Agent Hellboy,' Johann noted,
'Yeah you better believe it,' Red responded smirking.
'But how can you actually touch that bullet without leaving fingerprints,' Liz remarked,
'Well I can't,' Belle admitted,
'No but I can,' Abe responded,
'…and I'm going because I refuse to allow anything else to happen because I'm not there to stop it,' Belle added seriously.
'Such determination for somevon so young,' Johann remarked.
'So how are we going to get access?'
'I can and have acquired ze permission to allow viewing of ze evidence,' Johann said lightly, 'I presume zat iz all you shall require?'
'Thankyou,' Belle said gratefully.
'Well Johann's staying here to look over the last files we found of your Father's that the FBI had, don't ask how we got them, cause we probably did something illegal in getting them out,' Clay admitted. 'So you'll follow me in your car?'
'This is why I like Clay,' Hellboy grinned, 'he doesn't do everything by the books…'
'Sometimes "by the book" isn't always an option,' Clay replied simply, leading them out into the overcast day.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Arriving at the forensics lab, Belle and Clay had to leave Abe at the front in order to go through a side entrance where he wouldn't be seen. 'I'll see you inside,' Belle assured him, Abe nodding as their hands fell apart, Clay putting his hand on Belle's shoulder bringing her to a stop at the door.
'Are you sure you're okay doing this?'
'Yes,' she said confidently, 'I have to…' Nodding to her with an expression of pride at her strength, Belle heard the corresponding thoughts in his mind making her smile slightly as they walked inside. So many seemed to have confidence in her, yet they still offered for her to back out and let them step forward, something she was forever grateful of…but she also knew this could be the moment that she discovered perhaps the vital missing link in finding out what led to her Father's death…
'Good morning,' Belle and Clay greeted, the pair walking with the examiner through the single floored forensic lab as he greeted them in the reception.
'Agent Clay and Agent Lucivia correct?'
'Yes,' they nodded, showing proof of identity before being admitted in…the security also checking them before allowing them to progress through.
'We received notice of your warranty, the bullet has been examined.'
'So what do we know so far?' Clay queried.
'Well we know the model of gun that was fired, we're just about to test it,' the examiner explained as they were taken into a side room where on a silver table lay a gun with numerous bullets lined up beside it. 'The one in the silver bowl is the one that was extracted from Agent Manning,' he explained, 'the gun fired was a Les Baer Prowler in .45 ACP.'
'A service pistol…it's got a higher percentage on a long shot range than most hand guns,' Clay frowned looking at the sample gun on the table.
'A long shot range?' Belle repeated the examiner and Clay nodding to her.
'That's right, well I don't know what exactly you can do with the bullet, but I must insist you wear protective gloves before handling, and if you require to see it's range, use the sample bullets.'
'Thanks, we won't be long,' Clay assured them, the examiner finally leaving the room, looking back at them with a somewhat distrusting expression.
'He doesn't like the fact we've got a warrant to inspect this alone,' Belle explained, using her clairvoyant abilities to see in his mind.
'I thought as much anyway we don't have long,' he added flicking the locator to signal Abe.
'So there's another way in?'
'Yeah the forensic lab works from two sides, Abe's coming in where the forensics teams go in and out, there are no cars around that side though so the halls should be clear,' Agent Clay said confidently.
'They were,' Abe answered for them coming in from a different door, coming beside Belle as they overlooked the bullet. Removing his gloves and handing them to Belle, Abe then picked up the bullet, closing his eyes as a scene became apparent to him…Looking to see Manning in the morgue, he realised he was in the middle of the room and right in range of both Manning and the shooter. Walking forwards as Manning heard the door slam; Abe looked around him, finally seeing the moment of the bullet being loaded into the gun and seeing the figure move around the room, Blue finally got close enough to see the face behind the silhouette...Re-opening his eyes as he felt a hand on his arm, Abe promptly put down the bullet, so Belle wouldn't have to witness the part he had narrowly evaded watching.
'It's an FBI agent and one we've seen before…' he remarked slowly, Belle requesting to see the face, Abe taking her hand and carefully presenting that image he had seen through the darkness.
'I know that agent,' Belle breathed looking into Abe's eyes as she thought over every agent she had come into contact with. 'His face…it seems so prominent in my memory…I don't know why…I…Fentran…'
'It was Agent Fentran?' Clay replied not believing they had found him guilty so easily.
'No. The first time I met Fentran, there was an Agent with him that seemed to remain by his side all the time Fentran was there…but I don't recall his name…'
'Do you remember when Agent Fentran started work?' Agent Clay asked going over to the Forensics lab database.
'January,' Abe and Belle replied in unison, it being shortly after their first kiss, both seeing the scene in each others minds making them blush lightly, though their attention was regained as Clay called them over.
'Well I've run it through the system and if Abe's correct, could it be this Agent?' he asked showing them a picture that matched the face of the shooter exactly…though the photo looked less fearful than the way they had seen him in the room with Manning that night.
'That's him…' Abe remarked,
'It's an Agent Johnson and guessed who he's worked with before starting at the FBI…'
'Agent Fentran,' Belle concluded
'Right, he started at the same time strangely enough after Agent Fentran was taken on, via a transfer, though nothing here links him to any other part of the FBI I've heard of.'
'You mean its non existent…' Belle remarked wondering how he could slip through so easily.
'Not necessarily. The BPRD is a very secretive area of the FBI; only certain agents qualify to work under that title considering who we're working with. The utmost secrecy is required; sometimes even our families didn't know what we were doing at work. Let alone who we were working with. But my point is; he doesn't have anything like what I've seen on any agent's record for working with the BPRD.'
'I remember him from when Fentran first came to our home. But I haven't seen him since as far as I'm aware,' Belle remarked. Looking at the picture again with shock setting in at seeing someone who could attempt something so deadly, the three exchanged glances as their locators began to flash red…
So they've discovered who shot Manning, but just where is the Agent in question? An interesting few chapters yet to come....
The romance really can't evade these chapters, but I think that Hellboy and Liz certainly had a sweet love scene in this chapter alike Belle and Abe which so many do seem to love :) I hope you all enjoyed it, and the scene between Hellboy and Belle...
For those also interested, the Forensic lab mentioned is actually the real forensic lab within Connecticut, for those who were wondering...
I shall update soon and Goodnight :)
~x-xMasqueradeAngelx-x
