In his Dreamscape, Abe opened his eyes and found that he now stood within the Temple, its beautiful rune pool glowing before him. Instead of being in the Ocean, as he realised when he turned around, the temple sat at the centre of an expansive city in what was likely a manifestation of Egypt. The patron stood before him, body covered in Obsidian carapace and swirled with Turquoise, physical and tangible now whereas she had been made from the runic pool he was accustomed to. In the light of the moon above, the carapace shone violet and green at different angles, akin to the feathers of a Raven.
Looking up, the violet orbs of the patron looked upon him approvingly as the great one bowed, beaked maw nearly touching the ground. Abe turned around, seeing many figures robed in white, black or any variations in between. All bowed before him, a sea of spirits, each one touched by him in some way. Not all were human, some were elves, trolls, goblins, and other species he could never hope to put names to in his lifetime. They all seemed to cheer and praise him for his help, for his actions in assisting Locke, though why he couldn't discern. He was about to ask when a gentle hand rested on his shoulder and he jumped, turning. Nuala, though even more pale than he remembered, were that possible, smiled at him, pulling back her cowl again.
"You saved him Abraham. We all owe you our gratitude." She bowed lightly, still smiling.
"But, he disappeared... I didn't see him come out, just that winged man..." Abe muttered sadly, looking aside, ashamed. Nuala's companion, another white robed figure stepped forward, removing his cowl as the patron chuckled deeply nearby.
"No Abe, that was Locke. Or who you've come to know as Locke." He said, smiling a bit. Abe took a moment to recognize him, as he did not fully understand how this afterlife worked. When one passed into this paradise watched over by the patron, they would be restored to their prime, unmarked by their past lives. Before him, stood Trevor Bruttenholm, as he was over 60 years ago.
"Professor! I knew... I hoped..." Abe exclaimed, then stopped, looking away.
"I'm glad you didn't tell him. Ask Locke to do it once things settle down, it will take some time for him to readjust. He hasn't been like this in over ten years." Trevor placed a hand on Abe's shoulder, smiling still. "I'm proud of you, and them. We'll keep in touch as best we can. Read my journal, I want my will acted on accordingly."
"Of course. Will I see you two again, here?"
"Not always, but we will try." Nuala replied, smiling happily and looking to the patron who nodded.
-You did well against the Avatar of Setesh. Had you and the others not distracted it, Locke would not have been able to retrieve them.- The patron purred in Abe's mind, no longer as oppressive or overpowering as before, but seemed quite happy and proud. Still being certain to keep her aura of power about her, yet showing Abe more kindness for his success, she continued, -You will understand more when he has a chance to fully explain. Go and rest, these two will always be available to you, I will make certain of this.-
"Thank you..." Abe said, looking to Trevor and Nuala once more. "For everything."
-Of course. Know you have my respect, child of Oannes, and you will find out your history, through Locke.- As Abe turned to ask the patron what she meant, and how, Abe was pushed out of sleep, his large eyes blinking a bit sleepily.
"Oh good, he's awake." Said Kate, looking up at Abe in his medical tank. Abe stretched carefully, watching as Locke, now in a black suit with a crimson undershirt and still shoeless, carefully tended Hellboy's left arm, which had been severely injured by Setesh but seemed nearly fully healed already.
"Hey Blue, how're you feeling?" He asked, wincing once as a bandage was reapplied. Locke smirked at him but continued with his work on Hellboy's arm carefully, acting almost as though he may harm Hellboy with his touch.
"Rested." Abe watched as Kate tapped the console and set the shutdown sequence on Abe's medical tank, Abe stepping out after a long moment, accepting a towel from Kate just as Locke finished tending Hellboy's arm.
"You're lucky you heal so quickly. Most of the tears in the muscles are already healed." Locke said, straightening up and patting Hellboy's other shoulder lightly.
"I'm lucky that way." He chuckled in reply, sitting up. "Liz still in critical?" He asked, concerned. Locke looked to him sadly, then turned and looked through the glass window in the wall that separated an adjacent room.
"Yes… I can't see much, but from what Aureiahnna can tell, part of the life force of one of the twins has been damaged..." Locke replied, still looking through the window. He seemed to see through Liz, concentrating on the small lives within her, frown obvious yet not as deep as Abe would have expected.
"Why can't you help?" Abe asked suddenly, startling Locke, who looked back over his shoulder, feathers fluffing up on his wings, long hair partially braided behind him to keep it off the ground. He seemed to blush for a moment, then sighed, smiling lightly yet obviously saddened.
"Trust me, I wish I could. My healing abilities are nearly nonexistent. Aureiahnna is in there doing what she can." Locke then turned back, watching through the window as the doctors tending to Liz ran out suddenly and closed the door, blue flame enveloping her for a moment before fading, Liz sitting up suddenly. Aureiahnna, being a Pheonix, was unphased by the heat, tilting her crested head curiously at Liz.
Locke tore from the main infirmary room and into that adjacent room, faster than any could track, Hellboy and Abe watching through the window as Locke fearlessly went over to her and was venomously glared at.
"Who are you?" she asked, not recognising him. Locke chuckled, looking to Aureiahnna who chirped and hopped over to his shoulder and nuzzled the side of his face. Her eyes widened, mouth slightly agape as her expression turned to shock.
"Yeah, I know. I have a lot to explain. Can I check on them first?" He smiled lightly, motioning to her presently exposed stomach. Liz suddenly felt embarrassed, as the doctors who had been here previously had removed her shirt to ensure they had access to her, her bra the only thing covering her upper half, her face slowly reddening as he stiffly moved a wing to block the view from the other windows and gently placed his left hand over her stomach. After a tense moment, she felt something inside her shift, and gasped lightly, blinking and looking to her stomach, faint runic circle appearing and disappearing from her skin.
"They're alright Liz." Locke smiled, stepping back and removing his suit coat and offering it to her, averting his gaze respectfully. Once she had wrapped his coat around herself he lowered his wings and helped her into the main infirmary with the others and to a chair, Aureiahnna still on his shoulder to remain with him. What they had thought to be little more than a broken arm, turned out to be a stress induced false-labor, Locke sadly apologizing for getting her involved in the battle with the Setesh guardian, falling silent to let them ask or inquire as they began to feel more comfortable.
They remained in silence for a while, Abe staring at Locke, vaguely recognizing him. Locke seemed more concerned for Liz, Hellboy moving to sit next to her, slight frown visible on his face. Kate smiled a bit, looking to Locke also who seemed to shrink away from Hellboy, his distrust of the apparent newcomer almost tangible.
"I think it best if we find somewhere comfortable to talk, don't you think?" Kate said to Locke, who jumped slightly and nodded solemnly.
"Of course, there's plenty I need to explain." He paused a moment, looking over each of his comrades, though most briefly on Abe, barely noticed blush appearing on his cheeks. "How about the Library? It's quiet, nearly no one goes in there, and the carpets are preferable to stone or concrete." He replied, looking to the others. He avoided eye contact with Abe, obviously ashamed for keeping anything from him.
"Sounds fine." Hellboy replied flatly, eyes still narrowed.
"Yeah, just let me get a new shirt..." Liz added, looking a bit embarrassed. Locke chuckled a bit, nodding.
"I'll meet everyone there, take your time, there's no rush now that I'm… Whole. Liz, don't worry about getting the coat back to me anytime soon, I know you'll take care of it." Locke smiled, watching Liz and Hellboy leave, visibly relaxing as the hostility from Hellboy had been sudden and unexpected. Kate left momentarily to change, still barely in her sleep attire. Locke crossed his arms, closing his eyes as he leaned against one of the examination tables, Aureiahnna flaring out a wing and preening a few feathers before resettling it and looking to Abe. Her piercing gemfire eyes trained and locked on his.
Abe shuddered, looking away after a moment, feeling suddenly frighteningly cold.
"Enough Aurei, he has every right to show his distrust and anger. I lied and withheld information that could have kept everyone safe." Locke addressed the Pheonix on his shoulder with a frown, earning a brief verbal hiss from her, and likely a mental retort. "I understand your concern, and that is enough. Thank you, but please, once things are explained, everything will settle down and we can work on protecting the balance again. As we are meant to."
"And what makes you think that I'll turn things aside so easily? Why are your eyes Green now? They look… they look almost like those from that, monster…" Abe frowned, crossing his arms also, ignoring the brief look of shock on Locke's face, as though Abe's comment had struck him. He'd been lied to, nearly killed and assaulted by this man and his 'friends'. But something tickled the back of his mind, urging him to reconsider and listen before passing judgement.
Locke's expression saddened, his green eyes -no longer glowing as they did before, much to Abe's wonder- training on him for a mere moment. He stood up straight, Abe noticing then that he stood easily seven feet tall, taller even than Hellboy, his wingtips lightly brushing the floor as he moved to turn away from him. Abe almost gaped, able to clearly see the ragged and still open wounds at the base of those wings, feathers and shirt closest to and around the wounds stained crimson.
"I was born with green eyes, my patron changed the colour to protect me." Locke sighed, wings and shoulders drooping as he uncrossed his arms. "You were wondering, what I meant when I said Nuala wasn't the only one caring for you?" He turned again, his honesty and sadness a near tangible mass that seemed to overwhelm and envelop him. It unsettled Abe, worrying him and giving him the feeling that he had done some irreparable damage to Locke.
"I care for you Abraham. It's hard to explain. Even I don't fully understand it myself, but..." He stopped, looking at the ground at his feet, defeated. "I doubt it matters... After all I did to you."
Abe was about to speak, moving to get closer to and, oddly enough, comfort Locke. The tall man shrank away, turning and stepping into the hall, appearing almost ashamed. Abe, having paused with one hand raised and extended to touch him, slowly lowered his arm, concern and confusion on his barely readable face, the owl-like Phoenix glaring daggers at Abe from her master's shoulder. Locke looked at him briefly before continuing on down the hall, heading for his rooms.
Abe watched him a moment as he disappeared down the corridor, then clenched a fist and punched the nearest wall. He ignored and at once welcomed the pain, scales tearing and scraping together in such a way to draw blood. Blue smears left upon the concrete once he pulled it back, looking at it emotionlessly.
What was he doing? Pushing away everyone and everything he could possibly care for. First the Professor, then Liz chose Hellboy and they moved in together to further rub it in his face, although they would likely never know. Then came Nuala, a kindred spirit in the dark, and she was stolen from him and her spirit reached out to him through this near-stranger's patron goddess. Almost a cosmic joke, everything he cherished could be taken away in an instant, and much of it had.
He shook, not from cold or weakness, but from deep, soul aching sadness. No tears came, nor any sobs. His depression turned to anger and self-loathing and he turned, about to grasp the nearest, sharpest object he could find and pierce his heart with it.
His hand closed around a scalpel, and another hand closed around his. Abe's head snapped up, looking Locke in the face. He straightened up, Locke's hand still around his and his hand clutching the scalpel, startled and shocked that Locke had so suddenly returned and without alerting him. Locke pulled Abe's hand up, pressing the tip of the blade against the darkened bronze skin of his throat.
"If you want to harm anyone, harm me. I caused this, I should be suffering, not you." He choked, allowing Abe into his mind for a moment, showing him how he saw events. He selfishly ran from the battle to save himself, leaving Hellboy to be severely injured, Liz and the twins in the path of danger, Kate flailing, unknowing on what to do, and Abe alone against a force that could tear him apart whilst keeping him alive to relish every scream.
Abe shuddered, pulling away and dropping the scalpel, flailing and falling against another table, blue eyes wide. Never had another so openly shared memories with him, the weight of the emotional and personal feelings at first overwhelming and sudden, turning to a nearly heartbroken concern for the strange tall man.
Locke's wings quivered a bit, moving his arms to wrap them around himself, looking away. Aureiahnna was nowhere to be seen, which was all the better, as Abe understood more now.
The beautiful Phoenix had been a gift from the patron, to keep Locke safe and keep him from harming himself. Something dreadful had happened in his past, something that he would explain soon, and that lead him to bouts of depression so deep that he'd do anything to keep from feeling numb.
Abe straightened up, gathering himself again and quickly crossing the room to look Locke in the eye. Locke turned away, jumping slightly when Abe took hold of his face with a tenderness he hadn't felt since he was a child, blinking in confusion.
"I'm sorry... I want to know everything, from the beginning."