Title - Will You Be Home For Christmas?

Author - LostMarbles

Pairing - FFA #545 Buffy/Hellboy

Disclaimer - Third verse same as the first. Buffy - Joss Whedon & Mutant Enemy.

Hellyboy - Dark Horse Entertainment & Revolution Studios?

A.N - This story is set before the Hellboy movie. And I'd say this is Buffy sometime after season 5 or 7. Also much of Buffy's & Hellboy's canon has been screwed with. You'll see what I mean.

BtVSHB

On a large stone gargoyle a dark figure was crouched. Nearly indistinct from the statue except for the bright red skin tone, the demon protector known as Hellboy was staring at the building across the street, the sign above the gate - Bellamie Hospital.

He was vigilantly watching the building in the hopes of catching a glimpse of his friend and crush Liz Sherman, when a voice from behind him, suddenly breaks the silence. "Ya know this could be considered stalking don't 'cha?"

"I just wanna make sure she's all right." Hellboy answers without looking behind him.

"Practising self delusion now?" The voice comes closer to him and a tiny blonde woman, known as Buffy, plops herself down next to Hellboy. She looks at him kindly, "I know you want her to come home, but if you try to influence her, she's just gonna pull farther a way."

"I know." He tells her frustrated. He then stands and begins to pace the length of the roof as Buffy watches in sympathy. "I just. . . I gotta try. Maybe if she knows how much we miss her she'll come back." He tells her hopefully.

"How much we miss her? Or how much you miss her?" Buffy asks him.

He looks over at her sheepishly. "That obvious?"

Buffy snorts and looks at him slightly insulted. "Please. I've known you since you were what? This big?" She holds her hands out in front of her, less than a foot apart. "And the very first time I ever saw your eyes light up like Christmas lights was when I brought her to the Bureau. So yeah it's that obvious."

Hellboy looks a way and grumbles ineligibly in embarrassment. After a moment he turns back to Buffy and asks. "Does anyone else know?"

Buffy taps her chin as she thinks about it. "Hmm? Let me think, your dad probably knows. Abe definitely knows - can't hide squat from a telepath. Manning's a dick so you probably don't have to worry 'bout that front, if it helps."

"Yeah that helps a bunch Buff." He tells her sarcastically, rolling his eyes at the blonde.

Buffy sits up straight and places her hands on her hips telling him loftily. "Don't you sass me young man."

Hellboy smiles softly, his eyes returning to the hospital longingly. "I should leave her alone?" he tells her half asking, half begging her to tell him otherwise.

Buffy smiles at him gently, her heart aching for the big red demon before her. Wanting desperately to give him what he wants, but being unable to, she nods. "Yeah big guy. There's nothing you can do right now, it's Liz's turn to make a move now."

Hellboy sighs deeply, his large shoulders sagging in disappointment. Still watching the hospital he tells Buffy. "We should head back home." He turns a way from the hospital slowly in the hopes that maybe prolonging the moment he leaves will make Liz suddenly appear, ready to go home with him.

Buffy approaches him silently and gently takes his stone hand in hers. "Come on big guy. I happen to know that there's a Christmas gift under the tree for you."

"Oh yeah? What is it?" He asks as they slowly make their way off of the roof and back to the B.P.R.D base.

"Like I'm gonna spoil the surprise." She tells him.

"Come on. I've had a very depressing day. I need a pick me up." He tells her.

"No. And quit asking. I didn't tell you last year or the year before that or the year before that. Take a hint from years before." She tells him exasperated.

"Is there any mistletoe back home?" He asks with a sly grin on his face.

"Maybe." She tells him knowingly.

"Think I could get a kiss under it?" He asks, his grin widening.

"Instead of your present?" She asks teasingly.

"As well as."

She pretends to think about it. "I think I could manage that."

Hellboy nods appreciatively. "I used to have the biggest crush on you, you know?"

"I know."

He looks at her curiously. "If I had said something back then. Do you think you and I coulda. . .?"

"No." She tells him, without missing a beat.

He looks down, slightly disappointed. "Oh. Cause of the demon thing." He says softly.

"No, not cause of the demon thing. Give me and yourself a little more credit will ya?" She tells him smacking his arm lightly. She sighs deeply and continues. "You were what fifteen, sixteen and I was already well into the triple digits."

"You don't look a day over twenty." He tells her flirtatiously.

"And I never will." She tells him with a sad smile.

They continue the walk back to B.P.R.D in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

Neither notice the single hospital window, glowing a brilliant blue. Liz Sherman sits by her window holding a blue flame in the palm of her hand as she watches the two dark figures on the roof across from her. She extinguishes the flame as the figures disappear from sight. As the last embers fade and her room grows dark she murmurs, "Merry Christmas HB."

BtVSHB

As always Read & Review Please

A.N - Well that's another FFA done. Hope you enjoyed it. I apologize if I've written the Hellboy characters off, but I've only seen the movie once and I haven't read any of the comics. Although I do think this one's a hell of a lot better than the last chapter. Seriously if I didn't think it'd mess up the count I'd erase it, that's what I get for sending out a story in the middle of the night. Ah well, live and learn.

!!!Happy Holidays!!!

LostMarbles