Part II: My baby left me!

Chapter: Drinks with little umbrellas in them

"Over my dead body!" were Margot's first words after hearing what Kat had to say.

They were walking away from 'À la mort subite', their drinks left unfinished, and the cute guys on the next table, left open mouthed wondering where their dates-to-be had vanished.

"Come on, I've been here for you for the whole summer. Now it's time for you to be there for me." Kat reasoned.

"But does 'there' really have to be, I mean physically there, in BPRD? I'd rather be 'there for you' here."

"That was a weird sentence."

Margot gave a frustrated sigh. "You know what I mean."

"I know. But It's time for me to go home, Margot. It's been two months."

They walked silently for awhile. The sun had set, and darkness had fallen to the city, but it was a familiar, unthreatening darkness that was softened by the warmth of the sidewalks, and the inviting lights of numerous restaurants and shop windows. They walked past pubs and bars, waffle booths, chocolate shops, and market squares that were still at this hour packed with tourists, performers, and local teenagers enjoying the cool night breeze after the sweaty afternoon.

Margot loved this city. She'd lived here most of her life, it was her home.

But it wasn't Kat's.

"Agh. Alright. I know you want to go home." Margot finally replied, when they'd reached the peace and quiet of Parc du Bruxelles. The busy streets were left behind, though the sounds of nightlife were still present, even amongst the trees and the fountains. "And I know that you miss him, even if you say you don't. I hear you calling his name in your sleep. I get it, alright. But Kat, do I really need to come too?"

"Yes, you do. There's no way I'm going to be able to face Red without your support."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really." Kat's voice was resolute. "I need you."

"But I swore I'd never go back to that Hell hole again."

"The Hell hole you're referring to, is my home." Kat stated, a bit pointedly. "Besides, Dr. Broom specifically asked for me to bring you. Apparently BPRD is a little short of special agents at the moment."

"Don't play the 'good soldier card'. I might have respect for Professor Broom, but it's not like I owe BPRD anything." Margot rolled her eyes. "But fine, have it your way. I'll come with you, but not for BPRD or Professor, but for you. On one condition.

"Yeah? And what's that?"

"Promise you won't make me talk to John. I need you on my side on this one."

Kat held out her hand. "I promise."

"A friends wow?" Margot looked her deep in the eye.

"A sister's oath."

And they shook on it, in the warm summer night of Brussels.

They took the first morning flight to US, and arrived at BPRD on the same day.

It was painful to be back, for both of the young women, but for different reasons. Kat, who had missed Hellboy more than she'd thought possible, had secretly hoped to meet her ex-lover as soon as possible. She had pictured this image in her mind - an image of Hellboy asking for forgiveness, begging for them to get back together. Yes, she had left him in anger, but now it was difficult to remember what had they actually argued about. Hellboy had wanted to break up with her, but the more she thought about it, the more clearly she began to understand that it wasn't because of the lack of love. It was because of insecurity, of fear, and of loving - not too little, but too much.

And she was all set to forgive him, if he only asked.

After all, she was too old to be alone, too tired to begin searching for love again, after already having found the one, her heart knew was the right one.

But Hellboy wasn't at BPRD. He'd gone on a mission, taking Myers with him - and of course the source of all evil, Beatrix Connelly.

This was something, that caused Margot both anxiety and relief. Relief for the fact, that she didn't have to meet Myers, but anxiety over the fact that he was with her.

You should've known.

Why do you care, anyways? There's nothing for you here anymore. Just get the job done, and go home.

To find out, what was the exact reason that they'd been called back, Kat sat down with Professor Broom, in a small office near the library - and Margot was left behind, only Abe as her companion.

The merman was in his water tank, he had been reading books through the glass, but as Kat and professor Broom left them, he raised his big, black eyes to Margot's face and gave her a small smile.

"Abraham." Margot said silently. "It's so good to see you again. The truth is, I missed you."

"As we missed you here. It is a pleasure to have you back - it hasn't been the same without you."

"How so?" Margot asked. "How has the summer been?"

"Is it summer?" the merman asked. "Couldn't have told."

"What, you don't have an outdoors pool here?" Margot asked with a slightly amused smile. "That's outrageous. If you'd like, I could convince Manning to build you one."

Abe gave a small laugh. "I don't think that would be wise. There might be something else you need to ask of him though, if I'm right."

"What do you mean?"

"A plane." Abe replied. "He doesn't like giving it to us."

"Why are we going to need a plane, exactly?"

"To go to Mexico."

"And why do I have the feeling that we're not going there for beaches and drinks with little umbrellas in them?" Margot replied with a dry tone, raising an eyebrow.

"Is it ever a beach and a drink with umbrellas in our job?" Abe asked. "Usually it is monsters, end of the world, and a near-death-experience. But as to why we're going to Mexico, I'm sure Kat'll tell you all you need to know after she's talked with Professor Broom."

Margot was silent for a while, her thoughts on the one thing she really didn't want to think. John, always John.

She had a bad feeling about Mexico, and why they were about to go there. If she'd have to witness Myers and Beatrix' summer heat first hand, she'd start ripping heads off.

"Hey Abe, can I ask you something?" she said after some time of silence.

"Anything."

"So… is John-" she hesitated for a few heartbeats. "He's with Beatrix now, right?"

"No, he isn't." Abe replied softly. "You're mistaken to think that."

"Really?" Margot's heart skipped a beat. "But I thought-"

What had she thought, exactly, on the nights she'd missed him so much, it was impossible to breath? When she'd felt his absence in every inch of her aching body, anguished and tortured by the knowledge that he'd never hold her near again.

On those nights she had tried to suppress her longing by drowning it under anger and hate, by imagining him with Connelly. She'd played the film in her mind, time after time, the images she had caught from John when kissing his lips. How he'd pushed Connelly's slim form against the wall, with force, kissed her, his hungry lips opening her mouth for his tongue to enter.

The memory of those images, was enough to bring a bitter taste to Margot's mouth, and to bring back the anger that she wrapped around her, like a protective shield. So what, if she'd have to meet Myers? She'd show him just how much she didn't care.

"I don't know what you thought." Abe's voice brought her back to the moment. "But they most certainly are not together. Whatever happened between those two, seemed to have caused for John to dislike her quite a lot. He's been very efficient in avoiding her these past months."

Oh. That's interesting.

No, it's not! Margot snapped to her inner voice. You don't care, remember?

"Except that they work together." she replied. "They're together on this mission in Mexico, right?"

"Well, yes." Abe said. "But I can tell, he wasn't happy about it."

Margot was silent for a few moments.

"Do you know why?" she asked then. "I thought he'd be happy to sleep with her, all summer, as soon as I'd be out of the way."

"I'm afraid that's something you'd have to ask him."

"I can't do that!" Margot exclaimed, "There's no way."

"Why not?"

"I…" Margot felt her cheeks blushing. "I just can't. I cannot face him, or talk to him. Not ever again, Abe."

The merman observed her silently for a few heartbeats, his huge black eyes fixed on her blushing cheeks.

"What are you so afraid of?" he asked then, silently.

"Don't get psychic with me, Abe." Margot warned.

"I'm sorry. But I sense fear in you. I was merely wondering what was the cause of that."

"The same as always." Margot shrugged. "Me."

"Ah, I see." Abe breathed.

But Margot didn't say what she really was afraid of. It wasn't losing her temper, lashing out with her powers, like she had last time in this place. It was the fact, that she didn't trust herself. If she had to face Myers, she'd lose herself in his eyes, and she'd fall.

And she had done enough falling for a lifetime. It was never worth it, for you always hit the ground, sooner or later, and it hurt like Hell.

"Well, if you are not going to hear him out, then let me tell you something you should probably know." Abe continued.

"What's that?" Margot asked, not meeting his eyes.

"That John's been miserable. He's practically roamed the halls weeping, Margot. I don't think he's gotten over you."

"Well, I'm certainly not over him. But what do you expect? Deep wounds heal slowly."

"I'm just saying, you are not the only one who's wounded."

"Yeah, I know." she admitted. "But it doesn't change anything. It doesn't change that he was the one to destroy what we had, and I am not prepared to forget it."

"If you say so." Abe replied.

That was something Margot really appreciated in Abe. He never pushed it, he was always graceful and dignified. To be honest, she had missed her little talks with him during the summer. But just as she was about to state that to Abe, the library's door opened and Kat stormed in holding a huge pile of paper, followed by a worried looking Professor Broom.

"Abe, I'm going to strangle you!" Kat exclaimed, throwing the papers to a table with a thud. "The case in Mexico is a fraud!"