Chapter 4: Once done, it cannot be undone

Abraham landed hard but tucked and rolled; recovering quickly due to his enhanced anatomy and swift healing capabilities. Anahita had not been as lucky, she fell to the ground unconscious and laid still; her breathing the only sign that she was indeed alive after a fall from more than 100 feet in the air. Professor Broom ran to his Daughters side with Hellboy following close on his heels. Liz and Myers came towards Abe cautiously, exchanging looks of concern and trepidation. Just as Abe was about to ask them what was wrong, he was distracted by a soft glow illuminating the complex markings on his skin and he winced as he felt very aware of an aching need to be nearer to the young woman laying prone on the ground. What the Hell was wrong with him? He felt the vibration of a metaphysical shift around them as a connection that he could not describe formed between Anahita and himself. He gasped as he sensed her emotions and thoughts so strongly that it was as if they were his own. He sensed her confusion and physical pain from her fall; her grief from the death of her Mother and Aunts, her grief for the death of her entire tribe.

"Abe, what is it?" Liz asked, swallowing nervously as she put out a hand to touch his shoulder. Abe stepped around her and went to kneel at Anahita's side; becoming aware of her unconscious need for him to be closer to her as well, mirroring his own need to be with her. Professor Broom was tending to a large gash on her head that bled profusely, but Abe somehow knew that he could help her far more efficiently. He hesitantly reached out his hand and touched the wound, causing his skin to glow even brighter at the contact between them as the wound healed instantly and even the blood that had begun to soak the sand below her disappeared completely. The blue light seemed to stretch between them for a moment, blinding the others around them as a strong wind whipped around them all. As suddenly as the light appeared, it vanished as Anahita gasped awake; meeting Abe's eyes. She made to rise to a sitting position, but she fell back; losing consciousness once more. To the astonishment of his friends, Abe had no hesitation as he scooped her up, cradling her in his arms as he headed back towards the truck.

"We have to get her home quickly," He said to them over his shoulder, boarding the truck with his precious cargo.

"What the hell is happening?" Hellboy asked Professor Broom, who seemed extremely shaken but also wore a smile on his face.

"I will explain, but not here. Abraham is right; we have to get her away from here."

The ride in the truck back to the landing strip was tense as Abe still held Anahita close to him protectively. Hellboy frowned in silence, at a cross roads with his emotions; on the one hand he was angry about Abe holding his would-be Sister so closely and on the other, he trusted Abe like a Brother. He and Abe had been through hell and back-LITERALLY- and Abe had proven over the decades of their friendship that he was brave, skilled, reliable, intelligent, kind, and loyal. All qualities that Hellboy would hope that his Sisters future love interest would embody; because he had an inkling suspicion that that's what was happening here between the two of them, he just didn't understand how it had happened. Once they arrived at the landing strip, Abe took Anahita and boarded the plane, strapping her onto a stretcher as Professor Broom attached a heart monitor and a blood pressure cuff to gauge her vital signs; though he had a sneaking suspicion that she was fine.

"Professor, you seem to understand what's happening here? Between Anahita and I?" Abe asked hesitantly, unsure if Professor Broom was angry with him over this strange situation or not.

"Yeah, you feel up to sharing Dad?" Hellboy asked quietly.

Professor Broom looked between Abe and Hellboy as though sizing the two of them up properly, then he shrugged and took a seat near the stretcher Anahita lay in, motioning for Abe and his Son to do the same.

"There was a reason that Kushala and I knew we were supposed to be together all those years before; just as there is a reason that I knew that she had died today before I received the distress call from Anahita. For Anahita and her people, there is a tradition of sorts for certain members of the tribe. For some; finding a husband or wife is no more complicated than it is for most, for others; the universe has other plans. Apache adolescents go through a coming of age ceremony as I had mentioned before. Part of that ceremony for some is finding out from their deity Ussen if he has chosen a predestined soulmate for them. Kushala had been told that Ussen had chosen a mate for her and that he would show her who this person was in dreams for three consecutive moons prior to our meeting. Kushala and I had been both overjoyed and filled with trepidation when Anahita had told us after her coming of age ceremony years ago that Ussen had given the same message to her. Anahita called me three months ago to tell me that Ussen had sent her the dreams, but that she did not want to divulge who the person was until she was sure that they would meet. Little did I know that I would bring you to her Abraham," The Professor said with a fond smile. Abe's jaw dropped, and he shook his head, completely flabbergasted and speechless.

"But, I-I can't be- how?" He finally managed to gasp, his gills fluttering in agitation.

"Ussen has chosen and we must respect that. There is divine reasoning for the two of you to be together, and you and I are luckier than most. Most people must go on a blind quest for a lover and companion; while ours is practically handed to us and us to them. I know this is quite shocking, but I assure you that everything will be fine." The Professor assured Abraham, knowing how sensitive the Ichthyo Sapiens was and how trying this situation had been to him over 23 years prior.

"So now they have to get hitched?" Hellboy asked, not looking so happy with the entire situation.

"A conventional marriage ceremony at this point would be merely for the benefit of friends and family; the supernatural lightning, thunder, and wind was a sign of Ussen joining the two of you. The nature of each bonding by Ussen is unique to each couple and no two couples are ever bonded the same. We shall have to wait and see as you spend time together what develops; and Hellboy, I expect you to be supportive of your Sister and Abraham. After all, he is your Brother in law now and the two of you have always gotten on well before now. At least Anahita was not bonded to a complete stranger the way I was to Kushala." Hellboy deflated at Professor Brooms words and Abe winced slightly as a feeling of fear that did not belong to him clenched at his chest.

"She's afraid…. I can feel her emotions. I don't think she realizes that she's safe." Abe said, hesitantly touching his hand to hers. Hellboy rose from his seat and exited the small cabin they were gathered in to go to the main cabin where Liz and Myers were to give them some privacy. He would mull this over once they were back at the BPRD, there was too much to think about and they were at too high an altitude for him to sort his feelings right now.

Anahita shifted unconsciously closer to Abe, her head tossing on the pillow uncomfortably as her features constricted almost painfully.

"I think that I need to give the two of you some space now that I know Anahita is stable," Professor Broom said, rising to join the others in the adjacent cabin.

"But Professor, I have no idea-

"She seems uncomfortable when you aren't holding her close to you; I would start there as a way to comfort her while you figure out how the bond has effected the both of you. She needs to know that you're close by. If Anahita's experience is anything akin to her Mother's she will be unconscious for another couple of hours, so she will awaken once we are back at the BPRD. If it's any small consolation, she does share many of your own interests and is a fiercely intelligent young woman," He said as Abe carefully cradled her in his arms again, watching almost mystified as she curled into his embrace once more and lay still and peaceful.

"What if she hates me? I mean, look at me." Abe sighed as he stared down at her, taking in her long black hair, tan complexion, high cheekbones, and full lips.

"Don't be absurd! Anahita loves her Brother more than anything, she is quite accustomed to beings that look different than she does. She was very excited when she called me to tell me that Ussen had sent her the dream of you three months ago, I would hardly consider that disgust at the way that your looks differ from hers. My Daughter is very different from other humans you may encounter. Just remember; she herself is special and extraordinary with her plethora of abilities. She has gone through much of her life so feared and revered by her tribe that she felt out of place in their presence at times as well." Professor Broom told him reassuringly, exiting the cabin and leaving Abe to his own thoughts as he held his Mate in his arms.