Hello everyone, just as a starter I do appreciate and apologise that I have not updated for the past two weeks or so. But things have been incredibly hectic and stressful for me which has also resulted in me feeling exhausted and ill. It has also affected my inspiration for writing unfortunately, and I will make no secret of the fact I doubt this chapter really lives up to my usual standard. But I've done my best as I'm getting things back to normal.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter, please review and again I honestly apologise for the delay…

Waking up late the next morning to a rough awakening, Hellboy turned over to make out his girlfriend stood beside the bed, the room still being engulfed in darkness telling him it was early…

'What's up babe?' he began tiredly, wondering if she was in pain when he was able to just about make out the expression of intense frustration upon her features. 'The babies kicking again…?'

'No, actually, the FBI are upstairs after hammering on the door and ringing the phone…so can you go and get rid of them please before I do it myself?' she asked in exasperation, Hellboy sitting up enough to pull her into his lap as he soothed her a little, knowing the stress she felt.

'It's okay babe, don't let them get to you,' he remarked, Liz resting her head against his chest, 'I'll sort those asses out, you go back to bed and if we gotta go anywhere Belle's not being dragged out either, so you can both stay here.'

'Why are you so calm all of a sudden, normally you'd be the first one to get up there and try to knock someone out?' Liz asked with a weak smile.

'Ah, I just think if me doing the job saves you being stressed, kinda makes it worth it…besides…that's how I met you…by doin' this job, so I guess I gotta be thankful for it somehow,' he grinned kissing her on the forehead.

'I love you,' she smiled, Hellboy grinning at her,

'Glad I have that effect on someone,' he smirked, Liz patting his chest playfully as she leant up and kissed him.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~

Though in true fashion, before doing anything else, and with no intention of going alone, Hellboy walked right past the FBI in the hallway, opening the front door as he looked at them expectantly…

'Out,' he said simply.

'Hellboy we have direct orders to see that you and the others are present for a mission that Johann wishes for you to attend to, on the permission of Agent Manning…'

'I don't care what the hell your orders are, either you get outta my house and wait outside, or I'll play a little game where I see how far I can kick your sorry asses into the grounds,' he offered plainly. Though with his expression being perfectly serious, the Agents quickly did as asked, Hellboy slamming the door in one of their faces as they turned round to speak in the doorway…

'Right…now to get Abe,' he mused thoughtfully, grabbing his coat and looking down to see a tortoise-shell cat at his feet, meowing softly as Hellboy reached down to scoop up the cat. 'Ya know, I really gotta start training you guys to use Manning as a scratch post,' he smirked, tickling the cats tummy as it purred contently.

Though going into Abe's room, Hellboy knocked loudly on the glass surface of his best friend's tank, watching the merman awaken and glance to him with a tired expression.

'Hmm? Red…?'

'No it's the tooth fairy…course it's me. Get up, we gotta problem,'

'What is it? It's not Belle is it?'

'No, though if ya don't consider some huge monster tearing up half of Seattle a problem, then I'll probably just head back to bed,' he remarked plainly… 'isn't even me causing the trouble for once,' he added with a grin.

'Is Manning upstairs?'

'Haven't seen him, but he ain't comin' with us. Its Johann apparently that sent for us, so according to Manning he'll probably be in charge,' Hellboy returned, Abe rising to the surface with a shudder coursing through his body at the atmosphere's cold temperature.

'So you have told them that you only intend for the two of us to go?' Abe questioned thoughtfully, the demon scowling at him as he looked up.

'What did I tell ya about reading my mind?'

'There is little need, I suppose,' Abe mused, pulling himself out of the tank with ease, his muscles flexing as he straightened up and went to ready himself for their newest mission. 'You're easy enough without psychic abilities…'

'Alright ya wanna drop the sarcasm?' Hellboy suggested, 'otherwise I'll make sure your rotten eggs don't make it to this room,' he remarked, Abe smiling wryly at the comment as he finally nodded.

'So is there a flight scheduled this morning?' Abe asked,

'Yeah, deal is we go so Liz and Belle can stay here, that and I got Manning to agree to give me one favour if I do this,' Hellboy smirked.

'Ah, looks like this may be quite interesting then,' Abe remarked, pulling on a jacket as he descended the stairs.

'Yeah, just you and me like the good old days, eh Brother Blue?' Hellboy grinned, his golden eyes showing mischief there as Abe shook his head with a light smile as he agreed.

'How do we get talked into these things,' he sighed.

'Ah the things ya do for women Blue, the things ya do for women…' he replied lightly, Abe smiling slightly as they went outside into the cold morning to be greeted by a soft blanket of snow that coated the ground.

With the hollow crunch of it breaking beneath following as Hellboy and Abe walked to the car that awaited them, they realised that something was missing. No truck was stood in the drive.

'What's this? The VIP treatment?' Hellboy questioned with a raised brow as he glanced over the Samaritan.

'It was at the request of Agent Johann Krauss sir. As he is officially heading this mission, he requested that you be treated as he orders…' an Agent answered formally, his hair being jet black with dark eyes and a youthful complexion. Though with it came the highly tuned attitude Hellboy and Abe had seen on many occasions before.

'Ya see? Always knew I liked Johann,' Hellboy remarked to Abe before turning back to the Agent whilst Abe muttered a little incoherently to himself. 'By the way kid, you're new ain't ya?'

'That is correct sir,' he nodded, unable to help but glance up to Hellboy's shaved devil like appendage.

'Yeah about that…cut the whole "sir" crap and call me HB or Red or Hellboy, anythin' ya want, but I don't do formal…got it kid?' he commented, Abe chuckling a little at the thought of the "big monkey" ever being referred to as "sir".

Though as they got into the car provided, Abe couldn't help but think about the previous night with Belle, something that had also begun to play on the girls mind into that morning…

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~

Waking up later with an empty space beside her that morning, Liz felt a sense of wanting her partner by her side, Liz guessing it was partly due to the pregnancy that made her long for him. Looking down at her bump as she sat up uneasily, Liz had found she was getting rounder, her stomach being firm, though she still managed to cover her bump relatively well.

She had seen however, a change in Red since learning of her pregnancy. The way he took care of her and the almost hesitant touch he had when feeling their babies' first kick had made her smile. Her big, strong man was going to be a Father…the thought making her smile. Though she couldn't help but wonder if parenthood would really change them…

Meanwhile, at this time, Belle had also awoken her mind and heart racing from the night before as she considered everything. Though it had been in the aftermath of what happened at the show that Belle began to question what was right not only for her, but for the safety of those around her…

Any of the performers could have been hurt…and Dale…if he hadn't have gotten them far away enough…he could have received the full impact. It was too awful for her to even consider…Though as she looked out into the morning's winter sunlight that shone over the glittering baubles that adorned her Christmas tree and the decorations that hung around her room, her doubts faded for a little while with the first glimpse of white that dusted her window ledge…snow.

Getting up and putting on a velvet, hooded dressing gown, Belle went out into the gardens on that luscious morning to see the soft snow that had covered the gardens and miles around them.

'Pretty isn't it?' Liz's voice spoke behind her,

'Yes,' Belle smiled, 'I didn't realise anyone was awake so early…'

'Yeah. I didn't sleep very well after Red left,' she returned looking out over the large snow covered scene before them.

'Left?' Belle repeated uncertainly, 'where?'

'The FBI called this morning…they wanted us for a mission though HB said he'd go alone with Abe…just so that we wouldn't have to.'

'That was sweet of them…' Belle mused, thinking about Abe, though Liz noticed how her expression changed.

'Thinking about last night?' she questioned.

'You could say that…' Belle sighed, 'I just worry…there were so many people there last night…and that beam falling wasn't an accident. I know that. Someone is trying to hurt me or worse and I don't know why…but I just wonder how long I can continue to put other people in danger when they don't deserve to be. It's me that's wanted…so why should anybody else get hurt?' she questioned openly, looking to Liz with despondence in her usually bright eyes.

'Never think you're to blame for something you can't control…' she remarked, 'I've done it…I did it to myself for years and it causes nothing but problems…'

'I'm just scared someone I love will get hurt at my expense…' Belle returned, 'I can't let that happen…'

'…and you think were really all just going to standby and watch you take the hit of something you haven't done. Whatever has caused this isn't your fault, but you say you don't want other people to be hurt…how do you think everyone would feel, if something happened to you and nobody even tried to stop it? It would cause pain because we don't want to see any harm come to you…and Red and Abe would go to any length to see you're safe. But that's not because it's our "duty" or anything like that. We don't work for the FBI…we're not classed as Agents anymore, though Manning likes to think that…' she said rolling her eyes, making Belle laugh as she continued.

'But seriously, don't you ever wonder why we do this?'

'All the time,' Belle admitted with a weak smile,

'Because you're so…innocent…you just don't deserve what's happening to you, and more than that, you've become a good friend to us…your like us in a way…well more like Abe than me or Red, but HB's really taken to you…and you're a good friend to me,' she remarked, Belle feeling herself becoming more emotional. Though in her heart, she knew what she needed to do…

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~

Arriving in a private location after travelling by helicopter to Seattle, Hellboy and Abe were greeted by two Agents who took them inside for a briefing with Johann.

'Good afternoon Agent Hellboy, Agent Sapien…we have been waiting for you,' one of them said, shaking their hands.

'Agent Reg, senior agent to the bureau,' Abe remarked, the Agent looking at him with some confusion.

'Yeah he does that a lot,' Hellboy remarked, 'ya get used to it,' he added, Abe apologising quickly as they were then taken into the building after a few security checks at the door…Though Hellboy and Abe had to admit, wearing some of their old bureau accessories such as the BPRD belt felt strange…though as it was necessary, they had agreed to it, Abe somehow feeling it didn't seem right…

The building that they were taken into was filled with labs and various testing facilities, Abe looking in curiously at some of the chemistry work that was being carried out.

'So this is Seattle's bureau?' Hellboy asked conversationally,

'Not necessarily, we have agents working in here, but our main bureau is located just outside of Seattle…we are only using this building now because the destruction is being caused close by, so it makes it easier for observational purposes and strategy planning.'

'Yeah I don't really do strategy, the Samaritan usually does all the talking,' Hellboy remarked, lifting his gun in example.

'Agent Krauss did inform us of that,' they both nodded, one looking to Hellboy as he dared to question,

'Isn't it true that you were responsible for killing that huge green monster attacking the city a few months ago alone?'

'Yeah,' Hellboy nodded, about to go into elaborate detail about it when a strong German accent spoke up from an Agent before them.

'Zat vill be all, thank you gentlemen for escorting Hellboy and Abraham to me, you are dismissed…'

'Yes sir, Agent Krauss.'

'So how'd ya get them that well trained?' Hellboy smirked when they were left alone, the ectoplasmic form bowing its head slightly in the containment suit.

'Years of working my way up in ze bureau and gaining ze relevant respect…'

'So in other words, in a way that wouldn't be worth my time?' Hellboy replied,

'Precisely Hellboy, though I am glad zat you vere able to make it here so promptly, zis entity has been quite an issue.'

'What entity isn't?' Hellboy remarked, the three of them walking into a meeting room which was occupied by a number of Agents.

'Please, take your seats Hellboy, Abraham and ve vill begin zis briefing,' Johann remarked, the two doing as asked, Abe listening intently as the situation was explained to them.

'A few weeks ago, ve had detected a life-form zat seemed to be causing some disruption in underground Seattle, vith vorkers reported missing, and other mysterious occurrences I had certain Agents go undercover and do a lot of work in the city area. Since zen, two Agents have disappeared, though we have gained some photographs of ze creature, albeit slightly blurred. So if you vould all please take note of ze board,' Johann requested, the Agents with Hellboy and Abe looking past him to see a picture of a gruesome creature that appeared to be covered in a brown slime, it's features undistinguished, though by the size of the Agent beneath it, it became clear they were dealing with something big.

'So remind me how the hell people haven't seen this thing?'

'They have Hellboy, zat is ze problem…ven ve vere first alerted of zis problem, it vas small, but as you can see it has grown.'

'Do we know what it feeds on?' Abe questioned, Johann looking to the merman and exhaling slightly,

'So far…everything it chooses…'

'It's an omnivore?'

'Currently…zat is correct ja, though ze main problem is, how do ve stop it? Zis creature has been capable of pulling down buildings with its increase in size, and it is vital ve stop it before it gets too much media attention…'

'Well, question is what ya want? I got plenty of guns that'll take this creep out,' Hellboy remarked plainly when a female Agent spoke up.

'It may not be zat simple Hellboy,'

'It never is,' Abe sighed, flicking through a book he had brought with him, Hellboy glancing over, though dismissing it as normal behaviour from the merman, he then turned back to Johann.

'So what do you want us to do?'

'I vould like to send my Agent's into two teams, vith both you and Abe leading each into Seattle in order to corner ze creature, zen ve must act quickly to subdue it.'

'Do we know its weaknesses?' Abe asked inquisitively,

'Vell, it may sound a little…odd. But it seems to dislike vater…'

'Water? So we give it a bath and it'll just weaken?'

'Vell zat iz ze theory from tests ve have made…'

'Great…it's the Wizard of Oz all over again,' Hellboy remarked rolling his eyes, though as they concluded the meeting and went to suit up for the impending mission, Abe couldn't ignore thoughts at the back of his mind that made him wonder if they had been right to leave Belle and Liz alone…

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~

'You should come in,' Belle said with a smile.

'I don't wanna intrude,' Liz began, Belle shaking her head…Liz had decided following Belle's concerns that it would be nice for her to visit home for the day, though she hadn't bargained on Belle wanting her to meet her parents…

'Don't be ridiculous, they'll want to meet you, after all you, Red and Abe do more for me than anyone at the FBI they've met. Please come inside,' Belle requested, Liz unable to ignore her gaze as she finally agreed.

'Okay, just for-' she began when the right side of the car suddenly crushed at the hand of a large tree branch falling down, Belle flying back onto the stone ground as Liz got out of the car, her parents running outside to see them both when looking around they saw a figure perched upon the tree that had just snapped, smirking proudly. With a black pixie cut hairstyle, the girl was fairly petite, her eyes golden in colour with her features sharp and almost cat-like as she overlooked them. Her attire was all black, with a torn loose shirt adorning her thin figure and a short leather skirt, she was barefoot as she perched herself lightly, making no attempt to move.

'Who are you?' Liz questioned,

'My name is of no importance to you...Elizabeth Sherman,' she remarked calmly,

'How do you know my name?'

'My master knows everything about you,' she grinned lightly, a smile coming to her deeply rouged lips. 'Though what interests me is not you, but the girl with you, she has been of interest to my master for some time now…'

'Yeah well, I don't know about your "master" but what I do know is, you're not going to move any farther,' Liz remarked removing her gun from its holster as she raised it towards the women.

'You seem rather helpless without your man,' she remarked with some cruel humour in her tone, Liz looking at her with an acidic expression as she turned to Belle. 'But it would seem that the interesting one is you, though I wonder…you have evaded me so far and you broke my master's curse on that damn werewolf,'

'So you have been responsible for all these so called "accidents"' Belle remarked, frowning as she realised they had FBI agents approaching them that had been on watch of the Lucivia household.

'Hmm, so you were quick to guess, though as I said you have so far proved evasive, though I think it's time to let you know who you are dealing with, but first let us see just how strong you are…' she mused, raising a hand and uttering an enchantment as a dark shroud of mist enclosed her hand.

"Din intuneric la lumina, din adancul iadului ... da-mi puterea de a controla pamanturile naturale cultivate elemente la dispozitia mea!" she breathed darkly. With her eyes shining bright as she glanced between the two, her hand shot out as did another branch, it being limb at her command.

'Belle!' Glenna screamed, the Agents running forward to protect her. Though as Belle pushed Liz aside, she was seized, the strong bark wrapping around her slender form and crushing her, Belle feeling her breathing hitch as she found it hard to catch it...

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~

'Abe? What's up?' Hellboy questioned, seeing how his best friend had stopped dead, putting a hand to the side of his temple as he frowned in deep concern.

'Abraham?' Johann also remarked, taking in the merman's expression.

'Something's wrong…very wrong…I can feel it…something's happening…' he remarked looking up at Hellboy as the same thoughts ran through their minds.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~

'Such a weak body, but as it stands I have orders not to kill you…' the woman said with some distaste in her tone, the Agent's shooting at her, though with a raise of a hand they seemed to pause in mid-air and drop before her. 'Such pitiful weaponry,' she commented, commanding other loose branches of the willow tree nearby to grab them as well, when flames suddenly engulfed the base of the tree that held Belle. As it set alight, Liz was shown to be engulfed in flames, fury in her eyes as she raised her own hand in challenge to this dark woman.

'Drop her,' she remarked darkly, Belle parent's watching on as the fire rose, though the figure upon it refused to move. Though with the weakening of the branches, it seemed enough to break the hold, the branch snapping and with it the hold it as Belle was freed from her binds, the clairvoyant falling hard to the ground as she clutched her chest. Barely conscious as she lowered farther into the ground, she faintly heard her parent's calling her name, arms and hands touching her delicate skin as her eyes began to blacken out from the strength of the branches that had held her.

'So it is true that you have a temper, though I wonder, will you kill me like you have done your own in the past?' the woman taunted before looking once again to Belle and those around her. 'Take this warning that my master has sent, we will meet again…' she grinned, Belle trying to lift herself up in a futile effort as the woman cackled bitterly, a shroud of purple mist surrounding her body as she vanished from sight, the fire continuing to burn in the grounds as Liz also fell to her knees, the energy taken to summon such anger being too much in her condition. Though it was only as she spoke Belle's name that the clairvoyant finally lost consciousness…

Maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought…though for those wondering what language this new character spoke her enchantment in, it was Romanian. Though as for the meaning I will leave that to the next couple of chapters…I know it didn't bring up too much of the romance from the previous chapter, though I can assure you, there will be more of that in the next chapter and many to come. :)

So what caused Abe to realise through his clairvoyance that something was wrong? What is the creature causing problems in Seattle and who is this girl and her master? So many questions to be answered, and so much yet to happen!

I will update again soon, consequently this would have been uploaded last night, but due to feeling ill I unfortunately had to resort to an early night :/ but I'm glad to see things are getting back to normal and all should be back to it's bright self by the time I next update,

So please review! I hope you all enjoyed it, and I will be updating soon :)

~x-xMasqueradeAngelx-x