Hello again! Welcome ladies and gentlemen to my newest fanfiction chapter, I hope everyone is having a fantastic December in the build up to Christmas and for those at school or work – I hope you're all close to getting some well-deserved time off the holidays!

So without further ado, I bring you the newest chapter.

Standing in a white wash meeting room at the BPRD; Belle had insisted upon arrival to talk with Agent Manning, the request being met with keen interest as she was immediately taken deeper into the building. Though after being left in the sizable room alone, Belle took in her surroundings whilst being mindful of the security cameras that she had no doubt would be watching her. The room itself was rectangular, with dim lights helping to reduce monotone feel of the room. With various art work placed carefully around the four walls, Belle walked around the table, looking at some of the artefacts that had been recovered from an array of locations around the world.

Tucking a strand of her blonde hair behind her eat; Belle became aware of the brisk footsteps that approached the room, the sound of the soles against the marble being alike the sound of her captors heels in the underwater prison. An image of the memory flashing before her eyes…the angel…alone, left behind, frightened and so frail. The searing pain she suffered…the pain they all endured…

'Miss Lucivia?' Being brought back to reality, Belle found herself trembling slightly, though remained composed upon noting Agent Manning's glance at her had been distracted by the information he was reading on the files he held. 'Well; this is a pleasant surprise. I had expected that I'd need to find you. So this does make life a lot easier.'

'You say it like you had no idea where I was,' Belle responded, looking at him with resounding confidence that she was correct, Agent Manning meeting her gaze with a resigned expression as he put the files on the table in front of him.

'So you understand the situation?'

'I understand enough; what have you told my parents of the incident?'

'I told them what they needed to know, that the man we're after is being tracked down with the best Agent's we have on the case. I also informed them we would continue to protect you and raise the level of security. Though it seems your Uncle did a good job of keeping a close eye on you. I am curious as to why you returned so soon though.'

Glancing to the portrait up on the far wall, Belle's amethyst eyes studied it with a soft sigh as she continued to look at the face upon it.

'That's Professor Broom isn't it?' she queried quietly, Manning looking from her to the painting of the aging Professor as he nodded promptly.

'Yes; he was a good man. Well respected by his colleagues and his students.' Thinking about the statement for a moment, Belle was filled with sadness as she remembered what Hellboy had told her about his adoptive father, wishing for a moment she could have spoken to him, heard what wisdom his voice held, wondering if it would help her. Encourage her to fight against the struggle that had befallen her.

'I know he was killed on the orders of the same Gregory Rasputin that wants me…that wants me dead…' Belle breathed, her voice trembling slightly at her own words. 'How many innocent lives have been lost at his hands?' She asked; looking at the Agent, her eyes searching for reassurance, though she knew there was none to find.

'We cannot be sure,' he responded finally, his voice laced with empathy, knowing he had confirmed her fears. 'We know he has always had followers to assist him. But I know Hellboy, if this is the same man as we believe it is. He won't rest until Rasputin is dead. He's a lot of things; but Hellboy is loyal to those he respects and cares about. I'll give him that much…'

'That's why you put me under their protection?' Smiling quietly to himself as if reminded of a private joke, Agent Manning rested his hands against the table and began to tell the clairvoyant of his decision.

'Let me tell you a little bit about the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defence. We pride ourselves on the premise that we don't officially exist. The unsung heroes of the FBI, if you will…In spite of Hellboy's attempt to have his limelight, the FBI has always managed to convince and maintain the assurance to the general public that we do not exist. Therefore what better protection is there, when you are placed in the hands of people who outside the bureau itself have no background files? With the exception of Miss. Sherman, but even her file is restricted to the need to know facts, in order to protect her secret.' Finally making sense of why she would be placed in such circumstances without Agent Manning having any prior knowledge of her gift, Belle decided to reveal her real reason for coming to the bureau. Having already known of her parents talks with the FBI in order to continue her protection, Belle had decided that instead of approaching them directly, she would take another route in order to gain what she needed.

'I'm willing to offer a compromise…to my parent's formal request...my…services, as a clairvoyant…in exchange for the protection of my family.'

'Why would you offer your services to the bureau?' Manning responded sceptically, 'your father was the one who wanted you under the protection of the FBI.'

'I know; but if this man is so set on getting to me, I want to ensure my loved ones are safe, because what's the use in wasting your efforts in protecting me, when I'm not the most vulnerable. It's time I stopped running and started fighting. I want to be kept in the loop. I want to know who this man is, what he wants with me, I want to end this by any means possible. If that means me joining up with the bureau, then so be it.'

'I don't know exactly what happened to you under the water that day; nothing other than what I've read in reports. But I want to know what's changed? Why aren't you afraid? You don't know half of the freaks we have to deal with on a daily basis and you willingly want to seek out a man who quite honestly probably sold his soul to the devil. Why?'

'I never said I wasn't afraid, but fear made me run, fear, made my parents feel cornered into having to send me into hiding. Fear is what stopped me from trying to understand why this was happening to me. Or trying to work out what I have that is so special or so powerful that could warrant my death. I'm tired of running away from this. I need to run towards it.'

'I take it you have spoken with Hellboy, Liz and Abe on the matter then?' Manning said with a raised brow, Belle shaking her head, a bleakness resounding in her expression.

'No, I wanted to come here first…I knew it would be easier. But that's not the only reason I'm here, I-' she continued; when suddenly a low rumbling began to sound, Belle looking up to the Agent who looked back with an unsettled composure.

'What was that?' she began, Manning glancing down to the glasses of water on the table that began to vibrate and pulse before shattering before them as the ground began to shake, the pair grasping the edge of the table as objects fell from there stands, smashing to pieces around them. Grabbing Belle by the wrist before she had a chance to move and pulling her out of harm's way, the pair dashed from the room and up towards the lifts in a bid to reach the surface.

'We're under attack!' an Agent yelled running with them to the already moving platform, and just managing to grasp it as both Agent's braced their guns, Belle grasping onto the beam behind them for support as the panel beneath them veered unsteadily. Reaching the open hallway, as they made their bid for the entrance, the marble flooring cracked beneath them, the three stopping dead in their tracks as the problem became evident. Looking up to the ceiling of the entrance hall; Belle and the two Agents saw a two headed serpent, its skin a sleek black that resembled the texture and consistency of an eel's body.

'What the hell?!'

'Fuck, we've got five men down, we can't get near the cretin, what are we meant to do?'

Standing back as the snake leered towards the Agents, the ground shook violently as it hit out with its fangs fierce and strong as it penetrated the marble surface, Belle was thrown backwards. Her fall however; was broken as she suddenly felt a pair of strong arms around her, Belle hitting the ground a lot more lightly with Abe supporting her with one arm.

'Abe?!' she gasped, his concerned blue eyes pouring into Belle's as she looked at him with a mixture of terror and relief. Though in that moment a large figure flew over the pair and landed in front of them, shattering the already broken marble beneath his feet as Hellboy rose tall and firm.

'Alright boys, stand aside.' Running past the Agent's that shot the venomous snake Hellboy shot is square in the centre of its body, the bullet seemingly having no affect when Belle heard Abe calculating in his head, working out what type of creature it could be. The weapons, gold bullets, silver…the answer reaching Belle before Abe could speak as his eyes shot up to Hellboy with sudden realisation. Knowing they had to act fast, Belle was on her feet, darting across the room where one of the glass cases held a sword in its clawed display.

'Belle!' Hellboy yelled, the clairvoyant looking up to see the tail of the snake thrash down towards her as she lunged out of the way, the case smashing to pieces beneath its tail.

'Red! The snake is an Amphisbaena-'

'That's great, I was being to get think I'd get to name it after me. Come on Abe; I don't care what the thing is. I just wanna know how to kill it before it has dinner!'

'Silver; use silver! It poisons the blood when it comes into contact!' he called back, Belle pulling herself up and grabbing the sword firmly in her grasp as Hellboy leaped over its tail, taking it from her hands and putting himself in front of her. Glaring at the large red figure before it, the Amphisbaena showed its gleaming fangs and went for the kill, Belle holding onto Hellboy as she braced herself for the impact. Hearing the high pitched shriek that followed; Hellboy took a hard swipe at the neck of the snake, watching it writhe ferociously, blackened blood falling fast and hard onto the ground beneath their feet. Turning and throwing Belle over his shoulder, Hellboy ran as fast as he could, ordering the Agent's to get back as the snake thrashed uncontrollably, the reaction of the silver surging the poison through its body. Eventually stilling as it crashed into the marble, with the dark blood that pooled around the body almost deflating the eel like creature as the eyes of the remaining head remained open, dark and empty.

Lighting up a cigar as he stood back, Hellboy watched as the dust settled, a figure appearing and entering the room swiftly and confidently, passing a glance to the heap on the floor as Hellboy lowered Belle to the floor, Abe being at her side in an instant as Rasputin came into direct view. With a tight grasp on her waist, Abe watched Rasputin's every move, Hellboy loading his gun without so much of a look at the man before him.

'Anung Un Rama…we meet again…' he smiled, the lines at the corners of his lips twitching at the way Hellboy simply ignored his statement. 'The beast of the apocalypse; tell me, do you still deny your fate?' he questioned, his black robes hanging off his gaunt body as he continued to step towards Hellboy who finally pointed it straight at Rasputin's chest. Drawing a long breath as he inhaled deeply on his cigar, Hellboy blew the smoke in Rasputin's face with a callous remark.

'Sorry, you got a problem with dying? Or do I have to do everything more than once with you?' Continuing to smile as he looked from Hellboy to Belle, it felt as though her skin crawled at his gaze.

'Not at all; in fact, if you would pass over that one Angel standing beside you, I would leave and leave fate to take its course. Would you not prefer that freedom? Your girlfriend, is it? Liz? Wouldn't it be nice to give her what she fought for, you, alive and unable to fulfil your destiny for as long as possible? Without having frequent attempts on your lives until that day…wouldn't that be nice? After all, I'm sure you wouldn't appreciate the death of your…off-spawn.'

Staring at him with anger blazing in his golden eyes, Hellboy loaded the bullet with the manual bold action, ready to fire. 'You touch my kids; I swear to god I will fill you so full of lead, no amount of damn voodoo or whatever crap it is you get off on, can bring you back,' he spat. With Belle, Hellboy and Abe stood together, Agent's standing on either side of them, it was all of them against one, but as Belle watched the situation escalating, she knew she was the only one he could be truly afraid of. But without any knowledge of what she was able to do in controlling her otherwise dormant abilities; for the moment, she knew somehow, they would remain unable to touch him.

'Red…no…' she coaxed gently, putting a hand on his shoulder, though his expression remained completely still. 'Listen to me; Liz is not here, you know he wouldn't come here without any fear of being killed unless he had leverage. You know that; you know it won't happen here. Remember what's important and if all else fails…' she breathed, trailing off and going into his thoughts to tell him all he needed to hear. Finally feeling some of his tension leave his shoulders, Abe felt Belle also relax, knowing it had been the right thing to do.

'Sir I don't know what your intentions are, but you are on federal property and I suggest you get out of my bureau before this gets nasty.' Paying no mind to Agent Manning, Rasputin continued to glance between the Angel and Hellboy with some curiosity.

'Interesting she would place her trust in you. But trust in me; Anung Un Rama, your time will come…and I will be there to guide you every step of the way…'

'I don't know why you have another Angel with you let alone an Archangel, but I will free him and I will stop you…I have too much to live for…you act like you have never felt fear…but fear is what consumed you…you prey on others to mask your identity, but history has never been kind to you. Has it Gregory Rasputin?' she offered, Hellboy and Abe watching as he let his guard slip for a single moment, the regaining of his composure being followed by his stepping back into the shadows and vanishing from the room.

'Spread out! Search these premises and check all the remaining security footage. I want to know that this man is not in my building!'

Clutching onto Abe for support as Belle breathed heavily, letting go of her retained emotional strength, he held her, feeling the whirl of emotions that coursed through her mind. How could she fight this? She had spent months seeing all the horrific entities that her protectors had faced; yet all the wreckage and the destruction overwhelmed her. Standing amidst Agents, some of whom were wounded, others dead, she wondered how many more innocent lives had to be lost to a man who showed no fear of death. No remorse…nothing.

Finding she was unable to stand there any longer; Belle broke free of Abe's hold and began to walk to the remains of the entrance. 'Belle…' Abe began, Hellboy grasping his shoulder and holding the merman back.

'Let her go Abe, if she needs out, don't hold her back. She'll be alright…' he reassured him, the pair knowing Belle had a lot of decisions to make.

Walking outside into the grey atmosphere, Belle was soothed by the now fine drizzle of rain that lightly touched her face, her eyes closing instinctively as she let out a soft sigh, her breathe visible in the cold air. Feeling like the world was closing in, she willed it to take her and set her free…yet she remained grounded in the reality of her situation. Opening her eyes to the sound of sirens as ambulances suddenly flooding the grounds, Belle felt a breeze behind her. The wind blowing her long blonde hair over her shoulder as she tucked a few runaway strands behind her ear, the back of her hand was suddenly brushed with soft leather as Belle felt a gloved hand on her shoulder…

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

Upon their return home, Belle had reunited with Chance as Hellboy fussed over Liz protectively, much to her irritation. Abe had also felt somewhat filled with emotion; not allowing himself to avoid Belle any longer as he followed the clairvoyant to her room. Breathing in deeply, the water in the apparatus around his neck bubbled lightly as he removed the contraption, his hand reaching for the door nervously. Regaining some composure, however, he knocked on the door and lightly pushed it open.

Finding Belle inside cuddling her dog, the evident bond was enough to leave them unmoved by the disturbance, Chance sitting quietly and nuzzling into his mistress as she wept silent tears.

'Belle…' he breathed softly, seeing her look up at Abe, the merman staying by the door, uncertain of himself and his intentions. 'Are you okay?'

'I'm fine Abe…'

'But you're crying…'

Belle knew he wanted to help, but it was still too hard to swallow.

'I'll be fine,' she rephrased, Abe recognising that she had not asked him to leave and pursuing a different approach as he averted her gaze.

'I know what you were going to do at the bureau today. That's why Red and I were there,' Abe began, Belle's eyes widening as she realised he had read her thoughts.

'Why does it matter to you? I'm trying to protect my family, my friends…my loved ones,' she replied, her expression denoting a sadness that he could see in her eyes. She yearned to feel safe. To be away from the danger that loomed over her. Yet it only seemed to draw ever closer to her.

'I couldn't let you…You've already sacrificed the freedom of a normal life…You can protect your loved ones, but I have to protect you…not because it's my duty…because I have too…I know you're afraid.' Walking forwards, Belle remained where she was, though Chance lifted his head as he came and knelt down before her. Removing his gloves and placing them beside her, Abe took Belle's hands and felt their cool, soft touch, his blue eyes imploring into hers as he held her gaze. 'You're safe here…' he breathed softly, 'and I would give my life to keep you safe…I said I understood how you felt. But a part of me doesn't. I abandoned you because I saw the way your parents looked at me when I held your unconscious body. They thought I was the monster.' As his gills expanded out of embarrassment, Abe paused for a moment, regaining himself as she brought his attention back to her with a gentle squeeze of his hand, understanding suddenly reaching her eyes.

'I suppose I am though; I will never look like a normal person, nor can I ever be enough for you. I can't be seen in public because I'm just another freak. An unwanted creature; in a world where creatures of myth and fantasy do not truly exist…You deserve happiness…I can give you my love, but you deserve to be happy with someone who can share freedom with you. Just like your friend could. He was right…'

'Dale?' Belle responded almost incredulously, 'is that what this was all about?'

'I can't be normal like he is; your parents will never see me as a good man…I just thought if I distanced myself from you; it would give you the chance to find someone who can make you happy.'

As Belle looked at Abe in disbelief; with everything slotting into place, a wave of emotions overcame her. 'Abe…'

'Maybe you will hate me now; but if I may, I want you to know that no one will ever feel as I do for you. I love you…and I wanted you to know that every night and day you were gone, I felt so much sadness. I had to stop myself from coming to California just to see you, just to redeem myself and to be able to hold you in the way that taught me what love felt like. I could never forget you Belle…and I realised this morning when I woke up to see you sleeping before me that I could never let you go…'

As tears rolled down the silk of her cheeks, Belle breathed in a sob as she watched Abe stand and rose with him. Throwing her arms around him Belle pressed her lips against his. Feeling his arms wrap around her waist as he pulled her flush against his body, the kiss deepened as they became lost in one another, Abe giving in to all the feelings he had tried to keep control of. Giving into his unconditional love for her...all his emotion pouring into her lips as he kissed her with such passion that it sent off a sensation that coursed through his entire body. Breaking it off for a moment, Belle looked into Abe's eyes, as if afraid he would disappear, only to feel his hand upon the side of her face as he gentle caressed her skin, wiping each tear away gently. 'Don't cry…' he uttered softly, 'please…' he breathed, Belle leaning up and whispering in his ear something that warmed his heart as Abe met her lips once more…

'Never let go…'

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

I'm such a romantic at heart, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for reading as always and to all my reviewers, thank you so much for taking the time to review my work and for all your lovely messages. It means so much and makes me very proud as a writer.

I would put more in this note but it is half 2 in the morning where I am and I really need some sleep!

More to come next week!

Thankyou and goodnight!

~x-xMasqueradeAngelx-x