Obligatory Disclaimer: Dark Horse and Mr. Mignola own all, save for my own original characters. A special thank you to Guillermo del Toro for bringing this wonderful character to my attention.

A/N: I know I posted earlier today, but this is a short chapter and I won't be able to update for a few days. I hope this will tide you over until I can get back here.

"Hey Tor, you got any plans for this Sunday afternoon?"

Torie turned away from the plants she had been watering by her bedroom door and faced Hellboy, a witty comeback dying on her lips. The look on his face was so hopeful that Torie felt her heart melt, so she set down her watering can and crossed over to where Hellboy was camped out on the couch, where he pretended to flip through a magazine.

This was progress. Ever since the evening where she had painted her toes and then tried to comfort Hellboy, the two of them had gone through all of the motions of being fine, but Torie knew that her friend was still highly uncomfortable around her. She had a meeting scheduled for noon that day, but knew that rescheduling it for breakfast the next morning would be no problem.

"What you got in mind, big guy?" Torie countered, her hand settling onto her hip and her chin jutting out as a brow arched and her lips curved into a smile.

Hellboy chewed on his bottom lip in worry. This was a big step he was taking, introducing his friends to Torie. But she was a part of his life and the time Hellboy spent with her, cooped up in Torie's apartment during their visits, made it seem like they were having an illicit affair rather than being friends just hanging out. But Hellboy was the one who squelched visits outside her apartment, as he was inevitably recognized almost everywhere he went and stared at by those who did not.

Taking a deep breath, Hellboy ducked his head so that he didn't feel the weight of Torie's gaze. "I was thinking that you might like to join my friend Kate and I for lunch that day. I haven't mentioned Kate, I don't think. I dunno, maybe I have. Anyway, we occasionally work together, but I really think that you two would get along great. She's a professor of folklore at New York University and when I mentioned you to her, she asked that I invite you along." Hellboy nervously rubbed his left horn stump. He felt like a 13-year-old boy asking a girl to a middle school dance. This wasn't going how he had planned. Back in his bathroom, when he had been rehearsing this against his bathroom mirror, things had come out much more suavely.

Torie, who could see that Hellboy was asking her to enter his primary social circle with great anxiety, took pity on the guy. She came over and sat down next to him on the couch. Hellboy tried hard to avoid looking Torie in the eyes, but she held firmly to his chin and forced him to make eye contact.

"Sam," she said softly, "of course I want to meet your friend, Kate. I'm flattered that you asked. So, where is it that I'll be meeting you all?"

Hellboy smiled down at his friend. He was fully aware that Torie sensed his apprehension, but so appreciated her understanding. In his mind, he could already see Torie spending time with his friend – with and without his presence. Torie and Kate would be going to dinner before attending a lecture on some subject that he wanted to care about, but would find the topic paling in comparison to a Three Stooges marathon. The image of them spending time together without him was terrifying and exhilarating, all at the same time.

Crap. He hadn't gotten that far in the planning. "Well, we haven't exactly worked that part out yet. You cool with me picking you up at, say, one o'clock that afternoon?"

Torie laughed and shook her head in amusement. Reaching for the TV remote, she said, "Well sure, but you drive? And I'll need you to pick me up at work, unless you're not cool with that."

For a moment, Hellboy looked indignant and just glowered at Torie. Then, after sliding down on the sofa and folding his arms across his chest, he muttered, "Of course I drive. And a really pimped out vehicle too, if I do say so myself. I've actually driven here a couple of times, just so you know, although I prefer to walk so I can clear my head, which is what I did today." Then a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "But picking you up from the shelter is cool. I probably won't come in and get you, as I think my presence might be upsetting to some of your residents. But I can wait in the car out front. You'll know which one is mine when you see it."

Torie smirked at the slight arrogance that crept into Hellboy's tone. It was obvious that he was a boy who loved his toy. And meeting one of his friends was a pretty big step, one that made slight butterflies appear in her stomach, but also a happy tightness develop in her chest. He was proud enough of her to introduce him to people he trusted. "Sounds like a plan!"

A rush of air escaped from his lungs as Hellboy heaved a sigh of relief. He lurched forward and grabbed the remote out of her hand. A high pitched protest reached his ears as he began flipping channels, but he just held her back with his right arm while holding the remote with his left. A smile was plastered across his face and he couldn't remember feeling so carefree.

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon when Torie walked out into the sunshine, throwing a backwards wave to some of the residents of the shelter. With tentative steps out onto the sidewalk, Torie hoped the vehicle idling at the curb was Hellboy and not some angry ex-husband about to burst in on one of her girls.

My girls, she thought wryly. Now who's acting possessive? Isn't that why most of the women ended up seeking us out? Because others thought they possessed these women? But I also feel responsible for these women, like a mother caring for her children, despite the fact that most of these women are old enough to be my mother.

But Torie eyed the vehicle and had to admit that it was unlike anything she had ever seen. Solid black, including tinted windows and wheel rims, it was huge. Looking like the love child of a Hummer and a 1930's Roadster, the SUV had to be custom designed. Cautiously, Torie walked over to the passenger side door, where she was about to tap on the glass, when it rolled down. Looking back at her was indeed Hellboy, wearing mirrored-lens shades, but he wasn't in the driver's seat. "Other side," he instructed.

Confused, Torie nodded silently walked around the back of the vehicle, taking note of the government issued plates. She took a deep breath and then opened what normally would have been the driver's side door. She could faintly hear Johnny Cash singing that he "killed a man in Reno, just to watch him die."

Sliding into the leather seat, she took note of the cutout on the seat back, on both bucket seats, for Hellboy's tail. The interior of the vehicle was very dark, with all high tech gadgetry of blinking colored lights and buttons to push. Torie cast Hellboy a shy smile as she buckled her seatbelt, knowing her eyes were wide as saucers as she did a visual inventory of the automobile's interior, but secretly hoped that Hellboy would say something. Seconds elapsed into awkward moments when he failed to do so, which meant that Torie had to take it upon herself to break the ice.

Mustering up an enthusiastic smile despite feeling bashful, Torie said, "You were right; this is some pimp ride you got! Very impressive, Sam."

Hellboy smiled, his white teeth blinding in the darkness of the car's interior. "Damn straight! Your tax dollars at work, right here."

Torie wished that Hellboy would have run with her prompt instead of talking about tax dollars… since donations were down in the bad economy. She had spent all morning working on a budget proposal to submit to the Board of Directors and was currently working on incarnation seven, having a long way to go before she would get financial approval.

But despite his obvious enthusiasm for his own vehicle, Hellboy failed to continue the conversation. As the SUV pulled away from the curb, Torie took note that they were heading west and would quickly be out of the city proper. "So where we headin'?" Torie asked, her head pivoting all around, trying to take in all of the vehicle's high tech interior.

"My place."

Torie, who had been leaning forward and looking at the levers in the dashboard on her side of the vehicle, whipped her head around and looked hard at Hellboy. His response was so low that Torie wasn't sure she heard him correctly. His gaze was fixed on the road ahead, but Torie could tell that his nonchalance was forced. His throat muscles were in constant motion as he swallowed nervously and his tail swished back and forth, beating a staccato rhythm against his seat back.

"Yeah?"

Hellboy flared his nostrils as he exhaled a sigh. He didn't know why his nerves were on edge, but revealing their destination caused butterflies to appear in his stomach. A feeling Hellboy had not had in years, having since squashed it when he went on assignments, but seemed to reappear with more frequency whenever he was around Torie.

"Unless… Unless you don't want to go."

The sudden elation that Torie felt in the disclosure of Hellboy's destination turned to compassion for his obvious uneasiness. She couldn't think of anything witty to say and blurted out, "Of course I want to go! I've been dying to see your digs for the longest time, but didn't want to be presumptuous and invite myself over to what I'm sure is a top-secret clearance facility – even though I knew it was all a ploy so that you didn't have to clean for me. But you know I'm dying to meet your friend Kate! Might I meet Abe and Liz, too?"

The pressure in his chest let up and Hellboy actually felt his face muscles relax into a smile. It was then that he noticed his tail beating a tune against the back of his seat. Instantly, he stilled it, smiling in embarrassment when Torie grinned at his actions.

"Unfortunately, Abe's on assignment and Liz is training some new recruits, although she hopes to meet up with us later."

The smile on her lips quickly disappeared, but before she could register her disappointment, surprise colored her features when the vehicle made a left turn and came upon impressive iron gates. No signage announced their destination, but Torie knew exactly where they were. After a moment's hesitation, the gates swung open and Hellboy accelerated toward a low, non-descript building off to the right.

Trying to take it all in, Torie noticed that there were several buildings within the compound; all of them the same shade of government issued taupe, but all of them of greater magnitude and opulence. As they approached the unremarkable beige building, Torie noticed a metal garage door rolling up to allow the vehicle entry. Hellboy directed the SUV towards the opening and Torie was impressed at 

the brightness and cleanliness of the underground parking garage they pulled into. Hellboy pulled into a spot next to an elevator door with a flourish that made Torie laugh.

"Welcome to the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense. I know it looks exciting, but, believe me, it gets so much better than this."