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 have been remiss in not thanking you all for the kind reviews. Each one makes my day and makes me strive to do better with the next chapter I post. Thank you so very much!

Wrapping a towel around her head, Torie stepped out of the shower and onto the bath mat. She grabbed her robe off the hook on the back of the door and quickly donned it, tying the sash loosely around her waist. She then wiped her hand across the steamed over mirror and contemplated her reflection. She didn't look any different than she did two days ago, but she certainly felt different.

Maybe her skin looked a little clearer, actually. And the tightness in the muscles in her shoulders seemed to melt away. And despite a 3-mile run under her belt, on top of 8 hours in her office, Torie felt a spring in her step that had been missing for as long as she could remember. This can't really be love, can it? More like heady infatuation. Or giddy confusion.

She stuck her tongue out at her reflection and shook her head in self-mockery. Just some mixed up thoughts racing through her mind. Thoughts that were out of her control until she hammered out the details of the aftermath with Hellboy.

Torie pulled the towel out of her tresses and tossed it in a hamper. She grabbed a hairbrush and then went out to her stereo to turn down the music; she had been blaring it so she could hear it over the running water. Just as Torie adjusted the volume knob, she realized that someone was talking into her answering machine.

"…Well, I guess you're still at work. Or out. Or… you know… possibly avoiding me…"

Sam!

In a dive, Torie grabbed her cordless and plopped down on the couch as she turned on the phone. "I'm here! Sorry! Sorry. I had the stereo blasting while I was in the shower…"

"Tor." She could hear the relief in Hellboy's voice.

"Hey." Torie could hear her voice get soft and mentally kicked herself over it. Be cool. "Not avoiding you, by the way; I would never do that. Actually, this is a surprise. To be quite honest, I wasn't expecting to hear from you so soon." Torie pulled the blanket off the back of the sofa and settled it over the still damp skin of her legs to fight off the inevitable post shower chill. She then slid down and laid herself flat across the seat, tucking a throw pillow under her head. If the conversation went bad, she at least wanted to be comfortable.

There was a slight hesitation on his end and Torie feared the worst, but wanted to let Hellboy pick his way through his words.

"Honestly, I didn't plan on calling you so soon. But… it was… killing me not to." Torie felt her heart leap. "And it was either now or possibly a week from now. This is turning out to be a much more complicated assignment than any of us figured. We bunkered down in this little inn last night – can't tell you where I'm at until I'm home except to say that I'm in a time zone ten hours ahead of you – but in a bit we'll pretty much leave any semblance of civilization behind. So I didn't want to leave you – us – hanging for so long. So it kinda works out."

"Killing you, huh?" Torie tried to say the words lightly, but felt her voice take on a low, husky tone.

Another pause. "Yeah. It tore me up inside to kiss your sleeping form goodbye Sunday morning. I don't know what I imagined the… aftermath… repercussions… whatever… to hold, but this sure ain't it. And on the plane ride out, I tried writing down cool phrasing on what I should say when I did call, but I then realized that I was in shock that someone like you would let someone like me… be with you. So I was going to stick to my guns and not call you for a day or two, like I said in my note. Which I did, albeit unintentionally. Couldn't get a signal on my cell to save my life because this, uhm, is actually the fifth time I tried to call you. And each time I wasn't able to complete the call, I took it as a sign to, uh, take some time to think of something smooth to say. Or something witty. But you're gonna get stuck with me fumbling all this up because nothing, absolutely nothing, creative came to mind. And frankly, I don't care. I really wanted to hear the sound of your voice."

Torie felt her heart melt at his discomfort. "There's always awkward talk after spontaneous sex. It's in the guidebook. Didn't you read it?" She only hoped that her words came out saucy rather than condescending.

"I must have missed that chapter."

Torie felt like an ass for the words that had just come out of her mouth. Of course Hellboy didn't know; his encounters were much more limited than other men his age. Uncomfortable silence stretched between them. Torie felt herself cramp, her whole body cringing at the uneasiness of the situation. "So, uhm, should we go over the mixed up feelings we both have or just cut to the chase and see what the other person wants to happen?" Despite his words of gratitude, there was still the possibility for regret.

Torie could hear him swallow, hard, on the other end of the line. It took her a long moment before she realized that she was holding her breath. As Torie exhaled, she barely heard Hellboy say, "Torie, I'm scared."

That, she wasn't expecting.

"Of what?"

"Getting close to you and then having you bolt."

Oh, this wasn't at all where she thought he'd take the conversation. Torie figured he would be much less vulnerable than he was acting. So the big tough guy is all just an act. Gently, she said, "Sam… I haven't bolted yet. Why would I now?" Not believing she was about to ask, the words were out of Torie's mouth before she could complete the thought, "So, you have feelings?"

Torie could hear him breathe, filled with little half-sighs of frustration. She thought she heard the smack of his palm against his forehead, but Torie wasn't positive. The silence stretched. He coughed, clearing his throat, and then answered. "I think there's always been feelings. I mean, how could there not be? Someone who looks like you. Someone who acts like you. Someone who… Torie, as soon as you let me walk through your front door the day we met, I think I… Crap! I'm fucking all this up. Yes, there are feelings. There has always been feelings. I just didn't really act on them until the other day because I thought it was a lost cause. In fact, I kept waiting for you to smack the shit out of me when you came to your senses."

Torie closed her eyes and bit her lip. She never knew. Or did she? It was now Torie's turn to search for words. "Sam, listen, we've both had a lot to think about both yesterday and today. And with you possibly being gone for so long, we'll have plenty more time to weigh the situation. But, for what it's worth, I realize that I can't remember being so happy as I am when I spend time with you. I mean the friendship – the affection – seems to be unconditional. I don't know what it is that you're looking for or wanting. Maybe you don't know either. But… I really don't want this to be an isolated event."

She bit her lip, waiting for his response, until she could taste blood. Her heart was pounding so loud in her ears that Torie was afraid it would drown out Hellboy's next words. But when he next spoke, Torie heard him loud and clear.

"Tor, I'm… I'm always gonna look like… this."

Torie paused, considering her words carefully, before answering. "Please don't let that be a reason. Please. I happen to think you're a smart, funny, sexy guy. I know you wish you looked more… mainstream… but you wouldn't be who you are if you did. And I happen to like who you are. So, please, don't let that be a stumbling block. Let anything else, but not that."

Quietly, he said, "Thank you."

Torie smiled wryly into the receiver. "Hey! I'm just as scared as you are, ya know. I value our friendship so much and don't want to ever lose it. But, at the risk of sounding… greedy, I also want last night. I mean, I'm fully aware that we probably won't have the… craziness… of it again, but I want to be wanted. By someone I care deeply about. And if last night is any indication of your talent, I know that I have a lot to look forward to." It didn't get the laugh she had hoped for so after a pause, she continued. "I don't know if it's the right thing, but I think it would be wrong not to try."

His voice was so low that she had to turn up the volume on the handset. "So you're willing to be my girlfriend?"

Torie wanted to cry tears of relief. There was no regret. There was no friends-with-benefits angle. There was just a straightforward request for, of all things, romance. "If you're willing to put up with all the crap that's gonna hit us once the world finds out about us. But yeah, I think I'd like to be your girlfriend about as much as I want you to be my boyfriend. And nothing would make me happier. Of course, that does mean you'll have to take me out on dates and all. Not looking for anything big, but I hear government employees make more than those who work at non-profits," Torie teased.

"In regards to the rest of the world, baby steps, doll, baby steps. I want you to myself before I'm willing to share you with the world. And as far as dates and whatnot go, we will have to keep a low profile in order to keep the rest of the world at bay, but I think a first official first date can be arranged."

Torie felt herself glow. She couldn't keep her lips from spreading into smile that reached from ear to ear. Finally, things were starting to go how she had hoped.

"So, uhm, I should probably offer to let you go, Sam, so you can get ready for your case. Because I'm sure you're going have a big day today."

"Actually, thank God, I have a couple of hours until we embark. Waiting on a bush pilot to take us out to the next stop after the middle of nowhere. Besides, you expect me to concentrate on work after all this? I'll need the few hours to get my head on straight." Torie could almost see his eyes flashing from amber to golden yellow in shock. She smiled at the disbelief in his voice. He continued, "Torie, ya know, there's no way I'm going to be able to sleep, alone, thinking these thoughts going through my head, until I see you again. The next few days are going to tax me unlike anything I've ever dealt with. But you, my dear, need to get some sleep. It's getting late for you and you have to work in the morning."

Torie swallowed, her mouth dry. Suddenly, the blanket was too much against her warm skin. The sash of her robe loosened. And suddenly, she wasn't at all tired. "So, should I ask what kind of thoughts?"

There was hesitation on his line and then a sigh of resignation. "Right now all I can think about is the other night. And your skin, how soft it was. Is. And your… Geez… And… I don't think I can talk about all this very well. I'll just let you go to bed. I'll try calling you in a couple days, but no promises. But I will come by just as soon as I get back into town."

Torie didn't want the conversation to end any more than he did and frantically tried to think of a way to continue talking to him. "Now wait a minute. I don't want you feeling all frustrated. Knowing that you are is just going to put me in the same boat. So maybe we can talk about it if we both start off with questions."

She could feel her cheeks burn and could feel Hellboy's embarrassment radiating through the telephone. "You mean, I ask what you have on?" His voice was so low and husky, it was very nearly a whisper.

"Yeah," Torie replied, as she felt her voice drop into a lower register. "And I respond… and then ask one of my own. So, uhm, I've got a robe on. And some Tom Waits. Nothing else. What about you?"

A groan of appreciation was his immediate response. Then there was the rustling of fabric as he said, "Hold on. So you were in the shower when I called?"

Torie smiled and basked in the knowledge that while things were certainly crazy, everything was going to be alright.