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: Thank you once again for all your kind words. I am having a blast with this, so I'm grateful for all your support.

And Tuesday can't come soon enough! Very excited about the DVD release and will probably pick it up over lunch so I can watch it that night. Bet I'm not the only one... ;)

"grunt"

SMACK!

"grunt"

SMACK!

"grunt"

SMACK!

Torie stood outside the workout room, watching Hellboy beat the daylights out of a heavy bag. It arced so high from the impact of Hellboy's fist that the bottom loudly thumped the ceiling before it swung back down. She had been in the room once before, the day Torie had lunch with Kate Corrigan, when Hellboy had given her a tour of the facilities. And from what Torie could recall, the gym she was standing outside of was built specifically for Hellboy, with another for the rest of the agents around the corner. But she could have them backwards. This was the closest one to the track after all and Hellboy's anger needed immediate release.

Entering the room, Torie made sure that her presence was well known before she approached Hellboy. She didn't know him well enough to judge his anger level, so she gave him a wide berth until she was in his line of vision. Once he acknowledged her with a lift of his chin, Torie closed the distance between them, a ghost of a smile curving her lips.

The bag was slowly swinging as Torie wrapped her arms around it, trying to still its movement, but staggered under the force.

"Just how heavy is your heavy bag?" Torie asked, incredulously as she eyed the bag warily.

Hellboy dropped his chin to his chest and shook his head, chuckling slightly. "You don't want to know."

Torie laughed along with him, not because she found anything particularly funny but because she wanted to encourage some more levity. "Probably not." She paused, realizing that Hellboy had left the track rather than say something he'd regret. Company of any kind was probably the last thing he wanted. "Want me to leave you alone and give you some privacy?"

His balled-up hands went to his hips as Hellboy arched a brow at the woman before him. "You leaving me alone is the last thing I want." He hesitated, trying to gather his thoughts and put them into words. "And the reason I'm mad is that it sounded more like Manning wanted you here for me… rather than for you. I know you're good at what you do. Hiring you would be a boon to the organization. No doubt about that. And I know that they would be happy to share you with other offices in the government. But he left a bad taste in my mouth with his approach. I just wish… I just wish he had run it past me first. Maybe I'm being too self-centered…" Hellboy's shoulders slumped forward in defeat, his left hand randomly running through his hair.

Torie sighed. She wasn't so thrilled with Manning either, but took his offer for what it was – a chance to be employed in a tough economy – and the ability to be closer to Sam. Jobs in diplomatic relations were few and far between as it was, which is why she had created so many of her own opportunities. But if they would let her do her own thing from time to time… and that seemed to be something other agents did as long as it didn't interfere with existing cases… then Torie didn't see why she couldn't accept the position from Manning. After all, if you couldn't beat "the Man," BE "the Man."

Wrapping her arms around Hellboy's waist, Torie pressed her cheek against his bare chest, surprised that her body – as hurt as it still was – could react so violently to Hellboy's proximity. Sweat glistened on his crimson skin, highlighting the runic indentations of his shoulders and chest. Her fingers itched to trace the lines, but instead Torie closed her eyes and took a deep breath, relishing in the very masculine smell of her boyfriend. How's that song go… There's no other place that I'd rather be… something, something… next to you, next to me. "Manning's right. There aren't a lot of jobs for me here in Connecticut. And although I never really wanted to work for the government because of all the bureaucratic red tape, unless I take his offer, I'm gonna have to head back to New York."

"I know." The words were hushed, but an arm settled on her shoulders, pulling Torie close.

Torie opened her eyes and tilted her chin up so that she could see the underside of his jaw. "If I were to accept the position, we would get to see more of each other." Her voice was tiny and hopeful, not at all like the playful tone she had been hoping for.

Hellboy sighed, then swallowed hard several times, his throat muscles in constant motion. "I know."

Torie then chuckled without mirth. "But… also I don't like the idea of shitting where I eat."

"I know." His voice was barely more than a whisper.

Mocking punching him in the stomach, Torie took a step backwards out of Hellboy's embrace. "Could you sound any more dejected?"

Hellboy opened his mouth to speak, but then paused, as if he thought better of it. Sighing heavily, he tried again, pulling Torie close against his hip. "Torie… I just want us to stay… us. I don't like the thought of sharing you with everyone here. And I wish things could go back to the way things were. If you take the job, that'll prevent that from happening. But if you don't… then it complicates things, too." Back to the way things were when escape meant slipping into Torie's apartment and eating too many Baby Ruths. These days, that seems like a million years ago.

Ah. Torie knew his feelings well. It wasn't that long ago when things were free and easy between them. When flirting was fun and they were able to escape from the real world by just hanging out with each other. Now, reality came pounding at their door and drug them out of bed by their ankles. Torie couldn't think of a single way to get back the way things were, which meant steadfastly moving forward and hoping for the best. And acceptance was the first step in the road to recovery. "But they can't, Sam. Suffice to say, our honeymoon period is over. And all without even getting our first date under our belt." Why can't I sound even remotely adult? Gads, I sound like a pitiful child! Suck it up James! The worst is over and only good times ahead!

Hellboy didn't seem to notice her petulant tone. In fact, her words caused a smile to appear. "Well, that'll happen sooner than you think. The Tom Waits concert is Thursday." His fingers began to playfully dance up and down her spine, barely perceptible so as to not further aggravate her injuries, sending shivers all through Torie and raising goosebumps on her skin.

But it was shock that painted her features rather than rapture. "Wait, what?" Had that much time elapsed from when he first told her about the concert? Wasn't it supposed to be in, like, two more weeks? Or at least not until next week? Shit, I didn't think I'd have to worry about to wear on our first date until I was healthy… er.

"That's right," he chuckled, obviously forcing a play on words. And obviously finding himself quite amusing.

Confusion furrowed her brow. "What?" What the fuck was he talking about now? Did those pain meds make me loopy? The doc yesterday said they wouldn't!

"Waits is what. On Thursday."

Realization of what Hellboy was doing washed over Torie. Narrowing her eyes, she shot him a withering look. "You're just being a little shit right now."

His teeth were blinding white as his lips pulled back into an ear-to-ear grin. "Ain't nobody ever called me little. Even when I was."

Torie walked several paces away, caught up in her thoughts. "It's… it's Monday. Yes? We're going to see Tom Waits in three days!" Her right hand covered her face as she tried to keep her rising excitement under control. A date! A real date. Maybe, just maybe, we can act like regular people for awhile… again. And I get to see Tom Fuckin' Waits! With Sam! After all the shit I just went through, I am definitely due for some fun and relaxation. Tom Waits!

Suddenly jonesing for something to lean against so he could fold his arms smugly across his chest, Hellboy instead opted to poke Torie's backside unexpectedly with his tail, eliciting a surprised squeal in response. "Somethin' like that."

The idea of their reunion made something inside Torie snap. The doctors said no over-exertion, but Torie really didn't care what the repercussions would be at the moment. Damn the consequences! Putting on an act of being all shy, Torie clasped her hands behind her back in such a way that she knew it thrust her chest forward enticingly. Her muscles were on fire from the effort, but she wasn't disappointed that Hellboy's gaze drifted off her face. Torie then used the toe of her shoe to trace invisible designs on the gym mats before saying, "I know I'm going to be debriefed later today about what happened, but can we go back to your place, shower and pretend the rest of the world doesn't exist for a little bit?"

Hellboy's eyes light up, then narrowed as an idea came to him. Crossing the room, he picked up the receiver off a telephone on the wall and turned back towards Torie as his fingers skipped across the buttons. "Let me order breakfast to be delivered. 'Bout an hour good for you?"

Torie hestitated, dropping her gaze to the tops of her shoes, then looking up at Hellboy through her eyelashes. "Better make it two." A dimple appeared in her cheek as a smile ghosted across her lips.

Hellboy pressed the receiver down, disconnecting the call. "Two?" Were his ears deceiving him or was he getting too hopeful?

A shit-eating grin split her face. Her gaze drug down the length of Hellboy and then back up again. "Yeah, I anticipate a very llllllooooonnnnnggggg shower. Don't you?" The last words were spoken so innocently, but were laced with innuendo so thick that a knife would have gotten stuck in it.

Hellboy swallowed hard. "Are you sure you're up for that?" Please God, please God, please God, please God…

The dimple deepened as Torie shook her head in amusement. Holding her hand out, she slowly walked towards Hellboy. "Oh Sam. You have no idea how up for it I am."

Grabbing Torie by the wrist and practically dragging her out of the gym, Hellboy began to march down the hallway towards the stairs leading them back up to his apartment level. "I think I have an idea. And I have waffles in the freezer. Screw ordering breakfast!"

In the stairwell, Torie managed to skip up the steps just slightly faster than Hellboy and reached the landing a split-second before he did. As she spun around to face him, Torie placed her palms flat against his chest to stop him, then walked him back against the wall. Her arm screamed in protest as it snaked around his neck, pulling him down so that she could brush her lips against his.

There was nothing gentle in the kiss. Needy, hungry, and animalistic, Torie mewed as Hellboy's tongue entered her mouth. But when he picked her up, Torie pressed down on his forearm, trying to indicate her discomfort without ruining the moment. Hellboy understood, setting her back upon her feet, then gently cupping Torie's face in his hands.

Torie broke the kiss and whispered against his mouth, "I'd rather you screw me rather than breakfast. But I'm glad for no interruptions. Just us. I only want it to be us for as long as we can have it. And us means complete and total communications blackout. Meaning no TV, screening phone calls, the full nine yards. Got it?" Torie then broke the embrace by continuing up the stairs, practically pulling Hellboy behind her.

Playing along with Torie, Hellboy allowed himself to be lead out of the stairwell and the hundred or so feel between them and his apartment door. "What about the radio?" he asked teasingly, knowing full well that Torie would squash that idea, but wanting to hear her response nonetheless.

Torie turned around and began to walk backwards, Hellboy's right hand clasped between the two of hers. A mischievous smile twisted her lips and a brow arched impishly. "I just want to hear the sound of you breathing. You and I breathing. And the water rushing down on us. Nothing else."

"Just breathing?" Of which Hellboy himself was having a difficult time in doing at just that moment.

Torie opened the door with a flick of her wrist, then turned and hooked her finger into the front of Hellboy's shorts, walking backwards as she pulled him into the apartment. "To start with…"