Flying?

"Flying?" Angel echoed. "I don't know if I can do that."

Hellboy grabbed her hand and pulled her to the middle of the room, where there was a small boxing ring set in it. He pulled the elastic barrier up and guided her in.

"This is a good place as any to try," He said as he stopped in the middle of the ring. "You've got all the space you need for your wings. And the ceiling? Well, it's enough for you to try. If you can't fly now, that's okay." He grabbed the hand with the bracelet on it, "We're going to break this, regardless."

"Okay," she said, determined. "How do we do this?"

Abe spoke up, "He breaks it. It'll probably hurt, but as I understand it, he just has to break it."

Angel looked up to Hellboy's face then nodded. She took a deep breath, "I'm ready."

Hellboy nodded. There wasn't much he could say. His only hope was that he wouldn't kill her. She watched as he slipped the fingers of his normal hand under the metal band. Her heart was beating so hard she thought it would jump out of her chest. Then he brought up his other hand and she flinched. He paused and she looked up at him. They met eye to eye. She could see the unspoken question there, so she nodded.

Then he put his hand on the band and pain flared.

Angel pulled in a breath harshly as Hellboy pulled at the unyielding bracelet. The more he held on to it the more the pain intensified, and tears spilled over. The band glowed with intense heat and her legs buckled. He went down with her.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm sorry. I'm trying."

He changed tactic. Instead of pulling now, he shifted his hands to press down on it, hoping to cause pressure enough for it to crack. He could hear her whimpering now.

"Red?" Abe called out behind him. "Maybe it's time to stop?"

Hellboy cocked his head behind him then looked at Angel. She looked away from him, tears falling off her cheeks, her mouth open in a soundless scream.

"Do you want me to stop?" He asked her.

She didn't look at him. She shook her head. He followed her choice and he looked at the band. It glowed red hot now. Her arm red and blistered. He pressed down on it, as hard as he could. Whatever spell is on the band is too powerful. He squeezed and squeezed. Angel let out a scream finally. It became too much for her. It tore from her throat. It rang in his ears. Then finally he felt it. It gave in just a little and he pulled at it, changing the pressure. She kept screaming and it cracked.

Something shifted and they blew apart. The bracelet fell to the ground, broken in half. Hellboy flew backwards, breaking the elastic barrier. Abe jumped out of the way and Hellboy slid on the floor until he hit the wall. He slumped, knocked out. Angel flew backwards, sliding through the space in between and landed on the floor.

"Red!" Abe called out as he ran to Hellboy, skidding on his knees. He checked for a pulse and sighed when he found one. "Red! Wake up!" He shook him. "Hellboy!"

Hellboy groaned on the ground as he woke up. Abe helped him sit up. "What happened?" He asked.

"I don't know," Abe replied as he looked him over. "Something exploded. You blew apart."

"Angel?" Hellboy asked him. Abe turned around and Hellboy looked around him.

"I don't know, I haven't checked on her yet," Abe said as he stood up. Hellboy stood up with a groan and rolled his shoulder.

They couldn't see her on the mat. Hellboy ran, calling her name. Abe followed him around the raised platform. They found her crumbled on the floor, facedown.

"Angel!" Hellboy cried as he skidded to a stop on his knees. He grabbed her and turned her over, so she faced up.

Abe went around him and kneeled by her head. He felt for a pulse.

"Why isn't she waking up?" Hellboy asked, frantic. "She's not dead, is she?"

Abe shook his head, "No, she has a pulse. She's okay."

Hellboy let out a relieved sigh. He shook her shoulders lightly and tapped her cheek. As he tried to wake her up, Abe stood up and went around her body. He kneeled and picked up her arm.

"She has severe burns," he said. Hellboy looked up. He was right. Her arm, wrist, and hand were red and blistered. "We'll have to take her to the infirmary."

"She'll heal. She heals faster than normal," Hellboy said as he shook his head. "Just need to give her a moment to do that."

Angel let out a groan and their heads snapped towards her. Her eyes fluttered open. Hellboy helped her sit up.

"Did it work?" She asked once she saw them hovering over her.

"Yeah, look," Hellboy answered as he pointed to her arm Abe still held.

She looked at her arm. At first, she didn't believe him, but even with the injuries, it was obvious it was bare. "What?" She whispered. She was amazed. She couldn't believe it.

Hellboy and Abe helped her stand up. She pulled her arm out of Abe's gentle grip and looked at it. The men stood with their back facing the mat. She turned around to face them. Then she looked up and saw the broken pieces between them. She stepped forward and grabbed it.

"It actually worked," she whispered as she looked at the damaged band. In that moment, she realized everything. It was broken. She was no longer trapped by it. Trapped under the idea that somehow her father still had control from beyond the grave.

"Are you okay?" Hellboy asked, unaware of her thoughts swirling around inside.

"Yeah," she nodded. She looked at him with a smile. Her shoulders twitched as her wings erupted from her back. No pain followed and she smiled even bigger. "I'm so okay."