Abe Sapien and the Witch

Chapter 5

Chapter five

The seconds, the minutes, the hours seemed to fly by as her day had been spent alongside Kraus, who as well as giving her a tour of the facility seemed to sense a feeling of nervousness from her.

"You know" he said, as they sat across from one another in the canteen, her with a dish of lasagne and vegetables and he with nothing "I do believe having you here vould be especially useful to Abe. He is ze only one without, how could you say, a partner? For research and that sort of thing. Perhaps ven you are feeling better, ve vill put you on the team as vell- ve alvays need a quick researcher in ze background to help up with identifying strange creatures and zat would free Abe up for more combat also. Vat do you think?"

She had nodded at him, chewing her food with some care is it still hurt when she ate. "Good!" he replied "I vill start putting zat plan into action. I may have some ideas about our vocal dilemma, but time vil tell if it vorks. Ze evening is yours for now, I must go and help one of ze interns viss a new beast zey have captured- a very interesting creature. Good day!"

With a click of his heels and what could almost pass for a salute, he was gone. She finished her dinner, went back to her room and decided to shower, changing into a blue sun dress with plain sandals. Taking her medication for pain now that her stomach was full, she was feeling much better as they were really helping to ease her discomfort. The weather was still warm in the evenings and she wanted to fully enjoy the last of the summer sunshine before autumn began creeping in.

It took her a while to find the lake, Abe had mentioned the B.P.R.D. owning a lot of private land but she was pretty much lost, wandering past neatly kept lawns, benched areas and what looked like an orchard. Taking a path to her left, she kept walking, taking note of how peaceful everything was. The pathway was lined with beautiful pink and white flowers, and she could hear the twittering of tiny birds in the treetops. Serene.

This must be it, she thought, walking off the pathway through a clearing of clipped grass to a body of calm water that lay placid, like a gigantic sapphire or topaz set amongst the flora. She didn't see anyone else, and assuming herself to be early, she popped her sandals off, sitting at the waters edge with her feet dangling in the evening's lukewarm waters.

A break in the waters surface, and there he was, looking up at her from the water. Nearly jumping up with the fright, she puffed a small laugh as he was smiling up at her, clearly in a very happy mood.

"Oh, I am so glad you came! I thought you might not..." he said, floating closer until he was practically between her legs, her knees almost framing his face. She reached to the side of the water and plucked a small daisy from its edge, leaning over and handing it to him. Fascinated, she noticed as his arm reached out for the flower that his skin dried almost instantly.

"For me?" he asked, his face flushing a darker shade of purple. "One moment..." he said and was gone without even a splash. She leaned over, as close to the waters edge as her position would allow and within seconds he was back, his face almost touching against hers. "For you" he said, presenting a stunning white rock to her that gleamed in the sunlight. It was almost heart shaped, she noticed, and blushed a shade darker herself at the thought.

His fingers clasped around hers as she held the rock, and her eyes met with his once more. He could sense a million thoughts now, trepidation, doubt...and something powerful, something he did not have the words for.

_Abe_ she said, the clearest thought directed right at him and he cocked his head, listening _Thank you. Thank you for showing me kindness, and for introducing me to this place_

He let out a nervous little cough "I wished to thank you, for saving my life that day. By rights I should not even be here, but you risked everything to save me. And it cost you so much to do so. Yet, you are not bitter. You..."

He stopped as she slipped down in the water next to him, her dress billowing out ever so slightly around her waist. He slipped closer to her, their bodies almost touching as her hand slipped to his arm_Can I swim with you? I want to know your world better_

He stuttered, breath catching on his gills at her words, and he nodded, holding her hand with entwined fingers. "Take a deep breath" he said, the words difficult in his throat as she looked up at him, completely trusting. _I still have a little magic in me, my breath can hold for longer than most_

He dived down, ever graceful and she was carried with him, down into the lake that was much deeper than it seemed at the surface. The bottom was full of corals, small crabs scuttling their way around them and she was very surprised to see fish dashing around. No wonder he loves it here, this is alive!

They popped up to the surface twice so that she could catch her breath. As she had predicted, her magic allowed her a longer time underwater, but it was not finite. On their third dive down, he swirled her around like a dancer in a ballet and his heart was thundering under his ribs to see the wide smile on her face, the way her dress and hair careened around her made her seem...magical.

_One last breath, please_ she asked him through their touch and he obliged, gliding to the surface with her. "Are you enjoying yourself?" he asked her, laughing at the way she marvelled at every little thing as her thoughts were now very difficult to follow. She nodded, enthusiastic, and when she was ready, they swirled down towards the bottom again, he holding her hands so she could float, weightless.

The way the sunlight shone down in rays through the water, he simply mesmerised her the way he gleamed, the water made him seem like an undercurrent of energy and she was drawn to him, her chest pressing against his. Her hands found their way to his upper body, where even under water she was certain she could feel his heartbeat racing in his chest.

Time seemed to slow in the moment, sunlight dappling over the two as his hand found her waist, pulling her in closer to him. _Abe_ she thought, not knowing what other words there were in that moment. His other hand caressed its way up along her arm, fingers tracing the curve of her throat and resting at the side of her neck. Eyes wide, her lips parted as he leaned closer, touching his own lips first to the side of her face in gentle pecks that edged closer to her lips. Her eyes closed as his lips found hers, velvety soft as they pressed ever so gently, leaving an electrical zing as they moved that caused a profound clench deep down in her stomach.

Heads tilting, their lips met again, braver this time as she parted hers a little wider, inviting him to deepen the kiss. Obliging, his hold on her waist tightened as his tongue slipped into her mouth, gentle, finding hers. She kissed him back, a passion filling her entire being that she had never known as her tongue danced with his, seeking and finding. Her hands on his face now, his throat, stroking past his gills which made him emit a soft groan.

Pulling back, holding his arm she thought to him in her loudest voice _Air! _ and she was at the waters surface in seconds, gasping in deep lungful's of air that had nothing to do with being underwater. Her breathing calmed, and she was aware of his closeness, the way his body pressed against her. It was getting darker now, she realised, not knowing quite how long they had been out here. "I, um..." Abe said, not knowing quite what to say at this moment as that kiss had been unexpected for both. Smiling up at him, she reached out and touched the side of his face, he leaning into her touch.

"Jeez it's about time you guys stopped playing Dolphin, Abe it's poker night!" a voice boomed at them from beyond the pathway, and the two began to laugh at the sight of the red skinned demon standing on the pathway, tail swinging around him, his laughter a gentle sound and hers an almost silent giggle.

Hellboy just happened to be walking past in a mood, with a six pack of beer for consolation after yet another argument with Liz causing his need to be outdoors when the two heads popped up from the water which startled him, not that he'd ever admit it.