Abe Sapien and the Witch

Chapter 10

Chapter ten

As promised, Krauss kept his word and within a few days he was adding her to missions on the outside. Her task was to ride along with the crew on their assignments, staying in the truck with the tomes and supplies. She would listen to the chatter over the communicators so that she could help with quick research and make appropriate bullets for Reds Samaritan and any other guns in use, depending on what they were dealing with.

She proved to be a good asset to the team, and freeing Abe up for more combat meant that they got through missions quicker overall, an extra set of hands and guns in battle was incredibly helpful. She even got to see some of the action first-hand and was awed at how well Abe could bend and move on land, he was hyper-flexible after all.

Abe had been delighted to show her the truck they travelled in, and she was quite amused by the fact that they were disguised from the public as a rubbish truck. _Does nobody ever wonder why the rubbish is being taken out in these places right when camera crews start to turn up outside? _ she asked, and he laughed while tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I don't really know, but now that you mention it, I do suppose that a giant rubbish truck is not the most conspicuous of vehicles."

Red was smirking over at the two of them, whispering something to Liz who was laughing and poking him in the side all at once. "What's up?" he asked them, and they made a show of being serious, until they burst into laughter. "I'm sorry, it's just you two are so freakin' adorable, we can't handle it." Liz said, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Bitch, please." Abe said, copying something he heard someone say earlier in the day and they all started to laugh, while his arm curved around her waist and her hand lay flat against his chest. Is this what being part of a family feels like? She found herself thinking and Abe turned her to face the window, his voice softer now as he spoke into her ear. "Is that what you want, for us to be your family?"

_Yes. I love it here, with you all. I never want to leave your side, Abe. _

"Then stay with me always." he whispered, while Liz and Red looked on, their own hands twining together as they shared a knowing look.

*****

"So, you askin' her to the ball?" Red asked, while he and Abe were setting their belongings in the lockers after another successful mission. "The what?" "You know, the annual summer ball Pops used to host every year. The 'big pizazz', the dance of all dances. You know, Liz makes me dress up all silly for it every year!"

"Oh, yes!" Abe said, tilting his head to the side in thought. "I've never actually gone to it myself. I never had much of a reason to attend it before now, so it slipped completely from my mind. When is it?"

"This Saturday," Red said, smirking down at his amphibian friend, "so if you're gonna ask her to go, you better do it real soon. Ladies need time to prepare for stuff like this, I know Liz wants to buy a new dress. You wouldn't think it, but she secretly enjoys going every year, even though she puts on a pout and says, 'we have to show our face, for the Professors sake.'"

"Liz does not speak with such a high tone of voice." "Yeah, yeah, you get the point. So?" "So, what?" "You gonna ASK her?"

"Well I...I have no idea if she would even like something like that! Plus, it's so public, the whole B.P.R.D. would see us together, chins would wag...what if she says no?"

Red reached into his locker, pulling out a pair of flame shaped cufflinks. "Liz got me these to wear. Kinda nice, right? Look, she's not going to say no. If anything, you'll make her the happiest girl in the B.P.

Plus, Liz will like having another girl along, you know how they separate the guys and the ladies to different sides until the slow songs come on, then you gotta do that stupid walk across the dance floor, hoping the lady on the other end don't turn away and reject ya. Well, wouldn't it be nice ta know there's a gal waiting for you to ask her to dance with her over on the other side of the hall?"

"Yes, I suppose that is rather a nice idea." Abe said, an idea forming in his mind. "I'll ask her, then!"