Abe Sapien and the Witch

Chapter 25

Chapter twenty-five

He had swept her up in his arms as she fell, catching her before she hit the floor with a deftness that only he possessed. Straightening, he surveyed the room as the nurses and Krauss picked themselves up, unhurt.

"Vat ze Dickens?" Krauss mumbled as he jostled his way towards them, arms outstretched to match the question. "Zat was her voice, how can ziss be, zat she spoke?"

Abe remained quiet as he stepped towards the bed, placing her down while frowning at the needles and wiring that had been dislodged as she leaped from it, "nurse, this drip needs re-installing..." he added, Krauss becoming still at the thoughtful tone in his voice.

"You hav un idea vat is happening?" he asked, leaning over to straighten the covers over her. Abe nodded, arms crossing as a hand found his chin. "Well, from what I could glean earlier, it seems this Laufey character was powerful enough to be able to restore her voice. It beggar's belief, that he would restore the one thing that hinders her from using her powers just so that he could listen to her screams, it's...twisted."

"Are you alright Herr Sapien, err, Abe?" Krauss asked with concern for the man, sidestepping the nurses that were now reinserting needles and re-attaching monitors to their patient. "Yes, it...it makes sense now, I suppose. I heard her thoughts once, before we were really an item, and in them she was thinking that she should leave the B.P. That being here could be dangerous for us.

I never really thought it through, what she meant...Now, I see. She was terrified of him. I realise now that our relationship made her feel safe here, she thought she was free at last..."

"She is safe here," Krauss affirmed, tone serious, "we will protect her, zis I know."

*****

The second time she woke, which was nearly forty-eight hours later, her mind was calm. The nurse had explained that Abe, Red and Liz were away for a weekend on an important mission off the coast, and she had nodded, listening while remaining quiet. She mouthed the words _I'm sorry_ to the nurse, who smiled a gentle smile and told her not to worry about it, these things happened.

Her hands were healing very fast, the casts had already been removed and now simple bandages were wrapped around them. The damage to her face had healed to light yellow bruises that a few more hours rest would abolish, and Krauss had documented the speed of her recovery with some interest.

He sat at her bedside, notes splayed out all over the duvet and she listened, half hearing him as he rambled on about speed of regeneration and magical prowess. Her mind just couldn't quite concentrate on his words. She had so much she wanted to talk about with Abe, and Krauss quietened as he noticed her wiping away a frustrated tear.

"Yes, well, zis can vait of course...Is it true, you can speak now?" he asked, leaning forward with a squeak on the plastic chair.

She shook her head, a vehement no as her hands went to her mouth and Krauss nodded, sitting back. "It's alright, I know it is a bit of a shock but don't vorry, I sink zat ven you speak normally, you von't knock anybody over."

She shook her head again, a decisive no and he patted her shoulder, wanting to appease her feelings of guilt. "Abe vil be home soon, until zen ve vill get you nice and rested, yes?" She appreciated the change of subject and nodded, laying back against her pillow with a sigh of relief.

*****

They hadn't found the sunken treasure they had been sent to recover, which Abe had searched every nook and cranny of the deep waters for. Instead he had found a water dragon, gold in colour and surmised that its luminous golden scales were what divers had reported seeing as underwater treasure. Within hours the B.P had the area cordoned off as an "official nature reserve" that prohibited divers to enter, and their job here was done.

Even getting the chance to swim deep under the oceans waters couldn't free his thoughts of her, the yearning to see her, the absolute anger he felt towards this Laufey character and the guilt he felt for not getting to her sooner. He had taken a bit longer than was necessary on his dive, making time to float amid boisterous schools of tropical fish, and drift among the few corals of the deep water.

The salty depths did soothe him somewhat once he let his mind clear, and he swam a few high-speed laps around the dragons' lair to stretch out his muscles and expend some energy. The dragon joined in with him, and the two twined through the water, ducking and diving until the creature became more interested in finding fish to hunt. It was a beautiful being, and Abe would be sure to document it once he returned.