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Somewhere Between	By : AceMaxwell Category: G through L > Hellboy Views: 13422 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Hellboy, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
- HB

The BPRD garbage truck arrives at a top-secret airstrip a couple miles past Hanover. It was a long, boring trip, when I wasn't doing something to make John a particularly cute shade of pink. He told me about Erin, his new babysitter, and that he's coming with us to Venice. I figured he'd be more irritated about him coming along, but he seems okay with him. Then again, he didn't have many complaints once I'd pulled him in my lap, but he barely remembered to breathe through his embarrassment. Liz laughed at the whole thing and Abe smiled knowingly.

He glares at me while we get loaded on the cargo plane, but I can see the little smirk hiding behind his blush. I like that look. That look has promises in it. The flight's about 13 hours long. Most of the agents buckle down with laptops, work, and movies on trips like this. There's always some last minute briefing about an hour before landing, but that leaves a damn lot of time to kill, so we have plenty of time to do… almost anything. I doubt Boyscout will do anything too scandalous, but I can hope.

All of our weaponry is already loaded in the back of the plane, stacked in crates. It would be a good place to hide. I point it out to John and he goes from pink to red, "No HB! Everyone would hear us."

I can't help but tease him, "That depends on how loud you are."

'Scout turns a shade of red I've never seen before, almost my shade of red, but that's just not normal for another person.

"Shit 'Scout, breathe," I laugh, giving his back a slap. He kind of stumbles and I grab his arm to keep him from falling. I really should be more careful about that.

The agents accompanying us are all settled against one wall, leaving us the seats in the back. There's always this divide between the humans and the freaks, even though we fight back to back on a regular basis. We work well together, but I guess our weirdness factor keeps them from breaking that 'friend' barrier, with the exception of 'Scout. He was really the first agent to actively try to make us feel like people. Clay was pretty good about it, but he never spent any time with us outside of what he had to for work. Well, and Dad, but I think it's an exception when they adopt you.

We're used to it, but John isn't. He looks over at the other agents with a crease in his brow. Liz leans in and nudges him with her elbow, "Don't let them get to you."

He smiles, but it's forced, "I won't. It's not a big deal."

I fall into one of the unoccupied chairs and pat the one next to me. John drops into it. Liz takes the one across from us and Abe adjusts his breathing thing before he gets settled with a book. I should've brought something to do, besides John. The thought makes me smirk. If we went at it that long, neither of us would be any good to the Bureau when we got to Venice. Abe glances over at me with a look of disapproval, probably gleaning some of my ideas.

"What?" I shoot at him.

"I didn't say anything."

Liz shoves her bag under the seat and looks up at me with that damn smile that says she knows exactly what's going on, "HB, get your head out of the gutter."

She knows me too damn well… Then again, Abe's told me more than once that he doesn't need to read my mind. I can't be that easy to figure out… 'Scout's the only one that hasn't caught on yet. He's pulling a file folder out of his briefcase when he looks up, "Wait, what?"

Clueless, but adorable.

Abe smoothes things over easily, "Nothing to worry about, John," but of course, he can't leave it at that, "You'll know soon enough anyhow."

"Huh?"

I give Abe a hard glare that doesn't bother him and try to cut this off, "Never mind, squirt."

The damn fish chuckles, not helping to ease Boyscout's curiosity any.

"Know what?"

"That your boyfriend's a pervert," Liz tosses in.

"I am NOT!"

John starts laughing then, but not just a short chuckle, he's practically in hysterics. Between breaths, he jumps on the 'pick on HB' train, "I think you're going to have a hard time arguing that, Red."

He's learning to give as hard as he gets, that's not good. I won't be able to tease him soon. Maybe. Then again, he is John, the easiest human being in the world to embarrass.

I don't say anything. Let him think he's won this battle. Instead, I pull him over so he's leaning on my shoulder and I run my fingers through his perfect hair. He's got gel in it today, so it's not as soft as it normally is. I fool with it until the gel flakes out. 'Scout whines a little at me for messing it up, but it's halfhearted.

The last of our agents get loaded and we get underway. Manning's either in the cockpit or a private plane, because I don't see him amongst the grunts. We don't have much intel about the mission, so I'm guessing he's got nothing else to talk to us about until we get there. Scratch the hour brief towards landing.

There is a guy introducing himself to the others. That's got to be Allen… or Ellen, or whatever the hell his name is. He seems pretty friendly, I guess that's why John likes him okay. 'Scout's not really the best judge of character, but if this guy pulls anything, I'll rip his head off.

Meh, maybe I'll just give him a good smack down, but I'm thinking that it kind of depends on what he did to deserve it.

I keep petting Boyscout's hair, kind of absently, but I don't realize it's put him to sleep until the files fall off his lap. Papers scatter everywhere, maps and schematics for the mission slide down the walkway.

"I'll get it," Liz whispers.

She starts scooping up the stuff near us and Boyscout's babysitter jumps in to grab the rest. They kind of meet in the middle and the babysitter sticks out his hand. Liz stares at him a minute before she takes it. He introduces himself as Ellis. I guess I was a ways off on his name. He starts with Liz, but doesn't have any hesitation approaching the rest of us. Abe greets him like he's known him forever (I'm going to have to ask how he met him and the rest of us stayed in the dark) then turns to me. He hesitates, but I expected it. I am a pretty ugly bastard.

The babysitter glances at John, who's sound asleep now, and holds out the papers to me, "You must be Hellboy."

"What gave you the clue?" I grab the documents while Liz says something to the effect of 'be nice'.

Most guys would've been uncomfortable trying to answer that, but he just rolls right along, "You're the only one I haven't met yet." He keeps his voice low, trying not to wake up 'Scout, but the kid did just sleep through take-off without so much as squirming.

"I'm usually the last one to get introduced. They don't want me running everybody off."

"Actually, you're often last because you're usually grounded when new agents enter the Bureau," Abe adds his two cents without looking up from his book.

John starts sliding off my shoulder, but I wrap my arm around him before he makes a dive for the floor. Now, I've got an armful of Boyscout, a handful of papers and not a lot of room to maneuver. Ellis moves forward like he's going to grab something from me.

"I got it," I tell him, winding my tail around 'Scout until I can stash the papers. I push up the armrest between our seats. It makes a weird cracking noise before moving, and I'm thinking I just broke it, but it stays put. I lay 'Scout so his head's on my leg and go back to petting his hair. There's not even a hitch in his breathing during all this. The boy sleeps like the dead.

Abe tosses two more cents into the conversation, "Red doesn't accept help from much of anyone. I wouldn't be concerned over it." Hell, when Blue's got an opinion, he's going to give it to you.

Ellis looks from me, to 'Scout, then back to me, probably trying to figure out why we're so comfy together. "Well, if no one needs anything, I'm going to go back to my seat," he says with a smile. This guy's just way too pleasant. It's almost unnatural.

I lean back in my chair and let 'Scout sleep. It's been a weird couple of days, so he could use the shut-eye. He's got the right idea. A nap wouldn't be so bad about now. Maybe a nap, and then a snack.

- John

It's dark, but I can see everything. The forest is trying to be silent in my passing. I can sense the doe cowering to my left and the rabbit barely breathing in the bushes ahead. Terror rolls off them in tantalizing waves. If I wasn't after something bigger, either one would make a good meal.

A fox passed across my trail not long ago, searching for a mate. I ignore the scent. I press my nose to the dirt, inhaling the earthy decomposition and something else: human… prey.

My hunger stirs.

It's a decent sized human, male, and he's far more frightened than any creature near me. The beasts in the woods are afraid because I'm a predator and I could chase them down and destroy their survival instinct. The man is afraid because I'm a terrible thought, a monster seen only in nightmare that will not stop until his blood pours between my teeth. His fear is better founded.

I'm close to him now; I can almost taste him on the air. The smell of his sweat is sharp and pungent in my nose… he's very close. I leap into a full sprint, stretching out to my complete length, feet pounding against the dry leaves. His trail is clear now and I can follow it easily at top speed.

My ears pick up his ragged breathing just before he comes into sight. It only takes two strides to catch him. My teeth sink into his leg and he falls like a dead tree, screaming things in human. He turns to me, his face twisted in horror while I lunge for his throat.

I know him… or knew him, perhaps in another life. Whatever connection we once had, friends or rivals maybe, it's now been replaced by predator and prey. I don't hesitate to make the killing blow.

Blood showers my muzzle from the gaping wound in his neck. I tear off a piece of flesh to chew on while I admire my work. The human is still struggling, clutching at the yawning void of his throat. In three beats, his heart has pushed enough blood through the opening to kill him. Red stains his clothes to match the mess on my fur. The color makes me think of my mate. He'll be getting hungry soon too. I should share my kill.

Footsteps sound in the forest near me, but they're footsteps I know well. My mate treads heavier than I do, because he can take down prey twice the size of what I can. I'm fast, he's strong. We work in perfect tandem, but not on this kill. I'm proud to say that this one's mine.

I tear into the man's insides, eating the good parts. His heart's hard to get to, tucked beneath the bone, but is by far the tastiest organ. I dig at the ribs for a minute before I give up and push my muzzle beneath them. The treat tears free easily.

My mate comes into my clearing and speaks to me, but in human, "'Scout." He should know that I don't speak human. I don't answer.

While I devour my prize, I watch the man's face. I do know him, I just can't remember…

"John."

It hits me like a blow from a bear, it's my face. My human face. He… I open my eyes and start screaming, trying to push my insides back where they belong. The wolf dives towards me, his teeth gleaming in the moonlight. I pull up my arm to fend it off, claws extend from my fingers and fur spreads like fire. I tear into the beast's nose and I meet his growl with one of my own. He bites my shoulder, I claw his chest, and we roll in a tangle of fur and teeth.

"John!"

One of us will survive this; the other will become a meal, a feast, a conquest! I'll rip his throat out!

- HB

I wake up because John is twitching like crazy. Poor kid's probably having a bad dream.

"'Scout."

His brow scrunches up and he rolls against my side. Jeez, he's hot. I mean, yes he's adorable, but his skin is warm. I touch his shoulder, then his face. He's definitely got a fever. I start to tell Abe about it, but John's skin RIPPLES underneath my hand. That's the weirdest fucking thing I've ever felt.

I look down at 'Scout. When his skin does the weird thing again, it even looks like a ripple. He twitches and whimpers and I'm thinking he needs to wake up now. Something's going on in his head and it's really freaking him out. Hell, it's freaking me out and I don't even know what it is.

"John," I say, giving his shoulder a shake. His head kind of rolls to the side and I see his ears getting sharp on top. He's changing. Oh crap! He can't change in here! He's got nowhere to go if he freaks out and there's a lot of people crammed in this plane. I don't think he'd hurt anybody, the other agents are more likely to do something to him, but it's not a good situation.

I shake his shoulder again without much response. Liz asks what's going on, but before I can say much of anything, John starts screaming and flailing like he's trying to keep something from getting at him. Fur sprouts on his arms. He's got to wake up now or he won't be able to stop changing. His screams change to growls and his thrashing gets more frantic.

I grab him and pull him to me, yelling "Oh hell, John! Wake up!"

Finally, his eyes snap open. They're bright yellow, but they only stay that way for a second. He's got that completely bewildered look, the kind you get after a nightmare, or car accident, and is muttering something about a wolf and eating and it being him.

I understand John having dreams about this stuff, I mean it only happened two days ago, but I'm really hoping he doesn't shift every time he has a nightmare. Then again, we're not usually in a place that it would be a problem.

Every single agent is looking this way. John's scream put everybody on high alert. Ellis is about halfway out of his chair, trying to figure out whether he should help or let me handle it.

"What the hell are you all staring at?" I snap and they all find something else to look at pretty quick.

Boyscout starts coming down out of his terrified haze, enough so to recognize me and latch on like I might leave. I wrap my arms around him and look up at Abe curiously. I don't have to ask him outright, but I'm hoping he caught some of what's going on in 'Scout's head.

He relays his info quietly, "It was about his duel existences destroying each other."

That was about as helpful as a pool toy in the desert. What the fuck does that even mean? I'll get my answers from the source, when he stops shaking like a leaf. 'Scout sniffles and shifts his arms up around my neck, sort of worming his way farther into my lap. Funny that it embarrassed him to be in the same position earlier.

"It was me…"

It was barely a whisper, but I'm sure that's what he said. "What were you?"

John presses his face into my neck. He's making it really hard for me to control myself, considering I think he's hot when he's grinning at me, let alone curled up in my lap.

"The wolf was eating me…"

Not all that surprising, considering.

"But I was the wolf."

"Okay, wait… you were a wolf, being chased by a wolf?"

He shakes his head, which I feel more than I see, "No. I was a wolf, hunting a human that was me."

"Your brain's a weird place, kid," I say softly, kissing the top of his head.

John's quiet for awhile and I'm thinking he's going to be content to stay wrapped around me for a couple hours. I was starting to nod back off when he says something else, "You were there, but we were…"

I sit up a little, curious.

"…mated."

I grin and tease him because I know he's already turning red at that idea, "Aw, not mating? Where's the fun in that?"

My comment wrings a slightly hysterical laugh out of him. He sits back to look at me and I brush his bangs off his forehead. He's still pretty worked up.

"It was just a dream, babe," I say, not really sure what he needs to hear. I guess that works okay, because he kisses me and curls back up.

A couple stray pairs of eyes from the front of the plane obviously didn't learn the first time they were caught staring. I'm about ready to start cracking skulls up there. I glare at them and slam my stone fist into my open hand, to give them a better idea of what they could be in for. They occupy themselves with other things very quickly.

"Stop threatening the other agents," 'Scout mumbles.

"I wasn't threatening anyone."

"Bullshit, Red."

How the hell could he have known that, he wasn't even looking? "Yeah, okay, but they were staring."

He laughs again, this time he sounds calmer. I want that whole 'mating' thing to be a reality, but we haven't exactly had a chance to do anything and the immediate future doesn't look promising. I'll probably have to stay on the damn plane while we're in Venice, but they'll put up anybody who can pass as human in a hotel.

Ellis comes over a couple minutes later, "Is everything okay?"

John groans and nods, but doesn't say anything. I fill in the holes, "Nightmare," and get punched for it.

"HB!"

The babysitter smiles at John's reaction. That guy really does grin too much. I bet he used to work for an airline. Aren't stewards supposed to be notoriously pleasant? "Can I get any of you anything?" he asks, making sure to look at Abe and Liz too. "Drinks, more reading material, or a snack maybe?"

Oh yeah, it is definitely time for some grub. The others decline, but I'm starving. Speaking of, where the hell is Henderson? Isn't he supposed to be taking care of me now? The little rat better take his job more seriously if he doesn't want to get pummeled.

"Yeah, I want some nachos," I tighten my arm around 'Scout when he tries to get up and get my food. It is habit after all. "And maybe some sub sandwiches with the works, and find Henderson and tell him to get his lazy ass in gear and help you, it's his job."

John twists and tries to break free. I don't know why he thinks he can. "Let me help; he doesn't know the ropes yet."

"What kind of ropes does he need? He's making food," I say, holding him still.

Ellis smiles (again. Doesn't his face get tired?) and reassures Boyscout, "I think I can handle a plate of nachos and a sandwich."

A sandwich? A singular sandwich, as in not more than one? Maybe this guy does need supervision or I'll starve to death.

'Scout jumps in before I can correct him, "No, when you're making food for HB, you need to make what you normally would for about five people."

"Seriously?" he asks.

I try not to roll my eyes at him, "I'm a demon. I need a little more food than you do. Look, get Henderson, he knows the drill."

"He's sleeping."

"Then wake him up and tell him I'm hungry. If you don't, I will."

When Ellis goes, I loosen my grip on 'Scout. He props his hands on my chest and sits up, "You should just let me go help."

"It's not your job anymore," I remind him.

John's expression falls. Does that bother him? Technically, he got promoted, even if it does come with a few restrictions.

"Your job's the same as mine now. You get to hang out until something nasty needs killing. You don't have to worry about anything else."

Abe looks up from his book, to add, "We are cared for and given amenities because we provide a service few others can. You should not feel as though you are… what's the common word for it now? Ah, mooching."

"But I can't do what you two can," John argues. "I'm more of a burden than a help."

Liz cuts in, I didn't even realize she was listening to this, "That's not true. You've kind of become the heart of the group since you got here. Besides, you don't really know what you're capable of yet."

That gets a smile from John, a cute, bashful smile. "Really?"

"I would have to agree with Liz. While I don't believe the professor could have know the kind of circumstances that you would go through, he did handpick you for a reason. He knows all of us," Abe gestures around our circle of chairs, "very well and must have known you would be our compliment."

It's still hard to hear Blue bring up Pop, but he's got a good point. I'm going to have to doubt that Dad could have predicted the werewolf thing, let alone that 'Scout and I would start dating. I mean, while he was a little loose in a few boundaries of his belief, he was a devout Catholic and I KNOW that homo-anything is frowned on by them. Doesn't seem to stop their priests from liking little boys… Meh, doesn't matter.

He may not have intended for this to happen, but it did and it's perfect. It's not like I listened a hundred percent of the time anyway. He didn't like me smoking cigars either, but it didn't stop me.

I think he'd just be happy that I'm happy.

"He would have been," Abe says.

It's the first time I don't grumble at him for reading my thoughts.

xxxxxxxxxx

TBC…
- 5
- 6
- 7
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Somewhere Between