Figs: I bet no one saw this one coming.

Chapter XI

Confrere

a fellow member of a fraternity or profession; a colleague; a comrade; an intimate associate.

When Frances finally came into the living room she half-expected to see her vivacious Aunt Kate with a gun in one hand and her trusty leather clad binder in the other. What she saw instead; her Aunt Kate bloodied from the head to the waist, her handsome pale face twisted angrily, and a walking, talking suit right next to her, sputtering all the while.

Frances stopped dead at the mouth of the hallway. Abe slammed into her and barely snatched her around the waist before she went over.

"Frances, wha – no." Abe gasped. "Dr. Krauss?" Frances' head whipped around to Abe, as well as that of Anna's, Kate's and the so-named Dr. Krauss. Heavy footsteps thundered down the hall and without a thought, Abe bodily shoved Frances out of the way of the oncoming demigod, his petit lover close at his heels.

"You." Hellboy snarled in surprise. "I thought you agreed to leave us alone."

"That I did, Agent Hel – well, Mr. Hellboy." Dr. Krauss replied saucily. Frances was at a lost. She was still up against Abe; she wasn't sure she could command her legs to move. Aunt Kate's face had erased the angry expression it previously had and replaced it with one of amusement. Anna had stepped away with her hands folded in front of her; she looked just as unsure as Frances felt.

"So explain why you're here." Red snapped back and took a very deliberate step forward. Liz had placed a small hand at the crook of his closest elbow and Abe had taken his place at empty side. Frances quietly slipped around the nervous group and found herself beside her mother.

"Who's that?" She whispered rapidly. Frances' eyes darted from one side to the other, mindful of both groups and the open hostility. Anna could only shrug with a momentary glance at her daughter; but then her eyes returned to Kate.

"I am here on the request of my colleague, Professor Kate Corrin. She specifically asked for my presence." The talking glass globe at the top of the suit fogged up completely, as if upset with unknown accusations. The little levers at the front looked like Praying Mantas snappers and moved as he spoke.

"Excuse me if I find that hard to believe." Red growled lowly and took another step forward. Kate seemed to sense the impeding fight and stepped forward as well; her hand outstretched. Hellboy's yellow eyes fixed on Frances' aunt as if assessing her level of danger to his companions. Once more Frances was deeply reminded of what resided in their home.

"A'righ, look." Kate began to mollify either side. "Seems we have a bit of a misconception 'ere. I work for the Washington headquarters of the BPRD. You must be Liz Sherman and Abraham Sapien, correct?"

"Correct." Abe answered her softly. No one else seemed willing to speak out into the tense atmosphere. Kate nodded her head in thanks. "I was the agent originally set out to meet you in Jersey."

"And you weren't, because…?" Liz interjected from around Red. Her eyes were narrowed suspiciously and her thin lips were pressed into a white line on her face.

"Look at me, darlin'." Kate laughed. "I'm about as normal as they come, physically speaking. The heads figured you'd take better to Dr. Krauss than you would to me." It was comical, in retrospect for Frances, when all three of the former BPRD agents shared a glance that displayed amusement, frustration, and annoyance all in a couple of seconds.

"Still doesn't explain why he's here." Red finally replied. "He was sent down to New Jersey as a new head for our investigative services. Pardon me, but that doesn't sound like he would know what to do with… this." Dr. Krauss shifted and presented his whole front to the trio. Anna and Frances swiftly stumbled backwards away from the doorway to allow the walking, talking suit its space. Kate followed them with a graceful side step and a smirk.

Frances managed a weak smile. Aunt Kate's having way too much fun with this.

"On the contrary, Mr. Hellboy. Professor Corrin was called only last night with urgent news that her niece was in great need of her services; services of which dabble both upon the medical field and the occult." Dr. Krauss, Frances was faintly amused to see, gesticulated about as much as Abraham did when talking.

"Dr. Krauss is one of my most trus'ed par'ners," Kate interrupted softly, "and when it comes to my family, I only ac'ept the best. I figured what I wouldn' be able to solve, he would."

"Solve what, exactly?" Red asked through gritted teeth. Kate turned her deep blue eyes to Red and stared, whether either one of them was unnerved by the other staring, it didn't show in their expressions.

"I'm here to help Liz." Kate said firmly. "And my niece. No one is here to a'tack you, Hellboy." The demigod exhaled harshly through his nose and turned his eyes to Dr. Krauss. The globe upon the suit's shoulders turned slightly, as if to glance at something else. Frances realized a moment later, it was a submissive gesture.

"Now," Kate recalled everyone's attention, "If I could please get to my business, I would like to start." Kate then proceeded to drop a duffle bag that had been hidden behind her back, her binder, and another bag at her side, to the floor. Dr. Krauss grumbled slightly and moved to follow her as they approached Liz.

"Oh, you don't look good, hon." Kate murmured with a thoughtful expression. Liz stiffened and straightened her back as Kate neared. Abe moved and took Liz by the arms to lead her toward the closest seat, the recliner. Liz sat, but her eyes never left Kate's face.

"Let's see now." Kate's hands came to Liz's face and touched her forehead. Then her fingers ghosted down either side of the petite woman's face, down her neck, over her shoulders, then down her arms. Kate paused at her elbow and brought her hands to Liz's expanding belly.

"Twins." Kate breathed in surprise. Liz jumped at Kate's diagnosis, perhaps surprised that with just a touch, Kate had known. Anna and Frances stood side by side and watched anxiously a health distance away. Dr. Krauss stood a foot away from Kate, still and quiet. Red's heavy breathing was the only constant noise that was accompanied by Abe's shifting legs.

"You eat until you feel full, or eat only your portion on the plate?" Kate asked suddenly, her deep blue eyes flashing up to Liz's face. Liz glared in return.

"I.. eat what's on my plate. I never eat more." Liz answered, but she sounded unsure. Kate clicked her tongue and shook her head.

"You need to listen to your body, hon." Kate said with some annoyance. "Your body is demanding food, but you only eat what yer given. Ask for more. Eat until you feel sick. Don' matter how much it'll be." Liz swallowed softly and nodded her head.

"She will need supplements." Dr. Krauss added into the silence. "Normal pregnancies steal vital minerals and vitamins from the mother. Demigod children will devour her entirely."

"Yes." Kate replied and then turned to her sister, Anna. "You still have some of those supplements I gave you when you were pregnant?"

"Of course," Anna replied. "Next meal when Derek returns, I'll make sure she gets a dose."

"Two." Dr. Krauss and Kate said together. "She requires double doses. She's in a bad shape. Generally, more doesn't mean faster, but in this case, it's what is needed." Kate finished.

"Mrs. Corrin," Abe interjected. "This may turn out to be a rude question, but would would happen to have an idea of how the children will appear?"

"Don't you?" Kate asked softly, though her eyes never left Liz's belly. "From what I had read of your profile, you have the ability to connect psychically to whatever you touch, no?" Abe shifted as if taken by surprise, his mouth opened to respond, but he closed it when Red's eyes turned to him. He tilted his head to one side and rolled his shoulders.

He's giving himself time to think, Frances realized.

"I am unable to tell what their appearances are." Abe finally admitted. Red's yellow eyes narrowed at Abe's admission and so then he turned his attention to Kate. Frances glanced over to her aunt to find her deep in concentration, eyes closed and her hands hovered over Liz's chest now.

"It's a defensive mechanism." Dr. Krauss said matter-of-factly. "The children are of… special nature. They are doing whatever they can to hide."

"I thought so." Kate said. She pulled away from Liz abruptly and maneuvered around her companion to get to her bag on the floor. She lifted it, unzipped it, and pulled a book out in one fluid motion. The bag dropped and Frances jumped at the harsh and heavy thud.

"Is something the matter?" Dr. Krauss inquired carefully. His motions had slowed down and when Frances turned to glance at Abe, she realized that he too had slowed. Not a moment later, she could feel the tension roll from the demigod who now stood protectively behind his petite lover on the recliner.

"Most mothers who give birth to demonic children die." Kate stated tonelessly. "Usually it's only one child."

"Are you telling me that our kids are going to kill Liz?" Red growled lowly. Kate flipped through her book, her eyes flashed over the pages faster than Frances had ever seen anyone read. She wondered what was within that book. Abe's head tilted upwards, as if he could peer over the side of the book. His curiosity was peaked as well.

"I didn't say that." Kate answered after a few tense moments of silence. Dr. Krauss moved away from Red and Liz, but he walked over to Frances. Frances could feel her muscles clench in fright, but she did her best not to tuck into herself and hide away. Dr. Krauss was about her height, if not a few inches higher due to the globe that was his head.

"Would you mind if I explored within your mind for a bit?" Dr. Krauss asked gently. Frances paused.

"Whut?" Frances' confusion was evident. Dr. Krauss lifted a finger to her face and when her eyes focused upon it, she noticed a little hinge and cap at the very end. Frances swallowed softly, "Explore… what?"

"You." Dr. Krauss said. "I do not have a physical body beyond this containment suit. Hence, I am capable of connecting and communicating with non-physical beings such as spirits, ghosts if you would like, and other such beings."

"How does that help you… with me?" Frances asked, still utterly confused and just a tad frightened by the prospect of having a ghostly figure 'explore' her.

"Your mind and soul hold onto different secrets. One knows what the other does not." Dr. Krauss explained patiently. Still unsure of what he meant, Frances decided it was best to allow him permission. If she couldn't trust her aunt Kate and her friend, there weren't many more in the world that she could.

Dr. Krauss gave her a stiff nod and stepped back. "You may need to sit for this one, Ms. Wyatt." Frances immediately dropped to the couch behind her, more due to the fact that her legs had given out from under her than anything else. Dr. Krauss' suit seemed to breath in deep (though she suspected he didn't need to breath at all) and stiffened.

Frances watched as a hand reached up and turned a knob on his right chest plate. As it turned, a hissing noise echoed from within the suit and soon the fog that had been contained in the globe spewed out. Frances shouted in surprise, but before she could do much else, the fog engulfed her.

She was out before her head hit the couch.

Figs: I know. It's been forever and a day since any update appeared. I found this chapter in my old laptop and decided to give it another go. Thank you, to all who reviewed and continue to review, you guys rock.

Enjoy.