A/N: 01.07.2018
First Ichabbie post of 2018! And it won't be the last! Happy New Year, Sleepyheads! The show may be over but what it meant to us will never die! Again, I want to thank sleepyheadfan20 for the idea of making this into a road trip.
And I want to include a DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own the rights to "Sleepy Hollow" or its characters or to the music and lyrics of "Meant To Be." Those rights belong their rightful owners.
Alright! Enjoy!
Meant To Be
Ichabod still had much to come to terms with when it came to the 21st century culture but this, in many ways, took the cake of ludicrous ideas. Early in the afternoon, out of nowhere, Abbie just grabbed Ichabod's arm, pulled him into the car, placed him in the driver's seat, and told him to go. They had been driving for 45 minutes, heading north out of Sleepy Hollow, and Abbie refused to give them a destination.
"Why are we doing this?" Ichabod asked.
"Because it's necessary," Abbie replied. "You need to learn to have fun."
"I beg your pardon but I know how to have fun."
"In your way. You need to learn some new ways. Aside from Xbox."
"Even if that is your point, we are simply driving. A long distance as I am to understand."
"Yeah, it's called a road trip."
"But with no destination?" he asked.
"That's the fun," she answered.
Ichabod shook his head, "Please explain."
Abbie smiled. She took off her shoes, leaned back in her seat, and placed her feet on the dashboard. "Life is hectic. Life can be hell."
"True."
"So, sometimes, you need to get on the road and just drive."
"And go where?" Ichabod asked.
She looked at him and shrugged, "Why are you so hung up on a destination? We know where home is. That's what matters. We just let the road take us where it wants us to go and where we want to go."
"And in the case of when we require food?" he asked.
"We stop when we get hungry. Wherever we want."
Ichabod kept driving, taking passing glances at Abbie. "What prompted your decision for us to take this trip?"
Abbie looked at him, "Because my analogy 'life is hell' is literal for us. For all we've been through, especially lately because of Pandora's Box." She shook her head, "I should've died."
"No, should not have," Ichabod said, immediately.
"Yes, I should have," Abbie replied. She looked out of the window, "Don't how I'm still here."
"Pandora overestimated her power," Ichabod looked at over at her. "And underestimated your soul." He looked back at the road.
Abbie looked at him and placed her hand on top of his. "And how far you'd go to get me back. I know I said it before but… thanks, Crane."
"As oft as necessary, as oft as possible, I will come for you. You're more than welcome, Abbie."
"That's what I wanted to do this. Because… we don't know where our own road is taking us but… if we've got each other, I'm more than okay with that."
"As am I."
They drove for another five hours, talking about random subjects and just enjoying being in one another's company. Soon, they found themselves at a small diner along the side of the road that had the simple name of Lucy's. As they ate, they had a lot of fun teasing each other, as usual, about the many facets of culture and life. After they finished their meal, they talked some more before being caught up at the sight stared at the sky as dusk was just beginning to set in.
Abbie looked at Ichabod, grinning at the smile on his face. "So?"
Ichabod nodded and looked at her, "This was… fun."
"Told you so."
"Though I think the concept of a road trip is trivial, I believe the company is what makes it worthwhile."
She smiled at him. "I can't argue with that."
The waitress came over with the change from the check that Abbie paid for.
"Here you go, ma'am," the waitress said.
"Thank you," Abbie replied.
"I still believe I should have paid," Ichabod declared.
"You're gonna cry about this for the rest of the day, aren't you?"
"I do not cry!" Ichabod responded, indignantly. "I am merely attempting to be chivalrous."
"This isn't crying?" Abbie asked. "This. What you're doing right now?"
"It most certainly is not!"
"It most certainly is is."
"Your grammar in that sentence was atrocious!"
"Do you realize that you only insult my grammar when you've lost the argument?"
Ichabod merely shifted in his seat and remained silent.
Abbie nodded, "I'll take that as a yes."
"It is not a 'yes'! I am merely attempting to be a gentleman."
"That's something else you do when you lose."
"I am a gentleman, regardless!"
"You like pointing out that you are one when you're losing."
Ichabod shifted in his seat again, unable to come up with a comeback.
The waitress smiled at them both. "You two must have a lot of fun."
"We do our best," Abbie said.
"Thanks for coming in today." She started to walk away but stopped and looked at them again. Her cheeks turned a slight shade of red, "Hey, I just wanted to say… you both make a really cute couple." She walked away, quickly.
Abbie and Ichabod stared at her with their mouths agape then looked at each other before they started laughing, quietly.
"Uh!" Abbie shook her head. "Wow!"
"Indeed," Ichabod said, stunned.
She stared at Ichabod then looked away. "Uh… why don't we head back?"
"If that is what you wish," he replied.
They headed back for Sleepy Hollow, riding in silence for the most of the ride with the radio playing softly. They were both nervous about admitting it but their minds were on what the waitress said to them before they left.
They were about 2 hours from their house when Ichabod broke the quiet. "I couldn't help but note your silence," he said.
"Just thinking," she replied. "You've been quiet, too."
"True, I have. A penny for your thoughts."
"I'll tell you for free but do you really wanna know?"
"Absolutely."
"What the waitress said," Abbie admitted. "When she called us couple. You?"
"Same," Ichabod answered.
Abbie moved around in her seat, that relived her a bit to know that he was thinking about it, too. But now, she needed to know in what way. "So. Do you think we're a couple?"
"Well. I find it difficult to find the differences between us and… an 'official' couple, is that correct term?"
"Yeah." She shrugged, "I mean, we are always there for each other…"
"…protect each other…"
She stared at him, "…care for each other."
"Much to my great relief," he added. "And appreciation."
Abbie smiled and heard something start to play on the radio that caught her attention. She turned up the volume a bit to hear it better. The song had one line of lyrics that stuck with the Witnesses was "ride with me, see where this thing goes, baby, if it's meant to be." The rest of the song played on and Abbie and Ichabod admitted to themselves that, in addition with it being a good song, it did speak quite a few volumes to their own relationship.
After the song ended, Abbie took a breath. "I need to find that song."
"Indeed," Ichabod agreed.
The rest of the trip went along in a comfortable silence until they arrived back to the house and Ichabod pulled into the driveway. He shut the engine off and both of them sat in the car, staring out of the windshield before gazing at each other.
"So…" Abbie said, "I have a question."
"I shall do my best to answer," Ichabod replied.
Abbie took a breath, knowing that she wanted to ask this. No matter how tense she was. "Are we meant to be?"
Ichabod was once again impressed by Abbie's bravery. He didn't deserve her but he did desire for her. Greatly. "Above all else," he said, "that… is what I wish, Abbie."
She smiled then looked at him, curiously. "Why didn't you say something sooner?"
He decided to be even more honest, "Fear. Of driving a wedge between us. Of rejection."
"Good. Because I'm afraid to. But I don't want that to stop me. Because… I want to do this. Ya know. See where this goes."
"As do I."
He slowly leaned across the console toward her. She met him halfway. They shared a small timid kiss but it was passionate all on its own. After the kiss, they stared at each other.
Abbie smiled, "That was nice."
"Yes," Ichabod said. "It was." He lightly caressed her cheek, "Are you hungry?"
"A little, yeah."
"I'll fix something for us."
"Sounds good."
They started to get out until Ichabod took hold of Abbie's hand.
"Leftenant," he said.
She looked back at him.
"Would it… be at all possible to take another road trip?"
She smiled. "Sure. How about we head west next time?"
"I'm looking forward to it."
"Me, too."
If it's meant to be, it'll be,
Baby, if it's meant to be.
A/N: I very much enjoyed this and I hope you guys did, too! If you want to read more Sleepy Hollow stuff by me, check out my current chapter story, Sleepy Hollow - Nevermore, and all of my other Sleepy Hollow stories. Cheers, everyone! See you all soon! Thanks for reading!