This is the start of a long one, and my first foray into this fandom, feeling a little meh about the start, but as usual like an old VW Shoraco, it takes me a while to get warmed up, but when i get there...
Enjoy guys
FROM off a hill whose concave womb reworded
A plaintful story from a sistering vale,
My spirits to attend this double voice accorded,
And down I laid to list the sad-tuned tale;
Ere long espied a fickle maid full pale,
Tearing of papers, breaking rings a-twain,
Storming her world with sorrow's wind and rain.
W. Shakespeare
They stepped off the ancient battlefield among a heavy mist that seemed to seep into every cell of their bodies. A heady aroma of morning dew kissed wildflowers assaulted the trio, texturizing the moments as they paced to the car. He, stoic and tall marching as if the regiment were still behind him, holding onto his hard won prize as if it would be taken from him at any moment, and she, solid and heavy in her movements, just inches ahead of the other victor.
The car had been parked at the top of a steep slope. Abby turned with her hands in the universal symbol for assistance offered; which was met with blank determination.
Fuck it, she shrugged off the refusal silently and made her way to the top of the incline. She opened the car door and started the engine. Crane placed his prize onto the back seat and scooted himself to place her head in his lap. "Shouldn't we take her to a doctor?" He asked, long hands wrist deep in red.
Abbie watched him through the rearview mirror as she angled the car out of the tight spot. "Is she breathing?" the words came out far more flippantly than she had heard them in her head.
His hands ghosted over her angular features and chest. "Yes," he answered hesitantly.
"Any visible injuries?" She asked as she called the only person she could think of with any possible connection to a physician who knew how to keep his mouth shut.
Crane mumbled a negative from the back seat as Abbie put pedal to metal and prayed Jenny was in the country.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
"What do you mean she 'just turned up?'" Jenny's voice had taken on the cadence of a high school principal trying to find out what really happened during recess; it threatened to transverse both the Khyber Pass and the naugahyde living room set.
Abbie rubbed her temples in the living room of the large brick house that Jenny had directed them to. The olive green paint matched the antiquated décor, replete with 35 inch wood panel television console and stereo cabinet. "I told you, Jenny, neither one of us had no idea she would be in that field last night. We were called out on lights in the sky—"
"What are you Mulder and Scully now?" Jenny smirked. "Lights in the sky is so twenty years ago. Seriously, no one knew she was coming?"
"It's not like she could have sent an email," It wasn't just the line of questioning that was getting to her, nor was it the fact that her partner was in some clandestine doctor's office with a woman who could teach Schrodinger's cat a few new tricks. Nor, in fact was it the retro living room they were shown to in lieu of a proper waiting room. "We were out in those woods beyond the old standpipe. You know the one?" Jenny nodded "There weren't any lights, but there were a hell of a lot of imps."
"The green ones?" Jenny asked with a memory of another night a few months back and of bites that took weeks to heal.
"Yeah," Abbie assured her.
"I hate those little bastards" Jenny offered with a visible shudder. "Wait, what were they doing there? How did she get there then?"
"You want to hear the story, or do you want to play Barbara Walters in this busted ass living room?" At Jenny's raised hands Abbie went on. "So the imps were everywhere…."
xXx
"Lieutenant?" Crane spoke from behind her; It was a typical move for them in combat, back to back take everything out.
"Yeah, I see 'em" she quipped, her service pistol was only gonna take out 9 maybe ten if she was lucky. There were hundreds. She wondered if this is how she was to go out, death by hellish little creatures who looked like those aliens from that old movie 'Mars Attacks!' The full moon cast an eerie glow to their green, turning them fluorescent vomit in color.
Even though she could not see him, Abbie knew Crane had his sword poised ready to hit outta the park. Back to back she could feel the rapid thrum of his heart through his wool coat. "Okay, this is all kinds of FUBAR right now." Abbie felt his nod of acquiescence but knew damn well he had no idea what that acronym meant.
They stood that way for what seemed like hours before the first onslaught charged them. Crane let out a loud grunt as Abbie fired into the mass of imps. They clawed and crawled over each other, each scrabbling to get to the two of them.
She ran out of bullets and whipped the small axe from her belt. The blade made a sickening wet crunch as it sliced through their green skin.
"They're still coming." Crane screamed at her as if she did not know that the minor army was hell was advancing. Abbie's arms were starting to give, she had lost count of how many she had felled and yet the numbers were not diminishing. In fact, it seemed as if more were coming. "Is this how it happens?" she thought again "Is this my reward for good and faithful service?" But, she neither ceased nor slowed. Neither one of them did.
It was Crane who fell first. The sound of his chopping was nearly soothing in its cadence with hers. As long as Abbie could hear his sword and intermittent battle cries, she knew she could keep going. When the last long howl ceased his sword play, Abbie lost her rhythm in slashing. The fetid stench of their bodies, both live and dead, had begun to take their toll on her. "Crane?" she called again then turned to look for him. His prone form was being carried off by a small horde of green goblins.
Her first instinct was to run after him, just as she turned, her legs fell from under her. Abbie found herself gasping the exact same frustrated cry that her partner had issued only moments before.
She met the ground as if they were old friends brought back together after years of estrangement. Surprising relief flooded her in the milliseconds before the gnarling horde descended on her.
As she felt her body succumbing to the inevitable smothering horde, Abbie felt herself being lifted and moved along the forest floor.
xXx
"Wait, so these things were attacking you, you fought them, but instead of feasting on your flesh, they what? Took you on a magic carpet ride?"
Abbie let out a long sigh and wondered how long Crane would be back there with retro Doc. "They were taking us to Hell."
"How do you know that?" Jenny asked.
Abbie awarded her sister's denseness with a glance long practiced by older sisters throughout history. "They're imps, Jenny." Abbie insisted. "Where the hell else would they be taking us? Out to Sizzler's? And anyway they never got us there."
"Obviously, what happened? I mean no offense but if what you are telling me is the truth then I should be making funeral arrangements right now, not arguing with you about the thought processes of the modern imp. "
"Katrina happened, or at least I think she happened. When those things started carrying me, us" she said with a look toward the door that Crane and Katrina had disappeared through. "Within seconds I was out, completely trashed."
"Just like last time." Jenny said with a small nod.
"Just like last time." Abbie clipped. "When I woke we were sprawled out on the forest floor in the exact same spot we had had our battle, but nothing was disturbed. You would have never thought anything more than a picnic had happened there. "
"So you have no idea what happened after you were being taken off." Jenny asked. "What about Ichy? Does he remember anything?"
"He was a bit preoccupied at that point. I don't think it's really run through his head yet."
"He must be…." She trailed off with a shake of her head. "At least she's out, of Purgatory I mean." A pause, two, then "How do you feel about that?"
"I don't have to feel any kind of way about it, Jenny. He was married when he crawled out of that hole."
"Come on, Abs. Don't tell me you aren't feeling some type of way about all of this."
"We are not having this conversation." Abbie spoke. "The important thing here is that not only does Crane have his wife back, but we also now have a very powerful witch for Team Apocalypse. How she got here will be assessed and duly dealt with, without all the drama thank you."
"We still don't know where she came from."
"No, we do not." Abbie answered. "I just think that should be a priority is all I am saying."
Jenny opened her mouth to retort something snappy, but Abbie was saved by the emergence of Crane and the Doctor from the back of the house.
"Miss Mills, Miss Jenny, " he began. "Thank you so much for finding this physician of great ability and discretion."
"Don't worry about it, Ichy" Jenny smiled "How is she?"
The tall man's smile broadened to a radiance neither woman had seen before. "She is awake, well, and feeling herself. It was most advantageous we found ourselves out there last night Miss Mills. I shudder to think what would have come of her had we not been there."
"No shudderin' needed, Ichy." Jenny interjected with a grin. "At least not until later."
Abbie would have jabbed her sister quiet, but Jenny's little sister sixth sense moved her clear of any elder repercussions. instead, she opted to ignore the comment altogether. "Well, what the Doc say? She ready to go out into the great wide world or what?"
Crane nodded and turned just as Katrina Crane emerged through the door. Paler than what Abbie recalled, but somehow taller, she looked around the room like a rabbit in a new hutch.
Abbie plastered in her finest 'getting to know you' smile and crossed the Rubicon. "It's nice to finally meet you Mrs. Crane At least in—"
"—in the flesh, indeed Miss Mills. It is I who am honored to make your formal acquaintance." The newly freed woman grabbed her hands in hers and squeezed as if they were old friends. "In this most trying time, I am certain that we all shall fast become the most ardent of friends. We have much to accomplish." Katrina's eyes scanned the room panned the room. "All of us."
The two sisters exchanged a look silently acknowledging that yes, there were now two of them; perhaps an interpreter would be necessary. Jenny took the opportunity to wave by way of introduction and excused herself under the guise of settling up with the doctor.
"Well, I think, we should get you folks home, get you settled in Mrs. Crane—"
"Katrina, please." she insisted with that too familiar smile.
Ichabod stood, watching the two most important people in his life interacting with one another. He didn't notice the strain in Abbie's smile, or the hesitant way she took his hand when he offered it to her. He didn't notice the way she small like broken glass at the newly reunited couple. Instead of noticing any of these things, nor the nagging in his own head; Ichabod Crane grasped the hands of the two women he loved most and smiled obliviously.
"Let's go home." He said.