The very first chapter of "Married at First Sight." This doesn't really follow the show, but it's the same idea of getting married to a stranger. Also, a warning. This is a dark chapter. It wasn't supposed to be that way, but it changed as I wrote. But it gets light again, so yeah. Let me know what you think.

Why did Abbie do this again? She didn't have to do this. No one forced her to get married to a stranger. It was simply a dare that she took. Challenges were her friend, so she thought. He was handsome when she saw him. He had a beard, short brown hair. There was definitely a height difference between them. His fingers twitched while he stared at her.

She glanced at Joe and Corbin, who both stood and half-smiled, as she walked down the aisle. She wore a short-sleeved, knee-length wedding dress with white heels. Her sister, Jenny, bought her some corny flowers to hold. She sat beside Joe and Corbin and gave her a thumbs-up. Abbie rolled her eyes. Maybe she should have accepted a truth instead.

Opposite her family, she saw a guy with blonde hair. He also stood and smiled at her. It was just him. Why didn't anyone else come on his side? She had slim pickings, too, but that was all? Where were his parents, his cousins, his aunts, his uncles? Where was his family? Was he like her? Parentless?

She smiled at her almost husband. What was she getting into?

"Dearly beloveds, we are here today to celebrate the union between Grace Abigail Mills and Ichabod Crane. If there are any objections as to why these two should not be married, speak now," the priest said.

No one objected. He decided to make this quick. Another couple like them was getting married next. Ichabod's name interested her. It sounded old. He didn't have on a regular tux either. It looked like something he'd where in the 1700s. His suit was nice though. She liked it on him.

She gazed at him with a small smile. What did he sound like? What were his interests? Where was he from? Who was he? He intrigued her a lot. What was it that they would have in common?

"Do you, Abigail, take Ichabod to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do."

He asked him.

"I do," he said.

He had a British accent. This would be interesting for sure. The priest gave them their rings, and they put them on the other's fingers.

"I know pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride, if you wish."

He kissed her hand and bowed for her. He did that, too?

"I'm pleased to meet your acquaintance, Abigail. I look forward to learning about you throughout our marriage."

She nodded. "Nice to meet you, too, Ichabod."

At Maggie's, Abbie sat in a booth with Ichabod while their guests resided in one separate from them. She figured it was to give them some privacy, since this was an overwhelming event for them. She didn't mind though. She wanted to talk to Ichabod, and she wanted their family and friends to talk, too. Her eyes flicked their way. They laughed and exchanged numbers and told embarrassing stories about her and Ichabod. She shook her head and looked at him; he watched her. It didn't feel right calling him by his first name, even in her head.

"Can I call you Crane?" She put cream in her coffee.

He smiled at her, stirred his tea. "Yes, you very well may. What do you prefer I call you, Grace?"

"You can call me Abbie."

"If that is what you wish."

He was so formal. She's never met anyone who talked liked that. She liked it though. He was growing on her. Could this marriage really work?

"Abbie is fine." She sipped her drink.

"Very well." He paused. "Thank you for deciding to marry me. I was surprised that anyone even answered my ad at all. Most people hardly read newspapers anymore with all the technology. You do not know me, and I do not know you. However, I hope our relationship can grow. Would you like to be friends, Abbie?"

"You're welcome. I would like that," she said.

Jenny found Crane's ad for getting married in Corbin's newspaper. She was only there for the comics, but ended up with Abbie's dare. Jenny thought it would be funny if she asked Abbie to do this. Her sister didn't think she would actually go through with it though. That surprised everyone.

"I apologize for the very vague information provided. There is only so much space one is given."

"I thought it was a joke. I wasn't expecting anyone to be at the altar."

The ad was pretty straight forward. It said "Marry Me?" in bold letters. Below that was a short message that said he was looking for someone to share his life with. If any woman was interested, she could meet him at the listed church. He also put the date and time. His picture, name, age, phone number, and occupation weren't included.

"I wasn't expecting anyone to believe me." He added a lemon to his tea. "I didn't think anyone would show up either. You were not alone in that sentiment."

"I guess we were both wrong."

"It seems so."

She glanced away from him. "What do you do?"

"I'm a history professor at the local university here in Sleepy Hollow. I've been lecturing there for five years. What is your occupation?"

"I'm a lieutenant for the Sheriff's Department."

"Oh, my wife is an officer of the law." He smiled. "How cool?"

She laughed. "You're using slang now?"

"Yes, well, I am very pleased with your position. I wish there were more women in the police division. I wish more women owned their own sheriff's department. Come to think of it, I wish women would receive equal pay. I also never would have expected that I would marry a Leftenant. I always thought I would marry a dentist or some kind of doctor. My father married my mother, a surgeon. He was a history teacher as well. Perhaps we can learn from the other's careers."

She liked his pronunciation of her job title. She never heard it like that. More importantly, she liked how he viewed women. Thank God she wasn't in a marriage where a man thought a woman wasn't equal to him.

"I'm sure we can." She paused. "Why didn't your parents come?"

"They died two years ago on a cruise while on vacation. A storm hit." He sipped his tea.

"I'm sorry."

She would have liked to meet them. What were they like?

"Thank you for your condolences, Leftenant. Can I call you that as well?"

She smiled and nodded. "Was that your brother then?"

"No. I'm an only child. That man you saw sitting in the pew is my best friend. His name is Abraham Van Brunt. It was actually his idea for me to submit the ad in the paper. I never would have done that on my own accord. He said I should take a chance with my heart."

Was he heartbroken before this? What happened in his life before her? Should she ask or should she wait for him to tell her?

"What do you think of the chance now? Good?"

He smiled at her again. "Indeed."

She nodded. It sounded like he didn't regret marrying her. She didn't regret her choice either. She didn't want to anyway. He interested her.

"Where are your parents?" he said.

"My mom died, and my dad left when we were younger." She pointed to Jenny. "That's my sister. And beside her is her boyfriend, Joe. The older guy you see is Corbin. He works with me. He's like a father to us. Joe is his actual son though. They're great people."

"I give my condolences to you and Miss Jenny. I'm sorry about your father. I wish he wouldn't have left. How did your mother die?"

Abbie stirred her coffee. "Suicide. We were in middle school when it happened."

This subject still bothered her. She and Jenny hardly spoke about it except on mama's birthday or the day of her death. But she did think about it. She thought about it every day. More so on days when she received reports about someone who killed themselves or planned to. All of that anger and sadness would come back up. It choked her until she couldn't focus on what she was doing, until she saw colors.

"If I may ask, why did she commit suicide?"

"She's dealt with a lot of loss in her life. Her mom and childhood friend died. She never knew her dad. Then my dad left her for another woman. Because of all of that, she couldn't hold on anymore, not even for us. I wish she had." She pushed her coffee away.

Crane put his hand over hers. "I'm terribly sorry for what your family has experienced. I'm sure she wanted to. It seems as though all the tragedy engulfed her to no end. It can drive a person mad sometimes."

"Definitely. Have you lost anyone else besides your parents?"

He removed his hand. "I was in a previous relationship with a woman named Katrina. We were together for five years. In fact, I wanted to propose to her. Unfortunately, I never got the chance. She ended her life as well. She always thought she wasn't enough. Perfection was her greatest enemy. She thought I wanted her to be perfect. I didn't. I never did. That's what drove her mad."

Abbie rested her hand on his. He squeezed it. "I'm sorry. Why did she think that?"

She felt bad for him. He had loss just like her. She wasn't expecting for them to be so open with each other so soon. It was nice to be able to talk with someone else about it.

"She had a difficult childhood. Her mother was always critical of her while her father comforted and encouraged her. His love wasn't enough for her mother's harshness. She would criticize Katrina's appearance, her education, her decisions. Her mother judged every part of her. It got worse as she entered adulthood and started dating. Mrs. Van Tassel did not like me or my parents. She was a rather cruel woman."

"It's no wonder she did what she did. That's hard on anyone. I don't know if I'd survive either."

Her mother never did that to her and Jenny. She loved them as much she loved herself. She let them sleep in her bed whenever they wanted, even if they were twelve. She kissed them and left random notes about how special they were. She called Jenny her moon and Abbie her sun. Jenny was adventurous and full of phases while Abbie was never-changing and sturdy.

"Yes, it can really damage a person."

"Did Katrina die after your parents?"

"A year before. She was the first person I ever truly loved. I wanted love like my parents. When they died, I lost hope that I could ever find it again. Then Abraham talked me into this. Now I am here with you."

"I get what you mean. We can't replicate what your parents had though. And I know we can't have what you and Katrina had. That won't happen. We're not them, but we can try to make our own love, if we ever get that far."

She hoped she wasn't hurting his feelings by saying that. Honesty always worked in a marriage, in any relationship.

"You are correct, Leftenant. It is impossible to have what my parents and Katrina and I did. Do you think we will make it to that point? Would you want to?"

"I think we can. I want to. Do you want to?" she said.

Abbie wanted to know what a relationship with him would be like. She knew they would make good friends because of how they were now. Would they make good partners and good lovers? She hadn't had a real relationship with anyone since Danny in college. They loved each other, but they wanted different things; they had to end it. He would always be her first, like Katrina was Crane's.

"Very much so. However, that kind of love takes time. Our kind of love will take time."

"But as we both know, Crane."

"Yes. I do hope our unconventional relationship will turn into something more, whatever that may be."

"Same."

"I would love to know more about you and your life. I feel like we've barely talked about you. What is your family like? What are your hobbies? What scares you? Did you have any past lovers? I want to know everything. You have captured my attention, Leftenant."

She bit her lip. "I know what you mean."

She was glad he found her interesting. It relieved her to know that. She wanted him to know her. They had so much to learn about each other, but they couldn't do it all in one day.

"Where do we start?"

"Wherever we want," she said.

They finished their cold tea and coffee and ordered doughnut holes. They talked until the diner closed. Abbie went home, thinking about the way Crane said lieutenant and how he talked about his parents, Katrina and their love that she wanted to feel.