Firstly, I would like to thank my dear friend Orlissa who just said, "Go for it" (even though she is not an Ichabbie fan).
A huge thank you for these two amazing sweethearts: yespolkadot_kitty and Thymelady for beta-reading, brainstorming and encouraging me to write it.
I hope you all enjoy it. I had so much fun writing it!
"I would have to tell you, you have bewitched me body and soul and I love, I love, I love you.
I never wish to be parted from you from this day forth."
- Mr. Darcy /Pride and Prejudice
Crane was organized, that she already knew too well, but when the guy went on a research party overnight, he tended to be less tidy than usual. Reason why, she was now cleaning his mess of books, scripts, missives - at least she thought that was what he called them - and teacups scattered all over their dining table. Abbie smiled, after co-existing with Crane for so long, she had started to find some of his perks endearing. Such as writing everything down, cooking enough to feed a small army, bowing down and picking up her hand to deliver a gentle kiss.
Abbie smiled to herself as she entered the kitchen, washed the dishes and put them away. She gathered the books in her arms and walked over to his room. As usual, the door was open and the curtains hung ajar so that the morning sun slowly, almost timidly, entered the room, and cast its glow at Crane's belongings. It always amazed her what an amount of books, notes and old artifacts he managed to have inside his space. The books were organized by authors - of course they were - and some of his clothing were thrown over his writing chair.
Putting the books on the table, Abbie turned to leave when her feet got stuck into something, making her stumble over the table and sending his fountain pen, some meticulously folded papers, an empty teacup - she knew it to be his favorite - all over the floor. She cursed underneath her breath, finding the source of her klutziness and rolling her eyes at it; trust Crane to use the rolling chair so much that the rug was all curled up underneath it.
She sighed, fixing the rug with her hands and putting the chair back in its place. First, she collected the books from the floor and put them on his bed, later she picked the broken pieces of the teacup up slowly, making sure she wouldn't cut herself accidentally, and took it to the trash, already thinking of buying a new teacup as an excuse for breaking it. Though knowing Crane he would probably fuss about her getting hurt instead of the damn teacup.
Turning back to his room, she kneeled down to pick the mess of papers, checking if any had slipped underneath his bed. She grabbed the folded papers and made a pile. She was about to get up and put it on his writing table when she saw,written in his most elegant handwriting the words, "Lieutenant Grace Abigail Mills".
Without thinking, she inspected the other letters; each and every one of them were for her. It seemed that Crane had been writing to her for a while since there were so many of them, small missives, long ones; her heart was hammering in her chest, numerous questions falling upon her shut lips.
Her hands were trembling when she opened the first letter, fear mounting inside of her. As her eyes run through the contents, she could feel his pain, could almost imagine him sitting in the Archives writing it, his body very still, his dreadful thoughts almost made solid in her mind's eye, could see him putting a stray lock of hair away from his eyes at some point, where a dot had been inserted; a tear made its way down her face and she bit her lip, putting the letter aside. But the words were loud and clear, his voice speaking in her mind.
My dearest Miss Mills,
I write, for I cannot bear the echoed silence of your home any longer. It has been mere hours and I feel as if the world has been pulled from underneath my feet as I stare at an open abyss. The solace I had found since entering this strange era is now gone, as water slipping through bare fingers. I've realized, too late perhaps, that it is you who make my life easier. The anchor to my very being, the air in my lungs and the essence of my days.
Miss Jenny, as myself, had to be dragged from Pandora's lair with Master Corbin practically shoving us both out. I would have much rather dug a passage to whatever realm you have been taken to, but Miss Jenny's cries shook me from my reverie and, remembering your words, I stepped away from that damned tree and away from the last glimpse I had of you.
Your eyes haunt me in a way I thought unfathomable, yet they do. I wonder about them more than I ever wondered about anything in my entire life.
Master Corbin, bless his soul, has managed to convince Miss Jenny to drink and eat something which, may I add, was a triumph. The poor lad has tried to lure me as well, but Lieutenant, I cannot. The mere thought of eating anything when you are not here to share it with me makes me ache beyond words. For how can I eat or sleep when I have a much greater task ahead of me?
I shall bring you back to us. For as long as I have breath, you may have faith in me.
Affectionately yours,
Ichabod Crane
Abbie breathed deeply and cleaned her tears with the back of her hand, she wanted to read more, wanted to learn all he felt, all his unspoken words.
"Lieutenant?" She heard him call, noticing that she had been distracted enough not to hear him opening and closing the door as he entered.
"I went for groceries, we were in a shortage. Oh, you shouldn't have had to clean up after me. I was sure to do this before you had awakened." He babbled while putting the bags on the kitchen table.
"Abbie?" His voice grew worried as his steps grew louder as if he was about to run through the whole house to make sure she was secure.
"In here." She called quietly. Abbie heard him walking towards his room and could hear him stop in front of his door.
"Lieutenant, is there something wrong?"
"I… I don't know, Crane. I came to put your books and stuff here and I kind of stumbled on the rug -" She started to explain, but Crane beat her as he kneeled down at her side and asked, concern all written in his face.
"Oh, no. Did you get hurt? Are you well?" He wanted to look at her, see her beautiful warm brown eyes looking back at him, but her curly locks were framing her face, hiding her pouting lips and round cheeks.
"Not really." She answered in a whisper, caressing her name on the letter gently with her fingers, he followed her movement and arched a surprised eyebrow when his eyes fell on her tiny hands and the bundle of letters he had written to her.
"I didn't mean to pry," Abbie admitted as she lifted her face to meet his deep blue eyes.
"Oh, but Lieutenant, you did." He said archly, a sweet smile in the corner of his lips.
"It was right there and it has my name on it," she challenged him.
"I did not say it did not. I said you pried, without meaning too, but pried you did. Not that I mind, since I am too much of a coward to give them to you. I wrote because I did not want to burden you with my thoughts and my feelings when you had just returned from the catacombs."
Abbie handed the letters to him as a peace offering, but Crane simply laid his hand over hers and said: "They belong to you. They have always belonged to you, all my thoughts, my fears, my doubts, my love, my entire being has belonged to you even before I knew it myself."
She looked down at their hands and cast her eyes up, meeting his. All she could see was love reflected in them and herself, how could she be so beautiful in his eyes? She put the letters down at her side, focusing completely on him.
"If I have offended you…" He started, resting his back on his bed.
"No, no." She shook her head and waved her other hand, dismissing his words. "I'm just in awe and you know me, Crane. I'm not like you. I'm not some 18th century poetry book walking around and pouring my heart out. I -"
"You get scared, and you overthink." He smiled, because honestly: 18th century poetry book? What would she call him next?
"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked him, tilting her head in his direction.
"I just did." He answered, his eyes calm and tender towards her.
"I mean, about everything else. Sometimes you're so quiet. Lost inside your mind and I'm at a loss for words. I don't know how to reach you and when I feel like I'm about to, you open your mouth about some crazy theory and I've lost my chance." She told him, resting her hands on her knees.
"There is so much I want to tell you. So much. I wanted to tell you about my travels, so I wrote a letter from each location I visited. I took photos of every single place where I wanted you to be with me. Scotland. Paris. Italy. My hometown. The lavender fields in Provence. Though your beauty would surpass all of these places."
"You took pictures?" Her voice was full of wonder. My beauty would surpass it? She had turned her body to him now, her knee dabbing his thigh.
He was relaxed, his eyes smiling at her. "It is hard to do something alone when one has been so co-dependent of another. I tried to shut you out when Katrina came back and what did I get? Lies upon lies. I had to go, because I felt that since I came into your life all I did was, how would you say, 'mess it up' royally."
"Crane,"
"Oh Grace, you have such a generous heart." He told her, twisting a stray lock of her hair around his finger before gently tucking it behind her ear. She closed her eyes, relaxing under his touch. "How could I ask any more of you? I felt that you needed me to be gone so that you could pursue your dream. Perhaps a rest from this Witness mantle could give you enough time to find what you were looking for."
"Maybe I realized what I was looking for when you totally decided that radio silence was supposed to be a thing." She admitted, arching an eyebrow for emphasis.
He laughed, resting his hand on her leg. "We are both fools. And I made you doubt your feelings by leaving."
Abbie stretched her legs, rested her hands on her lap, her eyes getting lost to the view outside his window. "Everybody leaves, Crane, I wasn't that surprised when you did. I just thought that since we are supposed to be attached to the hip by this whole universe saving thing that you wouldn't do the same, wouldn't just pack your things and forget about me."
"Forget about you? I never did. I simply -" He sighed, turning his body towards her, his fingers twitching as he searched for his next words. "This, all of this" He motioned with his hand, "is still very new to me and even though you have been the most patient person on the face of earth teaching all you can about this era, Abbie, you never taught me how not to fall in love with you."
Abbie was speechless, but somehow murmured to herself, "Not my fault if your heart is just as stupid as mine."
"Now, what was that you said, my heart?" He murmured finding her hand and entwining their fingers together.
She closed her eyes and let her breath escape her lips. "If we stop to think about all of it," she said gesturing between the two of them, "we kind of have been acting like a couple would for, well, I dare say quite some time."
"We have?" He sounded unsure, arching his left eyebrow in curiosity.
"Yeah, we have. For instance, you make me dinner when I'm late from work, coffee in the morning, you make sure I'm safe when we are running around in the woods."
"Oh, I see."
"No, I don't think you do, Ichabod. I… truth was is that I was angry when you came back, so I pushed away my feelings and pushed you towards poor Zoe. At the catacombs it became evident that your presence was more than a comfort, it was a need and I was so very scared of losing my mind and losing you that I felt attached to the symbol. Now I know why, the symbol connected me to you."
Crane's thumb had been drawing circles in her small hand, his eyes watched her with a mix of curiosity and certainty in them. "So, am I to assume that you love me, dearest?"
Abbie shifted so she was sitting on her knees, and without letting his hand go she moved to sit astride him, guiding his hand to her hip, her legs resting on each side of his thighs, and her small hand resting on his chest. Crane smiled at her, the gleam in her eyes was already telling him everything he needed to know and finally, after having dreamt about this moment for so long, he would taste the Lieutenant's luscious lips. Abbie's hands were sliding up his chest to his shoulders, encircling him in her embrace as she lowered her head to meet him. They shared the same hair for a moment, her forehead rested on his. Crane licked his lips as he moved, his arm resting on her back, his hand sneaking up to run into her mass of hair. He felt like drowning as the expectation grew between them, Abbie let a sigh escape her and he noticed she smelled like apple and cinnamon, his favorite tea.
Abbie touched their noses together softly in an eskimo kiss, lost in the feel of Ichabod surrounding her with his heat, his scent, his love. She wondered for a second why she had neglected to see what was written all over his face?
"Yes, I lo-"
"Abbie? Crane? Where are you? Look you're not gonna believe this -" Said Jenny, somehow too close to Crane's room.
Abbie smacked her lips together while Crane groaned in response. He just couldn't believe his luck. She decided that Jenny could wait a bit, this was more important. Abbie ran her hands through Crane's hair and whispering an "I love you" as she captured his lips in a slow, sensual kiss. It didn't stay controlled, because Crane was greedy and he had been wanting to taste Abbie's lips for so long. What was supposed to be a slow, sensual kiss became something else as he explored her torso, bringing her small form closer to him. Abbie didn't fight for a second, letting herself be explored by his talented hands, and they fell in a sweet dance as their tongues dueled, seeking more and more from one another.
"Are you - holy shit!" Jenny exclaimed, a surprised smile on her face.
"Are they alright?" asked Joe, his tone concerned as he reached her.
"Damn straight they are. Sucking their faces likes that."
Abbie rested her forehead against Crane's, his lips slightly parted as he looked at her. Then, as if recovering the power of speech, Crane called in a humored tone, "Oh, Miss Jenny, as if I have never seen you kiss Master Joe. I'm sure we are not, as you say 'PDAing' anything."
Abbie hid her face on his shoulder as laughter erupted from her lips.
"Ugh, you're so in love with each other, it's disgusting." Jenny teased, rolling her eyes and smiling. Joe smiled at her and grabbed her hand, pulling her into his arms and pecking her lips gently.
Her sister was happy, that silly British, tall and handsome guy of hers - certainly her new brother-in-law – was happy too, and Jenny wouldn't have it any other way.
Let the monsters come, their love would ruin them all.