I'm a X-Files fan so any reference in this part is made with fondness. :)

Title: New Life
author: Cindy Ryan
notes and summary: see part one

Sitting down at the desk in the archive Ichabod succeeded in doing some research for the better part of the morning. Nearing midday however the former solider felt his eyelids droop. Before he realized it and without intending too Ichabod had drifted off to sleep. His wife's voice was what drew Ichabod out of his slumber. Or more correctly into a vision. Katrina stood in a dark woods wearing a black cloak with a hood. Beautiful as always.

Ichabod frowned he'd already confronted his wife in a previous vision demanding the truth about their son. That had been in a were they now in a different setting?

"Ichabod, you should not have come."Katrina stated.

"It was not my doing."Crane replied as he automatically reached to touch Katrina's right hand.

"It is good to see you and since you are here I have heard things...you should know the danger to you and Abigail is increasing. You must be cautious."

"I always am, my love."Ichabod responded as he stepped towards his wife.

Katrina smiled sadly. "I may seem close to you but I am far away. Take heed, my husband, Moloch may not be the only evil in Sleepy Hollow."

His wife's beauty faded along with the woods and Ichabod found himself staring into Abbie's concerned gaze.

"You're not one to drift off."Mills commented as Ichabod straightened in the chair.

"I did not intend to...drift off."Ichabod replied as he moved his head from side to side to relieve the kinks in his neck.

"You had another vision didn't you?"Abbie prompted grimly.

Ichabod nodded as he reached for a glass of water sitting on the desk and took a sip.

"I saw Katrina but it was in the woods and not the church."Ichabod explained as Abbie sat on the corner of the desk. "She warned me there was more danger coming."

Abbie raised an eyebrow. "Couldn't be more specific?"

"It may be greater than anything we have faced."Ichabod stated suppressing a shudder as he tried to shake the cold left from the vision.

"Wonderful."Mills commented sarcastically. "Just what we need."

Ichabod offered his friend a grim smile. "It would seem that our journey as witnesses is destined to be tested."

Abbie shook her head. "First the Horseman, then Sandman, Brooks and Moloch and his minions. I really don't want to know what else could be lurking in the shadows."

"I am afraid we may not have much choice but to find out."Ichabod replied solemnly.

After a long moment Abbie stood. "Anyway, reason I came in here...Captain wants to meet with us in an hour. He said something about strategizing."

Ichabod nodded as he stood and gathered his coat. He silently followed Abbie outside not being able to shake the dread of the vision. His imagination conjuring up old legends of what possible evil they could be facing. Try as he might Ichabod could not stop thinking of Katrina's warning. The foreboding combined with his imagination made for troubling thoughts and a long day.


By sunset Hayley was exhausted. She had opted for a bed and breakfast in downtown instead of a more modern hotel. Trying to outthink the Originals was giving Hayley a headache and not helping with her mood. Hayley had picked up a take out dinner from a nearby restaurant and was now reheating it in the microwave in her room so she wouldn't have to mingle with the inn's other guests. Hayley didn't feel like being sociable tonight and was too tired to keep up with any cover story she had to tell. The microwave ended it's cycle with a beep and Hayley took the meal out and sat on the sofa. The room had a separate living and sleeping space which had appealed to Hayley. Sofa, tv, bay window, small kitchenette with microwave, refrigerator and sink. All the comforts of home.

The last thought brought a wave of sadness to Hayley that she wished she could blame on hormones. She'd been so close in New Orleans to unlocking the mystery of her werewolf pack; her family. She'd had to sacrifice that in order to start this new life. A choice she'd do a hundred times over if it meant her daughter would be free from the war brewing. Still Hayley couldn't help but wonder if anywhere would ever feel like home to her. She hoped so; for her daughter's sake.


For Klaus it was all taking far too long. Too long to compel the ticket agents to learning Hayley's whereabouts. Too long in finding the correct ticket agents. Nearly a day wasted by the time the Originals private jet touched down in Charleston. As Klaus glanced across the row of posh leather seats to his brother he held up a warning hand.

"If you are about to tell me to be patient; I will dagger you."Klaus stated as he stood.

Elijah smiled briefly. "I was merely going to suggest that if you are not careful Niklaus others will see that you care."

Klaus raised an eyebrow as Rebekah followed them off the plane. "I thought that was your life long dream, brother, my redemption. To return to my humanity."

Elijah nodded. "It is. Despite the circumstances it is still nice to see a hint of it. Do not worry, Niklaus. Hayley did not have much time to come up with this plan. She will make mistakes and we will bring her home."

"The plan may have been rash."Klaus commented as they got into a SUV in a nearby hanger. "But she is a mother protecting her child. We all know how dangerous that is. She will not make this easy."

"Why not just find a witch to do a locator spell?"Rebekah suggested.

"Can be tricky if we do not have an item the person is bonded to."Elijah replied. "Hayley did not leave anything behind that she was emotionally attached to. Without that and without her blood a magic is useless."

"Magic may be useless, Elijah."Klaus commented as he drove away from the airport. "But if we get her scent I can track her. One way or another my family is going to be together. She will not take my child from me."

Elijah exchanged a concerned look with his sister via the rear view mirror. Despite his intentions Klaus had a tendency to make things worse before they got better. Elijah had made a promise to Hayley that he would protect her both from the enemies of his family and if need be from his family. Elijah kept his promises. The child Hayley was caring was vital to the future of Elijah's family. For that reason and many others Hayley would be safe no matter what happened or who Elijah had to cross in order to make it happen.


"I just wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page."Captain Frank Irving stated as he sat down behind his desk.

Ichabod closed the door to the office as Abbie sat in one of the guest chairs. The former solider leaned against the left wall near a filing cabinet too restless to sit. Irving raised an eyebrow at Ichabod's actions but said nothing.

"Is there something new?"Abbie inquired.

"Not the way you're thinking."Irving replied tiredly. "The FBI is increasing pressure on us solving these murders. We're going to have to give them something soon."

Abbie grinned. "I'd like to see their faces as we hand over the headless horseman."

"Abbie."Irving warned.

"I'm only kidding."Mills replied. "Well half-kidding. They have to have unexplained mystery files."

Irving chuckled. "You want Fox Mulder to be real now?"

Ichabod watched the exchange feeling the familiar tug at being out of place; out of time. The complexity of this modern culture was something Ichabod was just beginning to scrape the surface of. He knew he'd never understand all of it.

"Fox Mulder?"Crane asked looking from one friend to the other and back again.

Abbie grinned as she glanced sideways at Ichabod. "TV series about FBI agents investigating strange and unusual cases. I'll show it to you sometime."

Ichabod nodded as he moved towards Irving's desk resting his hands on the top. "In the perchance these agents do not have a taste for the supernatural we must delay them; distract them."

Irving nodded. "I'll keep doing what I can to stall them. But they won't like no new leads as an answer for very long."

"We just need enough time to stop the horseman and keep this war from coming."Abbie commented.

"You make it sound easy."Irving replied with a shake of his head.

"It is far from easy, Captain."Ichabod stated solemnly. "However, we will do what we must to prevent the Apocalypse."

"I don't think things are going to be normal here ever again."Irving commented as he rose to his feet. "Though I'd settle for almost normal."

"We're working on it, Captain. I promise."Abbie stated with a grim smile as she stood.

"Dismissed."Irving ordered.

Abbie left and Ichabod followed his thoughts drifting back to Katrina and the vision. A sense of foreboding settled over Ichabod as he and Abbie walked back to the main area of the station. His wife had warned him something worse than Moloch was coming. That frightened Ichabod more than he cared to admit. He just hoped he'd be able to protect Abbie from it; when the time came.