There's Always Another Way
A/N: And now we have a surprise update 2 years later!
Chapter 4 – Home Again
Ichabod Crane walked beside Abbie, balancing his bike between them. He couldn't take his eyes off of Abbie. It was surreal to have her back so abruptly, after spending so long attempting to adjust to her absence.
Abbie was describing the Special Witness Limbo version of Sleepy Hollow, as she called it, and Ichabod had to admit that while it definitely sounded like a step up from the other supernatural realms they'd visited, an empty version of the town still sounded rather unsettling.
Suddenly Abbie put her hand on the handlebars, stopping them in their tracks.
"Hold on, why are we going this way? That turn will take us home faster," she said.
"Ohhh…" Ichabod froze, uncharacteristically hesitant, "Miss Mills, I'm afraid there's something you should know…"
"Okay, Crane, now you're scaring me," Abbie said, frowning, "What's going on? Why aren't we going home?"
"There is no easy way to say this," Ichabod said.
"Then just say it!" Abbie demanded.
"A lot has changed while you were gone. Your house has been sold," Ichabod said as tactfully as he could.
"What are you talking about, my house has been sold? Is this some kind of bad joke?" Abbie was more confused than anything.
Ichabod shook his head, "I'm afraid not. Selling the house was a difficult decision, trust me, but we believed it was for the best."
Abbie blinked, uncomprehending. "But how is that even possible? I've only been gone one day. A day and a half, maybe. You can't possibly sell a house that fast!"
It was Ichabod's turn to be alarmed, "Hold on. Do you think it's only been one day since you died…er, left?"
"Yeah," Abbie said, a sinking feeling spreading through her gut. She grimaced and looked up at him. "How long has it been for you?"
"It's been nearly eight months," Ichabod said.
"Eight…months?!" Abbie wasn't sure she'd heard him right.
"Seven months, three weeks, and two days, to be exact," Ichabod said, but Abbie could barely hear him.
She stepped around the bike in a daze and sat down on the curb. She ran her hands through her hair, trying to slow her racing thoughts. When she first saw Ichabod again she'd been so excited to see him, to be alive again, that she hadn't fully processed where they were. In the cemetery. Beside a gravestone that Ichabod had been laying flowers for. Her gravestone? It had to be.
"A lot has happened, Abbie. We all thought you were gone for good. We had a funeral for you."
Abbie wanted to curse, to scream at the universe, but she held back only for the sake of the people walking by, already giving the two of them curious looks.
Abbie turned to Ichabod, who was now sitting down beside her, "You know what? I've had it with other dimensions or supernatural realms. First Purgatory, then the Catacombs, then Witness Limbo. Three alternate realms. That's it. That's my limit." She made a chopping motion with her hand to punctuate.
Ichabod looked serious. He paused, collecting his thoughts before responding, "You have spent more than your fair share of time trapped in other realms, to put it mildly. Every time that you sacrificed yourself, I know it was your choice. You were doing your duty as a Witness, but time and again I found myself standing by and watching it happen. What I'm trying to say is…the next time somebody needs to risk their life, it should be me."
"I appreciate that, Crane," Abbie patted his shoulder, "but it'd be even better if nobody has to. I mean, I've been gone eight months and nothing earth shattering has happened in my absence, has it? The world is still here. Maybe we saved Sleepy Hollow for good this time."
"Yes, the town has been quite peaceful. No sign of otherworldly powers," Ichabod confirmed.
He stood up and offered her his hand, "Come. I'll show you my apartment. We can call Jenny and let her know the news."
Abbie smiled, "No, I think this is the sort of news that should be shared in person. I want to see the look on her face."
They started walking again. Ichabod's apartment was in the little downtown area near the community college where he taught History and Government Studies.
"So explain to me again why you sold my house. You could have stayed there! I thought you loved that house," Abbie said.
'I did," Ichabod said, "when you were there. I couldn't bear to stay in that house alone."
The pain in his voice tugged at her. Abbie sighed. It looked like her life was not going to simply pick up where it had left off.
The apartment was a cozy one bedroom on the fifth floor with a small balcony. There were potted plants on the window sill in the kitchen, various herbs, and more containing tomatoes and string beans on the balcony. There were bookshelves overflowing with old books and artifacts and, taking a peek in the bedroom, Abbie saw a hand stitched quilt on the bed, likely from one of the historic craft shows Ichabod loved to browse.
Abbie turned back around and caught Ichabod watching her from where he stood, leaning against the back of the couch.
"And you can stop looking at me like that," she said.
"Like what?" Ichabod looked away, flustered, then back again.
"Like you're afraid that if you look away that I'll disappear," Abbie said in a softer voice.
She walked over to him and took his hands in hers. Feeling her warm, strong hands in his, her presence so bright in front of him, Ichabod's thoughts were a confusing rush.
Was this really possible? Why did it take so long for her to come back? What was the point of making him suffer so long, believing that he would never see her again, burying his regrets and forcing himself to accept the unacceptable, to move on with his life in the modern world without her? It wasn't fair! Maybe it was one final test, and if it was, did he pass? Or was he a failure for giving up on her so easily?
Seeming to sense his turmoil, Abbie squeezed his hands and gave him a reassuring smile, "I'm not going anywhere."
Ichabod finally smiled back. "You better not," he said.
His head tipped forward until his forehead rested against hers and he finally relaxed, savoring the quiet moment together.
…..
TBC!