Title: The next tribulation
Characters: Abbie Mills + Ichabod Crane + Jenny Mills + Joe Corbin
Prompt: The Saga Begins
Rating: T
Word Count: 656
A/N: My head canon Season Finale. Written before 3 x 08 Novus Ordo Seclorum

"Do you still own the Irish moss?" Jenny Mills whispered in the warm crook of Joe Corbin's neck. She snuggled even closer and sighed in relief. Finally she was safe and could rest.

"I do," Joe answered with a smile, and laid his arm around Jenny's battered body. "All night long, remember?" he repeated Azzaca's words.

"True," Jenny replied with a yawn. "Not tonight. Give me two or three days to recover."

"As much time as you need." Joe was stroking Jenny's arms and placed a soft kiss on her head, breathing in the familiar scent.

Joe moved slightly. He wanted to leave the bed so his friend could sleep and get well.

"Don't go!" Jenny clung to Joe even more. There was much more strength in her exhausted body than the young man had expected. He looked up to see Abbie standing in the doorway, Crane close behind. Both their faces showed concern but also relief. Jenny was finally home and back to herself after a long battle with Pandora and The Hidden One. The Shard of Anubis had been extracted and the evil possession gone. Jenny would need time but she was a fighter.

"Stay," Abbie mouthed. She didn't want to leave Jenny, but all four of them needed to rest after this epic battle. She had held Jenny on the long drive home from the battlefield. Joe needed the closeness as much as she had.

Abbie closed the door to her bedroom. She would find another place to spend the night. Her couch was more than comfortable. As she passed the door to Crane's room, Abbie turned to face him. "Goodnight," stumbled over her lips, but Ichabod shook his head. "No." He reached gently for Abbie's scratched hand and guided her inside.

Confusion clouded her face but her head cleared quickly as Crane peeled her out of her filthy clothes. Dirt, blood and sweat had soaked into the layers. But her partner didn't mind as his soft palms and skillful fingers roamed over her tender skin, awakening burning paths of desire.

Abbie's hands were not inactive either. She had always wanted to shove Crane's coat back over his shoulders and widen the open shirt collars even more to place hot kisses against the pale neck of her fellow witness.

"It's over," Ichabod whispered into Abbie's ear as he lifted up her nude body. He carried her to the shower of the en suite of his room to wash away the struggles of the day and the whole 2nd tribulation.

As Joe passed Crane's room the next morning to get something to drink, he noticed the door had been left ajar. Through the gap he saw Abbie's naked back. Her head rested on Crane's chest. The witnesses quietly talked in bed and shared a simple breakfast with coffee, toast and fruits.

Joe smiled to himself as he walked down the stairs to the kitchen. He guessed right. Last night after he had switched off the lights and had snuggled under the blankets with an exhausted and slightly snoring Jenny firmly in his arms, he had heard muffled moans and a slow rhythm of love making. Finally, Crane had TALKED to Abbie.

Back in Crane's room, Abbie reached over with an apple slice to feed Ichabod. "Thank you, Lieutenant." Abbie rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Abbie," he corrected himself and Abbie sighed approvingly.

"What will happen with Pandora's box?" Ichabod asked, before he nibbled at the next apple slice between Abbie's fingers.

"Danny and Sophie will take care of it. The FBI has a special department to keep supernatural items locked."

"Oh really?"

Abbie nodded.

"Maybe we can visit this department one day?"

"Maybe," Abbie answered. "But for my mind the 3rd tribulation can wait a little longer." She reached for Ichabod's coffee cup to move it out of the way. He would need both of his hands for the things she had in mind.