A/N: Some of you might have realized the site was acting wonky for a few days, and I couldn't access any reviews, though I could see by the review count they were there. I hope you were still able to read the last chapter. I wanted to be sure the site was fixed before I posted, so here is a much delayed entry. Again, I thank you so much for your patience as well as for reading and reviewing this fic. I'm glad many of you enjoyed their first kiss. More of that to come, I promise (and perhaps more than kissing later).

Chapter 6

Kissing Crane was unlike anything Abbie had ever felt before, but had often read about in her secret stash of romance novels. Just like the novelists' descriptions of the ravished heroines, she felt dizzy, breathless, passionate beyond measure, and he had only kissed her. Maybe she shouldn't feel so embarrassed to read those books anymore, now that she knew this kind of soul-wrenching connection was possible. And if kissing him was like this, she wondered if she'd ever survive making love with him...

Then, as when Alice hit the bottom of the rabbit hole, she was jolted suddenly from her sensual musings by her sister's voice. It took a minute for her to latch on to the conversation, and she looked up from Crane's chest in a lame attempt to focus as the pair argued over her.

"…you gave me your word," Crane was saying angrily.

"Not exactly," Jenny replied. "Use that perfect memory of yours and think about it. But that's not really the point, is it? Look at you, macking on my sister like there's no tomorrow. This is why you really came back, isn't it?"

"You have made my point for me, Miss Jenny," said Crane rather arrogantly. "There may, in fact, be no tomorrow, despite our accomplishment in the woods. Or had you forgotten that as you witnessed yourself the power of Pandora's box?"

"I'll give you foiling that bitch's plans, but don't give me any more bull about just coming back here to save the world."

"Why are you doing this, Jenny?" Crane asked, his voice laced with unspoken agony.

"Because she deserves to know all your motives. She deserves to be with someone who doesn't lie to her. She's a big girl; she can take it."

"Can take what?" Abbie interrupted, as her addled brain finally cleared. "Will somebody please tell me what the hell is going on here?"

As if remembering her presence, the pair looked guiltily at Abbie.

"I was going to tell you everything," said Crane, "in time. Now I feel your sister has irreparably changed the course of history." He shot Jenny another heated glare.

"Oh, please!" Jenny said, broadly rolling her eyes heavenward. "You have no idea one way or the other, Crane—"

And so their bickering began anew.

Abbie broke free of Crane's arms so she could think a little better, and moved a safer equidistance between the two people she cared for most in the world.

"Stop it, both of you! Now, Jenny, you came in here all half-cocked about something. You go first-and I want the whole truth."

Crane fumed in annoyance but he remained respectfully silent as he allowed the lady to go first. Abbie half expected Jenny to stick out her tongue at her victory.

"Crane's first night back," Jenny began, "I saw Crane with the Horseman's head and a pistol, getting ready for an evening stroll. Naturally, I followed him."

It was Crane's turn to roll his eyes.

"And?" Abbie prompted, doing her best to ignore him.

"He and Headless had a little summit in the woods. They made a deal that he would return his head and give him Katrina's immortal soul if he defeated Pandora and her box of tricks."

Abbie didn't know what to react to first. She looked at Crane askance, but when he began to explain, Jenny picked up her story. "I came out from behind a tree after the Horseman rode away, but not before I'd heard that Crane here had used Katrina's spell to come back from the future to save the day."

Abbie's eyes went wide with surprise.

"Is this true? You are from the future?"

With another withering glance at Jenny, Crane sighed, running an agitated hand through his hair.

"Yes, Lieutenant, I am. And I was going to tell you all of it, in good time, when I thought the danger had passed."

"From this Pandora person? The mythological Pandora?"
"Quite," he said. "Miss Jenny and I did help the Horseman rid the world of her influence, but your sister is right to say that I was not just here for that…"

When his words trailed off, Abbie tried to sort out her emotions. There were many reasons not to go back in time, but the main one had to do with the unpredictable ways it could affect the future. Abbie couldn't believe he would have risked this unless what he was trying to alter was really, really bad.

"What other reasons, Crane?" she asked softly, her heart pounding in trepidation.

He started to say something, but Jenny interrupted.

"He obviously wanted a second chance to get in your pants."

"Jenny!" Crane and Abbie said her name in unison, equally outraged.

Jenny smiled at the reactions of two of the most straight-laced people she knew.

"Come on, Abbie. He's been in love with you for years, any fool could see that. But I get there have been distractions, like the apocalypse and his wife's reappearance. He won't tell me all the details of the future, but I have a feeling he wanted to be with you pretty bad—bad enough to risk coming back to this point in time. When I saw him kissing you, the idea that he wasn't being honest with you—well, you deserve better, Abbie, especially from him, for all that you've been through together."

"Crane?"

But he didn't direct his next words to her; instead, he looked at Jenny.

"It wasn't your place to tell her all this. Yes, I have my reasons for being here, and they are very good reasons, as you well know. But what you witnessed just now doesn't take away from the bigger picture, Jenny." His tone was heavy with a meaning Abbie didn't understand, and that, along with how her brain was spinning from what they were telling her, combined with the residual emotions from their kisses—it was all very overwhelming.

"I've been doing a little research about time-travel theories," Jenny replied. "And I tend to believe the idea that you can't really change the future, at least not a person's overall destiny. Getting rid of Pandora was definitely a good thing, but who's to say everyone that was in her path won't still get hurt anyway? When it's your time to go, it's your time. How can anyone prevent that?"

Crane nodded. "Granger," he said.

"What?" asked Abbie.

He looked at her sheepishly. "In the previous timeline, Agent Granger died also, though at the hand of a demon that came from Pandora's box."

Jenny gasped and her hands went to her mouth.

"What aren't you two telling me?" asked Abbie.

She looked at Jenny first, but as her gaze turned to Crane, she caught the barely perceptible shake of his head. A horrifying thought occurred to her, and the words came to her lips before she could help it.

"It's me," Abbie said. "I—I die."

By now, the tears were streaming down Jenny's cheeks in fast, silent torrents.

"Crane?" prompted Abbie.

"Yes," he said, the word ripped from his soul.

"How?"

"No, Abbie. Please, I beg you."

"How?" she repeated, holding his arm in a vicelike grip. "Tell me. I have a right to know, don't I?"

His own eyes watering, Crane forced himself to put voice to describing the worst day of his life. "You sacrificed yourself to Pandora's box, in order to stop her husband from taking over the world and destroying humanity. It was your choice, and you made it freely and willingly."

Abbie took this in, accepted it as truth. She knew this was something she would do. Her life was nothing compared to all of humanity, and she would gladly sacrifice herself to save it if she saw no other way.

"When?"

He seemed devastated by the question. "To what end must you-?"

"Crane," she said, her voice hoarse with suppressed emotion.

Crane turned away, unable to look her in the eyes. "April 8, 2016."

"Six months," she said numbly, as Jenny let out a strangled cry.

Crane stepped toward Abbie, his hands encircling her upper arms, his eyes blue fire as they blazed down into hers.

"Listen, Abbie, this could mean nothing, you understand? Granger's death could be a coincidence, or maybe it was his time. But I came back here to stop Pandora because I believe your death was premature. It was prophecy that the two witnesses endure more trials than what we have yet faced. I am convinced your death went against the natural order of things. I have dispensed with Pandora, so it seems to me you are now free to continue on with your destiny—with our destiny—together."

She stepped away from him then, and turned to her sister, who was quietly crying.

"You're playing God, Ichabod," she said softly. "You know there is always a price for this kind of thing. You may have brought about something worse."

"No, don't say that. We are witnesses, chosen by God, and it is written in Biblical prophecy that we will endure, no matter what may come. I don't regret destroying Pandora, saving so many others from her husband's wrath. And even if you never forgive me, I will not regret saving you as well. The world needs you, Abigail Mills, nearly as much as I. I know in my heart fate has much more in store for you, and one day, when it is actually your time to die, you will still be the world's savior, of that I have no doubt, and you most certainly will—will have been mine."

Her heart squeezed painfully as he stumbled over those last words. What he had done he had done for her as well as the rest of the world, but she didn't know whether she could forgive him for taking away her sacrifice.

"How long would you have let me believe in this fake reality you created?"

"I swear to you, after April 8th had passed, I would have told you everything. I wanted to spare you the pain of knowing what might have been. And, our reality now is not counterfeit, I assure you. It is real. It is happening. What we have shared since my return is also what would have been ours in our other lifetime, had I not been such a blind fool."

"So we don't-?"

"No. And that was the real tragedy of losing you." He exhaled the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "And that, my dear Lieutenant, is the whole truth, so help me God."

Abbie peered up at him, still uncertain, still feeling as if she had been handed a death sentence. Nearly six months to the day. How many people knew their exact date of death?

"Not the whole truth, Crane. You said to the Horseman that there were two deaths," said Jenny.

"I am not telling you the other," said Crane obstinately. "I didn't wish this fear and uncertainty upon Abbie; I would not for the world knowingly inflict this information upon anyone else. You may both feel free to despise me for that, but there it is. Another risk I will just have to take."

Jenny suddenly threw herself into her sister's arms. "Six months? Oh, God, Abbie."

"Shhh," Abbie breathed into her sister's hair. "We don't know that. Things might have been permanently changed by Crane's actions. I'm not going to live in fear, not for whatever time I've been given."

She gave Jenny one final squeeze, then gently pulled away from her embrace. "Listen to me. I'm going to go on about my life as if nothing is set in stone. I want you to do the same. Go, now. Crane and I need to hash things out, okay? I'll see you later."

Jenny nodded, wiping at her wet cheeks with the backs of her hands. With one last glance at the two of them, she left the Archives through the tunnel exit.

Silence reigned between Abbie and Crane, as each mulled over the drama of moments before. And yet, hovering at the edge of all of it was the memory of the passionate kisses they had shared.

"It isn't Jenny, is it?" Abbie asked when she was sure her sister was long gone.

"No," he said immediately, and she believed him. Anyone else, she would bear with her usual fortitude. But if she were to lose her sister…

Crane took a hesitant step toward her. "Abbie, I—"

But she held up a staying hand. "No. Time to let me talk a minute. I want you to know that I am pissed off to such a degree that I'm not sure yet if I'll ever get over it. But I get it. I understand. Had you been the one to die, or Jenny, I might have considered doing what you've done."

She saw the leap of hope in his eyes, and she felt the warmth of it begin to radiate throughout her chilled body.

"But this doesn't take away from how wrong you were to do it. I meant it when I said it was like you were playing God. We aren't supposed to get to do that."

"I would do it again, however," he said vehemently, moving to stand before her, "just to get this chance to be near you again. You don't know what I went through when you died. It was a living hell; a place I did not want to exist without you. At least now, if things go awry, I will have had this day. I will know what it felt like to touch you, to kiss you, as I have secretly longed to do for years. Nothing can take that from me now. And you must know, I will do my level best to keep you safe, to never fail you as I did before."

To his obvious surprise, Abbie reached up, caressed his beard, traced his firm mouth with one finger.

"I need time to wrap my head around all this," she whispered. "Can you give me that? Please?"

He nodded. "Of course. Whatever you desire. I am at your beck and call, Lieutenant, and will wait an eternity for any crumb you might afford me."

She smiled, then tiptoed up and planted a gentle kiss on his lips. She felt him tense in expectation, holding valiantly still, keeping his promise to give her time.

"How's that for a crumb?"

"That's more like the entire pie," he quipped, slightly flustered, but obviously pleased.

She moved to leave. "I'll see you at home, later," she said. "I should get back to work."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Crane watched her go, happy that she may well forgive him, but fearful that all that Jenny had said was true. It had certainly occurred to him after Granger's death that after all this, he could still lose Abbie. He wondered if the pain would be even worse the second time around, after he had finally admitted his feelings for her, and he had discovered that she had similar feelings for him. She had to, given the way she'd kissed him.

He shook his head in wonder, pondering how the human brain could survive these extremities of emotion. Just days before he had been as one at the bottom of a well, and today, with Abbie's kiss, he had reached the top of a mountain. He was actually a bit relieved Miss Jenny had exposed him prematurely. While he regretted Abbie's pain and anger, he was coward enough to be thankful he hadn't had to confess it himself. There would have been no gentle way, he realized, to give someone this kind of news.

But whether he had six months or sixty years, he wasn't going to give up on his plan to win her, especially not now. He still held to the hope that the prophecy of old would prove true, and that he and Abbie would have years of happiness together as they confronted the tasks of the witnesses. But if six months was all they had together, he would make the most of it, and he would encourage her to do the same.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Abbie had just gotten to her car when her phone rang.

"Abbie," said Daniel Reynolds, "we have a situation. Bank robbery, hostages taken."

He gave her the name and address of the bank and all the details he had.

"I'm on it," she said, as she sat in the old sheriff's department parking lot. Something, perhaps a sixth sense borne of being a witness, occurred to her, and with a quick, indrawn breath, she called Crane.

"Lieutenant," he began upon answering, "I thought I wouldn't be hearing—"

"It's not about us, Crane. Look, I'm headed to a bank robbery. The thieves have taken about twenty hostages. If our demon is around, you think something like this might lure him out?"

He didn't hesitate. "Innocents being held against their will? Sounds precisely like a scenario it would welcome."

"You have any holy relics lying around that might work on this thing?"

He thought a moment.

"Clock's ticking, Crane."

"Yes," he replied. "Yes, I have something—"

"Well, grab it fast and get out here. I'm still in the car."

"On my way."

In less time than she'd expected, Crane arrived, carrying an ancient box. The moment he sat down, Abbie tore out of the parking lot.

"What is that?" she asked, both eyes on the road.

He opened the lid, and she glanced over to see a small piece of what looked like a shard of stone.

"It's believed to be part of the hip bone of Saint James."

"That's your holy relic? I figured it would be a sword or something."

He shook his head. "Actually, relic derives from the Latin, reliquiae, which means remains, particularly human bones or a saint's possessions. I didn't have the time to further research how one might use a holy relic to destroy the Voyl, but I'm assuming that it must come into physical contact with it to work."

"So what you're saying is, we have to get close enough to tag a bloodthirsty monster with that thing? Are you even sure that's legit? I know people used to pass off animal bones for the bones of saints to make money off of gullible pilgrims. You'd better be pretty damn sure before we get within ten feet of Mr. Vengeance…"

"This was a gift from Mr. Hawley—and while that might make you even more suspect, I have had it examined by scientists, who determined it is in fact human bone, and the cloth it was wrapped in dates to the time of Saint James. Now whether it is truly from the saint, one can never be one-hundred percent certain, but included with the box was a letter from a twelfth century pope attesting to its authenticity. At the very least, it was blessed by a pope. I'm sorry I can give no more assurance than that."

She shook her head in a mixture of amusement and dismay.

"Well, we really have no choice at this point," she said. "But as a fellow witness, I only have one thing to say: you go first."

He met her eyes, and a warmth passed between them, a shared remembrance of when, not twenty minutes before, they had found a passion, a rightness neither of them had ever experienced before.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he said softly.

A/N: Thanks for reading. I would love to hear what you think of my chapter.