A/N: Thanks everyone for your thoughts on Katrina. Irving returns in this chapter and a new conflict arises.

The station buzzed with normal business Monday morning. Abbie sat at her desk, trying to figure out why there was a rash of murders in Sleepy Hollow. They did not follow any path that Moloch had, so she knew it couldn't be that. They seemed like normal, stream-lined murders. She was grateful for the break from the demons.

She sighed and sat back in her chair. Her left hand rubbed the bridge of her nose as she fought off a headache. She had been feeling rather ill the past few days; ever since she and Crane had consummated the relationship. She knew it had nothing to do with that and knew she wasn't pregnant, so she just chalked it up to an oncoming cold. One that she didn't need.

Katrina's necklace hung around her neck, sitting in the crevice of her cleavage. It looked beautiful against her dark skin. Abbie had agreed to wear it, against her better judgment, after Crane had insisted that it was a force of good. Abbie wasn't sure she believed it, but agreed to appease him.

He seemed so serious when he presented it to me. How could I not say no?

Luke noticed the necklace as soon as she walked in. And he wasn't happy about it. He frowned and stared at it a little too long as disgust registered on his face. Abbie ignored him because it wasn't his business and she was not his to control. She only hoped that he would let it go soon.

A noise from the front jolted her from her revelry. She turned and looked towards the doorway to see who was approaching. A low hum of murmurs passed through the station. When she saw him, she smiled.

Frank Irving was returning to work. Now that he had been cleared of Moloch clutches, he was back to his old self. Abbie didn't begrudge him; he had only been doing things because he hadn't been in control. But he was back now. And determined to right his wrongs.

He walked into the station with his air of authority about him. He paused in the doorway and looked around. Everyone stood at attention and applauding at seeing him back. He smiled briefly and then told everyone to return to work. He caught eyes with Abbie and gave her a slight nod, inviting her to come see him in his office.

She waited five minutes so it didn't look suspicious, and then slowly rose from her desk and crossed the length to this office door. She rapt lightly and waited for him to call her in.

"What did you want to see me about, sir?"

Irving took a sip of his coffee and gestured for her to sit. After she was settled, he began.

"Thank you," he said.

Abbie frowned. "What for?"

"For not giving up on me. After what happened, you could have easily have just kept me in the sanitarium. You chose not to."

Abbie shook her head. "You weren't in your right mind, sir. What happened to you was not your fault. Moloch was controlling you."

Irving sighed. "Yes. I was so sure that I was in control of my actions that I failed to see that I wasn't. I thought that the decisions I was making was of my own mind, not the mind of a demon."

She nodded.

"How are you and Crane planning on stopping him?"

Abbie shrugged. "We haven't worked everything out. I know that he wants my soul and thinks that Ichabod will deliver it to him. We think we can outwit him so that doesn't happen."

Irving zeroed in on the necklace. "Was that Katrina's necklace?"

She nodded again. "Yes. She said I needed to wear it; that it would protect against Moloch. I have no idea how that's possible, but I agreed to wear it. Can't be too careful nowadays."

Irving shook his head. "No, you can't." He stood and looked out the window. He didn't say anything for a few minutes.

"I expect things will remain the same, Mills. I expect that you will work on this apocalypse with Crane and will let me know of issues that arise."

"Of course, sir."

He turned and smiled. "Good. I want things as back to normal as possible. I realize that is not going to happen given the situation, but we can hopefully restore our normalcy and boring city before the end of the world."

Abbie smiled. Frank had a way with words.

"Yes sir."

He seemed to stare at her for longer than necessary, and then dismissed her. As she walked back to her desk, she heard a familiar voice.

"I was wondering if you fancied some lunch?"

She turned and immediately wrapped her arms around Ichabod.

"Of course."

At this point, she didn't care who saw them. And that was good, too, because Luke almost dropped his coffee mug at the sight.

"Let me just grab my jacket."

Ichabod gestured. "By all means."

They walked out of the station, hand in hand, to a deli across the street. After ordering, they sat and stared out of the window for awhile. They did not need to always speak to be content.

The food arrived and they began to dig in.

"Irving's back."

Ichabod glanced at his Nubian beauty. "I saw. How is the captain?"

Abbie lathered some mustard on her ham and cheese sandwich. "He seems fine. Back to his old self."

Ichabod smiled. "That is good."

"He recognized the necklace."

Ichabod's eyes glanced down at the jewel lying on top of Abbie's breasts. He wanted very much to bury his head in between there…

Focus, Crane!

"Really?"

Abbie nodded. "I don't know if that's a good sign or bad." She forked a mouthful of pasta salad into her mouth.

Crane could only watch with rapt attention as her lips hugged the fork. When it came out clean, he watched her lick a spot of dressing from the salad from her bottom lip. He found himself growing increasingly warmer.

He tugged at his shirt collar, cursing himself for wearing a turtleneck that day.

"You okay?"

He nodded. "Yes" he squeaked a little too loudly.

Abbie laughed. She knew that he was turned on.

Oh honey. If you only knew the fantasies I have been having about you all day….

"You were saying, Abbie?"

She smiled. "The fact that he recognized the necklace means that he saw it while under Moloch's spell. I am unsure if he is completely free of him."

Ichabod nodded. "I have wondered the same thing. Frank is an honorable man; he would do whatever he could to help Macy."

"Exactly. I want to trust him, but I think for now we need to use him on an as-needed basis."

"Agreed," Ichabod said and took a drink of soda.

They actually spent more time having lunch than they should have. By the time Abbie returned to the station, it was after two in the afternoon.

"I didn't know that lunches with boyfriends meant leisure time," Luke said.

Abbie sighed and rolled her eyes. "It doesn't, Luke. Ichabod and I just lost track of time."

He frowned. "What were you two doing?"

"Talking." Mostly….

Abbie blushed thinking about the passionate kiss Ichabod gave her as she emerged from the ladies' room. The area was off in a corner and so not a lot of people saw, but he couldn't be bothered to care at that moment.

Luke saw the blush and his eyes narrowed. "Uh-huh."

Abbie walked to the break room to fill her coffee. "Look, Luke. If you have something to say, just say it."

He crossed his arms and looked quizzically at her. She squirmed under his gaze.

"Not yet. But I might later."

"Well, I may not be available."

She brushed past him, but he grabbed her arm. Turning around to face him, he whispered in her ear.

"Keep your friends close, Abbie. You never know who might help you out. Nice necklace, by the way."

And he walked off.

Abbie stared at his retreating form, her head spinning with what he had said. Slowly she went back to her desk.

The rest of the afternoon passed uneventfully, which was good for Abbie. She needed to get caught up on paperwork.

Around seven she text Ichabod that she would be working late and not to worry about her.

"I always worry about you, love. It's part of my job. But I know working late is a part of yours. Stay safe and please text me when you get home."

She smiled and replied "okay."

At seven-thirty, she prepared to leave. She was going to go back to her apartment, kick her feet up and watch a cheesy Hallmark movie. She was almost out the door when someone stopped her.

This man was tall and rugged-looking, with blond hair and blue eyes. He seemed to drink Abbie in and his eyes focused on the necklace and the pillows it lay on.

"Can I help you?" Abbie asked, irritated.

He smiled and lifted his eyes to hers. "I hope so. You are Abigail Mills, right?"

"Yes." Why am I suddenly nervous?

"Then you can definitely help me." He extended his hand towards her.

She glanced down at it and then placed hers in his. There was a small jolt of electricity, but nothing compared to what she had with Crane.

Don't be thinking that. Crane is the one you love. Don't let this hottie distract you.

She gathered her wits and spoke.

"And you are?"

He squeezed her hand and looked deeper into her eyes. "My name's Hawley. Nick Hawley."

A/N: We all know on the show that Nick is interested in Abbie. How do you think this will play out?

Happy New Year!