A/N: Better turnaround time for this chapter but it is a shorter one compared to the last mammoth chapter, so… swings, roundabouts on that one. This chapter has more action in it which is good news for anyone who is a bit over all the talking I have my characters do. :D And the next couple of chapters will definitely have more action again with lots of angst, so dress appropriately for that, won't you? As I have no doubt complained to you all before, I'm not a huge fan of writing action stuff as I find it a bit tedious, so, I hope it all makes sense as you read along.

And that's enough from me, let's crack on with this chapter and see where everyone is at, eh? Comments are always greatly appreciated and a source of huge motivation for me, like any wannabe author. Thanks again for reading. :D

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Irving started violently as a cold, white hand suddenly appeared on his shoulder. He swung around batting wildly at the air and made an unmanly gurgle of fear.

Jenny burst out laughing and pointed the mannequin hand she had at him. "Chill, big guy, it's only me."

Irving glared at her in the dimly lit warehouse. "That wasn't funny the first time you did that and it's even less so now."

Jenny grinned at him. "We'll have to agree to disagree on that one because a grown ass man being afraid of dolls is as funny as hell to me."

"Mannequins aren't dolls," said Irving tersely as he looked around the deserted warehouse full of mannequins in various states of dismemberment. "They're creepy, faceless people who dismantle. That ain't right."

"But they have so many uses," protested Jenny. She lifted the hand and used it to scratch her back. "Look, back scratcher." She then went to shove one of the fingers up her nose. "Nose picker."

Irving slapped her hand away. "Stop that, that's disgusting. You don't know where those fingers have been."

"I know where my fingers have been and I don't think Handsie here could be any worse."

Irving scowled at her. "You know, you couldn't be more annoying right now if you tried."

Jenny snorted loudly. "Of course I could. I'll prove it."

"No, you won't," said Irving sharply. "It's bad enough I'm spending my one day off in three weeks trolling around a house of horrors. I don't need, Pesky, one of the lesser known dwarves, getting on my last nerve the whole time."

"Geez, unclench, Grandpa, I was just trying to have a little fun."

"At my expense."

"That's pretty much the fun part," said Jenny impishly.

Irving took the mannequin hand from Jenny and gingerly put it on a nearby bench. "Just let's keep this thing professional and get it over and done with, okay? We don't need to be here any longer than we have to."

"I can't believe you've got a mannequin phobia," said Jenny in amusement as they resumed looking around. "Where did that come from? I mean, that eighties movie was hokey but not exactly terrifying… unless you count the fashions and the hair."

"My family lived in the UK for a while when I was growing up," ground out Irving as he shone his torch under a work bench with a various assortments of mannequin limbs. "My father had a contract there for a year."

"As segue ways go, that was pretty much out of left field," said Jenny wryly.

"There was a show on TV there called Doctor Who and they had this episode where this plastic came to life and started to kill people and that plastic was in the shape of mannequins. They were called Autons. I was seven years old and it scared the crap out of me."

"Ah, poor little Frankie, scared of a TV show."

"It was a traumatic experience when you're only seven," said Irving in annoyance.

"At least my scary monster was real," said Jenny unapologetically.

"Is this a competition for most screwed up kid?"

"No, but if it was, I'd win."

Irving shone his torch in her general direction. "Remind me again how that's a good thing?"

"It isn't, it just gives me more street cred then you." Jenny kicked at a box of spare heads before crouching down to go through them.

"I've been a cop for more than twenty years," said Irving flatly. "I've got street cred coming out my whazoo."

"Sounds nasty," said Jenny teasingly. "I hear you can get a cream for that nowadays."

"You're still not funny." Irving looked around the large workshop and sighed heavily. "Here's hoping Crane and your sister are having better luck then we are."

"If history is anything to go by, they're probably fighting for their lives even as we speak." She and Irving exchanged looks. Jenny grimaced. "Okay, even I know that wasn't funny."

"But probably true," said Irving in resignation. "Those two are like white on rice when it comes to trouble."

"So much word to that statement."

"Unlike you whose life if as boring as the day is long." Irving arched an eyebrow at her.

"I hear your sarcasm and I have one thing to say to it." Jenny whipped out a dummy head from the box she was going through and threw it at Irving. "Heads up!"

He grunted and caught it, wrinkling his nose at the head. "I mentioned my feelings on your hilarity already, right?"

#

Abbie gasped awake, sitting bolt upright as she looked around. Where was she? One minute she'd been sitting on a sofa watching Ichabod dutifully follow Alice off into the kitchen and then she'd blinked and now she was here. Only she didn't know where here was. She appeared to be in the woods but it was like everything around her was made of glass and mirrors. The trees looked as though they'd been sculpted out of mirrors, their branches twisting at sharp angles this way and that. All the shrubbery had pointed edges and reflected the grey landscape all around her. Abbie went to stand up and grimaced as she felt her flesh being cut by the shards of glass which made up the grass. She pulled her arm to herself protectively and scrambled to her feet, shaking out small pieces of glass from her clothes and hair. Suddenly this place was familiar. She'd been here before. Memories assaulted Abbie of finding herself lost in amongst this reflective forest full of sharp, cutting edges. This was where she went when she blacked out, at least, her subconscious did but somehow that subconscious was linked to her physical body. Abbie looked down at her bleeding arm and knew her body would be bleeding outside in the real world. She remembered running through this deadly forest, trying to find her way out and getting more and more cuts. But when she woke up, all of those memories were gone with only the blood left on her body.

Abbie drew in a shaky breath, feeling the fear threaten to overwhelm her. "Crane!" she called out, not knowing if he could hear her but he'd found her before, in the real world, he'd find her again. He had to. Her voice echoed back to her in a strange and dull delayed response. Like an echo in slow motion, if that made any kind of sense. A flash of black out of the corner of her eye had Abbie whirling around. She took an unsteady step backwards and felt something slice through her back. Abbie jumped away, feeling the blood dripping down her back and soaking into her shirt. Some of her blood was sliding down a multifaceted tree trunk, bright red against the monochromatic grey. "Who's there?" she called out, trying to make sure she didn't sound as afraid as she felt. Another flash of black had Abbie spinning around. "Come out! I can see you!" Abbie reached for her gun which was still on her hip. She pulled it out and held it out in front of her, turning in a circle. "Come out now or I'll shoot." Another streak of black out of the corner of her eye had Abbie swinging around and squeezing the trigger. The noise reverberated around and around, almost deafening her and glass shattered and sprayed everywhere.

"Miss Mills?"

Abbie jerked around at the woman's voice. Behind her was Katrina Crane, staring at her, wide-eyed. Abbie immediately lowered her gun. "Katrina," she gasped. Abbie hurried towards the other woman, realizing now that the glimpses of black she'd been seeing were of Katrina's dress, reflected in all of that glass. Thank heavens Abbie had only been shooting at a reflection. She wouldn't have been able to live with herself if she'd accidentally shot Katrina. Death in this world felt like kind of a permanent thing to Abbie. Stopping in front of Katrina, Abbie looked her over. "Are you alright?"

"I do not know," said Katrina hesitantly. "I do not know where we are."

Abbie grimaced. "I was kind of hoping you'd have an inside track on that one."

Katrina looked around herself, looking a little dazed. "I know I am no longer in Purgatory but this strange new world seems to be even worse." She frowned. "And I think I've been here before."

"Yeah, I have that feeling too but it's like it was a dream or something."

Katrina looked at her intently. "Perhaps we dream together?" She closed her eyes. "I have such strange memories in my head when I am here. Ichabod…" Katrina opened her eyes again, "I was with Ichabod and we were—" She stopped abruptly and blushed.

Abbie's eyes went wide. "Do you remember kissing him?"

Katrina's blush deepened. "I was dreaming, I must have been."

"No, you weren't dreaming, I was," said Abbie quickly, the pieces falling into place. "Somehow when I'm in here it makes some kind of bridge for you to get back into my world. You kissed Crane using my body." She blew out a noisy breath. "Oh thank God!"

"You kissed my Ichabod?" asked Katrina a little stiffly.

"No," said Abbie emphatically, "that's the point. I didn't, you did. You thought you were kissing Ichabod in your dreams but you were doing it in mine and using my body." Abbie grimaced. "Okay, I can see how that may not sound like great news to you but trust me, it is. I thought I was going crazy." Knowing that there wasn't some kind of hidden sexual predator inside of Abbie who she couldn't control made her feel a whole lot better about everything all of a sudden. A thought occurred to her, she grabbed Katrina's arm. "Wait, if you could occupy my body before, you can do it again and this time, instead of macking on Crane, you could tell him we need help, where we are."

"Macking on?" repeated Katrina in consternation. "And I don't know where we are, or how he can help and—"

"And?" prompted Abbie in frustration, even though she knew Katrina was right.

"And I don't think I can use you as a bridge anymore."

"Why, because we know what we're doing this time, because you know it's not a dream?"

"No," said Katrina quietly, "because I think you have grown too weak to sustain such a thing. Before I could feel that link to the other world, even when I thought it was my dreams. Now, there is nothing there."

Abbie swallowed hard. "You think I'm dying in the real world?"

Katrina looked her over with a compassionate expression. "You're bleeding and greatly weakened. Being continually pulled into this place must have taken a huge toll on your physical form. You are not meant to be here and your body bears the brunt of such a transgression."

"Why am I here?" asked Abbie hoarsely. "What is going on?"

Katrina looked around herself fearfully. "I do not believe we are alone in this place of mirrored strangeness. Can you not feel another presence?"

Abbie could. It raised the tiny hairs on the back of her neck, chilled the breath in her lungs. She knew that feeling of being watched, of being hunted. "Moloch," she rasped.

Katrina gave a short nod of her head. "He is coming for you. I feel his desire for you, for your soul. He wants what is his."

"I'm not his," Abbie growled. "I'll never be his."

Katrina laid a hand on her arm. "Indeed, we must make sure of that this never happens."

"What do we do?"

A low, rumbling growl rolled out from within the glass forest, full of menace. The sound of heavy footsteps reverberated under their feet.

"He's coming," said Katrina urgently. "We must away."

"No argument here," said Abbie as the two women turned and ran in the opposite direction to the sounds. It was hard running through the glass forest. The ground underneath was either slippery or sharp. Jagged leaves and branches caught at their clothing, tearing it. Katrina's full skirts were especially being torn to shreds. The endless reflections in all that mirrored glass also made it hard to navigate because of reflections of reflections. It made it near impossible to orientate yourself and as they dodged and darted between the trees, Abbie realized she couldn't hear Katrina behind her. She stopped abruptly and looked around. "Katrina!" Abbie could see Katrina not far away from her but then the other woman's voice came to her much further away and Abbie realized she was looking at a reflection.

"Abbie!"

"Stay where you are," Abbie ordered her, trying to get a bead on where the woman actually was. "I'll come to you." It was easier said than done. It was like trying to navigate your way through a hall of mirrors at a carnival, only everything was mirrored all around you. It was confusing and disorientating in the extreme. "Just keep talking."

"You must hurry, Miss Mills," whispered Katrina hoarsely. "The beast approaches."

Abbie could hear the crashing of something large coming their way. "We can't get separated," she said determinedly. "We need to stick together." Abbie finally caught sight of what looked like the real Katrina in amongst all those reflections. "I see you," she said happily. "Don't move." Abbie eagerly stepped out, keeping her eyes on Katrina so as not to lose her again. Unfortunately that meant she didn't notice the sudden drop off to the next level of ground. It wasn't much, less than a foot but Abbie hadn't been expecting it at all and she lost her balance, falling heavily to the ground. A searing pain shot through her side and she gasped in agony as she rolled into a mirrored log, causing it to fall from where it had been resting against some rocks and rolled over her legs.

"Abbie!" said Katrina in distress and then she was kneeling beside Abbie, trying to help. She tugged at Abbie's wrists where her hands were clutched to her side. "Let me see."

Abbie gritted her teeth and removed her hands and felt sick when she saw the large piece of glass poking out from her side. Blood was spilling out everywhere and her head spun from the pain and the sudden blood loss.

"Oh no," said Katrina. She went to remove the glass stick but Abbie stopped her.

"No," she panted, "I'll-I'll bleed out. Don't move it."

Katrina nodded. "Very well." She looked at the tree trunk trapping Abbie. "But I can at least free you from this." Katrina tried to push at the trunk but all she got for her troubles was some splinters of glass in her hands, making them bleed. "Ow!" She shook her hands and pulled out the splinters. "I require a different method." Katrina leapt to her feet as Abbie pressed her hand to her side and willed the blood flow to stop. Katrina returned with a mirrored stick and attempted to use it as a lever to move the tree trunk. However the stick simply shattered in her hands, showering Abbie with more glass.

A loud bellow rolled out from the forest and it sounded very close.

Abbie grabbed Katrina's arm. "You have to get out of here."

Katrina's eyes went wide. "Not without you."

"Listen to me, I'm stuck, we can't get this tree off my legs and even if we could, how far do you think I can run?"

"I will not abandon you, Miss Mills," said Katrina intently.

"What you're going to do is save yourself," said Abbie grimly. "You can't help me and it would kill Crane to lose you again. He can't lose both of us. You have a chance, take it. I'm going to be alright." They both knew that was a lie but Abbie didn't show it as she let Katrina only see steely determination in her eyes.

"But—"

"You're as stubborn as your husband," Abbie interrupted her. "Just go, okay? I won't have your death on my conscience. If you go now there is a chance you might find a way to help me. It's the only hope I have." Abbie nodded encouragingly at her. "Go, run for both of us. It's the right thing to do, I promise you." All this talking was exhausting Abbie but she had to know she was doing everything she could to save Katrina. It was all that mattered now.

"Miss Mills," said Katrina unhappily.

Abbie gripped her hand as tightly as her dwindling strength would allow. "It's okay," she said raggedly. It's the right thing to do. I'd do the same in your place." The two women stared at each other and another roar from behind them had Katrina finally giving in.

"I will find a way to help you and return," she promised hastily.

"I know you will," said Abbie with more confidence then she felt.

Katrina stood up and quickly looked over her shoulder. She looked back at Abbie. "Remain alive and I will return for you."

Abbie managed a weak smile. "I'll do my best. Now, run."

Katrina did as Abbie directed, turning and running into the confusing maze of a forest. Abbie slumped back on the ground and blew out a relieved breath which turned into a rattling cough. She spat up blood, the taste acrid on her tongue. Her relief was short-lived as the sound of splintering glass drew closer as Moloch stomped through the forest. Abbie went for her gun, drawing it out and pointing in the direction of all the noise. The cloven beast stormed into the clearing where Abbie had fallen. He spotted her immediately.

An evil smile cracked the monster's face as he stomped over to her. Moloch leaned over her, flaring nostrils snorting his hot, rancid breath in Abbie's face. "The little Witness," he hissed.

Moloch's voice was like nails down a chalk board to Abbie.

"Long have I waited for our reunion."

Abbie pointed her gun at the creature's head. "Go to hell." She fired every bullet she had at him and Moloch reeled backwards. Abbie's hopes soared, thinking she had wounded the beast but he quickly straightened up and a low, rumbling laughter erupted from deep inside of him.

"You are defeated, Witness, accept your fate. There is no hope."

"There is always hope," threw back Abbie, her eyes blazing. "You can kill me but there will always be another."

"Apart you are insignificant to me," he growled. "One Witness can do nothing to stop me."

"Then you underestimate Ichabod Crane," threw back Abbie. "He doesn't need me to stop you." She was forced to stop and cough again, fresh blood filling her mouth. The pain in her side was agonizing.

"You understand so little," grunted Moloch. "And you will die because of it. You do not understand where your power lies and now you never will."

Moloch drew closer and it was impossible not to feel complete and utter terror at facing down the demon which had terrorized Abbie her entire life. His face was full of twisted menace and all Abbie could do was to hold his gaze unflinchingly to let him know she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of cowering before him.

"Now, Witness," he rumbled, "I have one desire of you." Moloch reached out a gnarled finger with a long, pointed fingernail. He dug that fingernail into Abbie's wound. "Scream for me," he hissed.

Abbie couldn't help herself as a white hot agony blazed through her body. She threw back her head and screamed out in torment, the pain filling her whole world...

A/N: Soooo, things aren't looking that great for Abbie right now… and Katrina is not exactly safe and Ichabod, well, we don't know what is happening with him. Maybe Alice has him locked up in a dungeon doing unspeakable things to his helpless body… or is that just my fantasy? 0;) At least we know things can't get any worse, right… or can they? I know, I really am a big old meanie. LOL Some of the mysteries have been explained but there are more revelations to come. I hope it makes sense to you so far. Let me know if I've confused you, won't you?"

Oh, and I couldn't help putting in a Doctor Who reference because yes, I am that big of a geek and proud of it!