Crane sat in the kitchen chair while Abbie took out the pack of frozen peas. His shirt was pulled down, so his collar wasn't in the way. She scooted a chair in front of him and placed it on the red scar on his neck. They were both quiet. Crane sat his hand on hers.

"Don't trouble yourself, Abbie."

She didn't say anything. She couldn't say anything after what almost happened to him tonight. He was out of her reach for far too long. She watched, tied in vines, as a demon strangled him. Crane's legs were in air, kicking and kicking. His hands were around the wrists of the monster, trying to remove them. His legs had slowed down, and Abbie yelled for him. He was quite close until Jenny came to help them.

"It's alright," he said. "Please, go get some rest."

Letting the pack of peas fall into his hand, she removed hair from his face and kissed his forehead. She didn't know what to say to Crane. She was just relieved that he was still here. This night could've gone worse. He could've been gone.

"I'm going to take a shower." She left him in the kitchen.

When she was done in the bathroom, she sat up in Crane's bed. Lifting the sheets to her nose, she smelled them. Their scents were mixed together. She heard him fumbling around in the kitchen. He was probably cleaning up or making tea. Next, she listened to the shower run. It stopped after thirty minutes. Crane knocked on the door. He always did that before walking in. Abbie normally answered, but she didn't this time. Crane opened the door. A towel was wrapped around him; his hair was damp. His eyebrows were lowered.

"You didn't respond."

"I'm tired, Crane." Abbie sighed.

He nodded and walked to his drawers for some clothes. After he found what he was looking for, he left the room again. When he came back, he was in his pajamas. Crane stood in front of her with his hands out. Abbie wasn't in the mood for this, but she got out of bed anyway. He wrapped his arms around her waist; she laid her forehead on his chest. Sighing again, she felt Crane's hands through her tank top. They tickled up and down her spine. Abbie closed her eyes. She wanted to fall into him, to let go with him, but she shook her head.

She removed his hands and turned to the bed. She grabbed a pillow, turned back to face him. "I can't do this, Crane."

He stepped forward to touch her again, but she took a step back.

"You don't want me to touch you."

"I can't allow it."

"Why?"

"You know why." She left him in the room.

Abbie wasn't herself around Crane lately. After she saw him nearly die from strangulation, she hadn't been okay for two days. As of now, they were in the archives, researching as usual. It was quiet. There were no jokes, no glances, no small smiles, no quick kisses, no brief touches.

"Leftenant, would you like to accompany me for a stroll in the park?"

"We have work to do." She didn't look up from the book she was holding.

"Perhaps, tomorrow?"

"We have work then, too." She flipped a page.

"You don't want to spend any time with me."

"Crane, drop it." She flipped another page.

She wasn't about to argue with Crane. He knew why she wasn't spending any time with him. Abbie knew she shouldn't be ignoring Crane like this, but it was the only thing she could do. She wanted them to stay focused. There was no time to be distracted. She couldn't let herself entangle with him, especially after what almost happened to him a few nights ago. She wouldn't allow herself to get close to him. Not mentally, not emotionally, not physically. Not anymore. There had to be space.

They were at the library, searching for more books about the creature of the week. Abbie was skimming for a book when Crane stood beside her.

"You found what we needed?"

"Yes, and I also found this odd device."

"What is it?" She found what she was looking for and took it off the shelf.

"I don't know. I was hoping you could enlighten me."

Abbie sighed as she flipped a page. She knew what he was doing. "Crane, unless it has anything to do with this creature we have to stop, I'd rather not talk about it."

"Sometimes I wish we would talk. We haven't done so in four days, Leftenant. I miss our conversations. I miss your voice, your laughter."

"No." Abbie walked away from him to check out the books she held in her hands.

"Must you really do this?"

"Yes," Abbie said as she searched through Crane's drawers for her things. She put all her shirts, jeans, pajamas, underwear, everything she brought over to the cabin in her duffel bag. She couldn't continue to stay here. She did have her own place after all. She also missed Jenny, even though she saw her every day.

"This is going overboard."

Abbie zipped her bag. She tried to leave, but Crane stood in the doorway. She didn't want to fight with him.

"Move."

"I will not. You aren't leaving."

"Crane." She paced in front of him.

"I won't allow it, Abbie."

She stood still. "Crane, I'm serious. Move."

"No. You're not shutting me out."

She tried to walk past him, but he blocked her.

"I can move you if I wanted to, you know?"

"I know, but you won't," he said.

"Because you'll let me go."

"Keeping your distance from me won't make it any easier. I almost died the other night, but that's no reason to separate yourself from me. I thought it would have brought us closer, not apart. You won't converse with me, you won't let me spend any time with you, you barely look at me. You won't even permit me to touch you again, Abbie."

"It's not like it's easy, Crane." She dropped her bag. "Walking away from you is not easy."

"It's not simple letting you do it either. We are stronger together. You of all people should realize this."

"I know that. I didn't say we weren't. We're still working together, aren't we? But what's the point? What's the point of continuing to let myself fall for you if I could lose you? You almost died, Crane." She paused. "You're my partner. Without you─"

He took a step towards her. "It's alright, Abbie."

"Don't." She wanted him to come closer, to feel his arms, his fingers, his lips. But she couldn't allow it. She would do everything she could not to. It was hard to resist though. She bit her lip.

"I'm right here."

"You're begging."

"I'll beg if I have to. Don't leave me. You can't leave me, Abbie. I need you. You need me, too."

"Stop."

"I can't. Please, come to me." He was closer to her now. His hand was on her cheek. His breathe was on her nose; their foreheads were touching. She squeezed her hands into fists.

"Why do you do this to me?" She didn't try to stop herself from reaching towards his lips. When she finally felt them, something inside of her slackened. It was all coming out. All the frustration and desperation, all the energy she kept in her tumbled out onto his lips. She pushed it all into him with her tongue, with the quickness of her mouth, and with her hands scrambling through his hair.

She didn't need to tell Crane that she decided to stay. He already knew. In case she changed her decision though, he showed her all the reasons why she should stay, why they shouldn't be divided or unconnected at all for any amount of time.