This was the last part of the AU, but there will be one more part for ProfR; she gave me the cutest request for a marriage proposal. :) Hope your Thanksgiving was great. Enjoy. :)

"Hold your hand like this and your foot this way, Jeremy," Jenny said.

"Like this?"

"Yeah. Awesome. Now, try to twist my arm back."

He did.

"Nice, J. Now, I'm going to get loose, and then I'll show you how to do that."

Abbie and Crane smiled at Jenny and Jeremy from the doorway of the kitchen in Crane's cabin.

"They're getting along great," Abbie said.

"Indeed. Now he has another person to relate to and someone to teach him martial arts. He's always wanted to learn, but Katrina wouldn't let him. She didn't want him to get hurt."

"He's doing good. Jenny's a great teacher."

"It seems so."

The oven beeped, and Crane went into the kitchen to take out his meatloaf. Dinner was ready. He also prepared cabbage, mashed potatoes, and rolls; Abbie made another red velvet cake.

"Would you like to sit outside for a few minutes, Leftenant?" Crane said as he held her around her waist.

She nodded. "Hey, J1 and J2, you can eat dinner now. I'm going outside with Crane."

"Race you?" Jeremy said.

"Go."

Abbie and Crane hurried out the way as they ran toward the kitchen. They shook their heads and smiled.

"What will we do with them?" Crane said.

Abbie shrugged and took Crane's hand. She grabbed the blanket from the couch, and then they stepped outside, walked towards a tree in his yard. After Crane spread the blanket, he sat on it. He held out his arms for Abbie. She settled between his legs as he leaned them against the tree.

She was glad Jenny finally got a chance to meet Jeremy. They talked about Spongebob, monster trucks, soccer, and now Jenny was teaching him some of her martial arts training. Some kid started to mess with Jeremy at school about his parents.

"How is he, Crane?" She played with his fingers.

Abbie didn't like that someone was hurting Jeremy, especially about his parents. He's still struggling with their divorce.

He sighed. "The events that have transpired at his school haven't been easy for him."

She got out of his lap to straddle him. Her hands rested on his face, then his shoulders. His arms were around her.

"I'm so sorry, Crane. I don't like this anymore than you do. Has Katrina gone up to the school?"

"She has, but that same classmate still finds a way to torture him. He's cries over the phone about it, Abbie."

"Can he transfer schools?"

"Katrina is working on finding another school for him as we speak. However, she is having trouble finding one with the same quality education he was receiving. I've been searching here in Sleepy Hollow."

"Would you want full custody of him?"

"Yes, I would have to talk to Katrina though. We share custody as of now, but I would not mind being solely responsible for him."

"That's more time with him. He would love that. He needs it."

He nodded. "He'd also get to spend more time with you and, now, Miss Jenny. He's taken quite a liking to you both. You two are important to him."

"How would Katrina feel about that?"

"I'm not sure. I'd have to ask."

"Just like you were supposed to ask if I could talk to Jeremy over the phone sometimes. I want to be there for him."

Crane sighed. "I am sorry. I was a coward."

"What are you afraid of?"

"What if she does not accept that idea? What if she makes rude comments about you?"

"You mean what if she stops bringing Jeremy to see you on the weekends because of me?"

Crane looked at the grass. Abbie didn't want Crane to have to choose between her and Jeremy. She would step completely out the way if that's what it took. Ruining a father and son relationship wasn't what she wanted to do, especially since she cared about the both of them. If Katrina threatened Crane's weekends with Jeremy because Jeremy really liked her and Jenny, then she would have to distance herself.

"That is a fear of mine. What if she does?"

"You two share custody. She has to let you see him according to the order. If not, the police can get involved."

"What if I don't try to stop her?"

She removed her hands from his shoulders. "You would let Katrina take him like that without a fight?"

"Fights can be messy, Leftenant."

"I get you want to respect Katrina's wishes, but letting her do that to you and Jeremy is not okay. You can't please everyone, Crane. Sometimes it can get messy, but you have to be willing to fight for what you love. You know I'll be here if comes to that. So will Jenny."

He took her hands, nodded his head.

"If Katrina can't find a school down there, do you think she will give you full custody of him with no trouble?"

"She's seen that he misses me. It is a possibility, but I cannot be too sure. Katrina does love Jeremy, too. I will talk to her once and for all, Leftenant, about gaining full custody if I find a school that matches the curriculum of his current one. I will also talk to her about permitting you to speak to Jeremy."

She nodded and stood up. "I want you two to be happy. If Katrina isn't okay with me speaking to Jeremy or spending time him like I am, then that's fine."

It was fine. Katrina had a right to feel that way. Abbie wouldn't want her child to have more fun or show more interest in a woman that isn't her. Jealousy would be her new friend. She would remove herself from Crane and Jeremy's life if that meant Crane could have a relationship with him. At the same time, she would miss them. She enjoyed their time together, but she would do it for them.

Crane stood up, too, and folded the blanket. "What are you thinking, Leftenant?"

They started to walk back to the cabin. Abbie didn't want to tell him about possibly breaking up with him if Katrina didn't want her around Jeremy.

"You can't have it both ways, Crane. If Katrina doesn't want me near Jeremy, then we'd have to call it quits."

He stopped walking. "You mean terminate our relationship?"

"If you want to do what Katrina says, then that doesn't include me. I'm would never ask you choose between your son and me, Ichabod. You know that."

"I don't want to lose you."

"You love your son and your relationship with him. You know that's more important."

"Your relationship is important to me, too, and to Jeremy. He adores you." He sighed. "I will talk to Katrina at once."

"You can't make her like me, and this isn't about you, Crane. It's not about us."

"Leftenant," he faced her, "my job as a parent is to keep my son in good spirits. Aside from my own desire, you make Jeremy happy. If you make him happy, then I will not stand between that. I will fight for my son's joy."

"Crane!"

They looked toward the door. Jenny had Crane's cell phone in her hands. His phone still rang when they met Jenny in the doorway. He glanced at the caller I.D.

"Katrina," Crane said.

Abbie took a deep breathe.

She sat on Crane's bed and bit her lip. She wasn't sure if this would work. Could Crane really persuade Katrina to like her? She didn't want to end her relationship with Crane, and she had fun with Jeremy. Losing either of them wasn't what she wanted, but Abbie respected Katrina enough to back off.

"Katrina, please try to understand. Miss Mills is not here to threaten your relationship with our son. She only wants to comfort him and talk to him if you will allow it." Crane glanced at Abbie, shook his head.

She rubbed her hands on her jeans. By Crane's look, she knew Katrina wasn't a fan of hers. Crane held out the phone for her. She cleared her throat and took it.

"Hi, Katrina."

Crane sat beside her and rubbed her back. He kissed her forehead. She laid her head on his shoulder.

"Ichabod tells me you would like to start having conversations with my son over the phone. I don't like this, Miss Mills. I understand that Jeremy likes you. He talks about you when he's here with me. He tells me you've had trouble with your parents as a child?"

"Yeah."

"I'm glad he has someone to relate to. He needs that, but I can't help but feel jealous of the relationship you have with him. This shouldn't be a big deal, but he wouldn't fist bump me. He said it was for you two only. You can imagine how I felt."

Abbie nodded. She would be the same way.

"I'm sorry, Katrina. I'm not trying to come between you and Jeremy. That's the last thing I want. I want him happy just like you. Jeremy is a great kid."

Crane stopped rubbing her back and held her hand.

"He is. One of the kids at school has been making fun of him because of our divorce. I'm sure Ichabod has told you this. We are looking to transfer him."

"He did. I don't like it either, Katrina. He doesn't deserve that. I know you're not too fond of me, but is there anything I can do to help him?"

"Why do you care so much, Miss Mills? He isn't your child. That's what gets me the most."

Abbie lifted her head off of Crane's shoulder. She sighed. "I'm not sure why. My parents split when I young, too. I had my sister. Who does Jeremy have? I guess I wanted to be that person for him. I know what it's like."

"Do you love my son, Miss Mills?"

She squeezed Crane's hand and bit her lip. Did she love Jeremy? She didn't think nothing of giving him fist bumps or making ice cream sundaes with him or hugging him before she left or telling him stories about her job that made him want to be a police officer, too. She wouldn't call these things love. She thought that's what you did with kids. That's what she wanted her parents to do for her.

She smiled. "It seems so. I don't mean any—"

"Miss Mills, it is alright. You love my son, and all I want is for him to be loved. Even though I give Ichabod a hard time about his fathering skills, I do know that he loves Jeremy. Now, you love him, too." She sighed. "You really do make him happy, Miss Mills. I've seen it. You have my full permission to call or speak to him over the phone, but I will have to monitor."

Abbie glanced at Crane and nodded; he smiled, kissed her cheek.

"That works. Thank you, Katrina."

"I should be thanking you, Miss Mills. You are there for him. Although he still has his sad moments, he's been handling our divorce a little better every day. Thank you."

"It's no trouble. I just want him to know he's not alone."

"He knows that now."

"Would you like to speak back to Crane?"

"No. You can tell him I will speak to him later. Please tell my son I will see him Sunday and that I love him."

"I will."

"Goodbye, Miss Mills."

"Bye, Katrina."

Abbie hung up the phone. She and Crane stood up at the same time. He picked her up and hugged her.

"Let's go tell Jeremy," she said.

He kissed her before they left the room. Jeremy sat in Jenny's lap at the table. Their plates were in front of them as they fed themselves cabbage. Abbie and Crane stood in the doorway.

"I don't like cabbage, J1," Jeremy said.

"I hear you, J2, but it's good for you. It makes you healthy."

"Will this make me grow strong? To beat up Tyler? He's not nice to me about my parents. He said my parents aren't together because they don't care about each other." Jeremy stared at her.

"That's not true. Just because your parents aren't together doesn't mean that they don't care about each other or that they don't love you. Sometimes people disagree, like when Spongebob and Patrick got mad at each other. It doesn't mean that they still weren't friends."

"Just like mommy and daddy?"

"Yeah, kid."

"Did someone talk about your parents?"

Jenny nodded her head. "Sometimes kids would tease me and Abbie about our mom. They said she was crazy and that we were crazy, too."

"Why did they say that?"

Jenny tousled his hair. "That's another story for another day, J2. But I used to stick up for Abbie when kids would make fun of her about mamma. She did the same for me. If they made my sister cry, then I would push them or hit them. No one makes my sister cry."

"You're brave, J1. Can I hit Tyler?"

"No. You only use that trick as a last resort. If he hits you first or pushes you around, then you use what I taught you. Got it?"

"But those kids didn't hit you first."

"I know. It was wrong. I should've found another way. My teacher always put me in time-out. I don't want that to happen for you, so don't go beating kids up. Only use it if you're in real trouble. Got it, Jeremy?"

"Got it, Jenny."

She nodded. "Good."

"I guess you are a good influence," Abbie said.

They looked at her with smiles.

"I guess so. What have you guys been up to?"

"We just got off the phone with Katrina. Guess what, Jeremy?"

"Your mom said I can talk to your over the phone, and you can call me. She'll be listening though to make sure everything is okay. Sounds good?"

Jeremy stuck his fist out, and Abbie went to bump it. Their fingers exploded. Abbie also told him that his mom loved him and that he'll see her Sunday.

"Are you okay with this?" Crane said.

"Yeah, dad."

Crane kissed him on the cheek. "It's settled then. Do you like Miss Jenny, too?"

He nodded.

"Me, too."

Crane glanced at Abbie. "It appears we'll have to talk to Katrina about Miss Jenny as well."

"It seems so."