So this took a turn. Hope it makes sense. :/

Crane browsed the books on the shelf while Abbie compared one crime scene photo to another. Pandora sent out another creature to create more panic. Nothing was out of the way, except that the two victims were frozen in different positions. A lady with brown skin, short hair, and full lips like Abbie's stood with her arms and legs spread apart like she guarded someone. The other victim, a white man with short brown hair and a beard, had an arm in front of him with the other outstretched beside him. He looked like he protected someone, too, and also resembled Crane. The creature left a card by the foot of them, each with a short message. The other FBI agents didn't know what it meant, but Abbie did.

"'One must come,'" she said. "This is aimed at us. Pandora is being pretty forward."

"Will she stop at nothing?" Crane said as he sat at the table across from her.

She shook her head. "More people will die. One of us has to go to her. I'll go."

He held up his finger. "You shall not. Not this time, Leftenant."

It's been five weeks since Abbie has been back. She's readjusted, gotten back into the things. The first few days were the toughest. She wouldn't sleep in her bed. The sofa or Crane's room were her options. Crane didn't mind letting her sleep with him. He worried less when she did. Sometimes, she wouldn't even sleep and stayed up all night. Crane sung to her to get her to bed. It worked. Now, she slept in her own bed and started work last week.

"You don't tell me what to do."

"I'm not. However, given that you just escaped the clutches of Pandora the first time, I don't think you should revisit. I will do it, Leftenant. I'll go."

Abbie stood up, shook her head. She paced the floor. He got up and stopped her. His hands rested on her shoulders.

"Even if Pandora doesn't want one of us in Hell, why do you want to go back, Leftenant? This will do you no good. It will only hurt you and all the progress you've made. What about Miss Jenny? Imagine what this will—"

"I don't need you to lecture me, Crane. I know the consequences. I just… I want to show Pandora that she can't get to me, that wherever or whatever she places in front of me won't push me over the edge. I refuse to give up this time."

Crane bent down to her eye level. "Leftenant, I understand how much you want to prove her wrong. However, this isn't the way to do it. There's always another way."

"Which is what? You go instead? That's not happening."

"And why not?" He stood to his regular height.

"Because she'll break your spirit like she did mine. That can't happen to you."

"I can assure you that my spirit is—"

"Why do you want to—?"

"My spirit won't be whole if I lose you again. I will protect yours at any means necessary."

"I don't need your protection, Crane."

"Why must you always be so brave, Miss Mills?"

"There's no other choice. You're not going to Pandora."

"Neither are you."

Abbie stepped away from him and walked towards the door. Crane didn't like her being stubborn. He would easily give up his own life for her to live hers. He wouldn't let her sacrifice herself once more while he stood watching. When she opened the door, he shut it, causing her to turn around.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"You are not going anywhere. I will not allow it."

She stepped closer towards him.

"Only one of us can go. We're not arguing about this. I told you I'm going."

"Why won't you let me carry the burden?"

"Because I can't trust you to. Not with this."

Crane took a step back from her; she couldn't look at him.

"We are partners, Abbie." He paused. "We are friends, almost lovers even. How could you not trust me?"

"I do trust you, but I can't."

Was this a part of her trauma or was she actually saying this to him? Either way, he didn't want it to hurt him as much as it did.

"What do you mean?"

"We haven't talked about the first night when I returned home, what we did."

Crane tried to talk to Abbie about it, about what it meant for them, but she shut him out. She told him not to bring it up again, and he didn't. They went on like it didn't happen. It came back to him though: her lavender scent, her moans and gasps, her strong legs that kept him bottled in her. They didn't talk about it.

"No, we have not."

"That night changed how I saw you. If I trust you to let you give yourself for me means I've fallen for you. You can't do that and then leave. I want the chance to discover us, Crane."

He stood up, walked in front of her. "I knew I fell for you when I saw you running from that wretched place. After I kissed and made love to you on the couch, it was permanent. It was sealed."

"I don't know how to handle all of these emotions I have for you," she said.

"I know what you mean. They can be scary at times. Thus, we do what we know best: solve it together."

She nodded.

They stood in Pandora's lair side by side. She glanced between the both of them.

"It's tragic, isn't it? I'll admit it. It saddens me to separate two soul mates. Your love has only grown stronger. It won't be easy, but one of you has to join me. There is no choice. Would you want more blood on your hands?"

Abbie took Crane's hand; he entwined their fingers. Pandora shook her head and turned away from them.

"Who will it be, Witnesses? Who will sacrifice themselves to be my captive?" She faced them again.

As Crane tried to step forward, Abbie squeezed his hand. He stared at her, and Abbie moved closer towards him. She grabbed his lapels, stood on her tip toes to kiss him. She placed her lips near his beard.

"I love you."

Crane swallowed and cleared his throat. He bit the inside of his cheek before hugging Abbie. He squeezed her and kissed the top of her hair. He wanted to tell her the same thing, but she made him promise he wouldn't. It wouldn't help. He let her go and touched her cheek. Their foreheads met.

"Come what may," he said.

"Come what may."

He turned to Pandora. With glassy eyes and her hands over her heart, she sighed.

"Take one last glance at your lover," she said.

Crane turned his head to Abbie. She nodded; he did, too. Then he turned to Pandora, who held her hand out. After he took it, she led them into her opened tree. Once it closed, Abbie stood in front of it and touched it.

"Come what may."

She left Pandora's lair.