A/N: 08.25.2018

Hey, guys! Sorry I've been gone so long but it's been for a good reason! I've got BIG NEWS! But that'll keep until the end of the chapter.

So, this will pick up, almost immediately, where the last chapter left off. But, towards the end, you'll basically be reading the bare bones of a love letter of the character of Abbie Mills and Nicole Beharie, herself. Can't help it. I love the character and the woman who portrays her. Of this, I am not ashamed!

Enjoy!

Chapter 11: Your Story

An hour later, Jenny, Joe, Ray, and Sophie were back at Good Day. Ray had his right arm wrapped his gauze and a stint, courtesy of Joe. While they were bandaging him up, Ray made sure that he could contact Gate again with his spirit walk and was successful was in doing so; locating Gate in another forest on the other side of town. They all sat in a booth, giving concerned stares to Ray.

"You sure you're alright?" Joe asked Ray.

"I'm fine," Ray said. "Trust me. I've been through worse. And this could've been worse. Thanks for saving me."

"You don't have to thank us for that," Jenny said.

"You should let us take you to the hospital, though," Joe said. "Just to make sure."

"Later," Ray said. "I nearly died, man. I'm starving."

"Glad you've got an appetite," Jenny said.

"Why'd you say that?"

"Something traumatic could be bad for your health and kill your appetite. Especially when you got other stuff going on."

Ray looked down at the table, understanding why she said that.

Jenny knew he figured it out but decided to continue. "Sophie told us about Cecelia. I'm really sorry."

Ray looked back at up, "Don't be. It's all good."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Joe asked.

"Wasn't important," Ray shrugged with his left shoulder. "She left me, that was almost a year ago. It's long since been over and done. It wasn't like she left me yesterday and got engaged today. I didn't want to bother anyone with it."

"Okay, drill this into your head," Jenny said, "if it's important to you, it's important to us. That's it. That's how this works. From now on." She looked at everyone, giving some attention to Sophie, "For all of us." She focused back on Ray, "So, next time something bugs you that bad, tell us. Got it?"

"Yes, general!" Ray chuckled, giving a mock salute.

"Keep it up. I like the sound of that nickname."

Claudia walked over, smiling, "Hey, everybody." They all greeted her. "Really late night for you guys, right?"

"First lesson being around us?" Jenny said. "This is pretty common."

Claudia giggled but, when she looked at Ray's arm, she got worried. "You okay, Officer Merck?"

"You can call me 'Ray,' Claudia. Seriously, it's cool. And this is just a occupational hazard. That and I'm really, really stupid."

"Don't listen to him," Sophie insisted. "He's…" She stared at Ray, "one of the bravest people around."

Ray smiled at her, trying to keep from blushing.

Jenny smiled at the two. She looked at Claudia, "How about we order and you come eat with us?"

Claudia smiled, "Sure. What's everybody want?"

Everyone ordered and Claudia left to go put the order in.

After she had left, Sophie thought about something Ray said earlier. And, since he almost died tonight, she had something that she really wanted to ask. "So," she looked at Ray, "are we ever going to talk about why my being gone was one of your biggest reasons for you working so much?"

Ray stared at her, blankly. "Huh?"

"You heard me."

Ray nervously cleared his throat. "What?" He let out a quick chuckle. "When? Who? I said that?"

"You said that," Sophie said.

Ray opened his mouth, trying to figure out how best to respond. He looked at Joe and Jenny.

"Yeah, we're not going anywhere," Joe said.

"And, yeah, you have to answer while we're sitting here," Jenny said. "And, you have to answer now."

"That's what I figured," Ray groaned. He looked back at Sophie and, nervously, began, "Okay. Okay, look. I… really enjoy being around you. I mean, when all that stuff went down with Cecelia the first time 'round, you became… the best and easiest person to talk to about it. Then, you… may have become… the easiest person to talk to, period. About anything. About everything. Perhaps, just maybe… because I wanted to tell you everything. Or, ya know… something like that."

"So, you like me?" Sophie asked.

"What are we? In high school?!" Ray let out a nervous laugh. "That's sooo a juvenile way to put that." He laughed. "'So, you like me?' Oh, man! That is so cheesy!"

"So, you like me," Sophie repeated.

Ray stopped laughing immediately and admitted, "Slightly more than a whole damn lot."

Jenny and Joe laughed.

"Alright, peanut gallery!" Ray yelled at them. He looked at Sophie. "Yeah. I-I do. Sorry."

"Don't be." Sophie put her hand on his. "You're not alone in this."

Ray started to blush, immediately.

"So, if you two are gonna start dating, can you just say so?" Joe asked. "I have 20 riding on this."

Ray looked, incredulously, "Why do you have $20 on this?"

"Don't worry about it!"

"I'd say it's official," Sophie said. She looked at Ray, "Wouldn't you?"

"Oh, yeah," Ray said with a smile.

Joe made a triumphant fist pump, "Yes!"

"Is that for us getting together or the fact that you won a bet?" Ray asked.

"Yes," Joe replied.

Sophie stared at Joe, "You made the bet with Crane, didn't you?"

"Yeah," Joe replied, immediately.

"Actually, outsmarting Crane on something, I get the joy."

Claudia came back over and pulled up a chair, "Food will be ready in a minute." She looked at them all. "Seeing bigger smiles than I saw a second ago. What happened?"

"Basically, everyone's got a date for Abbie and Crane's wedding," Jenny said. "That's including you and Ed."

Claudia smiled, brightly. "Soooo, I'm invited?"

"You are kidding, right?" Joe asked. "Of course, you're invited."

"I'll find me a dress."

"Might as well wait," Ray said. "Since they won't set a freakin' date. Hey! That rhymed!"

Sophie giggled. "You think they'll ever settle on one?"

"Maybe," Jenny said. "They're both just stubborn as hell. They can't decide whether to go down to the justice of the peace or get married in a castle."

"Can't they just bring a justice of the peace to a castle?" Ray asked.

Jenny shrugged, "Not the worst idea. I just wish they'd get it over with already 'cause they starting to piss me off!" Everyone looked at her, surprised. "Hey! I've been waiting on this longer than all of you! I knew this was gonna happen."

"Really?" Sophie asked.

"Not from the very start but close enough," Jenny admitted.

"How?" Claudia asked.

"Crane gets on Abbie's nerves so much that left two choices: she was either gonna kill him or marry him. To tell you the truth, my money is on both things could still happen." The whole table had a laugh at that. "But, they spent so much time denying it, I was worried it would never happen."

"Good thing it finally did," Sophie said.

"So, we gonna bum rush them and demand to get married when they get back?" Ray asked.

Jenny thought about it and shrugged. "Sure. They won't listen but it can't hurt to try."

Joe smiled at Jenny, "You just love seeing Abbie happy."

"We went through enough crap as kids. She deserves it."

"So do you."

Jenny smiled at Joe, "That's what you're here for."

The following day in Florence, Abbie had gotten the full report from Jenny about everything that happened last night, including the news about Sophie and Ray.

"I sincerely regret making such a gamble with Joe," Ichabod said.

"Well, you're not getting the 20 from me," Abbie said. "I told you it was going to happen."

"Yes, but not while we were gone!"

"The bet was, when Sophie came back, they were going to get together within, at least, a week, at most a month. Joe won. You're being a sore loser. Get over it."

Ichabod sighed, "Oh, very well!"

"In this case, I was very much inclined to agree with Joe," Edom said.

"This coming from the person who took forever to ask Claudia out," Abbie pointed out.

"And that coming from the woman who forever denied her feelings for the man she is currently engaged to," Edom smirked. "Don't forget, Abbie: I can play this game, too."

Abbie and Ichabod laughed.

"But I am curious as to why Set needed to go through the trouble of kidnapping anyone," Edgar said. "That has me curious."

"How so?" Edom asked.

"Kidnapping? An Egyptian god resorting to kidnapping? And he sent his own familiar to do the work instead of leaving it to his disciples? That means he's desperate." Edgar smiled. "And now I must know why!" He went back to work, studying the map and all of the notes about the Sites.

Abbie exhaled. "It sometimes just hits me when I really think about it. Egyptian gods. The Edgar Allan Poe. This is really one for the books."

"Perhaps one you should write in the Grace's journal," Ichabod said.

Edgar perked up.

Abbie stared at Ichabod, "I can't believe you're bringing that up."

"It seemed an appropriate time," Ichabod said.

Edgar looked at them all, "Someone said the word 'write'! You can't just do that around me and not expect me to respond!"

"What journal?" Edom asked.

"Grace Dixon's," Ichabod said. "She is Abbie's ancestor."

"Really?!" Edom asked, surprised. "I did not know that. Amazing."

"Indeed. Well, the spell book Grace left behind is full of blank pages."

"I met her when I had to go back in time to save Crane and take on Katrina," Abbie said. "Long story."

"Time travel always is," Edom said.

"Yep. Anyway, Grace told me to finish out the pages, telling the stories of our missions."

Edom shrugged, slightly, "Not the most difficult of tasks."

"Yeah," Abbie agreed. "Just… not sure if I want to. Not really the writing type, ya know."

They all took notice that Edgar had been staring at Abbie, intently, for a while now.

"Edgar?" Edom asked. "Are you alright?"

"Grace," Edgar whispered. He smiled and, excitedly, said, "Grace Dixon. Yes. Yes! YES!" He grabbed Abbie's wrists, joyfully, "Of course! Of course! It's in your eyes! I can see that same fire! That explains so much! The fire of all of Grace's descendants!"

"Have you met her?" Abbie asked.

"Not in the flesh but I communed with her spirit once and you're the fourth of her descendants I've had the honor of meeting." Edgar let go of Abbie's wrists. "Her journal," he whispered. He thought back a bit and his eyes brightened. "I've glanced upon it only once before. The pages. They were blank!" He gazed at Abbie, "And she said that they were for you?"

"That's what she told me," Abbie said.

"Then you must write them!" Edgar said, immediately. "You must write and tell your story! I implore you!"

Abbie chuckled. "You're one of the greatest writers in history. And you're imploring me?"

"Abigail," Edgar said. "We all have a story. All of us. Are some more important than others? Perhaps. It depends on the purpose on the story, it depends on the reader. But everyone's story is important. Everyone's! Especially those souls who have the courage to write them out. Anyone who's brave enough to press pen to paper. Or, these days, finger to keyboard. In my case, when I did it, I just happened to have had a publisher and… I was a bit different from what people were used to. What, with my very dark mind and imagination and all."

"No argument on that score," Edom said.

"Grace left the pages for you," Edgar continued. "Not just anyone. Not just any descendant. For you. You, Abigail. You need to fill them." Edgar took hold of Abbie's hands and stared in her eyes. "Write," he pleaded. "Write, Abigail. For you. For Ichabod. For all of us."

"Who would I even be writing to?" Abbie asked.

"Yourself," Edgar said, immediately. "To Ichabod. Your sister. Your future children. Your future generations. Trust me, sometimes, it's not important who reads it. It's important that you wrote it. That you write it! Everything else will work itself out, I promise you."

Abbie was touch by his sincerity. It really did carry a lot of weight when one of history's greatest authors was telling her to write. Still, she shook her head, "But I'm not a powerful witch or even a magic practitioner. I'm just me. Abigail Mills. I mean, I'm a Witness but…"

"Yes, you are a Witness! But even more than that! You are alive! You are living and anything living has a story. Oh, who am I kidding?! Even the dead have a story! But your story is still happening! Yours… yours is and will be fantastic!"

"It's not even over yet."

Edgar laughed. "That's the beauty of a great story! It doesn't end! Of course, my stories like 'The Cask of Amontillado' or poems such as 'The Raven' may have ended but do you think that makes them great? No. The stories live on because others read them, love them, and even ask questions. They ask 'what happened next' or 'what if' or 'what was the meaning behind that?' Your story begs what happens next! It asks all of the above."

Abbie smiled at the sincerity.

"Your story is still happening and will continue. Write it. It needs to be told and you're the only who can tell it. You matter more than you realize, Abigail Mills. To more people than you will ever know. Your story… is of the utmost importance."

A/N: Like I said, pretty much a love letter. But, do you really blame me?

Alright! So! For my BIG NEWS:

MY BOOK IS FINISHED! AFTER FIVE LONG YEARS, I HAVE DONE IT! The title of the book is Tatsu Angelo: Ronin Days. It is now available for purchase on Amazon. Also, I have a new website: thespiriteddreamer dot com. And I have a new author's Facebook page: T.B. Wesley II - Author. As always, my twitter information is on my profile page if you would like to follow me on Twitter and my other FB page, T2 Angel: Host of Dreams. Show me some love and pick up a copy of my book! Thank you all for the love and support! Couldn't have done it without you guys!

As for the next chapter, we're going to learn more about why Set is after the Sites and, by then, I should have some news about my next Sleepy Hollow chapter story.

See you next time, Sleepyheads and Dreamers!