"Okay Crane, I know you already think things are weird, but this is going to blow your mind. Are you prepared?"

"I assure you Miss Mills, I am no child. I'm sure I can manage. I highly doubt anything could shock me more than your flying carriages and the fact that you PAY for water."

"Whatever you say Crane," Abbie says as she hops out of her jeep. "Just try to keep the outbursts to a minimum."

Ichabod scoffs at her as they walk through the Walmart doors. Abbie veers off to the side to grab a shopping cart, and already Crane is perplexed by this new, bizarre realm he has entered.

"What on earth is the purpose of this?" Crane asks as he eyes the shopping cart.

Abbie rolls her eyes. "Don't tell me you didn't have something like this when you went grocery shopping."

"There was no need for such large carriages. I assure you we had no stores as large as this and a minuscule amount of products in comparison. Had we such a store during the war, it would have been won in a matter of days. The provisions here are astounding."

"Yeah, well things have changed. There are a lot more people now...Which means there's more people who make products, some useful, some not."

"And why on earth would you purchase a product with no use?" Crane asks, astounded.

Abbie shrugs. "Entertainment I guess. Some people are just impulsive spenders."

"No doubt the cause for your crippled economy," Crane scoffs.

"Alright, enough of that, lets get started. I think...toiletries first..." Abbie continues, mostly talking to herself when Crane turns and begins spluttering loudly.

Abbie snaps her head up. "What is it Crane?" He points. Abbie looks in the designated direction to find the source of his outburst.

"Crane! Shh! You can't be loud like that! She's looking at us now, you need to be more discreet for God's sake!" She outwardly scolds him, but she can't help but laugh internally at his reaction. 'And here he thought he could handle it,' she thinks. To be fair, this is one of the worst things SHE'S seen at Walmart, and she's been here a lot longer than him. So maybe he was within his rights to spazz out a little.

Abbie looks to see that Crane is STILL staring at the woman despite her warning. Her outfit is appalling to say the least. Perhaps it would have been more flattering if it FIT her. A bright pink sequined shirt struggled not to burst at the seams, the buttons at the front clutching desperately at the opposite side. Her shorts were equally suffocating, and upon closer inspection Abbie could clearly see a rubber band looped through the front to hold the fly closed. She nearly guffawed.

Poor Crane, it would be his luck to get the worst of it his very first time.

"Alright Crane, come on before she comes over here and yells at us."

Ichabod follows her lead, the rest of their shopping trip proceeding with little issue. When choosing shampoos, deoderants, and such Crane was indifferent. He had little experience and the huge variety was a bit overwhelming, so he used the Leftenant's opinion as a rule of thumb. If she liked it he got it, if she didn't, he would never consider using the product. Secretly, he hoped she would not notice, as he finds his reliance on her a bit mortifying. If she does notice she doesn't say anything.

However, when Abbie tried to get him to pick out underwear he was absolutely appalled.

"Come on Crane, it's not that big of a deal. You need underwear. There is no way you're keeping just that one pair, which are probably disgusting by the way." She crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow at him.

Crane stands, trying to hide the flush in his face but failing completely. He finally yields, noting that Miss Mills is by far the most difficult woman he has ever met. She just chuckles and shrugs at the comment.

'Of course she's not insulted,' Ichabod thinks. Because really to Abbie it wasn't an insult. If anything she was proud of the fact. She has always valued her strength and independence. With a past like hers, she needed it.

"Okay Crane, I think we're ready to go home, I can't afford for you to put anymore stuff in this cart. I have a feeling you're going to eat me out of house and home," she says as she looks at all of the food Crane had insisted on getting. She'd decided to humor him since it was his first time seeing anything like it. Next time would be much different. Then again, after she told him what was in all of the food he had picked out he probably wouldn't want it again anyway. She laughed at the thought.

When they got back to her apartment Crane was unusually quiet. After putting away all of the groceries and his stuff, Abbie decided to press the issue.

"What's on your mind Crane?" She asks as she pulls the lunch meat out of the fridge.

He turns from his seat on the couch to look at her. "I believe I have only recently realized the large inconvenience I am to you." He says solemnly, his face downcast. "I do greatly apologize for my intrusion into your home. As well as for my foolish insistence on your purchase of food items at the Wal-market."

Abbie looks at him kindly. "Can I tell you something, Crane?"

He looks up, confused. "Of course, Leftenant. Why-"

Abbie puts her hand up to cut him off. "Crane, I don't mind having you here. Honestly, it's nice having someone around who's going through the same thing as me. I mean, if you hadn't shown up I probably would had had MYSELF committed. But we're in this together. Besides, I'd say saving my life a few times earns you a place to stay."

Crane looks at her thankfully, glad that she could quell his misgivings so easily. "Thank you Leftenant."

They sit together a while and watch tv, Crane commenting often, when he stands. "I should like to take a shower Miss Mills." She nods and he nearly bows before heading to the bathroom.

Abbie passes the time idly, letting her mind wander this way and that when she is disrupted from her thoughts. She turns when she hears feet padding quietly down the hall, but does not expect the sight before her.

There Crane stands, towel barely covering his bottom half, chest fully exposed. Abbie takes in his long wet hair. A droplet of water falls from it, sliding down his neck and shoulders, across his toned chest, and lower to his stomach, lower still...past his belly button, following that dark trail of hair... "Ahem," Ichabod coughs. Oh shit, was she staring?

Forgive me Miss Mills, I forgot my soap... I attempted to call for you, but I'm afraid you couldn't hear me..." He looks everywhere but her as he crosses the room to retrieve the soap sitting on the table. "My sincerest apologies, Leftenant." And then he is gone, and Abbie is left still sitting in a daze.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Please leave comments/reviews! This is my first time so I'd love feedback. Constructive criticism is welcome, ideas are also welcome!