Two hours into the party and Crane had found himself alone and sitting by the bar area enjoying a whiskey. He watched the Leftenant off across the room, laughing and speaking at length with Agent Reynolds and two of the higher officials who had driven up from Washington D.C.
He gulped another drink and motioned the bartender for one more.
The night had gone splendid. Crane had found himself full of pride for the Leftenant and basking in the glory of her achievements as if he had accomplished them himself. And even though he was delighted, he still found himself dejected. For he knew what this might mean for the Leftenant and her potential rise within the Bureau. She was a star; a young, bright talent that was now on the radar of a lot of powerful people. And talent like that, would not be kept in Sleepy Hollow long.
Agent Reynolds had even mentioned the same sentiments to him earlier when he had come over briefly to get a drink for himself and the Leftenant, who had been by his side almost the entire night.
The way he had looked at him… eyeing him curiously to see his reaction to his words. It made Crane uncomfortable. On a few different levels. And as a result, he had not left the bar area for the remainder of the night. Deciding to wallow in his worries, while allowing the Leftenant to shine amongst her peers.
He was taken out of his thoughts when he felt a slight breeze and someone sit down beside him.
"Hey there, stranger." She said as she smiled at him.
"Hello, Leftenant." He said, smiling back. "I thought you were still involved in deep exchange with Agent Reynolds and the other two gentlemen."
"I was", she said softly. "But I saw you over here siting alone and wanted to make sure you were okay. I know I haven't been much company tonight with everything going on."
"Oh goodness, no. I am fine. This night is about you, Agent Mills. Not me." He said assuring. "I am quite enjoying seeing you get recognized for the fine work that you do on a daily basis. It makes me proud."
She smirked. "Agent Mills, tonight, huh? You never call me that."
"Well, it does seem fitting tonight since you're being recognized by the Bureau." He said back to her. "But you'll always be my Leftenant…"
She smiled softly at him, trying to overlook his usage of the possessive pronoun my when referring to her. He looked over the dance floor as the band began playing a waltz. Jenny and Joe were already on the floor, swaying softly along with some other attendees from the Bureau.
Crane watched as she stared and offered his hand. "Would you care to waltz, Leftenant."
She quickly turned her head and looked back at him, nodding gently. She knew Crane had taken dance classes with Katrina as a way to solidify their relationship. And the waltz was one that he once admitted he enjoyed the most.
He got up, leading her to the dance floor slowly. His hand enveloping hers gently, but firm.
She followed as he led her to the middle of the floor, turning around and staring her in the eyes as he took his left hand in her right and softly placed his other hand underneath her shoulder blade.
Abbie smiled and put her hand on his shoulder, silently chuckling at his confidence. She presumed the formality in the waltz stance held a familiarity that he craved in these modern times. She followed his lead gracefully as he began. And was stunned at how effortless their first dance together was. She had never seen Crane move before in this way. But from what she knew of his past, knowing how to dance properly with a woman would be something he would have been required to learn.
They danced the waltz for two melodies until they both stopped abruptly when the music changed to a more modern slow song.
Not wanting their dance to end, Abbie stepped closer to him, moving her arm from his shoulder to around his back as she led the way in swaying back and forth. She could tell he was uncomfortable with this new style. And laughed softly.
"It's okay, Crane…. Just relax a little."
He loosened his grip on her, moving his right hand lower to sit at her waist. He felt her shudder softly as his unexpected movement. And almost began to back away from her and suggest they go back to the bar but was interrupted by her words.
"I'm glad you came, Crane." She said softly, avoiding his gaze in such close range.
"I am grateful for the invitation, Leftenant." He said quietly back at her. "I can't think of any other place I would rather be than here with you right now."
His words caused her to look up at him. Her eyes hesitant, nervous of where the conversation was heading.
"Me either." She whispered, stepping in closer to him, their bodies touching softly now.
Crane felt himself losing every bit of the self-control he prided himself on, but couldn't look away. He stared into her eyes, his body electric from the friction between them as they swayed back and forth to the slow and steady music. He felt himself grip her waist tighter as her body closed the gap between any space that was previously left between them.
Her 4" heels has given her a height upon which he was not used to. And he felt her face, dangerously close to his as he held her close. Her breath becoming shallow, unable to hide her discomposure at their proximity. When her cheek brushed his he felt his breath intake, causing her to turn and look him in the eyes.
Only two inches separated their faces as they stared upon one another. He saw the fear and trepidation as she stood frozen and unable to make sense of the mix of emotions playing out in front of her. His gaze drifted from her soft, brown eyes to her lips, which parted slightly.
Crane whispered her name, causing her to look up from his lips to his eyes and she knew he saw it. The desire that she had tried so hard to deny for so long was now plainly written all over her face.
He felt her break away suddenly, mumbling his name as she hurried off the dance floor and up the stairs that led to the balcony off the side of the clubhouse. He quickly followed her and thought maybe he had been mistaken of her path when he didn't immediately see her.
But then he heard her soft mumbles, presumably to herself, and turned the corner to see her leaning against the railing.
"Abbie…" He said softly as she turned quickly to face him. Her eyes were wild with fear, and it caused him to stop in his tracks.
"Crane… I can't do this." She said, her eyes closing as she shook her head. "We can't do this…. our mission…. Our duties. They are too important to do this."
"Leftenant, do you honestly think I do not own these same fears… these same worries that you possess?"
His words caused her to open her eyes and look at him.
"Do you not think your words are what I tell myself every single time I look at you? Every single time your beauty and intellect gets the best of me and I find myself lost in my dreams of what could be?"
She sighed and bent her head down groaning. "Crane… please."
"I do not wish to cause you strain, Leftenant. And I admit that tonight I found myself in a situation in which I had difficulty containing my feelings for you. And for that I apologize. It will not happen again."
He heard her sigh and look over at him again. Her eyes pleading with him to turn away and leave. But he couldn't.
"Just tell me that I am not alone in this." He said, stepping closer to her.
She backed away from his step, her hands grasping the railing behind her. "Crane, what are you talking…."
"Tell me…. Leftenant. That your feelings for me do not run deeper than you will allow yourself to admit."
She shifted uncomfortably as he stood, watching her eyes in the soft darkness of the evening.
"What does it matter, Crane. We can't be together."
He interrupted her, stepping within arms length of her now. "It matters to me." He said softly.
She looked away, her eyes needing to focus on anything other than his pleading looks at her to tell the truth. To open up her heart for once in her life.
"Abbie…." He said softly, forcing her to look back up at him. He watched her lips tremble, knowing how desperately she wanted to leave from under his gaze. But he couldn't. Not until he heard it. Not until she said the words he knew in his heart were the truth.
She closed her eyes slowly and he reached out, softly caressing her cheek. The move surprised her and she instinctively leaned her face into his touch, opening her eyes to stare back at him.
"You are not alone in this, Crane." She said, barely above a whisper.
He breathed in deeply, dropping his hand from her face at her admission. Knowing that she felt even an inkling of the adoration and affection he felt for her was enough for him to lose his senses. And he found himself taking a few steps back, willing himself away from her repentant eyes.
They could not be together. And even though the love was there, they had more substantial things to accomplish. The Leftenant had made that painfully aware.
"Thank you, Leftenant." He said as he dropped his head low and closed his eyes. "And I promise to you I will never revisit this conversation again."
He turned on his heels to walk back into the building, his legs shaky as he quickly tried to distance himself from his partner, when he heard her voice.
"Crane…." He heard her say softly, turning around to see her walking steadily towards him.
And suddenly, her lips were on his. Gently enveloping his as though they were a part of his flesh. His eyes closed and he savored her touch, her smell, her taste. Committing it to memory as they remained sealed into each other.
Crane thought about pulling back, making sure this kiss was what she really wanted, after all of her expressed fears about taking their relationship further. But when her hands found his hair, tussling through it as she stepped closer to him, he realized he could not pull away even if he wanted to.
He felt himself moan into her mouth as his hands wrapped around her body, pulling her closer to him, as their kiss deepened. She bit softly on his lips and thought he might lose all sensation in his legs if he didn't get a hold of himself.
Crane had never experienced a kiss like this. And found the modesties of his past life quickly leaving his mind as his hand reached down and grabbed her low on her backside.
She moaned in his mouth and he felt her tongue pressing to enter as he welcomed it with no hesitation. It wrapped around his, feverishly tasting ever crevice of him she could.
It was only a few seconds later when he heard a soft chuckle from behind him.
"Well…. I guess all that talk about not making presumptions on your roommate situation was a lie. Was it not, Agent Mills?"
Their kiss broke with the same intensity that it had begun and they both turned around to see Agent Reynolds standing with a strained look on his face.
Abbie, looked down, straightening her dress and hair as she avoided Crane's gaze and walked to where he was standing.
"Agent Reynolds, I … "
"Save it, Mills. The director wanted to speak with you before he left for the evening so I came to see where you were." He said, pausing to look over at Crane. "Not sure if you can tear yourself away but it would behoove of you to say your farewells."
She nodded and walked past him as Crane called out to her.
"Abbie…" He said, not quite sure of what his next words were going to be.
"Crane," she said painfully. "I'll see you back at the house."
He watched her open the door to the ballroom stairwell, leaving both men alone.
Crane sat in silence for a few seconds before he followed behind her to the stairs, getting stopped by Reynold's hand on his chest, preventing him from moving past him.
"I don't like you, Crane. Not in the slightest. And best believe I will continue to look out for Abbie's best interests whether they involve you or not."
Crane nodded, refraining from saying the words that were truly on his mind, as he walked past him and went back down to the ballroom to find Joe and Jenny and take leave home.
He wasn't sure of where things left themselves with the Leftenant. But in his heart, he knew that even though he should have been happy about her admissions and their kiss, he couldn't shake the feeling It was innately an action she already regretted.