"Damn. Just a towel?"

"I shouldn't have said anything."

"Wait, seriously? That's all he had on?"

Abbie agitatedly straightened out some papers on her desk, touching her tongue to the roof of her mouth and widening her eyes in affirmation. She couldn't bring herself to look up at her sister. She really shouldn't have mentioned anything to Jenny but it had just slipped out.

They had just come from looking into Martha Washington's letters at the archives hoping to find a connection to Pandora. Crane stayed behind to continue his search while they had gone to Abbie's office. It was when Jenny had casually asked what it was like seeing Crane everywhere. She told her that she understood that Abbie wasn't accustomed to having somebody follow her around everywhere and share a home with them. The last time she had something like that was back when they were kids and lived in the same foster home but since then, Abbie had been on her own. She clung to her independence. She preferred being alone, at least that is what Jenny assumed.

Yet, in all honesty, Abbie found living and working with Crane these past months to be natural so as long as he respected her boundaries. The instant he approached a barrier she had put up long ago, she avoided or ignored him. She could see it frustrated him. That was when she would retreat to her bedroom or left the house to finish some work in the office. She did not like to share her issues with anybody. What was hers, was hers. She didn't feel anything good would come out of burdening somebody else with all her shit. Yet, it didn't stop Crane from prying.

She cared for him and was attracted to him but those mere facts didn't do anything to break down all the walls she had built around her all these years. Sure, the counseling sessions she received at training had helped her with her reactive coping techniques and some self-esteem issues but she was still her. There were certain parts of her that she didn't want to share, not even with him, mostly because it meant having to confront the difficult personal issues she wanted to keep buried.

Nonetheless, she quickly found out that it was nearly impossible to escape his inquiries after coming home from their encounters with evil. They were usually at their most vulnerable after those skirmishes. Being on the brink of death, preventing evil from prevailing, really weakened her front, at least temporarily.

For him, it broke down the entire dam holding back the emotions he didn't wear on his sleeve, which surprisingly were plentiful. That's when he'd bust out the introspective emotional vomit and sincere declarations. Then he'd look at her with those big blue eyes. God, those eyes. And that goofy grin. It brought butterflies to her stomach and a smile to her face just thinking about it.

"So you bumped into him while he was wet and wearing just a towel?"

Abbie took in a sharp breath and looked at her sister expectantly. She really shouldn't have said anything. That particular event that she was referring to had happened precisely after one of their encounters with one of Pandora's evil monsters. He had just come out of the shower, she was texting, not paying attention to what was in front of her, when she bumped into him in the hallway. Well, more like her face planted right into his very bare, damp chest. Then one of her hands ended up on his firm chest and her body pressed up against his very warm, taut stomach. He'd grunted and gripped her arms when she bumped into him. He'd look down at her, loose strands of his wet hair falling over his eyes. It was so tempting to brush his hair out of his eyes, stand on her tiptoes, and close the distance between their lips. Instead, she nearly lost herself in his steady, hypnotizing gaze. They'd stood like that until Abbie came to her senses and jumped away from him, apologizing and avoiding his eyes. She pushed past him and nearly ran to her room.

Fortunately, the accident was forgotten or at least that's what she believed. He didn't mention it. Not that he had a reason to bring it up, he wasn't interested in her in that way anyway. But then he acted as if it hadn't even happened, which was quite an accomplishment for him. He was the king of confronting awkward issues. To be fair though, later that same day she had confessed that she had found her long-lost dad and been following him around. It appeared that her truth bomb had provided enough distraction for that particular incident to never come up in their conversations. So far it had worked, just not on her part.

"It was an accident. End of conversation," said Abbie firmly, eyeing her sister carefully. She didn't want to go into the particulars of that incident but then again she didn't want to get into what she had revealed to Crane. She still hadn't told Jenny about their father and there was no way in hell she was about to bring it up now.

Jenny smirked mischievously. Abbie looked at her warily. Every time she held something back from her sister, Jenny would find a way to make her wish she would have been open in the first place. She knew she was scheming a plan to make her regret her unwillingness to talk about Crane but Abbie stood firm and merely raised her eyebrow, serenely drinking out of her mug of coffee.

Jenny smiled at her and nodded, impressed with Abbie's resistance. She nonchalantly walked toward Abbie's wall of accolades, reaching out to touch one of the frames. She casually asked, "So has he seen you without a bra yet?"

Abbie choked on her sip of coffee and scoffed incredulously, "Excuse me?"

"You know, you get home, put some yoga pants on, take off the torture device, relax…," she said teasingly, waggling her eyebrows.

Abbie glowered. "We're not talking about this, Jenny."

Jenny huffed, "Oh, come on. I missed out on your college days. I deserve some roommate drama talk."

"There's no drama."

"Well, there's obviously some half naked groping going on…"

It was then that Daniel Reynolds decided to barge in through her door. He looked at the two sisters who looked at him as if they had just been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. He grinned unsurely and raised his eyebrows. "Am I interrupting something?" he asked, looking at Abbie who was in the process of swallowing back an insult directed at her sister. She shook her head and smiled.

Jenny smirked and side-eyed her sister teasingly. "Special Agent Danny Reynolds, nice to see you again," she said, placing her hands in her back pockets of her jeans and nodding at him.

Daniel smiled brightly. "Legendary Jenny Mills, good to see you, too," he replied with a nod.

"I wouldn't make that name a habit. She has a big enough ego as it is," interjected Abbie, wrinkling her nose.

"See how badly she treats me," lamented Jenny, innocently shaking her head.

He chuckled before getting to the point of his visit. "Ha, yeah. Um, I, uh, just stopped by to see if you've filled out the paperwork to close out the Anaconda case," he inquired, looking at Abbie.

Abbie nodded. "I submitted them last week."

"Good, I need to look over them just to be thorough. It was big case for the bureau. We need to make sure everything is in order. No loose ends. Is it in the system?"

"Yes, sir."

"Alright, thanks. I just wanted to check," he said, openly gazing at Abbie. He opened his mouth again, looking as if he wanted to say something more but looked over at Jenny and changed his mind. Instead, he sighed reluctantly and smiled.

"I'll get to it then," he said, looking at Abbie, smiling tenderly.

Abbie nodded primly, fighting back a smirk and avoiding his gaze. Although they were now adjusting to their new ranks, there was still a spark between them. After all those months training together at Quantico, how could there not be? He'd seen her ugly. She'd seen his ugly.

Then there was the whole working off her frustrations with him. She had never intended for it to go that far but he had been the first man she had opened up to after Crane had left. She'd trusted Danny because he wasn't complicated. He was determined. He was goal-oriented. He pushed her with his competitiveness. And he knew what he wanted. God, did he ever know exactly what he wanted. Abbie nearly blushed at the memory of her first-hand experience with his thoroughness and persistence in achieving his goals.

She was grateful that he had set the boundaries with their new job positions. She couldn't walk around blushing every time she talked to her boss, especially in front of Crane. Not that she felt guilty. Hell, Crane was a widow with a past and present full of women throwing themselves at his feet. If she wanted to pursue or have someone pursue her, then he'd just have to deal with it. Her problem was that she didn't know how to handle having feelings for two men at the same time. The feelings she had toward Crane were complicated but ran deep and strong. The feelings she had for Daniel were straightforward and purely based in the physical with a competitive, self-serving edge to it.

Granted, it appeared that she really didn't have much of a choice with either of them. Crane was only interested in a partnership with her. That had become obvious when he rejected her back at the cabin. And Daniel was only interested in using her to get ahead and help push her to bigger and better things; it was what he had told her from the get go. Though, his professionalism stung a bit. She was never the type of girl to be clingy but she wasn't made of stone. Of course, she had no intention of sleeping with the boss to get ahead but she didn't like feeling as if everything she had invested into their short-lived relationship was for nothing. She firmly believed that what they had shared wasn't just a meaningless fling. It had been a momentary but it had meant something to her. She wasn't the type to throw herself at just any man.

Daniel nodded and turned to walk out the door. He paused and turned to her before closing her door. He asked her somewhat hesitantly, "I…um…could you stop by my office when you're finished here?"

Abbie nodded as a tingle worked its way up her spine. As much as she tried to shake off her feelings toward him, there'd be moments where her body responded with a mind of its own. She inhaled sharply. "Yes, sir," she responded evenly.

He smiled and turned to Jenny, nodding. "Good to see you again, Jenny."

"You, too."

He left and Jenny teasingly shook her head at Abbie. Abbie raised her eyebrow questioningly. She knew Jenny was dying to tease her. They both couldn't hold back their smirks.

"What?" asked Abbie, eyeing her sister while she collected some files from her desk drawer.

Jenny shook her head indifferently. "Nothing," she said, putting on an innocent expression.

"That look doesn't say nothing," countered Abbie, doubtfully tilting her head.

Jenny chuckled. She crossed her arms and shook her head. "Damn, Abbs. Just…damn," she whispered, biting her lip, longingly looking at the door Daniel had used to walk out.

Abbie scowled at her fantasizing sister. She wasn't possessive of Danny but she didn't like the idea of sharing him with her sister, even in thought. "He's my boss," she said firmly, hoping to get her message across.

Jenny opened her mouth, playing offended. "I didn't say anything. God, Abbs get your head out of the gutter."

Abbie rolled her eyes. "I swear I'm gonna kick your ass one of these days," she threatened.

Jenny shrugged. "Nah, you just need to work off all that pent up sexual frustration. You know, it isn't healthy to keep it all bottled up," she said admonishingly.

Abbie shook her head, walking around to the other side of her desk where her sister stood leaning against the desk.

"So you have two willing candidates now. I wonder which one has the bigger…"

"Okay, it's time for you to go," interrupted Abbie abruptly, grabbing her sister's arm.

Jenny shrugged out of Abbie's grasp. "I was gonna say bigger ego, pervert," she said teasingly.

"I have a job to do," said Abbie tiredly.

Jenny nodded and walked to the door. "Right, of course. Wouldn't want to get in the way of your 'special meeting' with 'Special Agent Danny'," she said, opening the door. She turned around and thoughtfully added, "Although, now I'm wondering, does his office windows have blinds or how do those 'special meetings' work?"

"Leave."

Jenny left with a smirk on her face.

Ichabod entered the federal bureau of investigation offices, books and letters safely tucked into his coat. He checked in and received the visitor's pass the Lieutenant had permanently reserved for him. As they checked his coat and materials, he contemplated what his recent discovery could mean in the battle against Pandora's never-ending supply of evil.

He had discovered a connection between Lady Washington's letters and Pandora. Or at least he hoped it was a connection. Pandora had mentioned her dowry to Abbie, a dowry or box which could have easily been mistaken for a treasure chest. In Lady Washington's letter to General Washington, there had been mention of a lost treasure chest the Spaniards had acquired in 1780 during their involvement in the war.

The letter mentioned negotiations to obtain the lost treasure chest from the Spaniards. Of course, the fickle Spaniard monarchy of the time did not return the chest as they had only joined the effort to gain back territory from the British and to damage British trade, not to directly support the American cause.

How he despised the avaricious Spaniards of the time. They had only ever been interested in conquest and riches. It was an opinion that he and Jefferson had not shared. Jefferson recognized the importance of Spanish influence on the beginnings of American history and had once stated, 'Next to [French], Spanish is most important to an American. Our connection with Spain is already important and will become daily more so. Besides this, the ancient part of American history is written chiefly in Spanish.' Though Ichabod did not share his admiration of the Spanish conquest, he conceded that Jefferson was precise in his assertion in more ways than one.

He hoped the Lieutenant's connections and access to classified international information would guide them directly to the treasure chest, or at least to its location for the past two and a half centuries. It could give them a lead as to who Pandora was or why she had chosen to subjugate Sleepy Hollow to her reign of fear.

After having passed the invasive inspection, a completely unnecessary violation of common decency as he had righteously expressed to the indifferent officer at her post, he became entirely focused on finding Abbie. So much so that he failed to notice he had earned the attention of her superior, Special Agent Daniel Reynolds. It was why he nearly collided with him on his way to her office.

"Pardon…," he apologized, crouching down to retrieve the book that had been knocked from his hand.

"A historical text?" asked Agent Reynolds, as he quickly retrieved the book before Ichabod could reach for it.

Ichabod looked up in surprise. Of course it was Agent Reynolds. He rose to his feet and flipped his hair from his eyes to face the man that was Abbie's superior and former classmate. He could not presently describe the feelings churning in his stomach but understood the importance of leaving a good impression on her commanding officer. He smiled courteously. "Oh, Agent Reynolds. Forgive me, I did not see you. I was just on my way to Ms. Mills' office."

Agent Reynolds smiled tightly. "Of course you were."

"Yes, 'tis concerning a matter of the utmost importance," nodded Ichabod, hoping to quickly collect the book the agent was now turning over in his hands.

"I don't doubt it," he said, looking up at him and tapping the book against his palm, smiling challengingly.

Ichabod raised his eyebrow. He recognized a challenge when he sensed one. He stood up straighter and turned his body slightly in a defensive manner.

He knew Agent Reynolds and Abbie had a brief involvement. Of course, she had not admitted anything to him but he was no fool. It was as he had once told her, facial expressions had changed little, if at all, over the centuries. They had been more than classmates, more than friends. He had no right to be jealous but he could not control his emotions when he thought about her in another man's arms, specifically this man's notably muscular arms, especially after momentarily holding her in his own.

He was referring to the unintended collision between him and the lieutenant. It had taken place sometime ago after the victorious battle against the whispering wraith Marcus Collins. He had just finished bathing and was walking to his room for a change of clothes. He did not realize that she was walking in the opposite direction, distracted by her phone. She bumped into him, her entire body touching his. He had to hold her steady so as to not bring attention to his quite sudden, embarrassing incitement. She had looked at him with such an intensity that he could have sworn that they were both in a similar state of arousal.

It had been a perfect opportunity to correct the mistake he made nearly a year ago back in the cabin. Had she not run away from him like a frightened woodland creature, he would have pulled her closer and worshiped her lips with his own. Instead she scampered to her room and he had to pour himself a drink to calm his nerves.

The only good that came out of that situation was that he was able to convince her to open up to him during their conversation about secrets. She trusted him enough to admit to finding her father during his absence. After revealing that personal bit of information, he knew it would be uncouth to bring up their rather intense embrace. It paled in comparison to the issues Abbie was currently facing.

Now, he wished that he had kissed her just to have something to distract him from his jealousy toward the brawny agent. Agent Reynolds smiled with his perfect teeth as he held out the book to him. Ichabod cautiously eyed the agent and the book before reaching out for it. He nodded unsurely and tucked the book into his coat pocket.

Agent Reynolds took a breath before continuing the conversation. "I've noticed you're very dedicated to helping Abbie out with your consultant services. Is she your only client?"

Ichabod furrowed his brow. He knew they were roommates. He had made it a point to emphasize the fact during their first meeting. Abbie was no client. He cleared his throat, resisting the urge to glare, he said pointedly, "Ms. Mills is my friend, not a client. Thus, my services to her are completely unconditional."

"Roommate, too, right?"

Ichabod smiled. So that particular piece of information had not escaped him. "Yes, that is correct," he replied, attempting to not appear smug and failing quite intentionally.

The agent sucked his cheeks in and stuck his hands in his pockets. He nodded before continuing, "You know, I looked into your files, Mr. Crane. Former professor from Oxford, recently obtained permanent U.S. resident status though not an American citizen. Detained in a federal detention center a couple months ago for improper import of cultural heritage antiquities, bailed out by Special Agent Abigail Mills. Said confiscated antiquity retrieved by Special Agent Abigail Mills. Current residence with Special Agent Abigail Mills. Current employment is unknown."

Ichabod raised his eyebrows in surprise. He had done his research on him. A novice, insecure move. It appeared that this Agent Reynolds was interested in rekindling a relationship with the Lieutenant. Little did he know that it was not an option Ichabod was about to permit. He replied sardonically, "Impressive, Agent Reynolds. I had no idea my story was on record."

Agent Reynolds kept his composure and continued. "Mmm, all that, yet, you know what surprised me the most about you? How you managed to convince Abigail Mills to let you to move in with her," he said, tilting his head in curiosity. "She doesn't let a lot of people in."

Ichabod lifted his chin proudly. He nodded slightly and explained, almost pompously, "Our partnership, friendship, is unparalleled. I owe everything to her."

The agent nodded, seemingly appeased with Ichabod's answer. He suddenly asked, "So how long have you known her?"

"We've known each other for several years."

"That's…that's interesting because she never mentioned you during our training at the academy."

Ichabod's face nearly fell. He felt a sharp pain in his chest. The Lieutenant had not mentioned him to the man whose arms she had sought comfort in. He scolded himself, of course she didn't mention him. Why would she? He had rejected and left her. He had hurt her. There was no reason for her to boast about him after that. He cleared his throat nervously and mumbled, "I was in England at the time."

Agent Reynolds sensed his shame and nodded, containing a smirk. He screwed up his face in false concern. "True but she painted a pretty clear picture of Sleepy Hollow and everybody in it. Curiously, you were never mentioned. Why's that?"

Ichabod looked at him guardedly. He blinked. He took a deep breath and responded with as much dignity as he could muster, "We…I did not leave on the best of terms."

"Generous of her to forgive you then. And even give you a place to crash."

"Yes, she has been most generous."

"She is but, you know, that always was her greatest weaknesses. She could have made her way to the top even faster than me had she looked out for herself instead of letting people step all over her," said Agent Reynolds, in an almost protective tone, eyeing him distrustfully.

Ichabod narrowed his eyes. If Abbie needed protecting, it certainly wasn't from him. If there was anybody who should be distrusted, it was this agent. How could he insult Abbie's greatest strength? Her generosity was incomparable. She was kind, caring, loyal, and unwavering. She had been chosen for a higher, divine purpose. She was indispensable not only to their mission but to him as well. He couldn't imagine life without her.

He took a calming breath. The agent's comments were irksome but he couldn't lose his temper. He would defend his Lieutenant's honor the best he could. He smiled civilly and dutifully replied, "Well, Agent Reynolds, I must whole-heartedly disagree. Ms. Mills' charitable spirit is a quality to be admired, not dismissed as a weakness. Were it not for her unreserved generosity, many lives would have been lost these past few years, including my own."

"That's…interesting," said Agent Reynolds slowly. He furrowed his brow. "It almost sounds like you're talking about a war."

Ichabod straightened his back in alarm. He had not intended to reveal their mission, especially to the Lieutenant's superior. He needed to invent an excuse for his careless comments so he merely nodded his head adamantly. He tentatively explained, "Yes, well, in many ways that is the battle an officer of the law must face. The constant fight between good and evil, is it not?"

Agent Reynolds nodded in consideration. "A bit poetic for my taste but sure."

"Regardless of how it is said, Ms. Mills' humanity is what makes her vital not only to me but to your bureau as well. Does it not?"

The agent nodded in agreement. He paused to thoughtfully look at him before smiling. Ichabod nervously placed his hands behind his back, attempting to maintain his poise. Agent Reynolds finally chuckled after a long pause, "You know what? I like you, Crane. And I'm glad Abbs has you on her side."

Crane blinked and bowed his head slightly. "As am I."

He nodded and pursed his lips. "I have her back, too. She's going places. She's going to achieve those dreams she has. Give her some time, she'll make it to the top. And I'll be saving her a place next to me when she gets there," he said in a challenging tone.

Ichabod's nostrils flared and grinded his teeth. After that last comment, he knew Agent Reynolds could not be a trustworthy ally. His selfish interest in Abbie would not be tolerated. She deserved far more than what this agent could offer. She was not a ladder to climb or a prize to be won. She was to be respected. He sneered derisively, "Yes, well, I too hope she makes it to the top, as long as the top is what she desires."

Agent Reynolds grinned confidently. "Oh, I think she does."

"Crane? What are you doing here?"

Ichabod and Agent Reynolds turned to look down at the inquisitive agent. She folded her arms and raised her eyebrow. Both men relaxed their defensive stances and stared at her and each other uneasily. Ichabod was the first to respond.

"Lieuten…eh, Miss Mills, I was having a fascinating conversation with Agent Reynolds here," he explained, attempting to lighten the mood. Agent Reynolds nodded in agreement. Ichabod rolled his eyes at him.

Abbie looked at the two of them distrustfully. "Oh yeah?" she replied, before fighting back a smirk. "Was it…'awe-ful'?"

Both men looked at her. Agent Reynolds was confused. Ichabod was curiously amused. He fought back a smirk, remembering their long ago conversation about 'awful intercourse'. The Lieutenant was clever when she wanted to be. Interestingly, this time it was at her boss's expense. Ichabod nearly laughed aloud looking at Agent Reynolds work through what he had perceived as an insult.

Abbie blushed. "Sorry, just a joke. You had to be there," she mumbled, sharing a look with Ichabod. He smiled tenderly at her.

Agent Reynolds shrugged and smiled courteously. "I was just telling Crane how nice it must be for you to have his support. Though his story is a bit…unconventional."

"Yes, Crane's assistance has been essential and…I'm lucky to have him on my side," admitted Abbie timidly, refusing to make eye contact with him, focusing instead on defending him to her boss.

Ichabod smiled proudly. The Lieutenant rarely gave compliments. He would take them where he could.

Agent Reynolds nodded. He countered in a serious tone, "As long as it doesn't interfere with protocol. Though his lack of U.S. citizenship and employment makes it harder to justify his intervention on cases and presence in the bureau."

Ichabod rolled his eyes and glared at the agent. Of course, he would take every opportunity to get rid of him. It was then that Abbie gave him the greatest surprise of his life, which was saying something considering everything he had experienced.

Abbie nodded in agreement. "You're right, which is why I'm in the process of hiring him as a history consultant for my department as a necessary expense. At least until his citizenship status is being resolved. If I hire him, it will be easier to sponsor him as his employer to obtain his citizenship," she explained decisively.

Ichabod stood stunned. He stammered, "L-l-lieutenant…"

Abbie gave him a stern look that shut him up. She looked back at her commanding officer resolutely. Ichabod felt a warm feeling spread in his chest. He looked down at his tenacious Lieutenant. She was radiant. His savior. He revered her. He folded his hands behind his back and smiled. He haughtily looked at Agent Reynolds who appeared to be displeased with her suggestion.

After a moment, Agent Reynolds sighed reluctantly, "Well, it's like I said, Abbs, I trust your instincts. I'm not gonna stand in your way. And if this is part of your exit strategy, then you have my support."

Ichabod frowned. What exit strategy? Agent Reynolds looked at him smugly. Ichabod looked down at Abbie who was avoiding his gaze. She was hiding something from him. He was going to have to extract it from her as soon as they were alone.

"I still need to talk to you in my office," Agent Reynolds reminded her.

"Right, I was just heading there," she responded stoically. She turned to look at Crane. "Wait in my office?"

He inclined his head submissively. "Of course."

Ichabod suspiciously followed the two agents with his eyes. Once they were out of view, he walked into her office and quietly closed the door behind him. He studied her quiet office space. One could glean much about her just by examining her workspace. Abbie was organized, thoughtful, logical, and focused. Her strengths were his weaknesses. They balanced the scales together. He could not squander this opportunity to remain at her side. He sat in a chair contemplating his next move.

After a few minutes, she returned to her office. He glanced up at her. She appeared to be a bit hesitant. She held on to the knob of her door, frozen in thought.

"Lieutenant?" he asked concernedly.

After a moment, she looked up at him as if she had not expected him to be there. "Hmm? Crane, I forgot you were still here," she murmured.

Ichabod had planned to ask her about this 'exit strategy' Agent Reynolds had mentioned but it appeared something had startled her. He immediately stood from his chair. He cautiously approached her. "Is something the matter?" he asked concernedly, attempting to get her attention.

"I, uh, it's nothing," she responded flustered. She smiled, once again masking another secret from him. "Nothing to worry about. So what's up?"

Ichabod eyed her suspiciously. She was holding something back from him again. Yet, he knew better than to force her to confront an issue she wasn't ready to share so he cautiously asked, "Are you certain?"

"Very, so what have you got there?"

He looked at her unconvinced but he wasn't going to push her. She would share when she was ready. He just needed to be patient, not his best quality. Nevertheless, he decided to allow her to change the subject and shared his findings. "It is in regard to Lady Washington's letters. I found a text on how Spain had obtained a particular treasure chest during the war in 1780. I found the letter in which Lady Washington wrote to General Washington about negotiating its custody. If this chest was something that General Washington wanted possession of then it is certain that it held great influence in the war against the forces of evil."

"And you think it's the dowry Pandora mentioned."

"Yes, I was…"

"You think there might be something about it on record and it could help lead us to where or who Pandora is," responded Abbie almost in a trancelike state, nodding. It was the way she would demonstrate her focus on their conversation. She immediately began typing rapidly on her computer keyboard.

Ichabod walked around her desk and stood next to her. He held back a tender smile and raised his eyebrow in appreciation. He admired her ability to read his thoughts, it made their mission that much easier. He couldn't help but pay her a compliment. "You astound me, Lieutenant. It is as if our minds are of one at times," he marveled.

Abbie smiled and looked up at him coyly. She focused her attention back on the computer screen and casually replied, "Yeah, well, that's what makes us good partners."

Ichabod straightened and placed his hands behind his back. If he couldn't bring up the 'exit strategy' or why she had come back so flustered, the least he could do was confront the issue of her offering him employment without his consent. Her generosity was far too vast at times. He was not worthy of it.

He carefully brought up the topic, "And yet I feel as if I reap all the benefits of our partnership. What you told Agent Reynolds…about my citizenship…"

Abbie swiftly interrupted, "Yeah, I meant it."

She stopped typing and looked up at him timidly. She straightened up, took a step back, and sighed. She looked at him determinedly and carefully explained her decision, "I know you want to do it on your own and don't want my help but…I need you, Crane. I can't afford to lose you to some immigration complication. So if giving you a job here at the bureau will ensure that you earn your status then so be it. I don't mind."

Ichabod was dumbfounded. It was a declaration. She had admitted her need for him in her life. He could have shouted praises from the rooftops. She needed him. She. Needed. Him. He did his best to catch the breath that had been knocked from his chest. He shook his head. He nodded. He stuttered and finally after a few moments finally formed a few intelligible words. "I-I don't know how I could ever repay you for all of your generosity these past few years, Lieutenant."

She smiled and shrugged. "Hey, I know you would have done the same for me if the roles were reversed. Hell, you risked your job, your position in society, your sanity, your family, basically the entire outcome of the war when I traveled to your time. I even got Ben Franklin killed yet you still trusted me after just a few hours of knowing who I was. Granted, our selfie was what convinced you, you really stuck your neck out for me and it's only fair that I do the same," she explained.

If it were physically possible to burst with happiness, he would have burst into pieces all over her office floor. The giddiness he felt was near impossible to hold back. He wanted to take her in his arms and show her his appreciation. Instead, he was left with the only option of quelling his potent emotions.

Ichabod held back a smirk. He timidly looked down at his boots and looked up at her from his lowered lids. "Well, killing Franklin would not have been a great personal loss," he flirtatiously goaded.

"Really? Because you were pretty pissed off at me for that one. Something about me scheming, spying, and killing the most influential man in the war effort," she teased back.

He chuckled softly and gazed down at her. She looked up at him in amusement. His lips slightly parted as he gazed into her deep brown eyes. It was in that moment that he knew he would do everything within his power to win her heart. She was his. He was hers. Damn the consequences, damn the foretelling tablets. Their love deserved the opportunity to exist. It would endure the trials. It would be triumphant. He just needed to convince her. He would dedicate every waking moment to winning her over. She was worth it and more.

The love growing inside of him was near overwhelming yet he managed to murmur a sincere, "Thank you, Lieutenant."

She smiled softly. "You are very welcome…Captain," she murmured, her voice lowering to a breathy rasp.

Ichabod's smile fell as he took a step closer. She looked up at him serenely. He searched her eyes for her unspoken permission. Her lips parted as he took another step toward her.

Had it not been for her cellphone's ill-timed interruption, Ichabod would have surely committed an indiscretion in her very visible office. Instead, she smiled, reluctantly, and excused herself to take the call.

Ichabod gazed upon her as she walked away from him, placing unwelcome distance between them. He looked at her determinedly. Next time there would be no interruptions. Next time he would have a taste of her lips, if it was the last thing he did.

Hello again! Sorry it's taken me a while to get this posted. Last week was my 27th birthday so I spent the weekend relaxing with my ma and younger brother. Then this past week was full of grading, grading, and grading more papers. It took up a lot of time but I'm a teacher so it's unavoidable. Hopefully, I made up for the wait by making the chapter a bit longer than usual.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I tried to catch as many mistakes as possible but this story is "beta-less" and I usually make plenty of mistakes. I can't imagine what mistakes escaped me with this longer chapter. Oh well, what can you do?

Anyway, leave a comment if you'd like. What did you think of the chapter? Are you liking Season 3 so far? What would you like to see from the show or Ichabbie in general? Love to hear your feedback. Thanks!

Your humble fanfic writer,

semul