Ichabod awoke to sunlight coming through the bedroom window. He looked beside him. Julie was already up. Last night's events replayed through his mind. In his half-asleep state, he was unsure at first if it had actually happened or if it was a magnificent dream. Considering he woke up almost naked in her bed, he deduced it had actually happened. Alright, it happened. Now how do we proceed? He sincerely wished he could stay in her bed indefinitely. He just wanted to lie there and sleep, waking to the feeling of Julie's soft lips on his. He wanted to touch her skin and hear her breathe his name. He wanted to relive last night's fiery passion, fall asleep in her arms and wake up and do it all over again. If he could remain there in that room of slumber and pleasure he would know nothing beyond those walls; the horror and pain and loss, Katrina and Jeremy, wounded friends, and a battle he was too damn tired to fight. He knew, of course, that was impossible. The real world existed and tired or not, he had a responsibility. Besides, he really did want to check on Abbie.

He sat up and swung his long legs off the side of the bed, his feet touching the cool hardwood floor. He rested his elbows on his thighs and ran his fingers through his hair. He just sat here a moment, preparing himself, as much as he could, to face reality. He made his way over to the bathroom and splashed some water on his face. After he dried himself off he noticed the chair outside the bathroom door. All of his clothes were neatly placed upon it, his boots beneath, his coat over the back of it, and the tie for his hair placed on top of his folded shirt. He felt a sense of comfort. Julie was exceptionally good to him. Whether it was digging him out of a grave or folding his clothes, she just did it. No questions. "Always yes."

As he dressed, Crane began to wonder. How is this going to be - facing Ms. O'Connor today, after... "Ichabod! Oh, yes!" ...what happened. She had told him this sometimes happens in this era between two people, even two friends. Just act normally. He was actually looking forward to talking with her this morning. He was in no condition last night but in the light of day he knew he needed to sort through a lot. He was a proud man but he knew he had hit his breaking point. There was no room for an arrogant facade anymore. Normally he would be speaking to Abbie about all of it but with her being hurt, he didn't want to burden her further. He knew Julie would be willing to listen to him and help in any way she could. He pulled his hair back, put his boots and coat on and opened the bedroom door. He smelled coffee. Excellent. He walked around the corner into the kitchen and... kids.

"Morning," Julie greeted him with a smile. She was dressed for the day and cooking breakfast. "EJ, Jessica, say hello to Mr. Crane."

Two little voices greeted him.

Taken off-guard, Ichabod managed a polite smile. "Good morning, children." He looked up toward Julie who was standing at the stove. He motioned his head to come into the living room. She motioned to the food she was cooking and shrugged. She wasn't going anywhere at the moment.

"I was just telling the kids that mommy let a work friend stay here last night because there was a fire at his house."

"Was it a big fire, Mr. Crane?" Eddie Jr. asked.

"Yes, young man. I'm afraid it was."

"Why are you wearing those clothes?"

Crane rolled his eyes as his hands tightened on the back of an empty kitchen chair. He hadn't expected to awaken to an inquisition. "These are...I was.."

"Mr. Crane does war reenactments," Julie piped in to save him.

"That's not a war uniform, mommy." The boy stared at Crane, making him uncomfortable.

Ichabod attempted to deflect the boy's attention from his finery. "You are quite right. It is not. Tell me, how did you get so smart?"

"School. And mommy. She teaches me about her work."

"Well, that's wonderful."

"Are you married, Mr. Crane? Do you have any kids?" The last thing Ichabod needed right now was this line of questioning.

Julie came to the rescue again. "EJ, honey, finish your breakfast. Have a seat, Crane. I'll get you some."

"Oh, no. I couldn't impose."

"Come on. I insist. I make a mean omelet. And coffee. I have coffee."

"Well, if it's not too much trouble, I gladly accept." Ichabod sat down at the table next to Julie's son. "How can I resist a plate of...angry eggs?"

"More oos, peese!" said the adorable little girl seated in her high chair across from Crane.

"More juice?!" Julie teased. "Where are you putting it all!?"

"Belly!" Jessica giggled.

"Mom, do I have to eat ALL of this?" Eddie Jr. asked.

"What do you think?"

"Yes..." he moped.

Ichabod sat there in the middle of this little family having their breakfast and it made him want to jump off the nearest cliff. He was supposed to have this with Katrina. Happiness. Normalcy. Meals with their children. Instead he was living a horrific nightmare. He really just wanted to sit and talk to Julie. In retrospect, of course her kids would be there in the morning, but it just didn't occur to him until he saw them sitting there.

"Mornin', my darlings!" A woman's thick Irish accent called from the front door.

"Hey, Annie!" Julie called.

"Gramma!" the kids shouted.

Crane raised his brow at Julie, wondering exactly how many family members he would be forced to smile at this morning. She brought over his plate of food and coffee as Annie walked into the kitchen.

"Oh, hello," Annie said, obviously surprised to see a man sitting at the table.

Ichabod stood and offered his hand, which Annie took.

"Annie O'Connor, this is Ichabod Crane. He works with Frank."

"Delighted," Annie smiled coyly.

"As am I, madam." He gave a small nod. He had learned his customary bow seemed to make women of this era...uncomfortable.

Annie turned to Julie. "Can I see you for a moment, dear?"

"Sure. We'll just be a minute," Julie said to Crane as she and Annie walked into the living room.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Annie, let me explain."

"There's nothing to explain, dear. I'm happy for you, getting back out there."

"I'm not 'back out there!' Geez, Annie!"

"So you're telling me he didn't stay over here last night?"

"Well...he did, but..."

"Well, good for you." Annie peeked into the kitchen for a second and whispered, "He's gorgeous, by the way."

"Annie!" Julie exclaimed, mortified. "This is not a conversation I should be having with you."

"And just why is that, dear? I'm a woman, you're a woman, and Eddie is gone. He'd want you to be happy, and so do I."

"I appreciate that. I really do, but I promise you that's not what's going on here."

"Well, why not? He's not married, is he?"

That question cut Julie like a knife knowing the terrible truthful answer was "No."

"Then what is it?"

"It's complicated. He has..." demons chasing him...the existence of the world as we know it depending on him...the horseman of War for a son... "baggage."

"Oh, who doesn't, dear? You have two kids, for Christ sakes."

"Look, Annie. I appreciate your...whatever this is...but it's not like that with me and him. It's just not. We're friends. That's it."

"Well, that's not technically true, is it?"

"Annie..." she shook her head and smirked.

Annie put her arm around Julie's shoulder. "I'm just saying, you could do worse."

Julie sighed. She glanced at Crane, talking to her son as he ate his breakfast. She smiled a sad smile. "Believe me, I know."

She walked back into the kitchen and saw Ichabod getting up to wipe some spilled applesauce from the side of Jessica's high chair tray. She stopped in her tracks. That picture. Damn him for giving her this image. It would be so easy for her to put him there - to click him right into that empty space in her family puzzle. And it was not lost on her that the reverse would also be true. Absolutely. Not.

"She had a little mishap. I hope you don't mind." Crane smiled.

"Not at all," Julie said. "Thank you."

"My pleasure." Crane sat down, finished his breakfast and thanked Julie for the meal. "You were correct, your omelet was quite angry."

"It's 'mean,' Crane."

"I was merely trying to compliment your cooking ability."

"No, I meant...Never mind." Great. We had sex and turned into Abbott and Costello.

"Well, I really should be on my way to the bus station. I must see how Abbie is faring this day."

"I'll take you," Julie stated.

"That's really not necessary."

"No, it isn't necessary, but Abbie is my friend and I'd like to see her too, if she's up for visitors."

"Well in that case, I would very much like to accompany you on your travels."

"Great. Let me make a few calls, push a couple deadlines, and we'll go. Ten minutes?"

"I shall meet you outside." Crane said his goodbyes to the rest of the O'Connor family and went out to the front porch. He sat on the steps and waited for Julie. He was actually relieved she was going with him because it will give them time to talk. He looked around the quaint neighborhood, thinking of how he and Katrina would have lived together in this time. Would they have had more children? A home such as these? Quiet nights talking and holding each other, thankful for their second chance? A tear had just escaped his eye but he quickly wiped it away as he heard the door open. Julie met him on the porch and they walked to her car.

"So..." Julie said as she put her seat belt on.

"Yes?"

"Last night. You wanna talk about it or anything?" Please say no. Her months of pent up frustration had finally been transformed into a delightful feeling of gratification and contentment. However, she knows if he starts discussing details she will be back to square one in seconds.

"No, on the contrary. I am quite content to simply move forward without any awkwardness between us."

"Glad to hear it."

"I was actually hoping I could speak with you about what has transpired over the past few days."

"We have two hours, Crane. Go right ahead. I also have a million more questions about the Eddie thing, but you start wherever you'd like."

Crane relayed to Julie the events from the moment he left her outside the cave to the moment he boarded the bus to her house. She listened intently to her dear friend. He talked about Katrina and he cried. He talked about Eddie and Julie cried. Their hands occasionally clutched together on the center console to comfort whichever one of them was in need of it at that moment. They talked about their beloved spouses, smiled as they shared happy memories, and cried again remembering that they were lost to them forever.

"Crane, we are two sad souls, you and me," Julie said as she pulled into a parking space near the hospital.

"I am more than sad, Ms. O'Connor. My heart feels as if it has been shattered."

"I'm not going to pretend it gets easy, but I do promise it gets easier."

"That is somewhat comforting."

"Come on. Let's go see Abbie and Jenny."

"Indeed."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They arrived at Abbie's room. The door was propped open but only one of them was permitted to go inside at a time since they weren't family. Julie waited outside the doorway while Crane went first. She could see inside the room and hear them talking.

"Ichabod?"

"Abbie," he smiled as he sat next to her on the bed and held her hand in both of his. "I'm so glad to have found you awake. How are you feeling?"

"I'm OK, actually. They finally found a good balance of meds that really help with the pain and only make me moderately loopy."

"I'm pleased to hear that. I know we have much to discuss but for the moment I just want you to know how glad I am that you are here. I could not bear the thought of my actions causing you..."

"Crane, stop."

"No, I won't. I let you stay there alone."

"You didn't let me do anything, Ichabod. I chose to stay. I chose to fight."

"I still have this overwhelming feeling of guilt that I was not there to assist you." Ichabod raised his palm to Abbie's cheek. "I am sorry."

Abbie smiled sweetly. "You were buried in a box, Crane. What the hell were you going to do?" That managed to get Crane to smile a bit. "Besides, I'll be OK." She leaned up and touched her forehead to his. "I promise."

"I can't lose you, too." Crane said softly, his voice cracking slightly.

"You won't, Ichabod. You won't." The two witnesses embraced as Julie looked in from the hall. She watched them hold each other like that was the safest place either of them had ever been in their lives. It was beautiful. It was intimate. Julie felt like an intruder standing there watching this moment between them, so she went to sit down and wait. She decided to text Cynthia to see what was going on with Frank.

A while later Ichabod came out to get her. "I apologize for taking so long."

"No need, Crane. I understand what you two mean to each other. Hey, why don't you go see Jenny while I visit with Abbie? I'll come get you when I'm done."

"Very well. I shall see you shortly." Crane walked toward the elevator and Julie went to Abbie's room.

"Hey there," Abbie greeted her.

"Hi," Julie smiled as she sat down on the chair next to the bed. "God, it's good to see you in one piece."

"It's good to be in one piece. Crane though... I don't know what to say..."

"I know."

"I'm actually glad he has you to talk to about it. Someone who's been through it, you know?"

"Yeah, I'm happy to. And the fact that he saw Eddie..."

"I saw him too, you know. He saved me."

"Yeah," Julie smiled.

"Crazy, right?"

"Very. Kind of comforting though. To know he's...around."

"I imagine it is. So, I wanted to ask you - how was Ichabod last night?"

"What? How do you - huh?" As Julie stammered she realized Abbie was NOT asking what she thought she was asking.

"Are you OK?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. He was fine. I mean, he was, you know." She cleared her throat. "Fine." What the hell was that?

"Really? Because he was a mess yesterday. That's why I suggested he should stay with you."

"He wasn't himself, that's for sure. I think he was in shock. You were definitely right to not want him to be alone. He seems much better this morning." Good for you, saying words like a normal person.

Just then Julie's phone buzzed. "Oh, that's Cynthia. I was checking on Frank." She looked at her phone. "Oh, shit."

"What is it?" Abbie inquired.

"They moved him to Tarrytown." Julie responded as she sent a return text.

"They put him in psych?"

Her phone buzzed again. "Apparently. But the good news is, he can have visitors. I guess I know my next stop."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A guard opened the door to Irving's room at Tarrytown.

"What the hell, Frank?" Julie walked over and gave him a big hug. "What the hell did you do?"

Irving returned her embrace. "I did what I had to do for my daughter. No regrets."

"But dammit...your job...everything..." Julie said as she stepped back.

"'Everything' does not matter to me as much as my little girl living the life that she deserves." Frank responded, holding her hands in his.

"Shit. Why does this all have to be so horrible?" She asked.

"What, the beginning of the apocalypse? Weird, right?"

Julie laughed. "Shut up."

Frank cracked a smile. They just looked at each other, smiling at the overwhelming absurdity of the whole situation. Finally Julie said, "What are we going to do?"

"We? You're gonna go home and be a mom to those two little kids and forget about all of this."

She removed her hands from his and turned around. "God, you sound like Ichabod."

"Occasionally the man does make sense. Wait, is Crane OK?"

It just occurred to Julie that he had no idea what had happened since she went to find Crane. "Oh, crap. Yeah, he's, well I don't know about 'OK' but he's alive and not injured. He's actually right outside. Abbie's in rough shape but she and Jenny will both be alright. Oh, and P.S. Henry Parrish is Ichabod's son and also a horseman."

"What?"

"Just, hang on a second." Julie got Crane and they both went through the whole story with Frank. (Well, not the whole story.) Ichabod agreed to return the following day so they could try to come with some sort of plan of what to do next. He walked out of the room, giving Julie a chance to say goodbye to Irving.

"So, OK," she said, taking his hands again. "I'm going to drop Crane off at Abbie's, and I'm going to go home. But I am making you both promise me that you'll call me if there is anything I can do to help. Deal?"

"Deal." He smiled.

Julie stood there for a second, wondering whether to tell Frank what Eddie said. She didn't even know why she was debating it, but she was. "There's one more thing Crane didn't mention to you about Eddie." She looked down and fidgeted with his hands. "He told Crane that he was happy that you're looking out for me." She paused for a moment and then looked up with tears in her eyes. "I can't lose you, too."

"Come here," Frank held her as she cried into his standard issue Tarrytown Psychiatric t-shirt.

After a few minutes, she lifted her head up. "I'm sorry," she sniffed. "I'm making this about me when it's so totally not about me."

"Hey," Frank held her face in his hands, and wiped a tear away with his thumb. "If I understood this right, you're kind of a rock star. You just saved Ichabod's life, and indirectly Abbie's, too. It is sort of about you."

"Well, if you use that logic, I also killed Katrina."

"Dammit, Jules. You are an incredibly strong woman but we all have our breaking points. If you didn't lose it a little bit after all this, I'd be concerned."

"I know, it's just seeing you in here like this...It's not like we talked all the time but I always knew that I could turn to you no matter what and you'd be there."

"That hasn't changed. The only thing that's changed is instead of being there, I'll be...here."

"Frank..." She shook her head and smiled.

"Besides, Cynthia is working on things...There is a small possibility I can beat these charges. We just have to wait and see, OK?"

"OK."

They hugged again as they said their goodbyes.

"See you soon," Frank said.

Julie nodded and closed the door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Julie drove Crane to Abbie's house, where he would be staying until other permanent arrangements could be made. She helped him bring in a few things they bought at the store. The items did not include any clothing, as Crane insisted he would rather revisit the reenactment shop in the morning to replace what he lost in the fire. Julie didn't press the issue. She would be more than happy to never see the man don modern clothes. They hung up their coats, put away the groceries, made some tea and sat on the couch.

"So, this is good. You're close to the hospital and when they get out you'll be able to help Abbie and Jenny."

"Yes, I'm sure I will find the guest bedroom to be very convenient."

Ichabod seemed distracted. Julie asked him what was on his mind.

"May I ask just one thing regarding what happened last evening?"

Oh, please don't... "Sure, what is it?"

"Forgive my forwardness, but I need to know. I wasn't thinking of it then, but in the light of day I can't help but be concerned about the possibility of...certain consequences that may occur as a result of our relations."

"Oh, that," Julie said, relieved. "It's OK Crane. I'm on the pill."

She received the quizzical Crane look.

"There is a pill that women can take daily that prevents pregnancy."

He paused. "Oh."

Julie was beginning to know Crane's mannerisms fairly well. "'Oh.' As in 'I want to ask you why you're taking that pill if you've been widowed for two years but I don't want it to sound like I'm calling you a whore?' That 'Oh?'"

"I would never even insinuate such a thing! But, since you mentioned it, if you wouldn't mind explaining..."

"It also happens to regulate women's cycles, which is why I'm still on it." She'd never been so thankful for her unpredictable hormones, because she sure as hell didn't have any condoms lying around her bedroom.

"Well, that answers that, and to my relief I might add - about the prevention part. I never thought for a second you were a ..."

"I know that, Crane. You're the first person I've been with since Eddie died."

Crap. Lingering eye contact. Stop it.

"May I say one more thing about what happened?"

No. "Sure."

"That was absolutely incredible."

Julie couldn't hide her sudden forceful exhale upon hearing those words. "Yes, yes it was."

"Better even than I had dreamed."

"Me, too." Wait, what? "Wait, what?"

Crane didn't take his eyes off of hers as he explained. "Out of respect for Katrina I do not wish to elaborate, but suffice it to say since our first encounter my subconscious mind was awakened to the idea of what it might be like to be with you, in that way."

The idea that he had thought about her the way she thought about him was just intoxicating to her. "Wow. I had no idea." Why did you tell me that? Dammit.

"Well, it's true. I never could have made such a confession before now but after what happened between us..."

His words were stopped by Julie's lips. "Ichabod," she said as she kissed him, "I can't help myself...I want you so bad...please stop me..."

He put his arm around her waist as he said between kisses, "I'm afraid you overestimate my level of self-control at this moment, Ms. O'Connor."

He pulled her to him and she landed kneeling astride his legs. "Call me Julie," she panted. "It's so hot the way you say my name."

"Julie..." he breathed into her ear, taking her lobe between his lips.

She moved her hips closer to his, wanting to feel his growing excitement.

Ichabod lifted her shirt off, revealing a black bra with just a bit of lace trim. "My word, this is lovely," he whispered as his lips and tongue traced the path along the lacy edges of her bra line, pausing for a deep kiss between her breasts. His exquisite fingertips traced down her neck and slid her bra straps off her shoulders. Julie's entire body was tingling from his touch.

"RING!" Crane's phone. "RING!"

"Bloody hell," Crane growled. "I should answer that."

"I know..." Julie plopped back on the couch and tried to catch her breath.

"Abbie," Crane answered, as he stood up and walked into the kitchen. "Yes, fine. Just getting acclimated to my surroundings."

Julie put her shirt on as Crane continued his conversation. This was definitely a sign that she should go. She wanted someone to stop her. Thank you, Abbie. And who better to stop it, really. It's her house. It would be kind of disrespectful to have sex all over her furniture while she's lying in the hospital. She signaled to Crane that she was going to go. He did that pinchy thing with his eyebrows and shook his head no.

"Bye," she mouthed, and shut the door behind her.