"So- how're you taking everything?" Sam asked Ichabod.
"Well, it certainly has been quite an adventure thus far- seeing as I was nearly hit by a car, and then taken in for questioning, called insane, insulted-"
"That's enough, Ichabod," Abbie rolled her eyes, "You can't just tell people you've been dead for 200 years and expect them to believe you without a bit of backstory."
Ichabod scowled, "They believe me," he said, looking over at Sam and Dean, "And besides, I haven't had any real chance to complain, since you seem entirely numb to my misfortunes, and every other person I've come into contact with has written me off as mad," he paused, and inhaled deeply, a look of grief flitting across his blue eyes, "It's not easy," he blinked hard, "Everyone I love is dead. And I don't even know why I'm here."
Dean bit his lip and turned to Sam, who nodded.
"I know what you mean," Sam whispered.
Ichabod sighed, "I haven't the slightest theory regarding these events, all I know for certain is that I am, indeed alive, and I did, indeed, die."
"Well, that's less hard to handle than a lot of things we've dealt with," Sam nodded, "We're here for you."
Abbie clenched her fists and looked down at the Winchesters and Ichabod, then whispered, "I am too. I- I know what it feels like to lose people you care about."
Dean laughed, "Looks like we're just a group of broken hearts, huh? C'mon, let's go get some pie and coca, we could all use some cheering up."
"You have coffee already," Sam remarked.
"Yeah, and it tastes like death, the hell'd you put in this?"
"Nothing- you asked for it black."
"Anyways-" Dean set the cup on a ledge beside them, "Let's get out of here, it's gettin' so gloomy."
"I agree." Ichabod nodded, standing up, his stature proper as always, "I'd love to see what else this modern world has to offer- perhaps I may find something interesting that doesn't attempt to send me back beneath several layers of dirt."
Abbie leaned against the wall, her arms crossed, "You know, you aren't exactly supposed to leave the station yet- everyone's still convinced you're unstable."
"Well, you don't seem to have had any problem disregarding their orders thus far- I assure you I'll return calmly, I simply wish to have a bit of time to recover from the shock of being revived after a 200 year death."
"Okay- look," Abbie shook her head, "I don't want to get into trouble here. I'll go ask if I can be granted permission to be your- guardian I suppose. They might let me look after you while they get some paperwork sorted. I'll be right back." She slid her arms to her sides and walked back down the hallway.
"I'm still not certain she believes me, but I suppose at least she trusts my sanity enough to attempt releasing me from this damn abomination of justice."
"No, she believes you," Sam nodded, "She's just- I don't know, I can tell something's wrong though. I'd go easy on her, we've all been through something, and none of us wants to talk about it."
"Really? I'd love to talk about what's happened to me, seeing as it's a crucial part of our current standing."
Dean sighed, "Look, I just want to get out of here."
Sam raised his eyebrows, "Why? Afraid they'll find out who we are?"
"Easy for you to say, I'm dead Sam."
"Right, forgot about that. They're focused on Ichabod though, you'll be fine. Besides, that was ages ago."
"Dead people stay dead, Sammy."
Sam gritted his teeth, "Yeah. They do."
Abbie walked back over to them, "Alright, I've got permission to take you out, so long as I make sure you don't do anything," she paused, looking Ichabod straight in the eye, "weird."
"Why on earth would they assume I'd do anything 'weird'?" he retorted, offended.
"Oh, I wonder what gave them that idea," Abbie rolled her eyes, "Let's go, there's a place down the road that serves pie, and," she paused, whispering the last two words as her face contorted with grief, "ice cream," she paused again, then resumed her speech, a pained smile on her face, "Anyways, they have hot cocoa too I'm sure."
Sam looked concerned, "We- uh- don't need to get pie if-"
"No. It's fine. Really. I'm fine," Abbie said, pressing her index fingers against her tear ducts, "I just- it's nothing," she shook her head. "Let's go."
Sam looked at Dean, who bit his lip and shrugged.
The restaurant was fairly empty, clean white tables lined the tall windows, and the steady hum of the kitchen permeated the air, along with the sizzling scent of bacon.
"Here we are," Abbie remarked, "Go ahead and pick out a seat, I'll get the pie and cocoa."
"You don't have to-" Sam started, but Abbie cut him off,
"This is my town, and you're guests."
Sam nodded and slid into a booth.
"So- there's definitely something weird going on here, demons?" Sam asked, directing his question at Dean, who was busy glancing at a woman sitting alone a few table away. Ichabod answered,
"I haven't seen much yet, but from what I've managed to glean from this-" he pulled a bible out of his coat, "We're dealing with something big."
"Is that-"
"Yes-" Ichabod opened to a page near the back, which had been dogeared back, "Revelations. I've been reading up on a few things since I was awakened, and the only thing that makes any sense to me, is remarkably bad for this town- and the world."
"The world?"
"Yes- Sam. The world. I'm talking about the apocalypse, the reckoning. We're looking at the end of the world."
"Have you said anything to Abbie about this?" Dean whispered.
"I've tried- though like I mentioned previously, I'm uncertain to whether or not she deems anything I say credible."
"Well- we're all here now, and after last night, I'm pretty sure she's interested in what you have to say."
Abbie slid the plates onto the table and sat beside Ichabod, across from Dean and Sam, "Alright- so like I said. If anyone has any idea what's going on here, I'd love to be informed."
"I've already told you about the horsemen, and how what you saw in the woods-" Abbie cut him off,
"I was talking to them, Ichabod. You've said quite enough already."
Ichabod closed his eyes and turned away, sighing.
"Well, we'll need something to work with, we can't pull theories out of thin air," Sam started, "So anything you have to tell us would be useful."
"We all saw that, horseman, together, so if you have any idea what it was..."
"We were pretty far away, and it was pouring buckets. I didn't get a very good look. And even if I had, we don't- there's nothing in dad's book about this," Sam sighed.
Ichabod turned back, "He's death."
"What?" Dean asked, tilting his head.
"I couldn't kill him, because he's death. I blew his head off, but he was never dead. Or he was always dead. I'm not sure which," Ichabod shrugged.
"Corbin said-" Abbie paused, "Never mind," she shook her head.
Dean raised an eyebrow, "Remember- if you think it could be helpful..."
"It's nothing."
"Okay."
"So- as I've been gone for 200 years, have you noticed anything out of the ordinary lately?" Ichabod asked.
Abbie shook her head, "No- everything was pretty normal, until you showed up."
"No need to be rude," Ichabod smirked, "Really though? Nothing strange?"
"No."
"We've seen plenty of strange things," Sam sighed, "But I doubt they have anything to do with this."
"Alright then, that was certainly a helpful discussion," Abbie sighed, prodding her pie, the ice cream slipping off the top onto the plate.
"Sorry- you didn't really offer much for us to go off of though," Dean pointed out.
"Look, I know there are things you don't want to talk about, there are plenty of things I'd prefer to leave in the past- but if Ichabod's right, this could be big- far bigger than any of us. So if there's anything, anything you think could help us figure this out- just- say something. Whenever you're ready."
"Yeah," Dean agreed, his mouth full of pie.
Ichabod took a sip of cocoa and had narrowed his eyes, "This is terrible, it's like water!"
"Well sorry it doesn't meet your standards, but it's some of the best cocoa I've ever had," Abbie retorted.
"I'll have to make some then, since it seems the modern world has butchered what was once a delicious drink."
"You do that."
"So- I suppose the best course of action would be to go after the horseman. Where do you think he's likely to show up?" Sam asked.
"I doubt he'll leave Sleepy Hollow, I'm here after all, and I'm fairly certain he's still a bit angry about the whole beheading business."
"You think it's time of day too?" Dean glanced at Sam.
"I'm not sure, but it does seem safer to come out at night- people can blame the headless bit on a trick of the light then, but come out in full daylight, and people'll start to notice."
"You still never checked the book," Dean sighed.
"It's not going to have anything in there- I'm sure Dad would have mentioned something if he'd known anything about something like this."
"Maybe he didn't want us getting involved back then- just check," Dean said as he stood up and started walking away, "Let's go Sam, we've got work to do then. Besides, I gotta park the Impala someplace safer."
"But I still have pie-" Sam protested.
"You can bring it along, let's go."
Sam sighed, "Sorry. See you later then, I guess!"
Ichabod nodded. Abbie was staring down at her pie, swirling the ice cream and the pie together,
"It's just a warm soupy mess now," she whispered.