Sleepless Nights

mediator

        Ichabod sat on his bed in Corbin's former cabin. The construction workers wroked all morning until they deemed the cabin liveable. Captain Irving had two rookie officers escort him to the cabin so that he could get dressed. For the past few nights ichabod didn't get a good nights sleep. He brushed it off as a symptom of the post traumatic stress disorder the psychiatrist says he has. During his visits with Dr. Ross he had vaguely described his time at war. Of course he left out the whole 200 plus gap thing.  For all Dr. Ross knows Crane has recently come back from being stationed overseas. Crane held his shirt in his hand and stared at his lengthy feet. ' What is happening to me' he asked himself. 'if I in any way hurt Miss Mills I shall never forgive myself.' Crane now paced the floor. Left-tenant on the floor in her underthings is eternally lodged in his brain. 'what did I do' Crane thought as he held his shirt up to his mouth. He was startled by a heavy knocking at the door.

        " Captain says he wants you back in his office no later than two o'clock. If we don't leave now we will be late, anfd the captain will have my ass for it," the young oficer jumbled about.

         "V ery well then. We wouldn't want the captain to have your...ass," Ichabod replied awkwardly.

In a hurry, Crane pulled his shirt over his head and retrieved his signature long jacket from the arm of the couch.

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        Jenny was showered and dressed before Abbie as usual. 'How long does it take to put on a pair of pants and a shirt I mean it's not like we're going to the Met Gala or anything.'

        "You're thinking too hard," Abbie teased.

        "I was just thinking on how long you take toget dressed. Like I don't understand. You wear a shirt, a pair of Jeans, and one of your bad ass jackets. It doesn't take infinity to put that on. Oh now that we're on the subject  remember that day you said you would let me borrow one of those jackets,"  Jenny pushed.

        " Number one, It takes time to make a simple shirt and jeans look good. Number two. I don't ever remember saying that. Besides you can't fit my jackets. you're like way taller than me," Abbie said.

        "Oh come on, I'm not way taller," Jenny crossed her arms.

        "Okay not way but still taller," Abbie agreed.

        Abbie pulled on her jacket.

        "you're mad because i'm not an inch away from being a midget," Jenny mumbled.

        "What was that," Abbie said over her shoulder.

        "Nothing," Jenny smirked as she followed her older sister out of the door.

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Irving sat at his desk throwing paper balls into the recycle bin. He could bet that he wasn't the only one with a restless night after that huge situation. He called both Abbie and Ichabod in to get the full story. He wanted to put all of the pieces together from the moment Crane woke up to the moment he was shot.

        "Good afternoon captain," Irving heard Crane say.

        "Can't say it's good, but it's definately afternoon. Want some coffee," Irving asked.

        "No thank you," Crane said while twiddling with one of the buttons on his coat.

        It was silent for almost two full minutes.

        "So we're just waiting for Jenny and Abbie to get here," Frank tossed another paper ball.

        Crane's heart dived for the pit of his stomach at the sound of their names. What would he say when they came in? His heart beats a mile a minute. Ichabod flexes his hands at his sides. Panick filled his being. He wondered if he should leave and never look back. He noted how infelicitous this conversation would be. Knowng, Crane mentally prepared himself.

        "Crane you alright," Irving questioned.

        "Yes...no. What shall I say to Miss Mills when she gets here," Crane exclaimed.

        " I'm thinking somethng on the lines of ' hi' and'I'm sorry' yeah that would be nice," Frank said.

        "Captain, I do not know what I'm apologizing for," Crane declared.

        The both turned at the sound of the door opening. Jenny strolled in with her hands in the pocket of  her dark green vest. She surveyed Crane and nodded her hellos. Abbie ambled in gaping at the floor. SHe didn't realoze how nervous she was. During the car ride here she put on one of her best shows of ' I'm fine...nothing to be worried about.' Abbie spoke to Irving and glanced at Crane. All six feet one inch of himself tried his best not to look her way. Jenny stood in betweent he two. She didn't know if her sister was packing or what she planned to do. All she knows is that these two needed a mediator.

   "Well lets get right to it why don't we. Mills I called you here so that we can get the full story on what exactly happened last night," Irving announced.

   The elephant kindly packed it's bags and exited the room. Abbie lifted her head for the first time since she's entered. Ichabod gawked at the swelling of Abbie's face. There were several red and purple bruises that mutilated Miss Mills' once perfect skin. Crane couldn't help but notice how she held her hand close to her chest as if in pain. Abbie seemed smaller. She no longer stood with squared shoulders against the world. Her foot repeatedly tapped as she pretended Crane wasn't there. Crane's heart throbbed thinking that he had anything to do with her discomfort.

   "Okay Abbie I think this is where you come in," Jenny said.

  Abbie had been thinking about what'd she say to Crane when she saw him again. She started to tell her side of things. Crane couldn't believe the words that oozed from Abbie's lips. How could she say these things? Truly he was not the guy that Abigail spoke of. Crane allowed for a tear to crawl down his flustered cheeks. Had he ripped Abbie's trousers down?  Was he the man who straddled her and held her down like some sex crazed miscreant? Tears freely fell from Ichabod's eyes. He refused to look anywhere near the left-tenant. Their voices fell into hushed tones as Ichabod dealt with his realization. His chest heaved in and out as he failed to hide his emotions.

  "Are you alright there Crane," Irving askee in a serious tone.

  "Yes. Will you excuse me," Crane stood and hurried out of the room.

  He headed straight for the place where he felt most at home; the archives. The door closed with a slam. He rushed the table and knocked all of its contents off. 'What the hell is happening to me' he thought. 'Moloch it has to be Moloch. This brute is attempting to break my and the left-tenant's bond by pinning us against eachother. 'Crane thought. He stood with that clarification.

  "Ah I see what you're doing you clever devil,"Crane said to no one.

  "Have you forgotten who I am? I shall not let this happen. The left-tenant and I will figure out what is happening,"Crane declared with a finger raised to the world.

  'Well I suppose I will figure it out by myself as the left-tenant and I aren't currently speaking.'he thought. The impact of his hody hitting the couch caused all of his emotions to gush out. He weeped. He weeped for Abigail.  He weeped for himself. He weeped for the unknown.