About a week later, Ichabod, Serena and Silver were getting ready to go back to New York. Well, Silver wasn't really doing anything to help. She couldn't because, well, she's a wolf, she can't really help much with those big paws. The bruises on Serena's skin, and her black eye were now mostly healed, but still a little tender. And she was still a little shaken up about what happened with the whole church fiasco.

Her and Ichabod were glad that the heart snatcher wouldn't be terrorizing the town any long. But she had caused a lot of damage, ranging from killing innocent victims and taking their hearts, to causing a whole riot in the church. On top of that, she fought Ichabod's girlfriend, banging her up pretty bad and knocking him out in the process. But Serena fought hard, not only defending herself, but Ichabod and the whole town. Katrina lost her life which, in a way, was a bit sad. She was Ichabod's first love, the one he thought he was going to be with for the rest of his life. But losing their son, it completely changed her. It made her do things he thought she would never even dream of doing. The lust to bring back their son, which was physically and literally impossible, drove her to her death.

It was around 11:00 am and Ichabod was just finishing packing his bags. Serena was upstairs, packing her bag as well. She wasn't taking a lot but she made sure to pack some necessary items just to get her through the week. Ichabod told her they would go shopping for some new clothes when they got back home and she felt bad for spending his money. But he told her he didn't mind. He wanted to make sure she had everything she needed, she was his girlfriend now. He did miss Katrina, but now that she was gone, he had to move on. He loved Serena with all his heart and he would do absolutely anything for her.

As Ichabod finished packing his bag, Serena made her way downstairs, carrying her bag in her hands, with Silver right behind her. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, Ichabod walked towards her and gently took her bag, making her put her hands on her hips and playfully raising an eyebrow.

"I can't carry my own bag now?" She asked and Ichabod set the bag down before resting his hands on her shoulders, kissing her cheek.

"Of course you can, my cardinal. I just want to check your bruises, and make sure you're okay. I know it's only been a week but..." he looked down and she just chuckled, cupping his face in her hands and kissing his lips.

"You're so sweet, Ichabod. I'm just messing with you. To be honest, it might take a while for me to get over what happened. She messed with this town.. she messed with you and I... I still feel bad for killing her. I mean, s-she was your first love..." she crossed her arms over her chest as she shook her head sadly. Ichabod's eyes softened as he wrapped his arms around her, placing a kiss to her forehead.

"I do miss her, but you have got to stop beating yourself up about that. You were only protecting yourself, me, and the rest of the town. She's gone now and I wish it were under different circumstances. But we are safe now and we get to go back home..." he tried to reassure her as he rubbed her back, biting his bottom lip. He wanted to ask her something but was unsure of what her reaction would be. She looked up and could tell he had something on his mind.

"What is it, darling? Is there something you want to ask?" She asked as she wrapped her arms around his waist and he sighed quietly, nodding his head.

"There is. Please don't get mad... but before we go, do y-you mind if we visit Katrina's grave? I just want to say one last goodbye...I know it's weird, given the fact we are together now..." he said, worried that she would get angry about him still talking about Katrina. But she just gave a sad smile and nodded, kissing his cheek.

"Why would I be mad? Again, she meant a lot to you and you thought she was the one for you. But sad events took place and everything changed. Not just for her, but for you as well. You lost a son, and that can really change someone. Not saying what she did was right, but in a way, I could understand why she did what she did. Nonetheless, it was still wrong... but I get you wanting to say goodbye."

Ichabod was surprised at how understanding she was. She was in his life now and he couldn't wait to start this new chapter with her. And he felt like he had closure with Katrina. It was still a lot to process, but he knew he would be okay.

"Are you ready to go then? As soon as I say goodbye to Katrina, I will call for a carriage to pick us up and we will be on our way." He kissed her forehead and she nodded, before picking up her bag. Silver sat down beside Serena, letting out a bark and she smiled down at her, rubbing the top of her head.

"Seems like Silver is ready to go too. She's been so patient." She said with a small giggle before Ichabod walked over to the counter, grabbing his bags and they took a look around the house, Serena letting out a sigh. She just moved here and now she was moving away. But she was still so excited to see New York and expand her relationship with Ichabod. As Ichabod opened the door, Serena smiled to herself before leaving the house, with Ichabod and Silver not far behind.

The graveyard wasn't far from her house so they made it there in no time. The leaves fell from the trees, the cool wind blowing through their hair and hitting their faces. Katrina's headstone wasn't very hard to find, and when they found it, it made Ichabod's eyes water suddenly. He didn't think it would be this hard to say goodbye, and Serena sensed it. She gently grabbed his hand, lacing their fingers together.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked and he let out a shaky sigh, nodding his head, and gently squeezing her hand. They walked to her grave, the leaves crunching underneath their shoes. Serena reassuringly rubbed her thumb over the top of his hand, letting him know that she was there for him. She did not, at all, like what Katrina put him and this town through, but she understood that she was the first woman he ever fell in love with.

When they got to the foot of the grave, Ichabod glanced over at young Masbeth's grave, which conveniently, was next to Katrina's, and he felt his heart break. He would never forget his son, even though he wasn't by blood. But to him, that did not matter. Family can come in different forms, and he was so blessed to have had him in his life.

"Katrina, Masbeth... I just wanted to stop by and say goodbye one last time. Masbeth..." he said, his breath shaking and his eyes beginning to water. He already visited Masbeth's grave when he arrived the first day, but he still wanted to pay his respects. Serena's own eyes watered as she listened to his breaking voice and she rested her head against his shoulder. He let go of her hand and instead, wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple.

"My boy, I will never ever forget you. You will always hold a special place in my heart. And Katrina... I wish it didn't have to come to this... I really did love you with everything I had, but, I guess fate had other plans. I will miss you and I will not forget the good memories we made together. Rest in peace..." he said as a tear fell down his cheek, while Serena looked up at him, her lips placing a gentle kiss on his cheek. She could tell this was very hard for him, and she could only imagine how much she meant to him. He really didn't have anything else to say, which was a little surprising, but he really just wanted to say goodbye. He wiped away his tear before letting out another sigh, looking down at Serena.

"Thank you, Serena... are you ready to go now?" He asked and she nodded, leaning forward and pressing her lips to his, kissing him softly. Silver, who had been sitting next to him, let out a grunt and Ichabod looked down at her, his free hand reaching down and rubbing her head.

"I'm ready. Are you alright?" They turned around and began to walk back to town, his arm still around her shoulders. Even though he would miss Katrina, he was so happy that he fell in love with Serena. She was a kind, loving and beautiful witch, with a heart full of love, who loved him for who he was.

"I will be okay. I will miss them, but I feel like fate brought us together. You make me so happy and I want to make you feel the same way. You're everything to me, Serena, you really are. Also, I have a feeling you will love New York. The snow is beautiful and I feel like we should, I don't know, kind of celebrate solving the case. That doesn't sound weird, does it?" He hoped it didn't, but it would have sounded even more weird if he said something like "we should celebrate you killing my ex." Now he would never say that but sometimes you need to think before you speak. And thank god he did in this case.

Before Serena spoke, Ichabod let one of the townspeople know that they would be needing a carriage, and the man quickly obliged. Serena shook her head with a smile before sliding her hand through his elbow, resting her head against his shoulder.

"That doesn't sound weird, darling. I mean, even though we solved the case, I wish we didn't have to kill Katrina... I'm sorry I keep bringing this up, I just feel awful about it still..." She said sadly and he stopped walking, gently moving her hand from his arm before taking both of them in his.

"My love, you have got to stop beating yourself up about that. You did what you had to do to protect this town... to protect Silver and myself... It's sad yes, but sometimes, drastic times call for drastic measures. Katrina and Masbeth are gone, but I have you in my life now, Serena. I meant it when I told you how much I love you. If it means telling and showing you every day, I have no problem following through with that." He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, hers around his waist and she buried her face in his shoulder, closing her eyes. He cradled the back of her head, as he kissed her temple, holding her close. She already knew how much he loved her, but hey, she wasn't one to pass up more love and affection.

They stood there for a few moments, and then, as they pulled away, the carriage arrived. The stagecoach looked at the both of them and tipped his hat with a smile before stepping off and grabbing their bags.

"Morning to you both, where will you be headed today?" He asked with a grin as he put the bags in the carriage before turning around to look at the couple. Ichabod and Serena looked at each other with a smile before Ichabod spoke up.

"We are heading to New York. Thank you sir." Silver immediately got in first, which made Ichabod chuckle. He then grabbed Serena's hand and helped her into the carriage before getting on, sitting across from her. The stagecoach closed the door, then hopped back on his bench before signaling the horses to move along. Their hooves clopped along the road, the carriage ride pretty peaceful. Since it did take 2 days for Ichabod to arrive at Sleepy Hollow, it would take the same amount of time. That night, Serena was trying not to fall asleep, but Ichabod knew that she wanted to. So, while the carriage was moving, he carefully moved over to the other side, sitting next to Serena and wrapped his arm around her, bringing his hand up to run her fingers through her hair.

"I can tell you're tired, sweetheart. Get some rest. We should be there by tomorrow afternoon." He said softly and she wasted no time in resting her head against his shoulder, one of her hands gently grabbing his and before lacing their fingers together, she looked down at his hands and noticed little puncture marks adorning his skin. She had noticed them before, but only briefly. Now, she was able to get a good look at them. She wanted to ask how he got those, but right now, she was so exhausted, she just needed sleep. She figured she could ask him when they arrived home. She laced their fingers together, letting their hands rest on his knee, before yawning once more, her eyelids drooping.

His fingers stopped running through her hair, but his thumb started to glide over her temple in a soft, brushing motion, his brown eyes watching her finally slump against his shoulder and falling asleep. He couldn't help but smile softly to himself as he placed a gentle kiss to her forehead before continuing to brush her temple. He then rested his cheek on top of her head, letting out a quiet sigh as he listened to the carriage riding on the dirt path.

Later the next day, they had arrived in New York, and both of them were wide awake; silver included. Both of them were Still a little tired, but for the most part, awake and alert. Serena looked out the window and noticed it was snowing lightly outside, a bright grin forming on her face. She always loved seeing the bright, white snow falling from the sky, it brought her joy. Ichabod could see the smile on her face, and it made him grin. He loved seeing her so happy and he could tell that she was going to love it in New York. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and playfully pulled her back against him, making her squeal and giggle.

"Ichabod! What are you doing?" She laughed and he repeatedly kissed her temple, making her whole face go as pink as a cherry blossom tree. Her giggling was like music to his ears; he could listen to it all damn day. And it warmed his heart knowing he was the reason she was giggling. If he could make her giggle at least once a day, or more, he would be even more happy than he already was.

"I just want to hold you and love you, my dear. We are starting our new life together now and I want to make it special. It is your first time here, after all." He said with a blush and she just grinned before turning slightly so she could see him and she kissed his cheek.

"Oh Ichabod, having you with me is already special. I love you with all my heart." She said happily and Ichabod leaned forward, capturing her lips with his. The kiss was slow, gentle but full of passion. His arm was still around her shoulders, but it moved down so it was wrapped around her waist, his other hand resting on her knee. They kissed for a good minute before the carriage finally came to a stop. Ichabod gave Serena a warm smile before opening the carriage door and carefully stepping out, silver right behind him. He held her hand and helped her out before grabbing their bags and closing the door. Thankfully the carriage had stopped right in front of Ichabod's home, so they didn't have to walk far with all their bags.

They had only been there for a minute and Serena could already tell that his home was beautiful. The exterior was a mixture of brown and white with a grey roof and a window on what appeared to be the second story. He set his bags down before opening the door and letting her walk inside first. Silver followed her owner, immediately finding a place to lay down and relax, which was in one corner of the room. Serena looked around, her piercing blue eyes filled with awe and wonder. The interior was gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous. There was a kitchen, living room with a fireplace and a grey sofa, with a table in front. And In the corner of one of the rooms was a winding staircase, which seemed to make the house more, how to put it, totally Ichabod.

"This is absolutely wonderful, Ichabod. Its so... you." She complimented and he smiled as he set his bags down before walking towards her and taking her hands in his.

"I'm glad you like it, dear. It's been my home for a while, but now, its not just mine, its our home." He said sweetly and she rested her forehead against his. Then her eyes averted down to his hands and she lifted them up, moving them so they were palm up and she bit her lip. She was scared to ask how he got them and he could tell she was hesitant. It was a painful memory, but he figured he could tell her.

"Did... did you want to know how I got these?" He asked, a little nervously and she looked up at him, her eyes filled with concern, but her head slowly moving in a nodding motion.

"Only if you want to though, my love. I don't want to push you." He shook his head before leading them to the sofa. They sat down next to each other, their hands still holding each others. He let out a sigh, trying to find the right way to explain it. He didn't really want to go into full detail, since it was still painful to remember, but he felt like she still deserved to know.

"Okay, so... my mother, just like you, was a witch. She was a kind spirited, gentle, loving witch. Growing up, she knew what I liked, what calmed me down when I was scared and she was just so sweet. But my father, who was a priest and a very religious man, he would... punish my mother, for what he called her sins. Long story short, he trapped her in an iron maiden... I went into the dungeon and all I saw were her eyes... staring right back at me. It alarmed me and I stumbled back, my hands landing on the arms of a chair, which had spikes..." he trailed off, unsure of how to continue. But he didn't have to.

"And that's how you got those markings..." She said, sadness obvious in her voice. He nodded as he looked down, watching her thumb very gently rub over the marks. Serena's heart broke, now knowing what happened to him, and to his mother. Neither Ichabod, nor his mother, deserved to go through something so horrific. Especially at the hands of his sad excuse of a father. A parent who truly loved their child, would never put them in harms way. Ever.

"Oh Ichabod, I am so sorry you went through that..." She whispered and Ichabod gently squeezed her hands as he sighed quietly. It was hard to tell, yes, but he felt a little relieved that she now knew. And he just now realized, she never asked about the scar right in between his collarbone and shoulder. Did she not notice or did she feel scared to ask him about that one too?

"Well, I felt like you had a right to know. I don't want you to feel like I am hiding anything from you. I... I have another scar... if you want to see it." He was surprised that he was willingly bringing up the scars but again, he felt like she should know. Her eyes widened as she remembered briefly seeing that other scar, but felt too shy to ask about it.

"I do remember it, but I didn't get a good look at it. It was when we were... making love and I was just so focused on your eyes..." She said a little shyly and he felt his heart race at the mention of them making love. It brought them closer together, more than ever actually and he was so glad he did it.

Without even thinking, he undid his cravat, sliding it off, along with his vest, before lowering the left sleeve of his shoulder, and Serena gasped softly. The scar was a few inches long, starting from the top of his shoulder, making its way to his collarbone. Serena hesitated a moment before reaching her hand up and gently resting it over his scar, her thumb brushing over it.

"It doesn't hurt, does it? I hope your father didn't give you this one..." He immediately shook his head as he placed his hand over hers.

"Oh god no, he didn't do this. It was actually because of the headless horseman. Basically, Katrina's betrothed, Brom, was trying to go after him, when the horseman wanted nothing to do with him. Brom angered the horseman which resulted in me getting injured and him... well, he received one of the worst deaths I had ever witnessed. But it doesn't hurt now, just another reminder as to what happened that day."

He lifted his sleeve back over his shoulder before resting his hands on her shoulders, squeezing them reassuringly. "But, on a better note, I was thinking of inviting one of my good friends from work, and his wife. We could have dinner, talk and just relax. Does that sound alright?" He asked and Serena smiled, nodding her head.

"I think that sounds wonderful." She said and Ichabod kissed her lips, his fingers brushing her hair out of her face. God, she was so perfect, in every way humanly possible.

"I don't want to leave you but I actually have to go to work so I can tell my boss about the case. And I assure you, I won't take all the credit." He joked and she playfully rolled her eyes. Then he continued to talk. "Are you going to be okay for a little while? I promise I won't be too long."

She giggled before tackling him against the couch, making him gasp, but in a good way. She was now on top of him, legs on either side of his hips and her hands on his chest. His hands were on her waist, their lips ghosting over each others.

"Don't leave me here too long, my darling... Now go." She pecked his lips to which he happily returned before she got off of him so he could get up. It didn't take long for him to go upstairs and change into his work uniform, combing out his hair and making sure he looked presentable. When he was ready, he walked downstairs and as soon as Serena noticed him in an outfit that was new to her, her whole face went red, her heart racing.

"Well, Constable, you continue to impress me..." She said a little flirtatiously and he blushed, shaking his head.

"I'm glad I impress you, darling. Now, make yourself at home. I will be back before you know it." He walked towards her and leaned down, capturing her lips quickly before grabbing his bag and heading out the door. Serena sat there with a smile on her face, her fingers brushing over her lips. With a happy sigh, she laid down on the sofa and closed her eyes, counting down the minutes until Ichabod arrived back home.

A couple hours later, it was around 5:30 pm, Serena and Ichabod were helping each other with the cooking, waiting for their guests to arrive. She didn't know which friend Ichabod was bringing over, but she was glad that they were, in a way, celebrating solving the case. She just hoped everything would go smoothly.

And so did Ichabod.

There was a knock at the door and Serena looked up at Ichabod with a smile before kissing his cheek. "Do you mind if I get the door, my love?" She asked and he shook his head with a grin.

"It's our house now, dear. You can do whatever you please." She giggled before taking off her apron and wiping her hands on one of the rags on the counter, before making her way to the door. But as soon as she opened the door, her eyes went wide with shock, all the color draining from her face when she saw who was at the door.

And before the couple could say anything, Ichabod turned around, watching Serena start to fall back, passing out. He cried out her name as he raced towards her, falling to his knees and catching her in his arms, the couple standing there in the same amount of shock.

"Serena!"