Jordan…

Tuesday night began the week of Woody and I playing phone tag. I got called to a scene around 10 pm and didn't get home until about 2 in the morning. I fell asleep immediately and didn't wake up until about 9:30 and Woody was already gone. He left me a note that a few guys had caught a nasty February flu and they asked him to come in early for the week and he could leave at 2 or so.

I read the note and sighed. He'd probably be exhausted when he came home and fall asleep and by the time I got back at 5:30, he'd be waking from his little naps and I would be too beat to do…well anything not to mention pay a whole lot of attention to him.

I called to see if he wanted to get some lunch around noon but he informed me that Winslow had stopped by and dropped off a hoagie for him.

"Oooo….do you have a new boyfriend, Woody?" I asked teasing and Woody laughed.

"Nahh…you're still my man, baby." Woody teased back. "He's a…he's a good guy though…wanted me to tell ya hey for him." Woody said and I smiled.

"Well you can tell him hey back for me." I said before telling Woody I would let him get back to his work.

"I love you." I said smiling as I searched for loose change to grab something out of the machine.

"I love you too." He said with a sigh and promised he would try to be up for when I came home.

When I got home, Woody was out cold on the couch, a Heineken beside him on the coffee table and the morning sports page laying across his chest. I picked up the empty bottle and placed it in the recycling.

I cooked some chicken legs for dinner and woke Woody up when it was all ready. He kissed me and slinked to the table.

"So how was your day?" I asked and he grunted.

"Boring…" He said sighing and I smiled.

"So it was a good day then?" I asked knowing that boredom was a welcomed mood around a police station. He just nodded and scratched his head.

"How bout you?" He mumbled taking a deep breath of the sweet chicken I had laid in front of him. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh you know, the usual…some slicing, some dicing…a little melodrama thrown in for good soap operatic measure…Nigel getting yelled at." I said with a smile and Woody nodded.

"Normalcy." He proclaimed through a mouthful of broccoli. I nodded.

'Normalcy." I said and placed a piece of chicken in my mouth.

After dinner, Woody helped me with the dishes and we lounged on the couch together. Woody must have noticed my eyes drooping and he pulled me with him to the bedroom.

"Come on Jordan, no funny stuff  I promise…we both need the sleep." He said helping me to remove my clothes. I grumbled like a child and he just chuckled and guided me to lay down. I beckoned for him to join me and he changed quickly before hopping into bed with me.

"Night." He sighed and I kissed him.

"Night." I said before snuggling my head into his chest and falling asleep.

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The rest of the week was hit or miss as far as Woody and I seeing each other conscious. I spent more time at the morgue trying to make up some hours I lost taking care of Woody. Garrett told me not to worry, that I was still getting paid considering this whole incident fell under my catastrophic P.D.O.'s. I assured him I understood but I was feeling kind of useless and needed to throw myself back into the job. Garrett Just nodded in understanding.

"Woody back full time yet?" He asked me as we strolled down the hallway on Wednesday afternoon.

"Nah, they're giving him desk work to do just to keep him busy ya know? He's getting kind of antsy." I said and Garrett nodded.

"Most guys in his line of work are like that. You should know." He said with a weak smile.

"How do you mean?" I asked as we stopped just outside my office. Garrett leaned on the doorframe with one hand.

"Well…I guess sort of like doctors make the worst patients…cops make the worst victims, you know?" he said and I looked off down the hall remembering the night Woody had that awful nightmare. I suddenly wondered if he was over it at all.

"Yeah, I uh…I guess you're right." I said and Garrett removed his hand from the doorframe and rested it on my shoulder.

"Why don't you try and see him for lunch today? I'll cover for you with the boss." Garrett said winking and I rolled my eyes.

"Thanks, that'd be really great, Garrett. Thanks." I said and hugged him. I hoped Woody hadn't eaten yet.

I grabbed Subway on the way to the precinct and hurried into the building with it, fearing Woody's roast beef sub would get cold. I found him sitting at his desk, referring to a small stack of papers as he typed on his laptop. He glanced up from his work and did a double take as he realized I was standing there.

"Hey!' he said smiling happily as he stood from his desk. I sauntered over to him and planted a hard kiss on his lips.

"What's the occasion?" he said pulling the other chair in the office over for me to sit in. I shrugged my shoulders.

"A lady needs a reason to come see her man for lunch?" I asked with a smirk and Woody shook his head.

"No, but a Cavanaugh usually does." He said narrowing his eyes at me. He could tell there was something disconcerting on my mind. Unfortunately when I looked up at him and he realized that something was also about him, he dropped the subject. I didn't want to make a scene in his office so I let it go, sure it would be brought up at a later time.

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We shared the sandwich and I poured myself a cup of coffee before I left.

"You'll be home around 6 tonight right?" Woody asked pulling on his coat and shutting down his computer. I was taken aback by him calling my place home but I tried not to show it.

"Yeah, um…yeah…about 6. You want me to pick up some food on my way?" I asked and Woody grabbed his keys and nodded.

"Yeah, whatever you get is fine…but just not the…" I cut him off.

"Duck Sauce on 10th?" I asked and Woody shook his head.

"No the…" I cut in again.

"Oh, Dragon's on Arch….cause the sauce in the…" Woody nodded.

"Yeah…too spicy…" He said and we walked out the door to the precinct together. 'Finishing each others sentences…that's new' I thought as we said good bye and I rounded the corner to my car.

I shrugged it off and headed back to work, not in the mood to contemplate the status of mine and Woody's relationship right then and there.

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I got home around 6:30 and Woody was taking down plates for us. He's very Martha Stewart-ish in that way. I smiled and set the carry out bags down on the counter and gave him a quick kiss.

"So where'd you go?" he asked and peeked into one of the bags.

"Seafood…thought it might be a better choice then anything spicy for you tonight." I said and Woody wagged his eyebrows.

"NOTHING spicy tonight?" He asked wrapping his arms around me and I dropped my stuff next to the sink.

"Well…I never say never…" I said chuckling and Woody smiled and leaned closer into my face.

"We're going to sleep as soon as dinners through aren't we?" He asked cringing and I sighed, letting my tired body rest against his.

"Oh yeah." I said sadly and patted his cheek.

"This weekend. It's alllllll about us." I said and Woody nodded.

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In the morning, I woke and showered before slipping quietly out of the apartment while Woody slept. I called and chatted with him around lunch time but he got called out and sent on a routine domestic in the middle of the conversation.

"It's nothing big Jordan, don't worry." He said and I sighed.

"I know…just…be safe alright?" I said before wishing him luck.

"Always." He said and hung up the phone in a rush. I went back to my paperwork and tried not to think about the what ifs.

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Woody…

I went to the domestic call, begrudgingly of course. This was a beat cops run, I was a homicide detective. I took it in stride and was at least happy that I was getting to leave the building for a change.

The story was typical, couple living together, several kids, father knocking the mother around. They looked to be about my age. I looked at the guy like he was scum.

I filled out a report but the woman didn't want to press charges. I stared at her for a long moment before looking around at the four small children they had. I couldn't help it, I shook my head and sighed.

I left the house shortly after and returned to the precinct to fill out the paperwork. Around two thirty I decided to leave and stopped for a late lunch at the Wendy's drive through. I was more tired than I had been in a few weeks and I opted to lay down in the bed instead of the couch for my nap.

When Jordan came home, she of course overreacted and wanted to take me to the doctor's. I assured her I was fine and just a little emotionally tired. I told her about the case.

"This guy didn't look a day older than I am, what the hell kind of problems can he be having that he feels it necessary to pummel his wife for them?" I said shaking my head as we watched the news together later that night.

Jordan sighed. "Some people don't know any other way than violence to deal with problems." She said and I nodded.

"Yeah, but the kids…you shoulda seen their faces Jordan…it was like 'just another day in our life'. They seemed so…so used to it." I said shaking my head.

"Well….don't you worry…" Jordan said resting her head against my chest. "If we ever had kids…I'd make sure they were out of the room before I smacked you around." She said and I knew she was trying to make me feel better. I kissed her lips softly.

"Thanks." I said with a sad chuckle and turned back to the news.

"No problem." Jordan said and lay her head back against my chest.

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On Friday, I had the day off. Not without terms of negotiation of course. I had to be on call all weekend. Which meant no traveling for Jordan and I.

"Oh, don't feel bad Woody." Jordan said while getting ready for work Friday morning. "I understand…and besides…it doesn't matter where I am just as long as it's with you." She said kissing the tip of my nose. I smiled and took a sip of my coffee after yawning.

"So is this that honeymoon period of a relationship everyone talks about?" I said and Jordan laughed.

"Yeah, in about 3 weeks, I'm gonna be like that alien in the movie." She said gathering her things as she rushed for the door. She blew me a kiss and I smiled.

"Have a good day at work!" I called over the paper and Jordan hollered back.

"Bragger!" I smiled and turned the page.

Jordan caught a homicide in the late afternoon and called me.

"Oh no, they always come in threes." I said and I could here Jordan snort.

"You're such a superstitious old wife." She said and I chuckled.

"No it's true…and I'm on call this weekend." I said with a groan.

"Well, in any case, I probably won't be home until later tonight sometime so just go ahead and eat without me. Save me a few slices of pizza though okay?" she mumbled and I could tell she was rushing down the hallway.

"Will do. Love you." I said cradling the phone between my ear and shoulder.

"Love you too." She said and the phone disconnected. I sighed and hung up the phone. I called to order a pizza and then proceeded to search the house for a movie to watch.

I tried to stay awake until Jordan got home but I was beat. I fell asleep on the couch around 1:15 watching an infomercial for knives that could cut through copper pipes. The last thing I remember thinking is, why would anyone wanna cut pipes with the knives they use on their food?

Jordan must have come in a short time later because she woke me up to move into the bedroom. Unfortunately, in waking me up shortly after I had fallen asleep, Jordan had inadvertently allowed me a power nap. In my vocabulary a power nap happens when you sleep for what is basically the mental equivalent of 10 minutes and then are waken up and you're wired. Unfortunately for me, Jordan was beat.

"Well…tomorrow IS Saturday and you can afford to sleep in…" I said as she got ready for bed and I lay on the bed watching her change. She smirked.

"That's not fair! You had the day off! You can't blame me for being less than willing to have sex!" She said vehemently and I put up my hands in surrender.

"I was just suggesting…don't get mad at me." I said smiling smugly. "So…what do you wanna do?" I said wrapping my arms around her pillow and whipping my head to the side so that my bangs fell boyishly in my face. Jordan stood straight and put her hands on her hips.

"Don't you dare! I know that look!" She said playfully wagging a finger at me. I widened my eyes in feigned innocence.

"What?! I'm not doing anything!" I said unwrapping my arms from the pillow and yanking my t-shirt off. "Ooops! My shirt fell off! Weird!" I said playfully and Jordan pursed her lips.

"You're in big trouble." She said shakily tugging at the buttons on her jeans. I wagged my eyebrows.

"Oh I sure do hope so." I said and Jordan pulled her shirt over her head. I sat up on my knees and she shook her head, moving towards me. She joined me kneeling on top of the sheets and I pulled her against me, kissing her passionately.

We necked for a few minutes and I was just starting to unbutton my jeans when my cell phone rang.

"Oh for God's sake!" I said angrily rolling off of Jordan and grabbing the chirping phone.

"Hoyt." I said angrily. "Oh, yeah….yeah….that's right I am….uh huh…..uh huh….how long ago?…..uh huh….okay….I'll be right there." I said and flipped the phone shut with a sigh. I looked over at Jordan, flushed and half naked laying before me. I dropped my head and reached for my shirt.

"I have to go…I got a call…" I said sadly and Jordan sat up, still breathing heavy.

"Bad?" She asked and I shook my head.

"Don't know…just know…but that they called a homicide detective gives me some idea." I said and Jordan nodded.

"Well…at least when you get there they'll know why it took you so long." She said smiling. I looked into the mirror.

" I think I can save the hair but you've got the tell tale glaze of a man who was about to get laid." She said and I nodded as she tried to smooth out my hair a little.

"It's usually me getting these calls at night when I am in a relationship…I'm gonna have to get used to this huh?" She said and I nodded, looking around for my suit pants. I pulled a clean dress shirt out of the closet and pulled it on.

"Yeah…ditto." I said reminding Jordan that I have never been in a relationship with anyone who was on call at any hour before either. She helped me button my sleeves and fix my collar as she tied my tie. Her hands rested on the tie for a few seconds and I bent down and kissed her.

"I'll be fine." I said and She nodded silently.

I grabbed my coat and headed out into the cold night, praying that it was cold enough to hide the flush on my face.

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When I arrived at the scene, there were cops from a different precinct standing around. I showed them my badge and asked them who was in charge as I looked around to find not many authorities had showed yet.

"You are." One said looking up from the small notepad he was writing on. I was startled at first then nodded and headed back to the alley where I assumed the bodies were. The CSI's were already there as usual. I saw an ambulance parked and silent at the other end of the alley, it's lights flashing but the siren unnecessary.

I approached the scene and looked briefly at the white sheets covering the bodies, red blood soaking through parts of the sheet. The flash of a crime scene photographer's camera caught my eye and the only other detective on the scene beckoned me over. I could tell he was a rookie and waiting for someone to give him a clue as to what was next.

"You from the 19th?" he asked and I nodded as we walked over to the bodies. I could hear cars pulling up down the alley.

"Lady on the 5th floor hear the shots and some screaming about a half hour ago. We just got here a few minutes ago and the CS unit took over." He said rolling his eyes and I looked down at the white sheets once again. The rookie stood beside me, his hands shoved down into his pockets to keep warm. He was avoiding uncovering the bodies so I was sure it wasn't pretty. I pulled on my latex gloves and he did the same hurriedly as he continued to explain.

"There must have been a struggle…" he said uncovering the man's body first. I was surprised out how young he was. "We got a hold of the parents, seems they were dating. Went out for a movie and on the way home…" I nodded.

"Wallet gone?" I asked and the kid smiled sadly. I nodded again. "Gun shots or stabbing?" I asked and the kid held up an evidence bag with a gun inside.

"The guy really fought him off…he's got some bruising around his wrists and a split lip. Poor guy, he was either really cheap or really fond of his girl." The rookie said and I looked to the sheet-covered woman. The rookie covered the man back up and moved to the woman. I prepared myself as he pulled back the sheet.

He must have been rattling off vitals but I wasn't paying attention. The Woman had gunshots to her throat and abdomen. I assumed just by looking at her that the throat shot was the fatal one. But more importantly, she looked like Jordan. A lot. Her eyes were frozen open in shock. I cringed, noticing they were hazel like Jordan's as I reached down and gently closed her eyes with my fingertips. Even through the latex I could tell how cold she was.  I stood slowly, my lungs suddenly missing any air they might have been holding. I looked around for somewhere, anywhere to escape to.

"Detective? You alright?" the rookie asked as I gasped for air that wouldn't come. I looked up and saw Winslow walking down the alley. He caught sight of me and squinted to make sure it was actually me. I walked to the brick wall of the building beside us. I leaned my hand against the wall and forced air into my lungs. Winslow was at my side.

"Hoyt you okay? Sit down over here…" He said guiding me to the steps of the fire escape. I sat down, coughing in the cold night air. He kept a hand on my shoulder as he pulled out his radio and requested dispatch.

"This is dispatch." A crackling voice came over the radio. Winslow pushed the button angrily.

"Yeah, this is lieutenant Winslow, mind telling me who called Detective Hoyt to the scene on Albright?" He asked and I was beginning to breathe normally again.

"I just call who's on the list." The voice shot casually back. Winslow grumbled something and stuck the radio back on his belt.

"Come on, you're gonna chill out in your car for a few then I'm gonna follow you home and make sure you get up to Jordan okay." He said and I nodded.

I sat down in the front seat of my car and Winslow stood holding the door open with one hand and leaned on the car with the other.

"I can't….my God, what….what if I hadn't pulled my gun?" I said shakily and Winslow had to think for a minute. He seemed to get it that I was talking about the day I got shot.

"I'm…I'm really sorry Hoyt…I told them only to call you as last resort…I didn't…" I shook my head.

"You couldn't have known." I said as my breathing returned to normal.

"Yeah, but I just inadvertently gave you a panic attack and I'm feeling sort of bad about myself…" He said with a sad chuckle and I laughed.

"It's no problem really, I think I just…I just better go." I said and Winslow nodded.

"Alright, but I am gonna follow you home." He said and I nodded taking out my keys. My hand shook as I put the key in the ignition.

I got to Jordan's building alive by some miracle and Winslow pulled up along side of me as I was opening my door.

"You're off call for the rest of the weekend. And if you don't feel like coming in on Monday…well…that's fine too…" He said and I smiled appreciatively.

"Thank you sir." I said and Winslow nodded before driving off. I slipped out of the car, my muscles aching from the tenseness they had been subjected to as adrenaline pumped through my body. I tried to shake it off as I walked to the elevator. I felt light headed and dirty. I almost believed I could smell the death on my clothes and skin as I unlocked the big red door and crept into the dark apartment. Jordan was asleep. I shakily removed my gun and coat, leaving them wherever they fell in the living room. I stumbled to the bedroom dropping my suit coat and kicking off my shoes. I dropped to the chair by the bed and sighed. Jordan stirred but just rolled over and hugged my pillow. I sat back in the chair and covered my eyes.

I assured myself that Jordan was safe in bed in front of me. But every time I looked through my cold fingers I pictured her lying where that young woman had been. I pictured her eyes frozen eternally in fear. I pictured the wounds to her neck and abdomen. I pictured how Jordan might have looked if I hadn't reached for my gun. I stood urgently from the chair and pulled off my shirt,  heading towards the bathroom unbuttoning my pants. I left them in front of the door and quickly removed the rest of my clothes. I turned the shower on and stepped into the steaming water, pullinge curtain to and stood under the hot stream as I leaned my head against the cool tile and banged the wall with the outside of my fist.

Before I knew it, there were tears choking me. I squinted my eyes and let the tears come. A few minutes later I was almost all cried out. And then Jordan opened the curtain, smiling smokily. I turned my head surprised when I felt the cool air hit my wet body. The water masked my tears, but I'm sure the redness of my eyes tipped her off. She looked suddenly concerned.

"Oh my God, are you alright?" She asked concerned and I laughed nervously.

"Yeah I'm fine why?" I said glancing around the room. "Care to join?" I asked turning my back to her. Jordan was silent. I turned my head back to look at her. She set a hand on my back and handed me a towel.

"I'll meet you on the bed." She said and I got the distinct impression that sex was not being offered as part of that equation. I nodded sullenly and turned off the water, taking the towel from her hand. I watched her leave the bathroom as I ran the towel over my head a few times. When it only felt damp, I stepped out of the shower and dried myself off.

A few minutes later, I slipped quietly into the bedroom, the towel now wrapped around my waist. Jordan was sitting in the middle of the bed. She smiled sadly at me and I went to the dresser and pulled out a small bottle of eye drops. Jordan watched while I put two drops in each eye and then moved to the bed. I looked at her sitting there and the vision of the woman flashed through my mind again. I covered my eyes with one hand and then sat quickly down onto the floor beside the bed. I leaned with my back against the bed, facing away from Jordan and she sighed and laid down, propping her head up with one arm.

"What happened?" She asked softly and I shook my head.

"I'd rather not talk about it." I said sadly and pressed the heels of my hands into my eyes. I could almost hear the wheels turning in Jordan's head. She sat up and reached over to turn out the light and she sighed as I felt her resettle herself onto the bed. I was quiet for a few minutes and Jordan bore with me.

"It was awful." I said quietly and Jordan remained silent. She was letting me use her as a sounding board and I would be eternally grateful.

"I…I was one of the first ones there. They never should have called me…but the dispatch couldn't have known that…but they never should have called me." I rested my head in my hands and a flash of that woman sparked in my mind. I tried to rub it away.

"I got there...and…and they were dead. I mean they were definitely dead. The Crime scene unit was there…sheets were already over the bodies. The guy was young. They were just dating, on their way back from a movie. His wallet….and…and the bruises…he fought for her." I said feeling my eyes well up again. "He fought hard. And…and he's still dead." I let the tears come a little more freely. "And so…so is she." I turned onto my knees and leaned my elbows on the bed, almost like a child saying his prayers at night.

"She looked just…just like you Jordan." I said composing myself. I could feel Jordan moving closer to the edge of the bed. "And…and I don't know if I can do this anymore. How am I supposed to be objective at a crime scene when I picture every woman victim as you? And with tonight….it was a robbery…and a shooting. I mean my God Jordan, that could just as well have been us. I don't think that I could possibly work in homicide anymore…it's just too hard. And looking at her…I wondered if it was a good idea for us to be together…because…I couldn't be picturing every victim as you…that would be too upsetting. And I'd be worried that one day it would be too much and I would freeze up you know? Put other cops or civilians in danger. Put you in danger…all because this junkie attacked us one morning and I'm hung up on it." I said and laid my head onto the mattress. Jordan was silent for a few moments.

Then she burst out laughing. I looked up in the darkness and I could see the outline of her laying on the bed. She was laughing so hard she was shaking.

"Jordan?" I asked appalled. She sat up and looked at me through the darkness. I felt her hand on my bare shoulder.

"You asshole…" She said, the laughing dying down to a chuckle. "You're so full of shit you know that?" She said then proceeded to mock me. " 'I don't know if I can do this anymore..' " She said deepening her voice. I stared at her outline, shock still written all over my face.

"Woody," She said scooching to the edge of the bed and pulling my head into her lap. I wrapped my arms around her waist. "I could get hit by a car walking out to my SUV in the morning…" She said and I nodded. "Let's not let one bad incident ruin what could be the best things in our lives." She said petting my head. I lifted my head and looked up at her.

"And what's that?" I asked and I could see her cheekbones rise in a smile as she touched my cheek. She bent forward and kissed my lips softly. I kissed her back.

"You need to get past this Woody…I'm gonna go when it's my time and you the same. We can't know when that'll be…it's left up to fate…" She said and I lay my head back down in her lap.

"Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds." I quoted and Jordan chuckled.

"Right…Franklin Roosevelt….smart man….you should take his advice." She said petting my head softly. "So what do you choose for your fate to be Woody?" She asked and I sighed. I flashed back in my head to that scene and to the woman's face. I remembered closing her frightened eyes.

I sighed and rose from the floor, dropping the towel as I stood. I crawled onto the bed and hovered over Jordan. She lay back on the sheets and I brought my weight down onto her, kissing up her neck and growing hard at the blood I felt pumping under there once again. She squirmed against me and wrapped her warm arms around my torso. I reached up between us and pulled frantically at her pajamas. I pulled the tank top over her head and pressed my body roughly to hers. She moaned when I dragged my teeth down between her breasts and roughly pawed at her flesh with my hands. She held my head and brought my face back up to hers. I felt her warm breath against my face and seized her lips in the darkness.

"I love you." She whispered her hands threading through my hair. I moaned as she removed her hands and pulled her underwear off beneath me, running her hand along my thigh as she brought it back up to cup my cheek.

"I love you…I love you so much." I said through jagged breaths as I ground my hips against her. I thrusted toward her warmth and entered her quickly. Jordan gripped my shoulders with her nails as I moved frantically in her. Kissing away the salty sweat drops at her shoulder, relishing in them as they were proof of her living. I wrapped my arms around her waist and rolled her over so that she was on top of me, needing to feel the weight of her warm body on top of me. She braced herself with both hands on my chest and I gripped tightly to her hips as we moved together in synch.

Just as I could tell Jordan was close to the edge, I flipped her over once again and pushed into her as deeply as I could. Her body contracted around me and the pressure pushed me to climax. Jordan followed shortly after and I lay spent on top of her catching my breath.

I had to say something and I didn't care how cliché it was. "That was great." I said still breathing heavily. Jordan laughed and rested a hand on top of my head.

"Hell yea." She said and I wrapped my arms around her as I pulled the sheets up over our cooling bodies. I snuggled closely to her and rested my head against her chest.

"I can hear you're heart beating." I said softly and Jordan chuckled, even though she new why I had said it.

"Oh yeah? Saying anything interesting?" She asked and I listened for a minute.

"Well…it says that it's been broke…" I said and lifted my head to look at Jordan. She narrowed her eyes at me.

"Oh so you speak heart now?" She teased and I grew serious.

"No…just…mine used to say the same thing…so I recognized it a little easier." I said with a sad smile. Jordan, God love her, had never to that point inquired into my past relationships. She smiled sadly back.

"But then," I said sliding up along side of her to rest my head next to hers on the pillow. " I moved to Boston…and I met this beautiful, intelligent, caring, and not to mention hot, medical examiner…and oddly enough, she's got the same broken heart disease. And well, I thought maybe we could help find a solution to mending those broken hearts of ours. And I pursued her, and she uh…she turned me down a little bit…but then…she kissed me. It may have been a kiss three thousand miles from home…but it wasn't JUST a kiss. Because I felt my heart start to heal when our lips met that first time…and I think that her's started to heal as well." I said and Jordan smiled, her eyes filling up with happy tears.

"So maybe these two broken halves can make one whole one." She said and her voice cracked. I slid my head forward and captured her lips.

"I think maybe they already have." I said and she held my cheek as we kissed. I rolled back on top of her; the next day was Sunday after all. And I was no longer on call.

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In the morning I woke with Jordan wrapped safely in my arms. I wished I could keep her there in bed safe with me always. I wondered if she'd let me. I smiled and nuzzled her cheek. I rolled over and peeked out the window. It must have been late because the sun was brightly shining from somewhere above the window.  I rolled back to Jordan and kissed her shoulder. She sighed and slowly opened her eyes, trying to focus on my face. I smiled.

"Morning." I whispered and Jordan stretched her arms out over her head. I took the opportunity to tickle her ribs making her arms return quickly to my torso.

"Hey!" she groaned out and I laughed. "So…what do you wanna do today?" She asked and I shrugged my shoulders, looking out the window.

"Winslow said I'm off call for the weekend and if I don't wanna go in on Monday I don't have to."  I said rubbing her back, not wanting to look into her eyes.

"So you want to stay home tomorrow?" She asked softly, brushing her lips against my forehead. I sighed. I felt fine. My wounds had healed, my heart was full, my body satisfied.

"All is mended…" I quoted softly and Jordan lifted her head to look at me. "I think it's time I got my shit together…" I said smiling sadly. Jordan understood and kissed me deeply.

"I'm proud of you." She said holding my cheek tenderly. I shied and looked down between us shaking my head.

"Thank you." I said earnestly, hoping that she understood that I'd meant for everything she'd done for me. "I love you Jordan." I said kissing her softly.

"I love you too." She said and climbed on top of me, ready to spend the last day of my leave together, re-exploring one another.

Jordan…

I woke around 7 on Monday because I was missing a familiar warmth beside me which I was fully prepared to write a written complaint to management on the subject. That was until I looked around my room and saw Woody standing in front of the mirror over my dresser.

"Hey." I said quietly and sat up resting my elbows on my knees and flipping all of my hair over one shoulder. Woody turned his head, startled by my voice. He must have been deep in thought. "How are you feeling?" I asked and he turned to face me mussing his hair and straightening his dress coat. He strolled to the end of the bed and I rose to my knees wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Good." He replied in a sigh that he seemed to have been holding since the day he was shot. I pulled back, straightened his collar, righted his tie and kissed him lightly.

"Good." I said smiling and kissed him on the nose. I laid back down on the bed as he sat down and tied his shoes before rising and going to the door as he grabbed his keys from the dresser. Growing up with a cop, I knew it was taboo to say good-bye.

"Be safe. I love you." I called softly, pulling his pillow to my cheek and taking in his scent. He turned his head with a smile and nodded to me as he headed out the door.
"Always. And… I love you too." He said closing the door gently behind him as I glanced around my room. His basketball shoes hung by the laces tied together on the bathroom door. His razor sat beside mine on the sink. A few stray specks of shaving cream graced the mirror and a pair of jeans lay over the edge of the bed. The sports section rested on the little end table outside of the bathroom.

 I smiled and pressed my nose into the pillow, relishing in the sense of home that had slowly enveloped my apartment over the course of the month.

Woody…

"If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumber'd here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend:
if you pardon, we will mend:
And, as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck
Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,
We will make amends ere long;
Else the Puck a liar call;
So, good night unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends."

I strode quickly down the front steps of Jordan's building and looked up at the sun high above the city as I pulled my coat around my body a little tighter. It didn't wrap as far as it had been the past few weeks and I smiled, happy to be gaining back a little of the weight I had dangerously lost during the month. On the other side of the street an elderly couple walked hand in hand, probably towards the bakery on the corner for hot rolls. I smiled as a gaggle of school children passed me and rubber necked to point and wave more to the badge on my coat pocket than to me. I threw them a wave back and they hurried on their way, swinging backpacks at each other and kicking the last bit of dirty snow on the sidewalks.

I arrived at the station, parking my car in the spot I always had. I locked the doors and waved to the voices shouting my name across the lot and asking how I was doing. I nodded and gave the usual 'good, better.' And kept on walking. A couple guys made me show them the scar and a few minutes were spent comparing battle wounds before everyone left my office and I was alone with my thoughts. I walked around the room, gingerly touched the pile of get well and welcome back cards on my desk and sat down with a deep breath, leaned back in my chair and looked peeked out the window.

"Hey, Hoyt…we got a body in the Charles….looks like pretty cut and dry, you wanna take it? the coroner's office requested you specifically…" the other detective smiled and I glanced back out the window. I wondered how long it would be before Jordan got a speeding ticket for the way she drove.

"Yeah, sure…I'll be there in a few." I said sighing and stood to put my coat back on. I fixed my badge before shutting the door behind me.