Disclaimer: I don't own Crossing Jordan, Tailwind Productions, or anything associated with them. So don't sue. Right now all you'd get is thetwenty dollarsin my pocketbook and a bag of chocolate covered expresso coffee beans….which aren't half bad.

Boston looked mostly the same…even after ten years.

Despite road expansions, selective demolition, downtown revitalization, and a real estate boom, it still strongly resembled the Boston she flew out of a decade ago…after her world collapsed…after Woody married someone else. After her father returned to the city and to her…

In a coffin.

When that happened, she stopped and took stock of her life. She had no real prospects in front of her. Her personal life in shambles. So she had left, taking a job in Washington, DC, as a federal inspector of police crime labs and morgues. It was a challenging occupation, but one she enjoyed very much. She traveled across the United States, although she was stationed in the Capital. She liked DC …the snow in the winter and the cherry trees in the spring. It was cosmopolitan. It was big. In the beginning, she could get lost in the city…just be another face in the crowd. That was what she liked. That was what she had wanted.

But she was much more than just an inspector. She also reported her overall findings to Congress. She rubbed shoulders with Senators and Representatives….the elite of the elite. It was a fruitful time for her professionally. However, it did not allow her to remain a nameless face in the crowd for long.

Personally, the city took more from her than even Boston did.

But every dark cloud has a silver lining. And her silver lining was Jonathan McDermont. A man whose last name she still bore….Jordan Marie Cavanaugh McDermont. Her father would have approved. Jon was of Irish decent.

Only now she was leaving him in Washington and returning to her native Boston. At the invitation of Garret Macy. He had phoned her two weeks ago, at her home in Georgetown and asked to fly back home. It had taken some persuasive speech on his part…bordering on bribery at times….but finally she relented and flew out this morning.

The plan landed and she made her way down the ramp to claim her luggage, looking around for a familiar face. His greeting made her nearly jump out of her skin.

"Hello, Jordan."

"Garret…."

He hugged her tight and pulled away to look at her. He hadn't seen her since she left Boston years ago…after submitting her resignation when she had discovered Max was dead. She had changed…while the years had been good to her – she was still thin and looked wonderful – she was a changed woman. Her dark chestnut hair evidently was far longer than it had been in Boston. She wore it pulled back in a twist at the back of her head. But what struck Garret the most was her face…it was still beautiful, but carried a harsher edge to it…she looked tired and worn out. She must have had to pull some serious overtime in order to get some days off to fly back home, he thought. "You haven't changed, Jo. Not a bit."

"Thanks, Garret. Neither have you. Are you sure about this?"

"Never been so certain of anything in my life. I finally came to my senses and Lily still wanted me…so now I'm marrying her." He took her luggage from her and helped her out to his car. "What about you? Are you sure you're really interested in returning to Boston? I mean, the job you have is pretty exciting…all the travel…all the big wigs in Washington…coming back here may be sort of a let down."

"Quiet, Garret. It will be quieter. And I need quiet right now. Especially after …" her voice trailed off.

"I know, Jordan," he replied, giving her hand a sympathetic squeeze as he drove to the morgue. "Maybe for once, Boston will bring you peace and healing instead of tearing your word apart." He parked the car and they went up to his office. He sat behind his desk and she dropped down in a chair in front of him. "So now, tell me doctor," he began, "Why do you want my job when I retire as Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and why should I give it to you?" He grinned at Jordan.

---

The interview had been just a mere formality. When Lily had said yes to his marriage proposal and he decided to retire as chief ME, there was only one person whom Garret felt was qualified to take his job. There was only one person he really wanted: Jordan.

It took a flurry of calls, a bouquet of flowers, and some serious job benefits, but she finally agreed to at least think about it. A few days ago she had agreed to take the position. She tenured her resignation in DC, put her home up for sale, and was now in Boston to fill out some paperwork, and for Garret to announce she was hired to take his place. "Who is still here now I know?" she asked, toying with the visitor's pass hanging from her jacket lapel.

"Bug and Nigel…"

"They didn't want your job?"

"They're not as qualified as you are."

"Oh. How are they taking the idea that I may be their boss?"

"Emmy's still here," he continued, avoiding her question, "and Sydney."

"You didn't answer my question…."

Garret sighed and tugged at his tie. "They don't know yet."

"You haven't told them?" Jordan asked incredulously.

"I have mentioned it….but haven't told them for sure."

"Great….just great," she muttered. "I told you part of my accepting this job was that they would be amicable to the fact that I would be their boss."

"They will be…"

"So when will you tell them?"

"There's a staff meeting in an hour. I was hoping you'd stay here until then. I'll take you back to your hotel after that, if you want."

Jordan nervously chewed the inside of her bottom lip. "Okay. Although I think I'd like to stay in your office until the meeting."

"Don't you mean your office?" He grinned at her.

"Yeah…I guess so…." She sat back in the chair. "Is anyone else still here that I'd remember?"

Garret rattled off a list of homicide detectives. "Santana, Capra, Winslow, Steeley, Carver…..and Hoyt."

"Woody's still here?"

"Yeah. He's a lieutenant now. He's done very well for himself. Personally and professionally. He has twin boys."

"Twins?"

"Yeah…cutest little boys you've ever seen…eight, almost nine years-old. They come through here every once in a while."

"He and Julie must be doing very well, then. Is she still teaching school?"

A dark look crossed Garret's face. "I guess you must not have heard. Julie died nearly seven years ago. She was driving home from a PTA meeting and was hit by a drunk driver. She was killed instantly."

Jordan swallowed hard. The truth was, once she left Boston, she hadn't kept in touch with anyone, other than stray Christmas cards here and there. She had done it on purpose. When she left Massachusetts, she had left to start over with a clean slate…no baggage. She had no real ties left in the city….her father was dead and Woody was now married to someone else. She never expected to return…so she hadn't kept up with her former co-workers.

"He's raised the boys on his own," Garret continued. "And he's done a hell of a good job. They do well in school, are well-behaved and well-mannered….just great kids. You'll see."

"I always figured he'd make a terrific father," she said softly, still playing with her visitor's pass. "But I had no idea he was a widower. It must be tough being Mom and Dad."

"It is…but he does a great job." Garret glanced down at his watch. "Well, it's time, Dr. McDermont. You are going by McDermont now?" he nearly frowned. He was used to calling her Dr. Cavanaugh.

"Yes. I took my husband's name professionally and privately."

"Good. Then let's go introduce you to your employees and let you officially conduct your first staff meeting.