A/N: HERE IT IS, NUMBER 4 IN MY W/J SAGA. THIS ONE WILL COVER THE EARLY YEARS OF FAMILY LIFE. I'M NOT SURE HOW LONG IT WILL BE BUT IT WILL SPAN A FEW YEARS AND BE CONTINUED IN YET ANOTHER STORY. ALL THE CHARACTERS, REAL AND MADE UP, WILL BE FEATURED AND, OF COURSE, THE CROSSING JORDAN CHARACTERS DO NOT BELONG TO ME. HOPE YOU ENJOY AND PLEASE REVIEW.
LIFE GOES ON
CHAPTER 1: MASKING THE HEARTACHE
"Millie's finally down for her nap, I had to read two books and sing a song before she would even lay down.", Woody chuckled, wheeling into the living room from the nursery. "Hey Jordan, let me do that." Jordan looked up from her hunched over stance. "I'm fine Woody.", she responded cheerfully. "You really shouldn't be bending like that, doctor said to take it easy.", he bit his lip cautiously.
Jordan stood straight up. "Woody, when she said take it easy, she meant no running, no sit ups, and no lifting anything heavier than Millie. I think I can handle picking up a few toys." Woody sighed. "I know, but I can do this, why don't you go rest. Maybe lay down, you know, while Millie's sleeping.", he offered.
"I've been laying down for two days now, I just can't do it anymore.", she growled a little, then turned and put her hand on Woody's cheek. "I'm fine, really. I feel stronger and the bleeding's almost stopped." Woody looked up at her with pleading eyes. "Jordan, please.", he said as she turned to pick up the pile in front of her.
Jordan angrily turned and tossed the toys into the toy box. "For Gods sake Woody, will you stop treating me like I'm helpless. I had a miscarriage, okay? It's over, I'm fine now.", she yelled, storming out of the living room and into the bedroom.
Woody sat for a moment, running his hands through his hair. He was worried about his wife, granted, it had only been two days since she lost the baby; but the last week had been so hard for both of them and he hadn't seen her cry once, not one single tear.
He cried that day at the office, when Dr. Logan told them there was no heart beat, that the fetus was not viable. Then he cried the next day when he had to call their family and friends, giving them the terrible news. And he cried two days ago, holding her hand as Dr. Logan finished the d and c procedure.
Woody leaned over and picked up Millie's pink teddy bear and held it to his chest. He smiled, it smelled just like her, a mixture of baby lotion and applesauce. He turned toward the bedroom, they needed to talk. But he knew she wouldn't, she was closing off, just like she did when he tried to talk about his shooting.
It had been almost three years, and she always changed the subject when he spoke of it. He wanted so bad to be there for her, to help her through this. But, he knew she didn't want that kind of help, so instead, he headed back to the living room and finished cleaning up the toys.
Colleen and Jordan were in the kitchen of Max's house, preparing the food for tomorrows party. The babies were turning one, Colin on Monday and Millie on Friday. Max was in the backyard, mowing the lawn, while Woody and Cal were in charge of the kids.
"You're almost faster than me, little Buddy.", Woody said, looking down at his nephew. Colin looked up and smiled. "Your not that slow Woods.", Cal ecouraged, walking next to his brother and supporting Colin with two fingers as he walked in front of his father.
"C'mon Calvin, it takes me like ten minutes just to walk from my bedroom to my livingroom.", Woody chuckled, but Cal didn't find the joke funny. Cal's head drooped and he watched the effort it took his brother to take just one step. Having to use his entire upper body to move his heavy, fully-braced legs foward.
Woody felt Calvin watching him and tried to lighten the mood as they sat on the couch. "I swear, the day after Millie took her first steps, she was running.", he huffed, out of breath from his effort. He was so proud of his little girl; Millie took her first steps at ten and half months, a few weeks after the group returned from Las Vegas, on Woody's birthday to be exact. Colin was a little farther behind, he hadn't taken any steps on his own yet, which was probably due to being born a month premature.
"No kidding, look at her go.", Cal commented, watching Millie squeal as she chased after Max's dog Bailey. "She gets that from Jordan, always running.", Woody laughed. Cal turned serious, "Speaking of Jordan, how is she doing?", he whispered, nodding toward the kitchen. Woody shrugged and was about to answer when Millie let out a cry.
Millie had got hold of Bailey's tail, but not wanting to be caught, Bailey jerked forward, bringing Millie down onto her knees. "C'mere princess, let Daddy see.", he said, putting his hands out to his daughter. Knowing Woody couldn't just get up, Cal rushed over and picked up his niece.
Woody was one of Bailey's favorite people, so she came over and apologetically placed her head on his lap."I know it was an accident, but you have to be careful with the babies.", he said, patting her head. She licked his hand and layed down next to him.
Cal handed Millie over to Woody. He looked her over and kissed both knees, "There, all better.", he exclaimed and she immediately stopped crying. He then took her pacifier out of his pocket and handed it to her, she smiled and stuffed it into her mouth. She snuggled into his chest and closed her eyes as he rubbed her soft brown hair.
Woody looked back at the kitchen, hoping Millie's cries didn't alarm Jordan. He looked back at Cal, "I don't know how she is, I mean, she says she's fine and physically she is, but she won't talk about it.", Woody said sadly. "Maybe she just needs a little more time.", Cal comforted with a hand on Woody's shoulder. Woody nodded, kissing the top of his sleeping daughters head.
It was Sunday, everybody was gathered at Max's for the birthday party. It was a mad house, with the addition of Colleen's family and friends, but everyone seemed to be having fun, especially the babies. They loved being passed around, kissed and cuddled.
Colleen and Jordan had so much fun planning the party that they even dressed the babies alike; Millie in a pink and white gingham dress with a big cupcake with a number one andone big candle, embroidered on the front. Colin wore matching blue and white over-alls with the same design on them.
Jordan waded through the sea of tissue and wrapping paper, finally making her way to the kitchen. She stopped just shy of the doorway when she heard Lily and Dolly whispering and giggling from inside.
"Hey guys, what's so funny?", she asked cheerfully, walking into the room. "Jordan? We didn't know you were there.", Lily exclaimed, jumping a little from surprise. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you.", Jordan chuckled and turned to open the refrigerator.
"No, you didn't scare us, we were just...um, talking.", Lily stuttered. "So what's the big secret?", Jordan asked, pulling the cake from the refrigerator. "Secret, what do you mean...secret?", Dolly asked, looking cautiously over at Lily. "Well you guys were hiding in the kitchen and whispering, so I just assumed it was something secretive.", Jordan smiled.
Lily began sputtering excuses, causing Jordan to become more curious. "C'mon guys, you can trust me.", Jordan stated."Please, this cake is getting heavy." Lily looked down at the floor. "I found out last week, that I'm pregnant.", Lily said, and shrugged, almost apologetically, when she saw the shocked look on Jordan's face.
"Lily, you're my best friend, why didn't you tell me sooner.", Jordan asked. "With everthing you've been going through...I guess I didn't want to upset you.", Lily confided. "How could I be upset? This is wonderful news, I'm so happy for you.", Jordan exclaimed happily. "I'd hug you, but then I'd probably drop the cake." Lily smiled, through her tears. "Let's go sing Happy Birthday.", Jordan added, walking into the packed diningroom.
Woody was taking video and Jordan was snapping pictures of the icing covered babies. She laughed when Millie tried to feed Colin some of her pink icing, missing his mouth and shoving it into his nose. From the corner of her eye she saw Lily and Matt standing in the doorway. She watched as he protectively wrapped his arms around her waist and they smiled at each other.
Her mind drifted to last week, when Woody wrapped his arms around her and kissed the little belly that was starting to form. She remembered falling asleep to the sound of him softly talking to their 'baby'. "Jo, hey Jordan?", Woody called, grabbing her hand and pilling her from her thoughts. Jordan looked down at him and he amusingly nodded at Colin, who had stuck his entire face into his cake. Jordan laughed, but it soon died as a twinge of jealously hit her, and she wondered to herself, what did I do wrong?