Disclaimer: Don't own anything to do with Crossing Jordan. Sure wish I did… because if I did, Jordan and Woody would have at least kissed again by now…

Chapter One

It took a bullet's close encounter with his Kevlar to make her realize that he wasn't the man he once was.

On her way back to the morgue from doing a pick up, she heard through her radio that there was an armed robbery going on at the First National Bank of Boston. There were hostages. There were guns.

There had been shots fired.

She had radioed back to his precinct. The dispatcher verified that he was at the bank. Jordan was also told she needed to get there. They expected casualties. She pulled up to the bank, as close as she could get, and caught sight of him. He was going in…Kevlar vest in place. For that she was glad…at least he didn't have a death wish. Not yet, anyway, she thought wryly to herself.

True to the dispatcher's words, Jordan heard more shots…then the call came out that they had the robber…and a man down. Her heart in her throat, Jordan climbed out of the van and ran to the front of the bank. Rescue workers were going in…she saw them working with the thief. She also saw them working with Woody. He was sitting on the floor…blood staining the front of his shirt. But he had his Kevlar on…what could have happened?

She tried to enter the bank, to find out, but they wouldn't let her. "We're taking Detective Hoyt to Boston General. He's fine…just need to get him checked out," one of the policemen told her. Jordan got back in her van and drove like a madwoman to the hospital. On the way, she called back to the morgue. Garret answered the phone. "I'm on my way to the hospital," Jordan told him. "It's Woody…"

Garret felt his heart sink. He was very much aware what had happened between Woody and Devan…and was even more aware of Jordan's feelings for the detective. "Has he been shot?" he asked.

"I don't know…they're not telling me anything…I saw blood on his shirt…I just don't know."

"Take your time. I'll have Bug or Nigel pick up the van and leave you an SUV. Take all the time you need."

She had been watching him closely for weeks. Been concerned about him for even longer. Hehad lost weightand dark circles ringed his intense blue eyes. The few times they had talked recently, he was withdrawn…almost listless. The energetic, happy-go-lucky Farm Boy – her Farm Boy – was seemingly gone.

He had ceased to exist the minute Devan's plane crashed into the ground.

Jordan had gone to him, to try to comfort him the same way he had comforted her so many times before, but he brushed her off…much the same way she had done him in the past. He shook her hand off his shoulder…told her not to worry, he was fine. The old Jordan would have stomped off, figuring that it was his loss…and less worry for her. But the new Jordan…the mature woman, was concerned about him. Each day there seemed to be less and less of the Woody she knew … and loved.

And she did love him. She knew it. She had known it since before the vivacious blonde had entered the morgue and took over Jordan's place in Woody's life. It took losing him to make Jordan realize how much he meant to her. But now Devan was dead.

Jordan knew that she may never regain his heart again, but that did nothing to stem her emotions for Woody….her concern…her fears…her love. Despite his continual brush offs and his pushing her away, she tried to stay close to him…to watch him, simply because she worried about him all the time. He was in her waking thoughts and he marched through her dreams at night.

And today, she thought there may be even less of him to worry about

Jordan ran through the entrance of the emergency room…"Detective Hoyt?" she asked the nurse at the desk.

"He's in an exam room…but you can't go back there now because the doctor is with him."

"I am a doctor…" Jordan began, flashing her ME badge.

"Sorry…rules are rules. But they'll be finished with him shortly. Just hang around a few more minutes," the nurse replied, giving Jordan a smile.

"So he's not hurt seriously?"

"Well, he walked in here on his own… it can't be too bad."

Jordan paced….until finally she saw him come through the emergency room doors. All the worry, all the concern she had for this man washed over her like a wave. Before she could stop herself, she had him in her arms, holding on to him. Woody stiffened. Feeling his reaction, she quickly released him. Does he hate me that much now? She wondered. There had been a time when such a greeting from her would have garnered a kiss. But not now. Maybe not ever again. "I was worried about you. I was called to the bank…they expected that there may be fatalities….I saw the blood on your shirt….Are you okay?"

Woody pushed passed her to get to the hospital exit. "I'm fine…You know what a bullet does when it hits Kevlar. It's stopped, but that doesn't mean you don't get bruised and your skin looks like raw hamburger meat."

Jordan reached out and put her hand on his arm to stop him. "So…you're fine?"

Woody halted and looked into her eyes…honey-colored eyes that he once could find himself drowning in. But that was a long time ago. Why had she even come to the hospital? "Yeah…I'll be fine. Don't even have to miss work. Doc patched me up and gave me a prescription for pain. Oxy….oxy…something or another."

"Oxycotin?"

Woody nodded. "That's it."

Jordan could still see the blood on his shirt and the bandage the doctor had put over his injury. That bothered her, but the medication concerned her more…especially with his present state of mind. "Be careful, Woody," she warned. "That's some strong stuff."

"Don't worry. I probably won't even fill it. You know me…two Extra Strength Tylenol and I'm fine…"

Jordan lowered her head for a moment. Finally, regaining her composure, she straightened and looked him in the eye. "Okay. But if you need me…day or night…call me. I'll be checking in on you to make sure you're healing. Don't let it get infected. And if you do get the Oxycotin, please be careful with it." She reached up and gently touched his cheek. Woody flinched. She dropped her hand as if he had burned it. Turning on her heel, she quickly walked away and drove back to the morgue.