Title: Blood money

Authors: Jenna Nelson and Kellina

Summary: Jordan and her father are entered into the witness protection program, but will that protect them?

Disclaimer: I don't own Crossing Jordan, and I'm pretty sure I never will

Jordan's POV

I came in through the back door that night, I'm not really sure why, but I did. I heard voices coming from the back room, one was my dad's but I didn't recognize any of the others. That wasn't a good sign. I silently crept up to the room, as far as I dared, carefully remembering every creaky floorboard as I went. Just like when I was little, trying to sneak up on my dad in the middle of the night. Or, sneak away from him, as I got older. The voices got louder and I could make out what they were saying. "

Now Max, why don't you just relax, have a drink or something, and tell us what's going on?"

"If you think I have the slightest idea of what you're talking about, you're sadly mistaken." That was dad. He didn't sound right; his voice was strained, not normal at all. I know I should run but I can't get my legs to move. I have to be really quiet or else they might hurt dad. So I stay, listening, trying to figure out who's behind the door.

It took only a few seconds for the cops to break down the door and storm into the house. They were everywhere, and I was right in the centre of the moving mass of blue and black. Woody was there, I remember him asking if I was all right. I'm not too sure what I told him. Eddie was there too, he gave me a hug and tried to tell me everything was going to be okay. I didn't believe him, but I don't think I told him that.

As soon as the shots were fired all hell broke lose. Woody dragged me out of the house kicking and screaming. I took a few swings at him and I'm pretty sure I bit him; maybe I just wanted to so bad I imagined I did. It took a few more guys to actually get me out of the house and across the street. There was more shooting, I could here the gun shots ring through my ears and burn straight through my stomach. I tried to get away but one of the guys pinned me to the ground and cuffed my hands.

More gun shots. I screamed then, they had hit someone. I feared the worst. I screamed for my daddy, like I was a little girl again. I cried and kicked and yelled out. The pressure was off of my body and I could move a little, but I didn't want to, I was afraid to move, afraid to look up and see them carry a body out of the house. I knew there was a good chance it was my dad. But it couldn't be him -- I couldn't lose my dad. He was my world, my only family left.

I didn't even feel Woody take me into his lap and remove the cuffs; I was paralysed. One minute I was lying on the grass afraid to move and then I looked up and saw Woody. Some of the feeling returned to my body then. I could feel his breath on my face and his arms holding me tightly against his chest and his hand on the back of my neck. I knew he was trying to console me and keep me from running back into the house. It was his job to keep by standards safe, even when their father was in a house full of gunfire. And if it had been anyone else holding me back I probably would have fought until they sedated me. But I didn't fight Woody. I think a part of me wanted to stay there with him, wanted to feel safe. I saw the coroner's van pull up, along with Macy's car. Lily was with him, and Nigel wasn't far behind. They should have gone into the house first, or at least talked to the officer outside, but they came straight to me instead.

Woody helped me up and I was embraced by each of them in turn. I think Lily was close to tears, she's supposed to have emotional detachment from the people she's helping, but in this case I don't think that's possible. Garrett was going to go in alone at first, He told Lily and Nigel to stay with me. So much for being professional and all that shit. Woody gave me to Nigel for a little while but he wasn't very far away. Far enough to give me space but close enough in case I decided to bolt.

They brought someone out in a body bag; I couldn't watch and hid my face in Nigel's shoulder. He didn't say a word as I trembled, trying to hold back the tears, he just held me. He never tried to tell me that everything was going to be all right. He wasn't going to promise me anything, except his friendship, his love.

I still had my face buried in Nigel's shoulder when they brought my dad out. I didn't look up until I heard him yell my name. I scrabbled from where I was sitting in Nigel's lap, my sight blurred by tears. "Daddy!" I called, running straight for him. He gave me the biggest hug of my life right then, and I would have stayed there forever if I had the choice. I didn't see it, but later Garrett and Nigel told me that Woody, Eddie and a few of the other guys who helped bring dad out of there alive, wouldn't let Walcott near us. I have to remember to thank them for that. I saw the flash of squad car lights and to my dismay, Woody began to cuff my father. My hands shuddered violently as I looked up at him with betrayed eyes.

"Woody?" I asked my voice cracking. He reached out to touch my shoulder but I backed away warily.

"Jordan, its for his protection... I promise I will explain later, okay." Nigel held my middle tight with a strong arm.

"It'll be alright Jordan, I'm in good hands." He said, nodding towards Woody and Eddie as they stuffed him into a squad car. Woody came up to me.

"Um, Jo, I have to take you too." He whispered softly. I looked up at him, startled. Tears welled up in me again, as he gently led me to his car. Twice he had done this to me, and he'd never do it to me again.

I was silent the entire way to the precinct. I just stared out of the window and prayed for some kind of justification to what had happened. Woody was silent, I could tell he was deep in thought, he seemed to lean against the drivers door, like he was trying to keep a safe distance away from me. Boston glittered like snow on Christmas morning. I was to numb to notice anything, not the way it moved, not the way the stars glimmered in the inky heavens. All I could think about was my father.

He told me he wouldn't lie to me again.

Those thoughts just kept running threw my mind as the car drove on through the throng of cars in the streets. It was a bone chilling night, even for mid August. Since my father had been back, things seemed steadier, back to normal, or at least as normal as my life could get.

Woody let out a deep, exasperated sigh, he was tired, his shoulders sagged and his eyes had deep, begrudging circles under them. It scared me, the fact that he was being so silent, he never was that silent, especially to me.

All I could think now was.

'Boy, I screwed things up good this time'

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

"Come on Jo." Woody whispered softly when we had reached the precinct.

I said nothing, just climbed out of the car gingerly. He held onto my elbow protectively as we pushed threw the swarm of people to get into the precinct. I didn't pull away from him, though I wanted to desperately. He walked me into the elevator, people were looking at me, staring. I hated those people, I wanted to scream at them, tell them this was none of their business... just stop staring.

The interrogation room was as small and cold as it had ever been, Woody got me a chair, and set me down as if I were a china doll that he didn't want to brake.

"Need a cup of coffee?" he asked cautiously, I didn't meet his eyes, I just nodded mutely.

Silently, he left the room, it was only then, when I sighed out, before the breath of air had escaped my lungs, I was in tears, sobbing in earnest. It was like a dam broke in my heart, all of the tears that had been welled up in my heart for nearing twenty five years. They all just came running down my cheeks, hot and sticky. I heard the door click open and quickly wiped my eyes, thinking it was Woody.

It wasn't Woody.

"Good morning Doctor Cavanaugh." DA Walcott said, distain thick in her voice. I silently judged her. She looked down at me with a scowl.

"Your father is in a lot of trouble." She stated solemnly, her green eyes darkened.

"What were you doing in that house?" she asked in a vicious voice. I curled my knees to my chest. Leaning my chin against them for support. I couldn't answer her at that moment; all those suppressed years were coming back. For some reason, my mind wouldn't form the words to tell her that they were wrong; my father wasn't what they thought they were.

I was suddenly a ten year old again, scared and alone, begging for my father in the cold, lonely hallway of social services. I wanted to tell her all I wanted was my daddy. I began to rock back and forth, humming a familiar tune to myself softly. She looked at me softly for a minute, before perching on the edge of the table in front of me.

"You know Blackie Conroy right?" she asked knowingly, her voice grave.

"Yeah." I said my voice cracking.

"Apparently he talked your father into some money laundering scheme, as soon as your father agreed he came to us... we were waiting for him, you were there, that was not planned doctor." She pulled up a chair to sit next to me. "Your father isn't safe in Boston, we need to get him, and you out of the city as soon as possible, at least until the trail is over, but that could take any time even six months to a year." She was being kind to me, I could tell. I could feel my chin quiver, but I was determined not to cry, I wasn't weak, not me. Not Jordan Cavanaugh.

I was silent for the longest time, trying to digest all of the words that were just spoken. "I wanna talk to my Dad." I whispered, my voice shaky and unstable.

"I think we can arrange that." She said in a cold voice. I shook my head and began to chew my fingernails, something I hadn't done since my mother died. I was curled into a knot on that tiny chair, but I didn't feel it, I felt nothing except that my insides felt like ice. She was at the door when a rush of feeling came back.

"Where's Woody?" I asked meekly from my place in the chair. She turned back to me, her face set in a grim look.

"He's off the case... he's too personally involved, with both of you." She turned and walked out as calmly as she had come. And I was alone again.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

It wasn't long before a stout looking police officer came in, his eyes black and lifeless like. "Doctor Cavanaugh, DA told me to come get you so you could see your father." He said flatly. I nodded and stood, he took my arm and led me down the hall and into the elevator.

It was then I saw Woody, standing in the middle of the hallway, watching me with his sea foam eyes. His dress shirt wrinkled, his tie loosened around his neck. He raised his hand, giving me a small, still wave. I did the same and didn't take my eyes off of him until the elevator doors shut, and began to lead me to my father.