A/N: Just a little revision of the Locard's Exchange episode from last sesaon. Now that I've finally figured out what I believe may be the killer-guy's name, Emmett Parker, I can get on with it. So, On with the fic.

A/N 2: pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeasseeeeeeeee R/R. It makes me happy.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Too bad, if I did i'd make Woody Hoyt my 'friend with benefits" hehehe...

His eyes burned into hers as she strode past him, head high despite her defeat, leaving the court room with foreboding feelings and warnings in her head and heart. He was bad news and the courts had just released him onto the streets. She blew out a held breath as the heavy doors closed behind her, leaning against the nearest wall, defeated despite her lies and half-truths on the stand. And his eyes. So cold. So ruthless. He wasn't going away. Those eyes held promise for a destructive act to come.

A hand on her shoulder brought Jordan back to the world with a jump and a startled gasp. "Jordan?" The edges of Woody's blue eyes creased with concern as he slouched a bit to look into her face. "You okay?" She placed a hand on her chest and took a deep breath.

"Yeah, yeah Woody, I'm fine." She smiled falsely. He could see right through it…and through her.

"Uh-huh, suure." He replied but dropped it, knowing that she'd talk when she wanted to and not a moment before. She was grateful that he had backed off. She didn't want him to know that she was scared of this serial killer, even though she was sure that he could see it in her eyes.

"Hey Jordan," Rene walked up beside her. Jordan met her eyes. "Thank you." She said softly. "I know that wasn't easy for you back there."

"Not like it worked anyways." Jordan snorted derisively. "That psycho walked because WE didn't find enough evidence to keep him locked up."

"We'll find something." Rene tried to sound confident but her voice betrayed her.

"I just hope it doesn't come too late." Jordan pushed off from the wall. "Woody?" He looked at her inquiringly. "Take me home?" He nodded and put an arm around her shoulders. She smiled lightly at this, leaning into his side slightly. Sharp dark eyes watched as the pair exited the court house and a shiver ran down Jordan Cavanaugh's spine.

"You sure you're all right?" Woody asked, brushing a hand almost imperceptively over her arm. "You look kinda freaked out."

"Yeah, I'm fine, it's just…" She hesitated, not sure she wanted to share her fears with the man beside her.

"What?" He prompted gently, not wanting to push her but wanting her to let him in, if just a little bit. She paused for a long time, sliding into the passenger's seat of his car. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes as he backed out of the parking spot and headed out into the road.

"His eyes, Woody…" She sighed at last, shaking her head, ashamed of her fears. Woody was surprised at her admission, normally she would've just kept her feelings to herself. "The way he looked at me…I dunno… It just got to me I guess."

"Yeah, I saw. You think he'll try to pull something?" He asked, worry lines creasing his forehead as he took his eyes off the road and glanced at her for just a moment.

"I'm not sure. I just… I have this feeling that something is about to happen. Something bad…and I don't know what to do with that feeling."

"Something bad to you, Jordan?" She shook her head, indicating that she wasn't sure. He pulled up in front of Jordan's place and got out of the car with her. He followed her to the door and up the stairs. She smiled gratefully at him as her hand fell upon her doorknob.

"Thanks. For everything." She said the last bit in a quiet whisper. Woody turned towards the stairs with a small smile.

"Hey Jordan," he turned his head back over his shoulder, blue eyes showing an emotion that she couldn't quite read;. A cross between ever-present protectiveness and deeply hidden love. "Anything happens, hear anything or see anything unusual, you call me."

"You'll come running?" She quirked a grin and laughed a bit. Woody smiled at the sounds.

"Well, probably more like driving and then running, but yeah, pretty much." He grinned and winked at her, dark eyelashes falling against his cheek for a single moment before lifting again. His voice was joking but in his eyes was all the seriousness in the world.

"Yeah, I'm sure driving would be faster." She replied, keeping up their joke.

"Seriously, Jordan, you need me, for any reason, you call me, night or day." His smile was gone, replaced with an honest frown.

"I will," she assured him, surprised to find that she meant it. He turned to walk away again. "I'm scared of him," Jordan called after him softly, promptly slapping her lips shut. She mentally berated herself for letting herself speak those words. He returned to her in an instant, enveloping her in his finely muscled arms. His fingers brushed against her hair, pulling her face into his shoulder, the other hand placed in gentle comfort against her back. She leaned into him, breathing deeply the scent of his cologne. He always smelled so good. She felt safe in his arms.

"I will always protect you." He whispered in her ear. Another shiver of a different sort slid down her spine as his lips brushed against her ear. She leaned back and looked up into his soft eyes, so full of affection.

"You can't be there all the time. You won't always be here to keep me safe."

"I know that. But I can try. And know that I'd die before I let anyone hurt you if I was there."

"I know." She said, smiling as he pressed his lips into her forehead. He released her and stepped away.

"Keep your door locked, don't answer it for anyone unless they announce themselves first, which I'll tell the gang to do if they want to come see you. If you leave, check the corridor before closing the door behind you and after you do, if you see him, run. Run and scream and make a lot of noise. Don't let him get you alone." She pushed a finger to his lips.

"I get it. Be careful. I'm going to go to work after I change and then back home. That's it. I'll be fine."

He nodded and walked down the stairs, worry still in his heart as he left her. He too now felt a silent foreboding. Something was going to happen, he could feel it. And his cop's instinct had never failed him before.

Jordan stepped into her shower, trying to scrub the burning of his eyes from her body. She couldn't quite shake the feeling that she was being watched, which was impossible considering the lack of windows in her bathroom. She didn't know what it was about that man that made her skin crawl and the hairs at the base of her neck stand on end.

The water cascaded over her head and she pushed back dark, wet tendrils of nearly-black hair, closing her eyes and raising her face to the plummeting water. She let it beat its steady rhythm onto her features for a moment before turning her face away, scrubbing the water from her eyes. She washed her hair and body then got out, rubbing down with a towel and walking naked into her adjoining bedroom.

She went to her dresser and pulled out pants and then to her closet for a shirt. Both items she tossed onto her bed before proceeding back to her dresser for her undergarments. Picking out a matching set of blue-green Victoria's Secret bra and panties, she returned to the clothes on her bed. Jordan slipped into her form-fitting jeans and turquoise t-shirt, and then put on her heeled boots. She then went back to the bathroom, brushed out and blow-dried her long hair. She applied a light layer of make-up, barely noticeable in its subtlety and wondered why she was going through such trouble to do so. One word came to mind: Woody. She figured he would be there and she wanted him to look at her, even though he always did. She smiled and went to get her coat.

Jordan went to her front door, unlocked it, and peered around its wooden borders out into the hallway. Her eyes scanned left and right before she reached, locked the door, and ran down the stairs and to her car, the feeling of eyes upon her feeding her haste. She sat, shaking, in her car for several minutes before starting it, fighting through Boston traffic, and eventually arriving at the Morgue.

"Hey Garret." She greeted her boss as usual.

"Jordan," he hailed after even as she tried to make a quick get away. Jordan cringed but stopped and turned towards him, feigning a carefree smile. "How're you doing?" Garret asked, genuinely concerned. "I know watching that creep slip between the legal system's cracks wasn't easy for you."

"Nah, I'm good. We're gonna catch him, Garret. We are. No one that psychotic can stay docile for long. He'll make his move. And I'll be waiting with Woody and a tight pair of handcuffs."

"That's my girl, ever the big mouthed little fighter."

"Damn right. That bastard isn't gonna get away with killing all of those women. No way."

"Good for you, now head to the lab and help Bug and Nigel make good on that threat."

"Yessir," Jordan mock-saluted before spinning and walking military-style out of sight. Garret shook his head, laughing softly. Jordan, Jordan, Jordan, what am I going to do with you? He thought, amused.

"Nigel," Jordan called after the tall Brit. Nigel turned and grinned.

"Ah, if it isn't my favorite coroner."

"How goes the investigation?"

"Unfortunately, love, it's a no go. We've been utterly unable to find anything on the victim's clothing or anywhere else. I'm afraid we've reached a dead end."

"He's right." Bug agreed as he came up behind them. "We have absolutely nothing on this bastard."

"Somewhere in here there is something of him. There can't not be. It's Locard's Exchange, you know?" Nigel stated matter-of-factly.

"Hmm," Jordan pondered this for a moment. "Maybe we've been going about this backwards. Locard does work both ways."

"So it does," he agreed, "but we can't run tests on what we don't have. And what probably no longer exists."

"We haven't found traces of Parker on the victims' stuff, but who's to say we won't find traces of them on his stuff." Jordan concluded.

"I'll call Ms. District Attorney Walcott and have Parker's personal effects brought here immediately." Nigel smiled at the prospect of a breakthrough.

"Finally, some good." Jordan sighed. "I'll be in my office, come get me if you guys find anything, please."

"Of course," Bug nodded and disappeared into the lab. Jordan continued down the hall toward her office.

"Jordan!" Woody jogged down the hallway towards her. He caught her arm as he reached her and forced her to meet his eyes. "You okay?"

"How many people are going to ask me that before they get that I'm fine? A little bit nervous, a whole lot of angry, but fine." She snapped, instantly regretting her tone at the hurt look in his eyes. His hand instantly dropped from her arm as he recoiled. Stupid, stupid, stupid. He's just concerned for you, don't take his head off. Chill. She reprimanded herself. She reached for him apologetically. "Woody, I-," He took her outstretched hand.

"I know. It's okay. Everyone's nerves are a little bit frayed right now; you have every right to be snappy."

"No, I don't. Nerves are no excuse for bitchiness. You're just worried; I shouldn't have taken your head off. I'm sorry." Her eyes softened with his as they met and he squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"It's alright, really. My ego's a little bruised…" He grinned and she laughed gently, letting him lead her to her office. "But I'll live." He finished as the glass door closed behind them.

"Oh good, I'm glad." She replied softly. "I really am sorry, Woody. I guess I'm more tense than I thought over all this."

"Perfectly understandable. I saw the way he looked at you, Jordan. He's gonna try to pull something."

"Yeah, like he said, I've got evil in my eyes, apparently, just like his other victims."

"Evil in your eyes?" She nodded. He grinned "I can see that."

"Can you?" She smiled coyly and took a step toward him. He pulled her into his arms and lowered his lips onto hers, kissing her gently. When he pulled away, she leaned her forehead on his shoulder and sighed. He stroked her hair and back soothingly.

"You're shaking," he commented. It wasn't a conviction, just a statement of fact. She sighed again.

"My nerves are frayed." He kissed her forehead and rubbed her arms. "But I feel safe with you, Woody." He was silent for a moment, not sure he'd heard her right. Had THE Jordan Cavanaugh, queen of secrecy and detachment, just said what he'd thought she said?

"You have no idea what it means to hear you say that, Jordan." He said at last. She smiled.

"Look, Woody," she pulled away so he could see her face. "I know I'm not very good at that whole "hey, here's my heart, come on in" thing. I just…I want you to know… I mean, if anything happens to me…"

"Nothing is going to happen to you, Jordan."

"Let me finish." She replied. "In case this guy gets to me… should the 'evil in my eyes' do me in…" she chuckled wryly. "I want you to know… that you're in it." He quirked a confused eyebrow. "My heart. You're in my heart, Woody. You always have been, always will be."

"Wow," he looked entirely taken-aback. "Maybe you should be put in peril more often, at least then you're honest." He smiled, and she nodded in agreement.

"Definitely true," she grinned.

"But let's not test the peril equals emotional admittance theory, shall we? I think I like you better alive." She laughed.

"Me too, Woody." Her eyes flickered around the room. The feeling of eyes was back on her. "Me too."

"Jordan, we may have found something on our boy," Nigel stated as he poked his head around the door. Jordan grinned at him.

"You always come through for me Nige," She said as she and Woody dashed after him. "What've you got for me?" Jordan asked the second they walked into the lab.

"Possible match of a dark hair to one of the victims, found it on Parker's watch."

"Nice! Good going guys," Woody slapped Nigel's back gratefully.

"I'll call Rene." Jordan grinned gleefully, it was almost over. The looking over her shoulder, the eyes following her. She dug into her pocket for her cell phone but found it missing. "Damn, I left my cell in the car. I'll be right back." Before Woody could offer to go with her, she was gone, jumping through the door of the elevator just as it was closing.

Relax, Woody, you've got cops watching Parker like a hawk. She's just going to her car, she'll be fine. But something gnawed at the pit of his stomach. Fear. Something was wrong. Suddenly, his cell rang. "Hoyt." He was silent, eyes growing wider and wider. "You LOST Parker?" he exclaimed, rage and overwhelming horror boiling up within him. A killer on the loose. It was every cop's worst nightmare. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU LOST PARKER!"

DUM DUM DUM! TO BE CONTINUED!

REVIEW PLEASE!