DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own the Crossing Jordan characters, nor do I own the lyrics to "Boston" by Augustana. Drat.

Okay, this story is like a "What if Jordan didn't grow up in Boston". Ignoring all facts that we've learned from episodes, this tells a story of a past that Jordan may have had, and how she could've gotten to Boston.


A soft sigh barely audible seeped from the lips of a dark brunette. She sat alone at a café table outside in San Francisco, California. She was sipping from a small coffee cup, tapping the fingers of her free hand on the black wrought iron. She put the cup down and checked her phone. 9:38. She was late. She put her phone back in it's holder and began to stand up. "Jordan! Wait! Sorry I'm late," A blonde behind her rushed quickly to the table, breathless, "the traffic was shot up near the east side. I was going to call, but my phone died." She sat down in a huff. Jordan grinned and said, "It's okay. I have to say, I almost gave up faith in you." The woman, Christine, rolled her eyes and assumed her normal 'chat' position. She rested her elbows in the table and set her chin in her hands. She looked at Jordan expectantly. "So, what did you decide?" Jordan took in a long breath before muttering, "I'm leaving." Christine craned her neck in farther. "What? You're mumbling again, and I can't hear you." Jordan cast her whiskey eyes down and said a bit louder, "I'm leaving." Christine's eyes widened. "W-What do you m-mean, leaving??" She stuttered, a frown beginning to form on her face. Jordan finally tore her eyes away from the ground and toward her friend's face. "I'm leaving town. Actually, I'm leaving California."

In the light of the sun, is there anyone? Oh it has begun...
Oh dear you look so lost, eyes are red and tears are shed,
This world you must've crossed... you said...

"You're leaving California?!" It took all Christine had not jump up in the middle of the courtyard. Jordan nodded solemnly, flicking her eyes downward again. Christine shook her head, her eyes flashing wildly, "You're leaving because Ryan's a jackass? Jordan, you can't leave!" Jordan looked up now, fully ready to explain her reasoning. "Christine, I'm not doing this to leave you. It's him that I'm leaving. I don't want to worry about seeing him around town. I don't want to see his wedding announcement in the paper. I won't be able to stand it." Christine looked down, her battle front uprooted, and nodded sullenly. "So this is how you escape? You run? Instead of facing your problems, you just leave them all behind. Is this how you came to California? You left some other town, some other best friend and relationship behind to start over here?" Her anger and resentment grew, mostly caused by the sudden stress. Jordan shook her head, though she knew the words were true. "That's not how it is. I can't explain it. Something inside my head tells me just to leave; that there's no more reason to stay. I can't stop it anymore," She was working into crying now, "and I never wanted to hurt anybody. You don't understand. You don't know what I've been through; who I am."

You don't know me, you don't even care, oh yeah,
You said
You don't know me, and you don't wear my chains... oh yeah,

Christine barely held in a scoff, "Well why do you think that's so. We've only known each other for a year, but you don't open up. You won't talk about anything of your past. That's why nobody knows anything about you. I didn't care. I didn't care that you didn't want to talk about it, because I was just happy that I'd found a friend. I'd found somebody to share my time with; to share my memories. I didn't think that you'd leave like this. I thought wrong." She looked down, shaking her head, still in denial that her best friend was leaving her so suddenly, never to return. Jordan opened her mouth to speak, but remained silent. She held her forehead in the palm of her hand, slow tears slipping down her cheeks, despite the fact that she'd tried so hard to hold them in.

After a moment of silence, Christine picked up her purse and jacket and left at a brisk walk, not saying a word. Jordan jumped up, "Christine! Don't leave! CHRISTINE!" The people sitting around them in the restaurant were beginning to stare, but Jordan hadn't noticed. She picked up her coat and purse, slamming down a bit of money to cover the tab. She left, speeding off in her car towards her apartment.

Essential yet appealed, carry all your thoughts across
An open field,
When flowers gaze at you... they're not the only ones who cry
When they see you
You said...

She'd already had everything packed, and had arrangements made for her stuff to be flown out to her new place in Boston before she got there. Yes, Boston, Massachusetts. She'd picked the place because it's difference from California. There was no way it would remind her of her soon-to-be old home. She'd found a new job there, and was going in for an interview an hour after she got off her flight. It was as an M.E. in the Boston Morgue, similar to her current job here. She worked for the P.D., which was where she'd met Christine. At the thought of her friend's name, she let out another sob. She'd had a great career at the P.D., until she met Ryan. Lieutenant Ryan Saxon. Born and Raised in Cali, he was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed funny guy who'd taking a liking to Jordan after she threatened to knock him out.

The story goes that she'd just finished a case and hadn't yet filed paperwork. It was a curse she had; skimping out on paperwork. She'd had fellow workers remind her over and over to file it, and yet she ignored them. It'd been a week, and she was almost over the edge, being pushed further to file her paperwork. Finally, somebody had contacted Ryan, who'd called her into his office. They'd gotten into a heated argument, and she'd threatened to knock him one if he didn't leave her alone. He'd chuckled, then dismissed her, deciding that she was definitely a person that he liked.


You don't know me, you don't even care, oh yeah,
You said
You don't know me, and you don't wear my chains... oh yeah,

Their relationship had grown, although Jordan had been a bit cautious in the beginning. He'd treated her so perfectly. He'd even taken her out one night to a restaurant in town that he'd booked. The entire restaurant was empty because he'd wanted privacy. She knew it must've cost a month's pay, but she couldn't help thinking that he loved her. He had to. She'd hesitated when it came time for her to return it, but she had. It'd given her a feeling as if she were high. She floated to bed that night with a smile on her face, and she couldn't help grinning the next day when she repeated the story to Christine.

The relationship had gone great for about 10 months. It was on their 10 month anniversary, about a week ago, when Jordan had decided to surprise Ryan with lunch. She knew the crime scene he was working, and knew when he'd be able to get off. She'd made reservations and had went to go pick him up, smiling the whole way. When she got there, she found that they were wrapping up the investigation just as she had timed it. She glanced around, seeing Ryan nowhere, she found another detective, his friend Jake. "Hey Jake! Where's Ryan?" She'd jogged toward him, hoping to hear that her boyfriend was just around the corner somewhere. "Oh, he's already gone back to trace. You just missed him. Sorry," He shrugged. Disappointed, Jordan returned quickly to trace. She walked swiftly to his office, expecting to find him at his desk, immersed in his computer as always. Instead, she found him immersed in another girl's lips, as she pressed him against the wall. They both looked up and noticed Jordan standing there, but by the time he reacted, she was already bolting from the door. He didn't have enough time to reach her before she sped off in her car, and they hadn't spoken since.

What Jordan hadn't realized is that Ryan hadn't been at fault. The girl was a new secretary and had tried to flirt with him multiple times. This time, she went to far. He couldn't get her to pick up her phone, so he called Christine, explaining everything to her. He'd actually spilled his guts to her, going as far as talking about his deep emotions for Jordan. Christine had told him that if he wanted something to happen, he had to do it himself. It had ended there, with Ryan too scared to say anything. He couldn't get up the courage just to say he was sorry. Jordan had been left thinking that he didn't care; that she was just a side relationship.

Earlier that day, Ryan had thought about Jordan and what he should've done. He wanted to make things right and decided to take her out for lunch and explain what happened. When he couldn't reach her, he called Christine's cell. She'd answered, but she sounded upset and worried. He shrugged it off and asked where Jordan was, only to get the reply that she was leaving. She was leaving California to Boston, and was getting on the plane in an hour. It took less that 20 minutes for Christine and Ryan to speed up to the airport together, and it took another 10 minutes for them to find which flight she was on.

She said I think I'll go to Boston...
I think I'll start a new life,
I think I'll start it over, where no one knows my name,
I'll get out of California, I'm tired of the weather,
I think I'll get a lover and fly 'em out to Spain...

Meanwhile, Jordan was dragging her carry-on by her side, walking as slowly as possible towards the boarding gate. Reaching it, she took one last look back at the airport and stepped on, the last passenger to board. She found her seat, a window seat, and settled in, almost hesitant to look out at the life she was leaving behind. Finally, she pushed her gaze out the window towards the blue sky, feeling tears well up in her eyes again.

Ryan and Christine had frantically searched for the gate, finally finding it closed. They hung their heads and stood at the window, staring at the plane that would take Jordan away from them, possibly so that they'd never hear or see her again. They scanned the windows, not seeing her, because of the great distance. Christine began to sob and Ryan's eyes grew cold and steely; his expression hard and solemn.

Jordan jumped slightly as the plane began to move. She returned her watch to the sky, then towards the ground and the towering California buildings. Slowly, she lifted two fingers to her lips, and then to the window. A kiss for California; it seemed to appropriate, yet at the same time, not enough. With one last glance, she turned facing forward, determined to leave her old home behind.

I think I'll go to Boston,
I think that I'm just tired
I think I need a new town, to leave this all behind...
I think I need a sunrise, I'm tired of the sunset,
I hear it's nice in the Summer, some snow would be nice... oh yeah,
Yeah Boston…Where no one knows my name.

It was time for a new life; a new Jordan. She'd get settled into her new apartment and apply for her job. She'd make new friends and possibly find some new lover. She'd never really forget about Christine, Ryan, and California, but she'd try. A part of her old memories would always be with her, they'd just make room for some new ones.