A/N, I know, I know, I should be writing more of For Harry, With Love and Steele, but this one's DONE. Written. The product of Nerd Camp. Wrote it because people complained that the end of We'll Always Have the Beach and After the Beach wasn't quite fufilling enough. Don't own em though, that belongs to Tim Kring et al. Title comes from a Billy Ray Cyrus (Don't laugh) song of the same name. Enjoy!
He knocked on the fire-engine red door, waiting for a response. Getting none, he knocked again. "Jordan!" He called out through the door. She had the night off, he knew that, and from the way she'd been talking, nothing could keep her in the mourge with Slokum if she had even ten minutes off. He tried the doorknob and was surprised to find it turn easily beneath his hand.
He walked through, instantly on his guard, and found the apartment to be empty. Not just devoid of life, but devoid of all things that pertain to such life. Her DVD collection was gone, although the television remained, a few last movies left behind. "Jordan?" He called, this time questioningly.
He crossed into her bedroom and found her closets devoid of all of her usual apparel, the only things remaining were some very ugly things that he didn't blame her for leaving behind. The dresser drawers were all open, and the guitar that usually occupied the corner of the room was snatched away.
He sat on the barren couch, remembering the last time this had happened. He reached for the phone that sat before him and dialed her cell phone, leaving her a message to give him a call. He got up again, closing the door behind him, and headed into his car, driving down the familiar Boston streets until he reached his destination.
He hit the button for floor nine and tried to not be noticed as he walked through the halls. He had one intent to be there, and he really didn't want to hear an earful about what he was doing there. "Dr. M!" Nigel called as he knocked twice on the door frame walking in.
"What happened to Jordan?" He asked, after enduring the lanky man's grip for a second. Nigel pulled back and looked rather upset.
"She-well-she-" Before Nigel could formulate the words, the door opened again.
"Townsend, I need that-" The man who just walked in glared at him. "Macy. What are you doing here? I do believe that the only time you're supposed to be back in here is if you have a toe tag." The two of them squared off.
"I am allowed to come in to ask something of a friend, now aren't I?" He countered and the smaller man narrowed his eyes.
"If this concerns your wonderful little pet, she's gone Macy. And not coming back, didn't even hand in her two weeks notice, left and didn't have the guts to hand me her letter of resignation, no she had to fax it in." He had to fight back the urge to punch the weaselly little man in the jaw, but the man turned and walked back out before he could.
"She quit?" He asked incredulously, and Nigel nodded.
"She faxed in a message that said "F you" to Slokum, that she wasn't coming back and that she was saving him the pleasure of firing her."
"Where the hell is she?" He asked and Nigel shrugged.
"I was supposed to be working on a case, but I figured one of us would want to know that answer, and as far as I can tell, Dallas. Or rather, she will be heading there."
"Will be?" He asked and Nigel brought up what appeared to be a credit card bill.
"Booked a room in a hotel in Dallas, is taking 5 trains to get there, and bought the tickets in reverse order with two useless purchases right after. She's trying to hide her tracks but is no match for the amazing Nigel." He smiled briefly.
"Dallas?" Nigel nodded.
"But she's not scheduled to get there for another-" A few keystrokes were entered, "-ten hours. You can catch a flight down there for six." He nodded. "I'd go myself, but with Slokum-" Nigel trailed off.
"It's OK, I'll talk her out of it." He said, walking to the door.
"Good luck." Nigel shouted after him as he walked down to the parking lot, sating himself only with giving the unfamiliar car parked in what should his spot a kick instead of slashing the tires as he wanted to, before driving back to his own place. He wasn't going to let her get away, not this time, not again, he couldn't.