"You have my sister's heart?" Jo said softly, the lump in her throat had began to hurt, she could barely breathe. Unable to fully comprehend she looked at the man that was sitting in front of her, torn between wanting to throw her arms around him and hugging him so hard in desperate need to feel her sister's presence to bolting. In the end, the latter had won. She jumped to her feet and left Grant sitting at the coffee shop questioning the wisdom of his decision to find her.
Jo found herself back at the office not wanting to be alone with her thoughts, unwilling to feel what she knew would only break her heart a little more, and right then she wasn't sure if she could take more heartbreak than she had been getting the last few weeks. Between her fallout with Mac that had seriously impaired their friendship and ability to co-exist to Sid's confession only a few nights before, she was feeling ill equipped.
Wanting to hide out in her office undetected she had closed the blinds and the door and lay on her couch holding the bridge of her nose trying to pull herself together. It had been years since she thought about September 13, and though not a day went by that she didn't think of her sister, miss her, long for her, she never allowed herself to go back to that day. It hurt too much. It hurt that she never got to say goodbye. It hurt that she was gone.
Mac on his way back to his own office noticed the door of Jo's door and her blinds had been closed since he passed it only five minutes before. Curiously he went to knock on her door. Jo stilled at the familiar knock and remained unmoving praying that he would just move along. She wasn't up for a conversation with him. Truth was they hadn't really spoken in weeks. After he told her to butt out of his life, she adhered to his wishes and took a gigantic step back and the shift of their relationship reduced them to merely colleagues who shared nothing but case related facts and information. It hurt, but she was getting used to it. A few seconds later, she heard his footsteps retreat and she let out sigh of relief. She gave herself a few minutes before slipping out of her office knowing that she could no longer hide in there. Mac just so happened to look up as Jo snuck out of her office and head straight for the emergency staircase. He was worried. He knew that he was the reason for the growing distance between them. After he had told her to mind her own business, she did just that. He would never forget the look of hurt that she didn't bother to hide from him. When he had finally apologised a couple of days later, her whole demeanour had changed with him. Her guard was up, and she couldn't see past what she allowed him to see. He mourned for the carefree banter and unflappable trust between them, as they were now something of the past.
"What you got Doc?" Jo asked as she breezed into Sid's office making herself comfortable on his couch. Ever since he had confided in her about condition, she checked on him a lot more than she already did. Sid appreciated her friendship, and that she had become his closest confidant in the team despite the fact that she was the last addition to it.
"Aren't you supposed to be on leave?" he asked somewhat amused. Jo shrugged,
"I am, but I was in the neighbourhood and thought I'd come and say hello."
"You okay?" Sid inquired sensing that all was not well in the Danville world. He had noticed that in the last few weeks she had retreated a little into her shell. She was still outwardly trying to be Jo, but there were moments he knew that her heart just wasn't in it.
"Yeah, let's just say my plans of shopping were interrupted and I just can't get my groove back."
"So you decided to hang with your favourite medical examiner instead?" Sid teased.
"Something like that." She replied before she could say anything further her phone began to buzz.
"Hey Linds, what's up?"
"Jo are you in the building? There's a guy here for you, apparently you forgot your shopping at a café?" Jo had forgotten she had a couple of bags of purchases. She had bought Tyler and Ellie new clothes for the coming autumn.
"Oh gosh, yeah I'm here with Sid. I'll be up in a few minutes. Linds, can you just bring him to my office and I'll see him there?"
"You sure?" she asked not entirely sure about leaving a stranger in her office.
"Yeah, he's good Linds. I'm on my way." Jo gave Sid a quick wave heading straight for the elevators.
Jo walked quickly to her office, not bothering to look up as she passed Mac's office. Surprised to see her again Mac almost called out to her. He stood from his desk and was about to follow her when he saw a man standing in her office. Lindsay had opened the blinds to her office and kept the door opened.
"Hey Jo, you left your bag at the café." Grant said almost apologetically as she came into her office closing the door behind her. She gave him a small sad smile as she pointed to her couch and sat down.
"Thank you," she said her eyes dropping down to the carpet as he sat down.
"I never stopped to think who got Leanne's heart. I was just so preoccupied with my anger towards the guy who hit her. Drunk driver, it was raining. I was at Virginia at the time, then Momma called." The memory pulled her back to that moment. It was still so real, so fresh, so painful. Grant watched the array of emotions that played across her face as she began to relive it all.
"She was gone before I even made it out of my driveway. We were all just so consumed with her grief. While your family was thrilled with the match,"
"She saved my life."
"How did you know? How did you find me? How did you know I was her sister? How did you know that Leanne was your donor?"
"I kind of put two and two together. The nurse said it was a car accident. The heart came from a woman. I knew the date, September 13th. It was even a Friday. I knew how quickly they'd have to transport to the recipient."
"So you searched the newspapers looking for accidents? You must have known before now."
"I did. How do you walk up to someone and tell them you have the heart of someone they lost. Someone they loved?" he explained while Jo nodded in understanding.
"Are you a good man Grant?"
"I think so."
"When you woke up from the surgery, what was the first thing you remember?"
"Bright warm light, and a woman's smiling face."
"Your Momma?"
"No, it was a face I didn't know. Now that I see you, I think it was your sister." Jo's eyes filled with tears as relief flooded through her senses. A peace so overwhelming that she couldn't help but be grateful.
"Thank you, for coming, for finding me. I never realised how much I needed to make peace with it until now. What do you say I show you New York before you leave?" she offered. They still had the rest of the day.
"That sounds great." Grant said enthusiastically. Whether it was the heart or just their chemistry, there was something about Jo that made it easy for them to just be comfortable with each other.
Mac who had been watched their whole exchange from his office had grown incredibly worried. He had stepped out of the office as Jo and Grant made their way towards the elevator.
"Jo," Jo looked up surprised at the sound of Mac's voice.
"Hey Mac. Grant, Mac Taylor my boss." Mac tried not to flinch at the fact that she merely referred to him as her boss.
"Good to meet you. Everything okay Jo?" Jo nodded non-committal.
"Yep, all good. I'll see you later Mac."
Jo and Grant spent the rest of the day walking around the city just talking. Grant asked her about Leanne, and she asked him about his life. Dropping him off at the airport was surprisingly bittersweet. They had decided to keep in touch, a friendship definitively formed. Jo was about to head home when Sid had asked her to drop by the office before heading home. She found the boys in one of the rooms watching Lindsay and Danny.
"What the heck is going on?" Sid filled her in on their bet that Lindsay was pregnant. She rolled her eyes at them genuinely happy for Danny and Lindsay. She watched as Mac hugged them both happily. Jo knew how much Mac meant to them both and that they looked to him as a father.
"So Sid, why am I here and not at home enjoying my last few hours off?"
"Dinner?"
"With you?" she asked raising an eyebrow.
"With all of us." Don answered throwing an arm around her.
"Well how can a girl turn down an offer like that? Where are we going?"
"The usual. We're just waiting for those guys to get their butt moving." Jo knew immediately that Mac was a part of that package. The desire to bail screamed loudly within her, but knew there was no way around it that wouldn't draw attention she didn't want nor need.
"Hey Jo, why don't we get a head start and meet the others there?" Sid suggested sensing that Jo needed to debrief. Jo smiled and slipped an arm through his and nodded.
"Sounds like a plan. We'll meet you guys there." She said giving them a wave as she and Sid headed out. Mac caught them arm in arm standing by the lifts waiting to go. There was a carefree-ness in their friendship that they used to have and he missed that. He missed her. He missed them.
When the others arrived at the pub Mac made a beeline for Jo surprising her, especially as he sat himself on the beside her. As Donnie took their orders Jo tried to shake off the fact that having Mac so close made her uncomfortable these days, she hated that.
"Relax. I don't bite. We were friends once you know? I'd like to think we still are." Mac said softly trying to put her at ease. She gave him a small smile.
"Of course. Weird day that's all." She replied.
"Want to talk about it?" Jo shrugged, not really sure if she wanted to share something so personal with him after everything. He could sense her hesitation. She glanced at their table and realized that everyone had left them alone. Danny and Lindsay were dancing. Adam and Sheldon were grabbing drinks while Sid and Donnie were ordering their dinner. Convenient, Jo thought to herself with a chuckle. It was hard to miss the hesitation on her face. He knew her hesitation was due from the lack of trust she now had in him.
"Jo, I'm really sorry." Jo looked up and met his gaze she could see the sincerity and regret that lay behind his eyes,
"I know that you were only worried about me. There were so many things going on, and I just didn't want to talk about it. I wanted to sort it out for myself, because if I spoke it out loud, it would mean what I was so worried about would be real, and I didn't want it to be real. I never meant to hurt you. Nor did I want to make you feel that we aren't friends, or that I don't value what we have. I do, especially these last few weeks when you and I have been walking around as though we're complete strangers. I know I'm to blame for where we are now, and I would really like for you to let me make it up to you. Despite my actions, I trust you Jo. I trust you with my life."
"Apology accepted." She replied, this time meaning it.
"Are things better for you?" she asked. Mac knew to some degree that Jo was aware of his condition. After all she was a great detective, and though she may not know his full diagnosis, she would have an inkling as she had witnessed most of his symptoms.
"Getting there. The exercises I have to do helps."
"Good, I'm glad."
"So weird day?" Mac prodded, and Jo let out a huge sigh,
"Grant is the recipient of my sister's Donor heart." The look of surprise was written all over his face. She never spoke of a sister. The photos in her office were of her kids. The photos of Leanne she kept in her top drawer. She had never told anyone about her sister, it was just too painful.
"My sister was killed in a car accident, drunk driver. Grant had a heart condition that required a heart transplant and he got Leanne's. He wanted to meet me, I guess so he could physically thank someone for the gift he got and say sorry that someone we loved died to give him that heart."
"Oh Jo," he said sadly placing a hand over hers. Jo blinked back the tears, and gave him a small smile.
"I'm okay. Weird day that's all. I'm glad to have met him. I've been so angry at the drunk driver that I never even thought about the good that came out of such a tragedy. I know that Leanne would have been happy to know that her heart went to a great guy." Jo pulled out her badge. Mac watched curiously as she dug something from behind the leather flap. Jo pulled out a photo that Mac guessed was her sister, a younger version of her. Their similarities were uncanny. There was no denying that they were in fact sisters.
"She's beautiful." He said as he stared at the picture she handed him.
"She certainly was. So full of life and joy! I miss her! She was my best friend. My go to. When we were younger she used to cover for me. They always saw her as the irresponsible one, and she was, but she always looked out for me. I miss talking to her. I miss having someone there you know." She said absently, no longer really talking to him, but just airing her thoughts."
"Hey, it's only natural to miss her, but you're never alone. You will always have someone there. You will always have me." He promised. Mac could see that she was weighing his words with his actions and wasn't quite ready to trust his words just yet.
"Thanks Mac, I appreciate that." She replied. Jo looked over at Sid and her heart sank even further. She may not fully believe in Mac's word just yet, but she knew she would need him in months ahead.