Running
Chapter 1
Rating PG-13
I don't own the Crossing Jordan characters ~ Tim Kring does! They just use my head for a playground sometimes!
I DO own Aunt Laura. She's my own creation for my stories! :0)
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This is a follow-up to the flashback sequence in "Cruel and Unusual" where we saw Jordan put a letter in the mail to Garret and get on a bus. On first glance, it seems like the writers contradicted themselves since we spent a season and a half hearing about the first time she got fired. But then it occurred to me that we don't KNOW for sure that it was a letter of resignation, and thus this little story was born. . .
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Jordan. . .
Alright. He's gone. Now I'm just going to kick back and relax and. . .
ring. . . ring
"Hello?"
"What are you doing with my husband?"
"What? Who is this?"
"Leave him alone."
And I hung up the phone. Not what my normal M.O. would be, but all of a sudden there was nothing "normal" about this situation! The very fact that she called has me completely thrown me off guard.
Oh my God! What have I done? There really is someone else involved in his life ~ someone who's real and who's actually being hurt by this. And I totally have to get out of this. I can't be responsible for hurting someone else. Even if I end up hurting myself in the process.
Ok, think. You can break up with him and never see him again. But we're bound to run into each other, I don't care how big Boston is. And I don't think I could take that. Seeing him and knowing that we couldn't be together. It would hurt too much because I l-. . .
Shit Jordan! You've really screwed up this time. Gone and fallen in love with him after you promised yourself. Promised yourself that you'd never fall in love ~ and you'd never be like her. And what have you gone and done? Gone and done exactly what she did ~ well, almost.
I've got to get out of here. Now! I don't know where I'll go ~ but I better figure something out FAST. And on not a lot of money. Think Jordan ~ who do you know that you could go stay with for a while who wouldn't ask too many questions. Maybe Aunt Laura down on the Carolina coast. I mean, she understands the background with Mom and everything. And I don't think she and Dad are in real close contact ~ I'll let him know where I am eventually, but not right now. I just need to get away. Yeah ~ that's it. I'll go visit Aunt Laura. I wonder if my cousin's around ~ that could be fun to hang with her for a while. Ok, got the address. Got my guitar. Got some clothes in a bag and I'm set to go.
Oh shit! Work. I've gotta tell Garret something. Call him? No way ~ he'd just try to stop me, make me wait a few days for vacation or something. I'll just write him a letter explaining that I had to leave town for a few weeks and I'll be in touch as soon as I can. That's it. I'll just drop it in the mailbox on the way to the bus station. . .
early the next morning in the Wilmington, NC bus station. . .
Well, that ride wasn't too bad. Who am I kidding? It sucked!! But I'm out of Boston and away from all that pain. Yeah, right. I can't believe how much it hurts. Never again ~ I swear I'm never going to let myself get out of control in a relationship EVER again! Ok, now to find a phone and call Aunt Laura. . .
"Hello?"
"May I speak with Laura Reilly please?"
"Speaking."
"Aunt Laura? It's Jordan. Jordan Cavan-. . ."
"Jordan? Sweetie it's great to hear from you! What's up?"
"I'm in Wilmington."
"North Carolina?"
"Yeah. I just. . .I'm on vacation and wondered if I could crash at your place for a couple of weeks or so. I'm sorry it's so last minute. It. . .well, it wasn't exactly planned."
"Of course you can stay here, sweetheart! Do you need me to come and get you?"
"That would be great. I'm at the bus station."
"Ok darlin. You just hang tight. It'll take me about 45 minutes to get there."
"Alright, Aunt Laura. Thanks!"
In a couple of hours, we crossed the drawbridge to Ocean Isle Beach and turned onto Driftwood Drive and into Aunt Laura's driveway.
"This place is amazing, Aunt Laura."
"You're just looking at the outside, sweetie! And I think you can call me Laura now ~ you're old enough."
"Ok. Laura."
"Come on and let's get you settled in. Kaidlyn's at school, so you can have her room."
"School? Does she go to boarding school?"
"Oh Jordan! I forget how long it's been since we've seen you. It's sort of boarding school, but not like you're thinking. She goes to the School of Science and Math."
"Wow!"
"Yeah. The science part is what she's best at. Math is a little sketchy, but if you case it as science she does ok."
"Impressive. Laura, I love this house."
"Well, something good besides Kaid had to come out of the debacle that was my marriage."
"Ouch. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. . ."
"Hon, it's fine. I'm so over it now. Alrighty, here's your room."
"It's beautiful. God, Kaidlyn has sure grown up. That is her in the picture, isn't it?"
"Yeah ~ she and a group of girlfriends went to the prom together so no one had to deal with any pressures from guys."
"Cool idea!"
"I thought so. So sweetie, you hungry?"
"Actually I'm exhausted right now. Sleeping on the bus isn't the best thing in the world. Mind if I take a nap?"
"Not at all. You make yourself at home. I'm going to go for my early afternoon walk on the beach, and then I'll be back."
"Ok. Thanks again Laura."
"No problem. Glad to have you here."
So I did a little unpacking, but soon the big soft bed in the middle of the room was too tempting, and I flopped down on it and don't remember much else.
**********
Meanwhile back in Boston. . .
"Grace?"
"Yes Dr. Macy?"
"What are you doing? I thought you already did your autopsy this morning."
"I did mine. Dr. Cavanaugh hasn't shown up yet, so we're all having to cover her stuff too."
"What do you mean, hasn't shown up yet?"
"Exactly that. She hasn't come in."
"Has anyone. . .?"
"Tried to reach her at home?"
"Yeah, Nigel."
"Already did that Garret."
"And? Nigel, what aren't you telling me?"
"The line's been temporarily disconnected."
"You're kidding me."
"I wish I were."
"Alright. Maybe her father knows something. I'll go pull his number from her emergency file and give him a call."
"He's probably at the precinct. Dispatch can probably find him for you."
"Good thinking Nigel. Thanks"
Garret. . .
What the hell is she up to? I thought things were working out so well. I mean, yeah, there was that suicide attempt ~ whether intentional or not ~ a little while back, but she seemed to be on an even keel. I just hope that Max knows what's up with her.
Alright. Dispatch said they'd put me through. . .
"Hello?"
"Detective Cavanaugh? It's Garret Macy from the Medical Examiner's office."
"Oh right, Jordan's boss. You can call me Max. What's wrong?"
"What makes you think something's wrong?"
"You're Jordan's boss and you're calling me at work. Something isn't normal about that situation."
"Ok, you got me. I was wondering if you know where Jordan might be."
"What? I'd assume she's at work."
Oh shit. He didn't know anything. "Well. . ."
"Garret, what's going on?"
"Max, she's not here. . . And her phone line has been disconnected."
"What?"
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. . ."
"Garret? I'm going over to her place now and I'll let you know what I find."
"Alright. Thanks Max."
Shit! Where the hell is she? If she's done anything stupid I'll. . . What Garret? What will you do to her. As much as you might try to not play favorites, you know good and well she's like a kid sister to you. And now she's missing ~ hopefully of her own volition and missing is all it is. . .
"Garret? Did you find anything out?" Nigel popped his head into my office.
"Max doesn't know anything. He's going over to her place to see if he can figure out what's up."
"Sweet Nancy. You don't think that she. . ."
"I hope not. I sure as hell hope not."
"What do you expect when you hire someone with her history?" Grace was muttering under her breath as she walked down the hall.
"Grace? You have something to say?"
"Just I expected as much. She quit her residency and you hired her practically sight unseen. I don't know why you thought she'd. . ."
"That's enough Grace. Yes, Jordan's had problems. But I'm sure there's a logical explanation for this."
"Whatever you say. Now I'm going to do another of her autopsies."
"Thank you so much Grace."
ring, ring. . .
"This is Macy."
"Garret, it's Max."
"What did you find out? Is she ok?"
"She's gone Garret. Her guitar is gone as is her travel bag. I can't find anything to indicate where she is."
"Oh, Max. I'm. . ."
"Garret, I can't lose her, but I don't know where to even begin. I don't know who she was seeing ~ if anyone, where she hung out, anything. In some ways she's like a stranger to me since. . ."
"Max, let me see if I can find anything out around here. I'll let you know."
"Thanks Garret. I just. . . When she almost died I thought my life was over. And now she's taken off and not told anyone."
"Max, I've got a child of my own and I can begin to understand what having her disappear must feel like. I promise I'll keep you posted."
"Alright. We'll keep in touch."
Nigel was looking at me, crestfallen. "She's not there?"
"Nope. No sign of her."
"In some ways I guess that's good. I mean, that she didn't. . ."
"I know. Now Nigel, what do you know about her?"
"Not much, but I'll help any way I can."
"Good. Let's try to piece the puzzle that is Jordan together and figure some things out."
. . .to be continued. . .