Note: I do not own Crossing Jordan nor 'Take it easy' by 'The Eagles' that belongs to Jackson browne and (Surprise!) The Eagles
Three days later
Woody's POV
"Thank you," Sabrina said to the nurse as she signed her discharge papers. She was dressed in high heel boots, tight jeans, a white spaghetti strap top, a denim jacket sat on the bed next to her. She looked considerable weaker than she had in her four days in Boston, as she stood I couldn't help but notice the sores were the IV's were. "Come on Sparky." She said brightly.
"I still think you should have them wheel you out, I'm not sure you're strong enough to walk." I stated as she held onto my arm for support, she just laughed.
"Woodrow, I have very little dignity left, I'm going to walk out of here no matter what." She was pale, that's an understatement, her skin was milky ashen, her eyes were sunken and hallow looking. She smiled when she saw Jordan and Nigel; she was Nigel's hero now that she had stood up to Walcott. In the past three days, Jordan and Sabrina had become close, they talked, they played scrabble for hours, I didn't even know that Jordan played scrabble.
"Morning Kids, I'm on parole, who wants to throw popcorn at tourists?" she said in a cheery voice, Jordan opened the car door for her; Sabrina smiled and slid into the passenger seat. "Come on rent-a-cop!" she shouted from the car, I reluctantly fallowed and got into the backseat.
Nigel drove, only Sabrina and he knew where we were going.
"So" Jordan said looking out of the window at the snow along the street, all slushy and muddy. Sabrina looked happy as a clam, looking out the window singing along with the music. "Brina do you play the guitar?" Sabrina turned to face us.
"Naw, I like to carry the case around because it makes me look good." Jordan threw her a bewildered look, Sabrina giggled "Of course I play." She turned back around and began to sing 'wooly bully' with Nigel. ===============================================================
We were passing the entrance to the marina when Sabrina squawked "Pull over, now!" Nigel swerved the car over expertly and brought the white ford explorer to a screeching halt.
Sabrina leapt out and began to run down the slick, wet sidewalk, veering past pedestrians. "Sabrina!" I shouted my voice hoarse as I watched her willowy frame disappear into the marina. Reluctantly I fallowed. As I caught up, I saw her running towards the observing deck, the deck looked lonesome, all alone, as the powerful sea crashed against the earth, hissing and shouting its fury. Ships were traveling in and out of the harbor, snow was beginning to fall, in big, thick flakes, they swirled and danced in the bitter wind. It was absolutely freezing, yet she had her arms outstretched as she ran, twirled and danced, sticking her tongue out to catch flakes on it, she bounded up and leapt onto the rail and strattled it. Watching the grey water slosh against the rocks far below, the mist was so thick we couldn't see past a few feet.
"Sabrina get back here, you'll catch a cold!" I yelled catching up to her, taking off my jacket handing it to her, Jordan and Nigel reaching my side, out of breath.
She ignored my outstretched hand, spreading her arms out again as a gust of cold wind blew past us, leaving the faint smell of salt and fish. "Do you feel that?" she asked, allowing her hair to fall in her face and become tangled in the wind.
"What? Feel what Brina?" Jordan asked timidly
"Alright Sabrina, enough, lets get back to the ford, its bloody cold out here." Nigel said wrapping his arms around himself and looking about at the busy sidewalk and street.
"It's beautiful," she whispered looking up at the grey sky, "Can you feel it?" she asked softly again.
"What?" I asked Sabrina shortly, I was very cold, I was very soggy from the mist and cross, I wasn't in the mood to stand outside, in the snow, watching the sky.
"The life?" she said patiently, "I have this theory, that life is like a wheel, moving, slow but constant, you were once a baby, then a child, then a woman, we'll make our contribution, have children maybe, and one day we all will go out, like the flame of a candle, we'll be gone..." she closed her eyes and breathed in the ocean air as she did another gust of wind shot up from somewhere else... like she willed it to fly past us and out to sea. It tousled her hair gently, she swung her foot over the railing and hopped down, took my hand as we made are way back to the ford.
A couple of hours later
Sabrina's POV
"Where the hell are we?" I demanded from my brother, he had that silly grin plastered to his face, I knew he was happy because he had solved that O'Malley case, she was murdered by her boyfriend, brought him in for questioning and he confessed.
"Somewhere," he replied mysteriously, pulling the handkerchief off of my eyes. We stood in front of a bar; it looked clean and respectable, like a place businessmen would come for drinks after a big conference.
"Sparky, you do know that I'm seventeen right?" I inquired derisively; he smiled and opened the door. Their stood Nigel Jordan by the pool table, Doctor Macy was talking to Walcott, they looked chummy. Devan and Lily was wrapped in conversation with Peter and Bug.
"Hey all!" my brother announced are coming. The bar was dimly lighted, music played softly, it was kind of homey, well as homey as a bar can get.
"Alright come all!" Nigel announced in his cherry way, god he was like a Tickle Me Elmo doll that got super glued on 'on' I liked him though, he was funny. Peter, Bug, Lily, Doctor Macy and his pet, Walcott came, soon joined by Devan and Jordan, came over to the small table. "Okay!" he declared, "Now it's time to find out a little bit about are dear Sabrina," we were all comfortably lounging around the table wear a small stack of cards sat directly in the middle I looked at it curiously, scratching my nose.
We were one chair short so Jordan took a reluctant seat on by brother's lap, she sat perched on his knee, I couldn't help but smile, why do they fight it?
"Alright Love, this is what you do, take the top card, read what the question is and answer it, if you refuse to answer, then we all have to take a shot." He demonstrated with his own glass of tequila.
"That's a nice idea and all Nige, but I'm underage and my brother is a cop, he also happens to be sitting right here."
"Au contraire' my sweet!" he said "Ginger ale, you're the designated driver!" he said brandishing a green soda bottle of the liquid.
"Alright." I said licking my finger as I picked up the top card. "If you could do one thing over again what would it be?" I thought for a moment, twirling a strand of hair around my thin finger. "uh, oh, jeeze, this is a hard one. I'd probably rethink coming here with Sparky if I had known I would be up for a game of twenty questions, what is this like a sick initiation? Do you realize how much therapy you people need!" I exclaimed jokingly, picking up the bottle and taking a swig, everyone else fallowed suit.
Three hours and a minivan of liquor later, everyone was complete drunk, and having the time of their lives, all except Walcott, who every time our dear Doctor Macy looked away gave me a evil glare, I of course was forced to return the jeer, she didn't intimidate me one bit.
"Next!" Nigel slurred, and I picked up the card, "If you could do one thing that you've never done, what would it be?" I once again turned on my thinking cap, and finally said a little shakily "I've never fallen in love." I said softly, everyone suddenly became still, I suddenly felt a rush of anxiety, all I could do was blink.
"I have to go to the bathroom." Renee' said, shattering the silence, and stood, people parted to allow her past,
when she reached me I muttered "woof." Softly, everyone watched her walked off.
As soon as she was safe away, behind the bathroom door the table erupted in laughter, all except Garret, that had an annoyed expression plastered to his face, "Sabrina, that's my girlfriend and I'd appreciate it if you leave her alone, at least around me?" I nodded.
"I can do that Doctor M, now, who wants to hear 'The Eagles' huh." I stood brandishing a couple of quarters.
Jordan's POV
I felt uncomfortable sitting on Woody's lap, it felt right being in his arms, he was warm, like a chair next to one of those old fashioned stoves, all buttery and soft warm. Sabrina announced that she was going to the jukebox, everyone got up to finish whatever they were doing, before we were interrupted by Nigel's favorite game. I was forced to grin when I heard the song Sabrina chose. 'Take it easy' by The Eagles
I'm a running down the road Trying to loosen my load I got 7 women on my mind
4 that wanna hold me 2 that wanna stone me 1 says she's a friend of mine
Take it easy Take it easy Don't let the sound of your own wheels make you crazy
Lighten up while you still Can Don't even try to understand Find a place to make your stand And take it easy
Well I'm standing on a corner in Winslow Arizona Such a fine sight to see It's a girl my lord In a flat bed ford Slowing down to take a look at me
Come on baby Don't say maybe I gotta know if your sweet love is gonna save me
We may lose And we may win We will never be here again Open up I'm climbing in So take it easy
Well I'm a running down the road Trying to loosen my load Got a world of trouble on my mind
Looking for a lover That won't blow my cover She's so hard to find
Take it easy, Take it easy Don't let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy
Come on baby, Don't say maybe I gotta know if your sweet love is save me
Oh, we got it easy We ought to take it easy.
They way she swayed to the music; I knew she took it to heart, she wiggled and shook, her eyes were closed, her tan midriff showing slightly threw her shirt because her arms were raised. I looked over to Woody, who was talking to Bug about the O'Malley case, I shook his shoulder and looked at him up through my eyelashes. "Look at her, she's so happy." I said amazed, if I had found out that I was dying I would have locked myself inside of my house and then put a bullet in my head.
Then it hit me, I knew we were similar, both sarcastic, both smart, both hurt or troubled by are past, But she wasn't running away, she was facing this cancer head on, even though in the end it would cost her life.
"Yeah," Woody said softly, suddenly my problem with Woody didn't seem so bad. I mean she was facing hell, and I was scared of a simple relationship with Woody, I man that adored me.
"Hey Woody?" I said before my courage could fall through
"Yeah?" he asked not really paying attention
"Do you want to dance?"
Sabrina's POV
I had driven Nigel, Bug, and Peter all home, they were completely shit faced (excuse my language), Lily and Devan had wandered off, as did my wayward Sparky and his girlfriend. Garret and Fido were caught making out in the corner and sent home by Joe, the temporary bartender. I pulled the keys out of the ignition and gave out a long sigh of exhaustion. I slowly stood, stretching for a moment. I shivered, it was dark, I had always been afraid of the dark. I walked toward the stairs to Woody's Building, Mom was shipping my stuff up, after a long heart felt talk with her, we negotiated me to stay with Woody for three months, then with her, she kept breaking down on the phone when I told her I wanted to be buried in Cape Cod.
"Honey, why?" she asked between sobs,
"Because, I've spent seventeen years there mama, and ever since I could walk I've been trying to get away from it, I don't want to spend eternity there, its depressing."
Now I walked slowly toward the building slowly, I felt the weight of the world was on my shoulder, my own personal prison, I was walking threw the world alone. In the words of the eagles 'it's hard to tell the nighttime from the day.'
The streetlight flickered, it casted an eerie glow to the ground, creating shadows, I opened the door with my key that Woody made for me. I locked it, looking at the elevator and relented, I needed the walk, stairs would do me good.
But before I could reach the fifth step, I felt hot tears falling down my face; my bottom lip trembled as gasps caught in my throat. I leaned against the railing for support but slowly I slid to a seat on the step, now gripping the support of the railing. I cried, I cried for my mother, my father, my brothers Cal included, and I cried for myself. I was so scared, the fear was constant, It was my jailor, it fed off of my strength, slowly weakening my resolve that I was going to let it take me over.
"I'm going to shrivel up and die." I whispered between sobs, and in the end I couldn't move, I just sat where I fell, silently sobbing. Like a rose I was going to wither, and soon I'd be forgotten. The alone is what scared me, like I had always wondered why I was scared of the dark, it hit me, because in the dark I was alone and venerable.
"I don't want to die alone... Please, I don't want to die." I whispered to the ceiling, to god, whoever was listening, I begged that night, I pleaded for my life that night on those grimy stairs, letting my tears fall free, like a chunk of my heart was falling away.
