AN/ Finally! To make a really long story short - I'm busy! I haven't forgotten about Lizzie, though!

And don't forget to tell all your CJ friends at all your CJ websites and CJ chatboards that CJVS7 is coming September 30th at CrossingJordanEncyclopedia!

Contrary to a rumour out there, it's not an event sponsored by CJ's actual staff/actors. It's a creation of seven fanfiction writers, four artists, a PR department and various technicians. Take a look at Nina LaVogue's stuff, most of her pilots are part of the VS7 team. It's not just your average fanfiction, it's really a work of love!

On with the show...


The drive home was tensely quiet.

As was the ride in the elevator. Even the kittens seemed to feel Jordan's black mood. Oppressive, really. Woody tried to convince her to tell him what was wrong, but she wouldn't open her mouth. His years observing this beautiful woman stood him in good stead – he wisely stopped prying, and waited for Old Faithful to blow it's top. It would come, he knew, and if he was patient and unobtrusive it would be easier on everyone when it happened.

The eruption occurred soon after they entered the apartment. The welcoming committee was just two kittens. Liz calmly jumped off the kitchen counter, as if she was allowed to be there, and sauntered over to greet her pet. She chirupped, but oddly enough her Jordan stood there, looking at the little ones but not moving. Woody pulled two kittens from his pockets and returned them to the little pride. The four siblings bit each other's ears and tails while Lizzie sniffed them and washed two little faces to get the weird smells off. Liz sensed something big was coming, so she picked up a kitten by it's little scruffy neck and headed for the hills.

It started quietly. "How could you… I didn't even get to say good-bye. I'll never see them again. I've lost two more…" Jordan caught Woody with her eyes, the rest of her tiredly leaned on the table. "And I was not ready for everyone to know about the pregnancy! I mean, I thought you knew me… maybe I was wrong, but you didn't even give me the consideration of a warning before you announced to the whole world that I'm going to be really fat really soon…"

With that, Jordan's voice choked off and she fled to the bedroom. She stormed around, finally banging her way to the bathroom. A confused Woody studiously avoided her. He'd known she'd be upset that he told everyone about the baby, but she hadn't said anything until now. And as for the kittens – they'd made the deal with those secretaries before Jordan went to the hospital. She'd been grateful to find two good homes! Once again, he decided to remain quiet. Hopefully she'd blow herself out like a storm…

Ten minutes later, she stomped back through the living room, looking for her small cosmetic bag. She'd been humiliated when she had been told it was the only thing she was allowed to carry. She grabbed it, clearly furious, and returned to the bedroom. If the door was the kind that could be slammed…

So much for giving her space. Woody thought to himself that it was time for plan B.

He'd dedicated himself to being a kind, caring husband and father. He deeply felt the responsibility to his girls. With a deep breath, and a quick prayer, he 'calmly wandered' to the bedroom. He wryly thought that he now knew how Daniel felt entering the lion's den…

He pushed the door slowly open. She was sitting on the side of the bed, hands on her knees, staring at nothing. Her face and even her eyes seemed pale. He worried she was sick again, but she wasn't running to the bathroom. Even in this state she was cute in her over-size tee shirt. You couldn't see a baby bulge yet, at least not from this distance, but he imagined a huge belly.

"What the hell are you smiling at?"

"You, Jordan. Aren't I allowed to smile at my pregnant wife?"

"No. Not right now. I'm not… just be careful."

Right. Well, that didn't help.

"OK, I have to ask. What's wrong?"

She responded. Loudly. "What – you mean you don't know? I told you! I am suffering real loss, here! I lost my time to be quietly pregnant, to keep a good secret, to be… To be me for a little while longer! Now I've lost two kittens. I lost weeks in that damned hospital. Weeks I should have been enjoying my freedom! Don't you realize? I had the beginning of my pregnancy ruined! It's not something I can get back."

Again, nothing made sense. He decided to apologize – that always made things better.

Sitting down beside her, gently allowing her space but close enough to support her, he said, "I'm so sorry. If I'd known you wanted to see the cats again…" He got no further.

A flood of tears stopped his apology. He put his arms around his weeping wife, not knowing what else to do.

"I'm just so tired!" She sobbed into his shoulder. "I'm a terrible mother, I can't even take care of the cats, you need to call everyone to support you because I'm out of it – I'm just not good at this domestic stuff! I'm going to screw it all up…"

"Don't do that! It's not your fault you got sick. The cats are fine, and as for me calling…"

She flew off his shoulder, pushing him away. "Just, don't! I'm just – I don't know what I am! This isn't the way I planned…" Her face landed on her fists.

Slowly, Woody responded, "What. Can. I. Do?" His frustration was obvious. He had somehow become her emotional punching bag.

From behind her clenched fists, she muttered, "I don't need you to do anything. You had to give the kittens away, I know that. We can't keep them. I just wish I could have hugged them one more time – Oh, Lord, help me! They were just stupid cats! We can't keep seven cats! And you had to call the morgue, I couldn't come in to work. They needed to know… For some, weird reason, I really want to hit you!"

She seemed to be approaching reasonable, even if her emotions were royally messed up. Somewhere in there was his smart wife. Somewhere…

She was in desperate tears again, mourning the loss of a deep, personal relationship with Sam and Guinness. Guinness was the little Irish fighter – just like her Dad. Sam was a pretty thing. She would miss them both so much!

"I'm so sorry" Her voice shrank to a small ringing sound. "I miss those stupid animals… and I can't surprise everyone with a pregnancy announcement… I'm just so… sad… and I'm really pissed off at the same time… God!"

He still didn't really know was happening in her head. She was repeating herself – sort of. So, he went with his gut. It had served him well for his whole career…

Lizzie sat at a safe distance, washing her face. She couldn't help but wonder why he didn't wash himself as well. Clearly, if there was a time for self-washing, it was now. Instead, he helped her pet lie down in the bed. Then he turned off the lights and wrapped his arms around her. Lizzie took her cue and hopped up. If he wasn't going to wash himself or Jordan – which was what one did when calming down – curling up in a kitty pile was clearly a good second best. She sauntered onto her pet's shaking body and curled up in Jordan's curvy middle, head on her hip.

Jordan's sobs slowed down, the jerking hiccoughs gradually ceased and she slipped into deep, even breathing. Woody stayed until she rolled over, away from his arms, dislodging Liz from her sleeping perch. Jordan was resting, at last.

He looked at her with loving concern. He thought about what the actual labor and birth would be like, then decided not to think about that right now. He murmured a prayer for his girls, and lowered his feet to the floor. He wanted to get all her things put away and prepare a light meal for Jordan to wake up to. As he rounded the end of the bed, however, he was attacked by four kamikaze fighters, flying through the air, ears back and weapons unsheathed…