Chapter Seven

Nigel peeked in Jordan's office. She wasn't there. She wasn't in autopsy and the lights were still off in trace. In short, she was nowhere to be found.

He frowned to himself. She didn't come in yesterday. And she didn't call. That wasn't like her. Garret hadn't mentioned anything about her being sick…but then the chief ME hadn't acted to upset when Jordan didn't show up for work yesterday or today. Puzzled, he finally poked his head into Dr. Macy's office. "Dr. M….have you seen Jordan? I can't find her and I need her signature on these forms before I submit them to Walcott."

Garret smiled at Nigel. "No. I haven't seen her. I doubt any of us will today, either. She's sort of busy. Let me have the forms and I'll sign them for her."

"Jordan's busy? Is something wrong with Max or the Pogue?" This was the Brit's way of trying to find out exactly what was up with her. And Garret knew it.

"Nope. All is fine. Got a call from a certain detective-turned-soldier. Seems he's in on a three-week furlough. He requested that Jordan be able to take a few days off. I could hardly refuse." He grinned at Nigel.

"Woody's home?"

"Came in night before last. He called me on his way to Jordan's apartment."

Nigel chuckled. "I guess she is a busy lady, then."

And she was. From the time Woody joined her in the bubble bath until right now while they were cooking breakfast together, he had kept her very busy…not that she was complaining. She yawned and pushed a curl behind her ear. Woody caught her movement out of the corner of his eye. "Tired?" he asked, in a teasing voice.

"Just a little…" she answered, blushing faintly at the reason she was exhausted.

"We could go back to bed and just sleep…I swear."

She raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing him.

"I mean it. I don't want you all tired out…we've got three weeks to go."

"Do you mind?"

"No. Go lay back down. I finish the dishes and join you in a few minutes."

Jordan handed him her dishtowel and went back to the bedroom, eyeing the bed that was now a tangled mass of sheets and linens. She straightened up the bedclothes a little and climbed back under them, dozing back off almost immediately. It wasn't that she hadn't slept any since he had been back…it just hadn't been her normal amount. A year was a lot of time to catch up on. When Woody hadn't been making love to her, they had been talking, reluctant to leave each other at all…Jordan was too afraid she'd wake up and discover it was all a dream….that he was still in Iraq and she was all alone in Boston.

She woke back up in his arms, several hours later…feeling rested…and watched. She rolled over and found him looking at her. Softly he stroked a finger down the side of her face. "I've missed you, Jordan." The fingers trailed from her cheek to her neck, gently fingering the cross around her neck. "You're still wearing it."

"I never take it off except to shower…"

He smiled. "Want to replace it with a ring?"

Jordan caught her breath. She wanted to…but not now. She wanted to wait until he was back in Boston permanently. But she also didn't want to hurt his feelings. Quietly, she replied, "I want to, Woody. But I'd rather wait until your back here for good."

"Why?"

"Because…when we're engaged…when you're my fiancé, I just want you here…to help me plan things…to be with me. I just would rather wait."

"Jo, I don't care what kind of wedding we have…that's totally up to you. I just want to leave knowing you're mine….my girl. And I want everyone else to know it, too."

"Woody, I am yours. Totally and only yours. A ring, or lack of one, doesn't change anything. But we'd be engaged a whole year without being with each other. I want my engagement to be more than that…a special time for both of us. And I don't want a long engagement. We've danced around the issue of each other for nearly four years. By the time you get back, it'll be five…"

"So you want a short engagement and quickie wedding?"

"Pretty much. But until then, I'm all yours. You don't have to worry."

He hugged her to him…it wasn't the answer he wanted….it wasn't the one he expected. Her ring was in his jacket pocket. But he guessed he understood where she was coming from. It wasn't that he ever doubted Jordan's fidelity. He just wanted to leave the States with a huge warning sign on the ring finger of her left hand that the lady was out of circulation.


Jordan had to go to work the next day. Woody went with her, making his way to the police department, to surprise his chief and co-workers. Jordan went to her office, to get caught back up on work and endure the teasing of Nigel and Bug….and the knowing glances of Garret. "Geez," she told them, "it's not like any of you haven't called in late or wanted a day or two off to be with someone."

"Not me. Not ever," deadpanned Bug.

"Then Bug, you so need to get a life," she replied, thumbing through reports and screens that were on her desk. As usual, she got so caught up with her work, she forgot about the time, until a knock on her door got her attention.

"You free for lunch, Dr. Cavanaugh?" It was Woody….looking so much like old times in his suit, with his Boston PD badge hanging from his neck that she nearly forgot he was stationed in Iraq and only had three weeks with her. She nearly let herself repress the thought completely, until the look in his eyes brought her back to reality. Something wasn't right.

"Yes, sir, detective," she replied, keeping a smile on her face and her tone light until they could get somewhere they could talk.