Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Crossing Jordan.

A/N: So far two votes for Bug and Lily and none for Seely. In either the next chapter or the one after I am going to start writing about it, so if anyone wants to vote for Seely, you might want to do that now. I wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed my story so far. I know I'm not the best writer and it means a lot that you would still take the time to review it.

Unforeseen

Chapter 26 – Rejection

A young man in a UPS uniform finally delivered Jennifer Avery's autopsy reports. Jordan signed for them, as she was acting as temporary chief ME. She then took them to her office and started reading. Woody was back at the precinct going over what they had so far. Avery had left Boston but they hadn't been able to track where. He had done circles around Boston all morning to throw them off and then suddenly disappeared under the radar.

Lily found her way into Jordan's office, the stress of the last few days evident in her eyes. "Jordan, I'm really worried about Garret. What if we can't catch this guy?"

"He's bound to slip up somewhere," she said, as she glanced up from the file she was reading.

Zoe came to the door. "Where are you on the Avery case?"

"Not any further than we were yesterday. The guy knows what he's doing. Can you do me a favour?"

"Sure."

"Can you ask Nigel if he's gotten the results from their kidneys?"

"Sure," she said, as she backed out of the room, her heels clicking loudly against the tile floor.

"Nigel," she called into the room. He looked up at her nervously. She smiled to ease his nerves but it made him feel worse.

"What can I do for you luv?"

"Jordan wants to know if you have the results from the women's kidneys?"

"I'm almost finished collecting all the samples and then I'll run them," he answered, as he lowered his gaze. The room was suddenly filled with a hollow silence.

"I'll let her know," she finally said. "Nigel do you think we can go out and talk tonight?"

"You know what happened last time luv," Nigel responded.

"That's not what I mean. I want to talk about last night."

"What's to talk about? We got drunk and we screwed up." As soon as the words left his mouth, he regret what he said. Her eyes drooped and her gaze fell to the floor.

"I'm sorry you see it that way," she answered sullenly as she quickly jogged out of the room. Her heart felt heavy from Nigel's rejection and tears were beginning to burn her eyes. She raced to the washroom where she could wash her face and regain her composure.

Nigel heard the freight elevator and went over to investigate. Two morgue employees gently pushed a gurney out of it with a body covered in a sheet. "Who is this?" Nigel asked.

"Mrs. Ariana Trumaine. She died of lung cancer this morning," one of the employees answered emotionlessly. All the blood drained from Nigel's face. He turned to the doorway and jumped as he saw Sydney standing there. His face was unreadable as he stared at the covered body.

"Ariana," he finally whimpered. He took a step towards the body and froze. The love of his life was lying dead on a gurney only a few feet before him. Her body was covered in a plain white sheet and a tag was attached to her toe.

"Sydney, I'll take her. Why don't you, umm, go sit down," Nigel suggested nervously. He wished Lily or Zoe were nearby.

"Ariana. Oh God, Ariana." Tears gently dribbled down his cheeks and a sob escaped his lips.

Nigel turned to the two employees who were eagerly waiting to be released from their duties. Nigel signed the form and sent them on their way. Then he turned back to Sydney. "Come on luv, why don't we go sit down?" he suggested again, feeling evidently more uncomfortable.

"Nigel," Jordan exclaimed from the doorway, oblivious to Sydney and his deceased wife. "Kidney's?"

Nigel motioned to the gurney and then to Sydney. Sydney had made it to the body and was lifting the sheet. Jordan nodded with realization and turned around to find Lily. Instead she bumped into Zoe. "We need you."

"Okay," Zoe said with confusion as she followed Jordan back to the body. Sydney's head was now on her chest and he was crying harder than before. Jordan motioned to Nigel to leave them alone. Zoe wandered over to Sydney and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"What's her name?"

"Ariana," he sputtered.

"She's very beautiful."

"I can't go on without her. How can I go on living without her next to me every morning and every night? How can I move on?"

"Time heals all wounds. It's hard to move past the loss of a loved one because people often fear if they let go, they are betraying them and leaving them behind. At some point you'll be able to find the strength within yourself to keep going and keep living. Would she want you to give up on life simply because she is no longer in it?"

"Of course not, but this hurts so much. I don't want to bury her in the ground. I'm not ready to let go."

"No one ever is I'm afraid. Death is one of the most difficult aspects of life. Grief can consume one to a point that it causes physical pain. You will get through this and she will live on in your memories and in your heart."

He nodded, as he buried his face in her shirt. She no longer reached up and stroked his head, she no longer kissed him and told him everything would be all right, instead she lay motionless.

"Do you want to be alone?" Zoe asked, as she let her hand slide away from his back. He nodded again and listened patiently to the sound of her heels tapping against the tile floor as she walked away. He lifted his head and looked into his wife's blank face. He missed her smile, her laughter and even her tears. He reminded himself that she was no longer in pain. This was just her empty shell and diseases could no longer ravage her body.

Lily approached Zoe who was waiting on the other side of the door. "Jordan told me Sydney's wife was just brought in." Zoe nodded lethargically, but said nothing. "This must be so hard for him." Zoe nodded again.

"Let me know if you need anything. I can have the release papers drawn up if he wants to get it over with." Lily explained softly after a few seconds of silence. Zoe turned in her direction and nodded her head.

Lily then turned and went to trace to check up on Nigel and Jordan who were analyzing kidney's.

"Ethylene glycol, I knew it." Jordan exclaimed. "That's how he did it."

"Did what luv?"

"Avery, he slipped them ethylene glycol so that they would have shortness of breath and he could make them believe they were drunk."

"Why didn't we notice their eyes were jaundice?"

"Because Nige, the hemorrhaging in the eyes from being asphyxiated hid it. The signs were there, but they were hidden."

"This guy is as good as Oliver Titlemen."

"Everyone screws up Nige."

"I'm sorry, I'm not following," Lily said from the doorway. "What is ethylene glycol?"

"Antifreeze, luv. It's odourless and it tastes sweet, making it simple to injest."

"How is that helpful?"

"Antifreeze, puts you into a drunken stupor. It courses through your veins and you end up with shortness of breath, you feel dizzy and your eyes turn a slight shade of yellow. We missed it because it doesn't show up in a normal tox. It instead is deposited into the kidneys."

"I just want him off the streets," Lily muttered breathlessly, as though she was deep in thought.

"So do I, Lily, so do I," Jordan said with a sigh. "Nigel call the precinct and tell them what we found. I'm not finished with Jennifer Avery's autopsy report."

"Do you think I should go back and visit Garret?" Lily asked gently.

"Give him some time and space Lil. He has a lot to deal with and maybe some time alone in the hospital is just what he needs to sort out his feelings," Jordan explained, thinking about Woody rejecting her when she didn't give him time to accept his defeat.