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

A/N: I can't believe we've already reached chapter 45. I still have so many storylines to tie in. I wanted to take the opportunity to thank my readers for sticking around so long. I hope you'll stick around a while longer. I still have so many places to go with this. Anyway, enjoy…

Unforeseen

Chapter 45 – Breaking Down

Once Nigel had finished pulling all the bodies from the wreckage, he returned to the morgue. He went straight to trace to help Bug. Bug was leaning over a dead body when he entered. "Hello Buggles, any news on the hostage situation?"

"I haven't heard anything," Bug said morosely.

"Any ID's?"

"I've found six so far. You take over doing ID's and I'll start autopsying."

Nigel glanced towards the door and saw all the families waiting in fear, with their tear stained faces, for any news. Then he saw Zoe walking towards the door, her red curls falling haphazardly around her face. Her green eyes sparkled in the fluorescent light and he was instantly reminded of when he made her cry. "Why is Dr. Fisher here?"

"She's helping Lily report the identifications to the families. She is a psychologist."

"Hey Bug," she said poking her head in. "Any more for us? Oh hello Dr. Townsend," she said when she noticed him standing there.

"Hi Dr. Fisher," he said awkwardly.

"Here's two more," Bug said, handing her the file, oblivious to the tension between Nigel and Zoe.

"Thank you," she said with a smile, leaving as quickly as possible.

XXXXX

Renee Walcott was drinking her usual cup of coffee and reading through the newspaper on her break. As she flipped through the paper, something caught her attention. The name Abigail Macy was printed in bold letters in the obituary section. Her heart physically broke for Garret. It was as though she could suddenly feel his pain. She felt the tears burning her eyes and the tensing of her stomach muscles as she allowed the loss to completely overtake her. She didn't know Abby, she'd barely met her, but the thought of a child losing the chance to grow up, the chance to get married, to live. The thought of Garret losing his only child, the one thing that kept him alive had been ripped from him. The thought that Garret and his daughter would never get the chance to make amends and move forward, to share a future filled with happiness and loss. She cried for them, for Garret, for Abby and even for Maggie.

She couldn't explain the emotions that held her. She desperately wanted to go to Garret, to hold him and help him make it through his pain, but she knew now was not the time for them. She had to respect that Garret didn't need her to help him. Even though that thought hurt like hell.

XXXXX

Lu stared at the scene unfolding before her. The standoff between Woody and Trevor had seemed to last forever. She thought for sure Woody was going to get himself shot. She had to intervene, after all she was trained in psychology, she needed to take control of the situation.

"Mr. Palmer?"

He turned to look at her, his gaze was cold, filled with a rage she had never seen before. "What?" he spat venomously.

"I think it would be best for everyone, if we all calmed down."

His eyes narrowed into little slits. "This isn't some little joke," he yelled ferociously. "I expect to be taken seriously."

"What is it you want?"

"To make my point."

"What is your point?"

"They didn't deserve to fire me. I worked my ass off for them but they couldn't see it. You don't know what it's like to lose everything all at once. To feel your life crumbling around you."

"Why let that control you? So you lost everything, why not move on? Why kill a bus full of innocent people?"

"YOU DON'T GET IT," he shouted in frustration as his anger appeared once again.

"Mr. Palmer, there is no reason to get angry, we're just talking."

"Yeah well I don't want to talk to you."

"It's important to talk about how you feel."

"I don't care. I don't want to talk about how I feel."

"Why not?"

"BECAUSE…" his voice trailed off and he stomped away. However Lu's next comment stopped him dead in his tracks.

"You need to deal with what happened to your mother."

He swung around, his face contorted with rage. He stomped towards her and moved his face merely inches from her own.

"Don't talk about my mother."

"Why not?"

He backed away, his hands shaking from the anger that coursed through his veins. "Nobody talks about my mother. NOBODY…"

"Your mother was murdered at the hands of your father. You need to deal with it."

"NO I DON'T."

"Yes you d…" His hand made contact with her face and her head rolled back. When she looked back at him her eyes were glistening with tears.

XXXXX

Jordan stared at the house from the curb where her and Seely had placed themselves only an hour before. Her head was spinning and she felt sick as she watched helplessly. "They need to get them out of there."

"They're doing all they can."

"Seely, he's been in there for almost two hours. They haven't done shit."

"I don't know what to say Jordan. There isn't anything I can do."

Framus came over with two cups of hot coffee. Jordan accepted it with a nod and a smile but didn't take a sip. "They're putting SWAT in place. They plan to go in, in a matter of minutes," Framus explained.

"What if he has a gun?"

"Well negotiating hasn't gone anywhere. They want this over with."

Jordan sighed and felt the tears welling up in her eyes again. She couldn't lose Woody. Not today; not when they had finally gotten together.

Seely took a large sip of his coffee, he didn't even care that it burned his esophagus the whole way down. He just wanted his friends out of there.

XXXXX

Woody watched as Trevor slapped Lu a few times to shut her up. He now felt completely responsible. He should have protected her. She was new. Lois had shouted at Trevor several times to stop but he was too far gone. His eyes were filled with complete hatred. His face was contorted with rage. His hands trembled with the adrenalin that pumped into his system to fuel his anger.

Finally he stopped. He backed away and flopped onto the sofa, ignoring the icy glares from Lois and Woody. Lu had lost consciousness completely and more blood spilled from her head wound.

XXXXX

"Position 1?"

"Check."

"Position 2?"

"Check."

Jordan listened as SWAT got themselves into place. She was paralyzed with fear. She couldn't begin to imagine her life without Woody in it. She could still remember receiving the phone call six months ago, the one that informed her Woody had been shot by Wayne Riggs. She could remember the overwhelming despair that clutched her heart. She remembered the paralyzing fear of uncertainty and the pain of loss. A pain so strong, she felt she too would die. She could also remember the overwhelming feeling of relief when they said he'd be all right. She could only hope that she would feel that way again.

Seely watched the emotions play across Jordan's face. Without thinking he reached over and took her hand. "He's going to be okay Jordan. The guy gives Superman a run for his money."

Jordan laughed as tears spilled from her eyes and allowed Matt Seely to offer her comfort. A place she'd never thought she'd ever be given comfort.

XXXXX

Lois Carver couldn't help watching Lu's unconscious form slumped over in the chair. She could do nothing to help her and she felt so totally helpless. She just hoped that Lu would be all right. The bruises on Woody's head and neck were nothing compared to the welts and cuts on Lu.

She looked over at Woody. He was glaring at Trevor, his face contorted into an enraged scowl. She imagined the moment Woody was loose, he was going to go savage on Trevor Palmer, attacking him for the injustice he did to Lu and his own wife. Lois had a deep respect for Woody. He was everything like Jordan when it came to pursuing the truth and delivering justice to those that deserved it. She smiled at just how much Jordan and Woody were alike. They were meant to be. She only wished she could feel that way about her own husband.

XXXXX

Jordan, Seely and Framus watched in silence as SWAT was given the order to enter. They watched the teams run inside the house and then they heard gunfire. The sound was deafening and it stopped Jordan's heart instantly.

XXXXX

Zoe watched Lily as she attempted to console a family member who had just received confirmation that her son was on the bus. The woman cried hard and held Lily's outstretched hand. She listened to the woman cry for her son and ask god why he would take her son away. She listened to the woman's angry cries to god and found her own eyes burning. She had never become emotionally attached before. She had learned how to distance herself from her patients. She'd had to, but why now was she suddenly crying for this woman?

"I'll be right back," she said gently to Lily and then raced to the crypt, where she broke down and sobbed.

Nigel found her moments later and sunk onto the floor beside her. He pulled her into his arms and she cried into his chest. He stroked her hair while she tried to regain her composure. When she did, she looked up at him. He reached out to wipe the tears from her face and she pulled away. "Don't touch me," she warned, backing away from him.

He looked at her in shock. "But…"

"No Nigel. We can't do this. We both know it. Just go," she cried, as more tears spilled from her eyes.

The look of angst that played across her face tore at his heart. He ached to hold her and make her stop crying, to take away the pain that was so obviously plaguing her. Instead he left her all alone in the cold, dark room, to cry alone to herself.

XXXXX

Woody and Lois came outside into the fresh air. The sun stung their eyes, from the darkness they had been surrounded by for so long. Jordan ran at full speed and hugged Woody fiercely as tears poured down her cheeks. He wrapped his arms around her and felt her flinch as his tight embrace hurt her stitches. He pulled back and went to apologize but she pressed her lips against his. He could taste the salt from her tears as he kissed her back. "I was so scared," she admitted.

"I'm okay Jo. Everything's okay." Jordan reached up and touched the bruises on Woody's pale skin.

"What did he do to you?"

"Nothing compared to what he did to her," he said pointing to Lu.

Everyone watched as Lu was brought out on a stretcher. Her eyes were still closed as she lay unconscious. Her pink sweater was now covered in bright red blood. Her face was so swollen and bruised that she was almost unrecognizable.

"Is she going to be okay?" Jordan asked nervously.

Woody pulled her into his arms. "I hope so Jo, I really hope so," he said as tears sprung to his eyes.

XXXXX

Seely felt sick as he ran to Lu's side. He brushed his fingers gently against the cuts on her face. He couldn't help but stare at the blood that had crusted on her clothing and matted her blonde hair. "Lu," he whispered softly, trying to keep the sob from escaping his lips.

"We have to get her to a hospital," one of the paramedics said urgently.

"Will she be all right?" he asked her grief stricken.

"We don't know the extent of her injuries, but I'm sure she'll be fine," the woman said with a smile, as she closed the ambulance door.

He watched the flashing lights come on and the ambulance speed away. He turned to Framus who was standing beside him. "They just told me Palmer's dead. He shot himself when SWAT entered."

Seely nodded and looked back to the direction the ambulance had gone. "She'll be okay," Framus said softly.

Woody and Jordan came over to join them. Jordan put her hand on Seely's back. "She'll be fine."

He smiled at her. "Thanks Jordan."

XXXXX

Lily waited while Nigel found the last ID of the twentieth victim. He looked up at her. "What do you think of Dr. Fisher?" he asked softly.

"I think she's good at her job," Lily told him gently. "Why?"

"No reason, just wondering."

"Why you don't have a crush on her, do you Nige?" Lily taunted.

"Very funny Lily," he said tersely, turning back to his computer screen.

"Geez Nige, it must be a crush, you never get that defensive."

He frowned and Lily took the hint to let it go. "Abby's visitation is tonight," Lily said softly.

"Poor Dr. M. I thought maybe I'd go around 8:00 tonight, to pay my respects."

Lily nodded. "Maybe I'll go with you."

Bug entered the room and looked at his colleagues. "Dr. Fisher is looking for you."

"Me?" Nigel asked in confusion.

"No, she's looking for Lily."

Nigel looked down so no one would see his cheeks as they flushed pink.

XXXXX

At 7:00, Garret and Maggie made their way into the funeral home. The funeral director explained the procedures that were to come. This time Garret didn't feel angry, instead he felt sick.

Finally they were led to Abby's coffin. Her eyes were closed and her skin was painted to look real, even though nothing about her looked real. Garret held Maggie as she turned and sobbed into his shirt. He reached out and touched his daughter's cold, lifeless cheeks.

Maggie pulled away and sat down on a chair nearby. Garret remained by the open coffin. His hand was still touching Abby's face. Tears spilled from his eyes and he said a silent prayer to god, to please take his daughter and keep her safe.

XXXXX

Woody watched Jordan as she pulled all her black dresses from the closet. She was trying to pick one for Abby's visitation. "I have nothing," she moaned as she dropped onto the bed beside him.

"Jordan there's nothing wrong with these," he said as he lifted them from the bed.

"Yeah, if I were the village whore."

Woody grinned. "What about this one?" he asked, lifting a long black dress from the pile.

"That's an evening gown, it doesn't exactly scream funeral."

"Well call Lily, see if she has anything you can wear. What did you wear to her mother's funeral?"

"I borrowed a dress from Roz."

"So borrow it again."

"It's too short notice."

"You could call Charlene."

"I'm pretty sure her and Eddie are both working nights."

"Here I'll call Roz," Woody said, pulling his cell phone from his pocket.

XXXXX

Renee thanked her babysitter, Maria, for caring for her son while she went to Abby's visitation. She felt nervous as she climbed into her car and slipped the key into the ignition. She pulled out of her driveway and thought about what she should say to Garret when she got there. She didn't know what to expect. Maybe he didn't want her there. Maybe he didn't want her in his life, especially now that his daughter was dead.

She felt her stomach flip, as she remembered the look he'd given her when she saw him last. She remembered his cold detached tone and the look of pain in his eyes. A look he'd tried so hard to hide. Maybe she should leave well enough alone, he'd made his feelings rather clear.

Her heart told her to keep going, that no matter what, she loved him and she needed to at least pay her respects to his daughter. The daughter, she knew, who had been the most important thing in his life.

XXXXX

Roz knocked on Jordan's door and waited until Woody let her in. He smiled at her and thanked her for the dress. "Do you want to come in?"

"No, I can't. I have to go meet someone."

"Roz thank you so much," Jordan said, appearing behind Woody, dressed only in her small terrycloth robe. Her hair was still wet from her shower.

"No problem Jordan. Anytime."

"I hope there won't be too many more," Jordan said. "I hate funerals."

"I'm going to stop in tomorrow afternoon before the funeral."

"See you soon, we have to do dinner before you leave," Jordan called after her.

"Okay, well give me a call."

"All right, thanks for this Roz."

"Yeah, no problem."