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Of course, Woodrow – the charming boy-next-door with his perfect smile and perfectly combed swoop – also went to Sunday mass every week. He really checked all the boxes, didn't he?

Nigel did take comfort in the fact that he knew what postulator meant when the resident Catholics came up short. Although he had been knocked down a few pegs after essentially destroying Josh's entire belief system by giving a scientific reason for his miraculous return-to-life.

Presumptuous. Officious. Cruel. Those were the first three words that Jordan had come up with, and he was pretty sure she'd have a whole list ready to go by the time he got home.

So, here he sat, twiddling with the silver cross Josh had given him to bury with the infamous Isabel Harley.

When Jordan was first going on about all the hocus pocus mumbo jumbo, Nigel had been up front that there was no evidence to back up either side's claim so, therefore, neither side was wrong or right. They were all simply making it up as they went, and it was best not to kill one another over a difference of opinions.

Of course, he hadn't meant to gloat about his hypothesis concerning Josh's near-death experience, and he certainly didn't mean for the teen to ever hear his findings, but there wasn't anything he could do about it now.

Nigel was just a scientist, and he did what scientists do; they question, and prod, and seek out the truth. And, in the end, his theory was what the evidence pointed to, so he had done his due diligence. Right?

Then, why did he feel so bad?

Maybe it was because Jordan had been less than impressed with his commentary and Vatican conspiracy this week, and the Josh-incident only seemed to make things worse between them.

Jordan was the most cynical Catholic he knew though. More than once, he had heard her go off about the absurdity of it all. What had gotten into her lately? Maybe it was because he wasn't religious? Or maybe it had something to do with Woody and Lu recently pairing off?

"Nigel, you're still here?" Lily smiled as she rounded the corner, a stack of files in arm.

He returned the gesture as he stood to gather his things, "Just about to head out, luv."

"Anything you need to talk about?" Leave it to Lily to know how to read him like a book.

"It's just this case." He held up the cross before tossing it back on his desk and ruffling his hair, "We found the man but, there is still just a lot…a lot to sort through."

"Ahh, yes. Religion can be an issue for a lot of couples." Lily sighed, remembering her own concerns with Judaism and Jeffrey.

Nigel played it off with a grin, "I am sure it will work itself out. Well, night, Lil."

"If you need to talk—"

"I got your number." He winked as he grabbed his jacket and headed out, feeling too suffocated to linger any longer. He needed to get away from the morgue, this case, this week. He needed an escape.

The ride did nothing to help clear his head and he felt just as smothered by his thoughts as he unlocked the door.

"You will be happy to know that Woody agrees with you. Blind faith is not all it's cracked up to be, after all." Came Jordan's greeting.

He rolled his eyes, was he to have no peace?

"So, atheist one, Catholics zip." Jordan winked, biting into the sandwich she had made, "Well, I guess, Catholic and recovering Catholic but, you get the gist."

He'd really had enough for one day and his good-natured temper had hit its limit, "Why have you been acting like that?"

She turned to him skeptically, "Like, what?"

"Like it's you and Woody verses me, the big, bad atheist. Only I'm not an atheist, I'm agnostic." He retorted; hurt she didn't seem to know him as well as he thought.

"I think you have spent too much time in Trace, all those chemicals…"

"I'm serious, Jordan. Ever since we were assigned this case you've had it out for me. Like—like I'm the devil out to douse everyone's faith!"

"Definitely too much time in Trace." She muttered before turning to him, "You won't understand, Nige. See, being Catholic is almost like being born into the mob. It's just part of who we are, it's shapes how we see the world and we can't do a damn thing about it." She didn't realize how patronizing her voice sounded.

"We as in you and Woody, right? Well," He crossed his arms and pressed on before she could cut him off, "When was the last time you even went to Mass? To Confession? The last time you lit a candle to one of those statues and said a prayer?"

"Ah, I lit one tonight!" She jested, resorting to humor, "To St. Joseph, for harmony in the home. Looks like that was a wasted candle, I should ask for my money back."

He sneered, "You're a bleeding hypocrite! You claim to be a—a Christian, but you do nothing but mock it and crack jokes, thinking a stop in every Christmas covers your bases. But, heaven forbid, an outsider offers a reasonable explanation, or has an alternative perspective on things!"

She was ready to throw it back but stopped, knowing something else was at play, "What's gotten into you, Nige, huh?"

His fingers ripped back through his hair, and he took up pacing, "I just, it's not me, Jordan. I'm science, and facts and things I can touch and analyze."

"I know." She wasn't sure where he was going with this.

"I don't like being the bad guy." His eyes were heavy, I don't like that we aren't on the same team.

"Hey-hey-hey…." Jordan gently took his face between her hands, "No one said you were."

He sniffed back the tears, "You didn't see his face."

"Well, if Josh's is going to survive these Boston streets, he's gonna have to learn to hold himself against an atheist." She winced, "Sorry, agnostic. Look, we won't always agree on everything, or even understand where the other is coming from half the time, but we are in this, together, yeah?"

Nigel nodded before gently removing her hands and stepping around her. He just needed some time to himself, to think, to figure out what was really bugging him. Was it the case? Was it their different worldviews? Was it something else?

"Hey, Nige?"

He turned back, exhaustion clouding him, "Yeah?"

Jordan worried her lower lip, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel left out this week." She remembered the Christmas Eve she had been left outside the massive church, and how alone and empty she felt before they had found her a seat. She hated that she had made him feel like that.

"No worries, luv."

"We okay?" She pressed, scared at the chasm she felt between them.

Sighing, he walked over and gently kissed her head, knowing his needs could wait a little longer in favor of hers, "We are, I just—I've had a long day is all. I've had a lot on my mind between Josh and…and religion and science and what have you." He smiled, "We're good, I promise."

Jordan held fast to his hand, an uneasy smile playing across her face, "Guessing it wouldn't help if I said I was praying for you?"

He laughed, fully and loudly, "I would say that it wouldn't hurt anything, because it just means you care about me. Now, though, I'm going to go shower because that will help for sure."

She held onto his hand as long as she could and when she couldn't any longer, she called after him, "I love you."

"I love you too." He gave her one final parting smile, knowing he meant every word, "You can have faith in that, Jordan."

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