Endgame Chapter 6 Rating: PG-13

In the ambulance on the way to the hospital. . .

"Uncle Max?"

"Yeah?" I looked at the paramedic to make sure it was ok that she talks right now and he nodded his head.

"Um. The guy who hit me? I got him to talk and he told me some things. And. . . Well. . ."

"What is it sweetheart?"

"Was he. . .? Was Aunt Emily his mother?"

"Yes, she was. What else did he tell you?"

"Well, I don't think he knew I was related to you. I was just trying to keep him talking so that he wouldn't. . . Well, you know. It worked anyway."

"Yeah? That's good." Thank God we don't have to deal with any drug cocktails or anything. And she doesn't have to deal with that emotional fallout on top of everything else.

"Anyway, he said that you weren't his father ~ his father was some guy working in the garden at her parents' place. And Aunt Emily was only 16?"

"Right. It wasn't an easy time. Your aunt had problems. She tried to drown him. . ."

"So that wasn't a lie. He thought it probably was."

"I'm not surprised."

"So anyway you gave him to another couple to raise?"

"Yes. I did what I thought was best at the time."

"Oh. Ok. He'd been working at Summit View for a while he said. He saw Jordan there working on a case a few years ago and got this one guy to say that he knew who killed her mother. And then. . ."

"Then things got ugly. But it's ok now. Everything is fine."

"And he told me about meeting with you and Jordan ~ he didn't use names, but I'm not stupid ~ at the house a couple of years ago and running off. He changed his name and went back to Summit View to work. But he said that the meeting made something snap in him. That's when he started hanging out in that wing. Said that's where his mother had been?"

"Yes. Your aunt had problems ~ too many for us to deal with alone. One night I heard Jordan scream and found her in the bathroom with her mother in the corner. Emily was cutting her own hair and her arms with a piece of broken mirror. So yes, she was in the wing where you were."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I knew something was hitting a nerve whenever we mentioned it in the briefing."

"It's ok baby. So did he say anything else?"

"Well, right before we heard the car doors and he knocked me out, he started to say something else."

"What?" She's whispering now. I think it's on purpose, but it's sort of hard to hear over the siren.

"He said something about his mother, or started to. It sounded like he was going to say she killed herself?" Oh my God. The look in his eyes right now. Not anger. Pain ~ like I've never seen before.

"Yes. She did. I purposely went home for lunch that day. I knew something wasn't right with Emily and I didn't know what to do about it short of taking her back to Summit View or another hospital. I walked in and things were too quiet. I knew something had happened. And then I went into the living room and. . ." Even after all this time it still hurts to remember that day.

"But everyone thought it was a murder."

"Kaid, I know you weren't raised Roman Catholic, so you wouldn't know. If Emily killed herself and people found out about it, she couldn't be buried in consecrated ground and with a funeral mass. Plus Jordan ~ I didn't want her to have the stigma of having a mother who killed herself. So I did what I had to do."

"You made it look like a murder?"

"I didn't see that I had a choice. But yes. And then I was investigated for having killed her. They released me because they couldn't find any proof, but they always have to look at the spouse. The one thing I didn't count on was them finding James' fingerprint. The night before. . . Emily had a headache so she asked me to take Jordan out for dinner. While we were out, James came to visit her, and apparently she told him everything. It didn't occur to me that he had touched anything, especially the knife. But I guess they had cake or something. Anyway, this one print that didn't belong to anyone who should have been in the house appeared in their investigation. It made the murder theory easier to sell ~ and about drove Jordan crazy."

"She doesn't know?"

"About Emily committing suicide? No. I haven't told her yet. I just ~ in trying to protect her I've kept a lot of things from her. She didn't know about James until that meeting he told you about. She didn't know about Emily's illness until the year before that. I don't know what learning this will do to her."

"Uncle Max? She deserves to know. Otherwise she'll be hunting for whoever killed her mother her whole life."

"I know. In some ways it would be easy since they apparently killed James in apprehending him ~ that's what I assume the 'don't bother' meant over the radios ~ easy to let her believe that James did it. But. . ."

"But she deserves to know. She deserves to hear it from you."

"I know she does. I just. . ."

"If you want, you can tell her with me in the room. Maybe I can help. . ."

"Thanks for the offer, Kaid. But it's something I need to do alone." I guess when we get to the hospital I can talk with her. Surely we can find some quiet room there.

"Well, I think that boyfriend of hers will help her get through it. He seems really nice ~ when he's not calling me 'Buffy' that is."

"Woody? Yeah. He's been really good for Jordan. . . And I wouldn't worry too much about him calling you 'Buffy.' Ask him about when he first moved here from Wisconsin."

"Sir? We're almost to the ER. I just need to take another set of vitals. Ok sweetheart. Just relax. We're almost there."

And as soon as we pulled up, she was gone in a flurry of activity. I guess because of the extremely low temperature they were extra worried. I stood there in the waiting area not knowing what to do, then I finally went to the desk to ask them a few questions. In a little while I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Dad? Where is she?"

"They're examining her, Jordan. But she's going to be fine. He didn't. . ."

"That's good at least."

"Yeah. Very good. We talked a good bit on the way here."

"That's good. That she's talking I mean. But there's something wrong. I can see it in your eyes."

"Not exactly wrong, Jordan. But I do need to talk with you. Alone." I only hope I'm doing the right thing here. "Woody? Do you mind waiting here for any word about Kaidlyn? I'll let them know at the desk that you're family."

"No sir. I'll wait here." Family? That was a new one. I liked it ~ I think.

"Good. Jordan? Come with me sweetheart. We'll be in the staff lounge ~ I've already talked with the desk about it and they're fine with us using it for a few minutes."

"Alright."

"I'll be right here Jordan. I'm not leaving."

"I know."

Woody. . . What on earth could Max have to talk with her about that he needs to be alone to say? After everything else that's been hidden in that family what else could be left? Unless. . . I don't even want to think it ~ but there's really only one other thing. Well, two ~ or three. But Max has always assured us that he's her father, so that eliminates one. And at six or seven I'm sure that Jordan would remember having a younger sister born ~ or at least her mom being pregnant. So I'm back to one. . .

"Detective Hoyt? You can go in and talk with your cousin now. She's in Exam 3, right over here. She's got a mild concussion and she's a little cold, but she's going to be fine."

"Thank you doctor."

Simultaneously in the staff lounge. . .

"So what's up Dad? What else is there to tell me?" I know he's only done what he thinks is best for me, but still. I never know what else to expect to hear.

"Kaidlyn and I had a long talk on the ride over here."

"Dad, I know she's not my sister. I was almost seven when she was born. I'd remember that."

"No, Jordan. She's not your sister. She is your cousin. It was a little hard on your mother after she was born ~ especially since there had been the miscarriage a few years earlier. But no. Kaidlyn is definitely your cousin. It. . . It has to do with your mother Jordan."

I knew it. Everything has to do with my mother. "Ok. What? What do you need to tell me that you can't talk about in front of the man that I'm go-. . .the man that I'm in love with?" That was close. He doesn't know what happened in the van. And he hasn't spotted the ring yet either ~ I don't think.

"It's about your mother's death, Jordan."

"What? James confessed to doing it before he hurt Kaid? And before he was shot and killed out there? So his conscience. . .?"

"No, Jordan. He didn't kill your mother."

"Then what? You didn't. . .?"

"Jordan, calm down. Please. No, I did not kill her. I found her when I went home for lunch."

"I know that. That's always been the story. But Dad, I have a right to know. You went home and found her laying on the floor and. . ." Is he going to say what I've been afraid of ever since we studied this in school? The warning signs and. . . Looking back they were all there. But. . . But. . . "Dad? Mom wasn't murdered was she?"

"No baby. She wasn't. I knew that she had been sliding downhill again. I saw the symptoms, but I thought that maybe her love for you was enough to overcome it. Maybe one time things would be ok ~ if we could just get through that crisis. You went to school, I went to work. But almost as soon as I got there, I had a bad feeling. I took off early for lunch and went home as fast as I could. But it was too late. There was nothing I could do. Except make it look like a murder. So I broke the window, messed up the house. I put on my gloves so that I wouldn't leave any prints. The one thing I hadn't counted on was James having come to visit and left a print. I guess they had cake or something. That's why his print was there." I don't think I've ever seen her cry like this before. "Jordan? Sweetheart? Talk to me?"

"Why Dad?"

"Why what? Why did I make it look like a murder scene? To protect you Jordan. If word got out that she'd killed herself we couldn't have had the funeral we did. She couldn't have been buried where she was. You would have been stigmatized as the child of someone who killed herself. Who committed the one unforgivable sin in the Church's eyes. I couldn't let that happen to her. I couldn't let you live under that stigma."

"No. I mean why did she do it? Was I that bad?"

"God, no, Jordan. This was not your fault. It wasn't anyone's fault. I knew that she wasn't acting out of hatred for herself or anyone else but desperation. She'd been fighting it. She knew there were times she hurt you ~ maybe not physically, but emotionally and she hated herself for it. She didn't know what came over her and didn't want to think what she might do. She told me about it, but nothing seemed to work. She didn't see any way out."

"She told you she was going to?"

"No. She never said she was. At least not in so many words. She refused to go back to Summit View, and there really wasn't anywhere else to take her. I wasn't taking her somewhere like a prison. That would have been even worse. But I should have seen the warning signs. I should have paid closer attention."

"Dad? I know it's not your fault. Please don't cry. It's ok."

"What?" I mean, she seems willing to accept it, but since when had Jordan just been able to accept something?

"I think I've suspected it for a while now. Thank you for telling me."

"Jordan, I'm. . ."

"Dad. I promise. I'm ok. I ~ yeah, I wish you could have told me earlier, but I think I can understand why you didn't. It helps to finally hear it, though."

"Alright. . ." This is not the Jordan I know.

"I promise I'm ok. It hurts, yeah, but not as bad as I thought it would. I think in some ways I'd figured it out a long time ago and it was better just to leave things unsaid."

"Not always, Jordan. Not always."

"And I can't be angry with you. I guess. . .I guess I've grown up a little." Yeah, I guess being engaged will do that to you. I mean, if I can grow up enough to actually make a commitment to someone I love with every fiber of my being, I can grow up enough to forgive Dad for only doing what he thought was best. Doesn't take the pain away, exactly, but still. I can live with it.

"I guess so. So you want to go and see your cousin?"

"Yeah. She probably needs a hug after everything she's been through. Oh ~ and Woody wants to talk to you about something."

"Alright. Doctor? Can we go and see my niece now?"

"Certainly. Detective Hoyt is already in there. And an Agent Haley? Exam 3."

"Thanks."

"So Kaidlyn. How does it feel to have your first assignment completed and under your belt." She held up amazingly well ~ even when everything went completely crazy.

"Ok, I guess Drew. I don't know. I wish things hadn't turned out exactly like they did."

"I know. We would much rather take the person alive. But sometimes there's nothing you can do. I talked with the doctors and they said you don't have to stay here overnight. But you do need to rest for a few days."

"It's fine. She can stay with me as long as she wants to."

"Good, Max. We'll be here wrapping things up for about another week ~ paperwork and all. Kaid, you seem to be in good hands here, so if it's ok, I'm going to go and get started on some of it. I'll come by your uncle's house to check on you later."

"Ok. Uncle Max? Is that alright?"

"Not a problem. Woody? Jordan said you wanted to talk to me about something?"

"Um. . .well, yes sir. But we don't. . ."

"Don't be silly. Come on ~ there doesn't appear to be anyone in the snack room right now."

"Alright. Jordan? Kaidlyn? I'll be right back."

"Woody, just. . ."

"I'm going. I feel sick, but I'm going. . ."

"Go get 'em tiger!" Couldn't resist.

"Shut up 'Buffy!'" Ok, here goes nothing. Out the door. . .

"Hey, you two seem to be getting along pretty well now."

"I don't think it's that we didn't get along ~ he just annoyed me while I was trying to concentrate. By the way. Congrats!"

"So he told you?"

"I guess I looked sad and he wanted to cheer me up. Don't worry. Uncle Max likes him. It'll be fine."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"So, are you going back to D.C. in a few days or what?"

"I don't know. I might see if I could get transferred up here. I've missed being around family. I might decide to do something else. Maybe straight police work. I don't know. I just."

"Kaid? Would you stick around a little while? I could use a maid of honor. And my little 'almost-sister.'"

"I forgot you used to call me that! But really? Me? You want me to be. . .?"

"Hey, you're family. And I could get used to having you around. I remember when you were really little and lived here we used to have so much fun. I. . . Well, I want to get to know you now. Work on building a real grown-up friendship with you."

"I'd like that Jordan. And the answer to your question is as long as I don't have to wear a hideous dress, I'd love to."

"Yeah. Well, that's where you can probably help. The dress thing." I really could get used to having her around. I wasn't just saying that.

"Ok. We'll figure something out." You know, this is the first time in a long time I've felt really accepted. I'll talk with Drew and see if I can transfer up here or what. I know I don't want to leave any time soon.

Simultaneous in the snack room. . .

"Alright Woody. What did you want to talk with me about?" As if I don't know. I caught what Jordan almost said. And the glimmer on her hand.

"Well, sir."

"Woody? Please ~ call me Max. You're sleeping with my daughter. I think we can be on a first name basis now."

"Alright. Max. Well, Jordan and I have been talking and. . .and we've really thought about this and. . . And. . ."

"Woody, I'm not going to bite you. Go ahead and say what you want to say."

"I'm trying." Breathe, Woody. It's ok. "Max. Jordan and I have fallen in love with each other and. . . I know I should have asked you first, but we were in the van and it just happened. And. . . Max, is it ok. . . I mean, may we have your blessing?"

"You want to marry Jordan?"

"Yes, Max. I really do. I love her with all my heart."

"And you know what you're getting into?" Hey, I like the guy, but I've got to make him squirm a little. It's too easy.

"Yes, sir, I do. And if I haven't run yet. . . I know I went to L.A., but that was a mistake. And it had nothing to do with Jordan. I was selfish."

"It's ok. I know. I don't think you will run. Woody, I can see how much Jordan loves you. And how much you love her. And how happy you make each other. So, yes. You have my blessing ~ and my permission."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. And thank you."

"For what?"

"For loving Jordan as she is. For bringing a part of her that died a long time ago back to life."

"Max, it's my pleasure. I don't really know why our paths crossed, but now that they have. . ."

"I completely understand. Now, why don't we go back in there and let Jordan know she can officially show me that ring on her hand."

"Ok." I didn't really think he was that oblivious.

"So. Everything ok in. . .?" We walked in to find Jordan sitting on the examination bed, she and Kaidlyn furtively whispering about something. "What are you two whispering about?"

"Dresses, Woody. You got a problem with that?"

"Great. No, no. Nothing wrong with that."

"Hey sweetheart. Can I see that ring you were hiding earlier?"

"Of course, Daddy."

"It's beautiful. I am really happy for you. For both of you."

"Hey Dad? Kaid was saying she's going to see about staying in town for a while. Maybe transfer up here."

"That would be nice. I'd love to see you a little more, Kaid. And you can stay at the house as long as you'd need to." This is quite a scene. My daughter; happy, in love, and engaged. My niece who I'd given up for lost back in town ~ the apparently crack little F.B.I. agent that she is. And my son-in-law-to-be. I didn't know if that would ever happen. But I'm glad he's going to be the one.

"Mr. Cavanaugh? We just got all of Kaidlyn's test results back, and she's free to go. Do keep an eye on her tonight and if she has any nausea, confusion, dizziness, anything like that bring her back immediately. You get some rest young lady. And take Advil as needed for your headache."

"Thank you doctor! No prob. Uncle Max? Can we go home now?"

"Yes. Let's all go home. Dinner's on me tonight. We've got a lot to celebrate!"

to be continued. . .