When You Come Back Down Chapter 8 Rating: PG-13

Not mine! They're just using my head for a playground! :0)

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The next day, Jordan went into the morgue and seemed more like herself than she'd seemed in months. The time at the beach obviously did her some good. Garret called her into his office as she walked by.

"Hey sweetheart. I'm glad you're back."

"Thanks Garret. It's good to be here. Thanks for. . .everything."

"Not a problem, Jordan." She started to leave, but Garret stopped her. He had an idea. He'd heard a song that really fit how he felt about Jordan ~ like his kid sister ~ and wanted her to hear it. But. . . "You want to grab some dinner tonight? If I remember correctly, someone recently had a birthday and never got to celebrate it."

"Um. . .ok. Sure. That would be great, Garret! Thanks!"

When Garret went to lunch, he decided to stop in the Pogue and get things set up for the evening.

"Hey Max!" Garret walked down the steps and over to the bar where Max was putting glasses away from the dishwasher.

"Garret! Good to see you! What's up?" Max was always glad to see Garret. Not only was he an ok guy, he always kept an eye out for Jordan. Especially important since. . . But he tried not to think about it too much ~ when Jordan hurt, Max hurt. She'd seemed better when she called him last night, but. . .

"I've been thinking a lot about Jordan and everything she's been through lately, and I've got an idea to remind her that she's still got a friend in me ~ and the rest of the morgue staff. We all love her and want to help her however we can." Garret looked at Max.

"I know you do. I just. . ." Max was puzzled. What did Garret have up his sleeve?

"Does that jukebox play CD's?"

"Yeah ~ they've all been converted now. Not that I could have found the records anyway."

Garret held out a CD. "Could you put this in and tell me what to push to play track 6?"

"Yeah. I've got the instruction book here somewhere."

"Can you do it by tonight? I'm going to drag her out and force feed her if I have to. Then we'll come back here. I've got a plan that I think will work, Max. Trust me."

"Alright. Leave it here and I'll let you know. What time. . .?"

"I'll call you with the details later. Thanks Max."

"No, thank you Garret." As the younger man left, Max thought about how lucky it was that Jordan had someone like Garret in her life. A big brother figure if ever there was one. He took the CD and set about finding the book to add it to the jukebox and program it in.

After work, Garret got in his car and drove over to Jordan's loft. She'd gone home early ~ claiming she wasn't feeling well. He knew better. She was fine while she was away, but there were so many memories at the morgue and the precinct it was going to take a while for her to really be ok.

He pulled up and parked outside her building. The last time he'd been here. . . Man that was hard. Even harder than telling Abby he and Maggie were splitting up. Something about when she's like a kid sister to you ~ all you want to do is protect her.

He went into the building and rode the elevator to the third floor. He went to the door and knocked. He listened and was relieved to hear footsteps on the floor coming towards the door.

"Jordan?" Garret knocked on the door, hoping that this was a good idea.

"Yeah?" She opened the door and motioned him in. She was in sweats and a tank top, her hair in a messy ponytail.

"You're not ready. Is this. . .How are you doing?"

"I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Garret, 'I'm a big tough girl. I tie my own sandals and everything.'" Jordan rolled her eyes as she found a clean tank top to pair with the denim skirt slung over the chair in the corner. It was too hot to wear anything else. "I'm almost ready. Give me a second."

"'Hercules' Jordan? I'm. . ." Garret was trying to hold back a laugh. The image of Jordan watching a Disney movie was almost too much to take ~ though he had to admit. . .they could have written the role of Megara for her.

"Shut up, Garret. Let me just re-brush my hair and I'll be ready."

"Alright." Garret wandered around the loft. It really was a cute place. He got to the kitchen and saw the box sitting, unopened on the counter, its bow still tied perfectly, though slightly crushed. She hadn't even touched it. The card was gone, but he had no way of knowing if she'd read it or simply put it in the trash. He sighed, and decided he'd take the box and have her open it. He didn't know for sure what it was, but he had an idea ~ he knew that rattle. And he remembered Woody's request about a month before his death. Damn the guy had been good. And so in love with Jordan. If only she hadn't been so damn scared to let him in before it was too late. If only. . . Garret blinked back tears. Tonight was about helping Jordan, not wallowing in his own shit.

"Ok. Let's go." Jordan appeared seconds after Garret slipped the box in his pocket and turned to block the now-empty counter.

"Jordan, you look beautiful."

"Yeah ~ whatever. Might as well. Staying around here isn't doing me any good."

Garret couldn't tell if she was joking or not. He held out his hand.

"Oh, come on. What did I just say?" Jordan rolled her eyes.

"Humor me. I just want to take care of my 'baby sister' for a night. She's had a rough time lately." Garret kept his hand out, praying that Jordan would understand.

"Alright." She reached out and lightly held his hand. As they were waiting for the elevator, Jordan squeezed it and laid her head on Garret's shoulder.

"What?"

"Thank you, Gar. For everything."

"You're welcome, Jordan. You're welcome."

They went somewhere simple to eat, just basic Italian food. Pasta always seemed to cheer Jordan up a little, and Garret was relieved to see that she ate everything on her plate.

"What?" Jordan noticed him watching her.

"I'm just glad to see you eating, Jordan. And coping like you are." He reached across the table and squeezed her hand.

"I'm fine. Yeah I miss him, but I'll be ok. He wouldn't have wanted it any other way." Jordan gave him a smile that, for the first time in weeks, looked genuine.

"Good. Then it's time you opened something." Garret pushed the box across the table towards her. She looked at him quizzically. "Go on. I know Woody wanted you to have it. Open it."

Jordan just shook her head. Her eyes were shiny, but just as Garret thought she was about to break down in tears, she started laughing.

"What?"

"Oh, you guys are so observant. Even if you didn't pay attention to the fact that the card wasn't there anymore and the box didn't rattle when you picked it up, didn't you even see what I'm wearing?" Jordan managed to ask through her laughter.

Garret looked across the table and saw the silver locket dangling from Jordan's neck. "So you did open it. But the bow. . ."

"Wrapped like boxes on TV. The ribbon didn't go all the way across."

"Did you look inside?"

"Yeah. I did." Jordan smiled ~ only Woody would think to get pictures of the morgue staff and her "favorite" detectives at the precinct and put them in a locket. "Hey, want to go to the Pogue? I'm in the mood to kick your ass at some pool."

Garret had almost forgotten his plan. . .the song. . . "Yeah. That would be great."

"Fine. I'll just go to the bathroom and meet you at the front?"

"Sounds good." Garret sent the check back for his card to be rung and opened his cell phone. Max gave him the information he needed. When Jordan rejoined him, they went to his car and drove to the Pogue.

When they got there, Jordan claimed a pool table while Garret got them a couple of beers. They played a couple of rounds, and the Garret moved towards the jukebox before they started their third game.

"Where are you going?"

"There's a song I want to play. It's. . . It's not an exact fit, but. . . Just listen to it, Jordan." Garret walked over to the jukebox, put in his money and pushed the buttons Max told him to. Jordan hopped up on the edge of the pool table to listen. She teared up as the words joined the music.

When You Come Back Down by Nickel Creek (Tim O'Brien and Danny O'Keefe)

"You got to leave me now, you got to go alone,

You got to chase a dream, one that's all your own

Before it slips away.

When you're flyin' high, take my heart along,

I'll be the harmony to every lonely song

That you learn to play.

"When you're soarin' through the air, I'll be your solid ground

Take every chance you dare, I'll still be there

When you come back down,

When you come back down.

"I'll keep lookin' up, awaitin' your return,

My greatest fear will be that you will crash and burn,

And I won't feel your fire.

I'll be the other hand that always holds the line

Connectin' in between your sweet heart and mine,

I'm strung out on that wire.

"And I'll be on the other end, To hear you when you call

Angel, you were born to fly, If you get too high

I'll catch you when you fall

I'll catch you when you fall

"Your memory's the sunshine every new day brings,

I know the sky is calling,

Angel, let me help you with your wings

"You got to leave me now, you got to go alone,

You got to chase a dream, one that's all your own

Before it slips away.

"Take every chance you dare, I'll still be there

When you come back down,

When you come back down.

"Take every chance you dare, I'll still be there

When you come back down,

When you come back down."

Garret had watched Jordan as the song played. Sometimes reading her was impossible. He moved a little closer to her as the song ended.

Blinking back tears, Jordan reached up and gave Garret a hug. "You don't have to worry. I'm not going to run anywhere. I'm home now."

"I love you, Jordan," Garret said, planting a tender, siblingesque kiss on her forehead. "And I mean every word in that song, even though I didn't write it." He pulled back and gently pulled Jordan's chin up so that their eyes met. It was good to have the Jordan they all knew and loved back. It had been a rough road, and things weren't necessarily over, but still. Seeing her smile made everything worth it. "Welcome home, Jordan. Welcome home."

**finito**