Disclaimer: Not mine…blah blah blah….blee blee blee….just playing with the till January….and beyond…..

Devil or Angel: 28 Days part 2

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When I finally came to in the hospital, I was feeling miraculously better. I turned my head to see my doctor jotting something down on my chart. I sighed heavily and reached up to toy with the oxygen tube in my nose.

"Hey I feel great." I said groggily. "What'd you give me Doc?" I asked and the Doctor didn't look up from his notes.

"Your medication…which you should have taken this morning. You know I don't write scripts out just because I like to look at my signature wth "Dr." in front of it on everything. That was a very stupid thing you did son." He said with a sigh and I nodded.

"I know…last night I was…I was a little…" I said in a raspy voice. The doctor finally raised his eyes to mine.

"Pissed off?" he asked and I looked away and nodded.

"This wasn't how it was supposed to go." I said and he came and sat down quietly beside me, still pretending to look over the chart. He checked my vitals and listened to me quietly.

"The night before…well…before I got shot…I finally got through to her. Two years of pining and flirting and she finally opened up to me. We danced together in her Dad's bar, she admitted that she had feelings for me…we went out to breakfast, went back to her place. We took the laundry down…and…and there it was." I said and shook my head.

"There what was?" the doctor asked removing the BP cuff from my arm. I laughed sarcastically and shook my head.

"Life…why does everything bad hafta happen to Jordan?" I asked rhetorically and the doctor smiled.

"I don't know son…but I wouldn't get mad at her for something she can't control." He said patting my arm before he stood and left. I looked back out the window for a few minutes and then I got the sensation that someone was watching me. I turned my head to the door and there was my brother, looking all of 5 years old as he stood peeking into the room. I smiled and beckoned him in.

"How ya feeling?" he asked quietly as he took one step into the room. I nodded.

"Better." I said and Cal sighed.

"Don't ever do that again." He said angrily and I looked down at my feet poking through the blanket. I nodded and Cal took a few more steps closer so that he was right beside me.

"No…I mean don't EVER do that to me again." He said clenching and unclenching his jaw in typical Hoyt fashion. "Cause if you do…and I have to see you…see you like that…if you died I would have them shock you back just so I could beat the shit outta you again." He said and I looked up to see his clear blue eyes filled with tears. I frowned and sat up more on the bed, grabbing one of his hands and pulling him down to me. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and he cried into my neck. I petted his head and sighed.

"You're the only brother I got Woody." He said sniffling. "You're too important to too many people to be acting this way." He said and I nodded, accepting my first ever Calvin Hoyt lecture.

I kissed the side of his head and handed him a tissue. He sat down in the chair beside me and put his head in his hands. I looked to the door to see Jordan standing there smiling sadly at us. I smiled back and laid a hand on Cal's shoulder, rubbing it gently as Jordan motioned that she'd be back in a little. I nodded and continued to comfort my little brother.

A few minutes later, Cal was sitting beside me, calmed somewhat, when Jordan walked in.

"Hey." She said and I looked down at my feet again.

"Hey." Cal and I said in unison. Jordan planted a kiss on the top of Cal's head and then came to the other side of the bed. She sat down and took my hand between both of hers.

"You gonna read me the riot act too?" I asked and Jordan smiled and looked at Cal, his eyes still puffy.

"No…I think you know that what you did was wrong." She said and leaned forward, softly kissing my lips. I nodded. "But I am still having Howard Stiles come in and talk to you." She said and I rolled my eyes.

"I don't do well with shrinks. They tend to look too deeply into my good naturedness and why I wanted to be a cop." I said and Jordan smiled.

"I could stay with you if you want?" She offered and I shook my head.

"That's alright, I'll talk to him alone." I said and sighed. Jordan offered to go get me something to eat and Cal said something about going to Jordan's to clean up. They both kissed me good- bye (though in completely different ways) and I was content to go back to watching the snow swirling off of the ground outside.

Stiles was soon at my door.

"Mind if I come in?" He asked standing with his hands in his pockets and an elfish grin on his face. I nodded somberly and he nodded before strolling in and taking the seat next to my bed.

"So how are you feeling detective?" He asked and I laughed.

"If I had a dime for every time I got asked that in the past few weeks…" I said and he nodded.

"So you wanna tell me what found you back here so soon after you're release? I've had the food here so I know THAT can't be it." He said with a smile and I nodded.

"I…uhhh…I didn't take my medication this morning." I said casually and he nodded again.

"Any particular reason why?" He asked and I shrugged my shoulders like a child.

"Didn't feel like it." I said looking back out the window.

"Okay…well I'm gonna go get some of that horrible cafeteria food downstairs…you buzz the nurse when you're ready to tell me the truth." He said with a smirk and stood from the chair. He was half way to the door when I spoke.

"Because last night I couldn't get an erection when I was fooling around with my girlfriend." I said and he turned on his heels. I smirked.

"What? Too truthful for ya Doc." I said turning my head back to the window. He slowly made his way back to the chair and sat down.

"And how did that make you feel?" He said and I scoffed.

"I'm not that complex Doc, you think of how you woulda felt and you've probably got the right idea. "He said and he nodded again.

"Well…I'm a married man…but once upon a time I was a young bachelor as yourself. And…I imagine if put in that situation…I would probably have cut off my nose to spite my face as well." He said and I snapped my head towards him.

"Woa! Hey there…nothing was CUT OFF." I said frantically. Stiles laughed and shook his head.

"It's an expression. And in your case, your body didn't help you so you decided not to help your body." He said and I nodded.

"I threw a cup against the wall too." I said and looked back out at the snow.

"Why?" he asked quietly, leaning closer to the rail of my bed.

"Because I told Jordan I loved her…and…she didn't say it back." I said and clenched my teeth. He didn't respond, probably already sensing the words that were about to come out of my mouth next. "I mean…any normal woman would have…" Stiles cut in on what I was saying.

"Hold it right there! You just said the magic words." He said and I narrowed my eyes at him. "Normal is not Jordan Cavanaugh's Nom de Plume." He said and I rolled my eyes. He patted my arm.

"Give her time Woodrow…it takes her ABNORMAL mind a little longer to process things. She's here for you isn't she?" he asked and I nodded. "She's keeping you at her place, letting you cook her meals and pretending they're wonderful I'm sure…letting you sleep in her bed knowing you'll still be there when she wakes up?" He said more than asked and I nodded. He looked me over happily.

"You already know she loves you. You wouldn't have gotten attached to her if you didn't know that already. Something makes me think it isn't your way. You already know she loves you, all right. Just give her time to be able to say it." He said smiling and wishing me well before he turned and headed out the door.

The session only lasted about 5 minutes. I had a feeling that what was discussed would float around in my head for much longer.

A few minutes later, Jordan came in with a tray of food. I turned my head ashamed and looked out the window.

"Hungry?" she asked and I nodded smiling weakly as she set the tray down next to my bed. I held onto her hand and guided her to sit with me. Jordan sat gingerly on the edge of my bed and took a stab at fixing my hair.

"You're gonna need a shower later tonight. Or maybe I'll run a bath for you?" She said and I let my eyes droop as she petted my head. There were a few moments of quiet.

"I'm sorry I broke your mug." I said and Jordan looked surprised then chuckled and shook her head.

"It's no big deal. I've purposefully broken a lot of stuff in my apartment at one time or another. It can be replaced." She said and I nodded.

"But I was…I was acting childish. I could have done myself in from infection if I had held off on the meds any longer. It was just…" I said looking Jordan over and feeling the creeping sensation of remorse as I remembered pulling away from her touch the night before. She had just been trying to help.

"I'm sorry I was so…curt afterwards…I just couldn't understand….why…" I said and Jordan tried to hush me from saying any more. But I had to finish. "Why…my body wasn't responding to what my heart was feeling." I said and Jordan nodded looking at the corner of my pillow.

"I understand Woody. I do. But I'm sorry that I didn't tell you about the side effects of those muscle relaxants before hand. It might have saved us a lot of awkardness." She said blushing. I took her chin and she lifted her eyes to mine.

"I'm not going to make this awkward…and it wasn't a complete disaster. I still got to wake up with you this morning." I said and Jordan leaned forward, possessively taking my lips.

"That was still a really stupid thing to do Woody." She said against my lips and I chuckled.

"Haven't I heard that enough today?" I said and Jordan looked at me sternly.

"A few more times won't kill ya….that was VERY childish a thing to do." She said and I nodded. Then she forgave me with another kiss.

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Later that night, Cal and Jordan got me settled back into the apartment and Cal left after remarking that he had counted my pills and when he came over next, he would be making sure the appropriate number were gone.

I was resting on the couch when Jordan came up behind me and wrapped her arms around my neck.

"Ready for your bath?" She whispered and a surge of excitement ran through my body. She came around to the front of the couch and helped me to stand. I was feeling much better but she didn't want to chance it. We slowly made our way to the bedroom and Jordan sat me down on the bed. I could hear the water filling the tub and the steam from the water was creeping through the doorway. I smiled at Jordan and sighed as she went in to turn off the water. She returned a second later and came to stand in front of me. I set my hands on her hips and she placed her hands on my shoulders. She gently kneaded my tight muscles and I let my hands slide slowly down her sides eventually dropping them to my knees.

Jordan took my arms softly and lifted them up over my head, dragging the white undershirt I had on up and over my head as well. The cool air of the apartment hit my bare chest and back and I could feel goose bumps ripple across my skin. She took my hands and helped me to stand from the bed. When I was fully upright, she reached down to unbutton my jeans and I rested my right hand on top of hers as she unbuttoned. She moved her hand away and I drug the zipper down. When I pulled my hands back, Jordan slipped a hand on either side of my jeans and slid them off of me. As her hands traveled across my backside, they playfully squeezed my cheeks, emitting a low moan from my lips.Jordan smiled and her fingers traced the edge of my boxers. I panicked and pulled away from her, my pants dropping to the floor. Jordan looked up at me and I smiled sadly at her.

"I'm…" I stuttered feeling a blush rise to my cheeks. "I'm just gonna go in myself." I said looking at the door. Jordan looked up at me, her face unreadable. She just nodded and I stepped around her to the bathroom, kicking my pants off as I went. I got into the bathroom and pushed the door to, but didn't shut it all the way. I slipped my boxers off and looked down at myself begrudgingly. I Shook my head and then carefully climbed into the tub. I hissed as I lowered myself in and the hot water hit my wound. When I was properly settled, I laid back and sighed, letting the hot water seep into my aching bones.

I watched the steam rising in the candlelight and brought a hand up to run through my hair. I watched the warm water trickle between my eyes and felt it course down my stiff neck. I could sense Jordan. She must have been standing just outside the door. I sighed heavily and cleared my throat.

"Caught me?" I heard her say quietly from the door and I turned my head to look at her. She was leaning with her head against the wall just inside the bathroom door. I smiled and turned back to face forward.

"You can come in here if you want." I said simply and Jordan cautiously stepped forward and took a seat on top of the toilet. She brought her knees up under her chin and wrapped her arms around them. I slicked my hair back again and settled my arms on the edges of the tub. I watched Jordan's eyes as they danced along my body.

I made sure to slide my arms along the tub slowly, letting my muscled naturally flex. I scooched further up in the tub making my pecks push together and tighten. I looked back at Jordan's eyes and even in the dim candlelight I could see bare desire there. I smiled to myself and Jordan let a playful smile pass over her lips.

"Com'ere" I said clearly and Jordan smiled, slowly sliding off the toilet.

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Jordan…

I  knelt down beside the tub and took his hand. He brought our entwined hands to his lips and kissed the cool, smooth back of my hand. His lips were warm against my skin. I leaned forward and kissed his lips tenderly. When I pulled back, I used my free hand to dip a washcloth into the water and brought it up, hanging over his waist. He raised his eyebrows and I slowly drizzled from where the water level rose to just above his navel up his chest and let some water pool in the crevice between his collarbones. I ran my hands over his well defined chest muscles and down his strong, smooth arms. He smiled and I dipped my pointer finger into the crevice and then made a water trail across his left collarbone. He took my hand and brought it to his lips. I took the hint and sat back onto my calves and laid the washcloth back to hang on the edge of the tub. Woody sat forward and kissed me once more before settling back into the water.

I turned with my back to him and lay back against the side of the tub. He sighed and then I sighed.

"I like this." I said quietly and he nodded. I could here the water slosh against the tub as he moved making ripples across the water.

"Me too." he said and we sat in comfortable silence. I hope that he had gotten the drift that I had been using that age-old method of flattery to make him fee a little better.

Woody…

Without even knowing it, or maybe it was her intent all along, she had given me back a little of my manhood in just those few seconds of flattering me with her touch.

"Thank you."  I said quietly and Jordan stilled then nodded. She stood slowly, bracing herself on the tub and started to leave the room.

"Before you leave." I said and Jordan slowed. She turned to face me as I sat up slowly in the water. "Could you hand me a towel and help me up?" I asked and Jordan smiled. I smirked back at her and she grabbed a towel from the closet and strolled over to me. She set the towel down and stepped to the tub. I braced myself on the sides and looked up at her. She looked down at me with her eyebrows raised.

Well, I HAD seen her naked already. I slowly pulled myself up and Jordan steadied me. I almost laughed when I caught her give me a quick once over as she reached for the towel and helped me wrap it around my waist. I smiled as she scrutinized my stitches as if they were the most interesting things in the world. Jordan helped me to climb out of the tub and then asked me if I was okay before leaving me standing in the middle of the bathroom. I watched her walk out, shaking my head. I don't think I'll ever figure that woman out.

Later, I crawled into bed with Jordan. I thought that she was asleep, but she rolled over to face me, eyes wide. I wrapped my arms around her and she molded comfortably into her "spot" against my side. I sighed and moved about an inch back so that there was a little space between Jordan and I.

"I'm sorry…that I've been pushing you so fast." She said and I nodded against the pillow.

"I've been pushing myself too." I said and Jordan turned over to face me.

"Yeah…but I've initiated most of the stuff we've done. I'm a doctor, I should have been more considerate of your condition. I knew what kind of recovery time you were looking at and I basically ignored it." She said laying a hand on my cheek.  I just smiled.

"I didn't exactly resist it Jordan." I said and she shook her head.

"Let's not play "Top This" tonight. We were both wrong okay?" She said and I nodded.

"Deal." I said and sighed.

"Ummm…I was thinking something though…"I said and Jordan looked up into my eyes.

"What's that?" she asked and I looked towards the door with a sad smile.

"I think it would be a good idea for me to go to my apartment for a few days…spend some time with Cal." I said and Jordan was silent.

"Are you sure?" She asked and I nodded. "Okay…well…uhhh…I'll call him when I wake up." She said and I cleared my throat.

I…I uhh already talked to him about it in the hospital today." I said and Jordan smiled. I'm always super prepared for everything.

"What'd he think?" she asked and I smiled.

"He thinks it would be very beneficial to my recovery and well-being." I said and Jordan smiled.

"Meaning…he misses you and wants some brother time?" She asked and I nodded. She bent her chin to capture my lips and I held her to my chest tightly, knowing it would be a little while before I got to hold her at night again.

"I'm gonna miss you." I said in a whisper and Jordan laid her forehead against mine.

"I'll miss you too." She said and we fell asleep in each other's arms. If getting her to admit that she'd miss me was as close to 'I love you' as I would get for a little while, I could live with that. I held her closer and we fell asleep.

"Now what exactly am I helping you to do?" Cal asked in a whisper as he helped me to place 100 sticky notes with the number 15 on them all over Jordan's apartment.

I sighed and whispered angrily back. "Mind your business and just keep sticking!" I said and Cal rolled his eyes.

"Favorite baseball player?" he asked, continuing to stick the notes in the high places while I busied myself with the low. I grunted.

"Racecar driver?" He asked and I just stared at him. "Special anniversary? Her birthday?" He asked and I turned my head from across the room and angrily whispered.

"Will you please just shut up!? I don't want her to wake up!" I said and Cal rolled his eyes again and turned back to his work. We spent the next five minutes in silence, finishing up with the notes before we gathered my things and snuck out.

We got down to my car and Cal helped me get all my stuff into the back before coming around to help me in. As he gave me his shoulder to lean on and slip into the car I caught a knowing smile playing across his lips. I chose to ignore it. He kept it plastered to his face as he walked back around and slipped into the driver's side. I looked out my window and sighed as I looked up at Jordan's window.

Cal started the car and then pushed something against my knee. I turned my head and looked down to see a sticky note with the 15 on it. I narrowed my eyes and raised them to Cal's. He smiled widely. I could tell he had figured it out.

"I…uh…I think it's cool what you did. You been doing that since the first day?" He asked and I smiled. He smiled back. "Yeah…it's pretty cool what you're doing. Cool in kinda a girly way…but cool." He said as he checked behind him and pulled out onto the road and I shook my head.

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The next day was Saturday. Cal suggested we stay in and watch a Badgers game on the dish. We threw a football around in my apartment during half time trying to stretch out my body a little and get me active.

"Jordan would never let us do this at her place I bet." Cal called hurling the ball from my bedroom. I just laughed.

"Probably not." I called throwing the ball back to Cal across the living room. We passed the ball in silence for a few minutes before Cal spoke again.

"So…what do you have planned for the big day?" He asked and I shrugged my shoulders, passing the ball back to him.

"I dunno…I've been asking around about places to find a good little B&B. Lily suggested a place in the Berks, Nigel told me the Vineyard, Dr. Macy said something about a place in the Hamptons…" I said and caught the ball with an 'oof'. Cal raised his eyebrows.

"Oh yeah, I can see Jordan rubbing elbows with the upper crust of New England society." He said chuckling. I laughed.

"Maybe someplace else." I said with a smile and threw the ball back.

"So how have you been feeling otherwise? You seem like you're getting most of your strength back." Cal said throwing me the ball.

I shrugged. "Yea…uhhh…pretty much back to normal." I said and I could feel my ears reddening. Cal stopped when he caught the ball and eyed be suspiciously.

"I don't wanna play anymore." He said exiting my room and walking towards me. He knew I was lying. He dropped the ball and followed me as I tried to escape to the T.V.

"Calvin." I warned flicking on the set as I sat down on the couch. Cal sat beside me and hit the off button on the remote. I sighed angrily.

"What's wrong?" Cal asked dropping the remote to the floor beside him and I shook my head.

"It's none of your business Cal. It's…it's a very personal issue." I said and Cal eyed me curiously. I raised my eyes slowly to his embarrassed.

"What you mean like…like…sexual stuff?" He asked and I thought I might have seen a spark of sympathy. I just looked down confirming his assumption.

"Yikes." Cal said quietly and then sighed and scratched his head. "Well…don't those…those pain killers mess you up for a little?" He asked and I nodded.

"So everyone keeps telling me." I said and looked down at my side, rubbing it gently through my sweatshirt. Cal got my drift. Since the other night, I had been worried that it was more than the pills that were affecting my biology. I had begun to think maybe something was damaged.

"Well…maybe I make an appointment with a urologist for Monday?" he asked and I nodded.

"I think maybe I'd go." I said and Cal nodded wordlessly.

"So…what do you wanna do tomorrow?" He asked and I sighed.

"Go see Jordan." I said with a smile and Cal laughed.

"Woody's got a girlfriend." He said singsong and I chuckled throwing the ball into his side.

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On Sunday, Cal and I stopped by Jordan's unannounced. She came to the door and pulled it open slowly. I pushed it the rest of the way laughing and pulled her into my arms. She was stunned.

"What are you two doing here?" She asked giving Cal a peck on the cheek before returning to me.

"You're butt buddy was going through withdrawal so I thought for my own safety I should bring him for a visit." Cal said smiling.

"Wanna go out for lunch? I know this great Mexican place that serves the BEST chimmichangas in Boston." Jordan said winking at me. Cal scoffed as Jordan grabbed her coat and keys.

"For all I know they're the only…chim…chimmichangas in Boston." Cal said and Jordan and I laughed as we walked towards the elevator hand in hand and Cal dragged behind us.

After lunch, we dropped Jordan back off at her place and I walked her up to her apartment. We stood outside of her door for about 15 minutes talking.

"You know…I've been thinking…for when I'm better and well…maybe we could go away for the weekend that day…stay at a little B&B somewhere…never leave the room except to eat." I said wrapping my arms around Jordan. She smiled at me.

"That sounds nice." She said and I kissed her once more, promising to look some places up online in the next two weeks.

"Call me tomorrow night?" She asked still not letting go of my fingers as she backed into her place. I smiled shyly.

"Tomorrow morning…tomorrow afternoon….tomorrow night." I said and she laughed kissing me once again before letting me go and shutting the door.

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"Woody?" Cal called in a sharp whisper from the sofa bed. I sighed and closed my eyes.

"What?!" I called back irately, flashbacks to our childhood itching at the back of my mind.

"You asleep?" He asked and I raised my head, using my full voice.

"You retarded?" I asked loudly and he laughed.

"Just wondering…you used to talk in your sleep ya know?" He asked and I could see his head lift off the sofa bed in the darkness.

"Great, remind me to ask you about it when I'm getting ready to write my autobiography." I said and turned onto my stomach, punching my pillow into shape before pulling it over my head.

"When they operated on you…did they take all the fun out of you by accident?" I heard him ask through the padding.

"No…but if you don't let me sleep I'm gonna put MY fist into YOU." I called from under the pillow and I heard Cal mumble before turning over onto his side. I pulled my head back out and waited, like I had as a child, to hear his steady breathing before I drifted off to sleep myself.

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Jordan…

When I woke up in the morning, I routinely reached for my cell phone and turned it off of silent mode. As I was closing it, I noticed the little letter symbol blinking in the top left corner. I had gotten a voicemail at some point during the night. I sat up in bed, stretched and yawned, and punched in the code for my messages.

The robotic woman's voice told me that I had one new message. Before she could give me a list of numbers to push, I hit 1 and waited for the message.

"1st message…Monday, 12:05 am…." Came the same robotic voice followed by a beep. I smiled when I heard the next voice.

"13." Came Woody's voice smoothly across the line. I almost responded then remembered it was just a message. But it was a message that I had gotten loud and clear.

I climbed out of bed and placed the phone on my bed. I would have to think of a good way to get him the next day.

Woody…

Cal woke me around 9 and told me the appointment he had made was at 10:15 so we better get ready to leave soon. I nodded and lay in bed a few more minutes trying to wake up. When I finally got out of bed, I took my meds and went in to the bathroom to shower.

We pulled up at the doctor's office 10 minutes early and Cal waited as I looked up at the building. He tapped his hands nervously on the steering wheel.

"You…umm….you want me to come in with you?" He asked. I looked over at him and a memory of sitting in the pediatrician's office holding his hand while he got a booster shot, his pudgy little hand squeezing mine for all he was worth, flashed through my mind.

"Yeah." I said with a weak smile and Cal nodded before turning off the car and hopping out. I got out myself and closed the door before we headed up the stairs to the door.

We entered the office and the latex smell of a hospital made my stomach flip flop. Cal patted me on the back and pointed to a seating area. I sat down and picked up a magazine as Cal went to the receptionist and let her know I was here. Cal took the seat next to me and began flipping through a Sports Illustrated. I shifted uncomfortably for 10 minutes before the Doctor came to the door with a clipboard.

"Woody Hoyt?" He said raising his eyes to the room. Cal and I stood and the doctor held the door open as we walked in past him. We followed him to an exam room and he asked me to take a seat on the table and Cal helped spot me while I hopped up. He stood beside the cabinets and the doctor rolled up on a wheeling stool.

"Dr. Henderson nice to meet you Woody." He said and flicked his eyes quickly to Cal.

"Can I assume the lanky fellow to my right is your brother?" He asked and I nodded.
"Yeah uh, hi doc…Cal Hoyt." He said stepping forward and taking the doctor's hand briefly. The doctor returned his attention to the checklist I had filled out in the waiting room.

"Okay…" The doctor said and set the chart aside.

"Now…you indicated here that you're experiencing erectile dysfunction and I noticed you wrote down quite a little list of medications you're taking." He said and I nodded.

"Yes sir, see I'm a cop and a few weeks ago, I got shot…" I said and the doctor narrowed his eyes at me.

"Mind if I take a look?" He asked and I shook my head, lifting my shirt to show off my battle scar. The doctor looked it over and nodded.

"And you're concerned that the placement of the gunshot might have in some way affected some areas a little lower?" He asked with a smile. I nodded my head slowly.

"Had anyone told you about the effects of the muscle relaxants you're taking?" He asked and I nodded again.

"Yeah, my…uh…my girlfriend is a doctor and she told me that the medicine is the reason I can't well…" I let the doctor's imagination take the rest of that. He nodded.

"Well, taking into consideration the pain meds…I'm going to say that I have to agree." He said patting my shoulder. I just looked at him sheepishly.

"But you're not gonna buy that are you?" he asked and I smiled sadly.

"I…uh…I just wanna be 100% sure." I said and he nodded.

"Understandable." He said and stood from the stool. "Let me see what I can do for you." I nodded and he went to the cabinets where Cal was standing. Cal moved out of the way as the doctor rooted through the cabinet.

"Here we are." He said turning and looking over a label. He handed me a thin box.

"These things here are kind of a tape. Read the directions… wrap it up overnight, if you feel up to it DON'T take your muscle relaxants tonight and if you wake up in the morning and the tape has been perforated, then you're fine." The doctor said and I nodded.

"Thank you Doc." I said and shook his hand. He nodded then nodded to Cal.

"You give my office a call in the morning and let me know how you made out." He said and wished me luck as we exited the room.

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Back at my place, I decided to give Jordan a call at work.

"Cavanaugh." She said drowsily.

"Slow day?" I asked with a smile as I stirred some soup for lunch. Jordan yawned.

"No…just didn't sleep as well last night without you beside me." She whispered and I heard Nigel loudly from the other side of the room say, 'Awwwwww….how sweet.' To which Jordan hurled something at him.

"So what have you been up to today?" She asked and I glanced at the little box I'd gotten from the doctor sitting on the counter.

"Nothing much…laying around, getting better." I said and Jordan sighed.

"That's good. You eat anything today?" she asked as Dr. Jordan kicked in.

"Making soup right now…I gave Cal grilled cheese making duty for this afternoon." I said and smiled at my brother flipping sandwiches beside me at the stove.

"Good boys. You gonna call tonight still?" She asked and I nodded.

"Yep. You want me to call around 9?" I asked and I could hear the smile in her voice.

"Sounds great." She said and I said good-bye. I hung up the phone and turned back to my soup.

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Jordan…

I answered the phone a few minutes after 9 that night.

"Guess who?" Came Woody's sleepy voice over the phone.

"Is it past somebody's bedtime?" I asked smiling and Woody yawned.

"Well, I was up early this morning." He said and I got the feeling that he was holding off on telling me something.
'"Oh yeah? What for?" I asked and Woody cleared his throat.

"I uhh…I went to see a doctor today." He said simply and I was silent. "Jordan?" he asked and I nodded.

"I'm still here…a doctor? For what?" I asked and Woody sighed.

"I just wasn't entirely convinced that the medicine was the only thing keeping me from ummm…from you know." He said and I nodded to myself.

"Oh okay…and what did he say?" I asked nervously and Woody replied.

"Well, he gave me this…this…tape…stuff that you umm…that I have to wrap… Woody junior… in for the night and not take my muscle relaxants tonight." He said and I sighed.

"Did you tell him what happened last time you didn't take your meds?" I asked irately and Woody answered quickly.

"Yeah he knows. I have an ointment for the stitches and I can still take my antibiotics, it's just the relaxants that I can't take tonight." He said and I cleared my throat.

"Well…let me know how you're feeling first thing tomorrow morning." I said sternly and Woody laughed.

"Yes Ma'am." He said and I sighed again.

"So you didn't take the relaxants tonight? Does that mean you can you know…get excited?" I asked and Woody chuckled.

"Are you asking me to have phone sex?" He asked quietly and I chuckled.

"Maybe." I said and I could hear Woody groan. He doesn't know how to have fun sometimes.

"Come on! I'll start…I'm taking off my tank top you know that one with the…" He cut me off with a moan.

"Yeah…" He said and I assumed he wanted more descriptions.

"And now…I'm untying those little sleep boxers you like with the…you know…." I said playfully and Woody chuckled.

"Hey Woody, man, that doctor wasn't kidding! I put that tape on before dinner and I already ripped that sucker open!"  I heard Cal say and Woody seemed to have been shocked into momentary silence.

"CALVIN!" Woody yelled and I heard him drop the phone and Cal laughing as he asked if I was on the phone and then I distinctly heard a struggle going on.

"Calvin Hoyt don't you hurt him again!" I called and I heard Cal laugh hysterically while yelling something about Woody ripping his nipples off.

"I'm back." Woody's voice said angrily and I held in a chuckle.

"Talk to you tomorrow?" I asked and Woody sighed heavily as I heard Cal still laughing at himself in the background.

"Yeah…I guess…" he said and I blew him a phone kiss goodnight. He did the same and then quickly disconnected, probably to go back to pummeling Cal.

-------------------------------------------

Woody…

"Will you shut up! I can figure this out on my own!" I yelled through the bathroom door as I tried to figure out how these tape thingies went on.

"You just wrap em around the…" Cal started again frustrated and I cut him off.

"I can read just fine Calvin now will you leave me alone for the love of GOD!?" I bellowed and Cal harrumphed.
"Fine! I was just trying to help!" he said as his voice faded from the door. I rolled my eyes and finished up, making a face as I hiked up my sleep pants. I opened the door and Cal was standing across the room, smiling at the uncomfortable look on my face. I shuffled out of the bathroom and Cal shook his head.

"You're walking like you have the world's largest wedgie Woodrow." He said chuckling and I smiled sarcastically at him as I silently went to my room and slammed the door.

"Good night princess…hope everything comes out okay for you." He whispered at the door and I threw one of my shoes against the door from the bed.  I didn't' yell anything because I knew that at least he was half serious. I lay down and took out the ointment to rub on my stitches and then popped my antibiotics before rolling to my side and carefully applying the jelly-like cream. I finished and set the little tube on my bedside before turning off the light and rolling over to sleep. I silently prayed that I wouldn't wake up like I had the last time I didn't take my muscle relaxants. I drifted off into a peaceful sleep, thoughts of Jordan on my mind.

---------------------

When I woke in the morning, I was laying on my side, my arms wrapped securely around the extra pillow and I was smiling. I had dreamt of Jordan all night long. I rolled to my back and sighed. Then I remembered about the tape. I took a deep breath and lifted the sheets. I didn't even need to check the tape. I still had evidence of my sensual dream-filled night. I smiled and rolled out of bed, careful not to disturb "Woody Jr." I hurried to the bathroom as I realized a portion of my condition was due to the full glass of water I had drunk with my pills the night before. I slipped quietly into the bathroom to relieve myself, as Cal's head popped off of the couch bed.

"Hey! Wait! So what's up Woody?!" he called sleepily, as I steadied myself with a hand on the wall and cringed when I couldn't relieve my aching bladder. I smiled painfully as Cal came to the door and knocked.

"Everything that needs to be, little brother." I said happily  and Cal hoorayed.

"No no no no no…" Trailed off through my teeth and Cal came back to the door.

"I thought this was a good thing?" He said exasperated and I sighed.

"It isn't when I can't pee after the gallon of water I drank last night." I said feeling tears come to my eyes. Cal hissed.

"Tough break…" he said as I tried to think of things to turn me off.

"Hey Woodrow, remember that time we stayed with grand mom and grand pop when Mom and Dad went to Hawaii…and you accidentally walked in on Grand mom in the shower?" Cal said and I was silent. I could hear him laugh as the glorious trickle was like music to my ears.

"You're welcome!" Cal called and I sighed deeply.

I flushed and came out of the bathroom and Cal wrapped his arms around me, jumping us in a circle. I just laughed and told him he was crazy.

"Is it weird for you that we're jumping in a circle for your penis being functional?" Cal asked stopping the party momentarily. I looked up at the ceiling and shrugged.

"Nah." I said as he began to bounce us again and I laughed heartily and realized it was the first time since the shooting that it didn't hurt to laugh.

------------------------------

I decided I was going to surprise Jordan for lunch and routinely checked my e-mail before I went out. There was something from Jordan and I was pretty sure I knew what it was going to be. I opened the e-mail and found that there was an attachment I needed to download. I smiled realizing it was a digital photo and waited for it to load onto my screen.

What came up was a digital picture of a close up of a yellow sticky note with the number 12 written on it. I smiled and Cal was suddenly over my shoulder.

"Aww…you two are like a couple a teenagers in puppy love aren't ya?" He asked and mussed my hair. I had no snippy comment. I just smiled and saved the picture before shutting down my computer.

"I'm gonna surprise Jordan for lunch." I said stretching. Cal nodded.

"Kay…just let me get my shoes on…"He said and I shook my head.

"No I mean….I'm gonna drive myself…I think I'm up to it." I said and Cal eyed me cautiously.

"You sure?" He asked and I nodded.

"Yeah, the only reason I wasn't allowed to drive was cause I was on those pain killers and muscle relaxants. I stopped taking them, I feel fine." I said and Cal nodded hesitantly.

"Alright well you just give me a call if you think you can't make it back yourself." He said as I picked up my keys and pulled on my coat as I headed for the door. I nodded and hurried down to the elevator. When I pulled up outside of the morgue, I felt a little nervous. I hadn't seen everybody in a little while and I was anticipating my welcome on the ride up to the morgue. The doors opened and I stepped cautiously out into the lobby. Everyone was bustling around as usual and I smiled at the comfort of normalcy. Nigel was the first to spot me.

"Woodrow!" he called across the room and I smiled. He hopped to his feet and hurried to where I was standing. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders gently and patted my back.

"Good to see ya mate! How are you feeling?" He said and I smiled.

"I'm doing great! Stopped with the pain meds the other night, feeling stronger…" I said and heard two more voices call out my name. I turned my head to see a stunned Lily and Bug coming at me. They both hugged me gently.

"It's okay guys, I won't break." I said laughing. "I'm feeling a lot better." I said and meant it.

"Glad to hear it." I heard Dr. Macy say and I smiled turning to his office where he stood in the doorway smiling.

"Doctor M." I said stretching out my hand. He embraced me quickly and patted my back.

"Good to see you Woody." he said smiling and everyone was suddenly quiet. I looked around the little crowd to see Jordan standing arms folded, in front of the little group. I smiled at her and everyone slowly parted. She stepped forward and I opened my arms to her. She stepped into them, wrapping her arms around my torso and I hugged her tightly.

"Hi." I whispered softly into her ear. Jordan bent back her head and kissed my lips softly. I could feel everyone smiling.

"Hi yourself." She said pulling back and I chuckled.

"I'm sorry about…about Cal last night on the phone…he's…he's one of those forever 12 year old guys…and…" she hushed me.

"So…?" She asked and I winked.

"I'm fine. It WAS just the muscle relaxants. You were right." I bent my head so my lips were closer to her ear. "And you inadvertently helped me to realize that last night." I said wagging my eyebrows and Jordan chuckled.

"I hope it was as good as the dream I had about YOU last night." She whispered wagging her own eyebrows and I chuckled. I looked up and everyone had dispersed, leaving us standing by ourselves.

"You wanna go get a bite to eat?"  I asked and Jordan took my hand and nodded, as we headed to her office to grab her coat.

------------------------

We sat together at Max's bar, having endured the embarrassment of him making a production of my return to the outside world by giving a round of drinks on the house and introducing me to everyone in the room.

"So…I talked to the chief earlier today…I'm gonna start back on a temporary basis on Thursday." I said and Jordan smiled.

"Just inside stuff though right? Paper work, phone calls, background checks?" She asked and I nodded.

"Pretty much." I said smiling, appreciative that things were finally returning to semi-normal. Jordan nodded again.

"So…uhhh….when's Cal heading home?" She asked and I could tell she was anxious to get me back under her roof. I smiled.

"Saturday. His boss was understanding but he'd like him back sooner than later." I said and Jordan nodded.

"So…then…I was thinking maybe you'd come back to my place…bring some of your stuff if you want and I'll clear out a drawer for you…" She said shifting a little uncomfortably. I nodded slowly.

"And…I uh…I got a key made for you today." She said sliding it across the bar to me. I smiled casually and picked it up, quickly hooking it to my key ring.

"Thanks." I said and Jordan nodded. I sighed and looked down at my own extra key. I slipped it off quickly and slid it across the bar to Jordan.

"And maybe you should have mine…you know just in case of an emergency." I said and Jordan smiled and slowly lifted the key from the bar. She nodded and placed it on her own key ring. We smiled shyly at one another and I lifted my soda to Jordan. She lifted her own to me and we toasted the silent agreement we had just made.

"Well…uh…I better be getting back before Garrett puts out a warrant for me." She said checking her watch and I nodded, standing from the bar.

"Damn good to see ya Son." Max said coming around the bar and wrapping me in a big bear hug. I smiled and patted his shoulder before we headed out of the bar.

--------------------------------

"Alright, well I'm not gonna come up." I said as I pulled up out front of the morgue and Jordan climbed out. "I think I am gonna stop by the precinct and see how everything's going…get some stuff regarding my return in order…" I said and Jordan leaned across the seat kissing me deeply. I placed my hand on her shoulder and she pecked my nose quickly before saying good-bye and shutting the door. I drove downtown to the 19th and parked on the road.

A few of the guys stopped me to chat on my way in and they wished me luck on coming back. I made my way to my office and was greeted warmly by my office mate. He told me I was the boy wonder of the precinct right now and I better enjoy the perks while they were being offered. I smiled sitting down on the edge of my desk and Myers tossed me a Nerf football.

"How ya feeling Hoyt?" A stern voice called from the doorway. I placed the ball on my desk and stood quickly, turning my attention to the chief.

"Better sir, thank you sir." I said and he nodded.
"Glad to hear it. I understand you're starting back soon on a part time basis?" He said and I nodded.

"Thursday sir." I said and he nodded tapping the doorframe as he stepped back into the hallway.

"Take it easy alright?" He said with a faint smile and I nodded.
"Yes sir." I said and turned back to Myers as the chief walked off down the hall. We smiled and I threw the ball back to him.

----------------

On Thursday I got dressed for work and checked the stitches before heading out to grab some cereal from the kitchen. Cal was sitting with his bare feet propped up on the table and the paper spread across his legs. As I walked by him I pushed his feet off and grabbed the paper, folding it up and sticking it under my arm as I rooted through the cabinet for a bowl.

'Jesus! Who put the hop back in your step? Cal said through a mouthful of cereal. "If I ever get as excited about going to work as you do, please just save me the trouble of trying to fire a rifle into my own mouth using my big toe and just take me out, okay?" He said and I rolled my eyes tossing a plastic cereal bowl on the table and shaking some fruit loops into it. Cal just shook his head and picked up the travel section of the paper knowing I never looked at it.

I spent the day at my desk, occasionally hopping up and going to the door when a big call came in, trying to feel a piece of the excitement. I called the florist around noon and had a bouquet of flowers sent to Jordan at work. I  knew that she'd love them.

---------------------------

Jordan…

I was sitting eating a bag of pretzels at my desk around 1 when there was a knock at my door.

"Yeah?" I called through the pretzels and Lily answered.

"It's me! You got a delivery!" She called opening the door and popping her head in.

"I didn't order a pizza." I said puzzled and Lily rolled her eyes stepping into the room. She was holding a bouquet of flowers. I smiled and stood from my desk.

She hurried over to me with them and I plucked the card from the little holder. I opened it with a smile and found a single number written there. I handed the card to Lily.

"10?" She said staring at the number. "What does that mean? And it doesn't say who it's from?" She said turning the card over to check the back. I just smiled.

"Their from Woody." I said confidently and Lily smiled.
"So what's the number mean?" She asked and I shrugged my shoulders enigmatically. Lily scrutinized me for a few seconds more. I rolled my eyes.

"Get there faster Lily." I said and her eyes popped open.

"Oh…oooohhhhhh….."She said smirking and I laughed.

"So what do you have planned for the big day? Woody's been asking around about nice B&B's in the area…" She said and leaned forward, "But you didn't hear that from me." She whispered and I chuckled.

"I don't know…I let him handle that stuff…I just told him to tell me what to pack." I said with a grin and Lily chuckled.
"Oh, I' so happy for you guys!" She said gaily and I laughed. "I haven't seen you so happy in…well…I can't remember when I've ever seen you this happy." She said and I nodded.

"Yeah…there's just something about Woody that…I dunno…he's not like anyone I've ever been with before." I said and Lily smiled.

"Well…do you love him?" she asked and I whipped my head up from the bouquet I was smelling.