Two weeks. Jordan had two weeks to get ready to go. Hastily, she prepped her temporary replacement and packed up some of her apartment to make room for Garrett's things. Nigel and Bug were going to miss her, but understood this was a great chance for professional development. Nigel was a bit more concerned in the personal department than the professional one. He didn't expect to have the opportunity to go to Chapel Hill and train – he knew Garrett couldn't find anyone to replace him. But he was concerned about Jordan's and Woody's relationship. The young detective had not been to the morgue in over a week and he knew that Woody had not been back to Jordan's apartment. And hell, he was worried over Jordan's moping around.

"Say Jordan," he said, one afternoon as he entered her office, "Let's go grab a cup of coffee. It may be one of our last chances to be alone before you leave." He wagged his eyebrows at her.

Jordan sighed and looked up from the files she was reviewing. It would be great to get out of here for a while. "Sounds great. Starbucks?"

A short while later, seated around at table for two, Nigel began to try to judge where things were at with his best friend. He had been so caught up with Stevie and Katie, that he was sort of ashamed to say that he had left Jordan out on a limb by herself this time.

"So, have you told Woody you're leaving?" he gingerly ventured.

Jordan looked down at her coffee. "No. I've tried, but I can't find him. He's not at my apartment, I haven't caught him at his office, and he won't return my calls. He still thinks I took that damn envelope."

Nigel took her hand. "Well, I believe you, love. And so does Garrett and Dr. Stiles. Woody will come to his senses, you know."

"I can't blame him entirely, Nige. I know my track record and even I would suspect me. But I promised him that I wouldn't chase after any leads by myself, and I've kept that promise. Maybe it's too little too late."

"You still love him, don't you?"

"Oh, yes," Jordan's voice broke. "But love and trust go hand in hand and if Woody doesn't or can't trust me, this relationship is doomed. That's the real reason I'm going to North Carolina. To give him space and maybe give me the opportunity to stop loving him."

"Stop loving him?" Nigel couldn't believe it. After years of playing the cat and mouse game, and then finally admitting that she loved Woody, just to turn her back on all of that? Nigel was having a hard time following that train of thought.

"If he can't trust me, this is not going to work. So what about you?"

"Me? I trust you."

"No, how do you feel about Stevie going back home?"

Nigel shrugged. "North Carolina's her home, Jor."

"Uh-huh," Jordan said.

Nigel sighed. "You want the truth? The truth is I'm going to miss her like hell. I'm going to miss her and Katie more than I can admit to myself."

"So what you going to do about it?"

"Stay in touch with the lady. Maybe, if things work out, we'll see each other again. I was hoping I could count on you to keep me actively on her mind."

"Not a problem, Nige."

Nigel had gotten closer to Steve than he intended to. He was hoping that it would be a summer flirtation and then both of them would go their separate ways. And Stevie had not indicated to him that she expected it to be anything more. But sometime during the last several weeks, when Nigel would go to hug Stevie good bye in the evening, she would instinctively snuggle a little closer and linger a little longer. Then one afternoon, before Katie came and they were by themselves, it happened. They were walking out to their respective vehicles in the parking deck and as usual, Nigel opened his arms to hug Stevie good-bye. She went to him and hugged him, but when she had pulled back, Nigel had held her and gently ran his hand down her cheek. The next thing he knew, he was kissing her and she was kissing him back. She was small and warm and felt so good. Instinctively, he had tightened his arms around her and deepened the kiss. If a car hadn't of pulled into the deck, well.... Heaven knows.

"Earth to Nigel," said Jordan, trying to get his attention.

"Oh, sorry love, caught up in my thoughts for a second."

"You know," Jordan said, hesitant about playing match maker, but wanting to take advantage of the opportunity, "Katie is spending the night with a friend on Friday. Why don't you take Stevie out alone one last time?"

"I'd love to, but I pull a double that night."

"No problem. I'll cover for you."

Are you sure, Jordan? You've got a lot to do."

"No problem. What are best friends for?"

"Thanks."

"You know, Stevie and I were talking about you the other night. She said something very interesting. She said she felt safe with you."

"Safe?"

"Yeah, and that is very important to her."

"Why?"

"That is something you need to let her tell you."
=================================

Nigel made his way back to his office and found Stevie at her desk finishing up some paperwork. Pulling up a chair, he gently tugged at a lock of her hair to get her attention.

"Hey," said Stevie, "Where have you been?"

"Grabbed a cup of coffee with Jordan. Figured it might be our last chance to be together before she takes off for the sunny South."

"Yeah, it won't be too long," Stevie toyed with her pen. She was really going to miss Nigel.

"Ummmm, Jordan said that Katie was spending the night with a friend on Friday. I was wondering if you'd like to maybe grab some dinner and have some time alone before you go back home?"

Stevie smiled. She hoped he would ask. "That would be nice, Nige."
=======================================
Friday came and Nigel found himself at the front door of Max's house. Nervously, he ran his hand through his hair and rang the doorbell. Stevie answered. Nigel's jaw dropped.

She was wearing a blue slip dress that modestly fell below the knee, but had a slit nearly up to her thigh. Her hair was up and she looked like something that just stepped off the pages of a fashion magazine. Of all the words Nigel could think of to describe her, the terms mother and medical examiner fit nowhere in the definition.

"Hi, come on in Nige"

Nigel felt like an awkward teenager on his first date. Suddenly his palms were sweaty and he was having a hard time making the words come out of his mouth.

"Hello love. You look....well....." words were eluding him. "Just wonderful."

"Thanks. Ready to go?"

The two went to dinner at a restaurant near the Pogue and then stopped in at the bar to see Jordan. This was one more detail Jordan was having to take care of before she left town. Marge was going to manage the bar and Joe was coming back to help. They would let Garret know how things were going and he'd tell Jordan anything she needed to know. Right now, once again, Jordan was playing bar wench until time for her to go into the morgue. Nigel noted that Woody was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey you two. What kind of trouble have you been in?" Jordan asked, winking at the couple.

"None yet, love. Trying to make our way there," Nige replied. Glancing around, he asked "No Woody?"

Jordan sighed and wiped down the bar. "Nope. Haven't seen him since last week. Still won't return my calls. Nige, what am I going to do? I don't want to leave him just a note letting him know I've gone. And I don't want to leave without telling him."

"You want me to put a bug in his ear?"

Jordan chewed her bottom lip. "Yeah. Tell him to meet me at my apartment Sunday afternoon. I need to get his key back, anyway. I'd hate for him to walk in on Garrett."

Nigel and Stevie nodded. They stayed for a while and talked with Jordan, then headed out. Nigel slowly pulled his car out into the street and cleared his throat. "Ummm, would you like to come back to my place for a night cap?"

Stevie twisted her fingers together. It had been a long time since she had been alone with a man. She knew Nigel was nervous, but she was bouncing off the walls in her head. "Sure."

Nigel drove to his apartment and quietly they both entered. "You'll have to excuse the mess. Haven't had time to clean this week," he said.

Stevie noted that it was a typical loft apartment, much like Jordan's. She followed Nigel into the kitchen, where he was pulling down glasses and pouring Scotch. "Mind if I take off my shoes?" she asked. "My feet are killing me."

"Make yourself at home, love," Nigel said, handing her a glass. An awkward silence followed. "Let's go sit down."

Taking his coat from the couch, he made room for himself and Stevie. He sat down and pulled her against him, her back to his chest. Wrapping one arm lightly around her waist, he told her, "I'm going to miss you, Stephanie Patrice Murphy."

"I'm going to miss you, too, Nige," she replied, studying the liquid in her glass, then taking a sip.

"What will you miss most?"

"Your toys," she teased. She had a fascination with all of Nigel's computer equipment.

"Just the toys?" Nigel sounded hurt. Stevie turned around and ran a hand down his chest. "No, not just the toys. Mainly, I'm going to miss you ... your sense of humor, your intellect..." Stevie paused for a moment... "The whole Nigel package. And the hugs at the end of the day."

Nigel reached out and took her drink and sat it on the table. Hugging her close, he kissed her forehead. "Yeah, those are nice. Your kisses aren't bad either." Gently he lifted her chin and kissed her again. As she responded, he deepened the kiss and felt Stevie's hands trail up his chest and around his neck. Pulling her closer, he slowly moved his hands up her sides and settled her against him. Tentatively, he deepened the kiss again and felt her respond. "Sweet Nancy," he moaned against her lips.

Stevie chuckled. "My name's not Nancy."

Nigel suddenly stood up and took Stevie with him. Still holding her, he began to walk backwards towards the bedroom, all the time judging if she was ready or was trying to pull away. When they reached the bedroom, he looked into those blue eyes. "Stevie..?" It was a question.

Stevie nodded. Nigel led her into the room and kissed her again. He reached over to flip on a bedside light.

"No, Nige..no lights, please."

Nigel thought it was strange, but complied with the request. Fumbling between kisses, they soon had discarded each others clothes. Lying side by side, they took the time to slowly explore each other's bodies before Nigel rolled Stevie to her back and kissed her neck down to her navel and then back up again. Not being able to see her face really well, he gently brushed back her hair from her forehead and once again asked, "Stevie...?"

She kissed him back and he moved over her body. He could feel her response coming as she tightened around him. His response came soon after. Rolling over and tucking her against his side, he struggled for his breathing to return to normal. "That was...."

"Earth shaking?" asked Stevie.

"Yes...."

"Feel up to giving it another go?"

"Oh yeah."

Hours later, with Stevie once again tucked beside him, he gently stroked her back. "That's funny," he thought...he felt bumps and ridges there. But sleep claimed him before he could ponder it any more.
=======================================
The next morning, Nigel got up first and decided to go ahead and shower ahead of Stevie. He would try to find her some sweats to put on before he took her back home. Wrapping a towel around him, he came out of the bathroom into the bedroom. Stevie was still fast asleep, on her tummy, hugging his pillow, sheets pulled down to her naked waist. It was then Nigel noticed her back. Nigel had worked in a morgue too long not to know what the scarring was from. He sat down beside Stevie and shook her awake. She rolled over to look at him. "Good morning," she said, sleepily.

"Why didn't you tell me, Stevie?"

"Tell you what?" Stevie wasn't a morning person and this line of questioning was leaving her a little confused.

"Your back. What happened? Who did this to you?"

Slowly, Stevie sat up and pulled the sheets around her. She knew this issue would come up with Nigel eventually. However, she didn't plan on it now. She may as well meet it head on.

"My ex-husband. After we got married, he told me that he didn't want to have children for awhile, if ever. But a year after we were married, I got pregnant – accidentally. He wanted me to abort it, and I wouldn't. He got angry...."

"And beat you up."

"Yeah, pretty much," Stevie said, looking away from Nigel's eyes.

"What did he do?"

After I told him I wouldn't abort the baby, he hit me in the jaw and dislocated it. Then he beat me."

"And burnt you."

"Yeah, that too," said Stevie, not wanting to relive the memories she had so painstakingly put away or look at Nigel.

"What did you do?"

"I went home to Mom and Dad. Duke accepted me in their program, despite the fact I was pregnant. They were great. The chief ME took me under his wing and taught me everything he knew and looked after me. I divorced Tom, regained my maiden name, and had Katie. She and my work have been my life... Her father has no contact with her or me."

Nigel went to pull Stevie into his arms, but she resisted. She still wouldn't meet his eyes. Suddenly, Nigel knew what was wrong. Gently, he turned her head to him and made her look him in the face. Softly, and with great determination, he said. "It was not your fault."

Stevie melted. Inside, she had harbored guilt for years that somehow the whole mess was, indeed, her fault. Logically, she knew it not to be true, but for some reason she always bore that guilt. Nigel had just released her from that burden. This time Nigel pulled her into his arms, gently rocking her back and forth and stroking her back.. "It's not your fault, baby," he repeated. He realized two things. First, he was furious beyond reason at a man he didn't even know for abusing such a petite, pregnant woman. The second thing was that he now knew what Stevie had meant when she told Jordan that "she felt safe with Nigel."