Jordan saw little of Woody after that. She filled her days, and most of her nights, with her work. She consciously tried to put him on the back burner, working herself so hard that when she did go home, as soon as her head hit the pillow, she was oblivious to anything but sleep. Garrett was concerned she was pushing herself too hard, but she brushed off his comments with a wave of her hand and a stubborn shrug of her shoulders. "We're busy here, Garrett. When people stop dying, I'll take some time off."

"Well, if you don't stop and take some time off, you may be on one of those slabs downstairs, if you're not careful," he had replied.

"And you're one to talk ... for every night I've worked late, you're here, too."

"Well... yeah...but I don't have a life, remember?"

"That's your own fault."

"You're not going to have a life, either, if you don't start paying more attention to certain people."

"Like who?"

"You know...a certain detective?"

Jordan grew suddenly quiet, her teasing attitude abruptly stopping. Garrett caught the change in mood and the pained expression on her face. "Jordan," he asked, "Is everything all right between you and Woody?"

She sighed and turned away from her boss. "No. No it's not."

"You want to talk about it?"

"He's asked me to make a decision, Garrett. Either we take the next step in our relationship, or he doesn't want to see me anymore."

Garrett was quiet for a minute. He knew Woody loved Jordan, but he also knew that for a long time, she had resisted his affections. From personal experience, he realized that Woody needed to know if he was wasting his time, or if Jordan was willing to let him love her.

But he also knew Jordan. That was almost asking the impossible from a woman who had so painstakingly sheltered her heart from any further hurt. Love would make her vulnerable. She didn't like being vulnerable.

"So how do you feel about that?" he finally asked.

Jordan toyed with her necklace for a moment. "I don't know. I don't want to lose him, but I don't want to get hurt....and God knows I don't want to hurt him. I think he deserves someone far better than me, Garrett. Someone who would make a house a home for him, have his kids, go to PTA meetings and Little League with him...You and I both know, I'm not that kind of girl."

"Have you ever thought that underneath it all, you may be that kind of girl?"

Jordan looked at him with astonishment. "I am no Martha Stewart."

"Nobody said you had to be. But underneath it all, haven't you ever wanted a family? Kids? A house? Complete with a dog in the backyard and a white picket fence? Haven't you ever thought what it would be like to help with homework and teach your daughter how to ride a bike? Or your son to play catch?"

"I used to.....back when I was a lot younger. But honestly, not in the last several years....I've been too busy."

"Yeah, I know. Chasing your mother's murderer and pushing nearly everyone away in the process. Look, Jo, this is a big decision. I know Woody cares for you and you care for him. I also realize that you haven't had much of a chance to think about it. So as of right now, you are on leave. For two weeks. You have five years worth of vacation and personal leave time that you've never taken. You're taking some of it now. I don't want to see you for two weeks. Is that clear?"

"But Garret, my cases..."

"Don't but Garrett me. Bug and Nigel can be brought up to speed on those. Go. Leave. Now."

Jordan reluctantly pulled her purse from her desk and found her car keys. "If you need me.."

"We won't call you." Garrett watched her as she slowly made her way down the hall. Her shoulders were slumped. She looked down right dejected. Yet he knew she should have this time to think... and hopefully decide that Woody was exactly what she needed in her life. Still his heart went out to her....she could be so stubborn. "Hey Jo," he called out before she got on the elevator.

"Yeah?"

"If you need to talk, give me a call. My office door is always open."

Jordan went home to an empty apartment. She threw her purse and herself down on the couch and propped her feet up on the coffee table. Two weeks....what was she going to do with herself for two weeks....

Well, her apartment needed a good cleaning. She could do that. And laundry, she could get caught up on her laundry. And her reading. She looked at the stack of Forensic Journals piled up on the end of her desk. She could wade through those. Hell, who was she kidding? That would take at longest, the best of two days. That left twelve days that she would have nothing to do.

Nothing to do but think about him. And what to do. She hadn't seen him since that night in her office – when he had kissed her and told her this time he was playing for keeps. He was definitely giving her space....too much space. She missed him. The times she did let herself think about him, all she could think about was how good it felt to be in his arms. And what his kisses did to her. Her cheeks grew warm at the thought of his caresses.

He hadn't called her. For any reason. He hadn't even requested her as the ME when he was called out on a homicide. Had he given up? Or was he still waiting? He definitely had said that she needed to let him know....so the ball was in her court. The question was, was she willing to play ball?

She wasn't sure. She needed to clear her head. A shower would be great. And some coffee. She put on a pot and headed for the bathroom. She'd think about this later.

For Jordan, later came nearly at the end of her two week leave of absence. She had managed to stay busy during the two weeks, doing her cleaning and helping her father out at the Pogue. She consciously put off trying to make any decision about herself and Woody. Every time she though about it, she became afraid. At first, she chided herself on the fear...what was there to be afraid of?

Abandonment. A broken heart....the list grew. Could she risk it? Could she risk putting herself and Woody through it? But on the other hand, what if he really did love her? What could she be giving up just because she was afraid?

The questions whirled around her mind until her last Friday night at the Pogue. She had sent her dad home early to rest. She was just getting ready to shut the bar down when she heard the bell jangle over the door. "Nearly closin' time, mister," she said, not turning around. "You've only got a few minutes."

"Jordan." It was Woody.

She whirled around to face him. He was standing at the door. He turned the "Closed" sign on and locked the door.

"You nearly through for the evening?" he asked.

Nervously she dried her hands on her apron. "Yes. Just got to check up."

He waited as she counted the money in the register, put it in the bank bag, and locked the bag in the safe in her father's office. When she came out, he was still standing in the middle of the floor, waiting on her. He held open his arms. Slowly she walked into them.

Woody just held her for a moment, breathing in her scent. The smell of her shampoo, her perfume, all could be recognized over the stale smoke and alcohol of the bar. "Haven't seen you in a while. Thought I'd better check up on you. I called in on a homicide today and requested you, but Nigel came instead. He said you were on vacation or something."

"Yeah. Garrett made me take some personal time before I racked up six years worth."

Woody chuckled. Jordan was known for her dedication to her work, but he didn't know she was this dedicated – or obsessed, whichever came first.

"So have you got any rest at all?" He pulled back to look into her whiskey colored eyes.

"A little."

"Don't look like it....how many nights have you worked here?" indicating the bar.

"Only for about the past week. Dad needed a break."

Woody began to back her over to the jukebox. Pulling two coins from his pocket he made a selection and punched the buttons. "Dance?" he asked, as the music filled the room. Her nod was almost imperceptible.

He held her, gently swaying to the music, then spun her out and back to him. Neither said a word until the music ended. Then Woody simply kept her in his arms, his forehead resting on hers. "Have you thought about us, Jo?"

Only morning, noon, and night, 24/7, she thought. But to Woody, she replied, "Yes....some."

"Have you reached a decision?"

Nervously she chewed her bottom lip. "Woody ...." She began, looking into his eyes.

"Hmmm?" He had suddenly become distracted by the way her hair was escaping her messy bun and curling around her ears.

"I don't want to hurt you...I'm not sure I'm the right girl for you."

"Isn't that sort of my decision, Jo?"

"I mean...in a few years...you may regret being with me. You deserve far better than me..someone that will be there all hours, someone that will take care of you and anyone else that may come along, someone that will fit in the Junior League and Civitans. You know I'm none of those things."

Woody looked into her eyes for a long minute. "I know your hours, Jordan. They are almost like mine. And I know you do take care of people. I've seen it in the way you care for the victim's families. As for the Junior League and Civitans, I don't belong to them and never have wanted to – or any other of those organizations. And don't expect you to. And as far as children go....for me, that is so far in the future, I'd rather deal with that when and if it ever happens. I'm not worrying about it now."

"I'm not a small town girl, Woody. I wasn't raised in Kewaunne. I was raised in Boston. I'm not like the girls you grew up with."

"If I had wanted a girl I grew up with, I'd go back to Wisconsin. And I don't expect you to become like them."

"Your mind is made up, isn't it?"

Woody grinned at her. "Pretty much."

Jordan looked into his eyes. This is what makes him such a good detective, she thought. He gets you right where he wants you then BAM! He springs the trap and you're caught. And it's not that she didn't want to be caught by him...she was just afraid that in the end, he'd be sorely disappointed and then there would be a world of hurt for both him and her....and whoever else may be involved.

She shook her head. Woody caught her chin and brought her eyes back up to his. "You're still not sure, are you?"

"I don't want to tell you yes or no until I am certain."

Woody sighed, but kept held on to her. He had hoped that this evening she would tell him that she loved him...but that was not going to happen. "Okay, Jordan. I'm going to give you more time...but I'm not going to wait forever."

She nodded, not trusting her voice.

"And I want you to be sure of your answer when you come to me...so meanwhile, live your life and I'll live mine, okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"Live like this discussion never took place.. like there's nothing between us...Just see if you like that way better than it is now."

And with a brief, hard kiss to her lips, he was gone, leaving her aching for more...aching for him in the middle of an empty bar.