Events bled into each other during the next few days. Jordan wasn't sure exactly how everything got done, but it did. She did pretty well until she had to definitely identify her father's body. Even though Garrett had softened the task as much as he could – bringing the morgue photograph to the house – it was still difficult. Viewing the body was harder.

Woody was with her the entire time....by her side, or close enough he could hear her just whisper his name if she needed him. She was holding up remarkably well, he noted, as he watched her through the viewing, the wake, and the services. She lost her composure completely at the graveside service, turning to him and once again sobbing quietly on his shoulder. He had to half carry her away when it was time to leave. Her legs were refusing to work. And while everyone had been amazed at her earlier composure, they were equally worried about her present state – fragile – was the word that came to mind.

The wake had been at the Pogue. It had seemed fitting. Max would have liked it. Max would have liked everything, Woody thought – from the police escort to the toasts at his wake. Jordan had taken extra pains to make sure the last, loving thing she could do for him as his daughter was something he would have enjoyed immensely. When she finally got back to Max's house and had told everyone good bye, he pulled her to him. Holding gently, he softly pressed a kiss to her forehead. "How are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm holding on..." she replied, her voice still cracking from unshed tears.

"What would you like to do now? Would you like to get out of here for a while?"

Jordan sighed. That sounded wonderful...just to pretend like everything was back to normal, even for a few minutes, sounded heavenly. "Yes...."

"Where would you like to go...what would you like to do?"

"A walk....I'd like to go to the park and take a walk."

"It's cold outside, Jo." And it was. It was near Thanksgiving....and the air held a hint of snow.

"I don't care... it doesn't have to be a long one...I just need to get out."

"Okay. Dress warmly," he called after her as she went upstairs to change. He went to his car and got some clothes out. Lily had stayed with Jordan the whole week, but Woody knew that she needed to get back to her own place...and if the truth be know, Bug. He told her he would stay with Jordan tonight. Coming back in the house, he went to Max's old room and changed into jeans and a sweatshirt. He met her coming out of the room. Looking her over, he approved. Jeans. Shirt. Sweatshirt over that shirt. Socks. Tennis shoes. She would be warm enough.

He followed her downstairs and out the door. She walked briskly until she got to the neighborhood park. Her steps slowed and he kept pace beside her. She walked until she came to a bench beside a playground. She sank down on it and he sat down beside her. "So, Jo. Why here?"

She shrugged. "I never came here as a child. Dad moved into this house about three years after Mom died. So I was too old for playgrounds. But I do remember sneaking out of the house at night to come here and think..."

"Just think...no partying?"

"Believe it or not, no. No partying. I was a fairly serious student, despite some minor discipline problems the nuns seemed to have with me at St. Mary's. Remember, I wanted to be a heart surgeon. I had to make good grades to get into college and then med school."

Others may have found it difficult to picture Jordan as a serious student. He had no problem. He could just imagine her with her solemn eyes and face in her Catholic school girl uniform. The trouble the nuns probably had with her was her constant questioning of authority.

"So you came here to think?"

"Yeah...sometimes I had to get away from the house, Dad ... everything."

"So what are you thinking about now?"

"What to do...."

"About?"

"Everything....the house, the Pogue, the morgue, myself...."

Woody's eyebrows hit his hairline...herself? "And...?"

"I don't know if I should move into the house, sell the house, rent the house...sell the Pogue, or keep the Pogue. If I keep the Pogue, do I work part time at the morgue or no time at the morgue? Become a full time bar owner? Or sell the Pogue and hang on at the morgue until Garrett retires and take his place? Or sell it all, say the hell with everything, and move to St. Thomas? I could do that, you know. There's nothing holding me in Boston anymore."

Woody swallowed hard. What she said was true, as she perceived it...there was nothing holding her here anymore. "But we'd miss you....and you'd miss us."

Jordan sighed. "Yeah, but a part of me wants to start over....fresh...new..."

"You could try that here, couldn't you?"

"I don't know...."

Not satisfied with her answer, he tried another tactic. "Well, remember what Lily tells her clients. 'Don't make any major life-changing decisions during the first year after a death. It's too easy to be ruled by emotions rather than logic'."

Jordan nodded. "I'm not...I'm just going to take it a day at the time for awhile." She shivered. It was getting late and she was getting cold. Woody caught the motion.

"Come on. Let me get you home before you freeze."

"And that would never do, would it?"

"You know, if you'd put on a little weight I wouldn't have to worry so much."

"Jordan rolled her eyes at him. "I eat. I just have a fast metabolism."

"You don't eat like you should..." he continued, but Jordan tuned him out, still wrapped up in her own thoughts about her future. Before she knew it, they were home. She opened the front door and made her way to the fireplace, flipping on the gas logs.

"Come here and get warm," she said to Woody, who was depositing his shoes at the door. He came over and sat down beside her on the floor. It had grown dark outside and there were no lights on except for the kitchen's and the fireplace. It was cozy and warm, and out of habit from the last several days, Woody pulled Jordan against him. She nestled close, glad for his presence. "Thanks," she whispered.

"For what?"

"For being here for me...I couldn't have made it through this last week without you."

He softly kissed the top of her head. "It's okay....you'd do the same for me, wouldn't you?"

"Absolutely...only I hope I don't have to do it anytime soon."

Woody smiled in her hair. He didn't either...he wished he didn't have to go through this with her. Without Max, Jordan was, in a way, rudderless. He left her the bar to teach her responsibility and not to run. That had worked well. But Woody was sure that Max had planned to return at sometime and take the bar back...relieve Jordan of that responsibility. But he had a heart attack in Ireland....Now his daughter was attempting to face her future alone...bravely. He wished he could somehow let her know she didn't have to do it by herself. He was there. He'd always be there for her. "You sleepy?" he asked, noticing how even her soft breathing had become.

"A little."

"Go to bed. I'll straighten up down here and be up in a minute."

Jordan stiffened in his arms. "Lily?"

"I told her to stay home tonight. She's been here the whole week. I think Bug kind of misses her."

"Bug?"

Woody chuckled. "I thought you knew....they've been seeing each other for a while now. They kept it under wraps for several months, but now nearly everyone knows."

"No....I had no idea.....I guess I've kind of been...."

"Busy?"

"Too busy, it seems. Lily should have said something....I could have stayed by myself."

Woody didn't answer her. He just held her, wondering how long Jordan was going to let this go on before she reverted back to being "just friends." He was savoring the moment....trying to remember her scent, the feel of her against him, even the way her tears warmed the front of his shirt when they fell. He swallowed hard and tightened his grip on her for a moment. Then releasing her, said, "Go get ready for bed. You're wiped out." Jordan stood and reached for his hand, pulling him up beside her.

"Go home, Woody," she said.

"Home?" he asked, slightly stupefied at her request.

"Yes, home. You know...your apartment. You've been great the whole week, but I know you've got things to do and that you've got to go to work tomorrow. So go home. Get some rest."

"You'll come with me?"

Jordan shook her head. "No. I'll stay here or go home to my apartment. It's just time for life to somehow get back to normal. I've taken up enough of everyone's time, including yours."

"No...I don't want to leave you alone yet...."

"I'll be fine. Honestly. You've gone above and beyond the call of duty as a friend."

So I have my answer, he thought. Now that it's all over, she wants to go back being just friends again. How am I supposed to do this?

You just do, said the little voice in his head. You keep doing it until you think of a way to convince her otherwise....or she makes up her mind that she wants to be more than friends. So get a grip and carry on.

"Jordan, I don't like this idea..."

"It wouldn't be the first time you didn't like one of my ideas," she said with a grin. "But it's time ...time for you to go home and me to learn to be totally on my own."

He gazed down into those whiskey-colored eyes. He could still see pain...from the death of her father....the changes in her life....He didn't want to go home. He wanted to stay with her and reassure her she didn't have to do this alone...he was there. He'd always be there. But the stubborn tilt to her chin told him she was standing her ground. With a sigh of defeat, he went and slid on his shoes. "Okay....but you call me before you go to sleep and first thing in the morning, you hear?"

"Yes sir," Jordan replied, mock saluting. Then seeing him to the door, and allowing him one more hug, she was left alone...which was what she wanted. She needed time. Time to think about what she was going to do...how was she going to manage herself ... and the feelings she still had for Woody. She went upstairs and got ready for bed. Climbing between the sheets, she remembered her promise and dialed his number. She heard him mumble "Hello."

"Hey sleepy head. It's me. You asleep?"

"No...not really. Watching the news....worrying about you."

"I'm fine, Wood. Go to sleep. Good night."

She heard him say good night and hang up. She loved him...no denying that. But this only being friends issue was wearing her out. She had wanted him to stay tonight, but knew if he did, she would end up wanting him to sleep with her. Not for sex, but just to be close to him...to have him hold her all night. But while that might be what she needed, it wasn't what he needed. The sooner things got back to normal, the better for him. She would always love him...and for that reason have his best interests at heart. But she wasn't the best thing for him, and she had to constantly remind herself of that. Now she had even more stuff to deal with....the death of her father. And with the holidays coming up, it was going to become even more difficult. Jordan shut her eyes and willed herself not to cry. Stuff it down, hold it back...it will get better, it has to, she kept repeating to herself until she fell asleep.