Woody woke to someone holding smelling salts underneath his nose. His head pounded. He opened his eyes and looked into the laughing face of Eddie Winslow. Gingerly he felt his jaw and ran his tongue over his teeth. They were all there. Eddie laughed harder.

"What happened? And why are you here?" he asked. The last thing he remembered was Jordan calling his name.

"Seems our guy decided to break in tonight. He cleaned your clock pretty good. He was getting ready to give you the same dose of stuff he gave Jordan, when your girl grabbed your service revolver and fired a shot at him."

"Scared him off?"

"Scared him off? Are you kidding? It damned killed him. One shot. Straight through the heart. In the dark. If Jordan ever gets tired of working at the morgue, she's coming to work for me. You owe her big time." Eddie helped Woody to his feet. "You okay now?"

Woody nodded, carefully. His head still hurt. Wincing, he looked around for Jordan. She was sitting on the stairs talking with the police. Nigel, Garrett, and Rene were with her. They eased of his way when they saw him coming. He dropped down beside her.

"Thanks," he said, taking her hand. "I didn't know you could shoot that well."

Jordan shook her head. "Neither did I. I guess there's a first time for everything."

"That's not the first time you've shot a gun."

"No, but that's the first time I've ever hit somebody."

"You okay?"

"I'm fine. I just freaked out when I saw him get that syringe out of his pocket."

"That's understandable," said Rene, patting Jordan's free arm. "You know, no charges will be filed. You were defending your home and plus he had a federal warrant out for his arrest."

Woody sighed in relief. It was over...except...for one thing. "If this guy's dead, how are we ever going to find out how much riacin he gave Jordan?"

Nigel held up a bag with a full syringe in it. "We got this from him intact. I'm going on the theory that he made one batch of this stuff, as riacin poison is difficult to make even if the beans are easy to come by. I'm going to take it to the lab, run some tests, and get my findings to Dr. Barker ASAP." He descended the stairs. "I'm off to the morgue. See you later."

Just as soon afterwards, after the police had finished, everyone went home. Garrett and Rene were the last to leave, making sure the young couple were okay. Jordan turned to Woody, "I really don't want to spend the night here..."

Woody nodded. "I agree...where do you want to go?"

"I have an apartment I would like to reclaim as my first step back to a normal life. Care to join me?"

"Let me get my coat."

The next afternoon, Jordan found herself back at the hospital with an IV hooked up to her arm. But this time, instead of being admitted for pain, she was being given the correct antidote for her poison, which turned out not to be riacin at all. "Hopefully this will work," Dr. Barker had told her. "The sheathes are already growing back. This antidote should counteract any damage caused and get you on the road to recovery quickly."

Jordan looked up at the IV bag holding her future...one that she hoped would be bright and pain-free. She lay back down in her bed and smiled – for the first time in months, she relaxed.

Later that day, Woody came to take her home. "How do you feel?" he asked.

"Dr. Barker says I probably won't feel any difference for a few days...then it will kick in and I'll be all better."

"So in a few days...."

"I think I'd make the hotel reservations soon, if I were you, Farm Boy."

Woody grinned. "You don't know what you're asking..."

Jordan grinned back at him. "Oh, I think I do...but we're sadly out of practice."

"And practice makes perfect," he said, leaning close to her, his lips a fraction of an inch from hers.

"And our goal should be perfection," she replied, closing the distance.

"Every time," he whispered as he claimed her lips.

Two weeks later, they were at a secluded hotel on the coast of Florida. Gee, when Woody said we were getting away from it all, he really meant it, she thought, taking in the sites and smells of St. Augustine. She quickly grew to love the city, what little Woody was letting her see of it. True to his word, the first few days of their vacation, she hadn't seen much beyond the walls of their hotel room. Not that she was complaining....she wasn't complaining at all. He had made up for all that lost time in the most satisfying way. She smiled to herself at the memory.

"What are you smiling at?" he asked, his arm around her waist as they strolled through the old part of St. Augustine.

"How well you've kept your promise."

"Which one?" he asked stopping and turning her to face him.

"The one about making up for lost time."

"Oh. That one..." They continued walking. For the first time in months, Jordan's legs were pain free. She never wanted to quit walking...or so it seemed to Woody. She appreciated each step she could take without flinching. "Are you happy, Jordan?"

"Very. Very happy and very satisfied."

The sun was beginning to set behind the city, casting a rosy glow on the old buildings and walkways. He pulled her to him and held her close. "Me, too...but I have one question. What's next with us, Jo?"

Jordan looked into his blue eyes...When she had met him...at that bank robbery...what was it? Three years ago? His eyes had captured her attention then. Crystal blue...like the Caribbean. Now they held her soul. "I hope it's the next step," she said, slowly, holding her breath.

"Which is?" he asked.

"That we stay together....be with each other, for a long time."

"Are you asking me to marry you?" Woody teased.

"No...no...not now... at least I don't think either one of us is ready for that...but I know how I feel. I don't want to be with anyone but you. I can't even imagine it."

Woody leaned his forehead against hers. "I can't either....so we go back home and see what happens...a day at the time?"

"I'd like that very much..."

"Would you at least wear this, for me?" He pulled out a box. "Don't worry. It's not an engagement ring."

Jordan opened the box. Inside was a sapphire and diamond ring. The blue of the sapphire matched his eyes exactly. "Yes..." she whispered. He slid it on the ring finger of her left hand.

They resumed walking. "So let's say hypothetically, that I bought you an engagement ring at say...Christmas or Valentines...just hypothetically speaking, of course. Would you take it?"

"Hypothetically....I'd probably say yes....hypothetically speaking, of course. I'm not letting you get away, Detective Hoyt."

"Hmmmm. Know a good thing when you've got it, huh?"

"Look, any man who would take care of me for weeks on end, make sure I could get to the potty on time, helping me get dressed...making sure I had meals...I'd be crazy to let go. Besides," she said pulling him to her, "I love you Woody. I can't imagine my life without you."

He grinned and kissed her waiting lips. Despite everything, they were together...and he'd take one day at a time for the rest of their lives.