Chapter Three

And she did. She slept and slept and slept. When Woody woke up to turn his alarm clock off the next morning, she didn't even flick an eyelid. He grinned down at her. At sometime during the night, she had rolled over and tucked her head on his chest. He had evidently kept his arms around her. He gently eased his body out from under hers and let her sleep.

She showed no sign of waking, even after he had ran the shower, made coffee, and gotten dressed. He picked up his cell phone and called Garret and explained what happened. "She's still sleeping. I think I need to let her sleep," he said. "She's so tired."

Garret grunted on the other end of the phone. "Yeah. I agree. And good for you....you got her to sleep. I'm not going to ask how, I don't think I want to know. But let her sleep. She can come in later, or take the day off."

Woody left her a note. He stopped by later at lunch to find her showering. "You should have woken me up," she said, stepping from his room after she had dressed.

"And interrupt the first real sleep you've had in weeks? I don't think so. Garret said it was fine. How are you feeling?"

"Better. Much better, thanks." And she looked better. The circles under her eyes weren't quite so bad. "But to sleep this long...I can't remember when I've done this....I normally am an early riser," she continued, looking a little sheepish.

"I know, Jordan. Don't worry about it. And if I can help any pretty lady sleep by holding her all night, I don't mind. Really," he said grinning at her, trying to get her to laugh.

Jordan's cheeks went pink. I need to tell him...I really do, she thought, but her stomach turned queasy at the suggestion. It was still too personal....and for some reason, she still felt ashamed, even though it wasn't her fault, and she knew that.

She knew it. And that had been reinforced by Dr. Stiles and Garret. She had fought back. She had lived...survived. She had won. But at what price? The man haunted her dreams at night and her thoughts during the day. Dr. Stiles said it would get better with time, but he couldn't tell her how long. It was different for each person. The intruder was still out there, somewhere. Her life, however dull it might seem to some, was shattered.

And she couldn't put it back together. At least not just yet. Not until he was caught. Not until she had some kind of closure. She had hoped the return of the locket would be that. It wasn't. She felt she wouldn't have closure until she could stay at her apartment by herself again without feeling like she was losing her mind. Until she could sleep the whole night through without waking up from that same dream with her heart pounding, drenched with sweat.

"I guess I need to go to work," she finally said.

"Garret said you could have the day off."

"No. I feel better when I'm working."

Woody looked at her sharply. She probably felt better when she wasn't alone. Hell, he felt better when she wasn't alone. "I'll drive you," he said.

Later that afternoon, Jordan poked her head in Garret's office. "I just wanted to say thanks," she said.

Garret motioned for her to come in. "For what?"

"Letting me sleep in this morning. I had no idea I was so tired."

"You're still having trouble sleeping Jordan. That's not good. Have you told Dr. Stiles? He could give you something."

"No. I mean yes. Yes, I have told him, but no, I don't want any prescription sleeping pills," she shuddered, remembering her accidental overdose while she was in residency.

"Are you sleeping here again tonight?"

"I don't know yet. I have some hours I have to make up. I'm just sort of playing it by ear."

"Look, Jordan. You know I don't mind. And I know you don't want to stay at Max's with him not being home, either. But we've got to get you somewhere that you can at least get some quality sleep."

"I know, I know. And I will. Just give me time. Please. That's all I need."

"And for the perp to get caught."

"That most of all." And with that Jordan went back to office to follow up on her paperwork. She was deep in the middle of it when her cell phone rang, startling her out of her concentration. "Cavanaugh," she said absent-mindedly into the receiver.

"Hey...how are you doing?" It was Woody.

"Fine. Digging out from all this paperwork. How about you?"

"Feel like dinner?"

"Well, since slept through breakfast and lunch, yeah."

"Can you meet me downstairs in five minutes?"

"Sure."

She met him downstairs and they walked across the street to the diner to eat supper. She still felt a little awkward around him....the man had held her all night, the first time she had slept in his bed and she had been like a frightened little girl. If there was going to be a first time for them together in his bed, that was not how she envisioned it, nor was it the way she wanted him to remember it.

But he would never know how grateful she was. How much she appreciated his understanding. There simply wasn't the right words to convey how safe he made her finally feel. Nervously, she smiled at him. "What do you feel like?" she asked, looking over the menu.

"Hmmmmm....probably the baked chicken."

The waitress took their order and Woody settled back in his side of the booth to talk to her. Jordan needed to open up to him...that way she wouldn't have to keep explaining herself....She just needed to know he was there for her. At all levels. But she was quiet while they ate, discussing cases and the body that was behind Routh's. It was finally time for him to walk her back to her office. "How late are you going to work?" he asked.

"Just a couple of more hours. Just to make up for this morning."

He followed her into her office. "Mind if I wait on you?"

"You don't have to, Woody. I know you're tired and want to go home. I can't imagine you rested very much last night with me...." Her cheeks began to turn pink again.

"No, I did. Believe me, I did. I was thinking that you may want to stay with me again tonight?"

"I can't Woody. It's not right. I need to be able to stay by myself."

"And do what? Not sleep until this guy is caught? That could be months." Or never, he thought.

"I'll be okay."

Woody closed the door to her office and locked it. Now. Now was the time to let her know that he knew everything, so she would quit trying to be so strong....so that she could come home with him with a clear conscious....knowing that he realized what had happened.

She heard the lock snib close in the door. She raised an eyebrow, giving him a questioning look. He sat down on her couch and drew her down with him.

"I know, Jo," he said quietly.

She looked into his eyes before she realized exactly what he was saying. She leaned forward and put both hands over her face. "Who told you?"

"Garret did. He thought I should know."

"He had no right to...I was going to tell you....I just didn't know how...or when."

He pulled her hands away from her face and held them in his own. "Don't blame Garret. He did the right thing. I needed to know."

"Woody...it's just hard to process. I know nothing happened. But it could have. And in my dreams, it does. Somehow I should have known. When you took me home, and my door was open, I should have known. I should have never gone in there."

"And if I hadn't been fussing about not getting a good night kiss, you may have had more presence of mind to think clearly."

"It's not your fault, Woody."

"And it's not yours, either. Quit blaming yourself."

Jordan looked up at him, startled. He had taken her completely off guard again. "How do you know what I feel...." It wasn't an accusation. It was a statement."

"I worked the victims unit before I became a homicide detective, remember?"

Jordan nodded. She remembered now, but she had forgotten. Ever since Woody had been a prominent figure in her life, he had been a homicide detective. "So you sort of know how I feel," she said, swallowing hard.

"Yeah, I do. So get your things together. You're coming home with me."

"I can't keep doing this to you."

"And you won't. You'll be able to stay by yourself soon. Just not tonight."

"I feel horrible."

"Why? Because you're human? Because you need someone to look after you for a change?"

She nodded.

"Get over yourself, Jordan. Who knows? I may need you to do the same for me one day."