Title: Broken down Palace
Author: Jenna Nelson
Summary: Woody had always promised to be there... always.
Note: SPOILER all I am saying is that I'm going to be the grinch that stole happy endings.
It was a hero's homecoming, the blue and red lights sparkled off of the snow, long lines of squad cars and motorcycles, and their lights bleeding together with the large flakes that fell to the ground. Cops with their heads bowed, it all seemed so surreal, so bitter. Snowflakes fell like tears from home, as if nature itself mourned his passing, never had she felt so alone as that coffin, so shiny and new came from the Hearst led by men dressed in dark uniforms, there gloves white as the snow on the ground. That flag looked so pristine as if it had never been touched before, she found herself wondering if it was as innocent as it looked, nothing ever was. She was a cop's daughter; she had never once flinched at the sound of a gunshot, ever, until those shots rang out, and meant to be a sign of respect, but only causing the memories to come flooding back. It couldn't be, she repeated to herself, it wasn't suppose to happen this way, not like this, not here, not now.
The little girl standing next to her clutched her hand, tears streaming down her pale, haggard face, yet her unmistakable blue eyes looked clear, and unspoiled. Pure, like him, she was so little, not yet having her seventh birthday, but so wise beyond her years. Bruises still haunted her small face, decaying reminders of what had happened. Jordan didn't care that the cold bit at her, cold, like the day her mother was murdered, so barren and vast it seemed it would never end. Though, one day it would, and life would go on, though it seemed that life was gone, as dead as the man lying in that coffin, so alone.
The crack of each rifle shot rang threw the silence, the utter silence that roared in her ears. The little girl looked so alone, so tired, so young, so lifeless. She hung her head down and felt tears coming, they fell behind her honey eyes, but never pushed their way past, they couldn't, it was no longer possible.
Everyone began to drift apart, leave, as if he was in the ground, therefore no longer mattered. She wanted to scream, shriek that what he did was heroic and at least someone could recognize it, just look at him at least, at least look at his headstone. They we're folding the flag, preparing to hand it off. And the seconds ticked by like hours, and all she could hear was her heartbeats pounding in her head.
He said he'd always be here...Always.
Woody sat at his desk, 'Paperwork,' he thought to himself. 'the reason I became a cop, to do damned paperwork!' sighing he gazed out the window, winter was coming upon them, it was only early November. Snow was falling steadily, he liked it when it snowed, Boston seemed another town, so happy and cheerful. He could almost hear home, so far away, Children playing in the streets, Mothers standing in one lawn, talking about fathers, while fathers sat on the street corner talking about the weather. Worlds away, Kewaunee was, like an empty handed painter, beautiful just not beautiful enough.
Becoming distracted he failed to see the woman standing behind him, her reddish blonde hair piled up on her head, her business suit stylish yet tasteful, she was the personification of beauty, and all its synonyms.
"If it isn't the big man on campus, how the hell are you Hoyt?!" The woman announced herself.
"Angela!" he yelled in surprise gathering her up in his arms, it had been a long time since he had seen his old partner. Tall, lean but build like a brick outhouse. She was beauty, brains and a whole lot more, still she wasn't the one he saw, not like that, and while her green-gray eyes were enchanting, he only had eyes for the haunting honey colored eyes of a certain Medical examiner.
"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked, pulling her back to see her. She spun around playfully.
"Thanks for the good word; I got transferred up from Milwaukee."
"Whoa, last time I saw you, you we're still in Kewaunee cleaning up old man Jenkins every time he got into a drunken bar brawl."
"Well I escaped." She quipped excitedly, giggling in happiness to see her old childhood best friend, it had been so long. She noticed how he had changed, the way he dressed, the way he held himself, even the way he smelled was different, somehow she hoped he hadn't changed too much, she loved the old Woody Hoyt, the one who everyone saw in his eyes, if he could only see it for himself.
"Yo, Hoyt, we got a DV case up in Cambridge, Eddie and Annie are out in Charles, need you and your pretty new partner to take it."
"Thanks Charlie." Woody said, grabbing Angela's hand excitedly. "Come on I have to introduce you."
TBC.....
Note: I know its short but I wanted to get the first Chapter done tonight, I know you guys are going to be thinking I'm the Grinch that stole happy endings. Please read and review... next chap. Coming soon!