Mackenzie and Woody filed into the video store. Woody wanted to make her as comfortable as possible, after all, she had been through a major trauma, and now she was living with a complete stranger.

"Alright, pick out a movie." Woody stated, she smiled up at him and took off, skipping threw the store.

"How you doing Wendy." He said to the cashier. "Could I have a 2 liter bottle of pepsi and a large bag of popcorn please."

"Woody! Can I get Dirty Dancing?" she asked holding out the plastic box.

"What? Why don't you pick out something that normal kids watch, like Lion King?"

"Those movies suck." She pouted

"Watch your language... put it up on the counter." She reached up to set it on the counter but couldn't reach it. Woody picked her up and set her gingerly down on the slick countertop.

"What's up with you and Jordan?" she asked with a knowing wink.

"Its not what's up with me and Jordan its what isn't between me and Jordan." He said cryptically. She cocked her head to get a better look at him.

"Don't worry Woody, it'll get better." She said with a cheerful nod of her head.

"Thanks kid." She giggled as he turned to walk away, leaping onto his back.

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"Hey Nigel, those Tox screens ready?" Angela asked from the doorway of trace evidence.

"Not yet Love," Nigel stated, swiveling in his chair to look at her. She sighed in a world weary way, and slumped.

"Nigel, we have to catch this guy before he kills another innocent kid." She was on the verge of tears. Nigel fidgeted nervously.

"All this waiting is killing you love, why don't we go get a cup of coffee, take are minds off of it." Normally, she would have turned anyone down, but this guy was different. He was sweet, and a little different, and God knew she wanted different when she came to Boston.

"Okay." She said faintly as he held out his arm for her to take in a gentlemanly way.

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"So, how long have you known Woodrow again?" he asked as they walked down the ice slicked sidewalk. Dodging men in leather jackets, and housewives with shopping bags.

"Since we were five, we met on the first day of kindergarden." She explained, twisting a raspberry tea colored strand of hair threw her fingers nervously. "And we've been friends ever since..." Nigel smiled as he guided her threw the crowd.

"He's been getting awfully close to Jordan these past few years." Nigel clarified as they crossed the street.

"I'll bet, they seemed kind of on edge."

"Well they haven't been getting along that well lately, turns out Jordan has been using him as a personal assistant." He chuckled, "guess he didn't go threw the academy to open pickle jars."

"Guess not..." Angela stopped to get a better look at the lanky Englishman. "You know, he described all of you perfectly."

"Say what?"

"He told me all about all of you... he really likes you guys." She walked on.

"Wish I could say the same about you... he never mentioned he was friends with such a beautiful young lass such as yourself." He commented with a slight blush.

"Why Doctor Townsend, I do believe you are blushing." She pointed out with a smirk. "He wouldn't talk about Kewaunee, would he... It was a long time ago what happened."

"What happened?" Nigel asked softly, pulling on her arm to stop her quickening pace.

"When we were in Kewaunee, I was Married, I had a daughter... but she died, a long time ago." Nigel looked at the leggy red head with new eyes. She was beautiful, there was no question about that. But her emerald eyes, there sparkle, he had though once to be the sparkle of a woman's happiness, was the glint of unshed tears. He could see her breath, each icy breath that escaped from her lips. Maybe it was her lips, each were painted candy apple red. Her skin was like milk, yet, her cheeks pink as the morning sky. They were standing close, too close; the thick wool jacket that hung down to her ankles was only buttoned down half way exposing the nylon swathed thigh that brushed against his leg. Or maybe it was her hair, how lovely the strawberry colored fall of hair looked as she curled it nervously around her lean finger. Whatever the reason, he simply leaned down and kissed her.

She melted in his arms as he pulled her close gently. It had been a long while since she had been kissed, let alone kissed that passionately. Thomas, after they were married, seemed distant, and aloof.

Nigel backed away after they broke apart, not sure if he'd get a knee in the groin or not. He could still taste her, she tasted like sugar cookies. But to his surprise, she smiled, and tucked her willowy arm in the crook of his arm. As they walked to the star bucks across the street.

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Mackenzie walked out of the bathroom in her brand new plaid pajama's, her dark hair hung in wet clumps down her back. When she came in, the bed in Woody's sleeper sofa was made up. Clean white sheets and soft blankets, pillows with crisp, new pillowcases. This was more than she had in her life, her and her mother were close, but money was scarce and they didn't always have a place to sleep.

"I hope this is okay, you have fresh sheets and pillowcases, there's the TV, movies in the VCR all you have to do is press play." He nodded nervously, "Theirs always food in the kitchen... I'll leave you alone to settle in." As he walked past her, she caught his wrist in her small hand.

"Woody, my mom used to brush my hair before we went to bed... will you brush my hair?" Woody nodded and sat on her bed, she climbed into his lap and snuggled down into the blankets, for the first time in her life she felt at home... and warm. The brush made smooth, steady strokes threw her dense, almost violet colored hair. She had the remote in her hand, soon she was watching TV while he brushed threw the knots in her hair. It felt good to have something normal back.

Her hair smelled like baby shampoo, like Gracie's hair. Little Gracie Hayden, his 'Niece', she would stay with him when things between Angela and Thomas got bad. When she died in that Car wreak, everyone thought that the world had ended. He remembered Angela's screams, running at Thomas and lunging at him with all her might.

"You Killed my Baby!" she had sobbed, as Woody pulled back. In one more weak attempt to lunge. She turned and sobbed into Woody's chest. "He killed my baby."

When he looked up, Mackenzie was fast asleep, her eyes shut tightly, her breathing even.

"Goodnight kid." He whispered, climbing out from underneath her very carefully. He turned to look at her once more; she had shifted and was cuddling up to her pillow. With that he turned off the TV and lamp, and collapsed on his bed.

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The alarm read 4:39 in bright red letters, when Woody awoke to screaming. Deafening screams, they seemed to shake the whole apartment. Grabbing his gun from the nightstand instinctively, and making a B-line for the living room, found Mackenzie, sweat dripping from her face. She was sitting up in bed, her eyes clinched shut, her arms held out like a small child. And she was screaming.

He set his gun down on the side table, and hurried to her. Wrapping his arm around her, he shook her softly.

"Mac... Mac, wake up honey!" her eyes opened, and she looked around in cofusion.

"What happened." She asked in a quiet voice.

"You had a bad dream that's all." He said soothingly, rubbing circles in her back.

"Will you stay with me till I fall asleep?" she asked in a frightened voice.

"Of course Kid." He whispered as she buried her head into his chest.