Chapter Two

"Merry Christmas, Jordan," said Lily, as she hung decorations on the morgue's Christmas tree.

"Merry Christmas, Lil."

"Are you ready for the party tonight?" It was the annual Christmas party for all the offices of Boston's law department.

"Yeah, I think so."

"Going with anyone?"

"Just myself."

"Jordan, that's not good. You need to get out more – date. You haven't since...since," Lily's voice faltered. Jordan hadn't been the same since Woody left. To most folks, she appeared normal. Working at the morgue....and the Pogue. Going to the gym. Out to dinner with friends...mainly her morgue co-workers. But there was no man in her life. And she showed no interest in finding one. "I guess maybe it's still too soon..." Lily continued, her voice trailing off.

"Yeah. But I'll be there tonight with bells on. Even bought a new dress." She had traditionally worn her red spaghetti strap dress with the slit up the side. The one she had worn in the bar during the S&M case....one of the first crimes she and Woody had worked on together. She wore it to drive him slightly crazy. And it was high effective.

But she couldn't bear to put it on. She had bough a new dress....it was hard to determine the color...it was taupe, but it could be a warm brown...it had a loose neckline, almost a cowl and fell to the floor. Its bodice was sprinkled with iridescent sequins. It was a simple dress, but it echoed the color of her eyes and hugged all of her curves. She bought it to make her feel better...even she knew she looked good in it, although she'd be hard pressed to tell you who she was trying to impress. No one was filling Woody's shoes or meeting his standard.

She had gotten ready that night, slowly pinning up her hair and doing her make up. She looked great....she knew she did. When she entered the country club, she heard them gasp. I evidently clean up good, she thought. She mingled. She danced. With Eddie Winslow, Garret, Bug, Nigel....She danced until nearly midnight, when finally she could not shake the feeling the walls were closing in on her. She got her coat from the cloak room and walked outside on the patio to look up at the stars...admire the fine Boston night.

They were beautiful, you know...the stars. Each one unique....bearing its own name. Bug had taught her many of them, using his telescope on the morgue roof. She smiled. He was a sweet man. She hoped he would find someone...or that Lily would realize how much Bug cared about her. She had never seen a man love a woman so much...or be so patient...except maybe Woody ....with her. She pulled her coat more closely around her and wondered if he was looking up at the same stars...if he even noticed the stars out there in California, with all the beautiful people and all the amazing things that were there. She wondered if he thought of her at all. They hadn't talked since he had called her nearly eight months before. They had exchanged a few e-mails right after he left....mainly about cases. She guessed he had moved on...probably found someone else already. He was a handsome man. He wouldn't be lacking for female company for long.

"Hey, you all right?" asked Garret, joining her on the patio.

Jordan smiled at her boss. "I'm fine. It was just getting a little stuffy in there. Aren't the starts beautiful tonight?"

Garret joined her in gazing up at the sky. "They are...simply beautiful." He looked at her for a moment, then put his arm around her. He knew she was still missing the detective...that her heart hadn't been the same since he left. He also knew that she wouldn't admit it openly. But he had noticed the little signs. His pictures remained in her office. She would come into work with his old Boston PD sweatshirt. She still had the winter jacket he had accidentally left in the morgue. She hadn't figured he'd need it in sunny California, so she had kept it. In more ways than one, she needed it more than he did. "Hey, what's say we blow this party and go the Pogue for a beer or two. I'll even dance with you...."

She smiled at Garret again. "Sounds great. I'm ready if you are." She had known all along he wouldn't come home...back to Boston...for Christmas. He had told her so.

Woody exited the club, dripping with sweat and worn out. Sunny D's Christmas party was different than the Boston PD's. No country club – a dance club. And he enjoyed dancing...but he had had enough. He was ready to go home, climb in the bed and sleep until New Year's. Cal was coming out with his new wife after Christmas. That should be fun.

Other than that, Woody had no plans. Nothing, he thought, as he made his way to his convertible and got in. If this had been Boston, there'd be caroling...and the party at the Pogue...and the Christmas party at the country club with all the law enforcement agencies.

And she would have been there...in that red dress ... the length of her legs in full view. Damn. He missed that.

Hell. He missed her.

His mind drifted back to fond memories...dancing with her...catching her under the mistletoe....fixing her spiked eggnog with a little more "spike" than she was used to. Watching her get just a little too tipsy and fall asleep in his arms. Christmas. In Boston. He guessed there were a few good things to say about a New England winter.

He had settled in here, in LA. With the beautiful people. He even looked like one by now. Better haircut...tanned....even more muscularly ripped than he had been in Boston. A convertible. He looked successful. He was successful.

Only he didn't feel like it. For as well as he fit in with his new job and co-workers and as effective as he was...something was missing. He knew what it was. He missed her. He missed Jordan. After a few e-mails with her, he had stopped communication. He figured it was for the better. It would help her and him get over what they didn't have a lot faster. Or so he reckoned.

But tonight...with the holidays....he missed her more keenly than ever. Dejectedly, he found himself driving out to that boardwalk...the one they had walked down together so long ago, getting out of his car, and strolling down it...He came to the end, leaned against the railing and looked up at the stars. They were beautiful, you know. Each one was unique and special...like her. He had met many women since he had been out here. Dated quite a few. None could compare to her. No one had filled her shoes or lived up to her standards....of intelligence....intuition...or beauty.

She had probably moved on, you know...dating someone else....working. She had probably tucked his memories away, taking them out perhaps occasionally to remember the good times. He hoped those were many and the bad memories had faded away like the Boston snow when spring came. Boston...it used to be his home...he could still hear her voice...

I don't know where home is anymore, Jordan, he had told her over his cell phone.

Home is right behind you, she had replied.

And when he turned around, there she was....And she was right. She had been home. For the longest. Until she pushed him away for the last time. Until Devan. Until there was absolutely nothing left holding him in Boston and it ceased being his home.

He sighed and looked up at the stars again. He wondered if she saw them....if she even noticed.

He wondered if she thought of him at all.