Chapter Four

Butterfly kisses.

That was the only thing that Jordan could bring to mind as she began to feel the slight stirrings of life inside her – the light, fluttery feelings as soft as butterfly wings that would automatically send her hand to her stomach. Morning sickness wasn't much of an issue for her any longer…the smell of coffee or Chinese food wouldn't send her running for the bathroom. But the gentle kick of the baby would send her hand to her abdomen in a heartbeat.

Nigel caught the motion first, one day when they were working in trace evidence. "Baby moving?" he had asked. Jordan had nodded, still keeping her hand over the place where she had felt the gentle kick. "Better get used to it love. It's only going to get worse."

"I know."

"What's the doctor telling you?"

"I'm healthy…so is the baby…due date is on schedule end of July or first of August."

"Know what you're having yet?"

"The doctor does….he said he could tell from the last sonogram. I don't want to know."

"What does Woody say?"

Jordan turned her head away from her friend and pretended to concentrate on the body in front of her. "Nothing. Woody has said nothing." As a matter of fact, Jordan hadn't seen the young detective since the day two weeks ago when he turned on his heel and exited her autopsy room.

"You mean he doesn't know yet or just hasn't said anything?"

"He knows, Nige. He left after I told him and I haven't heard a word from him since."

Nigel was puzzled. That didn't sound like Mr. Woody "Reliable" Hoyt. "I wonder why?" he asked.

"I guess he's still in shock….he hasn't seen me in a couple of weeks….we haven't worked on a case together…."

"No calls?"

"Not even an e-mail."

"Do you think he believes it really isn't his?"

Jordan sighed and pushed back her mask. "I don't see how he can get around it. But I really don't care. I'm keeping the baby, and if necessary, I'll raise it on my own…by myself. I have the resources…and the money. I don't need him."

Nigel said nothing. He knew that was true…and Jordan was stubborn enough to do it. But she shouldn't have to. He wasn't sure what was wrong with Woody, but planned to address the problem as soon as given the chance.

The opportunity came the next week. Nigel was working on some ballistic reports for Woody. The detective phoned him and asked that he either e-mail them or fax them over. Nigel refused. "I think we need to discuss them…" After some hemming and hawing, Woody agreed and walked over to the morgue.

"You don't have to worry, she's not here…she's at the doctor's," Nigel told him as Woody cautiously entered trace evidence.

Woody paused for a beat. "So you know?" he asked.

"It's a little hard to hide now. Why have you been avoiding her, Woody?"

Woody sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It's a long story, Nige."

"And I have all the time in the world."

"I think I need to just get the ballistics reports and leave." Woody reached for the file, but Nigel pulled the file away.

"I need some answers, Woodrow. Jordan may not be forcing you to face the facts, but I am. She's hurt, many mornings she's not feeling well, she's tired a great deal of the time, and the hardest part of this pregnancy is still ahead for her. As her friend, I want to know exactly what your game plan is."

Woody sighed and sat down on one of the lab stools. "The honest answer is I don't know. It's not the coward's way out…I just simply don't know. I don't know why Jordan didn't come to me as soon as she knew she was pregnant…I don't know if the baby is really mine. I don't know what she expects…marriage? Child support? Joint custody? "

"What do you expect, Woody?"

"I don't know that, either. I'm bare functioning now…first Devan's death, now this. I haven't had time to adjust…"

"And Jordan has? First you push her away for Devan, have a relationship with her, then evidently feel adjusted enough to sleep with Jordan and get her pregnant. Now you're not sure about whose baby it is and what you're going to do?" Nigel's voice was rising with anger.

"It's a little more complicated than that Nigel," Woody began, only to be cut off by a cold voice.

"Really? I don't think so. I'm pregnant. I'm the mother and you're the father. If you don't believe it, Nige can run a DNA test for you after the baby is born," Jordan said from the doorway. She had come in quietly, witnessing the last part of Nigel's and Woody's argument.

"He can run three DNA tests for all I care. You're the father. And you know what else I don't care about? You. What you do or don't do. I may not have gotten pregnant by myself, but I can have the baby on my own and raise it, Hoyt. And until you get your act together, I don't want to see you."

And with that, Jordan pulled away from the doorframe she was leaning on and made her way to her office, slamming the door behind her.

She pulled the blinds to her office windows, locked the door, and sat down at her desk. Putting her head in her hands she wondered why she had been so stupid as to believe that he actually could have cared for her….and why on earth had she let him make love to her that night…and why didn't she at least have the presence of mind to make sure they at least used something?

She didn't think. Jordan Cavanaugh didn't think. It wasn't the first time and it wouldn't be the last. But usually when she had momentarily lapses of judgment, it concerned her following a case, or chasing her mother's murderer. Not when it could mean the possible creation of another human being.

However, when it concerned Woody, and her feelings for him, lately she hadn't been able to think clearly. She had only wanted to relieve some of the pain he was obviously feeling. At least make him forget it for a while. And it worked. Too well, she grimaced, glancing down at her growing belly. The doctor said she was doing fine…gaining weight…the baby was developing normally. The due date was August 3. Her iron was a little low…that was one of the reasons she was staying tired all the time. He had given her ferrous sulfate tablets. That should help.

A gentle knock on her door brought her out of her thoughts. She got up and unlocked the bolt. Garret poked his head around the door frame. "Can I come in?" She nodded and opened the door a little wider.

"Let me guess, you couldn't help but overhear my argument with Woody and wanted to make sure I'm all right?"

"Well…yes and no. I need you in Autopsy Two, if you feel up to it, but yeah, I did overhear it and wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm fine…and let me change and I'll meet you there."

Garret stopped her by putting his hand on her arm. "Jordan…are you sure?"

"Yeah…I'm sure, Gar."

Garret looked at her closely for a minute. "Okay. See you in a few."