Chapter Nine

Woody nervously paced the floor of the waiting room on the maternity ward. He had gotten a call from Jordan a few hours ago. Her water had broken….two weeks early. He hadn't figured she'd make it to her due date…she was too big and carrying the baby too low. They had made a mad dash for the delivery room. She was in there now with Lily – who had promised to come out and let him know something soon. Lily was Jordan's birth coach. She hadn't asked Woody … Jordan didn't know if he would want to be there when the baby was born. She had offered to let him come in the birthing room, to see their son or daughter come into this world, but he declined. It just didn't feel right to him.

He glanced at the clock on the wall…Lily had been in there with her for a couple of hours now…he knew first births were long…usually anywhere from 12 to 18 hours. At least that's what he had been told. In less than 24 hours he would go from being a non-parent to a father. What a difference a day makes.

"You doing okay?" asked a voice from behind him. It was Bug. He had come to check on Lily.

"As well as can be expected," Woody grinned, the tension heavy on his face.

"Well…she'll be fine." Bug sat down to wait. Woody wasn't sure if he was talking about Lily or Jordan. Soon Nigel and Garret joined them. The left Sydney to hold down things at the office. The small clan from the morgue sat together in a group as Woody paced and ran his hand through his hair. Then Lily came through the doors.

"She's progressing right along…actually the doctor said it won't be long now. She's at eight centimeters. Her labor is going really quickly," Lily announced.

"Is she okay?" Woody asked.

"She's in pain. But she won't take any drugs…she's worried it might affect the baby. She wanted to know if you wanted to come in when the time comes?"

Woody shook his head no. "I don't think so…I mean…well…"

"Woody, it's your child," Lily said. "You don't have to do anything, just be there. I'll coach her through the birth. I really think it would do you and Jordan a world of good for you to be in there."

"You won't regret it," said Garret, coming up behind him. "Not for a minute. Not ever."

"You were there when Abby was born?"

"I was there every minute," he said, with a small smile. "Maggie said if I had been there for the fun, I had to be there for everything else, too."

Woody nodded and followed Lily into the maternity ward, stopping to change into scrubs on the way in. Funny…Jordan had always worn the scrubs…he never pictured himself in them. He went into the labor room with great trepidation.

Lily was right. She was in pain, her eyes shut, gritting her teeth and breathing through the contractions. "Jordan?" he said softly, reaching out for her hand. Which proved to be a mistake. She grabbed his hand and held onto it with a death grip until the contraction had passed.

"Woody….glad you decided to make it. Have you called Cal?" she panted.

"Yeah. Said he was catching the next fight out."

"Good. Oh, damn….here comes another one," she said, gritting her teeth again at the pain.

For another time in his life, Woody felt completely helpless….watching her suffer through the contractions….not knowing what he could do...or if there was anything he could do. Just then the doctor came through the door to examine Jordan. "All right, let's see what's happening now…you should be about at ten," he said.

But she wasn't, she was still at eight. "Something's not going quite right…" the doctor said.

Pure panic spread through Jordan and Woody. "What's wrong?" she asked, still breathing through the contractions.

"Hang on, let me check…" The doctor began looking at the fetal monitor print outs and muttering to himself. Woody looked down at Jordan. Tears were streaking down her cheeks. Woody bent down so his face was mere inches away from hers.

"Hey, babe, it's going to be fine…just give the doc a minute…the baby's heartbeat's strong…"

"But Woody…" He caught the catch in her voice…she was in pain and frightened…and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it…as a matter of fact, he had caused all this. He swallowed hard and tightened his grip on her hand.

"Okay, Dr. Cavanaugh, we're going to have to move you to surgery…I'm afraid that you're going to have to have a C-section…your labor's not progressing and I think the baby may be just a little to big for you to deliver naturally."

"Are you sure?" Jordan asked.

"Yes….the heart is strong, but is becoming stressed, so let's go ahead and do the C-section…"

Jordan nodded and the doctor called for the nurses. The next thing Woody knew, Jordan was whisked away and he and Lily both found themselves back outside in the waiting room.

An hour and a half later, the nurse came to the door of the waiting area. "Detective Hoyt?" she asked. Woody stood and came to the door. "Your wife is in her room with the baby…she wondered if you were ready to come back?"

Woody nodded. His wife. He was sure Jordan hadn't told them that they were married. The nurse must have just assumed…but still the term jolted him into the reality of his situation. He stopped when he reached the doorway and just looked…there was Jordan, her hair piled up on the top of her head, a small, blanket-wrapped bundle in her arms. She was softly talking to it…Hearing him come in, she looked up and smiled. "Come here," she said. "Come here and meet your daughter."

Woody swallowed hard and slowly walked over to her bedside. My daughter…a girl…there hasn't been a girl in my family in …God knows when. But there she is…my daughter. He leaned over and softly stroked her tiny hand. God, she's beautiful…The baby had Jordan's hair…a deep chestnut. But her eyes…her eyes were his…crystalline blue, open wide…taking in her world.

"What's …what's…her name?"

"I haven't decided…thought maybe you would want to make some suggestions…"

"Emily….your mom's name was Emily…would you want to name her after your mother?"

Jordan shook her head no. "I want her to have her own identity. I was thinking maybe…Noel. She was conceived around Christmas time."

Woody nodded. "That's pretty…I like it. What about a middle name?"

"I thought you might like to pick it…since I chose her first name."

Woody thought for a moment. "Marie. You're middle name is Marie. I would really like her to have your middle name. Please."

Jordan looked up from her daughter. "Noel Marie…Hoyt?" They had not thought about or discussed what last name the child would have. Woody nodded yes. "Are you sure?" Jordan wanted to make certain he was okay with that.

"Yes," he replied. "Can I hold her?" Jordan shifted the bundle from her arms to his. He held her and looked on her in complete awe at the tiny individual in front of him. So small and helpless. His. "Jordan, she's beautiful…just like you."

"She has your eyes."

Woody held Noel for the longest time, not saying much of anything, just looking at her…thinking…

"Woody?" Jordan's voice brought him out of his thoughts..."Are you okay?"

"Yeah…she's just so…tiny. Are you sure the doctor says she's fine? I mean she came early."

"Picture of health. Six pounds 14 ounces, 18 inches long."

Woody committed the statistics to memory. He knew he would have to recite them to Cal. "

"Don't you think we ought to let the others in?"

"Do you feel like it? I mean, you just had a C-section…"

Jordan moved around a little. "Well, the epidural is still holding right now. Tomorrow's what I'm worried about and the days after for a while. I'm going to be sore."

"I'll take some time off …. And help."

"Thanks, Woody. That would be nice." Jordan looked at him closely. He still was gazing at his daughter, totally captivated. Like his father, hell, she thought. He's one besotted daddy. Noel has him wrapped around her little finger and she hasn't even uttered a word." She smiled to herself. Now if Woody would only realize it.