AN: As I mistakenly forgot in my first chapter…

Disclaimer: I do not own anything remotely related to Crossing Jordan…except a soundtrack…I do have one of those.

Also in the previous chapter, lyrics are by Greenday, not by me.

January 4

Jordan's POV:

Yesterday I visited my father's grave. I told him how much I loved him and the difference in my life that for which he is solely responsible. I visited the grave of my mother. I told her that I forgive her. I forgive her for causing me so much trouble in my life, both in adulthood and childhood. I forgive her for leaving me too early. Before I got to know her, before I really needed her.

Today, I feel relived. I feel like a ton of bricks is lifted off of my shoulders and that I can take on the world. I turned my calendar over a few days ago, but I'm turning a new leaf today.

I walk into Trace with just that feeling. "Hey Nigel. Look, have I ever told you just how much I appreciate you?" He lifts his face shield and looks at me completely perplexed. "No, really, you are a great friend. You are always there when I need you, and always take my side on everything. You have always been a good friend to me and I just wanted to tell you that."

His expression doesn't change much. "What do you want?" he asks with a sigh. "I've already broken into 2 so-called secure databases today, I guess a third wouldn't be the end of the world."

"No, I don't want anything. I just wanted to tell you that." Something in his raised eyebrows tells me he doesn't believe me. "Really. Nothing."

He clears his throat and starts, "Well, in that case, meet the newest member of our team here at the lovey-dovey morgue." He points to a lab behind me and I turn around to see that Nigel and I weren't alone.

I blush at my openness around this new person, but walk towards him extending my arm, "Hi, I'm Dr. Jordan Cavanaugh…and I'm not usually this cheerful." I laugh at myself for sounding so stupid.

"Hello, I am Dr. Carlos Perez." He says in a thick Spanish accent, shaking my hand. I look him over, he is not what I expected him to be. When Garret announced that we were going to have a new member, I expected someone green, fresh out of med school. Carlos was well into his thirties, and familiar with the doctor title on his name. He wasn't too tall, just brushing six feet, with dark black hair and olive skin. But his voice had a certain softness that I couldn't place. "And I wouldn't expect you to always be so cheery, it would get annoying." He smiled and his white teeth glow.

"Well, Nigel, I'm heading out, I'm actually caught up on all of my paperwork here, but the bar is another story. Stop by later if you feel up to it, I'll beat you in a game of pool."

Nigel laughs and goes back to his work. "Yeah, maybe, but I have a lot to get through here."

"Well you're more than welcome, I'll be there until about eleven or midnight." I head towards the door, "and nice to meet you Dr. Perez."

"Please call me Carlos." He smiles again and I find myself staring at his sparkling, truthful eyes.

"Nice to meet you Carlos."

Jan 28:

"Lily, I don't want to date anyone right now! Okay?" I repeated for the umpteenth time.

"But with Carlos it would be different."

"With Carlos?" I started to laugh at the humor that Lily couldn't quite find.

"Shhhhh…Keep it down, yes with Carlos, he seems like a great guy and you need to get out there!"

I rubbed my forehead and put my elbows on my desk. "Look Lily, I love you and all but I don't know anything about Carlos. I've talked to him probably two times. I don't know if he's single…"

"Yes."

"Where he's from…"

"Costa Rica."

"If he's ever been married…"

"He's a widower. No kids." She smiled as my vain efforts to get her off my back proved hopeless.

"Look, Lily, I don't want to date someone at work." There that ought to do her.

"Why not?"

"Because if it doesn't work out, you can't just stop seeing them, you have to see them everyday and be civilized about it. I don't know if I could handle that. And work relationships never work out." I rambled, not even thinking about the success in the Lily and Bug relationship.

"What about Bug and I? We're working out, and if we did break up, I think that we could still work together. Just get to know him, it might do you some good." She smiled and (thankfully) left my office.

An hour or two later, I walked into Nigel's office to ask him his plan for lunch. As I approached I heard some very loud laughter. Opening the door I asked, "What the hell is going on in here?" Expecting to see Bug and Nigel laughing at something on the computer, I saw Carlos and Nigel, sitting on either side of his desk, eating sandwiches.

"Oh," Nigel started, having a hard time catching his breath, "I was just telling Carlos my joke about the three guys on the bus." Knowing that this joke was terrible, I looked at Carlos, my eyebrows raised.

"And I was just laughing at how stupid it was." Nigel pretended to look hurt and Carlos added "and how terrible his Spanish accent was. Just awful."

"Hey, better than your British one, that's for sure!" He joked, and then turning to me, "What did you want, love?"

"Oh, nothing, just wondered if you were free for lunch, but looks like you already have that covered." I walked out of his office and headed towards the elevator.

"Jordan!" Nigel hurried out of his office and met me at the elevator doors. "Hey," he started, his voice low, almost a whisper, "I heard that Lily is trying to set you and Carlos up, and I've got to say it love, I don't think it's all that bad of an idea. He's a good guy, smart, and funny. I'm not trying to push you into anything, but it just doesn't seem like all that bad an idea."

"Nigel…" I warned, "don't try any of your wild ideas, your ultimate game plans, okay? If it's supposed to happen it will, alright?" I explained, careful not to promise anything. The elevator doors opened and I stepped in, watching Nigel smile as the doors closed.

To be continued….