Chapter Eleven

There were sirens and lights….and suddenly a scene that should be familiar territory to a homicide detective became decidedly too unfamiliar.

Because someone he loved was involved.

Woody watched helplessly as the paramedics loaded Jordan on a stretcher and placed her in the ambulance. After flashing his badge at them, they allowed him to climb in the front seat with the driver and go to the hospital with them.

He tried to see what was wrong…what were they doing to her, but he couldn't. He wasn't sure exactly where she was shot…he just remembered thinking that there simply couldn't be anymore blood left in her.

Because it was all on the sidewalk where she had lain. He had cradled her there and called out her name, but her eyes had remained closed….and her breathing…God, was she even still breathing? He couldn't remember. But the steady beep and hum of the medical equipment she was hooked up to gave him some reassurance.

Funny, he had always imagined it would be him that might be injured this way…the victim of not-so-random gunfire.

He never anticipated it might be her. Not like this. Not this bad. And not while he was there to protect her.But he hadn't been able to keep her safe today. He had never even seen it coming. But she had. And she put herself in harm's way for him.

The hospital corridors became a blur. He tried to persuade the doctors to let him go back with her, but he was soundly refused. He wasn't her husband. He wasn't her next of kin. He wasn't anything…not even her boyfriend. Not really.

He was sitting in the emergency room waiting area, his head in his hands when Garret found him there a couple of hours later. "Hey Woody," he greeted the detective.

"How's she doing, Dr. Macy?"

"I don't know. They're not telling me anything, either. Max is with her now."

Woody nodded, blinking back the tears and exhaustion from his eyes. "When will we know something?"

"Max said he'd be out as soon as he could….I just know there's three doctors with her and God only knows how many nurses. Nigel and Bug will be here as soon as they can. Lily's on her way now."

Time dragged …. It seemed hours, but in reality it was only minutes until Max's tall form filled the waiting room. His eyes were red-rimmed and his face carried the anxiety that only a parent's can have when their child is hurt. "She's taken a bullet to the abdominal area and one higher up…it missed her heart, but it went through her lungs and lodged in her back. She's in surgery now….her vitals are weak, but stable…she's lost a lot of blood…that's what took so long. They couldn't get her into surgery until she was stable." Max sat down heavily on a couch.

"How long will the surgery take?" asked Garret.

"They don't really know….They won't know anything until they get inside her," Max replied.

Lily soon arrived, followed shortly by Nigel and Bug. To Woody's surprise, Eddie Winslow came in after awhile, too. "Woody….thought you'd be here. Been trying to get you on your cell phone."

"They won't let me have it on in here…and to be honest, I haven't really thought about calling in… sorry."

"That's okay. When I heard Jordan was hurt, I knew this is where you'd be." Eddie pulled him to the side. "Kim's been ringing the office phone off the hook. She couldn't get you on your cell….I didn't know what to tell her. So I finally made the excuse you were in court and I didn't know when you'd be through."

Woody frowned. With all Jordan was going through…Kim was the least of his concerns. He would call her….later….maybe. "I'll take care of it," he said.

Two hours passed. Then three. Finally after it had been nearly four hours, Max was called to the desk. The doctor would be out shortly to speak with them. The group formed a tight knot around the entrance way. A few minutes later, Dr. Latham came out, still in his scrubs, to talk with them.

"She's critical, but stable. The bullet that entered her abdomen hit pretty cleanly and exited the back. We had to do some repair work on that one, but it should heal nicely with time. The one in the lungs…that did some damage. We had to remove some of the lower left lobe. Not a lot….but we couldn't repair it. It nicked some ribs, did some other tissue damage. She's going to need quiet, rest, and time to heal. She lost a lot of blood….and there wasn't a lot there to begin with. She's very petite. We're going to watch her for the next several days in CCU, then move her to her own room. We've got her pretty medicated right now…she's still in recovery. I'll let you know when she's in her room and you can see her….two at a time and only for a few minutes. Don't tire her out. Understand?" Dr. Latham explained.

Max nodded as the rest of the group agreed and returned to the waiting room. The nurse let them know when they could begin going up to see her. First it was Garret and Max. Then Lily and Nigel. Eddie and Bug. Woody hung back. He wasn't sure Jordan would want to see him. Max noticed the detective's hesitation. "Son, she's asking for you….she's been asking for you since the minute she came to. She wants to see you and know you're all right." Woody made the trip by himself, thinking the elevator ride took forever.

Down the hall and to the right…she was in the bed….looking far too small and fragile to be Jordan Cavanaugh. Her eyes were closed and he was afraid she was asleep. But they blinked open when she heard him come in. "Woody…" she softly said.

"Hey…." He came over and took the hand she was holding palm up for him. She has in a hospital gown, bandaged heavily….and had bruises and scrapes on her face and arms where she took the fall. "How are you feeling?" he asked, all the while thinking what a lame question that was to ask…but he had to know.

She grinned weakly. "Okay…considering. How are you? Are you okay? Did anything hit you?" She was still worried about him.

He carefully sat on the side of her bed, careful not to disturb the myriad of tubes and wires. Gently, he stroked her check with his fingers. "I'm fine. Nothing hit me, thanks to you." He felt her face tilt up to meet his hand.

"Good," she said, her eyes beginning to drift shut again. Thinking she was asleep, he quit stroking her cheek, put her arm back under the covers, and turned to go. Her soft, "Don't…please…" called him right back to her bedside.

"I'm here, Jordan."

"Stay with me…for a few minutes….until I'm asleep?"

"Of course…for as long as you want me to." He reached for her hand again and felt her fingers tighten slightly around his. He stayed there until her breathing evened and he felt her fingers relax.