Chapter Five

Boston is normally a quiet city…despite the loud and bloody part it played in the American Revolution, and it being the birth place of much of American history and literature. It wasn't all gunshots and explosions. It had remained very much a peaceful harbor town, and the only "rockets' red glare" it now witnessed was the fireworks on the Fourth of July.

Until tonight.

Boston, like most large cities, had prepared for terrorists attacks after 9/11. Small pox. Bombs. Anthrax, and a plethora of other possible toxins that could be set lose in a city. The siren announced that something had happened in Boston. Woody and Jordan looked at each other and ran for the door. Whatever was going on between them would have to wait. "I'll be in touch," he shouted to her as he ran for his office.

"Hey, Woody?" she yelled at him.

"What?" he turned back.

"This is just between us right now, okay?"

He nodded and kept running.

Meanwhile Jordan's cell phone was going crazy. Garret was paging her like mad. She answered his call. "Jordan – you've heard the sirens?" he asked.

"Yeah…I'm still at the morgue."

"Good. Because I'm calling everybody in….I don't know what it is yet, or how many people are involved, but it's major. My guess right now is we're looking at mustard gas, but I'm not one hundred percent sure. Get ready for a large number of causalities. Boston General is gearing for a large number of victims."

"Where did it happen at?"

"What? I can't hear you?"

Jordan could hear the cars around Garret…horns, more sirens. He was mobile.

"Where did it happen?"

"The tunnel out of Logan."

"Jesus…those people are trapped in there with mustard gas?"

"Looks that way…look, I gotta go. I'll be in touch."

"Don't you want me to come down there?"

Garret thought for a minute. "Yeah. Sydney should be coming into the morgue any minute now. Between him, Lily, and Emmy, they can get set up for a mass casualty ward. You come down here with me….but be careful."

"Will do. And Garret?"

"Yeah?"

"You do the same."

Jordan set her Nextel back in its holder on her waist. She quickly began to pull the tools and equipment needed out until Sydney came and took over. She left and made it to the site as quickly as possible.

It looked like a war zone. She found Nigel and Garret and was allowed in the tunnel. Woody caught site of her and his stomach knotted. She didn't need to be down here…exposed to this…not being pregnant. He suddenly felt the weight of responsibility for two people. He shook his head and nearly walked over to her when he saw her disappear into a van and a few minutes later come out with a full PAPR suit and mask. He bit his lip. He didn't like it, but at least she was being careful.

They worked for what seemed like days…pulling victims, both alive and dead, from the mangle inside the tunnel. When the mustard gas had been detonated, people lost control of their vehicles. There were injuries and deaths from car wrecks as well as from the gas. Woody tried to keep Jordan in sight, to make sure she was okay, but wasn't always successful. He was worried about her. She looked like she hadn't slept well when he saw her earlier…there were dark circles under her eyes.

He had a feeling none of them would sleep for a while.

And they didn't. By the time they had pulled the last victim from the tunnel, they both had been working nearly 18 hours straight. They didn't realize it until they went in for the last time…together. By now, the mustard gas had been cleared from the tunnel, so they could go in without the masks. He and Jordan were making one more clearance check at the back of the structure…just to make sure everyone was out. "Jo," he said softly, calling to her.

"Got someone else over there, Woody?"

"No…I was just wondering…are you okay? Are you feeling okay?"

"Tired. But I think I'm fine. You?"

"The same…the baby?"

"As far as I can tell, it's okay, too."

He sighed and leaned back against a car. "We need to talk, Jordan."

"I know," she said, bending down and shining a flashlight in the window of the twisted metal to check and make sure it was empty, "But now's not the time or place."

"Yeah. I realize that. Just…don't run, Jordan. Please. This is too important."

"I'm not going to. At least not yet. But if I do, I promise to tell you where I'm going. After all…you're going to be its dad…I'd never keep the baby from you."

He turned to take her arm and help her back to the entrance way. They had nearly got to the opening when Woody heard a groan… and felt a rumble. He immediately threw himself over Jordan as the entrance collapsed over top of them.

As Jordan came to, she could feel herself coughing and heard Woody doing the same. She prayed that the open ventilation to the tunnel had gotten rid of all the mustard gas…if not, they were going to be in serious trouble. But as moments passed and so did their fits of coughing, it seemed the collapse had only stirred up a lot of dust and debris.

"Jordan?" she heard Woody call.

"Over here," she flicked on her flashlight and soon saw him crawl his way over bricks and concrete to her. "Does your radio work?"

"Yeah. I've already put in a call…"

"Good. Maybe they can get us out soon." She sat down for a minute. Whether it was her pregnancy or her long hours of work with no food, she was getting dizzy. Woody sat down beside her.

"At least we get to chill out a minute," he said…trying to joke with her.

She nodded and stretched her legs out in front of her, leaning back on some of the wreckage.

"Hey, wait…let me fix that for you." Woody pulled off his coat and laid it down for her to sit on.

"I don't expect favors from you now, Woody. Just because I'm pregnant."

"Yeah, but your pregnant with my child." And I happen to worry about what happens to you, he added in his mind.

She was silent for a minute. "I want you to know that while I do expect and know that you'll be a wonderful father, I don't anticipate anything else from you…nor will I hold you to anything as far as I am concerned."

Woody felt his anger rise with her words. "And why not?"

"I don't want you to stay with me out of obligation to the baby. There are plenty of people who parent well together and aren't married."

"And I don't happen to want to be one of them."

Jordan swallowed hard. "No."

"No?"

"No. You heard me."

"And now you'll hear me, Jordan. I'll stay with you…and our baby. I want the baby to have a normal family. A mom and dad. Married. Together. Something that neither you nor I had."

"We can't give this kid 'The Brady Bunch' or 'Father Knows Best', Woody."

"No, but we can come damn close. We will both love him or her…and that goes a long ways…we both know that."

"I know that, too…but what about later, when the kid grows up?"

"Then we'll have each other."

Jordan felt the tears come to her eyes. "You and I both know that won't work."

"Why not? That night on your couch about three months ago seemed to go pretty well. Imagine what it could be like in a king size bed."

"It's about more than sex, Woody."

"That's what I tried to tell you at my apartment that night before you got scared and ran. It wasn't about sex…it was about making love. But you seem to have other ideas about relationships."

She was quiet for a long time after that. So quiet for so long that Woody got worried. "Jordan?" he asked softly, clicking on his flashlight to see her. She had her knees up, her arms wrapped around them and her head resting on her arms. He couldn't see her face, but he could see her shoulders. They were shaking.

Jordan was crying, and he felt like a heel. He had made her cry. Carefully shifting himself over the debris, he put a hand on her shoulder. "Jordan," he commanded firmly. "Look at me."

Her reaction was to turn further away from him. "Just leave me alone, okay? I'm tired, I'm ready to get out of here, I'm hungry…"

"And you're scared. Yeah. I know. I'm sorry, Jordan. They should have us out of here soon. I can hear them."

True to Woody's word, the sound of pick axes and equipment was heard on the other side of the collapsed wall. Woody's radio then crackled with news that they should have him and Jordan out of there in about a half an hour. He tentatively moved his hand off her shoulder to put his arm there and pull her to him. "It's going to be okay," he soothed, gently stroking her hair.

She buried her face in his neck. She was so tired…of work…of wondering if she was pregnant…then finding out she was…now what was she going to do? And Woody promising her a lifetime with him. It was there…everything she ever wanted was dangling within reach. All she had to do was grab it.

But it wouldn't work. They'd end up hurting each other badly.

However that didn't change the fact she wanted him. She hugged him tighter to her. "Jordan?" he asked, unsure of why she was reacting this way, but he felt her tears against his neck. "Look…honey, what's wrong?"

"As much as I think it would be great for the baby, it would never work…not us together." She said it with such firm conviction it nearly left no room for doubt. A fear began to creep into Woody's heart.

That night on her couch…he had assumed that all of her relationships had pretty much been fleeting one-night stands. Could he be wrong? Was there someone who held her heart? Was that what she was trying to tell him? His mouth went dry. "Why Jordan? Why wouldn't it work?"

"Because…you'd realize all-too-soon that I'm not right for you…I'm damaged goods…I have far too many issues…and that you deserve so much better than me."