Woody's POV

Jordan looked so enervated when that officer led her to her father. DA Walcott respectfully took me off the case. Or so she said. I was dead tired, but I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep, not until I knew Jordan and her father were safe. I had her cup of coffee still in my hand, two sugars no cream, just how she liked it.

"Where is she?" a voice said behind me. I was so startled I dropped the coffee.

"Garret, I heard there taking her to see her father... I'm really not suppose to know, but, ah, Eddie Winslow let it slip." I shook my head nervously. "How did this happen?"

"I don't think anyone knows Woody... Jordan wasn't suppose to know, she wasn't suppose to be there." Garret paced anxiously, wiping his face angrily with a sweaty hand. "Do we know about who was in there?" he asked straightforwardly.

"I know Blackie and his right hand man Jimmy Rose were in there, I have no clue who else, you'd have to ask someone on the case."

"Jimmy the Rose?" he asked in astonishment as I sunk into the nearest chair.

"Yep." I confirmed tiredly, I knew the truth, these were not nice people, they would kill somebody for a quarter.

"God." He whispered, we were silent for a long moment contemplating the turn of events. People were watching the actions of that day on the news, standing still in the hallways, watching with wide eyes as Blackie Conroy was led away from that empty looking house in handcuffs. Suddenly they showed Jordan being dragged from the house by me, I self-consciously rubbed where she had taken a chunk from my flesh with her teeth. She was screaming like a child, tearing at anyone who got in the way of her getting to her father. But I saw the empty, hallow look in her eyes... that's all she wanted, to be with her dad.

"I'll see if we can see her," I said, standing weakly, just wanting to move around. Just wanting to see Jordan.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Max's POV

They threatened my daughter, I did the right thing. No matter how many times I repeated that to myself, wondering if that was true. She was my daughter and I had to protect her, whatever the cost. I had lost my wife, I wasn't going to lose my daughter.

"Dad?" I heard her voice, and looked up. She looked so sad, her choclate colored hair matted and strung out. Her body seemed so gaunt and thin. Her face seemed to age.

"Baby..." tears welled up in her eyes. "No, Jordan, don't cry, come here baby..." I wrapped her up in my arms and hugged her, I didn't want to let her go, but when I heard the door open I reluctantly eased my grip. DA Walcott stood in the doorway, hands firmly grasping her ribbon thin waist.

"The Cavanaugh's are at it again." She said sarcastically, sitting down at the table. "Thank you Max, we couldn't have got him without you." She said on a serious level.

"Will someone please tell me what happened in there?" Jordan demanded, I tightened my grip on her elbow protectively.

Rene looked at her softly, then after a long moment of hesitation said. "Blackie Conroy tried to push your father into a money laundering scheme threw his bar by threatening you... your father agreed and then came to us... we put a phone tap on your fathers phone... a wire on your father, and thanks to your father we now have enough evidence to put Blackie Conroy and Jimmy the Rose away for good." She pushed a stubborn bang out of her eyes. "Now on to a more pressing question Jordan... what were you doing at your fathers house?"

Jordan looked almost enraged at that question. But her face fell, she was too tired to fight, I could see it, I was wearing down on her. "I found the file on Blackie Conroy this Morning... I had no clue why they were there... so tonight, after work I stopped by The Pouge, but Frank said he hadn't been to work so I got worried and I went to the house... and I heard voices, um, and then, uh, the door busted open... and here we are."

I could hear her voice crack, like she was surpressing her tears. Only once had I heard that crack, the day her mother died... when she was calling for Emily. Her voice still echoed in my mind on sleepless night, her small, young voice... screaming for her mommy, that's all she wanted... her mother.

I squeezed her elbow again, her small, white hand came up and touched my signifagantly larger one. Her cocoa eyes grew still, cold and lifeless looking. I kissed the top of her head.

"Well," DA Walcott said after she had written down all that was said. "Max, your going to be testifying against some of the most horrific mobsters in Boston, your not safe in Boston... the FBI is going to be taking you to a safe house in an undisclosed area... after the trail, you'll be free to go home.... Jordan, I'll get a police officer out front of your apartment until the trial is over... Woody wants to know if he and Garret can see you, Nigel and Lily are on there way." She said standing, "Jordan, your free to go home."

"Thanks Rene." I said, she smiled , she looked less fearsome when she smiled.

"No thank you Max." with that she walked out.

Jordan's POV

I suddenly felt like my legs were made of jelly. My dad had just come home, he told me he wouldn't leave again... not ever... and here he was leaving again. It was hard to read the emotions on his face, the way his eyebrows furrowed together could means a great number of things.

"Daddy don't leave me please?" I begged hugging him to me.

"Its only for a while Baby, I promise." He reassured me with a strained smile. I pressed my head deeper into his chest, burrowing for warmth, strength, stability... I wasn't even sure.

"That's what you said last time." I whispered angrily, I think he knew that I wasn't mad at him... at least I hoped he knew that. I didn't know where he was going, I didn't know when he was coming back... I felt so alone and confused. Tears fell behind my eyes, but I didn't cry, I didn't cry this time. I refused to be labeled as weak. A bone chilling cold entered the room, suddenly I backed away from my father as he rubbed soft circles in my back.

"I know Jordan, but I know we will be together again... I don't know when, but we will." I shook my head belligerently at him, contempt coursing threw my veins like a rush of adrenaline.

"How do you know?" I seethed, backing away farther from him. I backed into the table, the metal sliding against the concrete floor ricocheted in the silence of the room. His eyes watered, he reached out to touch me, but I backed even farther away, like I did to Woody.

"I don't know how I do... I just do." He whispered patiently, I was in the corner now, like a caged animal.

"Why should I believe you?" I asked, my voice dangerously low. "For all I know, everything you've ever told me was a lie." I could feel my face turn red, I wanted to let loose and scream. Before he could answer, Woody stood in the doorway, he looked as disheveled and tired as he did when I saw him in the hallway. Coffee stained down the front of his dress shirt and his hand was burnt, a red, livid welt was bubbling up.

"Hey." He said jadedly, leaning against the doorway.

My labored breathing slowed as I looked at him. "Hey." I responded, looking pointedly at his hand. "What happened?"

He looked down at his hand and smiled a little. "minor disagreement with a cup of coffee." He sighed, sidling down to the floor. "Garrets here, you wanna talk to him?" I nodded mutely. He stood and Garret appeared in the doorway, he hugged me tightly. I felt a breath of relief go out in me.

"Max." he said solemnly, shaking my fathers hand. My father nodded in the same solemn manner.

"You two will take care of my little girl, right?" my father demanded, Garret and Woody nodded, thinking back on it now, if they only knew what would happen in the process, maybe they wouldn't of been so sure.