Chapter Two

What is wrong with her? Nigel wondered, watching Jordan immerse herself in yet another autopsy…not saying much, just carefully running her tests and trace. Jordan was quiet…too quiet…and the dark circles under her eyes and the worry lines etching her mouth and eyes were clear signs that something…or perhaps someone was on her mind.

Nigel knew that she and Woody had been seeing each other, but lately the blue-eyed detective hadn't been around as much as usual. Everyone had assumed that the couple was seeing each other outside of work…but maybe not. Maybe that was what was wrong.

"Nige, could you close for me?" Jordan asked, bringing him out of his reverie. "I've got a headache…a really bad one."

"Are you alright Jordan? That's the third headache you've had this week."

"Yeah, I'm fine…" she trailed off as she headed out the doors and to her office. It was there Nigel found her an hour later, her head in her arms, on her desk.

"Jordan, if you're not feeling well, you can go home. I'll cover for you," Nigel said, coming around to her chair to rub her shoulders. The tension between the muscles in her back shocked him. They were nearly rock-hard.

"I'll be okay…it's just these headaches…" she lifted her face and Nigel could have sworn he saw traces of tears. He shut the door to her office.

"Okay, Jordan. What is it, love? Don't you think it's time to come clean with me? You've ducked out of autopsy three times this week and look like hell. Is something wrong between you and Woody?"

She shook her head. "No…not exactly…yes, sort of, but he doesn't know." She sounded thoroughly confusing. Nigel grasped at the only thought that ran through his mind.

"Are you pregnant, Jordan?"

Jordan gave a bitter laugh. "No…nothing like that. I mean we haven't…" she broke off her statement to blush slightly.

"Oh. Well. Then can you tell me what's wrong? Are you sick? Is Woody sick?"

Shaking her head again, she denied that question. "It's worse than that." She looked away, wrapping her arms around her waist, as if to protect herself.

"Then what is it?"

"I shouldn't tell you…I honestly shouldn't…but I need to talk to someone…or I'm going to go crazy…" Slowly…hesitantly the story came out of her…about the stranger…her apprehension of being watched…her fears for Woody. Nigel listened with his mouth open in disbelief.

"So that's why he hasn't been around so much…you're avoiding him…" Nigel said.

"For his own safety…and I can't tell him…however, he's beginning to be suspicious. I've been blaming our lack of time together on work, but that's wearing thin with him, I can tell. I don't want to lose him, Nige, but I do want him safe. And after investigating the Albanian mob, you know what they are capable of…"

Nigel nodded. "Who have you told?" he asked quietly.

"Just you."

"There's not a lot I can do, Jordan. I do think we should tell Dr. Macy. And possibly Rene' Walcott."

"I can't get too many people involved, Nigel. They'll suspect something…and if Walcott knows and Woody gets wind through the DA's office…"

"He could be in big trouble and not know anything about it." Nigel sighed. "We've got to do something…I suggest we start with Dr. Macy."

Jordan nodded, tears coming to her eyes again. "I just don't want Woody hurt," she whispered. "He means too much…I love him, Nige."

"Does he know that?"

"Not yet."

"You need to tell him…but first, we need to talk to Garret."

Garret listened with the same amount of disbelief and apprehension that Nigel did. "How long has this been going on, Jordan?" he asked.

"About two weeks. I've just been hesitant….scared…to tell anyone."

"I understand why, but you should have come forward long before now. We have ways of protecting you and Woody."

"But it was more than that. He knew everything…that man knew everything about me. My friends. Where they lived. Where I lived. Cal. Woody…everything. I couldn't risk it. I couldn't put everyone in jeopardy…"

Garret pondered what she had told him for a moment…and then checked his calendar. "The trial is due to come up in three months. How do you feel about taking an extended vacation until that time?"

"Go away?" she asked…shocked at the suggestion.

"Yeah. Disappear for three months. That will keep you, Woody, and everyone else safe…then we'll bring you back the day you're supposed to testify."

Nigel nodded. "It could work."

"But where would I go? This guy said they know all about me…and they're watching."

Garret glanced at Nigel. "They don't know everything. There are ways….aren't there Nige?"

"Yes, love. I can find a place for you…make you disappear so well for a while that no one will be able to find you. Bury you deep underground." That much was true, Jordan realized. Nigel had connections no one knew about.

"But what will I tell Woody?"

"You won't," Garret replied. "The fewer people that know, the better. I will need to tell Rene', so she won't hold you in contempt of court. She will keep her mouth shut, I promise."

Jordan paced. "I don't want to…I don't want to leave you…and him….for so long."

"But you want him safe, don't you?" Garret asked.

She nodded.

"Then get to work, Nigel," Garret told the lanky Brit. "Find her a place and get her out of here."

Nigel did. And he did it quickly. By the end of that day, all the arrangements had been made. Jordan wasn't even sure where she was going. Nigel was taking her there first thing tomorrow morning. That gave her one evening to get ready – to pack and say good-bye to Woody without him realizing what she was doing.

She drove over to his apartment with some hesitation. She didn't want to put him in harm's way, but she knew if anything happened, and she hadn't at least told him good-bye, she'd live with more regrets than she could handle. She climbed the stairs to his apartment and softly knocked.

"Jordan," was all he said when he opened the door and found her standing there.

"Can I come in?"

He held the door open. "It's been a long time. I thought maybe I had said something or done something…"

She shook her head. "No. It's like I said…there's this case…"

"And it's over now?" He shut the door behind them.

"Not exactly, but I've done all I can do."

"Which one was it…the case, I mean. Did I work on it?"

"No, this was something Garret had me on." She took him by the hand and led him over to the couch. "I've missed you, Woody. I've missed being with you." She looked him in the eyes…

"I've missed you, too. You can't let cases get to you like this, Jo. It's not healthy."

"I know…but this case was different."

"How so? And are you hungry? We could order a pizza…watch a movie…" He was just glad she was here…and wanted keep her with him for as long as possible.

"I'm not hungry… I just … I just came by to …to…."

"To what?"

What the hell am I supposed to say…to tell you good-bye for a while…and that it's for your own good that you don't know where I've gone? That I'm not really running this time? That I will be back? The bitter truth was, she couldn't say any of that. "I just came by to tell you that I've missed seeing you…and I…I…."

Woody had never known Jordan to be tongue-tied. Something was wrong. "What is it, Jordan? You can tell me," he coaxed, gently running his hands down her arms. Yeah. There was something wrong…he could read it in her eyes. He didn't know what, but she'd tell him before the night was over.

"I just wanted to be with you tonight. Please."

Dumbstruck. That's what he was. Completely thrown off guard. He had expected anything other than that from her. They had both agreed to take their relationship slowly. What on earth had happened to make her want to hit the fast forward button? "Is something wrong? Have I missed something?" he asked, still a little bewildered at her sudden confession.

"No…" she said, lying through her teeth…she hoped he could read nothing in her expression but the fact that she had missed him the past week or so and was going to miss him more in the weeks ahead. "You told me we could take this as fast or as slowly as I wanted. I've made up my mind…"

"You're sure?"

She nodded. "Please?"

He took her pocketbook from her arm and threw it on the couch. Then he slipped her jacket off and threw it there, too. "You're really sure?" he asked, pulling her into his arms.

"Yes…"

He caught her lips in a soft kiss…one she could easily pull out of if she changed her mind…only she didn't. She gave him kiss for kiss until she felt him walking her backwards through his apartment into the bedroom and the back of her knees hit the side of the bed. "Still sure?" he asked, catching her chin with his thumb and index finger so he could look her in the eyes. She nodded, and he turned up the heat of those kisses as he gently eased her back on the bed…unbuttoning her blouse and sliding it off…letting her tug his shirt over his head. Fumbling for her bra clasp and finding it in the front and not the back…undressing her slowly.

And Jordan let him, reveling in the feel of his arms around her…the hardness of his muscle contrasting with the soft, pliant feel of his lips, marveling at how secure she felt in this place with him.

Fighting back the bitter tears that she may only have this one night. Refusing to think about tomorrow and let herself be only concerned with today…now…how it felt when he touched her here or kissed her there…how his breath caught in his throat when she would moan and move beneath him. How complete she felt with him…where they were joined…the places he took her that she had only dreamed about.

Until it was over and he slept in her arms. Before daybreak, she had eased herself out from under him, gently stroked the hair back off his forehead and lightly kissed his lips one more time. And then whispered, "I love you, Woody," in a voice so low the angels would have had to stoop to hear.