Jordan reached in her pocket looking for change for the vending machine. She hadn't eaten much the night before. She still felt a little uneasy about her little egg substitution. The few bites she did take, she tried to find some mythical difference...nothing. Louis didn't seem to notice. In fact, he raved about her cooking ...but she still felt guilty even after he left. Now, she was just plain hungry.

"Garret!" she yelled as she came to his open door.

"Please don't tell me you're flying off to LA again..."

"Can't I just say 'hi'? Besides, I've used up all my frequent flyer miles...Actually, I need a little favor."

The way Jordan asked grabbed Garret's attention. Normally, she would just storm into his office say what was on her mind expecting him to automatically bend to her wishes...and damnit, most of the time he did. Garret just didn't like to admit the fact...even to himself.

"A favor?"

"I need to leave an hour early Thursday night. I'll come in early to make up."

Now his attention was totally peaked. Nothing was simple when it came to Jordan. It was a toss up between the two of them who put more hours in morgue each week. Taking an hour off wasn't the real issue and he could sense it.

Looking back at his paperwork he shrugged, "I don't see the problem. Might I ask why?"

Jordan paused, picking at the wrapper of her candy bar. "I'm going with Louis Jefferies to his exhibit opening over in North Adams. Black tie, funky food, you know the deal."

"Jefferies? Isn't he the guy..."

She cut him off, "Yeah..."

"But, I thought he never..."

Once again, she cut him off. "...he's working on it. That's why I'm going. He's a little anxious. I really need to be there...as a friend..."

"I already said it isn't a problem."

"...This is a real big deal for him. If this exhibit is well received he'll be taking it to New York...and that'll mean more publicity, more commissions..." Jordan rambled.

"Jordan... Why are you trying so hard to convince me of something I've already agree to?"

"I'm not." she said almost indignantly

Garret laughed softly and walked over to the sofa where she sat. "There is more to this then helping a friend. What's going on Jordan?"

"Garret, do you ever feel like life is just slipping through your fingers?"

"Every time I'm put on hold. Why?"

"No, I mean your life life. Do you ever feel like this place is all you have?"

Garret just smiled. She had hit a sore spot. One that had festered for so long, he couldn't remember when his life wasn't an endless cycle of 16 hour days and working weekends. He hadn't talked to his only daughter in months, but the idea of not interacting with his co-workers for that length of time made him more uneasy.

"These last few months have made me realize that I'm tired of living like this." Jordan waved her hand toward the door. "I knew I have you and everyone else and I do love you all...but, knowing Louis... I'm beginning to remember there is a world outside these walls...outside my walls. A world where there is beauty and light instead of just death. Louis asked me to go to this event as his date..."

"Really? I never realized you and he...Good for you Jordan."

Jordan laughed uncomfortably. "Louis and I aren't..."

"It's your business what you do and who you do it with after hours. It's just, I'm happy you're doing something at least one of us is making a break for it. I don't envy you this...event though. The one good thing about not seeing Renee is not having to go to events like that.. Those "see and be seen" things used to make my teeth ache. By the end of the evening I was so tired of acting like I was interested in anything anybody was talking about, all I wanted to do was hang myself with my tie."

"Your appropriately tasteful tie," Jordan smirked.

"One that Renee checked and double checked to make sure I didn't wear it too close to the last time I wore it to whatever. Remember to nod at the right times and just smile a lot. You'll be fine. If it gets too painful claim you've been called in. It worked for me a few times until Renee caught on. I'll cover for you Thursday if anything comes up."

"Thanks Garret."

"Have fun. You deserve it."

"I plan too."


"Oh, you're back...I took some messages for you"

Woody looked up from his desk to see Det. Roz Framus stroll into the bullpen. When Malden's replacement downsized them out of the offices with four walls, he claimed that it would help foster a better team aspect for the division. There would be no more mavericks...or conspiracy theorists. Anything in the name of efficiency. All in all, Woody didn't it mind that much...but the only thing that did get on his nerves from time to time was having to sit across from a smart ass.

"Would you stop answering my phone Roz!" Woody exclaimed reaching for his newspaper for the third time in as many hours.

"You're never here to answer it yourself Bucko. MASSMoCA called? They...and I quote...said, 'Thank you very much for your inquiry to this Thursday's opening but they are not looking for any additional security personal at this time.. but they are having a function next month and if you're still interested please give them a call during normal business hours in two weeks.' Hoyt, if you're that hard up for money that you're looking to take on a part time gig why didn't you say something?"

"It's not that Roz." Woody said opening his newspaper.

Framus leaned over his shoulder to see if he was actually reading the culture section from the morning paper. Her perfectly manicured eyebrow shot straight up. "Louis Jefferies? Isn't he the guy you tried to bust for the Perry murder last year? So, it's his party you want to crash?

"Nobody's crashing anything...and...and get your own paper."

"You and your personal space issues." When Roz perched herself on the edge of his desk, Woody refolded his paper. It was pointless to do anything when it didn't look like she was finished with him yet.

"I never pictured you as an aficionado of the abstract Hoyt. I pegged you as one of those 'If-it's-supposed-to-be-a-picture-of-a-tree-I-wanna-see-a-tree-damnit' types..."

It never ceased to amaze him how well Roz Framus could imitate his voice. He began to wonder if she did more than just answer his phone.

"If you wanted a ticket to the showing all you had to do is ask. I have connections, you know."

"I don't need of your favors Roz. Thanks anyway."

"You don't want to owe me," she chuckled. "You're smarter than you look sometimes Woodster. So, why the sudden interest in the contemporary art world? I've seen your case load. You've been spending most of your time cleaning up the streets one mobster at a time." She began to thumb through the files on his desk. "Are you holding out on us? "

He slapped her hand. "I don't see where it's any of your business."

"It's a woman...Thank. God. ...No wait. Please don't tell me it's a man. Oh no." Roz slapped her palms on the desk before she slumped dramatically over to her own desk. "That explains everything! I should have guessed. My roommate guessed. He asked for your number, but I told him...damn, just when you think you know somebody...BAM! So... Louis Jefferies is gay? Interesting. I thought he was just crazy. "

Woody rolled his eyes. "I'm not gay Roz, sometimes I think it would be easier if I was...but I'm not."

"Reggie might be willing to experiment a little with you." she teased. The expression she got in return told her to back off. "So, it's a woman. One of those artsy-fartsy types? High maintenance women are a pain in the ass to keep happy Hoyt. Trust me, I know." Roz reached across their desks toward Woody's newspaper. "...I know I am. What's her name...Is her picture in here?"

"Would you drop it Roz. I'm not going anywhere. It's just one night right? If she happy, who am I to stand in her way..."

"...right."

Roz looked at the younger man...really looked at him for the first time since she walked in the room. She had to admit he was ate up. That particular fact was obvious. But there was something else there. His normal cocky confidence was a little off kilter...and that fact concerned her more.