Chapter Eleven

Sleeping Beauty

She finally went back to her apartment. Since the rapist was caught, she knew everyone would think it odd that she continue to stay with Nigel.

Besides, Nigel needed his life back, she rationalized. And with enough therapy and Dr. Stiles' help, she may even begin sleeping in her bed the entire night at some point during her natural life.

But so far, it wasn't happening. No matter how late she worked, trying to exhaust herself, she still would wake up during the night and be frightened…of what, she had no idea. Her attacker was in jail…awaiting trial…and she had been promised by Rene' Walcott that if the perp did happen to escape, Jordan would be notified immediately.

As of that afternoon, the rapist was still behind bars…Jordan knew that for a fact. She had called Woody to make sure. "Don't worry, Jo. He won't be getting out. There is no bail set…and he's being watched 24/7."

"I know…it's just…" he heard her voice falter.

"Hey…I've got a case to go out on…I know it's your quitting time…but it's down by the wharf…pretty simple. Want to go with me to blow off some time?"

It would be better than sitting at home, waiting for sleep that wasn't going to come. "Sure."

And it was a fairly simple stabbing case. But what bothered Woody the most was that she listened to him. He asked her to stay in his car, just for a few minutes while he conferred with the detective that had secured the scene and make sure everything was kosher. Then they could leave. In the past, Jordan would have been out on the wharf, looking at the body, asking her own questions.

This time she sat quietly in the car, waiting for him to come back. No…she's definitely not even remotely back to normal, Woody thought. And with the trial looming, he knew that she would be reliving once again every moment of her attack…from the questioning of Rene to the questioning of the defense attorney. He dreaded that for her more than she would ever know and wished there was some way he could protect her from it.

But there wasn't. And Jordan had realized that when she came forward about her attack.

"Would you like to go get some dinner?" he asked her as he got back in the car.

"Dinner?"

"Yeah…you know that meal you eat at the end of the day?" he teased.

She stared out the window of her car for a moment. "Why, Woody? Why are you doing this?"

"Asking you to dinner?"

"Yeah…that and…trying to take care of me. You said it was over between us. You told me to get out of your life. And I did. But yet you keep showing back up in mine...why?"

Now wasn't the time or the place to tell her just how stupid and wrong he had been. Nigel had been right. Jordan was getting at least a little better everyday…but still had a long way to go. And she was still far to fragile for him to tell her everything in his heart…that the words he spoke in the hospital were spoken out of fear…and anger. Not against her…but she became the unwilling, substitute target of his rage. Finally, finding his voice, he replied, "I still care about you as a person and…and…as a colleague, Jordan. Just like you do me, I'm sure."

She nodded. "Yeah." She was still staring out his window.

"So…dinner?"

"Yeah. Sounds good."

Woody started the car and noted that his suit had begun to take on the faint odor of dead fish. "Do you mind if we stop by my apartment and let me change first? Unless we go to a sushi bar I may have a hard time being allowed in anywhere." He grinned at her, hoping for a response. She simply nodded.

The ride back to his place was mostly silent, except for the times he bounced ideas off of her concerning the stabbing at the wharf. She gave him her opinions, which as usual were sound. He let them both in his neat apartment. "Have a seat. I'll get cleaned up and we'll go."

"Take your time." She sat down on the couch, slid her shoes off, and tucked her legs under her. It had been over year…nearly eighteen months since she had been in his home. It was quiet…and warm…and for a moment she realized just how safe she felt here. Woody…despite everything that had happened between them…still offered her a sense of strength and security she didn't have with anyone else. That feeling begin to take over her tired body…she felt her shoulders droop and before she knew it, she had curled up around the arm of his couch and fell asleep as she heard him turn on his shower and clean up. I'll get up when he's ready to go, was the last coherent thought in mind.

Woody found her there, sound asleep, when he emerged from his bedroom dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. She didn't budge when he knelt and brushed the hair off her forehead and softly called her name. He didn't think she had been sleeping well since she returned to her apartment on Pearle Street. He wondered how many nights she had spent sleeping on the floor of her closet, clutching her pillow to her chest. His heart nearly broke as that image flickered across his mind. Well…tonight she would sleep well … with no fears of her attacker haunting her mind. Gently he lifted her in his arms and took her to his bed and tucked her in.

She never batted an eyelash. She slept through the entire transition. Woody chuckled as he padded back to his kitchen to warm up left-over Thai in the microwave.

Jordan woke hours later…in a strange bed…with a man's arms around her. For a moment she panicked and struggled. "Hey," a soft voice whispered in her ear. "It's okay…it's just me…you fell asleep on the couch….and I just didn't want to wake you up. You looked like you were resting so well…" His voice trailed off as he propped himself up on his elbow to look her in the eyes. He bit his lip and wondered if he should tell her how much she looked like Sleeping Beauty when she woke up.

Jordan tried to focus on his face, but the room was dim and her eyes were still heavy. Woody had spoken the truth. She had been resting well. As a matter of fact, it was the best night's sleep she had spent since she was unconscious those two days in the hospital. "Do you want me to take the couch? Would that make you more comfortable?" he asked.

And leave me alone? Part of the reason I'm resting so well is that you're here…holding me…As long as you do that, I can rest, she thought. "No…" she replied. "It's fine…besides you still have to be careful with your back…." She settled back down, unconsciously snuggling closer to him. Woody tightened his hold on her and watched her fall back into a deep sleep.

It would be nice to watch her fall asleep every night, was the fleeting thought that ran through his mind as he kissed the back of her head and fell asleep himself.