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DISCLAIMER: I don't own these characters. No profit is being made. It's all for fun.

A/N1: I promise the Woody-torture won't continue forever, but after the way he behaved… well, a woman scorned and all. g

A/N2: The reviews are making me blush! Thanks!

Part Four: His Father's Eyes

Boston

Garret was in Autopsy Two with Bug and Woody, going over a particularly difficult finding when Nigel stuck his head in the door. "Dr. M, Lily just called."

Garret and Bug both gave him an expectant look. Woody looked from one to the other, his blue eyes confused, his mouth turned down at the left-out feeling.

Nigel's gaze dropped to the floor for a moment.

"Nigel?" Garret's voice was stern, suddenly worried.

Nigel pressed his lips together for a moment. "Jordan's fine."

"What about the baby?" Bug demanded. "Nigel?"

The Brit swallowed convulsively. "They had to deliver him by Caesarean. The cord prolapsed."

"Oh, my God," breathed Garret.

"Jordan? She had her baby?" Woody leapt into the conversation. "What does – whatever Nigel said mean?"

Bug's face was morose. "It means the baby didn't get any oxygen."

"Did Lily say how long, Nigel?" Garret asked, his entire focus on whatever information Nigel could impart.

He shook his head. "I don't think the doctors were sure. He's in the NICU. Lily said he's a fighter-"

"Of course, he is," Bug interrupted.

"Jordan's – She's okay, physically."

"God, this must be her worst nightmare," Garret said. He stripped off his gloves. "Where are the girls?"

"At the hospital with Lily. I told her I'd take them back to Jordan's when I'm done here."

Macy nodded. "You're done here. Go." He looked at Bug. "Bug, I'm sure your diagnosis is right. Report it. I'm going to check on Jordan."

Before Bug or Woody could protest, Macy was gone.

XXXXX

Garret found her at the window in front of the NICU. She sat in the mandatory wheelchair. He had never seen Jordan Cavanaugh – McCoy he corrected himself – look so vulnerable. Her hair cascaded over the back of the chair. She slumped as she gazed through the window. He greeted her quietly and put a hand on her shoulder.

"He's fighting, Garret. He's really fighting."

He kissed the top of her head. "Of course, he is. His mom is one hell of a fighter. And so was his dad."

She reached up and caught his hand, squeezing it hard. "I can't lose him. I can't."

"What do the doctors say now?"

She shrugged. "They need another twelve hours or so. Evaluations. Observations." She bit back a sob. "I just want to hold him. Even if… Even if… It doesn't matter what they tell me."

"I know it doesn't, Jordan. And he'll be fine." He watched the baby wail in his hospital crib. Wires and monitors tracked his vitals – it must have been a horrid déjà vu for Jordan. "What are you going to call him?"

She smiled and her voice became somewhat dreamy. "Daniel. Daniel Aaron. We'd agreed on that before – before Danny… before."

Garret stayed with her until a nurse came to take her back to her room. He promised Nigel would bring the girls in the morning and that Lily's time was Jordan's. He told her to call him anytime – and I mean any time, Jordan – if she needed to.

XXXXX

His hand stroked her hair, his fingers tangling in its dark length. "Hi," his voice was soft, tender.

She smiled and reached for his hand. "Hi."

He kissed her forehead. "God, I miss you."

"Me, too." She felt tears start. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"The baby." She choked on a sob.

"Hey, hey, hey. No. Come on, Jordan. Don't say that."

"But I – I must have done something –something." She let the sob come this time. "Something wrong."

He shook his head. "No, no, sweetheart. No. You did everything right. It just happened." He took her in her arms and rocked her, kissing her hair, her forehead, the tears on her cheeks. He found her mouth and pressed his lips to hers. "It just happened," he whispered.

"Danny, Danny," she wept. "I want him so much. I want him to be all right, but I don't care if he isn't. He has your eyes. I never thought I'd see your eyes again and now…now…" Tears trickled down her face.

"Shh. It's okay, Jordan." He tilted up her chin. "I promise. He'll be fine." He kissed her again. "I always kept my promises to you, didn't I?"

She nodded. "Except-"

"I know. And I hate that. I hate it." He stroked her cheek. "I love you. I always will. You – You and the kids – Nothing ever mattered more to me. He'll be fine. Honest."

She studied his face, lost herself in his eyes. And then nodded. "Don't leave me."

He smiled softly. "I'll stay until you know it's going to work out."

XXXXX

The nurse shook her gently and murmured her name. "Dr. McCoy? Doctor? Jordan?"

Slowly, Jordan opened her eyes. She scrubbed a hand across her face. "What – What time is it?"

"It's early, Dr. McCoy."

"My son-?" Jordan started up in her bed.

The nurse smiled. "Do you want me to bring him to you?"

Jordan's eyes widened. "But – Can you- Really?"

The woman nodded. "All his tests have come back just fine. The doctor will come in and tell you everything."

"But I can – I can have him?"

"I'll bring him right in."

After the nurse had left, the door closing slowly behind her on its pneumatic hinges, Jordan looked at the chair next to her bed. His scent hung on the air and she could swear that, in the corner, just on the edge of her peripheral vision, she could still find his tall, lanky form. "Thank you," she whispered.

XXXXX

Because of the baby's traumatic birth and the unexpected surgery (and probably due to phone calls from Boston's chief M.E. and a certain Las Vegas casino boss), the hospital kept Jordan longer than with her daughters.

On the second morning after her dream – visitation? – she sat up in bed, cradling her son as he nursed. Nigel sat in the chair where Danny had when he assured Jordan everything would be fine. He wore an easy smile as he reported on how the Mc Coy girls were doing.

Jordan grinned and, as modestly as possible, shifted Daniel to her other side. "I can't thank you enough, Nige."

He laughed. "Thank me when you see the mess they've made of the house."

She shook her head. "You know what? I really don't care." She stroked the light, downy hair on her infant's tender skull. "My son is going to be all right. My daughters have adjusted to the move better than I expected. I have everything I need." Her eyes dimmed. "Well… almost."

Nigel stood up and gave Jordan a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'd better get to the morgue. I've got to have everything done so I can pick up Sarah at one from her play date with Verona and get Catherine from Brownies to ballet." He feigned exhaustion. "How do you do it all?"

She just laughed at him. A movement in the doorway caught her eye. Her laughter died. Her pulse sped up and her nerves tightened. She couldn't have said why – hormones, maybe. The stress of Daniel's birth and subsequent relief when he was declared perfectly healthy, perhaps. The echoes of an old friendship, possibly?

Nigel followed her gaze and leaned into her. "Shall I stay?"

"No," she murmured. "It's okay. Go" She squeezed his hand. "Brownies and ballet, remember?"

The glance Nigel gave Woody was not friendly, but the Brit complied with Jordan's request. He brushed past Woody with a warning look.

The door shut behind Nigel. For a moment, Woody stood rooted to the spot. Jordan's face was blank as she lifted Daniel up to burp him. A flutter of a smile crossed her lips as Woody quickly averted his eyes, despite her practiced modesty. Finally he raised his eyes back to her face. He smothered a sharp intake of breath. She'd given birth a few days before, spent nearly twenty-four hours wondering if her child would live or die and if he would be healthy and yet she still stole his breath. How had he ever forgotten how beautiful she was? And he had to admit that she was even more beautiful now. He hadn't truly noticed that day in the diner. Time and contentment had given her face a peace he'd never seen before. Though her grief was still written on her face, motherhood obviously agreed with her. He smiled. "Jordan."

"Hi, Woody." She craned her neck to check on Daniel. He'd fallen asleep on her shoulder. Still rubbing his back, she moved him to her arms and cooed softly to him. He opened his eyes and yawned hugely. His little fists waved for a moment and he bleated once or twice until his mother held him more closely. She looked down into his eyes, Danny's eyes, drinking in their color and depth. He closed those magnificent peepers and Jordan turned her attention to her unexpected visitor. "What brings you here?"

He gestured to the chair. "You mind?" When she shook her head, he sat down. He studied her baby for a moment. A jealousy he thought long extinguished gripped him. He dipped his head for a moment, before looking at her from beneath his lashes. "You."

"Me? Why?" Those echoes stirred again, a corner of her heart long shuttered reverberating with memories best left in the past.

"Because I need to apologize to you, Jordan."

END Part Four