Chapter Six

Good-bye

"So you're saying Yokura thought all along that this was a two man job? So why was that never reported in the case or…or the autopsy reports?" Woody asked, dropping his feet from his desktop where he and Jordan had been catching Winslow up on the recent developments in the case…and some old ones that Jordan had just mentioned.

Jordan removed the stirrer she'd been chewing on for the better part of an hour from her mouth, the coffee taste long since gone from the plastic stick.

"Well, because Woodrow," she said sarcastically, as she tossed the little straw in the trash. "investigating is the job of the detectives and Yokura is an M.E. She's not up for any personality awards, but she trusted the opinion of Dad and Eddie," she said offering Eddie a weak smile.

Eddie piped in after nodding in agreement with Jordan's statement. "Well, that and if you knew Dr. Yokura you'd know she'd just as soon break into show tunes as admit she's wrong. So she never put anything in writing, just mentioned her suspicions to Max and myself off the record," Eddie said giving Jordan a lopsided smile.

Jordan laughed at the comment about Dr. Yokura and so did Eddie. Woody sighed and fought the urge to roll his eyes as it became painfully obvious that as far as seniority went, he was the third wheel on this case. Not only that, but it relit the neon sign in the back of his head reminding him that Jordan and Winslow had history. He fought the urge to check Roz's bottom left hand drawer for a flask.

"Yeah, well…since I reopened this case and talked to Campbell, I've had some suspicions of my own…I'd like to re-question him and see if I get anywhere…maybe I can pull him in here tonight.." Woody mused and stretched, as he looked at his watch. It was already 10:30. Leighanne would be curled up in front of a Lifetime movie crying and burning pictures of them together by now.

"Well…I think it's a little late in the evening to be doing that why don't you…" Eddie started and Woody put up a hand. He didn't need Eddie Winslow telling him how to do his job right now. And he certainly didn't need to go home to an empty apartment and toast his floundering love life with a case of Heineken. Or worse yet, he didn't need to go to Leighanne's place and have her yell and cry until the wee hours of the morning.

All do respect – bullshit, Woody thought. "I think I've got this under control Captain…besides," Woody said tugging his coat around his shoulders and fixing his tie. "I've always liked the element of surprise," he concluded, reaching for the phone to have Campbell pulled from his cell for a little late night chat.

"That guy's a real asshole, you know that?" Eddie said to Jordan as they walked out to their cars a few minutes later.

"Woody….Woody's just trying to do his job.." Jordan lied and stuffed her hands into her coat pockets. "He's usually not disrespectful like this, but ever since he was shot.." she trailed off shaking her head.

"Oh come on Jordan, he was shot what? Two years ago?…There's only so long the wounded hero bullshit will hold water…" Eddie argued rubbing his hands together and blowing between them for warmth. "Not to mention he knows it'll work with you.." he said raising his eyebrows for the first time hinting at the relationship he'd suspected between Jordan and that…Hoyt.

Jordan sighed. "That was a long time ago," she said looking off across the street as a cold wind blew a strand of hair in front of her face and she flicked it away quickly.

Eddie nodded and looked off in the opposite direction. "So there was something between you two…I had heard the rumors but frankly, I took it with a grain of salt…I figured they couldn't be true, I knew you'd chew that perky, wise-ass SOB up and spit him out.." he stopped and looked her over amused. "Oh, tell me you did. Please, please tell me you did. It'll make working with him that much more bearable," he begged teasingly, but stopped when he saw the look on her face.

"Nah…nah … it wasn't exactly like that…well I mean, you know me, of course I did a number on him…but uhhh…we never really dated exactly…." she said and shifted uncomfortably, feeling like she'd said too much already.

"So what did you do?" Eddie asked and then raised a hand. "Sorry…it's really none of my business…once upon a time, maybe it was, but it's not my place to ask anymore," he said with a tight smile and turned towards his car. "I'll catch you later Jordan. It's really been nice seeing you again. I hope next time it's under different circumstances.." he smiled and turned his back to her, heading for the car.

"…I fell in love with him." Jordan said suddenly, stopping Winslow cold in his tracks. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Jordan Cavanaugh didn't fall in love easily. When she did however, it was usually the result of a pretty serious relationship.

"So you were dating him," Eddie said quietly and turned around.

Jordan had the sense to at least laugh. "No…uh..no, we didn't, It just sort of..happened..." she stammered out and waved a casual hand. "Well, you know me…I never do anything the easy way," she joked and looked towards her car. "But I … uhh…I messed it up…" she told him and turned her eyes towards Eddie, remembering how she'd left things with him. The ache she had felt for leaving Eddie like she did gave Jordan a sudden blaring realization of what Woody must have felt those few years ago lying in a hospital bed, his legs paralyzed and his ears burning with her untimely profession of love.

"I'm really good at dicking up the relationships I actually want to make work aren't I?" she asked rhetorically and looked at her feet as Eddie just stared at her with one of those looks that had always made her weak in the knees.

"Well, anyway…I'll let you know if I find anything…I'll see you tomorrow after you talk to Woody about what he pounds out of Campbell tonight," she said with a dry laugh and quickly got into her car.

Eddie watched her drive off, no longer noticing the cold biting into his limbs. Jordan had been in love with Woody Hoyt, the golden boy of the nineteenth precinct. And even after over a decade after having dated Jordan, a part of him wondered jealously if she still was.

It was nearly three am when Woody finally got out of interrogation. He was tired, frustrated, angry, and really pissed off all at once and at varying degrees.

Later on, he'd wonder if it was because of a need to focus all of those bad feelings on something or just habit that found him keying into Leighanne's apartment a little after three, but once he was in and realized his mistake. He knew Leighanne's super sonic hearing had already woken her up and probably had her standing at the end of the bed wielding a Louisville Slugger.

Even with everything he was feeling at that moment Woody had to smile at the image. Yes, he legitimately felt like shit for what he was about to do.

"Woody?" her soft but croaky voice called out, twisting the dagger a little more as he realized she'd definitely been crying.

"Yeah…yeah Leigh, it's me.." Woody whispered back resigned.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she asked putting the bat down and walking out of her bedroom into the main room.

"I…." stumbled here blindly in exhausted delirium? Was too tired to go all the way to my apartment when I knew yours was closer? "Wanted to apologize…for lunch," he said trying to sound sincere.

"…….Oh." she responded after a long moment. "I don't really think that there's anything more to say Woody…" Leighanne sighed and crossed her arms defensively over her chest after turning on the lamp beside her couch.

"I…I didn't say anything Leighanne.." Woody said curtly.

"That's right." Leighanne fired back. "You never say anything Woody…we used to talk about things when we first got together…but ever since this…this Jordan came back into your life it's….you've changed…" she said quietly.

"No, I haven't Leigh, I've just….I've had a lot on my mind…with this case and all you know, and I…" he looked at the floor and mustered up the strength to give her the puppy dog eyes. The eyes she could never resist.

"But you…you wouldn't come with me today, at lunch you just.." Leighanne started and shook her head. "You wouldn't come with me.." she repeated.

Woody had to think fast if he wanted to be in a warm bed before daylight. "But I'm here now…and I'm sorry Leigh…I really am…" he said softly and took a step towards her, running a nervous hand through his hair.

Leighanne tapped her foot on the hardwood floor and regarded him for a few tense moments. "Fine. You can stay…just…just no more talk of this case," she said in a warning way, looking towards the bedroom for good manipulative measure.

Woody just nodded and made note of not feeling well, anything, at lying to her this time. Before she could ask anything more of him Woody shrugged out of his coat, leaving it on the floor as he walked towards her already untying his tie and kicking off his shoes.

"I shouldn't let you stay you know..." she said even as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him lightly.

"Uh huh.." Woody murmured against her lips as he pulled her close and deepened the kiss.

"I shouldn't even talk to you right now.." she whispered as he picked her up heading towards the bedroom.

"So don't," Woody grunted kicking the bedroom door shut before he dropped onto her on the bed.

Six twenty-one. A.M.

That was the exact moment in time that Woody looked through the dawn light of Leighanne's bedroom at the blinking red digital clock and realized he was most definitely the biggest bastard to ever walk the earth.

He sighed and lifted his head slightly to look around the bedroom for each piece of clothing he came in with while simultaneously making sure he didn't wake Leighanne sleeping on his chest.

"Too late…." she whispered suddenly against his collar bone. Busted.

"Hey…" Woody whispered softly and settled a stiff hand on her back. "I was just … uhh..I was….I didn't wanna wake you and…" he stopped and sighed when Leighanne lifted her head and smiled at him sadly.

"…And you were thinking how am I going to get out of here with my balls still attached after what we did last night felt like break up sex," she whispered and touched his cheek with a silent nod.

Woody narrowed his eyes at her. "I felt it, too," Leighanne explained. "And I'm sorry that it went this far…" she said kissing his collar bone once. "I'm sorry that I got attached…" she whispered with a kiss to his neck and Woody swore he felt a warm tear slide down into the cleft between his collar bones. "But most of all I'm sorry I was too selfish and optimistic about what we could be to realize I was dating a taken man," she finished with a soft, light kiss to his lips.

"Leigh I'm not.." Woody began quietly. She raised a hand.

"For all the times you've lied to me, don't do it this time….please? Just…" she took a deep breath and Woody could swear he almost felt her heart break through the soft, warm breast that was pressed against his side. "Go," she whispered and reluctantly moved back from his arms. "Just go," She said as her final, desperate request.

Woody rested his head back on the pillow and took a deep breath. "Okay," he said sitting up and climbing off of the bed. Without turning to look at her Woody gathered his clothes from the night before.

"There's a Brewers sweater in the top dresser drawer and one of your suit coats in the closet," Leighanne reminded him quietly from the rumpled bed sheets. Woody just nodded and gathered the items once he was dressed.

He stopped in the doorway and shook his head, opening and closing his mouth a few times. "Leigh…" he started.

"Let's not have this whole awkward good bye thing between us Woody.." Leighanne said wrapping her arms around the pillow behind her head. "Let's just…call last night our good-bye and leave it at that okay? I don't think my heart or my ego could take much more," she admitted and cast her eyes away from him.

Woody nodded. "Good-bye, Leighanne," he whispered with his hand on the doorknob to the bedroom.

"Goody-bye, Woody."