Bring Me Home
Chapter 1
The next day, Jordan, dressed in form-fitting blue jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt and tailed by a plain-clothed agent, went to her first day at work. After a quick meeting with her new boss-a witch of a woman by the name of Elena Anders who could give Renee Walcott a run for her money- Jordan was ushered into her first autopsy.
"Hi," greeted the other ME, already dressed in scrubs and making the Y-incision, "You must be the new ME.
The man was a little over 6" tall with a muscular build and tan complexion. He had dark, shoulder-length black hair pulled back in a low ponytail and clear, smiling, sea-blue eyes.
Jordan gave the man a half-smile, saying, "Yup, I'm Jodie Martin."
"Welcome to the Cambridge Morgue," he smiled toothily back, "I'm Brian Peters."
"Pleasure," Jordan smiled, before her eyes fell to the body and she became all business, asking, "So, what have we got?"
The rest of her day was spent meeting her many co-workers. Only two others besides Brian really seemed to stand out to her.
The first was an elder man who reminded her of Garrett named Christopher Schwartz. He was 5"11, with a slim, lean build. He had salt and pepper hair with grey eyes, a bushy mustache and a ready smile.
The other was a younger woman named Sadie Nikols. She was petite, at 5"2, with curly, waist-length auburn red hair and sparkling brown eyes. Se was slim and willowy.
"Hey Jodie, we're going for drinks at the bar, you want to come?" Brian asked, peeking his head around the door of her new office that she shared with Sadie.
Jordan smiled up at him, debating a moment before deciding, what the heck! "Sure," she smiled, "Just let me call my room mates and let them know so they don't worry."
Brian grinned and Jordan flipped open her new cell, dialing her new 'home' phone number. Drew picked up on the second ring.
"Hello?"
"Hey Dr-aniel." Jordan greeted, catching herself just in time.
"Hey Jordan, what's up?"
"I'm going to be late tonight. I'm going out for drinks with a couple of my new co-workers, 'kay?"
"Alright, I'll call your tail and let him know."
"Thanks."
"No problem. Have fun, huh?"
"I'll try. See you soon!"
"Bye."
Jordan flipped the phone closed and grinned wildly at Brian and Sadie, "Let's go have some fun!"
XoXoXoXo
Woody groaned as he felt the sunlight across his face. His eyes opened groggily and he scowled irritably at the far wall.
He'd slept on and off all night long, disturbed by images of the gorgeous brunette. She seemed so familiar to him, like she was extremely close to him. He was undeniably attracted to her, and, he somehow knew, also undeniably in love with her.
But then, why hadn't she visited him? Garrett had told him yesterday that he'd met everyone from Boston-so who was she?
Woody growled in frustration but was interrupted by the arrival of one of the nurses carrying his breakfast. He thanked her politely and waited until she left before making horrible faces at the nasty looking hospital food, which consisted of oatmeal and soggy toast.
His salvation came in the form of the tall, former CME not more than five minutes later. In the older man's hands was a Tim Horten's bag which contained a toasted bagel with butter and a cup of coffee was in his other hand.
"Oh, you are a GOD," Woody said, enthusiastically accepting the bagel and coffee, "A king! You are my savior! I'll name a child after you-build a statue in your likeness-"
"Just shut up and eat the damn bagel," Garrett laughingly interrupted,
Woody complied immediately, scarfing down the bagel and washing it down with the coffee. Garrett meanwhile got rid of the hospital breakfast by dumping the oatmeal out the window into some bushes and tearing up the toast and spreading it on the sill to feed some birds.
Woody, grinning at the older man's actions, joked, "You'd make a great spy, Doc."
Garrett raised a skeptical eyebrow, nevertheless grinning back at the man, just as Woody's doctor entered the room. While her head was still bent, Woody hurriedly shoved the Timmy's wrappings and cup into the garbage, sharing a look of relief with Garret. However, when her head raised, her knowing smile let them know they'd got away with nothing.
"Good morning gentlemen," she greeted, straight-faced, 'though her eyes danced with silent amusement.
"Mornin' Doctor Collins," Garrett greeted innocently while Woody offered up a sheepish grin for the young woman.
Doctor Collins returned the smile with a slight chuckle before turning to Woody, becoming serious and asking, "Any pain? Discomfort?"
Woody shook his head in the negative, "Nah, I'm pretty numb, Doc."
The doctor nodded, noting it on her clipboard before taking out a small, somewhat sharp instrument. Woody's eyebrows immediately shot up to meet his hairline as she approached his bedside.
Collins laughed merrily a the younger man's frightened expression before saying, "I'm going to press this against your legs at intervals from the foot up. Tell me if you fell anything, okay?"
Woody nodded uncertainly, eyeing the instrument distastefully. And, when Collins' instrument was about a centimeter above his foot, he shut his eyes. When he felt nothing, he opened his eyes to see the instrument pressed to his foot-but he didn't feel anything.
Woody felt nothing until Collins reached about mid-thigh. Instinctively, his hand had swatted at the instrument, his mouth forming the "ow" automatically. Less than a heartbeat later, his eyes widened with the realization of what had just happened.
"I felt that!" he yelled with a mixture of incredulity and excitement, "I felt it!"
Doctor Collins grinned, moving the instrument further up his leg to discover he had feeling all the way up from there. From his position at the window and out of the way, Garret grinned joyously along with the goofily grinning detective.
Doctor Collins grinned encouragingly, saying, "This is a good sign-feeling in almost a quarter of your leg when the swelling hasn't even fully gone down yet."
"Thanks Doc," Woody grinned broadly.
Doctor Collins smiled softly at the gentle-faced young man, "Don't thank me just yet, Detective. In the next couple of days, as more feelings return to your legs, you'll be in a heck of a lot of pain. Then, of course, you'll curse me until you're blue in the face-especially during physical therapy."
Woody smiled, "But it will all be worth it."
XoXoXoXo
Brain and Jordan tumbled into Sadie's small, blue Honda. The three ME's belted themselves in and Sadie cranked up the radio. Immediately, the small car was filled with the pumping sounds of country singer Gretchen Wilson.
Instantly, both women joined in the "Hell yeah!"'s. And, when Brian, pitching his voice higher, joined them, all three burst into fits of uncontrollable laughter.
Roughly twenty minutes later the blue car pulled into the parking lot of a small bar named "The Pint". It was a redbrick building with cherry wood double doors. It was a simple room with a bar, scattered tables, a few pool tables and small area for dancing as well as a stage-complete with karaoke equipment.
The three took seats at a small table with Sadie's awaiting husband, Jack, and her brother, Kevin. Jack was a 6" plus man with pale blonde hair and paler blue eyes. Kevin was a stocky 5"8 man with short red and peppermint green eyes. Both men were pediatricians in a shared practice.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Kevin greeted suavely, his eyes running appreciatively over her body.
Jordan gave him a soft smile, but her sad eyes let him know she wasn't interested. Kevin, however, was undeterred, thanks to the 5 beers he'd already consumed, 'though he wasn't overly forward or overly suggestive.
"So, Jodie," Brian began with a smile once they'd all ordered their drinks and Kevin had finally got the message when Jordan had practically snarled at him when he'd put his arm around her shoulders for the 3rd time.
"Yes Brian?" Jordan returned suspiciously, raising her eyebrows at the man as she took of her newly arrived Guinness, much happier without Kevin's unwanted attention.
Brian grinned at her suspicion, asking, "What brings you all the way to good ol' Canada from your U.S of A?"
"Well, first of all, you're damn right America's mine," Jordan said teasingly, "And I moved here because…well, because we needed a change."
"WE?" Kevin asked, voice just a little slurred, "Who's we?"
"My best friends-and housemates- Daniel Harrison and Helena Rodriguez. We all grew up together in an orphanage back in America." Jordan lied smoothly.
The conversation moved on to other topics. Jordan learned that Jack and Sadie had been married 6 years, since they'd finished Med. School and had a two-year-old daughter named Evelyn Grace Nikols. Brian was engaged to an up and coming actress named Georgia Feyes. And Kevin was a single guy who threw himself at any girl in sight (which included Jordan, 3 different waitresses and about 6 random girls on the dance floor.
It was about 11:30 when Sadie finally dropped Jordan off at her new place. After a cup of coffee and a round of goodnights to her two housemates, Jordan headed up to bed. After a quick shower, she changed into her black pajamas.
She knew, however, that she wouldn't sleep yet. She leaned against the small window, pushing aside the lace curtains to stare out at the moon. Immediately, her wayward thoughts turned to Woody.
She sighed, flipping on the radio in desperate attempt to divert her thoughts from the man she loved but who didn't love her back. Bad idea.
"I'm so tired…Tired of waiting for y-ou."
The tears welled up and spilled over Jordan's eyes- the Kinks were Woody's favourite band. Unable to control her tears anymore, Jordan sank onto the bed, clutching a pillow to her chest as, for the second night in a row, she cried for her Farm Boy.
XoXoXoXo
Woody woke with a moan, feeling excruciating pain from the waist down. He'd been fine most of the morning, feeling only slight twinges of pain that were all quickly squashed by the morphine (he wondered briefly about the uneasiness he felt each time just before he hit the button, but he ignored it in favor of not feeling any pain.). However, by noon, after hours of visitors he didn't always remember, the nurses had kicked everyone out for Woody to have a nap-that had once again been plagued by dreams of the pleading brunette.
Reaching out, his eyes screwed shut with pain, Woody's hand found the little morphine button. Hitting it a few times, he waited, finger poised to hit again should the pain remain. 'Fortunately, however, the pain passed in only a few moments.
Relaxing back against the pillows, Woody's blue eyes drifted open. Looking down at his legs, a large grin flitted across his face despite the slight lingering of pain. The pain was actually quite a good sign- it meant that the feeling was returning to his legs and he'd be able to fully function again, but only after physiotherapy.
Sighing, he settled back further, getting more comfortable. Sighing again, he let his eyes rove over the mostly blank room. The only colour in the room came from the many different bunches of flowers from his many friends and co-workers.
A sudden knock at the door brought his head up. There was a tall, quite muscular man in the doorway. He had longish brown hair and brown eyes and a washed out pallor. He could almost be mistaken for a bear, Woody thought with an internal smile.
"H-Hi," the man said hesitantly, eyeing the many tubes and wires the young detective was hooked up to.
"Hi," Woody greeted with a smile, head cocked quizzically at the man, trying in vain to recall who this man was.
"I-I'm Cal," he stuttered slightly, nervously licking his lips as he uncertainly met his older brother's eyes, "Calvin Coolidge (?) Hoyt-y-you're little brother."
Woody smiled warmly at his sibling, saying, "Hi, Cal."
Cal gave him a shaky grin, walking into the room. Taking a deep, shaky breath, Cal sat in one of the chairs by Woody's bed, again eyeing the tubes and wires connecting the machines to his older brother.
"Hell, Wood," Cal croaked, his eyes slightly teary, "You look like shit."
Woody grinned lightly, attempting to ease the younger man's discomfort as he said jokingly, "Thanks Cal."
Cal gave a half-hearted grin, running a hand roughly through his hair as he said, "Th-The dude who called me-Macy or something- he said-uh- that you-uh- lost your-um- memory."
"Yeah," Woody confirmed, "I-uh- I can't remember anything of my past."
Cal sighed, running a hand over his eyes as he said, "I should probably tell you everything about our childhoods then, huh?"
"Might be nice," Woody nodded, wondering why his brother seemed so reluctant to talk about it.
Moments later, he no longer had to wonder. Slowly, his eyes downcast form his brother's-and secret hero, though he'd never admit it- Cal told Woody about their pasts- how Woody had pretty much raised him since their mother's death and how Cal had pretty much screwed him over since.
"So, if you'd like me to go, I'd understand," Cal said hoarsely, wiping roughly at the tears that had begun while he talked, "B-But I just wanted you to know, that I'm sorry a-and that I love you."
Cal stood to go, but Woody, his own voice hoarse, called out, "Cal, wait!"
Cal turned uncertainly to his brother. Without hesitation, Woody opened his arms to his younger brother. With a little sob, Cal collapsed into his brother's arms, being immediately enveloped by strong, loving arms.
"Sh, Cal, it's alright," Woody soothed, slightly tightening his hold on the shaking Cal, despite the pain his brother's weight caused his stitched wound, "I love you Cal, it's alright."
The two remained that way for some time, clutching each other close. When Cal finally pulled away, eyes red from crying and still sniffling slightly, he silently regarded his brother, who was wiping at his own tears and offering up a grin.
Neither Hoyt said anything, too emotional to put three words together let alone a sentence. The only thing either man could think to do was clutch tightly to each other's hands, not willing to let got of the other.
XoXoXoXo
"Jordan?" Drew questioned softly, voice laced with concern ad he opened her door marginally, having heard her sobbing as he past.
Jordan looked up at him from her position curled against the headboard, wiping away her tears. However, within moments, more had come to take their place.
"Hey," Drew said softly, walking to the bed and sitting beside her, gathering the crying woman into his arms, "It's alright."
Jordan shook her head, shoulders shaking, as she sobbed, "No, no it isn't H-He d-doesn't wa-want me a-anymore!"
Drew hugged her tighter, asking gently, "Who doesn't want you anymore Jordan?"
"W-W-W-Woody!" Jordan sobbed into his chest, her entire body wracked with the sobs.
Drew ran comforting hands up and down Jordan's back, murmuring soothing words into her now-curly hair. Despite the fact that he didn't have a clue what Jordan was crying about- or who Woody was- Drew comforted her, knowing that that was all she needed at the moment.
And, slowly, Jordan let the story tumble out. She told him about how Woody had chased her for almost four years, and how she'd continued to run, too afraid of getting hurt to stop and face her feelings. She told Drew of the many times she'd gotten Woody neck-deep into trouble but how he'd never given up on her. Of the many times when Woody had believed her when others hadn't, and of the many times Woody had saved her, almost always putting his own life in danger to do so.
And, finally, Jordan told him of Woody being shot by some young punk sniper and almost losing the ability to ever use his legs again. How she'd finally admitted to him that she did love him when she realized that it was her last chance that she didn't want to ever live with out him. And then about how he'd angrily rejected her when he'd awoken from the first surgery. And how it was breaking her heart all over again that she wouldn't be there to let him know she really did love him.
"Sh, hush now Jordan, it's alright." Drew soothed the heartbroken woman, rocking her gently as he pushed away his own tears that he could feel welling for her.
It truly amazed him to see the difference in Jordan now and the Jordan he'd first met. When he'd first met Jordan over 4 years ago, she was a spunky, hard-hitting young woman with a backbone of steel and a n intense passion for everything she did, who didn't take no for an answer and who had walls built higher than Heaven around her heart. And now she was a broken version of her former self. She was no longer the spunky young woman-she was now a sad young woman with whiskey eyes filled with heartbreaking sadness and slumped shoulders. She had barely half the passion she'd had before.
Slowly, the tears stopped as her breathing evened out. Drew sighed, kissing the crown of the woman's head as he eased her onto the bed. Carefully he tucked her in, bestowing another brotherly kiss on Jordan's forehead.
As he was shutting the door, he heard her murmur a word in her sleep. It was filled with such pain that it nearly broke Drew's heart.
"Woody."
XoXoXoXo
Oh my God! I LOVE you guys! You are SO incredibly nice to me! Tear
Thanks to:
HillbillyofDoom:I'm really sorry about the A/N-don't know why I did that…I don't normally! So sorry and thanks!
RedTonic: I've never really been sure of my decripts. But if you like them…lolz
Orlando-crazy
Onthnis
Jinubean: Again, sorry about the A/N! I'll try my best to keep it until the end next time!
Beccles
Ok, well, I've got to go-Homework to get to, my loves!- but I'll update sometime next week if I can. I'm not making any promises 'cause I just started working, plus we're moving in a couple of weeks so we're packing AND I've got about 3 Eng. Projects, a Hist. Project as well as a Civics exam coming up in the next couple of weeks so-while I totally LOVE all this- it might take a lil while-SORRY!
'My love,
Red.