Title: A Cool, Calm place

Author: Jenna Nelson

Ch 1 : Jumping

Summary: Post 'Jump, Push, Fall' Woody finds himself reevaluating his decisions after he talks a jumper off of a ledge. But is his realization too late?

Stone walls, its what Jordan was made of, stone walls. He often sat at his desk, on days such as these, when she came waltzing into Homicide. And he saw the look on her face, every time she saw him, the same expression… pain, fear, grief, relief, tiredness all rolled into one flick of her eyes.

"Your coffee is getting stale Hoyt." Santana said, setting herself next to him gently. She looked at him, as if prying into his thoughts in a vain attempt to get at what he was thinking at that moment, all she had to do was flick her eyes towards the door to see a five foot three frame in six inch heels to tell what his mind was on. "She's not good enough for you." She stated, looking at him with her dark eyes.

"Do you believe that?" he asked with a sigh, leaning back with silent resignation.

"No but apparently you do… its been six months, when are you going to have the courage to speak to her again… hell Hoyt, when will you have the courage to walk past her again?" he didn't speak, only toyed with the quarter sitting on his desk.

"She looks tired." He whispered as an afterthought. Santana looked up at her for a moment then back down at Woody.

"that's to be expected, especially since that barracuda in a suit became her boss, he's running her ragged, keeping her late and all… although that is nothing she isn't used to." She got up from the swivel chair next to Woody and looked down at him, she said nothing but smiled, and somehow he knew what she was thinking. With that she was gone.

"Damn," he whispered to himself as Jordan crossed the room, his eyes met hers for a moment… he still melted at the sight of her whiskey colored eyes, with their chocolate irises, and he knew one thing hadn't changed, they still held a passion he could only dream about. Then after what felt like an eternity of looking into her eyes, she looked down, and pushed her way through the throng of people and disappeared from view.

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"How you feeling Woody?" Lily asked as he slumped through the morgue. He was still careful to not pass Jordan, and subsequently not to pass Nigel or Bug. They had become more close to Jordan in the passed six months, and more protective, he couldn't stop from noticing the glare on Nigel's face when he came in to trace the week before. But no one said anything, because nothing could be said, the damage had been done, and only Woody and Jordan could fix it, with this silent truth, no one spoke of the past six months… the gunshot, the terrible words spoken, the new boss or the old one that they missed so terribly.

"Okay, I guess, my first day not at a desk since I've been back…"

Lily smiled a warm, Lily Lebowski smile and looked into his eyes so deep all he could do was blink "Good to have you back then Woods, see yah."

He moved on, walking down the empty halls, it was late, too late for anyone else to be here, or so he thought.

And there she was, in all her beauty… wearing a v-neck sweater and skin tight jeans, her hair was pulled back into a tight bun, she must have just gotten out of autopsy. He noticed the dark circles that tugged at the soft underbelly of her eyes, the paleness that had crept over her skin.

"Hi…" she whispered, barely audible. He looked down at the floor, his eyes searching for something they would never find.

"Hi…" he returned, she opened her mouth to speak but she couldn't think of anything so she closed it quickly.

"Listen Jordan," he started, but his trusted cell phone screamed out, demanding his attention, reluctantly, he answered it, he could see the plain look of annoyance and relief mixed on Jordan's face as she made a quick exit to her office and slammed the door.

"Hoyt…" it was Santana, he rolled his eyes.

"Yes?"

"you busy?"

he groaned softly "No, perfect timing…"

"Whatever, listen we have a jumper on the Parkway interstate… your taking her."

"Alright, whatever you say."

He turned around to talk to Jordan but she was gone, the door to her office shut tightly, he remained a moment longer, looking at her soft silhouette as she sat at her desk, her face staring firmly ahead of her… "Jordan…please." He said to the door, her head didn't move, just stayed glued in front of her.