Chapter eighteen and we are barreling ahead to the finish. I'm not sure I'll be able to finish in 20 chapters like I thought, but shouldn't be too much longer than that. In this chapter, Woody and Jordan have a talk of their own. Enjoy! I still don't own anything Crossing Jordan.

Jordan was back in the room she had been held prisoner in. Bound to the chair, she was helpless and could only watch as Woody was beaten and knocked unconscious. This time she couldn't see him breathing and thought he might be dead. She screamed as loud as she could.

Immediately she felt strong arms wrap around her as she was lifted out of her nightmare and brought back to reality.

"Jor it's okay. I'm here." She heard Woody's reassuring voice and forced herself to try to relax. As he held her, he could feel her heart beating quickly and she was breathing hard, trying to catch her breath. "Bad dream?" he asked.

While still in his soothing embrace, she turned around so that she was facing him once again.

"I was back there replaying the events of this afternoon. Everything was the same, except that this time, I thought they had killed you instead of just knocking you out." Tears welled up in her amber eyes again and began to softly fall down her cheeks. "I didn't want you to leave me again."

Woody looked at her and for the millionth time felt terrible about how he behaved after he was shot. She didn't deserve to be treated that way. No matter how many times she had pushed him away, she was never that cruel. He couldn't stand it anymore. It was time to tell her how sorry he was. It didn't matter who was right and who was wrong. All he knew was that he loved her and desperately wanted her to know that.

"Jordan, I'm so sorry about how I left things with us after I was shot. I was a complete and total jerk. When you said what you said to me in the hospital as I was being wheeled in, all I could think about was how happy I was to hear you say that. Then, after I came out of surgery and was told what my prognosis was, I didn't want you to feel trapped into being with me just because I might never walk again."

"Woody, I didn't care if you never walked again. I was so happy just to hear that you were going to live. That day, when I thought you could die, I knew that I could never go without you in my life. When you shut me out, I thought that maybe I didn't mean as much to you as you did to me. Today, when your life was in danger, I felt the same feelings come back. I tried to run from them before, but it didn't help. Woody, I can't do this anymore. I can't spend another day without you."

He leaned in and kissed her. She was so shocked at first that it took her a second to realize what was happening. And then she kissed him back. This was a kiss more passionate and full of emotion than they had shared before. Everything before this moment seemed to pale in comparison. All the frustration, anger and passion from the last four years poured into that moment and they were lost in each other. They made love and for the first time, not a single thing interrupted them.

After, Woody held her as Jordan laid her head on his chest. She sighed contentedly. For the first time in her life, she did not feel the need to run. She wondered why she had allowed those years to pass them by without taking the relationship to the next level. What had she been so afraid of? She removed her head from his chest to look back up at him. She then moved forward and kissed him again.

It was Woody that finally broke the kiss after a few moments. He stared deeply down into her amber eyes. "What are you thinking?" he asked softly.

"I'm thinking how stupid I was to have been pushing you away from me all these years. If I had known how good you were in bed, maybe I wouldn't have" she said playfully. "What are you thinking? How do you feel?"

"I honestly thought we would never end up here. I feel like pinching myself to be sure this is real and not just the dream that I've had for the last four years. I love you Jordan. I have from the first moment I ever met you, and it's never faded. I'm sorry I pushed you away, but I promise to do my best to make it up to you if you let me."

As she looked up into his clear blue eyes, she couldn't see a single trace of the anger he had been holding on to for so long. This was her Woody, the man she knew and loved before. He was back. She smiled at him and moved to kiss him again.

"I hope that's a yes" he said.

She stopped and laughed. "Of course that's a yes!" Then on a more serious tone, "I can't believe you even have to ask."

"I know, it's just, you broke up with Pollack today and with everything we've been through not only today, but the past months…I didn't know if you still felt the same way about me now as you did that day in the hospital. A lot has changed."

"Not how I feel about you. I meant what I said that day. I love you now just as much as I did then."

"You do?"

"Yes, I love you too Woody."

"You don't know how happy I am to here you say that Jordan. So, no regrets?"

"None what so ever. I wish this could have happened over different circumstances, that didn't involve kidnapping, drug trafficking or extortion."

"Yeah, but when has it ever been easy for us?"

"Good point. At least we know things will never be boring.'

"You can say that again."

"Woody, what happens next?"

"You mean with us or the other situation?"

"Both"

"Well, tomorrow the Feds should be able to move in on the Martinez brothers operation and bust them. We'll haul Cal and Pollack out of there, ride off into the proverbial sunset and live happily ever after."

"I hope so" and with that, she laid her head back on his chest and fell asleep once again in his arms. They both fell asleep and this time there were no nightmares to wake them up.

Next chapter should be longer as I try to tie up loose ends before the end. Please review. Thanks!