Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Crossing Jordan.
A/N: This chapter is kind of dark, I was considering writing a fic about how they might get rid of J.D. Pollack and Tallulah Lu Simmons, but my idea fit into this fic so I decided to go with it. Also I wanted to give Framus a dark past like everyone else in the morgue.
Secret Past
Chapter 13 – Looking Back
As they drove Jordan gently spoke to Emily. Woody was still worried about Jordan and Framus was worried about both of them. They pulled into Framus' driveway and she ran in and told the babysitter. Jordan then remembered how she found out all about Framus' secret past. This was the first time she had been back here since the night when she found out the truth. The night Framus saved her. No one but Woody, Jordan and Framus knew the story, it was something Jordan wasn't proud of.
She walked up the familiar gravel walkway. Woody had his hand protectively on the small of her back. The memories came flooding back. She remembered everything, she was with J.D. Pollack at the time. It had been just under a year since Woody had been shot, her and J.D. were getting along really well. Then he became possessive. Suddenly everything changed, he was always asking her where she'd been and who she was with. She got fed up with the interrogation and refused to answer him. That's when he hit her, he beat her. She remembered the searing pain as he threw her to the ground and kicked her. She escaped finally back to her apartment where she got very drunk and walked to the morgue. Framus had been there on doubles visiting Nigel, who had a report she needed. Framus found her crying, bleeding and bruised. She tried to talk Jordan into going to the hospital but Jordan refused. She was ashamed. Framus took her home that night and cleaned her up. Jordan remembered waking up the next morning to the sound of a crying infant. That is how Jordan found out the truth about Framus. Framus told her she had called Woody, Jordan tried to protest but her bruised and swollen face hurt too much. Woody showed up and with one look at Jordan the anger he had been building towards her dissipated back to the love that ran so deep. He wanted to cry at the sight of her so beaten and broken. She remembered the look on his face. Then he took care of it, how she never asked and never will, but J.D. has never spoken to her again. Then he took her home that night and he held her platonically all night. When they woke up the next morning the love they felt for eachother was burning stronger then it ever had. Woody broke it off with Tallulah and Woody and Jordan took it from there. Jordan took 2 weeks off with Woody allowing the bruises to heal so her coworkers would never know the truth.
As for Framus, they learned the tale of her past, which was equally as dark as Woody and Jordans, if not more so. She had been a beaten child. Her father beat them night and day, but whatever happened behind closed doors stayed there. Her mother was a drug addict and alcoholic. Finally at 14 she left home and moved in with her boyfriend. He too was abusive, but she knew nothing else. Then at 17 she got pregnant, he threw her out. She had nowhere to go, so she got a job and then had the baby. She named her Samantha. After Sam was born, she had no idea how to care for a baby. She would go out and leave Sam with the neighbor. She just wanted a normal life, but she knew it wouldn't happen. Then she met Ben, a lawyer, he was 7 years older than her. She was 21 and he was 28. They went out a few times and she got pregnant again. Her son Matt was born when she was 22. She wasn't a very good mother, she was never home, she decided to become a cop and worked her ass off. She thought she could make it up to her kids. She became a cop when her kids were 10 and 5. She made detective 7 years later. By that time her daughter had moved out and didn't speak to her. Matt hated her also and 2 years later he left her as well to live with his father. She hadn't spoken to him since. Then a year ago, she was told her daughter had died in a fatal car accident and left her everything, that included Anna, her daughter. She adopted her. She feels like she's been given a second chance to make things right and she intends too. She doesn't like people to know about her past. She is ashamed of it. Instead she's moved past the guilt of losing her kids and focusses solely on being the best parent she can for Anna. This is her chance to do it right and she vows she won't screw it up. However, no one other than Woody and Jordan know this tale and they have vowed to keep it that way.
Anna came running out of the house and hugged Jordan and Woody. She knew them well. They had become her god parents. "Hi Anna, how are you?" The little girl grinned and then high tailed back in the house. Framus stood at the doorway.
"Annette is very excited." She said moving so the 2 could enter. Jordan looked around still allowing the memories to flash before her eyes. She remembered her bruised face as she stared in the mirror. Woody noticed the look of pain on Jordan's face and pulled her body closer to his. A young woman, maybe 26 came running down the hall. Her long brown hair curled gently framing her face and she was dressed neatly in a pair of form fitting jeans and a tank top. She actually reminded Woody of a younger Jordan.
"Is that little Emily Hoyt," she said in a baby voice. "I haven't seen you in a while little one." The woman's voice was soft and inviting. It lighted a small smile on Emily's face. "Don't worry I have everything under control." She smiled at Woody and Jordan to assure them everything would be fine. Jordan leaned down and kissed Emily's cheek. She didn't want to leave her.
"Bye honey, Mommy loves you." She said to Emily who was staring at her. "We'll be back as soon as we can."
Emily turned her attention to Anna who was playing with a loud, musical toy. Woody kissed Emily's forehead and admired the beauty of his daughter. Then him and Jordan walked back out the door. Jordan's hand was now squeezing his. He squeezed back trying to comfort her. "She's going to be okay Jo."
"How are you so sure?"
"We won't be gone that long and Annette has plenty of experience with children."
"Yes, but it only takes one thing to go wrong."
"Just try and relax."
