Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Crossing Jordan.
A/N: Sorry for the delay. I had writer's block and then my work schedule turned insane. This is my first day off in three weeks and I have dedicated the whole day to updating my stories. You know you're addicted when you spend your only day off writing fanfic for your favourite show. I will try to update more regularly but I can't make any promises.
Secret Past
Chapter 20 – Letting It All Out
That night when Emily went to bed Woody and Jordan went into their bedroom. "Want to pick up where we left off Farmboy?" she asked seductively.
"No," he said as he reached out and pushed a stray hair behind her ear.
"What do you mean no?"
"I mean we have the next few days for sex. I just want to hold you." He pulled her body closer to his and felt her melt against him.
"Why?"
"Because," he said as he flipped her over so he was leaning above her. "I love you and you are upset."
"I'm fine Woody."
"You are one hell of a bad liar," he said with a grin. He let his lips softly graze against hers.
She smiled up at him. "Alright, you can hold me, but I don't want to talk about JD."
"That's fine Jo."
Within minutes Woody could feel Jordan's warm tears spilling onto his arms. "I was scared Woody," she whispered almost inaudibly.
"Scared of what Jo?"
"Scared he'd kill me. I can still taste the blood in my mouth when I think about the night he beat me." Woody was quiet, he knew she wasn't finished.
"I remember why we were fighting. He came home and asked why I wasn't at my desk when he dropped by for lunch. I told him it was none of his business and I was sick of the interrogation. The next thing I remember, I was on the ground and I could taste blood. I remember my face hurting a lot." Woody had to restrain from crying as he pictured Jordan being beaten; it was bad enough seeing her after.
"I remember him kicking me while I was lying on the floor. Then I remember trying to crawl away but he kept knocking me down. He picked me up and threw me towards the wall by the door. That was when I tried to escape, he grabbed my arm though and hit me again in the face. I pulled free and I raced to the door. I threw it open and screamed as I ran so people came out of their apartments and he wouldn't chase me. I got in a cab and told the driver to take me home. I remember getting really drunk and walking to the morgue. That is where I ran into Roz." Woody pulled her tighter as she cried harder.
"I'm sorry Jo, I am so sorry."
"You didn't beat me."
"I should never have kicked you out of my hospital room. It's all my fault."
"It's not your fault Woody. Who knows what would have happened if you hadn't kicked me out? For all I know we may have ended up doing the same song and dance routine. It's as much my fault as yours. I shouldn't have pushed you away for so long." Tears were flowing out of both their eyes now.
"I love you Jordan."
"I love you too Woody."
The next morning, Emily woke them up with her screams. Jordan rolled out of Woody's tight embrace. She didn't even remember falling asleep. The last thing she remembered was Woody holding her and telling her how much, he loved her.
She went into Emily's room and lifted the child out of the crib. She looked into her daughters bright ocean blue eyes and smiled. "Are you hungry?" she cooed to Emily. Emily smiled at her mother's soft voice. Jordan sat in the rocking chair beside the crib and began feeding her. She could hear Woody downstairs and smelled the fresh aroma of coffee brewing. A smile played across her lips as she realized how much comfort she felt with this routine. For years, she thought she could never play the traditional housewife, mother routine and she realized now, she wouldn't have it any other way.
As Emily finished, she pulled away from Jordan's breast and stared up at her mother's face. Her blue eyes scanned her mother's soft features and then a huge grin played across her tiny little face. "Do you want to go see Daddy?" Jordan asked gently as she pulled herself up from the chair. She carried Emily downstairs and into the kitchen where Woody was making breakfast.
"Good morning Emily," he said cheerfully, taking her from Jordan's arms. He jostled the baby gently as he pulled the cream from the fridge.
Jordan pulled a mug from the cupboard and filled it with hot coffee. This scene was all too familiar and neither seemed to notice.
Finally Woody placed Emily in her little vibrating chair and she watched meticulously as Woody served the food. Then she watched her parents eat breakfast as she clutched onto the toy that had been placed in her hands. Woody and Jordan ate in a comfortable silence. Woody scanned the newspaper headlines, looking for an article of interest. It was then that he came across, "Reporter, JD Pollack, executed by police officers yesterday…" He quickly folded up the section of the paper and tossed it on the floor, as fury built inside him. Executed, wasn't exactly the word Woody wanted to use.
Jordan looked up at him. "What time do you want to leave?"
"As soon as we can get packed," he said with a smile. He just wanted to get out of Boston.
"We should try to leave around the time of Emily's first nap, so she'll sleep in the car."
"That sounds fine Jo." She smiled at him then and stood up. She kissed him softly and took her dishes to the sink.
"I'm going to take a shower."
Finally they were ready to leave. They climbed into the car and Jordan turned to look at him. "Before we leave town, I need to stop at the morgue."
Woody nodded but didn't question her, he understood.
They pulled into the morgue parking lot. "I'll be right back," she said with a forced smile. Her eyes betrayed her, as they were fearful and pained.
He turned in his seat and played with Emily.
Jordan went inside and waited for the elevator to bring her to her destination. As the door's slid open, she was met with the chaos that was average for the building. People bustled around her oblivious to her standing there. She slipped inside the crypt and pulled open the drawer where JD's body was being held. She stared into his lifeless face. "You don't control me. You don't scare me and you can never hurt me again." These simple words that she had practiced with Stiles seemed so much harder to say as she looked into his face.
She heard the door open behind her and she turned to face Garret and Nigel. There were hot tears welling up in her amber eyes and they had begun to spill over onto her cheeks. "I'm ready to tell you what happened." They nodded but didn't press the issue.
"Would you like to go into my office?" Garret asked gently as he glanced over at JD's exposed corpse.
She turned to look at Pollack, "No, I want to say it right here."
Lily and Bug had wandered in at that point. The room was filled with a hollow silence. Jordan cleared her throat, as an attempt to gain her composure. "Pollack and I had been dating for a while. I thought things were great. I thought my heart had finally mended from Woody's rejection. I thought my issues had been resolved and so I ignored his jealousy and manipulative control. That was until one particular night, when I had finally become sick of the interrogation." Jordan's gaze slipped to the floor and she held back a sob at the painful memories. "I refused to answer his question. He hurt me, bad. I ran home, I got drunk and I staggered into the morgue. That was where I ran into Roz. She was heading home and she took me with her. She cleaned me up and gave me a bed to sleep in. The next morning, she called Woody. Woody took care of it and I didn't see Pollack again until yesterday."
Lily's eyes were brimming with tears, as were Nigel's. Garret had anger etched into his face, he couldn't believe he had missed this from his bestest girlfriend. Bug's face remained stoic, he let her words slide off of him but still felt concern for her. He was glad Woody had been there to pick up the pieces of Jordan's life.
Jordan didn't meet their gaze. She kept her eyes on the floor. "I'll see you in a few days," she whispered softly.
As she walked outside into the hot July sun, she saw Woody climb out of the car. She crumpled into his arms and released the emotions she had bottled inside since JD's beating. She pressed her face into his chest and felt his arms tighten around her body. "It's okay baby, he can't hurt you now," Woody whispered into her hair. Jordan had finally released herself from the shackles JD had placed around her emotions. She was free. Finally her tears subsided and she was filled with an overwhelming sense of calm.
Woody held her for what seemed like eternity and then Emily started to fuss. "Come on, let's get out of here," Jordan said as a smile played across her tear soaked face. Woody could only smile as he lowered his lips to hers. "I love you Jordan."
"I love you too Woods."
