Okay, this chapter is a bit longer. I think the story is getting near an end. I hope you like it. Let me know.
Chapter 8

Of Beds and Baby Stuff


"Do you like having your daddy here?" Jordan asked. Woody didn't hear Carter respond but assumed he had nodded when he heard Jordan whisper quietly, "yeah, me too."

Woody held his breath as he heard Jordan's confession. He struggled with how to let his presence be known. Rather than say anything he quietly moved back toward the living room. Once he was back in the main area of the apartment he yelled to Jordan, "Pizza's on its way." He then walked to the bathroom. He knelt down next to the tub beside Jordan.

Carter's spirits seemed to be perking up with his bath. As Woody knelt down next to the tub Carter chirped, "Daddy," and splashed Woody with bath water.

Jordan laughed at Woody, his face had water running down it and the top part of his shirt was drenched. Woody in turn reached into the tub and flung some water, splashing Carter in the face. Carter giggled and splashed Woody back again. The two of them continued to splash each other while Jordan laughed at the scene. Woody turned to Jordan with a grin on his face and splashed water all down her front. Carter laughed hysterically and began spraying both Jordan and Woody with more water.

When the pizza arrived Woody answered the door dripping wet. The pizza guy stared at him before asking for his money. When Woody turned around he found Jordan standing in the living room equally drenched, she gave off the appearance of having taken a shower in all of her clothes. Carter was running around the room in his diaper and nothing else.

"I am going to go change my clothes," Jordan said with a smirk. "Then I'll get him dressed," she added nodding to Carter. Before leaving the room to change Jordan tossed Woody a towel.

Jordan reemerged from her bedroom now wearing a pair of sleep pants and a t-shirt. Woody was standing in the kitchen throwing Carter up in the air and catching him. Jordan walked toward them and took Carter out of Woody's arms. "I'll get him dressed," Jordan said. "I found some clothes you can wear; they are lying on my bed."

Woody wandered off towards Jordan's room as she took Carter to get him dressed. He was not excited at the prospect of wearing some other guy's clothes. Probably some boyfriend of hers had left something there. As Woody entered the room he saw lying across the bed an old pair of his running pants and a short sleeved t-shirt. He vaguely remembered leaving them there after changing when he and Jordan had gone running sometime before work years before.

Woody changed and hung his wet clothes over a hook in the bathroom before going back out to the living room. Jordan was tickling Carter on the floor of the living room. She stopped when she saw Woody. "Ready for pizza guys?" she asked.

"Piizzza," Carter squealed jumping up and running to his high chair. Woody and Jordan followed him to the table and they all sat down to enjoy their dinner.


Lily and Bug were cuddled on the couch of their apartment looking at the newspaper real estate section. Bug's arm was wrapped around Lily and his other hand rested on her stomach. As they browsed for houses, the phone rang and Lily reached over to the coffee table to answer it. "Hello," she said glancing at the clock.

"Oh my god Lily, I am so glad you are home," a frantic Jordan whispered into the phone.

"Jordan calm down. What is going on? Why are you whispering?"

"Woody's here."

"Okay, I am not really seeing the problem; he has been over there quite a bit."

"Yeah but he is still here. We put Carter to bed over an hour ago and he is still here."

"Where are you?" Lily asked

"In the bathroom."

"Where is he?"

"Watching the movie," Jordan replied still whispering.

"You were watching a movie?" Lily asked. When her question was met with silence she added, "Jordan I can't hear you nod."

"Yeah, we were watching a movie," Jordan replied. "After Carter went down Woody asked if I wanted to watch a movie and I just said yes."

"Well do you want him to leave?" Lily asked now sitting on the arm of the sofa.

"Yes, No, Oh I don't know," Jordan said flustered. "I am freaking out."

"Why?" Lily asked. "He is your friend right? So there isn't anything wrong with watching a movie."

"I had his baby, I think we are a little beyond the friend stage."

"Jordan, just calm down. Go back out and watch the movie. You guys are going to have to see each other a lot now. You better figure out a way for it not to be weird."

"Lily?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think I am still in love with him?"

"Yeah Jordan, I do."

"Damn it," Jordan whispered before adding, "Me too."

Lily sat back down next to Bug as she hung up the phone. "Is everything okay?" Bug asked.

"Yeah," Lily replied. "Jordan just came to the realization that she is still in love with Woody."

"She just figured that out?" Bug asked.

"Yeah well, I just hope that they can work it out."

"How do you know he is still in love with her?"

"He told me," Lily replied smugly. "Do you want to help with the plan?" she asked him smiling.


Jordan cautiously returned to from the bathroom. She sat down on the couch as far away from Woody as possible. "Jordan, is everything okay?" Woody asked concerned.

"Yeah, fine," Jordan replied a bit too quickly.

"Okay then, "Woody said standing up. "I'll go home now and let you get some sleep." He bent down and kissed Jordan cheek. "Goodnight Jordan," he whispered. The moving toward the door he said, "I'll see you at work."


Jordan lived the next week and a half in complete denial. It was working very well for her. Woody was still hanging about all the time. Though she honestly thought that was good. He should know his son and his son should know him. Woody was eating dinner at her place pretty much every other night and on Saturday he took Carter to the park. It had been the first outing they had without Jordan and it had gone beautifully.

Woody was feeling pretty confident that his plan was working. He was determined to be able to tell Jordan he loved her and have her believe it. He was contemplating what action to take next when Bug approached him in the hallway of the morgue.

"Hey, Woody?" Big asked cautiously.

"Yeah Bug, what's up?"

"I was wondering if I could talk to you."

"Sure thing," Woody replied.

Bug grabbed Woody's arm and pulled him into Lily's empty office. "Lily and Jordan went to lunch," he said.

"Okay," Woody was confused but wanted to be helpful.

"Umm, well Lily is pregnant."

"Oh Bug, that's great. Congratulations," Woody said giving Bug a quick hug.

"Oh I kind of thought maybe Jordan had already told you."

"Jordan is pretty good at keeping secrets," Woody said.

"Yeah, true. Well don't tell anyone Lily doesn't want everyone to know yet."

"Okay, well why are you telling me then?" Woody asked.

"I need a favor. Would you go shopping with me?"

"I don't know Bug I am not much of a shopper," Woody began then seeing Bug's disappointed face he added, "But yeah I could help you out. What are we shopping for?"

"I want to give Lily a present. You know something for the baby."

"Yeah Bug I can help you out with that."


Woody found his lunch hour the next day spent in the largest baby store he had ever seen. He never knew so much baby stuff could exist. "What do you think I should get," Bug asked enthusiastically.

"I don't know Bug," Woody said looking around overwhelmed. "Do you want to get something big like furniture or something small?"

"I guess something small. She would never forgive me if I bought a crib or something and got one she didn't like."

Bug and Woody wandered the store for a while. Woody soon became distracted by all of the toys. Finally he and Bug made it out of the store with enough time to grab some lunch. They met Lily and Jordan at a restaurant near the morgue. Bug sat down enthusiastically next to Lily and handed her his gift wrapped purchase, while Woody slid cautiously into the booth next to Jordan.

Lily grinned and looked at Bug. "What is this?" she asked.

"Just a little something," Bug replied smiling at Woody and then back at his wife.

Lily opened the present to reveal an incredibly tiny one piece outfit covered in small green, yellow, blue and purple bugs. There was a small cotton jacket that matched with striped sleeves. Lily looked like she was going to cry as she looked at the little outfit.

"Oh it is cute," Jordan said examining the pattern. "Bugs, how appropriate she said smiling at Bug."

Lily still with tears in her eyes leaned over and kissed Bug whispering, "I love it. Thank you."

Jordan glanced over at Woody to find him staring at her. She quickly looked away and back toward the happy couple across the table from them. There was a pang in her stomach as she wondered what it would have been like to have had Woody around when she was pregnant.


The next day at work Woody was started to find Jordan standing in the doorway of his office. "Hey Jo, what's up?" he asked as she came in. "Was I supposed to come get a report from you or something?" He racked his brain trying to come up with some reason she would be there. He was thrilled to see her but usually he had to seek her out.

"Umm, no. Actually I need your help." Jordan said slowly.

"Yeah sure anything," Woody replied.

"It is about Carter," she said.

"Is everything okay?" Woody asked jumping out of his seat.

"Oh yeah, he is fine."

"Thank God." Woody said sitting back down.

"Well," Jordan began sitting down across from Woody. "I woke up this morning to him screaming. That isn't totally unusual; he usually wakes me up so I can get him out of his crib. But his morning the screaming was different so I hurried into his room to make sure he wasn't hurt and he was hanging on the outside of his crib. He had crawled out and was hanging there not knowing how to get down. I helped him down and went about the morning I figured he was just learning how to crawl out of the crib, no big deal."

"Yeah," Woody said.

"Well Julia just called me and I guess when he woke up from his nap she went in to find him hanging half way out of the crib head first. I called his pediatrician and the nurse said that he might not be old enough to cognitively learn out to crawl out of the crib safely but that he was clearly physically ready to do it. She recommended getting him a toddler bed."

"Okay," Woody replied. "That makes sense."

Jordan continued, "I was hoping that maybe you could help me pick one out and set it up tomorrow night. I don't want to do it tonight because they say you should talk it up so that he won't freak out about it."

"Yeah Jordan, I would be happy to do that."


After work the following evening Woody once again found himself in the gigantic baby store, this time in the furniture section. He and Jordan finally found a bed they liked. It was a simple wooden bed frame which could grow in length as a child got bigger. The headboard had a pattern of a moon and stars cut out of it and there was a removable bar along the side to keep the child from falling out.

While Jordan was insisting that a store employee help her extend the bed and remove the bar so she would know how to do it, Woody wandered off. He came back casually a few minutes later and asked, "Jordan, would Carter like cowboys, farm animals or pirates better?"

"Umm, cowboys I think. Why?" Jordan asked still wrestling with the bed.

"No reason, let me help with that," Woody said joining her in her battle with the bed frame. "Are you sure this is the one you want to get?"

"Yeah. Hopefully it will be easier when we are putting it together."

Woody disappeared once again after they had bought the bed. Jordan had pulled the car up so the bed could be loaded in the back when he reappeared from the store carrying a bag.

"What'd you get?" She asked curiously.

"You'll see later." He said with a grin and he helped the guys finish getting the bed in the back of the car and went to his car to follow Jordan to her apartment.

After a fight to get the boxed up bed in the elevator and up stairs they finally made it into the apartment. Carter wandered up to them as they came inside. "Hi," he said. "Big boy bed?"

"He has been asking about his big boy bed all day," Julia told Jordan and Woody.

"Well here it is buddy. Are you ready to be a big boy?" Woody asked scooping Carter up and throwing him into the air.

"Big boy," Carter squealed.

"Thanks for staying late Julia." Jordan said. "We will see you on Monday."

"Bye," Julia said as she gathered her stuff. As she reached the door she added, "He already ate dinner."

Jordan knelt down next to Carter. "Do you want to help Mommy and Daddy take apart your crib?"

Carter nodded. "Okay then. Let's do it," Woody said picking up Carter and flying him into his bedroom. "Do we have tools Jordan?"

"Yeah, I'll grab them."

After about 20 minutes and a few awkward positions under and around the crib later it was dismantled. Carter actually had been able to help. But the construction part seemed like it might be a little more difficult. "Carter buddy," Woody said. "How about Mommy gives you your bath and when you get out Daddy will have your big boy bed all set up?"

Carter looked a Woody then at Jordan. After furrowing his brow he said, "Mmhmm."

Jordan took Carter to take his bath while Woody put together the toddler bed. It proved to be simpler than he had thought it would be from their experience in the store. After he set up the bed he positioned Carter's crib mattress into its place. Then he ran out into the living room to get the bag he had gotten at the store. After he had the bed completely ready he went into the bathroom where Jordan was just getting Carter out of the bathtub.

Woody had brought pajamas for Carter. "You can't see your new bed until you are all ready to go to sleep," Woody said wiping water off of Carter's nose.

Carter nodded enthusiastically as Jordan got him dressed.

When they reached the living room Woody stopped Jordan and Carter. "You both have to close your eyes until we get in there," he said grinning. They closed their eyes and Woody led them into Carter's room. "Okay open," he said excitedly.

The bed was set up perfectly in the spot where Carter's crib had been. On the bed was new bedding Woody had bought at the store. The sheets had cowboys and horses, campfires, wagons, and cactus all over it. The pillow matched and was lined with a red bandana pattern. The comforter had a cowboy on his horse with the wagon and mountains in the background.

"Caowboys," Carter said hurrying over to his new bed and inspecting the bedding.

"A big boy bed needs cool big boy sheets," Woody said smiling at Jordan and then joining Carter by his bed.

Jordan smiled as she watched Woody help Carter up onto his bed where he quickly started jumping on the bed before flopping down onto his back and giggling. "Woody, why don't you put him to bed tonight," she said as she walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed. "I love you baby, sleep well," she said kissing Carter goodnight and pulling him into a big hug. She quietly left to room to make dinner for Woody and her.

While she was making dinner she could hear Woody and Carter playing in his room. Carter was shrieking and giggling loudly while Woody was growling. It slowly began to quiet down and she heard Woody singing.

There is a young cowboy he lives on the range
His horse and his cattle are his only companions
He works in the saddle and he sleeps in the canyons
Waiting for summer, his pastures to change…

It was the same song he had sung the night Lily babysat. Jordan knew only because Lily had told her. Jordan stopped cooking and buried her head in her hands. She couldn't help but cry. As she heard the end of the song coming she gathered herself together and went back to cooking. Woody emerged from Carter's room as Jordan dumped some pasta into the pot of boiling water on the stove. She looked up at Woody asking, "Do you want to stay for dinner?"

"I would love to," Woody replied busying himself by setting the table.

"You want some wine?" Jordan asked motioning to a bottle on the counter.

Woody nodded. They sat down to dinner and talked. After they finished eating they took their wine and sat on the couch.

Jordan looked at Woody and said, "I would really like to thank you for everything you did tonight. Well not just tonight. You have been so wonderful I can't thank you enough."

"You don't have to thank me at all. I would do anything for you and Carter," he paused. "I love him very much, and you." Woody could hardly believe he had said it and he braced himself for her response.

"You wha...?" Jordan asked taken aback.

Woody took a deep breath then leaning toward Jordan he said, "I love you Jordan."


Yeah so there you go.