FLUFF! FLUFF!

The fluff bunnies staged a coup, the angst bunnies were to busy balling to put up much of a fight.

I added a "Take it or Leave it" epilogue for those of you that prefer a little dessert after dinner.


Epilogue:

Jordan rubbed the round curve of her belly and watched as Woody flipped a burger on his new mac-daddy barbeque grill. She bought it for him the day they signed the signed the papers on the new house.

The new house was more like another fixer upper. It was the three-bedroom colonial right next door to Woody's bomb shelter bungalow. The pluming needed to be replaced and the kitchen and bath would fit right in a 1950' post-war tract house. But for them the location was nothing short of perfect. They decided to keep 'The Brick' and use it as a rental. And they had plenty of friends who would like to jump on a built in holiday home.

Their first tenant was Garret. He was going to stay for a few months to help Woody with the renovations and maybe use the quiet solitude to put some words on paper. Jordan was hoping to talk him into staying on until after the baby was born.

When she took over for Dr. Franks as the county ME she didn't plan on needing maternity leave so soon. Little did she know she was already expecting. She was hoping she could twist Garret's arm into standing in for her for that few weeks.

When she came to visit Woody that first time the idea of settle here in Derry wasn't even a notion. But by the time that week was over, they both knew there was more unfinished business between them then who was responsible for what had happened to them. The subsequent visits it came harder and harder to leave. Not only because she would miss him, but she was falling in love with the slower lifestyle and the waking up in the morning knowing she didn't need to face Slocum, and his petty comments.

By Christmas her frequent flyers miles were adding up, her phone bill was through the roof...and they had both rediscovered feelings that they thought they had buried deep.

She never expected a job offer to be the new full time Harrison County Medical Examiner, but it took her less then a week to except. New Year's seemed to be a good time for a new start.

From her spot on the old lawn chaise, Jordan covered her eyes from the glare the dappled late-spring sunlight that was filtered though the oak boughs high above. Four more chaises had joined the patio set since Jordan moved to Harrison County. Each one was filled with a good friend that had traveled out for the long holiday weekend.

"Remember Jordan's last house warming," Lily smiled sipping her ice tea.

"I'd just as soon forget..." Bug grumble under his sunglasses. "It took me a week to get over the hang over."

Nigel snorted from his spot at the picnic table. A year of South Beach sun had turned his pasty pale skin to a shade that could be described a just plain pale.

"Jordan's last house warming we ended up talking about her ticking clock and desire for a ring on her finger. My how things have changed..."he drawled, slipping his new girl, Alice, a carrot stick from the hors d'oeuvre tray.

Woody arched his eyebrow at the mention of a housewarming and Jordan shot him a look that said she'd talk to him about that bizarre night later.

"I'm still mad, Jordan, that you didn't invite us to the wedding," Lily pouted teasingly.

"How many times do I have to tell you there was no wedding," Jordan laughed. "We stood in front of the judge during our lunch hour and went back to work afterwards."

"Still, we could have a flown in a few days earlier..."

Jordan twisted her shiny new wedding ring around her finger. She was still trying to get used to it...but it didn't make her feel like forty pound vice like she thought it would. She was still 'Dr. Cavanaugh', she still had her own credit card, and, outside of Woody's wishes, she had signed a contract to be a consultant with the State Crime Lab...But deep down it was nice to have that commitment...not that she'd ever admit it out loud to her new husband. It was nicer to let him think she was just granting him a favor after months of badgering. He was more 'grateful' that way.

"Speaking of weddings, Dr Stiles asked me to bring you a present. It's in my suitcase. It's an envelope..."

Woody dropped the last burger he was flipping on the ground rising Alice from her spot of worship at Nigel's feet to run and investigate.

Jordan gingerly touched her belly. "Thank you. I'd left some papers in his office I asked him to send them with you..."

"I can go get them right now if they're important..." Lily said sitting up.

Garret held his hand out to stop her from running into the house to get them. He had seen what was in that envelope. He was the one that told Howard to keep it...along with Max's paternity test. "It can wait..." he smiled.

Jordan smiled softly, grateful for Garret's intervention. She and Woody planned to sit down together and look at them after everyone had left.

"Right now I'd kill for some chargrilled meat and some of that potato salad you've been bragging about all day and then I want to sit on the dock and laugh my butt off watching Bug on water skis..."

Bug rolled his eyes and Nigel said the promise of getting his buddy on water skis was more than enough reason for him to get up before dawn and drive his motorcycle the six hours to see it.

Jordan leaned back in the chair as her friends joked and teased each other while helping themselves to the food that they had all prepared together. Even though they had all ended up in so many different directions they had never lost track of the knowledge that they were family in everyway it matter most.

Two years ago, her life as she knew it was over. Now, with the promise of a new life and an old love it had bloomed again, stronger than ever, and she looked forward to many weekends like this in her future.

Never in a million years did Jordan picture her life leading her to this point...but here she was. And for the life of her she couldn't be more happy...