Chapter 9- Everything please R&R

Jordan woke to feel Woody's strong arm around her. For a minute she laid there, it felt so good, so right. This was the first time since before she left that she had a good nights sleep. No dreams of Redding or her mother to haunt her. Then she realized where she was. She couldn't be here when her daughter got home. She went into Cavanaugh mode, which meant getting out as quick as possible. She tried to wiggle out of Woody's strong grasp with out waking him but he just tightened his grasp on her in his sleep. She realized there was no way to get up without waking him. So as gently as she could she unwrapped his arm from around her waist and pulled it off her.

"Jo?"

" Hi." She said timidly.

" Why are you getting up?"

" Oh I don't know because we had sex last night and OUR DAUGHER WILL BE HOME SOON!" raising her voice at the last part.

" What time is it." He asked a bit alarmed then looked at the clock.

" It's 8:00, we have a little time." He said trying to reassure her so she wouldn't leave before they had a chance to talk.

" I need to go Woody." He was surprised at how those four words sounded coming out of her mouth. She sounded a little angry but there seemed to be an internal battle going on inside his favorite brunette M.E. She seemed like she was forcing herself to say those words but really didn't want to go.

" Stay."

" I….I can't." She said in a weak voice as she began to dress.

" We can't leave it like this, can we?" he said still trying to convince her to stay.

" I'll call you. Bye Woody. She said as she went to leave.

" Damn." He said flopping back onto his bed when he heard the door close.

It had been three weeks and she still had not called him. She just didn't know what to say or what this meant for them. She knew she trusted him and he was her best friend. She also knew she loved him but couldn't get herself to admit it anywhere but her dreams. Things were staring to get back to normal. Garrett let her have cases now. The rest of her friends found normal ground with her again but never mentioned or asked about her time away from Boston. (That was just fine with her.) Even Max had invited her for dinner once. By no means would there relationship be the same but slowly the elephant in the room seemed to making it out the door. On the other had not everything was right. Rory still would not speak to her and since her night with Woody it had been nearly impossible to call over there. She had once. Oh boy was it a raging success. Rory picked up told Jordan she was busy and hung up but at least she hadn't told her she hated her but it was implied.

Woody knew she wouldn't call but had been in denial until today. He played absentmindedly with his pen. She had called once for Rory but that was it not once for him. Did it mean anything to her? He asked himself. He was so frustrated. He wanted this to work between them but it couldn't if she kept avoiding him. Just then his cell phone rang.

" Hoyt." He answered with a bit of anger and some eagerness thinking it could be Jordan.

" You're not serious." Woody replied to the news he had received.

Woody walked into Boston Central Elementary. He couldn't believe this was happening. He knocked on the door and the principal of the school opened it and motioned for him to sit next to his daughter who had a scowl on her face. The man opened his mouth to speak when another knock interrupted him. There stood Jordan she came in and sat in the chair that was next to Woody.

" The reason I called both of you here is because Rory got into a fight today." The principal began. As if on cue both Woody and Jordan looked at their daughter for a reason for it.

" Rory?" Woody asked. He felt responsible. He felt like he wasn't being a good enough father but deep down he knew there were deeper issues going on inside his little girl, that he could do nothing about. After a minute of no response from Rory the principle continued.

" Rory will be suspended for three days." Jordan hung her head a little. It was her fault. Rory was mad at her not the kid she beat up on the playground.

" Do you have any questions." Both Woody and Jordan shook their heads, then the adults shook hands and the principal led the three out the door. They went to the parking lot

" What do we do now?" Woody asked to Jordan while their daughter walked behind them.

" I'm not sure." She said honestly. She hadn't been really involved in her daughter's life for a while now.

" Do you think you could take her? Garrett's more likely to let you off then my captain. I have a lot of work to do."

" Woods I'm not sure. I mean she's not really fond of me."

Yeah when you gonna change that. I mean I can drop her off at Max's but I think we should handle this.

" Your right."

"Ok so how about I come over after work and we can figure out what to do. I really need to go now so see tonight Jo "Woody said as he went to his car.

" Where is he going." Rory asked

" He had to go back to work. I'm going to take you home."

"No, I don't want to."

"Tough. You don't have a choice." She said as she opened the passenger door of her car and motioned for Rory to get in. She made no move toward the car.

" Rory Emerson get in the damned car." They stared at each other for a few moments before Rory huffed and climbed into the SUV.

Woody knew that he could have gotten off of work if he really needed to but he knew Rory and Jordan had to work out their problems. They certainly couldn't do it avoiding each other. He also figured that Jordan would be more willing to discuss them if things with Rory were good. Maybe everything could work out.

They had arrived over an hour ago and Rory still hadn't said a thing. She just sat in the armchair on the other side of the room staring at the floor.

" You want to tell me what happened today." Jordan finally asked

" Mr. Riley told you."

" Yeah I mean the details"

" I punched a boy."

" Why?" It was then that she hesitated.

" Rory?"

" He said you were crazy." She said in a voice just above a whisper.

"Why would he say that?"

" His dad's a cop just like Daddy and said you were a crazy." A tear fell down her cheek.

" I just want everything to be normal again." She said through her sobs. Jordan went to her pulling her into a hug. It felt so good to hug her and her not resist it.

" I'm never leaving again, never, you hear me." She said letting a few of her own tears fall. " You're my life and for one moment I forgot that and thought you'd be better off without me and I will regret that for the rest of my life.

" So you love me?"

" Oh baby yes. I always have and always will."

" I missed you."

" Oh I missed you so much Ror." The two stayed like that for a while.

" You hungry?" Jordan asked and Rory simply nodded.

As the two played shoots and ladders (Rory's favorite board game) Jordan realized something. Rory had had to grow up fast because without knowing it that's what Jordan needed. Someone to watch out for her. Now Jordan could give Rory what she needed. A childhood. One of innocence and fun where she could feel safe.

"Mommy can you fix my ponytail. Daddy tries but he's not good." They both laughed. Jordan could just see Woody trying to make a ponytail. Max had tried to do it for her after her mother died after awhile she just taught herself but she was here and she could help her daughter. As Jordan finished the ponytail there was a knock on the door.

" Must be the master hairdresser himself." Rory giggled as Jordan got up to answer the door.

" Hey Woody."

" Hey yourself. I take it form your attitude things went well."

" Daddy!" Rory said jumping into his arms.

" Hey Ror." He said happy to that spark in her eyes that had been missing for the last few months.

" You want to play shoots and ladder?" She asked excitedly jumping from his arms. Before moving to the table to play the game Jordan stopped Woody.

" Thank, Farm boy."

"For what?"

For everything." She smiled at him and kissed him lightly on the lips.