Chapter 15 – In an instant

Woody walked onto the scene of yet another murder on that busy Saturday. It was a crazy day. The morgue had more bodies then they knew whet to do with. Woody knew that if Jordan knew that she would want to come in even thought Garret gave her Saturdays off since he found out about the babies. This is why he was happy she was busy taking Rory to soccer practice.

" Hey Nige." Woody said

" Hello Woodrow."

"Do they ever stop coming?" Woody asked pointing to the body with a chuckle. Nigel opened his mouth to reply when Woody's cell phone rang.

" Excuse me." Woody said to Nigel as he walked away from the body. Nigel half listened to the conversation thinking it could be another body.

" Where, what hospital?" he heard Woody ask. Before he could ask what was going on Woody was heading for his car. Nigel had to sprint to catch up with him.

" Woody!" he practically screamed at the homicide detective but he didn't hear him. He couldn't get his attention until he caught up with him and grabbed him by the arm

"Woody what's going on."

" They were in an…. accident.

" Who?" Nigel asked trying to get the details.

" Jordan, Rory, Cal. My whole family I could loose them all. Oh God, I need to get to the hospital." Nigel could see that he was staring to loose it, hell it was Jordan and Rory he was pretty freaked himself.

" Come on I'll drive." Nigel offered, he really didn't want Woody on the road this way. It was silent on the drive besides Nigel's call to the morgue to tell them what happened.

Woody jumped out of the car before Nigel could even put it in park. He ran toward the hospital leaving Nigel sprinting after him. Nigel finally caught up with him as Woody got to the nurse's desk.

" My name is Woody Hoyt, I'm looking for my family, they were involved in a car accident." Woody said in a panic.

" Names?" The nurse asked.

" Jordan Cavanaugh, Rory.. I mean Aurora Cav.. Hoyt, and Calvin Hoyt." Woody stammered. They had changed Rory's name from Cavanaugh to Hoyt after their engagement by her request.

" Ok, Calvin is still in surgery, Ms. Cavanaugh is still being checked out. But Aurora is in 204. She sustained some head trauma and is unconscious."

" Will she be ok? What about Jordan.."

" I only have information on Aurora if you want to go down there and wait I will send the doctors there." Woody nodded and he and Nigel headed toward her room. When they reached her room Woody couldn't help but gasp when he saw his daughter.

She looked so small and pale. He pulled up a chair and took her hand, then brushed a curly strand of hair from her forehead. She had a bandage around her head, a few other scrapes and a blue cast on her right arm. To him she still looked perfect, besides the fact that she wasn't a wake. The two men sat in silence just looking at the little girl. There was a knock at the door and in walked a doctor. Woody practically jumped up.

" Hello, I'm Doctor McKinney."

" I'm Woody Hoyt, Rory's father. " Is she going to be ok? Do you know what happened?" Woody pointed to her.

" Apparently a witness says their car was hit from behind. The driver lost control of the car and another car hit them on the side of the car your daughter was on. Then the car stopped when it hit a telephone pole.

" Sweet Nancy." Nigel blurted out.

" As for her condition, she has two fractured ribs, there was no internal bleeding. She fractured her right wrist. My biggest concern now is her head trauma. She has been unconscious since we brought her in. Right now it doesn't appear to be a coma but if she doesn't wake up in a couple of days we will do some tests."

Woody couldn't respond he just numbly shook his head and the doctor left. If she didn't wake up? How could she not wake up? This was his little girl she had to be ok. He couldn't even think of how Jordan and Cal were. This was too much.

" She'll be ok Woody this is Rory she's to stubborn." Nigel said encouragingly

" Nige could you go see if there's any news on Jordan or Cal."

" Sure." Nigel left the room and Woody went back to Rory's bedside.

" You have to fight this, you understand. Please wake up Rory. Nigel's right you're too stubborn to leave like this, you're to young. I missed so much of your life, I haven't had time to catch up, it can't end like this. Honey please just wake up I need you." All the pain Woody had been felling that day came out then. The tears feel and he couldn't control them as they silently fell down his face. He had watched his father die in his arms. He never thought he could fell that alone again but in an instant it was happening again and he could do nothing to stop it.

Nigel tried to find a doctor but no one seemed to have any information. He put his hand through his hair in frustration when he heard Lily's voice.

" Nigel." Lily came running towards him with Garrett, Bug, and Max behind her.

" Where are they?" Max asked anxiously.

" Well I trying to find that out myself, we only have information on Rory."

"What, how is she?" Garrett asked

" She has a couple of fractured ribs, a fractured wrist but the doctors are worried about head trauma, she hasn't woken up since the accident.

" Where is she?" Max asked

" Room 204. Woody's with her. Max went off in that direction. How could this be happening? He was deep in thought when he reached her room. He took a deep breath and walked in. Woody turned when he heard footsteps.

" Max." Woody said sadness deep in his voice. His Son-in – law to be looked haggard. The fresh tear streaks covered his face, the bags under his eyes were evident and the worry lines were more pronounced, but most obvious was the light was gone from his eyes. Eyes that were normally bright now looked dual and cloudy. Max walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. He looked down at his granddaughter. She looked small and weak, nothing like the little girl that was determined to learn how to ride a bike no matter how many times she crashed into a bush or how many times he suggested they come back and try again the next day because her arms and legs were already bleeding (despite all the protective padding).

" Why don't you go for a walk Woody, get some coffee. I'll stay with her." Woody reluctantly agreed. As he was leaving in search of coffee a doctor came up to him.

" Are you Woody Hoyt?" (Woody nodded) I have some information on Jordan Cavanaugh."

" Is she ok, the babies?" Woody stammered.

" They're all ok. She experienced some contractions but we were able to stop them. She's a little sore but besides some minor lacerations she's ok. She has been asking for you."

" Can I see her?"

Woody walked in to see Jordan in bed, she looked tired but at least she was ok.

" Jordan."

" Woody."

" I'm so glad you're ok, I was so worried." Woody said as he went over to kiss her. They were silent for a minute before Jordan asked the question that Woody knew was coming but had idea how to answer.

" How's Rory." Woody hesitated trying to think of how to tell her that their daughter might be comatosed.

" Woody? What happened, oh god."

" Jordan calm down…."

" Calm down something's wrong and you won't tell me, how am I supposed to calm down."

" She's ok, the doctors are concerned about head trauma, she hasn't woke up."

" Oh God, the car hit our side. She wouldn't wake up…I called her name.. she wouldn't wake up. I need to see her."

" Jordan you're supposed to be on bed rest….

" Woody I won't be able to relax until I see my daughter." She said seriously.

After some negotiation with the doctors and nurses Woody convinced them to let him take her to see Rory. As they got closer to the room they could see the morgue gang in chairs in the waiting room. Lily was the first one to notice them.

" Oh my God, Jordan." Soon everyone else was surrounding the wheelchair Jordan was in. After a minute they proceeded to Rory's room. Everyone looked sadly at the door. They had all seen Rory and weren't sure if Jordan could take it. They entered the room to find Max by her bedside.

" Dad." Max nearly jumped at the sound of Jordan's voice.

" Oh Sweetheart, are you ok, the babies?"

" We're fine. I need to see Rory." Max nodded and Woody wheeled her to the bedside

" Oh Rory (she grabbed her hand) you need to wake up ok. God, Honey… please." The tears fell hard as she stared at her little girl. Woody and Max left the room to give Jordan some time alone.

" How's she doing?" Lily asked

" Not great." Max replied. The group wasn'tsaying much to each other when a doctor approached them.

" Mr. Hoyt." Woody raised his hand slightly.

" I have news about your brother Calvin." What little conversation that was taking place stopped to find out the condition of the last person in the car.

" He had two broken ribs. He had some internal bleeding but we were able to stop it. He's in recovery. If you'll come with me you can see him. Woody started to follow the doctor as he left the group Nigel gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder. The doctor left Woody just outside room. He took a deep breath. He wasn't sure how he should feel about his brother. He was relived he was ok but he was the driver and even though he knew it wasn't his fault, there was still a lot of damage and woody wanted to blame someone. The guy that hit them would be good but he didn't know who that was, he couldn't blame cal it was an accident. He took another deep breath before entering the room.

" Woody" he said almost like he didn't expect him to come here.

" How you feeling?"

" Not great but I'll live. How are Jordan and Rory? I don't remember that much about the accident.

" Jordan's ok. She had some contractions but they were able to stop them. Rory… Rory has some head trauma… she hasn't woken up."

" Oh, God Woody. I'm so sorry."

" It 's not your fault it was an accident."

Yeah, um I just going to sleep so you can go see Jordan and Rory they need you more."

" Ok, you rest, I'll be back…and Cal don't blame yourself it as your fault." Woody left Cal alone.

" Not my fault, if you only knew.