Thank you again from the bottom of my heart for all your wonderful reviews! Your comments keep me inspired! And thank you also to the wonderful ladies of CJ:VS7 Let's keep the memories alive!

Disclaimer –I don't own 'em (though I would've treated them a heck of a lot better!) It's just for fun and to keep the memory alive. Please R&R! Thanks for reading!

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Chapter Five – Wishing

Woody stood shivering in the cool evening mountain air. He drew his flight suit jacket closer around him and breathed into his cupped hands in an effort to keep them warm. He thought of Jordan, hoped she was safe and warm. He figured by now she would have at least spoken with Lily; maybe she'd even gotten in touch with Garret's family and Woody's captain. He chuckled to himself, knowing full well Jordan would have made every phone call she could think of in an effort to keep her hands busy and her mind off of Garret's ailing health.

He wondered how Garret was doing; hoped his surgery had gone well. He hoped Jordan had let someone check her out; at the very least he hoped she'd drunk some water and put some food in her belly.

He wished he could talk to her; hear the music of her laughter, the intimate sound of her voice. He wished he could wrap her tightly in is arms, feel the heat of her body, taste the sweetness of her kiss.

He closed his eyes and remembered the way her honey eyes darkened to the colour of sweet chocolate that morning when she told him she loved him.

He could scarcely believe it had been barely 12 hours since his whole life was turned upside down. He'd accepted the fact that he would be spending his last days on that mountain, leaving so many things unfinished, unsaid. Then she'd sat down, looked into his eyes, and made time stop. In that instant, those three little words changed everything.

And you didn't do anything about it, Hoyt. He shook his head in anger. He knew how he felt about her; he'd known after the bank robbery when she'd told him she hated his tie. He loved that brutal honesty about her; loved that she put herself out there when it came to helping others, but kept so much of herself buried. She was like a mystery he couldn't unravel. Well, now the mystery was solved. He knew exactly how she felt, and it had thrown him for such a loop, he didn't know what to say. So he'd said nothing.

All this time he'd been using her feelings against her, using them as the excuse not to have a relationship with her. The only other time she'd admitted anything was that day in his hospital room. And when he'd brought it up, she looked so shocked that he'd heard her, he'd decided she must have said it out of fear and pity. This time, he realized, she had not said it out of fear. She had not said it out of pity or regret. She had been completely honest about her reasons for admitting her feelings. She'd even told him she didn't expect anything in return.

How could I have been so stupid? Regret filled his gut. He was so sure once they revealed their feelings for each other, everything would change. The friendship, the trust, the companionship. How could they keep all that and be lovers, too? He sighed. He'd let his own vulnerability get in the way of something beautiful. He wouldn't do that any more, couldn't do that anymore. He'd lose her and everything she meant to him if he did. She was right – she has grown up. I just hope she realizes I have, too.

Suddenly he wanted, needed, more than anything, to get out of there. He needed to see her, touch her, feel her. He needed to hear those words again. He needed to feel his gut clench and his breath catch and his heart slam against his ribs.

God, he missed her.

He shook his head to clear it, realized the sun was starting to fall beneath the horizon. He hoped if Jordan was near a window, that she was watching the same colours streak across the sky, remembering the sunrise they'd shared this morning. This morning. It seemed like a lifetime ago. Just this morning he had watched a new day dawn with her. Just this morning his life had been forever changed. Now he was alone again and he could only pray he'd see her soon.

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Bug sat quietly inside, watching the evening sky brighten with the colours of the mountain sunset. He contemplated how and why sunsets seemed to be more brilliant in cool air; how the crisp white snow blanket on the mountains seemed to make the colours sharper, clearer.

He wondered if Lily was watching the sunset. He knew she would have put Madeline down for the night by now. He wondered what she was doing, what she was thinking. He hoped she wasn't worrying too much, but he knew that she was. At least she'll have seen Jordan, talked to her. He knew the two women would have stayed at the hospital as long as they were able, waiting for word of the second chopper, and conferring with Dr. Macy's physicians. He felt a pang of regret when he realized Lily would have gone rushing to the hospital to greet everyone, only to be told he and the others wouldn't be coming home today.

He closed his eyes, imagined he was holding her, inhaling the sweet smell of her perfume combined with the scent of Madeline's delicate baby skin. It was so uniquely Lily. He breathed deeply and could almost believe he was back in his apartment, surrounded by baby blankets, squeaky toys, and the squeals of a beautifully happy baby.

I'm a dad, he thought. The realization hit him with such force, he could barely breathe. He'd been so busy the last couple months, going about his business; working, helping Lily, putting Madeline to bed at night, that he hadn't really had time to reflect on the changes in his life and what they meant to him. He knew he had two other people to think about, to take care of; but what it all meant, he hadn't really considered. The other night before he'd climbed the mountain with Woody was the first time he'd really realized he had someone other than himself counting on him. He'd needed to take action, to leave a legacy, even if it meant he had to die trying.

He wasn't a man of impulse. If anything, he thought things through too much. But when he'd told Lily she and Madeline were moving in with him, he'd spoken purely from his heart. He'd said it because he'd loved Lily for as long as he could remember. He wanted to be with her; wanted to raise a family with her. It didn't matter that he wasn't the biological father of her baby. He'd walked away once; he couldn't, wouldn't walk away again. He couldn't, wouldn't walk away from that. And now he had a family to take care of; a family that was counting on him coming home to them.

They count on me to keep them safe, keep food in their bellies, keep them warm at night. I'm responsible for keeping them happy and healthy. I'm responsible for their lives. He contemplated that for a moment, then came to a realization so immediate it felt like he'd been struck by lightening. I have two beautiful people to share my life with, and I am never, ever going to let them go. I'll take my last breaths fighting for them, fighting to be with them. He looked at the last streaking colours of the sunset; made up his mind what he needed to do.

I have a daughter. And, soon, hopefully, I'll have a wife.

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Nigel lay on his back. His injured arm, wrapped in fresh bandages and a new sling, was draped across his midsection. He was trying to keep it still; it was less painful that way. They'd determined on examination that his arm was fractured, but not badly enough to need a cast; they'd braced it instead. He'd needed seventeen stitches to close the gash. And the local anesthetic they'd used when they'd sutured his arm was wearing off. Eric, the helicopter pilot, had given him some ibuprofen to help with the pain, but it wasn't enough.

He closed his eyes, his mind reflecting back on the last few days. He was worried about Dr. M. He knew Jordan would have gotten him medical attention by now, but he had a sick feeling in his gut that the outcome wasn't going to be what they all hoped. Dr. M. was in far more pain than he'd let on, which meant his injuries were much worse than any of them anticipated.

He wondered how Jordan was holding up. She was strong, but he knew if anything happened to Dr. M. it would tear her apart. They'd been through so much together. She trusted him completely, and Jordan didn't trust anyone completely. She did the opposite of everything Dr. M. told her, but at the end of it all, she still respected his decisions; she just didn't necessarily agree with them. They made an excellent team because of that.

He could almost picture her, pacing the halls of Boston General, hands shoved in her long chestnut hair, driving the nurses crazy with her constant movement. Eric had told them he'd sent word to his co-workers about what had happened, so at least Jordan and Lily wouldn't have to worry about what had happened to their friends. They could concentrate on taking care of themselves and making sure Dr. M. got everything he needed.

Regardless of Dr. M.'s fate, he reckoned Jordan would need Woody more than ever now. He hadn't missed the intimate way Woody had wrapped her in his arms and kissed her before she boarded the helicopter. Something had happened between the two of them up on that mountain, and whatever it was it looked like they were finally on the same page with their feelings for each other. Nigel sincerely hoped so. They both deserved to be happy; they'd been through so much in their lives. Now if only they didn't go screwing it up!

He opened his eyes, caught the last few rays of the sun dipping below the horizon. He loved that time of day, when the sun and the earth became one before blackness overtook everything again. He shivered a little in the cool mountain air; contemplated getting up and grabbing a blanket to put over him. He started to move, but the pain in his arm stopped him. Nope, he'd be staying right where he was for the time being. He'd ask Kate for a blanket when she came back.

Kate. Who'd have thought he'd have feelings for someone with such a prickly personality? He chuckled to himself. They'd come along way from her screaming about her stolen car and threatening to feed a thug's kidneys to her dog. Since then, she'd revealed bits and pieces about herself to him that he was sure she hadn't told anyone else at the morgue. He took a selfish kind of comfort in that. When they got back, he'd have to take his own relationship advice and make sure Kate knew he felt more than friendship for her.

He closed his eyes again; let his mind drift away to dreams of the celebration that would take place when they made it home to Boston. With any luck, the celebration would include a declaration of love.

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Kate stood just outside the doorway, watching Nigel. She saw his eyelids flicker shut again, waited a few moments then entered. She was glad he finally seemed to be getting some rest; she'd been worried the painkillers weren't strong enough to dull his pain so he could sleep.

She quietly set down the things she had collected for them. Things she'd need to take care of his injury for the next 12 hours or so: bandages, ibuprofen tablets, saline solution to keep the wound clean, ointment to keep the stitches from getting too itchy. And things to keep them going until they could get the hell out of there: bottles of water, energy bars, dried fruit. She'd even managed to round up some toothbrushes and toothpaste. She'd dropped off some supplies to Woody and Bug, too, both of whom had been very grateful.

Now she sat, stress and exhaustion finally taking its toll. She wondered briefly how Dr. Macy was doing; hoped his surgery had gone well and that Jordan wasn't driving him insane by hovering over him. She hoped Jordan was taking care of herself and not just worrying herself over Dr. Macy. She needed to stay hydrated, or she'd find herself in a hospital bed, hooked up to an I.V.

Kate shook her head, amused and slightly annoyed with herself. Since when do you care so much? She thought. Since Dr. Macy told me he trusted me with Jordan's post-surgery care; since I delivered Lily's baby; since I realized I admire the way Nigel sees good in everything.

She'd never expected to find a home in Boston, Massachusetts. But she'd gotten one. Complete with people that fought to the bitter end for each other; people who loved each other; people who were family, regardless of the fact there were no blood relations. She'd never experienced anything like that before. Sure, she had friends. But no one she could say with absolute certainty would die for her. The morgue staff had shown her first hand that they were willing to die for her; to die for each other. Nigel had been seriously injured trying to hold onto her as the plane went down. Dr. Macy wasn't even supposed to be on that plane; he should have been en route to his Tuscany vacation, yet there he was, with his team. Jordan stepped in and took control when she realized Kate was relying on her Xanax to keep her going. And she'd never forget Woody and Bug climbing the mountain in the dead of night, risking their lives to try and contact help.

Before the d-mort flight, she'd been considering giving the governor her resignation; she was letting her co-workers get too close, and she felt that compromised her ability to do her job. Now she realized it kept her going, gave her something to look forward to everyday. She enjoyed bickering with Nigel, and tormenting Bug with how fast she could perform an autopsy. She'd even willingly re-opened an old case for Woody, simply because he'd asked her to, and because she knew someone's life could depend on her findings. She hadn't felt connections like this in a very long time.

Yes, she had a home there. She had friends, potentially good friends. She made a pact with herself that when she made it back to Boston, she was going to let a little of the old Kate back in; let go of the heartache and allow the walls to crumble, just a bit. She was going to try and be herself again.

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Eric Donaldson woke with a start to his cell phone ringing shrilly next to his ear. He grabbed it, quickly becoming fully awake as he listened to the person on the other end of the line. He nodded, jotting down a few notes on the paper next to his bed.

"Yeah, okay, I'll tell them. Thanks for letting me know." He flipped his phone shut then quickly went to the bathroom where he showered and brushed his teeth. He threw on his pilot's suit and shoes, grabbed his wallet, keys and the note he'd written, and headed out the door.

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Woody was jerked awake from the nap he'd laughingly called sleep, to someone pounding on his hotel room door. He glanced over at Bug, noticed he'd been startled by the noise, too. He barely registered the 5:38 am time on the alarm clock.

"Woody, open up, it's Eric! I have some news for you!"

Woody exchanged a quick glance with Bug, threw on his flight suit pants and jerked open the door to see Eric waving a piece of paper in the air. Woody almost laughed at the childish excitement radiating off of Eric. His green eyes sparkled with happiness.

"Got you guys on a 7:00am Greyhound heading for Boston, Massachusetts. Have to get you to the station by 6:30. Don't know about breakfast, but you'll have time for some caffeine." He was still grinning like a little kid at Christmas. Woody had the sudden urge to hug him. Instead, he grabbed his hand, shook it firmly, making sure he conveyed his gratitude with the gesture.

"Thank you, Eric. Thank you so much, for everything. You have no idea what this means to us. We'll never forget everything you've done for us."

Eric shrugged his strong shoulders. "All in a days work."

Bug cut in. "No, it wasn't. You risked everything to get us off that mountain when you should have just turned around and gone straight back to your base, waited out the storm. You didn't have to do what you did. We'll be forever grateful for the risk you took."

Eric shrugged again. "Didn't see the point of turning around, going home, with no passengers. I had to navigate the storm anyway, might as well get you guys out of harm's way while I was doing it. Besides, I've flown in worse." There was that grin again, infectious, breaking the seriousness of the moment.

Bug stepped forward and shook his hand, too. "Thank you. I'll never forget this."

Eric nodded then jerked his head towards the next door in the hotel hall. "Think the other two will be as happy to be woken up as you two were?"

Woody laughed. "I don't think they'll have a problem with this wake-up call. With all the noise we've been making, it'll be a miracle if they're still asleep at all!"

Eric laughed then moved down the hall to wake Kate and Nigel.

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Twenty minutes later, the four of them were seated in the hotel diner, enjoying the first cups of coffee they'd had in days. They were even managing to make time for some eggs, bacon and toast; the bus station was only a block away from the hotel. They didn't talk much; each was lost in their own thoughts and relief at finally being able to go home.

Eric had given them their bus tickets, told them even though it was only about a 2-1/2 hour drive, it would take them about 4 hours to get there by bus. They should be home by lunchtime. When questioned as to why he wasn't coming with them, he replied, "Someone's gotta get my bird home! Besides, I have to wait for the mechanic to take a look at the electronics. Can't fly with no communication!"

It wasn't until Woody looked at his bus ticket that he realized where he'd spent the last 12 hours. He'd been so frustrated and worried that he'd never asked Eric where they were; now he knew. Littleton, New Hampshire. He almost laughed out loud. Littleton, he thought. Unbelievable. The chances of getting stranded because of a snowstorm for the second time had to be slim to none. But the chances of getting stranded in a snowstorm in a place named Littleton for the second time; well he couldn't even begin to calculate the odds of that one. He laughed softly to himself. He couldn't wait to tell Jordan.

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Jordan awoke to the sound of the nurse coming in to check Garret's vitals yet again. They were coming in every hour, checking on him, making sure there was nothing more to be concerned about. Although he was still in a coma, his situation had not gotten any worse.

She glanced at her watch: 8:13 am. Well, that's good, she thought. The last time I remember a nurse coming in it was just after 5:00 am. Guess I caught a couple hours of sleep. She shifted uncomfortably in the reclining chair the nurses had set up for her in a corner of Garret's room. Critical Care Unit patients weren't supposed to have visitors spend the night, but considering the situation, the nurses had allowed her to stay.

She got up quietly, letting the nurse perform her duties, and stepped out of the room. The sun was up, barely, soft streaks of pink and orange still coloured the sky. She headed for the bathroom to wash her face, brush her teeth. She'd purchased a toothbrush and paste, a hairbrush, and some deodorant from the hospital gift shop last night. Today, once Lily had arrived, she planned to go home to her apartment, grab a shower and change into some clean clothes. In the mean time, she would at least feel halfway human.

When she was finished, she made her way back to Garret's room. The smell of dozens of hospital breakfasts filled the air, made her stomach rumble with hunger. She'd managed to swallow a bagel and a bottle of water from the cafeteria around midnight; discovered she was more thirsty than hungry. Now the real hunger pains were starting. She'd go back to Garret's room, put her stuff away and grab a quick bite to eat before Lily arrived.

The nurse was waiting for her when she got back to Garret's room. She was holding a plate of bacon and eggs, toast and a fresh melon slice. She all but shoved it at Jordan.

"Eat," She ordered. She held up her hand when Jordan started to protest. "I know all about your little jaunt downstairs in the dead of night, but that's not real food. You were stranded on a mountain for three days, Jordan. Please eat. You're not going to be any help to Garret if you land your butt on a gurney in the E.R. suffering from dehydration."

Jordan felt her cheeks heat slightly. She glanced at the name tag the nurse wore: Judy. She smiled as she took the plate of food. "Thank you." She said, simply. Judy nodded, satisfied Jordan had done what she asked, and strode out of the room.

Jordan sat down in the reclining chair and proceeded to eat her breakfast. I must be hungry, if hospital food tastes good. Even the coffee's not too bad. She sipped it slowly, savouring the flavour. It wasn't long before she could feel the effects of the caffeine, and it gave her the energy she needed to tidy up Garret's room so her overnight stay wasn't obvious. Then she fished some quarters Lily had given her out of her pocket and wandered down the hall to the pay phone. She needed to try and reach Maggie and Abby again. Once she'd finished her chores, she headed back to Garret's room, grabbed a magazine from the rack and settled in to wait for Lily.

It was after 11 o'clock before Lily came rushing down the hall, diaper bag slung over her shoulder. She gripped an infant car seat in her hand, Madeline swaddled safely inside it.

"I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner, Jordan. Madeline had a rough night; it was nearly 3:30 before she went to sleep. Then we both slept in . . ." She put her stuff down hurriedly, trying to untangle herself from all that she carried. Jordan stepped forward to help her. "I didn't think it was fair to leave her with Emy today; she didn't have much Mommy time yesterday and she's cranky from the lack of sleep. If it gets too much, I'll take her home."

"Lily, you don't have to be here. I don't have to go home. I freshened up in the bathroom; got some supplies from the gift shop with the money you lent me."

"No. I need to be here. I need to know what's going on. I'm tired of sitting at the morgue, waiting for the phone to ring."

Jordan nodded. She'd figured as much. She led Lily to the waiting area down the hall from Garret's room, so as not to get in the way of the nurses. As they walked, she let Lily know nothing had changed with Garret overnight, and although he hadn't come out of his coma, the fact that he'd made it through the night with no incidents was good news. When Lily had Madeline settled in her seat on the floor, napping again, Jordan filled her in on the information Kelly had given her the night before.

Jordan watched the emotions dance across Lily's face. She could see Lily was feeling much the same way Jordan had when Kelly told her no one knew where the second chopper, with her friends on board, had disappeared to.

"So we essentially don't have any more information than we did last night. How can that be?" Lily looked imploringly at Jordan. "How can a rescue chopper just disappear? They must be able to trace a locating device or something."

Jordan sighed, the little energy she had left quickly draining out of her. "Kelly said she'd get in touch with me this morning, after she checked in with her co-pilots. She's hoping someone saw something, heard something, anything that will –"

"Oh, my God!" It came out as a breathless rush, and at the same time Lily was launching herself to her feet and running down the hall.

Jordan looked up in time to see Lily launch herself at Bug, who was standing in the middle of the hallway, tears streaming down his face. He wrapped Lily in his arms, rocking her back and forth, his lips exploring every inch of her face.

Close behind Bug were Kate and Nigel, his injured arm wrapped in what looked like fresh bandages and a sling. He hugged Jordan to him with his good arm, whispered "Hello, Luv," into her hair. Jordan let out a shaky laugh and hugged him back, hard. He let her go and she reached for Kate, giving her a quick hug and a "Welcome Home."

She opened her mouth to ask what had happened to them when she caught a movement out of the corner of her eye.

Time stood still. She stared for a moment, scared to blink, scared to breathe; scared she was hallucinating again.

She stepped forward, making her way toward him, her steps slow, deliberate. When she was close enough, he reached out, crushed her to him, one hand splayed across her back, the other tangled in her long chestnut hair. She wrapped her arms around him, holding on with everything she had. He breathed in the scent of her, buried his lips against her neck, his breath hot against her skin.

She realized she was shaking, with fear or relief, she wasn't sure. The emotions she'd been holding back came rushing forward, and in the safety of his embrace, she finally allowed her to tears fall.