The music was slow. Woody wrapped his arms around Jordan's slim waist, pulling her closer to him as she rested her head gently on his shoulder, both swaying to the music. Both loving the feel of each others' arms around the other.

"Hey, you enjoying yourself?" Woody asked, her resting his cheek on the top of her head.

Jordan nodded, eyes closed, loving the comforting and safe feeling that Woody provided her.

"You wanna get outta here?" He asked after a few minutes more of dancing.

Once again Jordan nodded, but didn't move to leave his strong embrace.

"C'mon," he said, gently unfurling his arms from around her waist. He wrapped one arm around her waist and she wrapped one around his, her head resting on his shoulder as they walked to the table.

At the table, a few goodbye's were said, and the rest of the workers knew that this night would be the beginning of something more, that would hopefully be that way forever.

They left, arms wrapped around each other and headed toward Woody's car, in which they had arrived. Both seated themselves, and Woody grasped Jordan's hand tightly, before starting the car to drive to Pearle Street.

On the journey back, nothing was said. No words could describe the emotions that were coursing through their bodies. The love, passion, understanding and warmth that they both felt with each other needed no words.

Jordan's POV

We reached my apartment, and I invited him up. It was strange; I'd never really been nervous before around Woody, but I was terrified. I wanted to take our relationship to the next level, but I was concerned that although he loved me, he didn't really want to change our relationship. I was slightly concerned that he could almost sense my nervousness, and I desperately tried to cover it.

"You want some wine?" I asked, as Woody closed the door behind himself.

"Yeah, that'd be great," he replied as I headed to the kitchen to get some glasses and wine.

I didn't know that this relationship would turn into something more that night; all I knew was that I desperately wanted but was too afraid to ask for.

We sat quietly on the sofa, a sudden awkward feeling encompassing us. Quietly Woody leant forward and placed his glass of wine on the table before turning to me, and doing the same with my wine glass.

"Jordan," he paused, "We need to talk about this."

"I know," I stated, wanting to get this conversation over with before I said something I regretted or something I never wanted to admit. I knew I loved him but was absolutely terrified to admit it to him.

"You know how I feel about you. So it's up to you to tell me how you feel."

"I, um, I care about you Woody," I mumbled nervously.

"Jordan, please. I really want to know," he said taking my hands in his, and gently massaging them.

"Okay, listen and don't interrupt," I waited for him to nod before continuing, "For the longest time I hid from love. I hid from anything that could put my heart in jeopardy. I mean, if you have friends, they can hurt you but you can get over it. If you give your heart to someone and they hurt you, it's horrible, it hurts and I never wanted to feel that pain," I paused, taking a deep breath, "And when I met you, I knew you liked me as more than a friend, and I desperately tried to fight it. I tried to ignore the fact that you liked me and that I liked you the same. I tried to trick myself into thinking that I could only be friends with you, and then in California I couldn't deny it anymore. I kissed you but it felt painfully short but it kept me awake at night, dreaming, hoping almost dying for more, but I couldn't risk it," I paused again, and tried to fight the tears that were burning in the back of my eyes, "And then I reverted back to the 'being friends' thing and I had to watch you go out with others and deny the fact that I was jealous. Then the thing with Dr. Lisa and you thought I was gay, but what really bothered me was that she seemed to know me, to understand how I felt, how I thought. After you arrested her for murder, I called Lisa. She told me I ran from love, and she was right, but she also told me that it would hit me when I least expected it, and it did. I've loved you for so long, I just didn't know how to tell you and if I was sure that you wouldn't hurt me like all the other men."

"But Jordan, you have to know I would never do that," he interrupted.

"Hey, no interruptions," I said, grasping his hands tighter before continuing, "And then you gave me that ring, and I was terrified. I wanted to accept it so badly but I just didn't know, so I stalled and I said 'no', regardless of the fact that my heart was screaming for me to say yes. And then Devan and the plane crash and then the shooting and things just weren't turning out right. I realised, when I got the call, that if something happened to you it wouldn't matter what happened to me any longer. My whole world revolved around you and I just didn't see it. I think I broke every speed limit getting to the hospital; I just had to know you were alright. I had to tell you that I loved you; I thought maybe you would hang on for me. But when you came out of surgery and you told me to go, I was devastated. It was really like you had given up on me. Completely. So for the two months that you were in rehab I was desperately trying to get my life together, but it wasn't working. The moment I heard your name, the second I saw your smile, your face, anything my heart would jump start and crack again. And then the stuff with Pollack and Lu and then sleeping together at the Inn; I kept trying to end it with Pollack but he wouldn't let me. I think he finally caught onto the fact, but what he told me before he left was something that I won't forget. He said love is like Malaria, it goes dormant but it never really goes away. He's absolutely right, but after Pollack you said that you didn't want to be my rebound guy but you never thought that maybe Pollack was that and I've always been yours." I paused and took another deep breath, "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I love you and I always have but I've just been scared. Terrified, even, of getting hurt but I trust you, I trust that you won't do that to me, so Woody, I give you my whole heart and I hope that you accept it. I love you Woody," I finished, with slight tears flowing.

Woody looked floored at my declaration and I thought for one horrible moment that he was not interested and was going to leave. I started to get up, but Woody still had my hands and he gently pulled me back to the sofa. He was still silent and I was absolutely terrified not to mention worried at his silence.

"Woody," I said gently, "Woody, say something."

"Wow," he paused, "I wasn't expecting that."

"You said you wanted to know," I said, nervously looking down at my lap.

"Okay, now that I know about you, it's time for you to listen to me. And no interruptions either, okay?" I nodded and began to talk.

"Jordan, when I first met you. I have to admit my first impression of you was that you were fragile and well, hot," he blushed before continuing, "I was attracted to you from the get-go, but I had the distinct feeling that you were attracted to me also, but trying to hide it. Turns out I was right, huh?" he paused, and looked at me before continuing once more, "I tried so hard to show you that I would never do anything to hurt you, and when I learned about your past, it all became clear to me. I'd been through that too, but I was different to you. I didn't close myself off, so I tried to show you that you could be open too. I thought it worked, you would let me hold you, and you kissed me in California, I thought I made progress but then you told me that it couldn't happen. So I tried to accept that we were more than friends but not quite a couple, and it worked. We'd go out together, we'd dance at the Pogue but we'd never kiss. Macy warned me off, even your Dad, but I thought that I could do it, I thought I could make you trust and open yourself again. I fell in love with you during that time and I'd do anything for you, absolutely anything. But I wanted more, so I gave you a ring and you rejected it, and it was like everything in the past didn't matter. Nothing was important except for the fact you rejected me. And then Devan came and I thought it was my chance to have a real relationship, but that was taken away and I felt so guilty about her death because I never really felt anything for her, she was just a way to forget you, but it didn't really work. And then the shooting with Riggs. You told me you loved me, and I didn't believe you and when you didn't come back I thought it proved that you didn't,"

"But Woody, you told me not to come back. You said to leave and I respected your wishes. It was hard as hell, but I did." I said, not revealing that while I had gone to the hospital almost every day I had never spoken to him and I had informed the nurses not to mention that I had come.

"I know that, but I really wanted you to come back. But you didn't and I realised that you did what you thought I wanted. And then I got out of rehab and then anger management with Lu and I thought you'd moved on with Pollack. So what happened at the Inn was both a blessing and a curse. I had wanted it to happen for so long but it was completely the wrong time but I thought that finally we might be together, and then you and Pollack still were and then you suddenly weren't and I got scared. You know, it's kinda funny, you were scared to begin with and then you were ready and I wasn't, so I made up the excuse that I didn't want to be your rebound guy. But then I saw the hurt in your eyes and I started to rethink my decision so when this Ball came up, I jumped at the chance to take you. To show you what you really mean to me," he paused and pulled me to him so I was resting my body against him, my head on the crook of his shoulder, so that I could no longer look into his eyes, "I really love you Jordan, I want to spend my life with you, I always have. I feel sort of privileged that you trust me enough to give me your heart, Jordan, and I promise I won't hurt it. I'll treasure it and I'll keep it forever; I'll need it forever. I love you too, Jordan."

After these confessions, we were both emotionally drained but it felt good to finally get everything out in the open. I gently lifted my head from his shoulder, and leant into his face. I stopped just short of his lips, "I love you," I said quietly before capturing his lips.

The sensation of his lips on mine was an assault on my senses. It felt hot and cold, like lightening and ice but they were warm and comforting. The kiss deepened and his tongue gently slid into my mouth, duelling passionately with my own. Woody broke the kiss, and I looked at him confused.

"I want to make love to you on a bed, not the couch," he said quietly. I took his hand and lead him to the bedroom, where I was suddenly overcome with passion.

Woody POV

We reached the bedroom and it was like Jordan was overcome with emotion. She hurled herself against me, her lips attacking mine, her body pushed firmly against mine. My mouth opened and our tongues duelled as I pulled the straps of her dress down her arms, the silky material dropping to the floor silently. Meanwhile Jordan had unbuttoned my shirt and was trying to take it off. I slid out of it as she undid the buckle on the pants. As I kicked them off, I backed Jordan onto the bed, and we collapsed, her underneath me, clad only in a bra and panties; me only in boxers.

As our kissed increased in passion and hunger, our hands roamed each other's bodies carefully as if to remember each different part of each other, committing them to memory. I slid my hands up her thighs reaching to slide my hands over her hips and up her back. I moved my mouth from hers and kissed her neck and collar bone, while she moved her neck to allow me more access. I unhooked her bra and tossed it beside the bed, as I moved my hands over her shoulders to cup her breasts. She moaned and arched up to increase the pressure on her breast. I moved my mouth to cover her other breast and she moaned in delight. She slipped her hands up my chest and pulled my body down to hers tightly.

I slipped my hands down her body and pulled her panties off before removing my boxers and resting my erection against her core. She bucked against my erection and I slid slowly into her. We both moaned at the contact and I trust into her again. She clung to me tightly and we both moved in sync, marvelling at the wonderful sensation that was enveloping us.

She clung to me tighter as I felt her contract around me. The sensation sent me spiralling into a climax and I emptied into her.

Resting my body against hers after making love, I realised I had never felt this whole before, I was with Jordan, I was home.

Jordan POV

Resting my body against his after making love, I realised I had never felt this safe before. I was with Woody, I was home.

For whatever was to come in the future, whatever trials and tribulations, I knew we would be able to handle them, together.