Chapter 10
Jordan let the too hot water run over her. She almost felt warm, but felt a chill run through her body as soon as she stepped out of the shower. After two days, she still felt cold. It really was a miracle she did end up with hypothermia. She made her way to the attached bedroom of Renee Walcott's cottage on the Cape. Renee offered it to her for the week. After the Emmett Parker case, the two women had forged something approaching a friendship. Garrett was forcing her to take a week off, she had no reason to say no. After everything that had happened in the last two weeks with Riggs and the missing boys, she needed a chance to get away. She found a pair of sweats on the bed and a cup of hot tea on the nightstand. She smiled. Woody was being overly attentive, and she'd be lying if she said a part of her was not enjoying the attention. There was just one problem. They still haven't talked. Jordan had tried to bring it up, but Woody avoided it. After she got dressed, she sat on the edge of the bed sipping her tea. They weren't talking about what mattered. They were falling into the same pattern that had caused their relationship to stall every time before the shooting. Jordan eased herself upright and made her way out of the bedroom. She found him in the living room.
"Woody, we have to talk now."
"Maybe in a little bit. I was going to head to the store to get some stuff for dinner." Woody said getting up from the couch.
"Woody…" Jordan tried to press on
"I'll be back." He said as he grabbed the car keys.
"No, we need to do this now." Jordan said sternly.
Woody didn't say anything, but he stopped moving toward the door.
"I love you, but you keep pushing me away. This isn't going to work…"
"I ruined this, I get it!" Woody interrupted loudly. "I guess you were right. I ran without going anywhere." He finished with a defeated tone.
"Woody…" Jordan tried to interject.
"I can't do this." And with that he turned to the door and left. She heard the car leave. Jordan stood in disbelief for a while. He thought she was breaking up with him. She was trying to do the right thing, but she bungled it. Whether it was the cold medicine or her emotions, Jordan suddenly felt exhausted. She went back into the bedroom and laid down. She grabbed her iPod from the nightstand and found the song she was looking for. She put her headphones in and drifted off to sleep.
Woody just kept driving. He couldn't leave, but he couldn't go back and listen to Jordan break up with him either. He knew he had been the one to
screw everything up. He wished he could have shared everything with Jordan but he didn't want to drag her down. She had been through enough in her life. She didn't need to deal with his problems. It wasn't fair to her. He realized then that there was only one thing to do. He would go back and let her break up with him.
It was late when he got back. Woody entered the small cottage quietly. He found Jordan asleep on the bed. Her headphones were still in her ears. He sat on the edge of the bed and gingerly moved her hair from her face. He slowly pulled the earbuds out of her ears. He was about to put the iPod on the nightstand but for some inexplicable reason he put the earbud in his own ears instead. He didn't recognize the song at first, but the display told him it was the Pretenders. To his surprise the song started over. Jordan was listening to the song on repeat. He listened as the words flowed out.
Oh, why you look so sad?
Tears are in your eyes
Come on and come to me now
Don't be ashamed to cry
Let me see you through
'Cause I've seen the dark side too
When the night falls on you
You don't know what to do
Nothing you confess
Could make me love you less
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
So if you're mad, get mad
Don't hold it all inside
Come on and talk to me now
Hey, what you got to hide?
I get angry too
Well I'm a lot like you
When you're standing at the crossroads
And don't know which path to choose
Let me come along
'Cause even if you're wrong
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I'll never desert you
I'll stand by you
And when
When the night falls on you, baby
You're feeling all alone
You won't be on your own
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I'll never desert you
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I'll never desert you
I'll stand by you
He looked at her still sleeping form, almost astonished. Her words weren't leading where he feared. She wasn't breaking up with him. She was urging him to lean on her. God, he was an idiot! He looked away and started crying. He felt Jordan's hand on his shoulder and then there was no stopping the tears. She pulled him to her. Once in her embrace, he let loose. He cried for what Riggs did to him. He cried for those officers that didn't survive. He cried for his father, his mother and Cal. He cried for all the things he'd lost. All these things he never dealt with because he had no idea how. He always had to be the strong one, always taking care of others, but not anymore. He had her.
The next morning they woke up in each other's arms. Woody had his arms wrapped around Jordan. He slept through the night, something that hadn't happened in weeks.
"Hey." Jordan offered as she turned to face him.
"Hi." He offered a genuine smile.
"You slept." It wasn't a question.
"Thank you, Jordan."
"You don't need to thank me."
"I do. I also need to apologize. I'm so sorry, I've been such an ass lately. The things I said and the way I acted.You didn't deserve any of that. Then there was the ranger. I crossed a line I never thought I would. When Riggs was caught, it just brought up a bunch of stuff. Stuff I thought I moved past, but I know it's there and I have to deal with it."
"You'll be okay, Woods. You just need someone to hold you a little tighter." She offered, wrapping arms around him. They spent the next few days in much the same way. Enjoying a much needed shelter from the crazy world around them.
On their last day, they bundled up and walked along the beach, needing the fresh air. No one else was around. They walked for a while without saying anything.
"Jordan, that song you played the other night."
"It's how I feel."
"I know. And it got me thinking about a song I heard a while back."
Woody pulled out his MP3 player. He handed her one of the earbuds, put the other in his own ear. and hit play.
Jordan recognized the song quickly, she couldn't help but smile up at Woody. She remembered when he'd picked How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. It was one of their platonic movie nights before the friendship ring disaster. She remembered listening to the words and instantly connecting to them. She had glanced over at Woody who was no longer watching the movie, but staring at her. She had looked away quickly because she saw the love in his eyes, and she had been too foolish to admit she loved him then. Listening to the whole song now, it fit them perfectly. Looking at him now, she saw that same look, although now it was fulfilled, no longer desperate for her to realize their love. He cupped her face, and kissed her.
Somethin' in your eyes, makes me wanna lose myself
Makes me wanna lose myself, in your arms
There's somethin' in your voice, makes my heart beat fast
Hope this feeling lasts, the rest of my life
If you knew how lonely my life has been
And how long I've been so alone
And if you knew how I wanted someone to come along
And change my life the way you've done
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way back where I come from
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong
A window breaks, down a long, dark street
And a siren wails in the night
But I'm alright, 'cause I have you here with me
And I can almost see, through the dark there is light
Well, if you knew how much this moment means to me
And how long I've waited for your touch
And if you knew how happy you are making me
I never thought that I'd love anyone so much
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way back where I come from
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong
It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong
Still sharing the headphones, they swayed together on the empty beach.