Very Much Alive

They stopped bickering and turned to stare at him. “What present?'

'You got us a present?” Logan bumped Jordan with his elbow. “Kir gets the best presents.'

Kir was still grinning as he picked up the phone. “Hello?'

'Is this Kiran Tait?'

Kir sucked in a breath as the familiar voice washed over him. “Who is this?” We're not ready yet, damn it! How did he find us?

'I think you know.'

'Hell.'

'Please, don't hang up.'

'Kir?” He felt Logan's hand on the small of his back. “What's wrong, babe?'

He put one hand over the receiver and stared at Logan, eyes wide. “Travis.'

'I'd like to come up and speak to the three of you, if you don't mind.” Travis Yardley-Rudiger's voice was soft and pleading. “Please.'

'I don't think so!'

'I owe you both an apology, and I want to offer my assistance. Please, Kiran.'

Logan must have heard Travis's words, because he frowned. “No fucking way.'

'I don't blame Logan for being angry with me, but I think I can help.'

Logan was shaking his head no when Jordan's hand passed them by and took the receiver. “C'mon up, Travis. We'll be waiting.” She hung up the phone and stared at them both. “Don't worry; everything's going to be fine.'

She started to walk away, Logan and Kir both glaring after her. “Why did you let him up?'

She turned, hands on hips, and tilted her head. “Am I right in thinking you two plan on me living with you

indefinitely?'

'Try forever.” Kir ground his teeth. I have a bad feeling about this.

'Does that make this my home?'

'Damn straight.” Logan was frowning too.

She smiled sweetly. “Then that means I can have friends over. Right?'

'Jordan...” Kir didn't get a chance to finish the sentence, because the doorbell rang. Kir opened the front door to find a large blond man in a pair of dark blue jeans and a green polo shirt standing in the doorway.

The big man stirred, his dark blue eyes searching behind Kir. “Jordan?'

'Hey, Travis!'

The man shoved his way inside the condo. Kir groaned as he saw the missing right hand. Great. Just great. He pinched the bridge of his nose again. The headache was getting worse.

'How the fuck did you get through the wards?'

Kir turned to see Logan standing in front of Jordan protectively, his eyes glowing infernally red. Jordan was waving and smiling at Travis.

Travis ignored Logan and focused on Jordan. “Are you in danger?'

She frowned. “No.'

'You're here of your own free will?'

Uh-oh.

'Mostly.'

'Mostly?'

Logan flicked a glance behind him. “Mostly?'

She rolled her eyes and stepped past him. “Logan, Kir, this is my boss, Travis.'

'We know.'

'We hired you, remember?'

She raspberried them, much to Travis's obvious relief. He relaxed visibly. “You're okay?'

'Not quite.” As Travis tensed up again, Jordan walked over and pulled him into a hug.

It was Logan and Kir's turn to tense. “Jordan.” He did not like seeing her hug other men. It made him want to growl and pound his chest like an idiot.

Or better yet, pound Travis until the other man let her go.

Travis glared at them over Jordan's head before turning his concerned gaze back down to her. “What happened? I get a hysterical email from Jamie claiming you were shot. You haven't been to your apartment in almost three weeks, there's a YouTube video that's driving Grimm nuts and a note to come visit you before you lose your mind and castrate someone. And what's this about you being ‘not quite’

okay?'

'Note?” Logan glared again at Jordan. “What note?'

She shrugged. “I wrote Travis and asked him to come here and take over the case.'

'What?'

Logan's hissed disbelief echoed Kir's own emotions. What is she talking about?

'You guys obviously don't trust me to get the job done, so I called backup.'

'It's not about trust, damn it!'

Kir ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “Logan's right. It has nothing to do with trust and everything to do with the bullet wound.'

Travis, his arm protectively cradling the much smaller Jordan to his side, stared down at her. “Bullet wound? You were shot?'

'Guys, I'm okay! How many times do I have to wave my arms around to prove it?” She pushed away from Travis, jumping up and down and waving her arms around like a maniac. Kir saw the wince she tried to hide and had the urge to turn her over his knee.

'Stop hurting yourself!'

Kir winced at Logan's bellow. Flames were flickering around his body, leaving small scorch marks in the wood. He eyed the blackened marks and rolled his eyes. Maybe we should have gone with stone or ceramic instead of maple.

'Stop yelling at me!'

'Stop being a moron!” Logan threw his hands up in the air and growled. “I cannot fucking believe you think you can run out of the house and chase down fucking Grimm in his own fucking back yard and take him down three weeks after you've been fucking shot! Shit!'

Travis wiped his lips in a futile attempt to hide his grin. “Stubborn little thing, isn't she?'

Jordan gasped in outrage as Logan pulled his hair. “Yes.'

'I am not!'

Logan rolled his eyes. He bent his body, limping awkwardly in a circle. “No no, it's all right, it's only a flesh wound. I can run the marathon, clean the Empire State Building and still cure cancer before lunch!

No problemo! Let me get right on that.'

'I'm fine, Logan!'

Logan tapped his foot. “Who here thinks Jordan is just fine, raise your right hand waaaay over your head.” He raised both brows when Jordan tried, wincing as she did so.

'Oh, bite me, ass-wipe!'

Kir turned to Travis, ignoring the two bickering idiots in the middle of the hallway. “Coffee?'

'Love some, thanks.'

'Follow me.” He led the way into the kitchen and started making the coffee. “Has she always been like that?'

'Yes.'

Kir turned to see Travis studying him closely. “How've you been, Tyr?'

'Frantic, not knowing where Jordan was. And call me Travis, please; Jordan doesn't know.'