A/N: Most likely a one-shot. I really, really appreciate reviews. It makes the people who write feel great. Hope you enjoy this.
Blue and red swirling lights reflected off the houses and cars in the darkness. Dozens of police surround the building with weapons drawn. Flood lights illuminate the area.
This can't be happening.
After Hoyt, Hoyt's apprentices, and finally Hoyt's death, Jane eventually managed to believe - really believe - that that particular nightmare was over.
But that just couldn't be the case, could it?
It was hard to accept than a new Hoyt apprentice had begun another string of senseless killings in Boston. The question that had quickly jumped into everyone's mind was, "Okay, when will this one come after Jane?"
Because that would obviously happen, right? From the moment Hoyt became obsessed with Jane she appeared to be marked for suffering and death.
So what would it be? Jane knew better than to go climbing into anyone's van anymore. She wouldn't be going into any basements by herself. Perhaps it would be just a plain old drive-by shooting or something. Nah, where is the flair and panache in that? If it originates from Hoyt, he would want a spectacle.
Maura had worked diligently to find any clues on the new victims and the new crime scenes to hopefully get an indication of who the killer might be. She felt sympathetic to these victims and their families, but the truth was, she was also terrified - Jane was in danger again.
Just the idea of any harm coming to Jane was enough to make the ME nauseous. Maura had also believed that Hoyt could no longer harm her anymore.
Once again, Jane was spending her nights with Maura who had become her sanctuary from all things Hoyt. Only when Jane was with Maura could she find some kind of peace of mind. Some kind of joy at the end of the day after investigating some horrible crime. In the end, it wasn't Jane's gun, or the patrol officers circling the neighborhood, or the uniformed officers in the drive-way that made Jane feel safe – it was Maura. It was always Maura.
It took a few weeks to figure out the identity of the new apprentice and his connection to Hoyt. Dr. James Hobbs, a licensed psychologist, who worked at the prison where Hoyt had previously stayed before he died. Apparently, Hoyt wanted a back-up plan outside of a prison guard.
Jane was home when she got the call that Frankie had a lead on Hobbs' location. Immediately arrangements were made to meet and just as Jane pulled up to the building her phone began to ring. It was Maura..
"Hey, Maur. I can't talk right now. We are about to go in and bust Hobbs. I'll call you back," Jane said quickly, nearly ending the call.
"This isn't Maura, Detective," A man's voice immediately made Jane's heart leap to her throat.
"Who is this? Where is Dr. Isles?" Jane sounded calm, but inside she was panicked.
"Why, it's Dr. Hobbs, Detective. Dr. Isles has been kind enough to keep me company until you finally did some detective work and found out where I am. Congratulations. You sorta got me."
Jane was instructed by Hobbs to keep the officers at bay because he would be exiting the building with Dr. Isles. Hobbs told her that he would kill Dr. Isles at the first sign that law enforcement was going to try to rush him or take a shot at him.
Jane agreed to his terms and began to move the officers back. She looked around. None of this makes sense. Why did Hobbs take Maura? Why does he want all of these people here? Is he really going to bring Maura out here? Jane's thoughts are interrupted by the sound of Hobbs' voice.
"Alright. I am coming out. If anyone tries to come near me, Dr. Isles dies. If anyone looks like they are going to try to take a shot at me, Dr. Isles dies. If I see a single sniper on a rooftop, Dr. Isles dies. Do you understand?" At his last comment, law enforcement was pulled back from the edge of the roof.
Maura was the first to be seen as she and Hobbs exited the building. She looked distressed, but alright. Hobbs had one hand tight around her waist while the held a gun to her head. Hobbs barely walked out of the building, placed his back to the wall and pulled Maura tight against him, making it very difficult for any officer to get a clear shot without taking the chance of hitting Maura.
"Detective Rizzoli!" he shouted
Jane moved forward and brown eyes locked with hazel. "Maura, it's going to be okay."
"Detective. It is nice to finally meet you in person. I heard so much about you and Dr. Isles that I feel like we are old friends. I know you feel that Hoyt hated you, but he was really and truly a fan of you and the good doctor here. Thought that you two make a … good couple."
Something inside Jane began to shrivel and sink. Hoyt killed couples. This guy kills couples. He just referred to Maura and I as a couple.
"Look, Hobbs. I don't know what you and Hoyt created in your heads, but Maura and I are not a 'couple.' Let me paint a real picture for you. You are holding the Chief Medical Examiner hostage and you have no place to go. If you harm her, you will die. Hoyt has always come after me, Hobbs. Perhaps you got your instructions mixed up. I will walk right over there and take Dr. Isles place if you agree to let her go." And of course Jane meant it.
"Yeah, Detective. Do you mind if I call you Jane?" When Jane didn't answer he continued, "Anyway, Jane, I think you need to know that my instructions are a little different this time. I am not your typical apprentice. All of the other ones wanted to finish what Hoyt started AND get away with it. That's not me, Jane. I am not delusional enough to think that I am going to walk away from this building alive. And I am fine with that since I am suicidal," Hobbs said clearly, and with about as much emotion as you would put into ordering a cheeseburger.
At this comment, Maura squirmed a little, only to have the barrel of the gun pressed harder into the side of her head. "Now, now, Dr. Isles. Don't panic. Well, not unless your hero detective fails you."
But Maura was a little panicked. She understood the "couple" reference, too. She also knew that if Hobbs really was suicidal, he was even more dangerous than she had previously thought – and that was pretty damn dangerous.
"What do you want, Hobbs?" Jane said sternly.
Suddenly the bystanders got her attention. It was the press. Most people were ushered out of the area, but a few had stationed themselves across the street with cameras and booms hanging in the air to catch whatever Hobbs was going to say. Jane hated having those people around for this.
"Well, Jane, I had to modify what I wanted, but as it turns out this is far better than I had originally planned. I was going to use Dr. Isles to lure you here, but then you found me on your own and you had the cops with you. My plan was to humiliate you and kill you both. Now, I have a new plan…
I'll humiliate you. No, I take that back. You will humiliate yourself. You won't have a choice, because if you don't, Dr. Isles will die. Only if you do exactly as I say will she have any chance of walking away. I have no hope of killing you, Jane, but I know that sometimes death is too good for people. And it is too good for you. You will humiliate yourself and wreck your life at my command… or else."
Jane was clueless. What in the hell was this man thinking? One thing was sure - she didn't give a damn about humiliation. He was wrong. She would do anything for Maura and not give a damn about the consequences. "Humiliation my ass," she thought.
"What do you want from me?" Jane said calmly.
"Simple, Jane. I want you to tell Dr. Isles, and all of these good people around us, just how much you are in love with her," Hobbs smirked.
Fuck.
For a few seconds, Jane lost concentration. That was the last thing she expected to hear him say, and perhaps the only thing that could get this reaction. Coming back to herself, Jane glanced at Maura only to see her looking back at her with confusion. Looking back at Hobbs, Jane challenged him.
"Hobbs, this isn't a game. I told you that Dr. Isles and I are not a couple. I don't know where you got this idea in your head, but you're wrong. Just let her go.. or take me." Jane reasoned.
Until this point, Hobbs appeared calm and relatively non-threatening, but Jane's assertion that he was wrong about them inflamed him.
"Detective. Don't piss me off. You think you are the only one who does surveillance? Jane, Jane, Jane…. I know a few things about you that not everyone around here may know. So, unless you want me to start putting it all out there… you have a confession to give to Dr. Isles." Hobbs grinned. The look in his eyes telling her immediately… he was not lying.
Jane decided the best way to do this was to play his game and try to give them more time. Perhaps he would make a mistake. Maybe someone would get a shot at him.
Looking up at Hobbs and briefly to Maura, Jane said, "Fine. You got me. I'm in love with Maura. Okay? Are you happy? Now, let her go. I will go over to you if you want a hostage, but let her go." Jane stated flatly as she prepared to move forward.
"Not so fast, Detective. What kind of love confession was that? Can you believe that Dr. Isles? I would be offended if I were you. I know you are not lovers. You love the boys. But, did you know about Jane's feelings for you?"
"Shut up!" Jane shouted, before she even had the chance to think about it.
Hobbs slowly looked back over to Jane and smiled so wickedly she thought she was looking at Satan himself.
"You have one more chance at this, Jane. Better do it right this time."
Jane looked at Maura who was staring back at her with an unreadable expression. She was obviously terrified, but was still holding it together. Jane looked to her left and saw Korsak, Frost, and her brother looking back and forth between herself and Hobbs. Glancing to her right …reporters. Jane felt dizzy…
"Well, Doc. It doesn't appear as though your hero cares enough about you to be honest," Hobbs said. "There is no need for me to just kill, Dr. Isles. I can have some fun with her first, before I blow her brains out all over the side of this building."
Hobbs raised his thumb to cock the gun.
"Wait." Jane said, looking up from the ground directly into Maura's eyes.
"Please, don't hurt her," Jane said softly. Maura and Jane's eyes locked. Jane gave a sad smile to Maura and her eyes said it all...it was true. Jane loved her, and for the first time since she was taken by Hobbs, Maura began to cry.
"Jane. Jane listen to me," Maura begged, "I don't know what you are about to say, but please don't say it. This man does not deserve to hear it. You understand me. He is not going to let me go and you know that, so don't give this bastard the satisfa-," Maura was cut off by the scalpel blade that somehow appeared at her neck.
"It's okay, Maura. I am saying this for you, anyway, not for him." Jane said, never taking her eyes away from Maura as she spoke.
"I am sorry to disappoint you, Hobbs, but there is no humiliation in admitting that you love someone like Maura. And I do. I love her with a love you could never possibly understand or imagine. There has never been anyone else who loved someone more than I love her. No, I never told her, but that was more to save her the humiliation… not to save myself. Maura, I'm sorry that you are finding out like this, in front of all these people….in front of this man. Hobbs, I don't know what else you expect me to say. This is going to have to be eloquent enough for you. Someone else could maybe say it better, but nobody else could ever mean it more."
The only thing Jane could hear was her own heartbeat in her ears and the sound of Maura crying until Hobbs began to laugh. "Well, well, well… not too bad, Detective. I give it a 9-9 ½. What about you, Dr. Isles?"
Maura's crying made it difficult for her to breathe. Her throat felt like it was closing off. Wiping her face with her hand, the only thing she could manage to say in a quivering voice was, "Please, please let me go to her."
Perhaps the ME's response took Hobbs by surprise, because he moved his arm to the right to look at her in the face - opening up his shoulder for as a target.
In a split second, Hobbs was on the ground. Maura rushed to Jane… throwing her arms around her and burying herself in her neck. "I love you, Jane. I love you. I love you so much," Jane held Maura tightly against her, and felt so breathless she could only manage to say, "I love you, too."
Jane looked down at Maura and kissed her. She didn't give a damn about her co-workers. She could care less about the reporters. Hoyt lost again, and Jane won big.