Title: Open Your Heart
Author: Nelfy
Characters: Dr. Maura Isles, Det. Jane Rizzoli, Dr. Hope Martin (main), Angela Rizzoli (side character)
Rating: M (for later chapters, will be marked as M)
Disclaimer: These characters are property of Tess Gerritsen/Janet Tamaro and TNT. They do not belong to me. Reimbursement is not received for fictitious works.

Notes: I jump right into what I want to happen. Does include some drama and general sadness, but it will be worth it. Feedback is appreciated, as I am still not sure whether to continue this story or not. So any comments, long or short, will keep me going!

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"I just don't know…" Maura looks at Jane, chewing on her bottom lip and smoothing her hands down the dress she is wearing. She sighs and turns around.

When Jane doesn't move from her position on the bed, she looks over her shoulder impatiently. "Unzip, please."

Jane gets up, but instead of walking over to Maura, walks towards the door and opens it.

"You look gorgeous. You'd look gorgeous in any of the outfits you've tried in the past half hour. She'll be here any minute, so just take a minute to collect yourself so you don't break out in hives again."

Jane turns and walks out the door, leaving a fidgeting Maura behind. From the kitchen, Maura can hear Angela and Jane talk, but she doesn't understand what is being said. She turns to look in the mirror again and sighs, smoothing invisible wrinkles out of her dress. She wants to look good for tonight, beautiful and strong, wants to wear an outfit that represents who she is. She sees movement out of the corner of her eye and turns to see Angela enter her bedroom.

"Honey, you look beautiful. Don't worry, she'll be so happy when she finds out you're her daughter." Angela comes closer and opens her arms to hug Maura, but the doctor backs away.

"I'm not telling her. I can't do that to her, she thinks I was a mistake and the baby of an evil man." Tears well up in Maura's eyes and again, Angela tries to hug her, but she backs away even further.

"Oh honey…" Angela sighs. She knows it isn't any of her business, but she still hates seeing her "daughter" in so much pain. "I think she would be very proud to have such an intelligent and accomplished woman as her daughter. I know I'm proud of you, and I'm not even related to you at all."

Maura sniffles and dabs at her eyes with a tissue, making sure not to ruin her perfectly applied makeup. She gives Angela a small smile.

"We better get ready. She will be here any minute." Maura turns and walks into the living room, checking the dinner table and making sure everything is perfect. She looks at the painting lying on the kitchen island, the picture of Hope at "her" grave. Looking at the spot where it had hung for years, she has a moment of doubt, wanting to put the picture up and see if Hope might discover it. But, with a sigh, she puts the painting into a drawer.

"Are you sure you don't want to tell her?" Jane has to ask, just one more time. She feels responsible for the mess Maura has turned into the last few days, since she had been the one to urge Maura to call her biological mother. While she understands her friend's fear, she also believes that it is best to be open and confront your fears.

"I am sure, and don't you dare say anything to her either." Pointing her finger, she looks first at Jane, who nods, then at Angela. "Promise," she says, still looking at the older woman. "Okay, fine, my lips are sealed."

Three heads turn when the door bell rings. Looking at Jane again, hoping for some encouragement, Maura stands rooted in the spot.

"Go on. It will be fine." Jane says softly, carefully pushing her friend towards the door. Maura takes a deep breath and looks back at Jane one more time, before facing the door and pulling it open.

What happens next is unexpected to all of them. Hope, clearly agitated and frazzled, storms in the house, looking first at Maura, then Jane, then Angela and back at Maura.

"You're Paddy Doyle's daughter?"

"How did you…?"

"I had some free time this afternoon, so I decided to read some of your research. Find out about your career. That's when I saw the newspaper articles. When were you born?

Hope demands, out of breath and standing in the middle of the living room. Maura, still holding the door open, opens her mouth, but no sounds come out.

"When were you born?" Hope asks again, her question already implying the answer.

Maura doesn't respond, but simply stares at her mother. She blinks, holding back tears and tries to speak, but nothing comes out.

"Ms. Martin, why don't we all sit down and talk."

"You knew, didn't you. All of you knew. When I first came to help with the fingerprint, all of you knew that I was her mother." Hope looks around, trying to get a response from Jane or Angela. "Why didn't you tell me?" Hope asks, walking closer to Maura, who shrinks away against the wall. She is still silent, tears streaking down her face. "Why didn't you tell me?" Hope asks again, more softly this time. "Are you really my daughter?"

Maura nods, softly, once. She is still crying, silently, as she stares at her mother. Hope reaches out and touches her arm.

"Why didn't you tell me?" The question hangs in the air as neither Jane nor Angela dare to more.

Maura shakes her head, unable to say anything. She is crying and can barely see the woman standing in front of her.

Hope drops her hand and looks at the floor. "If I had know…. I would have never said…"

The two women stand there, Hope staring at Maura while Maura stars at the floor, trying so desperately to hold back the tears that are still streaming down her face.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean…" Hope touches Maura's arm again, a last attempt to engage her daughter, before she turns and leaves the house.

"Maura!" Jane says, walking over to the door to watch Hope leave. Maura looks at Jane and starts to sob, falling against her best friend. "Shhhh, shhhh. It will be fine, she just needs some time to process this." Jane hugs Maura close, trying to comfort her and berating herself for not having been more of a help.

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Should I continue with this story?