A/N: So a new idea popped into my head and just wouldn't leave so I had to write it down, hopefully this will be a multi chapter fic set post 4x16 and ten years into the future. Hope you enjoy. I don't own Rizzoli and Isles.
Joeline Elizabeth
"I think I might be pregnant," said Jane looking at her best friend with the most terrified look on her face.
Ten Years Later...
Maura turned around as she heard the loud laughter of her nine year old daughter as she came running up to her after her first day at school, the ME knelt down and scooped the little devil up into her arms swinging her around and hugging her tiny body closer to her in relief and comfort; no matter how many times she did it it was still difficult to leave her daughter at school on her first day.
"Mommy mommy," said the boisterous third grader and giggled along with her mother's affectionate actions. "Mommy put me down, I want you to meet my new friend Josephine."
Maura finally relented and released the little girl putting her down by the diminutive girl clearly of African American descent dressed in a pink blazer and jeans.
"Hello Josephine," said Maura politely. "I'm Dr Maura Isles-Rizzoli, Jo's Mom."
"She's my Doctor Mom Joe, I also have a cop mom but.. " she trailed off looking around for Jane and then staring at Maura expectantly.
Maura sighed and knelt down next to Jo. "I'm sorry kitten," she said consolingly. "But you know today's the twenty-fifth."
Jo nodded solemnly understanding. Every month on the twenty-fifth her Mama went on a very important trip out of the city to do something very important that only her Mom knew about, they had both promised her that when the time came she would know what that thing was and Jo was very patiently waiting for that moment.
Lieutenant Jane Rizzoli waited impatiently for the State Prison officer to check her gun and badge and issue her the visitors badge. She hated being back here every time and she hated it even more when it cut into her time with Jo; it was her first day at school and here she was in a State Penitentiary instead of being there with his wife to greet her as usual ecstatic daughter, she had been really starting to regret the promise she made the the man waiting behind those prison bars all those years ago, something had to give.
When security finally cleared her she held her head high and walked after the guard leading her through a series of hallways down to a secured location where they held the private visitations.
Jane sat down and waited listening to cacophony of buzzing sounds indicating prison doors opening and closing until the door far across from her opened and in walked the man who had almost destroyed her life but, as much as she had hated to admit it, had given her the greatest gift someone could ever have given her.
"Hello Casey," she said in a detached voice as she looked across at the father of her child.
Ten Years Earlier...
Maura looked across from Jane as she fiddled with the pregnancy test in her hand. It was the shock of her lifetime, she didn't have any idea why she had felt relief at the news that Jane had finally decided to reject Casey's marriage proposal but she had, however the news of Jane possibly having a baby; Casey's baby, finally brought everything crashing down on her. Why she hadn't been dating anymore, why she had been missing her friend so much these days and why that kiss with Frankie had felt so wrong to her.
She recognized the oxytocin flowing through her veins, it normally did whenever she was close to Jane but now she was also recognizing that it went a lot more deeper than feeling love and appreciation for her friend, it felt more deep, more intimate and somehow so right. She didn't know why the news of a baby would make these feelings apparent to her but she was glad that it did, now she could deal with it.
However looking at the obviously terrified detective across from her she knew this wasn't the right time to tell her her new-found feelings, she had a lot of things to settle first. Right now Jane needed her best friend and Maura was going to be there for her.
"Oh Jane," she said as she moved to her side taking one of her hands off the test and lacing it with hers. "Have you taken it?" Maura looked at the test.
Jane shook her head tears spilling from her eyes which she wiped away furiously. "I'm scared to," she said pitifully and Maura closed her eyes momentarily in pain. Her Jane who had face countless serial killers, murderers and the worst scum of the earth, she knew it took a lot for her to admit fear even to her, she was reminded of that first night that Jane came to sleep over at her house with Hoyts escape hanging over her, she had admitted her fear to her then too and all Maura could do was be there for her and this time would be no different.
"Do you want me to go?" she asked hesitantly knowing that this was a very private moment but leaving Jane was the last thing she wanted to do.
"No!" she yelled out squeezing her hand, when Jane realized her outburst she relaxed her grip but spike vehemently. "Maura, I need you here, more than anything please," she almost begged the blonde and Maura couldn't resist pulling the brunette to herself in a fierce hug.
For Jane it felt like the last straw as she finally collapsed in the most familiar of arms and wept for the first time since she realized that her life might be completely changing.
When Jane finally pulled back from the ME she wiped her eyes and took Maura's hands in hers. "Maura I know I'm asking a lot and I know it's wrong of me to do so but if I am pregnant..." she closed her eyes for a moment at the thought. "If I am pregnant, then I'm going to need your help more than ever, I can't raise this baby all by myself I just..." she looked at Maura helplessly.
Maura immediately engulfed Jane in another hug. "Of course Jane," she said rubbing her friends back. "You know I'll be there for you, always."
Jane sniffles and smiled at her pulling back letting out a heartfelt thank you.
Ten Years Later...
"Jane," said Casey as he sat down. "How are you?" he asked as if greeting her at a coffee shop instead of a State Prison.
"Casey I'm tired of this," said Jane without preamble. "You know I had to miss picking up Jo after her first day at school because of this?"
"Jane you promised," he said a warning in his voice as if he had any say in the matter.
"Yes I did Casey but that was a promise to Jo not to you," replied Jane. "You're lucky I even gave you even a smudge of information about my daughter."
"Our daughter Jane," Casey said angrily.
Jane smiled grimly and nodded. "Yes our daughter; mine and Maura's."
Casey shook against his restraints. "Don't you dare say that bitches name in front of me."
Jane stood up her anger flaring at the insult. "Let me make one thing very clear Casey," she said leaning close. "You are in no position to demand anything of me, and that bitch is the reason why I have even given you the time of my fucking day for the last five years."
Casey leaned back breathing heavily in anger and resentment.
Jane sat back down calming herself. "This has all come to a head. I made a promise nine years ago that I would try and keep Jo's father in her life even if she didn't know him so that one day when she asks I can tell her who he is and what and where he is as well." she said looking at the man across from her in contempt. "Well you know what? Jo has never asked and you know why? Because children ask that question when they feel as if they have something missing in their lives. Me and Maura have provided her with everything she could ever need Casey, we are both her fathers and her mothers."
Jane got up to walk away as she got to the door she turned back one last time. "Jo turns ten in two weeks," she said softly.
Casey looked up into fiery brown eyes and nodded. "I know."
"Good," said Jane. "Because I'm going to tell her about you and why you're in prison, what you did to us." She watched as Casey's eyes widened. "After that I'll let her decide if she wants anything to do with you. Oh and Casey? If I were you, I'd pray that she I has a forgiving heart like her Mom because if she is anything like me, she wouldn't give you the time of her day. Goodbye." Jane turned and walked out hoping this was the last time she had to see that man again.
"Mommy?" asked Jo as she sat beside her mother in her Tesla electronic car.
"Yes kitten?" answered Maura.
"Is Mama going to come home late tonight?" she asked hesitantly knowing this was a sensitive topic.
Maura checked the auto pilot coordinates on the control panel of her car and set the vehicle to drive itself to their house turning in her seat and pulling her daughter into her lap buckling the child carrying belt around them.
"Oh baby I hope not, she said she'll make it for dinner."
"Did she promise?"asked Jo snuggling into her mother.
"No honey she didn't."
Jo nodded her head decisively. "Then I'll wait up for her," she declared.
Maura laughed at her daughters antics. "No you certainly will not young lady," she said sternly trying to keep from smiling. "If Mama isn't home by bedtime then I will tuck you in and you can meet her in the morning."
"But mommy, I'll have to go to school in the morning," her daughter whined.
"Yes you do little girl," Maura agreed. "and Mama will be there to drop you of and kiss you goodbye."
"You promise?" she asked looking up at her with bright blue eyes.
Maura sighed and tickled Jo's sides causing her to giggle. "You know those puppy dog eyes don't work on me, save them for your Mama," she said as Jo's laughs subsided. "And you know I can't promise you that kitten." Jane and Maura never promised Jo anything that they couldn't be certain they could keep, Maura had had too many broken promises in her childhood to know how heartbreaking it was when a parent broke a promise so they were never flippant about it and if they did promise some thing to Jo both of them would move heaven and earth to make sure that they kept that promise.
Jo nodded slowly. "I know mommy, I'm sorry."
Maura leaned down and kissed Jo on the forehead. "It's okay honey," she said as the car pulled in to her driveway, since the public road electric rail ended on the tarmac she had to engage manual mode to park her car into the garage. Once she was safety parked Maura got Joeline out and locked the car, she took her daughters hand in hers and walked out of the garage to her front door.
"Now what do you say we make some gnocchi to welcome mama home from her trip?"
"Yay," said Jo clapping her hands at the thought of making her favorite dinner dish. She rushed upstairs to get ready for cooking with her mom while waiting for her mama to get home.
Maura and Jo had just finished setting up the table when Jo Friday started yapping happily looking at the door in expectation. Maura perked up at the dogs behavior because it meant that Jane was home just in time.
Jo also didn't miss a beat and dropped her fork untidily to run for the door but stopped when she caught her mother's raised eyebrow, if there was one thing that Maura and Jane had taught her it was proper decorum at the table, she picked up the fork and place it at its proper place and looked at her mother expectantly vibrating with energy as Jane unlocked the door and yelled out her arrival. Maura finally nodded at Jo who shot off as fast as she could without breaking the no running in the hallways rule.
Jane had just a moment to prepare before she had her arms full with a blue eyed brunette nine year old yelling mama and hugging her for all she was worth. "Whoa my little bullet, what's got you so excited?" she asked as Maura came into view in an apron over her as usual immaculate dress, she leaned against the doorway and watched the interaction between mother and child, she however didn't fail to notice that Jane's face was flushed and that there was a worrying crease between her eyes which still lit up as they landed on the blonde so she figured whatever it was they could talk about it later.
"Mama, mama I had the best first day ever and I made a new friend," Jo said proudly to her mother.
Jane smiled genuinely at her daughter letting the worries of the day lift off her for a moment as she looked at the wonder she had given birth to. "Wow that's great, and I'm so sorry I missed picking you up hon."
Jo shrugged. "It's okay I know it's the twenty-fifth."
Jane nodded and sighed hating that her daughter was so accommodating when all she wanted to do was leave every responsibility behind and just spend time with her family. "Well hon, why don't you go wash your hands for dinner and you can tell me all about your first day at school."
Jo smiled and nodded. "Okay mama," she said and shot off to get ready. Jane shook her head at the seemingly unlimited energy her daughter possessed and moved over to her wife who was waiting patiently for her greeting. Jane circled her arm around Maura's slim waist and pulled her close giving her a hello kiss filled with desperation and a touch of anxiety.
They pulled back and rested their foreheads against each other. "Hey," said Maura.
"Hey," replied Jane.
"You okay?" the blonde asked quietly.
Jane nodded and pulled Maura in for a hug, as much as Jane loved Maura's kisses some days she still needed the comforting hug of her best friend and today was one of those days.
"You wanna talk about it?"
There was a time when Jane would shake her head at that question, make some sarcastic comment and wave off Maura's concern, but that was a long time ago. Jane nodded and kissed Maura again. "Later, after dinner."
And Maura kissed her wife back and nodded her acceptance, glad that Jane wished to talk.
After dinner was done, dishes put away and Jo safely tucked into bed Jane and Maura sat down on her couch Jane with her beer and Maura with her wine and Jane filled her in on her visit with Casey.
"Are you sure?" Maura asked when Jane told her of her intention of telling Jo about her father and all that came with it.
"I'm tired of having to sacrifice my time with my family for him Maura," said Jane taking a long sip of her beverage. "I think if we tell Jo everything she can decide if she wants him to be a part of her life and if she does I will continue with the visits because I'll do anything for her, but I don't think she will."
Maura looked at Jane unsure. "You don't think she'll want her biological father to be a part of her life?" she asked thinking about Hope and Paddy and how much she wished she had known them no matter what they did.
Jane nodded. "As much as I wish that she could some how be both of our biological daughter Maura, the truth is that there is Rizzoli blood flowing in those veins and a Rizzoli will want nothing to do with some one who has hurt her mother," she said rubbing Maura's surgically repaired knee cap which Casey had blown out, the titanium plate still caused Maura to limp slightly in colder days.
Jane looked up at Maura. "You're okay with me telling her?" she asked hoping that Maura would be agreeable.
Maura though of the last few years when Jane was so reluctant to go see Casey and how Maura had asked her to think about what they would say to Jo when she asked who her father was, she hated to think about Casey being a part of Jo's life but if that was what she wanted then Jane was right; that was what they would do because their daughter was everything to them. It was time to let Jo make the decision.
"Yes," said Maura looking into Jane's eyes. "It's time."
Ten Years Earlier...
They both stared down at the two pink lines on the test and then looked up at each other, both had tears in their eyes and both were terrified of what was to come, but no matter what they both knew one thing, whatever was to come they would face them together and they would get past it just like they always did.
A/N: So I hope you enjoyed this first chapter, I have a lot of plans for this story as you could probably tell from the first chapter, also it will follow that format of this chapter where I'll be telling stories from two time lines; one post 4x16 one ten years into the future. Please leave your feedback as reviews and let me know what you thought of this chapter they really do help me out a lot.
PS: So I checked a Yorkshire Terriers life span and know that by the time Joeline is ten Jo Friday should be dead but I just couldn't bring myself to off the lovable dog, sorry for that!