This fic is based on the song "A little home" by Rascal Flatts.

"A little home"

She dragged herself to her trailer. It was late afternoon and the desert heat weighed hard on Jane. She was tired and she didn't even remember when she really slept for the last time. Although no day since she came to Afghanistan on her second tour was good, this day was the worst. Jane saw 5 soldiers been blown up today after a roadside exploded. She was in the car behind the one that blew up and got away with only a few scrapes. Of course it wasn't the first time that soldiers she knew died but this was the first time she was this close.

As she went through the trailer park all she could think about was the shower she was about to take and the sleep she was about to get. It was everything she wanted right now. No, everything she actually wanted was Maura and their little baby girl Adelaide, but since that was not possible the shower, the sleep and maybe a dream about her family had to suffice. She missed her wife immensely and she wasn't able to talk to her in 3 days, although it felt like an eternity to Jane.

She finally reached her trailer and only just now she started to realize that she would be alone that night; her roommate was one of the 5 soldiers.

"Sergeant Rizzoli" she heard a young man shout behind her. She turned.

"Post for you. It's been sitting in your office all day"

"Thank you, Private Jones, for bringing it." Jane replied and took the box out of the younger soldiers hands.

She read the label on the box. An instant smile appeared on her face as she read Maura's name. She sat down in the sand, too impatient to go inside, laid down her gun she had still slung over her shoulder and opened the parcel. Insider there were cards and letters from everyone. Once a month Maura would send her package like that. Her little brother Tommy sent her a picture of him, his girlfriend Lydia and his newborn son TJ. Frankie had written her a 5 page long letter, which she only scanned over for now. But what she gathered was that Frankie and his girlfriend of two years, Riley, were engaged now. Her childhood friend Giovanni sent her a card that simply read "I bet you're lookin' hawt". Jane shook her head and laughed. Giovanni will never get over the fact that neither Jane nor Maura were attracted to him. She even found a not from Rondo, Frankie's CI, who was also madly in love with Jane, that read "Sergeant Vanilla, I hope you're doing fine". A stack of pictures showed Korsak, a friend of the family, with several animals. Dogs, cats, birds, hedgehogs even a squirrel. All animals Korsak has somehow saved over the last month. Frost, as always, sent a little letter that had some uplifting and positive quotes in it. After 15 minutes Jane finally reached her mother's cookies and letter. And she also found Maura's letter. She took a bite of a cookie and started to read Maura's letter. It told her everything about what was going on in her family's life. Every step Adelaide took over the last once was described in detail. And Maura also wrote that their daughter started to talk.

I wish you could be here. I miss you. We all do. Be careful. I love you, Maura were the last words in the letter. Jane was in tears after she finished reading the letter. They soon turned into tears of happiness as she saw the picture of Maura and Adelaide that was enclosed. But exactly that was what she needed after a day like this. Those words, the pictures of Maura, Adelaide, Tommy, her little nephew TJ even the pictures of Korsak and the animals made her stronger. Hearing that everyone at home is doing great, made her wan to keep fighting. She knew there was something worth fighting for.

Jane put all those pictures up on her wall, next to the others she received over the last 6 months. And even though she was half a world away from her beloved Boston and her family, she felt, thanks to the cards, pictures and letters, a little home in her heart. And even though it was hard to admit for her: no matter how far away you are, how independent you are, sometimes you just need a little home.