''Honey, you awake? Breakfast is ready,'' Maura asked as she knocked on her daughter's bedroom door.
''Hmm,'' Chloe replied, running her hands through her hair as she sat up from her bed. ''Yeah. I'll be right down,''
''Okay baby,'' And with that Maura walked downstairs leaving her daughter to finish getting ready for school.
Chloe stood up from her bed, and started walking towards her closet, removing her long sleeve pyjama top in the process. She stopped and stared at her marred arm, cuts and scars occupied her wrist and arm. She traced over the self-inflicted cuts she had inflicted upon herself the night before and took a sigh. A single tear fell from her eye and landed on her scarred wrist, and she winced in pain. Maura was oblivious to the pain her daughter was feeling, no-one knew of what Chloe was doing to herself. Not even Chloe herself, she hated what she was doing to herself but as much as she tried she couldn't seem to stop. She was depressed and miserable. It was her deepest and darkest secret.
''Best get ready, before mom comes back up to check on me,'' Chloe thought to herself as she opened her closet door and pulled her out uniform before walking back over to her bed. She pulled on her tights and her skirt, and then buttoned up her blouse and pulled the sleeves as far down as she could, as so no-one could see the damage she had inflicted upon herself just mere hours before. She put her shoes on her feet and walked over to her desk to get her hair brush. She brushed her honey-blond hair which she had inherited from her mother, and pinned it up with a hair-tye. Not one to wear much make-up, she applied a small amount of foundation to her face and applied mascara to her eye lashes. She looked at herself up and down in the floor mirror and sighed. As usual she didn't feel beautiful, she didn't seem worthy and was just counting down the hours until she'd be home again and could lock herself in the confines of her bedroom, giving her mom the excuse that she had homework and had to study.
10 minutes later and she was sat at the kitchen table. ''You gonna eat that?'' Maura asked as she walked toward the kitchen table.
Chloe was in her own little world and didn't realise Maura was talking to her. Maura put her hand on her daughter's shoulder, making Chloe jump. "Sweetie?'' she asked.
''Hmm,'' Chloe replied.
''I said are you gonna eat that ,'' Maura said. ''You okay?'' Chloe sat there fidgeting with the hem on her cardigan, unable to make eye contact with her mother. ''Yeah, I'm okay. Everything's okay. It's okay. I, uh I-I'm just tired is all,''
It was at that moment that Angela came into the kitchen from the guest house. ''Morning guys,'' she said as she poured herself a cup of coffee. Chloe stood up from the kitchen table and walked over to the fridge to get herself a bottle of water.
''Morning Nonna'' she replied, placing a kiss upon the older woman's cheek.
Angela Rizzoli was in every meaning of the word Chloe's Nonna, although there was no relation between them, Chloe had always saw a grandmother in the woman and loved her as though she really was her grandmother. She loved her just as much as she loved Maura's mother Constance, and was really close to her, having known her for most of her life.
Maura smiled as she looked on at her daughter and the elder Rizzoli, she loved the closeness they both shared. And wished herself and Constance shared that closeness when she was growing up. Maura herself thought of Angela as a second mother and knew Angela felt the same, having said many of times that she was like her daughter too. Maura hated to have to end the moment between Chloe and Angela but she had to make tracks and drive Chloe to school before going to work.
''As much as I hate to break this up, but we have to get going Chlo. Wanna get your bag?'' she said, standing by the island.
''Okay Mom,'' Chloe replied, walking back to the kitchen table to get her bag.
Jane walked through the front door. Maura turned to look at her. ''What are you doing here Jane?'' she asked, walking toward the raven-haired woman.
''It's nice to see you too, Maura. Gee. Why do you think I'm here. I'm driving Ma to work, her cars still in the shop. You ready Ma?'' Jane replied, turning to face her mother.
''I'll be in the car Mom,'' Chloe informed Maura. ''See you later Jane.'' She turned around to face Angela. ''Bye Nonna, I'll see you later,''
''Bye honey, I love you,'' Angela shouted. ''I'll be right back, let me just get my bag Jane,''
''What. Ma. No, come on. I haven't got all day. Hurry up,'' Jane shouted.
''For that, Jane Clementine Rizzoli, I'm gonna take my sweet little time getting my bag,'' Angela smirked, leaving for the guest house.
''Well I better go, I'll see you at work?'' Maura said.
''Yeah, see you at work,'' Jane replied.
''Okay, well bye. Don't forget to lock the door behind you,'' Maura replied, as she walked out of the house before going over to the car.
''Sure Maur, lock the door got it. I'll see you at work,'' Jane said.
Chloe's school was 20 minutes away by car, and she made no eye contact with Maura throughout the whole car journey. Instead she just stared out of the window as she listened to her ipod.
Maura pulled up outside St Bernadette's; the all-girl private school Chloe attended. ''This is it, you got everything?''
Chloe just stared at her mother. ''Hmm, yeah. I'll see you later Mom,'' she replied.
Before she could exit the car, Maura pulled her daughter back. ''Sweetie,'' she said, staring at her daughter. ''If something was bothering you, you would talk to me, wouldn't you?''
Chloe stared at her mother. ''What? Of course, I would Mom. Now can I go?''
Maura took her daughter's hands in her own. ''You know you can talk to me right, about anything?'' She informed her daughter.
''Yes Mom, I know. I really gotta go,'' Chloe replied. ''I'll see you later,'' Chloe left the car, and heard Maura saying she loved her but didn't return the sentiment and made her way up the school steps and walked through the doors.