Disclaimer. Once again, we don't own anything. :(

Thanks to Joanna for co-writing. Feel free to review.

This is set after the ending of season two, so spoiler alert if you've not seen it yet.

"NO! DON'T YOU TOUCH HIM!"

"I SAID DON'T TOUCH HIM!"

3 weeks later, and Jane still replays that moment in her head. She had never seen a look so harsh on a face not used to holding it. And she hoped she never saw it again.

3 weeks later, and Jane still sees the shooting, the fall and the tears of her best friend happen in slow motion.

3 weeks later, and Jane Rizzoli still wakes up in the dead of night with a start.

It has been 3 weeks since Jane shot Patrick Doyle, and 3 weeks since Maura Isles last spoke to her.

"RIZZOLI, MY OFFICE NOW!" Bellowed Cavanagh.

Jane jumped at her bosses' voice. She hadn't realized she was so out of it, until she noticed she had been reading the same page of a case file for nearly half an hour. Not that the page wasn't important, her brain was just elsewhere. She had opted for reading the file instead of launching it across the room after her 4th ignored phone call of the day. Jane hated being ignored. Sighing internally, she rose from her chair and followed Cavanaugh.

"Sir?" Jane asked, not quite meeting his gaze as she entered his office and sat down.

"I.A. is going to be looking into you. They want to know how you knew Doyle was back."

"Yes sir."

Jane slouched in her chair. She knew that he was going to ask for her badge and gun. She was not however, expecting the next question.

"When was the last time you spoke to Doctor Isles?"

Jane winced.

"I've not spoken to her since I shot…" Jane cleared her throat "…Since the incident sir"

"Oh"

"Oh, what?"

"It's just that I.A has looked into her too, and I need her to know that we are on her side and will help her as much as possible. But the thing is Rizzoli, I've just gotten word that because of her involvement and connection with Doyle all of his cases she worked with be thrown out of court. And the worst part? She may be demoted."

"SHE WHAT?" Jane yelled

"Look Rizzoli, you didn't hear that from me ok? She's on…"

But it was too late; Jane had already left the room and was storming down the stairs to the Morgue.

Pyke was there, re-arranging the scalpels and other tools into a way in which he felt more organized.

"Maura, MAURA!" Jane shouted looking around the hallway and surrounding labs. As she turned towards the autopsy room, she got a flashback of the robbery case they had a few weeks prior. She remembered how hurt she was when she found out the medical examiner had been involuntarily keeping the secret of her brother's accidental involvement from her. Jane was not about to do the same to Maura. She figured she had hurt her best friend more than enough for one lifetime, and she needed to warn her of her impending future.

Jane burst through the double doors.

"Pyke, where's Maura?" Jane demanded. She never had much patience for this man. In her current mood, just the expression on his face was enough to piss her off.

"She's not here Detective."

Jane growled at him. She could plainly see that Maura wasn't in the room. Pulling on the reins of her temper, she gritted her teeth.

"Do you know where she would be?"

"Dr. Isles has yet to return to work after the incident at the warehouse. I'm sure her leave is almost up Detective, and to be perfectly honest, she needs to come back soon. I am drowning in formaldehyde, and this morgue is backed up to the hilt."

Jane started. "What do you mean she hasn't been back to work yet? I know I.A hasn't cleared her or any of us yet, but she would have had to at least show her face to fill you in on her cases."

Now I know you have been ignoring me on purpose, but come on Maura since when do you ignore your job?

"She hasn't been here Detective, I was given strict instructions from the board to immediately take over all of her cases until I.A clearance. Now please, I am trying to work. I know nothing more."

Yeah I bet you do Pyke you pompous ass. You probably suggested yourself to the board to take over her cases. Jane silently seethed as she quickly turned on her heels and stomped back out of the autopsy room and powered up to the main entrance, knocking Frankie askew at the door.

"Love you too sis" he called over sarcastically.

Jane growled again and took the stairs two, three at a time.

She was furious. She was only doing her job. Maura had been avoiding her calls for a week now. She was giving her space after the shooting, but she was sick of being ignored. She was going to sort this thing out once and for all. Grabbing her belongings from her desk, she stormed back out the door to the parking lot ignoring a questioning look from Korsack.

She arrived at Maura's house. She got out of the car and stormed up to front door.

knock knock

No answer

thump thump

"MAURA." Jane shouted.

Still nothing.

"Maura, don't ignore me. I need to talk to you right now!"

She decided to use the spare key Maura had given her for emergencies.

Opening the door, she walked through to the kitchen where she expected to find her friend blatantly ignoring her. But instead she found an envelope with her name on it.

She opened it.

"Dear Jane,

I knew that you would come here looking for me once word got out about my demotion, and the humiliation it entails. I can't take it anymore. I just need a break. From you, from me, from us. You betrayed me Jane. What you did was inexcusable. I'm taking my mother back to Europe to help with her recovery. I don't know when, or even if I will be back.

Sincerely,

Doctor Maura Isles.