A/N: This is the sequel to A Big Mistake. I hope you enjoy it. I do not own Rizzoli & Isles. I am just a forever fan. That happy privilege belongs to Tess Gerritsen.

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Raising the Babies

Chapter 1

The doctor decided to keep Jane and the babies an extra night due to the unusual circumstances surrounding their birth. Jane was disappointed that she would be away from Maura yet another night but knew it was only for the safety of herself and her babies.

Finally at 2pm, two days after their birth, Jane and the babies were discharged to home with Maura. Maura had scrambled to secure a second car seat of the same safety rating the other one had because they were not aware, when they purchased the seat, that they would be needing a second one.

Jane insisted on riding in the back seat, between Mario and Lucia, because she couldn't stand the thought of the babies being in the back of the car alone.

Maura frequently glanced in the rear-view mirror, even though she knew the distraction could result in an accident, just to see her family. Her family! Maura had to blink back tears when she thought of this. Never did she think that she would be married to someone as wonderful, kind, and loving as Jane let alone be the mother of two beautiful babies. She let out a sigh of contentment.

"Did you say something Maur?" Jane asked from the back seat.

"What? No. I was just thinking how wonderful it is to have a family." Maura said as she brushed a stray tear from her cheek.

Being the detective that she is, Jane didn't miss the movement and reached up, wincing slightly as her stitches pulled, and laid a reassuring hand on Maura's shoulder.

Maura smiled at her in the mirror, acknowledging Jane's silent display of affection and love.

A short time later, Maura broke the silence with "Mario. Lucia. We're home babies. This is where you live with Mama and Mommy. I can't wait for you to see your rooms."

Jane smiled and unbuckled her seat belt as Maura cut the engine of their new Toyota hybrid suv. They decided to get a bigger, fuel efficient car while Jane was still pregnant because they figured they would need more room than Maura's Prius or Jane's Subaru could offer...not knowing that Jane was actually carrying twins. In hindsight, that was a brilliant move on their part. They traded in Jane's car because it was older and not as fuel efficient as Maura's hybrid Prius.

Maura was grinning from ear to ear as she unlatched and carefully lifted the baby carrier, containing a sleeping Mario from the adapter on the seat, then helped Jane out as she pulled the carrier with a sleeping Lucia with her. Once the babies and a still sore Jane were out of the car, Maura reached up and kissed her spouse on the cheek before clutching her hand and leading her family to the house.

Maura was reluctant to release Jane's hand but it was necessary to unlock the door. When she opened the door, Jane was struck with awe at the decorations that adorned every inch of the foyer. She stood there, dumb-struck, as she turned to her wife and grinned that double dimpled grin that Maura loved so much.

"Wow. Thank you." Jane breathed out huskily as a tear slid down her cheek. "This is amazing, Maur. Too bad the babies aren't old enough to appreciate everything you've done."

Maura, eyes dancing with excitement, said "I have an idea. Let's take pictures of the foyer and with the babies, you, and me in here too and put them in their baby books so they can see it when they get older."

"That's a fantastic idea, Maur." Jane said as she set the carrier containing Lucia on the floor and gestured Maura to do the same with Mario so she could give her wife the hug and kiss she deserved for this incredible homecoming.

Jane was about to deepen the kiss when a squeak from somewhere to the right of her shoe caught their attention. Lucia was awake and, from the color of red her face was becoming, gearing up to let out a bellow.

Jane laughed as she shook her head before saying, "So it begins. No more alone time for the Mommies."

Maura, looking at her red-faced daughter with such love and affection that it took Jane's breath away, said, "I would guess so. I'll get her. Why don't you go and get comfortable on the couch and I'll bring her over to you. You still have to be tired, not to mention sore, from giving birth."

Jane, not wanting to admit any weakness but agreeing with Maura 100%, nodded her agreement and shed her coat and shoes as she lumbered to the sofa and gingerly sat down awaiting her now screaming daughter.

Maura laughed as she handed Lucia to Jane and said, "That's one powerful set of lungs she has on her."

"They sure are. Who would have thought that amount of noise could come out of something so small." Jane said as she accepted the screaming bundle. "Is Mario still sleeping? How can he sleep through all this ruckus?"

"Somehow, he is." said Maura as she sat down next to Jane with a sleeping Mario nestled in her arms.

"You don't think there's anything wrong with his hearing, do you?" asked Jane with great concern.

Maura fished in her bag and pulled out the twins medical papers. She flipped through them until she came to the page with Mario's hearing screening on it. She read it carefully and thoroughly before speaking.

"What Maur?" Jane asked, anxiety creeping into her voice.

"Relax, sweetie. It says here that his hearing is just fine. He must be just a very laid-back little guy."

Jane let out a long breath and reached over to stroke her son on his cheek. "Good thing he's laid back because his sister surely isn't."

Lucia was still screaming at the top of her lungs.

"I think she's hungry." said Jane as she lifted her shirt and unlatched the front of her nursing bra.

"I'm thinking you might be right." said Maura as she stroked Lucia flailing hand.

Jane guided her daughter's greedy pink mouth to her breast then winced as the baby clamped down, hard, on her nipple.

"Jane? Are you alright?" Maura asked with concern at seeing the pained look on her wife's face.

"Yeah. I'm alright. She's just got a set of jaws on her. Geez, Maur, she clamps down harder than you do."

Maura let out a gasp of surprise then playfully swatted Jane's shoulder. "I have not and will not clamp down (she made finger quotations in the air) on your nipple. Play with it and tease it, yes, but clamp down on it, no."

Jane laughed at Maura's outraged expression and proclamation. "I'm just kidding, sweetheart, but she seems to have laid claim to them. Seems like you're going to have a fight on your hands to reclaim my boobs."

Maura's eyes grew even rounder and she stumbled over her words before getting out, "Jane Rizzoli! I can't even believe you just said that."

Jane was laughing heartily now then said, "I'm just kidding, Maur. Once I wean her, I'll have to firmly instruct her that Mama's boobies are Mommy's and Mommy's alone and that she was allowed to borrow them for a short time but now she has to give them back."

Maura thought about what Jane had just said and burst into fits of giggles. This was enough to arouse Mario from his nap and he started to fuss.

Luckily, Lucia had fallen asleep after drinking her fill and Jane passed her to Maura to be burped as she hooked one side of her nursing bra and unhooked the other side as Mario was passed to her for his turn to eat.

Maura watched in fascination as Mario gently accepted his mother's nipple into his mouth and began to suckle. "Such a difference in children." she said in wonder. "Lucia is so aggressive, kind of like you Jane, and Mario is so laid back."

"Kind of like you, Maura." Jane said as she placed a kiss on Maura's forehead. "Are you sure you didn't slip one of your eggs inside me when I was sleeping and he is actually yours?"

"Jane. You know that's an impossibility but now that I think about it, he is like me." The thought of one of the twins being like her made Maura smile.

Both babies were fed, burped, changed, and were sleeping in their bassinets in the family room when Maura turned to Jane and asked, "What would you like to do now Mama?"

Jane, who was still recovering from delivering twins in the back of a morgue van, said "Truthfully, I would love to take a shower and then take a nap."

Maura was disappointed because she wanted to resume their kiss from earlier but she nodded her agreement and stood up to help Jane from the couch.

Seeing the disappointment on Maura's face, Jane said "Maybe you could take a nap with me and I will be needing some help in the shower. I still feel a bit weak and I am still sore."

This brightened Maura's smile and she took Jane's hand and lead her to the stairs. "Why don't you head upstairs and I'll bring the bassinet up and put the babies in our room in case they wake up while we are either showering or napping."

"Good idea." Jane said and she captured Maura's lips in a brief but intense kiss before heading up the stairs.

Jane and Maura had showered and were asleep, spooning (Maura behind Jane), for about two hours when they were wakened by the unmistakable cry of Lucia. Groaning, Jane extricated herself from Maura's grasp and shuffled over to the bassinet to retrieve her daughter.

"Hello sweet girl." Jane cooed as she lifted the baby to her chest and shuffled back to the bed. "Are you hungry already?"

As if the baby understood what Jane had asked her, Lucia began rooting with her greedy little mouth at the front of Jane's shirt.

Maura barked out a laugh. "She is definitely your daughter, Jane."

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Jane a bit offended.

"She's very fond of boobs." Maura detested the use of slang terms instead of using medically correct ones.

Jane laughed and said "If she could get from your boobs what she's getting from mine, I'd never need to feed her again."

"Excuse me?" Maura said.

"I'm just saying that once she laid her eyes and lips on the Rack of God (Jane made quotations), she'd never settle for mine ever again."

"Jane!" Maura exclaimed as she slapped her on the shoulder. "That's our daughter you're talking about like that. You should be ashamed."

"I am." Jane tried to sound remorseful but devilment took over. "I'm ashamed that your boobs are so much bigger and nicer than mine. Geez, Maura, I'm breastfeeding two babies and mine still aren't as big as yours."

"Jane. I find your breasts quite appealing. Size isn't everything, you know."

"I know you do, Maura. I guess I like to let you know from time to time how incredibly sexy you are to me. I love knowing that your perfect body belongs to me and only me too."

Maura blushed a deep crimson at the praise from Jane. "Oh, Jane. You know just how to make me have capillary dilation and increased blood flow to various parts of my body."

"Thank you, I guess." said Jane as she glanced down to see that Lucia had fallen back asleep. "Would you mind putting her back in her bed. I need to go to the bathroom and change this diaper of a pad I have to wear."

Maura, still a lovely shade of pink from Jane's compliment, quickly took the baby and placed her back in the bed she was sharing with her brother. "Do you think we should wake Mario so you can feed him as well?"

"Good idea. Why don't you wake him while I...um...tidy myself up." Jane said, this time it was her turn to blush.

Jane returned from the bathroom to find Maura sitting and staring at their son.

"Maur? Is everything alright?" Jane asked.

"Um, yes. I was just looking at him and thinking what an absolute miracle he and Lucia are. I understand how they were created and all that but the fact that two single cells can come together and form these beautiful children still has me in awe."

Jane sat down on the bed beside her wife, leaned her head on Maura's shoulder and thought about what she had just said. "Yeah." Jane said in agreement. "It really is amazing."

"With all those chromosomes, it still fascinates me that both of the children look so much like you. There's no trace of..."

Jane cut her off with a quick "Don't say his name."

Maura nodded then continued, "With no trace of their donor to speak of."

"It is kind of freaky to look at them and see my own face staring back at me. I mean they have my eye color, nose, even the cleft in my chin. If they have my dimples, I think I'll have to spend some time in the bin to sort it all out. Look at Lucia, her hair is already a wild tangle of curls and Mario's little bit looks as if it has a wave to it too."

"They are definitely your children, Jane."

"Our children." Jane corrected.

Maura didn't disagree.

"Why don't you hand our little prince over so I can feed him and get him back to bed so we can resume our cuddling and hopefully napping while they do."

Maura grinned and nodded as she handed the baby to Jane for his turn at nursing.

The new mothers and their children were sound asleep upstairs when the front door downstairs banged open and voices shouted "Welcome home! Where is everyone?"

The sound of the door banging off the wall and the shouting startled Jane and Maura from a deep slumber and instantly caused the babies to scream in protest.

"Well kids." Jane said as she released Maura from her embrace, "Welcome to the Rizzoli family."