AN: My favourite pairing of Maura and Jane is that of best friends / sisters. Their relationship in this story will be based on friendship, more or less the same vibe than what you would see on the series.
Dr. Maura Isles is exhausted, but she looks around the room with great satisfaction. She just moved to Boston to take up the Chief Medical Examiner's position. It took her days to settle into her new home and she enjoyed the end result of her efforts.
"Hello, Maura." A gruff voice greets from behind unexpectedly.
The unexpected presence of another is enough to scare any normal person, but Maura does not even flinch. For one, she is not your normal, average person. Secondly, as she was growing up she got used to the unexpected, unannounced visits of her biological father.
"Daddy!" She excitedly hugs Patrick Doyle. He was part of the reason why she moved back to Boston in the first place. She hopes that this move will mean that she will see him more often.
"I told you to stay in San Francisco." Doyle does not sound friendly, he never does, but the hand rubbing her back remove any sting from his comment. Not that Maura would be cautious of his tone. She knew she had him wrapped around her little finger. Patrick Doyle was never anything but a loving father to her. Doyle adored his daughter and spoiling her was his biggest privilege.
Maura gives him her best toothpaste advertisement smile. "This is a great opportunity, Daddy. The students just frustrate me and I always wanted to be a Medical Examiner. Mother insisted that I should try an academic career and I obliged her. Now she had to oblige me in actually being a pathologist."
Doyle sighs: "I can imagine that your parents were not very enthusiastic about this move."
"It is my life and I can live it as I please." Maura shrugs.
As Doyle did not know. Ever since Maura announced that she was offered the Chief Medical Examiner's position, he and her adoptive parents tried to convince her otherwise. Constance even went as far as to remind Maura that the family residence is located in the West Coast. Maura countered that the Isles' spent most of their time in Europe and that it is easier to travel there from the East Coast. Besides the Isles had residences in Boston and New York.
The sudden interest in Maura's life from her adoptive and biological parents should have raised questions. Frankly, Maura was just too glad that they seem to care. She took their advice under review, but still acted as she saw fit. She preferred the East Coast, she spent many happy years there and this was the opportunity she was hoping for. So her adoptive father bought her a house, her mother hired a decorator and Maura spent the last week to turn these gifts into her home.
She didn't expect to see her biological father that soon though. "What do I owe this visit?"
"Do I need a reason to see my daughter?" Doyle asked incredulously.
"I suppose not." She smiled. She generally only sees him when she reached milestones. Perhaps moving back to Boston is after all a milestone in his eyes.
"We need to talk." Doyle sounded like an old man all of a sudden.
"About what, Daddy?" Maura asked curiously.
"Maura, why do you think I gave you to Constance when you were a baby?"
"Well, you always said my birth mother was a young student and not ready to raise a baby."
He smirked: "That's true, but many women raise children while studying. I could have married her, I could have supported you. My family could have brought you up."
Maura's face turned hard, she never really considered this before. She was satisfied to be an Isles and to see her biological father occasionally. It did upset her to not know who her biological mother was, but did not really fight it. Maura was not a fighter, she hated conflict.
She sits, fold her arms and raise an eyebrow: "I am listening."
Doyle sits down as well. He has seen many things, he has done many things, but this was always his biggest fear. He feared the day that he had to tell the apple of his eye who and what he was.
"I am known as the Enforcer, Maura. I am the head of the Irish Mob and on the FBI's most wanted list."
"What?" Maura exclaimed.
"My father would have killed you and your biological mother if I had raised you myself. To keep both of you safe, I had to give you up."
"And she agreed to it?" Maura asks disgustedly.
"She thinks that you are dead."
"You . . . You . . ." Maura is at a loss for words and she starts crying.
"I am sorry." Doyle really means it.
"That is a conflict of interest. I cannot take the job." Maura sobs.
"I have been dormant for a number of years. Nobody, but your parents, knows that I am your biological father. Nobody knows that I have a daughter. You will be safe and I swear that I will not make my mess your mess. You can be objective and do your job to the full of your ability. I was thinking about retiring in any case."
Maura looks up, seeing a sliver of silver on a very dark cloud. She gave a weak smile, but his next words soon wiped that smile from her face.
"But I need your help."
"No, I don't want to have anything to do with this!" Maura snaps.
"It is not what you think." Patrick defended. "Just listen."
Maura raises her eyebrow, but obliges.
"I want to dismantle the family business, Maura. You can't teach an old dog some new tricks. The new dogs that are around could be even worse than the old dog. When I am out of the way, somebody worst can take over. The Doyles are quite resourceful, with some police officials and even some DA's and judges on our books. We do not want all that power to be abused."
"Dad" Maura sighs: "That is not power, it is corruption."
Patrick smirks: "Call a rose by any other name." He held up his hand before Maura could argue. "Point remain, we don't want the officials on our books getting to the wrong hands. Then I also have good men, some of the best in the field. They are trained well, but we don't want them to get bored or left up to their own devices."
Maura thought about it for a moment. Patrick had some good points, but she learned a long time ago that he was a fox. If she did not want to be roped into something, she had to play her cards well.
"I am listening." She indicates that he can continue.
"So, when I retire, I need to keep them occupied. I thought about it a lot this last few years and I think we need a merger. I am going to need your help for that."
Maura is stunned: "I am the Chief Medical Examiner for the Common Wealth of Massachusetts, I cannot take part in any criminal activity."
"I will never ask you to do anything illegal, Maura. It is just, we need somebody to help with the negotiations you know. The group I have in mind is really good guys, they are fighting a good battle." Doyle spoke fast, hoping to keep Maura listening.
"Good guys? But they are involved in organised crime?" Maura was very naive, but she know the difference between right and wrong.
"You make it sound so horrible –"
"It IS horrible!" Maura interrupts Doyle.
Doyle continues as if there was no interruption. "The Rizzoli Bro's are more like avenging angels. They live by a code and are really the protectors for vulnerable woman and children. They protect those that are at the mercy of the bastards that should be their protectors."
This is a sensitive issue for all women and Maura is no exception. It is a crime against humanity that women and children are still abused, raped and at the mercy of their husbands and fathers. Doyle senses her demeanour changing.
"They apparently had a little sister, who was pinned to the floor by a fucker with scalpels through her hands. The police shot him, but not before he had his way. He came after her again. She escaped, but somebody fucked up and he came a third time. She disappeared and the Rizzoli Bro's held him accountable. They then started prosecuting fuckers like him. No-one in South Boston will dare to look at his wife or child the wrong way. They are funded by politicians to prevent the Bro's from sharing their darkest secrets with the world."
"What is your plan, Dad?" Maura asks in spite of herself.
"We can work together maybe. The police care, but they can't be everywhere."
Maura laughed unbelievingly. "Dad, I have seen the Godfather. The Italians stick with the Italians."
"It is a new world, Maura. There is no rule that the Irish and the Italians can't work together."
"And your men will be happy to apprehend paedophiles and those who rape? That will keep them from violence and murder."
Doyle does not even look guilty. "Yes, they are good men. They hate fuckers like that."
Maura give up all resistance. It sounds like a good cause and she knows that there are so many abusers getting away just because the government doesn't have the resources to fight them. If she can convert the Irish Mob in a salvation army for woman and children, why should she resist. "What do you need me to do?"
Doyle smiles at her. "Not much. Come have a pint at my pub when you are settled in. The Rizzoli's would contact you soon enough. You will offer them some funding and then my lieutenant would take over."
Maura thinks about this. It seems harmless enough; she is only going to be the messenger after all. It was for something good in any case. She always loved charity work and here she would also help closing down the Irish Mob. Maura looked at Doyle. She does not know him very well, but she does not want to see him in prison. He wants to change. Can she deny him?
"Okay. I will offer the funding, but then I am done."
AN 2: Irish Mob meets Italian Mob. Of course there are three Rizzoli Brothers, no prizes if you know who the third one is. And yes, Maura is more than just a tad naive here or is she?
This story is about Rizzoli Vigilantes, the battle between good and evil, legal and illegal. With a very blurry line in between.