Raindrops ran down the window, creating streaks through the existing droplets, the overcast skies made it seem like 4:30 pm, rather than the reality of 11 am. Jane Rizzoli gazed contently out the window, the familiar street visible through the streaks on the window was empty, everyone no doubt in their warm homes on this dreary Sunday morning. Jane loved this weather, the fire crackled in the background and she could hear the footsteps of her wife in their kitchen. They grew louder as Maura Isles walked towards Jane who was curled up on the couch with a blanket covering her and their sleeping three-year-old daughter Charlotte Rizzoli-Isles. Looking up, Jane smiled fondly at her wife, accepting the freshly brewed coffee and wrapping her hands around the warm ceramic mug. Maura returned the smile and took a seat next to Jane, covering herself with the blanket, carefully as not to disturb their sleeping child, and snuggled up close to her wife and daughter. Jane wrapped her arm around Maura's shoulders and sipped at her coffee, the hot beverage warming her internally, and smiled softly, gazing over at her wife who now had her head resting on the other woman.
"Wouldn't it be nice if she could be like this all the time?" Jane whispered, "She just looks so peaceful!"
"It would definitely be nice," Maura agreed as she nestled in closely to the pair.
"Wun Bass Wun! Jojo is coming after ooh!" Charlotte mumbled, still in her slumber.
Jane almost spat her coffee as she struggled to suppress her laughter, looking over at Maura, who was silently giggling trying her best not to make a noise, she pulled her arm out from around Maura and wiped the corners of her mouth where coffee had escaped. The house phone's loud ring echoed throughout the large house and Charlotte shifted, visibly disturbed as she awoke.
"I'll get it," Maura offered, sitting upright and walking quickly to the phones insistent ringing.
"Mama can we watch car'oons?" Charlotte mumbled, rubbing her eyes with her little balled fists.
"Of course we can baby," Jane crooned, smiling as she placed her coffee on the table, grabbed the remote and pulled her daughter in closer before turning on the television. Cartoon Network was already on so she popped the remote down and wrapped both arms around Charlotte, kissing the top of her head and inhaling the strawberry scented locks that curled to the small child's shoulders. Maura ended the phone call politely, as always, and returned to the lounge-room.
"That was my mother," She began, "She wants to come around for lunch."
Jane sighed, looking over at her wife who had already begun to hyperventilate. Maura's adoptive mother Constance Isles was the only woman who could cause this effect on her daughter, no matter how close they'd become in recent years, she still couldn't shake the fear of not preparing the perfect dinner.
"Maur', calm down, we have plenty of time! I'll get ma to come over and help!" Jane placed Charlotte next to her on the couch and stood up, "I'll just call her, where's my damn phone?"
Rustling around some papers on the desk, she heard the shrill ring of her cell and grinned, picking it up.
"Rizzoli," Jane greeted the caller with her last name.
"We've got a homicide, I'll text through the address and details. Oh, and Jane," Frost paused, his voice cracked slightly, "You might want to give Charlie to your mom, this could be a long one."
"Yeah, okay, thanks Frost." Jane's eyebrows furrowed together as she hung up and chewed her lip softly in thought. Charlie toddled over to Jane and grabbed at her mothers pajama bottoms, tugging them slightly as she craned her neck up to look at the tall beauty. Something about Frost's voice was making her anxious and her stomach turned over.
"Come on baby, we're taking you to grandma's!" She smiled, scooping up her daughter, "Maura, we got a case!"
Broken china lay shattered over the tiled floor, it's original form being a teacup and saucer. His eyes were closed and his head rested back on the sofa, dried blood trickling down his neck and following his collarbone down to his chest. Mouth taped and wrists bound. A photo of him and his sweetheart facing him on the coffee table he was seated before, a picture of happiness. The scene was chilling, more so than any other murders, especially since the wife was nowhere to be seen. Frost, who's corpse induced sickness had become a thing in the past, was now stifling gags that threatened to bring up the contents of his stomach. Korsak walked around the scene, quietly note taking in his mind between haunting memories. Rizzoli walked onto the scene, tailed by Dr. Isles, and looked at the faces around her, nobody spoke a word when she entered.
"Somebody wanna tell me who died?" she joked lightly, confusion and now worry plaguing her as she cautiously strode over to the victim. Focusing on the victim's identity, she didn't notice the china until she heard a light crunch that made her jump backward and examine the floor. The broken china, bound and lifeless man and a lack of his wife's presence made the detectives face go ashen. "I killed you," she breathed, her knees starting to feel weak as old memories resurfaced, her wife immediately reached her side.
"Jane, he's dead, you killed him, and you watched the life leave his body, this isn't him!" Maura's words were desperately pleading with Jane's racing mind, her eyes trying to connect with the clouding brown ones before her, "Jane!"
Jane refocused herself and attempted to pull an assuring half-smile for her wife.
"I know, it isn't him," her words gave the half-hearted smile no justice as she broke away from her wife and began to slowly survey the area.
It wasn't Charles Hoyt but it was a copycat and Hoyt had unfinished business.
Detective Jane Rizzoli.