Note: Wow! The response to this story has been incredible. Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed, favourited, or followed. I'm really enjoying this story so far, and I'm hoping to continue posting at least once a week.

Enjoy!

….

It was nearing dawn when Maura and Finn reached the outskirts of Boston. Maura knew that very soon her father would become aware of her disappearance, if he did not already know. When that happened it would become even more unsafe to be driving a car stolen from near the warehouse. Maura knew she would have to dump the car, but glancing over at Finn, who had finally succumbed to his exhaustion and was sleeping against the passenger window, she hesitated. She did not want to put him through the process of stealing another car, nor did she want to go through with stealing another car. She had sworn off crime when she was seven years old, and was extremely unhappy that in order to save her son from a life of crime she had had to commit a few of her own.

Remembering the cash that Dex had pressed into her hand, Maura calculated the distance remaining until she reached the Courthouse, where she knew the US Marshals to be housed. She could not go through the regular channels at the police station, because she knew her father had at least a dozen officers of different ranks and divisions on his payroll. In all likelihood, he had contacts within the Courthouse as well, but only administrative clerks and the like. Nowhere was safe, but the Courthouse was still safer than the police stations.

As Maura focused on calculating the remaining distance and the cost of a taxi, factoring in a tip so as not to draw attention, she debated the risk factor of allowing the safety of her son to depend on a taxi driver. If she gave in and hailed a taxi, they would be at risk of being seen on the side of the road, not to mention the inevitability of the driver later telling her father of where she had asked to go. However it was highly likely that her father would figure out her destination regardless; he was a very smart man after all.

Just as Maura resolved to ditch the car and hail a cab, she saw red and blue lights flash in the rearview mirror and heard the rising wail of a siren. In an instant, Finn sat up straight and looked at her fearfully; living with the mob had conditioned a certain panic to erupt at the sound or sight of law enforcement. Swallowing thickly, Maura removed one hand from the wheel—despite statistical evidence insisting on the 10 and 2 method as the safest—and gripped Finn's hand, whether to comfort him or herself she did not know.

Fully accepting that she could not attempt to evade the police car, which was already quickly approaching, Maura pulled onto the curb, the nose of the car just breaching the entrance to a Denny's restaurant.

As the police officer exited the car, she felt Finn's hand quiver in hers.

"Mommy?"

Maura turned to look at her son, and seeing the tears welling in his eyes, reached over to press her lips to his forehead. Unable to lie, she did not tell him that everything would be alright, for she did not know that it would be. Instead, she held his gaze steady in hers until there was a sharp tap on the window behind her.

Without letting go of Finn's hand, Maura swiveled in her seat and, with her jaw clenched and shoulders tense, rolled down the window to reveal the face of the officer.

"Can I see your license and registration, Ma'am?"

Maura said nothing, and simply returned the officer's gaze. He was younger than she had first thought, perhaps in his late twenties with dark hair and a clean shaven face. His bone structure indicated Italian descent, and his countenance was kind, though that did not preclude him from being on her father's payroll. His name badge read Rizzoli.

Frowning at Maura's lack of response, Officer Rizzoli spoke again. "This car was reported stolen from a warehouse in Pittsfield last night. Do you know anything about that?"

Despite her preparation, Maura had not been able to formulate a plan for what she would say to law enforcement should she be intercepted before reaching the Courthouse. Sighing, she decided to take a chance. She had not, after all, come across the name Rizzoli in her father's records; perhaps he was not on the payroll.

The officer appeared to be growing frustrated, but before he could speak again, Maura cleared her throat. "I stole this car approximately two hours and thirty seven minutes ago."

Officer Rizzoli raised his eyebrows in surprise, this was apparently not what he had been expecting. Gathering her courage, she began the speech she had prepared for the US Marshal. "My name is Maura Doyle, and I am the undocumented daughter of Patrick Doyle, Irish mobster. I wish to escape this life and enter the protection of the US Marshals. I am willing to testify to everything I have witnessed during my time with the mob."

If the officer had looked surprised before, it was nothing compared to how he looked when Maura finished speaking; his mouth hung open and he was looking at her with astonishment. Though Maura abhorred guessing, she was willing to bet that Finn's face bore the same expression behind her. Rule number one of life with the mob: never reveal your identity.

"Officer Rizzoli," Maura began again as the officer firmly closed his mouth and tried to neutralize his expression, "You must understand; my father has many officers on his payroll, and it would not be safe for me to enter the police station. Even now, he has probably risen to find my sleeping place empty and has alerted those he will task with bringing me home. My son and I need to get to the Courthouse as soon as possible."

The officer pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly torn, before nodding and flicking the switch on his radio. Telling the dispatchers to disregard his last report, he looked past Maura and smiled kindly at Finn, who squeezed Maura's hand tightly in response.

"Alright ma'am," he said, returning his gaze to Maura, "I'll take you where you need to go."

….

Note: Okay, so still no Jane, but I promise she'll be in the next chapter.

Please review and tell me what you think, hearing from you folks always makes my day a little brighter :)

Love,

R&D