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lyrics in this chapter: Travis Tritt - Anymore

Chapter 2

The news of the shooting travelled fast and by the time Jane and Maura made it back to BPD Headquarters every cop in the city knew. When they walked into the lobby Jane immediately noticed Angela hovering by the door. She tried to grab Maura's arm and direct the doctor away from her mother's prying eyes but it was already too late.

"Jane!" Angela called out. "Maura!"

Maura's head snapped up. She'd barely spoken during their drive back to the station. Jane had insisted they'd leave the crime scene immediately, leaving the search for the sniper in the hands of Korsak and Frost. Maura hadn't protested but as Jane drove her back to BPD she could tell that what happened played on Maura's mind. From the corner of her eye she'd watched her fidget, picking nervously at her fingernails. It was so unlike Maura, who was normally calm and composed. Jane had considered asking her what was going through her mind but every time she opened her mouth to speak she fell silent again, telling herself that if Maura really wanted to talk, she would have said something by now.

"Frankie told me what happened," Angela said as she wrapped her arms around a confused looking Maura.

From where she stood Jane noticed the discomfort etched across Maura's face. Maura wasn't a hugger and although she had let Jane hug her in the past, she wasn't the type of person who let others go near her. Maura's distant and reserved attitude sometimes made her appear cold but Jane knew better.

Angela let go of Maura, her eyes scanning the younger woman's face in a way only a parent could. "Are you okay?" she wanted to know. She now gently cupped Maura's cheek, caressing her the way a mother caressed a child that had fallen of its bike and had come home with a bruised knee. "You want me to fix you something?"

Maura shook her head. "I'm fine, Angela," she said softly.

Jane could see the hives begin to form. Maura lied. Without speaking she took Maura's hand and looked at her mother. "We're fine," she reassured her mother. "I'm just going to take Maura back to her office so she can gather her thoughts before she has to give her statement, allright?"

Angela smiled half-heartedly as Jane led Maura towards the elevators and pressed the 'down' button. She felt eyes burning into their backs and she looked over her shoulder, sending a dark glare to anyone who as much as dared to glance in their direction. Maura's shoulders had dropped and she protectively wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer. The elevator doors opened and they stepped inside. Once the doors had slid shut Jane finally looked at Maura and found the doctor looking back at her.

"You're not allright, are you?" she asked softly and Maura shook her head.

Quiet tears suddenly slid down her face and Jane enveloped Maura in her arms. Softly she kissed her hair, like she had done right after the shooting, and held Maura close. She could feel her shaking and her grip instinctively tightened. She would give anything to make the way Maura was feeling go away.

"Why did this happen?" Maura asked through her sobs.

"We'll deal with the why later," Jane answered. "Right now we need to make sure that you calm down enough to give your statement. You know Cavanaugh will want to talk to you, right?"

Maura nodded. "Someone shot at us at a crime scene. I know."

"Okay." Jane smiled into Maura's hair.

She'd asked herself the question 'why' ever since the shot rang out. She knew why. Their victim, Mickey O'Donnell, was a known mob boss and enemy number one of Paddy Doyle, Maura's mob boss biological father. Ever since the information about Maura's family tree had become known to the press, there had been several stories in the papers. Every time an article was printed where a crime was linked to Paddy Doyle or one of his men, Maura's name would creep up. The fact that the Chief Medical Examiner of Massachusetts was the daughter of a criminal was out there for the world to see.

When they first found out Doyle was Maura's father the concern for Maura's safety had been on Jane's mind every waking moment. They'd managed to keep it quiet until the shooting at the warehouse. After Jane shot Doyle, the information became public knowledge and even the subject of an inquiry. Maura had been scrutinized in ways Jane had found disgusting, with every defence lawyer in court questioning her loyalty to the Boston Police Department.

Doyle's trial had been in all the papers and Maura had been there for the largest part of it. Her picture had been taken every day she walked in and out of the courthouse and Jane's testimony in court had been analysed by journalists working for the most respected newspapers as well of those working for the trashy tabloids who cared more about sensation then news. When Hope Martin took the stand and told her story, the media interest only intensified when it emerged that she was Maura's biological mother. But now that the trial was drawing to a close and they were awaiting the verdict, it seemed the media vulchers had found someone else to pick on.

Everyone in the Boston underworld knew that the way to get to Doyle was to get to his family. It had worked when they killed his son Colin and it would work again. Hurting his family was the way to either get Doyle to talk or to shut up.

The elevator doors opened again and revealed the corridor leading to the morgue. Maura stepped out and Jane followed her. The sound of their footsteps sounded hollow against the lino flooring and when they passed the morgue on the way to Maura's office, Jane noticed Maura stopped outside the doors and peered through the small window. She quickly caught up with her and took her hand. Maura turned around and looked at Jane.

"Maura," the dark haired detective said as their gazes locked. "No."

Maura arched an eyebrow in surprise and her hazel eyes looked up at Jane. "No?"

Jane's face reflected a hardness Maura wasn't used to. The detective's features were dark and she now stepped closer to the door to stop Maura from trying to go inside.

"Get someone else to do it."

"You mean Pike?" Maura looked at Jane in disbelief. "You want me to call that pompous ass?"

"I don't care if you have to call that drunk Russian guy and get him to do it," Jane said and pushed Maura away from the doors leading to the morgue. "You are not doing this autopsy."

"But why?"

"Why?" Jane questioned. "Someone tried to kill you at a crime scene today because of that guy, Maura. That's why!"

"Don't you think that that's what they'd want me to do?" Maura challenged. "They're trying to scare me, Jane."

"And it worked!" Maura's face fell and Jane could tell she'd hit the nail on the head. "Maura, let Pike handle this autopsy. Whenever Doyle was involved you've always called in help to prevent anyone from questioning your integrity in court. This is no different."

Maura heaved a sigh. "I guess you're right."

"You guess?" Jane chuckled. "Really?"

"Jane…"

Jane smiled. "C'mon," she said as she led Maura away from the doors and in the direction of her office. "Let's go through what happened before Cavanaugh comes to take your statement. He'll want mine too and…"

She was cut off by her phone vibrating. She took it and looked at the caller ID. It was Frost.

"Hey Frost," she said and Maura's eyes snapped up. "You got anything?"

"We checked the roof of the building the shot was fired from. Nothing. Not even a casing."

"So the shooter must have taken it with him after he fired the shot. Did you find the bullet?"

"CSU dug it out of a wall two feet from where you were standing and sent it to Ballistics," Frost answered. "Hopefully they'll be able to tell us exactly what type of gun was used. How did you even see that coming? The shooter was more than fifty feet away."

"The sun reflected of the rifle," Jane answered and rubbed the back of her head. The moment she'd seen the gun played over and over again in her head. The sound of the shot still rang in her ears and it sent shivers down her spine. "I don't even want to think about what would have happened if I hadn't." She heaved a sigh and looked at Maura. She stared at the floor. "Did CSU find anything else?"

"They're still dusting the roof for prints but I doubt they'll find anything. We found some markings on the edge though. Looks like something scraped against it."

"Could be the gun," Jane wondered out loud. "He may not have had a stand to rest it on. Some snipers prefer not to use it."

"You think this is a mob hit?" Frost asked.

"Yeah," Jane replied. "Someone lured O'Donnell to Southie. Someone he trusted, otherwise he would never have gone. Doyle may be in prison but his men still rule those streets. But if you ask me, O'Donnell's death was a way to lure us out to that scene. Everyone knows about our connection to Doyle and everyone knows Maura's his daughter."

"Korsak wants to speak to you," Frost said and Jane heard some crackling before recognising her old partner's voice.

"Is Doctor Isles allright?"

"A little shaken but she's fine," Jane said.

"I just spoke to Cavanaugh. He said the statements can wait. He's more concerned about Doctor Isles' safety."

"Cavanaugh thinks they'll come back?"

"Jane, this was an organised hit. Someone went through a lot of trouble to get Doctor Isles out to that scene."

Her heart sank. A heavy feeling settled in her stomach and Jane's eyes fell shut. The true extent of what had happened, or was still happening, hit her like a ton of bricks. "You think they'll try again?"

"These guys don't give up easily," Korsak said. "Cavanaugh says to take Doctor Isles home and wait for further instructions."

"Further instructions?" Jane asked and furrowed her brow in confusion. Maura now looked at her with questioning hazel eyes. Jane could see the concern across her face. "What do you mean?"

"Just do as he says, Jane."

"Okay," Jane sighed. "I'll call you later." She hung up and looked at Maura. "Cavanaugh wants me to take you home."

"Why?" Maura wanted to know. The tremor in her voice betrayed her fear. "Jane, what's going on?"

"Cavanaugh seems to think that whoever tried to shoot you at the crime scene won't hesitate to try again."

Maura's eyes welled up with tears. "Jane…"

Jane quickly closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around Maura. "I know," she whispered softly into her ear. She stroked Maura's hair. "I'm so sorry, Maur. I'm so sorry this is happening."

"I should have known it would happen one day," Maura sighed and a lonely tear trickled down her cheek. She rested her head against Jane's shoulder, reassured as she felt the detective's fingers thread her hair. Jane's heart beat steadily in her chest. Maura could feel it. "Doyle told me that he had to keep my existence a secret. It was why he told Hope I was dead. He knew that once people knew I was alive they would try to kill me."

"They're not going to kill you, Maur," Jane promised. She slipped her fingers under Maura's chin and gently lifted it up, forcing the smaller woman to look up at her. The intensity of Jane's coffee coloured eyes made Maura's heart skip a beat. "Anyone who tries to hurt you will have to go through me first."

Maura didn't answer. She just smiled through her tears as Jane planted another kiss on her hair. She knew this wasn't the right moment to relish in how Jane wrapping her arms around her made her feel but she couldn't help it. There didn't seem to be a safer, warmer place right now. She wasn't the type of person who needed someone to protect her. She had looked after herself since she was a little girl but Jane wanted to protect her. Maura didn't need her to do it but Jane wanted to and Maura knew what it meant to Jane so she let her.

"I'll take you home," Jane said and she and Maura slowly walked away from the morgue towards the elevator.

They rode the elevator back up to the lobby and they made their way through the lobby and out through the main entrance. Jane had parked her sedan in front of the building when they retuned form the crime scene and she now held the door to let Maura into the passenger side. She closed it once Maura was in her seat, circled the vehicle and climbed into the driver's seat. She stuck the key in the ignition and the engine came to life. The radio kicked in at the same time and immediately switched to the country station Jane had been listening to earlier that morning. A warm male voice filled the car.

"…My heart can't take the beating, not having you to hold. A small voice keeps repeating deep inside my soul, it says I can't keep pretending I don't love you anymore…"

Jane quickly turned the radio off and looked at Maura. She was staring out of the window, an absent look in her eyes.

"You want to call Hope?" Jane asked carefully.

Maura shook her head. "No," she answered. "Hope text me two days ago saying she and Cailin were going to London for three weeks."

Just as Jane was about to pull out of her parking space her phone vibrated again. She glanced down at the caller ID and sighed. "It's Casey."

"You should answer it," Maura said softly.

Jane shook her head and pressed the call away before dropping the phone back into her pocket. Dark eyes briefly found Maura's. "It can wait."

They drove from BPD Headquarters to Maura's house in Beacon Hill. Traffic was on their side and all the lights seemed to change to green when Jane approached. The radio continued to play old school country songs and Jane's fingers absentmindedly drummed along to the rhythm of Dolly Parton's 'Jolene'.

After twenty-five minutes she pulled up on Maura's drive and the two women got out of the car. Maura found her keys at the bottom of her purse and unlocked the front door. She caught Jane's eye just as they stepped inside and she locked the door behind her, resulting in an approving smile. They walked into the kitchen and Maura dropped her purse on the island. She then turned to Jane and watched as the dark haired woman walked straight to the fridge and opened it in the search for a bottle of water.

Jane hadn't said anything but Maura knew her phone had vibrated three more times on their way here. Every time Jane had refused to answer and although Maura hadn't seen the caller ID, she suspected it was Casey.

Jane took a large gulp from the bottle she'd taken from the fridge without bothering to find a glass in the kitchen cupboard. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and then reached into her pocket for her phone. The screen said she had four missed calls. All were from the same person. She sighed, feeling irritation settling in the pit of her stomach as she looked down at Casey's name. She then scrolled through her contacts to look for Cavanaugh and hit the 'dial' button. Almost immediately the phone was answered.

"Rizzoli?" he asked.

"It's me, sir," Jane confirmed.

"You took Doctor Isles home?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good." There was a brief pause. "Here's what I want you to do. Get Doctor Isles to pack a bag, then wait for Vince to pick you up."

"Pick us up?" Jane asked and Maura looked up in surprise. Neither of them understood what was happening. "Sir, what exactly is going on?"

"I'm sending Doctor Isles and you to a safe house until this whole thing is solved."

"What?" Jane exclaimed. "But sir, I want to…"

"No buts, Rizzoli. I want someone with Doctor Isles at all times and I can't think of anyone I trust with that job more than you," Cavanaugh interjected. "Vince will pick you up and drive you to the address. The Drug Unit has offered us one of their places. Your mother lives with Doctor Isles, right?"

"Yes…"

"Is there anywhere else she can stay? I can arrange for her to be moved to a hotel…"

Jane felt the back of her throat become dry. Things were spiralling out of control rapidly. She'd been scared and worried after the shooting but it seemed Cavanaugh was even more concerned then she was. Her heart was racing in her chest and suddenly the palms of her hands had become sweaty. The knot in her stomach tightened.

"She has a cousin she can stay with," Jane said softly.

"Okay," Cavanaugh said. He sounded resolute. "Keep your head down, Rizzoli."

When he hung up Jane was left staring at her phone. The whole situation seemed surreal.

"Jane?" Maura asked. "What did he say?"

"Cavanaugh is moving you to a safe house," Jane said and she looked up at Maura.

"No!" Maura said sharply. "Jane, I am not leaving my own home. If I allow them to frighten me like this then they've won!"

Jane shook her head. "Maur, you don't have a choice. Cavanaugh wants you to go." She swallowed hard. The lump in her throat didn't shift. She realised it was fear. Suddenly she was terrified. "He seems to think that whoever tried to kill you will come back. It isn't difficult to find out where you live."

"We don't even know if this is about Doyle!" Maura exclaimed. "It may not even have anything to do with my father."

"You want to sit around here and wait to find out?" Jane retorted. She sighed. "Look, if it makes you feel any better, Cavanaugh decided I'm staying with you till this whole thing is over." Her eyes found Maura's and she could see the doctor relax a little. "Not some rookie uniformed officer or grumpy old detective you don't know. It's just going to be me and everything's going to be fine."

"Okay," Maura sighed reluctantly. "But who's going to look after Bass?"

"I'll get Frankie to take him to my apartment. He can look after him and Jo Friday," Jane said and placed her hand on Maura's arm. "It's only going to be for a couple of days."

Maura looked at Jane. "You think?"

"Yeah," Jane smiled. "This will be over before you know it."