"Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned," Jane sat in the confessional, playing with the knee socks just beneath her Catholic school jumper.
"What is it?" Frank's voice whined from the other side. "I'm busy."
"Can't you just listen to me for five minutes?" Jane complained. "You're never there when I need you."
"You don't need me." Jane could faintly make out her father shaking his head behind the wicker screen. "You know what you want and you're gonna do it no matter what I say."
"Pop…I don't…"
"Shhh," he interrupted. "Patriot's game's about to start."
Jane heard him get up and close the heavy wooden door behind him. She sat looking down at her lap, continuing to pull at the hem of her socks, until the door in front of her opened. She looked up to find Maura kneeling in front of her, smiling as she reached out and traced the sides of her face, paying extra attention to her sharp cheekbones. Jane leaned forward a little, unable to stop herself from moving closer, until Maura threw her arms around her and buried her face against her chest. Jane returned the embrace, running her fingers through the strawberry blonde tresses beneath her chin, relishing in their silkiness, breathing in the amber aroma that had been teasing her for years. All she could do was move her fingers through the hair, frozen, heart pounding, threatening to give her away.
Jane's eyes slowly opened, seconds before she realized her fingers were still moving through the golden, silky locks. Maura had pressed herself up against the side of her, as she was apt to do when they slept in the same bed. Her head rested firmly against Jane's right shoulder, and despite the slight pains that shot through to the scars in her back, she didn't dare move. She did, however, stop moving her fingers and pull them away from Maura's head, taking a very slow, very silent breath.
"You can keep doing that," Maura mumbled sleepily, startling Jane a bit. "It feels good."
Jane felt like tiny sirens were going off all over her body, alarms signaling she needed to stay in control. She shook it off and pulled away painfully, making sure Maura's head fell gently against the pillow.
"I should go home and get ready for work."
"You can shower here," Maura whispered groggily. "Borrow clothes."
Jane sat on the edge of the bed and looked back at her, narrowing her eyes and smirking.
"When have I ever borrowed your clothes?"
"Never hurts to try," Maura smiled.
"Well you can keep trying," Jane stretched as she stood. "I prefer my own style, thank you very much."
"Suit yourself," Maura yawned as she rolled over on her side. "What about the baby?"
"What about him?"
"I thought you wanted to help."
"Yeah, well, somebody's gotta start dealing with reality here," Jane argued. "I'm sure the two of you can handle him while I go put the BOLO out on Lydia."
"You're right," Maura acknowledged as she sat up. "I'll be there in an hour or so."
"See ya," Jane didn't look back at her again as she headed for the door.
Maura continued to sit in bed, staring after where Jane had gone. She slowly brought her own fingers to her scalp, rubbing gently where Jane had trailed between her blonde waves. She lay back down against the pillow, closed her eyes, and smiled.
"No sign of Lydia Sparks anywhere in the Metro-area," Frost reported.
"Nothing?" Jane sat on the edge of his desk and looked over his shoulder at the computer. "Damn."
"Her mother hasn't seen her in a week," Korsak chimed in. "Not sure how coherent her perception is though. She's pretty far in the tank.
"We've gotta keep looking," Jane shook her head. "Put out an APB to all surrounding states."
"She obviously doesn't want to be found, Jane," Korsak noted. "Someone who's willing to leave their child on a doorstep is probably willing to go to great lengths to disappear. I don't understand how anyone can do it, especially a mother."
"Not every woman's cut out to be a mom, Korsak," Jane argued.
"It's a shame," he grumbled. "Thankfully the kid's got you guys. Especially Angela. Now there's a woman who was destined for motherhood."
"Right now I think she's working on sainthood," Jane agreed.
The three cops looked up as they heard heels clicking towards them, signaling Maura's arrival. Jane tried not to show any reaction as she watched the Chief Medical Examiner stalk towards them in her red, form-fitting blouse and black leather skirt. Jane was convinced Maura could make a muumuu look good, but she was always excited to see whatever towing-the-line-of-professional ensemble the blonde would put together next.
"Any sign of her?"
"Nothing," Jane told her.
"In the meantime, I suppose we could run a DNA test. If you can get Tommy here, I can have it done this morning."
"Where's the baby?" Jane asked.
"Downstairs. With your mother."
Jane's eyes went wide.
"She brought him to work!?"
"You have to see this," Maura smiled. "It's incredibly cute."
Jane rolled her eyes and followed Maura into the elevator. When they got to the café, she could not believe the sight behind the cash register. Angela Rizzoli was right in the center of all the action, ringing up customers while running back and forth between the kitchen and the dining area, serving people their breakfast with an infant strapped to her chest in a red and blue checkered scarf she had fashioned into a sling.
"Ma!" Jane whispered loudly. "What are you doing?"
"What?" Angela responded. "I had to come to work, and I couldn't just leave him with anybody. I can be a working grandmother! There's nothing wrong with it."
"Oh really?" Jane looked at her skeptically. "What does Mr. Stanley think?"
"He thinks it's not great, but what's he gonna do? Fire me? He can't keep up with all these people by himself. Meanwhile, I can take care of all-a-them and a baby. Men really are handicapped when it comes to multi-tasking, I tell you what."
Maura was in an absolute giggle fit. Jane glared at her as the M.E. tried to get herself under control.
"Angela," Maura finally cleared her throat and spoke. "We need a strand of the baby's hair so we can do a paternity test."
"Oh, of course!" Angela stopped pouring coffee for a minute and offered her chest to Maura so she could get to the infant. "Just don't hurt him! His little head is so soft."
"I won't," Maura promised as she pulled the hair gently. The baby didn't budge.
"Is Tommy coming? What if it's…" Angela trailed off, unable to speak the words she feared the most.
"Let's try Tommy first," Jane cut in. "Process of elimination. If it's not him…then… we'll move to the next step."
"Okay," Angela sighed. "Let me know as soon as you find out."
The two younger women nodded and made their way back up to the lab.
"Congratulations!" Maura beamed at Tommy, who was leaning against an autopsy table with his sister as they waited for the results. "He's yours!"
Jane grabbed her brother and gave him the biggest hug she had ever given him, fueled more by relief than anything else.
"Thank god," she sighed. "Tommy, you're a daddy! How do you feel?"
"Okay, I guess," Tommy looked a little baffled. "Kinda weird."
"You should name him," Maura insisted. "We can't call him 'Baby Rizzoli' forever."
"I don't know," Tommy shook his head. "Shouldn't Lydia do that?"
"Tommy," Jane put her hand on her brother's shoulder. "Lydia might not want anything to do with him. We're still trying to find her, but he may end up being your responsibility. With a lot of help from mom, of course."
"God, I hope so," Tommy looked like he might pass out. Maura tried to steady him from the other side. "I don't know if I'm ready for this, but, I guess I got no choice."
"Everyone has a choice," Maura assured him. "Lydia chose not to be here for your son. But you're here. That's the first step to being a good parent."
Tommy appeared to be thinking for a few minutes. Maura looked at Jane, who smiled back, still a little worried, but happy to finally have an answer.
"How about Nicholas?" Tommy finally suggested. "Nico for short."
"Why Nico?" Jane asked.
"I dunno. I just like that name."
"Then Nico it is," Maura smiled.
Just then, Jane's phone rang.
"Rizzoli," she answered. "Be right there. Maura, we got a body down by Fenway. Tommy, go tell mom the good news."
As much as the two women wanted to be there when Angela found out Nico really was her grandson, they knew they'd have plenty of time to see her gushing later. Right now, duty called.