Jane walked out of the elevator and down the hallway towards the autopsy room. A single light illuminated a lone examination table, on top of which was strewn a collaboration of files, text books and photographs. Walking through the sliding doors Jane set down the bottle of red wine and the two glasses she had brought down "Jesus Maura, what is all that?" she asked, astonished at the load because as far as she knew the medical examiner was case free.

Maura looked up, startled at the sudden appearance of her friend "Oh, uh, I'm due in court tomorrow and I'm just checking my facts. You know; normal pre-trial stuff."

Jane nodded, accepting this reasoning "Can you afford to take a break from" she paused and attempted to pronounce the first word she saw "Jejunogastic Intussusception? What the hell is that, some kind of chemical?" she asked, laughing.

A smile flickered across Maura's weary face but she simply shook her head "I can't, really, I don't have time. I wanted to reread my description of the wounds sustained before I head home for the night and I'm almost done. Thanks though." She said looking back down at the pictures of a dead body.

This response momentarily stunned Jaen but she quickly recovered and shrugged "I'll be upstairs if you need me." She said "Or if you want to reconsider that drink." She added as she slipped the wine into the fridge, behind a box of something she didn't want to know.

Maura nodded, not looking up from her pictures.

This memory and dozen's like it replayed through Jane's mind and even after she had dissected everyone a dozen times she still berated her self for missing all the signs. She really had let Maura down on this one. She was supposed to be a detective for crying out loud! She was trained to notice the slightest changes in people! Granted, she thought, it wasn't like Maura was stupid or something and Jane had never seen Maura as the type to get into an abusive relationship.

However, she knew from her years of walking a beat, that you can become trapped in an abusive relationship before you know what's going on. Nevertheless she blamed herself for the current situation with Maura getting stabbed and all. Lost in her thoughts she continued to analyze every moment of interaction the two women had had over the past two months as she tried to pinpoint all the flinches, shudders and jumps she had missed. So far she was at over two dozen.How had she even made detective?

Sleep threatened to over come her as she sat, slumped, in the crummy hospital waiting room chairs. All of which were hard, lumpy and old and every time she shifted in her seat sparks of pain radiated through her lower back. Finally it all became too much and she stood up with aloud sigh, gaining her a few strange looks form the other patrons in the waiting room. Taking up pacing from one side of the room to another she tried desperately to think of something else, anything but shooting Donatello or the look of pure and undisturbed terror that she had seen in Maura's eyes.

Suddenly the doors swung open and a short, middle aged woman with curly brown hair and warm welcoming eyes said "Family and friends of Maura Isles?"

Jane turned at once and in two strides she was there, accompanied by Frost who appeared with two cups of coffee in his hands. Taking one of the cups she looked at the nurse expectantly "I'm Doctor Marieb and I was the presiding doctor fir Ms. Isles surgery. I am pleased to say that Ms. Isles made it through surgery and is in the ICU now. However the next twenty four hours are critical although she is basically out of the woods."

"Can I see her?" Jane asked at once

The doctor paused, considering, before nodding "One at a time. Do you wish to know the status of Mr. Marshaw?"

"Sure." She said with no enthusiasm "How is he?"

"Still on the operating table but it looks good. The shots missed his heart by millimeters but still punctured his lungs. I'll keep you regularly updated as I receive them."

"Thanks." Both Frost and Jane said, although Jane could really care less if he survived.

"I'll be back with Ms. Isles room assignment momentarily." Dr. Marieb said and disappeared down a hallway.

Jane took a long sip from the coffee before turning to Frost "What else is going on? I know IAB" (Internal Affairs Bureau) "has got to be all over the situation. "

Frost nodded "You were off duty and had no right to enter Maura's home as you did. To them it's going to seem like you followed Maura home to off Donatello."

Jane flushed with anger "He was beating the crap out of my friend. I didn't barge in there and shoot him" she paused "Well technically I did but he was standing over Maura with a fucking knife clutched in his hands. She was bruised, battered and unable to move! Serve and protect right?" she shouted

Frost laid a hand on her shoulder "Jane." He said, his voice calm and quiet "I'm on your side here, remember that and I believe you. I've been your partner long enough to know that you would never intentionally hurt anyone. Not like this. Just remember that IAB is going to make you tell the story over and over again. They are going to drill you until you would rather scream you're guilty than tell the story over again. When they interrogate you they will make you seem like a criminal but just tell the truth and it should all work out."

Jane nodded and let out a sigh of frustration "You talk like you've been there before." She started "Also I'm sorry for shouting at you, I'm overwhelmed right now with everything that has happened and I'm exhausted. Plus I don't understand how I missed all the signs. I mean how did I miss the bruises and the flinching? "

Frost nodded "It's understandable but remember that Maura is smarter than both of us combined and if she didn't want you, or anyone else, to notice something she probably did a good job at hiding it. Except as time went on it got harder and harder to hide so she slipped up and that's how you found out."

Jane was about to reply when Dr. Marieb returned and said "She's in room 702, follow me."

Both detective's nodded and turned to follow the doctor into the elevator where she stabbed the number seven button. Moments later the doors slide open revealing a dark floor with only the nurses' station lit up. Three nurses sat at the desk chatting quietly or drinking from mugs. Two of them nodded at the doctor as she walked past them while the other waved.

They walked down a long hallway and right at the end the doctor stopped outside a private room and slide the door open, allowing Jane to enter first. Standing in the doorway Jane was stunned at how fragile and tiny Maura looked. She was covered in bruises and cuts while her right arm was in a shining white cast. Not sure of what to do so she simply stood there, transfixed. Then Frost's small push in the small of her back kick started her brain again and she sat down next to her bed. Frost and the doctor left, leaving her alone with Maura.

"God Maura" she started, surveying for the first time the total effects of Donatello "I'm so sorry that this happened." Finding that she couldn't continue she slowly reached out and gently grabbed on of Maura's hands, holding it lightly.

Soon she found her pulse slowing down and her eyelids became heavy and before she knew it she as sucked into the abyss.

A loud slam woke Jane up and she scrambled for her gun before realizing that Frost still had. She looked around and saw Frost entering the room breathing heavily "Korsak just called" he said "IAB is on their way over here and they are pissed."

She looked at him confused "Aren't they always?"

Frost shook his head "Jane seriously, something has them super angry and they are looking for someone to take the fall."

"Donatello-" she began but he interjected

"No, Jane, they are coming here to arrest you."

"Why?"

Silence.

"Frost, why the fu-" she began but the door was slammed open again and two IAB agents entered the room.

They strode over to Jane and one said "Give us you badge and we can take you out the back way. Resist and you can make the morning news."

Dumbstruck Jane complied, handing her badge over too the third officer who entered the room. Then the officer who had spoken pulled out a pair of shiny, metal, handcuffs and grabbed her hands roughly.

"Are those necessary?" Frost asked, behind the arm of the third, hulking agent who was holding him back.

All three turned to look at him and one answered "She shot a man Detective Frost, she doesn't get special treatment because she's a cop."

Jaen opened her mouth to say something but Frost shook his head, the mass of reports out front would love to get their hands on this story and the IAB officers would give it to them. So, without saying a word Jane was lead out of the hospital room where a still unconscious Maura lay still.

Frost pulled out his cell phone and called Korsak "Korsak, IAB just dragged Jane out of here in handcuffs and they gave me a bullshit reason as for why. Something is wrong here, I don't know what but something is wrong."

"Listen Frost, I'm doing everything I can to figure out why they are so upset but so far nothing seems out of the ordinary. Hold on" Korsak said "I just pulled up that Donatello guys record and turns out his father is Judge Marshaw."

"Wait, the Judge Marshaw?" Frost asked, the disbelief etched in his voice.

"Yup. Everything makes sense now. Donatello's daddy is a big time judge and he just found out his kids been shot. Of course IAB is going to bed over backwards for him, just to keep him from taking this to the media."

"Damn." Frost said quietly "Jane should be okay though because she did everything by the book. From what she told me she only approached the house once she heard the sound of braking glass and shouting. Then she didn't enter the premises until she heard a second and third crash at which point she has reasonable suspicion to enter the home. It was done by the book. They can't prosecute her."

"Let's hope so Frost. Let's hope so."

Once again I NEED to thank each and every one of you who sent me a review! You literally made my day. As a note I would like to explain a few things:

-If you do not like the idea of Maura getting abused and all of the things that come with it, yes I am talking about sometimes graphic descriptions of the abuse, then do not read. Or at the very least do not send me reviews telling me to temper down my story. If I must I can add warnings at the beginning of the chapters if that that makes it better.

-I realize that these first chapters have a lot going on and things will slow down there is just some things that need happen before I can slow things down a bit.

Anyway back to what ever I was saying…ah yes my question of the chapter:

Season finale thoughts?

Lastly I will leave you with the note that the next chapter is going to be Jane versus the IAB officers and I think we all know who is going to win that.