Chapter 4

Jane didn't even spin around to look at Maura. She wasn't surprised by her question or that she was home. She lived there and Jane had been expecting her. She felt Maura's eyes trained on her but she kept her focus on her mother.

"Ma, you shouldn't listen to the news. They over sensationalize things."

"Well then tell me how you got that bruise on your jaw?"

Jane knew she wasn't going to get her mother to stop asking for details now that she saw the report on TV. Releasing a sigh she understood that it was now in her best interest to just explain the event to Angela. It would save her a headache in the end.

"I was at the coffee shop to get coffee," she turned to look at Maura for a minute. "I was going for a cup for you too." She let Maura nod in appreciation of the thought. "While I was in line waiting to place my order I noticed the kid enter the shop. Something about him tipped me off. He was nervous. I stepped out of line and sent a message to the guys to send officers. I was able to move closer to the kid and when he went for the gun that he had I was able to subdue him before he was able to do anything."

Jane tried to avoid looking at Angela. She knew what look she had on her face. She had seen it before. A mother's look of pride. She knew just by the tone of Angela's voice she was beaming. What she didn't see was Maura's reaction to Jane telling her story. While Maura was proud of what Jane had managed that morning her look was one of curiosity. She had noticed that Jane was avoiding Angela's glance but she was struggling to understand why.

"Jane! You are a…" Angela was cut off immediately by Jane.

"Ma. We've had this conversation before. No I'm not. I was just doing my job." Jane was stern but not harsh.

Angela knew Jane hated being called a hero. She also knew she shouldn't have started to say the word but she couldn't help herself sometimes. "It's just that you saved all those people. It was like 30 people."

"Don't be like those reporters Ma. It was only 15. And all I did was what was needed in that moment. Any cop who was there would have done the same thing. So let's not make a big deal out of this." She wanted to be done with this conversation.

Maura sensed Jane wanted to change the subject so she interceded. "What are we having for dinner?" It was a weak attempt at a subject change but Maura was hoping it was enough to pull the attention away from Jane. Even if only for a moment.

Jane smiled as she recognized what Maura was attempting to do. "I reheated some lasagna. Ma, would you like to join us for dinner?" Jane made a move to start pulling plates from the cupboard. She was happy for any distraction and a shift of subject.

Angela looked at Jane and knew she was done talking about the coffee shop incident. She sighed but then answered. "No, I can't. I promised Tommy I'd make him dinner tonight. You girls have a nice night though." She turned to leave and as she opened the door she turned back to Jane. "No matter what you want to believe I know what you did today was heroic and I am so proud of you. So very proud. Good night." She left without giving Jane a chance to respond.

Jane stared at the door for a second after it closed. A small smile crossed her face. She knew her mother was proud of her she had never questioned that. Standing in Maura's living room she realized it felt good to hear it every once in a while. "Thanks for the save," Jane said to Maura as she returned to the kitchen to finish setting the table for dinner.

Maura smiled as Jane re-entered the room. "She's your mother Jane. It's natural for her to be proud of you. You should let her tell you that from time to time. I'm going to change. I'll be down in a few minutes."

Maura headed up to her bedroom. She knew Jane had said all she wanted to say about today and Maura wasn't going to push the conversation further. As she made her way up to her bedroom to change she continued to think about Jane. She understood Jane not wanting the press coverage or the public attention but her refusal to let those close to her recognize her deeds still confused Maura. She also didn't understand was why Jane wouldn't let herself acknowledge the good she was responsible for.

When they first became friends and Maura noticed the habit she thought it a confidence issue. But she very quickly dismissed that as she got to know Jane. Jane did not have a confidence problem. So Maura began to wonder if it was simply a humility thing. But over the years she knew there was something more than that. Jane was very humble that was not to be doubted but there was something more imbedded in her constant insistence that she never did anything more than anyone else would have done. But what that was or why Jane never moved from that Maura had yet to figure it out.

About fifteen minutes later Maura was back downstairs. Jane had dinner ready and they sat down to eat. "Sorry it's just leftovers but I thought it would be better than take-out," Jane offered.

"This is fine. I love your mother's lasagna. And you are eating some salad tonight." Maura took her place at the table. She smiled at Jane when she conceded and put salad on both her plate and Maura's. "How does your jaw feel?" she asked with genuine concern.

"A little sore but not too bad. You were right it is just a bruise."

"I'm just glad that you weren't seriously hurt."

Jane nodded an acknowledgement of that comment but didn't expand on the conversation. "Frankie is coming by later with Jo. I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not." She was about to say something else but Jane spoke first. She was a little startled by Jane's tone.

"They are outside my place Maura. I couldn't even go home," she didn't hide her frustration.

"Then you'll stay here. And tomorrow Cavanaugh will get Simmons to pull the press from your home. You know he is furious by now. They might even be gone already."

"They aren't," came Frankie's voice as he was entering the house. Jo was right behind him running free and running straight to Jane. "Sorry Jane but there is still 3-4 reporters hanging out in front of your place."

Jane stood up and took her plate to the kitchen sink. She wasn't really done but she needed something to do in that moment. She needed the distraction. Jo was still near her feet and she looked at Frankie. "Did you walk her?"

"No, I just picked her up and headed over here."

Jane opened a drawer in the kitchen and pulled out a leash for Jo that she kept at Maura's. She bent down connected the leash to Jo's collar. "Come on girl," she said as she took Jo outside.

Frankie turned to walk towards Jane but was stopped by Maura. "Wait Frankie. Let her go. She just needs a minute."

He stood looking at the door for a minute but then retreated back into kitchen. "Does she make it worse when she doesn't talk to them?

Maura thought about that for a minute. "It's difficult to say. There's a chance that if she answered their questions they would stop following her but there's also a chance that if they viewed her as cooperative they would just seek her out more. Her unwillingness to give them anything has usually led them to get bored and give up. That's what has worked for her in the past and it's what her first instinct is now. Whether that is the best strategy I'm just not sure."

"Is she ok?" he asked.

"I think so. The guy hit her this morning but didn't do much damage. The rest seems to just be frustrating her."

"Seems unfair. She does the right thing. Is the hero. But can't even celebrate the win."

"She wouldn't though. Regardless of the press." Maura said it matter-of-factly.

"What?" Frankie asked taken a bit by surprise.

"Frankie, have you ever know Jane to celebrate anything she has ever done? I mean, outside of a beer at the Robber with the guys, have you ever known her to allow for the praise or the celebration?"

He was quiet for a minute. He let himself think through some of the events of Jane's career. And he suddenly realized it. She never took credit or celebrated any of them. She barely accepted the 'good jobs' spoken to her. She had numerous medals and citations but she never displayed them. Never talked about them. "Now that you say that….no."

Maura was about to say something but Jo came running into the kitchen. Jane was right behind the dog. "How was the walk? Did it work?" she asked Jane.

Jane looked at her and knew what Maura was asking. "Yeah, it helped." Sometimes she was amazed at just how well Maura really knew her. She turned her attention to Frankie. "Thanks for getting Jo for me. Do you want a beer?"

Frankie shook his head. "No, I need to get going. I'll see you both tomorrow."

"Alright. Thanks again little brother."

"Good night Frankie," Maura added as she followed Jane into the kitchen. She walked to the fridge and pulled out a beer and handed it to Jane who was leaning up against the island. "You didn't really eat that much earlier. Want me to reheat something or make you something else?"

Jane accepted the beer but shook her head. "No, thanks though. I'm not really that hungry. Sorry for walking out earlier. I just needed some air."

"You never have to apologize to me," she said. "So, we have two options. We can stand here and continue to not talk about this morning or we can head into the living room, watch a movie and just try to relax. The choice is yours."

But as Maura had offered it up to Jane as a choice, she was already making her way into the living room. Jane stood in the kitchen for a moment and couldn't help but chuckle. "Right, the choice is mine," she mumbled under her breath and followed the doctor into the living room. She looked over at a smiling Maura and added only one comment. "No documentaries and no news."

"I can live with that," and she handed the remote to Jane.

R&I

"While there is no official statement our sources have indicated that the detective in question is Homicide Detective Jane Rizzoli."

The television flipped to another channel.

"We are awaiting an official statement to be released by the Boston police department but our sources have been told that it was in fact Homicide Detective Jane Rizzoli who subdued Eggert."

The television flipped channels again.

"Homicide Detective Jane Rizzoli is being named as the person responsible for stopping the suspect, Jackson Eggert. Our sources said witnesses claim Detective Rizzoli singlehandedly disarmed Eggert before anything could happen."

And again the television switched to another station.

"Rizzoli, if you remember was the detective involved in the apprehension of notorious serial killer Charles Hoyt not once but twice. There was also a third encounter with Hoyt in which he was killed after trying to take Rizzoli and Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Maura Isles hostage. Rizzoli is no stranger to heroics. She earned a Distinguished Service commendation for her actions during the siege of the Boston police precinct in which she shot through herself in order to subdue one of the suspects."

The TV was turned off and the remote went sailing across the room crashing up against a wall. Thrown in anger. In frustration. Jane Rizzoli. It was always Jane Rizzoli. Rizzoli this. Rizzoli that. It was never about the victims. It was hardly ever about the suspects. Why was it always about the detective? What was it about the detective that made the media outlets praise her the way that they did? Why was she always the lead? She was always the story.

The detective wasn't as good as people believed. She wasn't a hero. She wasn't perfect. Why couldn't people see that? It was about time the city of Boston got to know the real Jane Rizzoli.