As promised... a new chapter for my wonderful readers 24 hours after the previous one! I can't tell you how delighted it makes me reading all of your reviews and logging in to my email account to find out a huge amount of people have been ticking the box to follow and favorite. You are truly amazing. Thank you so much.

With that said, I hope you enjoy this chapter. As you can see it's entitled "Maura Isles" because it is a chapter that let's us in a little into our favorite doctor's head. We'll gain some perspective now of who she is. I hope you have as much of a nice time reading as I had writing it. If you have some time to spare, please, leave me some feedback after you're done reading. I love hearing from you and what you're thinking.

Oh. Also, I've realized some of you are very interested in knowing why Jane has left BPD. I haven't written it yet but so far, in my mind, I have two grand reasons for that. It will come up in this story eventually so don't worry because you'll find out why in due course.

Enjoy.

Chapter 4: Maura Isles

Maura sat in her office staring at the big frame on the wall right in front of her. A tear slipped down her cheek as she focused on the face depicted in it and her thoughts traveled automatically back to her children.

My children.

Maura shook her head. She didn't deserve to be anyone's mother. She didn't know how to be anyone's mother and deep down she knew she had become just like her own – Constance. The blonde woman took a deep breath. She had turned out fine, she was smart, accomplished and brilliant at her job, she was wealthy, had a nice house and smart, beautiful kids. Yes, she had turned out fine.

The doctor scratched her neck as an itchy discomfort started to make itself noticed.

Liar.

She had turned out far from fine. Maura Isles was a nobody; Maura Isles had no friends, no life outside of work, her children suffered from anxiety, Charlotte had stopped talking as precociously and prodigiously as she had started and the only long, serious relationship she had ever had, had been a plot of a cunning man to have her last name and be able to use it as he pleased to climb in life effortlessly. Garrett had been a disappointment. He had used her, taken advantage of her social ineptitude and lured her in. She had been a fool, thinking someone could love her true self and had fallen hard for the man. Once they were married and he was officially Garrett Isles he stopped caring. Their relationship had become a facade for everyone and soon they were using each other for sexual gratification only. They no longer spoke, they no longer shared a bed or a meal, and they no longer went out to have fun together. Garrett was too busy building his empire and Maura too focused on running her hospital and foundations. They would meet when fate decided, have their releases and part. None of them was interested in the other, it had just become convenient and easy.

Maura Isles was a sad excuse of a human being and life had taught her to be wary of people. Pushing them away was always better than letting them play her and make her their pawn. Her social anxiety had made her a target many times and she was lucky she at least had her studies to turn to. Her mother had made her passionate about learning, had encouraged it over meaningless childhood games and friendships. Maura could see why and thanked her for it. Her mother must have known the world wasn't safe, that people weren't safe and would only cause her pain. When she got pregnant the first time, with the twins, Maura vowed to protect her children from the ruthless world they lived in. She vowed she would teach them to care more about studies and about being brilliant than to care about emotions and interactions with people. She would set them up for a fantastic future in brilliant careers and they would be self-sufficient, driven and accomplished adults like she was. They would learn not to trust people, to always be polite and well-mannered but to keep their guards up at all times, at all costs. Now that her twins were older and Charlotte was also part of the picture she could say she was in the right direction towards teaching them precisely that, but on lonely nights like this Maura wondered if what she was doing was right, if what her mother had done to her had been fair. Maybe the world she knew didn't have to be like this had her mother proceeded otherwise, but how could she possibly know that? She couldn't rely on feelings. She couldn't be objective when her heart ached for something else. She didn't know what it was, but she knew something in her life was missing. Maybe she wasn't as happy as she thought she was. Maybe she didn't know what happiness really was. Maybe her frustration in her early years had had a reason. Maybe she was right assuming her mother was a heartless monster.

I am my mother now.

Maura stared at the picture frame and felt sick. That confident, powerful woman wasn't her. She was lost and in desperate need of being found, but maybe it was too late. Maybe she couldn't be saved and maybe she was just confused and it was for the best.

Maura sighed, getting up in a swift, elegant move. She knew tonight was just like any other lonely night. She would go to bed with the conviction to make changes and wake up in the morning overwhelmed with the implications of that. She would then go on with her morning routine. By the time she started to meticulously and expertly apply her makeup she would take a deep breath and revel in the safety of her mask. As she patted away the last wrinkle of her perfectly fitted outfit she would go back to being a refection of Constance Isles and nothing else would matter.

Because mother knows best.

Indeed, the next morning the Doctor had slipped back into her normality. It was 06:45 am when the blonde woman, looking as sharp as ever, appeared downstairs in the spacious, luminous hall.

"Going to work?"

The Doctor frowned. She was not used to seeing anyone at this hour on a Saturday morning. She would usually slip out unnoticed and yet there it was this raspy voice disturbing her cherished routine. It took her a moment to realize the voice was coming from one of her $60,000 couches. And there, it was her children's nanny, with her feet on her precious couch as if she owned the place.

The nerve.

Maura smiled graciously, swallowing the anxiety it caused her having to ignore such rude manners.

Where did I have my mind when I hired this woman?

"You're up early, Miss Rizzoli," Maura replied, deflecting the question she had been asked.

"So are you," Jane pointed out, shrugging.

Maura shuddered, taking another deep breath. This woman surely had a course on rudeness. The way she spoke to her like she'd known her for ages both attracted her and revolted her. Her boldness was refreshing, but her manners were just…wrong.

"So… you're planning on spending some time with your kids or are you just going to hide from your parenting duties by going to work on a weekend?" Jane pressed, well aware of how out of line she was.

"Miss Rizzoli, I don't know who you think I am but if you must know, I assure you there is plenty I need to do at the hospital. It doesn't run itself and people die regardless of it being a Monday or a Saturday," she told the woman calmly. She would need to re-think her choice of a nanny.

"Still not answering my question, Maura," the brunette dared.

The doctor, caught off guard, gasped. Her eyes widened. She couldn't believe the abuse she was tolerating in her own house.

"I'd appreciate it if you tried to be less crass on your communication with me, Miss Rizzoli," Maura spoke, appearing to be completely confident and in control. Jane however could see through it. "Shall I remind you you're my subordinate and therefore I'm the one who signs your checks?"

Jane ignored her second comment.

"What exactly is crass in calling you by your first name?" Jane mused. "It IS your name, right?"

"That's not the point, Miss Rizzoli," Maura spoke calmly. She knew she should fire this woman right now, but she couldn't help but feel curious about this person and drawn in to her personality. She felt challenged, which was something no one ever dared to attempt doing with her. Maura Isles was captivated.

"Well… by all means, call me Jane." She smiled playfully. The truth was she hadn't even planned on approaching the older doctor that morning. She wanted more time to try and figure out a couple of things by herself, but as she saw the stunning woman coming down the stairs, looking miserable and lonely behind the tough front everyone seemed to believe in, or was too blind to notice, she couldn't help but try and cause a reaction. Somehow she knew her judgment the previous day hadn't been right. There was a chance she could conquer this woman with her sense of humor. In fact… and not quite wanting to brag, Jane thought the whole house needed a good dose of her sense of humor and she was willing to put her best efforts in doing exactly so.

Maura wasn't sure if this woman was making fun of her and she was decided not to let her guard down. She was surprised when she found herself sharing a small smile.

Maura frowned. She couldn't remember the last time she had smiled.

"Don't frown. You have a beautiful smile," Jane told her softly. She too was intrigued by the doctor. She was a mystery she knew she wanted to solve… to quench her curiosity only, of course.

Maura blushed. She needed to get out of there. She was unwillingly losing her control and she couldn't allow it. Ever.

"Good day, Miss Rizzoli," she said, for the first time in a tone that resembled 'angry'.

Jane sighed, furrowing her brows and following the doctor's every move until she was out of the house. That was definitely someone Jane Rizzoli wanted to understand. She couldn't quite explain it, but there was something about that woman…

.