Disclaimer: I don't own Rizzoli & Isles; they belong to Tess Gerritsen, Janet Tamaro and TNT. I'm just having some fun with the characters and I don't profit from anything that I write.

A/N:I really like reading your reviews and all of your guesses! As always, feel free to review if you want to. Marijke S Bush, I do try to update as quickly as possible but I have to make sure that each chapter is as good as I can make it first, but I'm glad that you want to read my story!

Chapter Four: THE EDGE

The bags under her eyes were terrible. It had been three days since Jane had found a scalpel driven through her birthday cake and thus it had been three days since Jane had gotten a decent night's sleep. She knew that there were police guarding her apartment, more often than not Frankie and Frost kept watch too, determined to keep her safe. However, this did little to erase the unease that Jane was beginning to feel, after all, police protection had never stopped an apprentice getting to her in the past.

She also couldn't help but feel lonely, despite rarely being left on her own. Maura hadn't been over to Jane's apartment since the party, which was weird. Jane couldn't remember the last time that she hadn't seen her friend in three days; they practically lived with each other. Jane attributed it to fear. Maura was probably pretty shaken up by Hoyt's attack, so to have to deal with an apprentice as well was probably too much for her to handle. Cavanaugh had everyone working on the identity of the apprentice but he was very insistent on Jane staying at home and getting some rest after her ordeal. Jane certainly wasn't going to be kept cooped up much longer, especially because she was starting to feel like an outsider. Moreover, she could think of nothing that would satisfy her more than to nail the son of a bitch who was terrorising her and the people she loved.

As Jane strode into the station she could feel all eyes on her. She paused when she reached the lift, hesitating on whether to head on up to the bullpen or to go and see Maura in the morgue. Jane decided that she wanted to see how Maura was doing; it was unlike her to ignore Jane's texts.

"Hey Maur," Jane called as she pushed open the door to Maura's office. She stopped abruptly when she realised that Maura was not alone.

"Oh sorry, I'll come back later," she started, but then added with surprise, "Agent Dean? What are you doing back from Washington?"

Jane felt a bit bad for barging in as it was clear that she had interrupted an intense conversation. However, Agent Dean stood to greet Jane warmly, explaining, "Your boss called me in to assist with the latest Hoyt development."

Gabriel then turned so that he was only talking to Jane, "Thank God you're alright Jane. I heard things got pretty nasty in that prison."

Jane manoeuvred out of the close proxemics between her and Agent Dean. She looked over at Maura and noted that for once her friend looked even more rattled than she did, "Yeah, well it's been a rough couple of days. What have you got?"

"Not a lot, I'm afraid. There are no fingerprints on the scalpel or the letter. Whoever this apprentice is, they were careful."

"And the blood?"

"It was animal, not human. Most likely from a sheep or a cow."

"So forensics is a bust," Jane sighed in frustration.

"Did you want something, Jane?" Maura asked, "Agent Dean and I were done discussing the case anyway."

"Yes, you ladies keep safe," Dean smiled kindly, "I might see you around Jane."

Jane shrugged as Dean walked out of the morgue. She knew that she was a fool, but she was just not attracted to Agent Dean in the slightest, whereas he was clearly interested in her.

"So what's been going on with you, Maur? You've been awfully quiet."

"Oh I'm sorry Jane. I guess I just have a lot on my mind. And I figured you might want some space."

"No, not at all. I'm going mad on my own in my apartment. I wouldn't mind some company tonight, if you fancied a sleepover?" Jane suggested.

Maura suddenly looked very uncomfortable. "I don't know Jane. I've got all this stuff to do for Agent Dean and I am kind of swamped with paperwork at the moment and…"

Jane interrupted her, "Me thinks the lady doth protest too much. If you don't want to come round Maur, then just say that."

"Alright," Maura said sadly, "I really would rather not go Jane. Sorry."

"Hey," Jane said, wrapping her arm around Maura's shoulder, "What's up? You don't seem like yourself lately."

Maura wriggled away from Jane hurriedly, "Nothing, nothing. I just don't want to do this right now."

She moved towards the door, implying that it was time for Jane to leave. Jane, angry from being brushed off by her best friend, was more than happy to oblige, "Do what you want, Maura. But I have always been there for you when you needed me. Maybe for once you could step up and be there for me."

Jane stormed away from the morgue angrily, deciding to head over to the café to see her mother.

"Thanks Ma," Jane said as Angela passed her a cup of coffee.

"I'm worried about you Jane. It scares me half to death whenever you kids are in danger."

"I know Ma."

"Just promise me you won't do anything stupid. Stay safe," Angela pleaded.

Jane nodded her head, but in her heart she knew that it would not take much more to push her over the edge, to push her to do something stupid.

The sound of the door knocking filled Jane with dread because it meant only one thing: Agent Dean had invited himself to her apartment, again. Of course, it could have been Maura, but Jane doubted that. And it could have been Hoyt's apprentice, ready to finally finish the job. To be honest, in Jane's mind, a visit from Agent Dean was pretty much on a par with a scalpel wielding murderer. Both were out to get her, both were annoyingly persistent, but only one of them could she shoot dead in self-defence to get rid of them. She would have to be more creative with Gabriel Dean.

She was right. On opening the door, Jane was met with Agent Dean holding a bunch of pink flowers. In a way, it was sweet, but all Jane could think of was her hatred of the colour pink. When would people finally understand that she was not the princess type?

"Agent Dean, what a surprise to see you here."

She just could not love that man. Sure, most women would be swooning over a federal agent such as the dashing Agent Dean, but not Jane. There was just something about him that made her push him away. They just didn't quite fit; he was not her soul mate.

"Hello Jane, I was just wondering if you wanted to catch up, maybe go out and get some dinner?" he asked eagerly.

"Well I…" Jane stammered as she tried to think of ways to get rid of Dean, "I have a bunch of things to do for tomorrow and it's been a long day anyway so…"

"We could get take-out if you don't fancy a trip out."

"I already ate," Jane lied quickly, adding forcefully, "I really don't want any company tonight. It's been a long week."

Agent Dean nodded disappointedly, "OK Jane, of course. Some other time then."

He handed her the flowers and Jane showed him out. She hated being rude but when was he finally going to get the message? She wasn't interested in him!

Jane lay down on the sofa, happy to be left in peace at last. Why was it that whenever Jane thought about love, she couldn't help but picture Maura in her head? Jane didn't fully understand it. She thought of other people too, sometimes Casey, sometimes Dean, but Maura, she was embedded somewhere much deeper than anyone else that Jane had ever loved.

Jane fell into a deep sleep that night; in fact, she slept so well that she didn't even wake up when Hoyt's apprentice slipped into her apartment, intent on carrying out the next step of their plan.

She didn't know it yet, but Jane Rizzoli had just been pushed over the edge.