A/N: Lots of emotions last chapter! So I'm realizing that since I'm so busy that updates maybe once a week or every two weeks. I'm working on it though! Thank you for the support! I appreciate it!

Disclaimer: Read Ch. 1

"I need to know the nature of the demons that possess man's soul! I need to know why man's content to let them make him less than whole." – "I Need To Know" by Frank Wildhorn from the musical, "Jekyll and Hyde"

Ch. 6: The Blood Seal

Maura's POV

Time to get up, my internal clock announced to me. Groggily, I sat up, moving Jane's arm away from my side then stretched a bit while I heard Jane let out a small-disapproved grunt. I smiled gently at this before I tried to stretch out my legs but instead felt something heavy on them. I looked toward the edge of the bed and immediately, I saw a blanket covered silhouette. It couldn't be the twins, I thought to myself as I tried to move my legs.

Suddenly, a loud groan came. I gave a surprise expression before I decided to extract my legs from its confinement. I pulled them out slowly, hearing the loud grunts once more. Once my feet were fully out, the body readjusted and pulled on the blankets tighter around them. I slipped out of the bed and walked toward the edge of the bed to see the face slightly covered by the blanket. I pulled it gently back before I heard, "Sunlight burns…"

"There's no sunlight at the moment," I retorted softly.

"It's still early then." I shook my head a bit, glancing over my shoulder at the clock to see that it was seven. I yanked the blanket aggressively while I heard, "Nooooo, leave the blanket alone." I draped the blanket over my shoulder and looked down at a tired looking Kris who was looking back up at me. "You could have given me five more minutes, ya know," she stated.

"You sound like Jane," I commented back. Kris shrugged, turning toward her side while I continued, "I'm surprise that you're in here. I didn't hear you at all."

"Didn't want to bother you but I came in around three in the morning."

"Kris…"

Kris sat up slowly then stretched as she said, "Come on, let Jane sleep for a couple more minutes."

I nodded in agreement then lead Kris toward the door, slipping out of the bedroom quietly. We went downstairs quietly, knowing that everyone was still asleep except for us. When we entered the kitchen, Kris began to work on the coffee machine. "You couldn't sleep," I inquired.

"I slept a bit until a night terror came and attacked." Kris then turned around to face me as she continued, "When I woke up, I wanted to let Gabriella sleep and I walked around for a bit then I decided to go to your bedroom."

"That's why you were at the edge of the bed."

"It's better than the cold hard floor," Kris retorted then turned back to the coffee machine.

She poured us some coffee for both of us then handed it to me. I took a small sip of the coffee before I looked back at Kris who sipped her coffee. I placed my cup down, continuing to look at her. There was a tired look in her eyes and I could tell that the lack of the sleep was there. I wonder what she dreamt about, I thought to myself.

"I'm hungry for eggs and bacon," Kris stated as she lowered her cup of coffee and turned toward the fridge. I pressed my lips together, thinking for a moment about how to approach the subject of her nightmare before I took in a deep breath. "Uh oh," I heard causing my head to snap up and look at Kris whose back was still toward me. Kris tapped against the fridge and continued to look through the fridge as she continued, "I know when there's that deep breath, it means you want to talk about something."

"What was your nightmare about," I asked softly.

"Bingo."

"Kris?"

Kris let out a small sigh and pulled out the eggs and bacon. She then grabbed a bowl and began to crack eggs. For a moment, I thought she was going to ignore the question until she said, "I'm in a street and I…" She stopped herself, cracking another egg then picking up the whisk. She seemed to focus her attention toward the food.

"Sweetheart," I said softly.

Kris looked up at me with a sad look. "I saw Price," she stated softly as she poured the eggs on the frying pan. "It was in the middle of a street in East Boston and I saw him, calling out to me before he disappeared. Then another person arrived and said to me that I can't save them."

"Them?"

"Good morning everyone," Gabriella greeted with a small yawn.

Kris' serious look disappeared as she looked up at Gabriella. "Morning love," Kris greeted as she kissed Gabriella.

I smiled at Gabriella as she took a seat then asked, "Did you sleep well?"

"Pretty good," Kris answered as she turned to the stove.

I looked up with an unsure look while Kris angled her body to face the stove and us. Gabriella lifted up the newspaper that was set on the table, giving me the opportunity to look at Kris with an unsure look. Kris shook her head with a pleading look in her eyes, conveying many things to me. It asked to continue the conversation at a later time and leave Gabriella out of the conversation for now. I lifted my cup, taking a small sip before I gave a small nod in acknowledgement.

Kris gave a small half smile then mouthed, "Thank you."

R&I

"So what do you got," Jane asked as she entered the morgue.

I peered up from the computer then asked back, "Depends on what you want to hear first? I have business at the house concerning Kris then I have business concerning Kris with this case."

Jane leaned against the table. "What's up at home? She seemed fine," Jane pointed out.

"Nightmare."

"Ah," Jane stated simply. "The other thing?"

I turned back to the computer. "I tested Kris' clothes to see if there was any evidence that could lead us toward the killer and I found something," I informed her with a small smile.

Jane smiled, "Maura, that's great!" She moved closer to look at the computer and began to read the information. She then gave a confused look as she pronounced, "Pinus? Really, you got a word that sounds almost like penis?"

"Jane," I scoffed as I tried to keep my serious look.

"Come on, it does sound like it."

I rolled my eyes then continued, "Pinus is the genus for a tree, Jane."

"Pine trees?"

"Several pine tree quills on Kris' clothes, around the collar area," I gestured to the collar.

Jane placed her hand under her chin, thinking for a moment. "If it was at the collar area, it was on the hands or torso. But why would there be pine tree quills," she pondered.

"I'm not sure but I've isolated two areas that would be close to Kris' residence with pine trees."

Jane looked down at the map then sighed, "They are three miles away each. There hasn't any sign of any suspicious vehicles so it's possible that he's been walking around."

"He must have a good physique then."

"Yeah especially when they can take Kris down," Jane commented. She then looked over to see the nylon rope sitting on the counter in its evidence bag. "Anything off the rope," she inquired.

I shook my head, "I only have Kris' skin cells and blood and you saw the bruising it did on Kris' neck."

"So our lead so far is the pine trees?"

"Yes and I've been looking through databases to identify the blood used on the letters."

"Nothing yet?"

"I'm sorry, Jane."

Jane gave a soft smile, kissed my cheek then said, "I'll catch you later."

"Yes you will," I retorted as she walked out of the morgue with a loud chuckle.

Kris' POV

"Come on, hand! Write," I mumbled as I sat in Maura's study, staring a blank sheet of paper. Gabriella decided to go out to the market while I stayed behind to rest. I could finally feel all the aches in my body from the fight, leaving me a bit tired.

I didn't know what to do with myself. The twins were at school, Nonna was at the café, and I was not allowed at Headquarters for, at least, two days. This left me here, attempting to write my wedding vows. "I'm going to be standing like an idiot in my wedding clothes," I sighed as I tossed the pen aside.

Suddenly, I heard my cell phone ring. I looked down at the caller ID to recognize it as Jane's, making me answer quickly. "Yes," I answered.

"Are you busy," Jane inquired.

I looked down at the paper and retorted, "Does staring at a blank paper count?"

"Not really but I need you to look up something for me."

"Well, what's going on? Did you find something," I asked as I turned on the computer, logging onto my information.

"On your clothes were pine needles."

"Pine needles?"

"Yup and I…I forgot to tell you something last night."

I frowned and asked tiredly, "What?"

I heard Jane sigh and answered softly, "The letters weren't written in ink. The red writing is blood, Kiddo." I closed my eyes, trying not to feel sick at the thought that this psychopath was using blood. I cleared my throat as I leaned back in my chair until I heard, "Kris?"

"I'm here," I answered.

"You okay?"

"Nauseous but I'm fine. So what do you need me to do," I inquired.

"You said the paper used was tracing paper."

"Yes, I did but it's very common in art communities. I won't be able to find it immediately because it's too broad."

"So nothing on that department?"

"Nothing," I answered. I ran my hand through my hair as I leaned back in the chair, thinking for a moment before I noticed Maura's PhD certificate with a seal on it. "That's it," I stated suddenly as I leaned forward.

"Kris?"

"Jane, do you have the picture of the envelope," I asked as I typed quickly on the computer.

"Yeah. Why?"

"What's on the wax seal?"

"It looks like a skull."

I began to type on the computer, biting my lip. Please be the shop I think it is, I prayed as I typed a couple more of keys until I finally got a result. "Yes," I said happily.

"Well?"

"There's an art store that has custom wax seal stamps," I informed her.

"Where's it at?"

"It's not too far from Headquarters or the house."

"Kris…the location please."

I smirked, "2020 West Avenue."

"Thank you! Talk to you later."

I closed my phone and looked down at the address. I gave a small smirk as I mumbled, "I've been forbidden to go to Headquarters but doesn't mean, I haven't been forbidden to go check on a lead."

R&I

I pulled up on my motorcycle to see that Jane's cruiser was already there. I'm already here, I thought as I dismounted. I walked toward the door, pushed it open to see Jane and Frost turn around from the man at the front desk.

"Kris, what are you doing here," Jane asked immediately at the sight of me.

"Doing my job," I retorted as I closed the door, walking to them. As I stepped over to her, I nodded to the shop owner and placed my hand out, "Detective Marx."

"Mr. Nolen was telling us about the shop," Jane informed me.

"Like I told your friends here, I don't know my customers. I just sell the items and that's it," Mr. Nolen told Jane, Frost and I. Suddenly, we heard the store door open once more to reveal a couple of customers. Mr. Nolen looked at the customers and stated, "Like I said I don't have anything for you. You can look around but right now, I have customers to take care of."

I watched as he walked around the counter and passed us to approach the customers. I turned fully around, continuing to observe him before I commented, "A bit hostile there?"

"A little bit," Frost agreed.

Jane looked over at me and I noticed the look in her eyes. "What," I asked, acting as if I didn't know.

Jane crossed her arms. "You know what," she retorted. "You're not even supposed to be out of the house. Does Gabriella know?"

"I wrote her a small note so yes, she knows." Jane frowned and I sighed, "I know. I know. I'm just here to help you with this then I'm going back to the house."

"We don't need help." I raised an eyebrow and Jane rolled her eyes, "Alright, he was already hostile before you arrived. We asked him if he sold any wax seals and he stated he sells wax and the stamps constantly." I gave a confused expression at this notion which Jane and Frost noticed immediately. "What's with that look," Jane questioned.

"I think the only people within Boston who use the wax seals these days are Maura, the killer, or the occasional person who like to use wax seals."

"That's a lot," Frost stated.

I shook my head. "It's a small circle but I'm going to browse," I retorted as I began to walk away from them.

"Kris, this is no time to do your usual look around," Jane called out. "You got to get back home."

I rolled my eyes. "Relax, Jane and anyways, you never stayed put when Maura told you to recover. You had me chauffer you for a bit, remember," I retorted. I glanced over my shoulder to see Jane trying to think up what to say next before she sighed and walked over to me.

"I hate when you do that," she mumbled.

"Welcome to my world."

She shook her head then asked, "What are you trying to find?"

"Something that proves that this guy sells the stamp and here we go," I picked a small stamp and turned it over to reveal a letter 'W' on the bottom. "He must make custom ones because we have general ones here like letters and symbols."

Jane nodded in agreement and resumed our walk through a couple more aisles for a couple more minutes until we heard the Mr. Nolen complained, "Are you done? You're scaring my customers away."

"Try to help us here, Mr. Nolen," Frost informed him.

"I'm trying to help you and like I said before I just sell it. Custom ones are requested and we get it over and done with. I don't know who buys it."

"You don't bother looking at their faces," I questioned back. Mr. Nolen shook his head and I pressed my lips together curiously while we heard a truck pull up.

The door opened to reveal a delivery guy. "Hey Mr. Nolen, just seeing if you have packages for me to deliver today," he asked.

Realization hit me and I looked over at Jane made the connection also. "You send things out for delivery," Jane asked curiously.

"All the time," Nolen retorted as he handed a couple boxes over to the delivery guy.

"Do you mind if we see your shipping and delivery list," I inquired.

Mr. Nolen looked at us. "Will it get you three out of my store," he interrogated with a furrowed look. I nodded and he went into the counter, pulling out a clipboard and handing it to me. "I want you out after this," he grumbled and walked off.

"Old grump," Jane commented. I nodded, looking down at the shipping list with Frost and Jane next to me. "What are you looking for," Jane asked.

"Seeing if any of the addresses we've been to pop up or even better, if the item says custom stamp in the delivery section." I ran my finger over the addresses noticing a couple of custom stamps before my finger stopped on one. I pressed my lips together and mumbled, "I wonder…"

Jane looked over my shoulder and asked, "What's wrong this address?"

"8009 Eureka Lane…I'm trying to remember my old patrol routes." I looked over at Frost, "Can you find out where this is at?"

Frost nodded, pulled out his phone, and typed on it quickly. After a couple minutes, he answered with a curious look. "It's off a beaten path and it foreclosed recently," he informed us.

"What was it?"

"An old Christmas tree lot."

I looked over at Jane with a small smirk which she returned as we said together, "Bingo." We placed the clipboard back onto the counter. We walked out of the store, much to Mr. Nolen's delight, and as soon as we were outside, I stated immediately, "I'm going to tag along."

"Nope," Jane declined.

"Jane…"

"You said you would go home and you are going home, Kris." I opened my mouth and Jane glared at me causing my mouth to close. I sighed and Jane retorted, "It's for your own good, Kiddo."

"Yeah. Yeah," I retorted with loud humph as I took a seat on my motorcycle. I felt Frost pat my back as he passed me when walking to the cruiser. I then felt an arm wrapped around my shoulder, hugging me softly.

"Just rest, Kiddo," Jane told me.

I nodded, "Call me if anything pops up." Jane nodded and walked back to the cruiser, driving off with Frost before I mumbled, "Be safe."

Gabriella's POV

When I saw that Kris left to help Jane, I wasn't all too surprised. She wrote simply that she would be back and that it was a quick errand. Alone with only Jo Friday and Bass, I decided to go over the guest list for the wedding.

It wasn't a big wedding but we invited fifty of our closest friends and family. I looked down at my engagement ring for a brief moment before I opened the notepad app on my laptop to reveal the first couple of words of my wedding vows. "You are my…better half," I started to type. "You make me feel…"

"Happy," I jumped in surprise, closing my laptop quickly to look up and see Kris smiling at me. Her smile widened as she sat next to me and apologized softly, "I'm sorry, love. I didn't mean to scare you."

"Caught me off guard more," I retorted. "Is everything okay with Jane?"

Kris nodded, "They found a lead but what were you doing?"

I looked up at her and bumped her shoulder, "Nothing."

Kris leaned in and began to kiss along my jawline. "It seems like something," she whispered.

"Oh stop." I pushed her gently back before I adjusted myself, resting against Kris' shoulder. I felt the bullet wound scar along her upper shoulder. I bit my lower lip as I asked softly, "What did it feel like?"

"What? Being shot?" I nodded and Kris took in a deep breath then said, "At first, I didn't feel it because of the adrenaline but, once it goes away, it burns and the pain came in. I remember the pain the most."

I nodded then whispered, "I know you had a nightmare last night." Kris didn't move but continued to rub my shoulder gently. I looked up at her to see the soft expression that was tired as well. "You want to talk about it," I asked.

Kris sighed, "It only happens when cases are like this."

"Like what?"

"Like this. When they are a bit too close to my family and friends or just when bad things happen. It's been like that since...you know."

"Adrian," I whispered.

"Yes but I'm fine. Better than I was this morning." Kris then kissed my forehead and whispered, "I promise."

I nodded then ran my finger over the scar on her neck. Kris closed her eyes, taking a deep breath in before I leaned up and kissed her cheek. "I love you," I whispered to her.

"I love you too."

We continued to sit together quietly, enjoying each other's company until Kris' phone vibrated loudly through the silence. I pulled back while she pulled her phone out of her pocket. She gave a curious look as she stated softly, "It's Frankie."

"You should answer it."

Kris nodded and answered, "Frankie, what's up? Whoa…slow down, what do you mean you can't find Rodrigo? Wasn't he supposed to call and check in? You checked his old haunts right?" I noticed Kris' face turned grave as she questioned, "What about Rondo?"

"Kris?"

"Frankie, call Korsak and I'll call Jane. She's with Frost following a lead. We need to find Rodrigo." She then closed hanged up and began to dial on her phone quickly, "Damn it, Rodrigo."

"Kris, what happened to Rodrigo," I inquired seeing the worry in her face.

Kris looked up at me with a concern look as she informed me quietly, "Rodrigo went missing."

Jane's POV

"Here it is," I pointed out as I pulled the car up to the Christmas tree lot.

We stepped out of the car as I looked around for a brief moment. "Man, why would anyone send a package here," Frost asked aloud. We began to walk up slowly while he continued, "This place gives me the creeps."

I nodded in agreement then looked around seeing the dry and dead trees mixed with the living ones. I then looked over from the trees to the abandon barn and mills that held the trees. They looked beat up with the chipped light blue paint with white paint from someone tagging it. "This is definitely isolated and I would never guess anyone would be out here," I commented.

"That's probably why the killer stayed out here," Frost retorted. "Do you think he might be here?"

"I'm not sure but," I drew my gun, "better be safe than sorry."

Frost nodded in agreement as we began to walk toward the barn slowly with our guns drawn. We checked the sides first, making sure that no one would sneak up on us before we approached the barn doors. I looked at Frost who looked back at me as I counted backwards, "Three…two…one!"

Frost pushed the door opened and we stepped into the large room. Immediately, we gaped at the sight of many pictures and papers were hanging off the wall while a red substance that looked like blood ran along the walls. "Jesus," I mumbled.

"There's another door here," Frost stated with his gun drawn.

We turned our bodies toward the other door while my phone began to ring. "I can't answer it right now," I mumbled.

"Here." Frost leaned in quickly, placing a Bluetooth on my ear and quickly I answered quietly, "Rizzoli."

"Jane, we have a problem here," Kris said in a serious tone.

I frowned, "Is everything okay at the house?"

"I'm not talking about the house."

I looked over at Frost who prepared to open the door, counting down. "Kris, I have to let you go…" I began to inform her.

"Don't hang up, Jane! It's urgent."

"What is it," I questioned as Frost opened the door quickly, peering inside.

"Frankie can't find Rodrigo. He didn't check in and we've been looking but he's gone-"

"Jane," Frost shouted causing me to step in quickly.

When I stepped in, I looked around searching for Frost before I found him at a table with a figure on it. I moved closer to them before I reached them to see a man covered in blood with Frost beside him. "He's still breathing," Frost stated quickly.

"Fuck," I cussed as I approached removing my jacket, seeing Frost removed his already and was applying it to the wound on the shoulder.

"There's too much blood," Frost stated. I looked over at Frost and noticed that he was pale looking. He looked like he was going to lose his lunch but he worked through it as he placed pressure on the wound.

"Jane, what's going on," Kris questioned in my ear. "Jane, talk to me!"

"Kris, I need an ambulance down at my area now," I ordered.

"I'm on it," Kris retorted.

I looked down to that his clothes were ripped and torn with blood. I then noticed that there was a bullet wound on his left leg. Quickly, I leaned over and tied my jacket on the wound causing him to cry in pain. "I'm sorry," I whispered to him then noticed deep cuts on his face with blood dripping out which I noticed. "Barry, wipe his face please."

Frost nodded, picking up a random towel by his leg. He grabbed the towel and wiped the blood slowly off before he pulled back. "Jane," he called out to me.

I looked up from the leg to see a grave look. "What," I questioned. I moved closer and looked at the face before I became very pale. "Kris, you might want to get down here immediately," I said softly.

"Why?"

"We found Rodrigo."

Uh oh! What happened to Rodrigo? What is this place that Jane and Frost find? You'll have to wait and see! PLEASE REVIEW, comment, PM, etc! I love to hear from you! I love the support and feed back!