Just a short chapter today... A bit more dramatic with a bit of humour in the mix. The end is a little heavy but I won't leave you hanging for long. I have most of the next chapter written.

Warning: Swearing and domestic violence scene ahead


Jane was roused awake from the sound of her phone ringing. She glanced at her clock quickly before grabbing for her cell. 1:49am. Who would call at this hour? She frowned with concern when she saw Maura's contact picture on her screen.

"Maur?" Jane answered, worried.

"Ja- Jane." Was choked out and then a sob followed.

Jane sat up right away. "Maura, what's wrong?!"

"I- I'm sorry. I can't- Lucille she-" The call was ended abruptly.

Jane looked down and frowned. She called again but used FaceTime video this time. Maura's face appeared and Jane could see how distressed she was, tears tracking down her face. She looked exhausted. Next to her on the bed was Lucille, wide awake and miserable. "Jaay?" The tiny voice asked.

"What's wrong with Lu?!" Jane panicked and stood up, throwing clothes on, getting ready to leave.

Seeing the tall woman's reaction to the call, Maura quickly tried to correct the assumption Jane had made. "No Jay, she- she's ok. I just-" Another sob. "I can't do this." Maura was weeping softly.

"Maur, just breathe. C'mon, deep breaths." Jane coached the medical student to a place of calm. "That's it, baby. Shhh, it's ok. Tell me what's going on."

"G-god Jane, I'm so- sorry. I- Lucille hasn't been well and then I had a r-report due and I'm so tired and sh- she wont go to sleep." Maura had no reason to call Jane. She had a wonderful nanny upstairs who would help her right away but the honey blonde couldn't think properly and had called Jane on instinct. Suddenly realising all of this at this stage in the conversation, Maura hung her head guiltily. "I shouldn't have woken you. I'm so sorry…"

"Give Lu the phone, Maur." The brunette gently ordered.

"She's three, Jane-"

"Let me talk to her, please?" Jane begged.

Unable to deny Jane anything, she caved. "Al-right… Lucille, sweetheart, Jay's on the phone."

A sad little chubby cheeked face came into view. Huge hazel eyes, so much like her mother's, were watery but tears hadn't spilled yet. The three year old smiled at the sight of one of her favourite people. "Jay?" She questioned.

"Yeah, chipmunk, it's Jay. You want me to sing you a song?"

"Yeah, pwease." Brown curls bobbed as she nodded in agreement.

"Alright, but you have to go to sleep for mommy, ok?"

"Otay." Lucille laid down immediately on her side and held the phone close. Jane could only see her eyes and a cute little nose but she knew Lu could see her whole face. She began to sing gently as she had a few times before when putting the twins down for their morning and afternoon naps. It was an old Italian lullaby that her mother used to sing to her.

Lucille's eyes fluttered closed and the phone slipped out of her grasp. Maura picked it up quickly and held it so that Jane could watch a sleeping Lu for a few more moments as she finished her song.

Maura's face came into view again and Jane's heart ached. Even a crying Maura was gorgeous. Her fondness for the smaller woman increased even more.

"Thank you." Maura whispered in awe. Jane would make a magnificent mother one day. She couldn't believe that a twenty three year old could be so incredible with her kids and not have had her own.

"You're welcome. Think you can sleep now?" Jane asked affectionately.

"Yes. Goodnight Jay."

"Night Maur."


The second half of Jane's training proved to be challenging, and not in the way she was expecting. The brunette knew it would be physically gruelling. She was prepared for that and knew she was fit enough to handle it. Jane also knew it would be mentally difficult. She was not expecting the emotional rollercoaster she would face amidst the tactical training that they had to go through.

At the end of her fourth week, five weeks from finishing, she had a small moment of weakness and it all had to do with a certain hazel-eyed beauty that held her thoughts captive whenever she wasn't focussed on training.

Fifteen agents-in-training entered the gymnasium, ready for a good workout in the wrestling rings. Jane had faced several others. She won a couple and lost a couple of matches and then was put into the ring with Darren Crowe. He was known to be loose mouthed when opposing someone and Jane would normally handle it without blinking an eye but having been woken up to a crying Maura that morning, she wasn't in the best of moods and her temper was tested.

"Hey Rizzoli, you think you can beat me?" He questioned condescendingly. His tone implied that he didn't think she could.

"Hopefully." She responded calmly.

They circled one another and Jane lunged. She caught Crowe in a headlock and was ready to manoeuvre him outside of the circle.

"You know, no one had you picked for a dyke." He taunted.

Jane's grip loosened, unsure if she heard him correctly. He slipped out and shoved her in the shoulder, causing her to fall sideways. She recovered quickly and they locked arms, their bodies close and faces within inches of each other.

"What did you call me?!" The tall woman growled out.

Crowe didn't answer her question. He just made everything worse for himself. "You're obviously the butch one coz your wife is fuckin' hot." He laughed as she glared at him.

"Shut up.'' Jane didn't bother correcting him. She moved her leg forward in front of him and twisted her body to place him in the head lock again, leaning close to her waist.

Crowe made the mistake of continuing, regardless of his losing position. "If she ever wants a real fuck, send her my- Argggh!" He groaned out as Jane's knee met his nose.

Everyone winced at the crunching noise it made. A few hollered, others rolled their eyes. Seeing someone lash out at Crowe was a common occurrence but no one had done as much damage as the brunette.

Obviously Jane hadn't found it funny at all. Her move cost her though. She was disqualified instantly.

"Rizzoli!" Her trainer yelled at her. "What the hell was that about?!"

"Stupid fuckin' bitch!" Screamed Crowe. He pinched his bleeding nose and tilted his head back.

"Sorry Sir." Jane spat out, still seething.

"Take a run, Rizzoli! Crowe, get yourself to the clinic."

The brunette did as she was commanded. After running the five mile loop, she returned to the gymnasium thirty minutes later. Her classmates were gone and her instructor had left her a note on the door. Rizzoli, meet me in my office.

She wandered into the main office building and knocked on the door of her head trainer.

"Come in." Captain Malcolm Rivers called out, expecting his student.

"Hello sir." Jane stood in front of his desk, waiting for instruction.

"Sit down, Rizzoli." He stood up and moved around to sit in the opposite armchair and placed his coffee mug on the table between them. He looked at her and sighed heavily. "You wanna tell me what that was all about with Crowe?"

"Not really." She responded impassively.

"Well, that's not an option. So, tell me what the hell happened in the gym today." He commanded her without showing any anger. He really wasn't angry, just disappointed.

He was her best student and had already received her first field office assignment from their New York office with the Criminal Investigation Department. She didn't know it yet though and had just jeopardised it because of her temper.

Jane leaned forward, hanging her head. "Look sir, I'm really sorry." She looked up at him and saw some understanding in his eyes. "Crowe said the wrong thing to me today and I lost it. It was immature and stupid of me to let that asswipe get to me but I did."

"What did he say?" Rivers knew there was more to the story. Jane wouldn't lose it over some silly squabbling.

She just stared at him.

"God damn it, Rizzoli! You can be dismissed for something like this! Just tell me what he fucking said." He was mad that she would be tight lipped about it.

"Fine." Jane crossed her arms, pissed that she was ratting someone out. "He called me a dyke and implied that he could fuck my wife better than me."

Malcolm's eyebrows rose in surprise. "You're married?! Jesus. I had no idea. How'd I miss that on your application?"

Jane smirked. "I'm not, sir. He assumed."

"Ahh, ok. How the hell did he assume that?" The questioning was probably unnecessary but Malcolm was intrigued.

"My best friend from Boston stayed with me during graduation for the NIATs. She was invited by Frost."

"That's quite an assumption on his part. What an idiot. Alright, do you want to press charges? I can get Josie from HR to come and sit in on this conversation." He picked his phone up to make the call.

"No! No, he's a complete dick but I don't want to press charges. I just want to put it behind me and get on with finishing my training."

This impressed Rivers. He admired her strength and knew she was going to make an incredible agent. "Alright, Rizzoli but keep that anger under control. I'll have a word with Crowe."

"Ok, thanks." The tall woman got up and walked to the doorway.

"Oh, Jane?"

Jane stopped to look at the trainer. "Yeah Captain?"

"New York offered you a place in their Criminal Investigation Department. I'll send Susan over with the paperwork." He laughed at her shocked look. "Don't look so surprised. You're an excellent candidate. Just don't let anyone else cause you to fuck it up!"

"I- Of course! Thank you, sir!" She exclaimed happily.

Jane raced back to her room to call Maura but there was no answer. She'd try later. She dialled Frost's number.

"Jane!" The African American man greeted happily.

"Hey Frost!" She replied, excited to share her news.

"What's up?"

"I got a placement in New York!"

"Shut up! Which department." He responded in disbelief.

"Criminal Investigation." She couldn't keep the smile off her face.

"Damn! Congrats, Jane! What did Maura say?"

"I haven't told her yet."

"Why are you on the phone to me?! Call her!" He demanded.

"I tried! She's not answering her phone. How's Cybercrime in Boston?"

"Eh, it's busy! I haven't even had time to scratch my ass. They push you hard when you start. I'm doing sixty plus hour weeks but it's fun!" He genuinely loved his job and thought it a privilege to serve his country.

"Yeah, I'm not looking forward to long weeks but- oh wait, Maur's calling back. Gotta go!" She ended her call with Frost and answered Maura's, filling her in on the latest news.

The medical student was very excited to hear that Jane would be moving closer to home in the next few months. She would be able to visit with just a short flight, whenever she had time to.


"JJ!" Alexander's face filled Jane's laptop screen. She could make out the bookshelf in his bedroom and knew where he was calling her from.

"Hey my little man! How are you?"

"Good Jay, I got a big score in my test today." He stated proudly.

She grinned at him. He was so adorable, she could hardly stand it. "Of course you did. You're so clever."

"Yeah, mommy said I'm so smart. That's the same as clever." Alex informed Jane, enjoying forming word connections in his almost seven year old brain.

"It sure is! Where is your mo-"

"Alexander James Isles! Did you take my iPad and— Jane? Alexander, did you call Jay?!" Maura didn't know whether to be mad at him or in awe of his tech savviness. She went for somewhere in the middle. "You can't just call whomever you want from my iPad, mister!" Maura plucked the device from his grasp and looked at the laughing brunette. "Jane, stop laughing!"

"Sorry Mommy." He apologised but the smile on his face said that he wasn't really. "Bye Jay! Love you." He ran out of the room, having delivered his necessary message.

"Oh my god, Maur. I thought you had called for him! He totally snuck your iPad to talk to me! Man, I love him even more now." Jane chuckled and shook her head in wonder.

"I'm glad you enjoyed that because he is in trouble now."

"Aww, Maur, I loved it. Don't be too hard on him, please?" Jane argued on behalf of her favourite male. "He's so damn clever!"

Softening her gaze, Maura sighed. "Fine but you owe me."

"Alright! I'll take all of the kids for ice cream when you visit." She laughed again when Maura's face morphed into disbelief. She hated to feed her kids any sort of sugar so the offer was never going to go down well. "Joking Maura!"

Rolling her eyes at the tall woman, Maura let herself smile.

The two caught up very quickly. It was cut short when Maura had to leave to get ready for work.

"I'll see you next week, Jane."

"Can't wait." Was Jane's genuine response. She really couldn't. Next week she would graduate and the only thing that rivalled the elated feeling that produced, was seeing Maura and the kids.


Angela greeted Vince Korsak as she rounded the corner from leaving the BPD cafe.

"Hey Angela!" He greeted.

"Hi Vince, how are ya?" She was a little nervous seeing him. The Rizzoli matriarch didn't want any of her kids to know that she had been at the Police station. They'd ask her why.

"I'm doin' alright. How are you? You look great!" He smiled easily at her.

"Oh uh, thank you!" She blushed at the attention, as innocent as it was.

"You goin' for the job in the cafe?" He asked, signalling at the resume in her hands.

Angela looked down and her face heated up in embarrassment. "Yeah." She responded quietly.

"Oh, I thought that you'd been workin' for Maura Isles? She seems like a nice gal to work for."

"Yeah Maura's great, I work for her on the weekends and some afternoons. I can't ask her for more shifts but I need the money so, here I am." She shrugged her shoulders, dejectedly.

Her husband's gambling had cost them a bit and the repayments they now had on their house were more than either of them were making. With Tommy and Frankie having moved out in the last month, they were struggling to survive.

"Jeez, that's tough. You should just ask her, Angela. I mean, it's not my business but Stanley is an ass and I can't imagine you workin' for him. Let me know how you go." Vince was genuinely concerned for Angela's situation and believed there was more to it than just finance issues.

"Thanks Vince. See ya later."

"Bye Angela."


"Ma?!"

"Frankie, I don't wanna hear it!" Angela held her hands up in front of her, not wanting a lecture from her son.

"Aww, no Ma. C'mon, I'm not angry but what's goin' on? Did you get a job at the Division 1 Cafe to check in on me?"

She looked incredulously at him, "Are you kiddin' me? No! I just need some extra cash, alright!" The Italian woman was getting angry.

"Ok, Ok! Fine. I dunno why you need more money but if that's what you wanna do, then fine." Frankie threw his hands up in defeat.

"Thank you." Angela huffed, happy to be left alone.


"Angela, where did the extra money come from this week?" Frank frowned as he checked their account balance online. He grew angry as he tried to figure it out. "Did you work more for that rich brat this week?!" He stood up and stepped toward his wife angrily.

"No! No, I got a few shifts at the Police station cafe." As much as she wanted to, she wasn't going to defend Maura right now. Somehow her husband's body language indicated that he wouldn't put up with it.

Frank stopped, rolled his eyes, and growled at her. "I told you I could fix my own mess!"

"I understand, Frank. I'm sorry. I was just tryin' to help."

"Well, don't! I don't need you to be workin' and I want you to quit workin' for that Isles bitch." He demanded, irrationally.

"But Frank… I love working with those kids." Angela whispered softly.

"I don't give a fuck what you love, you're not workin' there no more!" He turned around expecting her obedience.

Angela sighed deeply and mustered up the courage she hadn't found in a long time. She stood up to her husband for the first time in several years. "No! No, I'm not quitting!" She said defiantly.

The sudden force to her face was unexpected. It rocked her backwards slightly and her hand went straight to a throbbing cheekbone. She looked at her husband who seemed just as shocked as her.

"Just get out." He commanded neutrally. That she could do. She raced up the stairs to her bedroom and packed a small suitcase. Without him even realising, she put her bag in the car and drove towards the nearest hotel.


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