Hey guys. I'm so sorry for the delay, but it was quite an emotional week. Me and my BFF are separated by the first time in 14 years, that hit me really hard. I know you're there :D

Hope you guys like it!

The characters belong to Janet Tamaro, Tess Geritsen and TNT.

….

Hello, Maura, my darling.

How have you been?

Here in Malawi, it's over 40ºC, and, as you can remember, there are a very few fresh places.

I got a chance to send you an e-mail because some members of a foundation came here and I was able to use their Internet connection.

The project is going really well, I got them to accept my plans, so, the construction must be about to start. I hope that in the next three years, my plans for this place are finally accomplished.

I really enjoyed the time we spend together, as always. You know how much I love you. Our last time together was unforgettable.

With love, Ian.

….

Maura read the e-mail several times, with Jane, who had jumped off her seat, right behind her. The honey blonde let out a sight. "See? Next three years." She covered her face with her hands.

"Hey, c'mon…" Jane said, squeezing her shoulder gently. "If you tell him, maybe it'll change things. He's the father after all, Maura…"

"I don't know, Jane…" She said, the sadness Jane hadn't seen in the previous weeks, after they'd found out about the results, invading her face again.

"I'll never know if you never try. C'mon, I've never seen you this insecure. Answer his e-mail."

Maura took a deep breath and turned to the computer. After a few seconds of staring at the screen, she asked, somehow to herself. "What am I going to say? Hey, glad you're OK, by the way, you got me pregnant?"

"No. Tell him you need to talk to him. Urgently. And ask him to call you."

The Medical Examiner stood still for some instants, but then resignedly started to type.

"OK, I've send it. Now what?"

"Now you wait for him to answer. And come eat your breakfast before it gets even colder. And we're gonna be late."

When they arrived to the precinct, everyone was already reunited, waiting for the seminar to begin. Frankie saw them in the doorway and called. "Maura! I got a seat for you!"

They crossed the room to go meet him, but there was only a seat next to him. He arranged the chair for Maura to sit, and she smiled at him as she sat down. "Thank you."

"Hum… Frankie? What about my seat?" Jane asked, sternly, seeing no place for her to sit.

"Oh, I could get this one for Maura, to make sure she wouldn't be standing up."

"Ahah, very funny, get up."

"Jane, this is my seat."

"I don't care. I wanna seat."

"But-"

"No "but's", Frankie. Up!"

He resignedly got up, and Jane occupied his seat next to Maura, who was giving her a disapproving look. "What?"

"You were mean to him. He was just being nice to me."

"Hum hum… He's been too nice for you, lately…" Jane started, mysteriously.

"I think he was really surprised about the baby news…"

"Is that all…?" Jane asked, looking at her friend suspiciously.

Maura's jaw fell and she started to clumsily mumble."But-No-You're-… Jane, what do you mean by that? You don't know what you're saying. Your brother doesn't… have feelings for me."

"Uh-hum…If you say so…" Jane muttered. "Now let's shut up, before Cavanaugh comes to yell at us."

Maura found herself unable to pay attention to the seminar. There was a lot going through her mind in that moment: Ian, the e-mail, the baby… His words kept echoing through her mind. You know how much I love you. Our last time together was unforgettable. Unforgettable… Tell me about it, Maura thought to herself, her hand holding her belly. She was starting to get that habit: whenever a situation, or even her thoughts, were getting too crowded and confused, she would hold her belly, trying to protect the tiny life inside her from that. You and I are going to be just fine, little guy.

….

When the seminar ended, everyone resolutely clapped, although most of them hadn't pay attention to one single word. Maura and Jane got up, and were heading to their respective floors, when Cavanaugh stopped them.

"You got a case, Rizzoli."

"Yes, sir. Has anyone sent me the information of the case?"

"Frost is waiting for you in the car."

"Can I go with you? Or I'll go pick up my car instead?" Maura asked.

"Nonsense, you're coming with us…"

"Actually, Dr. Isles… I've called dr. Pike to take over this case."

"Why?" Maura asked, confused.

"I thought it was better for you not to handle this case-" Cavanaugh started, but the honey blonde cut him off.

"Las time I checked, I was the Chief Medical Examiner, so every decision of this type passes by me."

"You're right, but, considering your condition-"

"It's not because I'm pregnant that I'm going to be incapable of doing my job!" Maura didn't know why she had decided to snap at Cavanaugh, that was somehow her chief. But she felt so emotional lately that she took everything personally and would snap at the smallest things.

Jane was completely astonished by Maura's sudden explosion of anger, but kept quiet and looking at her shoes. Cavanaugh seemed a bit astonished as well, especially because Maura was always calm and polite.

"And now, if you excuse me, I'll head to the car." The honey blonde said calmly, and headed out.

Jane stayed still and hesitantly looked up to her lieutenant, excepting to find him fuming. But instead of that, he had some sort of a mix of pride and worry in his expression. "Just keep an eye on her, Rizzoli." He said, and left.

Jane also left to find Maura already on Frost's car, sitting on the passenger seat. Usually she would pick at her for stealing her seat, but, this time, Jane was sure that not even her gun would save her from "hurricane Maura".

Despite her sudden bad mood, Maura spent the trip talking to Frost in a light mood, although Jane knew she was wondering why Cavanaugh had said that.

They arrived to a gas station in the middle of an industrial park. "Ah-oh! Dirty place, Maura's leaving…" Jane said, teasing her friend, who just narrowed the eyes to her. They headed to the police perimeter to meet Frankie.

"M-Maura. What are you- I thought Pike was coming…"

Jane held her breath, waiting to see her little brother getting slapped by an hormonal tsunami. But Maura calmly answered. "Yes, but there was a change of plans."

Frankie pulled Jane's arm and took her aside. "Jane, this is a not good idea."

"Frankie, stop being ridiculous. Maura being pregnant doesn't make her incapable of doing her job!"

"Jane!" Frankie growled. "It's a kid! It's a little girl!"

Jane's eyes widened and she turned around. "Maura, maybe you sho-"

But it was too late: Maura had already lifted up the white sheet. Now I understand what Cavanaugh meant. Her heart sunk and her stomach was in knots. Facing her it was a girl who shouldn't be more than 10 years old, with curly dark brown hair. Her face was covered in blood, so as her body. There were marks on her wrists and ankles. She noticed something else, and she suppressed a sudden wave of nausea.

"Hum…" She cleared her throat, feeling every single glance of her colleagues on her. "The victim is a female, about ten years old. It shows evidences of several intense beating." She swallowed hard, preparing for the next. "There's some evidence of… sexual abuse. The marks on her wrists and ankles indicate she was kept captivated for several… for a while."

"OK, guys, everyone doing what they're supposed." Jane yelled, and everyone dispersed. She saw Maura turning around and heading to the little store next to the gas station.

"Frost." Jane called, pointing at the store.

He nodded in agreement. "I got this."

Jane went inside, and asked the man behind the counter. "Bathroom?" He pointed to the back of the store. Jane headed to there, and, in the second she got in, she heard Maura throwing up in one of the cabinets, the last one at the bottom. The door was opened and Maura was kneeling on the floor, in the dirtiest bathroom Jane had ever seen. And that was one hell of a goal, considering that she had already played a hooker. She squatted down to hold Maura's hair, but said nothing, knowing that her friend was spitting not only the contents of her stomach, but also the whirl of emotions that were hitting her.

….

So, what did you guys think? Ian's subject will return later.

The next chapter will have some cute stuff :)

Reviews are very welcome.

See you soon*