"Warren."
"Hey Warren, it's Rizzoli."
"Rizzoli! How the hell are you? Finally getting out of Boston? Gonna come put your over-lauded ass to work in a real crime zone?"
"Haha, very funny you asshole. Boston would eat you up."
"And Springfield would shit you out. What's up? Why're you calling if not to beg me for a job."
"It's to beg you for a favor. If I've still got any left."
"Let me check your jar, Rizzoli...I think you got one knocking around."
"It's Graves."
"...Graves huh."
"Yeah...I saw the file on the missing kids, Cal...I think he's behind it."
"You think? I can't run favors on you think, Jane."
"I know...I'm not asking for an arrest or a toss or anything like that. Just eyes. Just tip me if he moves."
"Tip you so you can break jurisdiction and go in on a hunch? Jay-"
"Cal. You remember that kid don't you? Lukas? You remember when you tossed Graves' place and found where he'd been keepin him?"
"...Eyes, Jane. And a tip if he moves. That's it. That's all I can get you."
"That's all I need. Thanks, Cal...I mean it."
"Be careful Rizzoli. I mean that."
…
…
Four days after Lukas returns to Pennsylvania, another little boy disappears. Jane is in the kitchen, when she hears the news begin on the TV in the living room.
"Good evening. We start the program off tonight with urgent news out of Brockton. Seven year old Jamie Patterson was taken from the Westgate Mall around four thirty this afternoon. Local authorities say that the kidnapping matches the MO of the rash of abductions that has taken hold of Boston…"
Jane wipes her hands on the dish towel and comes around the corner into the living room in time to see the boy's school picture as it flashes up on the screen. On the couch, Isabelle moves to change the channel, but McKenzie stops her as Jane says "No, wait a sec Kenz, I want to see the end."
"There are no known witnesses to the abduction, and although the Patterson family is offering a reward for information leading to the return of their son, they have so far been disappointed."
"Now Mama?" Isabelle asks impatiently. "Degrassi is on."
Jane nods, leaning against the doorframe, her mind still on the news story even as the theme song to some teenage soap opera starts to blast through the speakers.
"Turn it down, Isabelle," she says distractedly, turning back towards the kitchen. "And tell your siblings that dinner is in ten."
"SOFIAAAA, NOAHHHH," Isabelle bellows, and Jane shuts her eyes and presses her thumb and forefinger to the bridge of her nose.
"Don't shout Bella," she says grumpily, "I could shout for them if I wanted. I meant get up off the sofa and tell them."
Isabelle pulls a face. "Moomm, Degrassi is on, right now!" she whines.
"I'll do it," McKenzie says quickly, before Jane can answer. "I don't mind."
She grins at McKenzie as she slides off the couch. "I mean, if you don't mind," she says to Jane's shoes.
"I never mind a kind and decent child," Jane says, more to Isabelle than to her girlfriend. This earns her a snort from her daughter and a nervous giggle from McKenzie, and as Jane heads back into the kitchen, she hears the teen start up the stairs to tell the boys it's nearly dinner time.
.
Dinner is rather quiet. T.J. is off with his parents for the first time in what feels like ages, Maura is pulling a late shift in the morgue, and Levi is taking as much advantage of his 9:30 curfew as possible. She sets the table for seven, then shakes her head and takes two settings away.
She's still not used to not having a dog on her heels as she puts the food in serving dishes and carries it into the dining room, and when she drops a roll, she spends ten whole seconds waiting for the excited pitter patter of Jo Friday's feet, before bending to pick it up herself.
"We need a new dog," she mutters to herself.
"What?" the excited voice of her youngest son makes her turn around. Her children file into the dining room and take their seats at the table, and even though their mother and sibling are missing, they leave their places empty.
"A new dog, Mama?" Noah says, helping himself to three dinner rolls. "When?"
Jane gestures that he put two rolls back. "I don't know, bud...what do you think. Are we ready for a new dog?"
Sofia snaps her fingers, and Noah tosses one of his discarded rolls to her, and although Jane squawks in protest, she secretly loves that these are her children's manners. "Mommy said we couldn't mention getting a dog until you did. She said you had to go through grieving at your own pace."
Jane pretends to look put out. "Did she now?"
Noah and Isabelle nod.
"So are you?" Noah prompts, "done grieving?"
Jane considers. "Maybe I'm just lazy," she says finally. "I just didn't want to pick the dinner roll up off the ground."
Both Noah and Sofia look suspiciously at their own rolls.
"Which one dropped?" Sofia asks, with narrowed eyes. "Did you put it back?"
This makes McKenzie giggle, and then Isabelle giggles, looking at her girlfriend, and Sofia rolls her eyes. and asks for the peas, and the subject of new dogs is forgotten.
Maura arrives home with Levi in tow just as Jane is heading into the living room from the kitchen, hands pruny from dishwater.
"But if I had a car," she hears her eldest son say from the hall, "then I wouldn't always be cutting curfew so close and I wouldn't have to call you or Ma for a ride."
Jane leans back into the couch, rolling her eyes.
"Why don't I buy you a watch instead," Maura says, sounding amused. "Besides, Mama and I don't mind picking you up, on any occasion. What me mind is when you are late, or we don't know where you are."
"You could put one of those trackers in my new car," Levi bargains.
"Away with you!" Maura says, laughing.
Jane hears Levi call out for Noah as he starts up the stairs, and a moment later, she is surrounded by the flowery perfume of her wife.
She grins. "Hello, doctor," she says as Maura places a kiss to her cheek.
"Detective," Maura says. "Did you hear your son?"
"I say we get him a big wheel, Or one of those Barbie cars, for his birthday. I mean, you're always on him about being specific.
Maura chuckles and leans against Jane's shoulder.
"How was the morgue?"
"Full of dead people."
"Still?"
Maura sighs, "That Semi collision last week. I'm to my elbows in paper work. And I might have to testify."
Jane makes a sympathetic face. "There's food in the fridge. I didn't keep it, I expected you later."
Maura kisses Jane's cheek again and pushes herself to her feet. "I expected to be later too, but someone's son called in a panic because the next green to Beacon wasn't for 11 minutes."
"Your son," Jane says with a sigh. "He'll still barely talk to me."
"He's afraid, honey," Maura calls back. "You have to be the adult here. Start the conversation."
Jane harrumphs. "We're not getting him a car, Maura...Are we?"
Maura appears around the corner with a plate of food in her hands. "No. You already cost us a college education in parking tickets, Jane. He can get a car when he saves enough to pay for it."
Jane grins. "That's my woman."
Maura shakes her head, and is about to respond, when the doorbell rings.
Jane frowns, thinking of T.J. and a late night drop off, but before she can even move from the couch, the doorbell rings again, and a woman's voice calls out.
"McKenzie? Kenz! Come out! McKenzie."
Jane struggles to her feet, and she and Maura share an incredulous look, before the sound of feet on the stairs can be heard.
The doorbell rings again. Maura turns to set her food down and then follows Jane into the front hall.
Sofia, Isabelle and McKenzie are already there, standing at the bottom of the stairs, all of them looking confused.
"I thought Kenz was staying over," Sofia says.
Isabelle takes McKenzie's hand in hers. "She is," she says, looking hard at Maura, then at Jane. "Mama said she could."
The doorbell rings again. "KENZ" the insistent voice cries. "COME OUT!"
"Go upstairs," Jane says to her twins, and Sofia moves to obey at once, but Isabelle stays where she is, next to McKenzie, her expression set and determined.
The doorbell rings again. "Mac!" the voice calls excitedly. "Come out! Come out! Time to come home."
"Isabelle," Jane says, noticing that her tone makes McKenzie flinch. "Upstairs. Now." She puts her hand on her daughter's shoulder as she goes by. "It's alright," she says quietly.
McKenzie and Maura start forward towards the door, but Jane gestures that they should stay back in the hallway, out of sight, and then she strides to the front door, and pulls it open, making sure that she stands straight, taking advantage of her height.
There, at the door, is the woman that Jane remembers seeing greet McKenzie at the door when she had dropped her off a week ago. She recognizes McKenzie's mother, but only by her blonde hair and short stature. The rest of her appearance is completely changed. She is dressed in tight fitting jeans and a flowing blousy top, and she is wearing more make up than Jane has ever seen a woman wear.
"Hi," she says, watching as the woman bounces on the balls of her feet, her eyes darting to the hallway behind Jane.
"Where's McKenzie?" She asks, a little breathlessly. "She's here, I know she is."
Jane nods, "She's here. You're her mother?"
"It's time for her to come home," the woman says, looking around Jane again. "Big time. It's an important time."
"I'm Jane Rizzoli, one of Isabelle's mother's," Jane holds out her hand, which the woman looks at, but doesn't take. "It's nice to finally meet you since our girls spend so much time togeth-"
"Kenzie!" The woman calls, "Come out, honey, Mama feels better. Time to go home!" She makes a move to come into the house, and Jane puts her hands up instinctually.
The woman stops, looking at her confusedly.
"Wait here," Jane says slowly. "I'll go see if she and Isabelle have finished what they were working on." She pauses, to make sure that the woman is waiting, and then heads back down the hall.
As she rounds the corner, Jane sees Maura and Mckenzie standing where she left them, the teen looking pale, and drawn, and the doctor looking quietly furious. She puts her arm out, across McKenzie's upper body, shielding her, and she shakes her head at Jane. For a moment, the teen looks up at the doctor, half stunned and half suspicious, like she thinks Maura has mistaken her for one of her children. But then Maura looks down at her, and smiles swiftly, and murmurs something that Jane can't hear, and McKenzie's eyes get big.
Maura looks back around at Jane, and she doesn't have to be a detective to see what's written there. She nods curtly, and swings back around the corner to the door, where McKenzie's mother is studying the molding on the doorframe.
"McKenzie and Isabelle are still working on their school project," Jane says easily, thanking the heavens that she answered the door and not her fib-deficient wife.
The woman in front of her blinks confusedly. "But she needs to come back now," she says. "For family time." She leans to the side, attempting to peer around Jane into the house. "Kenz!" she calls, "Kenz, you'll never guess!"
"It's really important," Jane speaks over her, "that they finish tonight."
McKenzie's mother straightens up to look at Jane again. Her eyes are so blue that they are almost clear. They are a little unsettling.
"You're the cop," she says, seeming to focus for the first time. A small frown creasing her eyebrows.
Jane nods. "Yep."
"And a gay," the woman continues. "McKenzie told me all about your family."
Jane does not allow the prickle of anger she feels show on her face. She forces herself to smile. "Only good things, I hope," she says, in what she hopes is a light, nonchalant voice. "We love having her here."
The woman shrugs. "She's quiet enough. I'll give her that."
"She's lovely," Jane says, borrowing Maura's word. "And she and Isabelle have been working very, very hard on their project for school. We're happy to have McKenzie for the night, so that they can finish," Jane pauses, and then tries the reverse psychology that still works on her youngest. "Or I can disturb them now, and you can take McKenzie home."
There is a long silence while McKenzie's mother thinks it over. Jane can practically hear her family around the corner, holding their collective breath.
"I've got more preparing to do, I guess," she says finally, and Jane nods, even though she doesn't know what this means. "I've got more to do, I guess. So I guess it's okay. But you got to bring her to school tomorrow then. That's on you."
"No problem," Jane says immediately, not bothering to mention that her children catch the bus. "No problem at all."
When she comes back around into the hall, Maura and McKenzie are still there, where she left them, though McKenzie looks visibly shaken.
Maura shoots Jane a look, and then gently lowers her free hand to the teenager's shoulder.
"Well that settles it," she says, her tone much brighter than her expression. "Come on, darling, come get a drink, and then you can head back upstairs, okay?"
McKenzie nods dazedly, and as she turns to follow Maura into the kitchen, Jane sees her shoulders sag, and wonders if she is relieved, or defeated.
She starts to follow them, and then hangs back, something telling her to let the two of them have a moment without her. And sure enough, after just a couple seconds, McKenzie's voice calls out timidly from the kitchen.
"Thank you."
"For what?" Maura asks, and Jane can tell that her wife is trying to keep all her questions at bay.
"For...letting me stay."
"You are welcome here any time," Maura says evenly, spacing her words out carefully, so that they mean what she wants them to mean.
There is a brief silence, and then McKenzie says quietly, "I should thank Detective Rizzoli too."
"Jane," Maura says, stressing the name a little bit, "was happy to do it," Maura pauses, and McKenzie must make a face because the doctor laughs a little, and continues. "And she is not as scary as she first seems. In truth, she's just a big softy...despite her being an officer."
"My mother hates cops," McKenzie blurts out. "My brother was shot by a cop."
Jane listens intently. Maura takes her time answering.
"That must have been very very difficult for you," she says finally.
"For me?" McKenzie was not expecting this.
"Yes," Maura says. "It must have been very hard to lose your brother, and to watch your mother grieve for him."
Silence. Jane presses her back into the hallway wall, trying to think of a way that she can explain to her wife how important she is. How perceptive, and caring and kind, even if she doesn't feel that way all the time. She listens to the clink of glasses, the pouring of juice.
"Has Jane always been a cop?" McKenzie asks after a while. "I mean, is that all she's ever done?"
"Yes," Maura says, not sounding put off by the subject change. "I believe it's all she's ever wanted to be."
"Is that how you two decided?"
"Decided what?"
"Who would protect you guys." McKenzie's voice is matter of fact. It takes Maura a moment to answer, and Jane can picture her, weighing each word carefully.
"What makes you think that one of us is solely responsible for that duty?" she asks finally, her voice casual.
"I don't know. I don't...I just assumed. Because she stopped you from going to the door...She made you wait back. Like she wanted to protect you."
Jane hears Maura pause again. "In this particular situation," Maura says carefully, "what would Jane have needed to protect me from, McKenzie?" It is a direct enough question that there can be no mistaking its intent, but vague enough that the teenager can sidestep, if she wishes.
Jane imagines that McKenzie shrugs, because Maura makes a noncommittal "mm" sound, the way she does when listening to the latest school dramas form one of her children, and then she says. "I think it's more complicated than just, one of us protects, and the other one is protected. There are ways that I protect Jane, sometimes. Neither one of us is wholly impenetrable or wholly vulnerable. That's why we work together."
McKenzie seems to contemplate this for a moment. "Dr. Isles?"
"Maura, sweetheart."
"Can people who are wholly vulnerable still find love?"
Jane closes her eyes, glad that this question has not been posed to her. Maura, it seems, takes the question in stride.
"No one is wholly vulnerable, darling," she says kindly. "Everyone has strength inside them, possibly hidden, but definitely there." She hesitates for the space of a second and then says, "I have not forgotten how you stayed by Isabelle's side when that boy was taunting her. She was vulnerable then, and you stood by her. You stepped up."
"I did." Mckenzie's voice is between surprise and confusion.
"You did," Maura assures. "However else you feel, you must know that that was a very brave thing to do."
…
…
"I love you so much, Maur," Jane says that night as they get ready for bed. "I love you so much, and if I could marry you all over again, I would do it in a heartbeat." The doctor looks around at her, pleasantly surprised.
"I love you too, Jane," She says, sounding a bit suspicious. "Did you spill something on the Persian rug in the study?"
Jane laughs, and reaches across their bed to pull her wife towards her. She still has her earrings on, and she hasn't yet gotten up to do her nightly routine in the bathroom, but Jane feels her giggle and give in, resting her cheek against the brunette's chest.
"What's all this about?" She asks, nuzzling closer.
"You used to be scared that you wouldn't be a good mother," Jane says, "Remember? You were terrified you wouldn't be able to relate. "But honey, what you did for McKenzie today…"
But Maura pushes away from the detective so that she can look at her, and Jane sees her smile has faded into a concerned frown.
"That was troubling," she murmurs.
"Ya think?" Jane responds with a snort, but Maura's frown deepens.
"Yes, Jane, I do," she says seriously. "You should have seen her listening to you talk to her mother." Maura reaches out and wraps her hands around Jane's forearm. "She held onto me. Like this," she says. "I wouldn't have sent her home, even if you hadn't been able to fabricate a reason for her to stay."
Jane sighs heavily, leaning back against the headboard. "So what do you think, Dr. Isles? You're the one who said not to push too hard or else she'd bail."
Maura nods, but doesn't answer. She stares at a spot on Jane's collarbone, deep in thought. Jane reaches out and tugs a strand of her hair.
"Don't wear that big brain of yours out, honey," she says softly, and Maura's eyes come up to meet hers, refocusing.
"It's…" She begins, and Jane nods.
"Troubling," the brunette finishes.
"Yes," Maura echoes. "Troubling." She sighs, and rolls away from Jane, getting up and heading towards the bathroom. "I think we stay the course," she calls over her shoulder. "I think we just...keep on."
Jane smiles at the ceiling. "Yes, ma'am," she calls.
Her phone buzzes along the nightstand, and she reaches for it and unlocks it, seeing the dimpled blonde face of her nephew swim into view.
"Hey Teej," she says happily, "we missed you at dinner tonight buddy."
T.J. grins back at her, he looks happier than he has in a while. "Dad and Mom and I all went out to CiCi's!" he says loudly. "We had a good time, I beat dad at Skee Ball!"
In the background, Jane hears her brother cry out, "You did not you liar!"
"That's great," Jane says, relief flooding through her. "That's great, kiddo."
"Yeah," T.J. says a little awkwardly. "I just called to say good night. Is Auntie Maura there?"
"Yes she is," Maura says, coming out of the bathroom, fresh faced and beaming. "We did miss your presence tonight, Tommy, but I am so glad to hear that you had an enjoyable night with your mother and father."
Jane can almost hear the words for a change. She gives her wife a meaningful look.
"I learned a new word Maura, want to hear?"
Maura's smile returns, and she comes to sit next to Jane on the bed. "Nothing would make me happier," she says.
"Eee loose ih date," T.J. says, drawing out each syllable. "It means to make clearer."
Maura nods, looking proud. "It certainly does."
"Sign him up for college now, folks," Jane puts in.
T.J. grins. "Anyway. I jus' wanted to tell you. And to say night...felt weird. Not saying it."
Maura looks touched, and then a little weepy, as she is apt to when anyone expresses desire to be near her.
"For us too, buddy. Now go rest that big brain of yours."
"Okay," he says, already lowering the phone. "Night Jay! Night Maura."
"Goodnight," they call, and the screen goes dark.
Jane puts her phone back on the night stand. "You too, Auntie Maura. Rest that big brain of yours."
"I want to be the inside spoon tonight, Jane. Alright?"
Jane smiles, waiting until her wife has settled against her chest to reach and turn out the light.
"You're a brilliant mother, and aunt, and confidant," she whispers, because Maura only sleeps like this when she is insecure. "And if I could marry you all over again, I would."
Maura smiles with her eyes closed.
"Go to sleep," she murmurs. "Rest that big mouth."
…
…...
Their phones ring thirty seconds apart, at 3:13am the next morning, and Jane feels Maura reach for her own phone and then roll over her to grab the detective's phone off the nightstand.
"Isles," she says sleepily into her phone, simultaneously pressing Jane's phone against the brunette's ear.
"Rizzoli," Jane grunts.
"We'll be there," Maura says.
"Whatever," Jane grumbles to dispatch. "He's dead, isn't he? Where's he gonna go?"
Maura snorts as she pulls the phone away from Jane's ear and swings out of bed.
"I hate being on call," Jane whines, wincing as the doctor flips on the overhead light. "I hate it. What time is-" But she sees the glow of the clock on the nightstand and groans. "I hate being on-"
"On call, yes, you have established," Maura calls from the closet, and when she emerges, she looks as though she has spent hours getting ready for the day.
"How…" Jane stares. "How do you do that?"
Maura rolls her eyes, but still looks pleased. "Honestly, Jane, it's all about preparation. How long have we had on call nights? Don't you put clothes out in case we get a late call?"
Jane huffs as she slides out of bed, reaching for the jeans she took off before getting into bed. "Maura, I don't put clothes out when we have to get up at normal time. What makes you think I would have the wherewithal to-"
But Maura waves her off with a roll of her eyes, and heads into the bathroom.
Jane pulls her jeans up, and then reaches for a sweatshirt that's been hanging over the back of an armchair for a couple of days.
"I'll do the girls okay?" She calls.
Through the sound of running water, Maura calls back in the affirmative. " And don't wear that disgusting BPD hoodie that's over the chair, Jane Rizzoli. It smells like socks."
Jane rolls her eyes to the heavens, but pulls the sweatshirt off as she slips out of the bedroom.
McKenzie sits up when Jane enters the twins' bedroom, but the other two don't stir. "It's okay," Jane whispers. "You can go back to sleep. Maura and I just caught a case, so we have to head out."
"Now?" McKenzie whispers, "so early?"
"Crime doesn't sleep," Jane jokes, before she realizes that this is not the type of joke that the teenager would get. And as expected, McKenzie nods seriously and lies back down on the spare mattress. "I understand," she says.
Jane stops herself from rolling her eyes. she steps carefully over McKenzie's makeshift bed and reaches up to touch Isabelle on the back. "Hey, Nug," she says softly, and when Isabelle stirs she steps back and bends down to press a kiss to Sofia's forehead. "Wake up, chiclets."
"Didjyou catchacase?" Sofia mumbles, opening a sleepy eye. "Leavin?"
Isabelle's bed-wild hair appears over the lip of the bunk bed before her face does. "Mom?"
Jane reaches up and rubs Isabelle's head for a second. "Yeah, we caught a case, so we're heading out now. Chances are we'll be back at least to get you all off to the bus, but if we're not…"
"Make sure Noah 'ets there," Sofia yawns.
"Don't forget our lunches," Isabelle echoes, rolling away again. "Love you Mama."
"Double it," Sofia says.
"Love you nuggets. Don't over sleep. Mom's gonna call to make sure you are up."
They barely answer.
"Okay," Mckenzie says from her place.
Jane grins, and then, on impulse, she squats down and pulls the covers up under McKenzie's chin. "Go back to sleep," she says trying to shake her normal gruffness. "See you soon."
She's shutting the door on the three of them when she hears McKenzie whisper.
"Be safe."
"Ma?"
She turns to see Levi, standing at the bottom of the stairs to his attic room.
"Hey," she says, "What are you doing up? You usually sleep right through these."
Levi fidgets a little, and then steps forward into the light from the hall. "You got a case?"
Jane nods, "Yeah. Don't sleep through your alarm okay, Lee?" But she doesn't leave. He's still standing there, looking at her. "What's up?" she asks after a beat of awkward silence.
"The ones at night can be bad, right?" He asks, sounding younger than his 16 years. "Usually the night calls are the...like...gross ones?"
Jane smiles. "Sometimes, but that's not a rule. Why?"
Levi rubs a hand over his short hair, making him look like his uncle Tommy. "I just...I had this dream the other night that you went out, and...you got injured-" both mother and son pause here to tap their knuckles against the wood of the banister "-and you were like, still mad at me, and-"
But Jane shakes her head, gesturing her son forward. "Hey," she says, putting her hand on his shoulder when he gets close enough. "Levi Michael. Listen to me," she says firmly. "You were an ass to me the other day. We can both agree to that."
Levi ducks his head, but Jane squeezes his shoulder, trying to keep him with her. "But I love you with every single bone and blood cell in my body. And no amount of teenage douche can change that. Do you understand?"
Levi shakes his head. "No. I mean...yes, I just...Ma. I didn't know you'd done that for me. For us. I didn't."
Jane dips her head so that she's looking her son in the eyes. "Levi," she says. "You are my son and I adore you. I love you so much. But I know you had another family. Another life, even. And even though you've lived in this life longer, I don't expect that part to disappear, or even to fade. Okay? You can miss them, and love them, and want them back, even. But you cannot do it at the expense of the people who love you. Do you understand?"
Levi nods, dropping his head further.
"Good," Jane says, turning away from him. "Now go back to bed, before Mom sees you up and starts reciting all her facts about teenage boys and sleep."
Levi chuckles. "I love you Mama," he says turning away.
Jane stops at the top of the stairs, waiting for the overflow of emotion to shut off.
"Love you too, little man."
…
Maura is finishing her toast when Jane rounds the corner to the kitchen. She smiles at Jane in a way that lets the brunette know that she's heard the conversation with Levi. She hands her her coffee, and while Jane takes a big grateful swig, Maura steps up to her and pulls her hair back into a ponytail.
"Ready?" she asks.
"Born that way," Jane says, grinning as Maura stands on tiptoes to kiss her cheek.
"Then lets go do what we do."
They head towards the garage door, and as Jane pulls it shut behind her, her cell phone buzzes against her thigh. She pulls it out and swipes it open, and when she reads the message, her the tips of her fingers and toes go numb with the familiar blend of excitement, anticipation, and fear.
It's from Calvin Warren, District Chief in Springfield. And it says:
Graves is on the move.