A couple days early, I wanted to go ahead and get this up here, and I've already started on the next chapter, so expect it maybe later today, or the usual Thursday.
David Reese held no more information than Jane was expecting him to. He hadn't heard or seen anything, and attributed it to the blizzard Nemo. "Thank you Mr. Reese, we know how to contact you if we need anything more."
Jane turned to Korsak and Frost, "Well that helped."
"He struck at the perfect moment, no one was going to hear what was going on, and there was no chance anyone would be out." Korsak glanced up and down the street and then sighed. "I'll get some uniforms together and start asking the other neighbors if they saw anything."
"It's a good idea, surley someone is nosy enough..." The boom and the basement windows blowing out had them all ducking for cover. Jane picked herself up out the snow and turned toward the house. Icy fear worked it's way down her spine, "MAURA!"
R&I
Maura slowly became aware of agonized moans coming from somewhere across the room, and a heavy weight laying on top of her. Her right shoulder was pressed into the concrete and she tried to shift, only to stiffen and let out a moan herself when pain flared through her left side. She felt her consciousness begin to fade out again and tried to stay awake.
The ringing in her ears kept the heavy footsteps muffled until they were almost right next to her and the weight that had her pinned was gone in seconds. "Maura, can you hear me?"
The voice was Jane's and relief took over her system until she felt the woman's hands touch her arm and start to roll her onto her back. The doctor stiffened again and let out a hiss, "hurts, no."
Her words were slurred, and the hands left her arm. For a moment there was panic before she felt one of them, warm and comforting rest on her back. "Paramedics are on their way, baby. I need you to open your eyes."
Trying to do that made Maura realize the side of her face felt sticky, something her logical mind told her was most likely blood, but the light that hit them as they opened made her groan and close them tightly.
"Easy, come on, try again." The doctor was slower this time, and was able to at least get them half way open. Across from her Susie Chang was laid out on the concrete, with Detective Frost leaning over her.
"Are they..." The words still seemed to tangle with her tongue, like her mouth was full of peanut butter.
"Shh, they're alive. You need to worry about you right now." Jane's voice was soothing, but she could hear the tremble underneath. "Sweetie, I'm going to try to roll you over. Can you help me do that?"
Maura blinked, then began to take stock. She moved her head slightly, feeling pain shoot through her temples, and the muscles protest, but she didn't think there was any lasting damage. Experimentally she wiggled her fingers and toes, which caused more pain in her left side. She moaned and took several deep breaths. "Ok. Be careful."
Carefully Jane's hand supported her neck, and the other wrapped around her middle. As gently as she could the detective rolled Maura onto her back, but even that caused her vision to swim, and it took a moment to focus again. When she finally did she could see unshed tears in Jane's eyes. The detective gave her a watery smile, then dug in her pocket for a handkerchief, pressing it tightly against Maura's head.
Jane leaned down and kissed her forehead lightly. "Where are you hurt? What do I need to do?" The hand on her cheek was trembling, and Maura took a moment to calm herself before she started trying to calm the brunette.
"Deep breath, five in, six out." Her voice was getting stronger, that was a good sign. She continued to take stock of her own injuries when she heard a huff from the woman above her.
"You seriously want me to meditate right now?"
"Help you keep calm. I think I have a concussion."
Jane's eyes focused as she started to decipher the doctor's words. "Possible carpal and ulna fractures, possible tearing of ligaments and tendons in my left leg. Possible bruised or broken ribs."
"Is that a guess doctor?" The detective tried to keep her voice light, but she was running her eyes down the doctor's body, and could already see the swelling in her left wrist.
"Pain indicators." Maura's eyes screwed closed and she took several more deep breaths.
The throbbing in her head was getting worse, around the room she could still hear someone moaning, and voices speaking quickly. Faintly, around the ringing she could hear sirens. "Don't leave me."
She could feel Jane take her right hand, possibly the only spot on her that didn't hurt like hell right now. "I'm not going anywhere. I love you, Maura."
"Love you too, Jane." Her voice had taken on the slurred speech again, and she could feel herself starting to pass out from the pain.
"Maura. Stay awake, talk to me." She could hear the panic in the detective's voice, and fought to open her eyes again.
R&I
In his many years of knowing Jane Rizzoli, Korsak had never seen her move that fast. After the explosion, she'd been on her feet, and flying across the shin deep snow almost like it wasn't there. He and Frost were following after her as fast as they could, but when he'd heard her scream Dr. Isles' name his blood seemed to freeze. He'd heard fear in her voice before, and he'd heard panic, but it was nothing like this.
By the time they made it halfway down the stairs, he and Frost saw her flipping a coffee table off the doctor like it weighed nothing more than an empty cardboard box. Adrenaline fueled strength was always fascinating to behold, here it seemed superhuman, fueled by more than adrenaline. Just as quickly as that burst of speed and power seemed to consume Jane it left, as she knelt beside the doctor.
Korsak had grabbed his radio, started calling for paramedics, and instructing the uni's to start helping the injured. Both tech's had taken burns and lacerations to their legs. The older detective started scanning the room, seeing what else might be rigged to blow when his eyes landed on the coffee table Jane had flipped earlier. It had landed on it's top, one leg snapped into a sharp point with the remains of duct tape, and what looked like PVC.
That wasn't however what caught his attention. Moving closer, he could see spray painted on the bottom of the table top three words, standing out in blood red.
'Fun and Games.'
R&I
The paramedics loaded Maura onto the back board gently. There was a gurney waiting just outside the front door. She'd had to let go of the doctor's hand so they could get her up the stairs but followed along quickly behind them, taking up her spot beside Maura again as quickly as she could.
Outside the sun was just starting to come up, and emergency vehicles now crowded the street as personnel swarmed over the property. A little further down, barely held back by the uni's was a swarm of reporters and televisions cameras. Jane positioned herself between them and Maura.
The doctor was drifting in and out, the only indication that she really knew what was going on was the tight grip she kept on Jane's hand. "Janie!"
She looked up to see Frankie bounding across the sidewalk, skidding to a stop. "Oh God. Maura, are you all right."
Hazel eyes cracked open, "Ok, Frankie."
Her brother's eyes met Jane's and she nodded slightly, that for now, Maura was out of immediate danger. "I need you to call Ma, tell her what's going on, where to meet us. Then get down there and help Korsak and Frost."
The officer took a moment to lay a gentle hand on Maura's shoulder, then was off, pulling his cell phone from his pocket. "Detective we need to load her now." The paramedic motioned to the back of the ambulance. "Family only in the back."
Jane nearly growled. "I am her family, and her POC, I'm staying with her."
The man stepped back and nodded, before motioning to his partner. They were weaving their way through the vehicles parked along the streets in minutes, the lights and sirens blaring through the pre dawn.