"How did you know you were in love with..." The therapist's voice faltered, Jane hadn't felt comfortable revealing her lover's name yet. "...this woman?"

Jane fidgeted in the armchair. "How did you learn to breathe?"

The therapist smiled. "So you're saying that loving her is reflexive now?"

"I think it always has been, from the moment I met her."

"Can you walk me through that day?" Her pen was pressed against the thin yellow paper of her legal pad.

"It was my second year with homicide, I was working a tough case and we weren't getting any leads so I went for coffee downstairs. The cafe was closing up but the coffee stand is always open and there was this woman sitting all by herself in the corner looking over case files. I recognized her from a few years earlier, I had been undercover with Vice as a prostitute and she tried paying for my lunch. She looked- lost. So I grabbed two cups and walked over."

"Why did you approach her? Because she looked 'lost' as you put it?"

Jane paused. "No, I just had this feeling in my gut that I needed to talk to her, to know her. I wanted to make her laugh, she seemed like she would have the best laugh in the whole world. I didn't want her to be sad."

"So you felt the need to save her? To be the hero? Like you felt you needed to be a cop?"

"I knew I needed to be a cop, but it wasn't until I was one that I knew I needed to be a homicide detective. I knew I needed to know her but it wasn't until I knew her that I needed to love her. I needed to make her happy and safe and loved. She didn't look like she'd had a lot of that."

The therapist scribbled on the pad, Jane waiting uncomfortably for her next question. "Okay. So you went up to her?"

"I offered her the cup of coffee and she took it, thanking me. I introduced myself and asked to sit down with her. I realized that she was going over the forensics reports of the case I was working. I knew I hadn't seen her in the building so I assumed she had been called in as an expert."

"Did you talk shop?"

Jane smiled fondly at the memory. "No. I closed all the files and set them on the floor at my feet. She was really shocked by it, went on and on about how this was a sign of aggression in my line of work but to be this rude to a complete stranger was unacceptable. I thought it was sexy- and endearing as hell. When I was able to stop laughing because she had this pouty face on, I told her I was working the same case and that we both just needed a break.

"I took her downstairs to the gym, grabbed some chips from the vending machine and we sat on the wrestling mats with the lights off just being content. We just talked like normal people. She didn't ask about my job and I didn't ask about hers. And I knew at the end, when my partner wouldn't stop paging me, that I'd been gone two hours and I didn't want to go back and catch the bad guy, that I loved her. Two hours and I was in love."

Jane sat uncomfortably in the chair as the recording played, Isla's baby blanket clutched between hands that were beginning to tremble. When she'd signed the release of her psychiatric records she had assumed it was doctor specific, not for all the therapists and psychologists she'd seen throughout her career. She listened to her voice, so young back then, free of the weight of all the horrors she was about to face- she hadn't known it but in just three short months she would be abducted by Charles Hoyt. It had changed everything- the tenor of her voice, the swagger and stride of her walk, the neatness of her handwriting, her sense of Maura's safety. All of it had changed because of one deranged man.

And here she was, facing the same hopeful, romantic Jane Rizzoli she had been before him. The one who would have married Maura without hesitation, who would have forced her family to accept them, who would have agreed to be a surrogate for their children.

"Detective Rizzoli?" A strong, male voice brought her out of her trance. She was looking down at her scarred hands, feeling the unfamiliar weight of the engagement ring that now settled upon her finger. She took a deep breath, knowing she had Maura and Isla and they were both safe. They were all safe.

She finally looked up at the defense attorney. "I'm sorry, can you repeat the question?"

He smiled apologetically at her, he was a public defender she'd worked with many times, his name was Rudolph "Dolph" Zerbrowski and she really liked him. He got a lot of convictions. She knew it wasn't personal, he hadn't wanted this case, hadn't wanted to represent a drug lord and cop killer but he was required by law and the oath he took as a state lawyer to be fair and unbiased to everyone. Even if that meant taking down a decorated detective in a fragile state because of a line of questioning.

"What is the woman's name from the recording, Detective?" Dolph was leaning against the witness stand to appear casual, and also so neither of them would have to speak loudly.

"Objection. Relevance?" DA Claudette Zeeman stood up as she protested.

"I'll allow the line of questioning but make sure you get to your point, and fast counsellor." Jane didn't know this judge; he worked a lot of high profile cases that usually never made it to public trials. He was the stereotypical judge- middle aged, bald, divorced and hated by his kids. It meant he was ruthless and would uphold the law.

Jane's eyes flicked to where Maura sat behind the prosecution. She smiled tentatively at her detective and nodded. They had known this would happen. "Doctor Maura Isles." There were some muffled gasps from people who hadn't known and confusion written on the faces of the jury.

"Dr. Maura Isles," Dolph projected her name loudly, for everyone to hear as he stepped away from the stand and towards the jury, "the Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth, is that correct?"

"Yes."

Dolph seemed to accept her answer, thinking briefly of a new strategy. "You and Dr. Isles didn't last very long the first time did you?"

Jane shook her head. "No."

The loud scraping of a chair brought Jane's attention from Dolph. It was that fiery redhead again, shouting at the judge about the necessity of all these questions. "Seriously? Objection! Where is this going?"

Dolph held up his hand to her. "How come?" He stood by his chair, shuffling some papers around. Jane's eyes flitted to Maura, who gave her a warm smile and reassuring nod.

She took a deep breath. "Two months after the recording you just heard, serial killer Charles Hoyt began murdering in Boston. Exactly three months after that session, I found myself pinned to a basement floor with scalpels in my hands trying not die."

"That doesn't exactly answer the question, Detective. Wouldn't such an experience bring loved ones closer?"

"I went through something horrific in that basement, Dolph, not that you'd ever know. I was minutes away from losing my life when I was rescued by Sergeant Korsak and Dr. Isles. I was pinned to a floor, blood pouring out of me and begging for my life. Charles Hoyt broke me. I was so ashamed of showing that weakness that I asked for a new partner and pushed Maura away. They'd seen me broken and begging to live, they could never trust me with their lives again. So I broke up with her."

He nodded and moved closer to her. "You're no stranger to violence are you, Jane? You survived three rounds with Hoyt, you shot yourself in a hostage situation to kill the bad guy, you narrowly escaped a fracking compound with your life, you were abducted by a baker who tied you to his bed, your brother's girlfriend tried killing both of you. And now, now you're claiming you were abducted by my client. Don't you see a pattern here?"

Dolph was facing the jury now, about to start a speech that would win over their affections. "By the time you'd rejoined Vice, Maura had left you and moved out of state. Your ex-fiancé was a paraplegic who was happily married thanks to you. Your lieutenant married your mother, your partner died."

Claudette sighed loudly, but the judge spoke before her. "I'm getting there, Ms. Zeeman. Is there a question here, counsellor?"

Dolph nodded and continued. "Pretty life altering things happening, Detective. Your objective was to get close to Keegan, to see how his operations were being handled and then get out. Instead, you seduced him and concocted this whole kidnapping so you'd have another horrific story to tell. Isn't that right?"

Her mouth was open in shock. How the hell could he even think that was a possibility? "My objective was to infiltrate his production with any means necessary. I was raped, placed in a closet for nine months where I gave birth to a daughter and almost bled to death. He came to me every day and threatened to kill everyone I cared for if I didn't tell him who I was and why I was there. Why the fuck would I make that up?"

He rushed up to the stand. "Because how can you say you were raped when you went to him willingly?" Jane fell back against the chair. This was their angle, how could Keegan really have done all these things if it had been consensual? Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes.

"I was told to do whatever necessary. Keegan was the one who wanted me in his bed."

"But you went there willingly."

Her eyes dropped from Maura's warmth. This was all cold, hard Jane. There was no love here, in what she was about to admit. "Yes."

Dolph walked back over to his desk, where he picked up a packet of papers. "Your honor, this is a request for a minimum security prison with social workers on staff 24/7 so that my client, should he be sent to jail, will still have visitation rights with his daughter."

Jane's head snapped up, and she looked at the judge. "No." It was guttural, purely animalistic and instinctive. "He has no right to her. She doesn't have a father, she has two mothers. Maura is in the process of adopting her, he has no right to see her, to hold her, to even know her name."

"Detective you just admitted that your child was a product of consensual sex, therefore, my client has every right to pursue his parental rights."

She stood up and leaned over the stand. "Your client wanted to kill her because she wasn't the son he wanted. Your client refused to bathe her, give her clean clothes, or even a blanket because she was 'already a whore like her mother'. And those are your client's exact words. So no, your client has no parental rights to pursue."

The judge held up his hand toward Jane, trying to settle her down enough to respond to Dolph's sudden request. She sat down slowly, waiting to see where this would go. "Counsellor, this is a very sudden petition for a client facing kidnapping, drug trafficking and murder charges. If your client is found guilty of any of these charges, I will revisit your request but no sooner."

Jane could tell that Dolph wasn't pleased with this news but also saw the relief in his face. Oh yes, the Defense was definitely upholding the law by representing Keegan, and tearing away at her, but he was also sabotaging himself. Jane was beginning to see Dolph in a whole new light, respecting him even more. Now, the rest of trial was a completely different matter.

"I have no more questions as of now. Your witness, Ms. Zeeman." He finally sat down, defeat seeping into his stoic expression. But the gears were churning in his head, and Jane was not particularly keen to see where that line of questioning would go.

Claudette stood up and walked towards Jane, a warm smile on her face. "Detective Rizzoli, do you remember a few years back a certain case against a female officer from the Boston Police Department named Caylenn Ward?"

Maura was smiling widely from her seat in the "audience", and Jane felt this should be important. "It's not ringing any bells, I'm at a lot of trials."

"Understandable," the small prosecutor nodded her head, "Caylenn Ward was in a situation much like yours. Placed undercover to infiltrate a specific new group of activists who were becoming increasingly violent. Mrs. Ward found herself able to get within the leaders group of most trusted officials once she'd been there almost two years. But her way in was as his romantic interest. She spent three years as his girlfriend before she had enough evidence to convict him and shutdown the group."

"Objection. When is a trail time for a law history lesson?" Dolph exclaimed from his chair.

"Sustained, I'm interested in seeing where this leads."

Claudette nodded and resumed her speech. "By this period in time she was seven months pregnant with his child. The defense brought up the point that Mrs. Ward spent more than three years being the leader's girlfriend and all of their sexual encounters were to be considered consensual and that the rape charges tacked on the end should be dismissed. The judge ruled against them. Caylenn Ward was a happily married woman who spent five years away from her family to bring down a hate group, not soliciting herself out because she could. The child reared from the pairing was not considered legally the leader's, but instead Mrs. Ward and her husband's."

She paused to turn towards the judge. "It is at this point, Judge Brennan, that I would like to motion for the same exclusions provided in the case of Commonwealth of Massachusetts vs. Isaac Felton. I ask only because Mr. Zerbrowski opened up this topic himself, and is within my rights to pursue."

"Objection! This is directly related to my client's parental rights which you just said were to be discussed at the end of trail!" Dolph's chair had fallen over with a loud boom when he stood up so suddenly.

"I said I would revisit your proposal for a minimum security prison, the fact that his parental rights were attached does not make it the main reason of the proposition, whether intended or not. That having been said, I'm inclined to agree with Ms. Zeeman, the law is on their side. Mr. O'Shaughnessy has no right to pursue parental rights on a child born from rape. Which is what the state has defined in previous trials." Judge Brennan turned towards Jane. "Has a birth certificate already been filed for your child?"

"No, I was still in surgery when she was released, Maura just took her home. Nothing has been done yet."

He nodded his head. "When you file a certificate of birth, which I expect you to do by the end of this trial at the absolute latest, you may list your spouse as the parent of your daughter."

Jane twisted the engagement ring on her finger and bit her lip. Her brown eyes raised slowly to make eye contact with his. "Your Honor, I'm not married yet. Maura and I have just recently regained our commitment of being engaged. Can I list Maura as my daughter's mother before our wedding?"

The judge was silent for awhile, his gaze turning to where Maura sat in the courtroom. It was terrifying, what if he said no? Jane would have to file the birth certificate and then once they eventually married, go through an adoption process. "I'll allow it."

"Objection!" Dolph was still standing. "I would like to finish playing the recording from earlier. I'm no longer pursuing this for my client's parental rights, but questioning Detective Rizzoli's."

Now Jane definitely didn't like Dolph, no matter what side he claimed to be on. And what the hell was on the rest of that tape? Something that would prove she wasn't capable of being a mother? Had she ever confided in anyone about her doubts as a mother? It didn't look like Judge Brennan was having any lesser concerns. "Make it quick, counsellor. You're interrupting cross-examination for this."

Dolph nodded and pushed play on the stereo sitting on his desk.

"When did you find out you had to work with her on a daily basis?" The therapist asked.

"A couple weeks later I found out she'd been hired in the morgue. We'd been calling and emailing the entire time and neither of us brought it up. We just didn't let it interfere with work, we were there to do jobs, to catch bad guys and protect innocents. She took that as serious as I do, sometimes she forces her way into the streets with us, questioning perps, chasing down leads. She feels so strongly about her job that sometimes she needs to be present with us- it's not just my victory, it's ours."

The therapist stopped writing and looked up at Jane who had a grin on her face. "Does that worry you at all? Her being out there with you? I've heard some of the stories about what the other detectives put you through to become 'one of the guys'. What about her? Will she be put through them too? Will you protect her while she's unarmed and unprotected? At the risk of your life or others?"

Jane stopped and thought deeply for a moment before looking up at the therapist. "Yes, I love her, I will always protect her over the lives of others and of myself. It goes against everything I know as a cop, protect the innocents before yourself. But she is an innocent and if she were to ever be hurt or die and it was because I wasn't there to save her- I'd never forgive myself. I can't stand to think of life without her."

"You understand that I do have to ask this- Jane, would you kill for this woman?"

"If they were a threat to her, yes. Without a doubt I would do anything- even if that meant taking another life to protect her. I sincerely hope it never comes down to that but without hesitation, yes, I would kill for her."

Dolph had a smirk on his face by the end of the recording. Jane had just admitted her willingness to kill to protect Maura. "Does your statement at the end of the recording still stand, Detective Rizzoli?"

Jane wondered what she could say to make certain members of the jury stop looking at her as if she were a monster. But the look on Maura's face consoled her, yes, of course she would still kill to protect her. Maura was her anchor, the one who fit all the broken pieces back together again and held her together. "Yes, if placed in a situation where I had to take the life of another human being in order to protect Maura, I would."

"Objection." Claudette spoke up. "What does this have to do with Detective Rizzoli's parenting abilities?"

"A woman who would kill for her partner doesn't exactly seem suited for parenthood. Especially if the father has been denied parental rights on a couple of drug charges."

"You misunderstand me." Jane spoke from the witness stand. "I would kill to protect Maura. But I would do the same for any member of my family, whether my daughter or my mother. Even the patrol officers I pass by every morning walking into the precinct I would protect. Now, if you're asking me if I am willing to kill a random person who poses no threat to my family would I kill them? Absolutely not. I can prove it to you."

Judge Brennan turned towards Jane. "You can prove to us an instance in which Maura's life was in danger and you killed no one?"

"Yes." Jane nodded and then proceeded to recount the circumstances of Frost's death. Those five years seemed to have gone so slow, but the memory was so fresh. She told them about the hospital room and how Maura had actually blamed her for not saving her. And as much as it pained her to say so, that they had even gone through couple's therapy because of it. "Judge Brennan, I love Maura with everything I have. For the longest time I didn't see myself as a person, as a daughter, I saw myself as a cop. I put my life in so many risky situations it seems, as Dolph pointed out, that I don't know how to live an inconspicuous life. But loving Maura Isles...words fail me. I love her with all of who I am, it goes beneath the shield. Having found that, of course I would do anything to protect her. I would pick to save her over anyone else's life. Wouldn't you do the same for those you love?"

The judge seemed to stare at Jane for what felt like hours before he finally nodded in agreement with her. "Counsellor Zerbrowski, your counter argument is dismissed. Detective Rizzoli is no more insane or unfit a parent than you are."

Dolph scoffed and walked to the middle of the room. "Your Honor, that was one time. It was extreme measures, it was Maura or her already dead partner. If we could just be sure that Detective Rizzoli, paired with Dr. Isles would be capable parents, shouldn't we take that risk?"

Claudette sighed and sat back down, there was nothing she could do, no objections she could call. This was between Dolph and Judge Brennan, and nobody could stop them until the Judge declared his ruling. "I'm losing my patience here, either prove that Detective Rizzoli would be more detrimental to the life of this baby or move on."

"I can prove it, Your Honor, I just need to call someone else to the stand." Judge Brennan sighed and nodded, excusing Jane from the stand. She crossed the room and went to sit in her spot next to Maura who gripped her hand tightly and kissed Jane's forehead. "At this time, I would like to call Dr. Summer Capshaw to the stand."

Maura's face instantly paled as the courtroom doors opened with a squeak and the familiar taps of high heels made their way toward the stand. Summer had dyed her naturally blonde hair a honey brown color and cut it so that it stopped just short of her jaw. Jane thought it looked like she'd lost a little bit of weight while Maura was focused on the dress she wore. It was a designer label, just above the knee. It was a halter style top with a sweetheart neckline in a pale, pale coral color. She matched it with tan heels and gold jewelry.

It was the same dress Maura had worn when she asked Summer to move across the country with her. The same dress in which they, as a couple, had planned out what they expected to be their future. It was the same dress that Summer had always complimented, always told Maura it made her happy. And now here was Summer, at Keegan's trial, on stand for the defense.

Jane squeezed her fiancee's hand with reassurance. But Maura's hazel eyes met hers with only fear as Summer was sworn in. They didn't dare break eye contact now, this could bring them all down, a scorned woman could mean the difference between happily ever after or devastation. It was a lot of pressure to put on anyone.

"Can you state your name and occupation for the jury, please?" Dolph asked as he paced the floor.

"My name is Summer Capshaw, I am currently the department head of Psychology at the University of Washington in Seattle. I am also a licensed and practicing therapist." Summer folded her hands in her lap, one leg crossed atop the other.

"Dr. Capshaw, how were you first introduced to Detective Rizzoli?"

Her eyes never left Dolph's face. "At the time, Maura Isles was a patient of mine. She had been having relationship problems and we were working through them. Shortly after Maura's injury, I suggested that the two of them come in for couple's therapy. It was then that I was introduced to Detective Rizzoli."

He stopped to look at her. "So it would be safe to assume that you know the Detective well?"

"It would be safe to assume that, yes."

Jane scoffed from her seat but Maura just gripped her hand tighter. "But it would be correct to assume that you know Dr. Isles, far better. Is that correct?"

It was at this time that Summer's green eyes flashed to Maura's. The first time they'd made eye contact or seen each other or spoken to each other in the nearly two years since their separation. All Maura saw in those eyes was anger. "Yes, that is correct. I, similarly to Jane, fell in love with Maura Isles."

"In your opinion, would Detective Rizzoli make a good mother? A healthy mother?"

"No." There was complete silence as soon as the word left Summer's glossed lips. Jane practically stopped breathing and Maura began to cry, the tears pouring silently down her cheeks. Trying to regain composure, Jane turned to her partner and began wiping the tears away, pulling her head to the tops of her breasts to console her. "I don't think the Detective would make a good mother. But Jane? Jane will be an excellent mother, she is kind and compassionate, always putting others feelings above her own. It's what makes Jane and Maura's relationship so strong, Maura has always had to push aside her emotional needs to care for others while Jane's mother has always ignored her wants and taken care of her. Together, they complete each other."

Maura's head snapped up and she locked eyes with Summer. The therapist smiled warmly at her. "I won't lie to you, to any of you, I came here today intent on destroying a family. When Maura was called two years ago and informed of Jane's disappearance, I wanted no more than for her to deny Jane. But looking at them now, seeing them again after almost six years- I didn't have all of Maura with me in Washington, I had the part she always kept from Jane, her doctorate, her science. Jane and Maura make an almost perfect pair who just messed up on the timing the first few tries. But no baby will be more protected, knowledgeable, and loved than a child raised by Jane and Maura."

Claudette stood up and addressed Judge Brennan. "Your Honor, no disrespect, but is this court done judging my client? This case is not to determine whether or not Jane Rizzoli is a fit parent, it is to decide if Keegan O'Shaugnessy should serve time for the charges brought against him. His parental rights have already been abolished. I ask that this court does not take any more time trying to make a child an orphan when clearly two parents love her dearly."

"I agree Ms. Zeeman. This court is done on the topic. Mr. Zerbrowski, your client has lost parental rights, I suggest you make peace with that and continue on with your questioning." Judge Brennan turned towards Summer. "Dr. Capshaw, I thank you for your testimony, you may now leave the stand."

The rest of the trail stayed on track. Jane was called to finish her testimony, and actually presented her evidence and facts on Keegan's drug trafficking. Frankie, Maura, Korsak and Cavanaugh were also called to the stand, all were professional and concise. The trail took two weeks to finally conclude and an entire day of jury deliberation.

The jury came back with a guilty verdict. Keegan will be spending 25-life on the Murder of Dyson, 25-life for drug trafficking, 10yrs for kidnapping, 2 yrs for concealment of birth, and 25-life for Rape. Claudette took the death penalty off the table if Keegan gave up the names and locations of all his known associates- he gladly did.