Missing in action, solely because another idea began to consume my mind.

Twenty One

Jane's voice cracked as she forced the words out. She could hear and feel her body quiver. An overwhelming wave of emotions tackled Jane. Maura's face remained slightly unreadable. She held the two kids close to her and placed her hand behind Johnny's back, trying to rid of Jane's touch off of her.

Gordon cleared his throat, "Uh, we just wanted to thank you," he said slowly, "for your full cooperation. Also, we're doing this just to have a sense of closing the case. We like to see our victims grow in progress in terms of their health and-."

"Basically," Jane interrupted. Both Maura and Gordon jumped at the sudden intervention. "We try to treat the victims of our case as human as possible. Not some money reward or another name in the book." Stay professional Jane. "And…uh…"

Gordon looked at Jane, noticing the breaks in between her words. "That," Gordon said, "should be all." He wanted to end the conversation as quickly as possible. Luckily, his phone rang. "Excuse me. I have to take this." He left the room, looking worried as he stared at the caller id, leaving the four to themselves.

Jane's posture as straighter than the horizon. She didn't know what to do or what to say. Korsak and Frost were nowhere to be seen and when she looked out the window, Frankie's stance remained guarded. He had his poker face on and tried his best to not kick his sister out.

Back in the room, Jane watched Johnny with his toys, mimicking sound effects. Arissa laid he books down and watched Jane. Maura, on the other hand, solely focused on her kids. Jane listened intent fully and amused, almost as if she were in a haze. It was like a clock ticking constantly in her head.

"Mommy! She's a detective like Uncle Frankie!"

Both Maura and Jane snapped up. Maura replied, "That's good, huh, hon?"

"She protects people! Right?" he turned to Jane.

"Yeah…buddy. I do." She gulped

"And look!" he jumped from the bed and ran towards Jane. "Her badge is so shiny!"

Maura's cheek muscles grew tired as she forced another smile. Deep inside, she wanted so badly to remove her IV, get off the bed, and punch Jane. She wanted so badly to do the jab-jab-hook thing. She wanted Jane to feel her pain, physical, emotional, psychological. She wanted Jane to feel it all.

Maura forced herself to face her kids. She couldn't face Jane…her beloved…her best friend…soul mate…But at the corners of her eyes, she could feel Jane's eyes trying to face her. Instead, she continued to focus on her kids.

Remember to not be rude, Maura reminded herself. Four years. No one expected it, but it all came down to this. To be reunited at all, especially under these circumstances. For a short time, Maura believed, hoped, and pleaded that Jane would return, and once she returned, Maura would welcome her back, arms filled with relief and forgiveness. But when two years turned to four, all hopes were gone. For a short time, Maura believed that Jane, her love, had died somewhere. The thought was short lived. Hope turned to anger, anger turned to pain, and pain vanished into nothing. She pushed Jane to the edges of her skull, never bringing her up, not even mentioning things that related to her. But how could she forget about Jane, when the product of her egg flourished into a handsome young boy. Everything Johnny became resembled Jane. Johnny became the constant reminder. Johnny became the reason for Maura's willingness to dig a deeper ditch to hide herself in. Four years, and it came down to this. All of Maura's endless nights of being awake while tears streamed down her face as every possible thought drowned her, nearly suffocated her. As a patient, she had every right to ask Detective Jane Rizzoli to leave. In fact, she could, however Johnny kept creating conversations between the two.

"Mommy, when are going back home? I miss my bed." Arissa asked. Jane quickly swirled her head to the small but strong voice.

"As soon as we feel better." Maura replied slowly.

"But I feel great, mommy!" Johnny threw his arms up. "I can even do jumping jacks! Look!"

Maura grabbed his arm before he had the chance to jump off the bed.

"Mommy! I want to show her!" he pointed at Jane.

What the hell am I still doing here? Jane thought. She got up. "I should head ou-."

"Wait!" Johnny yelled. He let go of Maura's grasp. "I can really do jumping jacks! Watch!"

Jane slowly found her way back to the chair. They watched Jane climb out of bed as he et his toys aside, take in a deep breath, and begin the jacks. He clapped his hand and clicked his feet together. By the nineteenth rep, he stopped and took a break. He then collapsed on Jane's knee, catching her off guard. Still not making eye contact, Jane felt Maura's…overall being…slowly rise with anger. But what was Jane going to do? Leave Johnny hanging on the floor? Instead, Johnny hugged Jane's leg tighter, hanging onto it like a koala.

"Wanna know where I had my first birthday?" he asked as he swayed his arms from Jane's knee.

"Uh…" Jane began. "Where?"

"Mommy thought the museum would be nice." Of course she'd think that. "But nonna said we were too young." Well thank God ma spoke some sense to her. "We had it at our backyard instead."

We? "Oh…that's nice." Man, I wonder what that was like.

"Yeah! Then we turned two, we had it at my nonna's house!"

I wonder which nonna. And again with the we? Why does he keep saying we?"

At the corner of her eyes, Jane could see Maura huddling Arissa as she fell asleep. Johnny continued talking.

"Then when we turned three, Uncle Tommy combined our birthday with Dylan and Aunt Heather."

So Tommy married her after all. Jane continued to smile and nod.

"This year, we'll be having it at the park! Do you want to come!" he jumped off her leg. "It's going to be at Boston Common near the froggie pond!"

That's right…it's his birthday coming up in about a week.

Outside the room, Frankie, Korsak, and Frost stood with their mouths handing open, shocked fro Johnny's unexpected invitation.

"I can't believe he just did that." Frankie said.

"She can't possible accept it though. From an outsider, that would look unprofessional." Frost said.

"But I you're from around here, you'd probably start a protest and force her to leave the state!" Frankie replied back.

Back in the room, Maura's eyes grew wide. "Uh, sweetie, I think she has a lot of work to do." Don't be rude. " We wouldn't want to keep her from doing her job, now would we?"

Johnny ignored Maura. "We're going to have lots of balloons and we're going to have an animal show!"

Maura quickly cut in. "Okay, sweeties. Let's just stop right there…"

"It's going to be from one to four!"

"Johnny." Maura said firmly.

"Oh…sorry mommy. Can she come?"

Maura sighed and closed her eyes.

"Mommy! Can she come?" he wrapped his arms around Jane's leg again.

"If the detective wishes to." Maura said, not knowing if she meant to say it.

Appalled at the answer, Jane stared towards Maura's direction, not looking straight into her eyes. It wasn't exactly a no but neither was the answer yes.

Outside the room, the three detectives still had their mouths wide open. The only thing that got them too look away was the sight of Angela and Tanner, walking towards them.

Double shit, Frankie thought. Then he looked back at Jane. Triple shit. He walked towards Angela and tried to prevent her from reaching the window.

"Ma. No. you don't want to see what's going on-."

"Why? Did something happen?" she continued to push. Tanner stood behind Angela, confused. "Frankie, let me see what's going on!"

"I think it's best if you don't-."

"What do you know what's best for me? Let me see Maura!" Angela maneuvered her way around Frankie and found herself next to Korsak. She stared into the window at a loss for words. She couldn't voice what she wanted to say. She could only stare and watch Jane and Maura, in one room, with their kids. Together. She didn't understand why no one was yelling or scratching someone's eyes off. She didn't understand why it looked so peaceful inside the room. Angela quickly pushed aside all the men that surrounded her. Before Frankie could hold his mom back, she left without a word.

"Ma…" he said.

The detective's looked at each other. Tanner smiled at Frankie, who gave no emotion in return.

"I'm going to…" Tanner said. He pointed inside the room. "Oh! Detective Rizzoli's here"

Tanner walked inside, smiled at Jane and Johnny, patted Arissa on the head, and went straight for Maura, giving her a deep kiss, right in front of everyone. Right in front of Jane.

"Good to see you." He said to Maura. "You too, Detective."

Jane tried to disguise her disgusted smile. When Tanner looked away, she winced at their kiss. She quickly got up, carefully moving Johnny to the side.

"I'm going to go now." She declared.

"Wait! You'll come right?"

"I don't know." Jane replied. I honestly don't know little one. She exited the room, pushed the detectives aside, and felt tears forming again. She guided herself to the nearest elevator. She closed her eyes and replayed the kiss again and again inside her head She couldn't comprehend her feelings. Hell yeah she was mad, upset, lost. Did she have to force herself to be happy? Happy for Maura because she'd found someone to replace her spot? It sure looked like Maura's happy with Tanner. Jane felt claustrophobic inside the elevator…inside her thoughts…

The doors swung open. Jane jerked her head up, eyes suddenly frightened. Angela stood directly in front of her. The two stared, in a shallow manner form Angela's side. Jane saw her raise her arm half way. She closed her eyes tightly and waited for another slap.

But seconds went by and Jane's head remained fixed. She dared to not open her eyes.

"I'm not going to hit you." Angela said calmly. And with that, Jane opened one eye before opening the next. Soon enough, Jane was being dragged from the collar on the way to the café, doing who knows what.

I KNOW I KNOW.

"I really want Jane to know that Arissa is hers!"

"Can't they be together yet?"

Not yet.

But I promise it won't take 20+ chapters for them to be reunited again.