A/N: wake up. Ok so I've been caught up in places I don't want to be waiting for things I don't want and have had a bunch of time to do this so all the chapters are done and here we go. I'll post them soon.

It was dark, so dark and she felt like she was suffocating. She tried to open her eyes and couldn't. Something had been shoved into her mouth and she felt like she couldn't breathe. But she felt her chest moving. The air in her lungs was being forced in and then sucked out. A wave of panic washed through her. She couldn't move and she couldn't fight the power that was moving the air, it felt like something was breathing but her own lungs couldn't fight it. She tried to move her head, to force the thing away from her mouth. But no matter what, it stayed there.

She heard voices.

A lot of voices and was that a bell she had just heard?

She felt like she was choking and she tried to shake her head. Her hand was moving now. She was against some kind of pad. She felt a metal bar not far away and then her hand was seized. She tried to jerk away but the hand wouldn't let go. She fought it until she felt a ridge on the hand.

She stopped struggling and felt the ridge. Not a ridge, A SCAR! She traced it with her thumb and knew the shapes and indentations intimately.

JANE! She clutched the hand with everything she had and started to reach out with her other one. Another hand took it gently, she felt for the other scar and couldn't find it. The hand was too small to be Jane's.

She felt hands all over her then, turning her and she struggled. A pain shot through her shoulder and side and she jerked. More pain and Jane's hand was joined by a second one, the palm had rough spot and she knew that it was Jane's as well. Once on her back she tried to open her eyes and found it too bright. It was blinding to see.

Voices were becoming clearer now. "…don't fight us Doctor… relax…"

Then she heard Jane's voice. "Calm down, baby. I'm here but you have to stop fighting."

She wanted to ignore her but the urgency in Jane's voice was scaring her.

She looked to Jane's blur in a panic. She tried to speak but nothing happened. She gripped Jane and tried to fight.

"Dr. Isles. Stop!" a man said, she didn't know him and ignored him as she realized that something was in her mouth and reaching down her esophagus. She saw Jane lean over, directly into her view.

"Maura!" she said urgently causing her to stop fighting, "Your Intubated! Relax and the Doctor will remove it."

Maura felt a snap near her mouth and she could breathe on her own. Intubated! They just removed the Ventilator hose. She looked into Jane's eyes and nodded slightly.

Jane looked over, "Okay, She gets it now."

A man she didn't recognize took over her view. "Okay, Dr. Isles. I'm going to remove the tube and I need you to cough for me."

She nodded slightly again.

"Okay, Cough." She tried and it didn't work. She felt a wave of panic, and he nodded, "It's okay. Try again."

He gently tugged at the tube in her mouth and she managed a weak cough. Her lungs felt like they were on fire and as the tube came out she felt like it was taking her wind pipe with it.

She gaged as the new air entered her lungs. She felt fluid start running to her lungs and she coughed again, this time louder. The Doctor produced a kidney pan and she was rolled back onto her side. She coughed up some fluid into the pan and finally took a deep breath. She wished she hadn't as she began violently coughing.

Jane had a hold of her and even though she felt like she couldn't breathe, she knew that Jane was there and she'd be safe. As the coughing subsided, her throat began to burn with thirst. Jane already had an ice chip in her hand, remembering how she had felt when they pulled that same thing out of her. She placed it to Maura's lip and the blond accepted it.

It was cold, too cold, but the thirst was harsher than the temperature. She swallowed as the water pooled into her mouth. It only took a minute for the chip to melt and Jane had another one ready. She gratefully accepted it and sucked the meltings into her throat. When Jane offered a third chip, Maura pinched her lips and Jane took it away.

She breathed in Jane's lavender scent and sighed in relief. She felt dizzy as the doctor hovered over her. Jane tried to back up but Maura had a death grip on her hand.

"Sorry Doc," She said, "But we've become something of an anchor for each other. You're going to have to work around me."

She heard Angela's voice from farther away. "…same way when Janie was in that bed."

He muttered something and shined a bright light into her eyes, She blinked as the light seared her corneas. "Dr. Isles, My na… Dr. Granger. Until I've expl… your condition… need you… remain… still as… Can you… that?" She was trying to follow what he was saying but she couldn't remain focused.

He spun off a bunch of medical terms that she should know but her head was still fuzzy.

Penetrated. Perforated what? Lucky? Jane is scared? What? She clamped tighter onto Jane's hand and eased her head away.

"Doc," Jane said, "I don't think she's following you. Could you give her a few to wake up? Sleeping Beauty here has had a really long nap."

She couldn't focus on anything but Jane's voice. Sleeping Beauty? The fairy tale princes who was killed by Maleficent and was reanimated by the Prince's kiss? Why would she compare me to that? Before she could contemplate that, she felt the smaller hand squeeze her other one. She turned her head slightly to look and felt a searing pain rack her body near her shoulder. She shuttered.

Jane caught the movement and the look on her lover's face and motioned to someone. She felt her hand held up near her head and she realized that the hand holding hers was smaller. She blinked and tilted her head gingerly to avoid the pain and found a mass of red curls bending over her. Her hand was brought to Alexis' lips and she saw the tears coming out of the girls eyes.

She was speaking but Maura couldn't make sense of it. Jane's voice penetrated the fog again, "its okay, baby girl, just give her a minute."

Maura squeezed the young girls hand tightly and then let go. Alexis kissed it again and gently set the hand down and eased out of view. She felt so tired.

"She's been here the whole time. Wouldn't let you go." Jane said with a smile.

Maura tried to speak but nothing came out but an odd croak.

"Baby, don't speak." Jane said softly, "Just get your bearings first."

She remembered the dream she had, Jane's words. Was it real or was it just a dream. She gently stretched her free hand toward Jane. Jane eased back to look behind her and Maura weakly wiggled a come here finger. Jane stepped closer and Maura touched her lover in the abdomen, lower than the entry scar. Jane watched her carefully as Maura eased her hand back to her own stomach and touched it.

Jane giggled, "Of course you heard that, didn't you?"

Angela said something and Jane smiled, "Maura said I promised to get her pregnant."

Maura nodded slightly. It wasn't a dream.

Some happy sounds echoed around the room as Jane knelt down next to her.

"Okay, but you're carrying." She whispered huskily with a grin.

Maura smiled slightly and blackness took her again.

She was dreaming again. She was in bed and Jane was snuggled up next to her, she could swear that she felt her girlfriend's ribs expanding and contracting with each breath and her belly felt warm. It was a pleasant dream but she felt herself waking up. She blinked her eyes open to a massive view of ebony curls that were completely untamed.

The scent of lavender filled her nose again and she breathed in Jane's unique scent. She lifted her head slightly and looked around the room. She found Rick and Kate snuggled into each other in a hospital bed across the room sound asleep. The two of them in such a small bed was actually kind of comical. She would have said something about it except the rest of the room looked very much like a hospital room. This led her to the conclusion that she too was in a hospital bed and Jane was lying next to her so the view had to be similar.

She rested her head back on the pillow and realized that she was lying on her side and she was spooning Jane.

A small smile curved her lips as she felt Jane's hand stroking hers. Maura gently withdrew her hand and spread it across Jane's stomach.

Jane gently turned over enough to look at Maura. She smiled warmly, a full grin that reached her eyes.

Maura smiled back and then she frowned. Her bladder was killing her.

"What's wrong, Baby?" Jane whispered.

"Pee." Her voice came out in a raspy tone not unlike Jane's.

Jane nodded, "That was my first coherent thought too, remember." She lowered the bar on the side of the bed and stood up. She cracked her back slightly and headed around the bed.

Maura felt the gentle push of Jane's hand on her back and she rolled over slightly. Two pillows were dropped in front of her and she heard the gentle clank of another bar.

"Careful," Jane said, "You're right on the edge." Jane helped her maneuver enough to sit up and then she gingerly helped her stand. "Don't move your left side or it'll hurt."

Jane slung Maura's right arm over her shoulder and put an arm around her hip. Maura tried to straighten and pain shot through her side. Jane grabbed her hand and held on tight as Maura gasped.

After a few seconds to recover, Jane led her to the bathroom and gently sat her on the toilet. Maura sighed in relief as she finally let go. A throaty moan escaped her throat.

Jane, who had been so utterly embarrassed at needing help to pee, washed her hands in the sink. "Betcha that felt good." She mocked playfully.

Maura just nodded in relief. She relaxed as the pressure subsided and as she finished she opened her eyes to find a wad of paper held up in front of her.

"Remember," Jane said, "Right side only."

Maura nodded as she took the paper.

Jane waited patiently while staring at the bathroom door until she heard Maura groan. She found her girlfriend trying to get up and gasping in pain. Jane gently helped her up and eased her to the sink where she washed both of Maura's hands, dried them, and then eased her back out of the bathroom.

It took a second to get to the bed and after a few grunts and groans, Maura was back in bed. Two pillows against the side rail of the bed kept her from falling. Jane tucked the blanket back around her to keep the chilly hospital air away from the open back of the blue gown.

Jane kissed her and disappeared. She heart the toilet flush and the sink ran again. Jane came back with a cup of water and a straw. Maura sighed in relief and smiled. Jane was so thoughtful. She sipped at the water and when the small cup was emptied, Jane sat it on the table and climbed back into bed. They lay facing each other as Jane gently stroked Maura's hair.

Maura closed her eyes and tried to remember what happened that would land her in the hospital. The sound of two gunshots pierced her mind and her eyes shot open.

"Alexis!" she gasped.

"She's okay." Jane said softly, "She didn't get hit."

"What happened?" her voice cracking, "there was a man, he tried to kill us."

Sad chocolate eyes met hazel, "You threw yourself around Alexis and he shot you twice. One bullet fractured your shoulder blade and the other one nicked your left lung. I got there too late to do anything. I thought I lost you, baby."

"Did Agent Dean stop him?" Maura asked.

Jane's face contorted in sadness, "Gabriel died, honey."

Maura looked at her, "No. He couldn't have died and saved us."

"Gabriel died fighting to get out of the car." Jane took Maura's hand into hers. "After you went down, Alexis grabbed his gun and emptied it into the guy."

Her heart ached at Jane's words, "oh my god. How is she?"

"She hasn't been the same and..." Jane said sadly, "She's not dealing with it. She spent all of her waking time here with you."

"She's." Maura sniffed a sob back, "She shouldn't…"

"I know." Jane said, "She refuses to talk about it until you wake up but she promised to talk to Kate and I about it as soon as she talks to you."

Maura nodded but she didn't know why the girl wanted to talk to her first. Alexis had never been that open with her despite her best intentions. She pushed the thought aside and stared at the most beautiful woman in the world, her Jane.

Not being there for her must have eaten at the brunette the entire time she was unconscious. Suddenly the sleeping beauty remark came back to her.

"How long was I asleep?" she asked as Jane ran her fingers along Maura's side.

"Six days." Jane muttered in grief, "It's December 29th."

"No." shock creased her face, "I missed our first Christmas together."

"No you didn't." Jane said with a smile, "Ma said that we can't do Christmas until after you get out of here."

"Jane, Christmas mass has been a family tradition since before I met you. You've never missed midnight mass."

She ran a hand through her hair, "Well, your family too, Maur and we Rizzoli's don't leave our family behind and if you want to have my baby, you'd better get used to the idea that you're a Rizzoli and have been for years."

"But I'm not." She said. "I'm like Angela's daughter but I'm not her daughter."

Kate kept her eyes closed and her head on Rick's chest as she called out, "Geez, Maura, just accept it. I'm a Rizzoli too, adopted about a year and a half ago. You were adopted long before that."

Jane grinned as Maura cringed that she'd been over heard. Rick chuckled softly, causing Kate's head to bounce. She smacked him lightly in the stomach, "Stop moving, I'm trying to sleep."

He chuckled harder. She groaned and opened one eye. "I'm going to pinch your nipple if you keep moving."

"I can't help it." He said with a snort, "She's a clueless genius."

Kate did chuckle at that, before she smacked him in the gut harder, "That's my sister-in-law-to-be that you're talking about."

Jane groaned but Maura caught the edge of her grin, "All that's missing is Ma here to tell me about wedding plans and stuff."

"She already has a copy of Brides Magazine in her purse." Kate said, "somehow I don't think it's for me and Rick."

"Rick and I." Jane and Maura said together.

Her head started bouncing again as Rick started laughing. Kate groaned and rose up on an elbow, "Oh god, it's like Jane in stereo." She got out of bed, "I am not looking forward to the family reunions." She continued to mumble unintelligibly until she shut the bathroom door.

Jane looked to Rick who was trying to keep a straight face but upon meeting her eyes, they cracked up. Maura watched as they seemed to share a moment of understanding before Jane turned back to her.

"She's been an only child all her life." Jane said into Maura's lips, "She's still getting used to it."

Maura pressed her lips into Jane's and her heart started racing. The heart monitor started beeping wildly.

"Hey, now." Kate said, "You're going to bring…"

A nurse bustled through the door and stopped short as Jane grinned at her.

"Um, yeah." she said in abject embarrassment.

A laugh erupted from Kate as she walked to a chair next to Castle's bed, "Yep. There a couple."

Crimson flushed the cheeks of the nurse as Maura kissed Jane's cheek. The heart monitor went wild again and the nurse put a hand over her mouth and rushed back out the door trying to hide her discomfort.

A tall man dressed in black stuck his head in and surveyed the room quickly before he held the door open for Frankie, Angela, and Alexis. Jane kissed Maura lightly before she stood up and nodded to the man.

He returned the nod and reclosed the door.

Maura was going to ask about him but before she could, Alexis ran over to her.

"Oh Maura!" She said as she grabbed hold of one of the blonde's hands, "How do you feel?"

"Better." She said as she cupped the young girl's face, "Especially, now that I know your fine."

"Maura, why did you do it?" She asked in earnestness, "Why did you protect me like that when you know what would happen if Aunt Jane lost you?"

She ran a hand through the girls red hair, still curled like Jane's, "Because I had to Alexis, I couldn't let him hurt you."

"But Aunt Jane would die without you!" she said, "You shouldn't have done that!"

Jane put a hand on her niece's shoulder, "I would have done the same thing, sweetie."

"You mean too much to each other to do that!" She shouted.

"But you mean more to us," Kate said as she stood up. "We all feel the same way, Alexis, because we love you."

"Honey," Angela said as she came over to hug the redhead, "You're young and you're special."

"You're like Maura," Jane said, "A very special person who can make a real difference in the world."

She looked around the room full of people, embarrassed by their confessions before her eyes settled on her father.

"Don't look at me," he said with that stupid smile, "I've been saying that since the day you were born."

Frankie nodded, "I don't even know you all that well and I can see it too."

She looked back to Maura, "but…"

"As Ange…" she stopped as she caught the look that the Rizzoli Matriarch passed her, "As Ma likes to say, no buts." She gripped Alexis's hand and looked her straight in her ocean blue eyes. "And at the risk of sounding pretentious, from now on you should call me Aunt Maura."

Angela's face slid into a wide grin at hearing the words.

Alexis blinked and she slowly leaned down to hug the blonde. Maura felt her shaking slightly and wrapped as much of herself as she could around her.

"I'm sorry." She heard quietly, "I'm so sorry for how I acted. I'm sorry."

Maura rubbed her back, something Jane had done numerous times when she cried. "I forgive you." She whispered too low to be heard by anyone but Jane.

Jane rested her hand on Alexis' back. "Okay, kiddo. You guys can have the heart to heart later. Right now you have a promise to keep."

She pulled back, and Maura met her gaze again. She tried to say something but Maura stopped her.

"You need to talk about it." She said, "It's not something you can keep inside."

Alexis nodded, realizing that Maura knew what had happened after she was shot.

"You want me or you want Kate."

She turned her eyes to Kate, "I want my…" she hesitated but the word wanted to come out. She took a breath and, "I want my Mom."

Maura stared in disbelief as Kate put an arm around the girl and smiled. Rick smiled again, this one crinkling around his eyes. Angela smiled as she opened and held the door for them.

"C'mon," she said, ushering her out the door, "We have a lot to talk about."

Alexis leaned tightly into her as she was led out.

"Wow," Frankie said to Castle, "Can you walk yet? Figure it's time the guys got out of here before we drown in estrogen."

"He's been over acting his injuries." Jane said, "Been trying to convince Kate that he needs doctoring."

He made a quiet cut throat gesture and laughed, "I like the Salisbury steak." He threw of the blanked and eased off of the bed and into a wheel chair.

Frankie laughed as Rick wheeled himself away from bed.

"C'mon, Frankie. Let's go find some coffee and doughnuts. You know it took me forever to shake that stereotype. I hardly ever see doughnuts at the 12th unless Jane brings them."

"HA!," Frankie barked, "I told you those New York cops ain't right. We should head over to BPD There's always doughnuts just about every mornin'."

The door shut, cutting of the conversation.

Jane sat on the bed next to Maura as Angela sat in the newly vacant chair.

"Where's Liv?" Jane asked.

"She's with Sean." She replied, "They were going to the station to talk with Vince."

Jane nodded.

"Jordan said that she released Gabriel's body to his family." She said sadly, "She's really upset about Barry." Jane's eyes snapped to her mother but Angela had her eyes focused on her lap in grief, "She had to call Dr. Macy to do the medical exam."

Maura jerked up right and the pane was immense but she refused to let go of what Angela said, "Barry is dead?"

She looked up then and when she met Jane's eyes she knew that her daughter hadn't told Maura yet.

Maura grabbed Jane's arm. "What happened to Barry?!"

Jane tried to calm her down, "Baby, you need to relax."

"NO, Jane!" she shouted, "Wen were you going to tell me?"

She looked into those hazel eyes and hated the pain and grief that was showing. She kept her voice calm and level, "After you've had a chance to take in everything else."

Maura opened her mouth but no words came. Grief filled her at the thought of the young energetic detective laid out on an autopsy table. She couldn't imagine a man so full of life, cold and pale on her table. He had been Jane's partner and as she looked at her, she could see her grief was matched.

"How? How did he die?" She asked softly.

Jane slipped her arms around her, "A drunk driver plowed into his car. Barry died in the collision and Rick was injured pretty bad 'cause he was with him."

As Maura started sobbing again, Angela took a seat next to them and gently wrapped them in a hug.

"I'm sorry, Maura." She said, "I'm sorry you had to find out like this."

Maura nodded as her good arm slid up Jane's back and grasped Angela's hand.