-/-/-Chapter 37-/-/-

Wrapped in her soft covers, Maura laid on her back, arms and legs sprawled in all different directions on her king sized bed. A stream of moonlight came from the open blinds separating the sleeping blonde from the world outside. The streetlights fought against the brilliant moon rays but it was a waste of time, artificial and natural managing to blend perfectly in the muted streetlights below as they reflected on the various Porsches, Mercedes, Audis, and even the odd Bentley populating the Beacon Hill street in front of her townhouse.

"Jane…you've trapped his little pistachios in his diaper," Maura murmured in her sleep, her bare toes twitching slightly as they poked out from the sheet.

Sleeping in her little monogrammed bed near the door, Jo lifted her ears in complaint before returning back to sleep. Used to the odd variety of noises that frequently emanated from her two masters' bed during the night, she could hardly be bothered to move for Maura's verbal complaint.

A minute passed of muffled snores and snuffled barks from the two occupants. Suddenly, Maura jumped up from the bed, clutching her swollen stomach with an increasingly pained expression. The tears came flooding to her eyes against her will.

"Oh god," Maura gasped. "Bart…what's wrong?"

She caressed her stomach in an effort to soothe the pain slowly wrapping itself around her body with each passing second. The medical examiner struggled to interpret the signals coming into her sleep addled brain. "This must…be Braxton-Hicks…contractions. Nothing to worry…about."

Maura breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "False labor pains are normal as," a strong contraction gripped her muscles, "the due date approaches. Calm down, calm down…"

"This hurts," Maura groaned after what felt like days of overwhelming agony. She reluctantly started to get up from the warm bed. "What did Dr. Rose say if this happened? Umm…keep moving and stay calm."

The medical examiner began to stumble back and forth across the room in an effort to reduce the pain still pulsating from her uterus. Maura walked over to the window to open it, allowing some fresh air to enter the room. Sweat glistened from her bare arms and legs from the fight to repress the pain beginning to subside with each shaky step.

"I wish those damn books would have told me how much this is going to hurt," Maura cursed. Her hands clamped onto the window to unlock it and push it open. The feel of the Boston night breeze gave the blonde some relief. "God…I wish you were here, Jane. Where are you?"

-/-/-/-/-/-

Back at the safe house, everyone from the customary techies to the joint task force from BPD assigned to help out with the raid were all crammed into the conference room, staring at the large projection screen. Jane and the team, including Eric, sat near the front with focused expressions as the video began to replay for what felt like the fifteenth time since they had heard about Frankie and Riley's abduction.

"I will not mince words with you," Oscar said, offering little in the way of a greeting. "I have known about your investigation into Bone's affairs. Your undercover officers were a little too obvious, in my opinion." She smirked in response. "You really need to consider giving these kids a little more training before letting them off the leash. I smelled them out as rats when I first saw them.

"Regardless, I'd like to inform you that Bone has done something…a tad bit reckless. Two hours ago, he told me that he had decided to take into his custody a Detective Riley Cooper and an Officer Frankie Rizzoli, associated with," Oscar took a brief moment to read a small piece of paper off screen, "the Boston Police Department, working in conjunction with the FBI. On behalf of Cisco, I would like to say that this is a completely unacceptable act on my associate's part and he will be sufficiently punished. But I wish to make this right."

Oscar slung her heavy ponytail across her shoulders melodramatically. If I was a tad more naïve, I might think she actually feels sorrow for Bone's actions, Jane thought angrily. The woman was a brilliant actress. She could see why Maura had been so easily fooled by her disguise.

"At the end of this message, I have provided you with an address, time, and date. This is not some sort of trick or game. This location will be where I, on the behalf of Cisco, will personally deliver your undercover detectives back to you, safe and sound." Oscar smiled conspiratorially, her eyes twinkling in amusement. "But Cisco does expect something of likewise value for his generosity and magnanimity. It is the least you can do, after all. If it was my call, I would have just snapped their necks, thrown them in the Charles, and let the water wash away any hope for discovery." Oscar sighed heavily with a shake of her head. "Sadly, Cisco likes to follow morals and all that chivalric bullshit," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Before you start the cavalry charge, Cisco has requested some rules that must be followed if you expect to get your friends back alive. First, only one of you will be allowed to take them off our hands. Second, no back-up, wires, and firearms for whomever you choose to make the trade. We'll have sensors so don't even try to attempt to play games. Bone has a tendency to shoot to kill, I'm afraid," Oscar said with a playful wink. "As you can see, these stipulations are hardly complicated, but Cisco does expect your full cooperation with them, for your own safety."

Oscar's amber eyes glared out from the camera's inner lens, capturing everyone's full attention.

"Oh, and by the way, I really hope you decide to pick that detective – what's her name? – Jane Rizzoli. I forgot to send her and that pretty wife of hers a baby shower gift. That was a couple of days ago, wasn't it? After my unexpected visit last time, I just had this feeling you wouldn't want to see me waltzing into your house with all of your family and friends present. Might cause trouble and all that."

Jane growled, unable to restrain the frustration upon hearing that bitch even mention her family. How she knew about the baby shower, she could care less. There was no point crying over spilt milk. She just wanted to make sure it never happened again. Taking her down in cold blood would likely accomplish her goal, however, it would risk Frankie and Riley's lives and leave them shit outta luck when it came to capturing Cisco.

I can't just throw away two lives just for vindication, Jane thought ruefully. Keep it together. Behind her, Korsak offered his old partner a comforting pat on her shoulder. It was a small gesture but all that was needed to remind the detective to focus on the big picture of taking down Cisco and his little band of deviants.

The blonde stood up and began to fiddle with the camera. The focus went out, leaving her audience with fuzzy details, before the focus returned on the image of Riley and Frankie bound together in a chair, their mouths covered in duct tape as they squirmed in vain to get out of their restraints. Despite the situation, both UCs looked relatively calm and, most importantly, unhurt by their temporary captors.

"As you can see," Oscar's disembodied voice called out from somewhere behind the camera, "I have upheld my end of the bargain. They are safe and unharmed and will continue to be unless you decide to force my hand by not following Cisco's simple instructions. I have no wish to see your compatriots hurt, killed, or maimed in any way. Please. Don't make me have to do something I would regret."

The video cut to black for a brief second before a blank screen with a single address, time, and date were displayed. After another brief second, they too were wiped clean, leaving the detectives, federal agents, and auxiliary members in silence. Jane knew what they were all thinking: what do we do now?

Dean stood up from the seat with a frown to address everyone in the room. "Okay everyone. Watching this video again isn't going to help us." He turned to the techies waiting near the wings, waiting anxiously for a job so they could return back to their cubbie holes filled with artificial light, Mountain Dew, and pita chips. "I want the tech team to get everything they can on this address she's given us for the meet. Building plans, exits/entrances, street access, the whole nine yards. Anything you get, feed it back to me and the guys who are going to be in the field so they can start working out contingency plans while we've still got some time." He checked his Swatch with a quick flick of the wrist. "Roughly twenty-four hours, by the way. Until then I want everyone working around the clock."

Everyone nodded in response, glad to finally have a job to focus their anxieties on. The room emptied in a blink, leaving only Dean, Jane, and the rest of the team alone to handle their own personal dilemmas concerning the unexpected turn of events.

"Listen, Jane," Eric began cautiously. "I don't want to be a Debby Downer, but this could end really badly. The last time I trusted Oscar, she screwed me over in more ways than one. I know what you're thinking-"

"You could never know what I'm thinking, Eric," Jane scowled, glaring at the cool prosecutor sitting across from her.

Eric returned her unspoken challenge with a challenge of his own. "You can't risk your life just to save Frankie and Riley. Did you hear what she said? Oscar wants you specifically to come and make the trade. This is asking for trouble, Jane. Don't be stupid and fall for this trick."

"And don't you dare tell me what I should or shouldn't do for my team!" Jane bellowed, her frustration over seeing her brother and fellow detective tied up with all of their power taken away finally bubbling over after having seethed for so long. "My brother is in there, Eric! Riley is in there! Telling me to sit on my ass and wait like a good little girl for a better opportunity to come up isn't an option. I know she fucked your life up twice. It sucks, I know. But I can't sit and wait for them to be killed, not under my watch. If she wants to see me and only me in order to trade for their lives then everything is settled."

Eric's jaw dropped. He was completely flabbergasted by the woman he used to be able to talk sense into. "But, Jane…c'mon, listen to me-"

"We're doing it her way."

"Jane, are you hearing me?" Eric said exasperatedly. "There's no reason for us to be doing this. Stop thinking everything is a Shakespeare play for a second and use your brain. She said this isn't a game, but who knows? For all we know she could be dragging us into a distraction to get us to walk into this place, with our defenses down, to watch a video of her killing them in a whole different location all together."

Jane's eyes exploded in fury. "Do you really think I want to hear that right now?"

"Well, I kinda think you oughta hear it since you're acting like a bitch."

Watching the normally cool as a cucumber prosecutor going after his world-renowned volcano of an ex-partner, Korsak quickly intervened. Now was definitely not the time to be biting each other's head off. "Jane," he whispered in her ear, "we need to look at the big picture. Frankie and Riley are counting on us to do what they can't: remain objective."

Hearing his voice provided a salve to her fiery temper. "And I know that but…there's no other alternative."

Frost nodded. "Oscar has the ball in her court. There's not much we can do but follow the lead she's given us and hope she's not bullshitting us."

The room went silent as everyone slowly began to process the weight of Frost's words. Dean coughed to refocus everyone's attention away from the negative thoughts. "Then we'll compromise." He turned toward Jane and Eric with a small smile. "The NSA gave me a lead regarding where we can get more information on Cisco, Oscar, and Bone. He's willing to assist us with our operation and discuss what he knows. There's not enough time for us to handle this properly, but I'm sending you and Eric to the federal detention center where he's housed. It's in Philadelphia, so we'll be sending you on one of our jets on a red-eye from Logan and back."

Jane raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Who is this guy? Shouldn't we be focusing on what Cisco is planning to get out of this trade for Frankie and Riley's lives? And how are we going to get back to Boston before the meet?"

"I don't have time to explain," Dean said, shaking his head. "But we'll get you guys back before the meet. I know how much you want to meet Oscar." He turned to Eric, reaching to grab something from the small table behind him. "Make sure this interview doesn't get out of hand. I need to give you some papers before you leave."

With a frown, Jane watched as Eric and Dean headed out of the room to discuss something privately about the folder in his hand. Well…aren't they chummy all of a sudden, she thought suspiciously. The two men were practically walking with their pinkies entwined, leaving her completely out of the loop as to what all of the secrecy was about. Despite Korsak's understanding tone, the desire to punch something continued to rebuild against her will as red began to color the corners of her eyes.

"Hey, Jane…I'm sorry about all this," Frost began quietly. "We're going to get them back."

But Jane was not having it. She flung herself away from the table before galloping out of the room in a barely disguisable huff of annoyance. Frost made a move to go after his partner to help calm her down, but Korsak shook his head.

"Let her go," Korsak said. "She's not in the mood. If you try to talk to her now, she'll bite your head off with little remorse."

-/-/-/-/-/-

The smell of honey and chamomile tea wafted through the house as Maura sat in the dimly lit living room with Jo by her side. She ruffled the dog's shaggy hair as she drank the hot concoction from the mug, smiling as the heat washed down her throat, providing her with some sort of minute relief from the anxiety of earlier. The false labor pains had ceased but her concern had not.

Once she told Jane about it, however, she knew things would get better. Jane always knew what to do in situations like this. She would attack the problem and have a solution in no time. But that was only if she bothered to show up.

"Where is she?" Maura asked absentmindedly. The words had become an unwelcome mantra for far too long. While she downed the last remnants of liquid in the cup, Maura's empty hand continued to caress her swollen stomach in an effort to ease Bart's nervous fluttering in response to the unexpected change in her sleeping schedule.

Jo lifted her ears as she searched Maura's nervous hazel eyes. "Rrruff?"

"Sorry, Jo," Maura smiled. "I keep forgetting you can't talk."

Suddenly, the sound of keys jangling in the door brought Maura's attention to the door.

Maura smiled as she stood up. "Jane! Where have you been-"

But before she could finish, Eric exited from the shadows behind the detective. They both rushed in without so much as a warm greeting or an explanation, focused on an unknown goal. He looked just as harried as Jane but, in her current state, Maura saw little else but her lover's reassuring face.

"Maura…what are you doing up?" Jane said stupidly, making her way upstairs without stopping to address the look of relief on the blonde's face. "You should be asleep. Did you have a nightmare?"

"Well…not exactly."

With her long strides, Jane quickly made her way into the bedroom where she started to unceremoniously throw a couple of clothes in a duffel bag. "What do you mean not exactly?" she asked, hardly paying attention.

"I had Braxton-Hicks contractions," Maura said simply. She stopped after noticing the crazed way Jane was running around the room. "Jane…what's going on?"

"Frankie and Riley were kidnapped last night. Eric and I are heading to Philadelphia to get some more information on Cisco before we meet to get them back. It shouldn't take long."

Maura's eyebrow rose in complaint. "What? But…how is this…what would…" She shook her head. "You can't leave, Jane. Not now. Didn't you hear me? I had Braxton-Hicks contractions."

"So?"

"So…I could go into labor at any moment." Maura walked over to where Jane was finishing up her packing to embrace the strong woman. Just the smell of the detective's unique honey and spice shampoo both comforted her and revealed a hidden well of strength within her that Maura had forgotten about. "Please…don't go. I'm scared. All of that stuff I said about not needing you at the birth…I lied. I need you with me. Stay here with me, please? Jane, I need you to be with me right now."

Jane leaned down to kiss Maura's tears away. "Honey, I'll be back in a couple of hours." With a smile, she kneeled down to place her head on her wife's swollen belly. "Hey, Bartster. It's your Mommy Jane here. I want you to wait for me to come back before you decide to grace us with your presence, okay?"

With a weak smile, Maura attempted to release a choked laugh from her throat, coming out instead as a frightened squeak. She knew based off the determined look in Jane's eyes that there wouldn't be any diverting her from her task. The detective was on a mission. God help anyone who was unlucky to get in her way…including her wife and unborn child.

They made their way downstairs where Eric continued to patiently wait in the shadows. He looked at his watch, tapping his feet anxiously.

Jane kissed Maura before opening the door for a second time. "I love you."

"Love you more," Maura said weakly, ignoring the tears continuing to fall down her cheeks in silent entreaty to Jane's sudden and unwelcome departure.

The door slammed shut with a finality that brought another torrent of hot tears from Maura's eyes. Her breath came in heaving intervals as she crumpled next to the door, wishing with every ounce of her exhausted being for her lover to return back to her arms.

"I don't know if I can do this without you," Maura repeated breathlessly in a sorrowful mantra. "I just don't know if I can do this without you, Jane."