I do not own Rizzoli and Isles. Most of the characters in this story belong to Tess Gerritsen.

I would like to thank Ava for beta reading this chapter.


Chapter Forty three

"Not now Ma." Jane struggled to hold back her tears as she tried to pass he mother.

"Yes, now." Angela grabbed her daughter's arm. She was sick and tired of her constantly running.

"Ma, please let go." Jane begged. She couldn't, she wouldn't do this now.

"Stop running, come on honey, and tell me what's going on with you and Riley?" Angela gave a motherly smile.

"Serious Ma, let go." Jane warned, however her mother's grip tightened.

"Janie tell m-"

"It's none of your fucking business so just drop it!" The Italian snatched her hand away and left her mother standing speechless.

"Rizzoli! Get over here and serve these customers!" Stanley yelled causing Angela to snap back into reality.

Maura watched everything that had transpired and wished she could follow Jane and comfort her but the look on her face and the little girl in her arms made her stay put.

"Of course, Mr Stanley." Angela mumbled as she headed back to the register.

"Where's Aunt Jane going?" Emmy struggled out of the blonde's arms with the intention to follow Jane.

"Back to work I think honey." The Doctor placed both hands on the girl's shoulders, stopping her from following the brunette. Emmy stopped and nodded in understanding as she turned her attention to the snacks in the glass window of the refrigerator.

"Can I have cake?" The child's hopeful blue eyes looked up to the blonde.

"No." Maura shook her head, Jane warned her about this.

"Can I have a donut?" The girls dark head tilted to the side, testing.

"No." The Doctor raised her eyebrow and hid a smirk.

"Can I have a brownie?" Matching dimples beamed up at the medical examiner.

"No." Maura couldn't help but laugh.

"Can I have strawberries?" Emmy fluttered her eye lashes.

"Ye-"

"Covered in chocolate sprinkles?" The school girl giggled at the look she received.

"Pancakes and an orange that was the deal." The honey blonde crossed her arms.

"But-" The youngest Rizzoli tried.

"No buts. We shook on it. A deals a deal, Rizzoli." Maura teased, knowing the girl wouldn't argue.

"Okay." The six year old huffed.

"Can I at least get a soda?" Emmy's eyes pleaded.

"Fine." The Doctor nudged the girl forward as they were next in line.

"Hi Nonna!" Emmy stood on her tip toes, struggling to see over the counter.

"Hi baby." Angela smiled down at her granddaughter.

"Are you having lunch with Doctor Isles?" The older woman grinned.

"Uh huh. We spent all morning in the lab doing eye-o-dye fumes." The school girl nodded her head.

"Iodine fuming." Maura corrected when Angela threw her a puzzled look.

"Oh, I bet that was fun!" Jane's mother laughed. The girl nodded before she found interest in picking at one of the many signs stuck on the fridge. Maura smiled at the little girl before turning back to Angela, only to find dark eyes staring at her suspiciously.

"What's going on with Jane and Riley?" Angela whispered pretending to wipe the counter with a cloth as Stanley glanced over.

"I don't know." The honey blonde looked down, hoping the older woman would believe her.

"Do not lie to me Doctor Isles. I know you know, I can see it in your eyes." The brunette gave her best glare and suddenly Maura realised Jane gave the exact same stare when interrogating a suspect.

"It's not my place." Maura shook her head.

"I'm her mother, I deserve to know!" The Italian raised her voice.

"And I'm her friend!" Maura snarled and Angela raised her eyebrow in shock.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to be so rude." The Doctor apologized.

"It's just-please don't ask me that, you're putting me in an awful position. It's not fair to me or Jane." The honey blonde whispered.

"Fine, but answer me one thing?" The brunette waited for Maura to nod.

"How bad is it?" The older woman looked hopeful.

"Angela I don-"

"Maura, let me finished." Angela threw down the cloth, losing her patience. The other woman swallowed harshly and nodded.

"Do I need to cancel this wedding?" Maura was surprised, she wasn't aware wedding preparations were in place. She knew they were making plans but that's all she thought it was.

"I don't feel comfortable discussing Jane's personal life, even if it is with her mother." The medical examiner brushed Angela off.

"But the only advice I will offer you is to maybe put everything on hold." Dark eyes snapped up to Maura and suddenly the blonde understood just how excited Angela was about this wedding.

"For now." Maura whispered, hoping those words would comfort the other woman somehow.

"Nonna, can I have bunny pancakes please?" Emmy asked, she'd kept quiet when the adults were talking but her stomach rumbling got the better of her manners.

"Of course you can baby." The Italian gave a smile before looking back at Maura.

"And a soda!" Frankie's daughter jumped in excitement.

"I'll just have coffee please." Maura pulled out a note from her clutch and handed it over.

"I'll bring them over." Angela hit a few buttons on the register.

"Oh, and an orange Nonna!" Emmy giggled as she reached for the fruit basket sitting on the counter and picked out the biggest orange she could find. Maura smiled down at the excited child before dropping her change in the tips mug.

"Come on you; let's get that work sheet over and done with, hmm?" Maura extended her hand and smiled as a smaller one circled it before making their way over to Emmy's chosen table.

Angela watched her granddaughter laugh and giggle with the Doctor as they worked on finishing the six year olds homework sheet. The older woman had a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach that her daughter's failing relationship had something to do with the blonde haired beauty that had slowly, without realising it crept her way into the each Rizzoli's life and possibly her daughter's heart. Although Angela had no solid proof or reasoning, the feeling was still there; a mother's instinct.


It was nearing seven in the evening and the Doctor was packing away her laptop, preparing to go home. The blonde had finished her second autopsy of the day and had sent Susie with the ballistic results up to the Detectives, confirming Andrew Hilliard and Danielle Davis were killed with the same gun. Maura still felt awful that she had to cut her time short with Emmy when her phone rang and she had a body to attend to, the six year old cried all the way to the café until Angela finally calmed her down with the promise of ice cream and cookies.

The evening had been a fright for the blonde when attending the candlelight vigil held at BCU with Jane and Frost. Maura was hoping to pay her respects to the deceased only to find herself in the middle of a shootout between Lucas and the Detectives that ended with Natalie taking a bullet. Although the bullet was a through and through and Maura knew she'd be fine, still, the blonde was glad she'd chosen pathology as her life's work. The dead were much easier and honestly, working on the living was far too nerve racking. The medical examiner wanted nothing more than to leave work and wind down over a glass of wine.

Maura looked to her office door when the sound of heavy steps echoed down the corridor. The blonde raised a brow, knowing the majority of her team had headed home an hour ago.

"Hey." Jane whispered, standing in the blonde's doorway with a sleeping Emmy in her arms.

"Hi." Maura smiled at the image of the two dark haired girls.

"Korsak said you were still here." The Detective smiled.

"Oh?" Maura sensed there was something more to the Italian's visit.

"Just wanted to make sure you're okay?" The younger woman hesitated.

"I'm fine. Are you okay? I understand how overwhelming it must be to shoot someone." Maura tilted her head at Jane's fidgeting state.

"I'm a bit shaken up but I'm good. We shoot to kill right?" Jane gave a sombre laugh.

"Yes, you do." The blonde nodded.

"I mean, it's either kill or be killed." The Italian mumbled as she looked down at her niece and placed a long gentle kiss on her head.

"You had no choice Jane." Maura walked around her desk towards the Detective.

"You gave him the chance to stand down and he didn't take it." The blonde whispered not wanting to wake the child.

"He decided his own fate, you just pulled the trigger." Maura raised her hand and brushed away the stray tear that rolled down a tanned cheek.

"I could have shot him in his arm or his leg but I didn't, I aimed at his chest and I fired." Jane's voice trembled.

"He was so young, I killed a kid Maur." The brunette struggled to fight back more tears.

"Jane-"

"W-wh-when he ran down the stairs, my first thought was shoot his shoulder, make him drop the gun but when he stopped and turned around. In that split second I looked into his eyes and I just pictured Natalie's body collapsing to the ground in my head. Before he even had the chance to raise his arm properly, I heard the bang and realized I'd pulled the trigger." Jane whimpered.

"Jane, he murdered two innocent people and shot Natalie. You asked him to stand down and he didn't. You followed him and he raised his gun at you, you had no choice. Don't you dare blame yourself. Frost and Korsak would have done the exact same thing in your position." The medical examiner whispered before reaching up and placing a gentle kiss on Jane's cheek, careful to avoid the sleeping child.

Jane smiled through her tears, not understanding why she was so upset. Maura was right, she gave him a chance and he didn't take it. There wasn't a doubt in the Detectives mind her partner would have done the same thing.

"Okay?" Maura smiled.

"Okay." Jane laughed and dried her eyes.

"Hi." Maura mumbled as tired, confused, blue eyes blinked at her.

"Aunty Maura?" Emmy's voice was hoarse, much like Jane's after waking up.

"Hey sleepy head." Jane teased as the little girl inspected her surroundings.

"Where's my mommy?" The little Rizzoli looked up at her aunty.

"She had to work a little late but she's on her way." The Detective smiled.

"Oh." The child yawned.

"How come I'm with you? Where's Nonna gone?" Emmy stretched in Jane's arms.

"You fell asleep in the break room and Nonna had to go home so she left you with Korsak until I got back." The Italian ran her hand through tangled curls.

"Oh yeah." Emmy giggled.

"I'm still sleepy." The girl could barely keep her eyes open.

"Why don't you have a nap on my couch until your mom gets here?" Maura suggested sensing both Italian's were tired.

"Can I?" Exhausted eyes looked at Jane for permission.

"Uh, huh." Jane smiled and took a seat.

"Here we go." The brunette stretched out her body on Maura's couch as her niece struggled to find a comfortable spot on her lean body.

"Have you spoken to your mother?" Maura asked as she took a seat next to the two Rizzoli's.

"No." Jane looked down to the floor.

Emmy was wiggling around, trying to get comfortable in Jane's lap until she huffed and sat back with furrowed brows. Glancing towards the blonde, she looked to her chest and smiled before stretching across the two women and settling on the Doctor's lap, her head resting on her chest.

"You have comfy boobies." Emmy mumbled into the blonde's chest as she brought her thumb into her mouth and sucked it.

"Jeez, thanks." Jane mocked and the two adults laughed but the child was out like a light.

The two women fell into a comfortable silence as they sat comfortably on the couch, just the sounds of the lights buzzing and Emmy's heavy breathing filled the air around them. Maura sat back against the couch, practically cuddled up with Jane and her niece. The blonde's left arm cradled the little girl and her hand slowly ran through her messy hair an action she noticed both Rizzoli's enjoyed. Maura's right arm was to her side, resting as Jane used her as a pillow, her hand on the Italian's knee rubbing an invisible number eight pattern in the slacks. The Detective was slouched down, her long legs resting under the coffee table, her scuffed boots popping out the other side with her arms folded across her chest and her head resting against Maura's shoulder. All three of them were exhausted and Maura noticed Jane's eyes were shut and found hers were slowly beginning to droop. The blonde gave into the battle and finally allowed her eyes to close but just as they did, a loud ping rang through the room jolting both women awake.

"Son of a bitch." Jane jumped up in fright and whacked her legs on the table.

"Are you alright?" Maura burst out laughing when she watched her coffee table lift in the air.

"Shh." The Detective looked down to her niece to find she hadn't budged an inch.

"She's an amazingly deep sleeper." Maura noted.

"Mm, Frankie was as a kid." Jane grinned as she pulled her cell from her belt.

"Hannah's upstairs." The Italian mumbled reading over the message as she rubbed her leg.

Jane stood and stretched her long limbs before carefully taking Emmy from Maura's arms trying not to wake her.

"Thanks." Jane whispered as she turned for the door.

"Do you fancy a drink after work? I'm in need of a glass of white wine." Maura laughed.

"I'd love to, but I really think I need to go and apologize to my mother." Jane declined the offer.

"Oh, I understand. I'm sure I have an open bottle at home anyway." The blonde didn't hide the disappointment in her voice.

"Hey, another time okay?" Jane smiled.

"Yeah, another time." Maura nodded and watched the lanky Detective disappear from sight before she released a big sigh; another night spent alone on her couch, hoping to find something interesting to watch. Her son was out gallivanting for the night and her daughter was more interested in spending time on her laptop chatting with friends rather than spending some time with her mother. Maura wondered if she'd ever get used to feeling so lonely.


Jane had been parked in the same spot outside her family home, staring at her steering wheel for a good forty minutes. The Italian was trying to find the courage to knock on her mother's door and apologize for her behavior before coming clean about everything. Jane dreaded how her mother was going to react. She knew her mother would always love her, no matter what she did but she felt sick to the stomach at the thought of Angela confronting Maura. The Detective was aware she'd get a lecture and a slap over the head for what she'd done but she hoped her mother had some advice to give her, to get her out of this shitty situation. The brunette took one last inhale before getting out of her car and walking up the few steps. Just as Jane rose her hand to knock the door swung open.

"Took you long enough." Angela bluntly said.

"How did yo-"

"I saw you pull up. I've been watching you from the top window, staring into space for almost an hour." Jane's mother scoffed.

"Oh." The detective rolled her eyes.

"Do you want coffee?" Angela asked as her daughter followed her into the house.

"I didn't come for coffee ma." Jane mumbled.

"I came to apologize." Jane looked into her mother's dark eyes.

"I-I shouldn't have spoken to you the way I did, you were just trying to help." The Italian nodded.

"No you shouldn't have." Angela threw a tea towel at her daughter.

"Now you sit down and you tell me everything." The mother of three pulled out a chair and raised an eyebrow at her eldest child.

"Uh fine." Jane whined as she took a seat across from her mother.

The Detective could feel her mother's eyes boring into her and she suddenly felt nervous and lost for words, she had absolutely no idea how to start.

"Go on…" Angela gave her daughter a push.

"Riley and I are arguing because I fucked up." Jane took a deep breath.

"Watch your language." The older woman scorned.

"Ma!" Jane yelped.

"Okay, okay." Angela held her hands up in defeat, allowing her daughter to continue.

"Riley's mad at me because I had an affair whe-"

"You had what?" Angela yelled as she stood from her chair.

"Damn it ma, will you let me finish!" Jane jumped from her seat and walked around the table.

"How could you Jane? After the pain your father caused me and our family! How could you go and do the exact same thing?" The older woman paced around the kitchen. She could not believe what she was hearing.

"Ma, it's not what you think!" The younger Italian pleaded.

"That's exactly what your father said." Angela threw up her arms in defeat.

"Listen to me Ma. I didn't have an affair recently, I had one when I was eighteen." Jane placed her hands on her mother's shoulder, forcing the older woman to stop and listen.

"Wait, what?" Angela furrowed her dark brows.

"I had an affair when I was eighteen." Jane sighed.

"I'm confused. How did you have an affair when you were eighteen? Who did you have an affair with? What's that even got to do with you and Riley?" Angela wanted to know everything.

"One question at a time ma." Jane laughed and dropped her hands to her sides.

"How-when-Who did you have an affair with?" The brunette struggled to pick a question.

"Maura." Jane mumbled as she looked to the ground.

"Maura?" The older woman repeated as she stared at her daughter.

"I don't remember a Mau-Nooo! No, no, no, please tell me you don't mean-" When Jane nodded her head, Angela was speechless to say the least.

"Maura? As in Doctor Maura Isles the Chief Medical Examiner of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts? That Maura?" Angela eyed her daughter suspiciously, certain this was some kind of joke, however the girl nodded.

"Maura? You spend almost every single day with Maura?" The older woman hesitated.

"Yes." The Italian whispered.

"How did you even know each other when you were eighteen?" Angela couldn't get her head around what she was hearing, she needed details and she needed them now.

"I worked for her…" Jane trailed off hoping her mother would remember.

"I was a nanny for her children, Hope and Charles." Jane filled in the blanks and suddenly Angela's eyes went wide.

"She was your boss?" Angela's voice was hysterical.

"And my teacher." The words left Jane's mouth before she could stop them.

"She was your what?" The older Italian yelled, her loud voice echoing across the room.

"Calm down ma." Jane tried.

"Calm down? Janie how am I supposed to calm down?" Angela stared at her daughter.

"Did you…do it?" The older woman asked.

"Ma!" Jane blushed.

"Oh my god! She took advantage of my girl! She was in a position of power and knew you wouldn't refuse! Oh my baby girl!" Jane's mother cried.

"It wasn't like that ma!" The Detective snapped. Why was everyone making Maura out to be some sick perverted woman?

"I knew what I was getting myself into. Besides, I kissed her." Jane huffed.

"She was the adult Jane. She should have known better than to start something with an eighteen year old student." Angela's tone was harsh and motherly.

"We just got caught up in each other, you know?" The brunette tried to make up an excuse.

"No, I don't know." Angela barked.

"See, this is why I never confided in you after all these years! You're so narrow minded it's unbelievable. I'm your daughter for Christ sake's." Jane laughed.

"Do not patronise me Jane. I'm sorry I'm struggling to understand how it was okay for you to have an affair with your teacher who is what fifteen years older than you?" The older woman mocked.

"Twelve." Jane gritted through her teeth.

"Oh sorry, my mistake, that makes it all alright." Angela laughed.

"Ma." Jane warned.

"Don't you Ma me missy!" The older Italian pointed her finger at her daughter.

"Have a grown up conversation with me then!" The dark haired woman yelled. Angela stared at her daughter before taking a long, well needed breath to calm her temper.

"Is she still married to the same man?" Angela chewed on her lip.

"Yeah." Jane scoffed.

"Jane, I really don't know what to say. I'm extremely disappointed you'd come between a family." The eldest Rizzoli shook her head.

"She didn't love him Ma! She was stuck in a loveless marriage!" Jane defended her actions.

"So loveless, she's still married to the same man?" The Detective was silenced, her mother was right, thinking back it looked bad.

"You had no right to get in between someone's marriage whether it was loveless or not Janie." Angela walked closer to her daughter as she stared at the ground.

"No more than she had the right to drag you into her unhappy marriage." Angela looked at her daughter and sighed before she touched her chin and forced her to meet the same dark eyes.

"I'm not proud of what I did ma." Jane sighed.

"I was so young and in love. I didn't think about the consequences or who would get hurt." The Italian whispered.

"Oh honey, if we all thought about something before we did it, there'd be no room for mistakes." Angela coaxed, seeing the hurt look on her girls face.

"Turns out, I was the only one who got hurt anyway." Jane laughed.

"What do you mean?" Angela led her daughter over to the couch.

"Maura said she'd leave him." Jane scoffed as she remembered the lie.

"She wanted to be with me b-but when the time came, she couldn't do it and ended things with me. She said it was nothing more than an infatuation and th-that I was never the first priority in her life and never would be." The Detective's lip trembled as she remembered the pain she went through.

"Oh honey." Angela whispered, she hated seeing her daughter so hurt, she wished she'd known.

"I tried to fight for her, I knew that wasn't Maura talking but she threatened to call the police for harassment if I ever came near her or the children again." The Italian sniffed.

"That was the last time I ever saw her until she walked onto my crime scene a few months ago." Jane rubbed her hands together, feeling uncomfortable with this conversation.

"Since then, she's apologized and apologized and I've forgiven her but I'll never forget what she did to me." Jane released a harsh breath.

"But we've become real close. She's a different person than she was then. She's changed, just like I have." The brunette smiled through her tears.

"What does this have to do with Riley?" Angela had so many questions but she failed to see what this had to do with Riley.

"When Riley asked me about the love of my life, I always described Maura, but I never mentioned her name. And, I never told Riley that I was working with her so when she accidentally found out, sh-she thought-thinks I hid it from her because there's something going on between us and well, you know she kicked me out." Jane scoffed.

"Oh Janie." Angela groaned, she could understand why Riley reacted the way she did.

"And is there something going on between you?" The older woman whispered as she took her daughter's hands in her own.

"No." Jane mumbled and looked to their joined hands.

"She's still married Ma. I wouldn't go there, not when I have a fiancée at home. Besides, I couldn't put myself through that again." The younger woman exhaled.

"Riley's got it in her head that I'm still in love with her." Dark brown eyes looked into similar ones.

"Are you?" The older woman furrowed her brows when her daughter hesitated.

"There's a part of me that will always love Maura but when I tried to tell Riley that, she didn't-hasn't given me a chance to explain." Jane rubbed her tired eyes.

"Jane, you can't blame her for acting the way she is, you should have told her right away, you should have trusted her." Angela shook her head.

"I know ma, I was just so overwhelmed to have her back in my life and seeing the kids again. Plus work's been so hectic and everything with the wedding. It just got all on top of me and before I knew it, months had passed." Dark eyes looked to the floor.

"This is all such a mess honey." Angela smiled despite the circumstances.

"Yeah, you can say that again." The Detective smirked.

"I've spoken to Riley and she wants time and space so there's nothing I can do at the moment." Jane fell back into the cushions of the couch.

"I'm sure time will sort everything out baby." Angela leaned forward and kissed her daughter's head.

"You'll be back together before you know it! I'm sure of it." The older woman stood from the couch and gave her daughter another kiss.

"Thanks ma. I-err-I'm sorry I never told you about this before." Jane scuffed her boot along the floor.

"Don't ever hesitate to come to me Janie, I am your mother after all." Angela teased.

"Yeah, there's no denying that!" The Italian smirked as she stood up.

"I know you probably have so many more questions about all this but I gotta head home, I'm in work early tomorrow." Jane stretched her long limbs.

"Mm, always the hard worker." The older woman smiled.

"I'll see you tomorrow ma." Jane walked over to her mother and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Okay honey. Drive carefully! Remember I love you." Angela smiled.

"I love you too ma." Jane waved before carefully shutting the door.

The oldest Rizzoli watched her daughter leave and wondered how someone could get themselves into such a mess. Angela didn't know how to feel or what to do with her thoughts, she couldn't believe all this happened right under her nose and she had absolutely no idea what her daughter was going through. Suddenly, Angela felt awful that she'd be spent Jane's teenage life occupied with working as much as she could and ensuring her youngest child stayed out of trouble. The older woman laughed at the thought, she'd spent so many years keeping Tommy on a straight path; after all her hard work, it hadn't done much good.


It had just passed ten thirty and usually the honey blonde would heading up to bed, knowing she was working early the next day but Maura struggled to put down this month's fashion magazine. The medical examiner wasn't kidding when she said she needed a glass of wine, looking to the coffee table sat two empty wine bottles and a full glass in the blonde's hand. The Doctor would have been concerned that she'd managed to consume two bottles of wine by herself without feeling much of a buzz if she didn't have such a stressful job. The blonde licked her thumb and was just about to turn the page when the doorbell rang. Maura furrowed her brows and turned her head towards the door and wondered who could be calling so late. Placing her glass down, the Doctor slowly approached the door with caution; she considered ignoring it but the curious side of the woman got the better of her. Unlocking her door, she opened it and was extremely surprised to see who her late night visitor was.

"Angela? Is everything alright?" The blonde furrowed her brows at the older woman standing in her doorway.

"Yes, I hope I'm not interrupting?" Angela glanced past the blonde into the house, happy she seemed to be alone with a glass of red wine.

"No, of course not, do come in." Maura shook the confusion from her features and allowed the other woman to enter.

"Please forgive my appearance, I wasn't expecting company so late." Maura glanced down to her attire of a simple sweater, yoga pants and bare feet.

"That's quite alright; it's nice to see you dress just like the rest of us in the comfort of your own home." Angela smiled as she walked further into the blonde's house.

"How do you know where I live?" Maura pull a face, unable to recall a conversation when she'd mentioned her address.

"I have my ways Doctor Isles." Angela's tone told the Doctor not to ask any more.

"Can I get you something to drink? Water, tea, coffee?" The medical examiner asked as she rounded the corner to her kitchen.

"Coffee please." The brunette spoke quietly.

"You have a beautiful home." Angela couldn't stop her eyes from roaming over every inch of the house.

"Thank you." Maura beamed at the other woman as she flicked on the coffee machine and grabbed a mug from the top cupboard.

"How many sugars?" The blonde grabbed a spoon from the draw.

"Two please." The other woman set down her handbag on the breakfast table as she watched the younger woman moved across the counter, her back to the brunette.

"Jane told me about the affair." Angela didn't mean to be so blunt but she couldn't find an acceptable way to bring up the subject.

The only sound that rang out through the house was the dropped spoon clanging against the work top.

"Actually, she told me everything." The Italian said nonchalantly and she watched as Maura's back tense.

The blonde swallowed the harsh lump in her throat and slowly turned to face the older woman to find Angela appeared relatively calm. Maura took a deep breath and glanced to the stair way.

"Angela I-" Maura's voice croaked.

"No, I want you to listen." The older woman cut across with a stern voice.

"I can't tell you how utterly disgusted and downright mortified I was when I heard, a thirty year old woman took advantage of my eighteen year old daughter." The Italian's eyes never left the horrified hazel green ones.

"You were her teacher and her boss and you took that for granted when you seduced my baby girl." Jane's mother shook her head.

"An-"

"No! I said listen." Angela snapped and the blonde shut her mouth.

"I was so angry, I had every intention of coming over here and giving you a piece of my mind but the more I thought about it on the ride over the more sense I've attempted to make of it." The Italian sighed.

"I know my daughter and I know she has a mind of her own, she makes her own decisions and she chose to get involved with you and come in between your family." Maura couldn't help but stare at her marble worktop, listening to the words, she deserved to hear.

"Now Jane told me you were unhappy in your marriage but that doesn't excuse what either of you did." Angela leaned forward across the work top to try and catch the guilty eyes of the blonde.

"But then she told me what you did, how you used her for sex and then up and left without a proper explanation." The oldest Rizzoli couldn't hide the bite in her tone as she looked to the blonde in disgust.

"Yes, I did." Maura watched her tears fall onto the worktop.

"I remember Doctor Isles. I remember for months my daughter was depressed, hurt, and heartbroken. She wouldn't eat, she barely slept, she spent her money going out and doing god knows what and then stumbling home drunk at four, five in the morning, without so much as a text to her whereabouts. I sat up night after night waiting for her to come home. I tried to snap her out of it but no one could get through to her." Angela took a long breath.

"Do you have any idea what it's like to see your child going through something so painful, knowing there's nothing you can do to help?" This time, Angela wanted an answer.

"No." The Doctor whispered.

"I hope you never have to experience it Doctor Isles." Angela scoffed. Maura nodded and continue to stare at the work top, afraid if she looked up she'd have to face what she'd done.

"All her life, Janie wanted to be a Detective and from the moment she told me, I shot the idea down. I never wanted my daughter to join the police force and put herself in unnecessary danger but the moment she got a letter saying she'd been accepted into the Police Academy, she snapped out of her drunken, heart broken, money wasting state and for that I was so grateful." Angela gave a small smile.

"For years, I thought it was Riley that had hurt my daughter. One minute she was always picking her up or staying over and then suddenly, we never saw her. I despised that young girl; I hated her with a passion. I know it's wrong to hate a child, but I loathed that girl. Then years later when they got back together I wouldn't have her in my house, I missed out on so much of my daughter's life because I didn't want to be near the woman who broke my daughter." Angela couldn't help the small tear that escaped but she quickly wiped it away.

"It was only when Jane came home one day and begged me to get over my dislike for the woman because she wanted to propose to her. She said if I couldn't accept who she wanted to spend her life with that she never wanted to see my face ever again. So I found the strength to make peace with the past." The older woman shook her head.

"All those years I hated that innocent girl only to find out it didn't have anything to do with her, to find it was all you." Hazel eyes looked into furious brown ones and the blonde shivered.

Maura stayed quiet, there was so much she wanted to say but she was terrified she'd make things worse.

"I confided in you Maura. I talked to you about their relationship and you had the gall to sit and pretend you knew nothing." The Italian looked at the blonde with such disappointment.

"I'm so sorry Angela." Maura whispered.

"Sorry isn't going to make a difference. Sorry isn't going to change the past or fix my daughter's relationship." Angela laughed.

"I know. I'm so ashamed of what I did Angela." The Doctor nodded.

"So you should be." The brunette slammed her palm down on the counter and watched as the younger woman jumped back.

"I want you to know, no matter what I did and said I truly loved your daughter." Maura looked into dark brown eyes.

"With all my heart." Angela couldn't deny the sincerity she saw in those hazel eyes.

"I tried to fight the attraction believe me I did. I tried to bury my feelings and deny that I was falling in love with a student but sh-she so kind, caring, understanding and she gave a damn about me, about my children. Time just went by so quickly and before I knew it, I was months into an affair and although it was wrong, it felt so right, everything was good, for the first time in my life I felt happy all because of one person. B-but we'd been avoiding the fact I was married and suddenly out of nowhere, Jane asked me to leave Ian, she wanted me to risk it all, my career, my reputation, my family." Maura paused and looked to Angela, hoping she could put herself in Maura's shoes, maybe then she'd understand.

"I was stupid enough to think I could give it all up for an eighteen year old girl but then reality hit me so hard and I couldn't do it. I loved Jane but I loved my children more. I wanted them to have a perfect life. I couldn't- wouldn't drag them through a divorce, the scandal, the papers followed me wherever I went as it was. My children deserved a mother and a father, they deserved a stable home so I quit my job and decided to move my family to France." Maura shook her head as she listened to her own words and wondered how she could have been so cruel?

"I said some cruel things to Jane; I purposely said the right words to break her heart because I knew if I didn't, she'd follow so I made sure she couldn't find me." The blonde whispered.

"You did a fantastic job of that I can assure you." Angela scoffed.

An awkward silence between the two women, both thinking about the past and how, ten year later it still managed to cause so much pain.

"No matter how much I despise you for breaking my daughter, I understand why you did it." Angela whispered.

"W-what?" Maura couldn't believe her ears.

"I would do whatever it took if I thought it would keep my children safe. I would sacrifice my own happiness and hurt whoever I had to if it meant I could protect my children. S-so no one can blame you for doing what you thought was best Maura. Even if it was a mistake." Angela shrugged as she looked at the other woman.

"The biggest mistake of my life." Maura cried. Angela nodded in understanding as she watched the Doctor grab some paper towels to wipe the tears from her cheeks.

"And now…" Jane's mother trailed off.

"Now?" Maura mumbled as she stopped dabbing her eyes.

"Now I need to do what's best for my daughter. Now I need to protect her." Angela gave a sad smile.

"I don't understand?" Maura furrowed her brows.

"I don't know what your feelings are towards my daughter and frankly I couldn't care. I don't know what your intention was when you walked back into her life, but now, now you need to step back." Angela sighed.

"I don't know what you're talking about?" The medical examiner threw the brunette a confused look.

"I need you to stay away from her." The older woman spelled it out.

"Angela I-"

"I know you two work together and you've become so close-you've become best friends. I'm not blind I can see what you think of each other but right now, that friendship is dangerous." Angela nodded her head.

"Jane needs space Maura. She needs to sort out her relationship with Riley and you constantly being around isn't helping the situation. You're doing nothing but confusing Jane's feelings." The Italian shrugged.

"I respect your opinion Angela I really do but as you said earlier, Jane can make her own decisions." The honey blonde snapped, the older woman had no right.

"But they're not always the right ones." Jane's mother laughed.

"I don't think that's for you to decide." Maura's tone was harsh.

"Listen to me Doctor Isles, Jane needs stability in her life. She needs someone who can always be there for her. She's nearly thirty years old, she needs her life to begin." Angela stared at the other woman, hoping for once, she'd understand.

"Despite how you feel for my daughter, by that ring on your finger..." Two pairs of eyes glanced down at the engagement and wedding band on the blonde's left hand.

"You have absolutely nothing to offer her. You have a husband and two children who demand your time. Riley doesn't, Riley can offer my Janie everything, a life, a home, a marriage…a family." Although Angela's voice was stern, Maura couldn't help but see the plea in her eyes.

"You can't give her any of that. You never could." The older woman laughed.

Maura wanted to scream, she wanted to say so much but the older woman was right, she had nothing to offer Jane.

"So what I'm asking you-what I'm telling you is to back off. I'm not saying ignore her, I know how impossible that would be since you work together but do not contact her unless its work related. Don't give her advice, don't go out for drinks with her and certainly don't turn up at her house." Angela laughed as Maura's eyes shot up the older woman's.

"I'm not oblivious, I know my daughter. Besides Riley, you are the only one she listens to. You were the only one who talked some sense into her and I'm so grateful, but now you've done your piece." The Italian smiled.

"I need you to concentrate on your own relationship, not Jane's." The blonde shook her head at Jane's mother but bit her tongue.

"Do I make myself clear?" Angela gritted.

"Yes." Maura whispered.

"Good, I'm glad you understand. I apologize for calling so late but this conversation couldn't wait any longer." Angela said as she grabbed her bag.

"Thank you for the coffee Doctor Isles." The older woman headed for the door, her sarcastic comment not passing the blonde as she glanced at the untouched coffee mug sitting on the counter.

"Jane doesn't know you've come here does she?" Maura looked at the older woman.

"No, and as clear as I've made myself, she never will." Angela gave the blonde a warning.

"Good night Doctor Isles." Angela didn't wait for a reply before she shut the door.

Maura stood in the same position, both hands resting against the counter as she stared at the door struggling to fully comprehend that conversation had just taken place. The blonde shook her head, she couldn't believe the other woman was making demands about her daughter's life, Jane was a grown woman, and her mother had no place making decisions for her. Maura rubbed her eyes before she finally found the effort to move her feet. As the Doctor turned with the intention to down her glass of wine, she met the watery hazel eyes and tear stained cheeks of her daughter.

"Honey?" Maura furrowed her brows when she noticed her daughter standing by the stairs.

"You cheated on daddy?" Hope's bottom lip trembled and she hugged her bare arms as she stared at her mother with a look of disgust.


A/N: I've had writers block so I know this chapter isn't great but hey ho...

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