AN: Trigger warnings to things are present. Don't like don't read.
I don't own Rizzoli & Isles. I just borrow them and some dialogue at times.
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Maura sat at the island counter as Paddy frowned at her, "I really hate this part."
She chuckled, "I thought that was supposed to be my line?" He glared at her for a moment before shaking his head and turning to the medical instruments she had laid out for use.
Jane leaned in the doorway, her arms crossed and anger on her face. She knew her lover wasn't happy about this, but it was the only way. Besides, getting the bullet out now was better than what could happen later. They had put Luca to bed an hour before, after spending the entire day letting the boy ask his questions, and Angela was in the living room with Korsak, both anxious and ready to rush her to the hospital if necessary. She had assured them over and over that she would be fine, and that Paddy knew what he was doing.
They had done this before and, although she didn't tell Jane, she was the one that had showed him how to do it safely when she saved one of Paddy's Lieutenants after a gun battle two years prior. Not that she wouldn't tell Jane if the woman asked but she wasn't going to be the one to bring it up.
She knew having Paddy here was already walking a fine line with her Detective. She just wanted to get this done and over with as fast as possible. Then again, the faster her father went the more it would hurt, and the likely scenario would be her passing out from the pain. For her it was no big deal, but she knew it would affect Jane in the worst way.
She frowned as she glanced over at Jane, "Why don't you go sit with your mother."
Jane narrowed her eyes at her, "Not happening. I'm staying right here and if you even so much as loose a little color I will call an ambulance."
She shook her head, "Jane the probability of me passing out is high but it's nothing to fear. I've done this before."
Jane's anger flashed in her brown eyes, the color darkening slightly, "Yes but I haven't seen you go through it. Just shut up and get on with it."
She could see her lover fighting the anger and need to protect her. It was something she had always found that she liked when it came to Jane. When anyone else would try it, she would balk at the act and become angry herself. Jane was different in that regard, as she was in every way, but this, in particular, she loved. She loved feeling safe and protected, knowing that Jane would be there to save her no matter what.
She turned to Paddy as he took a deep breath, "Here we go kiddo." She nodded at him and let her mind drift, closing her eyes against the sharp pain and biting her lip to keep from screaming.
At the very beginning of all this she had hoped that Jane would figure it out and come running in to save her as usual. Once the first few months passed and Dean told her how hard Jane was trying to find her, she knew it was a lost cause.
Dean had made sure that Jane couldn't find her.
She hated the man before all of this but now she had a new hatred in her heart for him. She knew somewhere in all this mess the man had made a mistake and it was up to her and her Detective to find it, with help from their family. The Rizzoli's had always worked better as a family, and she had become a part of that family years ago.
She felt the first searing pain slide across her chest and hissed in a deep breath, opening her eyes to glance up at Paddy, "Muscle."
He nodded, "It's resting just inside. I almost have it, but you might want a drink for this."
She nodded quickly, knowing that it would help take some of the edge off her already aching body. She took the shot glass from Paddy as her eyes met Jane's. She downed the shot of whiskey as she watched the worry and fear dance in her lover's eyes. The blood running down her chest and arm tickled slightly as the alcohol slithered through her body like molasses.
She took another shot from her father before he continued his work.
She had never been a drinker before. A glass of wine after work with Jane or when they would go out to dinner was the most she would have. Now she could down beer and whiskey with the best of Paddy's boys. She stared at the floor as she let Paddy and the alcohol do their thing, letting her mind compartmentalize the pain for later.
She knew she would feel the pain in the morning, but it was worth it. She ran down the list of what would happen to the bullet once Korsak took it in to be processed. Her mind letting science take over, ignoring the absolute pain that was now cascading through her body.
She knew she wouldn't last much longer, and she looked up at Paddy, "Not long."
Paddy nodded as he used his fingers to grip the bullet. She had always preferred to get it with her fingers instead of damaging the evidence with forceps.
"Got it. Now lay on the sofa and I'll close you out there." He pressed a towel to her shoulder and helped guide her out of the kitchen.
Jane hurried ahead of them and quickly moved everything out of the way before she collapsed on the soft sofa cushions. She smiled up at her lover, "Thank you."
Jane knelt beside the sofa when Paddy disappeared back into the kitchen to get the medical supplies, "I hate this."
She smirked at her, "Now you know how I felt when you shot yourself."
Jane grinned at her, "But I've always been a big baby."
She chuckled but dark spots danced in her vision, and she slowed her breathing. As Paddy began to stich her up, she slipped into blackness, her hand still firmly grasped in Jane's.
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As she slowly came to, she heard her Detective's unmistakable hard raspy voice, "She needs a hospital, Doyle."
Paddy's voice was firm and annoyed, "No, what she needs is sleep and pain medication. She'll be fine."
"I know what my wife needs Doyle." Jane snapped angrily, her thick Boston accent seeping from her.
Her heart swelled in her chest at the words that came from Jane's mouth without a thought. She couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face as she opened her eyes slowly, "You should listen to her Dad."
Paddy smirked as he glanced over at her, "I told you she would wake up if we argued."
Jane was instantly at her side, taking her hand carefully, "How are you feeling?"
She chuckled as she slowly worked her way into a sitting position, with Jane's help, "Peachy. You?"
Jane glared at her for a moment, "I hate this."
She nodded before leaning into to kiss Jane's lips softly, "I know but I'm fine. I'll sleep until morning and then be sore for a few days."
Paddy grinned at her, "Maura's usually only down for a few hours at most with this sort of thing."
She glared at her father, "Don't forget what I can do to you."
Paddy's smile faded, "Should I call Hope?"
Silence descended on the room as she entered a staring contest with her father. She could feel Jane's eyes on her, but she refused to back down from her father. She loves her father but at times his hardheaded nature could be a pain in the ass. Finally, Angela's voice broke through the tense atmosphere.
"Okay, it's been a long day. Tomorrow is Sunday family dinner."
Korsak nodded, "We can fill Frankie and Susie in on everything then."
Jane grimaced, "I'm still not sure I trust Frankie with Susie."
She laughed, "Susie is perfect for him."
Jane smirked at her, "You sure about that?"
She saw the way Jane's eyes began to sparkle with a challenge and she knew that they would be betting on it later that night. She nodded at her fiancé before turning back to her father, "Where are you staying?"
Paddy smirked at her, "In the usual place. I'll be by tomorrow evening. I have a few things I have to do in the morning."
She eyed her father carefully, "I hope you don't mean what I think you do."
He shrugged, "You can come with if you like."
Jane surged to her feet suddenly, "Over my dead body."
Angela grimaced at her daughter, "Jane."
She chuckled as she shook her head, "I'll leave you to it, but I swear I will not hesitate to kill you myself if you get hurt."
Paddy laughed as he pulled his jacket on, "Yeah, yeah."
She rolled her eyes before following her father to the door, "I mean it old man."
Paddy kissed her cheek softly, "Goodnight Maura. I will see you tomorrow evening."
She sighed heavily as she closed the front door, pausing to rest her forehead against the cool wood. Her mind was exhausted, and her shoulder was aching uncontrollably. She returned to the living room as Korsak stood holding the baggie they had placed the bullet in.
"I'll get this to the lab and have Susie make it a priority."
Jane frowned, "What about Cavanaugh?"
Korsak shook his head, "I'll fill him in, so he isn't blindsided. I'll see you all tomorrow." He kissed Angela's cheek before making his way out the front door with Angela on his heels.
She rubbed her eyes before moving towards the stairs, "I'm going to check on Luca before heading to bed. Should I-"
Jane glared at her, "If I don't find you in our bed in a few minutes I'll hunt you down."
She chuckled as she nodded before slowly making her way up the stairs. She paused at Luca's room and smiled at her son, sleeping peacefully. She was still sometimes taken back by the fact that she had a child. To her it was a miracle that it had even happened, but she was more grateful every day for it.
She stumbled into the bedroom and stripped as she made her way into the bathroom. Her shoulder ached and her muscles felt tight as she turned the shower on, adjusting the temperature before stepping in. The hot water felt good on her tense back as it flowed over her bare skin.
For a time, she had dreaded the shower, being alone and afraid that someone was going to break into her safe house when she was at her most vulnerable. Now she could let the water relax her body, soothing the aches and pains that she always hid from everyone.
Even the stinging pain in her shoulder couldn't take away from the small little bit of relief she received, at least until she washed her hair. She did everything one handed but every movement jostled her shoulder and after ten minutes she couldn't take it anymore. She finished rinsing off before she turned the water off and reached for a towel.
Her hand encountered warm skin, and she yelped in shock before shoving the shower curtain open and finding Jane smirking at her, "I thought I said I wanted to find you in our bed."
She narrowed her eyes at her Detective as she snatched a towel from the woman's hands, "I needed a shower."
Jane grinned at her, and she watched as the Detective's eyes raked over her body hungrily. She felt the heat rush through her body at the lust in Jane's eyes, but she shook her head as she stepped out of the shower. She moved quickly around the frozen Detective before heading out to the bedroom where she had moved the duffel bag earlier.
Jane's voice was husky from near the bathroom, "You always slept naked."
She chuckled, "That was before having a child that likes to come barging into your room when he gets awake before you."
Jane appeared beside her, "I have a shirt you can wear."
She smiled up at her fiancé, "You always loved when I wore your clothes."
Jane nodded as she turned to the dresser, searching through a drawer as she spoke, "I love you period, but seeing you in my clothes always sets me on fire."
She grinned as Jane held a Red Sox t-shirt out to her, "I remember."
After she pulled a pair of shorts and the t-shirt of Jane's on, she climbed into bed. She relaxed against the cool sheets as she watched Jane step into the bathroom and strip. Her body began to tingle with desire as she watched the woman's lean body move into the shower and she had to suppress a groan at the image of Jane's wet naked body that entered her mind.
She could hear Jane's soft laughter coming from the bathroom and she snapped angrily, "Not fair."
Jane only laughed harder.
She rolled to her side a few minutes later as Jane slid into the bed beside her, "I love you, Jane."
Jane pulled her closer and wrapped her arms around her tightly, "I love you too Maura. I've missed this."
She hummed as sleep pulled at her mind, "Me too."
She inhaled Jane's scent deeply, letting it enter every part of her being. She wasn't sure what the future held for them but for now she was content in the thought of just being in Jane's arms. She was safe and loved and home in Jane's arms. She never wanted to leave this spot as she slowly drifted off to sleep.