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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Jane could feel her chest constricting as she watched the clock tick on without pausing for her. Her breathing was shallow as she struggled to calm her racing heart. Panic was quickly flooding her body as she struggled to understand how everything had blown up in her face so fast.
She knew she had been crowding Maura, but she couldn't help it. The love of her life was back after being missing for nearly five years and she couldn't shake the feeling that Maura was going to disappear again.
And now Maura had.
Only this time she had been the one to drive her lover from her. She had exploded on Maura without a second thought and now she was paying the price. They hadn't delt with the anniversary of Maura's disappearance two weeks ago and she had a feeling that had a lot to do with it.
That day had always been the hardest for her and this year it was as if it never happened.
She shook her head and stood to resume her pacing as her eyes kept locking onto the clock above the fireplace. Maura had been gone for eight hours and she knew the sun would be rising soon. Maura had left her cell phone on the kitchen counter and so Jane had called the only person she could think of that could find her fiancé.
She didn't exactly trust Paddy Doyle, but Maura did so that was the only reason she hadn't called her family first.
She wanted to go out looking for Maura, but Luca needed her. She had made dinner for the boy and noticed that he was more silent than he had ever been in the last two weeks. He kept his head down and finished his food quickly before disappearing into his room. She had gone in at bedtime to check on him but found him curled with the stuffed dog, sleeping peacefully.
She shook her head as she plopped down on the sofa, her anxiety making her unable to sit still for long. She was exhausted, not willing to sleep without Maura in her arms. Her natural instinct was to go hunting for the blonde, but she knew this was different.
Maura had changed in the last five years, and she was still learning who the woman had become. She was still learning Maura's body, all the scars that had never been on her skin before. She couldn't get enough of her fiancé, even after they had spent an entire night making love and not sleeping, she still couldn't get enough.
Her cell phone rang jerking her out of her thoughts and her hands shook as she snatched it off the coffee table, "Rizzoli."
"Hey Janie, are you coming into work today?" Frankie asked, happily unaware of her storming emotions.
Thunder shook the house and she remained silent for a moment, listening for Luca. When all remained quiet, she sighed, "I don't know Frankie."
Frankie's voice was softer when he spoke, "I know it's hard Jane, but Maura isn't going anywhere. You need to trust her."
She grimaced at the fireplace as she sat back, "I do trust her."
"Then why won't you let her out of your sight. She's doing her best to keep from getting angry but it's taking a toll on her Janie." Frankie's tone was soft but also firm.
She sighed and blurted everything out. She told him of their fight the night before and the fact that Maura hadn't returned home all night. She needed to talk, and Frankie let her, keeping quiet as she spoke. She could hear the emotions in her own voice and hated that she wasn't able to voice all of it to the one person that deserved to hear it.
When she was done Frankie chuckled, "I don't think I have to tell you that you should say all that to Maura, but this is the first step. Give her some time. She won't stay gone long because of Luca. Why don't you take him to the Dirty Robber for breakfast and we'll meet you there?"
She smiled, "Thanks Frankie."
"No problem. We'll see you soon." Frankie said happily before the call disconnected.
An hour later she sat in a booth with Luca at the Dirty Robber. Angela rushed through the doors and frowned at her as she quickly took a seat across from her, "Where's Maura?"
She frowned, her panic quickly rushing to the surface, "Why?"
Angela glanced up as Korsak slid into the boot next to her, "We got the results back from ballistics."
Jane felt her heart jackhammer in her chest, seeing the anger on Korsak's face, "It's Dean's, isn't it?"
Korsak nodded, "Yes. Perfect match. Cavanaugh and I went down to the evidence storage to pull the case but couldn't find anything. There's no record of it having even been there or of Maura's case at all."
"I can explain that." Maura's voice sounded behind them.
Jane surged to her feet, wanting to pull the woman into her arms but unsure if she should now. A frown crossed Maura's face and Jane decided to say the hell with it. She jerked Maura into her arms, holding her lover tight against her body and burying her face in her Doctor's neck.
"I'm so sorry Maura." She choked out quietly.
Maura's arms wrapped tight around her, "I'm sorry too Jane, but we'll talk about it later."
Maura pulled back and Jane couldn't ignore the pain in her heart that it caused. Maura seemed to want to put distance between them and it hurt like never before. She could hear Frankie's voice in her mind, and she took a deep breath before stepping away to give her space.
A taller woman than Maura crossed the room to them, and Jane couldn't' help the frown that crossed her face. The woman's short auburn hair hung to the base of her neck, flipping up at the ends, making her look every bit as mean and hard as it could. The woman's green eyes scanned the room relentlessly until she stopped right beside Maura, too close for Jane's liking but she remained silent about it or was going to.
The woman's arm wrapped around Maura's waist, pulling the blonde tight against her side and Jane nearly felt her head explode, until Maura spoke, "We should discuss this somewhere more private."
The woman that had her arm around Maura's waist smirked at Jane, "What's shaking good lookin'?"
Jane opened her mouth to snap at the woman, but Maura beat her to it, "Death O'Brady."
O'Brady's eyes widened slightly as they darted between Jane and Maura, "No shit."
Maura's glare turned dark as she faced O'Brady and Jane couldn't stop the sudden arousal that she felt as Maura positioned herself between Jane and O'Brady, "One and only warning Emily."
O'Brady smirked at Maura, "Don't worry babe, I only have eyes for you."
Jane clenched her hands into fists at her side as her jealousy roared to life, but Maura scoffed, "You wish."
Jane frowned as she shook herself out of her jealous confusion, "Maura?"
Maura turned back to her and shook her head, "Not here. Luca, grandpa is waiting for us outside."
Luca slid out of the booth before sprinting out the door and Jane frowned, "Maura please-"
Maura shook her head, "I came to tell you all to meet me back at the house. My father and I found something that may help since the evidence was destroyed."
Korsak frowned as he stood, "Destroyed how?"
Maura shook her head, "Not here."
The look on Maura's face had Jane and Korsak's eyes scanning the area around them and out the windows. Jane knew Maura was warning them that they were being listened to and she didn't like it. She moved closer to Maura unconsciously, her hand reaching for the woman before her brain caught up to what she was doing. As she pulled her hand back Maura backed into her, pressing her back firmly against her chest for a moment.
She relaxed slightly as they moved towards the door, the woman named O'Brady stepping outside first, blocking Maura from view. She realized that O'Brady was part of Paddy's crew, and she wasn't exactly sure how that made her feel, knowing that this woman knew Maura better than her now.
She drove home with Paddy's SUV right behind her, and her eyes kept glancing up into the rearview mirror making sure they were still there.
She sighed angrily. She wanted to let it go, to trust that Maura wasn't going to disappear on her again, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was coming. Something that could potentially tear them apart worse than before. Her instincts were flaring inside her to protect her family but how could she when she didn't know what the threat was.
She parked in the driveway and stepped out of the car as Luca ran towards her from the SUV. She easily scooped him up into her arms as she watched Maura talking to O'Brady and Paddy. It made her uncomfortable how close O'Brady was to Maura, how the unknown woman was able to touch Maura without the blonde being uncomfortable.
Had something happened between them while Maura had been gone? Were they seeing each other at that time?
The thought alone was enough to make her heart clench painfully in her chest, the sudden knowledge that she may not be the only important one in Maura's life anymore. Had Maura gone running to that woman last night after their argument? Could she handle Maura with someone else and still be in each other's lives?
She couldn't stop the thoughts from beginning to overwhelm her as she carried Luca into the living room, not seeing the frown on Maura's face.
She put Luca back on his feet as Angela and Korsak entered the house behind her. Her mother's voice low and confused, "Who's the woman with Maura?"
She shook her head, not sure if she could speak against the wave of emotions that were threatening to be unleased. She wanted to know the same thing, but Maura deserved to have a life that didn't involve her or the family. Frankie was right, she needed to trust Maura, but it didn't make this easier.
Maura entered the house a moment later with O'Brady and Doyle right behind her. Frankie and Susie entered a moment later followed by Tommy and Frost.
Jane frowned at them, "What are you guys doing here?"
Frankie shrugged, "Maura called, told us to meet you guys here."
She turned to her fiancé with a frown but moved across the room, putting distance between them. She didn't want to crowd Maura, no matter how much her heart and mind were begging her to. She could see Maura's walls in her hazel eyes, and she felt the frustration of not being able to read the woman again.
Paddy sat a box on the coffee table, "This is all the evidence of what took place in the alley. Dean had it taken when he took Maura. He knew the ballistics would come back to him and he would become a target."
O'Brady sat a stack of files on the coffee table, "This was all Maura, and I could grab from storage before Dean and his men arrived a few years ago. Dean kept specific records on Maura and Jane Rizzoli. The guys a creep." The woman's anger was evident to everyone in the room.
Paddy nodded before speaking directly to Korsak, while holding out a briefcase to him, "There's also this. Sean Cavanaugh should know the truth. I had nothing to do with it."
Korsak nodded and took the case, "Thank you for this."
Paddy nodded, "Any friend of Maura's is a friend of mine. I hope it helps but mostly to give him some closure." Korsak nodded, a silent understanding passing between the two men.
Jane frowned at them but decided to ignore it for now, "What kind of records?"
O'Brady grimaced as her arm wrapped around Maura's waist tightly, protectively, "Daily routines, cases, even photos that were more personal than surveillance related. He has a lot on you Rizzoli but what he has on Maura," the woman shook her head, a disgusted look crossing her face, "It's beyond obsessed."
Paddy glared at the files on the coffee table before looking up, "How long until Dean gets word of this snooping?"
Korsak frowned, "We're hoping he doesn't ever get wind of it."
Paddy shook his head, "Dean has informants everywhere. I know he's been watching-"
"Da!" Maura snapped, her eyes burning into him.
Jane frowned her body on edge as her gut raged that Maura was keeping something from her, "Dean's been watching what Doyle?" Maura continued to stare at her father and Jane knew she was warning him not to continue that sentence.
Paddy stood straight and shook his head, "Dean's been keeping an eye on Maura since her return to Boston."
Her anger flared in her chest as she turned to Maura, "How long have you known?"
Maura shook her head at her father, "A little less than a week."
She took a deep breath and turned away from Maura. She was desperately trying to control her anger, having given up on trying to count since all it was doing was annoying her even more. She clenched her hands into fists as rage boiled in her chest. She needed to get out of the room before she exploded on someone. She moved without a thought towards the kitchen, ignoring the eyes that were watching her.
She leaned on the sink, looking out at the back yard through the window. Her body shook slightly with the anger that was coursing through her veins. Would Dean ever let them go? Would he ever let them be happy? She had a feeling she knew the answer and it wasn't one she wanted to think about with all this anger in her body.
"Jane?" Maura's hesitant voice came from behind her.
She gripped the counter so tight her knuckles began to turn white, "Were you going to tell me?"
"Yes," Maura's voice was moving closer, "I just didn't know how. You're already overprotective and I wasn't sure how far you would take it. I also didn't want Luca to know anything until I could confirm it with Paddy. I figured Paddy could keep an eye out and if he saw someone following us then I would at least have proof that I wasn't just being paranoid after all this time."
She scoffed, the detective side of her understood Maura's reasoning but the other side of her was hurt that Maura hadn't confided in her that she felt like she was being followed. She also felt guilty that she was so focused on having Maura and her son home that she didn't notice that Maura felt uncomfortable. She was torn between wanting to be angry that Maura kept something like this from her after everything they had been through and wanting to reassure the love of her life that everything would be okay.
"Jane, talk to me." Maura spoke from right beside her, her voice more nervous and vulnerable than ever before.
She swallowed thickly before she turned to Maura. It took her a few breaths before she could even speak through the emotions welling in her throat, "Why didn't you tell me that you thought someone was following you?"
Maura stared up at her, crossing her arms over her chest, a move Jane knew Maura did to protect herself, "I didn't want to worry you more than you already are. You barley let me out of your sight in the house. What would you have done, honestly Jane, if I had told you this a week after being here?"
She knew she would have reacted badly, not allowing Maura out of her sight ever and insisting that they get protection at the house for her and Luca. She knew what Dean was capable of when it came to Maura, but she wasn't sure if Dean would leave Luca out of it or not.
Maura nodded, "Exactly. While I don't think he'll hurt Luca, I can't be one hundred percent positive of it. I would rather you protect him over me."
She frowned as she shook her head, "I will never let anything happen to either of you Maura. I love you, even if we argue."
Maura nodded as her body relaxed slightly, "I know. I love you too, but you can't be everywhere at once and I'd rather you protect our son."
She grunted as she turned back to the window, her anger flaring again and her mouth speaking before her brain caught up, "Did you fuck her?"
Maura's eyes widened with shock before a confused frown crossed her face, "What?"
Jane jerked her head towards the living room once, "O'Brady. You two seem awfully close."
Maura's right eyebrow rose, her scar looking more menacing with the movement, "You can't be serious."
She turned back to Maura, stepping into her personal space, "Very. Did you?"
A muscle twitched in Maura's temple for a moment before she spoke, "Did you fuck the woman that Tommy brought to you?"
She jerked back as if Maura had just slapped her, "No. I could never- How do you know about that?"
She felt her blood run cold at the look Maura was giving her. This wasn't her Doctor anymore, this was the look of a killer that had no emotions for anything. She hated it, her heart feeling as if it stopped in her chest. She couldn't win against that look coming from her Doctor aimed at her. It was proof of just how much Maura had suffered and changed over the years.
She couldn't stop herself from pulling Maura into her arms, "Never. Only ever you Maura." She felt Maura relax in her arms and she closed her eyes for a moment.
Maura's voice was soothing in her ear, "Me either. Emily is my father's top lieutenant and the only one I trusted to keep Luca safe when I couldn't be with him."
She pulled back to look Maura in the eye, seeing the walls disappear in the woman's hazel eyes. She could read the pain and insecurities that crossed Maura's face. She shook her head, "I'm sorry that I ever thought that. It's just… The way she touches you… Intimately. It looks like something happened between you two."
Maura cupped her face gently, "I promise nothing like that happened between us, but…"
She could see the hesitation that was keeping Maura from continuing and she took a deep breath, holding the woman tighter, "Tell me."
Maura smiled up at her, "We have taken bullets for each other. I saved her life and she saved mine. She is the only other person in the world that I feel close to besides you. You are different in every way, but she is my family just as much as you are."
She nodded, seeing the honesty in her lover's eyes, "Then that's good enough for me. I promise, when this is all over, that I will try to deal with my panic when you are no longer in my sight." She grinned, "But not until this is over."
Maura chuckled, "Deal. I'll try to not let it get to me until then. I'm sorry I left last night Jane."
She shook her head before placing a soft kiss on Maura's lips, "I'm sorry I pushed you to it. We'll get through this Maura. Together."
Maura grinned up at her, "Together."
She couldn't help but kiss Maura again, slipping her tongue into her fiancé's mouth the moment Maura parted her lips. She felt the heat rush through her body. Maura's hands ran up under her shirt, pressing firmly against her warm skin. Maura's fingers left a fire in their wake as they moved across her abdomen to her the top of her jeans. She moaned softly as Maura bit down on her tongue gently before stroking it with her own, soothing it.
She knew she would never get enough of this woman. It wasn't possible. The last five years had been taken from them and she was determined now more than ever to not let any more time pass. She could hear the laughter in the living room, but her mind was too focused on what Maura was doing.
Maura unbuttoned her jeans and Jane couldn't help but shove Maura's lose fitting jeans down her Doctor's legs. She gripped the woman's thighs and lifted her up, feeling Maura's legs wrap around her waist instantly. She pulled back to smirk at Maura and to watch her lovers face as she entered her slowly. Her own eyes rolled back in her as the pleasure of being buried deep inside the love of her life filled her with even more emotion.
They didn't hurry but they didn't go slow either as Jane pinned Maura's back to the wall near the back door. She couldn't help but grip the woman's hips tightly, helping to bring Maura down on her harder and faster.
She hated being away from Maura more than ever but the knowledge that they would get through everything, that they would always have each other made the anger disappear. She knew it would take time for them to work through this new way of life, but she also knew they would. They would find a way to make it, just like they always had and that was good enough for her.
They kissed to muffle their cries of pleasure, so not to alert anyone in the other room of their current activities. They only pulled back to catch their breaths and Jane couldn't help but smirk at the flushed face of her fiancé, "How long do you want to wait to get married?"
Maura quirked an eyebrow at her, "How soon could we do it?"
She grinned, "I'll call in a favor with a judge that owes me one and we could get it done tonight."
Maura chuckled, "I'll believe it when I see it."
She lowered Maura to her feet and watched the woman pull her jeans back on as she buttoned hers, "Don't think I can do it?"
Maura smirked at her over her shoulder, "Not in a few hours."
She snatched the phone off the wall, "Watch me."
She felt her heart race as she spoke to the judge and made the arrangements to be in his office in two hours. Maura's hazel eyes sparkled at her as she hung up and the woman jumped on her as soon as the phone was back on the wall.
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Two hours and forty-five minutes later Maura stood outside the courthouse, her hand held tightly in Jane's. The fact that she was officially Jane Rizzoli's wife was something she had once thought would never be possible. She was happier than ever before as Jane kissed her cheek and they made their way down the steps. She could see the happiness and downright gloating smile that Jane hadn't been able to get rid of since they said I do.
She couldn't stop looking at Jane, even as they walked, Luca walking happily in front of them with Angela and Korsak. He had been overly excited after they told him they were going to the courthouse to make it official, and he had been bouncing off the walls for the last two and a half hours. She knew he would crash soon and wanted to get him home before that happened.
Frankie and Tommy hugged her tightly as they congratulated them, both huffing that it was about time. She could only shake her head at them as Jane shoved them both playfully. Susie hugged her and whispered her congratulations in her ear.
She hasn't felt this much happiness in years, since she had to leave her family behind. It was a foreign feeling but one that she would quickly get used to. She could feel her heart swelling with love as she watched her family laugh, Jane tickling Luca before the boy ran towards Korsak and Angela laughing wildly. It was heartwarming and heart wrenching at the same time.
Luca should have had this all his life, and for that she would always feel guilty. She had taken that away from him and from Jane, even if she felt it had been the right decision at the time. Now she could see the lost time, the lost love, all the things she would never get back, the things Jane would never get back. All of Luca's firsts so far Jane had missed, and it was her fault.
She knew Jane would fight her on her feelings of guilt so she would keep them to herself, but she would never stop trying to give Jane everything. She has been in love with Jane Rizzoli since the day they met, and it had only grown stronger in the last four years of being apart.
She smiled as Jane turned to her, a question in her eyes. She shook her head at the woman before wrapping her arms around Jane's neck and kissing her deeply. Jane's arms wrapped around her waist tightly, pulling her tight against her chest and Maura couldn't stop the small chuckled that escaped her lips.
"I love you, Jane. More than anything."
Jane grinned at her, resting her forehead against Maura's, "I love you too. More than everything." They kissed once more before following their family towards the street where their cars were parked.
As they neared the cars she frowned, the feeling of being watched returning in full force. She turned just as the loud pop echoed through the air and she felt the fire flare in her arm. Everyone moved at once as another pop rang out, the sound deafening in her ears, even as she shoved Jane towards Luca and Angela. The flames licked at her hands as the blood dripped from her wounds.
She spun around and found the source. Gabriel Dean glared at her with his gun raised at her as the sounds of sirens rang out in the distance. She couldn't help but smirk at him before she took off in a sprint across the concrete towards the courthouse. She needed him away from her son, from Jane and she knew he was targeting her fully. She dove behind the marble pillar as a shot ricocheted off the stone near her head. Her breathing made her lungs burn as she focused on escaping like Paddy had taught her.
"I warned you Doctor Isles!" Gabriel shouted as he moved towards her.
She sprinted to the next pillar as Jane's voice echoed around her under the overhang of the courthouse, "Dean this is between you and me!"
She couldn't resist the urge to call out, "I, Jane. You and I."
She heard Jane's snort of laughter, "Shut up Maura!"
She chuckled until she saw Dean's reflection in the silver wall plaque detailing information about the construction of the Edward W. Brooke courthouse. He was approaching her quickly, using the pillars as cover to avoid Jane. She sprinted to the next one as another shot rang out and it grazed her arm slightly.
"This has always been about Doctor Isles and I, Jane. Stay out of it. It doesn't concern you." Gabriel snapped angrily.
"Like hell I will. You attack my wife, you force her to leave, and you honestly think I'm going to just let it happen again?" Jane called out and Maura could tell Jane was moving quickly.
"She should have backed off when I warned her the first time. I knew the moment I saw you two getting closer that she would become a problem." Dean said angrily.
Maura saw the narrow alley that sat beside the post office across the street, it was going to be her only hope of escaping Dean but at the same time she couldn't leave Jane to face him alone. She knew what he was capable of, but she also knew that Dean didn't want to hurt Jane.
Just her.
She took a deep breath and listened to Jane's voice, "I warned you to stay away from her Dean. It's always going to be her, always has and always will no matter what."
She felt her heart swell with love and courage.
"Then she'll die by my hands, and you can suffer for it." Dean snapped as another shot rang out.
Stone shrapnel splintered off and scratched across her face as the bullet ricocheted off the pillar. She ran towards the alley across the street, dodging two cars before sprinting down the alley.
She could hear the gunfire going off behind her as she neared the end, her heart clenching in pain as she prayed Jane was okay. She froze, her body jerking to a stop as a man stepped out from the shadows and stood in her way. His wide sickening crooked smile stretched across his face. The burn scar on his right eye making his pale skin look smooth and shiny. Compared to the last time she saw him he looked to be in excellent health and had put on weight.
His rough scratchy voice echoed around her in the alley, "Good to see you again Doctor Isles. Did you miss me? Did Jane?"
She felt her anger mix into fear, unable to stop the shiver that ran up her spine, "Charles Hoyt."
Hoyt grinned at her, "In the flesh."
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To be continued….