Hello all! I have a new story to share. After all these years I'm finally exploring something I've never wanted to explore from the series before - but to tell you more would spoil the story. In the beginning it will come across as VERY AU, but there is a reason for that, and eventually it will make more sense. I hope you've got your seat belts fastened, because this is going to be another roller coaster of emotions.

This WILL be Rizzles, but as always, it needs time to happen. If you think it isn't happening, just keep waiting... (definitely plan this as more of a slow burn)

Disclaimer: Rizzoli and Isles do not belong to me, I just like to play in their sand box

The wind shifted sending leaves dancing across the lawn and a few stray twigs landed at her feet. Jane Rizzoli cradled her daughter, just two months old, and raced back into the apartment building as raindrops began to fall.

In the week since she'd arrived at River Birch House, she wondered at what point she'd got so lucky to live in such a beautiful building with large landscaped grounds. Then she remembered how very unlucky she was to be there at all. While the infant fussed on her shoulder, she stood in the elevator and waited for its ascent. She danced her way back into the apartment and rocked her child back and forth to the sound of the lullaby on her tongue.

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are."

When the fussing died down, and Teagan settled against her shoulder, Jane lowered her into the bassinet in the corner of the living room and placed the baby monitor on the table nearby.

The exhaustion she felt dissipated long enough to throw a load of clothes into her laundry bag. She tossed it over her shoulder and headed downstairs with the baby monitor clipped to her joggers. She loaded one of the two laundry machines on the first floor, inserted powder, flicked the switch, then wandered down the hall.

The first day she'd tested how far the monitor would reach during nap time, and was grateful to be able to walk the length and breadth of the building. She glanced at the small screen and could see her daughter, flat on her back, with her tiny arms up beside her head.

Along the first floor she found two apartments and a door marked "common room". She tilted her head to one side and pushed down on the door handle. The door squealed on its hinge. Jane made a mental note to bring oil on her next visit and entered the room. It wasn't large, nor was it tiny. But the bookshelves covering the walls, the two computer station and the couches made Jane feel for the first time like she'd found an oasis in an ocean of investors who cared little for their tenants.

"Babysitting?" she pulled a poster from a notice board by the door and ripped a slip with a phone number off the bottom. "Perfect."

"Do you have children?"

Jane spun round at the sound of the voice, not realising that she was not alone. A girl - high school age, Jane estimated - climbed off the couch in the corner and walked over. Her dark, straight hair hung loose around her shoulders.

"That's my poster."

"Oh. Hello." Jane reached her hand out and the girl took it. "It's lovely to meet you." She scanned the poster once more as she replaced it on the notice board. "Maya, isn't it?"

"Yes." She pointed at the poster. "How many kids?"

"Just one. She's two months old."

"Tiny," she said, grinning. "I love babies. I don't get to sit for many. People don't tend to trust teens with newborns, and all the kids here are four and up."

Jane sighed. "I guess most people aren't single parents with no one to help them."

"She doesn't have a dad?"

"Not one who's available." Jane folded the slip of paper and stuffed it into the pocket of her joggers. She glanced once more at the monitor. "Helps that I can get to the laundry room without getting cut off. I've just moved in. I'll probably need some help eventually. I'm Jane, Jane Rizzoli. I'm in number eight."

"I know who you are."

Jane raised an eyebrow. The young woman's confidence, and knowledge, unsettled her. The last thing she needed was people knowing who she was.

Maya shrugged. "You look like I told you I've killed someone. I know everyone here. It's sort of the deal of living in this building, we all know each other. We look out for each other. You should come to the social two weeks on Saturday."

"That's...nice." It felt nice to know that her neighbours would keep an eye out, and that there was the potential to make new friends. But it also left her with fears and doubts she'd not felt in weeks. Jane nodded at the book in Maya's hand. "What are you reading?"

She held it up. "The Hunger Games."

"I've not heard of it. What's it about? People competing for burgers and fries?"

Maya snorted and rolled her eyes. "Hardly. It's a dystopian novel. It's a commentary on the indulgence that our society is obsessed with, while people go hungry a few hundred miles away."

"If I ever reach a level of exhaustion that doesn't involve falling asleep if I sit down, I'll consider giving it a go. If you'd recommend it..."

"I do." Maya handed the book to Jane. "I've finished it. You can borrow it, if you like."

"No." Jane pushed the book back towards her. "I couldn't borrow your book. I'm hopeless, I'd probably leave it in the recycling."

"It's a communal book," Maya said, waving her hand across the bookshelves. "Maybe if I babysit I'll bring something for your daughter. I know she's a little young for enjoying fiction, but I read a research paper on the development of the brain. Babies absorb so much of the world around them.

It's good to read to them."

"I know," Jane said, holding the monitor up and taking a long, hard look. "You seem to know a lot about children, puts my mind at ease."

"That's my cue," Maya said, placing the book on the table by the door. "Take it if you want it, otherwise would you mind placing it back on one of the shelves? I've got to babysit Robbie at number three. See you around."

Jane picked up The Hunger Games and scanned the information on the book. She wrapped a hand around it and travelled along the shelves, making a mental note of several novels that sounded interesting. She picked up a recipe book.

The baby monitor lit up and a moment later, the sound of Teagan's squawks filled the room. Jane tucked the books under one arm and rushed back up the stairs, taking them two at a time, until her legs ached and she was ready to collapse in a heap.

Back in the apartment, Teagan's cries had dissipated. Jane rolled her eyes but kissed her daughter on the forehead and rested a hand on her stomach to feel the gentle movement of her every breath.

She sat on the chair beside the bassinet and picked up The Hunger Games. She read the first few lines before her eyelids dropped. Jane opened her eyes wide and tried to refocus on the words, but to no avail. She stifled a yawn and let them fall shut as she allowed herself a moments reprieve.

X

The following afternoon, there was a knock on Jane's apartment door. She rocked Teagan back and forth in her arms as she checked the camera security screen. The additional security feature that came as default with the apartment certainly put her mind at ease. She pulled open the door and smiled.

"Good afternoon, Maya, thanks for coming."

Maya stepped into the apartment and glanced around; her eyes landed on the baby in Jane's arms. "Thanks for giving me some work. She is adorable."

"You seemed keen, and the documents you sent over check out," Jane said, closing the door behind her and traipsing back into the living room. She lowered her daughter into the bassinet and covered her with a blanket. "Teagan - that's her name - will probably sleep for an hour. I'll be back within two. It's a good opportunity to test the waters, see how you handle her, and how I feel about this arrangement. Everything you need is in the box beside the bassinet."

"I appreciate the chance to prove myself." Maya placed a laptop down on the table and took a seat. "Is there anything I need to know?"

"I have an appointment at the doctor's office on Kent, then I'm gonna stop by the grocery store round the corner on my way back." Jane wiped a small amount of spit up off her sleeve and tossed the cloth into a basket by the door to the kitchen. She draped a jacket over her arm and grabbed her car keys. "If you need anything, you have my cell phone number. If anyone knocks, don't answer the door unless you're expecting somebody. I have basic cable and streaming services and there's drinks in the refrigerator you can help yourself. I probably don't need to tell you because you seem to have your head screwed on, but I will anyway, don't touch the beer. I know how many bottles I have, and I'll know if you've been drinking on the job. I think that's everything. Teagan won't need feeding until I get back, but if there's any delays, there's expressed milk in the fridge."

"That's fine," Maya said, picking up one of the remote controls. "Take all the time you need. Like I said on the phone, I have until four."

"Thank you." Jane placed her hand on Maya's shoulder and smiled. "You got enough to keep you occupied while she sleeps?"

She tapped her laptop. "I have a school assignment."

"Oh yeah? What's it about?"

"I'm captain of the Freshman STEAM club, we're building a robot."

"That…wasn't what I was expecting," she said, pushing her keys into her jacket pocket. "Hey, I don't have long but you're good with computers and coding and shit? Sorry. I shouldn't have said shit. Don't tell your parents."

"My mom wouldn't mind. But yeah, I'm not as advanced as I'd like to be but I'm doing alright." Maya smirked. "Better than my mom. She's hopeless, she can input all the things she needs to, but anything beyond that and she asks for help."

"Me and your mom, both." Jane smiled. "Look, do you know anything about sending encrypted emails or secure emails where you can't trace the location?"

Maya scrunched up her nose and her eyebrows tugged together. "I know enough, like you'd probably need a VPN to disguise the location. Why do you ask?"

Standing up tall, her shoulders back, Jane nodded. "That's great. Really great. Not a discussion for today, but maybe we can talk about it another day."

"Sure."

"I'll be back in a couple hours."

X

Maura knocked on the door of apartment eight and waited. Someone cursed loudly on the other side of the door before it swung open, and Maura could see her new resident rubbing a quickly forming bruise on her upper arm.

"Oh, hi," Jane said, narrowing her eyes. "Everything alright?"

"Good evening." She cracked a smile. "Everything is quite alright. I wanted to check in with you and make sure you're okay. You've been here for two weeks now. I ensure my residents are well looked after."

"Your residents, right." Jane shrugged. "Doctor Isles, isn't it?"

"Yes. How are you settling in Ms Rizzoli?"

"Jane, please."

She stepped to one side and Maura entered the apartment. She'd been in every apartment since their current inhabitants had arrived, some invited her in regularly, where others only reared their heads when it came to social events or passing each other in the hallway.

"I hope you don't mind the intrusion." She motioned to the bruise and small wound on Jane's upper arm. "Do you want me to have a look at that? I'm a medically trained doctor."

"As opposed to what?"

"Someone who has received a doctorate."

"Oh, right." Jane rubbed her arm. "I'll be fine. It's just a graze. Caught it on the door handle. Wouldn't be the first time I've hurt myself."

"Very well." Maura held her purse in front of her and grinned. "So, how are you settling?"

"Fine." Jane walked through to the kitchen. Maura followed close behind as she pulled two mugs out of the cupboard. "You want coffee?"

"That would be lovely."

"Hope you don't mind decaffeinated; I don't have anything else in."

"Perfect. I try to avoid caffeine after three."

They sat down on the couch with their drinks on the table in front of them. Jane lifted the baby into her arms, and she sat against her hand, her eyes wide as she stared up at Maura.

"Aren't you just wonderful?" Maura asked, touching the baby's cheek with the tip of her finger. She looked to Jane. "You have a beautiful daughter."

Jane bounced her knee up and down and smiled. "Thanks. I wish she would let me get a bit more sleep, but I wouldn't change her for the world."

"I understand, I have a child myself. They're a true blessing in life."

"You've got to be past the sleepless night stage," Jane said, rubbing under her eyes. "Your bags are tiny compared to mine."

"Yes, I'm well past that stage." She breathed in slowly and sat up straight. There was so much more she could say, and yet, the thought of sharing it with a stranger was not something she was accustomed to. Her daughter's birth story was complicated, and one she didn't much like to take any ownership over. She picked up her coffee and took a sip, if only to distract herself from her thoughts. "When you said that you've settled in fine, is that the fine we tell people but underneath it's less so, or are you actually fine?"

Jane's eyebrows tugged together, and for the briefest moment Maura was sure she could see a hint of anger flash over her face. She sighed. "You're not like most people, are you?"

"Excuse me?"

She scoffed. "Most people don't really ask. They just assume fine means fine or pretend otherwise."

Maura held her coffee mug in her lap and leaned forward. "Are you saying that you're not fine?"

"I'm saying I don't really know how to answer your question because I barely know you, but I appreciate you asking for an honest answer."

"I don't expect a response," Maura said, crossing one leg over the other and sipping her drink. "I would like you to know that while I am your landlord, I'm also willing to offer you the hand of friendship. Whether you choose to accept that is entirely up to you. But I would like you to know that River Birch House is not like most apartment complexes. Everyone who lives here, you are part of the River Birch family, and that means that you can participate in social activities, or you can choose not to. There is no pressure, but you should know that you're not alone here."

"Thank you." Jane cleared her throat and rubbed her eyes. When she spoke again, her voice had lost all strength. "I don't know anybody round here. Moving so soon after Teagan was born has been a challenge."

"If there's anything I can do to help ease your transition, then please, let me know."

She looked again to the baby. Her whole face reddened, her gummy mouth opened, and she let out a loud squawk. Jane closed her eyes. Teagan wriggled on her knee. "I'm sorry, do you mind?"

"Not at all."

Jane lowered the baby backwards, lifted her top and guided Teagan to her breast. She hummed a lullaby as Teagan suckled noisily. Once the baby was settled in her arms to feed, she let out a sigh and turned to Maura. "I need to make some money. Not much. I have an allowance that covers the majority of my expenses. But I don't want to live with the bare minimum, I want more for Teagan."

"You're looking for a job?" She searched her brain for the people she knew, the potential contacts she could connect Jane with.

"I don't want a fixed position. I don't want to work every hour under the sun just to put Tea in childcare. I was thinking ad-hoc. Would it be okay to put a poster up in the common room?"

"Of course. What are you able to offer?"

"Plumbing, basic handiwork, really." Teagan's face appeared from under her shirt. Her eyes wide, exploring the world around her. For the briefest moment, all was calm, then her face contorted, and she let out another squawk. Jane turned her around and pulled up the other side of her shirt until the baby settled again. "My father taught me everything I need to know to fix most home plumbing issues. I took a couple of community college courses. I have the necessary certificates."

Maura tilted her head to one side. She glanced around the sparsely decorated room, the bassinet in the corner, the lack of photographs. Whoever this woman was, she'd seen something in her that first day that made her want to help. She opened her purse and pulled out a card, placing it on the table opposite Jane.

"Email me your certification, if you have any references, and I will see what we can sort out. I've been working with a company who send out maintenance workers as and when they're required. Perhaps we can come to some sort of arrangement. It would make far more sense to have somebody living on site. You will be fairly compensated for your time."

"Wow." Jane lifted the baby up onto her shoulder and ran her hand across her back. "Thank you. That would be amazing."

"We look after each other and if that means taking a chance on a single mother, then I would rather the work go to you than somebody I've never met." She emptied the last of her coffee into her mouth and stood up. "I've taken up enough of your time tonight. Get the information to me when you can, and we'll make arrangements."

Jane stood beside her, holding the baby against her shoulder as she followed Maura to the front door. She opened it and stepped out into the hallway before turning round.

"I'll be in touch," she said, touching the back of Teagan's head and smiling. "I hope you and Teagan will be very happy here."

X

"Jane?" Running water made it impossible to hear as Maura held her phone to her ear. She pressed it hard against her face and sighed. She tiptoed across the tiled floor and out into the corridor. "Jane? Can you hear me?"

"I can hear you. Who is this, please?" Jane asked.

"It's Maura, Doctor Isles." She closed her eyes and let the tension fall from her body for the briefest moment. "Are you in the building? Can you come down to the laundry room? There's a plumbing emergency."

"I'm here. Can it wait ten minutes? I'm feeding Tea."

Maura sighed. "No. I'm sorry. Please, Jane. There's water everywhere. The water valve won't shut off. It's already reached the corridor."

"I'll be there in five."

Maura placed her cell into her purse hanging on the back of the door and stepped across the layer of water covering the laundry room. She picked up a mop and pushed the water in the direction of the drain. The more time passed, the more water trailed across the tiles along the corridor. Maura picked up a wet floor sign and placed it a few feet away from the water.

"Finally!" Maura shouted, wrapping her arms around Jane. Jane tensed up. Maura stepped back, regretful. She glanced down at the baby in the car seat in Jane's hand. She wriggled and moaned. "I'm sorry. This shouldn't be taking you away from your child."

"It's fine." Jane shrugged. She placed the car seat on a patch of floor a safe distance from the water. With a toolbox in her other hand, she headed into the laundry room. The water level had barely changed. Maura waded across to the water valve. "You said it's jammed?"

"It won't budge."

Jane crouched down and grabbed the handle, tugging as hard as she could. It barely moved. She placed the toolbox on top of the washer and pulled out a wrench. Maura stood on the sidelines and watched as Jane tightened the wrench around the handle and pushed down.

"Fuck!" Jane screamed as the valve broke off and a shower of water rained down upon them.

The room was a mess. A basket of laundry on top of the dryer was soaked through. Water covered every inch of the room and soaked them to the bone. It was horrible, cold and wet yet all Maura could do was laugh.

"What?" Jane asked, standing up. "What's so funny?"

"This," she said, holding her hands into the air. "You made the right decision leaving Teagan out in the hall."

Without another word, Jane took another wrench from the toolbox and returned to the valve. She secured the wrench around a bolt and tugged until the water dissipated and the damage could be better evaluated.

"Jesus." Jane tried to stand up and tumbled backwards, landing with her butt in the water. Maura couldn't help but laugh again, and Jane quickly joined in. "Worst emergency ever."

"I wasn't too impressed by it myself," Maura said, holding her hand out. Jane took it and she pulled her to her feet. "Thank you so much. Any longer and I think we'd be looking at significant damage."

"Is the drain blocked?"

"I tried to clear it with a mop but nothing much happened."

She scanned the floor and walked over to the drainage hole. Kneeling down in the water, she used the spanner to lift the grate and peered inside.

"Any clues?"

Narrowing her eyes, Jane pushed her arm into the hole, twirled it around and a moment later pulled out a pile of gunk, and a dirty old sock. "You might wanna replace the grate with one that requires screws. They can get kicked out of place so easily."

"Duly noted." Maura placed her hands on her hips and looked around at the water covered room. The bottom of the machines were submerged. "If you want to arrange a time to come back and resolve the issue fully, I can ensure someone is able to watch Teagan for you."

"Thanks." Jane placed her tools back into the toolbox and shook her arms. Droplets of water sprayed everywhere. She took her cell phone out of her pocket and glanced at the screen. "I could do with showering. The water's already draining better."

"Perfect." Teagan grizzled from the corridor. Jane lifted her head, her eyes wide and her face ashen. "Are…are you okay?"

"I need…" Jane sunk to the floor, her eyes closed as her face paled considerably.

Maura knelt beside her, the cold water soaking through the lower half of her dress. "Jane? Are you unwell? Is it the water? The cold?"

"I…" she shook her head.

"Will you talk to me?" she asked, taking Jane's hand. Her fingers tightened around Maura's. "How can I help you?"

"Just…stay with me…for a moment," Jane said, her eyes darting from Maura's face to the floor. "I just need a moment."