„What's next?" Brian asked as the assemblied model sat in front of them. "Painting." Jane wiggled her eyebrows. Maura was sitting at her desk and glanced at them. They had pulled one of the chairs from the dining room into the office so that they could sit all three.
"Paint?" she asked, and Jane nodded with a grin. Brian began fishing in his gift basket to find a few bottles of paint in them. Waiting patiently, the brunette tried to catch a glimpse onto Maura's computer screen. She knew that the doc was working on a new book and was curious.
The brunette noticed how Maura listened up when Jane told Brian a funny story from her past when she tried to paint one of her models and almost got high because she had bought the wrong kind of paint at a car shop. Well, it had been on purpose because 15-year-old Jane thought that it would be cool to use real car paint on her model.
Brian laughed and Maura wiggled her eyebrows. Brian followed as Maura teased Jane with interest and Jane had the feeling that he wanted to join in. So, she directed a teasing comment towards him. And to her surprise he was quite good at sarcasm and joking.
"We need a bigger room for this." Jane stated once they sat on the deck later and Maura agreed. The tiny office was too cramped with all three of them in it. "We also need to talk about Brian's room." She said as she slid between the sheets.
"Yeah." Jane yawned. "Maybe we could take him shopping this weekend. He also needs more clothes. He certainly will want to leave the house one day." She saw Maura flinch knowing exactly that the doc thought about the pair of jeans and the old jumper he had come with. There was nothing more than his teddy bear and a pair of shorts and a t-shirt that he had possessed back then.
Jane had gone shopping for him in the first days, when Maura and he were only in his room. And Tommy had been good at advising her what she needed and what he would probably like. Tj was Brian's age. So, who would know better than Tommy what the boy needed and liked?
It was a miracle that Angela hadn't shown up so far. Jane had made Tommy swear not to tell. And if it came to the last Sunday dinners, they had always found a good excuse not to go. Two weeks had passed quickly, and Maura would have to go to work on Monday. But Jane knew that the doc was toying with the idea to take another week off.
Brian had been on leave of his school for several weeks and Jane thought that he was ready as he could be to face the world again. Hence, she suggested to give it a try. Monday was her day off. "I can pick him up if there is a problem." She explained to Maura who wasn't happy with her idea. Jane sensed that protection was part of her objection towards the idea. But also, that Maura herself wasn't ready to let go of Brian.
The blonde finally gave in. They would talk to Brian during the weekend to prepare him for his going back to school. Jane didn't care if she had to bring him and pick him up every day. But she felt that he needed to leave the house and get back to a regular live with other people.
The fact that Tj was at the same school was definitely a plus she mused. They would make the boys meet this weekend.
R&I
The next day brought shocking news for Maura who opened the envelope which a nervous Susie had given her. They were standing in the kitchen of their home in beacon hill and Brian was playing in the garden. Why is she so nervous? Maura asked herself as she pulled out the paper. This is just a simple DNA test.
She unfolded the paper and quickly red over the report like she had done so many times before at her job. First thing she saw was that she was indeed related to the boy. She couldn't help but glance out of the window to see him playing with a ball. Related. How? Jane had been right she thought.
"There is more." Susie stated becoming more nervous by the second. What else could there be Maura asked herself as she read on, gasping when coming to the last paragraph. "What?" she gasped, and Susie averted her eyes quickly. "I thought that it would be a good idea to run this through the data basis. Frost helped." She replied to a pale looking Maura.
The doc reread the last paragraph and didn't know what to say. There was a match to hers and Brian's DNA in the data basis of unsolved crimes. "That means that… I mean it can't be right… There is no way…" Maura stumbled and saw Susie fidget with her hands, nodding. "We are sure." Susie said nervously but firm.
Maura shook her head and took a deep breath. "One of our relatives, presumably our father or grandfather in Brians case is a…" she couldn't bring herself to say it. "A killer yes." Susie completed the sentence for her.
"That's impossible." Maura muttered. "I don't feel any energy for crime." She stated in her disbelief, well knowing that it didn't transpire to kids.
"He was at the crime scene of the shirts murders." Susie addrf information to Maura's brain which seemed to be on overload right now. Slowly, and cruel, pieces fell into places and the doc grabbed for the kitchen counter to steady herself. An ice Pickle, unsolved murder…. more murders from the past swirled through her head. She had read all about them. Had planned to write a book about the ice pickle killer who was unknown. He was her father? Impossible!
She felt Susie standing helpless next to her and sighing a relief when Jane entered the kitchen through the garage door. "Hey, what's up? Do we have a result yet?" she asked in a good mood, stopping in her tracks when seeing Maura holding on to the counter.
Susie, seeing her chance to back up, grabbed her car keys and mumbled a quick goodbye, leaving Jane wondering.
"He's not your son, is he?" she tried a joke. It almost always worked. But not this time. Maura held out the paper to her and she read slowly. "So, you're related." Jane stated, holding back a fist bump because of being right. This was not the time to do some victory dance.
"I don't see what the problem is." She said in all seriousness and Maura gasped. "Read it to the end." She whispered and Jane did, her heart breaking for Maura. The woman who helped solve murders was suddenly daughter of a killer. Jane understood that the blondes worst fear had come true today. She was the daughter of a criminal. She dropped the letter to the counter and pulled Maura into an embrace.
"This says nothing about you baby." She whispered softly into Maura's ears. Feeling the tense body clinging to her as the first sobs made the petites body shake. "What if its in me?" she shook and Jane made a soft shhh sound, pushing blonde strands out of her loves face. "No. It isn't. You are the most innocent person I Know. And the softest, most caring and lovable person I know to say the least." She said but felt that there would be much more convincing necessary to make Maura feel better.
"He is the ice pickle killer!" Maura suddenly exclaimed, and Jane froze. Maura had told her about the murders. "Who is it?"
"The detectives don't know. But the Shirt's murders are his MO!" Maura sobbed again. Jane quickly rubbed her face. "So the killer could be Brian's father who took revenge for them abusing his son?" she questioned and felt Maura's head making a nodding motion against her chest.
Brian chose this very moment to walk into the kitchen. His eyes widening at the scene. He looked scared and Jane took a steadying breath. She had to handle this situation. Crying Maura in her arms and a scared boy. How was she supposed to do that?
"Don't run!" she begged the boy who slowly turned and vanished into the hallway.
"Shit!" Jane mumbled and softly pulled out of the hug with Maura. The doc hadn't realized that the boy had watched them and stiffened. "We need to talk to Brian. He saw… he … god I hope he didn't hear…"
Maura was shocked. "Oh no!" she whispered, and Jane nodded. "I've got this. Don't worry. I'm going to talk to him." Then she ran after Brian to find him crying in his bed. "Go away!" he yelled; the teddy bear that had stopped being clutched so often pressed against his chest.
"No, we need to talk buddy." Jane softly said, sitting down next to him.
"Go away!" he yelled again, and the brunette touched his back. "No, we need to talk." She insisted not knowing if this was right or wrong. Her gut said that it was right, so she gently insisted. Brian sat up slowly, glaring at her. The hem of his shirt passed over his nose to wipe some tears away.
"What's there to talk about?" He challenged her and Jane left her eyes lingering at his with a warm expression. "A lot I think." She stated not daring to touch him. If the past had taught her something, then it was that he had to come to her.
"My fathers a killer! And Maura will lock him up! Hess a good man thoubh." Brian yelled and Jane tried to hide her surprise. "So, you know him? You… you saw him?" she asked calmly despite of the storm raging inside of her.
"Yes!" Brian spat. "He always protected me! He said he also had an eye on his daughter! He showed me picture of her." He sniffed.
"Maura?" Jane asked, still calmly despite wanting to scream.
When Brian nodded, she felt like fainting.
"Who is he?" Jane asked, not really expecting a reply.
"I can't tell you. The police will lock him up. But he never killed without reason. He… he… saved me." Brian now shook, crying, falling hard against Jane's chest. "Don't lock him up. Please. He was always there…"
Jane pulled him close, as close as possible, her hand rubbing over his back. She was… torn. He was a killer despite probably killing the Shirts for mistreating his son. Nevertheless, there would have been other ways to solve this problem.
And Maura was his daughter? How would Maura feel? Would they really find a reason for every murder he had committed? A reason like protection or doing right? What would the ME in Maura think and what the daughter in Maura? Bring him into prison? Could she do that or would she let him get away with it. This would be a huge conflict. At least Brian knew that he didn't want his father go to prison. And Jane? She was in the middle of it all, trying to help them. What did she think was the best to do in this situation?