Olivia Denton went missing the day after Thanksgiving. Jane remembered because Angela had been exasperated when her daughter ran out on what was supposed to be a family holiday weekend. Frankie looked at her with envy, offering to join the case, when the detective slipped out, Maura by her side. There was no body and no reason for the medical examiner to go but like so many other times, she instinctually joined Jane's side.

The Dentons were a nice couple with two other kids. The wife, Linda, was hysterical and her husband Kurt lived in a state of denial those first twelve hours. Olivia was their youngest child. She was ten years old. She'd asked to go visit her best friend who lived down the street – a walk she'd made nearly a hundred times since she was in kindergarten. It was a small, blue collar, Boston neighborhood. Everyone knew everyone's business. In fact, that afternoon, the entire Denton family was on the lawn despite the freezing temperatures with a collection of neighbors for an annual holiday game of touch football. Linda even watched Olivia on her walk until she rounded the corner out of sight. She should have reached her friend Madison's house just a few minutes later. But Olivia never showed.

When Jane and Maura arrived at the neighborhood before sunset, uniformed cops were already canvasing the neighborhood. They went door to door, flashing a photo of Olivia provided by her mother. It was starting to snow but most neighbors were on their porches, watching the scene of patrol cars and gathering outside the Denton house. Jane was irritated by the mob tendencies of the close-knit community as they milled about and tried to help; they were contaminating a possible crime scene.

She spoke with Olivia's parents. Linda was in tears and Kurt did his best to stay stoic. He kept asserting that their daughter would show up. But a mother's instinct made Linda certain that someone had kidnapped the little girl. And within 24 hours, it was clear someone had indeed taken Olivia Denton.

When Korsak showed up they gathered more photos and clothes to pull DNA from. They notified the appropriate authorities and the media. Olivia Denton's sweet smile was plastered on every television and newspaper. About a hundred tips came in from around the Boston area. In most cases, the tips were nonsensical. Psychics and the normal round up of crazies called, insistent that they knew where Olivia was. But it was one tip in particular that helped turn the investigation on its head. Two people insisted they'd seen the little girl peering out from the back of a dark green Jeep. The same kind of car registered to Grant Swindell.

Within the first day during their search for Olivia, Jane and the team tracked down every known child predator in the area. Grant had been let out six months prior after serving time for child pornography. He lived four blocks away from the Denton's. He was skittish and quiet when they first interviewed him. Grant claimed to have been with friends for the holiday and not home when Olivia disappeared. Before they could confirm his alibi, the tip about his car came in. And when Jane and Korsak went to serve a search warrant, he was already packing a bag.

Grant fired a warning shot past the detective's ear that afternoon when they knocked on the door. He then barricaded himself, threatening to commit suicide in a five hour standoff before SWAT finally moved in. He cried hysterically all the way to the station and asserted his innocence through countless interrogations. Jane and everyone else at BPD was certain of his guilt. And when they dug up bloody clothes belonging to Olivia Denton in his attic, Grant was charged and convicted with kidnapping, murder, and attempted murder for the bullet he nearly put in Jane's head on the day of his arrest.

They never found Olivia's body but she was presumed dead. Grant never gave a location and constantly pleaded his innocence. After a year, the Dentons finally decided to find closure. They had a funeral for Olivia. Jane went to the service – Maura held her hand. Maura stayed up with her during those sleepless, guilty nights. Maura helped her to get past a case that never seemed to end.

And now it was back.

"When were you going to tell me you were back?"

Angela's scrappy voice pulled Jane from the thoughts of the case that couldn't stop clogging her mind. She was sitting with her mother at a corner table of the café, morning summer sun streaming through the cracked blinds. Officers were lining up for coffee and hustling through breakfast, but Angela's voice and face came through clear among all the colors and noise.

"I just got here Ma," Jane whispered. "I was going to tell you after I got settled."

"You're here for a case?" Angela asked.

Jane was taken back by her mother's calm demeanor. She expected tears or shouting but instead the matriarch stayed stoic. Jane gave a slow, guilty nod.

"So are you back to be a detective?"

"I'm just helping with this case. I'll go back to Quantico after it's finished," Jane replied.

"Oh," Angela said in clear disappointment.

Jane cleared her throat, though her voice cracked as she raised her eyebrows. "What? I thought you'd be relieved. You don't want me to be a detective anyway…"

"You know, that's the problem Jane. You've always assumed you know how I think and feel about your life," Angela snapped.

"You going to tell me I'm wrong?" Jane asked. "That things haven't been…"

Angela raised an eyebrow. "Haven't been what?" she asked. "Strained between us? That it's not clear to me you don't want to speak to me, let alone see me…"

"That's not true, Ma," Jane denied but she knew she was making an unconvincing argument. Again, she expected tears from the usually emotional Angela but her mother appeared angry instead. That was much worse.

"What did I do, Jane?"

"You know," she scoffed in response.

"When you told me about what happened in Paris…"

"You said you were worried something like that would happen," Jane growled. "That you had your fears all along about Maura and me…"

"And then you told me you didn't want to talk about it," Angela cut in.

"Can you blame me?" Jane nearly shouted. "It was just like everything else. Just like me choosing to be a cop, just like me not being married or giving you grandchildren or moving to Quantico…why would I want to talk about those things when all you express is disappointment?"

Angela's brow furrowed and her lip tightened against the threat of tears or an outburst. Her brown gaze went shiny but she remained strong.

"That's where you're wrong and where you've always been wrong, Janie. You could never be a disappointment," Angela whispered. She shook her head. "I feel like I don't know you anymore."

Jane lowered her head, doing her best to remain patient with her mother. She wanted to scream at her again but instead she kept her voice at an easy pitch. "Because I'm gay."

The tears fell now and Angela silently wiped them away. Jane waited for what she always feared. She braced herself for the condemnation she knew she'd receive for finally embracing who she was. But it didn't come. Instead Angela reached across the table, grabbing her daughter's hands.

"It's not because you're gay, Jane. I'm your mother. That could never change anything," Angela told her. "I don't recognize you because you're suddenly this shell of a person – of who you are."

Fresh pinpricks of emotion rose on Jane's skin. A lump quickly filled her throat and she bit on her lower lip.

"Since you were a little girl, you've always known what you wanted and gone after it. Whether its this crazy job or taking care of our family or being fiercely loyal to your friends – to Maura especially; you've always found a way to make things happen despite the worst odds," Angela went on, a tear streaming down her cheek. Her words were full of conviction and encouragement that Jane rarely saw. It made her want to cry right there in the café. "But suddenly you're not that person, Janie. I can see. I can feel it. And the daughter I raised, the daughter who accomplished more than I could have ever dreamt of or wanted, is gone. You've given up Jane and I don't understand it. You gave up on the thing you want the most."

"I didn't give up, Ma," Jane whispered. She was crying now, though she didn't even realize it until the tears fell onto the table. She squeezed her mother's hands. "Maura said she didn't want to do this…"

"And since when has that stopped you before? Since when has one 'no' meant anything to you?" Angela asked. Jane looked away and Angela gave a gentle chuckle. "Janie…."

"What?" she sniffled.

"I know how much Maura means to you. And when you told me about Paris, I said I was worried about something happening because I was worried you two would get hurt. I was worried you'd get scared. I love Maura like a daughter, and I know how happy she makes you. I don't want to see you miss out on something, Jane. Something I've always wanted for you…"

Angela was in full blown tears now, choking out her last few words. Jane, who was usually the first to cut off her mother or try to squash an overly emotional exchange, stayed quiet.

"I know you don't want to be in Quantico. I know that your heart is here, in this place…and I'm sorry it took me so long to understand that," Angela sniffled. "But more than that, I know that your heart is with Maura. Promise me you won't give up on what you really want. Not when you're on the edge of something. That woman loves you Janie, more than anyone else in the world – except of course…"

"Except of course for you," Jane chuckled, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. Angela grinned back and gave an assuring nod.

"I hope you try," Angela whispered.

"I will, Ma."

..30 years later..

AJ Rizzoli grimaced when she pulled in front of the North Shore house. She lingered by her car, allowing the snow and ice to fall onto her puffy jacket and tangle with her brown hair. The home, the place she'd spent her entire childhood, hit her with the pain of nostalgia. It came so hard that she felt her knees go weak.

Even in the blizzard she could smell the ocean. The Atlantic churned restlessly one the other side of the house, crashing against sharp rocks and slithering up the cold sand. AJ and her brothers had spent long summer days playing on their own private beach. She could see her mothers watching them from the deck, reading or bringing out lunch. They would always be laughing, touching, kissing when they didn't think the kids were looking. When it was time to come in or one of them strayed too far, Jane would give a loud, distinguishable whistle, followed by her scrappy, loud yell. AJ could hear it now.

She gave a long sigh as she started up the walkway. It'd been cleared of snow and AJ prayed her mother hadn't done it herself. The house was not just situated on Boston's harbor but massive and demanded much upkeep. It looked like something out of a fairytale in the snow. It had a white front with matching pillars, navy shutters and a matching door, with red brick surrounding the base and walk. It was a house the Kennedy family would have lived in. Her mothers had lived in Beacon Hill at one time, but AJ and her siblings only knew the North Shore.

This was home.

Before she could reach the porch, AJ heard a few stray barks. Then suddenly there was movement at the door. She stopped in her tracks on the brick steps. The wind picked up with a powerful gust, sending snow slapping across her face. The dog appeared first. A golden labradoodle that quickly stuck his tongue out in a sign of eagerness upon seeing her. And then out of the shadows of the house, she heard her voice.

"Alexandra?"

Dr. Maura Isles-Rizzoli was 65 years old but appeared just as youthful and beautiful as AJ remembered. Even in the middle of a blizzard her mother stood in the foyer with composure and style. She wore a cashmere sweater and pressed slacks. Her golden hair was faded but rolled down her shoulders with its familiar glow. Crows feet and lines pulled at her eyes and cheeks and she kept a pair of glasses on a gold chain around her neck.

"Hey mom," AJ greeted finally.

The two lingered longer than necessary. AJ was too nervous to come forward. Maura meanwhile examined her daughter with heavy hazel eyes, clearly working through several different emotions. Relief and joy that her oldest child was home but lingering pain and resentment at her long absence.

"Come in," Maura beckoned. "I just put on tea."

AJ gave a slow shrug and carefully started up the steps. The doctor waited until the woman was in reach and despite their awkwardness, wrapped her in a hug. Maura was shorter than AJ, who took after Jane's height.

"I'm glad you're home," she said.

"Me too," AJ sighed. She allowed herself to relax in her mother's hold, comforted by the fact that perhaps it wouldn't be as bad as she anticipated.

Maura led them through the foyer with Rosalind – the dog – following close behind. It'd been four years, but the house was much the same. The hardwood floors and artwork. The beautiful furniture and colors that could only be Maura Isles. And photographs of the entire family adorned the walls. AJ lingered as she passed the massive fireplace, doing her best to avoid looking at the centerpiece on the mantle.

"When did you get in?" Maura asked from the kitchen.

"A few hours ago," AJ said, sitting down on a bar stool near at the kitchen island. She watched as Maura grabbed two mugs and removed the hot water from the stove.

Being in the house for just a few minutes brought her warmth. The fire was cackling and her mother was baking something. AJ flashed back again to memories of childhood. She could see Maura cooking at the stove, her brothers wrestling in the living room and Jane coming through the door, tossing her keys onto the island and swiftly grabbing Maura by the waist, placing a kiss on her lips. She'd yell at the boys and sit at the island next to AJ and help her with homework. The young girl would eagerly ask her if she caught the bad guys, to which Jane would always answer yes.

"I hope the drive from New York wasn't too bad," Maura said gently.

"It was fine," AJ replied.

The tension was unfortunate. It hadn't always been like this. AJ was Maura's only daughter and while she was a spitting image of Jane, she wielded the doctor's tender spirit. But now their connection was frayed. Maura finished making their tea and suddenly they were left staring into their mugs, attempting to avoid what made them so uneasy.

"So is it official?" Maura asked finally.

"What?"

"Your position at BPD," she replied. "I imagine with your record they'd be more than happy to bring you on board."

AJ stayed rooted in confusion and Maura raised an eyebrow.

"Jamie told me," the doctor winked.

AJ had to do everything to keep from rolling her eyes. She regretted ever telling James anything. He was so close to Maura that he couldn't keep anything secret. But for now she would stay cordial.

"I'll start as a detective in a few days," AJ replied.

"And I imagine you saw your uncle?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "He asked about you."

The two women fell into silence again. AJ stared into her mug, allowing the heat to radiate into her palms. She thought of Jane's hands. The scars she always asked about as a girl. The scars that her mothers refused to tell her about. She had to look it up on the internet when she grew older. It sent her down a rabbit hole of cases. AJ had long been inspired to be a cop before that, but she wasn't afraid to admit that the obsession took off from there. The same obsession that drove her through adulthood.

"I wish you felt like you could've told me about all this," Maura finally said. Her voice and eyes conveyed such hurt that it brought pain to AJ's chest She hated making her mother upset.

"I know how you feel about," AJ muttered. "I didn't want to disappoint you."

"You could never disappoint me, Alexandra," Maura replied softly. She was clearly irked by her daughter's comment.

"Well, you could have fooled me," she said. AJ hadn't meant to snap so quickly but the argument had been building for nearly a decade. And despite the comforts of home, nothing could keep the tension at bay.

"That's not fair…"

"You never want to talk about my work, or my cases," AJ cut her off.

"You know why…"

"You hardly said a word when I passed my detective's exam," AJ vented. "And don't get me started on my graduation…"

"You did the one thing we asked you not to do!" Maura finally broke in with emotion. "We begged you, we both pleaded from the time you were a little girl, to not join the force."

"And so you disown me because I disobeyed you?"

"I didn't disown you," Maura shook her head. She swallowed past a thick lump in her throat, folding her arms across her chest. "I love you so fiercely and so much, you could never possibly understand. I gave birth to you despite the worst odds. And your mother and I swore we'd do everything to protect you and your brothers…"

"And you did."

"Not enough," Maura whispered. Her eyes filled with tears but none fell. Instead her gaze fell past AJ's shoulder, settling onto the top of the fire place. AJ knew where her mother was looking and refused to move. "The job nearly destroyed this family. And I know you were too young to understand…"

"I was sixteen," AJ replied. "I knew enough. I always knew."

"Your mother and I never wanted you to know the pain that we went through. We wanted to shield you from that. It was the one thing Jane asked you and your brothers not to do. To not become a cop."

"Well she's not here anymore," AJ whispered.

Maura's eyes lingered on the intricate gold urn that sat on the mantle.

"I'm sorry my being a detective hurts you but that's not why I did it. It's in my blood as much as it was in hers and yours. And I'm good at it, mom. I'm good at it like she was," AJ replied. "I wish you could see that as something positive, instead of some curse I put upon myself."

The doctor was still struck silent, unable to respond. She wrestled with too much agony to speak. Anymore on the subject would bring her to tears, so instead she cleared her throat.

"James is coming over for dinner," Maura said. "Will you stay?"

AJ Rizzoli gave a slow nod. "Of course."

"I know we may not see eye to eye on things, Alexandra. But I hope you being in Boston can allow us to make up for lost time," she told her. "I made up your bedroom if you choose to stay here...I'm glad you're back home."

Maura gave her daughters arm a gentle squeeze and kissed her on the cheek before leaving the kitchen. She took slow steps down the long hall, passing a long line of gold framed black and white photos. Her wedding day with Jane. The birth of Alexandra. Their first family photo as a foursome with James in her arms and Alexandra on Jane's hip. A photo of the birth of their youngest son, Owen, just days old and surrounded by his curious siblings. And a final photo of the five of them, just months before Jane was gone. Maura's arms were wrapped around her wife, her smile wide as the rest of the Rizzoli clan clamored in for a photo on the beach. Right in their backyard. A time when things felt like home. As she reached the master bedroom, Maura twisted her wedding ring – the one she never took off.

And while she longed for the fullness that Jane once brought their lives, Maura was grateful to have another piece of her love back home.

Thank you for all the reviews! And yes, I'm sorry, but Jane is gone 30 years into the future. I know that may lose some readers but I can assure you there is still plenty of Rizzles to go around in this story with the moving timeline. 30 years worth! Thanks for reading :)