N: I had a free night since overwhelming traffic prevented me from getting to the gym on time. This is another short one, but it moves the story along to where I want to take it! Enjoy and read on!

Maura

My hands trembled as I held the cup of tea the nurse brought me. My head hurt and I still felt nauseous. I glanced at the sedative the doctor prescribed to me. His medical opinion suggested I was bordering on exhaustion and with the emotional upset I endured, my body was tired. I needed rest, quiet and more rest. It didn't matter the day was shifting into late afternoon, my body was confused and running on very little energy. I wanted nothing more than to go home and crawl into bed until tomorrow morning.

I let out a slow breath, relying on old yoga techniques to release more stress. I was thankful the nurse turned down the lights and let me sit in a quiet empty room until I was ready to leave.

Jane. I would have to call Jane. Tell her Crown found me and even though her plan had worked, he'd thrown the rest of it down the drain. Crown was very unpredictable as much as he was predictable. I reached behind me for my bag, when I heard the distinctive rasp of Jane's voice.

"Dr. Isles? Which room is she in? No, I'm not family." There was a pause before a nurse hollered at Jane.

"Hey, you can't go back there!"

I half smiled as Jane limped around the corner, her eyes locking on mine. She let out a heavy sigh, tipping her head down. "Maur. You're okay."

I nodded, swallowing another wave of nausea down. "Yes." The tears rose quickly and filled my eyes. "Jane." My voice cracked over the last vowel, I had to cover my mouth as a sob threatened to burst free. "I blacked out and fell. I also vomited. A direct result of shock from my encounter." I paused before saying his name, my hands beginning to worsen their tremble.

It only took less than a second before I was encased in the strong arms of my detective. I buried my face into her shoulder and let go of the sobs, my hands clutching to the thick fabric of her coat as I twisted my fingers in the fabric. Desperate to cling to her and bring her closer as my heart pounded with residual fear.

"You're fine. You're safe. I'm here." She took a deep breath. "This was a stupid plan."

Sniffling, I leaned back to look up at Jane. "It worked. You drew him out and he did exactly what you expected he would. He found me." Biting my bottom lip, I relaxed the grip on Jane' coat. "I asked what he wanted from me. I offered myself up in trade to leave you alone."

I watched Jane's jaw tighten, her anger rising fast. "Maura. Never negotiate with a monster. I'd never ever trade you for me. I'm already covered in battle scars, I have room for a few more." She reached up, cradling my face in her hands. Her brown eyes searching my face for injury. "I just don't understand what he wants with you. The witness said he was handsy and then released you like you were a hot pan."

Leaning into her touch, I felt my heart slow down. "He asked if I loved you. If you were different."

Jane's eyebrow rose. "Odd questions from a serial killer."

"I couldn't lie. I couldn't hold up the ruse that we were broken up and you meant very little to me. I told him the truth. I told him I loved you unlike any other and that no matter what he tried to do to us, I wouldn't stop loving you." I suddenly paused, my eyes welling up.

"And what was his response?"

I smiled at the feel of Jane's calloused thumbs wiping away my tears. "Will you take me home? Come home with me? Where you belong?" I avoided her question, not wanting to bring up his threat of bringing her harm far worse than Hoyt. Jane was still in a fragile state, no matter how strong her hands felt against my skin.

She gave me a hard look, her way of telling me her question would come up later and I'd have to answer. "Frost is right outside. He'll take us home." Jane leaned forward, kissing me softly. "It's a good thing I was too lazy to pack when we broke up. Most of my stuff is still at your house."

I smiled as she stepped away, holding my hand to help me stand from the bed I'd been sitting on. "Good thing, indeed." I took one step, Jane's hand firmly locked in mine. "What happens next?" It was an errant question, one I threw out in the space in hopes someone could answer me. The encounter with Crown left me more confused than ever before, uncertain what his intentions where.

I just knew this wasn't the last I'd see of him. Crown wasn't the type to leave a conversation unfinished.

Jane

"Is there some sort of creep signal we can shine from the top of BPD headquarters? Draw Crown out so I can meet him on a dirty rooftop and hash out our business?" I ran my hands through my hair, freeing it from it's tight ponytail. I glanced leaning against Maura's kitchen counter. He'd hung around after Maura went upstairs to shower and lie down. I needed to vent to him and figure out our next step.

"As much as I'd love to build a creep signal, I don't think Crown would respond well to that." He smiled, sipping the rest of his coffee Maura made for us. "I keep reviewing his files, trying to find anything to go off of. He's a relatively quiet killer. He only kills the guilty and is very good at it. Never leaves trace evidence if he doesn't want to. He never leaves notes or clues unless it's a direct communication with Maura." He set the mug down. "I went through all of her files. Going back to when she was an intern in San Francisco. There's nothing that ties her to him until he started leaving her bodies. She did some work on the Excelsior task force, but nothing out of the usual. Just her impeccable work that's put some of Boston's finest behind bars."

I huffed, folding my arms across my chest. "Maura said he doesn't have a romantic fixation on her. He doesn't want to own her, he doesn't want to make her his queen of the dead. He seems to just simply be a morbid guardian angel of her heart. She told me the other night he always comes out when she's in a new relationship. And by the way he spoke about me, he does thorough research on her suitors." I glanced at my partner. "He asked her if she loved me. How fucked up is that?"

Frost shrugged. "Anyone with eyes can see you two are made for each other. True love through and through. It's weird how your eyes lit up when that woman walks into a room." He chuckled when I blushed. "Maybe he is just super protective of her. A weird super creepy older brother who punches the jerky boyfriends."

"Whatever it is, I have to figure it out. I have to stop him and remove him from our lives." I rubbed at very tired eyes. "I swear to god, I should just retire. Throw off all the murderers lurking in the shadows waiting for their turn at me."

"You do collect them like dirty pennies, Jane." Frost winked at me, setting his cup in the dishwasher. "I'm heading out. Korsak is keeping the extra patrols in the neighborhood for a few more days. Just to be safe. Cavanaugh sent word down from the Governor, Maura is on medical leave for the next two weeks to recover and distance herself from the Crown case. You two should take a nice little trip out of town. Somewhere with a beach and the sun." He pointed directly at me. "And yes, you still look like shit. You've not been taking care of yourself like your doctor's ordered. Don't cover up the remnants of Hoyt in the name of taking down Crown. You have to deal with your bullshit before you take on more."

I frowned, hating Frost was right. "Yeah, yeah."

"Don't yeah me. You know I'm right. I see it in the circles under your eyes." He walked around the island, giving me a half hug. "Maura has a beach house up on the cape. It might be good for you two. Winter hasn't settled completely in on us. Take a damn vacation, Jane."

I sighed, patting his hand on my shoulder. "You're worse than my ma."

Frost laughed, throwing me a small salute before he walked out the front door. As much as I didn't want to admit it, Frost was right. I needed to deal with my bullshit. What he didn't know was during the ride to the hospital, I kept blurring the lines between Crown and Hoyt. Their faces merging together and becoming one, filling me with fear and adrenaline. Hoyt knew Maura existed. He knew she was important to me. I killed him as he whispered her name. Crown was becoming the mirror image of Hoyt in my fractured mind. No matter if his prime target was Maura, not me.

I swallowed hard, shaking my head as my mind raced with a thousand different plans to draw Crown out. Most of them similar to the tricks I used on Hoyt. But Crown was nothing like Hoyt. I'd read that in the files. He oddly had rules and honor when he killed. He wasn't erratic and unpredictable like Hoyt.

"Jane?" Maura's soft voice pulled my attention to her as she stood on the bottom step.

I stared at her for a moment. She was tired, sad and almost as broken as I was.

This wasn't right. She needed to heal. I needed to heal.

I held my hand out to her. "Rumor has it you have a house up on the cape?"

Maura immediately walked towards me, taking my hand. "It's not mine, per say. It's the a family home I use often to escape work and life. I haven't been there in a few years. It's very peaceful, cozy and the ocean view does wonders in resetting one's mind." She snuggled closer into my arms. "I offered it to Frost when we were working on the task force."

I kissed the side of her head. "He told me to take a damn vacation. And since you've been placed on medical leave for the next two weeks, I think you also need to take a damn vacation with me. Now, I don't have a fancy house near the water. My cousin Theresa has a time share on the Jersey shore she'd let us use." I grinned when I saw the horror in Maura's eyes. Maura Isles clearly didn't do the Jersey shore.

"Let me call the caretaker to open the house and ensure its stocked. We can leave tomorrow afternoon." She gave me a dirty look when I couldn't stop giggling about the look on her face. "Jane, I'll call your mother right now and tell her you've been missing her and would love for her to spend the night."

My jaw dropped open. "You wouldn't."

Maura stepped away, smirking. "I would." She turned, walking towards the front door to lock it. She paused, her hand resting against the wooden door. "He might follow us."

I sighed. "He might. But we can't stop living, looking for him to pop up in a bakery, the gas station or in the middle of the ocean checking lobster traps." I closed my eyes as Hoyt's voice threatened to slip in, feeding me more self-doubt. "The best way to fight the monsters is to show them you're not afraid to live."

Maura's hand fell to the small of my back, her chin resting on my shoulder. "I agree. But it doesn't mean I'm not afraid." She whispered the words, letting out her own soft sigh. "Come to bed. The only solace I have tonight is knowing you'll be next to me and that Crown has never ever broken his rules and invaded my home."

I chuckled. "A monster with rules."

Maura leaned over, kissing my cheek. "The look in his eyes when I told him I loved you. Well, for a moment I saw fear in them. I think he's afraid of you, Jane Rizzoli, and the power you wield." Maura's hand found mine. She wound our fingers together, tugging me from the stool. "Let's take a nap before your mother storms upon my front door with arms full of pasta and aggressive Rizzoli love."

I could only smile and nod. I was at a loss of words, wondering what exactly my power was.