A/N: 1. So I wanted to be realistic with these characters and their canon. While I absolutely believe the pair would end up together, I also believe Jane would struggle with her own identity a bit. It might be my own projecting but growing up in the church definitely resulted in some internalised homophobia and I feel like it would show up in really subtle ways for Jane. Maura is going to challenge the eff out of that, not having the same hang ups, but she'll always respect Jane's boundaries. It won't change the outcome and there definitely won't be the come-out-for-me-or-we're-done trope but it will be a point of tension between them.
2. I was going to have Nia do a small inner monologue on the relationship between the police and the communities with regard to violence and Black Lives Matter but it didn't really fit in full. That said, I do want to acknowledge that this a police centric story with police officers. It would be shamefully remiss to not bring up the fact that Black Lives Matter, that they are systemically oppressed and that the characters I am writing about have direct interaction with that. I have tried to be really intentional bringing people (and women especially) of colour in to my story as the original Rizzoli and Isles was shamefully colourless. I also wanted to ensure that the Russo's were a white family because I did not want to bad-guy stereo-type the black/brown family. I also wanted to have Nia lead this investigation from a social worker perspective intentionally, with officers as back up not as primaries.
3. If you have a problem with my above statement, please feel free to unsubscribe, unlike, or whatever you need to do. There's definitely no room for debate in the statement above. Black and brown folks matter, have worth and are deserving of safe space. They are not making it up, exaggerating or lying. There is no mistaking the oppression inherent in the system.
Maura had said goodbye to the last interviewer of the day and was ready to head home. Being in Boston helped, tremendously, she got to go back to her house. She got to make her food and wake to her coffee machine and her alarm. Really, Maura shouldn't complain but Maura missed Jane. She missed Berry and Boston. She missed being home. As much as she loved her house in Boston, she loved her people in Boston, home was where Jane was. It was why she had moved to Quantico in the first place. She would be sad when she left for Chicago but every new city was another step closer to home.
Maura had ordered a rideshare and on the drive she allowed herself to daydream. She and Jane were dating now, which meant that there were certain possibilities she could realistically imagine now. Sex, certainly, but beyond that… marriage, children, building a home. Maura had only been tangentially interested in those things before. She was intrigued by the notion of being a mother but had never been interested in trying even when she'd had a steady committed relationship. Maura was rich enough that single parenting would not have been a problem, she would have been able to hire all the help she needed. Now, though, Maura felt a sort of sweet heart ache at the notion of parenting with Jane. She had wanted to help Jane when she was pregnant before but now? Now she wanted to share in the adventure with Jane.
Marriage was another new imagining. Maura had married Edward when they were young and foolish. It hadn't been a 'real' marriage by any stretch of the imagination. They were hardly a real couple. Maura had never had the desire to remarry. She liked her independence, her freedom. More importantly, she really liked not having in-laws. Jane, however, was a different story. In many ways, Maura had more of a real marriage to Jane than she had, had to Edward. In fact, Maura was relatively certain that were they to marry, very little of their day to day lives would change much. They shared a house, a bed, their meals. They took turns doing chores, they took care of one another. Jane was already her emergency contact and her primary beneficiary. Maura had even accepted responsibility for Angela, treating her as her own mother. Maura suspected the real differences between what she and Jane were now and what they would be if they married were largely symbolic. Yet she wanted it. She wanted the certainty of her and Jane on paper. Wanted to share their love with their family, the world. She wanted to be Jane's wife, which was both the most natural thing in the world and entirely insane. After all, it had been one date.
Maura smiled as she looked out the window. If you had asked her a year ago if someone, any one, could know that they wanted to marry someone after one date Maura would have laughed and offered statistics on arranged marriages. Maura knew though. Maura wanted to marry Jane. She wanted to be the legally recognised spouse and family of Jane Rizzoli. She wanted forever with Jane. Forever and everything that entailed.
The car stopped outside her town house and Maura left with a quiet thank you. She began the process of unwinding from her day. Hanging her things, taking off her shoes. Maura poured herself some wine and fixed herself a simple but healthy salad. When she settled in to her place at the island, Maura called Jane.
'Maura!' Jane answered with a jovial hello. 'God, I miss you!'
Maura smiled, her heart thumping. 'I miss you too Jane,' Maura replied.
'Remind me,' Jane asked, 'what days are you in Philadelphia?'
'Mmm,' Maura said through a bite. When she finished chewing she replied, 'Saturday night through Tuesday morning, why?'
'I know we agreed in New York that I wouldn't but I'm thinking me and the pups are going to make the drive,' Jane said, 'it's only like 3 hours.'
'Jane,' Maura half whispered. She wanted to see Jane so badly but she also hated the idea of Jane making a three hour drive each way.
'Come on Maura,' Jane replied, her voice soft too, 'I miss you. So do the girls.'
Maura realised Jane was asking permission. Jane wanted to come but she wanted Maura to be on board. 'You don't have to drive. You could take the train or fly.'
'Yeah, but if I drive, I can bring the girls,' Jane said and in a much more infantile tone she said, 'and the girls really want to go for a trip, don't you girls, don't you.' Maura could hear the yips of the girls wrestling in the background.
The idea of getting to see all three of her girls was too tempting to bear. 'Fine, I'll confirm that the hotel permits dogs.'
'Yay! We get to go see Maura and buy cheesesteaks!' Jane said gleefully to two happily yipping dogs.
Maura rolled her eyes and chuckled but secretly, she was pretty excited too. 'How was class? Did any of them manage to bust your alibi?'
'Actually,' Jane said sounding serious, 'they did! Dhar and Baccay. They totally figured it all out. Even asked if I would be seeing you in Baltimore.'
'Wow,' Maura said with a laugh, 'you must be proud!'
Jane hummed her agreement, 'it's kinda weird though too, it was a little unsettling.'
Maura laughed, 'how so? You essentially dared them to do this.'
'I know,' Jane said even sounding uncomfortable, 'I just… I guess I thought I would beat them.'
'Oh!' Maura exclaimed, 'you mean to say, you don't like losing!'
'I did not lose Maura,' Jane said with a grunt.
'You so did,' Maura replied, 'you dared them to bust your alibi and you bet that they wouldn't be able to do it but they did.'
'They didn't,' Jane said, a slight whine in her tone letting Maura know she was right. 'Dhar and Baccay did. Totally different. I think they might be a couple.'
Maura laughed, 'oh what makes you think that?'
'I dunno,' Jane answered honestly, 'they just… remind me of us. You know? Like they're super close, super comfortable roommates who are maybe a bit more than roommates. Plus Dhar seemed way too comfortable assuming we were a couple.'
'We are a couple Jane,' Maura pointed out.
'Well, yeah, but not like a super obvious out-loud couple,' Jane said, 'we're like a lowkey, down low, secret couple.'
'Oh,' Maura replied, feeling uncertain, 'were you wanting to keep our relationship hidden?'
'I mean, I don't think I want to tattoo a rainbow flag to my forehead,' Jane said sassily.
Maura frowned, 'there's probably some compromise to be had between being a secret and you tattooing something on your forehead.'
Jane sighed, 'I know. I just… I'm not exactly comfortable being 'out' you know?'
Maura didn't exactly understand. She had always felt her own sexual preferences lay on a spectrum and she had never felt any particular need to defend those preferences to anyone. Attraction was biological, automatic, and uncontrollable. 'I guess, I didn't realise you wanted us to be a secret. Perhaps, I misunderstood, given that we have kissed, held hands, and dated in public.'
'I'm not saying I want to hide it,' Jane was getting defensive, 'I just don't want to go shouting it from roof tops that I'm with you, okay.'
Maura felt a whimper in her chest, a sob threatening to spill. It hurt to hear Jane say that. Maura steadied herself before she spoke, trying to keep the emotion from her voice, 'I'm afraid I still don't understand.'
Jane was silent for a moment. 'I'm sorry Maura, I didn't mean that. I wasn't trying to hurt you. I love being with you and I really am proud to be with you, to claim you as mine. I'm just not... you know… gay pride proud.'
Maura sniffled quietly, hoping Jane wouldn't hear. 'I was thinking about what it would be like to marry you on the way home today. What it would be like to tell the whole world that you are mine.' It was an admission Maura was surprised she was making. She supposed relationships were built on honesty but it still left her feeling vulnerable.
'You were?' Jane asked, her voice sounding small.
'I was,' Maura confirmed, 'I'm not ashamed of who I am or of the relationship we have. I want to be your legal family. I want to be yours.'
'I want that too Maur,' Jane whispered, 'I really do, please believe me.'
'I do,' Maura murmured, 'but we can't do that if you want to hide me.'
Jane sighed, 'I don't want to hide you I just wish….'
'That I were a man?' Maura asked.
'What?' Jane sounded appalled, 'no! I love that you're a woman. You're beautiful. And I love seeing you in heels and a dress, and my god, the way you smell and how soft you are. I wouldn't change a single thing about you.'
'So you wish you were a man?' Maura asked, feeling confused.
Jane laughed, 'I mean sometimes I think it'd be easier to pee with a man's assets but no I don't want to be a guy. I wouldn't change the fact that we're women.'
'So what would you wish for?' Maura asked, her eyebrows knitted together as she tried to puzzle it out.
'That I was more comfortable with my sexuality. That I didn't have this guilt about it. That I wasn't constantly thinking about what the world is going to say. I don't know.' Jane offered, trying to express herself. 'You're so calm and confident about it. About us, about being gay, about sex. I wish I was that way.'
'Jane,' Maura whispered tenderly, 'you define your sexuality. If being gay doesn't fit, then it doesn't fit. Just because society tells you that you fit in a box, it doesn't mean you have to try and fit.'
'Maur?' Jane asked sounding hesitant but curious, 'how do you define your sexual orientation?'
Maura smiled, 'I usually say fluid.'
'Fluid, is that a thing?' Jane asked. 'Is it like LGBTQ-F?'
Maura chuckled, 'I don't know… it just… fits. I've never really felt confined, you know. My attraction is what it is.'
'How do you not care what other people think?' Jane asked, sounding tentative.
'I don't. I care a great deal about what other people think,' Maura replied in surprise, 'I just… selectively choose whose opinions I care about. Like you. I care a great deal about what you think.'
Jane sighed, 'I used to think I was good at not caring but I don't know. Now I think, maybe, I'm not.'
'You might have some internalised homophobia,' Maura offers quietly, 'it wouldn't be surprising given that you were raised in the church.'
Jane was quiet for a minute. Maura let her process. 'Maybe.' It was all Jane had to offer.
'I also wanted to say,' Maura continued, feeling her cheeks flush, 'I'm not calm about the sex bit, at all. I'm a nervous wreck when I think about it.'
'You are?' Jane asked, 'because I'm totally a mess when I think about it. And not that kind of mess.'
'Its always a little nerve wracking to be with a new partner, especially one that is a different gender than you're accustomed to,' Maura offered. 'In my experience, the more you like them the more nervous it makes you.'
'So how do you handle it Maura?' Jane asked. She felt childish, like she should have had this conversation with her mother a good 30 years ago.
Maura hummed softly, considering. 'I think talking about it helps, talking about what you like and don't like, and then talking through the process. It helps that I have anatomical familiarity. I also remind myself that if I'm nervous because I like someone, it is likely that I will be sensitive and responsive to their touch regardless of actual skill. So knowing that we are both nervous simply reassures me that any mistakes we make in our first few attempts will be blissfully forgotten in a bath of oxytocin after the fact.'
Jane chuckled, 'you mean it'll feel good because we like each other so damn much.'
Maura laughed, 'in layman's terms, yes.'
Jane sighed, shifting the phone in her hands, 'we'll talk about it right? When we're, when I'm, ready?'
'Of course,' Maura replied, 'always.'
Jane cleared her throat, 'good, I, uh, know I'm not ready yet, but I want to be. You know?'
Maura smiled, 'take as long as you need, Jane.'
'Thanks, Maura,' Jane murmured, 'and I'll think about the whole internalised homophobia thing. I promise.
'Good because being a part of a community that understands and supports you is important,' Maura replied softly, without any judgement. Teasingly, she continued, 'besides I have a great idea for a tattoo!'
Jane groaned and the pair moved on to other topics, spending the rest of the night talking to each other.
Nia checked the address on her case file, confirming the address. She had been called in to do a welfare visit for a family whose sons had not shown up to preschool after the mother had shown up with bruises on her face. Nia watched as the police escorting her walked to the door and knocked. She frowned as they knocked again. She had a feeling that her morning was about to get a lot more complicated. She watched as the police wandered around the house, peeking in windows and checking the backyard. After several long minutes, one officer returned to the squad car, the other tapped walked over to her.
'No answer but all the blinds are closed. Can't see anything inside,' the woman replied, 'we can't enter without cause.'
Nia nodded, 'thank you officer. Will you be able to stay nearby while I interview the neighbours?'
'We'll be on hand, my partners radioing in now,' the woman said, jabbing her thumb in her partners direction, 'and if we get called away, we'll let you know before we go.'
Nia nodded, 'thank you Officer Davis.' Nia felt better knowing they would be on hand. She knew domestic violence cases could get heated and Nia definitely appreciated the back up. She also knew that the relations between the police and the community was frayed.
Nia climbed out of her car and headed to the neighbour on the left. She knocked and waited. When no one answered, she knocked again this time speaking loudly. 'Virginia Child Protective Services, I just want to ask you a few questions about your neighbours.' Nia glanced at the driveway, noting the car there. Nia knocked one last time, 'please we need help to ensure that their children are safe.' When no one answered, Nia sighed and walked to the neighbour on the right. Sometimes, it worked. Sometimes, the neighbours were worried or wanted to help. Sometimes, they just wanted an excuse to gossip about the neighbours. Most of the time, it didn't. People took one look at the police officers behind her, heard the words 'child protective services' and they refused to open up. All Nia wanted was to protect kids but the politics between those governing and the community made her job that much harder.
Nia knocked on the right neighbours door. A little girl who looked not quite six yet, answered almost immediately. Nia knelt down, 'hello, my name is Nia Williams and I'm with those police officers over there. We need to ask the adult of the house some very important questions, are they here?'
The little girls eyes grew wide with fear. Nia heard the beads in her braids clack as she called to her mother, 'MAMA!'
Nia smiled reassuringly, 'it's okay. We're just here to talk.'
'Ella, what on Earth?' Nia assumed the woman coming down the hallway was her mother. 'Oh, hello.' The woman was polite but guarded. She ushered the girl, inside the house. Nia stood to talk with the woman.
'My name is Nia Williams and I'm with Virginia's Protective Services. I'd like to ask you some questions about your neighbours.' She pointed to the house she meant. 'An anonymous welfare check was called in but we have been unable to get anyone to answer the door.'
The woman sighed, stepping outside and closing her door behind her. 'I don't know much but I'll tell you what I can Miss Williams.'
'Thank you,' Nia said earnestly, 'can I have your name for the record?' The woman shook her head. 'Okay, how about off the record then?'
'Brown,' the woman offered. Nia wasn't sure if it was her actual surname or not but she would take it.
'According to our records, the Russo's live in that house. Vincent, Mia and their two sons Vincent Junior and Emiliano. Is that correct Mrs. Brown?' Nia asked.
'Mmmhmmm, and their eldest daughter Isabella. Though I haven't seen her in the last week or more.'
'Isabella Russo,' Nia asked her brow furrowing. 'We don't have any record of her, how old is she? What school does she attend?'
'She's a little older than my Ella. I've never seen her attend a school. I assumed she's homeschooled.' Mrs. Brown said shuffling her feet.
Nia wrote the information down, her stomach churning. 'When was the last time you saw the boys?'
'They was hooting and hollering as Mia was packing up their car maybe two days ago.' Mrs. Brown replied. 'She had suitcases and toys, seemed in a mighty big hurry too.'
Nia frowned. 'Did you ask where she was going?'
'Nope,' Mrs. Brown replied, 'we were friendly enough on account of my Ella and her Isabella getting along but she isn't a trusting sort. I figured, it was better to keep my nose out of her business.' The woman bit her lip, 'she didn't look well though.'
'What do you mean?'
'She was bruised. Had the look of a woman haunted.' Mrs. Brown said, 'maybe I'm overreaching but it looked to me like maybe Vinnie had gotten violent.'
That tracked with what the school had said, 'has Mia been back at all since she left? Is it possible she was running? Does she have family out of town?'
Mrs. Brown shook her head, 'no one's been home in days and as far as I know, Mia hasn't got any family. Mia and Vinnie they weren't exactly the vacationing type.' She frowned deeper, 'I'd say that she was running only I didn't see Isabella with her. That don't seem right. How could a woman flee without all of her children?'
Nia had a nagging feeling that she knew why the woman had left without her eldest daughter. After all, how many abandoned six year old girls were there in the area. 'Do you remember anything about the car? A license plate, a make, model, colour?'
The woman thought for a moment. 'It was older, early 2000's at the youngest. It was navy blue. A four door sedan type. Maybe a honda or ford. It had the mountain plate on it. I think the plate started with a V. Maybe a VH but I'm not sure.'
Nia wrote that down too, waving Officer Davis over. 'What about Mr. Russo, what can you tell me about him?'
Mrs. Brown shrugged. 'Not much,' she said, 'I always avoided him. Ella was under strict orders to come home when he did. Never did see the man sober.'
Nia handed Davis the license plate information. 'Do you know where he works? What he drives?'
Mrs. Brown shook her head, 'he drove a pickup, maybe a 90's ford. It was a beater with rust. Sounds like a motorcycle coming down the road. Don't know about the plates. Don't know where he works but it might be a job in construction. He always had tools rattling around the back, wore real thick boots with the steal toe and I think I saw a yellow hard hat once or twice.'
Officer Davis nodded, taking the car information back to the squad car. 'Do you have any photos of the Russo's or their cars? We could use them to help identify them,' Nia was actually hoping for a photo of Isabella.
Mrs. Brown swiped through her phone, looking for a photo that would help. Nia scribbled down more notes. 'Here's one of the kids at Ella's birthday. I had to beg Mia to let them come but Ella didn't want to have a birthday without her best friend there.'
She showed the screen to Nia. Ella was in the center, her hair braided with a toothy grin. Vincent Junior and Emil, were to her left. Vincent was all smiles, looking up at Ella. Emil had frosting on his face and wore a grumpy frown. Nia recognised the two and four year old from their school photos. To Ella's right was Panda. She wore a happy smile but Nia could make out the hints of a bruise at the edge of her t-shirt. 'Is this Isabella?' Nia asked?
'Mmm-hmmm, sweetest, shyest thing you'll ever meet.' Mrs. Brown frowned in concern, 'I hope whatever is going on, she's okay.'
'Can you forward this to me?' Nia asked. Mrs. Brown nodded and let Nia type in her information. Nia nodded in thanks, 'I cannot share the details of an ongoing investigation but please know that we are doing everything we can to ensure all of these children are safe.' Mrs. Brown nodded in a perfunctory manner. 'Is there anything else you can think of that might help us?'
Mrs. Brown thought about it, 'not really. Mia and Vinnie were loners. Didn't share much. Didn't like the neighbours. Weren't liked by the neighbours. I always thought that had more to do with Vinnie than Mia.'
'Thank you Mrs. Brown,' Nia said, pulling out a card with her personal number, 'if you see any of the Russo's please call me. I also have given you my email. If you find any photos that could help, please forward them to me? And please, if you see Mr. Russo, don't let him know we talked, it's for your safety as well as the rest of the family's.'
The woman nodded enthusiastically and tucked her card in a pocket. 'Good luck Miss Williams.' She went back inside, closing the door as Nia turned back to the officers.
Officer Davis smiled as she approached, 'we've put Bolo's out on the sedan but there's not enough on the truck to get anything meaningful.'
'I think Mia's running. Maybe put the word out to shelters and clinics?' Officer Davis nodded.
'Did you get anything else on Vincent Russo?' Davis asked.
'Nothing helpful,' Nia said with a sigh, 'but I know someone.'
'Hopefully, they'll be able to help,' Davis said with an encouraging smile.
Nia nodded. It was time to talk to Doctor Isles.
