Jane is chasing the sound of Vincent Russo far more than the sight of him. The crunch of snow, the bristling of bushes, the heavy panting. Russo was slowing down. The cold air burned Jane's lungs, her legs ached, a cut on her cheek that she had gotten somewhere along the way stung. The snow was thick enough to make running hard. That was all with Jane's benefit of being a trained, marathon running, ass kicking athlete. Russo was running on adrenaline and that was running out.

Jane heard a crash followed by a grunt and a curse. Jane lunged, her gun trained on a shadow she could barely decipher. 'Drop it Russo,' Jane yells loudly.

The shadow shifted, pushing itself from the ground. 'Stupid bitch,' Russo spat. 'Fucking women.'

Jane kept her gun steady, waiting. Russo spun, pointing his own gun at Jane. 'Give me a reason,' Jane spits back, the venom in her voice surprising even her, 'please give me a reason. You shot a federal agent asshole.'

'She's a cunt doing a man's job,' Russo screamed, his voice shattering the silence of night. 'Just like you.'

'Put the gun down,' Jane ordered, willing herself to ignore his taunts. She took one careful step forward, followed by another. Russo didn't move.

'You stupid bitches, you all think you're so great. So much fucking better than the rest of us,' Vinnie ranted, waving his gun around. Jane took another step. 'Someone has to teach you what your place is.'

Jane spins from the line of fire just before Vinnie's last gun shot embeds itself in a tree just behind where Jane had been standing. Jane whirled around trying to raise her gun, expecting Russo to be running again.

Instead, his hard body pummells in to hers. Driving her in to the ground. Jane's gun goes flying in to the dark and snow, her back landing with a woosh the blow cushioned by snow and her down jacket, a gift from Maura. Jane knows better than to let Russo find space to swing his fists. She grabs and brings him in to her space, shifting his centre of gravity to flip him over. Another gift from Maura. Below her he grunted and cursed. Jane grapples with him, blocking as he grabs for her throat. Jane presses forward, trying to gain the advantage. Russo pushes back. It's a stalemate until Russo shifts, grabbing an arm and biting down on her exposed wrist hard enough to draw blood. Jane lets out a primal scream, slamming him into the ground, wrenching her bloodied wrist free.

A familiar voice pierces the darkness like the sun after a long night, 'Jane?'

'Over here!' Jane yells. To Russo she growls, 'and that's my back up bitch! We just keep coming, asshole!'

'Jane?' Nina's voice sounds closer this time.

'Nina!' Jane shouts back, 'I'm over here!'

Nina bursts from the trees, gun drawn, ten feet to Jane's left. Russo tries once more to flip Jane over. Jane shoves him back to the ground. Then Nina is there, helping Jane to roll him over. Jane slaps the handcuffs Nina hands her on him while Nina reads him his rights. 'You okay?' Nina asks at last, taking Jane in. Jane is sure its a sight to behold, her hairs a mess, her face and arm are bleeding, her clothes ripped, wet and dirty.

'Yeah,' Jane says, standing to brush the snow off. 'Let me find my gun.' It took Jane less time than she expected to find her weapon and, with a pair of gloves, she retrieved Russo's too.

'Frankie radioed. He'll meet us at the car. Roads this way,' Nina says pushing Russo forward. 'Vince called, ordered a bus for Noemi. He told us the suspect was headed west and you were hot on his heels. Frankie figured he would be working his way towards the road. We heard the gun shot and split up.'

Jane nodded, exhaustion seeping in. 'I'm glad you found me. I wouldn't want to have to haul this asshole in alone. Not when there can be two women showing him how its done.' Jane grins a predatory grin at Russo who spits a mixture of saliva and her own blood at her. Jane stepped deftly aside cackling.

Nina laughed, not bothering to keep her actions from jostling Russo's uncomfortably pinned shoulders. 'That's one of my favourite things about you Rizzoli, you're always so humble.'

Jane barked a laugh back at her. For the second time that night a hard body collided with Jane's. This one was familiar though and less intent on pummelling and more intent on squeezing the breath out of her lungs. 'Janie! Thank God!' Jane hugged her little brother back before pulling away. 'You okay?'

'Yeah,' Jane nodded, 'your fiancé got there just in time to help me arrest this deadbeat.' Jane kicked Russo's shins vindictively. 'How's Noemi?'

Frankie paled slightly, making Jane's stomach drop, 'the doc's with her. They can't get a bus through, so they're going to airlift her out.'

'In this?' Jane asked, gesturing toward the snow falling down around them. Frankie shrugged, opening the back door of the cruiser. Nina shoved Russo in, with only the barest bit of help to keep him from braining himself on the frame.

'What about Paddy?' Jane asked. Frankie shook his head, 'didn't make it. What was he doing here? The suits have their underwear all up in a twist about him being here.'

'He saved Cailin. Exchanged himself for her,' Jane said sadly, 'fuck. What am I gonna tell Maura?'

Nina touched her arm then, 'that her sister is safe and you'll see her soon.' It was comforting, reassuring. A tether in the storm. Jane smiled back at her future sister in law. 'She'll learn the rest soon enough.'

Jane nodded, accepting the offered comfort that she could, until a second thought crossed her mind. What was she going to tell Aarna?


Maura shifts in her seat, tapping her foot to the beat of the radio. Aarna had driven them through Philadelphia before Maura had insisted they switch places. Aarna had fussed, insisting she wasn't tired but had relented eventually, switching places and promptly curling in to a very uncomfortable looking sleeping position in the passenger seat. Maura hadn't been able to sleep. It had been 92 minutes since Maura had last heard from Jane. Maura chewed her cheek, frustrated with the lack of data. It could mean anything. It could mean she was busy, that she close to cracking it, that Cailin was dead and Jane couldn't tell her over the phone. It could mean Jane was in trouble, unable to reach out to Maura. It could mean both Jane and Cailin were dead. 'Stop it Maura,' Maura whispered to herself. The sleeping girl beside her stirred slightly. Maura let out a breath muttering softly, 'that kind of thinking won't help you. You don't have enough data to draw a conclusion. That's it.' Maura wasn't sure how long the cycle repeated itself, how many miles she had driven, asking answer-less questions, round and round again.

And then her phone is ringing. Jane's ID on the touch screen. Maura pulls over as quickly as she safely could, throwing on the hazards and answering the phone as quickly as she safely could. 'Jane?' Maura asks, a desperate edge audible in her voice. Aarna stirs, turning to look at Maura through a sleep filled haze

'Maur,' Jane's voice is weary, 'we have her. She's safe.'

Maura burst in to tears. 'You do?' she asks, not sure she believes it. Aarna has taken her hand once more, cradling it gently.

'Yeah, we got her,' Jane says again softly, 'they're taking her to the hospital for a concussion but she's okay.'

'Did he?' Maura whispers afraid to ask. Aarna squeezes her hand, holding her gaze reassuringly, promising to be there whatever the outcome.

'No,' Jane says voice full of relief. 'He didn't.' Maura is grateful she didn't have to clarify further for Jane, the very thought of saying it making her queasy.

'Thank you Jane,' Maura whispers, 'thank you for finding my sister.'

Jane is silent a moment. If Maura didn't know her better, Maura might think Jane was crying. 'Always, Maur. How are you guys doing? How are the dogs?'

'We're doing well. Almost to New York,' Maura says, 'the girls are passed out.'

'Jane?' Aarna asks, her voice still thick with sleep, 'is Noie there?'

Another moment of silence. Maura could feel Aarna's hands begin to shake. Finally, Jane spoke, 'no, she's going to the hospital with Cailin.'

'Oh,' Aarna said softly her face drooping in disappointment, 'okay.'

'We'll see you when you get here. Drive safe.'

'We will,' Maura promises, 'I love you.'

'Love you too,' Jane says before hanging up.

Aarna smiles at her warmly, 'they did it!'

Maura grins back, 'yes they did!' Still, Maura thought, something didn't sit right with Maura. She had a nagging feeling that Jane wasn't telling them everything.

'You wanna switch?' Aarna asks. 'Now that you can sleep?'

Maura considers it for a moment before accepting. A short nap would make the time pass faster. Four hours. Four hours and then she could hold Cailin. And Jane. And almost every one else in the world she held dear. Four hours and Maura could be sure her family was safe.