Still angsty, angst, sadness, a little fun with the flashbacks. If you've gotten to chapter two you know what I'm saying. These chapters are short and sweet but have all the feels. Good and very sad. I'm sorry if I'm hurting your feelings. I'm hurting my own feelings. Trust me though, in the end it will resolve nicely and you'll smile….a little. In the meantime, grab tissues just in case.
Language: Likely. So far our characters have been too sad to swear, but it's coming up I'm sure.
Heads Up: The discussion of money is integral to the story line later. :)
I don't own any part of Rizzoli & Isles nor am I making any profit from this story. It's just that sometimes the story has to get told. So here we go.
Don't be afraid. I've got you. There will be a smile at the end.
The Stone
2
The weather was slowly starting to turn to a Northeastern spring but there was still a chance of snow and a definite chill in the air, but that didn't matter today. Jane walked up to the gray headstone. She always felt like she needed to be here and yet she still wanted to run away as fast as possible. She couldn't count the number of times that she had been here in the past few months, but this was one she couldn't miss. Tears were already building in her eyes, but she was brave enough to face this.
She laid out the blanket and set her basket to the side. She opened it slowly looking around to see if anyone was actually paying her any attention. She realized suddenly that she didn't give two shits what they thought anyway. She was here for a reason. She sat down then pulled out a small bottle and pulled the wired basket off of it. The cork popped easily and she poured two glasses. She set one on the mantle of the headstone and held one herself.
"Hey Marua." She took a deep breath and lifted the glass in her hand. "Happy anniversary, my love." With those words she broke down into nothing. She was nothing without Maura even now. She spoke without fear of others hearing. She doubted that they cared and most of them totally understood. "I never thought that we would only have just the one together, but it was the best. Yeah, it was sad because we knew what was coming, but I hope that I made it memorable for you. I still think about the first time we met when I was undercover as a hooker. You were so funny and kind and weird with the 'eat some kale' line. Yeah, that's what I love about you is your weird side. It made you so beautiful and perfect to me. I'm sorry if I ever made you feel bad or sad when I made fun of you sometimes. I was a stupid bully back then." Jane went silent and pulled the glass to her lips for a sip of the champagne. She pulled the glass away to look at it. "This is not nearly as good as what we had at the Rothchild's. Yes, Maura, I know that's not their name." She laughed at that. Maura had rolled her eyes so many times during the fancy dinner that she was shocked they hadn't just stayed that way.
"This was the smallest bottle they had. I thought it was a good idea to buy small. I've been making a point not to drink too much, ya know. I could totally fall into the trap my old man did. I could numb out and forget the world. I want to some days, I want to curl up in a ball and forget the world exists. Honestly, it can be a struggle to say no, but I won't go there because of you. You know that, right? No matter how much I could drink, you would still be there in my heart. I could never numb away my love for you anyway. I tried for a week or so, but I still couldn't drink away the pain of you not being here. The thing is Maur, your love still keeps me sane and safe. It's funny, I still don't take extra chances at work anymore unless I have to. I used to be so crazy and such a renegade and then I fell in love with you. I'll admit there were some renegade times after that, the shoot-myself in the abdomen incident comes to mind, but in my defense that was before we admitted our feelings. Jesus, Mary and Joseph that took way too long, didn't it?" Jane lay back on the blanket and stared at the sky. Dreaming of Maura was all she had left of her soulmate, but she would take any part of her that she could get. Even if it was just memories.
Dr. Maura Isles sat in her office gazing intently at the crime scene photos that had just been delivered to her desk. She wasn't sure what she was looking for, but she would know when she found it. The body of the young man they had found several hours before was now lying on her table waiting for her. She looked out into the morgue. *He's not going anywhere, she thought. Homicide will want the bullet yesterday, of course. They should learn to have a little patience.* She wanted to look closely at the detailed photos before she began her autopsy. Susie would need to finish the prep on him for her anyway so there was no real rush. A small tap at her door caught her attention. She didn't look up from the photos before she said, "Come in."
The person stood quietly for a minute waiting to be acknowledged. "Uhm…. I can come back later if you're busy, doctor."
Maura's body reacted to the voice by causing goose bumps to rise up her arms and into her neck. She was neurodivergent so her body sometimes reacted physically to certain sounds. It chose this moment to react in depth. Her eyes floated up to take in a tall, thin, stunningly gorgeous brunette. Said woman was dressed simply in dark slacks and a matching jacket. She wore a white button down with a white camisole underneath. It wasn't what the woman wore so much as how she wore it. Her clothes hugged her perfectly, with what could be defined as a desire to hold her captive for life. *Lucky clothes.* The power and confidence that hung on her like a cloak was what truly shook the doctor's core. The stunning woman wore a shield on her right hip and a semi automatic on her left. Maura stood up so quickly she sent her rolling chair crashing into the cabinets behind her. It bounced and rolled forward again hitting her in the back of her knee in just the right spot to make her lose her footing. The other woman was to her before she could fall and grabbed her around the waist to save her from harm and, more likely, save her pride.
"Hey now. You okay?" The dark eyes looked at her with compassion and concern.
Usually Maura would not appreciate being touched by anyone, but this was so sudden her body didn't have time to reject the feeling. Even after she had time to think, her body was fine with the connection. She made a mental note that this deserved further research.
She got her feet under her and steadied herself. "Yes. Thank you. I'm fine." She didn't pull away immediately, but the other woman slowly pulled away from her. She missed the touch and knew at once that this was not her typical reaction, although she couldn't fathom why. "I apologize for that. I'm honestly not sure what happened."
Jane moved back to the other side of the desk, giving the doctor room to collect herself. "Well, you stood up too fast if you ask me." She laughed lightly and Maura was enthralled again with her voice.
Maura's brain worked in the typical way hers did and it jumped past one subject and grasped the next with interested vigor. "Did you suffer a throat injury as a child? I notice that you have a slight rasp and quite a deep tone to your voice. Most women don't have that unless they have been ill or suffered injury. You're not ill are you?"
The taller woman squinted her brown eyes to see if this weird and yet very interesting woman was serious. As far as she could tell she absolutely was. They had met before and she was almost as odd then, but this was very different. "No, I'm not ill and NO, I've not had an injury. I was born with…. Wait. Is this how you start all conversations with strangers?"
Maura clasped her hands together in front of her holding her arms straight down. This was the stance she often took when she felt self-conscious or nervous. "Sometimes. I'm a little socially inept. My mother has always said that I was "awkward". I suppose she's right." Maura wrung her hands in a nervous fidget. She could feel the rush of red starting in her chest. She didn't like feeling out of sorts and she certainly felt all of the out of sorts that were possibly available. She took a very deep breath to help calm herself. She turned to a calming technique she had learned over her time in a past psych rotation. * Okay, one thing I can see. Well, I see that woman. Nope. Not helping.*
"It's okay, you know. I don't mind. I find it interesting." She smiled in an effort to put the other woman at ease. "Look ,doc…." She was cut off.
"Doctor Isles or Maura. Not Doc. Well, Detective Korsak sometimes calls me doc. I let him get away with it due to his age and his disarming smile, but I prefer either Dr. Isles or Maura, if you don't mind." She made a concerted effort to relax her shoulders.
Again slightly disarmed by the length of the explanation, the other woman spoke softly. "Of course, Dr. Isles. I'm Detective Jane Rizzoli. I go by Jane or Detective, but do NOT call me Rizz."
"Why on earth would I call you "Rizz"? That makes no sense at all. It's not your name nor your title either one." She motioned to the detective to have a seat, but Jane waved her off.
"Really? It's a nickname. Rizzoli. Rizz." The woman still looked very confused. "Okay, look nevermind. We've met before although I'm guessing from your attitude that you may not recognize me."
"We've met? I think I would remember someone who looks as amaz….. Um… who looks so...tall." *Jesus, Maura. That was awful. Looks tall?*
"Yeeeeah right. Tall. Okay, I was tall at that time as well, but my outfit then was a little more 'lady of the night chic' and a lot less lady cop." She grinned at Maura and the doctor thought her heart was going to stop.
"OH! You're the hooker!" Marua clapped her hands as she remembered the time in the diner she had offered someone she assumed was a prostitute money for food and a coffee. She frowned deeply at Jane. "Wait, you're the hooker?"
The detective looked around to see if anyone else near the office had heard the ME. "Yes, Dr. Isles. That was me. I was working undercover for the Drug Task Force Unit. I had just moved up from vice. You don't have any filters do you?"
"By filters you mean…for coffee? I don't use filters. They make the coffee taste like paper. I prefer my coffee freshly ground if I can get it and...…."
Jane leaned on the gun at her hip and let the woman ramble for a moment just to enjoy the sound. "Doctor Isles, no. Not coffee filters. I mean, you just say whatever comes to mind. You don't stop yourself. Your brain has no filters."
"I see. No, not always, but yes I tend to be a little forward and a little...wordy. It's worse when I'm nervous." She was most assuredly nervous at the moment.
Jane smiled at the blond again. There was something about her that was immediately endearing. Not to mention the fact that her tight red skirt hugged her hips in all the right ways. "Wordy. Check. No need to be nervous around me, K? Anyway, I wanted to come and introduce myself properly. I have just been promoted to Homicide and we'll be working closely with each other I would suppose. I also wanted to thank you for trying to step in that day with Stanley. He was really busting my balls."
"Your balls. But you don't have any balls….do you?" Maura would have been surprised to discover this but she had transgender friends, so she couldn't count it out. It would explain the deep, raspy, sexy voice. *Snap out of it, Maura!*
Jane laughed out loud at that. "Aaaand you're literal. No, Maura. May I call you Maura? It just feels better to me." Maura nodded. She felt that it sounded better coming from the detective. "No, Maura I don't have any 'man' balls, but I do have the 'don't fuck around with me' kind. Get my drift?"
"Ah, you have confidence and bravado paired with attitude and resolve."
"What?"
"I read a lot."
"Got it. Anyway, he was giving me a hard time because I didn't have my wallet or ID. He knew who I was but since I was UC he couldn't let it go. Asshole."
"Language, Detective. I should have said before that I prefer we don't swear in my office. Thank you."
Jane almost said "You're not my mom" to the ME, but it was her office and she got to make the rules. She then wondered for no reason at all, when the good doctor did swear. She would have to ask. When they were out in the field it would be on Jane's turf and the swearing would commence. "My apologies."
"It's alright this time, Jane. You're welcome by the way, and the offer still stands for lunch and a beverage."
"Alone or will you be joining me?" She grinned. She was trying to tease this woman but she was so literal that she thought it would be a wasted effort in the future.
"Oh! I'll join you if that's okay. I eat lunch alone quite often and it can get lonely. Today I have some quinoa and steamed carrots with salmon."
"Uh huh. I was thinking we could meet up in the cafe. My mom is working up there part time and she makes a mean peanut butter and fluff."
"Fluff. I don't know fluff."
"Oh you will! But in the meantime I also have a job to do. I actually came down here for double duty. To meet you and do, you know, detective work. Do we have any thoughts on how this guy died?" She pointed at the body on the table. "I mean it's obvious that he had a gunshot wound so we can assume that's cause of death."
"Detective. I do not guess. I never assume. I don't postulate when it comes to substances, weapons or cause of death. I have a long list of things. It will infuriate you exactly the same as the other detectives, but it's something that you will get used to over time."
"Great! Can we look at him then and I can guess?" Jane waggled her brows and rubbed her hands together with feigned glee.
Marua cringed in horror. "Detective! NO GUESSING!"
"Got it. I was just messing with you. I'll see you upstairs at say….12:30ish?" She was looking forward to getting to know this woman outside of the morgue.
Maura's smile lit up brightly. "That sounds lovely. I'll let you know when I have something for you."
Jane turned around and just for grins waved and wanked over her shoulder, "Thanks, Doc."
Maura shook her head and laughed at the woman walking out of her office.
She thought she could play this game. "Goodbye, RIZZ!"
"Noooo!"
"Haha! I'm paying you for it!"
Jane stopped outside of the door and looked through the window. She frowned for a few seconds searching her database of phrases. "Did you mean paybacks, Maura? It's paybacks." She laughed again. She liked this person even if she was a little to the left of center. "Bye, Maura. See you at lunch."
Jane opened her eyes with the sun seeming to be a little further down in the sky than when she had closed them. "One thing never changes, Maur. I'm always more relaxed when I'm with you." She pulled her jacket tighter to her chest. She still had tears almost daily and this moment was one she had more than usual. "Hey, love. I have news. You might not like it, but it's something I have to do." She took a long draw of cool Boston air into her lungs and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I'm moving out of the house. There is just too much 'you' there for me to handle right now. Everything there is something you touched, painted, bought or bargained for. We gave all of your clothes to the foundation auction house, but it's still all you in our bedroom. I don't sleep in the bed at all. I've been in the guest room since…well since. The whole house still smells like you. I love that smell, but it hurts my heart at the same time. I'll wake up to that smell thinking that you're there and then the realization hits me that you're not. I know it's hard, but I am keeping it in the family. I'm giving it to Ma. She says she wants Frankie and Nina to move in, but they feel the same way. We all are dying a little bit inside right now. Ma says she'll care for it until I'm ready to "come home". Honestly though, it would never be home again without you in it." She paused. "Anyway, I'll rent a small place for now or I'll buy a building or something. That was a joke. I'll find something to rent until I'm more settled in my heart, ya know?"
She stopped talking and felt all the words she shared. "I'll never forget you. Please don't think I'm doing this because I want to forget. I don't. I just can't handle the hurt right now." She started to cry again. "God, Maur. I miss you so much. I know that you want me to move on and be happy, but I can't see it. You were my happiness, babe. You will always be my Sunshine Girl." After several minutes of tears Jane wiped her cheeks, stood up and put away her things. "I have to go again. You know that I would live up here if I could. It's the only place I really feel you. This is home right now. Okay, love. I have a stakeout with Frost at about 7 and I need some food before I go." Jane put her hand on top of the cold granite marker. "I love you with my whole heart. I miss you in my bones, love. I'll see you again soon." With that Jane turned and walked to her car. It was new and way too fast. It's the only thing she had gotten for herself with the estate that Marua had left to her. Money meant nothing right now. It hadn't saved her wife from the ravages of cancer so she had no feelings for it. She would do the things with it that they had planned, but those things would have to wait for a little while. They would have to wait until she had healed.
An older gentleman in a sharp and neatly tailored suit stood in the hallway to greet them. His voice was deep and rich with an accent Jane couldn't really place. It was British with a tinge of something else. The something else was likely his mother tongue, but it was well buried in the smooth sound of the English he was now speaking. He reminded her a little bit of Jeremy Iron.
"Maura, it's good to see you again." The older man didn't hold out his hand for Maura. He bowed to her in a very formal way and then leaned in for the customary air kiss on both cheeks.
"Franklin, it's always a pleasure." She turned to the woman standing with her. "Franklin, this is my fiancé, Jane Rizzoli."
"Ah, Ms. Rizzoli, such a pleasure! I've heard so much about you." He held his hand out to her. She took it without hesitation and to her surprise he shook it gently without squeezing it as most people would do. He knew about her scars. She smiled that he would take such care to remember and that Maura cared enough to tell him.
She dipped her head and blushed lightly. "I'm not sure how to feel about that, to be honest."
"It's all good I can assure you. Constance speaks so highly of you and that in and of itself if enough for me. Maura says she's lucky to have you so I think you have all of the support you need for the next part of your journey."
Jane blushed at the compliment. She liked this man. He made her feel seen and embraced. She had no doubt that he would do anything and everything she ever asked of him without question. "Constance speaks highly of me. She must be a glutton for punishment."
"She said you stood up to her and not many get away with that and survive well. She tells me that you stood up for her daughter and that, my dear, was your winning ticket to her good graces." The older man grinned at the blushing detective. "Okay shall we get started?"
The two women nodded. He ushered them into the large meeting room. It was overkill, but it was either to meet with them here or in his office. He preferred to keep things in this situation very formal. They were going to discuss a great deal of wealth, and the side table in his office, while ornate, was not the proper setting. There were two obvious places set with water and pens and another chair at the table head that had an open briefcase.
"Please have a seat." Franklin moved to the head of the table as Jane and Maura sat side by side. The distinguished man pulled two presentation booklets out of his case and handed one to each woman. "As a reminder this is just a current list and accounting of Maura's portion of the estate. There are holdings which are family owned of which she only controls a portion with her mother or other parties. Those are not included here. Those holdings are addressed in the will and we will be sure to discuss them at a later date. As you can see, page one (1) is just the index of holdings and assets discussed in this booklet. Part I is properties and land. Part II is sheltered investments. Part IIa is unsheltered investments. Part III is Swiss and Cayman accounts. Part IV are trusts being held for minors and others in the Isles and Rizzoli families. Part V is the foundation and its holdings. You won't need to worry about any of the foundation because it's already managed. Part VI are private holdings and assets that are...private to only Dr. Isles at this time. She can discuss those with you as I have no knowledge of their contents, but I manage their protection and from here on out they will be controlled by you alone, Ms. Rizzoli. They are held securely in foreign locations. She is the only one who can divulge those locations to you." He looked up to be sure that Jane understood what he was saying. She looked over to Maura who squeezed her hand. Jane turned back to him and nodded her understanding. "Moving on, Part VII, there is a list of other assets and values of each which include art, cars, jewelry and more. If you're ready to turn the page we can get started.
Jane was starting to hyperventilate. She had been prepared for a lot, but not this much of a lot. "Hang on a second. I need some air."
"Yes, I can see why you might. Take all the time you need." He stood as the women exited the room.
Maura followed her out of the room into the ornate hallway. "Are you okay?"
"Maura if I ever tell you that I know something. Please make sure that I am not underestimating the amount of knowledge I think I have. Okay?"
"Jane, these are only things. Remember that."
"Maura, these things are power. The wealth that he is about to tell me you have, is power." She had seen the people Maura was accustomed to rubbing elbows with, but none of that ever seemed like the Maura that she knew. Now she was going to find out why it was her world. One gigantic thing that she knew about her love was that the money didn't make her less kind or less loving. She took a deep breath.
"WE have, Jane, we have this. And, yes, my darling. It's the power to change the world. Not just yours. Remember that. We can find causes that mean something to us and set up charities to support them. I've always wanted a partner in my life who could see my vision. I want you to help me do that. Will you, Jane?"
Jane took a longer thought about what Maura was telling her and asking her to be a part of. Things like cop's kids whose parents were killed in the line of duty were a passion for her. LGBTQI youth without safe shelter because they had been kicked out of their homes came quickly to mind. These were causes she could get behind. "Yes, Doctor Rizzoli-Isles I will."
"We're not married yet!"
"No, but this is as close as we can get until March."
Maura held out her hand to Jane which the detective firmly took. The women walked back in and took their respective places. Jane's new attitude was one of quiet confidence. It was the same attitude that made her a spectacular cop. She shouldered the mantle of her new adventure. She looked up at Franklin who acknowledged the shift with a simple smile and a nod. "Let's do this."
