A/N: Four chapters left after this! Tommy starts to do... Tommy things. Poor guy.

Maura awoke in the very early morning to insistent kisses on her shoulder. She must have slept soundly, deeply, because Jane was already half on top of her and she hadn't stirred. She glanced at the clock on her nightstand and was shocked that Jane was up. 5:03 AM.

"You awake yet?" Jane's voice was impossibly hoarse. Maura groaned. It was sexy.

"I am now, yes. Thanks to you," she replied, opening herself up more, giving Jane access to her throat.

"That's good. We haven't done this before, you know," Jane said just before she bit softly at the skin there.

Maura sought out Jane's lips with her own, initiating a long kiss better for energy than any morning coffee. "Done what?"

"Morning sex," Jane said. Maura chuckled at how blunt it was, and Jane grumbled. "It's not supposed to be funny," she challenged, words distorted as her lips travelled from Maura's jaw to her behind her ear.

Maura hissed when she felt long fingers tracing playfully between her legs. "It was a little funny. Just the way you said it," she elaborated. She had to squeeze Jane's bicep to anchor herself to reality.

"You gonna let me see that pretty thing or not?" asked Jane, just before she sucked on the shell of Maura's ear. When Maura arched her back, Jane placed her other hand at the small of it to hold them close together.

Maura opened her legs as her first response, and Jane slipped one finger in as a prelude. Maura moaned. "See, taste, touch, whatever you want," she whispered against the side of Jane's face. "But only if you show me yours afterwards."

Jane laughed then, too. "It's a deal. But let's get started now because I've got an early morning and I really wanna savor."

Maura pouted instantly, even with Jane inside. "You're going into work today?"

Jane smiled in apology, shifting so that their noses touched. She kissed Maura's chin before nodding. "Just a half day for paperwork. I gotta make sure this Williams case ties up without any problems, logistical or otherwise."

Maura accepted that. It was part of Jane's job, part of her existence - work would call, sometimes inconveniently. She just hated that it cut into the time she wanted to spend with her favorite homicide detective. "Breakfast tomorrow?" she found herself asking before she could stop; the rhythm Jane was setting and the prospect of not seeing her until Monday made her impulsive. Rash.

"That sounds good," Jane agreed. She latched onto a nipple with her lips and neither of them did any more talking.

Jane, dressed up for the inevitable workout Maura would make her do between breakfast and their weekly dinner, looked down at herself before going into Maura's house. Sundays were pretty routine: if they met up in the morning, they would run at some point, whether they ate breakfast together or not. And then, when they settled at the table for Sunday dinner, Maura felt a little less guilty about the heaping helpings of pasta she ate.

Jane now stood on Maura's front step, brushed imaginary lint away from her loose white tank top, and shook her legs out in her black runner's shorts. She'd gone over her outfit half a dozen times in her bedroom mirror, and finally decided that wearing what she usually would was the best decision.

She didn't investigate why she had sudden nerves about what Maura thought about her clothes.

Instead, she pushed her key into the lock and opened the front door. The whoosh of cool air blew against her face pleasantly, and she closed her eyes for a split second to savor the contradiction from the humidity outside. Her mood plummeted when she opened them back up: with her hand still on the now-closed door, she saw her brother, Tommy, cooking in his underwear. She didn't approach.

"Hey, Janie! Maura said you'd be here this mornin'. Pancakes?" he asked brightly, flipping one as he talked. His other hand scratched his chest.

Maura herself rounded the corner then, coming down the stairs in her own leggings and off-the-shoulder yoga shirt. Her hair was in a ponytail and her face brightened as soon as she saw Jane in the front hall. "Hi!" she said, but when she stepped closer, she saw a flash of hurt travel from Jane's narrowed brow, to her cloudy eyes, to her frown.

"Should I go?" asked Jane, looking only at Maura.

It was Tommy who answered, putting a plate with a short stack at her usual spot on the island. "Why? You just got here. But I should put some clothes on. I'm takin' Ma to the farmer's market today." He set out a plate for Maura, too, and then shut off the burner, ushering his sister to the counter before jogging up the stairs.

Jane sat, perturbed, but she still picked up her fork. Tommy's pancakes were infamous: fluffy, moist, and chock-full of chocolate chips. She speared and cut angrily, chewing until her cheek was full. "I thought he didn't stay over," she said as Maura took the seat next to her.

"He didn't! Not in my bed, anyway," Maura explained. She was indignant and a little scared of Jane's ire.

"What?"

"He came by to watch a movie with me and your mother, and was clearly tired. I told him you were coming over for breakfast and he asked to stay over. I offered him the guest room - we didn't even sleep together, Jane." Maura whispered the last part, fork frozen in midair. She didn't dare eat, lest she lose her appetite just after she started. Because even after that revelation, Jane was livid, not happy.

Jane was livid because she recalled Tommy's indulgent, self-satisfied grin when she walked through the door. "That asshole," she growled. "He did it on purpose. Just to get under my skin."

"What?" Maura asked this time. Her hand went to Jane's knee. "What do you mean?"

"You said he saw me the other night," Jane explained, stuffing more pancakes. "He got pissed, Maura."

"I think he really was just tired," Maura said. "It was late."

"So he came out here to cook you breakfast in his boxers? After he knew I was comin' over and he specifically asked to stay for that reason?" Jane hoped Maura wouldn't continue to take his side.

Maura's gaze did falter. "Maybe he just wanted to make you breakfast," she said quietly, already knowing how it sounded when it came out.

"He wasn't half-naked for me," Jane grumbled. "He wanted to stake claim."

"Enough," Maura said, "you need coffee." She got up and placed a wet kiss to Jane's cheek, loud and long to signal where her loyalties laid, at least for the time being. "And I already told you, we didn't have sex. We haven't had sex. So don't let it upset you."

"Park down here, it's less crowded and there aren't as many meter maids," Angela pointed her youngest son toward a nearly empty block, residential and about a quarter mile from the open air market just outside Boston's North End.

"You got it," Tommy said, pulling his truck expertly into one of the parallel spots. "Hey Ma?"

"Yeah, honey," Angela called out as she exited the passenger side.

They slammed their doors in tandem and he trotted to the front of the truck before elaborating. "Why'd we move outta the North End if we just keep comin' back?"

Angela chuckled. "Good question. At the time, it was because me and your father needed a bigger house than the North End could provide, with havin' three growing kids. Now that he and I are getting divorced, I wonder if it was the right thing to do, or if we coulda made it work. It's just home, you know?"

"Yeah, it is," Tommy replied. He held his arm for his mother to take, and she did, leaning her head on his shoulder as he walked them toward the market.

"I think that's why your sister moved back," Angela commented, almost nonchalant, but she watched Tommy from the corner of her eye. He stiffened, but as soon as it happened, it was over. She filed that away.

"She needed instant access to cannuli," he joked, his Sicilian vocabulary rudimentary at best, but his accent always impeccable.

His mother guffawed into the mid-June heat. "Probably," she said, and then guided him to the vegetable section of vendors. "I need eggplant and I need spinach."

"Lead the way," Tommy replied, game for anything. He perused the different leafy greens at one tent while Angela struck up a spirited conversation with the farmer who'd brought them by. When she motioned him over after her purchase, he opened the bag that had been on his left arm and let her drop the spinach inside. "This for dinner tonight?" he asked.

"Some of it," Angela answered. She stuffed some cash into her pocket and then put her wallet back into her backpack purse. It was a warm summer morning, and mother and son had dressed similarly for the weather: white tops and light-colored jeans. Funnily enough, without having coordinated, they even both wore New Balance runners.

But then, Tommy had always been the child most like her. He felt the most emotion, he struggled the most with learning, like she had, but he also had the most upbeat attitude, despite the things that had happened to him. He had her zest for life and her positivity that seemed to miss both Jane and Frankie, who ended up more like their father. He also, for better or worse, inherited her stubbornness, her defiance at anything someone told him he could not do. "Spinach sauce?"

"Yes," Angela smiled at him, and pinched his cheek because of how much she saw herself in him. They strolled on for a few more yards, and then stopped at one of her favorite nut vendors. "So… you've been back home for a while now," she started, seemingly off-hand while she picked up various boxes of raw almonds and inspected them.

"Yeah…" Tommy goaded, smirking at her.

"How are things with your brother and sister? There were definitely… tensions, when you were away," she said.

"Well, Frankie and I are goin' to a game in a couple weeks. It's different, hangin' out with him without beer, but better, I think. I remember what we talk about now. It's kinda like makin' a new friend."

Angela's face changed with her happiness. "Oh, Tommy. I'm so glad to hear that!" she exclaimed. "I'm glad you and your brother are getting along. You two always were close growing up."

Tommy was happy that something he was doing pleased his mother. He was doing a lot of that lately, and it made for pretty good days. "Yeah. We'll get there I think."

"Good, good. And what about you and Janie? How're things?" Angela made sure to turn her back to him and look very interested in the unshelled walnuts.

"Fine," he said tersely.

"Fine? Just fine?"

"Things are fine," he repeated.

"And the Alberti house? You two finished that?" Angela prodded.

He sighed. "Yeah. Janie's… she's still real good at plumbing work. I think she'd make double the money she does now if she got licensed. More than me, for sure."

Angela smirked at that. Ah. "She's not competing with you, so stop competing with her, baby. Jane isn't gonna creep in on your work. When it comes to plumbing, you've got the Rizzoli market cornered."

Tommy chuckled. "Thanks, Ma. And I don't mean to. But sometimes it just happens. We compete at literally everything."

"You don't have to," Angela said with a raised eyebrow. She knew how they were. She knew all too well. "You both could just choose to back off a little bit."

"Yeah we could. But then it's like a game of chicken and someone always lunges first," Tommy explained. "Or one of us gets jealous and the cycle starts all over again."

"I think, for all the hell you put your sister through when you had your troubles, you could stand to give her some wins," Angela turned and said pointedly. "Or at least one."

"We're not talkin' about plumbin' anymore, are we?"

"You tell me."

"It would seem we're not talkin' about plumbin' anymore," Tommy reiterated. "So what are we talkin' about?"

Angela took note of his frown, but decided it was best to trudge ahead. Rip the band-aid off. "The sexcapades you've been havin' with Maura."

"Jesus, Ma. Sexcapades? Really?" Tommy let out a shocked laugh.

"Yes! You two, sleeping together. That's what we're talking about," Angela huffed.

"We are, yeah. So what?"

"So what?" Angela asked, incredulous. God, he could be so dense.

"Yeah, so what? It's not serious, Ma. It's just us havin' a good time," Tommy narrowed his gaze. He knew the distinct feeling of being judged, having felt it his whole life. He pulled his mother to a relatively quiet space in between tents and glared.

"Ok, so you two are havin' fun, and you have every right to do that. You're young. But do you know who else she's havin' fun with when you're not around? Hmm?" Angela gave as good as she got from him.

"Jane," he said seriously.

Angela was shocked. "You know?"

"Yeah, I know. We all know, Ma. We all are very aware of what's goin' on. Like I said - just grown-ups havin' a good time. That's all," he grumbled.

"You know and you're still fooling around with her?" Angela couldn't move past it.

"What?" Tommy was too confused to admit that no, he wasn't still fooling around with her. Not really.

"Look. Maura's a great girl who's done a lot for this family. I get that you two, for whatever reason, seem to hit it off, you know? I really do. But do you live your life any differently with her in it? You seem like the same old Tommy to me." Angela put her hands on his arms as she talked to him, held his gaze.

"So?" Tommy said, unnerved by his mother's sincerity.

"So look at Janie. What does she eat? Where does she sleep? How does she walk, and talk? Who is she openin' doors for and how does she dress now? Maura's handprints are all over her. And I think you should think about that before you decide to just keep hurting her," Angela warned.

"Before I keep hurting her? I started seein' Maura first. Why is this not her fault?" Tommy argued.

"Because you said it yourself! You're just a grown-up having a good time. You think that's what Jane is doing? Tell me after you've taken one look at her that she's just out for sex."

At this, Tommy shoved his hands in his pockets. "Who says I don't feel the same way? Who are any of you to say that, huh? It's always been Jane first. Jane gets what Jane wants. What about what I want?"

Angela shook her head. "But this isn't what youwant. That seems clear to me. If I'm wrong, and it is, then go for it. Go for what you want. Go for Maura. But Jane will suffer, Tommy. Jane will suffer if that's the decision you make. And she'll suffer extra if it's the decision you make and you end up backing out, or realizing it was a mistake."

"What exactly are you sayin', Ma?" Tommy glowered at her, but he was listening. He didn't like what he heard, but he was determined to hear it. Even if it was just so he knew what everyone thought before he proved them wrong.

But his mother gave him pause, just for a second. She didn't change his mind, but she did hammer home the severity of the situation. "I'm saying butt out, baby. Butt all the way out."