a/n: I never liked how the series ended with Jane going to Quantico to work with the FBI because we all know Boston's her home. This is my attempt in righting that wrong picking up after the pair get back from France. Eventual Rizzles but it'll be a while so patience please :) unfortunately, I don't own any of these incredible characters other than one's I made up. Now let's get onto the story...


Jane watched, a smile plastered on her face and her hand up in goodbye, as the car pulled away from the curb. In the back window she could see Frankie waving and in the front passenger seat she could just make out the outline of her mother's handkerchief. She couldn't see Maura as she was the one driving, but Jane imagined the blonde's hazel eyes focused on the road ahead, walls 10 ft in the air so no one could see how hard this was for her. Jane continued to wave until she could no longer see the car in the distance. Once the car disappeared, her hand fell to her side, the smile dropped from her face and she felt the exhaustion and sadness seep into her bones.

Jane was finally in Quantico. After a long 7 hour drive from Boston, Jane was finally moved into her apartment. Well, her boxes and furniture were moved in, it was just a matter of unloading everything. That's not happening tonight she thought to herself no way in hell. Jane had driven her own car down with Maura while Frankie drove Angela in Maura's car. That way, Jane would have a car and could spend the drive down with her best friend before being 450 miles apart. Maura, Angela and Frankie were going to stay somewhere in Connecticut that night before making the rest of the trip back early tomorrow morning. With every passing minute, the car was inching closer to Boston and farther from where Jane stood. And it hurt. The kind of hurt that made her limbs ache and her lungs fight for air. But she wasn't going to give into those feelings, not tonight.

Sighing, Jane turned around and gazed up at the brick building. This was her new home. Even as told herself that, a voice in the back of her head was saying, Boston is your home. Where you have your family, the job you love and Maura. This is not home. Jane shook her head dislodging those very unhelpful thoughts. She had to make this home. After the drama she caused about leaving and the long and heartfelt goodbyes, this had to work. She was Jane Rizzoli and she was going to make Quantico her home. Even if it was lacking everything- and everyone- that mattered to her.

"That's enough of that" she whispered to herself as if saying it out loud would send the intrusive thoughts away. She then picked up the last bag from the curb and went back into her apartment.

It wasn't like it was an awful apartment. Jane didn't need much. A nice bed, a working bathroom, a couch, fridge for beer and a TV. That's all she needed and her apartment gave her that. But she couldn't help but notice all the things it was missing. Leftover tupperware from when her mother forced healthy food into her fridge, something Jane secretly loved but would rather die than admit. The few toys she kept lying around for when TJ came to visit. Frost's action figure which she left with the homicide unit as a parting gift. And then there was all of Maura that was missing. Her high heels next to Jane's sneakers, always standing straight because of the blonde's need for order. The smell of her perfume that Jane had grown to love. The extra clothes kept in a drawer for when nightmares became too much or work went too late. Everywhere Jane looked, she saw things she was missing rather than what she was gaining.

Jane snorted. And what exactly was she gaining? No more fear? She was rather confident her nightmares would follow her to Quantico. Peace of mind? Jane thought that was overrated. There was the whole not dying thing, but hell she could die by getting hit by a bus or murdered on her run. She saw that every day. Or she used to see that every day. Her mind was too tired to be thinking all these thoughts and rethinking her life choices.

She made the decision to get ready for bed, despite it only being 8pm. She didn't have her TV set up yet and couldn't imagine staring at the four walls of her apartment, utterly convinced she'd get in her car and drive back to Boston if she did.

After a ridiculously long, warm shower Jane lay in bed, flat on her back, eyes to the ceiling. Her hand twitched, literally twitched to reach to where her phone was charging on her nightstand and call Maura. She longed to hear the blonde's voice. The voice that could somehow always calm and center her, even in the midst of a panic attack or fear induced nightmare. But Maura was driving steadily in the opposite direction and Jane couldn't place that burden on her. The burden of knowing Jane's anxieties and insecurities when she was the one who left. No, she couldn't do it to Maura and resolved to refrain from calling.

She turned to her side and closed her eyes. Images of her family, the precinct, the morgue, the Dirty Robber and of course Maura flitted across her eyelids as she finally found peace in sleep.


The trio had been driving for around an hour and a half when Frankie fell asleep in the backseat, preparing to take over driving in another hour before they made it to the hotel in Connecticut. Truth be told, Maura didn't mind driving as it kept some of her wandering thoughts at bay.

Jane was staring ahead at the road, lost in thought when Maura's voice brought her back to reality.

"Remember when you had to cut my leg in the middle of the woods"

Jane shot an incredulous look to the blonde. "Remember?" she practically shouted. "Maura you almost died! You made me responsible for the well being of your leg." Her voice quieted. "I've never been that scared."

"I'm sorry Jane, I just was thinking about our friendship and the only big fight I could think of was the one we had over Paddy. And one thought led to the other..." Maura paused and placed a hand on Jane's forearm. "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

The brunette shook her head. "don't worry about it, Maur. That was just a really hard day, with your leg and all."

Maura hummed in agreement taking her hand off the detective's arm and putting it back in her lap. "Compartment syndrome is caused when there's bleeding into the muscle which increases the pressure and can damage nerves. It's very rare, actually, fewer than 20,000 cases a year. Of course, that makes me one of those 20,000 cases that year" Maura google-mouthed with a grin, much to the amusement of her companion.

"You know, I'm going to miss you, you dork" Maura shot a look to Jane at the surprise admission.

"I'm going to miss you too Jane. You're like a..." Maura stopped. The word sister was about to pop out of her mouth but that was a total lie. You're not attracted to your sister and Maura's shirt was too low, the hives would be visible clear as day if she said the word. What would be suitable then? Not best friend because Jane was way more than that. She couldn't say the love her life because that would freak the detective out.

"I'm like a what Maur?" Jane interrupted her train of thought.

"Oh, uh your like my..." she paused again searching for the right term in her vast vocabulary before landing on the perfect one. "You're my LLBFF"

Jane snorted. "Maura!"

"What?" she asked defensively. "You made it up!"

"Yeah for when you were being hit on by Giovanni the face licker" she gestured to the empty car. "Not when we're alone!"

At that, both women looked at one another and burst out into laughter.

Angela watched the slow smile take over Maura's face. The Rizzoli matriarch might not be the brightest in book smarts but she knew how to read people, especially her family. Right now, Maura's hardened gaze was transfixed on the road ahead, but Angela knew from experience behind the mask she was hurting. And of course, Maura wasn't going to open up about her feelings. Her Jane and Maura were so similar that way.

"How are you doing?" Angela asked in a low voice as not to startle the doctor.

Maura shrugged. "I'll be alright. I was fine before I knew Jane, I'll be fine again." She tried to sound confident but her voice faltered at the last word. She didn't want to go back to when she didn't know Jane. Back then she was socially awkward and nicknamed Queen of the Dead. She had no interest in returning to that title but was desperately afraid it would happen. Without Jane she was filled with old fears and insecurities.

Angela reached over to put a comforting arm on Maura's shoulder. "Now I know that is a total lie but I'll let it go for now." Maura took a breath willing the tears away and calming herself from the half truth she told. "And when you realize you're not okay, I'll be here for you. You're not alone anymore Maura, you have a family. You understand?"

The determination of the older woman's statement left Maura full of emotions and all she could do was nod her understanding.

Content with how she reassured Maura she had a family in the Rizzolis, even if Jane was gone, Angela returned to listening to music and left the medical examiner to process her thoughts in silence.


a/n: well there's the first chapter! I have most of the beginning and end of this story outlined, but the middle is still hazy, so any ideas are welcome. I'm open to suggestions! Stay healthy and drop a review!