a/n: thanks for all the positive reviews! please be nice to each other though, we all love the show and Rizzles, no need to be mean. With that, the next chapter...


The red-headed novice detective marched her way up from the morgue, intent on finding some answers. If Maura's love for Jane was this clear to her after knowing the woman a total of two hours, it must be clear to others. Her eyes scanned the precinct, looking for someone to ask when her gaze landed on Nina and Frankie alone in BRIC.

She knocked on the doorframe startling the pair. "Sorry George, nothing yet" Nina apologized.

Emma dismissed the apology with a wave of her perfectly manicured hand. "That's not why I'm here"

Frankie looked up from the papers he was reading, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Then why are you here?"

"Maura and Jane" she replied simply as knowing smiles took over the pair in front of her. "You know?" she asked.

Nina let out a laugh, "Of course we know, those two are not the best at hiding their feelings towards each other. It's obvious to everyone but them!"

Frankie nodded his agreement. "Jane may have been the youngest to ever be promoted to detective, but with Maura, she's not the brightest." Frankie tapped two fingers to his temple to emphasize his point.

"Well Maura knows she loves Jane. She realized it in Paris" Emma said causing two very shocked faces.

"Now" Emma paused, clapping her hands together, a glint in her eyes that caused Nina and Frankie to shoot each other worried looks. "What are we going to do to help them?"


Later that night, Jane sat on her couch, beer in hand, a Friends rerun on TV providing the background noise she needed to think. Her other hand fingered a white envelope that had her name written across the front.

Jane entered the break room to find Korsak sitting at the table, reading the newspaper and drinking coffee. She sat down across from him, letter in hand, a bundle of nervous energy.

"Are you just going to sit there, or are you going to tell me what's up?"

Jane jumped slightly at the older man's comment and smiled at his raised eyebrows. She looked around to make sure they were alone before sliding the letter across the table. Korsak shot her a quizzical look but opened it nonetheless.

His eyes scanned the letter and a mixture of shock and pride took over his face. "You took and passed the Sergeant's Exam? Jane that's great!"

"Shh, why don't you let the whole precinct know?" Jane shot back an edge to her voice that Korsak was not expecting.

"Jane, what's wrong, this is a great accomplishment?" He looked at her with caring, non judgmental eyes but Jane still felt exposed and vulnerable.

The brunette ran her hand through her curls. "I know I know, it's just I already told everyone I'm leaving. Ma is happy I won't be in danger anymore, Frankie can't wait to no longer be the other Rizzoli, you're retiring and Maura is planning her writing career. Everyone is moving on and happy that I'm moving. I don't want to go back on what I said and make everyone's lives more difficult."

Korsak's gaze softened as he moved to cover her hand with his. "Jane, don't you know how much everyone is going to miss you? They're just trying to be supportive because they think it's what you want. If it's not, they'll understand and be happy you're staying." Korsak paused to ensure his words had made it into the detective's stubborn mind.

Jane's gaze hardened as she shook her head. "It doesn't matter what I want. It matters what's best for me and my family. And that's Quantico."

With a nod to herself, Jane was up and out of the room leaving a stunned Korsak in her wake. He sighed, worried about the woman he viewed like a daughter. He knew BPD was her home and was scared she was making a mistake. But Korsak wasn't one to make someone else's decisions for them. If Jane decided to go to Quantico, he would support her and if and when she came crawling back to Boston he would be there for her too.

Jane let out a sigh at the memory. She had been so confident in her choice to move to Quantico. She was so sure it was the best decision for herself, her family and her friends. But here, miles away from everything she knew, she was no longer confident. It had been a hard year full of sleepless nights and incredible stress. She put herself and her family through hell and was at her breaking point. And then there was Quantico with an easy out and a safe job. So she took it and ran.

But then she went to Paris with Maura. Maura, the woman who was her rock in a storm and the light in her darkest days. When she thought of Maura she thought of warm smiles, bright hazel eyes, endless facts and home. Days exploring Paris brought purpose and light back into her life and suddenly, Quantico was no longer the escape she wanted. It wasn't forming new beginnings or making it on her own. It was leaving home, in all definitions of the word. Now, here she was about to start school the next day wishing she was anywhere but on a slightly used couch in Quantico, Virginia.

A sigh escaped her lips and she reached for her phone to call Maura. They hadn't talked since Maura left but they had been texting. Maura let her know she was working on her first case back as Chief ME and there was a new detective in the homicide unit. Jane felt anger building at the thought of someone else at her desk but she took a deep breath and forced the thoughts aside. She had no right to be angry.

The doctor answered and Jane immediately picked up on the background noise. The clinking of glasses and plates and the laughter and talking filtered through the phone making her heart ache. Maura was at the Dirty Robber and Jane was not.

"Jane!" the blonde answered, her voice breathy from laughter. She heard an unfamiliar woman's voice in the background and there was the feeling again settling in her gut, the same one she felt in Paris but couldn't name. "I'm going to the bathroom so I can hear you better"

Jane listened as the noise grew quieter before disappearing all together as she imagined the bathroom door swinging close.

"Much better, hi Jane what's up?"

"Nothing much, just calling to see how you are." Jane closed her eyes and cursed at the ceiling at how awkward she sounded.

Her friend was oblivious and chattered on. "We solved my first case back in a day, Jane. One day! It was incredible! The new detective, Emma George, she's a force, Jane. I imagine she is a lot like you were at that age. Can read people like you wouldn't believe!" Jane heard the excitement pouring out of Maura as she gave the details of the case, but all Jane could feel was resentment. What was wrong with her?

"That's great, Maur" she replied, voice tight.

This time, the doctor picked up on Jane's tone. "Jane, what's the matter?"

Jane sighed. "Nothing Maura"

Maura knew she was lying but knew not to push it. "Alright I'll talk to you tomorrow after your first day?"

"Okay, goodbye Maura" Jane replied and hung up before hearing a response, throwing her head back against the pillows.

This move was supposed to fix her relationships, make her whole again yet she somehow felt as though she was on a sheet of ice floating further and further away from the shore breaking apart as she went. She got up and placed the envelope back in the cupboard where it belonged and got ready for bed. She twisted and turned a mixture of sad and angry, nerves starting to claw and work their way into her head. Finally, she fell into a restless sleep as dreams of loneliness, isolation and falling down a deep well overtook her.