Jane could hear the fast and hard beat of her heart in her ears as she carefully and silently made her way up the stairs towards Maura's room. It felt like her stomach was knotting itself over and over again as she subconsciously dug her fingers harder into the round scars on her palms.
The anger was still slowly simmering through her veins, the thought of Ian managing to escape police custody making her almost sick to the stomach.
As Jane's feet softly padded across the wooden floorboards of the hall way she stopped for a second outside Maura's bedroom, the door closed over with the faint sliver of light poking out from underneath. It was quiet, with the exception of the faint rumblings of conversation creeping up the stairs from Constance and Arthur.
Gently turning the handle and pushing the door open to the honey blondes bedroom, Jane's eyes immediately settled and lingered on the sight of Maura and Arabella. The way the young girls arms wrapped protectively around her mother's pregnant stomach, the love and sheer warmth radiated from across the room.
It wasn't long until Jane's heart started to sink as she looked more closely she could see the clear signs that Maura had been crying. Puffy eyes beneath glasses that were an addition she hadn't seen on the women before and a red nose that could rival Rudolph's and yet the dark haired women would still argue that she was hands down the most beautiful women to grace the planet.
Slowly and as quietly as possible, Jane moved toward the pair before crouching down beside the bed. Jane couldn't stop herself her hands moved on their own accord, fingertips lovingly brushing a stray strand of soft blonde hair out of the Doctors face before moving to remove the glasses that adorned the women's face.
"Jane?" Maura's voice broke the silence of the room as she sleepily murmured the dark haired women's name, her eyes blinking for a few seconds before fully opening up to meet dark brown eyes that were gazing at her with an intensity that caused a blush to start creeping across her cheeks.
For a moment Jane found herself unable to speak, unable to do anything but stare at the women and take in every single freckle and inch of the women's skin. It wasn't until a soft groan coming from Arabella that Jane snapped out of it, clearing her throat as she instantly straightened her back and turned to place the women's glasses in the side table next to the bed.
"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you." Jane muttered as the reason for her trip up the stairs came flooding back, her jaw clenched tightly as she did everything to avoid looking at the other women.
It wasn't until she felt the fingertips delicately reach out to wrap around her wrist that Jane's head finally rose up again.
"It's Ian, isn't it?" The way the blondes voice wavered slightly at saying her husbands name, it killed Jane. As if someone had placed her heart into a vice and was tightening it, the swirl of fear in the blondes eyes was like the final nail in Jane's coffin.
Starting to reply, Jane couldn't speak through the lump in her throat but managed a light nod of her head. Tasting blood inside her mouth, Jane winced as her tongue ran over a gouge she had made in the side of her mouth without realising.
"He's managed to escape.. this is all my fault Maura I should ha-" finally managing to get the words out Jane was cut off as the fingers that were wrapped around her wrist squeezed tightly as the blonde shook her head violently almost waking the young girl resting against her side.
"Don't you dare finish that sentence." Jane was taken aback by the conviction and absolute finality of Maura's command, her mouth opening to begin to argue until the squeezing around her wrist eased and instead tugged her onto the bed only just managing to stop herself from tumbling on top of the pregnant women.
Settling herself down on the bed, Jane lay on her back staring up at the ceiling while her ears twitched at every noise and creek that the house let out.
Despite all the commotion the young Isle's continued to snore softly against her mother's side as Maura shifted slightly so she could turn to face the women who was fidgeting with her fingers. It had only taken 2 days for Maura to notice all the women's nervous habits and this was one of them.
"Jane?" Maura's hand reached out, the pads of her fingers lightly tugging at the Italian's bottom lip that was currently being held captive by her front teeth.
The tender touch, it was all too much. A silent tear ran down Jane's face as she shivered under the women's caring gaze.
"It is not your fault. You couldn't have done anything differently so please, Jane. Stop blaming yourself." Maura's voice was soft, almost pleading as her arms moved to wrap around the dark haired women's waist.
Jane leant her head down, her lips placing a kiss against Maura's forehead as she felt the women's body relaxing with every breath she took.
"I need to go check the doors and windows are all locked sweetheart." The words were murmured against the skin of Maura's forehead but before her body could even begin to move Maura gripped at her thigh with a surprising strength.
"Stay? Just another few minutes. Please." Rather than verbally reply Jane tried her hardest to let the tension in her body drift away as she shifted further down onto the bed to tangle her legs together with the blondes, her hand laying to rest over Arabella's which remained a constant guard over her little brother even in her deep sleep.
The blondes face moved to sleepily rest against Jane's shoulder, with each breath a light puff of air brushed against her neck making the hair on her arms stand on end as she did her best to ignore how nice it felt to have the women pressed so closely to her own body. Now is not the time Rizzoli.
Jane couldn't help but feel responsible, if she had just insisted on having hand picked officers she knew wouldn't even let Ian so much lift a hand without their notice let alone let the scumbag slip out of a window to be allowed to linger and wait around in the shadows for the perfect time to strike.
Despite all the stress and worry coursing through her body, the feeling of the blondes chest rising slowly and steadily as she took each breath reassured the Detective that the women was still here.
It surprised Jane how quickly sleep had come over the blonde although the day had been hectic, everything happening all at once and she supposed growing a small baby in your stomach wasn't exactly a walk in the park either with the added fact that she had 'fallen' down the stairs not even 3 days ago.
Jane had often been described as a hero, the word constantly batted around by her Mother who liked to remind everyone of how she had managed to come face to face with a serial killer and live. To Jane, it was the job she had signed up for and knew exactly the risks she would face when in the line of duty.
But Maura, she was the real hero. Wife and Mother shouldn't ever come with the added tag on as a punching bag. Ever. And yet the women laying beside her showed so much resilience, more than Jane could even bring to imagine possessing. Having the strength to finally admit and take action against her husband and now Jane had failed her.
Ian was going to regret the day he was born by the time Jane got her hands on him again. He may have been able to slip out of her grasp once but not again.
It hadn't taken Jane long to put the pieces together, the argument with Patrick Doyle the starting point and the arguing that had floated up the stairs confirming what she had already suspected. The part of Jane that screamed at her for even beginning to think about getting in contact with the most notorious mob boss in Boston was quickly silenced as her eyes glanced down to settle on the deep purple bruises that marked the blondes pale soft wrist.
Jane would do anything to protect the women she had so badly failed with her promises of safety.
Tomorrow she would get in touch with Patrick Doyle. Tomorrow, Jane would make good on her promise to Maura and Arabella even if it went against the 'blue' blood that had ran through her blood for so long.
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And 4 years later the wanderer returns.. if you'll have me back that is?
Just a light filler chapter while I get back into the swing of things, hope you enjoyed it folks.
Thanks for the reviews and comments, they truly mean a lot to me xo