The next morning, Maura found her wife hovering over the files of the case in which their daughter was involved and she knew that Jane didn't get any sleep at all. She took a deep breath as she walked over to the coffee maker and poured herself a mug.

Jane didn't look up from a page she was reading and asked with a ferocious voice, "Did our daughter explain what she got herself into?" Now she was looking at the former ME. "Or why she left without a goodbye?"

Maura was holding the intense gaze of Jane and understood her reaction at some point. As soon as she had found out that Liz left everything behind she was just hurt as Jane was, wondering what they had done wrong the whole time. She licked her lips and sighed. "She barely has spoken."

The older Italian nods slowly and stuck her nose back into the file.

Maura rolled her eyes and walked over to the table. She knew quite well from whom Liz got her perseverance. "Jane -"

"Ssh, I need to focus." She frowned as soon as a couple of arms appears in front of her and her eyes were finding gung-ho hazel eyes.

"No," the doctor replied firmly while she's bracing herself on the table. "You need to listen carefully!"

Jane's eyebrows are shot up and she leaned back in her chair. "Oh?"

Maura straightened her back again. "Yes! Our daughter Elizabeth is needing us right now!"

"And what about her very own son, our grandson Zane?" Jane stated louder and got up to her feet, running her hand through her hair. "Doesn't he need his mother? Doesn't we need our daughter? And as long as I don't have a massive head injury or Alzheimer, or live in a parallel universe, we taught our daughter that there is nothing more important than family. We did reach her what it means to take greater responsibility. And what did Elizabeth do? She turned her back to all of us. Especially to Zane."

Maura had to swallow hard and agrees silently with the former detective and still, she was trying to support her own child. "But she's still our daughter."

"Who handled herself pretty well the last five years." The other woman stated coldly.

"She knows that she made a mistake."

"That's not what I mean, Maura," Jane replied louder and ran a hand through her hair, pacing up and down. "All we've been doing that family is the ultimate. That there is nothing more important and all Liz did was turning her back at us without saying a word, without leaving a note behind. Maura, either of us has been looking out for her for ... months. We've been checking the hospital for her frequently, even the god damn morgues all around the country. And what about Adam? That poor boy is still hoping that they could work everything out after she cropped up again? Really? And why on Earth should we drop everything now and -"

"Because she's our daughter." Maura snapped and folded her arms over her chest. "Because she's your daughter, Jane Rizzoli. And we both know that she's a good person and that there has to be a good reason why she left like that. Now get a hold of yourself, would you?"

Jane's mouth hung open and a frown crawled up on her forehead, not really sure what to say about that but then she heard footsteps coming from the stairs. She turned to the source of the sound and she looked at her wife as soon as a sleepy, grumpy little boy rounded the corner, her eyes said silently that this conversation wasn't over yet. She scooped him up and a small smile tugged on her lips. "Hey there, did we wake you?"

He whimpered and buried his face in the crook of her neck.

Maura sighed heavily and glanced at the clock on the wall which said that it was just shortly after five in the morning before she started to prepare breakfast.

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Borderline syndrome. Suicidal. Has been violent in the past. Manipulative.

"Whatever people want to see in her, she makes them believe that."

Jesus, there had to be something true because of Adam absolutely convinced that she wasn't what the facts were telling him. "This woman is pretty confused."

Confused.

Yes, he was sure that Liz Rizzoli was confused. She cut her damn wrists, and apparently, it hasn't been the first time. "She already tried to kill herself ... Liz doesn't want any kind of help. She doesn't understand that she's needing some."

She already tried to kill herself. At this tonight Adam's stomach turned, and he became angry.

Damn it, don't to wrack your brain about it. Just do your work. Those words rang in Adam's head while he walked down the hallway. His footsteps echoed through the corridor. He thought that it sounded terrible.

Frankie and his new partner Steven O'Riley followed him, just like two uniformed. But Adam felt extremely lonely. He wasn't sure what exactly he was doing right now. Frankie walked in front of him with big steps. He didn't do any unnecessary movements and didn't waste any words. Not even in this situation. He didn't have any reason to do so. Adam could imagine every damn word in Frankie's head. He was sure that they the same Chaz Montoya told him on the phone twenty-four hours previous. Either of them had the same opinion - Liz didn't belong behind bars because of Chaz' attack, and the evidence didn't point at her for the murder of James Waterston, either. For that, she couldn't be locked away. Adam's gut was telling him that absolutely nothing fit together. It was bad luck that he couldn't only rely on his gut. He had to stick to the facts, and those were painting a very dark picture of Liz' last five years and a very unsettling personality.

And it was a fact that her fingerprints had been on the weapon with which Chaz almost had been beaten to death, and that she tried to kill herself after that. No, Liz didn't belong behind bars, but she needed help.

He had to think about how Waterston had died.

It was ugly. It was a real mess. And painful, too. Was Waterston in her way? He thought at day back when someone ran into her on the market place and she stumbled, fell against a pant tub and knocked the half-toasted Ficus over. And then Waterston ran into her and then Liz tripped out - apparently she had a problem with people who wore a uniform. That was a fact. They deconstructed the circumstances of the crime with the statement of Mary Barker and her receipts of their shopping spree. And time-wise nothing fit. According to Mary Liz had spent most of the day with her and yet ... Something was wrong and Adam needed to figure that out. Curiously he asked Frankie, "How is Liz behaving when you're around?"

"Calm," Frankie replied and glanced over his shoulder. "She's barely speaking, though. Even if her assigned counsel is with her she won't talk. Only when Leslie's around she's actually talking - she's asking about Chaz a lot but only Leslie's talking to her about him." He sighed.

O'Riley looked saddened at Adam. "Apparently she doesn't go along well with uninformed. She doesn't even look at me - just like the others. But when Frankie's around she doesn't seem to be so nervous."

"Nervous," Adam asked with a frown. He already knew that officers in uniform seemed to make her uncomfortable, for whatever reason, but he wanted to her the option of Frankie and O'Riley.

"You know what I mean, Laverty." O'Riley shrugged. "You surely already noticed how jittery she gets if a uniformed is in the same room with her. I don't tell you anything new."

Adam looked down the hall. Not even six-yard away was a uniformed officer standing in front of Liz' room.

Liz, damn it!

For him, she wasn't a suspect, not Mrs. Rizzoli. Still Liz ... with fascinating brown eyes and long, soft brown hair.

Liz. Fuck. .

He didn't want to allow himself to see her as his wife, as the mother of his son. This woman was accused of aggravated battery, and she already had been mentally unstable in the past. But he couldn't make himself to see Liz as a suspect. Besides - even the timing didn't fit he couldn't rule out that she didn't kill Waterston, or at least has been involved in the crime. She was officially considered dangerous, he had to keep that in mind. Or perhaps he was the one who was mentally unstable. Would he've been left alone he'd pause to slap himself and intend to do all the things so he'd see the criminal in Liz? He knew he shouldn't be thinking about Liz neither about her long, soft hair neither about her big, sad eyes or how much he wanted to pull her against him and promising her that ... whatever. He'd promise her anything.

Suspect, he reminded himself. Bad timing. And yet something inside him was stirring ... Something he didn't want to get to the bottom of it. She wasn't in Boston when Waterston got killed, remember? She has an alibi.

Sure Liz had a watertight alibi, but there was enough to give rise to doubts. Even if she didn't kill Waterston it's pretty sure that she attacked Chaz. Yeah, she was really close to him. What if she'd found out that Chaz wasn't the person he pretended to be anymore? If he disappointed her? Then she gets mad. Adam sighed heavily. Accept it, man. You can't be into a woman who's crazy. Damn it! Common sense could be really bugging. He really believed in the voice of reason. He liked it. He listened to it. He wished more people would do the same instead of listening to instincts, to greed, to their daffiness. Well, maybe then all of them would be jobless. That was fate. As a cop, he earned money because of the irrationality of other people. Now his voice of reason advised not to see the beautiful woman with sad brown eyes in Liz Rizzoli. He solely had to think about the fact that she has been found under the same tooth with a dead man and a man whose life was hanging by a thread.

And yet he remembered what kind of past the two shared. Big brown eyes, those long brown hairs, a smile that infected everyone around her, her irresistible beauty - nothing was worth the trouble these days. And at the same time Adam was feeling the urge to pull her close to him, to protect her, too... He cleared his throat and was grateful that neither of the other men looked at him. He should forget about that and preferably listen to his voice of reason. Yes, that was the order of the day. For some reasons, his brain told him something else than his instinct. If he'd listen to his brain - not differently to expect - take the safe side and act like a detective. Liz was still a suspect.

But his instinct ...

"Why do you think she's innocent," he asked Frankie.

The older man answered with a clinical voice, "Who's saying I think she's innocent?"

"I can put one and one together."

Frankie smiled weakly and even though he didn't respond to that Adam got the message. You've been the one who arrested her.

Damn, what other choices did he have? Perhaps she didn't kill Waterston, but he couldn't ignore the evidence which had proven that she was in the attack involved.

"Laverty."

Adam didn't recognize the deep voice immediately and looked over his shoulder, blinking slowly. Then he turned completely and watched how Chaz Montoya slowly exited the elevator. Behind him, the door closed again. He was white as a shed - well, he could call himself lucky that he was still alive. Less then seventy-two hours ago he was still in a coma and the doctors weren't so sure if he'd wake up again. Normally he shouldn't be walking around which was obvious because he was bracing himself on a banister. His brown eyes were worrying. His lips were pressed together. If Chaz made it to Adam in the hallway it was sure that he'd give it a try to throw a punch at Adam.

Adam sighed heavily. "Damn, Chaz, you should still be laying in your bed."

"If you'd picked my calls then I would be right there." Chaz barked.

"We've been talking yesterday."

"Yeah, then I find out that you show up," Chaz growled with a tight smile. "Wonder why."

"You shouldn't wrack your brain about that. You have to recover. Get well again. I was about to talk to you tomorrow." Adam replied. After he got the inevitable done. God, this man got out of a coma just two days ago. He really shouldn't care about things like that.

"Tomorrow." Chaz snorted. "Tomorrow. After you've arrested my best friend because she allegedly almost beat me to death. If you ask me, that's bullshit just a waste of tax dollars.

Adam shifted his weight from one foot to the other. This didn't go as planned. He just wanted to get this done, that's all. He didn't want to think about Liz anymore, all the problems she had to deal with ... and those who were still waiting for her. And also not about her relationship with Chaz. Hell, it would be best for his own sake just to forget her. "Listen, Chaz, I know that you're mad ... but I have to do my job. We have evidence -"

"You have nothing," Chaz cut him short. "Nothing. She was standing in front of me. Do you get that? She was standing in front of me while someone from behind floored me. I saw Waterside's body laying three yards behind her and then someone knocked me down. You know Liz is a smart woman, and I always thought she's something special, but I doubt that even she can be at two places at the same time, Laverty." He angrily clenched his fists and stared at Adam like he's considering to hit him right that moment.

Chaz' statement sounded strange, and yes, it made Adam think but Chaz probably would do anything to protect Liz. Everything.

Adam replied with a sigh, "Look, I know that you like ... Ms. Rizzoli and that you want to help her, but facts are facts and said facts draw us to the conclusion that -" His phone started to ring and he got it from his pocket absentmindedly to turn it off before he recognized the number. It was the lab. Frowning, he raised apologetically his hand and took the call.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

She heard their voices, weak and indistinctly, but it wasn't hard for her to recognize them. Recognizing Adam and Frankie wasn't hard at all. A shiver ran down her spine. Liz tugged her knees to her chest and told herself Don't cry, Elizabeth. Don't cry, don't cry.

When the door started to open she jumped a little even though her arms were still wrapped around her body. She saw it coming. Knew that ... Adam. That's for sure Adam. He's coming to arrest me even though I get the feeling that he's believing me.

But it wasn't Adam. Someone else entered her room - on shaky legs with a frowsy beard and eyes which seemed way too old. He had a cast on his right forearm - and Liz was sure as soon as he wasn't in great pain anymore, this thing would bother him as hell that he was limited in his movements. If it didn't bother him already. But his arm wasn't the worst. His face was bruised and covered in scratches.

"Oh God," she breathed and covered her face with her hands. Chaz.

She wanted to climb out of the bed but the fixation around her ankles kept her from doing so. She swore under her breath and simply stared at her friend. "Chaz." She whispered.

At that, Chaz gave her an uncertain smile, dragged him to her bed and sat down on the mattress. "Hey there," he said out of breath.

Liz reached out for him and when he wrapped his good arm around her shoulder she started to cry. God, I was so scared. So scared. Her crying grew harder and she hiccupped.

"Sssh," Chaz tried to soothe her and caressed the back of her head, whispering. "It's okay, Lizzy. Everything's gonna be okay."

She didn't believe it but at least now she was sure that he was gonna be okay again. That was good enough for her, now.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Adam entered the lab and his heart dropped as soon as he saw Maura standing in there. He pushed the door open and stuttered, "Is everything ... is everything okay with ... with Zane? Please tell me that he's fine."

Maura's eyes shot up and she glanced over the rim of her reading glasses. "What?" It dawned to her when she saw his worried expression. "Oh my God, everything is fine. Zane is doing amazingly fine. He's staying with Jane right now."

He heaved a sigh of relief but then frowned. "Maura, don't get me wrong but what are you doing here?"

The older woman smiled a little and handed him a file. "Helping. Most of the blood samples are the type AB, that's Liz' blood group. But not all of it. There also was blood type 0. It wasn't very easy to figure it out, this isn't the FBI. If none of this would be so absurd, the lab techs wouldn't have looked at it closely. At first sight, it looks very simple - she cuts her wrists, drops down, hit her head. No wonder that she had blood in her hair. But we didn't only find blood in it." She took a petri dish in her hand. "There also was body tissue in her hair. What I don't understand is how she can hit her head and also get body tissue of another person in her hair, Adam. This evidence isn't convincing me. According to this, she must have been capable to hit herself with the same baseball bat with which she has beaten Chaz, on the back of her head. That doesn't make sense at all."

Adam rubbed the back of his neck. No, this wasn't convincing him, too. "And I surely don't have to ask you if the tissue came from Liz?"

Maura scowled at him.

He threw his hands up. "Alright, alright." He sighed and folded his arms over his chest. "Then there's one question: What the hell is going on?"

Maura put her glasses down and wiggled her eyebrows. "It seems like you are looking at a conspiracy. I really do believe that, Adam."

"You do." He narrowed his eyes and then he looked back at the report. While the cop in him was still skeptical the sickening feeling in his stomach slowly faded. In that way, everything made much more sense to him. Because of that he no longer has the impression that he was fooling himself. Because of that, he had no longer the feeling that he was treating Liz like shit. She didn't do it. He smiled at Maura. "Thank you."

Maura smiled back at him. "You're more than welcome.

Adam was about to leave but then he turned around again. "Maura?"

"Yes?" She replied while she gathered her things.

"You didn't run the tests yourself, did you?"

She looks up with a frown but then she smiled innocently. "Of course not. I am only here to give you my counsel and this results. All I've been doing was to wait and watch. Otherwise, the results wouldn't be permitted by law."

He looked long at her and a smile tugged on the corners of his mouth. He wasn't sure if he should believe her at all but he didn't want to question her honesty. Especially if it could risk the case. "Thanks." He murmured. "And thanks for looking out of Zane, I know he can be a handful."

"Jane and I know exactly how to handle a kid like that," Maura said with a real smile and chuckled as Adam scoffed and turned to leave.