Frankie sat in the hotel restaurant wanting for Maura and Jane to join him. The trial was starting tomorrow and the whole family…Maura included…were in a Connecticut hotel for the duration. Everyone was well aware of the seriousness surrounding the trial, but Frankie tried his best to keep things light and his sister in a good head space.

"Where is Jane," Frankie asked seeing Maura approach him?

"She will be down in a few moments. She said she just needed a minute," Maura informed the worried brother.

"How is she doing?"

"As well as can be expected I guess. She puts on a brave face but I know she is anxious."

"I can't imagine...god I wish I could do more."

"Frankie you have been nothing short of an amazing brother these past couple months. You have been there for Jane whenever she needed you and you have provided humor and a lightness she needs not to go totally insane."

"I just want this all to be over and that monster locked in a cage for the rest of his life."

Maura just nodded her head in agreement. She didn't want to tell Frankie it was unlikely Hoyt would spend the rest of his life in prison, more like 20-25 years if parole was a possibility.

Meanwhile upstairs in the hotel room Jane was bent over the toilet puking up anything that was remaining in her stomach, which wasn't much. She hadn't had much of an appetite recently as her stomach wasn't handling food very well. Her nerves were shot and it only got worse as the trial got closer. She knew everyone was worried about her but she couldn't control how her body was feeling. She was running on fumes but she just needed to get through the next couple days. She was supposed to testify early in the trial and once she was off the stand her job would be done. People often wished for a time machine to go back in time, right now Jane was wishing there was a fast forward button. A beep from her cell brought her out of her own thoughts.

"Are you ok? If you don't come down soon your brother is going to call the SWAT team."

Jane just smiled and text her girlfriend she was on her way down. She knew these next few days would be some of the worst of her life and she was thankful her family would be there for her.

"Finally…I am starving here," Frankie whined as Jane finally joined them.

"Nothing was stopping you from eating," she shot back sitting in the booth.

"Ms. Manners over here wouldn't let me order without you," Frankie huffed playfully.

"Right of course now," she nudged her girlfriend with a smile. "Well, the guest of honor is here so order."

"What are you getting," Maura inquired?

"I'm not really that hungry," Jane admitted knowing that would not be an acceptable answer.

Much to her surprise Maura didn't protest.

"Hey I am Val," the waitress said to newest member of the group. "Do you need a few more minutes to look over the menu."

"No, we are good…I think my brother will chew his arm off if I don't let him order," Jane joked. "Can I just have a ginger ale for now."

"Sure," the waitress said turning her attention to Maura.

"I will have the Asian Ahi Tuna salad with a cup of the baked potato soup and she will have the side Cesar salad with a cup of the new England clam chowder."

Jane should have expected something like this but it totally caught her off guard and Frankie's order was in before Jane could protest. Maura didn't give her a chance to complain either as she jumped right into a conversation with Frankie.

"Frankie if you need any help with your assignments let me know I will be happy to help."

"Thanks I might need it with physics but I have started some of the other stuff and it doesn't seem too bad," Frankie acknowledged discussing the assignments his teachers emailed him in preparation for taking the week off.

"You already started homework that isn't due until next Monday," Jane asked incredulously? "Man maybe there is hope for you yet."

Frankie flicked a sugar packet at his sister but thankful the waitress arrived with Jane's drink diffusing any further sibling banter.

"So do you know what time you will be testifying tomorrow," Frankie asked not wanting to get too deep into discussions about the trial but needing some information.

"The DA said jury instructions and opening arguments would take up most of the morning and he thinks I will be called in the afternoon. He wants me to be ready by 11 in case they need me before lunch but he thinks it is unlikely."

"Do you know how long it will last?"

"The trial? I have no idea."

"No, your testimony," Frankie clarified.

"Oh, yeah I don't know…if they call me after lunch probably two days between the DA and cross."

"You are going to do great," Frankie said with confidence.

"Thanks Frankie…I kinda needed to hear that."

"Well, I will tell you that every time I see you until you're finished with this. You really are going to do great…I know it."

Between trial prep and support for her family and girlfriend Jane knew she was ready for this trial, but she was even more ready for it to be over. She was thankful she was testifying early and hopefully by tomorrow night this whole thing would be over for her.

Unfortunately, things never go as planned. The court room was packed with reporters and other interested parties for the second straight day. She knew her mom and brother were in there even though she begged them not to be. As much as she wanted their support, she didn't want them to have to suffer through all the details. There were just some things you couldn't forget once you heard them, but they wanted to know. As someone that would have to testify Jane wasn't allowed to sit in the gallery, not that she wanted to. The less time she would have to spend in the same room as that man the better.

"Jane you're going to wear a path in the floor," Maura said hoping Jane would sit for a minute.

"I swear this is almost worse than being in that basement," Jane said continuing her pace. "I was supposed to be called yesterday, then it was this morning and now I might be called this afternoon but it also might not be until tomorrow. What the hell are they doing in there?"

"The DA will let you know and Vince will let you know. They just got back from lunch…Vince will let you know," she reassured.

"You're right…. you're right I just need to get some air."

"I will go with you."

"No, I need you to wait here in case Vince comes out. I will be just out front text me if anyone comes out please."

"Yeah, sure no problem…Jane," Maura called out to her girlfriend.

"Yeah," she asked taking a few steps towards Maura.

"You are going to do great," she said giving her girlfriend a kiss.

It was in that kiss that Jane found the first sense of calm all day.

"Thank you Maura."

Jane gave her another soft kiss before she headed for the front of the building. The walls in this court house were almost suffocating her and she just needed to breath for a moment. Maura didn't want to let her go alone but she knew this is what she needed to do for Jane…be right outside the courthouse doors in case Vince or someone had information or needed Jane.

It was almost a half hour later when the buzz around the courthouse noticeably changed. Maura watching as court officers fled from the room and span out in all directions. A few officers remained by the three doors of the court room but other than that there was no movement from inside. She knew something wasn't right and was thankful Vince was the next person out the door. She was a little confused why he had to flash his badge before leaving.

"Maura where is Jane," Vince asked almost frantically?

"She's…she is out front getting some air," she said following Vince as he took off in that direction.

The two were on the front step of the courthouse within moments.

"Vince what is going on," Maura demanded to know.

"Hoty escaped," Vince said looking around for any signs of Jane. "Call her," he requesting turning to Maura.

Maura could barely hold her phone as she processed all this information. Hoyt had escaped custody and Jane was presently missing. She couldn't go there, she had to believe Jane was just getting air somewhere and he didn't have her.

"She isn't answering Vince," Maura said in a panic. "What do you mean Hoyt escaped? How is that possible?"

"Coming back from lunch Hoyt was complaining of stomach pains and said he had to go to the bathroom. They took him to a single bathroom with no windows so when he asked for privacy the guard didn't think twice. Hoyt had someone cut a small passage from the bathroom to the room next to it which is a janitor's closet…no one knew it was there. After a few minutes the guard checked on Hoyt and he was gone."

"So not only is Hoyt gone but someone is working with him…someone you don't even know about," Maura asked now almost frantic?

"We are going to find her…this place is on lockdown and they are locking down a 6 block perimeter….try and stay calm….we are going to find her," he reassured.