This story is going in a surprising direction even for me. My original vision of the ending has completely exploded into something else. But crap it's gonna be sooo damn good (Am I allowed to say that?). Well I think it will...it's not quite done yet...
I got so excited last night at a scene I wrote for a few chapters from now...I almost posted a new chapter that just said..."I am writing this and it's absolutely brilliant.' LOL...glad I didn't tho. What a weirdo. haha.
Thank you for ALL the wonderful comments...I am so thrilled you're enjoying it so much :D I am too.
So sorry I didn't put a trigger warning up last chapter straight away, completely forgot, so thank you to the guest comment that it was 'hard to read', that reminded me.
Love and blessings
JAM

Chapter S3v3n

"Rizzoli" Jane answered her phone, her morning voice croaky and sounding very little like herself. She had fallen asleep at her desk again about half-way through over 226 hotline calls following her television appearance.

She rubbed her eyes and face with the palm of her hand trying to wake herself up.

"South-east corner of Bunker Hill Monument Square, Charlestown."

Jane listens to the dispatcher and glances at the clock on her computer. 5:45am.

"Woman's body was found thirty minutes ago by a jogger. Blonde, Caucasian, late-30's..."

Jane failed to take her next breath.

She swallowed involuntarily.

Not Maura, can't be. God why?

Her limbs froze, while her heart sped up. She couldn't move. She wasn't sure she was breathing.

Please God don't let it be Maura.

Please.

"You there Rizzoli?"

Breath Jane.

Fuck.

I failed. I failed. Fuck.

No. It's not her.

But they called me.

Fuck.

Her phone was still pressed to her ear but she was busy trying to fight the conclusions her brain was making to hear dispatch requesting a response.

It can't be her.

Go find out, face it, waiting won't change anything, only delay the inevitable.

Breath.

Say something.

Move.

Beads of sweat started to form on her neck and chest from the internal stress alone.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

"Rizzoli?" The voice sounded annoyed now

Jane focus. Get up, respond anything.

You can't run from this.

Better you see for yourself than have to wait to be told.

Just go, Jane.

In this moment, she hated her job. All her worst fears in the world collided at once. This moment could change her career forever.

This moment she wished the ground would swallow her whole.

She managed to blink. She managed to take a shallow shaky breath.

Come on Jane you can do this, you have to...for Maura.

"I-I'm on my way." Jane finally grunts through gritted teeth.

Casey had leaned forward just staring at her.

Maura stopped fighting.

She froze.

Her heart pounded double-time against her ribs. And the blood drained from her face.

What was he going to do next.

His eyes moved from her fearful eyes to her neck and he stared at her chest, at the necklace Maura wore. It was her scrimshaw in a gold setting. It was her mothers once, now it was hers.

Maura wanted to reach up and clasp it. Keep it from his view. But his weight on her shoulders and fear held her still.

Casey's eyes flickered up to Maura's and he smiled that smile Maura was becoming used too. That smirk that made her stomach sink.

He looked back down and removed his hand from her shoulder.

He reached his open hand towards her neck and paused centimeters from her throat.

When Jane arrived, the Crime Scene Unit was already there.

Sniffer dogs were roaming the park with their handlers.

The medical examiner's van had just pulled up and the temporary M.E. and his assistant were getting out.

Korsak was standing with his back towards her looking warily towards the bushes rubbing the back of his neck.

Jane slammed her car door and started to walk towards Korsak, but her stride changed to a sprint as she drew closer. Her heart was racing.

She ducked the tape ignoring the officer asking her name. She didn't hear him.

She could already see a pale leg and boot beneath the bush.

Korsak heard her coming up towards the scene, he turned and stepped in her path. Jane tried to pass him barely even seeing him, but he caught her arm tightly managing to slow her down and stop her contaminating the scene by falling right onto it.

She gasps when she sees the body.

It was definitely a blonde woman but the face was beyond recognition. Burnt maybe. She was a mess. Unrecognizable.

Korsak holds his grip on her arms, "Jane, don't look. Just wait. Wait for the M.E. to tell us."

Korsak wondered who had screwed up and called Jane in on this case. Jane had been only working Maura's case...that was the way Cavanaugh wanted it...that was what was best for them all. Mostly because she was too distracted to focus on anything else but that would drive herself crazy if he had sent her home.

Korsak knew that from the details he got on the phone from dispatch, that Jane would have heard the same thing and thought it might be Maura.

He wished he could tell her it wasn't Maura...but he didn't know yet.

On drive over to the scene he had thought about how he would tell Jane if the body did belong to Maura.

Jane put her hands over her mouth and turned away.

"It might not be Maura." Korsak said his voice had some hope in it turning Jane to face him. "This looks like..." It was hard to tell what it looked like. Disfigured was the only word that came to mind. "It is not...we don't know...Jane don't...just wait..."

Jane forced herself to look back at the body, she needed to know. Blonde. Definitely a woman. Age was a guess in her books. The victim wore a black skirt and a once white blouse that was brown and melted around the collar. Fancy looking zip up boots. No visible tattoos or piercings. No visible cause of death from where she stood except the burning to the face and arms. Jane stood stiffly, held in place by Korsak, as the new Medical examiner squatted over the body looking for evidence.

After a few minutes the M.E. pulled the blouse open to check the trachea for damage and that was when Jane spotted it, a shiny white and gold necklace poking out from the collar. It had a scrimshaw on it, she knew this because Maura had showed this exact necklace to her, then it had helped them solve a case regarding Maura's own father.

"That necklace is M-Maura's" Jane choked out making fearful eye contact with Korsak who turned to see what Jane was talking about.

Jane takes the pendant Maura hands to her
"Wow a scrimshaw. It's really pretty. I think that's real whale bone."
"It's a family heirloom. Hope gave it to Kaitlin on her 18th birthday." Maura reads the letter written by her half-sister.
"Well that was really sweet of her to give it to you."
Maura reads further and covers her mouth.
"Or not?" Jane adds
"It was a gift to Hope on her 18th birthday."
"Who gave it to her?"
Maura turns to Jane, "A man who is about to go on trial for 15 murders. My father, Paddy Doyle."

"It's her's Korsak. Fuck."

Korsak holds her as her legs start to give way.

"Don't jump to conclusions Jane."

Jane watches Hope's reaction as she see's that Maura is wearing the necklace. Her eyes are surprised as her gaze is locked on it. Jane looks between Mother and daughter and necklace.
Hope finds her voice, "Where did u get that..necklace?"
Maura places her hand over it causing Hope to look back up at Maura, "I'm sorry...I thought you knew Kaitlin gave it to me."
"Oh of course, I'm sorry." Hope looks away.
Jane looks at Maura, their eyes meet each other, they are both surprised by Hope's reaction.

Casey watches from his car on the other side of the park hidden in the shadows creating by the buildings behind him. He had chosen this spot because it had the best view of the area without him standing out and being seen. Also the park boundary has plenty of trees to obscure him while he could get the perfect shot between the oak trees.

He had a view of Jane from directly in front of him.

He had his camera and long lens resting on the open window frame to reduce any movement or vibrations, he wanted these shots to be amazing. He could almost feel the stress and panic coming through the lens from Jane.

She looked physically sick. She looked exactly how he expected Jane to look.

He smiled.

First she was tired, that had been the first step, Jane's judgement had always been less cognitive when she was tired. She wouldn't even look for anyone watching, she wouldn't expect him.

Then the clues that meant nothing to keep her on edge.

Then the gaps of prolonged silence and distance, no word of Maura or from Maura. He knew those had the worst affect on her because there was nothing she could do but wait and worry.

Then that beautiful call from Maura to Jane so she would know Maura was alive. That gave her hope and also confused her.

He had almost forgotten that play, it was Jane indicating she thought Maura was dead that reminded him that he needed that part so that this death would be that much more painful for her.

It was like Jane's personal hell week. It was the psychological warfare he had been trained how to use on their enemies, foreign or otherwise.

It was a cruel and perfect, and Maura's innocence had made it that much more perfect. He had expected Maura to scream that it was him...then he would take the phone and make Jane beg to save her life...he would not spare Maura's life...but he also would not be able to be anywhere near the scene when the body was found. Being there was decidedly more fun.

He took more photo's. He would fill his camera card.

The medical examiner chose that moment to speak in his gruff texan voice into his recording device.

"Caucasian Female, appears to be 40-45 years of age. No Identification. Signs of sexual assault. Severe corrosive damage to at least 30% of the epidermis, the face, neck, shoulders and arms in particular...based on the damage and lack of blood it was likely done post-mortem. The damage has possibly obscured bruising on the wrists here and fingerprinting will not be possible..."

Jane is sure she will pass out. Her brain screams 'NO' over and over.

Korsak is her support.

He hopes his grip on Jane's forearms will not bruise her.

"Maura." She whimpers.

...to be continued...