Chapter S1xt33n

"Did you parents ever get physical with each other?" Jane asks as she leans against the railing and looks off into the distance across the Charles River to the bright city skyline.

"Jane?" Maura's whole face questioning.

"I mean, like hit each other...physically?"

Maura thinks for a brief moment, "I don't think my parents were ever in the same room long enough for anything of the sort to transpire."

"That might almost be worse than violence."

"Do you really think so?" Maura asks sincerely, her insecurities bothering her.

Jane shrugs, "Maybe. I mean. When people fight it's because they care. If they aren't around each other how do you know how they even feel."

Maura tugs her lip between her teeth in thought, "I guess because of how they communicated that love while they were apart. My father had flowers sent to my mother on the first weekend of every month. My Mother would call my father every night."

"So they loved each other?" Jane is surprised at these facts she didn't know about Maura's parents.

"I believe so. But...Jane...I'm not sure physical violence is, or could be remotely considered an act of love. I'm not sure fighting equates to 'caring' either."

"What about 'Crimes of Passion'?" Jane says with intrigue and wriggles her eyebrows

Maura ignores Janes supposition, "Narcissism can easily be mistaken for love. As can co-dependency."

"Is there any form of violence that is love?" Jane says softly almost rhetorically

Maura turns to look at her friend, "Did your parents ever hit each other Jane?"

"I..I don't think so Maur."

"Then where did this belief that violence is related to love, or caring, come from?"

Jane shrugs, "I'm not sure. I guess I just...well...experience?"

"Personal experience?" Maura asks worriedly perplexed

Jane rubs her palms together before shoving them in her pockets defiantly with another shrug.

Maura watches Jane cautiously. She would never believe Jane would accept any sort of violence especially considering their respective jobs...yet she also isn't denying it. Who could Jane be referring too. When. Where. Why.

"If anyone ever hurts you Jane...that wouldn't be ok regardless of the reasons they say."

"I know." Jane says automatically but also weakly with no real conviction

"I mean it Jane. Violence is never ever OK. Anyone that causes you to even 'feel' afraid or does anything to you that you feel ashamed to talk about...it isn't OK." Maura is firm in her tone yet gentle.

Jane nods and stares out at the orange setting sun in the distance

"You know you can tell me anything Jane. Anything. I will never judge you. You never have to feel afraid or embarrassed or silly."

Jane nods again slowly but with more peace, "Thanks Maur. It's nothing tho. I'm good."

Maura reaches across the distance and puts her hand on Jane's shoulder gently. Jane flinches slightly at the touch before silently leaning towards the comfort. Maura smiles at her friend who's eyes are now closed...the last of the light like an orange kiss on tanned skin lighting up her dark hair like a midnight bon-fire.

"This is love Jane. Patience. Gentleness. Selfless-ness. Kindness. What we have is love. Even though it's platonic...it is love. And if anyone hurts you..."

Jane opens her eyes but doesn't move to turn.

"...I will kill them."

Jane turns her face towards Maura and even in the slowly vanishing light she can tell her eyes are wet and sparkly. Usually she might respond with a joke at Maura's serious face or tone or statement, something like 'but where would you hide the body, if only to deflect away from her own true feelings. But Jane has come to know that is unfair to Maura causing her discernible hurt. So Jane forces herself to stay in the moment. Watching. Sincere. Waiting. Trusting.

"I mean it Jane. I don't care who they are. I will kill them."

And then Jane is smiling, the last glimmer of sunset bouncing off her dimples.

Casey doesn't say a word as he forces Maura to sit and zip ties each hand to the arms of the chair.
She wants to fight back, but she knows he is stronger than her. And he is always ready for her, always has a gun on her.
She has imagined more than once what she would do if he let his guard down. She has imagined a single moment of distraction...a single slip up when she was unchained or untied.
She glances at Casey, he is leaning against the wall his arms crossed and a gun clutched in his hand, he is looking towards the doorway almost impatiently.
He doesn't take any notice of her as her eyes dart to his jugular.
She thinks about the sharp butter knife she has carefully tucked down her trousers and if she might get a chance to use it.
If she had the chance...would go for his throat. She wonders if her knife would be sharp enough and if she would have enough strength to get through the cartilage in the throat...to cut deeply enough to sever the carotid artery. If she intended to kill him she would aim to the side of the larynx with the blade flat and the cutting edge facing away from the larynx, thrust the knife in with the point angled towards the center back of the neck so the knife would be behind the carotid artery and jugular vein, then yank the blade sideways, away from the larynx. If the knife was sharp enough she could pull it right through the neck and cleanly sever both the carotid artery and the jugular vein.
She would not perform the autopsy but it would still read death by means of exsanguination. Of course she would claim self-defense.
If his back was to her she would stab him in the back of the neck at the base of the skull. This would sever the spinal cord and brain stem. It would render him immediately harmless. All body function would cease. He would need immediate medical assistance.
However she would need to cut between the vertebrae and through the disc in order to get to the spinal cord.
Maura's eyes glance lower to his torso, still wearing his military clothing. His arm on his hip. From where she sits, if her arm was free, she could plunge the knife into the Axillary artery. It is not very deep at the armpit, and so it is fairly easy to access it. This artery supplies blood to the arm and extremities and it is so close to the heart, if it is severed, blood will come spurting out like in a movie. The only concern being getting the blade through the heavy material.
If she wanted to kill him instead of just stop him or slow him down, she might aim for his lungs. By holding the knife blade flat she could slide it between the ribs, pierce the lung, they would fill with blood, and in effect, he would drown in his own blood. Even with immediate and excellent medical care because his lungs quickly fill with fluid they cannot perform their function of gas exchange for respiration, restricting oxygen to the cells...causing death. Did she want to kill him?
Casey straightens up and crosses his arms exposing his organs. The liver is an organ located on the right side, front of the body. The liver holds blood in reserve and acts as a filter. Thrusting a flat blade between the second and third, or third and fourth ribs will most likely give a direct hit to the liver making it an excellent target for a knife attack. Fatal if not immediately treated.
The femoral artery is a major artery that goes through the pelvic region and down the legs. This artery can be accessed by stabbing into the groin area in the crook of the leg, and cutting down. There will be rapid blood loss with this injury if the artery is solidly struck. Death is inevitable without proper and rapid medical attention.
Popliteal artery is an extension of the femoral artery and can be easily accessed by stabbing into the back of the knee. This artery is very close to the surface and will afford rapid blood loss if cut.

Jane twists bites her bottom lip in thought barely hearing Korsak fire off technical information about plans and tactics.
She is close to tears. She feels betrayed. Deceived. Casey took her best friend and then played some sort of sick game with her. Casey, her ex lover. She went to high school with him. She trusted him. She almost had his baby.
Her eyes dart over blueprints but she can only focus on her own apartment building at the end of the road. The triangulation location still pinging off his phone. She doesn't need blueprints or floor-plans to know the area precisely.
Part of her wants to cry that her best friend has been held captive by Casey and the other part is angry enough that she could strangle him with her bare hands. The expression on her face appears bewildered. And when an angry tear threatens to escape she bites harder. Too hard. She tastes the blood but she doesn't care, the taste fuels her to focus harder on the second floor window three from the end. Curtains drawn and no visible signs of life. But they are in there, she is sure of it. Thermal imaging shows at least two people in her apartment, there could be more, or it could just be the two of them.
She knows she has to act soon...or fast.

"If he see's anyone but me she won't stand a chance. We have to get her out. That's all that matters."

"It might be all that matters right now to you, but you matter too Jane. We need to catch him and keep you both safe."

"Korsak, this is my fault."

"Like hell it is Jane. You need to get that lie out of your head or you won't be thinking straight."

Jane sighs. Her head knows he is right...her heart wants to argue.

"I just want her safe."

"Jane, Casey is a sick man right now, we have no idea what he actually has planned. Getting Maura out might not be an option and you know once SWAT are in there they have to assess the situation for what it is."

Jane looks at him for a moment curiously.

"Who says his plan isn't to kill the two of you and then himself."

Jane bites her lip again. She needs a good solid plan.

"They want to send in a negotiator."

"Who is they?" Jane frowns.

"The Tactical Response Team."

"No way Korsak. They can't negotiate with Casey. This is not a by the book standard hostage situation. Casey knows the damn book."

"They know that. They have been briefed. Radio silence. Snipers across the street. They want to open a line of communication. The building has been covertly cleared in case..."

"My next place will not be an apartment building." She says angrily. It's the fifth time a place she has lived has been the cause of the evacuation of her neighbors. "And Casey doesn't like bombs, since his injury. And we don't need TRT or local SWAT to run this. I have been in hostage situations plenty of times."

"Yes, and most of those times you yourself have been the hostage. This is different."

"Of course it is different. He has Maura. He is military trained. He has done training with SWAT teams including hostage situations and he had done psychological training too. TRT will be negotiating with the devil. And if that doesn't work..." Jane swallows the rest of the sentence.

"They have ways of working with him."

"Don't side with them. You know the drill Korsak. If they can't get him to negotiate, which they won't be able to, then they go in with the intent to stop him. That means Maura comes second. Second Korsak. That isn't good enough."

"What if they can convince Casey to trade Maura for you?"

"I've been thinking about that. He doesn't want to trade or he would have done so by now. He wants me to hurt and I doubt he thinks that letting Maura go will hurt me. He wasn't ever going to let her go."

"He wont be expecting you for another hour at least. We could go in now and surprise him."

"What if Maura gets hurt. What if Maura isn't even in there and Casey gets killed and we can never find Maura."

"So what then?"

"I have to go in and I have to get Maura out."

Korsak shakes his head, "No Jane. No."

"Think about it Korsak. From his point of view...what options does he have? Trying to negotiate will back him into a corner. Right now he doesn't even know we know. Right now Maura is safe. For now."

Korsak shakes his head again in dismay.

"He won't hesitate to kill her...unless I can offer him something he wants."

"What does he want?"

"Me."

"So your plan is to just walk in exactly as he expects you too."

"Yes. Only I will have backup. Right? He won't be expecting that."

"I am not giving you over to that deranged scum-bag."

Jane growls angrily, "Oh, so far better to let that deranged scum-bag do whatever the hell he wants to Maura."

"No Jane. I just...we have to find another way. Maura is his only leverage."

"Is there another way? Is there any more time to risk playing this game with her life when none of this is her fault?"

Jane almost chokes on her own words. She has never told anyone what she knows Casey can be like. She should have but she never did.

"We will find another way. You can't go in there Jane. Cavanaugh wouldn't allow it for starters. And your mother would kill me. Plus a two hostage situation will be more difficult to handle. Uncontrollable even. You could all end up killed."

When Korsak doesn't get a response he turns, but Jane is gone.

Casey looks at Maura who looks away from him and starts fidgeting against the tight restraints. He doesn't care about how much pain she is in or how uncomfortable she is.

"I watched you two together. I think you corrupted her to me."

Maura shakes her head side to side and bites her lip.

"You did." Casey snarls loudly enough to make her jump, "I don't know what you said to her but when she would come back to me she didn't need me like she had. Until she didn't want me anymore. But it doesn't matter what you said anymore. This time she is coming to me. Only I can give her what she wants. She will be mine and you won't be able to help her. She will need me and then she will die. Because of you doctor...because she picked you when she should have picked me. And she will lose us both this time around. First she will watch you die. Then I will watch her die. Then it will be as it should have been. I will have my baby and neither one of you can take it away."

"Here you are darling." Jane says as she serves Casey his breakfast.

Casey smiles a thank you.

"Ma is coming over later today. I think she will bring lunch."

"I want it to be just you and me." Casey says as he grasps the front of the oversized shirt she is wearing and gently tugs on it.

Jane smiles and leans down giving him a soft kiss on the lips.

When she stands up again, Casey doesn't let go, he tugs the shirt closer to him forcing her to stay bent at the waist.

"You and me Jane."

Jane looks into his eyes expecting to see a gentle playful teasing expression but instead he looks stern and his jaw is set tightly.

"Casey?" Jane can't tell if this is his type of fore-play or a joke, but if it is then his acting scares her a little bit.

He pulls tighter until she is leaning down face to face level with him and although he doesn't look angry, Jane feels more nervous than she does when facing a suspect.

"You. And. Me." Casey repeats in a stern mono-tone voice.

Jane want's to laugh to ease the tension. She tries to pull back but he holds tight and his expression darkens.

Jane is suddenly unsure how safe she really feels, she want's to get out of this position, she doesn't want to find out what happens if she refuses, she doesn't want it to escalate, "You and me." Jane repeats slowly keeping eye contact and trying not to show her shock at his behavior.

Casey smiles softly, "Good." He drops her shirt and turns to the breakfast Jane put in front of him. "This is really good Jane, Thank you."

Jane stands up straight without the restriction and swallows. She hides her feelings from him. Her heart is pounding slightly harder than it usually does.

"Are you going to eat with me, Jane?"

She wonders what would happen if she says no, if she tells him his behavior isn't appropriate. That she want's him to leave. She isn't sure if he is trying to control her or just make his intention known. She doesn't know if she is ready to face this reality.

"I was going to get dressed first." She chokes out. She wants to distance herself from him so she can gather her thoughts. So she can ascertain if that really just happened.

Casey puts his fork down on the plate and turns to look at her. She holds her breath.

"I would really like it if you would eat with me." He smiles softly but his eyes don't sparkle, "Don't you want to eat with me Jane?"

Jane blinks and takes in a deep breath through her nostrils, "Of course...Casey."

Jane goes to the kitchen to dish up another plate. With one hand she texts Maura from her phone on the counter.

Call me. J

She smiles as she sits opposite Casey and studies him again.

Like the fantastic friend Maura is, her phone begins to ring loudly.

"One sec." Jane says jumping up and trying to walk to the kitchen at a pace like she normally would. The caller ID says 'Maura', so she keeps the screen away from Casey as she answers it.

"Rizzoli."

"Jane. Why are you answering your phone like that. You just asked me to call you. Are you ok?"

"A murder? Right." Jane looks at Casey, he is watching her intensely and it gives her goosebumps, she has to look away.

"Are you alright? Do you need me to come over?"

"I'll be right there."

Jane hangs up and looks back at Casey.

"I have to go. Murder." She tries to give him a casual shrug and turns towards the bedroom to get changed, careful to take her phone with her.

"I thought you weren't on call today Jane." He calls after her

She shuts the bedroom door pretending she doesn't hear. She goes to her bedside table and opens the drawer to retrieve her gun and badge.

And suddenly her pulse slows and the perspiration stops. She feels safe again.

Jane makes it through the back door without anyone noticing. She pulls her gun out of it's sheath and flicks the safety off and makes her way towards the stairwell.
Her phone rings and the caller ID Korsak and Jane presses the answer button.

"Before you say anything..."Jane says before Korsak can speak, "He visited me Korsak...here in Boston...he was playing me. First he wanted to know what I knew. Then he was messing with my head. He knew damn well where Maura was the whole time. He let me think she was dead. He is playing games. I'm gonna kill him."

"I didn't hear that Jane."

"TRT or SWAT equals hours and hours of negotiating. I just can't do that Korsak. I'm sorry. I've missed her long enough already. I can't wait another hour let alone another two..or three days while they cut the power and try to wear him down and beg with him and...Maura is at risk that whole time. Barging in there could get her killed. It is likely that the only thing keeping Maura alive is that Casey wants me. It's also possible that he would kill her because he can't get to me or just to send me a message. Why complicate it. He wants me...so I am going to him."

"I could lose my badge Jane."

"I know. That's why I didn't tell you. I'm sorry. But...I could lose my friend."

"Jane?"

"Yeah." She says pausing in the hall and hoping he won't demand she come back. She hates defying his orders.

"Don't give up your gun Jane. He will kill you."

"If it comes down to my life for Maura's...I don't even have to think about it."

Korsak lets out a breath, "What do you need Jane?"

"I need you to promise me that no matter what, Maura comes first. I need you to do whatever you have to to get her out safely."

The silence is palatable.

"Korsak?" She asks wondering if the call was disconnected.

"Ok Jane. I promise."

Less than a minute after the call ends her phone rings again. She hasn't even reached the top of the first flight of stairs. She almost doesn't look at the screen before answering but the tune isn't the one programmed in for Korsak. She glances at it and the name catches her eye and her whole body freezes in response.

The caller ID is Casey Jones.

...to be continued...