"Ian…" Maura whispered, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the door in a death grip.

'No, no, no! This can't be happening.' Her mind was spinning with thoughts. 'Just as Frankie and I are starting to be a couple, Ian has to show up!' she clenched her jaw and cleared her throat before answering the attractive man she once loved more than anything. But it wasn't the same anymore. She didn't love Ian, not the way she loved Frankie. Maura knew who she wanted; it was just going to be a very awkward conversation between her, Ian and Frankie. Frankie and Maura hadn't gone into intimate details about their previous lovers. Of course, he knew of Ian. But he didn't know everything about their past and whether Maura was ready for him to know or not, Ian was here and their past was going to come out soon enough.

"Maura? Who is it?" Frankie asked as he rounded the corner with her glass of wine in hand. Ian looked from Maura to Frankie and back to Maura.

"I apologize. I should have called. I didn't realize you had guests over, Maura." He said smoothly. Frankie recognized the doctor as one of Maura's ex-boyfriends.

"Oh. Hi." Frankie said, less than thrilled to see the charming doctor. It made him even more uncomfortable the way Ian was looking Maura up and down. Maura cleared her throat again and moved aside.

"Frankie, this is Ian. Ian this is my boyfriend, Frankie." Maura introduced the two men. Ian reached out his hand and Frankie took it. "Yes, I've heard of you." He said dryly as he squeezed Ian's had harder than he should, his eyes never leaving his, a clear message to Ian that Frankie was the man in Maura's life now. But Ian rose to the challenge, squeezing back, letting Frankie now that he wasn't going down without a fight. Maura noticed the silent fight between the two men and laid a hand on Frankie's back soothingly.

"Stop it!" She commanded to both men. The last thing she needed was Frankie and Ian getting in a fight in her house.

Angela rounded the corner, saw Ian and Frankie in a silent stand off and gritted her teeth. She knew bits and pieces of Ian's last visit and Maura's feeling for him. But she knew this would be the first test of Frankie and Maura's love. Did the young doctor love her son enough to stay with him? Or was she going to let herself be swept away again by the handsome older doctor?

"Frankie, come help me in the kitchen!" Angela called, coming to Maura's aid to break up their little fight. Frankie let go of Ian's hand, but shot him a warning look that clearly stated that he had his eyes on him and to keep away from his Maura.

Maura took noticed of both men's hands burning red from the death grip they had on each other and mentally kicked herself for not letting Ian know sooner that she was unavailable now. But her time with Frankie was so new and exciting, and she never knew when Ian was going to be back from Africa so the thought didn't even occur to her. She motioned for him to come inside.

"So you're with someone? Or is he a friend?" Ian asked her quietly. Maura shook her head.

"Ian, I love Frankie. We're just starting something and you being here is the last thing I need. You should've called." She said almost accusingly. Ian took her hands in his.

Maura, sweetheart. You know I never know when I'm going to be in town." He tried to reason with her. Maura took her hands out of his and shook her head at him. "Ian! Stop! Did you not hear what I just said to you? I am trying to be in a committed relationship with Frankie. I love him. You can't just show up and think you can call me 'sweetheart' and hold my hands." She explained to him. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Frankie in the kitchen trying very hard to give them some privacy.

"I'm sorry, but I thought we had something…" Ian tried again. "I know the last time I was in town, it was less than smooth with your friend, Jane but I was thinking we should give us a real try. I am moving back to Boston. I want to be with you." He added, looking deep into her eyes. Maura closed her eyes against Ian's words. How many times did she long to hear those words come from him in the past?

"Ian, I can't. I'm in love with Frankie. You need to leave." she whispered, her heart breaking. Ian took one look at Frankie and Angela eavesdropping in the kitchen and back at Maura. He heard what she said but didn't accept it. His Maura would never fall for some lowly, street cop. Didn't she see he was a better fit for her? "We're not finished, I'm not giving up." He told her as he leaned over to kiss her cheek, looking back at Frankie to make sure he was watching. Jealously bubbled up in Frankie's chest as he watched the scene.

Ian left and Maura closed the door behind him silently, her thoughts and emotions going on overboard. The man she once loved more than anything but fate kept them apart was now ready to make his move. But she moved on and was head over heels for Frankie. He was the man she loved now; she moved on. But that didn't stop the hurt and anger she was feeling inside.

"Maura…?" Frankie said softly as he reached for her. But to his surprise, she pulled away. "Frankie, I just need to be alone right now." She explained. She saw the hurt and pain in his eyes and immediately felt awful. She took his hand and interlaced their fingers and wrapped an arm around his neck. "I'm not mad or anything. I just need some time to myself." She told him, looking into his eyes so he could see the truth shining back at him. "I love you, Frankie Rizzoli." She whispered before kissing him softly.

He nodded slowly and released her, his insecurities coming out; the hurt and pain reflecting back in his eyes. He watched her walk towards her bedroom and close the door, closing him out.

Angela walked over to her son. She witnessed the whole scene and knew deep down Maura loved Frankie but was fighting her feelings for Ian. She understood her situation but that didn't stop her from feeling a bit of disappointment that something, or rather someone, was trying to come between Frankie and Maura's happiness.

"Come on Frankie, you want a glass of chocolate milk?" her maternal instincts coming out to comfort her baby boy. Frankie nodded, willing to agree to almost anything as long as it made the hurt go away. Maura said she loved him and yes, she sent Ian away but that didn't stop him from thinking about the way Ian looked at Maura; like she was his world. Did she still love Ian? He saw the tears in her eyes when she sent him away and Frankie wished he could comfort her, kiss her tears away. He wished she would let him be that person for her.

"You have to understand, she's not used to such affection of comforting." Angela said softly, as she set a glass of chocolate milk down in front of him.

"How did you know what I was thinking about?" he asked. Angela just smiled.

"I'm your mother. I know everything."

Frankie smiled but his smile quickly disappeared as he looked in the direction of Maura's room. "How do I compete with that? He's a doctor and saves kids in Africa, risking his life and license to help those less fortunate. He can afford to give her everything she deserves, everything I can't. They have history and a past that I'm not a part of." He said, as he stared at the counter top. "I saw the way she looked at him and the way he looked at her. They have feelings for each other." His heart broke as he came to this revelation. But Angela took Frankie's hands in hers, his insecurities breaking her heart. She couldn't take it anymore.

"Frankie Rizzoli! I saw all that but I also saw something else that you did not. She chose you." She told her son. "She. Chose. You. Maura loves you and wants you. If she wanted Ian she would've gone with him, or let him stay here. But she didn't. She sent him away and kissed you. She told you she loves you. But you heard Ian; he's not going down without a fight. You need to be ready to fight for the woman you love." She gripped his hands harder. "Do what your father couldn't. Rise up and meet that challenge. Fight for the woman you love or you're going to lose her. Yes, Ian has a medical degree and is more financially stable but I don't think Maura cares about either. You two have a history together too. A history without Ian and THAT is what you have going for. She loves what you two have together and wants to see where you two are going. Are you going to keep running with her or let some other man steal her from you?" she ended with a kiss to her son's forehead before retiring to her guest house, leaving Frankie with his thoughts.

He dropped his head in his hands and did something he hadn't done for a while. He prayed. He prayed that Maura still loved him; that no matter what happened with Ian, she still chose him. Frankie loved Maura with everything he had and their time together was too short for it to end so quickly. But he knew ultimately it was her decision; she had a choice. But if she chose Ian in the end, he wasn't going down without a fight.