Chapter 10
At the panicked look on Maura's face Jan laughed. "Relax, we should be able to do this with very little scaring."
Jane laughed at the look on Maura's face. "I thought you said scars gave you character?"
"Those are your scars, and they do give you character and I love every one of them because they show how much you've overcome."
"So why should yours be any different?" Jane was still laughing.
"Because I'm vain and I want to look good. I suppose I could hide them with makeup." Maura looked like someone just kicked her puppy.
"Are you saying I don't look good or don't care how I look?" Jane tried to become serious but she was having problems.
"Jane you would look good in a gunnysack. I have to work to look presentable." Maura winced as Jan injected to local into her left cheek.
"You have no idea do you?" Jane looked at Maura in total surprise.
"I have plenty of ideas and you know that but right now I do not know what you are referring to." Maura looked back and forth between Jan and Jane and Jan just shrugged her shoulders.
"I find you equally as beautiful in a pair of sweats and a t-shirt as I do when you are all dressed up for one of your high society get togethers. With or without makeup you are stunning. A few scars are not going to change that. I'll still love you no matter what." Jane winced as she watched Jan begin the stitching.
"What's the matter? Why did you just wince?" Maura asked worriedly. "Are you in pain, is it your ribs. I forgot about that are you ok?"
"You're worried about me when it's you lying there in pain? I'm so used to being on the opposite side of this situation, me being the one getting the stitches not you and it makes me realize what you must feel when it is me. I'm so sorry I put you through this all the time." Jane brought Maura's hand to her lips and kissed the back of it.
"So I guess this means your relationship has finally become what it should have years ago?" Jan smiled as she finished another stitch on Maura's forehead. "It's about time. I've been watching you two tip toe around each other for years and I thought it would happen when Jane shot herself but nooo, you two are too stubborn to see what's right in front of you. Glad to see you two happy for a change. And Maura you should listen to Jane, you are gorgeous and if I wasn't happily married and straight I would have hit on you a long time ago. Now sit still because I'm getting to a sensitive area that is going to hurt."
"Ouch! I thought you anesthetized it? Why does it hurt so much?" Maura squeezed Jane's hand tightly.
"I warned you. You know that here in the frontal bone area there is less muscle and more nerves so it is harder to sew without causing pain. I'm sorry but it has to be done." Jane winced whenever Maura winced and let Maura squeeze her hand as hard as she needed to.
Jane knew that Maura was in pain and this helpless feeling was new to her. "Do you want something to bite on?" Maura smiled.
"Can I use your finger?"
Maura laughed harder when Jane quickly pulled her hand out of Maura's grasp. "Hell no woman! I need all my fingers to do my job." She turned around and found a jar full of tongue depressors and pulled one out and handed it to Maura. "Here bite on this." She held up the jar. "Don't worry about breaking it there are plenty more where that came from." Jane sat down on the chair again and tentatively reached for Maura's hand. "Are my fingers safe?" Jane asked and her voice dropped an octave.
"Yes Jane they are safe for the time being." Jane looked up to gauge Maura response and just about dropped the jar at the look of pure lust in her eyes. She had wanted to get Maura's mind off of what Jan was doing but she didn't think it would work that good. Jane could only stare at her until Jan cleared her throat.
"Just wanted to remind you that there was another person in the room but damn that was hot." She had to laugh as she watched Jane blush. "Our mighty cop gets embarrassed when caught thinking about sex."
"You should see her when I try to talk to her about sex. She gets all flustered."
"Maura! You're not supposed to tell people things like that." Both Maura and Jan laughed even harder when Jane blushed even more. "Ok have a good laugh at my expense while you can. Someday I won't be here and you'll think back to these times and you'll feel bad that you picked on me."
Maura and Jan looked at each other then back at Jane. "Nope!" They both answered at the same time and smiled at Jane.
"You know I don't have to sit here and take this kind of abuse. Unlike some people I can get up and walk out of here anytime I want." She pointedly looked at Maura. "But to show how big of a person I am I will not. But what I am going to do is go back out to the waiting room and give them an update." She turned to Jan. "Any idea how long it will be before she is moved to her own room and she can have visitors?"
"Give us about an hour and she'll be ready to go. We want to clean her up too." Jan continued with her stitches and Jane turned to leave the room.
"1, 2, 3." Jane whispered to herself and smiled when she heard Maura's voice
"Jane you are coming back aren't you?" Jane stopped and turned back with a smile on her face.
"You couldn't keep me away. I'll be back soon." She leaned down and kissed Maura like there was no tomorrow and before she turned around she winked at Jan. When she got to the waiting room she was surprised to see Tommy standing there.
"Jane is Maura going to be ok? Is she hurt bad? Can I go see her?" Tommy asked her in a voice that actually sounded like he cared but Jane didn't have time for it right now.
"When she has her own room in about an hour people can start visiting her in short periods. The doctor is going to give her some more pain meds when she gets situated and then you can all start going in." She looked at Constance. "You'll be first on the list ok?"
"Thank you Jane, for all that you've done. I would like to see her at the first opportunity." She stood up and gave Jane a tentative hug then pulled her in tightly.
"Why do you get to go back there and be with her?" Tommy sounded like and angry little boy.
"You see this little brother." Jane pointed to her badge on her hip. "And you see this?" She pointed to her gun. "These are my permission slip to go back there because we are in the middle of a murder investigation that could have included Maura as one of the victims."
"Why aren't Korsak or Frost back there instead of you?" Tommy kept stepping closer to Jane with every word he spoke. Frost, Korsak and Frankie all had grins on their faces knowing that this might come to a head right in front of them. Angela didn't know what to think and Constance was watching with keen interest.
"What is your problem Tommy? I was the one that found her, I am the one she's comfortable with and I am the one she wants by her side right now. You got a problem with that?"
"As a matter of fact I do. I think you monopolize her time." Tommy was right up in her face now and Jane didn't back away.
"Oh man did he just say that?" Korsak whispered to Frost.
"Why don't you just come right out and say what you mean Tommy. Are you saying Maura and I spend too much time together?" Jane actually pushed him back with her chest.
"Yeah I do. What if she wanted to date someone?" Tommy pushed back.
"Oh this is getting good." Frankie whispered to Korsak.
"Shhh, don't distract them." Frankie made eye contact with his mother as she made the comment and he could see the merriment in her eyes.
"You mean someone like you? Maura's a big girl and she has always been free to make her own decisions. If she wanted to be somewhere else she would be. I think over the last week or so she has made it abundantly clear where she wanted to be and it wasn't with you."
"She was only spending time with you because you were hurt and maybe now that you're better she might want to get out and go on a date." Tommy stepped up to Jane again.
"Man he's a glutton for punishment isn't he?" Frost whispered to Frankie.
"Always has been."
"Man have you always been this stupid or is it something new? Maura is lying in an emergency room bed getting stitches and a cast on her leg where some manic kicked her and broke her leg and you think she wants to go out on a date with you. Besides I don't think you're her type or the right Rizzoli."
"What gives you the right to make those choices for her?" He thought for a minute. "What do you mean I'm the wrong Rizzoli?" He turned and gave Frankie an accusing stare and Frankie quickly held up his hands in defense.
"Oh oh, he stuck his foot in it this time." Angela whispered to Frankie.
"Ok little brother I was hoping to find a better time and place to talk to you about this but you've forced my hand. I have loved Maura since the first day I met her but I didn't do anything about it because I didn't think there was any way that someone as beautiful and intelligent as her would return my feelings. Well it turns out she does."
"No way that can't be." Tommy stood there shaking his head. "You're just saying that to hurt me."
"I'm sorry if it hurts you but it's true. I've been dating Maura for about a week and I was planning on moving into her house when she was kidnapped. This is the real deal Tommy. I love Maura and she loves me and that's the real reason I'm back there with her. She's here because I didn't protect her like I promised and now I'm going to spend the rest of my life making up for it and if you can't deal with that tough. Now I have to get back to Maura if you'll excuse me." She walked around Tommy and headed back to Maura's room.
Tommy looked at everyone in the room looking at him his eyes landed on Frankie. "You knew and didn't tell me."
"I tried to tell you Friday night but you wouldn't listen. I told you they were close and protective of each other."
"You could have told me they were sleeping together and saved me all the headache and embarrassment." Tommy hung his head.
"Hey bro I didn't know for sure until after last weekend. But you can't say I didn't give you fair warning." Frankie walked by with a slightly smug look on his face. "You asked me what Jane would say if you asked Maura out. Well I think she just told you."
Angela stood and put am arm around Tommy's shoulder. "It's ok Tommy, look on the bright side, at least she won't steal your girlfriends in the future.
Jane walked back into Maura's room and winced again as she got a good look at Maura's stomach. Jan had removed her shirt to stitch some of the cuts there. Maura turned her head and reached out for Jane. Jane hurried to her side and took her hand. She gently caressed the bruising and let the tears fall. "Oh Jane don't cry its ok."
"No Maura it's not. Nobody should have to go through this." She took a deep breath and tried to relax.
"Jane has anyone called the CSU's?" Jane looked up at her with a confused look on her face. Maura laughed a small laugh. "Where's my tough cop when you need her? They are going to have to document my injuries for the trial. So we need someone with a camera."
Jane looked at Maura for a moment then smiled. "I guess I can put someone before the job huh? Only you can take my mind off of what needs to be done. Let me call someone and get them over here ok?" She stood up and kissed Maura's forehead. "I'll be right back." Maura watched as she left the room then turned to Jan.
"I don't think she likes to watch this." Maura smiled up at Jan.
"How are you really doing? I know you're playing it tough so it's not so hard for Jane but it's only you and me now so tell me the truth."
"It's hurts bad." For the first time since this all started Maura let her guard down and cried. "I thought I was going to die. I kept hoping Jane would get there in time but towards the end I wasn't so sure. My leg is throbbing, I have a pounding headache and my ribs hurt like hell." She tentatively reached up to her cheek and touched where Jan had already stitched. "It hurts more than I thought possible."
"Let me give you more Demerol, you shouldn't have to be in so much pain. I know Jane would understand and she wouldn't want you to suffer. Please Maura."
"Ok, you're right Jane would understand. I just wanted to be coherent enough to talk to her. Now I can rest."
"Smart girl." Jan said as she injected more Demerol into the IV. "Now let me finish so that you can get that cast on and get you into a room so everyone can finally relax." She finished stitching the cuts on her abdomen then started to clean up the mess when Jane walked back in with camera in hand. "I gave her some more Demerol for the pain so she should be out soon." Jan whispered to Jane then quietly left the room.
"I decided I could take the pictures as well as anyone else so let's get this done." Jane walked around Maura taking the necessary pictures and writing on the pad of paper she had and Maura smiled when she saw Jane get serious and do her job.
"I love it when you go into your cop mode like this. You're all serious and business like."
"Trust me this is not serious this is angry. I want to kill that man for what he's done to you. I and a few of your friends in the department would gladly take him out somewhere and beat the crap out of him until he takes his last breath. You know we could do it and leave no trace and dispose of the body where it would never be found. The world would be a better place without him in it and you know that. But you want to put it in the hands of the justice system so that's what we'll do. We'll do this by the book, cross all of our T's and dot the I's to make sure he does not get off. It will be hard to keep my hands to myself when it comes to this guy but for you I will." All of this was said from behind the camera and Maura couldn't see Jane's face but she could tell by her tone of voice that she was serious.
"Thank you Jane. Can you put the camera down for a minute and come here?" Maura asked quietly. Jane set the camera down and carefully sat on the bed next to Maura and leaned forward. Maura reached up and pulled Jane down to give her a kiss. She winced when their lips met because of the cuts on her lip but pulled Jane back when she tried to pull away. She deepened the kiss and touched her tongue against Jane's lip and licked until Jane finally moaned and opened her mouth to allow her entrance. When their tongues met they both moaned and the kiss continued until they heard someone clear their throat behind them. They groaned then separated and turned to see Jan standing in the doorway.
"Whew I think I need a cold shower after that." Jan smiled as she walked in. "Jane are you done with the pictures? We need to get her down to get her cast then I can get her cleaned up and into her own room."
"Can I go with you?" Jane asked tentatively.
"Could I keep you away?" She laughed as Jane vigorously shook her head. "Well then make yourself useful and help me get her into a wheelchair." Jane walked to the bed and bent over and carefully picked Maura up and gently placed her in the wheelchair. "Oh and she goes all She-Hulk on me. That's not exactly what I had in mind but it works." Jan almost felt she was intruding on a very private moment when she saw the look of love pass between the two women. She got behind the wheelchair and started pushing and watched Jane take Maura's hand and walk alongside the chair.
When they finished with the cast Jan wheeled Maura back to the room so she could clean her up and when she pulled out what she would need she felt a hand on her arm and turned to see Jane looking at her very seriously. "Can I clean her up?"
"Sure let me show you what to do with the anti-septic then I'll leave the room." She showed Jane how to open the packages and clean without infecting anything then she left the room.
Jane donned the gloves and opened a package and started to carefully clean Maura's face. Maura watched with fascination as Jane gently wiped her brow. The look of love on her face brought tears to Maura's eyes and when Jane noticed them she stopped. "Am I hurting you? I'm sorry." She almost whispered.
"No it doesn't hurt at all. Jan gave me some more drugs so I may actually fall asleep soon but you are so beautiful it almost takes my breath away. The look on your face as you were wiping was so full of love and I couldn't believe it was for me."
"Oh Maura you deserve that and so much more. I wish I could take your place and take some of your pain away." She leaned down and gave her a quick kiss then started cleaning again. Neither woman said anything else while Jane carefully but thoroughly cleaned Maura's body. "It may be a while before you can shower so I am going to clean everything ok?" Maura smiled as she watched Jane blush knowing where she was talking about.
"Jane it's not like you haven't already seen my vagina." Jane blushed again. "Can you keep your hands to yourself while you do it?" Jane looked up and saw that Maura had a devilish grin on her face but she also noticed her eyes were drooping from the meds.
"Maybe I'll just wait until you are sleeping and do it then."
"No I want to watch you. You are so gentle, it's sort of humbling to have someone else wash you." Maura's last words were slightly slurred and Jane smiled but went back to cleaning her lover. Her anger came on again when she was cleaning her abdomen because she was able to get a close up look at some of cigarette burns and bruises and she was actually able to see how deeply purple some of them were and winced thinking how hard he had to have hit her to cause these bruises. On her arms she could see the bruising imprint of fingers from where he grabbed her and Jane wanted to wrap her own fingers around his neck and squeeze. She lifted her arm and saw that the bruising went all the way around her arm. She looked up at Maura and saw that her eyes were closed and her breathing was even.
"About time. I never realized how much of a fighter you are. I'm so proud of you for fighting Maura. You fought to stay alive and you're still fighting but you don't have to. Now you can just lay back and relax and heal just like you always tell me. Let me do the work for you, let me take care of you for a change. I love you so much and I hate to see you in so much pain. I would gladly take your place if I could."
"Don't have to." Came the barely audible reply from the bed. "Love you too. Sooo tired." Maura's head fell to the side and Jane resumed her cleaning with a smile on her face.
Jan poked her head in the room about half an hour later and saw Jane sitting by Maura's side. "All done?" Jane nodded her head. "Ok let's get her moved to her room. We've got it all set up in room 311. Let's go." They pushed the bed through the hallway and when they exited the emergency room doors everyone in the waiting room stood up.
Jane watched Constance as she got her first look at Maura then watched as her own mother wrapped her arms around her and helped her walk beside the gurney. Most of the cops were still there but she knew most of them would now leave once they've seen that Maura was going to be ok. Frost, Korsak, Frankie and Tommy all followed them to the elevator. When they got the bed and five adults in the in the elevator she looked up at Tommy and he gave her a scathing look then pointedly looked down at her hands as they were holding one of Maura's. He looked back up at her and Jane could not believe the anger in his eyes. Oh well he'll just have to get used to it.
Frost and Korsak held back and Jane looked up at them. "We'll take the next one up." Korsak gave her a smile. "Room 311 right Jan?" She nodded as the door closed.
"Is she going to be ok?" Constance asked as she took Maura's other hand in hers. "She looks so fragile. There are so many bruises."
"She tougher than she looks, tougher than I ever gave her credit for. She's got a couple of broken ribs and of course the leg." Jane pointed down to the cast on her leg. "They are going to keep her for observation tonight so maybe she'll be able to go home tomorrow. We might have to talk the doctor into keeping her for a couple of extra days because it will be the only way she'll rest." She smiled up at her mother and Constance and they both smiled a genuine smile and nodded.
"You do know her well don't you Jane?" Jane just nodded not know where this was going. "She talked to me about you during one of our few mother daughter talks. She loves you very much and always has." She looked up at Tommy trying to let him know that Jane did not steal Maura away from him, she was never his to begin with. "One thing I do know about my daughter, when she gives her heart away it's for life."
"Like Ian?" Jane asked tentatively.
"Ian was the love of her life but you are her soul mate, her other half. Ian never fulfilled her, he used her and she was too in love to know this. You opened her eyes to him and to you." Constance reached across Maura's body and rested her free hand on Jane's hand that was holding Maura's. "I do know I've never seen her as happy as when she is just talking about you. She's so proud of all you've done and she brags about you."
"She does?" Jane asked surprised.
"All right folks you're going to have to continue this discussion later. Everyone out of the elevator so I can get her out."
"Gee Jan you can be bossy when you want to can't you?" Jane asked with a smile.
"I have to b e to be able to control the likes of you. And you." She looked over her shoulder at Frankie. "How are you by the way Frankie?"
"Doing pretty good Jan." Frankie gave her the Rizzoli smile.
"Just one big happy freaking family." Tommy muttered under his breath.
"You got something to say Tommy? Let's take it outside so we don't disrupt Maura's sleep." She looked to the sleeping woman.
Jan wheeled the bed into the assigned room. "Jane can you help me transfer her to the bed. None of that She-Hulk stuff this time I don't want you hurting your own ribs again." Jan watched as Jane expertly grabbed the sheets under Maura's shoulders as she grabbed the sheet at her feet. "On three, 1, 2 3."
They transferred her and Jane ran her fingers through Maura's hair when she heard a whimper from Maura. "It's ok sweetie, we're done moving you around. Now you can rest." She leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Constance you can visit first for as long as you like. You and Ma can set up a schedule or whatever but I plan on being here all night by her side." She turned to Tommy. "Did you want to talk more or are you going to sit and pout? If so I am going outside for a little walk and you are welcome to join me if you want. You too Frankie, come on." She didn't see Frankie dial his phone as he followed behind her.
She turned to leave the room but Angela caught her arm. "Don't hurt him too bad." She smiled at Jane.
Jane left the room not caring if they followed or not but she headed toward the elevator and faced the back wall until the door closed. She turned around and Tommy sucker punched her in the chin. "What the hell Tommy." Frankie pulled Tommy back when he lunged at her again. "You heard Constance, I did not take her away from you, she wasn't yours to lose." She ran her tongue along her split lip and looked at Tommy with anger blazing in her eyes. "Leave it to you to take the coward's way out and hit me when I wasn't ready. You afraid of a girl Tommy? Pathetic. I actually felt sorry for you but not anymore. Maura is way too good for you."
"Well you come from the same cut I come from." Tommy spat at her as the elevator doors opened on the ground floor. He stormed out of the hospital to the parking lot. "Is this a good spot Janie, want to beat the crap out of me? Go ahead, try." He stood with his fists raised ready to fight Jane. Neither noticed when Frost and Korsak walked up behind them and gave Frankie a silent thank you.
"Tommy I don't want to fight. You're just going to have to accept the fact that Maura just never felt the same way you did." She tried to reason with him but he didn't look like he was buying into what she was saying. Jane jumped out of his way when he lunged for her with his fists flying. "Come on Tommy I don't want to hurt you."
"St. Jane, the perfect daughter. You were always the standard we had to live up to and it was impossible. Do you know how hard it was to follow behind you in school?"
"Tommy I sucked in school and I skipped out whenever I could and if you had a problem living up to that then don't lay it at my feet that's your problem." She heard snickering behind her and looked back to see the three men behind trying to keep from laughing. "I am not the perfect daughter, Ma will be the first to tell you that. She hates that I became a cop and she blames me for Frankie becoming one too. And she reminds me of it whenever she gets the chance. How long have you been holding this in? Do you blame me for you running over Father Crowley too?" Jane looked him in the eye and saw the truth. "I can't believe you! Have you ever once taken responsibility for one thing that ever happened to you?"
"Of course I have. But following in your footsteps isn't an easy thing to do." Tommy stared at her and Jane could still see the anger in his eyes.
"So your drinking was my fault, your running over Father Crowley was my fault, being in prison was my fault, Maura loving me instead of you is my fault. I suppose it's my fault that you can't find a good job."
"I have a job and I found it on my own." Tommy slowly defended himself. Knowing he got the job because of a friend didn't make him feel much better. "I have my own place and I will show you I can make it on my own. I'll show all of you."
"I hope you do Tommy, I want you to do well, I really do." Jane said earnestly and started to walk away.
Before she could do anything to defend herself she found herself being tackled from behind and felt her chin hit the pavement and she had just enough time to turn over before she was flat on her back in the parking lot with Tommy sitting on top of her pummeling her with his fists. All Jane could do was put her hands up to cover her face. He got a few good punches into her already hurt ribs. "Don't you patronize me Jane. I will make good and I will come back and show Maura I could be a good partner. Just as good as you." He landed one more punch on her chin before Jane threw him off of her and wrapped her arm around his neck to hold him still.
"Didn't you hear a thing that has been said here? Maura will never love you the way you want her too. Even her mother said she loved me not you." Tommy snuck in a punch to her stomach and Jane had had enough. She kneed him in the stomach and climbed on top of him when he fell to the ground. She placed her hands on both of his wrists like she had when they were kids and looked him straight in the eye. "I've had enough. Are you really that stupid Tommy? Ma and Pa didn't raise any fools so listen up. Until you come to grips with this you are no longer welcome in my home and since my home is where Maura is that includes her home too."
"You can't make that decision for her." He said like the petulant child he was. "I want to hear it from Maura herself."
"No Tommy. Until you get your shit together you are not allowed anywhere near her or me. If that means family dinners are at Ma's house and Maura and I do not attend so be it. The ball is in your court little brother only you can make this right." She stood up and turned to walk back into the hospital and heard a scuffle behind her and turned to see Frankie, Frost and Korsak holding him back. She just shook her head and turned back to the hospital. She took the elevator up to the third floor and wanted to check on Maura.
She walked into the room without thinking about her appearance and stopped when she saw her mother's face. "Oh Jane why did you have to fight with him?"
Jane sat down in the nearest chair and hung her head, then looked up at her mother. "I didn't touch him Ma." She said in a very quiet tired voice. "All I wanted to do was talk to him but he didn't want to hear any of it." She tried to stand up and yelped in pain from her ribs and sat back.
"But Jane you always start fights with him." Angela pointed out to Jane.
"Not this time Ma." They all turned to see Frankie standing in the doorway. "As much as she was already hurting she let Tommy hit her. He sucker punched her when we got in the elevator, hit her without even giving her a chance to defend herself. But the rest of the time she was trying to get him to talk out his anger but he didn't want to, instead he did that." He pointed to a very weary Jane sitting in the chair with blood dripping from her chin.
"Jane…" Came the quiet voice form the bed and Jane was at her side instantly. Maura opened her eyes and looked at Jane with clear eyes . "Oh Jane you've been fighting again?" She shook her back and forth.
Jane took a deep breath knowing if she didn't she'd say something she'd regret later. "Just a little misunderstanding with Tommy. I hope it will be ok. Just rest, don't worry about it sweetie."
"You should be nice to him Jane." Maura looked up at her with disappointment in her eyes.
"Why does everyone always assume it's my fault. I did everything in my power to avoid fighting with him. He kept poking and poking me trying to get me to fight and I didn't give in." She pointed to her face and pulled her shirt up to show new bruises. "He did this to me and nobody is telling him how wrong it was." She pulled her shirt back down and winced in pain. "I'm so tired of taking the blame for everything Tommy has done his whole life." Her voice was getting louder by the minute.
"Calm down Jane, you'll get kicked out of here. I'm sure Tommy didn't mean to hurt you." Maura said as she tried to grab Jane's hand.
She pulled her hand away. "You're defending him too? I can't believe this." She reached up and wiped the blood from her lip and chin and wiped it on her ripped jeans. "I take a pummeling and only do one thing to stop him, and that was as a last resort because he was beginning to hurt my already sore ribs and everybody takes his side. I thought you'd be different Maura. Do you even care whether I'm hurt or not? I guess not." She looked at her with sad eyes and turned and almost ran out of the room. She heard Maura call after her but she didn't stop.
"What she said was the truth. Tommy was sitting on top of her beating the crap out of her and she could have stopped it anytime but she didn't because she thought once he got it out of his system he'd listen to reason. When she finally threw him off of her all he kept saying was that he was going to prove everyone wrong and make you see him for what he was and you'd fall in love with him." He said the last part to Maura. He turned toward his mother. "You have no idea how many times Janie took the blame for something Tommy and I did as we were growing up because she couldn't stand to see us get in trouble. Remember the broken picture window? You thought it was her because she had a cut on her arm. She got the cut because Tommy pushed her into the window from behind. And she didn't do anything to him. She took her punishment and paid for the window all the while knowing it was Tommy's fault. I could not have wished for a better sister growing up but right now I'm kind of ashamed of my family because everyone is taking Tommy's side again when you know you're wrong." He turned to Maura again. "If you want Tommy he'll be more than happy to come running but if you want Jane you're going to have to work to get her back because she has taken a couple of major hits in the last hour or so and I don't mean just the physical. She hasn't left your side since she found you in that house. She hasn't slept since you went missing and now she's hit with this. I'm going to go find her." He turned and gave his mother a disapproving look.
"What have I done?" Maura asked from the bed. This time it was Angela that came to her side. Constance still sat there on her other side not sure what to say or do. She'd never been around a family like the Rizzoli's, they sure wear their emotions on their sleeve. At least you knew where you stood with them. "Angela, what am I going to do I can't lose her."
"You won't lose her, she'll be back." Angela sat down in the chair beside her bed and patted her hand.
"I don't know. She's right. I saw that she was hurt again and instead of asking if she was ok I blamed her for fighting with Tommy. What was that all about anyway? Never mind I have to find her." Maura was trying to get out of bed but fell back when her broken rib made their presence known. "How much more must Jane be feeling. Did you see her ribs?" Constance watched as Maura mood changed from one of remorse to one of anger. "How could Tommy do that to her knowing she was already hurt."
"He couldn't believe you chose Jane over him." Maura turned to her mother. "I told everyone that you had told me a while ago how much you loved Jane and have for a long time but he chose not to believe it. He apparently took it out on Jane. How can one sibling do that to another?"
Angela hung her head knowing she made a big mistake in defending Tommy this time. She stood up and kissed Maura's forehead then headed for the door. "Angela, where are you going?" Maura asked from her bed.
"I'm going to find my daughter and beg for her forgiveness then find my son and beat some sense into him. I'll be back later."
"She's not really going to beat him is she?" Constance asked from her chair still slightly shocked at all the emotions being displayed.
"It wouldn't surprise me. I really messed up this time Mother. I hurt her so bad. I don't know if she'll forgive me for this." Maura didn't even try to stop the tears.
"You two have been through a lot and you still come back to each other in the long run. She'll be back." Constance felt stiff offering advice to Maura. This was not how they dealt with these types of things. They swept them under the rug and hoped they turned out ok. But this wasn't going to go away by itself and she realized talking things through was not that bad of a thing to do. "You may have to do some groveling my dear." She gave Maura a small smile.
"Humble pie, groveling, begging, crawling on my knees, I don't care what it takes I'll do it if it will bring her back. Mother I've got to get out of here. I have to find her. I can't just lie here hoping she'll come back." Maura tried to sit up again and knew she couldn't do it. "How the hell does Jane do it?"
"Language Maura. And how does she do what dear?"
"She's out there hurting mentally and physically, by herself. She's so strong. I wish she would let me be strong for her."