Warrior's Code
Final Chapter

Disclaimer: Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles do not belong to me. No infringement intended and no profit will be made from their use.

A/N: This was the first fanfic story I ever wrote. I just reread it for the first time since posting the previous chapter over nine months ago. Reading it again, I was more pleased with it than I thought I would be, except for Chapter 7. I think I was trying to wrap it up and move on to other ideas, and looking back I'm not thrilled with where I left it. I also have wanted to write something that addresses all of the risk taking that Jane does and all of the other characters ignore.

They were a crime fighting team that couldn't be matched. Detective Jane Rizzoli used her street smarts and talent for reading people to narrow in on suspects. Dr. Maura Isles used her superior intellect and beloved science to provide the evidence to solve the case. Outside of work they were equally a force to be reckoned with. After their initial communication issues were solved, they settled into a regular routine and were nearly inseparable.

Jane had trouble understanding Maura's position about avoiding bodily harm. In every other way, Jane saw Maura as a warrior for justice just like her. Putting her personal safety at risk was something Jane was willing to do to save others. Jane made that clear from the beginning. So she went home to Maura unapologetically with cuts and scrapes and bruises. Jane didn't hide them and Maura chose not to discuss them.

And Jane fucked Maura like a champion. After her initial tentativeness wore off, Jane approached fucking just like everything else in life, like she needed to be the best. It was the first time she really cared about her partner's pleasure. Or more specifically, giving her partner pleasure. It was fine for the guys she slept with to get their pleasure, but she didn't much care for helping them out and they didn't seem to mind too much as long as they did get off. Plus, they seemed to only have a cursory interest in her pleasure.

But with Maura it was totally different. It was never enough for Maura to come just once. She wanted to hear Maura screaming her name over and over again and she never failed.

After Jane shot herself, Maura had concluded that it was worth being with Jane despite her recklessness and propensity for finding danger. Jane promised that she would try to be more conscientious about her safety, but Maura knew not to expect too much. Jane would always go above and beyond the call of duty in the name of justice. That was the fire inside her. It was her calling and purpose. And it was part of why Maura wanted her and loved her. To have the same intensity Jane had for the job directed towards her as well was incredible.

However, Maura faltered the day Jane, against orders, intervened in a bank robbery turned hostage situation. She didn't hear the the story from Jane, she heard it from Frost. He called Maura after it was over because he was concerned about how reckless Jane had been in pursuing this case. Maura thanked him for his concern, assuring him that it was just Jane being Jane, and then privately considered whether Frost was right to be concerned.

It had been a stressful week. Jane's interest in solving the case was compounded by needing to prove that Tommy wasn't involved. But after hearing Frost's version of events, Maura allowed herself for the first time in a long time to contemplate what it would mean to her if something happened to Jane.

By the time Jane arrived home Maura was quietly fuming. Maura was standing in her kitchen and Jane immediately sensed something was wrong. "Hey, what's going on?"

"You walked into a hostage situation." It was a statement not a question.

Jane walked over to Maura and said, "There was a who woman desperately needed medical attention."

"You went in without your gun."

"I was trying to talk them down. The FBI wasn't doing anything but standing outside pointing guns. Those guys were desperate, they needed a way out."

"Desperate means stupid. You almost got shot."

"But I didn't. I had tons of backup. Everything is fine, but I'm sorry for scaring you." When Maura didn't respond, Jane added, "What else do you want me to say, Maura?"

"I just want some acknowledgement that I am important to you. I know you love me but sometimes I need to know that you think about how it would affect me if something happened to you and that your feelings for me factor into the decisions you make everyday."

Jane reached for Maura and tried to take her into her arms, but Maura shrugged her off and walked away. "Today was different. I had to help Tommy," Jane said. "I've tried to be safe ever since I was shot."

"The times I know you are out chasing someone down...I get through it by willfully ignoring what you're doing and what you might do in the pursuit of justice for someone else. It takes a lot of energy to do that."

Jane left the kitchen and walked towards the front door. Maura thought she was going to leave but instead Jane went to the table next to the door and opened the drawer she used to store her gun and badge. She returned to the kitchen holding her badge and held it out for Maura to take.

Maura took it and sighed. "Jane, I already know how important this is to you."

"Look behind the badge," Jane replied.

Maura was confused but opened the pouch that held Jane's BPD Detective's badge and pulled out a 2 inch by 2 inch picture of the two of them. Maura vaguely remembered Jane taking the picture of the two of them in her house with her phone shortly after they started dating. Maura was smiling at the camera and Jane was looking adoringly at Maura.

"I always have that with me when I'm working. Whenever I pull out my badge, I think of you. When it's on my hip, so are you. You are always with me. I'm not perfect and I can't promise I won't mess up sometime and get seriously hurt. And I can't control everything that happens around me. But as much as you want me to come home everyday, I want to come home to you more.

Maura had tears in her eyes and sniffled as she said, "Well now you're just making me feel bad for being angry with you."

Maura allowed Jane to envelope her in a hug. "I should have told you all of that before."

"So I can still blame you for something?"

"If it makes you feel better."

Maura buried her face in Jane's chest as she composed herself. Finally she looked up and said, "I feel better but you have to acknowledge that your actions today crossed a line."

Jane looked into Maura's eyes and said, "I let the situation with Tommy cloud my judgement and I messed up. Please forgive me."

"I've heard make-up sex can be very satisfying."

"Does that mean I'm forgiven?"

"Yes, you are forgiven." Maura wrapped her legs around Jane as Jane picked her up by the ass and shrieked as Jane went running with her towards the bedroom.