A/N: Here is another chapter *Throws Confetti*, I have spent time re-editing this which is why it took me longer to upload. Enjoy!
**I have extended my story to now have 8 chapters, I can't say much to why I've done that without giving the story away but you guys will love it**
Chapter 5 – Broken Girl
"This is a song for the broken girl
The one pushed aside by the cold, cold world
You are
Hear me when I say
You're not the worthless they made you feel
There is a Love they can never steal away
And you don't have to stay the broken girl"
[Broken Girl by Matthew West]
Next morning, Maura woke up with bags under her eyes since she spent the night awake considering Charlie's proposition about getting back together, it had been almost five months, but was that enough time? Was that enough time for a person to change their behaviour, especially under the influence of alcohol, or giving up alcohol in general? She picked out a black pencil skirt and blouse from her wardrobe and placed it on her bed, carrying on with the usual routine for the morning.
Her drive to work was thoughtful, her phone ringing alerting her about a new case. This case in particular was a big case for the Boston Police Department, it was rare for them to get serial cases, especially serial cases that had been so violent and all over the media, FBI normally jumped at the chance for the publicity of these cases.
In this case, the serial murderer was targeting women with a particular look, long brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. The act was so vile, a repetitive stabbing of a disgusting twenty-five times until he dumps them in a isolated area such as in the middle of a forest or in an abandoned warehouse. Since the beginning of the year there have been three reported cases around the Boston area, at least three that they know of.
Arriving on the scene, Maura had never seen so many Boston PD officers in one place; they were all running and rushing to get to somewhere, to be somewhere. Internally Maura sighed, this much media and attention for one case meant there was going to be people breathing down her neck.
"Hey Maura, we've been waiting for you" spoke Detective Frankie Rizzoli, already holding up a pair of blue gloves for Maura "Come on, the body is down this way" he gestured towards a hiking trail sloping down the hill.
"Her name is Theresa Johnson" he started to explain, uncovering the white cloth that had lain on the frail body. She resisted the urge to divert her eyes away from it, she just looked so… broke. The way her bright eyes dulled with lack of life and froze in a position of fear, it was almost haunting.
"The media seems to call him the Brown Hearted Murderer" Frankie received a questioning look from Maura "Yeah, don't ask about that"
"I thought the FBI would take over the case by now"
"They probably will, if I'm being perfectly honest, the first victim, her name" he paused to read off this notebook "Riley Dean falls under federal jurisdiction, but hopefully they will just want to cooperate rather than take the whole case from under us"
Maura knelt next to the body, her fingers barely touching the skin of the girl, as she investigated the wounds.
"I see he didn't just keep to the chest this time" Frankie commented
"No" stated Maura "He's still kept to the number twenty five but he seems to have spread out to the neck and face" she hovered over a particular stab wound "These facial wounds seem to be deeper than usual "
"This looks personal, maybe he knew the victim" Frankie observed, he picked up his cell phone from his pocket and placed it to his ear "Hey Jane, look at everyone associated with Theresa Johnson and have it ready for us when we come back please" he put the phone down
"Jane's still at the station?" Maura asked, it was unlike her to stay behind the scenes, she liked to be face first with all of this
"Yeah, she's feeling under the weather, so we thought it would be best for her to stay back" he explained "With great difficulty, of course"
Maura chuckled at the thought of her friend arguing with her brother and co-workers about staying behind.
-x-
As soon as the body arrived Maura starting prepping for the autopsy, setting up a tape recorder that would be very stupid her to forget in case the feds came and wanted a thorough report of the initial autopsy.
"Hi Maura" Jane entered the room, her voice stuffy and a tissue pressed up against her nose "Have you started the autopsy yet?"
"Just about to start it" Maura replied, putting on her lab coat "Want to sit in?"
"Yeah sure" she smiled back at her "Best if I kept my distance though, wouldn't want me to spread my germs all over the body"
Maura went over to the body with a tape recorder and placed it down on the table next to her, she flicked the record button
"Maura Isles performing the autopsy of Theresa Johnson, she picked up a scalpel to start the Y incision on the body.
"We need about us Maura" Jane interrupted. Immediately, Maura turned the recorder off and turned to look at Jane.
"Really?" she said with a slightly annoyed tone "You couldn't pick a better time?"
"I'm serious; you've been avoiding me for months"
"Jane, don't take it personally, okay? I've just been going through some stuff"
"But stuff like that is what we used to talk about"
"I would prefer if you left Jane" Maura put her foot down and pointed to the door.
Jane sighed in defeat and walked out while Maura got back to the autopsy.
After she completed the autopsy, she headed home since she it was 5pm and her shift was finished. She was going to meet with Charlie for drinks, they decided to just be friends and then see what happens after that. Maura was running a little bit late so Charlie was already at their normal booth with the drinks already ordered.
"Hey" his eyes lit up as he took in her presence, it felt genuine, like he did before the lay off and drinking, something she would leave to reminisce on later.
"Hi, sorry that I'm late" she placed her bag inside the booth and slid herself onto the seat
"No worries, I already ordered" he replied politely
"I can see that" she said gesturing to the drink in front of her, her favourite drink nonetheless.
"Stuck I work, I presume?" he asked curiously, not in an intrusive way, just making light conversation – something Maura's always found to be awkward.
"Yes, I just had to finish up an autopsy and the paperwork, took longer than I thought it would" she said, rubbing her head from the upcoming migraine she was getting thinking about the amount of work she would have to do tomorrow
"Ah yes, let's talk about cutting open a dead body over drinks" said Charlie sarcastically followed by a wide, playful smile.
"You'll probably throw up, you don't look like you have a strong stomach" Maura took a sip from her drink with a bad attempt at trying to hide her own smile away.
"Ha-ha, you're so funny!" He rolled his eyes teasingly "What's the case you're working on this time?"
"You've probably already read about it, to be honest" said Maura, "But technically I'm not meant to answer that question with anything, so let's keep that on the down low"
"Oh, the 'brown hearted murderer'" He used air quotes around the name "How do they come up with these ridiculous names?"
"I don't even know, it's terrible, I don't even know what it's supposed to mean" Maura laughed "Why a brown heart? That's not even remotely close" she mocked the name with her usual scientific knowledge.
The night continued with the some usual banter between the two but Maura couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt every time Jane's name crossed her mind, being here right now with her ex-lover was either her best of worst choice.
A/N: There is still a chance that she won't go back to Charlie, just gonna leave that out there.
There is a lot to say about Charlie's behaviour, but opinions come down to whether or not you personally think people can change and I think that's really interesting to see within reviews and reactions of people reading this. I obviously don't think alcoholism is a valid excuse to treat someone like shit and domestic abuse is a touchy subject in itself but Charlie is someone new so no one really knows much about him and won't know what he is truly like.
Maura is definitely OOC in this story if no one has picked up on that – I can totally feel it when I'm writing this, I could not see her being so passive towards someone.
One last thing, the original content has been kept in from a year ago because I could not think of a serial killer name lol .
Anyway, long a/n sorry
Read and Review x