A/N Hello minions! I'm so sorry it has taken so long for me to update. School holidays = writers block. Sadly, I have to go back to school in like, 12 days I think - around that. So, I'm pretty sure this chapter is longer than usual, but you guys deserve it. Beta'd by Captain Symmetry as per usual.

Also, to those reading Fix You, we're still kind of brainstorming and fighting over who should be writing the next chapter, but we'll get there... eventually.

Enjoy! xo

"JANIE AND TOMMY RIZZOLI!" Angela screamed as the three teens walked through the door. "Hi Frankie, how you doing baby?"

"Good, Ma." Frankie smiled widely at his mum, then went straight to his room - that is, after he shot a 'haha you guys are in trouble glance' to his siblings. Jane and Tommy avoided their mothers gaze and tried to make it to their own rooms. Angela cleared her throat - they weren't going anywhere. Well, not without a lecture first.

"Don't you walk away from me! Care to explain to me what happened today at school? Why you were truanting? Why didn't you go to class?" She exclaimed, waving her hands in the air like a typical Italian. The two of them walked heads down towards the chairs in front of the kitchen island, which their mother was standing behind; Tommy had his hood up, so as to hide the bruises on his face. He didn't want to worry his mother any more than he had to; that and he didn't want to have to be here longer than he already was going to. They plonked themselves down in wooden chairs, and kept their gaze on the floor.

"Sorry, ma." They both droned in unison.

"Apology accepted, but I'm still mad. Why did you both skip class?" Angela pushed, her voice raspier than usual from yelling; and probably from crying earlier today. The two minors didn't want to tell their mother the truth as to why they didn't go to class; it would worry her too much. They looked at each other until Jane piped up with an excuse; well, she tried to make up an excuse.

"See, we didn't go because… well we both heard rumours that both our teachers were away sick… which would mean a free period for us. Right? So we went and spent the free period we thought we had playing chess in the chess clubs' room." Smooth, Rizzoli. You are a genius. She nodded at her mum, and Tommy nodded towards his mother to confirm Jane's story. Angela thought it over for a moment before buying the story.

"…Well, alright. Just make sure you both actually have free periods before you go off truanting and ruining your education. Ok?"

"Yeah, Ma." A chorus of two echoed through the kitchen, which prompted a grunt from Mama Rizzoli. Tommy and Jane stood, heads still tilted down, and strode off to their rooms.

SLAM!

Tommy slammed his door shut behind him, whereas Jane gently closed her door, securing it by locking it behind her. Tommy gets angry too easily, I hope his face is ok. She made her way to her desk, reaching for the object she desired before sitting down in her red, fluffy swivel chair and picking up a random pen.

Dear Diary;

It's been a while but I really need to vent. I'm basically going to recap this whole day. It's been absolutely crazy, like seriously. So this morning I woke up and my parents were in the kitchen yelling at each other - I mean they always fight but… this was intense. They were throwing things and… it was a really scary sight. Ma caught me watching through the crack of my door, and told me not to worry and go to school basically.

I left for school, and then I went straight to the auditorium to play the piano - as I do. Piano just calms me, it's just so beautiful. I would never admit to anyone I actually enjoy playing piano, or that I like classical music and opera and such related things. I get bagged out enough as it is, why make it worse?

Anyways, I left when the bell rang and someone was calling my name as I walked to class. I tried to ignore her and pass it off as me not being able to hear them, but they caught up with me and talked to me anyway.

Her name is Maura, and she's the most gorgeous person I have ever seen.

She's a cheerleader, a popular girl. So naturally, she's out of my league and I should hate her for being a stuck up bitch anyway. But she's not like that - AT ALL! I mean, she spoke so proper. She explained where the word piano came from and well - she's a smart cheerleader. There are no smart cheerleaders.

But she's impressive. She seriously went out of her way just to tell me I was good at piano - oh yeah, she was sitting in the auditorium whilst I was playing. I don't know why she followed me in there but… she thinks I'm good? I mean… holy shit. That's kinda awesome. She, Maura Isles, thinks I'm good at something.

Ok I just read what I wrote and it sounds stupid but, no. I mean, she's perfect and I'm… nothing compared to her. So for her to say that… wow.

Anyway, I played it off as I didn't care about her and yeah. I went and played again at Recess too, and I swear she was in there; that or I'm hearing things. So yeah all day, and even now, I've been upset about Ma and Pop fighting… So after Recess Tommy and I met up and decided to jig class. Of course, Frankie didn't because he's a goodie two-shoes. I love that about him though, I hope he never gets in to trouble; we're such bad influences.

Well, we got caught. We got detention too AND Mr Henson, because he's a fucking prick, rang Ma and told her. She's upset, we didn't want to upset her more! FFFFUUUU! Oh yeah, and in detention Tommy got punched by that dick Jeremy, and he punched him back anyway. Then I got pushed back down by Jeremy, and so I punched him. Nobody except the kids in detention know, but surely enough Ma will find out sooner or later.

But Jeremy called me a dyke. So not only was I punching him for Tommy, but for me, because of what he said… I don't know how everyone found out anyway. I mean, it was two years ago. I still have only two friends; Barry and Vince. I love those guys, they're so awesome. They accept me and they'll never dog me - not like all those girls I use to hang out with. Sigh…

Anyways -

Jane heard her mother call out to her and her two brothers from the kitchen to come here.

- hang on, Ma's calling me…

She returned, dropping carelessly into her chair, a look of shock mixed with fear and pain marring her face.

Oh my god… My parents are getting a divorce.

A tear or two dropped onto the page she was writing on, luckily not hitting any of the writing.

I can't believe this is happening. I mean, no, no. They always fight, we're Italian for God's sake! This I - I don't believe it. This is just a thing for them, they'll forget about it in the morning… I know they will.

-x-

Maura's POV.

"Hello? Mother, Father, I'm home! Is anyone home?" Maura sang out as she strode through the front door to her house. Locking the door behind her, she walked into the kitchen. On the fridge was a sticky note labelled at the top in capital print letters 'MAURA'.

I have gone to New York for a week. Your father is upstate today, and will be going straight from there to join me in New York for the week. We'll let you know if we happen to stay longer.

Mum. xo

"Great." Maura mumbled under her breath. She let out a sigh of discontent and scrunched up the sticky note, walking over and placing it in the bin next to the kitchen counter. "Alone, as per usual."

Maura dawdled up to her room, in no rush to do anything at all. There was no one she had to try impress, no one to please. There was no one. But she always had someone that would listen; well something more like. It would listen to all her problems and thoughts and it would never judge her, unlike living people. She never liked people so much, as they never really like her. Although, she loved her pet African Spurred Tortoise, Bass; he also always listened and never judged.

Maura heaved her school bag off of her back and onto her bed. She reached up to the highest shelf in her bookshelf which was next to her bed, grabbing a medium sized, light yellow spiral notebook. Settling down at her desk she reached over to grab a matching light yellow pen with a spiral pattern going up and around it, from her 'pen holder'; her pen holder being a 150mL beaker. Opening the notebook to the next clear page, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Dearest diary;

I'll keep it to a minimum as I tended to writing in you yesterday, and I need to feed Bass soon and complete homework for almost all of my classes.

Something happened today, and I needed to talk about it. As I have no friends to talk about it with - and no, Elle and the group don't count because they're only nice to me because of my athletic skill as a cheerleader.

Remember the girl I told you about a month back, on the first day back to school? I remember I said it was the first time I noticed her, and that I can't believe I'd never seen her before. I believe I also said how breathtakingly stunning she was and I commented on her 'sporty' physique.

I spoke to her today, but you know what prompted me to? I, very stealthily if I might add, followed her to the auditorium and snuck in to see what she might be doing in there. See, she strode there and her face read… well, I've never been too good at reading human emotions, but I believe it was anger of some sort. Back to the story though - she was playing piano.

It was the most beautiful piece too, I had no idea she could play. Her physique, as I mentioned earlier, doesn't suggest she would play such an instrument, and definitely not hold an interest in classical music.

As they say, 'looks can be deceiving'.

She has a husky voice, which I wouldn't have of suspected her to have either; admittedly, I find it rather… endearing. I can't stop thinking about her, which is odd, because I've only talked to her briefly and already she's a constant thought. Oh the mind is a confusing thing.

I'll stop drabbling now, I must go feed Bass.

xo

Reviews are greatly appreciated. Let me know what you think, it'll make the next chapter come much, much sooner. :)