The day before they are scheduled to go over to Jane's house for dinner, Lily sits Maura down at the kitchen table and tells her about Charles Hoyt.

"I didn't know if I should tell you this," she says. She has her elbows on the table, and her hands are pressed together, like she's about to bow her head in prayer.

"You're frightening me a little," Maura says.

"I knew Jane was coming back to Boston," Lily says quietly. "A long time before she showed up at your office."

Maura lets this revelation wash over her, wondering - like an out of body experience - what her reaction will be when blank shock has worn off. "You...what?"

Lily sighs. "I knew she was coming back. I knew before they moved. I," Lily pinches the bridge of her nose. "I've been sort of keeping tabs on her."

Maura blinks at her wife, trying to fit this giant omission into the honest, forthright woman she has known for more than two decades. "You've been keeping tabs on Jane Rizzoli," she says slowly.

"Yes," Lily says. "She joined the force directly out of high school. I saw her that next November at one of my lectures."

Maura nods, feeling anger start to burn away her numbness. "And you neglected to tell me," she says.

"Yes," Lily says simply. "I was worried that...it would do more harm than good. For both of you."

Maura decides to keep stating her questions as though they are facts. It somehow feels easier that way. "You made that decision for both of us," she says, her tone flat. "You felt you could decide what would hurt me without any input from me."

"Her father kicked her out," Lily says, as though Maura has asked. "Her mother used to come to the precinct on Harrison to beg her to reconsider."

"Reconsider what?"

"Her life," Lily says. "I only caught the display once. It was not a pretty scene."

Maura shakes her head. "You should have told me."

"You quit your job," Lily says, sounding a little angry herself. "Because of Jane. Do you think I don't know that?"

Yes. Maura had honestly thought that Lily didn't know that.

Her wife can read the answer in her face. "And now, in the middle of Medical School, when you've finally found something you can really sink your teeth into, I'm supposed to tell you, 'oh, by the way, remember that kid you almost destroyed yourself for? Well she doesn't seem to be getting much better."' Lily looks at her, blue eyes blazing, and for the first time, Maura replays her last year of teaching from her wife's point of view.

"I wouldn't have left you, Lil," she says softly.

Lily smiles. "You wouldn't have meant to, honey, but I know how deeply you felt for her as a kid."

"I wanted to help her. No one ever helped me," Maura puts her hand out, palm up on the table, and Lily takes it willingly.

"It's muddy waters," she says, kissing Maura's hand. "All of it. Jane transferred, you graduated. I had Mags, and we were happy. I told myself that everyone is entitled to their own little bout of insanity."

"We are happy," Maura corrects. "Aren't we?"

Lily grins at her. "I love you more today than yesterday," she says, quoting the first song they danced to as newlyweds.

"Not as much as tomorrow," Maura replies. "But I still don't know how I feel about you keeping those things from me."

"Can we chalk it up to my midlife crises, and my deeply seeded fear that you will abandon me like everyone else?" her tone is light, but her eyes have gone dark, the way they always do when she references her past, or her insecurities.

Maura nods, squeezing Lily's hand. "Yes," she says. "We can. Can we go to dinner at their house tomorrow, and see them as colleagues? Possible friends?"

And Lily nods. "Yes," Lily says "But I have more to tell you."

That is when Lily tells her about Philadelphia serial killer Charles Hoyt, and about Jane's pursuit and capture, and what it had cost her.

And Maura gets up from her chair and walks around to Lily. She sits down on her wife's lap and puts her arms around her neck, the way she would when they first got together, and Maura was simultaneously overwhelmed and entranced by the idea that anyone would want to hold onto her. She sits on Lily's lap and puts her head on her shoulder, and Lily rubs her back while she cries, and Maura takes comfort in the knowledge that she can stay in this position for as long as she wants without any repercussions at all.

Dinner the next night goes amazingly well. In the car on the way to Jane and Louisa's house, Mags leans forward between the front seats and looks between her mothers.

"You guys are acting real weird," she says, in the new tone of a budding teenager. "What's the deal."

Lily chuckles. "Your mother is nervous," she says.

And Maura gives a faint squawk of protest. "Excuse me," she says indignantly. "Your mother is the one who is nervous."

Mags sits back in her seat with a put upon sigh, and Maura reaches across the gearshift to hold Lily's hand.

And the tension is broken.

The Rizzoli-Delgado family lives on the edge of Jamaica Plain, in a two story house with a front porch and a tiny front lawn fenced off from the sidewalk. When Maura and Mags start up the walk towards the house, a little wiry haired dog comes bounding around the side of the steps, barking excitedly.

"Ooh!" Mags says, speeding up. "They have a dog!"

Maura is just about to caution her daughter, when the front door opens and Jane appears on the front porch. "Jo," she says to the dog. "Stop barking." She lifts her hand in greeting, and comes to pull the gate open for them. "You must be Margaret," she says as Mags squats to pet Jo, whose tail is now wagging furiously.

"Mags, please," Maura's daughter says. "Her name is Jo?"

Jane nods "Jo Friday. Total sucker for a good snuggle." She grins at Maura as she comes through the little gate, but when she sees Lily, her eyes go wide with disbelief.

"Oh my God!" She says, backing up so that she almost trips over the bottom most porch step. "Dr. Isles, you did not tell me that your wife is Detective Rush."

Maura looks around at Lily, who is doing a magnificent job of hiding a smirk.

Jane finally seems to get her limbs under control, and she steps forward with her hand out. "It is...an honor to meet you," she says reverently. "I...would have cleaned the house much more thoroughly if I knew you were coming, ma'am."

Lily shakes Jane's hand with a laugh. "It's nice to finally mean you, Detective Rizzoli."
"Jane, please. Compared to you I shouldn't even have my badge. You solved the Philips case in two weeks! You took the man who murdered six innocent kids off the street!"

Lily's neck has gone a little pink with embarrassment. Maura smiles. "That was luck," Lily says as they climb the stairs. "And if you ask me, I am also in the presence of greatness. Boston is very lucky to have you."

Jane pushes the door to the house open, seemingly too stunned to speak.

The inside of Jane's house is brightly lit and furnished with comfortable looking furniture. Elena comes running to meet them all in the front hall, though she goes instantly shy when she sees Mags.

"Mami says Wyatt needs you," Elena says into Jane's pant leg, and Maura is wondering who Wyatt is, when they round the corner into the living room, and are met by Louisa, who is holding a baby.

"I have to finish dinner," she says, holding the baby out to Jane.

"C'mere tough guy," Jane says, taking Wyatt into her arms. "Did you miss your mama? Huh?"

Lou rolls her eyes as she wipes her hands on the dishtowel draped over her shoulder. "She's their favorite," she says good naturedly, reaching out to shake Lily's hand. "That one came out of me, Elena has my genes, but who's the superstar?"

Lily chuckles. "Tell me about it," she points at Mags, who is trying to get Elena to talk to her about Jo Friday. "This one would have attached herself surgically to Maura if she'd had the know how. Can I give you a hand in the kitchen?"

Maura glances at Lily as she follows Lou into the kitchen, and then looks back at Jane and her son. And he must be her son, because he looks so much like her that she almost expects him to cock an eyebrow at her and grin.

"You have a son," she says.

Jane bounces Wyatt, looking amused. "I have two," she says. "Lou has a son from a previous relationship. He's out, but he'll be home for dinner. I adopted him just before Elena was born." She tips the baby towards Maura. "Say hi to Dr. Isles, Wyatt. Say hi to my old teacher!"

Wyatt looks at her and smiles.

Maura's heart breaks open. "I take issue with the word old," she says thickly.

Jane laughs. "Former," she amends. She puts her free hand on Maura's arm, just briefly. "Former."

.

It is easy immediately.

Louisa's son Marc comes home just before dinner, a tall, good looking boy of fifteen or sixteen, who talks to Maura about his interest in physics for half of the dinner.

The only dark moment is when Elena crawls into Jane's lap, complaining of a stomach ache, and from her seat next to the brunette, Maura can feel the little girl's fever.

Jane stands, holding her daughter. "Let's go lie down for a little bit, sweetness, okay?" She bends to kiss Lou on the top of the head. "Excuse us," she says softly.

"Is Elena sick?" Mags asks.

"No," Lou says. Maura sees Marc reach for her hand.

Mags accepts this answer as placidly as she accepts everything, and goes back to eating her dessert.

Jane returns as they are all getting ready to leave. She exchanges a couple quiet words with Lou and then follows Maura and her family out on the front porch. There had been a lot of secret eye contact at the end of the meal between their hostesses, and as Jane pulls the door shut behind them, Maura feels her throat get a little dry with nerves.

Is she going to tell them that they're not welcome back? That it was a bad idea?

Lily seems to sense the arrival of a moment as well, because she puts her arms around Mags shoulder and leads her down the stairs. "We'll meet you at the car, Mommy," she says over her shoulder. "It was nice to meet you, Jane. Next dinner's at ours!"

Jane lifts her hand in farewell. Maura's feet feel like they've been glued to the ground. She makes herself start the conversation. "Dinner was delicious," she says.

Jane grins. "That was all Wheesa. I'll tell her. If it was me, you'd be eating chinese take out from the container."

Maura smiles. "And Wyatt is adorable."

Jane tries her best not to look proud. "He's a ham," she says.

"He's his mother's son," Maura responds.

Jane puts her hands in her pockets. "Dr. Isles, I wanted to talk to you before you left, about Elena."

Maura nods, feeling the nerves return full force. "Did you and Louisa have a chance to talk?"

"Yeah," Jane says. "I think it would probably be for the best if we found a new doctor."

"Oh," Maura had not anticipated this rejection feeling like a physical blow. "No," she says. "I completely understand. It's a very sensitive and intimate thing, and-"

"Okay, you definitely don't understand," Jane says with a laugh.

Maura looks at her curiously. "Excuse me?"
"If you think I don't want you to be Elena's oncologist because I don't want you to do it, then you don't understand. I want to be your friend, Doctor. I mean," she pauses, looking out at the quiet street. "Lou and Lily totally hit it off talking about...God, who even knows. I couldn't follow. You got my teenage step-son to say more than seven words, about school no less. And it was just...a really nice night."

Maura has been nodding throughout this whole explanation. "I agree," she says. "But then you're correct. I'm afraid I don't understand why you wouldn't want me to-"

"Dr. Isles, if you look me in the eye and tell me that my little girl might be dying. Again? I'll never forgive you. I want, I mean, I'd like to hang out again. I know Louisa would love to pick your brain for ideas about her clinic, and I know that if you are always giving me bad news about my kid, I'm going to start resenting you." She looks at Maura for understanding. "I'm sorry," she says quietly.

"No," Maura says, trying and failing to keep the tears of relief out of her eyes. "No, that's, the most succinct and logical explanation I've ever heard. And it makes perfect sense."

"Yeah?" Jane looks supremely relieved.

"Yes," Maura answers. "And if we are going to be friends," she adds. "I think you should start calling me Maura."

Jane laughs. "I don't actually know if I can do that," she says. "It seems so...disrespectful."

Maura laughs too. "Then I will retaliate by calling you Detective Rizzoli," she says, pleased when Jane makes a face. "You have my number, yes?"

"Lou wrote it down." Jane is looking at her like she wants to memorize her face.

"I'll expect to hear from you, then."

"Yes, Doctor."

Maura raises an eyebrow. "Detective." A warning, like she used to give in the hallway, when she caught a student running.

"Maura," Jane says quickly, and then again, like she enjoys the feel of it. "Maura."

And Maura gives a little wave, and then turns and heads to her car.

It is almost a week later when Jane calls her to invite her out to lunch.

"Can you meet at the precinct? If I have motivation, then I'll finish my paperwork."

Maura agrees, and as she hangs up the phone, she hears Jane say, "shut up, Frost, yes I will."

She arrives in the bullpen a half hour later, and when Jane looks up to see her, she rolls her eyes and groans, leaning back in her chair.

"Well that is not the welcome I was hoping for," Maura says.

Jane chuckles, but before she can speak, a dark skinned man throws a piece of notebook paper folded into a triangle at her head.

"I told you!" he crows, and Maura recognizes the playful grin, and the warm brown eyes of Barold Frost.

"Mr. Frost!" she says happily. "I did not know you'd become a detective."

A couple of uniformed men snicker as they pass by, and Frost makes a lowering gesture with both of his hands. "It's just Frost," he says. "Hello, Doctor Isles."

If deja vu were palpable, Maura would be able to reach out and touch it at this moment.

Jane stands up, shoving her hand in her pocket and pulling out a ten. "Here, buy that girl of yours something that's not from the hotdog cart."

Frost makes a face, but snatches the ten from her. "I told you that paperwork wouldn't get done in a half hour. It won't get done in 1,000 half hours."

Jane rolls her eyes again. "Yeah, yeah," she says, motioning Maura towards the exit. "Tell Frankie I took lunch out, K?"

Frost salutes. "Later!"

"Frankie, as in your brother?" Maura asks, as Jane pulls the door open for her.

"Yeah," Jane says with a smile. "He's an officer. He wants his detective's shield so badly."

"So you two speak?" Maura asks hopefully. She sees Jane's smile fade out of the corner of her eye. "I'm sorry. If-"

"No," Jane pulls in a breath. "It's okay. Yeah, Frankie and I are pretty close. He's the only one in my family who I really talk to these days. Though I know he keeps my Ma updated on everything."

They walk in silence for a block and a half, until Jane points her into a deli. "They have the best sandwiches here. I hope it's okay?"
"It's perfect," Maura says.

When they have ordered and are sitting by the window, Maura gathers the courage to ask more questions.

"So...your parents don't approve of your relationship with Louisa?"

Jane scoffs. "My mother could probably get there if my Pop wasn't so dead set on it being a sin." She looks down into her coffee. "I don't know. It doesn't really affect me anymore."

This is a lie, Maura can tell, but she doesn't say anything. "And...Tommy?" she asks, for she has noticed that the youngest Rizzoli has not yet been mentioned.

Jane's jaw tightens. "Prison," she says shortly. "Another three to five."

"I'm sorry, Jane."

Jane shrugs. "How many chances did he get?" she asks, though it's clear she doesn't need an answer. "Killed my Ma, to see him go."

It is surreal, sitting here with Jane, watching her drink her coffee like it is something she's been doing forever. She has been doing it forever, Maura has to remind herself.

"Are you glad to be back in Boston?"

Jane blows out a breath. "Glad?" she asks, looking thoughtful. "I suppose so. I'm glad to be back with Frankie and Frost. I like my bosses okay. It's wild to see you again." She grins, a lopsided thing that makes Maura smile too. "And Lou is so excited about opening another clinic. The one in Philly was really successful, and that's her dream. So...yes, I think on the whole it's good to be back."

Maura is relieved, though she wouldn't have said this question was causing her stress. The rest of lunch passes quickly and pleasantly, and when they stand at the end of the meal, Maura finds herself sad to have it end.

"This was really nice," she says. "I was worried you didn't mean what you said about friendship." this last part has slipped out, and Jane turns to look at her, surprised.

"What? Why?"

"Oh," Maura searches for something between the truth and a lie, and finding nothing, decides she will have to be honest. "I assumed that after I betrayed your trust so egregiously when you were young, that were we ever to meet again, you wouldn't want anything to do with me. Since I failed you in so many ways when you were-"

"Egregiously," Jane cuts her off, brow furrowed.

For a moment, Maura does not understand. "Oh! Ah, appallingly," she says with a tiny laugh. "Abhorrently."

Jane nods. "Well, Doctor," she says. "You know what happens when you assume."

And though the delivery is almost perfect, Maura cannot be diverted this time. "It's true though, Jane. And I'm still so very sorry."

Jane stops walking, and when Maura realizes and turns to look at her, she sees that Jane is shaking her head, sad. "You have no reason to apologize," she says as Maura makes her way back to her.

"I do," Maura insists. "You confided in me, and not only did I not report your assault. I accidentally-"

"Woah, wait," Jane interrupts again. "My what?"

"Casey Jones," Maura says, and to her horror, she sees Jane barely suppress a shudder. "See?" she says. "You have a physical reaction to his name."

Jane stares at her. "He didn't assault me," she says slowly. "He was aggressive, sure. And I was with him too fucking - sorry - long. But-"

"I should have said something."

Jane runs a hand through her hair, looking mildly exasperated. "There was nothing to say, Maura. He was an asshat. But that's not a crime. And I wasn't ready to come out."

They begin to walk again, and Maura is about to say something, to try and change the tone of the conversation, when Jane's phone buzzes.

She pulls it out, and with a quick sorry to Maura, puts it to her ear. "Hey, Wheeze."

She listens, and Maura watches as her face goes solemn.

"Yeah," she says. "Yeah, honey, I'll be there in three minutes, okay?" She pauses again, and Maura can hear Lou's voice, rising slightly. "Baby, whatever he says, we'll handle it, okay? I'll be there in three minutes. Don't let him start until I get there."

She ends the call and looks at Maura. "They have Elena's full work up. Lou's headed to the hospital."

"I can drive you," Maura says. "I'm parked just there, and I have priority parking."

When it comes to her daughter, Jane does not even go through the motions of pretending to decline.

They make it to the hospital in record time for Maura, and she uses her doctor's swipe card to call them an elevator and direct it to the correct floor without stopping.

Jane looks pale and drawn in the elevator. Maura notices her hands are trembling. "Jane," she says softly, and Jane glances at her and then away. She still has trouble making eye contact when she's emotional.

"She's my baby," Jane says heavily. "I gave birth to her. She's...She's my-" she swallows. "And Lou needs me to stay strong for her. But sometimes I look at them, and I think I can't do it. I think…"

"You can do anything," Maura says. She reaches out and takes Jane hand in hers. "You can do this. You are a wonderful wife. You are a fantastic mother. You can do this."

The elevator dings open onto the lobby. Lou is pacing in front of the row of chairs, Marc is sitting close by, Wyatt on his lap.

Jane steps out of the elevator, and Maura sees her shoulders rise and fall with a deep breath.

"Lou," she calls gently. "I'm here."