*UPDATE* Because of the majority of reviews that obviously did not like the previous ending of this chapter, I have changed it drastically and hope this will be more to y'alls liking! :)

AN: Guys, thank you for the all the follows and reviews! Hope this next chapter is good. Thank you also to Cagney for the advise rating!

Jane smiled as she hung up the laundry. Maura had managed to get some more man clothes for her, letting Jane have more than enough of different changes of clothing she ever had in her life. She was smiling because this was the first real job that heavily involved her using her fingers and hands.

It had been five days since Maura took off the bandages. It still hurt quite a bit, but Jane was learning to bear with it. If there was one thing good about the wounds, she could tell when it was going to rain. Her hands would ache something bad before heaven let down its tears.

It had also been five days since Maura had posed that question to her. Jane was still thinking about it. It shouldn't be a struggle, yet it was. For eight long years, she had lived, breathed, and slept all for finding or hearing about the killer.

She had weighed the pros and cons. A few of the pros were:

Stability

Love

A home to go back to

Companionship

And the cons were:

Probably will not be able to go after the Surgeon anymore

No honour for my family

No justice

It was so easy just to say yes to Maura. After all, there hadn't been a peep from the killer for a long, long while.

It has been five days, I think that is enough time, especially since this would be an easy choice. I can't spend forever mulling over my answer. Jane made up her mind as she stuck the last peg onto the clothesline.

She was about to head back to the house when she heard a whistle. She froze in her tracks. There it was again. Loud and clear. It was a special whistle tune that she, Frankie, and Frost had come up with when they were younger.

Back before the Civil War, Frost belonged to Huntingworths, an elderly and childless couple that mainly needed Frost's help for all the heavy lifting. They were more than kind to him and almost treated him like a son.

He was just two years older than Frankie and two years younger than Jane. Frankie and Jane would often go over to the Huntingworth's and get Frost to play with them when he was free. Or Frost would head over to the Rizzoli's and look for them.

They came up with a whistle tune that would let each other know that they were approaching.

Jane looked around. There was only the small clearing surrounding the house before the field of tallgrass prairie took over. Jane walked to the edge of the field and whistled back. "Frost? Frankie?"

A patch of grass rustled, indicating where the person was. Jane kept her eyes fixed on the spot where she had seen the grass sway, and she moved towards it. Upon reaching it, she saw a crouched figure. "Frost?" she called as she squatted down beside him.

"Hey, Jane." Frost greeted. They clasped hands.

"Frost! It's so good to see you! What are you doing here? It's dangerous for a black to be seen in this here area."

"I know, Jane. But something happened back home. Stanley and his wife were murdered five days ago."

"Uh, okay. I am not happy to hear that news, but we both know that Stanley and his wife were not the best loved couple in town. In fact, I think they were the most hated."

"It was the way in which they were killed, Jane."

"How?"

"Their throats were slit, and there was a teacup left on the floor."

Jane felt all the air rush out of her lungs as she sat down hard on the ground. "You – you mean, this could be the Surgeon now? A-after all this years?"

"I think it's a trap, though. Think about it, eight years, there's nothing. Then suddenly, he comes back and kills a couple, same way he did all those years back. What's more, it happens right where you were born."

"I don't care. This could be a break. If it were a trap, then he would surely be there. I might finally be able to finish this all."

"I knew you would want to know. But, I am also trusting you to have enough judgment to handle this situation."

"Thank you, Frost. Thank you very much. I will try to get back to Kentucky as soon as possible. Would you want to come into the house for a while?"

"No, thanks. I've got to get going, and I have got enough provisions." Frost said as he patted the back pack that he had set next to him. "Besides, I have to go back now. The Huntingworths died six months ago, and they left me everything."

"Oh, Frost. That's so good for you! Not the part that the Huntingworths passed, though. They were one of the nicest couple that lived in town."

"Yeah, they were. At least they lived to a ripe, old age and believe it or not, they both died in their sleep at the same time. Quite romantic." Frost smiled. "Think about Jane, please?"

"Wow, okay." Jane stood up and shook Frost's hand. "Well, see ya soon, Frost. Safe trip to you."

Jane headed back to the house. She thought she knew how she was going to answer Maura. However, this new information changed everything. Jane walked into the house and went straight to the kitchen, where Maura was probably in at this timing, for she usually helped out during the meal preparations. She spotted Maura as soon she stepped into the kitchen.

"Hey, Maura, could I talk to you for a minute?" Jane asked.

Maura looked up from the grits that she was stirring. "Could it wait a while? I am kind of busy right now."

"It's quite urgent."

Maura, sensing that Jane would have bodily pulled her out of the kitchen if she did not come, handed the spoon to Susie. "Susie, you're in charge for now."
Maura followed Jane who headed back out into the field. "Maura, I just got news that the man who killed our parents is back in my home town. I have got to go back."

Maura stated at Jane. "What about that question I asked you?"

"I don't know, Maura, I don't know. But, I cannot let this opportune moment pass me by."

"I thought you told me that you would think about it. Wouldn't it be dangerous?"

"I am thinking about it!" Jane grunted in frustration. "Why does everyone keep telling me to think? I do that all the time. I keep thinking and thinking and thinking. That's all I ever do, there has to be a time for action too, you know?"

Maura was taken aback by Jane's sudden impassioned manner of speaking. "Jane, I am not saying that you don't think."

"I'm sorry. My friend from back at my home town just came to inform me that a couple was murdered five days ago. I've got to –" Jane was cut off when Susie stuck her head out and called for Maura.

"Uh, doctor Isles? I think we need some help back here. There's an emergency, and the kitchen is starting to get into a mess."

Maura closed her eyes and bit back a retort. She looked straight into Jane's eyes. "Please, if our friendship meant anything, don't leave just yet." And with that, Maura turned to go back into the house.

Jane clenched her hands and made a frustrated sigh. "Ow, ow, ow…" She groaned when she clenched her fists to tightly. Jane started down the road to town. She couldn't stand being still right now.

Kicking at the stone and dust, Jane gradually found herself standing in front of the Dirty Robber, the town's local saloon. For three months now, Jane had not touched a drop of alcohol – well, except for that small sip when she first came here. Other than that, Jane hadn't touched it. She did think of having a bottle now and then, but she wasn't that addicted to the booze just yet. Standing at the store front, Jane felt the beckoning of an old friend, telling her to enter in.

Hell, why not? It sure does help to take my mind all these stupid things. Jane pushed open the doors and strode right in.

Three bottles, two mugs, and seven shots later, Jane stumbled more than walked back to Maura's home. It was two in the morning by the time Jane made it up to their room, although with quite a lot of noise.

Maura was already tucked into bed when she heard the door to the room was abruptly pushed open. "Jane! Is that you?"

"Heeeyyy, Maaauuurrr!" Jane's speech was slurred, and Maura could immediately tell that Jane was drunk. Jane swayed as she made her way to Maura's side of the bed.

Maura immediately shrank away from Jane. "Jane, go away. You're drunk. You either sleep on the mattress or you get out of the room, until you sober up."

Jane did not listen at all and instead, she just sat down on the floor, and leaned her head onto the mattress so that she was looking directly at Maura.

"You are so pretty, you know that? You're my Madonna." Jane spoke dreamily. She continued to stare directly at Maura, who was starting to feel uncomfortable with the jabbering Jane. However, she remained silent and let Jane continue to speak what was on her mind.

"I really miss my parents, ya know that? I honestly thought that I was going to die of craziness, if that's possible. But the only thought that kept me alive was the thought of revenge!

"When I turned eight, my mom had sewn a little corn doll for me. My dad had carved a slingshot. You couldn't have gotten a bigger contrast than that. But I would pay equal attention to them, using the slingshot during the day, and cuddling with my doll at night. Because in my mind, I didn't want to hurt the toys' feelings."

Maura smiled at the memory Jane was sharing with her. She watched closely as Jane began to stand back up to loom over her.

"And then that murderer had to come along. He burned those keepsakes along with the entire house, leaving me and Frankie nothing!" Jane started to dry heave, indicating the distress she was in, as the tears started to fall.

Maura couldn't stand it anymore, she scooted to the other side of the bed and patted the vacated spot, indicating for Jane to join her. Jane listened and moved right in beside Maura. They sat in silence for a while, before Jane suddenly turned to move straight towards Maura, reaching her hand out to touch Maura's face.

"Oh, Maura, I love you so much, it hurts. Yet I love my parents and Tommy too! I don't want to hurt you. Yet I don't want to just let that bastard roam free. I know he's down there somewhere." Jane said as she brought her face closer and closer towards Maura.

Maura could feel Jane's lips hovering over hers, just a few millimetres more, and they would be kissing. But Jane abruptly lurched forward, head landing on Maura's shoulder, finally passed out from all the booze.

Not wanting to miss this sudden closeness, Maura put her arms around Jane and held her there. She sat quietly, analysing all that Jane had just said. I can make this easier for Jane, even if it is not easier for me. After all she's been through, she deserves a break. And I can give her that break.

Please do review and let me know how this one turned out. Love.