AN: See, I don't break my promises! I probably should have said this in the last chapter but for those that don't know or can't tell I'm not from the states and I have taken a MASSIVE bit of poetic license to play around with things concerning the arrest and such. So if it irks you, I'm sorry but just suspend some disbelief with me. That said...
His laugh was more of a bark. Bringing his arms down he brought her unbearably close to him, she moved her face away a mask of defiance. But it was in vain, she was petrified and he was well aware. Worse still she had no way to raise the alarm, no one was coming, no one. She choked on a sob.
"Christ Frankie, can't this thing go any faster?" She was checking and double checking her weapon, listening for updates on the radio.
"I'm trying Jane; I'm just as worried as you are."
He was right, and she knew it too.
Throwing the car around a bend, lights flashing, siren blaring, they were making good time. That might have been a comforting thought if it didn't feel like they were driving on wet tar. Jane hadn't really been one for praying, but right now that was all she could do.
There were no details about the report, just an address and mentions of banging and screaming. No one knew what or who to expect, a hundred and one possibilities were running through Jane's head. Everything from a home invasion gone wrong to, no, she couldn't think like that. She had to go in clear headed and ready for anything. Just another day at the office.
Except it wasn't really, was it. This was Maura, her Maura, and be dammed anyone else. Things had been looking in the right direction, even if neither had really started walking in it. She was so agonisingly close to some sort of clarity, and now someone had thrown it into chaos. At least she would be there to drag the bastard away.
Maura had managed to scurry into a corner, Mark still fuelled rage had yet to relent in his tirade.
"What happened Maura? Huh? You were so willing; I thought that this was what you wanted?"
Dragging his hand along a sideboard he thrust every item, ornament, relic, memory onto the floor. He stepped onto broken shards of unrecognisable objects crushing them further into the ground.
"And now, all of a sudden, I'm not enough for you anymore. Is that it? Some fuckin' queer gets a sucker punch in, and that's it? No! You hear me over there, NO!"
Bellowing out in anger he grasped the edges of the closest cabinet he could find, with an almost primeval rage he tossed it as far as he could.
Maura didn't cry out anymore, it fuelled him, aided him. He was making wild assumptions and accusations, she stayed quiet less she confirm them. Tucking her knees to her chest she wrapped her arms around trying to will betraying tears back into her eyes.
They were getting closer; Jane leaned forward and killed the siren. Frankie turned to her about to speak,
"If they're still there the siren will send them packing. I want this son of a bitch to pay."
He nodded with immediate understanding, flicking the switch for the lights as they pulled into Maura's street.
"Park here, we'll walk up to the house. You take the back and I'll hit the front."
Quickly and quietly they left the car, weapon's drawn only two houses away from the Doctor's. As they reached the edge of the property they were met with eerie silence. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, the door wasn't open, no crashing, nothing.
They looked at each other both trying to fight down any sign of nervousness.
"Change of plan, we both take the front. You ready for this?" Frankie nodded,
"I'll take low,"
Jane smiled briefly nodding, "And I'll take high, let's get this bastard."
Crouching they approached the front door; tentatively Jane reached for the door knob testing to see if it was locked. Grasping the handle tightly she twisted slowly to try and keep any noise down. The silence was immediately shattered by a piercing scream. They both jumped stock upright and shared one look, together two solid boots splintered the door from it's hinges.
Weapons high they burst through the cloud of debris, shouting to identify themselves. They both began franticly looking left and right for a target or any sign of Maura. Thundering steps bound towards them.
"Jane! Look out!"
It was too late; he had come barrelling through the clearing dust. His head low thrusting a shoulder into her gut. Rising he forced her back into the wall, she dropped her gun when her head collided with the brick behind her. Stepping back she fell to the floor gasping desperate breath into her winded lungs.
Mark turned on Frankie; the younger Rizzoli was stepping back with his gun raised.
"This doesn't concern you boy."
Breathing in he forced all of his hesitation down. With one hand held high he made a show of holstering his gun, even clipping it. Mark just barked another laugh before turning back to Jane's prone body.
Jane looked up glaring into his eyes, he was enjoying this. He reached forward to grab her again, she blinked and he wasn't there.
With his night stick in hand Frankie brought it down with immense force, the splintering crack they heard Maura would later diagnose as a severe fracture. The stick collided with Mark's shin bringing him down into a howling heap immediately.
"I am Officer Rizzoli, and I am nobody's boy!"
Jane had managed to stand getting her breath back; she stooped a little from the impact. Placing a hand on his shoulder she stood taller. Watching him writhe for a few seconds she spoke.
"I suppose you better cuff him," They shared a brief smile.
"I got this Jane, go find Maura make sure she's ok."
She didn't need to be told twice, looking around the room she could see no sign of her in the chaotic mess. Stepping carefully around the debris she made her way to the kitchen, nothing was out of place. She strained her hearing for any sign, there was something but she couldn't place it.
"Get that piece of shit out of here, I can't hear myself think!"
She tried again, she could hear something but it wasn't clear. Nothing in the kitchen or the dining room, she hadn't even tried to hide under the table. As she walked back to the living room the quiet sniffles grew a little stronger. She mentally kicked herself as she cleared the way to a small cupboard nestled under the sizable stairs. Slowly she opened the door hoping not to scare her anymore, the sniffles grew louder as Maura tried so very hard to compose herself.
In the darkness the doctor wrapped her hands around a thick torch handle; she would have to thank Jane for making her buy it if she got out of here in one piece. She could hear the door being opened; she crouched bringing the lump of aluminium up in a batter's style. All or nothing she told herself, springing forth wild and thrashing she screamed.
"DON'T YOU TOUCH ME!"
On instinct alone the detective raised her forearm to protect herself, she cursed aloud as the torch bore down on her. She had taken two good hits before she could cry out.
"Maura stop!"
Arms raised above her head the blonde's mind froze registering the voice; she dropped the torch as she fell to her knees finally crying freely. Crawling along the floor Jane pulled her closer with her good arm wrapping the doctor up as tight as possible. Maura's hands managed to wrap around her neck helping her bury her face into the crook there.
Rocking slightly she tried in vain to soothe her friend. It was if every grievance, every bad memory was pouring fourth. She rested her cheek on the mess of blonde below her.
"It's ok, you're safe Maura, I've got you."
More officers had arrived to collect the still screaming man from the home. Frankie had left them with the task of carrying him with paramedics when he heard Jane shout. Running over the mess he found them a conjoined heap on the floor his night stick still in hand. The moment he saw the tear stained face and bruised arms he dropped it where he stood. Rushing around he tried to help them both stand.
"What happened?"
This time Jane smiled holding her up between them as they navigated the war torn room to a waiting ambulance.
"She did exactly what I taught her to do."
Frankie looked at her with a mix of surprise and confusion.
"Last Winter I took Maura out for some 'winterproofing' supplies. Didn't want her stuck out there in some storm in the dark with nothing to keep her safe. So I made her buy that hulk of a thing."
"Well Janie I think you're going to regret that pretty quick, I think our doctor here might just have busted your arm!"
"Meh, she's a doctor. She can fix it."
More soon!