~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Ch3, Trauma
The next morning, Maura woke, her body flush against Jane's. She quietly tried to slip out of the bed to let Jane sleep in a bit as she prepared for the day. Jane mumbled something that, to Maura, sounded like "no, don't leave baby." But that may have been her own wishful thinking. Half an hour later, she brought coffee and aspirin and woke Jane so she could get going. Jane didn't want to wake up and Maura had to tease her with the coffee. "Jane, if you don't get up now, I'm going to drink this hot fresh coffee I just prepared for you. Oooh it smells so good."
Finally, Jane cracked an eye open. "Don't you dare take that coffee out of this room." And she was up.
Maura walked out of the room, leaving the coffee behind. "Works every time!" She heard Jane griping about having to get up as she went downstairs.
After a bit of breakfast and another round of coffee was poured into their travel mugs, finally, they headed out the door. Jane climbed into her car and Maura into her latest new vehicle, a convertible that she expected Jane would love to enjoy on a summer drive to the coast.
While driving on the way in to work, Jane got a call. A body had been discovered. "Do I ever get a break? At least I've already got fresh coffee." She thought again of Maura and all the little things she did for her and she took another sip and warmed her cold hand on the cup. Maura's coffee always tasted better than any coffee she'd had. But she didn't want to admit it and not be able to tease Maura about being a coffee snob.
Maura's call came moments after and they were both on their way.
At the scene, Jane approached and observed the evidence and the surroundings. Bright red blood stained the fresh white snow while the teenaged victim lay in his own macabre Technicolor death scene. Jane's first thought was that this crime scene had drug deal gone wrong written all over it. Jane hated when such a young person lost their life. She thought of the families and all that would be lost. She thought of her own mother whom she'd been neglecting. Jane bent down to point out evidence to the crime scene photographer.
The victim's mother arrived to see her son and came toward him. She was out of her mind in grief. "Someone get her out of here!" Jane managed to bark out as she turned toward the commotion. She was in full on detective mode as she rose to her full height gesturing toward the woman, causing her blazer to open and reveal her badge. Glaring at the nearest officer she motioned for him to remove her. She knew no mother should have to see her son like this.
Turning away, Jane could hear her wailing. "No, no, no why his life? Why my baby?"
The woman didn't seem to draw breath as she continued her cries of unimaginable pain, "Why should a dog, a rat, have life, and my son have no breath at all? He will never breathe again. Never, never, never, never, never! Bring him back, please, make him breathe."
Then there was nothing. A solemn stillness.
The crying woman had been brought inside one of the buildings out of the cold. The onlookers stood stunned by her outburst, respectful and suddenly quiet. Jane's spine straightened and her body pulsed. She had a job to do.
Jane's trained eye scanned the crowd of onlookers behind the yellow police tape. She detected a suspicious figure in the midst of the rest wearing something other than a look of sadness and concern on his face. She knew that killers sometimes liked to watch as the site of their deed was marked off as a crime scene; as if they caught a thrill by observing the impact they'd made, reliving it through the horrified looks of bystanders. She quietly communicated to her partner the description of her latest suspect and she set off to block his exit.
The talented detective was right, the murderer was there, standing in the crowd, watching, gloating. Jane's experience knew that ego and over confidence were the Achilles heel for many criminals. These were her favorite arrests. She loved to snatch the smug smiles from these arrogant animals with the cold confident click of her steel police-issue handcuffs.
Jane slowly approached the behemoth of a man from behind while her partner, who was playing the crowd, held the suspect's attention. As Jane got closer, he sensed her approach then turned and ran. He sprinted down the street away from the crime scene at the same time Dr. Maura Isles parked her brand new baby blue Jaguar XKR hard-top convertible and stepped out. She was right in his escape route, oblivious to the danger. Jane saw that Maura was in the path of a suspected deranged killer. To protect Maura from getting hurt, or worse, Jane, who was only a half a step behind him, lunged. She grabbed his arm and he spun toward her. Maura yelled, "Jane!" But all she could do was watch, stunned, as he turned and threw Jane into a wall and punched her solidly to the ribs. Jane was doubled over from that first blow. Maura could hear the air forced from Jane's body at that hit. A stifled whimper escaped and she tried to breathe. Then, he placed a crushing uppercut into Jane's jaw, causing Jane's body to fly back and her head to slam into the wall as she crumpled to the ground. She was knocked out cold. The six-foot-five brute gave one last kick to her side and made his escape with Jane's partner and a half a dozen uniformed officers in pursuit.
Maura slipped on the ice and snow in her rush to get to Jane. She got back to her feet with wet, bloodied knees and a nicked hand and continued toward Jane. The brave detective lay unconscious and broken on the concrete sidewalk, her bottom lip split from the murderer's fist and her head scraped from her fall into the icy pavement. Maura quickly removed her coat and covered Jane as she lay on the frozen ground. "Jane, Wake up! Jane, Are you ok? Jane, please." Maura pleaded repeatedly and stroked Jane's cheek. "Oh Jane, What did he do to you? Your beautiful face. Jane, wake up."
Jane heard a muffled voice as she came back into consciousness and opened her eyes. She saw Maura, albeit two of Maura as Jane's eyes tried to focus. "Maura, I couldn't," Jane tried to get a breath, but her ribs ached from the punch, "couldn't let him hurt you." Jane could barely breathe and she could taste blood. It felt like her chest was ripping apart every time she tried to inhale. She could only manage very shallow, gasping breaths.
Maura was shivering as the winter air wrapped around her and pulled the warmth from her body. She knelt beside Jane trying to keep Jane talking. Frantically, she wiped the blood from Jane's mouth using the sleeve of her blouse. Maura's shaking hands moved to ascertain the extent of the injuries and whether Jane may need stitches. Seeing that the blood was from a small split and no stitches would be required, it struck Maura how much blood seemed to come from facial injuries. She'd attended to so many of Jane's injuries lately. But right now, Maura was simply relieved Jane was conscious. She saw the ambulance attendants approaching from a block away. She concluded that Jane's jaw may, in fact, be broken but the way Jane was struggling to breathe made her believe her ribs were likely broken as well. Maura leaned over to look into Jane's eyes. "Jane, I need you to try to steady your breathing ok? Breathe with me." Maura tried to get Jane to follow her instructions, but after a few moments Jane's eyes seemed to cross again and she fell back under. The EMS crew approached. With a quivering voice, Maura forced information to the EMS crew, "She has a possible broken jaw and was unconscious for at least three minutes before she came to. Be careful with her, her ribs might be broken."
"Ma'am, we're gonna have to ask you to step aside."
"No you will not, I am a doctor. And she is.. she is a Police Detective."
The EMS crew were about to lift Jane onto a stretcher, "Be careful with her! You need to use a neck brace! What is wrong with you people? Have you not been trained?" Maura could feel her heart rate rising as her anxiety level intensified.
Korsak approached Maura and pulled her away so the EMS crew could get Jane to the hospital. He retrieved Maura's coat from the ground and put it back on Maura's shoulders. "Maura, let them take care of her. Let's get this work done and then you can go to see her at the hospital."
"Vince?" Maura had tears in her eyes and her voice was breaking. "Vince, she's hurt, Jane is hurt badly."
"Maura, she'll be ok. This is Jane we're talking about. Nobody stronger." Korsak took Maura's arm and started walking. "Tell your people what to do to get this crime scene squared away and you should go to her."
Korsak lead Maura back to where the murder victim lay and Maura instructed her team to process the scene and to collect the body and deliver the victim to the morgue.
In the meantime, Jane's partner had apprehended the murderer after the foot-chase. He'd confessed to the killing, likely encouraged by the attention lavished upon him by Jane's police peers who were none too happy that he seriously injured one of their own. His facial injuries included a broken occipital socket, broken nose and multiple facial lacerations but the officers' statements all concluded similarly, that this happened when the suspect repeatedly beat his own face into the pavement. Not one member of the police department questioned the report. Suffice it to say, he was booked additionally on aggravated assault on a police officer which won him no friends at the precinct.
When Maura was finished at the scene, and with the crime apparently solved, she chose not to go back to the morgue with her team and instead went to find Jane at the hospital. Once there, Maura tried to make herself presentable again and looked at the small holes torn in her slacks from falling on her way to Jane. Maura saw Jane's blood dried on her sleeves and imagined Jane's beaten face in her mind, her heart went slack and was hit with a flash of nausea for a moment. She hurriedly re-rolled her bloodied sleeves while she urgently approached the nurse's station. She introduced herself to the head nurse and asked about Jane's injuries. "Excuse me, I'm Dr. Maura Isles, I'm here to see Detective Jane Rizzoli who was injured in the line of duty. Do you know of her condition or where I might find her?"
The nurse looked to her notes and responded "Detective Rizzoli is awake and somewhat alert now. The doctors said she suffered a grade III concussion with loss of consciousness as well as suffering a broken rib. The rib injury is an incomplete fracture. The doctor is directing us to keep her overnight." The nurse looked up from her notes and saw the anxiety in Maura's face and finally pointed down the hall, "Your wife is in exam room number six, down that way."
Maura started heading in that direction, turning slightly with intention to correct the nurse but instead decided not to waste time and went straight toward the exam room to see Jane.
Twenty feet down the hall, Jane was still in the examining room and was having a fit about remaining in the hospital. She refused to comply and kept repeating breathlessly, "I want to go home, my wife…. is a doctor. She…. can take care of me." Jane tried to breathe. "I want to go home."
Maura walked into the room uncertain of what she'd just heard come out of Jane's mouth. Jane saw her and held eye contact with her as if her life depended on it. She begged, "Maura, please. Take me home." Maura turned to look at the doctor and discussed Jane's injuries with the him as Jane continued to plead her case. The doctor started to intervene by saying that "Jane's level of injury makes her susceptible to amnesia, cognitive changes, dizziness, vomiting, nausea, lack of motor coordination, difficulty balancing, confusion, emotional problems…" but Maura interjected and offered to watch Jane at her own home as long as all the tests proved it was safe.
Maura knew the implications of a severe head injury and was well aware of the possible effects. "I assure you, doctor, that Jane will be monitored closely. If her condition worsens I will have her brought back to the hospital." Since Maura was a doctor and Jane was being extremely difficult, the hospital officials allowed it, if only to keep Jane from becoming more agitated. With signature from both women, they were allowed to go but only after the conclusion of the required tests. "Gah, Maura, how many more tests are there? I'm so done." Jane was in a good deal of pain. "Please, Maur, just get me home. I want to be home."
Maura ensured that all proper tests were conducted in her presence before she herself agreed to allow Jane to leave the hospital. Throughout all the tests, Jane kept reaching for Maura. To Maura, Jane seemed a bit more physically needy and constantly wanted to be touching Maura in some way, holding her hand or arm, never wanting her out of her sight. Jane was usually fairly prickly and didn't like to be touched. But since Jane had been through so much today, Maura decided Jane simply needed comfort.
"Jane, we have only one more procedure and it should be quick. Now let them do this MRI and we will leave." Maura was grateful and a bit surprised that Jane followed her instruction with only minor disagreement. Jane must really be exhausted from all this, Maura thought.
After another hour of testing and analysis, truly, there was nothing left that the hospital could do for Jane that Maura herself couldn't do in the comfort of her own home. Through the several hours at the hospital, Jane vomited four times in front of Maura and the hospital staff. It was one of the expected symptoms but Maura knew that Jane would never want anyone to see her so weak. It was time to go.
Maura called Jane's brother, Frankie, to help bring Jane home. Jane's mother, Angela, approached from the waiting area just as Jane was put into the wheelchair for her ride to Frankie's waiting car. "Oh Janie, your face. What did that criminal do to your face? I knew being a cop would catch up with you again. I worry so much about you and all that could happen to you at your job. Now will you go find something else to do to make a living that is safe? Find a husband who will take care of you? Have babies?" Jane's face was contorted in confusion and anger. "What the hell, Ma? What is wrong with you?" Then Jane's mother leaned over to hug her daughter who cringed and whined in pain as her mother aggravated her broken rib with the overly aggressive hugging.
"Angela, please, be gentle, Jane has at least one broken rib." Angela stepped back from Jane apologetically. Maura stopped their conversation in an attempt to get Jane out of the hospital as quickly as possible. She knew how much Jane hated to be doted on by her mother. Also, Jane needed to be restful and not upset. "Angela, all of Jane's tests came back clear for any danger. She does have a broken rib and some contusions, but she just needs some rest. Concussions are serious and Jane has more than a minor injury. I plan to bring her home so I can watch her. If she doesn't come home with me, then she'll be kept here in the hospital overnight. And we both know Jane would not like to stay here." Maura told Angela that the doctors agreed to release Jane to her care.
Jane reached for Maura's hand and pulled it close to her face. "See, Ma, my sweet Maura is going to take great care of me." Jane placed a quick kiss to Maura's hand. The standing women looked at Jane with some perplexity at Jane's odd behavior and then looked at each other. Jane had never done that before.
Angela spoke. "What? What is that?"
Maura assured Jane's mother that everything was under control. "Angela, Jane's suffered a concussion and is still somewhat confused as her brain recovers. I will make sure she is attended to properly."
Angela offered, "Well, if you need anything, Maura, please let me know, I'll be right next door at home, OK?" Maura shook her head in agreement and proceeded to pull her hand from Jane's to push the wheelchair toward the exit.
Jane felt like an object in that chair as they talked about her. "You know I'm right here, Maura."
"Yes, Jane, I am well aware." Then Maura called back to Jane's mom, "Goodnight Angela."
Angela watched Maura push Jane down the hall in the wheelchair. She wondered how much she'd missed over these past months with Jane pulling away and not letting her close anymore. She whispered to herself, "Are Jane and Maura finally together? Oh, my Jane is going to be so happy with Maura. " She smiled and thought, "I need to tell Frankie. I knew it." Then she headed home herself.
Once out of the hospital entrance, Jane thought enough to apologize to Maura. Her voice was quiet. "Maura, I'm really sorry, I don't understand what is wrong with my Ma. After all this time I really thought she finally accepted who I am. I wish she'd realize I'm happy with my life. I don't understand how she can still be so mean." Frankie approached them at the back door to his car and placed Jane in the back seat. Maura got in the other side to sit with Jane. Maura thought to call and have someone retrieve her own car from the hospital parking lot later. As Maura settled in her spot for the ride, Jane slid toward the middle of the seat and leaned her head onto Maura's shoulder. She reached for Maura's hand and tenderly intertwined their fingers. "Thanks Maur, I knew you'd get me out of there and take me home." She turned her head and looked toward Maura. "I'm glad you're here with me." Maura went along, but was a bit surprised at the gentleness in Jane's voice and continuing show of affection from the normally reserved detective. They were already on their way to her house so if Jane's behavior was only a ploy to get released to her care, then Jane need not continue.
"I'm so glad you are always here for me, Maura. I love you, so much." At that, Jane gave Maura's hand a good squeeze. She closed her eyes and nestled in a little closer to Maura with her head pressed against Maura's right shoulder. Maura watched a tear escape and roll down Jane's bruised and swollen face. Maura became even more mystified at the intimacy of Jane's words. She observed Jane crying. Maura knew that is so not Jane behavior and her eyes went immediately up to Frankie who was looking back with the rear-view mirror. His eyebrows were pushed together in confusion and finally realization that Jane and Maura must have been together all along and hiding their relationship. Oh, the cat was out of the bag now. He couldn't wait to go tell his mother the news.
Maura saw the thoughts play through on Frankie's face. She began to question just how much Jane might have been affected by the head trauma. She kept a watchful gaze.
- credit to King Lear for the death scene. I do hope you're enjoying so far. Our poor girls, always trouble isn't there?