A/N: So this chapter was getting the best of me. I wrote and rewrote it so many times. I was getting too wrapped up in certain details. I had about five different scenarios for the ending of this chapter. All would have gotten me to where I need this story to go but some were a bit boring. I hope you like what I ended up doing.
Weeks had passed and so did winter by the time Maura had finally decided to move back into her own apartment. In that time she had set to task to find out whom she had received the blood donation from. It was not an easy project either. When Maura first called in to the blood donation center they had told her that they were not authorized to give the information to her. With her connections she had some strings pulled and later the documents were sent to her.
Those documents had been sitting in her desk untouched since the day she had received them. The reason why, was that Maura was nervous about sending the card to a complete stranger. Fearing that the person would think she was a complete basket case. But today she had resolved that she would send the thank you anonymously.
Taking the manila envelope she opens it and pulls out the documents. Scrolling through the papers she comes to the name and address of the person, A Jane Jones of Boston. Boston. The place she was born and raised. She hadn't been back there since her accident and the thought made her sad. Maybe one day she thinks to herself.
Picking up her pen she begins to write a simple thank you in a blank card. Hoping that this card would find the one person who saved her and make them realize how important they were to her.
"Frost! You are a jackass!" Jane says as she walks into the office and throws down a card. "You think you're so funny."
Frost looks from Jane to the card, not knowing what he could have done wrong this time. Grabbing the card he opens it and reads it. Chuckling he throws it onto Jane's desk. "That is funny, but it's not from me."
"Come on. I mention that I want a thank you card at the donation site and I get one." Jane says with a scowl. "You're a little late on the joke though."
Looking at his partner with pure satisfaction in his eyes he smiles at her. "Jane, I swear that card is not from me. Honestly, may I be stuck on desk work for the rest of my career if I'm lying."
Head snapping up and her face utterly bewildered she asks, "Really Frost? Then who could it be?"
"Maybe the actual person who got your blood? Maybe it was just a coincidence?" Frost says before suggesting. "Was there a return address?"
"No, but the postmark said it was sent a couple days ago from New York. I thought you had someone send it for you, are you sure you didn't send it? They knew my name was Jones."
"I'm sure Jane, why don't you just accept that someone actually wanted to thank you for your good deed?" Frost asks his friend as she looks on in thought.
"Because people in life aren't that nice and if they are, I have never seen that side of them." Jane says as she gestures to the open case file on her desk. "Come on, we have some leads to check out."
"Jaaaaaane." The voice is croaky and frightfully menacing. "Wake up, Jane. It's time." And before the dream can end, she feels the scalpel in the hands of the snakelike man come down into the palm of her own hand.
It's the middle of the night when Maura is startled awake. The fear is crippling. Her body feels like ice. And her hand burns with so much pain that she fears she may never be able to use it again. She is thankful that she has enough wits about her to roll over before she vomits off the side of her bed.
It's minutes or maybe hours before she feels herself connect back with the present. Standing she makes it to the bathroom to grab some cleaning products. Switching on the light she looks down to her hand, half expecting to see some sort of mark present but there is nothing. Taking a moment she turns on the faucet running her hand under the cold water reveling in the tranquility. Splashing the water on her face, Maura exits the bathroom with cleaning products in hand.
After cleaning up, Maura knows it is going to be one of those nights that she will not fall back asleep. Sitting on the couch she tries to remember what her dream was about. A man…a man that she had known…Hoyt, but in reality Maura had never heard of or seen this man before. Hoyt had been waking her, calling out her name. No. Not her name, he was calling out the name Jane but in the dream she was Jane. And when she awoke he had drove a scalpel threw her hand. That was all she could remember, that was when Maura awoke from her dream.
There had to be a reason why she had dreamt that. Dreams were a way to process the events of the day. There had to be an explanation for it and why it felt so real. Maura had felt as if she was living it, experiencing it as if that was her lying on the cold floor. And for once Maura could not come up with one fact or explanation for this mystery.
"I'm not going to this." Jane throws the announcement in the trashcan next to her desk.
Frost stands up and takes the paper from the trash groaning with frustration as he replies, "You have to Jane, and it's for you and for all the other people who are being honored."
"I don't need to be honored. This is just hierarchy mumbo jumbo." Jane grunts and makes a pouty face.
Mouthing the words 'mumbo jumbo' Korsak looks over to Frost, who in return only raises his eyebrows.
"It's for you and the station as well. The Isles Foundation is donating to the department. It will be fancy food and free drinks." Frost tries to sway Jane.
And Korsak jumps in as well, "The Isles are classy people Jane. I am really excited to meet them. Did you know they donate to animal shelters all around Boston? They even gave money a few years back when the department thought about dropping the K-9 unit. They are the reason we still have those sweet dogs around the station."
"Oh great, I get to dress up in the uniform that makes me look like a man, for the people who make my life a living hell." Narrowing her eyes to the older man she says, "Don't look at me like that Korsak. Almost everyday I get mauled by one of those drug dogs."
"Stop carrying food in your pockets and that wouldn't happen." Frost laughs from his spot at his desk.
Staring at the files on her desk, Jane thinks about it for a moment. Knowing that she has to go makes it so much worse. And so she thinks that maybe she can score even more free drinks from the guys. "Fine. I'll make my appearance but both of you are buying me drinks afterwards."
"Maura Dear?" Constance calls out as she walks into Maura's apartment. "Hello!"
"In the kitchen!"
As Constance rounds the corner she sees her daughter pouring a frothy beer in a mug. "Since when do you drink beer Darling?"
For the whole day she had memories of drinking beer. It's all she could think about. Savoring a nice Blue Moon, the craving was insatiable. "I just had this memory of drinking this brand and so I went out and bought it. It's actually quite delicious." Maura says as she comes around the kitchen island to hug her mother. "Would you like something?" She asks as she flips on the TV and locates the Red Sox V. Orioles game. Mouth hanging agape Constance eyes the blonde.
"Um…no thank you dear."
"I take it you had a memory of a baseball game as well? Because that is a new thing too." Constance dryly jokes but Maura doesn't seem to understand her mother's humor. "Never mind, I have come to ask you if you would like to attend a ceremony with me?"
"What is it for?"
"It's to honor some of the officers from the Boston Police department. We are donating money and I thought it would be good for the both of us to attend." Constance asks but quickly adds the next part when she sees her daughter's unease. "If you don't feel comfortable going back to Boston you don't have to go Darling."
Taking a long swig of her beer Maura sets it down and answers, "I'll go. When is it?"
"Three shots of whiskey." Jane hears Frost say as he and Korsak come up behind Jane at the bar. All three are wearing their dress blues. "I see you came Jane."
"I knew you two idiots would need me at some point tonight to get you out of trouble." Jane glares at Frost.
"Well a good friend wouldn't let us get into trouble in the first place." He counters as he picks up the shot from the bar.
"To having each other's backs." Jane says and the other two men repeat it before tossing back the little plastic cup. "Let's go get this over with."
Setting the glass back down Jane goes to set at her designated seat. As she approaches the table she sees someone in the seat next to hers that catches her eye. It is the woman at the pet store months ago. She would never forget that face. Jane takes her seat as she watches the blonde converse with an older woman. Looking away when the older brunette looks over to her.
"Excuse me." The older woman calls out to her. "I am Constance Isles. We were told that we would be sitting with one of the officers who are being honored tonight. Is that you?"
Looking directly at Constance Jane tries to keep eye contact. Blushing she stammers, "Uh…yes…um…I am being honored tonight." Jane extends her hand to the brunette. "Jane Rizzoli."
And as she pulls her hand back she feels it being pulled back into a handshake. Glancing down she sees that the blonde at the table has grabbed onto it. "Maura Isles. It's a pleasure to sit at this table with you Jane Rizzoli."
And as happy as Jane is to meet this woman it saddens her to know that the blonde doesn't remember the run in months prior. And almost as that thought occurred to Jane, she hears the blonde speak. "So tell me Jane, how is your little girl? She still running off and scaring you half to death?"
She doesn't know why but Jane's heart soars at this comment and she cannot keep the grin off of her face, "No, Ms. Isles she hasn't been running off and talking to 'pretty' ladies."
Even if Jane Rizzoli is repeating what her daughter said that day it doesn't make the blonde feel any less delighted.
"Call me Maura."
With the ceremony winding down, Jane fears the blonde will leave and this high will end. So, Jane extends an invention. "I was going to meet my partners at a bar down the way. If you want to come we could continue this conversation there?" She asks a little too hopeful.
"That sounds great!" The blonde answers with more enthusiasm than what was needed. Standing Jane pulls Maura's chair out for her. Making their way through the tables Jane stops when a man walks up to the both of them.
"Nice to see you Maura." His voice is laced with venom. And Jane's first instinct is to come up to the blonde and place her hand on the small of Maura's back.
"Garrett."
"I see the fall didn't do anything to your looks." Jane feels the blonde's muscles tense and her body begins to shake. And when he doesn't get reaction her hoped for he looks to Jane his smile fake and unnerving. "Doesn't she look good for a person who fell down the stairs and killed her unborn baby in the process?"
"Garrett, stop." Jane hears the tears in the blonde's voice.
And it's then that Jane's assumptions that Maura had left her child with a babysitter vanish and the realization that she had lost her child set in. Jumping to the blonde's aid, Jane replies. "Maura looks exceptionally well for a woman who has lost the most dear thing to her. She looks like the strong, intelligent, beautiful woman that she has always been. And if I were you, I would leave right now. Unless, you want me to arrest you for harassment."
Giving Jane a fake smile he looks to Maura and smirks. "I'll be seeing you around. Say 'hi' to your mother for me. I know she is the only person you have left." And with that he turns and slithers away. Turning to the blonde, Jane can't help to throw her arms around her. Comforting Maura when she hears the cries escape the woman.
Next chapter should have Maura reaching out to Jane Jones. Until next time…