"I had NO fucking choice, Korsak! The Feds wouldn't let me tell ANYONE what really happened for fear of another attack!" Jane is screaming, though it isn't that she is angry with Korsak, but more anger is toward herself and the situation. We've moved to a secluded beach hut that was deserted, and I am standing by the door out of the way while Jane, Korsak, and Frost battle it out in the center of the room.

"Oh yeah? Then how in the HELL did SHE become informed? was there with the rest of us when we were told you DIED and when we had YOUR FUNERAL!" I cringe at Barry's words, cowering more against the wall with my arms crossed over my chest insecurely. I've never seen Vince and Barry so furious, and I feel that it is all directed at me.

"The Feds had her under surveillance, Vince. Martino had guys in her neighborhood waiting to get her too. I convinced them to let her come to be with me, and the only way we could get her was for her to 'go missing.'"

I am stunned, it being the first time I had heard this. "What did you say?!" My voice sounds foreign and surprisingly angry. Why am I upset? I can tell Jane has the same thought as she looks at me, her face falling from its previously defensive state and looking more heartbroken now that she is facing offense from all sides.

"Maur..." She starts, turning to face me fully to try to console me but also to have me wait until Frost and Korsak have been pacified before voicing my concerns, given their current state of irritation.

I interrupt her, grabbing my keys and bag before going out the door. "I'll leave you guys to it...Vince, if you wouldn't mind giving Jane a ride to her apartment. I assume there's no point in us hiding now." I have very obvious tears streaming my cheeks as I head out the door, and I suppose that's what makes Vince feel bad enough to honor my request. I would have asked for her to come to my place, but I didn't want to have to deal with disclosing our relationship on top of everything.

I am thankful for the long drive home while I grip the steering wheel tightly. My deeply-tinted windows and the fact that I am alone let me have no reservations about crying openly. Everyone's going to hate me now because I didn't inform them of where Jane was...I should have said something. That's what a real friend would do.. I sigh, another round of tears erupting. What am I supposed to do now?! I think of what the Rizzoli family's reaction is going to be to finding out about Jane...Happiness that she is alive and resentment for me. My dreams of becoming part of their family through full-disclosure of my relationship with Jane are crumbling. It's as if I'm losing my family all over again...When I get home, I don't even feel immodest walking up my front driveway in my bikini and cover-up still. I get inside, slamming the door behind me for no apparent reason and locking it along with the back door, just in case someone tries to visit. I just need to be alone right now.

I strip down and speed through a scalding shower, scrubbing off all the dirt, sand, and guilt that has trounced me within the last few hours. Dressing in a silver set of silk pajamas, I head out into the living room to do what I do best when I'm stressed: clean.

After vacuuming nonexistent pieces of dust off of my floor, wiping my counter tops until I can see my reflection in them, and picking up some stray items from my coffee table, I lay down on the couch with a warm wash cloth over my eyes, willing myself to relax. It's nighttime by now, and I hear knocking on the door after about half an hour. Knowing who it is and that I have to let her in for my benefit and hers, I respond to the second round of knocking with a simple "Use your key!"

The door unlocks, opens, and shuts again. The dropping of keys onto my entryway table, kicking off of shoes, and the sound of bare feet on my hardwood coming over towards the living area indicates that Jane is beside me. She reaches for my hand, and I can hear her kneel down beside the couch quietly. She presses her lips to my hand, stroking my palm and forearm with her fingers to show me that she is here for me and willing to wait until I'm ready to talk. With my free hand, I remove the washcloth and lay it on the back of my couch, turning to an upright position so that Jane and I are facing one another. Both of our hands intertwine naturally, and I lean forward to get a reassuring kiss from her.

I pull away, looking down at our knotted fingers. "How did it go?"

She sighs. "About as well as you'd expect...After we talked for a while, though, I think they finally got to where they understood why I did what I did." She squeezes my hands with both of hers. "They both felt really bad about what they said...Especially Frost about what he said to you. He said to tell you he was sorry."

"He doesn't need to apologize...He was right. I should have told them." I look away from her eyes and down at my lap instead. "Now your family will never accept me."

"Now hang on just a second, what does that have to do with my family not accepting you?!" She brings her hand up to my cheek, making me look back at her.

"When they find out that you're alive and that I knew and didn't tell them, they're going to hate me. They probably won't even let me be your girlfriend anymor-"

"Let you be my girlfriend? Sweetheart, I wasn't asking their permission to be with you. Korsak and Frost are going over to warn them tomorrow morning, we'll go back to work like normal, since the cat's out of the bag, and when we get to the point that we tell them about our relationship after things have settled a little bit, they will be THRILLED. Don't you see that? Ma will understand...She loves you too much not too. Heck, sometimes, I think she even loves you more than me or Tommy and Frankie!" Her last comment and the smile that spreads across her face cause me to smile as well. She leans in to kiss my lips once more, stroking my cheeks with her hands with our foreheads pressed together. "Now...You need to get some rest, dear. Tomorrow's going to be hell, what with all the 'We thought you were dead's and the kissing and hugging and all that crap, which you know I "enjoy" almost as much as you do. I'll see you in the morning? Korsak will come get me and then you...and we'll go face the Rizzoli-music. Cavanaugh already knew about the plans, so he can tell the precinct before we arrive...now that we are out of hiding. He's also going to cancel the missing persons report on you...But, anyways, like I said, I'll see you in the morning."

"Alright..." We both stand to our feet and walk to the door. She puts her things on and grabs her keys, turning back to look at me while flipping out the collar of her coat. She smiles, wrapping her arms around my waist and kissing my lips and the top of my head gently. She starts to pull away, but I stop her, looking into her eyes and letting words flow to show how I'm with her no matter what. "I love you, Jane."

With a raise of her eyebrows at my random exchanging of such deep sentiments, she smiles and replies. "And I'm in love with you, Maura." She smiles at me before shutting the door after her.