Blue

Chapter 16

Disclaimer: Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles do not belong to me. No infringement intended and no profit will be made from their use.

A/N: This is it friends. Thanks for sticking with it. I hope you enjoy the final chapter. Reviews are always read and appreciated, even if I didn't have a chance to respond.

December 29th

Jane stayed in the hospital until late afternoon. The doctor wanted to make sure she didn't have any symptoms of concussion.

In early afternoon Korsak came to visit. Korsak started by saying, "Jane I'm so sorry. We were at the crime scene. When I got back to headquarters, I couldn't get in the building. Someone dropped a box in the lobby and then called in a bomb threat. We think it was Petrozelli. He wanted to create a diversion so they could get you out of the building."

"What happened to Cavanaugh? He left me in the interview room and that's when Hobbs came in." Jane asked.

"It seems that Cavanaugh was the only other person left on that floor. Petrozelli knocked him out probably with the butt of his gun. He's got a pretty good concussion. He says he didn't even know Hobbs was in the room with you."

Jane rubbed at her own head where Petrozelli had hit her and knocked her out. "Is there any reason to think Cavanaugh could have been working with Petrozelli?"

"He never worked with Petrozelli in Homicide so I would think no, but I can't say for sure. He did get a good crack on the head. Janie, you're still going to have explain what the hell was going on?

Jane took him through the basics of what she had learned about Petrozelli's initiation ritual.

"We always heard they were bad guys, but I don't think anyone ever guessed it was anything like that. I can't believe it was kept secret this long. Why did Brosnan leave that note?"

"I went to talk to him yesterday. I had the general idea figured out but not all the facts. He told me it was an initiation and that Petrozelli basically chose the women that would be killed. He was not in a good place and told me he'd been waiting years for someone to figure it out and arrest him. He gave me the idea to do the ballistics tests to see if they matched any records added to the database since those cases."

"You have Frost working on the arrest warrants?" Korsak asked.

"Yeah. I wanted to get them taken care of quickly for the cases with ballistics matches. I'm guessing at least one of the ex cops that gets arrested is going to talk and all of the other cases will get closed."

"You did good, Jane. I'm glad you're okay."

Korsak left. Maura had gone to run some errands. She came back shortly after Korsak left. She had a lot of things she wanted to say but didn't want to say them in the hospital. She was anxious to get Jane home. Once Maura made up mind about something she wanted to make it happen and she really wanted to talk to Jane. So when the doctor finally allowed Jane to leave, Maura took Jane home with her without hesitation.

Once at home, Maura sat Jane down on the couch and sat down next to her, mimicking their positions from the previous evening. Maura took in Jane's appearance. Her left arm was in a sling and her shirt bulged from the bandages around her shoulder. Maura knew there were bandages on Jane's back too. The doctor said there was no concussion but from the tiredness around Jane's eyes, Maura could tell her head was still aching.

"Maura," Jane started.

Maura rubbed Jane's right arm. "You don't have to say anything."

"Yes I do. You saved my life. You were amazing. No matter what happens from this day forward, I will never forget that. And you shouldn't ever forget what you did and how brave you were. And you put the pieces together about what Petrozelli was doing. Without you, I still wouldn't have solved the cases or I would be dead."

"Thank you. But now I want to tell you a few things, if you're up to it."

Jane nodded.

"I realize my behavior the past few days has probably seemed inconsistent. I went from pushing you away to pinning you to the couch last night. I don't deal very well with surprises, even very, very good surprises. You kissing me and telling me you love me was such a big surprise. I needed time to think about it. I don't rush into things, but that also means that once I make a decision, I know I'm making the right one. I want to be with you. I think I've always wanted to be with you but now I know for sure. I love you, Jane."

"Not to ruin this moment, but how come you aren't running away this time?" Jane asked.

"I thought we both were going to die. I wasn't nearly as afraid of dying as I was of having to live without you. But it doesn't matter, I'm not running from you ever again."

"What happens now?"

"I'm going to make you dinner and then we're gonna go to sleep. And we'll figure out more tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that."

December 30

Angela was at Maura's house bright and early. Maura woke up when she heard Angela moving around in the kitchen, making coffee and cooking. She rolled over and looked at Jane sleeping next to her. Jane had to sleep propped up on several pillows so she wouldn't roll onto her hurt shoulder and Maura made her take painkillers so she'd sleep through the night.

Maura sat up and gently said, "Jane, wake up sweetie." Jane stirred and Maura pressed a kiss to Jane's lips.

Jane kissed back as she woke up. "Hey," Jane said sleepily as she opened her eyes and then she groaned as she tried to sit up more. "No, I'm okay," she said at Maura's worried look, "just a little stiff."

"Your mother is downstairs making breakfast. I'm sure she wants to take care of you today."

"Okay, let's go downstairs." Jane said.

Maura looked shocked. "Really? Just like that? No complaining about her and her mothering and her meddling? Are you sure you're okay?"

"Are you making a joke?" Jane grinned. "No complaining today. Plus this is life now right? Waking up with my mother living right next door. I mean, you know, nights I stay over, if I do, not that I'm like moving in here or anything. Jesus, stop me anytime," Jane sighed.

Maura laughed. "You are definitely staying here until you are more healed. That's not up for discussion. After that we can talk about it more. Although I was thinking that your mother might want to make use of your empty apartment should you find someplace else to live."

December 31

Jane stood in the bathroom with her back to the mirror. She looked over her shoulder at her reflection in the mirror. The pink raised skin of the H burned into her back stood out clearly against her olive skin. Maura said that with surgery or treatment or something she could get rid of the H, but Jane didn't want to. It would always serve as a reminder of why she had made the decision she had made.

Early that day she had a meeting with Cavanaugh and some other brass. Now she was getting ready for dinner with Maura, during which she would have to tell her about the meeting. Maura wanted to go out to dinner for New Year's Eve. Neither woman said it aloud, but it was kind of like their first date and Jane was very aware of that. But it also kind of wasn't. In some ways it was sort of like they'd skipped the dating phase and were into full blown relationship. Or something. Jane wasn't sure exactly what they were, but she decided not to worry about it too much. They loved each other. Maura said she wanted to be with her. So until Maura said otherwise, Jane was just going to go with it.

Maura planned the dinner details, but Jane asked for something not too fancy because it was still difficult for her to successfully wear clothing over her injured shoulder. In fact, she needed Maura's help to get her button down shirt on her hurt arm and button it up.

Maura was incapable of not looking stunning and she did in a very simple red dress. And when Jane remembered that she didn't have to keep those thoughts to herself anymore she told Maura just that. After putting her hand on Maura's waist and leaning in to give her a kiss on the cheek, Jane said softly in her ear, "You look stunning. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

Jane heard the hitch in Maura's breathing and when Jane pulled away, Maura laughed lightly.

"What?" Jane asked.

"That's the first time I've ever understood the expression 'weak in the knees.' Let's go before I lose all interest in leaving the house."

The restaurant was very understated and, Jane noted, very romantic. It was small with intimate candlelit tables. After they ordered, Maura took Jane's hand in her own and said, "Are you going to tell me about your meeting today?"

Jane took a deep breath. "I've been worried about telling you this, but I've been considering this for awhile and this past week help me come to a decision. I turned in my badge and gun today. I don't like what that job made me become the past few months, so I quit."

"I don't understand."

"The past few months, I was a mess. I drank. A lot. I was horrible to my family. I mean a complete jackass. I used those women I slept with just to feel something. And then three days ago, if I hadn't been tied to the chair and I was the one holding the gun, I would have made sure those bastards were dead. Because of what they did to all of those women, and then they way they pushed you around and talked to you. I would have killed them." Jane paused and took a deep breath, holding back the tears that threatened to fall. "But I don't want to be that person. I want to be safe and sane for you, for us."

"Are you saying you're leaving your job for me?" Maura asked.

"I've leaving the job for both of us, so I can be the person I want to be for you."

"But Jane you don't have to do that. Your job is everything to you."

"Not anymore. As long as you still want to be with me, I'm going to devote all of my energy to being the best person I can be for you. You don't have to understand my decision, but I know this is something I have to do." Jane took another deep breath and Maura squeezed her hand. "You don't think I'm running away or chickening out or something like, do you?"

"Oh Jane, of course not. You've given so much of yourself to being a cop. You deserve to decide that you've given enough. If this is what you think is best, I support you a hundred percent. What will you do with yourself?"

"I'm not entirely sure. I thought I might talk to my Pop about working with him and then later I could take over the business."

"Are you going to wear a toolbelt and show off your butt crack?"

"Good one." Jane laughed. "Only for the pretty customers."

Back at Maura's house there was a tangible tension in the air. Both women had thought that tonight could be the night they consummated their relationship, but they hadn't spoken about it. After they each took the opportunity to freshen up, Maura took Jane by the hand to the bedroom and they sat on the edge of the bed.

Maura gently ran a hand over Jane's left shoulder. "Are you feeling okay?"

The shoulder was throbbing but there was no way Jane was going to admit that now. "I feel great," she said and captured Maura's lips in a searing kiss and their tongues met in what had become a very familiar slow dance over the past few days.

"Jane, I want to tell you something." Maura said nervously.

"Don't tell me, you're a virgin," Jane joked.

Maura visibly relaxed. "That hasn't been true for a long, long time. I just haven't been with anyone for awhile, since before... everything. So I might be a little out of practice."

"Well, when I, um, in the past, you know, fantasized about being, uh, intimate with you, I always had the use of both arms."

"If it helps, I've been wet since you told me I was beautiful."

Jane felt herself blush. "I don't know if that helped or not but it's the sexiest thing anyone has every said to me." Jane stood up. "Come on, help me get our clothes off."

Soon they were standing naked in front of each other, with the exception of Jane's sling holding her left arm. "I wish I didn't look like this right now," Jane said.

"You look incredibly sexy," Maura replied.

"I feel ridiculous." Jane pulled Maura against her and kissed her again. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Jane guided Maura to a sitting position on the bed. She grabbed a pillow and placed it under Maura's head as Jane eased her down on the bed and crawled on top of her, resting between Maura's legs. Propping herself up on her good arm, Jane licked and kissed every available inch of Maura's skin, taking her time with each of her breasts and each nipple until Maura was squirming beneath her.

"Jane, please, stop teasing."

Jane slid off the end of the bed so she was kneeling on the floor and pulled Maura forward so her ass was the edge of the bed. Jane kissed the insides of Maura's thighs and nipped at one slightly.

"Jaanne," Maura moaned.

Jane ran her tongue through Maura's wetness and it was intoxicating. She made long, slow strokes, flicking her tongue at Maura's clit. Jane thought she might come just from hearing the sounds Maura was making.

"Oh god Jane, oh, oh, oh, fuck." Maura's hands clenched the blanket. The feeling was almost overwhelming and all rational thought left her head. She was only vaguely aware of what she was saying.

Jane focused her attention on Maura's clit and Maura bucked against Jane as she sucked hard. "Oh yes, Jane, right there, right there, yes, yes, yes." Maura's whole body shook as her orgasm hit.

Jane climbed back on top of Maura and said, "That was the sexiest fucking thing I have ever experienced."

Maura took Jane's face in her hands and kissed her. "Can I touch you?"

"Please."

Maura dipped her fingers into Jane's folds. "Oh my, you're so wet."

"Of course I am. You made me this wet."

"Oh Jane, you feel so amazing." Maura was in awe. This felt like nothing she had ever experienced before.

"Maura, I'm already so close. I want you inside me." Maura pushed two fingers inside Jane and Jane rocked against Maura's hand until Maura felt Jane clenching around her. Jane kissed Maura hard and then rolled onto her back. "Sorry, I can't hold myself up anymore."

Maura curled on her side against Jane and walked her fingers across Jane's stomach. "That's okay, this position presents plenty of new opportunities."

Jane glanced at the clock. It read 12:04. "Happy New Year, Maur."

"Happy New Year, Jane."