Chapter Fifteen
Maura started to move about in the hospital bed. "Jane, Jane, don't leave!" she cried out. Jane raised her head to see Maura starting to thrash around. "Jane, I love you! Don't leave me, please!"
Jane leaned forward and grabbed Maura's hands. "Shh, baby, I'm here. I won't leave you," she whispered to calm Maura down. Maura stilled immediately.
"But you did, Jane," Maura whimpered. Jane started to cry. She pulled Maura's hands up to her lips and kissed them. Maura could feel Jane's tears on the back of her hands.
"I know, M, and I'm so sorry," Jane sobbed. "Can I make it up to you? Can you forgive me?"
"Not to change the subject, Jane, but where am I?"
"You're in the hospital. Some asshole attacked you when you returned home yesterday afternoon. Your eyes are swollen shut due to the swelling." Maura was quiet for a moment.
"Did I get any punches in, Jane?" Maura quipped. Jane barked out a short laugh.
"Unfortunately, no, you didn't. We don't have him yet. Someone drove up to your home just as he was…well, oh God, M. If you were someone else I could tell you in a heartbeat but I can't tell you. He was starting to assault you and someone came by for an appointment to see your Mercedes. Your attacker ran out the garage."
"I see," Maura said. "I noticed a lack of bandages across my eyes so I was unsure of the nature of my injuries."
"M, if I could have prevented it, or been in your place so they went after me, I would have."
"Stop it, Jane. That isn't necessary. Random acts of violence happen to people. How bad are my injuries?"
"You have a concussion but aside from that a few bumps and bruises. Thank God for your appointment, Maura, or it could have been so much worse."
"Who told you?"
"Dispatch called Frost. They still recognized your home address. Frost called me."
"M, there's something else I need to tell you. I uh, told—" Jane was interrupted by the morning nurse coming in.
"Good morning, Dr. Isles. Did you sleep well last night?"
"I guess."
"Your partner here stayed with you all night. You're lucky to have her, Dr. Isles, she sure loves you." Jane stood frozen to the spot. Maura turned her head toward Jane although Jane knew she couldn't see her. The nurse checked Maura's bandages, took her vital signs and left. As the door closed behind her Jane sighed.
"Look, Maura, I was upset when I got the call about you. I couldn't leave you alone. I couldn't leave, is what I'm trying to say. I can't stand it when you're hurt, Maura."
"So you keep telling me, Jane, yet you're the one who hurt me most of all. Besides, I could have called Kelly to stay with me. She is a nurse, after all."
Jane felt as if she'd been slapped. "Yeah, I deserve that, Maura. Can you forgive me?"
"I don't love you anymore, Jane," Maura said in as cold a voice as she could muster.
"That kiss you gave me yesterday Maura, told me a lot more than you're admitting to right now. Plus, you had a nightmare just before you woke up. You were begging me not to leave you."
"I've had that nightmare before, Jane, ever since you left me for Joey."
"I know I have no right to ask this, Maura, but I want us to be together forever. Is there any way I can convince you that I love you, and you only? I want to spend the rest of my life making it up to you and proving how much I love you."
Maura sighed. "Jane I told you yesterday I don't trust you. If this were to happen, how can I trust that something won't happen in the future to cause you to return to Joey?"
Jane shuddered. "That won't happen, Maura. I know now I never loved Joey."
"You have two children with him, Jane. What if something was to happen during the divorce proceedings and you decided to reconcile?"
"I can't go back to him, Maur, not under any circumstances."
Maura remained silent. "I don't know what to say, Jane."
"I know this is a lot to put on you right now, Maura. Please think about it. If anything, can we at least go back to being friends? I want you in my life in whatever capacity I can have you. I always regretted losing my best friend."
"As did I." Maura tilted her head toward Jane's voice. "I'll think about it. What did the doctor say about how long I'd be here?"
"He said only overnight. I wanted to run something by you, M. I know you're probably not comfortable having me around so I called Ma last night. She'd love it if you let her take care of you for a few days."
"Oh, Jane, that's so nice but it isn't necessary. I can call a nursing service."
"Nonsense, Maura. I'm taking care of you and that's that," a familiar voice sounded like it was coming from the doorway.
"Hello, Angela."
"Maura, dear, despite what's happened over these years we still think of you as family. I'll stay with you and take care of you. I've been cooking since early this morning, so we're all set."
Maura didn't know if she wanted to laugh or cry. Angela Rizzoli always thought food solved every problem, or at least addressed it in a nice enough manner.
"I won't intrude on you, Maura. Let Ma take care of you. You've always been the other daughter she never had."
"Thank you, Angela, I accept." Angela practically clapped her hands. She met Jane's eyes over Maura's head and gave Jane a challenging gaze. Jane knew what she meant: now you have a chance to win her back since you were too big of an idiot to know what you lost the first time. Jane dropped Angela's gaze to stare at Maura.
"Listen, Maura, I'm going to go. Ma's here to take care of you. I'll be back with the car to take you home and get you settled. I want to check in with Frost regarding your assault, see if we have any leads."
"You're leaving?" Angela said incredulously.
"Yeah, Ma, I don't want to intrude. I'd stay if I could but I want to win Maura's trust back. I don't want her to think I'm trying to use this situation to my advantage."
"Don't you care about her, Jane?" Angela asked.
"Actually, Angela, Jane loves me and I know it. It will take some time but we may at least get our friendship back," Maura replied for Jane. She turned her head toward Jane's voice. "I know you'd rather stay here but I appreciate the space and time to think. I'll see you later today, then."
Jane kissed the top of Maura's head and nodded at her mother before leaving the hospital room. It took every fiber of her being not to run back and sweep Maura into her arms but she knew the doctor didn't want that, at least not right now.
The precinct was busy. Jane entered her office, glanced at her messages and called her secretary. "Anna, is Frost in?"
"Yes, Detective Sgt, he is but he's out questioning a potential suspect. Can I get you anything?" Anna answered. Jane started to dismiss her but had an idea.
"Anna, has anyone been to Dr. Isles place to clean up the broken glass and mess from the investigation?"
"Let me call burglary and ask the lead detective. I don't think so."
"If not, find a housekeeping service and ask them to go out right away. They have about four hours to get everything in order before Dr. Isles is released from the hospital."
"Oh, and Mrs. Grant your husband called. He wanted to know if you wanted to see the children today since you had to cancel yesterday."
"Thanks, Anna. I'll call him soon."
Jane picked up the phone and dialed Joey's number. She was a little surprised at how nice he was being, but given the circumstances maybe Joey understood how upset Jane would be with Maura being attacked.
"Joey, hi. I'd like to pick the children up after school today and have dinner with Ma."
"That shouldn't be a problem, Jane. How's Maura?" Joey sounded pleasant.
"Better than expected in a lot of ways. Thanks for yesterday."
"No problem, things happen. So I'll see you around seven with the kids."
Jane agreed and closed her phone. She stared at it for a minute. Joey's attitude was a complete turnaround from the other day and she didn't trust it. Wondering what he was up to, Jane didn't hear Frost enter her office.
"Hey, Boss, how are you? How's Maura?" he asked.
"Doing good. What are you working on?"
"I went out with burglary to interview a suspect. Guy's clean though, had a rock solid alibi. We're running down leads. I asked burglary if I could horn in, since Dr. Isles used to be ours."
"Yeah, Frost, thanks, that's a great idea. Keep at it, will you? I don't want some perp running around that should be off the streets."
Frost looked at Jane. "You want to personally kill him in the interrogation room, right?"
Jane looked at Frost and grinned. "I think you know me a little too well, Frost."
"Join the club, Jane. Even Vince called this morning and asked if he could get in on the action. We all love Maura, you know."
"Yeah, I know," Jane said.
Jane returned to the hospital shortly after noon to retrieve Maura and Angela. The housekeeping service just finished cleaning up Maura's house. Jane gave them her credit card for their services, adding on a generous tip.
"Are we ready to go?" Jane asked in a cheerful manner she didn't feel. Seeing Maura bandaged and bruised boiled Jane's blood again and she couldn't wait to get her hands around the perpetrator's neck. Maura had just settled into the wheelchair for the transfer to the car.
"All packed and ready," Maura answered. Jane walked around to grab the handle of the chair and pointed Maura toward the door. Angela picked up her purse and took Maura's few belongings and discharge papers in her other hand. Jane consciously avoided touching Maura, not wanting to scare her off. They stopped at the bank of elevators.
"Do you have everything, Ma? Did the doctor give Maura any prescriptions to be filled, anything she needs?"
"The hospital pharmacy took care of that for us, Jane. I have them in this little bag. Her discharge papers and instructions for care are here as well."
"Jane, I'm right here," Maura interjected.
"I know, Maura, I'm just trying not to step on your toes," Jane said. Maura reached over her shoulder and covered Jane's hand with her own.
"I know. Thank you for being here for me, and sending Angela." Jane patted Maura's hand but couldn't say anything for the tears that were threatening.
"Thanks, Maur, but I still wish it had been me, not you," Jane choked out. She avoided her mother's eyes. Jane didn't want to start a conversation with Angela about her many trips to the hospital because of her job. Angela just reached out and patted Jane's shoulder as the elevator doors opened.
Jane carried Maura inside the house, not wanting to have to lead a blind Maura up the front steps. She then carried in all of the extra food Angela already cooked.
"Just prop me up on the sofa, Jane," Maura asked.
"I think you should go to bed, Maura. You must be exhausted."
"If you think that's best, Jane."
Jane looked at Maura's face. With her eyes still swelled shut Maura couldn't see the look of love and longing on Jane's face.
"Thanks for letting me take care of you, Maura," Jane managed to say. Maura smiled.
TBC