So, next chapter is online. I'm sorry that it took me this long. I think this is the last chapter, so I will set this story as complete. Hope you enjoy this chapter and thanks to everyone who has followed.
"Get her off of me! She's gonna kill me!" Casey yelled and looked pleadingly at the men standing at the threshold. "She's crazy!" He tried to block Jane's punches, though Jane landed a few hits in his already swollen and bleeding face.
Sean Cavannaugh chuckled. He raised an arm to indicate the others to not intervene and said "Yeah, I don't think she's going to kill you even though it would be the best opportunity with all of us around."
Frankie laughed. "Yeah. Attacking the Medical Examiner with us detectives around is not very clever, Casey."
Detective Frost joined his laughter. "God, yeah, no surprise that Jane is more fond of Maura."
No one around wanted Jane getting into trouble or doing something she would regret as soon as she would have calmed down, but everyone had the feeling that this was something Detective Rizzoli and Dr. Isles had to solve, not one of them. So they stayed at the threshold watching the scene in front of them.
"Jane." Maura almost whispered. She had not moved since Casey had attacked her, she had been too shocked by his actions. Sure, she had disliked him ever since and she had been sure that his and Jane's relationship was not what she wished for her best friend, but she never thought that Casey would become violent. It had caught her off guard but strangely she hadn't been really frightened or scared as his hand had closed around her throat, somehow she was sure that Jane would come to rescue her. "Jane. Stop." She repeated more confident but still calm.
The female detective jumped away from the army officer and swirled around to look at Maura. Jane's face was red from anger and fury was displayed in her eyes.
"Jane," Maura tried again while making a step towards the detective. "Stop. This is not you. You're not a violent person."
Jane eyes softened as she looked into the doctor's eyes. "Maura." She, too, moved closer. "Maura. I..." She gulped to get rid of her own confusion. Maura was right. Usually she wasn't someone who battered someone. She wasn't someone who looses control of her rage. But this was something different. "Maura! He has attacked you. He strangled you after he insulted you. You are wrong. THIS is me. I haven't acted like myself for a while now, but it's all clear right now. I tried to tell you something important all evening and I had let them stop me. That wasn't me. But this," she motioned behind her at Casey, "this is FINALLY me. No one, NO ONE, should ever hurt you, Maura. And I will do whatever is in my power, that nobody not even me ever tries again and that the ones who done it by now will get what they deserve." Her voice had raised to almost desperate yelling.
Maura stepped closer again, now she was almost able to reached out and grab Jane's hand.
Jane heard panting behind her as Casey tried to get to his feet again. Without wavering her gaze away from Maura's eyes she said as calm as possible: "Frankie, Frost, please help Casey up and out."
Before she had finished her sentence Barry Frost and Frankie were at each site of the man, lifting him up to his feet. Frankie handed him his crutches. "Come on." he said, "It's time to leave." Casey tried to free himself from the detectives grip but failed. "Casey, stop this, you just make it worse."
"No! No." He screamed. "She is mine, she belongs to me. Not to this fucking whore!" He pointed at Maura.
This time Detective Korsak stepped in. He had been standing at the threshold of the back door watching the scene in silence but at this he stepped forward. "Don't you dare! One single word more from your mouth about any of them and I will make sure that you are not able to talk ever again."
Casey responded with an almost insane laughter. "What will you do? I have rights. I'm an honorable citizen. You can't just beat me up." He stared at Vince Korsak.
"Try me. But I won't do it myself. I think it would be time to call Maura's father."
Again Casey laughed. "So what? Jane told me Maura comes from a rich family. But they are not above the law. I'm not afraid, old man!"
"You should." Detective Frost responded chuckling. "He is not talking about Mr. Isles." He tightened his grip around the man's forearm and pulled him towards the front door. "We will tell you outside." Frankie and Frost and a stubborn Casey left the house.
Jane heard a distant click as the front door fell into its lock. She made a step closer to the medical examiner. Now she was within reaching distance but still was too unsure to actually grab the other woman's hand. "Maura!" she repeated. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I have..." She focused on Maura's neck. "I've let him interrupt what I was about to tell, I've let him into your house and let..." she swallowed hard, "I've let him harm you. I..." Jane whipped a tear from her cheek. "I've failed. He never should have had been here... God Maura! You don't know what it does to me when someone hurts you. It hurts me. Not like some friendly sympathy. It...it reaches my soul...it...HURTS me to see..."
Maura was stunned. She didn't know where this would lead and she didn't know how she would react. The medical examiner was nervous, agitating awaiting what Jane would say. But though she was aware of the audience they had right now. She raised a hand to stop Jane's speech. "Jane. We're not alone. Maybe you should not tell me..."
"NO Maura." Jane grabbed the other womans hands. "No. I don't care anymore. They can know how I feel. I want to do this right, you know. I know that I have let you unsure for quite awhile. But you have to know that I mean what I'm saying, this is not a game."
Unnoticed to any of them, Dr. McMorrow had stepped behind the line of detectives at the back door. She had observed the scene in front of them. She had finished her beer and moved silently to the front door picking up her jacket. Once outside she fingered her pack of cigarettes and lit one staring at the sky above her. Sighing as the raining begun, she started walking down the street.
Again Jane heard the front door falling into the lock. Normally she would have scanned the other people in the room to determine who had left, but right now she didn't care. Normally she would have made sure that no one around was listening when she became emotional. But it didn't matter anymore. The only thing that mattered to her in this moment were Maura's eyes, fixed on her, observing, waiting and so vulnerable that it broke Jane's heart. She stroke her hands up to the other womans shoulder and let them rest there for a moment.
Maura shut her eyes at the gentle touch of the female detective's hand on her arms. She loved it and she wanted to believe that this was a meaningful moment for Jane and her. She wanted to give in, but there had been moments like this in the past and every time it had turned out to be just a very friendly gesture. So with the last of her strength she opened her eyes and again said: "Jane!" It was meant to sound firm but it came out almost pleadingly, she scolded at herself.
Jane's hand moved further up to cup her cheeks. "Maura," she said as she hold the doctors face firmly, "I wanted to tell you the whole day that I'm in love with you."
Maura tried to turn her head so she could free her face from Jane's grab.
"No Maura. Look at me! I wanted to tell you, but I let them stop me, because I was still afraid. Not about what I feel or the consequences or what ever. But I was afraid about ruining our relationship. Our friendship, Maura, is the most important thing that had ever happened in my life. I don't what to loose you. And that is what I feared. Losing you. And by being afraid I let all of this shit happen. I let him attack you." Jane sighed. "I guess I have ruined our friendship by letting him do so. I'll never forgive myself for this. But you know what? There's not much for me to loose anymore. So I tell you without hesitation, that I'm deeply in love with you. I love you, Dr. Isles, and I want to spend the rest of my life telling you, showing you and everyone else on this earth." Jane had moved still closer to Maura, their mouth were only inches apart.
Sean turned around to face Angela and Detective Korsak. He cleared his throat. "Let's give them some privacy." He said and tried to shove the other two out of the door. But Angela and Vince shot him an annoyed look simultaneously.
"Are you loosing your mind?" Angela asked him. "When we leave now, we will miss the best." She was supported by Korsak rolling his eyes at his lieutenant.
"Maura! As I said I don't have much to loose right now. So I'm going to kiss you know. And after that you can yell and scream and hit me. But please, let me kiss you first." Jane studied Maura's face shortly but then leaned in and gently kissed Maura's lips.
Maura stood there frozen as Jane Rizzoli finally kissed her. She had wished for it for so long and now it was happening. It took her a moment to react but she threw her arms around the other woman and intensified the kiss.
Jane finally stopped the kiss and rested her forehead against Mauras smiling brightly. "So you don't scream and hit and run away?"
"Oh Jane." Maura was smiling, too. "I will. Not today though. But I know you. I'm sure you will give me plenty of reasons in the future."
Jane laughed. "So there is a future for us?"
"Yes Jane. I hope so." Maura answered and kissed Jane again.