Full disclaimers on Chapter 1.

Stop NOW if DRAMA/TRAGEDY is NOT something you are interested into reading, or if it is a bad trigger for you.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Rizzoli & Isles nor any of the characters from the show. I am writing this purely for entertainment, not profit. Rizzoli and Isles are property of Tess Gerritsen and TNT.

I am not a native English speaker, and I don't have a beta. So all mistakes are 100% mine.

Enough of disclaimers and warnings – read at your own risk. Reviews are always welcome!

Chapter 97

Constance could see that Maura was making a very conscious effort, on a daily basis, to not be dragged by depression, to go out and do different things, but she also could see Maura was struggling. Too many times Constance would catch her looking the horizon, her eyes lost in thought.

Towards the end of their third week, Constance wanted to know where they stood. She could change her plans if her daughter needed her.

"You look beautiful, darling…" Constance said, her hand on Maura's face. Maura had got a light golden tan, a few new freckles gracing her features, and her short hair looked slightly bleached at the ends. She looked young too.

Maura smiled at her.

"Have you given some thought about what you want to do next? Would you like to come to Europe with me?" Constance tried.

"I will go visit you, soon, I promise. But I am flying back to Boston on Sunday."

"Any plans?"

"My editor finally replied to me. They want to meet me so I can work with the team who has been working on book design. Apparently took them longer because they see the potential for merchandising and maybe a movie, so they wanted to work on a brand beforehand."

"Those are fabulous news, Maura. Is there anything you don't excel at?"

Maura deviated her eyes, the question so Jane. How many times had Jane asked that from her, casually.

"Darling, what is it?" Constance immediately picked on her mood swing.

"Nothing…" Maura put the façade back. "You flatter me."

Constance let it go.

"Are you considering being a full-time writer?"

"Maybe… I have started a new novel while here…"

"You did? That is amazing, Maura!"

"It is still just in the first stages. I might adjust it based on what I learn from the conversations with the editor's team."

"And are you planning to go back to be a forensic pathologist to continue getting inspiration?"

"I think I had my share of dead bodies." Maura sighed. "I have enough crime ideas for more books than I will ever be able to write…"

"What about your volunteer work at MEND? That is the name of Hope's clinics, isn't it?"

"Yes… I… I decided I don't want to go back to doing rounds with live patients… I… don't think I can handle… any patient that might have an uncurable disease…" Maura sighed. "But I want to propose to her to practice my laboratory medicine specialty, so I can focus on the lab test diagnosis to support all the other doctors from the Boston clinic and from other clinics as well."

"You seem to have given this a lot of thought, Maura…" Constance added proudly.

"These three weeks here were a precious time for me, mother, thank you for convincing me to come, and thank you for having me here with you. I know I have not been the most flamboyant company, but I really enjoyed our time together."

"I loved to spend three weeks with you, darling. And I hope we can spend more time together in the future."

Maura took her seat on the flight that was taking her back to Boston. Constance had flown earlier that day back to Europe.

The three weeks in Laguna Beach had been the first crawl on Maura's healing.

Every day she made the conscious effort to take care of her body. Running. Yoga. Time at the beach. Hiking. Eating well. Sleeping well.

Every day she tried to keep her mind in check. The daily pills of Jane had been a wonderful gift. They were far from a replacement for the all-encompassing presence of her best friend. But Jane really lived in her heart. The new novel itself had been a way to keep their memories alive. Her inspiration for the stories were the many cases they've worked on together. And in the novels, the pathologist and the detective working on the cases were a dynamic duo, like them two.

And Maura found herself missing her Rizzoli's from Boston so strongly – it was the wakeup call she needed – if she ever needed any – that Boston was where she belonged.

The long flight from the West Coast to the East Coast got Maura pensive, again. She was curious and apprehensive on how she would feel back home, without Jane. Being in a foreign environment had been one thing. She knew her real test would be getting back home.

On purpose, she had not texted the details of her arrival. Knowing the Rizzoli's, some or many of them would show up at the airport to meet her. She thought she could handle Angela if she showed up from the guest house.

After she landed and retrieved her checked in bag from the carrousel, she took a cab home. She steeled herself to open the door, unsure about how she would feel. But she should not have feared. Her home would always be her home. Her best memories had been lived here.

She closed the door behind her. The guest bedroom had been made, the entire house was clean, and everything was in place.

Maura opened her bag by the laundry room to leave things to wash, and separated the few things that needed dry cleaning, before taking the bag upstairs to her room.

She sighed deeply, content to be back home, a light smile playing on her lips.

She moved downstairs again, to call for something to eat, but she saw a big post-it by her kitchen aisle.

"Not sure at what time you will get home… There is lasagna and pasta fagioli in the freezer so you can choose. Text me when you arrive. XOXO A."

Maura opened the freezer, and picked the Italian soup, while she texted Angela saying she had just walked in, and thanking her for dinner.

"Enjoy… I am at work and will come in very late, but I will see you in the morning."

So Angela was working. It was good to keep her busy.

Maura heated the soup, and the smell of Angela's homemade food filled the kitchen. It warmed Maura's heart and her stomach.

Maura walked to the guest bedroom, to find that all of Jane's things had been laundered and were in the drawers. She picked one of Jane's BPD t-shirts, that was oversized in Maura's diminutive form, and moved upstairs to change.

The three hours timezone difference meant Maura was wide awake, so she came back to the living room to watch some TV and read.