So after a stint in the hospital and a few other things, i finally realized that Always has come to an end. sadly i didn't have this one thought out as thoroughly as any of my other work but i think it turned out reasonably well, despite two rewrites. So i brought it to a close the best way i could. with good byes. please check out the prequels for the Raven Series, Discovery is currently on Chapter 5 of about 15-20. and I'll be putting more on Disclosure soon. The next book in the series heads to Washington DC while our two favorite couples take a break. Meanwhile, enjoy the end of Always. It's been a long bumpy one but we got there. Curious Wanderer helped me wrap this up, Zarosguth edited it, and as always any mistakes that still remain are mine. happy reading.
Jane went through the motions of her dismissal from the NYPD and after stopping by the gun cage to return her issued weapon, she rode the elevator back up to the bullpen. She stepped out onto the floor and received a loud "Surprise!"; most of the precinct had gathered to wish her well.
"Oh, hell no." Jane griped with a dimpled grin as they started clapping for her.
Rick and Kate held up a small plaque as Jane walked into the middle of the floor.
Captain Gates came out of her office followed by a woman with a classical greek face and long, dirty blonde hair that was so curly it put Rizzoli's own curls to shame. Two inches shorter than Jane, the woman had similarly dark brown eyes. The badge of a sergeant sat on her hip.
Gates stood quietly as Rick held up the plaque, Kate stood by him and quieted the room with her hands.
"Okay, so some of us are sorry to see you go and some of us are relieved," Kate looked straight at Detective Ryan. "But we all agree that despite being from Boston-" some good natured booing interrupted her. Rick handed Kate the plaque who held it up to her partner. "We wanted you to remember when you were a part of New York's Finest."
Detective 3rd Grade Jane Rizzoli.
12th Precinct, Manhattan South Homicide.
New York City Police Department.
To the left was a replica of her detective's shield and on the right was a replica of the NYPD shoulder patch.
"Just so you know. This was Ryan's idea." Kate said quietly over the applause. "And Gates signed off on it."
Jane turned to stare wide eyed at her Captain. Gates merely blinked and returned her attention to the other woman.
Smiling at the group of detectives who were shouting "speech". Jane grumbled but raised up the plaque. "Thank you. I really don't know what to say." She paused. "Other than... this should look really nice on my Boston Homicide Desk!"
There was some laughter followed by cheers.
"Seriously, this wasn't necessary. I couldn't forget working with such awesome people if I tried." She glanced at Ryan. "Who are you again?"
More laughter as she pulled Ryan into a headlock for a good old fashioned noogie. She let him up a second later and pulled him under an arm. She also reached out and grabbed Esposito. Arms slung around both of them she grinned wide. "Thanks for having me. It's been awesome."
Ten minutes later Jane put the last of her personal items in the evidence box on her desk. It was the updated picture of her family that was taken last Christmas. Which meant that Rick, Kate, Alexis, Olivia, and of course Maura were added. She sighed as she looked around the bullpen that had been as much a part of her as Boston's had been.
As she looked around, she saw people that she respected and admired, people she was going to miss. Even that chauvinistic jerk Marks, he was always good for cheap entertainment.
She felt a hand on her back and looked to see Rick standing next to her.
"Any regrets?" He asked quietly.
She smirked at him. "Just that I didn't get to show you how my batons work."
He laughed. "Well, we'll be in Boston soon enough so don't give up hope yet."
She chuckled softly and looked around again. "I've worked some really weird cases here and to tell you the truth, I'm going to miss it here."
Rick nodded, smiled and turned towards her, "Remember the zombie walk case?"
"I remember Kate jumping like a scared cat when Jennings the Zombie lurched off that morgue table."
Kate's voice came up behind them, "What I remember was Jane giving Jennings a concussion when she bounced his head on the door." She looked mischievously at her love. "Oh. And her bouncing you off the trunk when you zombie growled at her after making the arrest."
"But did you see the look on Tom's face when Jane tore the zombie cheek off me. Shoved it in her mouth and chewed."
Kate laughed. "'Mmm, tastes like chicken.'"
"That was the coldest, most emotionless voice I've ever heard."
"How about the time Ryan and Esposito went after that basketball player and got knocked out by the security guard?" Jane snickered.
"I remember him needing a testicle retrieval when he put a hand on Jane." Kate shook her head at her partner. "You almost got ripped by Gates over that one."
Jane grinned wide. "Until she saw Ryan and Espo's black eyes. Then it was all, 'you couldn't take on one bouncer between the two of you? Next time I'll send you to do Beckett and Rizzoli's light work.'"
Rick nodded enthusiastically. "She certainly has a colorful way of putting things."
Jane laughed until she opened her desk drawer and found Rick's tablet. She pulled it out and held it up. "About this..."
Ricks smile fell as he gulped hard.
"I told you I didn't want to be in your books but you didn't listen." Jane handed it over. "I'm glad you didn't. It's really good but I have two problems."
He stared at her unable to believe he was hearing her directly. "Okay?"
"First." She jabbed him in the chest with her finger. "I'm the badass, got it?"
He nodded. "And second?"
"Second?" She sat on the desk. "Frost's mom Camille, whom you conveniently called Cameron needs to be more subtle and not so... Wanda Sykes. And she needs to be more supportive because Camille is actually married to Robin, who's a really nice woman. So she'd be more supportive of Janet and Brianna." Jane frowned. "Third, change Maura's name. Brianna, what were you thinking?"
She turned and looked to Kate. "He gives you a stripper name and my wife gets a child's name." Jane growled quietly as Gates came over to them, the other woman in tow.
"Beckett. I'd like to introduce you to Sergeant Stella Bonasera. She'll be taking over as sergeant for you next month."
Kate held her hand out, "Kate Beckett."
Bonasera shook it. "Nice to meet you."
Kate indicated her team, one at a time. "Detectives Esposito and Ryan."
Bonasera shook hands.
"My partner, Jane Rizzoli."
Jane nodded grimly.
"Richard Castle." Rick interrupted.
Kate rolled her eyes. "He's a consultant, a general pain in the ass, and my fiancé."
Stella arched finely shaped brows. "Your fiancé works with you?"
Kate sat next to Jane on the desk. "He's a novelist and follows me around for inspiration."
Stella's face turned first to surprise, then recognition. "You're Nikki Heat."
Gates grumbled low as Jane covered her grin. Ryan disappeared, and Espo picked up a file and tried to look busy.
Jane patted her partner on the back, "And on that note, I'm going to surprise my beloved fiancé with her favorite dinner. Hopefully, Le Bistro's isn't packed tonight."
Jane hopped off the desk and picked up her box. "See ya later partner."
Gates stood up straighter "I'll walk you out."
Jane smirked. "Don't think I'll actually leave, Sir?"
"Just want to make sure you're gone, Rizzoli." She said sharply.
Jane lead the way to the elevator and pushed the down call button.
"Rizzoli." Gates said. "You're a hell of a detective and, sweet Mary help me, I'm going to miss you."
Jane turned, surprised. "Um, thank you Captain."
The doors parted and Gates put a hand on Jane's shoulder. "You tell anyone I said that and I'll bury you."
Jane dropped the box on the elevator floor.
"You always said you were going to kick me out on my ass, sir." Jane turned her back on the Captain. "I wouldn't want to deny you the pleasure."
Gates frown turned into a grin as she put her foot to Jane's behind and shoved.
Jane caught herself on the rear doors and looked back. "Woman's got some power in that foot."
Gates continued to smile as she turned back towards the bullpen. "Get out, Rizzoli."
Jane nodded as the doors closed.
Icahn, an hour later...
"In this case, the spore that was found in the wound allowed the crime lab to determine a specific area, allowing the police to conduct a search that revealed the scene of the murder." Maura switched the slide on the screen. "Detectives Stabler and Benson of the Special Victims Unit would not have been able to locate the suspect before he had fled the country without this break in their case."
She flicked on the lights and immediately gaged how many sleepy eyes she saw, which was none. Her students were riveted to the presentation. Though there was another person in the room that hadn't been there when she began. Maura paused at the sight of Jane standing in the back of the she smiled and waved. Maura smiled privately and returned to teaching.
"Post Mortem Examination. As a Medical Examiner, I cannot emphasize enough about attention to detail and thoroughness. The detail that you overlook, could be the very thing needed to solve a murder and bring closure to the family of the deceased."
Her students clapped loudly and hands went up. Maura pointed to a student, "Mr. Aldridge."
"How did the technician know where the spore originated?"
Maura smiled, "Meticulous research is a key element in Forensic Science. However, as an ME, having a general knowledge of forensics aids in understanding what you are looking for, as specified in this case, the spore was small enough that Dr. Warner had actually missed it in her initial investigation and found it in a subsequent examination after her detectives had eliminated their initial leads. In a homicide case in Boston, I discovered a similar spore from a hairy honeysuckle flower that lead Detective Rizzoli to a battery factory that was producing take home toxins. It provided Detective Rizzoli with a motive for the murder we were investigating. It was the thoroughness of that examination that allowed me to locate the pollen. Though just as Dr. Warner missed the spore in her exam, it is possible that I too could have overlooked the spore on my exam."
She looked around. "Are there anymore questions pertaining to this case?"
Maura answered several more questions before the bell signalled the end of the class. "Next week is your final exam. Both clinical as well as written. Dr. Parrish and Dr. Warner have volunteered to assist so long as they do not get called out to a crime scene. Your biology report on stomach contents is due tomorrow. Class is dismissed."
The college students started piling out of the classroom as Jane made her way up front.
Maura smiled warmly despite being surprised to see her. Before she could greet her fiancé, Kaycee Linden was at her desk.
"Dr. Isles." She said and dug into her book bag. "Here are the notes that you lent me."
Maura waited for Kaycee to hand them to her and flipped through the manilla file. "Thank you, Miss Linden. Returned in good order as usual."
"It's a shame that you are leaving us, Doctor. I've learned a lot more with you this year than with Professor Edwards last year."
Maura smiled. "That is quite a compliment. I hope that you enjoy your summer."
"Good luck with..." She stopped as she noticed the tall thin italian, "Congratulations Detective."
Jane frowned, "On what?"
"You and Dr. Isles having a baby." She said.
Jane rolled her eyes, "Seriously? You told her?"
"Miss. Linden found out the same day she found out about us, dear." Maura said and turned back to her student, "Thank you, Ms. Linden, Detective Rizzoli and I are very excited to try to have a child together."
She nodded nervously, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
"Relax, kid." Jane said with a grin, "I'm just messing with you. So get going to your next class before you're late."
She patted the young girl on the back and shoved her lightly to the door. "Good luck on your finals, I helped Dr. Isles put them together so you're going to need it."
Kaycee nodded, "Good luck in Boston." She rushed out the door.
Maura sighed, ""You shouldn't have so much fun with her, she's nervous enough with you around."
"I know, that's what makes it fun." Jane said as she pulled a chair over to the desk, "So, my dear future Dr. Rizzoli, what are you doing this evening?"
She pulled off her jacket and draped it over her chair.
Maura eyed her suspiciously, "I had no plans beyond having dinner and making love. What do you have in mind?"
Jane hooked her thumbs on the front of her belt and waggled her fingers, "Nothing much, I was thinking about taking my girl out to her favorite restaurant and celebrating."
"Well that sounds lovely but what are we celebrating?"
Jane gripped her belt, "Notice anything different?"
Maura frowned and eyed her lover carefully. It took her a moment but, "Jane, where are your badge and gun?"
"The Glock is in the gun cage and the badge is on Gates's desk." Jane beamed a hundred watt smile. "I'm done."
Maura gasped, "But I thought you were leaving on Friday."
Jane nodded, "Yeah well when the DEA shot our suspect, this IAB lieutenant, who hates Liv and SVU by the way, he had an eye for me because I'm a friend of Liv's so Gates pushed up my transfer four days so he can't lock us in here for six months."
"What about Kate?" Maura asked.
"Kate's jacket has fifteen years on me here so there's nothing he can go after her for." Jane smiled, "And I met Kate's replacement. We're going to Boston, baby; the whole family."
Maura smiled and was about to throw herself into Jane's arms when the door to the classroom burst open.
Jane turned and narrowed her eyes at the sharp looking Doctor who walked in.
"Ahh, Maura, I was hoping you'd still be here." Dr. Gregory Nelson strode into the lecture room with a file in his hand and a twinkle in his eye. A twinkle Jane instantly wanted to blacken.
"I have this unusual diagnosis I was hoping you'd take a look at for me." His arrogant march towards them was sending Jane's nerves wild. Her threat detection was quiet but that cold spot in her soul started spinning.
Before Jane could say a word, Maura was already addressing him. "Dr. Nelson, I am not interested in your veiled attempts to court me. I have told you repeatedly that I am involved and that I am unavailable. For the very last time, I am engaged to be married. Please leave immediately."
He stopped at her hostile tone. "You act as if I am somehow trying to drag you away, and your tone is overly hostile. One might think that things are not going well. Is your police officer fiance taking good care of you or is it the other way around?"
Maura had had enough of this man. She held an upturned hand towards Jane. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" she snapped.
He furrowed his brow as Jane stood up tall, she walked towards Nelson and let her otherside pool into her eyes.
"You want to know why she's not interested in you?" Jane growled low, "Its because you're not as sexy as I am."
He looked toward Maura, "You're a lesbian?" A look filled his eyes, it was one of lust and Jane could see the ideas forming on his face.
Ideas that made her blood boil.
"The continuous harassment of my fiancé will stop right now." She said as she shoved him.
"Who do you think you're shoving?"
Jane's eyes narrowed. "The very same guy I'm going to be arresting on charges of stalking, assaulting a police officer and sexual harassment. Plus, you don't know this yet, but you resisted arrest. I may be a homicide cop but I have some really good friends over at Special Victims who would love to throw you in the tombs. Think about that. Like a teacher, a doctor who gets locked up on a sex crime, even if found innocent, that s a hard stench to wash off your doctorate."
He stared at her, "Look, it wasn't like that."
"The calls to my home at two in the morning stop right now!" Jane barked in his face, "Give me your phone."
"Why?" He asked.
Janer grabbed his arm. "Phone or put your hands behind your back. Tell Mama how you want it."
He dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Jane immediately took it, went through the contacts and changed Maura's number to the SVU direct line before saving it and then deleting the contact.
She tossed the phone at him. "Get out and you will stay away from my woman from now until the end of time or so help me, you'll wish I only arrested you, now get out."
He grabbed the parts of the file and his phone and walked towards the door, at the door he looked over his shoulder, "The Medical Review Board will hear about this!"
Jane waved her hand, "That's nice, good bye."
He left.
Maura wrapped her arms around Jane and kissed her hard. Jane felt her skin catching fire as Maura invaded her mouth.
A moment later their lips parted with the need to breathe.
Jane held Maura tightly. "I'm sorry, i didn't mean to lose my cool."
Maura breathed in her lover's scent. The lavender tang helped sooth her. "He deserved more than what you gave him."
Jane nodded, "Yeah but I'm not done yet."
She pulled out her cellphone and dialed. "This is Rizzoli from the one two, I need to talk to Tutuola."
There was a pause, "Fin, hey it's Rizzoli."
"Wsup, Painkilla Jane?" came the reply loud enough for Maura to hear.
"Not much, just getting ready to bounce." she said gruffly, "Listen, I need a favor. This doctor over at Mt. Sinai has been putting his moves on my girl. He doesn't take no for an answer and I just threw his ass out of her classroom. Think you can lean on him a minute, let him know he's running out of bounds?"
"Sure, whats the dude's name?"
"Dr. Gregory Nelson." She replied with a rough voice.
"Hold up, that sounds familiar"
Jane heard the click of some keys on a keyboard, "Yeah, I thought I heard this fool's name before. Got a couple of complaints of sexual harassment here, no indictments so there must not have been much to it."
"So can you lean on him?"
"For what you've done for Liv over the years, I'll do one better. What's yo girl's name?"
"Dr. Maura Isles, She's a professor at Icahn." Jane grinned.
"Got it, I'll give you a call when I got something on this clown."
"Thank's Fin, I owe you."
"Naw baby, I got this. You just keep in touch with LT. Make sure she's good."
"She's my sister, of course I'll take care of her."
"Good deal, I'll call you when I got your perv on the hook. Later."
One Week Later…
The movers picked up the last few boxes and carried them out of the Condo that Jane had called home for more than a year. As she looked out upon the New York sky line, she felt a peculiar sense of loss. Some of the best memories she'd ever made had been in this city. From bizarre cases to weird twists and all the while she had her best friend by her side. In a sense, New york was as home to her as Boston was and she'd mourn losing this view of the city. It was almost identical from the view from Rick's loft which was only three blocks down. Central Park in the evening was beautiful as it connected to a vast jungle of steel, concrete, and glass. A sprawling oasis of green and blue, surrounded by a sea of grey. One of her and Kate's favorite jogging locations, as they rushed along asphalt and grass, trying to beat each other's pace. Jane sighed heavily with her left finger curled against her lip.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a feminine arm slipping around her waist. An arm that held a gold ring on her ring finger. A ring she'd put there.
"You're going to miss this, aren't you." Came the voice of heaven itself.
"Yeah." Jane said quietly. "I've done a lot of good here, and the city took care of me when i needed it."
"For you," Maura said softly, "New York will always be a haven."
"What about you?" Jane asked as she rested her arm over her fiance, "What does it mean to you?"
"Hope." She replied without hesitation. "I came here with the hope that you would come back to me and you did. New York will always be a place of hope for me."
Jane turned gently and interlocked her fingers around the back of maura's neck, "And now we're going home."
Maura put both hands on Jane's heart, "You are home to me, Jane. Wherever we go, as long as I have you, I will be home."
Jane smiled and leaned down to capture Maura's lips with her own. As soon as they touched, Jane's breath caught as Maura reached around her and pulled her closer. Jane cupped her arm around Maura as the fires of their love branded them together for all eternity. For in all Jane's life, there would never be a place she wanted to be more than in Maura's arms.
Epilogue.
Dr. Nelson walked out of the elevator and onto the parking deck at the Mount Sinai Medical complex late on Friday night. His date with his latest intern hadn't gone well and he was frustrated. What was it with women these days? Rarely had he been turned down and ever since Dr. Isles had made it a habit, word was getting around about her lack of enthusiasm. If such a beautiful woman who was barely more than a mortician with a doctorate turned him down, well he didn't want that going around if he could avoid it. Still, she was a sexy thing. All she had to do was agree to one time. one time of him cupping those big beautiful tits, while feeling her sweet ass slap against his hips as he buried himself inside her. Was that too much to ask?
"Fucking dyke." He grumbled as he approached his BMW Z4. "All she needed was a man like me to straighten her ass out."
He fobbed the car started and as the head lights came on a large black man was illuminated sitting on the brick wall in front of his car.
"Greg Nelson!" he shouted.
Dr. Nelson paused and started to turn around to get security. Two Larger black men were standing right behind him. Both looked like professional bodybuilders.
"Hey, don'chu go no where." The first man shouted. "You run and my boys are gonna put you face first into the concrete."
The other man walked over with a gangsta's swagger and an attitude. His clothes screamed dangerous street punk, but he was older. his dark hair was pulled back into a tight braid and his goatee was thin but trimmed.
"Here's the deal." He said as he got up into Dr. Nelson's face. "You fucked' around with the wrong old lady."
"Hey, I didn't do anything?" He said
"Dr. Isles is Painkilla Jane's woman." The man said.
The two other thugs grabbed up Nelson, "Hey, Fin. You didn't tell us that this scumbag was messin with painkiller Jane's woman."
"My friend here is from Harlem." The man said. "Painkilla Jane did a lot for that town."
"She and Beckett shut down the Bones gang." The other thug said, "Harlem's got mad love for Painkilla Jane."
"That man runs Patrol through Harlem." Fin said, "He and his boys don't got to worry about my other man here shootin at 'em anymore. That's because of the cop that threw you out of her girl's classroom."
Fin pulled out his badge and flashed it, "I'm SVU and i wanted you to know what kinda trouble you startin' and to make sure that Harlem and the NYPD stay peaceful, I'm gonna dig into your whole life. You might wanna just skip town but I wouldn't suggest Boston. That's painkilla's home town and if you think she's got love here…"
The cop thung leaned in, "...Try Seattle."
"I hear it's nice there this time of year." The thug said. "Oh yeah, stay out of Harlem, you might not come out again."
The Harlem cop looked at the thug, "I ain't lookin' for him."
"Now that we understand each other." Fin opened the driver's side door of the Z4 with his gloved hand, "I get one more harassment complaint against you, you'll wake up in Harlem. Have a pleasant evening."
A black SUV roared up the ramp and came to a screeching halt on 24 inch chrome rims. All three men jumped in and it peeled away and zoomed down the exit ramp leaving Nelson standing next to his car, his lungs begging for air as panic gripped him harder than if they had pointed guns at him.