between your ribs
This has been a long time coming, huh?
Chapter Nine:
October 14th, 2015.
Kyle pulls through with Melissa's whereabouts, and they storm the place.
Phillips leads them through the door once it's been broken down, yelling FBI! Get down on the ground! to every individual they find. Meth addicts cooking in the front room, another passed out in the kitchen. Ito leads two other agents through the rest of the rooms downstairs as Jane follows Phillips upstairs. And that's where they find Melissa, shooting up in the bathroom.
Phillips stands aside, sweeping a hand towards Melissa.
"I think you deserve this one, Rizzoli."
Her hands are numb as she fumbles for her handcuffs, staring at the woman who's barely conscious in the bathtub. She anchors her hands beneath her armpits, pulls her up and out and Phillips helps steady her, watching with a smile as Jane pulls Melissa's hands behind her back. Her mouth tastes like cotton when she hears the click of her handcuffs.
"Melissa Matthews, you are under arrest for the abduction of Maura Isles."
Korsak finds her when they return to the precinct, roping her into a giant bear hug that she can't bring herself to fight against. Rests her forehead against his shoulder as her body shudders with relief. Finally. Finally.
"You got her, Rizzoli," he murmurs, and she's glad it's just the two of them in this quiet corridor. Grips him tightly as a cry strangles her. "It's almost over."
They have to wait five hours for Melissa to sober up.
The woman officers lead into interrogation is a hell of a lot different to the one they'd found shooting up in the bathroom. Melissa holds her shoulders wide and broad, jaw sharp as she scowls at them. She's small, but with arms slim but muscular as she shakes off the officer leading her to the table in the middle. Dark hair falls wild around her face but her eyes flash with something else; something that has Jane's fingers curling slowly into fists.
"Miss Matthews," Phillips greets her once they're all sat down. "I'm Agent Phillips with the FBI, this is Detective Rizzoli."
"I know who she is," Melissa growls, spitting on the floor.
Phillips raises her eyebrows. A low growl rattles at the bottom of Jane's throat, scowling at the woman across from her. It's now that she sees why Maura has this confusion between the two of them. They've the same dark hair, dark eyes, sharp looks. They're in no way twins, but after such prolonged manipulation Jane understands why Maura has blurred the lines between them.
"Do you understand why we're here today, Miss Matthews?" Phillips asks, pulling out the same photos of Maura she had when they'd interrogated Kyle.
"You haven't got anything on me," Melissa says, shaking her head. "You're just some desperate cops trying to get some fame from a big case."
At that, Jane leans forwards. "We haven't got anything on you? Melissa, we caught you in a drug den, high on heroin."
"So what you gonna do? Arrest me for possession?" Melissa goads them. "Woah, yeah. The FBI must be really desperate for someone to bust, huh?"
Jane shoves one of the photos of Maura right in front of Melissa, finger pointing at one of the scars running along her navel.
"You see this woman? This woman you abducted and treated like an experiment? She can place you there. Knows your name, what you look like – and we have the tapes you recorded of your treatment of her. You think we haven't got anything on you? You're wrong."
If it were possible to foam at the mouth, Jane thinks that that's how she'd describe the way Melissa changes. Gone is the cocky demeanor and she leans forward, inches away from Jane's face, face sharp and mean. Jane feels Phillips press her fingers against her elbow, warning her to move away, but she simply clenches her jaw in retaliation. She won't back down. Not from this.
"You know she used to cry for you, detective?" Melissa teases, a grin beginning to blossom. "Jane, Jane, Jane will save me – it was pathetic. And of course, you didn't get to save her. Did you, hmm?"
"You son of a bitch," Jane mutters.
"Rizzoli," Phillips warns.
"Do you like her now, detective? Do you like my work?"
"She is not your work," Jane growls. "What the Hell is wrong with you? To take an innocent woman and subject her to that? What – daddy didn't love you because he didn't get a son first? Is that it? You were just a disappointment from the beginning, huh? You wanted to prove yourself."
"Kyle is weak!" Melissa yells, jumping to her feet and Jane stands too, hand automatically flying to her holster. "I hurt her and broke her and he just brought her food – and Dad puts him in charge? Kyle?"
Phillips grabs her arm when Jane moves to speak, shaking her head no, and Jane almost pushes it. Almost. After all, the case is practically over – Phillips would have nothing to kick her off from. But… no. She wants to be here. To see this end.
So she steps back, keeps quiet, and lets Phillips take the lead at the end of this interrogation.
"Miss Matthews," the agent says. "Please sit down or I'll be forced to restrain you."
Melissa's eyes flick to Jane, narrowing. Phillips repeats her name and she, slowly, accepts her seat again, as Phillips sits opposite her. Jane simply moves away, leaning back against the mirror and watching Melissa over the agent's head. Melissa stares back at her, eyes burning.
"Melissa Matthews, do you confess to the abduction of Doctor Maura Isles?"
She doesn't blink. "Yes."
"Do you confess to the mental and physical torture of Doctor Maura Isles?"
"Yes."
Phillips slides the photos away and a smirk curls on Melissa's lips – slowly, like smoke filtering through the crack beneath a door. A warning.
"Why her?" Jane asks, crossing her arms as Phillips stands to end the interrogation. "Why choose Maura?"
Melissa tilts her head.
"Who would make a better lab rat than a doctor?"
Phillips debriefs her team after, and Jane sits at the back of the room with Ito, eyes wandering. Phillips explains how they'll be leaving the precinct by tomorrow morning, preparing for the court case back at their base in New York – there's more than enough evidence to convict Melissa. They'll have Maura's testimony – which, according to Ito, she's agreed to give at court – as well as Kyle's (who will have to be placed into witness protection to escape the wrath of his father, much to her disgust). Not only do they have their testimonies, they have fingerprints at the scene to tie Melissa there, as well as the tapes recording the torture. It's a solid case.
Jane worries her lower lip between her teeth. Without this case, what connection does she have to Maura?
"So, you sad to see me go?" Ito interrupts her thoughts.
Phillips's team flicker around them, preparing to leave now that it's the evening and the sky is darkening outside. She laughs, shaking her head as her partner through this nightmare grins.
"Are you kidding? I can't wait to kick your sorry ass out."
"Said like a true cop," Ito says, grabbing his coat hung over the back of his chair. "Say, how about you and I grab a beer? Celebrate the end of our quasi-partnership."
"You know, as much as I'd like that I – I have somewhere I think I need to be."
Understanding dawns upon Ito's features in an instant. His quick understanding doesn't bother her so much anymore – maybe she really will miss him, after all.
"I get you. Hey, it was cool working with you, you know?"
Ito holds out his fist and she rolls her eyes, bumping his fist.
"Later, kid," she says, slipping her blazer on.
As she turns to leave, waving across the room at Phillips, Ito calls her name.
She half turns impatiently. "Yeah?"
He shrugs. "She's lucky to have you. I think you need to remember that."
A lump does not rise to her throat. It absolutely does not. She probably just… has a little dust caught back there, or something.
"Thanks, Ito."
By the time she parks by the clinic, it's almost nine, meaning there's only an hour of visitation time left. Still, she sits for a while, staring up at the stark white building in front of her, the place holding Maura. Her ma has told her that Maura only has a week left in this place before she's strong enough to leave and go back home – already, she can't believe it's almost been a month since they found her best friend and all she's had is mere snippets of her. Or – not really her at all.
The nurse lets her into the ward right away and she hesitates outside of Maura's room, suddenly questioning her motives. What is it she expects out of Maura here, really? She's made it clear enough that she's not ready to have Jane back in her life, if at all. Will telling her that she's caught Melissa help sway her in any way?
No matter. She needs to see her. Itches with this need – it doesn't matter how many steps backwards this takes them. She just needs one moment with Maura.
The room is quiet except for one of the monitors beside her bed. Jane makes sure to close the door behind her gently, afraid of spooking Maura, who has her head buried in a book.
The blinds are pulled up, moonlight filtering in from outside but Maura has a lamp on her bedside table, glowing softly. It turns her hair golden, the skin of her neck deliciously blank – no more bruises. There are still scars, of course, one running from the crease of her elbow and halfway up her right upper arm, as well as a multitude of ones hiding beneath her clothing. She's only seen those ones in photographs. She's not quite sure how she'd handle seeing them in person.
"Maura."
Her voice is ragged, questioning – reaches out unsteadily but curls beneath Maura's chin and makes her lift her face up to greet her. There's a flicker of something between those eyes. Not fear – something she's uncertain to name.
And then those eyes fall mute.
Maura clears her throat, resting her book in her lap.
"Hello, Jane."
Slowly, she settles in the chair beside Maura's, leaning forwards just slightly. Maura sways a little, and she holds her breath. She just. Needs. To be close her.
She just needs this moment.
"How have you been?"
Stupid, she chides herself after the question slips free. What a stupid question. Maura has been in a clinic, for God's sake.
Maura smiles, though.
Small.
But real.
"I've been doing a lot better," she murmurs. "I'll be a healthy weight again soon. And my ribs only have a few more weeks until they're fully healed."
"Ma told me. She said you'd be out of here in a week?"
Maura nods slowly. "Optimistically, yes. There could still be… unforeseen complications. But otherwise, I'll be home in one week."
"That's – that's really good, Maura. I'm glad you're doing better."
Maura's jaw isn't so sharp to look at anymore. A little softer around the edges, like the Maura she remembers.
This Maura is still watching her patiently, and Jane swallows harshly. She needs to stop comparing. Yes, Maura has come back as a changed person – someone who might never love her the way she wants her to, or accept her. But Maura has been through horrible things. Terrible things. Things no human should have to endure. And though she's been working the case, seeing what it is she's been through, there's been no real connection there. She's seen Maura, seen her fierce and terrifying reaction to her, and thought, this is not my Maura.
But it is. This is Maura – just a little different, a little frayed around the edges.
Oh, God. She wants to hold her and never let go.
"You're here to tell me about Melissa," Maura states.
"Oh. You… already know?"
"Angela stopped by earlier. She said it was all the precinct was talking about. She said you were a hero," Maura pauses, frowning slightly. "You were the one who caught her?"
Jane nods. "I guess you could say that. I arrested her, yeah, but… I wouldn't have caught her without the FBI's help. Phillips. She let me help her team."
Maura nods, humming a little, and Jane lets herself look away, out towards the window. Rain is beginning to fall outside, blurring her vision and she watches the rivulets chasing after each other down the window. She thinks she could stay here, with Maura, forever.
"You don't feel real to me, Jane."
She looks back, and doesn't hesitate.
She curls her hand around Maura's.
Maura's breath hitches but Jane doesn't pull away. Lets her hand envelope Maura's completely, a little surprised at how soft her skin is. She doesn't squeeze, doesn't hold her too tightly – doesn't want to suffocate her. But already, hope clatters loudly between her lungs, gripping fiercely to this moment.
"Do I feel real now?"
Maura stares at their hands.
"I don't know that I…" Maura pauses, worrying her bottom lip. "Jane, I still need space. It's hard to – tell you apart. To trust that you're really here. To stay, I mean."
"But?"
"But I want to. I want to trust you more than anything," Maura whispers.
Jane shifts closer, tests their limits when she pulls their hands to her lips and presses a gentle kiss to Maura's skin. Maura remains quiet, and there's nothing but the sound of the rain pattering shyly against the window, as if it's afraid to intrude.
Things feel full.
TBC