Jane's eyes widened in shock as the gunshot cracked in the cold air. She closed her eyes and waited for the onslaught of pain. Her eyes flew open at the sound of her name being whispered so softly it was barely a sound. She saw Maura crashing toward the ground and her body moved of its own accord and she flew across the ground to catch her before she hit the floor.
Dean raced across to check the pulse of Bulger's daughter still aiming his smoking gun at her. She was gone. He glanced quickly over at Maura and Jane and watched them sadly for a moment as it truly dawned on him how much he had hurt them both by his actions, he just hoped that they could recover from this. He walked away to call it in and thank Frost for calling him for his help.
Jane's tears were splashing onto Maura's soft cheeks and she gently shook her "Hey Maur, it's ok, it's ok now, she's gone, you're safe...Maur? Maur? Please don't leave me Maur." She gathered the medical examiner close to her and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead praying to be able to see those sparkling hazel eyes. Maura's eyes remained closed and Jane rocked them both her violent sobs "Maur come on please? I love you. I love you so much don't leave me..."
The paramedics had to pry Jane off Maura's body before they could load the ME into the ambulance and raced away to the hospital. Once she had passed on all the Googletalk that Maura had blabbed in her half conscious state about the flower and the crystals, they thanked her and hurried away as fast as they could. Jane watched the ambulance drive off and felt her heart rip away with the squeal of the sirens. All she wanted was to climb in with Maura and be by her side every second she could, unfortunately what had happened had to be investigated and she needed to give evidence and statements.
Korsak had finished taking Frost and Angela back to the precinct when he got the phone call from Agent Dean, he raced to the location given and ducked under the crime scene tape to see Jane stood alone in the midst of all the chaos looking frailer than he'd ever seen her. They had been through a lot together what with Hoyt and although it hurt at the time he know understood why they couldn't be partners anymore. Seeing her looking so lost and alone hurt him deeply and he draped a blanket across her shoulders.
Jane jumped a little at the contact and wiped away her upset with embarrassment "Thanks." Korsak didn't say a word but Jane could see in his kind eyes that he understood completely; he had always been too good at reading her. She managed a weak smile at him and she looked over at Dean. "This mean I gotta apologise to him?"
Korsak chuckled, there was still some good old Rizzoli left inside her, he shrugged and raised an eyebrow "Maybe."
She sighed heavily not wanting to talk to Dean at all but knowing she owed him a lot. She slowly walked over being careful not to look at the body that Dr Pike was crouched over; it was too soon to relive it all. "Dean."
"I know you told me not to follow you but what can I say old habits die hard."
She managed a small smile grateful that he was trying to be humorous about it and not a smug prick. She still hadn't forgiven him, not by a long shot, but who knows, if Maura made it then...maybe...her thoughts drifted off with the wind as that name stabbed her heart. Maura.
"We got this J-" Dean just managed to stop himself "Detective." He cleared his throat. "Go get your girl."
She looked at him with questioning eyes and he smiled sadly before walking away to catch up with Korsak and Dr Pike. She watched him walk away and as the wind curled around the back of her neck she felt a tension she didn't even know she had lift off her shoulders and drift away into the night.
Maura lay in the hospital bed, silent and still. She looked so frail and fragile that the bed looked far too big for her. It was almost too much for Jane to bear to see her like this. Her usually glowing skin was sickly and pale, her sparkling eyes lay shut against the world, her stunning smile complete with mischievous dimples was hiding away and gave her a seriousness that didn't suit her. Jane felt like a part of her was missing looking at the ME lying there. She didn't think it possible but she would have given anything in that moment for Maura to wake up and hate her, to go back to outside the warehouse after Jane had shot Paddy...anything to have her awake and safe. Jane slowly made her away around to the side of the bed and sat down in the chair there. She felt awkward and nervous and was unsure what to do with herself. She gingerly lay her hand on top of the medical examiner's. It was an action she had done a million times before; despite not being a particularly tactile person Maura had always been the only Jane felt comfortable around, so much so that she didn't even flinch when Maura's hands met her own or vice versa. She gently interlinked their slender fingers and her emotions were at odds with one another; part of her soared with delight at the new intimacy and yet the rest of her wanting to break down at the unusual coldness beneath Maura's soft skin.
Constance hobbled down the corridor with the help of a nurse to go see her daughter whom she had just learned had been admitted. She stopped just short of the doorway and watched through the partially blinded window. The detective, Jane, was sat next to her bed, holding Maura's hand and had the strangest mix of emotions playing out on her face, she looked the happiest Constance had ever seen and yet there was an undercurrent of such sadness it brought a tear to her own eye.
Jane looked up startled as there was a commotion outside, all she could see were nurses bustling about hurriedly and then as they parted she saw the back of Constance Isles hobbling back down the corridor. Jane went to chase after her when a nurse burst through the door breathless. "What is it?"
"Paddy Doyle?" Jane nodded with a frown of concern "His vitals dropped once he was informed of Doctor Isles' condition and he crashed just a second ago, but before he did he shouted your name Detective..."
Jane stood in silence for a moment contemplating what to do. On the one hand she owed it to him to go and see him after all without his help who knows if she would have made it in time...and yet without him none of this would have happened. She nodded gravely at the nurse and leaned down, bringing Maura's hand to her lips laying a gentle kiss to it. "Be right back Maur." Just as Jane was about to drop her hand she felt Maura squeeze her hand and Jane gasped in delight.
"N...n...no...leave..." Maura struggled to get any words out and she frowned painfully at the jumble of sounds she has thrown together. She was struggling somewhere between the abyss and the light when she heard the husky tones of her detective talk about leaving her. As her faculties slowly crawled back to her she used all of her strength to cling onto the scarred hand intertwined with her own.
Jane held onto that hand as if her life depended on it, her smile so wide it threatened to split her face in half and tears of happiness cascading down her face as she watched Maura struggle to blink open those big beautiful eyes. When their eyes met it was a beautiful moment that they both wanted to last for a lifetime.
"Detective?" the nurse didn't want to interrupt but she had seen the signs, there was a good chance that Mr Doyle would not be waking up in the morning.
Jane looked to the doorway and was torn again, the last thing she wanted on this earth was to ever leave Maura again, but what kind of friend, what kind of person would she be if she let her father possibly die without at least hearing his last words out.
"Y...y...you..." Maura spluttered and coughed and winced at the excruciating pain.
"Shh Maur, be patient, don't talk yet." Jane tried to loose her hand to reach for the glass of water on Maura's bedside but Maura wouldn't let go of her hand so Jane had to reach over herself with her other arm to bring it down to Maura's dry lips. "Here drink some water."
Maura drank greedily and managed the tiniest smile but as she did she saw the beaming reaction on Jane's face and she knew it was only a start but it was a good one. The nurse in the doorway cleared her throat again and Maura felt Jane go to let go again. "Jane...please..."
Jane looked into those hazel pools that were filling up with tears. No one is more important than you baby...that's why I have to do this. Jane didn't want to tell her, not when she was so fragile but she wouldn't let her leave unless she understood. "It's your father Maur...he's in a bad way."