This was another dangerous case. Maura hated every dangerous case they had because it meant Jane was going to put herself in danger. Now as Jane's best friend she was expected to worry that was a given. But lately she realized she didn't want to be Jane's best friend anymore. She wanted to be her girlfriend. She was deeply in love with her. The revelation came on a Tuesday just over a month ago. Things with Jack were fizzling. It wasn't that he was an inadequate lover, she just found that she would rather spend time with Jane than him. She was at work when the revelation hit her like a ton of bricks. They had just wrapped up a difficult case and Jane was talking to her in her office. She had to leave to finish up some paperwork before they went out for dinner and drinks. Jane hugged her goodbye. Her breath was hard as she breathed the words "I'm so lucky to have you" against Maura's ear. It sent shivers down her spine. She didn't know what to say, her body was in shock. She just nodded her head in response and gave Jane a tight squeeze. That night after drinks she sat in her bed thinking. The signs had always been there. None of their male relationships had ever really worked out. They always seemed to pick one another of the guy in their life. She knew how much Jane loved Casey and even with the pregnancy she still chose to leave him and stay in Boston with Maura and her family. She had so many dreams of raising that baby with Jane. Dreams that were crushed by yet another difficult case. She was scared to death. Jane was always putting herself in the line of fire. And she knew it was her job and all, but Jane took it to an extreme. She didn't know how to tell Jane how she felt without ruining things. And now with yet another tough case, she knew Jane couldn't handle the news. She had broken things off with Jack last week and Jane was very inquisitive about it, but she left it at that he just wasn't a good lover for her. She didn't want to go into many details. For one, because she wasn't sure how Jane would react. And two, saying something out loud would change everything.
They arrived on scene of the third murder in just a matter of days. This was the sign of a serial killer. Those were always the worst cases. They never knew what was going to happen next. This crime scene was just as gruesome as the two before it. Another woman, young, mid 30s, blonde, brutally beaten and practically gutted like a fish. It was a grotesque sight to witness. Maura bent down beside the body, a shocked look on her face. She had seen crime scenes like this before, but it was the third this week. Each more vile than the last.
"Time of death looks to be just a few hours ago. I will know more when I get her on my table"
"Alright. I'm gonna take a look around, see if this bastard left any clues behind."
Jane walks out of the room and begins searching around the supposed abandoned home. She can tell it looks lived in. As in the guy would be back anytime now. She decides it's best to clear everyone out and wait for him to return. She goes back into the room with Korsak and. Maura.
"Korsak, this place is his hiding spot. It's lived in. Clothes, food, supplies. He's going to come back soon. We need to get everyone out of here. You and I can stay here and stay hidden. Try and catch this piece of shit"
"Sounds like a plan. I'll let everyone know."
Jane turns to Maura, "you need to take the body and go back to the morgue before this guy comes back"
"I'll send the body with someone else. I'm not leaving you."
"Maura now isn't the time for your cute antics. This is serious. He's dangerous. You can't be here."
"You shouldn't either. Yet you are"
"Yeah but I'm the cop"
"Please Jane. I don't want to leave you in this place."
"Fine. But at the first sign of trouble you have to leave"
"Agreed" Maura lied right through her teeth. It wasn't something she could usually do but lately she's gotten better at it. She had no intentions of leaving Jane at a time like this.
The scene had been cleared except for Jane, Maura and Korsak. He wasn't okay with Maura hanging back, but he knew it wasn't his fight. And he knew it was better for him not to get involved in whatever it was the two of them had going on. He saw the way they looked at one another. The writing was on the wall. But it wasn't his place to point it out. Four hours had passed and yet the guy still hadn't come back. It was nearing dark. They were ready to give up and call it a day when they heard a noise at the back door. Jane shoots Maura a look that says she needs to disappear now before shit goes down. Maura doesn't budge. Jane just growls and shakes her head at her stubborn best friend. Jane leaves the room and inches towards the back door. She gets there just as the guy is sneaking in. She yells freeze at the unarmed man. He begins to take off running, Jane follows him leaving Korsak and Maura in the house.
They realize she is gone and get in the car and take off after them. They are coming up to the bridge where they see Jane and the man fighting and struggling. She is trying to take him down when he gets the better of her and sends her flying over the edge. He looks down and laughs as he begins to take off running again. He doesn't make it far, Korsak shoots him down. Maura runs to where Jane fell in and begins screaming her name. She can't see her in the water. This is her worst nightmare. Jane getting hurt or dying before she can tell her how much she loves her. She looks around trying to find stairs or something that can get her down below to Jane.
Korsak is already on the phone with 911. But Maura has no intention of waiting for them. She finds where she can get to the water safely and jumps in after Jane. She will be damned if she lets the love of her life drowned. Not before they've had a chance to be together. Not like this. She can't loose her like this.
"JANE!" She screams out again hoping Jane doesn't respond.
She looks around in the water. It is absolutely freezing. She has to find Jane and fast. Minutes continue to pass and no sign of Jane. This isn't good. She hears Krosak's voice but she is trying to focus on finding Jane.
"MAURA, have you found her?"
She screams out no. She's gasping for air. It's like a piece of her is slowly dying the longer it takes to find Jane. Finally after what seems like a century she sees Jane floating on the surface of the icy cold water. She swims over to her. She's unconscious, barely breathing. This isn't good. Fuck. She takes a hold of Jane and pulls her to the edge where Korsak is waiting with the EMTs. They get Jane out of the water and put her on a gurney. She's still passed out, suffering from severe hypothermia. They hand Maura a warming blanket and rush Jane to the ambulance. Maura insists she's riding with them whether they like it or not. After a moment of bickering with her they finally agree because they can see the toll this is taking on her. Korsak says he will call Angela and Frankie and meet them there.
The ambulance ride is quite. They are almost to the hospital when Jane's machines start going off. She's coding. This isn't good. They have to shock her heart. They try once and nothing. Again. Nothing. Tears are pouring down Maura's eyes. This is it. This is the moment she's going to loose Jane forever. She leans down and kisses her forehead and whispers in her ear, "you can't die on me, I love you too much to loose you Jane. Please stay with me. Please baby"
"Ma'am you need to back away. We're trying to save her life."
"Sorry" she manages to get out through the sobs.
They shock her again and magically a pulse appears. A sigh of relief rushes over Maura. It worked. Maybe she heard her. Maybe she didn't. But they have a pulse. That's all that matters. They pull into the hospital and rush her back into the ER. Maura is still in shock. Standing in place. She can't move. She can't breathe. Angela, Frankie, and Korsak rush upon the scene to find Maura a crumbled mess on the ground.
"Omg. No. Please no Maura. Not my baby"
"She's in the ER"
"Why are you out here?"
"We lost her pulse in the ambulance. I fell apart. I can't loose her Angela. I love her. I love her so much it's killing me inside."
Angela picked Maura up from the ground, " it's going to be okay honey. I know you love her. She's going to be ok, and you can tell her yourself."
"You're not mad that I'm in love with her?"
"Not at all honey, you love her more than anyone she's ever been with. You would never hurt her. Besides you're already family. Now it will be official. Let's just get in there to our girl okay?"
"Yeah" she says through the sobs.
They all walk in and find Jane. The doctors are still working on her. Trying to bring her body temp up and get the water out of her system.
"Body temp is going up. Heart rate is beginning to return to normal. It's looking good guys."
Everyone breathes a sigh of relief. It looks like she is going to be ok.
Maura just wants to go to Jane to hold her close and never let her go again. But she knows the doctors are still working on her. So for now she clings to Angela as they both silently pray to the heavens to return Jane to them.
Angela has known about Maura's feelings for a while. Even before Maura did. She saw the way Maura did everything in her power to help Jane with the baby, even though she hated Casey. She was willing to raise a baby with Jane. Didn't matter to her that it wasn't her DNA. It was Jane's and that was all that mattered to Maura. Angela always wanted Jane to marry a man and give her a ton of grand babies. She never wanted this type of lifestyle for Jane. It was a hard one to live. But she saw the way Maura loved Jane and she knew that if something happened between them everything would be okay. Because they would take care of one another, no matter what. They would put one another first. And they could still give her grand babies. So she was more than okay with this. She had a sinking feeling Maura's feelings were totally reciprocated but that Jane was terrified of what her family would think her job, her friends. She knew Jane loved Maura too. Jane never let someone in the way she did Maura, not even her own mother. But there was something about Maura that Jane just let all of her walls down. Angela was happy that. Jane found someone she could be herself with.
What seemed like hours later, finally a nurse came out.
"Rizzoli?"
"That's us" they all responded.
"Hi, Mrs. Rizzoli. Your daughter is going to be okay. We had a few scares but her vitals are good, she's stabilized and awake. Who would like to see her first? We can only allow one at a time."
"Maura, go see her."
"Angela she's your daughter. You need to be with her."
"And she's the woman you love. I will go next. It's okay. Go be with her"
Maura followed the nurse into Jane's room. Jane was laying there barely awake.
"Oh Jane. Thank god. I was so scared" Maura says as she rushes to a janes side.
"Poindexter. I never thought I'd be so glad to see you"
"Funny. You scared the fuck out of me"
"Maura!"
"Sorry but you did. You have no idea how bad it was. I jumped in after you. I couldn't find you. And then we lost you in the ambulance. I thought You were going to die right then and there. I fell apart. I can't live without you in my life. You mean everything to me. And damn it this just isn't coming out right. Or how I even wanted to say all of this. But you just scared me so bad Jane."
"What are you saying a Maura?"
Maura gets on the bed next to Jane. She takes her hands in hers.
"You just don't have any idea how much you scared me. I was a wreck. This is my worst nightmare coming true. You dying before I have the courage to say what's on my mind."
"Well I'm not dying today. So you can tell me what's going on in that beautiful mind of yours"
"Jane this is really hard for me to say. It's going to change everything between us. I don't know if I can even say it out loud. I mean what if you don't want the same thing. Then everything is ruined."
"Try me Maura. I might surprise you"
"I love you. I'm in love with you."
"How long?"
"What do you mean?"
"How long have you been in love with me and neglected to say anything?"
"Probably the whole time we've been friends. But I only just realized it about a month ago. I told myself all these years you were my best friend, nothing more. It was a Tuesday, just over a month ago. We had just finished this hard case and you were in my office. You hugged me tight and told me how much I meant to you. The way you whispered in my ear sent shock waves down my body. I knew then. But I wasn't sure how you felt. So I waited. And that's why I broke it off with Jack. I did it for you. He saw what I was too blind to see. He knew I was in love with you. It's why he didn't put up much of a fight. I was going to tell you then but we caught the serial killer case. And I just couldn't lay this on you now. Not with all of this shit going on. But then tonight...you almost died. A part of me was dying too as you flat lined in front of me. We got here and they rushed you away and I just fell to the ground. I was so scared I was going to loose you"
"Wow. I mean. I had some idea. But I wasn't sure. I thought maybe you just really cared deeply. It wasn't until the baby died and we cried in one another's arms that I knew you felt as I did. You loved that baby because it was mine. You wanted that future for us as much as I did. And it was ripped away. I didn't say anything to you because you had found Jack and honestly all I really wanted was you to be happy even if it wasn't with me. I love you that much. And then you broke it off with him and I thought maybe you would speak up then and you didn't. So I thought I was wrong. I was going to say something but I was down right scared shitless. I didn't want to loose you as my best friend. I mean I could take you not having feelings for me, but I can't handle not having you in my life. You mean everything to me. I am so sorry that I scared you today. I just saw that guy and it was like an animal instinct in me to take off after him. I didn't think about the consequences. I never do. I am so sorry to put you through all of this honey."
"Your dedication to your job is one of the things I love most about you. Don't ever apologize for that. You're an amazing detective Jane."
"Now what?"
"Well your mom would very much like to see you"
"Oh god. Is she freaking out? How did you even get in here before her?"
"She sent me in. She knows. I was a mess. She read it on my face. Told me to come see the woman I love and tell her just how much. She wants us to be happy."
"Let me guess...she made you promise grand babies right?"
"Yep."
"Somehow that doesn't shock me"
"I love you so much Jane. I'm sorry I haven't said anything. But from now on I will show you just how much I love you everyday, not just say the words."
"I like the sound of that. And Maura? I love you too. More than you know."
Maura leans in and kisses her on the forehead. About that time, the family comes in with the nurse.
"I decided to break the rules. They were all very anxious."
"Hey Ma."
"Janie. I am so glad you are ok. Did you two lovebirds work everything out?"
"Yes Ma. We did. Thank you for giving us that time." Jane says as she takes Maura's hand in hers.
"You scared us real bad Janie" Frankie says.
"I'm sorry guys. I didn't mean to."
"We know Jane. We were just worried. But we're so glad your ok. And we're glad you and Maura finally got together. Frost would be so happy for you. He was always pulling for you guys"
"What do you mean always pulling?"
"Come on Jane. Everyone knows the two of you are meant to be together. We've all known for ages. We just had to let you guys figure that out yourselves."
"Well thank you guys...so that bastard. Did you get him?"
"I did. He's dead. Case solved."
"Good. Because I'm taking this weekend off. Maura and I are going on a trip. Just the two of us."
"We are?"
"Yep. As soon as I get out of this place. You and I are going away together."
"I'll let Cavanuagh know. I'm sure it won't be an issue."
"Well I'm glad you all came to check on me and all. But see I really just want to kiss Maura and make up for lost time. So could we have some spade?"
"Jane...we have all the time in the world for that. Let's spend time with the family."
They smile at one another, hands still locked together. Each never intending on letting go. They were finally happy. Finally content. They were together and that's all that mattered. No more games. No more bullshit. Everything was falling into place.
"I love you Jane." Maura whispered to Jane.
"I love you too Maura" Jane whispered back.
For the first time in ages, both of them were content. And happy. Each had finally opened themselves up to love and to the idea of one another. Sure there would be trials and heartache but it was worth it. Together they could take on anything.