A/N: Okay, some continuity errors here with the season 4 but it couldn't be helped. My theory is the same as one of my fav authors Sherrilyn Kenyon in her Chronicles of Nick series. When the passed is altered, certain things can be changed, moved, even avoided but certain events are set in stone and even though the circumstances might be different the events have to unfold. Like Castle in the Bank and Beckett with the shooter and PTSD. These are integral parts of their lives and can't be messed with. My Muse has all the details worked out. …I think.

Oh and I updated the Cover. I know, Jane's wearing an NYPD badge, try not to hate me for it.

Since Maura's condo was now a crime scene, Beckett and Castle insisted that they come back to the loft until the investigation was over. Jane had made a statement to the lead investigator and Beckett had started an argument about jurisdiction. Since Maura's condo was in the 24th Precinct she really didn't have any rights to have the case moved to the 12th.

Captain Gates had shown up, garbed in a formal dress. Obviously her things to do involved a very classy event.

"Rizzoli." She said sharply. "Can't I have one single evening without you getting into something?"

Jane started worrying her hands as Gates approached her, "Believe me, Sir. This wasn't how I wanted my evening to go either." Please don't chew me out in front of all these cops or my girlfriend.

"What happened?" she said with a clenched jaw as she looked around, seeing Maura at the kitchen table with a paramedic applying butterfly strips to the cut on her temple.

"I'm not sure exactly, sir." She said as Kate came up behind her, "He had Dr. Isles tied to a chair in the dark when I got here. He told me to drop my piece and he wanted files for a cold case. I told them I didn't have them and he cut her. He was going to shoot her when I stabbed him in the hand. We fought and I had to kill him."

"With a knife, your gun, how?"

She rubbed her hands furiously, "A roundhouse kick to his throat."

Gates stared at her.

"I've been studying hand to hand fighting for a few years and over the last six months I've been training heavily in KFM."

The blank look on the Captain's face prompted Kate to say, "Keysi Fighting Method. Philippines martial arts."

"Oh Jesus, give me strength." She said as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "What cold case was he after?"

Jane looked back at Kate, "Joanna Beckett."

Kate's eyes went wide, "No, Oh god Jane, tell me you weren't digging in to that." She sat down abruptly. Everyone who had tried to solve her mother's case had either died or been severely injured. Beckett's hand shook as she placed it over the wound she carried between her breasts.

Jane knelt next to her, "No. Kate I wasn't. I don't have the file and I wasn't looking into it. You asked me not to and I wouldn't do that to you."

"Then why was he here?" Kate's voice was shaky.

"I don't know, Kate." she said and turned to her commander, "That's why I want this in our own house. I never looked at that that case because of everything it has cost my partner. I really don't know what brought this on, Sir."

Gates eyed her but nodded as she pulled out her phone and walked a few steps away.

Detective Hadley from the 24th walked passed them towards the body. Jane knew him from a previous case. He was a chauvinist asshole and made more than a few lewd remarks to her about same sex relationships. He didn't disappoint tonight either, "Hey, Diesel, I hear that's your girlfriend over there."

She narrowed her eyes menacingly causing Kate to put a hand on her shoulder.

He stared blatantly at Maura's breasts causing the woman to shift uncomfortably as the paramedic was finishing up.

"That Molly must have the best clam in town for you to deal with such high maintenance fees."

Kate snapped her arms around Jane as her partner lurched to hit him. He stepped back chuckling to himself as Jane struggled against her Sergeant.

Captain Gates grabbed Hadley by the arm and jerked him around before she stepped right into his face.

"IF YOU EVER OPEN THAT STINK HOLE YOU CALL A MOUTH TO ONE OF MY DETECTIVES LIKE THAT AGAIN, I SWEAR TO GOD, I WILL BUST YOUR ASS DOWN TO A FUCKING METER MAID. YOU HEAR ME, ASSHOLE!"

Jane froze at hearing her Captain shouting at Hadley. Victoria Gates had done nothing but make her miserable since the first day she walked into the 12th. The sight of her CO defending her left Rizzoli and Beckett both to stunned to move.

"Now take your bigotry and your team and leave." she said sharply.

"This is my precinct and my case." He said, not backing down.

"You are a detective and I am a CAPTAIN!" she shouted, "And as the highest ranking police officer in this room, a FLAG officer no less, and because this involves one of MY officers, this is now MY scene! Now GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"

Hadley still didn't back down, "With all due respect, Ma'am. You don't have any Detectives here to secure the scene, let alone investigate while the scene is fresh."

"Wrong," she said smugly and pointed to the door.

Detectives Kevin Ryan and Havier Esposito stood by the door. Ryan waved at Hadley cheerfully as Esposito leaned casually against the door frame, a big smile on his face. He stepped inside and revealed Dr. Lanie Parrish who was standing in the hallway, ME box in hand. She smiled sweetly.

Hadley grimaced and turned back to Gates, "This is bullshit and you're going to hear it from my Captain."

"Pfffttt, Pete Edwards is a pussy and you can tell him I said that." She snarled, "Now get the hell out of my crime scene."

He looked around quickly seeing all eyes were on him. He glanced at his detectives who were already gathering by the door. He snarled as he pulled out his phone and headed for the door.

Gates waited until he was outside before instructing Ryan to close the door.

Lanie moved toward the body and Esposito followed her. Ryan walked over to check on Maura.

Gates turned back to Jane, "Before I start tearing up Edward's ass to the Commissioner, you better clue me in on a few things."

Jane sat down on Maura's couch, Kate followed her lead.

"What's with the nickname?"

"Huh?" Jane stared at her.

"He called you Diesel." She said.

Kate tried to repress a smile but failed, Not that the situation was funny but that they had to explain derogatory lesbian slurs to her. It was a conversation they never thought they would have with their CO. Jane smacked her partner in the shoulder.

"It's short for Diesel Dyke, sir." Kate said. "And it's not a friendly term."

Gates glared, "What the hell is a Diesel Dyke?"

"A masculine lesbian who wears mannish clothes and acts like a man." Jane said, trying to keep the smirk off her face.

"And a Molly?" she said, wishing she didn't have to. "I assume that's the opposite."

"Kind of," Kate said. "More like sexually submissive."

"Which is not true," Maura said from the table. "Jane is most certainly not overly masculine and rather than dominant and submissive, we actually blend quite well in the bedroom."

Jane clenched her eyes shut, "TMI, Maura."

"Well your Captain should know how drastically inappropriate that man's comments were," she said, missing what Jane was saying. "Jane's attire is quite feminine given the fact that she works in a male dominated profession."

"Thank, you Maura." She said as she palmed her face.

"Jane isn't necessarily the one in control when we engage in intercourse. We reverse our roles quite often in one coupling."

"MAURA!" Jane shouted. "Why don't you just tell my boss what my favorite positions are while you're at it?"

Maura looked at her in confusion, "How would that highlight the Detective's behavior?"

Kate was trying desperately not to laugh at Maura's obliviousness. She caught Esposito with his back to them but his shoulders were jerking with quiet laughter. Lanie was holding a hand over her mouth in abject embarrassment of this conversation. Ryan was pointedly picking nonexistent lint balls from his suit jacket. Captain Gates stared at Maura in disbelief. The others in the room were trying their best to focus on their jobs.

"Maura honey," Jane said sweetly, her dimpled grin firmly forced onto her face, "I love you very much. But please don't talk about our sex life with others, especially my mother" she pointed her hands palms up at Gates, "or my boss. Okay, baby?"

Maura stared at her for a second and then it clicked in her mind. Her mouth turned to an O before she whispered "I'm sorry, Jane." loud enough to be heard across the room.

Gates looked at Kate who was covering her mouth to hide the grin.

Lanie chose that moment to interrupt tonight's entertainment. "Well, cause of death appears to be a broken neck that most likely severed the spinal cord. Point of impact is on the underside of the mandible caused by some kind of blunt force trauma that snapped his head up, very powerful because several of his neck muscles have been torn. There are also indications that his trachea was severely damaged."

Jane called to an evidence tech, "Hey bring me a bunch of large bags will ya." She took a pair of gloves from Lanie and slipped them on before she unzipped her boot and slid it off. The ET brought the bag and opened it as Jane dropped the boot in.

"What's that," Lanie said.

"The murder weapon," Jane said. She slid off the second one and passed that to the ET as well. "Kate can you go into Maura's bedroom, the bottom drawer in the dresser closest to the closet are my work out clothes."

She nodded and headed off to the bedroom. Jane pulled off her blazer and dropped it into a bag. She looked at Gates, "Is the crime lab going to need my underwear too?"

"Best to just give them all of it, Rizzoli." She said.

"Well I guess you and Lanie get the detail 'cause I'm not stripping in front of those guys." She jerked her thumb at the evidence people.

She nodded, "Lanie, take the bags from the ETs and follow us."

Jane stopped next to Maura, "You're going to have to do this too, baby. I'm sorry."

Maura nodded.

Gates lead the way into the bathroom and started passing her clothes to Lanie. Kate knocked on the door and opened it enough to set the clothes on the counter.

Jane stripped down to her underwear and Gates gasped.

"What?" she said. She seen Gates staring at the exit would on her back through the mirror.

"Sweet baby Jesus." She said, "Where did this come from?"

Jane turned and pointed to the much smaller entry wound on her belly. "You read my file. I shot myself in the gut."

Gates turned her around again and looked closely at the wound. She shook her head, "How the hell did you live?"

"Maura." Jane looked over her shoulder, "I almost died right there on the sidewalk. Maura kept me from bleeding out."

Gates looked at her pointedly, "That's one hell of a woman you have their, Rizzoli." She flicked her hand, motioning Jane to continue.

Each item was bagged individually and sealed with Gates own signature. Jane slid into her yoga pants and NYPD Athletics t-shirt. With a nod Gates opened the bathroom and lead the way.

"Dr. Isles?" Gates said, "Your turn please."

Jane went into the bedroom to find her sneakers and some sox.

She pulled out some of Maura's clothes and passed them to Kate who relayed them to the bathroom and returned quickly.

Jane ran a hand through her hair. "I guess Maura and I are going to have to get a hotel tonight."

Kate cocked an eyebrow at her, "You're both coming home with me Jane and you know that."

"Kate, I've imposed on you and Rick enough," she said, "Last thing I want to do is bring this baggage to you guys."

Kate grabbed her partner hard by the shoulders, "You listen to me and you listen good. You and Maura are safer with us then you are in a hotel room. You're armed, I'm armed and Rick will be armed too. I've played this game before. Whatever is going on, were all in it."

Jane held her gaze for a minute before dropping her eyes and nodding slowly.

"Good," she said. "Start packing."

They left Maura's condo and took the Impala over to Ricks. Shortly after they parked and several returns to the car for Maura's suitcases later, Jane and Maura found themselves in Ricks study with the writer and his fiancé. Kate was the one who started it up.

"He wanted my mother's case file." She said to Rick. "Where is it?"

Rick went to his safe and opened it up. He pulled out a flash drive and a hard copy of the file. "You've seen this Kate. It's all copies. The original is still at the 12th's records department." He set it down on the desk.

Kate picked it up and handed it to her partner. "Have you ever seen this?"

Jane held her hand up, "Yeah. Down at records, I looked through it about four months ago and you told me to back off. I left it alone ever since."

Rick nodded at the file, "This one has a lot more in it."

Jane grabbed it and thumbed through it, "Holy shit!"

"Language, Jane." Maura said softly.

Jane ignores her as she flips through page after page. "There's got to be enough leads here to crack this thing." She looks at her partner, "Why haven't you gone further."

Kate pulls down the neck line of her shirt and shows the scar over her heart, "Because it's too dangerous to run an investigation like that."

"Montgomery was killed for what's in that file." Rick added. "We both agreed to let it ride for now."

"It's been twenty years, Jane." Kate said, "Another few won't matter all that much. I can't risk losing anyone over this."

Jane handed the folder back to Kate who put it back in the safe. Rick handed her the flash drive and she put it on top of the file before closing and locking the safe.

"So if no one has dug into this then why the hit man in Maura's condo?" Jane said.

"We don't know," Rick said, "we know that whoever wants this covered up is high enough on the food chain to have this case monitored twenty four - seven."

Kate sighed, "They watch everything. LEIN, NYPD mainframe, FBI database, there all over the internet."

Maura gasped, "Oh dear."

They looked at her.

"What is it, Maur?" Jane said.

She looked at Jane with worry and trepidation. "I googled Kate for some background for my class last week. During my research I found a reference to her mother being murdered and I looked up the newspaper articles."

Kate blinked, "My mother's murder can be googled?"

"Yes." Maura said, "If you are specific enough and since I was specific about you I found it relatively easily."

"But how did they trace it down to Maura and think it important enough for them to send someone for me?"

"They monitor Kate all the time, Jane." Rick said as he rubbed his jaw with his hand, "Even if all they did was watch her computer, they'd know you were assigned as her partner when you first came to NYPD."

"They would have checked you out thoroughly Jane," Kate said, "And they would have kept an eye on you too."

"More than likely, your background would have revealed Dr. Isles to them too. And when they found her in New York, they would have monitored her too."

"It's all my fault." Maura said. "I brought this on you, Jane."

Jane took Maura's hands, "No baby, you didn't know. You couldn't have known."

"Well, Pandora's Box has been reopened." Rick said, "Only question is, how are we going to close it again?"

Later that night…

"Jane?"

Jane lay wide awake, staring at her .45 sitting openly on the bedside table, right in front of the picture of her and Maura. She had made a point of loading it with Hydra-Shok ammunition before bed. The hollow point rounds had a hardened core in the bullet and provided the highest stopping power available. The fact that they were also the most destructive wasn't lost on Jane.

"Jane? I know you're still awake." Maura said softly. "I can tell by your breathing pattern."

Jane shifted slightly underneath Maura. "Yeah. I'm awake."

"You should get some rest. We both have to work tomorrow."

"You do." She sighed, "I'm on admin right now. Going to be at my desk until the investigation is over." She thought about it for a minute, "I bet I'm the first officer in the 12th to have a shooting board without having shot someone."

"Jane." Maura kissed her neck lightly, "Between my statement and yours, you will be fine. Kate backs you and so does Captain Gates."

"Yeah" she scoffed, "That would be a first for me."

She shifted again causing Maura to rise up on her elbow, "Are you alright?"

Jane tugged at her shirt, "No. I'm not used to lying next to you with clothes on anymore. My usual stuff feels itchy."

In light of recent events, both women had donned pajamas for bed tonight. Jane had put on sweat pants and a t-shirt in case they were attacked again. Maura wore her stylish Champaign colored silk pajamas out of respect for being allowed to stay with Jane.

"I have some extra silks in my suitcase." She suggested. "They would be a lot more comfortable than cotton."

"Right" Jane said, "Hard to be a bad ass in silk, Maur."

Maura nibbled at her lover's ear, "I think you could pull it off. Plus there is the advantage of being underestimate-"

Her words were cut of my Jane's hand. Maura froze as she realized Jane's right hand was also holding her backup pistol, the grip and her thumb firmly pressed against her mouth. Jane's left hand was already wrapping it's self around her 45. That was when Maura heard the door handle.

Jane swung away from Maura landing in a crouch next to the bed, both Glocks pointed at the door as it creaked open. Jane's arms were rock steady and in the dark, Maura could see the vein pulsing on her lover's neck, betraying Jane's racing heart.

The door opened slowly to reveal Alexis. Her eyes went wide as she took in her Aunt's lethal and terrifying stance.

"Aunt Jane?" she said nervously as she stepped in to the room. Jane dropped her hands when she knew Alexis was alone.

"God damn it, Alexis!" She shouted quietly, "I almost shot you!"

She dropped her 45 on the table and her 9mm on the bed next to a very shaken Maura.

"I'm sorry." Her voice quivered, "I… I didn't… mean to scare you."

Jane plopped down on the bed and tried to sooth Maura's trembling hands. Maura breathed in deeply and visibly tried to relax. She too had thought the worst.

Jane turned back to her niece, "Alexis it's two in the morning and you have class in five hours. What are you even doing up?"

She came to the bed, "I… Dad told me about what happened and I… couldn't sleep. I just… I just needed to know that you were alright. That you and Mau… Dr. Isles were okay."

Maura sat up, "Alexis, you can call me Maura. Really I would prefer it."

"Aside from scaring the crap out of us were fine," she said harshly. The look in Alexis face stopped Jane cold. Before she could walk away Jane caught her hand, "I'm sorry, Kiddo. I didn't mean it like that. It's just… It's been a helluva day."

She nodded and Jane pulled her to sit next to her. Maura swung her legs over the bed and sat on the opposite side of Alexis. Jane draped her arm over her niece.

"Hey." Jane said, "I'm alive and still kicking ass so what's up."

"I'm sorry Aunt Jane." She said, a fresh tear sliding down her cheek, "I know it's irrational but I just had to check on you."

"I understand." She said as she tugged on her shoulder, "I'm fine and so is Maura. We're going to get through this, honey."

She nodded, "I know but I'm, I'm scared. I seen Kate checking out Dad with a gun tonight and I'm really scared, I don't want to lose any of you."

"I know, kiddo." She tried to reassure her but it was only partly successful.

Maura felt for the girl. Far too many times had she seen Jane rush off into danger and death, never knowing if she'd come back in one piece, if at all. And that was when she was just her friend. Being her partner or significant other brought a whole new light on the subject. Now you couldn't pry Maura away from Jane. She needed to know Jane was okay. She didn't even know how she was going to teach tomorrow with that thought in the back of her mind.

"Alexis?" Maura said, bringing the redhead's full attention back to her, "I know your nineteen and a college student, but would it make you feel any better if you stayed with us tonight?"

Jane was shocked at Maura's suggestion. She was even more shocked when Alexis nodded.

Although Maura could read her like a medical journal, she had no idea how she could have read Alexis so perfectly. The girl was terrified of losing one of her family and had Maura not have been there, it was exactly what Jane would have offered to her niece.

Alexis had gone through this kind of thing too many times already. Since her father started working with Beckett, she had seen so many things that were starting to strip away her naiveté. Kate had been shot twice, her apartment had been blown up, she and her father had been taken how many times. Alexis and her father were recently taken hostage in a bank once while getting money for one of Gran's ideas.

Jane reeled at the way Alexis's life has turned into since her family had taken in cops. Jane mourned the loss of Alexis's innocence, and if allowing her to stay would help her keep that a little while longer, then so be it. Jane stood up and tugged the covers back as she subtly palmed her pistol.

Alexis stood up with Maura and slid under the blanket. Maura slipped in next to her on the far side and Jane slid her pistol under her pillow before joining them. Alexis settled in between them as Jane slid an arm under her niece's head, while Maura toyed with one of those red false Rizzoli locks. It didn't take her long to fall asleep.

Maura watched Jane as Jane watched Alexis. She smiled when she knew Alexis was out and looked back at the blond.

"Thank you." she whispered. "I know it means a lot to her."

Maura smiled and moved her hand to Jane's ebony locks. "Your turn." She said softly, gently twisting the black silk between her fingers.

Jane yawned, "Did you read about this in some medical book?" She said sleepily.

"Read about what?" She asked.

"Which hairs to play with to cause sleep?" She said as her eyes drifted shut.

"No. I just know what you like." She said as she watched Jane lose against the sandman.

"I love you." she murmured.

Maura smiled, "I love you, too." She said and let her arm drift until it rested on Jane's ribs.

Alexis snuggled her back into Maura's side as she burrowed her head into her aunt's shoulder. She smiled slightly in her sleep, and a soft snore came from the young girl in rhythm.

Maura chuckled as sleep overcame her. That night she dreamed of carrying a child in her belly, Jane's child. Dreamed of their daughter snuggled up between them after a bad dream, and for some reason, their child had red hair.

A/N: I know, a slight twist of reality on Castle: Cops and Robbers, but no choice. Only way to Keep Beckett saying, "You kill him and I'll put a bullet in your skull." I may retouch on that in a bit. Depends on YouTube.

Z- FYI. Because I haven't seen Castle season 4, I may put a psych scene in with Kate talking to Dr. Worf If I can find enough YouTube on it to be somewhat consistent. Damn, that really messes with my head. You don't hire a former Klingon to be a shrink, no matter how domesticated but I'll put that in check because I've been running off of synopses. And since I don't remember saying this, congrads on the nephew. Super cool being an uncle. Just for you, I threw a gem in here for you about Gates. Good Job on my mistakes, call em out cause I'm writing them down.

MJ- Oh my, were going to light up Jane a bit tonight but tomorrow she's going to shine like a new penny just for you.

M (for Mommaj69) I hope you're having as good a time reading as I am writing. Welcome. Tell me what you like and I'll see if I can work it in.