"The real question is who has the other machine" Jane noted as she sat cross legged on the floor, surrounded by case notes.
"Well, we know that person… or people… at least speak Serbian."
"Does Martin Richards have a Serbian connection?"
Maura shook her head. "I don't think so. Write it down, though. We can check."
Jane scribbled her question on the bottom of an extensive list, a focus for their investigation. "Who would know?"
Maura walked across heavily patterned carpet, checking the map they had created on the wall of Jane's hotel room. "I'm not sure. His phone records show communication from four numbers in the last three months. They were all in his contacts- his granddaughter, Rachel, Joan Gilmore from Bletchley and a Professor Marko Rusieuc."
Turning to face her friend, Maura's wide eyes met Jane's. "That's definitely a Balkan way of spelling that name… the K. Very specific."
"So he could be Serbian? Or speak Serbian?"
Maura shrugged. "We need to find out."
Checking her watch, Jane sighed audibly. "It's so late. We… we can't call the technician now- nobody will be there. I'll ask in the morning."
Maura nodded, rubbing Jane's back. "You know, there is one person you should probably call." Jane turned, raising an eyebrow.
"Do you have any idea how many text messages I've had from your mother? She's worried sick!"
Jane slumped. "I know, I know. But what do I say to her? 'Hi mom. I'm back playing games with death. Yes, there's definitely been more murder. No, I'm definitely not safe.' I'd have to explain all of this" Jane gestured between herself and the doctor "and I'd have to tell her that I left Agent Davies with no real explanation of why, and that I chased you half way across the world and walked out of a really good job to do it."
Maura sighed, clambering over to the bed and pulling out another stack of papers. "Jane, call her. She deserves to know you're safe."
Pulling a face at her friend, Jane dialled the guesthouse's phone number. "I'm so glad I forgot to remove my international calling plan. I'd be bankrupt by now."
Maura rolled her eyes and focussed on her breathing, ignoring the rambling detective and preparing for the long, argumentative conversation that was about to ensue between a wayward woman and her Italian mother.
It was going to be a long night.
/
"Jane Clementine Rizzoli! I've been waiting for DAYS to hear your voice! Do you have any idea what that kind of heartache can do to a mother? Do you?!"
"Mom. Mom calm down."
"Calm down?! Calm down?! Jane- you haven't returned my calls, Maura's been very vague which obviously means she's trying not to lie, Nina and Frankie change the subject every time I bring it up and the FBI keep trying to tell me that the information I need is classified. Classified! Nothing is classified to a mother!"
"Mom, I'm fine."
"Janie, where are you?"
"I'm in England. With Maura."
"England? Sweet lord. Why? The FBI can't send my baby away like that!"
"They didn't. I... I'm here for Maura, mom. Something happened. A... a friend of Maura's is sick and she didn't want to be alone." Jane grimaced at the bare-faced lie she had just told.
"We're both okay. Look, I flew out at short notice. I haven't had a lot of cell reception."
"Janie, you and I both know that's not good enough. But are you okay? Are you eating enough?" Jane smiled.
"I'm fine. I miss you, though."
"When are you coming home, baby?" Closing her eyes, Jane took a deep breath.
"Look, as soon as all of this is over, I'll be on the next plane back to Boston. With Maura. I'll come straight to the house and I'll come see you, okay?"
"Okay. But don't scare me like that again. Anything could have happened."
"Don't worry about me, mom. I'm fine."
Angela chuckled. "You always say that. And, somehow, you always are. But I still don't believe you."
/
By the time Jane had appeased her mother, the room around her was dark. Looking over to the bed, Jane watched Maura's chest lift and fall as she slept.
Gathering the scattered papers from the bed and the carpet and piling them up on a nearby chair, Jane smoothed the doctor's waves and tucked her hair behind her ear. After closing the curtains and pulling on some sleepwear, Jane tiptoed around the bed and lifted up the embroidered quilt. It was thin, but it would do.
"Jane".
Pausing her steps, Jane turned to her friend.
"Stay with me."
Dropping the quilt on the couch, Jane walked back over to the bed.
"Are you sure?"
Maura nodded, her eyes still closed.
"Stay with me." Reaching out, she patted the space next to her. "Right here."
Letting out a deep sigh, Jane pulled back the covers and climbed into the bed.
"Night Maur" she mumbled, her eyes already closed.
"G' night, Jane".
/
So many thoughts plagued her mind.
Every question, unanswerable, seemed to grow as the night dragged on.
"Jane"
Opening one eye, Jane turned to face Maura.
"Jane."
"What's up?"
"You're twitching."
"Sorry."
Jane turned back, looking up at the ceiling, and tried to sleep.
A gentle hand brushed against her arm, moving across until it reached the warm, bare skin of her toned stomach.
"Time to sleep." Maura murmured.
Jane closed her eyes, concentrating on the warmth of the skin-to-skin contact.
A rustling of covers was followed by more warmth as Maura curled into her side.
"Together. Like you said."
Jane smiled. Maura's words echoed in her mind.
Soft lips pressed fleetingly against her cheek.
"Goodnight, Jane."
Feeling herself begin to float, succumbing to rest, Jane held Maura close against her body.
"Goodnight."