DISCLAIMER: I do not own this show, the books, or these characters. I only borrow them.

AN: Sorry for the horrible wait, and to top it off it's a short, semi filler chapter as I needed the break before the current case is solved. It's these slower moments that have been a pain to write, as so many of the major moments have already been at least outlined. It will probably be a few weeks for the next chapter as I need to tie everything together: not just with the case in this story, but with some stuff health wise. Thanks for all of you who continued to read and review... you have kept me focused on wanting to continue the story (even if you didn't know that due to the massive delay.)

Chapter 33

"How are you doing?" When she stayed silent Dr. Zucker added, "You know you will need to talk with me to be fully reinstated down the line. So, how are you doing?"

Jane Rizzoli sat in front of him like a petulant child. Her arms were crossed in front of her and there was a slight sneer on her face. "Great!"

"You're shot, and your brother is shot and killed...and you're doing great?" Dr. Zucker looked at her questioningly.

"As great as I can be," she didn't mean to mumble it, but it was out there now. And at his still questioning look she went on. "I'm sleeping okay," not bothering to mention that was for the few moments she wasn't having nightmares of her brother dying or Marino turning the gun toward Maura. "I'm eating okay," when she bothered to try with bland foods so that the heartburn didn't make her chest hurt more than it already did with her brother's death. "And I'm managing the pain," emotionally not as well as there was no pain pill she could take to make her feel better after the shortened days of sitting up and pretending that all was right in the world.

He wanted to ask how she was managing the pain, but he knew to keep that for another time. Best not to get the beast defensive when he knew her need for the medications was still valid. "How are you handling being back at work?" He could tell already she was in some pain even though she probably wouldn't admit that the shortened days were still taking their toll.

They talked for a few minutes on that subject when he hit on a topic that did worry her, and she didn't want to think about, "How do you think you'll do in the field hearing or seeing a gun?"

"Fine," but her face revealed her fears. Would she freeze again like she did in the morgue and get injured or killed? Her partner couldn't deal with another loss. Or worse, would her partner be injured or killed because she couldn't move fast enough? She wouldn't be able to live with that.

The idea ruminated for awhile, and the silence permeated the air. Finally Jane couldn't stand it anymore so she asked like that petulant child from before, "Are we done yet?"

The doctor thought for a moment. His palms clasped and his index fingers tapping his lips before he finally asked, "Are you going to tell me how you really feel?"

"About what? The situation as a whole? I'm pissed."

"At whom?"

Without even needing a moment of though she answered, "Hoyt, Marino. Myself." The last was uttered breathlessly but she meant it for all that she could have done differently or just didn't think to do in the first place.

"Your brother?"

Was she upset with her brother? He up and died on her. She locked eyes with the doctor, and stated emphatically "No!" but there was now a niggling doubt there.

After another long pause, the psychologist spoke up, "How about sad?"

Jane clinched her jaw tight and looked stoically ahead. "Just angry!"

"No, because then you might really feel something and fall apart." Dr. Zucker knew he was baiting her but he needed to push her if he was going to get anywhere with her in the future.

She leaned forward as if she was about to bound out of her chair. "You wanted me to talk about my emotions and I did. Now, are we done?"

"We are finished with this discussion whenever you want it to be over," she needed to know she had the control here, but they would talk it out sometime. "But we will talk again before you'll be allowed back into the field."

Jane heard the words that would signal her escape and so she took them. She was out of her seat before he finished half of his statement, but the ending froze her hand on the doorknob.

"But we will talk again before you'll be allowed back into the field."

She did the only thing she could think to do to get the 'last word' in with someone who loved to twist other people's words. She slammed the door on her way out.

Jane walked into the conference room that Korsak and Frost had commandeered for their confusing case. On a nearby white board crime scene photos, time lines, and brief notes had been written in Frost's elegant handwriting. Crime scene reports, autopsy examination forms, and theory lay strewn across the table. Jane knew that Maura would have a conniption fit if she could see how her reports were being treated. Frost's trusty laptop sat in front of one of the uncomfortable chairs, but she knew that sometimes in confusing cases they needed to go old school and pull out the white boards again. It got the police juice's flowing like nothing else to see everything so close at hand and in such gruesome realism as the crime scene techs' cameras would allow.

"Rizzoli, what are you doing in here?" Korsak questioned when he and the younger detective walked back into the room, each carrying a cup of large coffee from the cafeteria downstairs.

Rizzoli pulled out one of the rickety chairs at the table and sat down. She felt the day catching up to her. "I just came to see what the two of you are up to." She pointed toward the door, "Plus, if I look at just one more cold case, requisition form, or any other piece of boring paperwork, I'm not liable for what I might do. You might then be stuck investigating the murder of our esteemed boss...by something painful...like paper cuts from all the paperwork he has thrown on my desk." There was a chuckle beside her, and she turned her angry gaze onto her unsuspecting partner, "And don't think I don't know of all the paperwork you have dumped on my desk too." She huffed in exaggerated annoyance, "And I thought we were supposed to be partners."

Frost just grinned brightly as he sat down, "We ARE partners. We got each others' back. Right?" Once he had the nod from her that he was waiting for, he went on, "So like a good partner on desk duty, she could help out with my paperwork when I'm swamped on a real important case." He grinned seeing her clench her jaw in annoyance as he reminded her about her limited duty and missing out of an interesting case.

Korsak just stood across the table and shook his head in amusement at the pair.

Rizzoli on the other hand just glared daggers at the younger man. Finally she turned back to the mess on the table in front of her and picked up the nearest photo. "How's the case going?" she asked. Her voice now serious as she stared at the candid photo of death.

Frost opened up a manila folder that was in front of him. "CSRU found a couple partial fingerprints in Mrs. Leary's home, and so the lab is running the results now. They said they should have the results back by tomorrow morning at the latest, so Korsak and I are just waiting on the results to come in and going over the basics of the case until then." He didn't need to fill Jane in on those basics as he knew his partner had sneaked peeks at their findings whenever she could.

Korsak then grinned at Rizzoli, "So how about keeping us company tonight?" He saw the glint in her eyes that she was itching to get in on any action she could with this case, and then he dropped the caveat that he knew would drive the tired and pained detective home, "You can get us coffee throughout the night to help us out. How about it?"

Jane looked at her empty wrist, ignoring the ticking clock on the wall. "Oh! look at the time," she pointed toward the door. "I need to get out of here before the boss comes breathing down my neck for being here too long. You know how he can be." She slowly backed out of the room. The last image she saw before she left the room was the boyish grin from her partners face. "I'll see you in the morning."

RIP Lee Thompson Young and my Aunt Tana (8/28/2014). You both will be greatly missed, but hope you are in a better place now and not hurting anymore. And Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays for those still around to celebrate life.