*I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable New Year's…Here is the next chapter…I hope some questions will be answered here... This one is more Jane centric but there will be a chapter coming up soon that will deal more with Maura's thoughts and feelings because I know some of you out there would like to have a little background on what she has been up to over the years as well. Anyway…I hope you all enjoy… Thanks for reading.

Chapter 4- Only One Choice

As Jane predicted, it had been a long but very productive weekend for them. Even though she, Korsak, and Frost had spent most of their time at the station with the occasional break for food or a cat nap, they had eventually caught their man or in this case men. Hours of interrogation had produced the confession they sought and the bonus had been arresting the victim's son who had hired his friend to commit the crime. Both men were now in the process of being booked. All that was left was the paper work and tying up loose ends so that the prosecutor's office had an open and shut case. Of course, help from the new M.E. had been instrumental in breaking the case open leading to the arrest of the two people responsible for the murder. Even though everyone was beyond tired, there was still too much left undone so in an effort to alleviate some of the tension that had settled over the three detectives they were engaging in the familiar friendly banter that had most people who didn't know them rolling their eyes.

So it didn't surprise Maura when she spied all three detectives milling about the bullpen with slightly punch drunk looks on their faces from lack of sleep as she stood just out of their sight. For her, lack of sleep was an everyday occurrence. She had learned in her early years of medical school that she could function on little to no sleep if needed. And her first days as the new M.E. had been no different when she found herself still wearing the same black scrubs from Friday as she had paced around her office that Sunday morning. But the pacing had led her to the bullpen in an attempt to finally seek out some sort of human contact since her self-imposed solitude had lasted throughout most of the weekend. Whatever communications she had been forced to take part in had been through the phone or emails and after forty-eight hours of being alone she decided she needed some company and the only people she knew well enough to seek out were Korsak, Frost, and of course Jane.

When Maura found herself standing in the hall outside of the bullpen her stomach fluttered at the sound of Jane laughing heartily. Something she hadn't felt in many years washed over her causing her to hesitate before turning around to return to the comfort of her office. Her musings had distracted her from the movement in the bullpen so she didn't notice when Korsak rounded the corner running right into her.

"Oh…sorry Doc…" Korsak reached out, putting his hands on her shoulders to steady them both.

"Um…no…I'm sorry…" She paused when he gave her questioning look. "I don't mean to be lurking about in the hallway…it's just…" Again she paused as she tried to find any other reason she would be standing out there other than the fact that she wasn't sure she was ready to face Jane so soon.

"Look…" Korsak started to say but stopped when Maura held up a hand.

"Please call me Maura…" She smiled at him.

"Okay…um…look Maura…I know about…" He grew flustered as he tried to find the words to explain.

"You know about the history between Jane and myself…" She tried to hang onto her smile but it faltered slightly as she realized she had probably been the topic of many a conversation between Jane, Korsak, and Frost.

"Yes…not the details…but I know enough." He tried to smile at her but he couldn't hide his concerned expression. "Hey…we both know how Jane is…stubborn and temperamental…"

"On a good day…" They both said at the same time causing them to laugh.

"How has she been since…?" Maura looked over his shoulder when she heard Jane's laughter carry to her again. She couldn't quell the longing that settled in the pit of stomach with each passing second she couldn't see Jane.

"She has her good days…and her bad days…" Korsak shrugged his shoulders. His mind drifted off to those early months that he thought Jane would never come out of her drunken stupor. Alcohol had been a quick but temporary fix for Jane but thank goodness it hadn't lasted long. Unfortunately for Jane's nonexistent social life she had replaced one addiction for another. Work became her life and even though Korsak knew Jane was better off when she had something to focus on, he often worried that she was missing out on living. "I'm hoping that the good days will outnumber the bad ones now…" He stopped just short of saying the words '…that you're here…'

But Maura had heard the soft plea in his voice as he gave her an expectant look. "Well…" She briefly hesitated before smiling at him. It wasn't necessary for her to finish her statement because they both knew what he meant. All she could do was nod at him as she looked down at her feet. Her normally confident demeanor had seemed to disappear and she couldn't help but wonder if it was ever going to return. "I guess I should get back to my lab…" She sighed as she shoved her hands into her pockets to hide the nervous shaking. She had done what she had set out to accomplish when she left her office earlier and now she was ready to return to her solitude.

"Hey…I just made some coffee. It's not the best, but there's plenty if you'd like a cup." He grinned at her, proud of the fact that he had indeed made coffee by himself. "It's down the hall there…third door on the left."

"Um…yes…coffee does sound good." Although she really didn't want any, she couldn't bring herself to disappoint him. "Thank you…" She gave a slight bow of her head as she passed him, heading in the direction of the coffee.

Turning his attention to the laughter filtering through the doorway into the bullpen, Korsak wasn't surprised to find Jane and Frost goofing around to let off some steam. He smiled as Jane rolled past him in her chair on her way to toss a wadded up piece of paper into the trash can that Frost was guarding in an attempt to prevent Jane from doing just that.

"Game point…" Jane taunted as she pushed past Korsak towards Frost. "If I win, you buy the beers tonight…"

"You haven't won yet…" He smirked as he did his best to keep her from getting close to the trash can.

"Yet being the operative word my dear…" She tossed the paper over his head and he watched in horror as it bounced off of the wall and landed cleanly in the can. "Now, you were saying?" She cocked her head towards the can and grinned. "I win…"

"Whatever…" He groused as he rolled back to his desk and his now ringing cell phone. "What?" He all but growled into his phone when he saw who was calling. "Yeah…she's right here…" He glanced over at Jane. "She does…okay I'll let her know." The expression on his face turned serious. "Okay…um…Frankie, is everything alright?" By the time he hung up, Jane had turned her attention towards him and the now grim face he was making at her.

"What?" She impatiently waved her hands around as her phone starting ringing.

"You need to answer that Jane…" Frost turned his attention back to his paper work.

"Yeah, what's up Frankie?" Jane sighed into the phone. "I've been busy…working…you know…work…trying to solve a murder." She huffed impatiently. "Okay, okay…what's going on that constituted your need to call me eight times today?" Listening quietly to what he had to say her mild irritation turned to full blown fury. "Are you fucking kidding me? I'll take care of it…" With those final works she hung up and Korsak and Frost watched in shock as her cell phone sailed across the room before hitting the wall and smashing into dozens of little pieces.

"Um…trouble?" Korsak mumbled as he watched Jane jump from her chair and storm across the room without saying another word. When she disappeared out the door and around the corner he looked over at Frost who a sad look on his face. "Do you know what's going on?"

"I don't know the details, but I know enough…" He frowned down at the paperwork on is desk. "I'm thinking I'll be doing this paperwork alone…"

"I'll give her five minutes, but them I'm going to check on her…" Korsak tried to reason but he knew it was a losing battle when he pushed away from his desk and stood. "To hell with it…" He grumbled as he looked over at Frost.

"I'll take care of it…" Frost tilted his head towards the scattered pieces of what was once Jane's cell phone.

With a nod, Korsak picked up his jacket and slipped it on over his shoulders. "Wish me luck…" He all but whispered as he followed Jane out of the bullpen.

When he stepped into the hallway, he found her standing at the end by a window. Her arms were crossed as she leaned against the large frame and stared down at the street below. The calm façade that showed on her face was deceiving and Korsak knew enough about Jane to recognize it for what it was…all out defeat. As he approached her, she looked up and what he saw in her dark eyes almost took his breath away.

"Is it Angela? Is she okay…?" His stomach turned into knots at the prospect that something might have happened to the Rizzoli matriarch.

"Nothing that I can't fix…" She let out a terse breath while running her fingers through her hair.

"Jane…what is it? Is it Frank?" The question had Jane smirking before letting out a sarcastic laugh.

"You could say that…" She turned her attention back to the window and the street below.

They stood there in silence as Korsak gave Jane her much needed space before she finally turned to him and spoke, her voice trembling from the emotion that threatened to take her down. "He's gambling again Vince…" She blew out a long exhale.

Korsak reached out to put a hand on her shoulder to give her a reassuring squeeze. He knew some of what they had gone through years back with Frank and his gambling addiction. Many late nights were spent talking to Angela on the phone or in the twenty four hour coffee shop down the street from his small apartment. She had contemplated leaving him and had even given him an ultimatum at that point, one that he chose to ignore at first. It wasn't until he had heard the rumors that there was a contract out on Frank that things took a turn for the worse. His fear that Angela and the kids would be hurt as well caused him to beg Angela to move in with him. But then something happened, something he didn't understand at the time. Frank quite gambling and the threat disappeared giving them all the second chance they needed to start over again. With a heavy heart he had watched Angela stand by Frank but deep down he knew that they would come to these cross roads again and this time he wouldn't let her slip away so easily. The only thing that nagged at the back of his mind was what Jane had meant when she said she would fix it.

"How bad is it?" Korsak asked as he felt the pain and sadness that radiated off of Jane.

"Bad…" She shoved her hands into her pockets. "He borrowed over fifty grand from Gino Bardoni…and when that ran out, he borrowed against the house." Shrugging her shoulders she let out another heavy sigh.

"Not Gino…that's bad Jane…really bad." Korsak ran his fingers through his beard as he thought about what to say next.

"I know it's bad Vince…but I know what I need to do to fix it." Jane leveled her gaze at him begging him silently not to ask her what she needed to do. "Can you handle things here while I do what I have to do?" She asked even though she already knew the answer.

"Yeah…go do whatever you need to…but you better check in with me. I'll go check on your mother…" He turned to leave but stopped and looked back over his shoulder. "She deserves better Jane…we both know that."

"I know Vince…I won't try to stop her this time." Jane let out another sigh as she pushed away from the window frame.

Korsak could only nod because words had failed him at the moment which was a rarity. When he turned to leave, Jane took the time alone to let out all of the frustration and anger she had been holding inside. As the tears rolled down her cheeks, her heart was breaking for the sacrifice she had made that had somehow come back to haunt her. Taking a deep breath, she angrily wiped the wetness from her face with the back of her hands before turning towards the elevators. If she had been paying attention, she would have noticed the faint perfume she had come to associate with Maura lingering in the hall but her mind was focused on one thing and one thing only…finding Paddy Doyle.

The sight of Jane and Korsak standing at the end of the hall had caused Maura to freeze in her tracks as she stood at the other end holding her cup of mediocre coffee. It had been her intention to take the cup to her office and then dispose of it as quickly as possible but finding Jane and Korsak occupying the hall changed her plans. Quickly she slipped back around the corner and did her best to strain to hear what was being said. Even though her hearing was impeccable the distance between them made it difficult for Maura to do anything other than catch a few phrases. The one thing she could definitely hear was the anguish in Jane's voice as she talked about her father. With her curiosity piqued, Maura leaned closer to the edge of the doorway and listened intently trying to catch what was being said. By the time Korsak had left Jane alone, Maura had surmised that there was something terribly amiss with Jane's parents, something that caused Jane an immeasurable amount of pain but when Maura saw the tears rolling down Jane's cheeks she had the sudden urge to run and offer her comfort. Her heart was breaking because she didn't know what was going on nor did she know what to do to help Jane so when Jane quickly wiped the tears away and disappeared into the waiting elevator, Maura stayed where she was until she knew for sure she that was alone to seek refuge in her empty office again.

Jane stood outside the door of the run down pub she knew that Paddy used as his office and paced as she tried to decide what to do. It had been fifteen years since her last visit to the seedy bar but it still looked like the same run down establishment it had then. Running her fingers through her hair she continued to pace as the memory of that day continued to haunt her. When her pacing stopped, she leaned against the wall and slid down until she was sitting on the dirty sidewalk with her head in her hands. Letting out an exhausted sigh she thought back to the conversation that had changed her life all those years ago.

It had been a day that was seared in Jane's memory as one of the worst days of her life. Finding out that her father had gambled away the savings that he and Angela had saved up over the years stung enough without adding the fact that Frank had somehow borrowed enough from local gangsters to put him in a hole that only got deeper each day that he didn't pay it back. The day had finally come when a contract had been taken out against his life causing Jane to seek help from the only person she knew held any influence with the local thugs…and that was Paddy Doyle.

When she slipped into the dark, smoke filled bar looking for Paddy she wasn't surprised to find him waiting for her in a booth in the back. His hazel-green eyes, so like Maura's in color, watched as she strode across the room towards him, her false bravado leading the way. Jane suspected that he already knew why she was there but she also knew that he would make her ask for his help. She took the seat across from him when he nodded to indicate she should sit.

"Jane Rizzoli…" He blew out a breath as he placed his hands on the table.

"Paddy…" Jane mimicked his move as she spoke.

"What brings you to my place of business…it isn't Maura is it?" A flash of concern flickered over his face at the thought that he may have missed something. Up until that point, it was the only show of emotion Jane had ever seen him express.

"Um…no…" She shifted uncomfortably as he continued to watch her with that steely gaze that made him such a good mobster. "My Pop…um…he's gotten himself into a bit of trouble…" The words tumbled out of her mouth as she continued to stammer. "He's gambling…."

Holding up his hand to indicate she should stop talking, he glanced over her shoulder at one of his henchmen waving him over. Jane watched in fear and uncertainty as the large man with no neck leaned over so Paddy could whisper something in his ear. Her hands started to shake when the man looked over at her and smirked before nodding and leaving them alone again.

"To say a 'bit of trouble' is an understatement, don't you think?" He tried not to smirk at her. "But it will be taken care of…" There was no explanation as to what he meant. "It won't be easy but I think I can convince my Southie friends to hold off on that contract."

Jane just looked at him, her mouth hanging open at how easy it was for him to change the fate of her father's life. She let out a shuttering sigh as she watched Paddy lean back in his seat and visibly relax for the first time since she had sat down.

"It will come at a price though." He watched her carefully to gage how far he could push her. There was only one thing he knew he wanted for certain but it was in his nature to test and push the boundaries. Today was no different.

"What? Anything…" Again she started to stammer nervously.

"Before you agree to anything…you may want to hear me out first." He said as he nodded over towards the bartender silently telling the man what he wanted. He gave Jane a casual look before holding up two fingers to the bartender.

Jane frowned when two shot glasses were place in front of them on the table with a bottle of bourbon. Shaking her head she leaned back away from the table to put some distance between her and the bottle.

"You're gonna need it, besides once we make the deal…I'll need your word and then we'll need to toast to seal it." He said as he poured the amber liquid into the glasses before sliding one of them closer to Jane.

"What do you want me to do?" Jane asked her voice filled with fear and indecision.

"First things first…" Paddy brought his glass up to his mouth, tipped his head back and drank down the shot in one gulp. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he gave her a crooked grin. "Sorry…I just really needed that."

"Okay…" Jane looked at him then at the small shot glass in front of her.

"No worries Jane…you don't need to drink it…yet." He set his glass down and poured himself another drink. "So…junior college…huh? What do you plan to do when you graduate?"

The question took her by surprise but knowing what she knew about Paddy she couldn't help but feel suspicious by his line of questioning. "I'm going into the Academy but I'm sure you already know that." She couldn't help but sound slightly defiant.

"Yes…I do." He gave her a slight scowl as he thought about what to say next. "It's my business to know these things Jane."

"Why am I your business? I don't understand…" She let out a heavy sigh. The fact that she had kept his secret from Maura should afford her some semblance of anonymity but then again she was dating his daughter.

"Well…I could always use a good connection in the BPD…you could offer me your services for you fathers life…" He started to say.

"Wait…what? You want me to be your rat in the police department?" Her voice raised an octave as the implications of what he was suggesting hit her. "I can't do that…I could never do that. Besides…it would kill Maura if she found out…" The words trailed off into a whisper.

"Is Maura more important to you than your father?" Paddy crossed his arms as he watched Jane fidget. It had been a shot in the dark for him to make that proposal but it wasn't really what he was seeking.

"How can you ask me that…I love Maura…more than anything but…he's…he's my father. How could you make me choose?" The fear in Jane's voice had hit its peak as she started to panic.

"Because…I can…" He leaned over the table to level his gaze at her. "If you want to save your father…you have to give Maura up."

She could feel the tears building up behind her eyes as she struggled to comprehend what he was saying. It took everything in her not to cry in front of the cruelest person she had ever met in her life. "Why?" Her voice was barely a whisper. "I've done what you asked…I haven't told Maura about you." She meekly said.

"It will only be a matter of time before it slips and I can't have that Jane. It would be too dangerous for her if it did. My enemies would use it against me…" He let out a sigh as the impact of what he was doing made him feel almost sorry for Jane.

"I wouldn't…I'd never put her in danger." Jane tried to promise.

"Look…I didn't want to have to bring this up but come on Jane…we both know she deserves more than the likes of a middle class Southie copper. I can see it in your eyes." He was bolstered by the fact that she all but shrank away from him and the comment.

"Please…I love her…" She all but begged. "Don't make me do this…"

"I'll give you one week to end it. I know I made you promise not to break her heart but…" He gave her a thoughtful look. "It has to be done."

"Oh God…I feel sick…" Jane clutched at the table as her world began to tilt dangerously close to the edge.

"Here…it'll settle the nerves." Paddy moved the shot glass until it was at the edge of the table in front of Jane.

"What if I tell her anyway?" She asked, suddenly feeling bold.

"Then I will personally see to it that your father pays his debts with a pound of his own flesh…" The cold, hard eyes peered over at her without any hint of sympathy.

"She's going to hate me…" Jane muttered as she tried to gain some control over her emotions.

"Yes…she probably will." He watched as she ran her fingers over the rim of the shot glass finally smiling when she picked it up and drank it in one gulp. "Then it's a deal…?"

"It's a deal…" Jane slumped back into her chair defeat radiating off of her in waves.

"Good…now just a few more details to iron out…" He started to say as he waved over one of his thugs again.

With a sadness she never knew she could feel, Jane looked up to find the only sincere smile she had seen since her arrival. The tall, dark haired man built like a mac truck smiled down at her and she could see that there was a vailed sympathy hidden deep within those seemingly emotionless eyes.

"Sean here will oversee the contract…" Paddy gave the tall man a pat on the shoulder. "And I suggest you keep your end of the bargain. He may look at you with those soulful brown eyes filled with just a hint of compassion and sympathy now but cross me and he won't think twice about snapping your neck. Got it?"

Jane nodded mutely as her eyes drifted between Paddy and Sean not sure who to be more afraid of.

"Okay…it seems that your father borrowed twenty thousand…" Paddy looked down at the piece of paper that Sean suddenly produced. "With interest and late fee's…" He stopped to write some figures down before looking up at Jane with a sad smile. "It seems that your father now owes Vinnie Nazzaro somewhere in the neighborhood of a hundred thousand."

"Shit…" Jane blew out a heavy breath as she ran a shaky hand through her hair.

"It will have to be paid…" Paddy reasoned as he watched Jane. "I'll get Vinnie to drop it down to thirty-five and I'll pay it. But you'll pay me back…" He gave her a stern look that brokered no arguments.

"How?" Jane could feel her fear beginning to paralyze her at the thought of owing this man a favor much less money.

"Oh…we'll work something out…after you graduate from the Academy of course…" He gave her a small smirk.

"I told you I won't cross that line…even if Maura and I aren't together." Jane all but growled.

"Hummm…I admire you're conviction…but I was thinking more like when you started receiving a pay check." He nodded at her.

Glancing up, she caught the small smile on Sean's face and suddenly felt her bravado coming back.

"So that's it…my father's life for Maura's?" She let out tense sigh.

"Yes…and I think we should drink to that…" He said as he poured them both another shot. He watched as she picked up the glass holding it high in a silent toast and with a nod they both tipped their glasses back and sealed the deal before she promptly lost her lunch at Sean's feet.

As Jane sat on the sidewalk thinking back to that day, a shiver ran through her body causing her to visibly shake. The late afternoon sun filtered past the surrounding buildings painting her in an orange and yellow light giving her the impression that it should be warmer than it felt. She didn't realize she wasn't alone until the shadow of someone standing over her blocked out the light.

"Jane Rizzoli…" A familiar voice pulled her from her reverie. "The boss has been expecting you…"

Letting out a heavy sigh, Jane looked up into soulful brown eyes that seemed to hold a touch of familiar sympathy behind their steel reserves. She had come to know those eyes over the last fifteen years and even went so far as to call the owner a friend but even she knew that friendship was a loose word when describing relationships with the people that worked for Paddy.

"Sean…" She took the hand he had offered to help pull her to her feet. Frowning down at the dirt and debris that had collected on her dark slacks, she brushed it away before looking back at Sean who was patiently waiting for her to finish. "Can he see me?"

"He always has time to see you…" Sean gave her a crooked grin. "I'm just sorry it has to be about this."

"How long have you known?" She asked.

"Couple of months…" He shrugged his shoulders indifferently.

"Think you coulda given me a heads up? I may have been able to at least save the house for my Ma." Jane kicked at a rock as she slipped her hands which had become fists into her pockets. The move caused her jacket to open and her badge and gun to show.

"Sorry Jane but you know the rules…I gotta take those before you go in." He held out his hand for her place her badge and gun in.

"Yeah…yeah…" Jane handed him over her things before holding up her arms so he could check and make sure she wasn't hiding anything else.

"You know how it works around here…I'm not allowed to help…even a friend." He let out a heavy sigh when he was satisfied she wasn't hiding anything else under her jacket.

"Are we?" She raised a questioning eyebrow at him not sure she wanted to know the answer.

"Friends?" He seemed surprised by her question. "I'd like to think so…at least as much as two people on the different sides of the law can be. It's not like we can go out for beers after a long day at work and swap war stories…" He shrugged his shoulders again in that indifferent way he had about him.

"I guess you're right. It's just I wish I coulda had some warning this time." She moved to follow him inside the building.

"If I coulda I woulda…" He said as he pushed the door open, holding it for her enter first. "But it is Gino we're talkin' about here…even Paddy don't mess that man's business."

"That's what I'm afraid of." Jane stepped into the dimly lit bar, blinking a few times until her eyes had adjusted. "But I won't be making the same mistake this time Sean…" She hesitated as she looked around the room. "Never again..." When her eyes met the hazel-green ones across the room, she raised her chin in a show of defiance and held her head up high knowing that there was only one choice left for her to make.