Merry Christmas to everyone that celebrates and those who don't, I hope you have a great day. 😉
Things to come
"Damn sis, you look wrecked." Frankie tried not to smirk as Jane dropped down in the passenger's seat next to him. "Did you have a late night or something?"
"Or something." Jane slipped her aviators over her bloodshot eyes and pushed her unruly curls over her shoulder so she could gather them in a ponytail. She tried not to smirk back but Frankie caught her and rolled his eyes as he pulled away from the curb.
"Don't you guy's ever get tired of…" he hesitated and gave her a sideways glance. "Ya know, doing it?"
"God, I hope not." Jane slid her glasses halfway down her nose and gave him a pointed look. "Jealous?"
"Absolutely!" He couldn't hide the slight whine in his voice as he turned his attention back to the road.
His answer made Jane laugh. It was true that she hadn't gotten much sleep and it had been mostly due to the fact that she and Maura had spent their night making up in the best way possible. The palms of her hands twitched as she remembered the feeling of satin rubbing against her skin each time Maura moved over her, followed by the lightest touch of lips and finger's skimming the heated skin along her body. The memory was enough to cause her cheeks to flush pink as she sank lower in her seat and looked out the window hoping Frankie hadn't noticed.
As she continued to peer out the window, it suddenly occurred to her that he was being unusually quiet. "What's got you so quiet over there?" She asked, turning her attention away from the world passing by outside.
"I don't know. Just worried I guess." He shrugged his shoulders.
"About Tommy?" She pressed even though she was worried as well.
"He was in a federal prison this time. That's gotta change a man…" he glanced at her, worry and concern etched all over his face. "Doesn't it?"
"Yeah, I suppose it does…or it should." She let out a heavy sigh. Tommy's troubles with the law had plagued him since his fifteenth birthday when he stole their dad's car to go for a joy ride. His grand theft had graduated to drugs and alcohol and the wrong crowd by the time he had barely graduated from high school and it had taken a toll on their family, especially their mother. "Only time will tell if he's learned his lesson."
"It's gonna kill Ma if he goes back." Frankie let out a heavy sigh and his shoulder's sagged.
"Ma will be fine. She's stronger than we give her credit for." Jane rubbed her forehead to stave off the headache that threatened. She knew it would be hard on their mother if Tommy couldn't make things work this time but she also knew her mother would prevail. No matter how difficult things might get, they would get through it. "But we need to help him as best we can."
"Yeah, that's kinda why I wanted you to come with me. Thought we could put the fear of God in him…ya know."
"If the state penitentiary didn't do that I don't think anything we say will help." She shrugged her shoulders. She hoped Tommy didn't come out more broken than he was when he went in. "I think our best bet is to support him…let him know we're here to help, not judge."
"Okay…so no good cop, bad cop routine." Frankie raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Nah…how about just supportive big brother and sister."
"You gonna be able to do that?" He gave her a skeptical look.
"Yes…I can do that." She huffed.
"You've never really been the warm and cuddly kind, ya know." He tried to explain his skepticism.
"I know but that was before Maura. She's made me…" she started to say but grimaced when Frankie interrupted with his opnion.
"Soft." He said without thinking.
"No…she hadn't made me soft. She's made me more sensitive to how I treat others."
"Nah…you're a big ol'softie now." He laughed.
Jane shook her head and let out a frustrated sigh. "Okay…yeah…I'm a big ol'softie now, but can you blame me?" She laughed.
"Nope. Maura has a way about her that kinda has you falling in line with whatever she wants." He shrugged his shoulders as if admitting something he kept guarded.
"She does, doesn't she…" The revelation wasn't a new one to Jane but she was surprised to hear she wasn't the only one to think that way.
"She's good for ya though. Always has been. Why you let her go all those years ago…I'll never understand."
"And you never will." Jane's voice was tinged with irritation. "But you're right."
Frankie was quiet for a moment to give Jane the chance to ride out her irritation. He hadn't meant to push, especially not today but it had slipped out without thought and he regretted it now. "Sorry…let's concentrate on Tommy, okay?"
Nodding, Jane accepted the apology and turned her attention back to the world speeding past the window. "Okay. How's the hand?"
"Better. I'll be on administrative duty when I go back but only until I can pass the grip test to prove I can hold my service revolver. Only had to do three sessions with the psychologist so that was a relief."
"They want you to do PT to get your strength back?"
"Nah, none of the tendons were affected. Once the stitches come out I can go back to my regular workout routine, which means I can go back to whipping your ass at B-ball." He chuckled when she gave his shoulder a gentle push.
"Why didn't you just have Maura take the stitches out? A lot less trouble than going to the hospital again." Jane couldn't help but wonder.
"Well, because the nurse is super cute and Maura is taken." Frankie wiggled his eyebrows.
"Point taken." She smiled at her brother and his weakness for pretty girls. They shared the same weakness but hers was for one specific pretty girl named Maura.
When they pulled up in front of the hospital and Frankie pulled into a parking spot, he sat for a minute, letting the car run, prompting Jane to turn to him with a question in her dark eyes. His silence prompted her to question further, her voice faltering slightly. "What's going on Frankie?"
"Um…" he turned the car off and pulled the keys from the ignition. "I know something's going on…something you can't tell me." He found his courage and turned to face her. "But I want you to know that you can count on me. I'm here if you need me, no questions asked."
Jane was quiet for a moment as she thought about what was said. She had purposely kept him at arm's length to protect him but then it occurred to her that Frost may have let something slip when he had been drinking. "Why do you say that?" She tried to sound casual.
"Do you really have to ask?" He sounded surprised by her question. When she didn't answer he took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "Jane, I've known you my whole life. I know when you're trying to hide something and I know when you are trying to protect us. It's what you're doing now. I just want you to know I've got your back if you need me."
"Understood." Jane nodded but didn't elaborate. It should have surprised her that he figured things out, but it didn't. They were as close as a brother and sister could be and she knew how alike they were. He would do anything to protect the people he loved just as much as she would. She just hadn't expected the tables to be turned. She was supposed to be protecting him, not the other way around. But here they were and it gave her comfort and scared her to know she could depend on him if she had to. It was out of the question, though and she knew it, but he didn't need to know it. So, she just continued to nod in agreement.
"Good." He clapped his hands together and smiled. "Now, let's go get me a date."
All Jane could do was shake her head at how quickly Frankie changed the subject. It appeared that they were more alike than she thought and she gave him a weak smile and even though he could see she was guarded, they both knew what hadn't needed to be said.
Maura sat at her desk with her phone in her hand, contemplating who to call first. Should it be Pat O'Reily or Maggie Bromley. Tapping her chin, she weighed her options. One could offer her some security and the other the tools she would need to pull of Patty's death…or the appearance of it. She leaned back in her chair and looked at her notes, running her finger along the page until she found what she was looking for. With her decision made, she scrolled through her phone, hit her speed dial, and waited for an answer.
"Ms. Bromley's office…how may I help you?" A familiar voice asked.
"Hi Sara…it's Maura Isles."
"Maura! I haven't talked to you in ages…" Sara Dunn, Maggie's secretary said excitedly.
"It has been a while. How are you?" Maura bit her tongue to prevent herself from rushing the conversation. It was in her best interest to appease Sara because she was the one who could make or break you when it came to talking to Maggie. "How are the kids?"
"Oh my, the just keep growing." Sara said excitedly. "But we're all good here. How is it in Boston? Cold?"
"Well, not at the moment but once October and November roll around…yeah, it can get cold." Maura tried not to sound impatient.
"Did you hear that Maggie got engaged?" The news was mock whispered as if it were some sort of secret.
"Actually, I did. It's about time Tom proposed."
"Ha, he didn't…she did." Sara laughed.
Maura rolled her eyes even though there was no one there to see. "I suppose that sounds right. Speaking of Maggie, do you think she has a minute to talk?"
"She's always got time for you." Maura could hear Sara hitting a few buttons on her computer, checking Maggie's schedule she assumed. "She's in-between meetings right now so she's got about ten minutes. I'll transfer you over. And Maura…" Sara hesitated before continuing. "It's good to hear from you. Don't wait so long next time."
"It was good talking to you Sara…take care of those adorable kids." Maura tried not to sound relieved that she was finally done making small talk.
As she waited for Maggie to pick up, she tapped her fingers on the paper that held her notes. It had taken her some time to plan out her strategy but as she looked it over, she felt confident that it would work and that Jane would agree. Her thoughts drifted to what they had yet to do, but then Maggie answered and Maura's attention shifted.
"Hey girl, long time not talk." The barely there southern accent lingered along the edges of Maggie's words. Maura had known Maggie when that southern accent was much more pronounced but living in California had slowly eroded at whatever was left.
"I know, but we both know that life has a way of taking over." Maura let out a heavy sigh.
"Well, you are the coroner for the Common Wealth of Massachusetts. I suppose busy is an understatement." Maggie said in understanding.
"Yes, well…you're the big time Hollywood special effects guru, so I guess that makes us even." Maura laughed.
"Hey, I may work with blood and guts but it isn't real…not like you." Maggie huffed indignantly.
"I guess you got me there." Maura sighed heavily. It was true, her job dealt with real death. "I hear congratulations is in order." She changed the topic, not ready to broach the subject of the favor she was about to ask.
"I suppose…" Maggie sounded both excited and a little frustrated. "Planning a wedding is harder than I thought it would be. But I hear through the grapevine that you may be taking a trip down the aisle as well…is that right?"
"Um…" Maura hesitated. The only person who could have told Maggie was her mother who was still friends with Maggie's parents. "Yes."
"Are you sure? You took long enough to think about it." Maggie chuckled. "What's his name?"
Maura cleared her throat as she struggled to find her voice. It wasn't because she was ashamed to tell Maggie she was marrying a woman but if her mother hadn't mentioned it, it gave her a reason to pause. They had known each other since childhood. Their parents had run in the same social circles and still did.
"Maura, what aren't you telling me?" Maggie asked with a hint of curiosity in her voice. "Don't tell me you're marrying a cop." Her flippant statement caused Maura to bristle and let out a heavy breath. "Oh my God, you are. At least tell me he's hot…"
"She's smokin' hot." Maura finally found her voice, strong and undeterred. The silence that met her had her letting out a frustrated huff. "It's Jane, Maggie."
The intact of breath on the other end meant that Maggie was surprised but then she recovered quickly. "It's about damn time. You've been pining over her for years." Maggie said, a trace of understanding in her voice. "She's hot, huh?"
"She's the hottest homicide detective on the force if I say so myself." Maura couldn't help but smile into the phone. She was relieved that Maggie had taken it in stride. The night's she had spent crying on her shoulder in college could have left them both bitter when it came to the subject of Jane but it seemed as if it hadn't.
"Ummm…but something tells me that you're not just calling me to announce your engagement. What's up girl?"
"You know me too well." Maura couldn't help but hesitate. She wasn't sure how to approach the subject she was about to embark on or how much information she should divulge. "I actually do need a favor."
"Name it." Maggie said without hesitation.
"Okay, but I can't tell why I need it. Just trust me when I say it's imperative to my future with Jane."
"Yeah, yeah…whatever you need." Maggie couldn't contain her excitement. "This has something to do with police work…doesn't it?"
"Perhaps…" Maura tried not to sound coy. "I need to simulate a fatal gunshot wound."
"Um…okay." Maggie was quiet for a moment. "I can do that. We make a special vest for that. It has some tubing running out of view with a rubber bulb at the end of the tube and a small electronically triggered explosive. Is this a chest shot?"
"Yes…I think it would be the most believable."
"Okay…then we can attach a metal plate to the vest to absorb the impact of the squib that is attached to the rubber bag of fake blood. Will that work?" Maggie was in professional mode now. Whatever questions she may have had, disappeared the moment she started talking about special effects. "When do you need it?"
"Two weeks? And I think two might be a good idea to have two so we can practice first." Maura started to write a few notes in the margin of her paper.
"Yeah, I can do that." The sound of shifting papers carried over the phone as Maggie tried to find something to write on. "Do I want to know?"
"No. It's better that you don't." Maura said. "I'm going to need you to do me another favor though."
"Okay…" Maggie waited patiently for Maura's request.
"I need you to put a dummy return address on it. I don't want it traced back to you."
"I thought you said this wasn't for anything illegal." Maggie tried not to sound worried.
"Technically it's not. But I just want to cover all my bases here." Maura tried to reassure.
"Okay…you've got it. What size?"
"Something to fit a male about six-foot-tall and two-hundred and forty pounds should work."
"I'm on it." Maggie said, the slightest tinge of uncertainty in her voice. "It'll be on your doorstep in exactly two weeks' time."
"Thanks Mags…I appreciate the blind faith. I wouldn't ask you if it wasn't something I really needed." Maura let out a breath of relief. She had been nervous about asking this favor. "I look forward to getting an invitation to the wedding."
"As long I get one in return." Maggie replied. "I'll be in touch…okay. You take care of yourself and that hot homicide detective…even if she did break your heart all those years ago." She couldn't help but add that small dig.
"She's changed." Maura tried not to sound tired. It was the same conversation she had with anyone who knew of her history with Jane.
"If you say so…but I will personally kick her ass if she does it again."
"I appreciate the sentiment but I don't think it will be necessary."
"Whatever you say." Maggie didn't sound completely convinced. "It was good catching up with you Maura. I'll talk to you later, girl."
"Back at ya Mags." Maura smiled into the phone before pushing the end button. With a heavy sigh, she pushed her fingers through her hair and away from her face. One down and one to go. She could only hope that things would go as easy with the Senator as they had with Mags. But if things didn't go as she hoped they would, she always had her ace in the hole, a mercenary named Liam McGrath. She just hoped she wouldn't have to use him, for her sake and Paddy's as well.
"Here…" Jane reached into the pocket of her button up shirt and handed Frankie a piece of paper.
"What's this?" He asked as he put the car in park, turning to her with a questioning expression.
"It's the number for that cute nurse." She tried not to smirk at the memory of having been caught in the hallway by the young woman who had asked her if she might like to go out for coffee sometime. Her name was Hannah and she hadn't batted an eyelash when Jane told her she was engaged. It had surprised her when a piece of paper was stuffed in her shirt pocket with a wink. 'Give it to your brother then…' And when Jane raised an eyebrow in question, Hannah had followed up with the statement 'I'm bisexual…' as she disappeared down the hall, leaving Jane both surprised and unsure. It was a detail she decided Frankie didn't need to know…yet.
"Really?" Frankie took the paper and looked at it. "I could have sworn she was more interested in you."
"Nah, she's just shy I guess." Jane didn't want to burst his bubble of confidence.
"Cool…" he said as he stuffed the paper in his pocket.
"You gonna ask her out?" Jane wondered as she undid her seatbelt.
"Probably." Frankie followed suit as he pulled the keys from the ignition. "You ready for this?" He nodded towards the building they were parked in front of.
"As ready as I'll ever be." She tried not to frown but couldn't help it.
"Well, let's go get our baby brother…shall we?" Frankie opened the car door and waited for Jane to follow suit.
"I get to ride shotgun home…just so we're clear." She said as she opened her door and climbed out.
"There was never any question…" he smiled as he followed her around to the front of the car.
Falling in line next to Frankie, Jane tried not to appear worried but the burden of being the oldest was a heavy weight to carry on her shoulders. She needed to take the lead with Tommy but it was always a tightrope walk, leading by example. While her life had lead her down a different road, it hadn't always been without mistakes. Unfortunately for Tommy, his mistakes had lead him to jail and no matter how hard she had tried, he hadn't taken her attempt at guidance. Instead, he had gone against every piece of advice she could offer him. But instead of feeling resentment, she only felt sadness when she thought about it.
As they stepped into the building, the stark white walls and floors were broken up by the black line of chairs that lined the waiting room. There was a sterile feeling that filled the air as they approached the reception desk, side by side, presenting a united front.
"We're here to pick up Tommy Rizzoli…" Frankie flashed his badge at the woman behind the partition along with his most charming smile.
When the woman rolled her eyes, and slid him a piece of paper to sign, Jane laughed. His charm worked on most women and maybe a few men as well, but this time it hadn't. The older woman behind the glass wall waited patiently for him to sign the paper before she entered something into her computer.
"Have a seat. He'll be out as soon as they finish processing him." The woman nodded towards the row of chairs, indicating they should sit and wait.
"I don't think she likes me." Frankie mock whispered to Jane as they moved to sit.
Jane laughed and patted him on the back. "I'm sure you'll get over it." Dropping down into a chair, she stretched her arms over her head and yawned. Fatigue was creeping up on her making her eyes feel gritty so she did her best to rub it away with the backs of her hands. "I hope it doesn't take too long." She let out a heavy sign and yawned again.
"What's Maura doing today?" Frankie asked as he leaned back and kicked his legs out in front of him, making himself comfortable.
"She had to go into work." Jane shrugged her shoulders. She should be doing the same but Frost and Korsak had covered for her so she could be with Frankie to pick up Tommy. There was an understanding between them to cover for each other where family was involved. Closing her eyes, she thought about her conversation with Maura before Frankie had picked her up. Maura had assured her that they would talk about her plan with Paddy and Sean when she got home, and even though Jane was curious, she was also anxious about what she might have to do to bring a resolution to this whole situation.
"Hey…" Frankie gave her shoulder a gentle bump with his own. "Thanks for coming with me."
"Yeah, no worries." Jane opened her eyes and gave him a sideways glance. He had a sad look on his face. "What's wrong?" She couldn't help but ask.
"I don't know. Just worried I guess." He tried not to sound as sad as he looked. "I just hope Tommy can stay out of trouble this time…for Ma's sake."
"Only time will tell Frankie." Jane wasn't one to give false hope. "All we can do is help support him and guide him in the right direction."
"Yeah…" he shook his head and ran his fingers through his dark hair. Before he could say anything else, he spotted Tommy making his way towards them.
When Tommy spotted his brother and sister, he gave them a weak smile. His light brown hair hung over his forehead, hiding his hazel eyes. With a shaky hand, he pushed the hair away from his face to reveal a black and blue mark just under his left eye. "Hey…" his voice was barely above a whisper.
"What happened?" Jane jumped from her seat and reached out to touch the spot under his eye.
Reaching up to touch the same place Jane had, he shrugged his shoulders. "Just a going away present."
"Come on…" Frankie stood and wrapped an arm around Tommy's shoulder in a protective gesture. "Let's get out here."
"Do you think we can stop by a barbershop?" Tommy rubbed the two-day old stubble on his cheeks. "I would really like a haircut and shave before I see Ma."
"Yeah, sure." Jane followed them towards the door, but not before giving the officer who had escorted Tommy out a dirty look. "They been feeding you? You look like you've lost some weight." She pinched his bicep to emphasize her question.
"Food's not that great here." Tommy shrugged his shoulders. "I'm looking forward to some home cooked meals. How are Ma and Pop?"
Glancing at Frankie in a knowing way, Jane just answered with a "fine." They hadn't told Tommy yet about their Pop. It wouldn't have done him any good to know the struggle they had all undergone while he was incarcerated. But it was something they would have to discuss before the day was over.
"Fine…huh?" Tommy gave Jane a suspicious look. He had heard the tremor in her voice and he had seen the knowing look she and Frankie had exchanged.
"We'll talk later, after we get you cleaned up." Jane tried to reassure.
"Okay." Tommy let out a tired sigh. He knew his sibling well enough to know that something was very wrong and they were reluctant to tell him. They were always reluctant to include him when it came to most things, but he also made it difficult for them to trust him as well.
"Hey, Maura's back…" Frankie changed the subject.
"Maura?" Tommy looked unsure.
"Yeah, Jane's high school girlfriend. The one you had a huge crush on when you were twelve or thirteen." Frankie dropped his arm from Tommy's shoulder as they continued to walk across the parking lot to the car.
Giving Jane a quick questioning glance, Tommy couldn't help but look surprise. "That Maura?"
"Yes…" Jane tried not to sound impatient.
"And their engaged." Frankie continued even though Jane huffed her discomfort at being the topic of conversation.
"Really?" Tommy seemed to perk up. "That's great news Janie. It's about time you figured things out. I could sure use some good news…" he paused as she glanced back and forth between Jane and Frankie. "'Cause I have a feeling you've got some not so good news about Ma and Pop." His intuition was spot on and he knew he was right when neither of them would look him in the eye. "You may as well get it over with."
"Alright then…" Jane nodded in agreement. "But wait 'til we get in the car.
When they reached Frankie's car, he unlocked it but none of them got in yet. It was as if standing on the outside would chase away the bad news, but then Tommy shrugged and opened his door. Jane and Frankie looked at each other over the roof of the car, each with a sad, resigned expression on their face before following Tommy's lead.
"Alright, we're in the car. What's up?" Tommy buckled his seatbelt before pushing his hair out of his eyes so he could give them his full attention.
As she climbed in the passenger's seat, Jane settled back and then shifted her weight so she could look at Tommy in the backseat. "A lot has happened over the last six months…" she let out a frustrated sigh because she wasn't sure where to start. "Shit…I'm not sure where to start."
"Just start at the beginning." Frankie offered his help.
"Ma and Pop got a divorce Tommy." Jane finally blurted out.
Tommy was quiet for a minute as he thought about what Jane had said. He nodded his understanding and looked out the window at the gray sky and impending threat of rain and let out a heavy, sad sigh. "He started gambling again, didn't he?"
"Yeah…" Frankie looked in the rearview mirror, his eyes finding Tommy's. He couldn't bring himself to turn around.
"Figures." Tommy's shoulder's sagged.
"Look Tommy, Pop left. He disappeared and cleaned out the savings account leaving Ma with nothing." Jane's voice trembled with the anger she felt whenever she thought about her Pop.
"Is Ma okay?" Tommy asked as he glanced back at Jane.
"She's better now." Jane watched as Tommy fidgeted nervously. "But…um…she lost the house Tommy." She said as she began to fidget nervously herself.
Dropping his head into his hands, Tommy let out a whimper. He felt the immediate loss of his childhood home, the only home he had ever known and he couldn't stop the tears. Looking up at Jane, he pushed his hair back and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "Where will I live?"
"You're going to stay at my place." Frankie tried to nonchalantly wipe at the tears that had formed in his own eyes.
Jane reached over to place an open palm against Tommy's cheek to offer him some comfort. "You're gonna be okay Tommy boy…Ma is gonna be okay…we're all gonna be okay as long as we stick together." She reached up a ran her fingers through his hair and smiled reassuringly. "We're still a family kido."
"What about Pop Jane? How can we still be a family without him?" Tommy was shaking his head.
"What he did was selfish. He didn't just leave Ma, he left all of us." Frankie interjected. "Ma is better off without him Tommy. We all are."
"Can we just go get a haircut?" Tommy sighed, putting his hand on Jane's and giving it a squeeze. "I think I'll feel better…"
"Yeah, yeah…" Frankie put the key in the ignition and started the car. "How 'bout we stop and get a burger and shake at Shake-n-burgers?"
"Oh, I'd love a burger and shake." A genuine smile filled Tommy's face for the first time since they had gotten in the car. His sadness hadn't disappeared but the thought of food helped to lighten his mood.
"You game, Jane?" Frankie gave her a sideways glance.
"What? Spending time with you two dorks?" Jane couldn't help but grin and roll her eyes. "I couldn't think of a better way to spend my day." Of course, spending the day with Maura might be better but she and her brothers needed this time together. If they were going to support Tommy, they would need to rebuild the relationship that had slipped away from them years ago and Jane thought that there was no time like the present.