DISCLAIMER: I do not own Rizzoli & Isles nor any of the characters from the show. I am writing this purely for entertainment, not profit. Rizzoli and Isles are property of Tess Gerritsen and TNT.

Please find the full disclaimers in the beginning of Chapter 1.

Chapter 14

The drive back to the closest airport had been mostly silent. Jane had made a point of sitting in the back, with Maura leaning on her, while Maura kept observing the road. Maura had spent too long cooped up in the same place, in pain, in fear, in grief. Jane gave her space to enjoy her first measure of freedom in weeks.

The flight to DC in the private jet happened without incident, and once there, Dean drove them to Jane's apartment, walking them all the way into Jane's living room.

"I hope I have redeemed some of the damage I caused you, Jane. I didn't know Maura was a miracle waiting to happen, that she would survive the gruesome wound, and I didn't want to cause you more pain than I knew you were feeling when you learned about the shooting."

"Thank you, Dean. I cannot forgive you, but I will forever be thankful for what you did trying to redeem yourself." Jane admitted. She knew without his help, Maura's release now would likely find a dead Jane, or a mad Jane.

"I can live with that. And if you decide to follow my recommendation, when you contact Maura's parents, use the excuse you are taking Maura with you – her ashes – and that is the reason for your visit. All they know is that you were on an undercover assignment and that was why they couldn't reach out to you to inform you about her fortune being transferred to you."

Jane handed him back the remaining cash he had given her five weeks before. She barely had spent anything to get to Maura, just the cab ride, bus and train tickets, and some roadside meals on the way. "I will repay you the rest when we cross paths in the Agency, so there is no trail."

"Don't. It is my gift to you."

"And Dory…" Maura squinted her eyes at him. "If you ever decide to resuscitate Maura, you give me a call and we run the process. Otherwise, here are all your new documents. The phone has two contacts recorded on it for now. Mine, and Jane's. I wish you a full and speedy recover, and I am really sorry for your losses... And, by the way, take good care of yourself and of this one. She was really lost without you…"

Maura extended her hand to him: "Thank you, Gabriel. If you had not helped Jane to get to me, I would not have made it this far. She saved my life, once more, and you made it possible."

He nodded, and left. Jane locked the door behind him, and helped Maura maneuver to the couch.

"What should I do?" Maura asked, doubt in her voice.

"Only you can decide, Maura. The good news is that you don't need to make a decision right this moment… Take your time… Think about it… Consider the pros and cons…"

"You know what? I like Dean's suggestion of going to see my parents in France and spend time in a rehab clinic there. It might give time for the dust to settle, so I can assess my decision calmly while I fully recover."

"Fair enough…" Jane sighed relieved, internally, because being Dory and being out of the country continued to be a measure of protection.

"Would it be too much to ask that you went with me there, at least until we can explain everything to my parents? Then I promise you can come back to your normal life." Maura asked, hopeful.

"Maura, you are an integral part of my life. Dean was not exaggerating. I didn't function well without you around, trust me." Jane stood, and opened the cabinet where the remaining bottles of cheap liquor were still standing, to make her point.

Maura looked in disbelief. It was a lot of alcohol for a single person.

"Don't worry, I will get rid of all of it. I don't think I will be able to stand the smell or the taste of cheap bourbon or cheap vodka ever again." Jane made a grimace. "But back to your question, it is a done deal. I go with you, we reach your parents, I help you make sure they don't have a heart attack – or at least I am there to help you get them to the emergency room if they do. And once you are settled for your rehab season, I fly back and wait for you here."

"Can you buy the plane tickets? It seems Dory's bank account has exact US$913.50 as balance." Maura chuckled.

Jane fired her computer after two whole months. The idea of being back in a house with electricity and technology never felt so appealing. It pinged with hundreds of messages, just like her cell phone when she powered it up, but she ignored everything for the moment.

"What are you doing?" Maura looked the screen while Jane typed and clicked.

"Booking your first-class ticket. You cannot possibly consider you are going to fly any other way while still in recovery."

"That I am seeing and makes perfect sense. I am asking why your ticket is not first class."

"I am not wounded."

"I need help, and I need you by my side. Change it. Now."

"Dory Selsi is bossy…" Jane teased, and Maura slapped her arm weakly. "Okay, I will do, but it is your money you are spending."

"It is money well spent. And it is yours now."

Jane then, under Maura's supervision, wrote a note to Constance on her phone.

"I am sorry for not reaching out to you before… I am back from my undercover assignment, and I have a few days break. Flying to France tomorrow to give you your daughter back."

Constance replied shortly after.

"Oh, Jane… How thoughtful of you to bring us her ashes yourself. We will be waiting for you." And she included the address of the house they were occupying.

Maura looked at it, and explained to Jane it was a small summer villa, manned by a single butler who also cooked, and a maid.

When Maura re-read her mother's message, she could not hold back her tears. Jane hugged Maura, who sobbed into her shoulder for a while.

"Soon we will solve this puzzle, I promise." Jane kissed Maura's temple.

Maura nodded.

"I need a few clothes too. Just enough to get to France, I can buy more there with my mother."

They showered in a proper shower, with heated water, and Jane made Maura wear some of Jane's clothes to go to the mall. Jane was surprised when her car still worked after this long, and drove them. Maura bought a few simple and practical outfits – the crutches were still a hurdle, so she contented herself with the bare minimum for now.

Jane packed a small bag for herself and for Maura. They ordered some delivery food, and Jane felt like a queen not having to fish or hunt to avoid a canned meal. They chuckled about this evolution. Jane drew a bath for Maura, knowing the following day, even flying first class, would be a hurdle with her body still recovering.

And early the following morning, they were on their way to France.

"My hair looks awful." Maura whined.

Jane smiled, content to see the former Maura back.

Maura's hair was beginning to grow on the front of her head. On the back, where it had been shaved, there were the first whisps of it, but where the scars were deeper, it was unlikely hair would ever grow again. It would be a few months before her hair would be long enough to cover the scars.

Jane handed her a scarf, that Maura placed around her head charmingly.

Once they landed, without any issues with Maura's new passport as Dory, Jane rented a car to drive to the Isles villa. Before arriving, they agreed that Maura would remain on the car, so Jane could make sure the coast was clear.

Jane parked, and knocked on the door, a butler opening for her.

"Miss Rizzoli. The Isles are waiting for you in the library." He had a charming accent when speaking English with her.

Jane thanked him and followed him through the house.

"Madame, Monsieur… Mademoiselle Rizzoli."

"Merci, Francis." Constance offered, standing.

She walked towards Jane, taking Jane's hand in her two hands warmly. Jane leaned forward and Constance kissed her two cheeks, as Jane had seen she doing with Maura every time they met before. It brought tears to Jane's eyes, and she could see Constance was holding back her own tears.

"You didn't need to get through all the trouble, Jane, but I really appreciate you didn't allow her last trip to be a lonely one…" Constance voice broke.

"Of course." Jane replied, her voice breaking as well.

She moved to Arthur, who seemed to have aged twenty years since Jane had seen him last only three years ago.

"Jane… It seems my easy choices finally caught up with me, and I had not enough time to fix them." He said, with sorrow in his voice, referring to the fact he had not had enough time to mend his relationship with Maura.

Jane just shook his hand, warmly.

"If you are okay sitting and waiting for me here for a moment longer, I will just get back to the car and… hmmm… bring her…"

"Yes, of course, Jane, we will be right here waiting for you, and then maybe you can fill us in on what you know." Jane watched as both of them sat back.

Jane walked out, and picked Maura's hand, helping her out of the car.

"Are you ready?"

"How are they, Jane?"

"They are alive and well. Your dad is feeling guilty like hell thinking he lost his opportunity to mend his relationship with you. They will be shocked to see you, but they were both seated when I left. I didn't advance anything."

"Okay."

Jane helped Maura with the crutches, and they moved slowly to the library. Jane looked at Maura one last time, before opening the door and entering ahead of her.

"Constance, Arthur… I have not been entirely honest with you… I promise you there is an explanation for it, and I will answer any questions you might have."

"I am not following you, Jane…" Constance began, knotting her eyebrows.

"I am bringing you Maura… Just not her ashes…" Jane said, moving away from the door, so Maura could slowly move into the room.