A/N: Thank you to those who leave me regular reviews - Tingtorn78, Bex, Don quichotte, Pink Lady, much appreciated. Also those new reviews from Bertmel, Lomlette64, lapenchansky, Queen J. thank you all for your kind words. Sorry this update took so long.

Guest- thanks for pointing some continuity issues I'll fix them lol (Susie - wishful thinking). Korsak - I'll state it's about advice instead of actual work maybe. Maura is definitely a lot more versed in life than I write for sure. I forget that sometimes because of her sweet nature. Cameron - true we don't know much about him. As for Maura, I agree it is unfortunate that Maura was not given more towards the end. She seemed to be left with social accomplishments and not relationship success. Hopefully I'll remedy that for her before the story is over.


Constance Isles awaited the call from her daughter. Ever since she found out about Jane leaving, she wanted to make sure that Maura had a relationship of support that was likely lacking in Jane's absence. She was sure that her daughter had someone to fall back on in Angela Rizzoli, but her daughter likely didn't want to discuss the object of her affection with her own mother. Pacing to and fro in her sitting room for the call, she was relieved when the phone rang, and Maura's image appeared at the forefront of her phone.

"Maura darling, I'm glad you were able to call me back." Constance smiled glad that her offer was taken up. She knew she was working on building her familial relationship with Maura, but she also wasn't sure how much the medical examiner could confide in her.

"Thank you, Mother, for offering. I feel like I'm all out of sorts with this situation. I spoke to you about how Jane and I weren't together, but I look back on our relationship and how people perceived our relationship, and I can only kick myself on how oblivious I've been for the last few years, and I'm just left with a sense of melancholy. I had a sense of belonging with Jane and the Rizzoli's and I just hadn't even really thought about more til she left and now I just feel like she has left a Jane size gap in my life. I still have the Rizzoli's, but it is not the same, I don't feel complete. I feel like I've found myself dealing with that gap but at the same time, I don't want that gap."

"Well darling the fact that you never thought about it probably had to do with the fact that you had so many things you have always wanted and never had as a child with Jane. I do want to apologize for your upbringing. I grew up just like you did, so I never knew any different, and I just never realized how other people live. I think I only realized it when I watched how Jane took care of you, how dry of a Mother I was to you. When I saw how you and the Rizzoli's interacted, I only then did realize that relationships could be a different way."

Maura thoughtfully turned over the admission from her mother. She knew that even this was a result of Jane.

"I feel like Jane brought so many things to my life. I'm scared that I'll never feel that way again and I'll not have the same opportunities."

"Well darling, first things first, have you ever told Jane about how you feel?"

"I haven't talked to her about this. Mostly because everything was just made extremely clear now that she is gone. I know what I have with Jane is special, but what I had with Ian was also close. I don't want to be another second choice. Either it be a person or a job. I want to be someone's first choice. At least as her best friend I am her first choice."

"What if Jane feels the same way and you both are just avoiding taking the hard step?" Constance challenged.

"Well, that's it. Jane has never been one to not go for what she wants. Based on that evidence, she would have made the move by now." the blond spoke resignedly.

"Or she could be in the same boat and in denial making excuses of why she shouldn't. I don't want to be the blunt one Maura, but you miss chances that you never take."

"What would you suggest?" Maura asked hoping it would be a novel solution she had never considered.

"I suggest that you just tell her the truth. Let her know how you feel and let what happens, happen."

"But she is with someone right now."

"All the more reason she should know all her options."

"You are right. I guess I could let her know how I feel, if only just so I also don't feel secretive about it around her. Knowing what I know now about myself, I'd feel guilty admiring her without her knowing." the blond cringed at the hives she might display if caught.

"It will be quite brave for you do that. It's not an easy thing to admit." Constance encouraged.

"I just don't want to interfere with her current relationship, I'm not a home wrecker. So how do I do that and not feel like a home wrecker?"

"Well technically you aren't a home wrecker unless Jane returns the feelings. However, you honestly had more claim over Jane over her lifetime than he has. Alls fair in love and war my darling. I feel it is only home wrecking if you start a relationship with her without the other party knowing that you have started. So really you just have to tell her how you feel and then tell her you won't start a relationship with someone already in a relationship. Unless that is just something both Jane and Cameron were open to."

"Mother! No offense, I know you are open minded and so is the art community, but at this point in my life I want to be someone's priority, just like I want to make them my priority. I want to be loved for who I am and feel comfortable and complete."

"Honey, as much as I understand your sentiment, your happiness starts within you, and it doesn't depend on anyone else. I had my flaws as a parent but that had nothing to do with you or your worth. That was just my ignorance. What you need to do is find your completeness and find someone who adds to it and helps you grow while letting you be you. Is that what Jane is for you? It shouldn't be, you should feel complete, but she should build on your completeness. Figure out that you are amazing woman on your own and are worthy."

"Yes psychology does teach us that affirmation. We should feel complete on our own before committing to a relationship for more likelihood of success. Insecurities can cause fractures in a strong relationship."

"I still think you should take the chance and tell her. I think Jane will need time. All I have known about her, she loves Boston, her job, and you. I feel like this FBI job was a spur of the moment choice in a turning point of her life. We often don't make life changing choices unless there are strong reasons forcing you to."

"I think you are right. I will tell her and see what comes of it."

"You have to be prepared for the outcome. Jane to me doesn't seem as open minded sexually, in fact she seems quite conservative. She will likely turn you down if she is prudish. There were quite a few nudes at my art installation opening in Boston and she was quite bashful when in front of it. Perhaps she has been avoiding a lot of self-introspection that more open-minded people have already accomplished. Like you or me. So be prepared to be turned down but don't be afraid to reveal how you feel about her. "

"I am afraid of being turned down, but at least I can move on."

"You are so right my dear. I will be here for you no matter what. Why don't you decide on when you will tell her, and I'll schedule to visit Boston for a while. You can take me to all the places you love there, and I can share them with you, like I missed out on while you were young. I think you should tell her and then give her some space. That way you can have distance to get over her, and me to be there for you like I haven't been there for you. I'm eager to make up for lost time. If Jane doesn't feel the same way, I know there would be many other willing to take her place that I can introduce you to if you need more of a distraction."

"Mother!" Maura huffed incredulously, but at the same time finding how pleasant it was to start having a relationship with her mother that she always lacked.


Jane read through the papers she was grading for her class. She wrote out a grade on the current one she was viewing. Her student Allison was a star pupil and definitely gleaned all the points of the paper that Jane was looking for. Proud she was able to provide guidance that was effective, she still felt a slight tug of missing her Detective role and piecing together clues. She felt her guidance and experience as a FBI instructor was helping the future agents, but she wasn't quite energized by the teaching as she was with being in the field documenting a crime scene or just piecing together a crime.

She was safe and there were no serial killers after her or her friends and family at least. There was something to be said about that. For now, she was content with her choices in her life because the most important thing was their safety and the ability for her life to progress in a way that she never thought was a priority. Jane wanted safety, she wanted love, support, and companionship. She wanted a future that wasn't a vision of a raggedy lonesome detective trudging home after a rough case, with no one to greet her or a solid feeling of a future that she looked forward to.

She would never admit to anyone, but she always thought that finding meaning in her job, job happiness, and belonging was all she needed. All of that changed, however, when she and Maura were expecting the baby, and when she saw her baby brother Tommy with TJ and Frankie with Nina. That was when all the yearning started happening for something more than her job. It felt like she had everything coming together nicely and that everyone around her too were on a path of growth of their futures. Then suddenly, in the blink of an eye, she lost her baby, and that completeness and joy were filled with aches. Although she was happy to save Tasha, her job felt like something that would constantly hold her back from that feeling of joy and completeness that she had fleetingly. To make matters worse, the job led her to be a target of Alice Sands. Alice Sands led to Maura's brain injury and kidnapping. Maura seemed to be bearing all the brunt of their friendship, and even if Maura didn't care; Jane did. Maura was writing a book and found a new lease on life after being afraid of losing herself. That turnabout also made it scary that Maura's life would also lead her away from Jane. So, she did the first things she thought of when she felt afraid of feelings of possible loss. She left first.

The decision was rash, and she would also lose a lot of what made her. Boston was her identity. Her family was her identity, and even her job was too. She wouldn't have Maura, her best friend, at her side forever. Even friendships fell apart or grew apart. Not to mention Maura had been married and never even told her about it. Jane likely couldn't guarantee that Maura would be forever with her either as a friend. The job and move seemed like the perfect opportunity to start from scratch to see what would become of a new start without the baggage of any history and to see what was truly meant to be in her future. If the saying was true, if you love something let it go, then she would know for sure about Boston, her job, Maura, and her future with the decision.

The brunette carefully placed the last of her graded papers into a folder and closed it. She reiterated to herself that this was the best choice she could make at the time and that she just had to stay the course. Someday she would find the catalyst of meaning that could drive her to find some semblance of that momentary happiness in a way that was more permanent.

Currently she was waiting for her next lecture to start for the day. She was keenly aware of an unease that she had made a mistake with her choice, but how she felt in Boston right before she left was the most frightening feeling she had in her life. A loss of control of her life, and the job that she loved causing her more pain than happiness. Comparatively the current situation is the one she would rather face. She had a new job, no memories in this town of horrible kidnappings, or murders. A new fresh start and maybe the start of a more long-term stable life without loss, death, and her loved ones being hurt. Maura was definitely safer without her too, especially when she would eventually leave the medical examiner's office into a more clinical position away from the dirtbags of Boston she had put away.

She sighed at the thought, she would haven't had imagined separate new paths for them both. She'd much rather had the illusion of the escape from reality that they had in Paris. An irrational fear suddenly hit her out of nowhere. Who would protect Maura while she was gone? She barely could protect Maura while she was there? If she did leave the Medical Examiner's office, wouldn't she be a target? Her heart raced for a moment suddenly aware of the mistake she had made being away from Maura. Her mind raced finding solutions. Could she get Frankie to surveillance her? Could she tell ma to check on her daily? An idea popped in her head last minute and she was convinced it was the right one.

Maura was going to be a doctor in a residency in pediatrics to get her neonatology fellowship. Maura didn't need money, so she didn't need to work for a famous or popular hospital - so a VA hospital was just as good as any, and Quantico had a VA hospital just walking distance from the Academy Jane was teaching at. Happiness started to surge in Jane and she had renewed faith that she had made the right decision. She pulled out her phone and texted the blond immediately the idea she had.

"Maur, when you get a moment, I have a genius idea for a genius like you! Can't wait to tell you about it!"

She waited eagerly for a response that didn't come. It was early afternoon on Monday so she knew Maura was likely working and wouldn't answer immediately but she was too excited to care. She decided to call around and also maybe stop by the hospital on the way home. Things were looking up. She could have her fresh start and her best friend where no vengeful murderers they had put away would easily reach her.

A buzz came from her phone and Maura's name flashed across the screen she was browsing the hospital website for residency information.

"Actually, there is also something I wanted to talk to you about too. So maybe we can do a facetime so you can tell me your idea and I can also talk to you about what I've been thinking. We haven't had our weekend talks lately so we can catch up. Is this Friday night okay?" the shorter woman texted back in between finishing up her current autopsy report. She wanted some time to think through what she would say plus tell her Mother to buy her plane tickets and schedule the visit.

"Sure, Maur, if you need it sooner, we can schedule it sooner?" Jane texted back in response quickly. Jane knew that soon Maura would be tying up loose ends at the Medical Examiners office so that she can officially announce her plans to go into pediatrics residency full time.

"No, Friday works. I have no clinic hours that day, and I am still a bit swamped with autopsy reports I need to finish up this week."

"Okay, just let me know. Friday will also give me time to do some research on my idea." The brunette's mind was swirling with what she would need to do to secure a residency at the VA and to convince her best friend to move to Quantico. After she sent the text off she found that the VA Hospital actually didn't have a pediatric unit.

"Damn." She cursed to herself glad that Maura wasn't here to scold her. She started her detective work to find a Pediatric residency as close to her as possible. After that, she was sure convincing her best friend wouldn't be too hard. The new challenge was much more invigorating than tediously waiting for her next class.