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 2

Jane woke up startled. It was almost 5AM. She must have been awake until around 1AM, waiting for a decent hour in Europe, and then finally fallen asleep. She moved and her neck cracked. That was what she deserved for sleeping seated in the sofa.

The silence of the house immediately got to her. Maura was not there. She had not come back.

Well, now it was a normal hour in Europe, later than Jane had planned, but it would do.

Jane texted Constance.

"I am sorry for bothering you, but I really need to speak to you. When would be a good time for me to call?"

Jane was surprised when her phone immediately rang.

"Jane…"

"I didn't mean to worry you, Constance. But she is gone. I don't know why. And I don't know where to begin looking for her."

"She is here."

"With you?"

"Right now, she is by the lake. But yes, she is here. She arrived very late last night."

"I swear to God I have no idea what I have done, Constance. But I will do anything to undo it."

"You didn't do anything wrong, Jane, that much I already figured."

"Where exactly is 'here'?"

"Switzerland."

"I need to see her, speak to her, try to solve this mess..."

"Then come, Jane. I can't get through her, but maybe you can."

Constance dropped the line, and immediately Jane received a text with an address.

Jane checked for flights to see the fastest way to get there. She would need to do two connections, but it was the earliest she could get departing today. She placed a sick day. For the following week she would decide after reaching Maura.

Jane packed light, she didn't want to dispatch bags. The weather would be colder in Switzerland than in Boston, so a few sweaters and warm pants.

Then she called Frankie.

"I am going on a quick trip, bro." she announced as soon as he picked up the phone. "Don't worry."

"Is everything alright?"

"I think so. But I will know for sure soon."

"Keep me posted, Jane, and safe travels."

Jane landed in Switzerland completely lost – the two connections and the timezone difference, the fact that she had barely slept in any of the planes, and she was wrecked.

There was light outside. And the local time pointed 9AM. It was Saturday morning here. Okay. She got it.

Jane knew she was in no condition to drive, too drowsy to try in these mountainous roads. Luckily, the address she was looking for was less than 20 minutes from the airport, so she ordered an uber, thanking God for technology.

She arrived at a small brick mansion. Jane picked her carry on, and before she could ring the bell, the door opened, and Constance was there. Jane skipped the three stairs to the door, her heart suddenly on her throat.

Constance held Jane's hand warmly between hers.

"You look almost as bad as she does…" Constance looked at Jane compassionately.

"Where is she?"

"By the lake. She spent the entire day there yesterday. And she went there as soon as she woke up this morning. Come on in." Constance guided her by the forearm.

"Would you like to freshen up? Have something to eat? Or to drink?" Constance offered, the perfect host.

"Thank you, Constance, but all I need is to see her. Have you figured out what happened?"

Constance gave her a sad smile.

"She finally told me, but it is not my tale to tell, Jane. God knows I am unable to get through her, my only hope is that you might…"

"How do I get to this lake?"

Constance motioned her through the house. The backdoor from the ample kitchen opened into a meadow, that sloped down to a beautiful lake. The landscape was breathtaking.

"Thank you. I will see you later." Jane nodded.

Jane jogged the first part of the meadow. But then she slowed down when she saw Maura, inhaling deeply in relief – she was alive, well and safe. Maura was leaning against the trunk of a tree by the lake, her knees pulled in front of her, her chin on top of her knees. And as Jane got closer, she could see the trail of tears on Maura's beautiful face. She looked small, and vulnerable, and hurt, and incredibly sad.

For Constance to have allowed Jane to come and to approach Maura without any admonition, Jane apprehended that whatever happened was not exactly or directly Jane's doing. But what could that be, then?

Jane inhaled deeply again, bracing herself for the conversation. The last thing she wanted was to snap, or to spook Maura even more. She observed as Maura picked a pebble from her side and threw it in the water. And soon another.

Jane decided to approach her, picking a pebble on her way.

"I am sure there is some law of physics you could turn into an equation for the perfect throwing of this pebble into the lake…" Jane said, throwing her own pebble.

Maura snapped her head to look at Jane.

Jane saw the fleeting look of love, relief, surprise, and sadness washing over Maura's facial expression, before she exhaled and closed her eyes.

Jane made a conscious effort to sit a few paces away from Maura, keeping some space between them. Since Maura still had her eyes closed, Jane picked another pebble and threw it on the water.

Listening to the sound of the pebble on the water, Maura opened her eyes again, hazel searching chocolate brown ones.

"Will you tell me why I am here?" Jane asked, gently.

"I told you in the letter…" Maura replied in a small voice.

"You told me what you were doing in the letter, and what I was supposed to do. You never told why…"

Maura exhaled.

The last weeks since they had come back from Boston had been extremely painful for her. She knew what she had to do, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She loved Jane so very much, she couldn't bring herself to ending things with Jane.

Running away sounded like the only plan. Although every hour since she had left Jane back in DC had been unbearably painful, to the point Maura had been simply unable to function, spending her whole time by this lake, too wounded to do anything meaningful.

Maura had considering going to Africa at first, back to the Doctors Without Borders, disappear without a trace. But the altruistic doctors were always the same, and she hesitated thinking someone would recognize her. She should have figured out that Jane would find her. Not only in here. Probably in Africa too. And her love for Jane was so huge that she had to keep holding her knees to avoid jumping into Jane's lap and hugging and kissing her.

"Maura?" Jane tried, seeing the whirlwind of emotions going through Maura's eyes.

"I can't, Jane. I simply can't…"

"What can't you do?"

Maura inhaled, trying to gather her courage. "I can't be with you any longer."