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 10

"How long have you been living with this new identity?" Liz asked, curiously.

"Almost five years now."

"How long have you been married?"

"A little bit over three years."

"And have you never wanted to have kids before?" Liz probed.

"I have always wanted to be a mother…" Maura replied, longing obvious in her breaking voice.

"Maura can't lie, Liz…" Jane explained. "And we felt that the decision to have a baby knowing the kid would live a double life was too unfair for us to make. And the only place where Maura could be herself, no lies, was at home, with me. If she had to lie at home as well, it would have killed her…"

"Do you think my parents chose that I would live a double life?" Liz tilted her head, pensive.

"From what my friend told me, your mother was in the early months of pregnancy when your parents witnessed something bad happening and had to go into Witness Protection. I don't think they made a choice for you to live a double life, but instead made a choice on how to best live a life with you to keep you safe."

"How did you handle the double identity of your parents?" Maura inquired, curious.

Liz paused, thinking a bit before replying. "I don't know if I ever thought a lot about it. At first, they only used their new identity, even with me at home. When I was seven or eight, I noticed one day they were calling each other a different name when they were talking among themselves at home, and I asked about it. It created a certain panic. But they explained to me they had seen something bad, that their home names were completely secret, that it was why I was homeschooled and could not have other family and friends, and that I must always answer to their alternate identity if asked in public. Most of the time, it was not an issue. I just called my mother mom, and my father dad. Being homeschooled, there were fairly few situations where I could get asked their names anyway..."

"Did it bother you? Being homeschooled and not being able to have other kid friends?"

Liz stopped to think again. She seemed to do that a lot. She reminded Jane of Maura, what made Jane smile. "Since it was always like that, I didn't have anything to compare against. Maybe I could not miss something I didn't know? And my parents, they did everything they could for me. We did a lot of things together, since it was only the three of us…" Tears welled again in huge blue eyes, grief and sorrow for such an immense recent loss.

Liz sniffed, trying to dry the tears in her cheeks, deviating her eyes, but Maura stopped her gently, picking up the box of tissues and drying her tears for her.

"I don't know about you…" Jane added, trying to create a break from the emotional trip. "But I am officially starving."

Liz chuckled among her tears, and looked at Jane.

"Is there any time when you are not starving?"

Maura laughed.

"She figured you out pretty quickly, Jane!"

Jane squinted her eyes at Maura, but chuckled.

"Should I assume none of you are hungry, then? Great, I will make lunch only for me." Jane teased.

"Nooooo…" Maura immediately grabbed Jane's wrist, pulling her down, and Jane gave her a quick peck on the lips. "I am starving too…" Maura fake-pouted.

Liz took hold of Jane's other hand: "Me too… Pleeeeease…"

"That is better… What would you like to eat today?"

"Do you know how to make your mother's gnocchi? I became kind of curious thinking about it…" Liz asked, blushing.

Maura chuckled, and waited for Jane to reply.

Jane rolled her eyes. "I do… BUT I will need help. A LOT of help. Do we still have frozen sauce, Maur?"

"Yes, we do."

"So let's get to work…"

They worked together, Jane providing the directions, but all of them helping, until an hour later they had the little potato dumplings floured on top of the kitchen aisle.

"And none of you are looking like my Ma with flour on her face…"

Liz laughed, and Maura snapped a picture of Jane's face to show it to her: she had plenty of flour on her face.

Jane immediately put a hand on Maura's cheek as if to caress it, leaving a flour trail in hers, and painted Liz' nose with flour too.

"Now we are all matching." Jane laughed.

"Let's all clean up, so we can get this cooked. They cook really fast, and the sauce that we took out of the fridge before we began is now ready to be heated."

They ate with pleasure, Liz loved the gnocchi, and Maura and Jane were pleased to see her distracted and engaged on something lighter than the somber mood from earlier.

"It was delicious…" Liz praised. "Thank you for doing it, Jane, I didn't realize how much work was involved."

"Was it fun, at least?"

"Very fun." Liz agreed, chuckling.

"Then it was worth it." Jane smiled gently at her.

Liz moved to sink in the comfortable sofa, while Maura and Jane finished cleaning up the kitchen, storing the leftovers and putting the dishes and pans on the dishwasher.

"Are you tired? We know sleeping in the park was likely not very comfortable. If you want to have some rest during the afternoon, you don't need to ask us, okay?" Maura offered. The doctor in her had examined Liz and found nothing obvious to the eye, but she knew five nights under the elements likely took a toll on a child's body. Plus the whole emotional baggage the girl was carrying with her.

Liz raised her beautiful eyes welled in tears to Maura. Maura moved to the sofa, by Liz side, exchanging a quick glance with Jane, concerned.

"We are really sorry for your loss, Liz… It is tragic you lost them this way…" Maura spoke gently to her, placing a hand on Liz forearm, and the girl cuddled against her, tears trailing her face. Maura hugged her tightly, feeling the thin body shaking with sobs. She kissed Liz head gently, and rubbed her hand up and down Liz' back trying to offer some comfort.

When Liz' sobs seemed to calm down, Maura continued.

"We are here to help you, regardless of the alternative you decide on, Liz. If you want to talk – or if you want to stop talking – we are here. Don't bottle what you are feeling, and please, do not pretend you are not feeling it. Jane and I, we both have experienced loss. And ignoring it, or hiding it, is never a good option, okay?"

Liz nodded, sniffling. "I… I don't want to forget them… But when I think about them, it is almost as if I already cannot see them well in my memory… I seem to only remember their eyes open and the blood…" She cut herself crying again. Maura gently made Liz lay down with her head on Maura's lap, and Liz took hold of one of Maura's hands, intertwining her fingers with Maura's. With her free hand, Maura kept stroking Liz hair gently. It took a long time before Maura felt the fingers on hers go slack, signaling Liz had fallen asleep.

Jane sighed… Liz had not even a picture – Jane knew some of it from all that had burnt in her apartment years ago. Just this was even more cruel. Because Jane didn't have the physical mementos, but she still had the people. Liz had none. She looked at Maura, at a loss on how to help.

Maura carefully removed herself from the sofa, placing one of the throw pillows under Liz' head, before she joined Jane, hugging Jane's midsection. She felt Jane's phone buzz, and when Jane picked it, she saw it was Dean.

Jane signaled Maura for them to walk to their bedroom, so they could speak without being heard by Liz and without disturbing Liz' sleep.

"Hi Dean… Dory is by my side…"

"Hello, ladies… Two bodies were released, and if not claimed until Tuesday will be donated to studies… The ME office of that burb can be contacted for further instructions."

"Thank you, Dean, I will get the foundation contacting them first thing tomorrow morning."

"Did you decide what to do?"

"We presented the options to her, but asked her to take some time to think about what she would like to do."

"Is an eleven-year-old capable of making such a decision?"

"She was capable of surviving on her own for five days… So at least she needs to have a say… Dean, we were considering adopting her if she decides to say she heard what happened. If she will remain in Witsec, she could remain with us."

"Makes sense, you are already keeping secret, if she decides to continue living secretly, it could work. Who would homeschool her?"

"I would resign from the Agency and do that…" Maura replied.

"Are you ready to handle a teenager?"

"Adopted or not, all kids will go through teenager years, Dean. We all did." Jane replied.

"True." He chuckled. "Well, let me know when you decide, I will help in any way I can."

"Thank you, Dean, we really appreciate it…"