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 20

"I missed you so much, Janie…" Frankie's voice sounded touched on her ear as he hugged her tightly, as if still having trouble believing she was really there after all those months of absence.

Jane and Maura had arrived in Boston for the weekend, and Maura had already discussed the sales terms for the house with the realtor as well as arranged all the moving details with the moving company. And Maura had finally convinced Jane that it was time to visit her brother.

"I missed you too, Frankie…" she smiled gently and sadly at him. "I am sorry that I have kept my distance… I really didn't know how…" her voice trailed off.

"You are here now. That is what matters, okay?" Frankie reassured her, holding both her forearms to emphasize his point, a loving smile on his face.

"Jane!" Nina's voice interrupted them.

Jane turned to hug Nina.

"It is so good to see you…" Nina offered sincerely. The last time she had seen Jane face to face was immediately before she had left back to DC, still recovering from her injuries, and with a heart more broken even than her already broken and battered body.

"It is good to see you too, Nina. You look happy!" Jane smiled gently at her.

"I am, Jane. Your brother here makes me very happy. And having TJ around… Has been a real blessing." Nina admitted with a sheepish smile.

"Auntie Jane!" TJ shrieked, as if conjured by magic because someone was mentioning his name, running to Jane.

Jane crouched down, so he could hug her, and she could hug him back.

"Hey, buddy! Look at you! You've grown up!" she offered, as he squeezed his arms tightly around her neck, before squirming to be free and show himself tall, proudly.

"I did. The doctor said I am ahead of the curb."

"The curve…" Maura chuckled.

"Auntie Maura!" TJ moved to hug her, almost tackling the smaller woman to the floor. Maura hugged Nina and Frankie.

Nina and Frankie sat on the smaller sofa, and Jane took a sit on the other one.

TJ immediately climbed her lap, finding himself cuddled against her chest.

Maura watched as Jane raised her head back, trying to get a hold of her tears, as she held him tightly against her, a hand gently smoothing his hair and back.

Maura knew exactly what was going through Jane's mind. TJ was here because his father was in prison. And his father was in prison, in Jane's flawed logic, because of Jane. In a way, he was, but it was because of what he had done to Jane.

Maura sat close to Jane. Not that it caused and estrangement – since forever they seemed to gravitate as close as possible to the other. They had not yet broken their news to Frankie and Nina.

"How was school this past week?" Maura asked TJ, trying to break the emotional wreck Jane was getting into.

"I am learning a lot of new things, Auntie Maura, and I had loads of fun."

Maura smiled gently at him.

"And you are very smart…"

"Not as smart as you. But one day, maybe…" he added, hopeful.

That finally made Jane chuckle, as she tousled and then kissed his hair, stage whispering at him.

"I will tell you a secret, buddy. Auntie Maura is a genius. She is another level of smart…"

"Jane!" Maura admonished her.

TJ covered his mouth as he chuckled, and Jane smiled with him.

"Have you been behaving?" Jane asked.

"Yes, Auntie Jane. Uncle Frankie and Auntie Nina help me when I don't." he looked lovingly at the couple on the other sofa.

"Why don't you bring one of your toys to play here in the living room, buddy?" Frankie suggested him.

He jumped out of Jane's lap, excitedly, and ran to his room.

"You are doing a fabulous job. Both of you are…" Jane praised. It was obvious TJ was not stressed out neither seemed weirded out by the whole situation.

Frankie and Nina beamed, proudly. They were trying their best. And TJ was a very calm kid.

"Maura… We were not clear yet on what happened… May I ask why did you leave?" Frankie tried.

Maura smiled gently at him.

"You may… The governor informed me he would not re-nominate me, and that instead he would have someone with more political clout in the position. So I informed him of my resignation after I finished using my accumulated vacation and leave days."

"Political clout? This is a technical position!"

"It is. But there might be other people who can better combine the technical and the political. I… Well, you know me… I certainly have not perchance for the politics." Maura chuckled.

"That is not fair, Maura." Nina interjected.

"It is okay, Nina. There were a few other things happening in parallel, and in the end, I think everything converged for the best outcome…"

"What are you planning to do, Maura? Become a full-time writer?" Frankie asked, gently.

"No… I actually already accepted a full-time job in the Agency." Maura admitted shily.

"The Agency? Are you also moving to DC then?" Frankie asked.

"I am. The job does not involve field work, has much more stable hours, and the benefits are better than as the Chief Medical Examiner. And it does not depend on a nomination… So all in all, I think I should be thankful that the new governor's decision pushed me to consider these alternatives."

"Those are great news, Maura, congratulations… Of course, I am sad to hear you will not be close by, but I am happy you and Jane will be close again!" Frankie offered, gently.

Jane looked sideways to Maura, who nodded almost imperceptibly at her. It was time for them to come out to Frankie and Nina.

"Actually… There is something we need to tell you…" Jane began, and her hand automatically extended to find Maura's by her side, squeezing it tightly. "Maura and I…" Jane sighed, as if searching for the right words. "We are together, now… We are… girlfriends." Jane raised her eyes in a shy smile to her brother and Nina.

"Are you serious?" Frankie asked, a happy grin splitting his face, as he alternated his eyes between Jane and Maura.

"We are…" Maura replied softly. "I am selling the Beacon Hill house, and we will move in together in DC…"

"Oh my God, these are the best news ever!" Nina clapped her hands excitedly. "You always looked so cute together!"

"Did we?" Jane knotted her eyebrows, but smiling.

"You did. Took you two long enough…" Frankie grinned widely.