Series title: Whumptober 2024

Chapters: 1/1

Characters: Jane Rizzoli / Maura Isles

Trigger warnings: Bruises, Body Modifications, Mentions of physical and sexual abuse

A/N: The characters and universe don't belong to me. All rights go to TNT, and everyone involved in the production of Rizzoli and Isles, as well as Tess Gerritsen. Everything else belongs to my twisted imagination.

A/N2: Fourth part of "It's okay just to say 'I'm not okay'." posted in 2023.

All of these stories are only meant to be one-shots, but last year has proven that it can easily change. Those one-shots are written as part of the 2024 Whumptober challenge. I'm following the list of prompts and didn't intend to write second parts for any of the one-shots. That's why they're all posted separately.

It was nighttime now. The temperatures had dropped and despite the approaching summer days, the weather was rather chilly at night. Still lying on the backseat of Maura's car, Jane was trembling, the cold night biting at her exposed skin, and waking up all sorts of pain in her body. She used to have a rather athletic frame but weeks (or was it months? Maura said something about six months when she found her, or had she dreamt it?) locked away in a cold and dark basement with barely anything to eat had changed that. Now she was all skin and bones and had a hard time keeping herself warm. She wouldn't ask for a blanket or a jacket though. Especially not to the woman who had played her for so long. Maura Isles couldn't be trusted and didn't deserve the mercy Jane had given her by not turning her in.

Maura had asked her earlier why she kept silent on her involvement with Hoyt and why she had allowed her to stay around her family. She had no explanation for her. When she left that note before running away from Boston, she hadn't thought that far. She was broken and needed to put as much distance between herself and Maura as possible to clear her mind and take a decision about the woman whom she thought was her best friend. Never had she thought that Maura could endanger the lives of her Ma and brothers. Hoyt had tried to get to her through her family once. But Maura… Maura had always been so kind to them. Hell, she even took her Ma in. And how many times had she kept her out of troubles? How many times had she fixed her small and not so small wounds? Surely that couldn't be all fake.

She couldn't trust Maura anymore though. A part of her would always wonder if she was honest or if she was playing tricks on her once again. Hoyt was dead, she had killed him herself, had felt his blood flowing out of his body and covering her hands, had seen life leaving his body. His body had been buried and the world had moved on. Technically, Maura was free. She didn't have to arrange the truths and manipulate people for him. But Jane couldn't get out of her mind that he could have trained her to be the next Surgeon if he was to die. He had so expected her to finish the job, but Maura had refused to do it. She said she had refused to do anything he ever asked after meeting her. All because she had been the first one to ever care about her. She should have broken a leg that day.

But why hadn't she turned her in? She couldn't even explain it to herself. It was beyond understanding, and she was unable to think clearly. She had been for a while. Her mind wasn't as sharp as it used to be. When she had run away from Boston, she just wanted to get somewhere on the coast, rent a cheap hotel room and just take a few days to herself to gather her thoughts and think about what to do next. She travelled, from town to town, only spending a few days here and there and enjoying her time off. That was until she reached New-York and gave in to her cop instinct to save a woman who was about to be kidnapped. The woman was safe, but they got Jane instead. She was sold to a human trafficking ring, locked into an abandoned school with a dozen other women, and was 'educated' to be the perfect slave for her future owner.

Of course she wouldn't comply with their exigences. She was punished way more than her companions in misery. She had had hopes that her family would notice that she had gone for too long and would look for her, that the woman she had saved would report her kidnapping to the police, but even if they did, after what felt like an eternity for her (she had no way of keeping track time since they were confined in rooms that had no windows to be sure they wouldn't have the idea of running away), she just lost that hope. They broke her and turned her into a puppet subjected to their every desire. She was ready to be sold then, but the scars on her hands made her too easily recognisable on the East Coast. Everyone knew she was a stubborn detective. She would cause them too many problems.

She was dragged from state to state across the country until she was sold for next to nothing to Vasilyev in Nevada. The first thing he did was cut her hair and coloured it. Then, he moved her to the abandoned house where he kept his prisoners. He locked her up in the basement and shackled her wrists and ankles with heavy chains. That cell would be her 'home' whenever she wasn't out to satisfy her owner and his friends' needs. He would lock her down for days without food or water to punish her for her strong temper and rebellious behaviour. He was the worst of every man she had belonged to, even worse than Hoyt. She had thought of him as the worst evil she ever met, but Vasilyev proved her that you could find even worse monsters. Monsters that didn't leave permanent marks on your body but were still getting in your head.

He never let her hair grow longer than shoulder-length and wouldn't let it return to its natural colour for too long. He liked her better as a blonde, even though it didn't suit her. If he was buying a girl that wasn't blonde, he would make sure to have her hair cut and coloured the way he liked it. But after he came into possession of Jane, he wouldn't buy as many women as he used to. Not to keep them at least. He was reselling most of them to other psychopaths and perverts who thought women were toys, but Jane never had to be afraid of that. Valilyev had made her his favourite, no matter her strong temper. He found her amusing, and the fact that she used to be a cop was adding to his pleasure every time he was getting the upper hand on her and forcing her to obey him.

Jane had lost all hope to be found and rescued from this Hell when Maura came in her cell (in which she had been rotting for two days after her last outburst against Vasilyev). She was the last person that Jane had expected to see, but also the only one who had driven across the country looking for her. What was she supposed to do with that? If she hadn't been this weakened, she wouldn't have even climbed in the car. But then, she would still be in Vasilyev's hands. As much as she hated to admit it to herself, Maura Isles had saved her life by taking her away from Barstow and putting hers at risk at the same time. If Vasilyev found then, he would kill Maura. Or worse, he would make her one of his girls. Jane wouldn't wish that on anyone, not even on her worst enemy. And certainly not on Maura.

She was still mad at her for working with Hoyt, for getting closer to her and betraying her, but at the same time, she was protecting her. She was covering her association with a serial killer and everything she had done for him by keeping silent. She had left her with her family and friends despite the danger she was representing. She hadn't thought any second that Maura would hurt them and, in all honestly, she didn't feel threatened by her either. If anything, Maura had always taken her defence. She had never pushed her to take a decision or another that would lead her straight to Hoyt. She had tried to change her mind, to tell her that it was a bad idea, that it wouldn't do her any good. She didn't have to come in that prison with her when Hoyt requested her presence, but she came anyway. She faced him knowing full well that she had defied him and refused to obey him. And when he asked her to kill her, Maura couldn't do it. She had even begged him not to hurt her.

Jane glanced at the woman sleeping on the front seat. She had asked her if she minded her taking a nap. Jane had seen the fear in her eyes, the fear that she might be gone when she would wake up. Jane hadn't even thought about it. She hadn't been able to sleep herself, too lost in confused thoughts and too cold. What was she supposed to do now? Maura would bring her home, and then, what? What would she say to her family? What would she do with Maura?

"Jane?"

The voice was heavy with sleep and when Jane focused on Maura, she saw relief washing over her tired and worried features. She stretched and straightened her creased clothes. Maura hated wearing the same outfit two days in a row, even if it was something as ordinary as her running clothes. One of the many details Jane remembered about this woman she was supposed to hate. She hated herself for not being able to despise her as much as she should for what she had done. She couldn't forgive, nor could she forget. But it was easier to be oblivious of her betrayal when she wasn't sitting right in front of her.

"Have you…" Maura hesitated. "Have you gotten some sleep?"

"No."

"Are you in pain?"

Jane shrugged. Maura was just trying to start a conversation between them and break the heavy silence, but Jane wasn't willing to participate for now. She just wanted to get heck home and forget everything about the last six months.

Maura sighed. She drove her car to the entrance that was out of sight of the road, picked the lock and opened the door wide enough for the car to pass. She closed the doors and locked them again after they were in. She followed the signs to find the infirmary and parked in front of it.

It only took a few minutes for them to break in. Maura helped Jane to sit down on the bed (she still couldn't stand on her own, her legs wouldn't cooperate) and moved into an adjacent room. Jane could hear her mumbling as she rummaged through shelves and cupboards to find what she was looking for. She heard running water and soon Maura came back with bowl of water and some handkerchief that she was on the bedside table. She made another trip to the other room and brought in one of the park uniforms along with a first aid kit.

"Do you need help or..."

Once again, Maura was hesitating. It reminded Jane of the first days of her friendship. Maura had been so adorably awkward then, so afraid of doing something wrong that would cause her only friend to leave her. The difference today was that Maura had done something wrong.

"I'll be fine."

In a swift movement, Jane got rid of her dirty clothes, only keeping her underwear on. Maura gasped. Jane had expected such a reaction from her. Not because Maura was seeing her nearly naked (that wouldn't be the first time) but because she didn't look that same anymore. Her formerly fit body was now covered in large bruises at different stages of healing colouring her tanned skin in shades of dark blue, purple, green and yellow. Her ribs were visible showing how much weight she had lost in those few months she was away.

"Oh, Jane."

"'S nothing. I've seen worse."

She shrugged to prove her indifference toward her condition. She had become used to it. When she wasn't punished for disobedience, she was forced into violent relations. But Maura shouldn't care. Why did she care at all? Why had she come to her rescue anyway?

Jane picked the handkerchief and plunged it in the warm water. She wrung it and used to clean herself some. She hadn't seen a shower in a while, and it felt good to have access to some hygiene. She couldn't do anything for her hair unfortunately. She would have to wait until it grew back and until the blonde colour wore off. But at least the rest of body was cleaner.

"Enjoying the view?"

Maura cleared her throat and had the decency to be embarrassed to have been caught staring. She looked away and showed her the uniform. The pants would be too short for her tall frame, but the size was fine. It would look oversized on her thin frame though.

Jane didn't put the clothes on immediately. She sat on the bed with a sigh and fiddled with the first aid kit. An amusement park wasn't well equipped for big emergencies, but it would do. She was just bruised after all. It wasn't the first time, and it wouldn't be the last. Especially if Vasilyev found her.

"I could, you know, like old times..."

Jane snorted. Like old times. When she was working for Hoyt. Did she expect to earn her trust again? Should she really trust her after every that happened? She hesitated. They had spent hours together and Maura hadn't done anything but help her.

"Fine. Go on."

Maura was soft and caring in her movements to relieve her from some of the pain she was dealing with. When she was done, she stepped back so Jane could put on the clothes she had found for her. As expected, they were baggy on her body, but they were better than her dirty outfit.

Since Maura had slept in the car, she let her have the bed, and frankly, Jane wasn't gonna refuse it. She was exhausted, but Maura would have to leave the room. She would never be able to fall asleep with a possible threat in the room with her...

On a cherrier note, we're organising a Rizzoli and Isles Secret Santa. Signs-up are open from October 1 to October 31. Check it out on rizzoliandislesecretsanta on Tumblr. :)