Chapter 12

Something was off today. Jane could feel it, even when she woke up. When she stopped by the coffee shop on the way to work, the people around her seemed to buzz with electricity. She paid no attention to much of anything that didn't have to do with her cases, but everyone just seemed… off.

Jane worried it was the slight hangover she had from last night's whiskey. She hadn't drank that much liquor since she graduated from the police academy. That's why she stuck with a few beers or maybe a glass of wine if Maura was having one too. Her own body buzzed when she thought of Casey. What a strange predicament she had found herself in. A place in her life she never imagined she would be in. Was the case just making her weak? Tired enough to forget all the work she had put into her own life and her relationship with Maura? It was too early to tell, but she did know she needed to be on her guard more in the days to come.

As Jane stepped into the office, a strange, heavy silence seemed to hang in the air. Normally, the office was filled with chatter and activity, but today, something was different, darker almost, despite the surprisingly sunny day. She could feel it immediately. The subtle shift in energy, the way people moved around her—like they were trying not to make eye contact but couldn't help side-eyeing her. A few whispers and low chuckles caught her attention, and Jane's instincts immediately kicked in.

Her eyes darted to the group of officers clustered near the far side of the room. Some were whispering to each other, others glancing her way with expressions that seemed amused, almost mocking. She stiffened, her jaw tightening as she strode toward her desk.

Whatever was going on, it wasn't good.

As she neared her desk, she spotted Frost and Korsak huddled together, their faces drawn with concern as they stared at Frost's computer screen. Jane's stomach churned with unease—she'd never seen that look on their faces before.

Frost glanced up first, noticing Jane's approach. His eyes widened slightly, and he quickly nudged Korsak. They both straightened up as Jane walked over, their expressions shifting to something more guarded.

"Not you guys too. Why is everyone acting weird?"Jane asked, her voice steady, but she could feel the tension building inside her.

Frost and Korsak exchanged a quick look before Frost spoke up. "Uh, Jane… you might want to see this."

Jane frowned, her heart beginning to race. "See what?"

The headline hit her like a punch to the gut when she read it from Frost's computer screen: "Boston Detective Jane Rizzoli and Medical Examiner Maura Isles: Secret Relationship Exposed—Legal Fallout Begins."

Her blood ran cold. Someone had leaked their relationship to the press, and now, the article was spreading like wildfire. It detailed not only their personal lives, but how Jane and Maura had worked on numerous cases together, casting doubt on the integrity of those cases. The implications were staggering.

"Holy shit," Jane whispered, letting her body fall into Frost's chair, her hands trembling as she scrolled through the article. Lawyers from across the city were already swooping in, arguing that any case Jane and Maura had worked on together should be overturned, citing a conflict of interest. Even cases that had long been settled were now being brought into question.

And then she saw it—the case that had her heart racing with fear: The Ripper case.

The article noted that the highly anticipated trial for The Ripper was just weeks away, and now, the defense team was reportedly preparing to argue that Jane and Maura's relationship compromised the entire investigation. If they succeeded in even casting doubt, it could give The Ripper's defense a chance to overturn key evidence or, worse, delay the trial indefinitely.

"I'm sorry, Jane…" Frost muttered, his voice low and filled with disbelief. "This is a mess."

Korsak's face was grim. "Whoever leaked this is trying to take you and Maura down. This isn't just some tabloid hit—this is calculated. They're going after your work, your cases, everything."

Jane's chest tightened, her pulse quickening. She could feel the weight of it pressing down on her. The Ripper case was the biggest case of her career, and now there was a real possibility it could be derailed because of her personal life.

"Lawyers are already jumping on it. They're going to push that your relationship created a conflict of interest in any case you and Maura both handled. It could mean a lot of cases get reopened." Frost said.

Korsak sighed heavily. "The judges are getting slammed with calls from defense attorneys trying to get cases overturned. It's chaos at the courthouse. Some of the old cases could hold, but new ones… it's a nightmare."

Jane ran her hands through her hair, feeling the panic rising in her chest. How did this happen? She and Maura had kept their relationship as private as they could—outside of their close friends and family, no one should have known. Who had leaked this? And why?

She suddenly realized what this meant for Maura. Not just professionally, but personally. Maura's entire career could be tainted by this. And Jane knew Maura would be devastated. They had worked so hard to keep this all perfectly balanced, and now, everything was unraveling in front of them.

"I have to go see Maura," Jane muttered, backing away from the desk. "She needs to hear this from me before she finds out some other way."

Korsak gave her a sympathetic look. "Do it fast. This could get ugly."

Jane rushed downstairs, her heart pounding with dread, pleading that she could reach Maura before the news did. But as she approached Maura's office, she heard the soft rumblings on the TV in Maura's office. Jane slowed her pace until she was halfway in the door frame.

Maura's face was pale, her eyes hollow, staring at the screen as if she couldn't quite comprehend what was happening. There was no anger, no sadness—just an unsettling emptiness. She looked like a shell of herself, completely devoid of the warmth and sharp intellect that always radiated from her. It was as if life had been drained from her all at once.

Jane felt as though she didn't even exist. She eased her way to Maura's side, and it wasn't until she placed her hand on MAura's arm that Maura even recognized her presence. Jane wanted to say something, but the words stuck in her throat, guilt and helplessness overwhelming her. Seeing Maura like this, so vacant, broke something inside Jane.

"Maura…" Jane whispered, her voice shaky and filled with guilt.

Maura didn't respond right away. Her gaze stayed fixed on the TV, her fingers gripping the armrests of her chair tightly, as though anchoring herself to something solid while her world crumbled around her. She blinked slowly, finally tearing her eyes away from the screen to look at Jane.

When their eyes met, Jane felt her heart sink even further. Maura's expression was unreadable, but the hurt beneath the surface was palpable. She looked lost, as if the ground beneath her had disappeared and she was free-falling through something she couldn't control.

Maura finally spoke, her voice soft, almost a whisper. "Everyone knows."

Jane swallowed hard, her throat dry. "I'm so sorry, Maura. I don't know how this happened… I—"

Maura cut her off with a small shake of her head, her lips pressed into a thin line. "It doesn't matter how it happened, Jane. I don't… I don't even know…" She couldn't put a thought together, perhaps for the first time in her life.

Maura took a shaky deep breath, her eyes flicking back to the TV, their personal life being flashed across the screen for the world to see. Pictures of them walking Maura's neighborhood, short clips of them kissing at a dinner table. Over and over the images replayed, the news anchors speculating, interviews with government officials calling this an egregious breach of professionalism. Hot, stinging tears welled up in Maura's eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

"I don't know how this happened. I thought we were doing everything right." Jane said, her own voice breaking, and she kneeled next to Maura's chair.

Maura's eyes flickered with something—maybe anger, maybe sadness. Jane wasn't sure. "We did," Maura agreed quietly. "But it wasn't enough."

Jane clenched her fists, feeling the weight of her guilt pressing down on her. "I'll fix it. I don't know how yet, but I'll fix this."

Maura stood up slowly, her movements graceful but deliberate. She walked over to the window, staring out into the distance, her back turned to Jane. "I don't know if you can," Maura whispered, her voice barely audible. "I don't know if we can."

Jane's heart shattered at those words. "Maura…"

Maura's shoulders tensed, her voice a little firmer this time. "I can't lose everything, Jane. My career, my reputation… I've worked my whole life for this. And now… because of us, it's all unraveling."

Jane took a step toward her, the desperation rising in her chest. "I can talk to the Sarg. I can figure out who did this."

Maura shook her head. "It won't matter Jane." She turned and pointed to the screen. "Nothing can take this back. We can't just go back into our perfect little world and pretend everyone doesn't know. It's done, now." Her voice was calm and urgent. "I have to make some calls."

Jane wanted to pull Maura into her arms, to tell her everything would be okay, but truly for the first time, she wasn't sure if that would be true.


Maura stood by the window, her mind a storm of conflicting emotions. She felt numb, as if the floor beneath her had dropped away, and she was floating in a void and there was no way to navigate. The world she had meticulously built—her career, her reputation, the respect she had earned, her love for Jane—was crumbling before her eyes. She was suffocating.

She had always been careful, deliberate in how she managed her professional and personal life, never allowing one to compromise the other. Her and Jane created boundaries for themselves early on, and while a few had been crossed here and there, they were careful to keep it private. They didn't ride together to or from work. They only just moved in together, but Maura lived far enough out of town, away from prying eyes and stalking paparazzi. They went to dinner outside of town. She didn't talk about Jane with her coworkers or casual friends. This relationship was the most private, cherished part of her life. And somehow they had let something slip between the cracks. They'd gotten too comfortable in their routines, too comfortable being around each other outside of home.

She wasn't angry at Jane, or at anybody, not directly—this wasn't Jane's fault. But that didn't make the reality any easier to bear. Their relationship, their love, was now being used to tear apart everything they had worked for. Maura's mind kept racing to the headlines, to the phone calls from lawyers, to the potential loss of cases. Her career as the Chief Medical Examiner, built on integrity and hard work, was now under threat. Her reputation was at risk of being tainted, not for any professional misconduct but for who she loved.

Is this what my life will be now? she wondered bitterly. She had fought so hard to build something beyond the shadow of her family's wealth and influence. But now, all of it was on the verge of being taken away.

And what about Jane?

Maura glanced at her fiancée, standing in the middle of the room, looking as lost and heartbroken as she felt. A cold separation between them as they both processed this. The guilt in Jane's eyes was palpable, and Maura could feel the weight of it pressing down on both of them. Jane's words, her desperate promises to fix things, echoed in Maura's mind. But Maura wasn't sure if this could be fixed. This wasn't a problem they could solve with a clever investigation, or dissection, or a courtroom battle. This was their personal lives being scrutinized, torn apart, and used to undermine everything they had worked for.

How do we fight this? Maura wondered, her heart heavy with doubt. Can we even fight this?

She wanted to believe Jane—that they could get through this together, that their love was strong enough to weather even this storm. But fear had been poured like gasoline over their life that was now on fire. Fear of losing her career, fear of public judgment, fear of what this exposure would mean for them. Fear that they may not recover, not fully.

Maura had always been someone who thrived on control, on structure. She was used to making sense of the world through science, through logic. She was raised to speak eloquently and truthfully. She was raised to act professionally, cordially, respectfully, and with integrity that no one could question. It's what made her a good doctor. It's what allowed her to climb the ladder of a male led medical field. She was going to work harder than everyone, she was going to research more than anyone, she was going to be perfect, sometimes at any cost. But now she has lost all control. Control of the narrative, control of her life, and worst of all, she could be losing Jane.

And in the back of her mind, a darker thought crept in: Is loving Jane worth losing everything I've built? It wasn't a question she'd ever dreamed of entertaining before, but it lingered, heavy and unrelenting as she studied her fiance. Jane's head tilted down, her shoulders hunched, her long black curls threatening to engulf the hard curves of her face. A redness formed under my eyes from rubbing away the stress and tears. She was barely holding herself together. Maura could see the slight shake in her fingers when she nervously twirled her engagement ring.

Maura turned back to the window, fighting the urge to run to Jane and tell her that she did believe they could fix this. That they could fight this. That their life would go back to normal as soon as the newest scandal broke on the news. Maura looked down at her own ring, the diamond in the middle glinting from a streak of sunlight that broke through the blinds. The memory of their proposal replaying in her head. Jane going down on one knee, her big brown eyes looking expectantly up at her, Maura's cheeks feeling the hot rise of warmth when Jane spoke her name and asked her to be her wife. There was no question then in Maura's mind that this was exactly what she wanted. There was no question that Jane wasn't perfect, or how they would make it work, only that she loved that woman kneeling before her, in the small, grimy, dimly lit, completely empty bar that they frequented on date nights. At that moment, she didn't care about anything or anyone else. She didn't care about getting caught or her job, or what her family would think, or what her mother would say, or what the world thought. She didn't care.

Now all of that was real. And she didn't want to care, but reality was setting in. She closed her eyes tightly, shoving a wave of emotion back down into the depths of her heart.

The door creaked open, and Sergeant Crowley stepped into the office, his expression neutral but laced with the weight of the situation. Jane and Maura both looked toward him expectantly, the tension between them palpable, their emotions still raw. Jane's jaw was clenched, her body tense, while Maura stood stiffly on the other side of the room.

Sergeant Crowley didn't look angry or disappointed. He looked almost sympathetic, like a man who had been dreading this conversation for as long as they had been waiting for it. It was an odd situation for him to show this emotion, other than his usual rugged and stiff demeanor.

He cleared his throat before speaking, his voice steady and matter-of-fact. "Neither of you deserve to have me sugarcoat this, nor do either of you want me to, so I'm going to be direct and honest about the situation we are all in," he began, his eyes darting between Jane and Maura. "The leak about your relationship, and the legal fallout currently happening—is not good. Both of you have been extremely meticulous in your jobs and you have done a service to this city, but that in turn has put you two in a situation that no one else would ever find themselves in. It doesn't look good."

Jane wrung her fingers together in anticipation, her heart skipping beats as it struggled to function.

"The brass and the legal teams have been going over every possible angle," Crowley continued, his tone measured. "There are a few options on the table, but none of them will be ideal."

Jane finally sat down to brace herself, her knee bounced violently under her elbow as she leaned forward to listen carefully.

Sergeant Crowley sighed, running a hand through his hair before stepping closer. "Option one: The department's legal team could fight to keep your past cases intact, arguing that your relationship didn't affect the integrity of the work you both did. This would mean your relationship would be even more public as they determine the state of things during these cases. You would no longer have personal lives. And the reality is, this could take months, maybe years, to resolve. During that time, you'd both also be placed on administrative leave."

Jane's heart sank. Administrative leave? That meant being sidelined indefinitely, their careers hanging in the balance while lawyers and courts argued over their fates. Option one would leave no room for things to go back to normal.

"Option two," Crowley continued, glancing at Maura before shifting his gaze back to Jane, "would be for one or both of you to step down voluntarily from any cases you've worked on together. That might help minimize the fallout and keep some of your current work from being overturned, but it still puts a lot of past cases at risk as other detectives and medical examiners would have to reopen and re-investigate the cases you have worked."

"Is there an option three?" Maura finally asked, her voice steady but laced with the quiet pain she'd been carrying.

Crowley hesitated, knowing this would be the hardest to hear. "Option three… The department could ask one of you to transfer. It would remove the direct connection between you two, which might help prevent further scrutiny on ongoing investigations. It might also prove that if you are willing to walk away from the relationship, then it potentially paints a lighter picture of the situation. A fling, something temporary and arbitrary so that a judge might believe it was serious enough to hinder any investigations."

"I'll take the transfer," Jane said quickly, her voice firm, though her heart pounded in her chest. "She can't lose everything she's worked for because of this."

Sergeant Crowley raised a hand, his expression concerned. "Jane, slow down. This isn't something you need to decide on the spot. Maybe you two go home, talk about it and…"

"I can't see another way." Jane turned to Maura for support. "We can't let this destroy what we have worked for. What you have worked for." Jane stepped toward her but she could feel the slight move away from her that Maura made. Jane hesitated. "Maura, please. Let me transfer. You can stay here and continue your work."

The emptiness in Maura's eyes tugged at Jane's heart, but she steeled herself. Maura had always supported her, had always been by her side through every storm. Now it was Jane's turn to protect her.

Before Maura could say anything, the Sergeant stood up again. "I'll let you two talk, I have some phone calls to make. Jane," he eyed her seriously. "I'll respect your decision, whether I like it or not."

Jane couldn't stop her thoughts from spilling over, rationalizing, planning, trying to sell this to Maura. "Maura, please, it will be fine. The Serg will make sure I go somewhere just as good as here. Frost and Korsak will continue working here and we can still…"

"We can still what, Jane?" Tears now welled up in Maura's eyes. Jane backed off at the sudden shift in Maura's tone, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Was she angry?

"We can… we can still… be together." Jane realized as soon as the words came out of her mouth that they were too hard to say.

Maura shook her head. "You don't understand. Jane, if you transfer… this doesn't work. We won't be able to contact each other, we won't be able to see each other until ALL of this goes away. You may not ever be able to come back here. I will always have people looking over my shoulder, making sure I dot all my i's and cross all my t's and make sure I'm not fucking a detective behind everyone's back."

Jane shuddered at Maura's harshness.

"What do we do then? If we both quit then everyone else wins. Whoever leaked our relationship wins. This has something to do with this case! With The Ripper! It has to. It has to be someone who knows we are close to finding them and they are attacking us so that we can't figure it out."

Maura scoffs.

"What?" Jane shoots a hard glance at her.

"This stupid case. It's not about the case, Jane. We got sloppy. Someone wanted their fifteen minutes of fame, and now–" Maura wipes a tear she allowed to fall down her cheek. "Now, it's just… a mess."

Jane's throat ran dry, and she swallowed hard. She sat back down in one of the chairs, her head falling into her hands. "What do we do then?" She mumbled. "We both lose our jobs, or one of us does. And if it's one of us, then it's going to be me." She said matter-of-factly.

Maura rolled her eyes. "That's ridiculous, Jane."

The room felt like it paused, and Jane sat up, an out of the ordinary smirk on stretched thin on her lips as she stared at the floor where Maura was standing, a snort escaping her nose. "You know what's ridiculous, Maura?" She looked up at Maura, the woman's blue eyes showing concern in Jane's sudden smile. Jane looked down at her ring and twisted it around in thought before she spoke. "I–" Jane cleared the knot in her throat and took a deep breath before continuing. "What's ridiculous is what I would willingly do for you. It actually kind of scares me because I have never wanted to throw my whole life away for someone else more than I do right now, for you. I have never felt like my life and my career were as insignificant as they are compared to you. I didn't even know that it was possible to feel that way. But it is the most natural state for me right now. Blame it on the heightened emotions all you want, but–" Jane wiped her sweaty hands on her knees. "I would throw away everything for you." Jane stood, rubbing the back of her neck and shaking her head. Like she didn't understand the words forming in her brain. "I've never been so scared. I'd thought about it once. I'd thought about if I had to choose, and wondered if it would be an easy decision. I wished it would be easy. And now, the thought of losing you? None of it matters, and it scares the hell out of me."

"Jane, please…" Maura tried to interrupt, but it was no use.

"I've never been the same person since I met you. It's terrifying because for the first time, I'm realizing that I could lose everything—and I'm fine with it. It doesn't even register, because nothing that I have or have accumulated matters if you're not there."

Jane didn't wait to hear Maura explain to her how illogical her thoughts and feelings may be. That she shouldn't idolize her the way Jane did. That Maura didn't deserve someone who thought of her in that way, and Jane didn't deserve to have to make such a sacrifice. Jane didn't want to hear it. Because it wouldn't matter.

As soon as she exited the sergeant's office, she felt it—the unmistakable shift in the air. She made her decision. Looking around her office, she knew this part of her life was over… for now.

Jane strode across the room, her steps purposeful and sharp. She was no longer in the mood to deal with the curious whispers or the lingering stares. Right now, she had to focus on what she could control—and now, that was figuring out what she could do for Frost and Korsak.

When Jane reached them, she leaned against Frost's desk, crossing her arms, trying to ground herself in the familiarity of her partners. "Alright," she said, her voice low but steady. "We need to get a plan together."

Korsak eyed her cautiously, sharing a glance with Frost, trying to read the storm in her expression. "What did Crowley say?"

Jane stood in front of them, her hands on her hips, the weight of her decision settling heavily on her shoulders. She hesitated for just a second, glancing between her two partners. Then, with a deep breath, she said, "I'm going to transfer."

Both Frost and Korsak reacted immediately. Frost's mouth dropped open in shock, while Korsak's face twisted into a deep frown.

"Transfer?" Frost asked, disbelief clear in his voice. "Jane, you can't transfer!"

Korsak stepped closer, his voice more measured but equally concerned. "Jane, this isn't something you can just decide like that. You don't have to—"

"Look, Jane," Frost interrupted, his voice tight with emotion, "we can figure something out. This doesn't have to be the only way. You don't have to transfer."

Korsak nodded in agreement, his voice low and serious. "We've been through enough together to know that we'll stand beside you, no matter what happens. You've got us. But a transfer? That's drastic. Maybe we can push back, fight for something else."

"I appreciate you both," Jane said, her voice soft but firm, "but I've already thought this through. No matter what I choose, I'll either be on administrative leave or transferred. There's no version of this where I get to stay here on this case."

Korsak let out a heavy sigh, folding his arms across his chest. "You've already made up your mind, haven't you?"

Jane nodded, the resolve in her eyes clear. "I have. I just need to tell the sergeant. I hate it, but this is the only way."

Just as the weight of Jane's decision seemed to settle between them, the door to the sergeant's office creaked open. Jane's heart sank as Maura stepped out. She could feel it, the energy between them, the hurt and the silence. Maura didn't look in their direction—didn't even glance at Jane. Her eyes were downcast, her face pale and strained. It was clear she had been crying, it was a painful sight for Jane.

The room fell silent again, but this time, Jane didn't have a sarcastic comment or an easy way to break the tension. Her heart was too heavy. Watching Maura like this—seeing the hurt in her eyes, the walls that had grown between them—was more painful than anything she'd experienced in years.

Korsak glanced at Jane, his expression softening. "She's hurting, Jane."

"I know," Jane whispered, her voice barely audible. "So am I."

For a long moment, the three of them stood there, the reality of the situation sinking deeper than ever. Jane knew she couldn't stay. She had made her choice to protect Maura, to take the brunt of the fallout so that Maura wouldn't have to. But seeing Maura like this—broken, distant—she struggled with knowing this was the right decision. She wanted the right decision to make things better, but this time It wasn't going to.


You're losing her, Detective Rizzoli. The plan is in motion. How strong are you really? You've been through so much,could you possibly handle this? Can you sustain? Can you make it to the finish line? Secrets can't stay hidden forever, not when there are games to play.

I wish it wasn't you. But it's not about what I want. It's about what he needs. It's about what this world needs. Today's the day that the real pain begins. We have a long road ahead of us detective… but–


Jane walked into the precinct café downstairs, the air heavy with the weight of her upcoming decision. She had left Frost and Korsak upstairs, both of them visibly upset with her choice to transfer, but this was something she had to do. She was ready to find Sergeant Crowley and start the paperwork. At least, she told herself that.

When she rounded the corner to the cafe, her mother instantly caught her attention.

"Jane!" The pouting face of her mother as she approached JAne for a hug made Jane uncomfortable. But while she normally peeled herself away from her mother's embrace, for a brief moment, Jane allowed herself to melt into her mother's warmth. "Janie, I'm so sorry. What happened?" Her mother let go and lifted her chin up.

"I don't know, Ma. Someone found out." Jane shrugged her shoulders. Her mother pulled out a chair for her to sit before disappearing into the back kitchen, emerging a few moments later with a cup of coffee and plate of breakfast. The sight of the eggs made Jane want to barf. She was in no mood to eat at the moment, but it was her mother's love language so she pretended to smile from the offer.

"What are you going to do now? You said it would be bad if the public found out." Her mother sat next to her, her tone more of in search of gossip than actual comforting her daughter. Jane ignored the thought.

"It's bad. I'm asking Serg for a transfer." Jane leaned her cheek to one hand and sipped her coffee.

Mer mother acted concerned. "Janie, you can't be serious? Why?"

Jane sighed. "Because I have to," she replied, her voice tight. She was tired of telling the story and defending her answer already. "It's the only way Maura gets to keep her job. It's… complicated."

Her mother bit at her lip, looking as if she was going to say something she didn't think Jane wanted to hear. "Maybe this is a good thing?" Her mother asked gently.

Jane's face contorted. "A good thing? Ma. Come on." She scoffed.

"I just mean I never wanted you to be a cop to begin with. This job is too dangerous, too stressful. Out there chasing criminals and risking your life. What would it hurt for you to do something else… something less dangerous?" Her mother tried to reason.

Jane shook her head. "Ma, I'm not just a beat cop. I'm a detective, and I'm good at this. It's what I've always been good at." Jane retorted back.

Angela placed a hand on Jane's. "I know, Jane. I just want you to be happy. And safe. I'm your mother."

"Thanks for stating the obvious, but I wish it was that simple." Jane sighed. She eyed the patrons in the cafe. For the time at least, it seemed their attention was off of her and Maura's breaking news story. The TV had been turned off, and everyone had their heads buried in their phones, unaware of their surroundings. Except for one girl…

"Anna?" Jane whispered to herself, narrowing her eyes at the small body across the cafe. In the corner of the cafe at a single seat table, the young, blonde image of Jane's victim sat hunched over a notebook, scribbling away mindlessly. What is she doing here? Jane thought to herself. "Ma, I have to go."

"You gonna eat your breakfast?"

"No, thank you." Jane rose without paying her much attention.

Jane approached the young girl, glancing around for her parents, but she didn't see them. Maybe they were off doing another interview and felt like this was a safe place for Anna to stay out of the way. The last time Anna was here, she wanted to talk to Jane about Ava. Anna led them to the university, to Ava's literature class, but did she have more to say? Did she remember something else about their lives? Did she know that Jane knew they were switching places?

"Anna?" Jane's tone was soft and inquisitive. Anna looked up, startled by Jane's sudden appearance. For a moment, she seemed a little caught off guard, her eyes slightly red, like she had been crying. She closed her journal quickly.

"What are you doing here? I thought you went home after we talked?" Jane asked her calmly.

Anna's eyes darted around, she was clearly nervous. "Detective Rizzoli, I did… I went home. We had the funeral for Ava." She paused. "After the funeral, though… I just couldn't stay there. Without Ava, it didn't feel like home anymore."

Jane frowned. "So, you came all the way back to Boston?"

Anna's eyes dropped embarrassingly. "I moved here. I needed to get away. I couldn't be in that house anymore, surrounded by all the reminders of her. It was too much."

Jane was taken aback a little by the thought of Anna moving to the city where her sister was murdered. She guessed she'd seen family members do weirder things. "What about your parents? How are they handling everything?"

Anna let out a shaky breath, her eyes darkening slightly. "They're dealing with it… as well as any parent can, I guess. But I remind them of her. It's like every time they look at me they want to see Ava. And when they don't, I can see the disappointment in their eyes." She looked up at Jane, her eyes filled with a mixture of sorrow and resignation. "So, I thought it would be best for everyone if I just… left."

"I'm sorry, Anna. That sounds… incredibly hard."

Anna shrugged, her smile bitter. "It is what it is. Boston seemed like a good place to start over. If Ava thought so, then it's a good enough place for me."

Jane nodded, understanding more than she could say. "If you need anything, you still have my card, right?" Jane asked.

Anna smiled weakly and nodded, but there was something distant in her expression, something that made Jane uneasy. She wanted to press further. Ask her what she was writing, ask her why she was at the PD cafe, ask her where she moved to exactly so Jane could keep tabs on her. But she knew Sergeant Crowley was waiting on her decision.

"I have to go," Jane said. "But seriously, if you need anything let me know. Don't be a stranger, okay?"

Anna nodded, her expression softening. "I won't. Thanks, Detective Rizzoli."

While Jane's instincts were on high alert, she couldn't quite entertain the thought that there may be more going on with Anna. She pushed it aside for the moment, her mind already turning back to the decision she was about to finalize with Crowley.

As she approached the Sergeant's office though, the weight of her decision–of leaving her job, her cases, and possibly Maura–settled heavier in her chest.


"Jane. Jane!" Jane shot out of bed when she heard Maura's strained voice on the other side of the phone. Something was wrong. "Jane, someone is in my house." The voice was low and whispered.

"Maura? Where are you?" Jane tripped over the belongings around her room, hunting for her shoes. "Are you hiding? Did you call 911?"

"Jane, please. I can hear them. I'm–I'm in my room, in the bathroom." The stress in Maura's words was almost too much to handle. After everything, this couldn't be happening right? Jane's heart pounded heavier than it ever had. What the fuck was going on?

"Can you reach the window? Can you get out of it? I'm coming!" Jane sprinted through the living room, tripping over one of the bar chairs to get to her keys. The pain in her shin was numb, her adrenaline spiking. "Maura?" She called her name after not hearing her voice.

"I–I think I can reach it." There was a strain in her voice like she was reaching for something. "Jane, I don't know if I can get out in time. I can hear them."

"Them? Fuck." Jane practically lept into her squad car. The outside cold on her bare legs blurred from her mind. "How many are in the house?"

"I don't know. I heard more than one voice." Another strain. "Jane, it's too small."

"Okay, Maura, just try, please!" Jane could feel the panic rise in her chest and she felt a flush in her cheeks, tears threatening to spill over. She shoved it down, telling herself they were just normal criminals looking to steal some expensive looking things and then leave. But… after everything that had happened this last week, Jane couldn't bring herself to fully believe that.

Maura was quiet for a moment. Jane's voice broke when she said her name again. "Maura, I'm coming. What's happening?"

"They're in my room, Jane. Hurry." Her whisper was strained, loud and demanding. Maura was feeling the same fear.

Jane continued to try and keep Maura calm. Urge her to try the window again. Ask if she could hear what they were saying, or could tell how many there were. But Maura stayed quiet, only her breaths could be heard through the phone. As long as she was breathing, Jane could breathe too.

Then all at once, Jane's world shattered as Maura's screams curdled through the line. "MAURA!" Jane yelled, her foot pushed to the floor and her sirens blaring out of her car as she ran one red light after another. Jane could hear the shattering of glass in the background, and then a heavy thud before the line went quiet. "Maura…" Jane's voice shook in fear. "Maura, please. Pick up the phone."

She heard the phone shuffle around like someone had picked it up. "You can't save her, Jane."

An ice cold chill went down Jane's spine. "You hurt her and I will kill you. Police are on the way." She pulled the deepest, darkest tone from the bowls of her throat. But her desperation was too strong to mask entirely.

The voice laughed. "I'll be long gone before they get here. She called you, Jane. She didn't call the police. She thought you could save her, but you can't. Just like you didn't save any of them."

The phone clicked off, and Jane's felt as though her heart was physically being ripped from her chest. She was easily fifteen minutes from Maura's house, even at this speed. She wouldn't make it in time. She wouldn't make it.