Chapter 3

It was in the early morning hours when they were awoken from their sleep by a persistent ringing in the room. "I think it's yours," Maura drowsily mumbled, reaching her arm over Jane's body to grab the offending item. "Jane Rizzoli's phone," she said, smiling to herself. "Yes, she's here. Hold on." She handed the cell phone to Jane, "it's for you. It's Frost."

The brunette groaned, "what's up, Frost?" Listening to her partner on the other end of the line, her eyes finally opened, "I'll be there in thirty."

Jane removed herself from Maura's arms and slid out of bed. "They found the car from last night," she said, while putting on her pants.

"Do you want me to come with you?" the doctor asked, pushing herself upright in bed.

Jane shook her head. "No, just go back to sleep," she momentarily disappeared into the closet. "Spend some time with your folks this morning," she said, walking back out. She put a shirt on over her head, then looked in the vanity mirror. She didn't want to waste any time messing with her hair, so she put it up in a pony tail. "I'll call you if I find anything out, okay?"

"Jane. What are you not telling me?" Maura crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for an answer.

The detective sat down on the bed next to Maura, putting on her boots. "There's not much to tell."

"Is that why there was an unmarked following us home last night, and why it's still parked in front of our house this morning?"

Jane ran a hand over her face, knowing she was busted. "You noticed that, huh?" When all she received in return was a raised eyebrow and a head tilt, she knew she'd better spill. "The cops outside are just a precaution."

"For what?" Maura's voice had a hint of concern in it now.

"For the slight possibility that last night wasn't an accident, but a deliberate hit on either one of us." Jane shifted on the bed so she was now facing Maura, putting her hands on her shoulders. "Maura, I didn't want to worry you unnecessarily, or your parents. It's probably nothing. I just want to make sure, okay?"

The response was slow coming, but finally the doctor nodded.

Jane dropped a soft kiss on sweet lips before getting up, "Maur. Don't worry, okay? Not unless, or until, we find something to worry about."

A little more than twenty minutes later, the detective drove into the underground garage where the car had been found. A team was already looking for anything that could be useful in finding the owner of the vehicle.

"No license plate, or VIN. Of course not, that would've been too easy." Jane groaned.

"Look, over here." Frost motioned her over, he was holding up what appeared to be a metal switch of some sort.

"What's that?" she asked.

"I think it's the cut off switch for a space heater." Frost looked at the thing from side to side.

"Like the space heater that we found at the Whistler Factory?"

Frost put the item in a clear evidence bag, "I think it's very possible. Your instincts might be right, Jane. This is starting to feel anything but random."

It was mid afternoon when Korsak, Frost and Jane were sitting around a table in the bullpen. Several boxes of files around them, with Frankie bringing in another one. "Is Maura here," he asked.

"No, she's at home, spending the day with her parents. Why, what do you need?" the brunette stood up to meet her brother.

"These are the files from the fires she requested." Frankie put the box down on the table and Jane opened it up, pulling out a stack of documents. "Wait a minute, these are all from the same company," the brunette quickly glanced through them, "and according to this, our victim Greg Hill has been looking into them as well. This is every fire his company has responded to in the last year."

Jane started pacing around the table. "This can't be a coincidence, guys. Greg looks into these fires, and he ends up dead. Then when Maura requests the same files, she almost gets run over by a car."

All three connected the dots at the same time; they were dealing with a fire fighter, who was deliberately starting these fires. And whoever it was, wasn't just an arsonist, he was also a killer that had now set his sights on Maura.

"We need to flush this guy out," Frost said finally, "before he tries again."

"I agree," Jane said, "we need to come up with a plan."

Frankie, who had still been standing there, cleared his throat and when his sister looked up, he nodded his head at the clock on the wall.

"Oh shit," Jane groaned in frustration, "I'm already late."

"Your party," Frost stated, "you better hurry. Don't want to be late when you're half of the reason for the event."

The brunette angrily rubbed her face, "this case couldn't have come at a worse time. What if, whoever this is, tries again tonight?" she said worried.

"We'll get extra security, Jane. And we'll be there as well. We'll all keep an eye out for the doc."

A big part of Jane wanted to cancel the whole thing, but she knew she couldn't do that. It wasn't the first time someone was after them, and unfortunately it probably wouldn't be the last time either. It came with their jobs. They couldn't let fear run their lives. However that didn't mean she wasn't going to take precautions to avoid any disastrous consequences.

It might be a little difficult with her outfit, but she was going to be carrying her gun tonight.

Two hours later than she was supposed to, she entered their Beacon Hill home. Greeted by a very upset, but gorgeous looking blonde.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be late." Jane instantly apologized before the doctor could open her mouth and berate her.

Maura took a deep breath. She knew how her fiancee got when she was on a case. The woman was stubborn and determined; with a very one track mind. She wouldn't rest until the case was solved. It was one of the qualities Maura loved about her, and she really didn't want to start their special evening with a fight, so she decided to let it go. Jane was home now, and they still had time to get ready, although not as much time as she had wanted.

"Just go and take a shower, so we can get ready." Maura finally said, adding a little smile to show that she wasn't as upset as the detective might think.

Jane got ready in record time and it wasn't much longer after that when there was a knock on their front door. A limousine was waiting outside to bring them and the rest of the Isles' family to the party venue, just outside of Boston.

They were going a little earlier, so they could check everything out, and have a quiet dinner together, before the rest of the guests would arrive.

Maura's parents had kept the location a surprise. And when they drove up to the venue, it had the desired effect; it was very beautiful and elegant.

Around the outside of what could only be describe as a small castle, were cedar wood decks, a large fountain, and a comfortable, stylish seating area that looked out straight onto the ocean.

While the outside resembled an old castle, the ambiance inside did even more so; it was like stepping back in time. It was decorated in low earth tones, accented with white and cream colors. With large chandeliers hanging from high ceilings. The lighting warm and low, together with the decorations, it made it feel like everything was glowing; just a little bit.

The whole place was very romantic, and Maura was positively beaming, she loved it.

Jane was a little overwhelmed. She really did love the place, and she appreciated Constance and Alexander for organizing the party, or event, for them; really she did. However, she knew that soon she would be stepping into a room of about two hundred people. The majority of them would be strangers to her, upper class Bostonians and other friends of the Isles family. It made her incredibly nervous, and fidgety.

Maura was talking to her parents and to the hostess of the party, while Jane was standing kind of awkwardly to the side, subconsciously rubbing her hands. She was already starting to feel uncomfortable, so when her phone rang, it was the perfect opportunity for her to excuse herself and take a minute alone.

"Rizzoli," she answered, without really checking the caller I.D.

It had been Korsak, telling her they had arranged for extra security to inconspicuously patrol around the grounds. It was the best they could do, and Jane just hoped it was enough.

When she got off the phone, she stayed outside and headed over to the area overlooking the ocean. She sat herself down on one of the chairs and stared out onto the water, getting lost in thought; her thumbs tracing the scars on her hands. They hardly ever hurt anymore, and she had put the trauma behind her. But it had changed who she was, and sometimes she wondered what kind of person she would be without them, without the experience of torture and pain. It didn't really matter, she was who she was, and that was okay. And in just a few months she was going to get married; to Maura. A smile crept on her face thinking about that.

Jane was interrupted in her musings when two arms slid around her neck.

"I missed you," Maura softly spoke in her ear, "you okay?"

The brunette reached for Maura's arms and pulled her around and on her lap, wrapping her arms around the smaller frame of her fiancee.

"I'm fine," Jane responded.

"You sure?" Maura shifted a little, so she could put her hands on Jane's face, gently caressing the soft skin with her thumbs.

"I am. Maybe, just a little nervous?" Brown eyes looked into hazel with just a little concern, "I won't know most of the people here tonight. What if I make a complete fool of myself. I'm not exactly high class, Maur. They'll probably hmppff - ."

Maura had interrupted the brunette with a kiss, "Jane, you are beautiful, intelligent, and funny. People are going to love you. Even if they don't, it doesn't matter, because I love you; just the way you are. And I feel very fortunate I'm going to be able to spend the rest of my life with you."

The doctor leaned in for another kiss, letting it linger a little longer than the one before, "if you get uncomfortable tonight, just look at me, and remember that." She gave the brunette one more peck on the lips, before adding playfully, "and if that doesn't help, you can think about all the ways I am going to show you, how much I love you, when we get back home tonight."

Jane groaned a little, she was just about to open her mouth with a smart reply, when they got interrupted by the sound of three very excited Rizzoli's looking for them.

The evening was definitely not as bad as Jane had thought, it was actually really nice. Most of the people at the party were kind and friendly. Some of them were a little out there; a little stiff like Frankie and Tommy called them. Jane just smiled warmly at those few, yet tried to give them a wide birth otherwise.

Maura was a little more used to this type of crowd, and so the doctor easily mingled, reacquainting herself with friends of her family. But most of the night she stayed close to Jane, holding her hand whenever possible.

So it was a little disconcerting for the detective, when at one point she couldn't find Maura anywhere. She didn't want to overreact, yet she quickly found Korsak and Frost across the room, asking them with her eyes if they had seen the doctor anywhere.

When both of them shook their heads, she motioned for them to follow her outside.

It took them almost five minutes until they spotted the blonde, standing by herself, looking out over the ocean. Jane was trying to keep her cool, but she walked as quickly up to her as she could; without looking like she was running.

"Hey Maur, where were you? I've been looking for you." The detective tried very hard to keep the anxiety out of her voice.

Maura looked up at her like she had been miles away lost in thought. "I'm sorry," she said, her eyes traveling back towards the water.

"Don't be sorry, tell me what's going on? Did someone do something, or say something to you?" Jane took a hold of one of the doctor's hands, trying to grab her attention.

Maura sighed deeply, "Paddy Doyle was here," she said, her voice low.

"What? When? Are you okay?" It wasn't very articulate, but it was all the brunette could come up with at the moment.

"Just now, I went outside to see someone off. And when I turned around he was right there. He wanted to talk to me." the doctor finally looked up and was met with stormy dark brown eyes.

A mobster, even though he was Maura's biological father, had come to their engagement party, uninvited. That bastard somehow evaded all the security they had watching the place.

Paddy Doyle just popped in and out of his daughter's life whenever he felt like it. He was nothing but a murderer, a sperm donor. Jane could barely restrain the anger she felt rising up inside of her.

Why couldn't he just leave Maura be, or at least go back into the shadows, like before; unseen.

"Don't worry. We'll get him." Jane finally managed to say.

"I don't know if I want you to," the blonde reluctantly admitted.

Jane looked completely shocked from hearing those words come out of Maura's mouth. "Why would …?" she shook her head, "it doesn't matter, it's not up to me." The brunette took a deep breath, trying to shake off the distress and frustration she was feeling. 'This is our engagement party for crying out loud. How dare that …man, come around here, tonight of all nights, and mess with Maura's head again,' she thought.

Maura could see that the detective was losing control of her emotions, "I'm okay, Jane."

"He had no right to come here tonight. He puts your life in danger every time he decides to show up, Maura." Jane was pacing around, working off the anxiety she felt, until a gentle hand on her arm stopped her mid stride. "Jane, please don't let this, ...him, ruin our evening."

The detective turned around and locked eyes with Maura; she was right. So Jane made the conscious decision to not give Paddy Doyle another thought tonight; it could be dealt with tomorrow.

"Okay," she grabbed onto the blonde's hand, "you're right. This is our night, and nobody is going to ruin that."

A ghost of a smile finally appeared on Maura's face, she tightly wrapped her arms around a slender waist, leaning her head against a firm, yet soft shoulder.

Jane pulled the doctor closer and let herself relax into the embrace, the tension slowly seeping out of her body. She placed a tender kiss on the top of Maura's head, then took a step back; reluctantly removing herself from her fiancee's warm body, but still holding onto a delicate hand. "Now, how about a dance?" she finally spoke, and when the request was greeted with a bright smile, she knew the rest of the evening was going to be just...perfect.

A/N: First of all - HAPPY NEW YEAR! and...OMG it's 2013.

Thank you for all the alerts I received on this story; it means a lot.

A special thank you to everyone that's been kind enough to leave me a review. YOU ROCK! Seriously. I appreciate the feedback, good or bad, so much.

I'll update again with another chapter before the weekend.

The drama will be kicked up a notch very soon. Hope you're ready for it.

Finally *points to the box below* any thoughts?