* New Story- Continues at the End of Protection and the journey of Jane, Maura and Beni. I always appreciate your comments and thoughts, hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it. *

"Roots anchor deep beneath the shifting soil.

an unseen hold against the winds of time."

The precinct buzzed with its usual controlled chaos as Jane walked in, her phone in one hand and a coffee in the other. She was scanning through messages when Frost intercepted her near her desk, holding a thin case file.

"Got a new one," Frost said, handing it over.

Jane groaned, setting her coffee down as she flipped open the file. "What's the story?"

"Body found in an alley downtown," Frost said. "Young male, mid-thirties, no ID on him. Maura's already at the scene."

"Of course she is," Jane muttered, grabbing her jacket. "Guess I'm headed there."

Frost hesitated, his gaze flicking to the picture on her desk of a smiling Beni holding a stuffed bear. "How's the little guy doing?"

Jane softened slightly, her fingers brushing the edge of the photo. "He's good. We've got emergency foster status until we figure something more permanent. Maura's been a rock star with him."

Frost smirked. "Of course she has. You two make a pretty good team."

Jane rolled her eyes but didn't deny it. "Let's just hope this case doesn't make things harder for us. The kid deserves some stability."

Jane ducked under the crime scene tape, her boots crunching against the pavement as she approached the alley. Maura was already crouched beside the body, her gloved hands carefully examining the victim's clothing.

"Morning, Doc," Jane greeted, pulling on her own gloves. "What do we have?"

Maura looked up, her expression composed. "Male, approximately thirty-five years old. Cause of death appears to be blunt force trauma to the back of the head. Based on lividity and body temperature, time of death is likely between 2 and 4 a.m."

"Any idea who he is?" Jane asked, glancing at the empty wallet Frost had mentioned.

"Not yet," Maura replied. "There are no distinguishing tattoos or markings. We'll need to run his fingerprints."

Jane crouched beside her, studying the body. "Anything else jump out?"

Maura nodded toward the victim's shoes, which were scuffed and muddy. "It looks like he was running before he fell. There's dirt under his nails as well, suggesting a struggle."

"Great," Jane muttered. "Looks like we've got another puzzle to solve."

Maura's gaze softened slightly as she glanced at Jane. "How was Beni this morning before you left?"

Jane smiled faintly. "He was all smiles when I left. Ma's watching him now, so he's in good hands."

"Good," Maura said, her voice warm. "He needs that."

Jane nodded, standing and scanning the alley. "Alright, let's wrap this up. The sooner we get answers here, the sooner we can get back to him."

"Jane, you don't think your mother is just feeding him sweets and letting him watch TV?" Maura questioned as she began to pack her medical bag.

"Well, she is the woman who raised Frankie, Tommy, and me, putting an emphasis on education, and made us play outside, but now she is Nonna, so all bets are off, Maur," Jane smirked.

As Jane and Frost walked back toward the squad car, Frost glanced at her, a smile playing on his lips. "So, Rizzoli," he began, his tone casual, "how are you and Maura making this whole thing work with Beni?"

Jane adjusted her jacket, her eyes scanning the scene one last time before answering. "What do you mean? How are we making it work? We just… are."

Frost snorted. "That's not an answer. You're both full-time professionals juggling a three-year-old. There's gotta be more to it than 'we just are.'"

Before Jane could reply, Maura approached, clipboard in hand. She glanced between them, her tone calm and matter-of-fact. "It's all about creating a routine," she explained. "I come in early in the morning to start the day while Jane spends the morning with Beni."

Jane rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "And I'm perfectly fine with the late morning shift because I get to catch up on some much-needed sleep."

Maura raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a small, knowing smile. "Jane, let's be honest. It's not about the sleep—you enjoy spending that time with Beni."

Jane blinked, opening her mouth to protest, but then sighed, her expression softening. "Alright, fine. The kid's got this thing where he makes you laugh even when you don't want to."

Maura's smile widened. "Exactly. And then I finish early in the afternoon so I can spend the evenings with Beni until Jane gets home from work."

Frost caught the phrasing immediately, his eyebrows raising slightly. "Home?" he asked, a teasing edge in his voice.

Jane hesitated for a beat before shrugging. "Yeah, home. We can't exactly live in two different places and raise a kid together, can we?"

Frost studied her for a moment, his smirk widening. "Makes sense," he said, though his tone suggested he was holding back more questions. "So, everything's working out, huh?"

Maura nodded confidently. "It is. We've established a balance that prioritizes Beni's well-being while still allowing us to fulfill our responsibilities."

Frost gave a low whistle. "You two are a machine."

Jane shot him a look. "Don't get used to it. We're still figuring it out."

Frost chuckled, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "Hey, I'm just impressed. That's all."

Maura checked her watch and turned to Jane. "I need to head back to the morgue to prepare for the autopsy. I'll check in later."

"Alright, Doc," Jane said, watching her head toward her car.

As soon as Maura was out of earshot, Frost turned back to Jane, a mischievous glint in his eye. "So, living together, raising a kid, sharing shifts… seems like more than a temporary thing to me."

Jane sighed heavily, rubbing a hand over her face. "Don't start, Frost. We've got enough on our plate without you playing matchmaker."

Frost laughed, shaking his head. "Whatever you say, Rizzoli. Whatever you say."

Frankie sauntered over to Jane and Frost, a grin already plastered on his face. "You know," he began, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Ma's having a blast taking care of Beni. She's acting like she's already his Nonna full-time."

Jane rolled her eyes, but there was a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah, well, Ma's always been good at inserting herself into situations, but Beni's lucky to have her around."

Frankie's grin widened. "I'm just saying you and Maura better figure out a way to keep him permanently, or Ma's gonna start demanding you have another kid for her to spoil."

Jane raised an eyebrow, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, sure, Frankie. Let me just add that to my to-do list. One: Find someone and get into a relationship. Two: Have a kid on the pronto. For real, Frankie, there are about 25 million things on my to-do list before those. Ma, better be happy I gave her this kid, even if it's just temporary."

Frost snorted, crossing his arms as he leaned against the squad car. "Angela's already adopted Beni as her grandchild. You're gonna have a tough time convincing her otherwise."

Frankie chuckled, then turned to Jane with a teasing glint in his eye. "So, when's the wedding?"

Jane blinked, her expression snapping from amused to defensive in a heartbeat. "What are you talking about?"

Frost smirked, raising his hands innocently. "Oh, come on, Rizzoli. Everyone's talking about it. You and Maura are already living together, raising a kid—it's not a stretch."

Jane's eyes narrowed, her voice sharp. "What do you mean, 'everyone's talking about it'? What's going on?"

Frost's grin widened. "There's a pool going. You know, about when you two are finally gonna admit you are in a relationship. I gotta say, if you do, I'll win a lot of money."

Jane's jaw dropped, and she jabbed a finger at both of them. "There's a pool on me and Maura? Are you kidding me?"

Frankie tried to stifle a laugh, but Jane's glare only made it harder. "It's just a joke, Janie. Don't take it so seriously."

Jane pointed at him, her voice lowering to a growl. "Maura cannot know about this. You hear me? If she finds out people are betting on us, I'll personally make sure you both regret it."

Frost raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright! We won't say a word."

Jane shook her head, still fuming. "Good. Now, Frankie, make yourself useful and canvass the area. See if anyone heard or saw anything."

Frankie gave her a mock salute. "On it, boss," he said, still grinning as he walked off.

As he disappeared, Jane turned back to Frost. "And you," she said, jabbing a finger at him.

Frost laughed, holding up his hands again. "I'm on your team, Rizzoli. Promise."

Jane sighed, her shoulders relaxing slightly. They began walking back toward the car, the tension easing.

"You know," Frost said after a moment, his tone lighter, "you're good at this. Taking care of Beni, I mean. Both you and Maura are excellent with balancing his needs."

Jane glanced at him, her lips quirking into a small smile. "Yeah," she admitted. "It's pretty great. He's a good kid. And honestly? It feels… right. Like it's something I was supposed to be doing."

Frost smiled, nudging her lightly with his elbow. "Told you you'd be good at it."

Jane stepped into the morgue, her boots echoing softly against the tiled floor. Maura was bent over the lab machine, her focus entirely on the computer screen in front of her.

"Hey, Maur," Jane said, her tone casual as she approached.

Maura glanced up, offering Jane a small smile. "Hello, Jane. I'm running the victim's fingerprints through the database now. The crime lab has his cellphone, and we should start receiving preliminary reports on its data shortly."

"Good," Jane said, leaning against the counter. "Anything else?"

Maura shook her head. "Kent will be performing the autopsy this afternoon. For now, I'm organizing the information we've gathered."

"Guess that means I've got a little time to catch up on paperwork," Jane muttered, though her tone suggested she wasn't thrilled about it.

Maura gave her a knowing look. "Or you could spend it here, helping me. I'm certain there's something useful you can contribute."

Jane smirked. "Like holding the clipboard?"

Maura chuckled softly and motioned toward her office. "Come with me. There's something I wanted to discuss."

Jane followed her into the office, closing the door behind them. Maura settled into her chair, her expression thoughtful as she glanced at Jane. "I've been thinking… Perhaps we should start touring daycares for Beni."

Jane tilted her head, crossing her arms. "Daycares? Do we need to do that now? What's the rush? Beni is doing great on this schedule, and Ma really likes spending time with him."

"Well," Maura began, "if Beni is going to stay with us for an extended period, it's important to ensure he has a nurturing and stimulating environment during the day. The right daycare could provide him with socialization, structure, and early education."

Jane smirked, her voice teasing. "Let me guess—you've already got a list of academic, college-prep daycares that produce tiny geniuses?"

Maura laughed, a light and melodic sound. "I'll admit, I did research a few options. But that's not my main concern. I just want Beni to be in the best daycare possible, regardless of the curriculum."

Jane sighed, her hands resting on her hips. "Maura, we don't even know how long Beni's going to be with us. And something tells me the 'Child Genius Academy' is gonna cost more than a few months of my salary."

At that, Maura's expression softened, and her gaze dropped briefly. "I know," she said quietly. "I just… the thought of him leaving is difficult to accept."

Jane's teasing demeanor melted away. She stepped closer, her voice gentler now. "Hey, we'll figure it out, okay? Let's just focus on what we can do for him right now."

Maura nodded, her lips curving into a faint smile as she stood and pulled Jane into a hug. The embrace lingered, both women holding on a little longer than necessary. It wasn't unusual for them to touch, but their hugs—and the occasional kisses—had started to carry a different weight lately.

Jane closed her eyes briefly, leaning into the moment before pulling back slightly, her hands resting on Maura's shoulders. She looked at Maura for a beat, her voice soft. "You okay?"

Maura met Jane's gaze, her own voice quiet but steady. "I think so. It's just… new. This shift between us. But it feels… right."

Jane nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah. It does."

Neither of them moved for a moment, the unspoken acknowledgment of their evolving relationship settling between them. Finally, Jane broke the silence with a playful smirk.

"Alright, Doc. I'll make you a deal: I will agree to tour some daycares with you if there are some on the list that it is ok if all they do is finger-paint and make macaroni art."

Maura laughed, her eyes shining. "Deal."

The sudden, sharp beep of the machine startled both Jane and Maura, pulling them out of their quiet moment. Maura turned and walked toward the screen, her eyes scanning the results. "The fingerprints came back," she said, her tone shifting into her professional cadence.

Jane leaned over slightly, watching as Maura read the name aloud. "Derrick Mallory," Maura said. "Age thirty-four, no criminal record, but there are a few flagged financial transactions. I'll pull more information to see if anything stands out."

Jane nodded, already stepping back toward the door. "Got it. I'll take the name upstairs and see what Frost and Korsak can dig up about his life. Maybe this'll give us a lead."

Maura glanced at her, her voice softening slightly. "Jane, don't forget—call if you need anything, but I am going to head home to relieve Angela soon."

Jane gave her a small, reassuring smile. "I'll be fine, Doc. And I'll see you at home later."

As Jane exited the morgue and headed for the elevators, her focus zeroed in on the case. Derrick Mallory. Who was he? And what had led him to a violent death in an alley?

She reached the precinct floor moments later, striding toward Frost and Korsak, who were huddled over a desk piled with papers and reports.

"Got something for you," Jane said, tossing the file onto the desk. "Victim's name is Derrick Mallory. Thirty-four, no priors. Maura's working on more details, but we need to start digging into his life—job, relationships, enemies. Let's find out why someone wanted him dead."

Frost nodded, already typing the name into his computer. "On it. Let's see what pops up."

Korsak leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin. "Sounds like a clean slate on the surface. Bet there's something hiding under it."

Jane crossed her arms, her gaze fixed on the screen as Frost pulled up search results. "Let's hope it's not buried too deep. We need answers, and fast."