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.

Full disclaimers on Chapter 1

Chapter 14

Maura felt the air being sucked out from her lungs, and had to support herself against the sink as she heard the door of the ladies room close.

She realized she didn't have forces even to run behind Jane. All she wanted was to curl up into herself and cry. And that was what she did, hiding in one of the stalls, for a long time until she felt she had her wits enough to drive back home.

It was almost with detachment she read Korsak's text about Hoyt being unanimously convicted when she finally checked up her phone in her house.

It took her a good part of the weekend until she could think straight again.

Did that heated exchange in the courtroom ladies room change in any shape or form how she felt about Jane?

Not for a tenth of an inch.

But somehow Maura could understand Jane's point of view. Not accept it. Not abide to it. But at least understand it.

And as a woman of action, Maura focused on the one thing that could concretely help Jane. She researched for the best physical therapist in hand rehabilitation in the US. And she made a phone call.

"I work with the most high-profile athletes, Dr. Isles. I am not an affordable option for people who can very well live with limitations."

"I am fully aware of your abilities, and I am totally ready to pay for them."

"Very well, then. I would assume you are a highly skilled surgeon that needs your hands? What happened to you?"

Maura sighed.

"It is not for me. It is for a cop. A detective." Maura corrected herself.

"Shit. That mess on TV? That was awful. And her hands… Didn't PT already give up on her?"

"They did. But they are not you."

"She must be a very important detective."

"She is. To me." Maura cut.

"Fair enough. Will you come with her to my office?"

Maura sighed, again. She could not lie. But she would pay someone regally to do it for her.

"No. She can have no idea that I have anything to do with it."

"You will pay an arm and a leg and she won't know you are doing it?" he asked, incredulous.

"That is exactly it."

"None of my business. As long as you pay for the treatment, I couldn't care less."

"I expected nothing less. So you will please contact her, mentioning you saw the press on the case…"

"What I did…"

"And asking if she would be willing to come to your office for an assessment. That you believe you can take her further than where she is."

"And if she argues I am out of her league for treatment?"

"I am sure you can come up with a good story about a pro bono work because of your deep admiration for the work she did."

"I can certainly do that." He chuckled, but then sobered up. "Dr. Isles?"

"Yes…"

"I will not be sure how far we can get with her until I assess her."

"I know. That is why you are not promising anything, just asking her to come for an assessment. If you feel there is anything, and I do mean ANYTHING, more that she could benefit from being treated with you, you will propose it to her, arrange the sessions, and you will just let me know how much I owe you and how do I pay you. And if not, I will still pay you for your assessment. You got nothing to lose."

"You got yourself a deal, Dr. Isles."

Maura ended the call and placed the phone by the desk on her office.

And then she steeled herself. Jane had asked her to move on. She at least needed to try to, for her own sanity. Even if it was to survive. She was not ready yet to leave her ME position. Or to move out of Boston. Those would make things much easier. But Maura was not ready for any of it.

(…)

"What kind of sick joke is this?" Jane answered, exasperated.

It was the third time that number called her, stating it was from the guy she had heard her entire life working with the best athletes that got hurt.

"It is not a sick joke, and you would know it if you listened to me for five minutes. Can I get five minutes' worth of your precious time?"

"As long as you promise to leave me alone after that, I guess I could spare five minutes."

"Great. I saw the shitshow on TV. What they did to you was ridiculous. And I want to take a look on your hands myself, because your PT might have missed something that I might be able to fix."

Jane cackled. It was not a chuckle. She sounded almost like a mad woman. "And why would the miracle maker of the sports care about a nobody cop of Boston? I can't afford you. And PD is not funding this."

"I am not expecting that. I am sure you are familiar with lawyers doing pro bono work. Let's say I can also do it. Come to my office. One assessment. I might find out your PT is right, and you lost the time of one session with me. Or I might find out we can evolve at least some more, and you benefit from it. What do you say?"

"On one condition."

"Which is?"

"No press involved. Can you do your pro bono in secret? As the Bible says, 'that your giving may be in secret'? I can't stand the circus anymore, even if it might mean more mobility."

"No press involved. It is a deal."

(…)

Maura went back to work on Monday.

And she tried – really tried – not to find any opportunity to eavesdrop Frankie talking to Korsak with Jane's news.

Her only perspective on what was going on with Jane came from the basic instructions from the famous PT. He charged her for an assessment and shared the payment plan for a treatment that involved multiple sessions a week. So the only thing Maura could infer was that he had found some avenue to still push Jane's rehab to get better. That was all Maura had hoped for, and except for paying for it, it was out of her hands.