DISCLAIMER: Rizzoli & Isles and its characters are the property of Tess Gerritsen, Janet Tamaro and TNT television network.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Something brief to read in the R&I universe. Thanks to Pandora007 for her help and for being my all. And thank you, readers, for reading. Where would we, the pickers and pounders of keyboards be without you?
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.

Human Error
By The Raven

 

Oh my God! This was the first thing that crossed her mind before her thoughts turned to white noise in her head.

Maura was trapped between disbelief, horror and regret as her feet carried her to Jane, but not fast enough. Her feet were not fast enough. Jane was going to hit the pavement before she got there and this was not acceptable. This would not do. This could not happen, this was not possible.

Oh my God!

No! No, no, no! Maura willed her legs to go faster, she willed time to go slower, she willed time to go backwards so that she could tell Jane that she loved her when there was still a chance.

She willed it to be yesterday, last week, last year even. Anything but right now, with Jane bleeding, with Jane falling, with Jane so far away.

"Jane!" Maura heard her own voice say as she arrived at last at Jane's side, too late, she was too late.

Jane had fallen, Jane was down. Oh my God! No!

Maura felt Vince and Barry arrive a few moments later, but she ignored them. There was only Jane. Only Jane...

"Jane." Maura whispered, her hands cataloguing Jane's injuries.

Bleary, agonised brown eyes looked into her own. "Maura." The word was simply a gurgle that ripped at Maura's heart but she would give it all to hear it again. Any price, anything, just so long as she would hear Jane say her name again.

"It's okay, you got him." Maura murmured softly, brushing beloved hair back from Jane's clammy forehead.

Pale lips moved and Maura leaned down to try to hear even as she was pressing her hand on the terrifying wound that marred Jane's body. She needed something, she had to see the exit wound. She had to, Jane was bleeding and the pavement did not deserve the precious blood. It needed to stay in Jane's body. "It's okay, I'm here." Maura whispered as she raised up to tear a strip of her shirt off and without having to ask, Barry helped her raise Jane enough for her to press the expensive cloth onto the wound there.

"I love you." Maura whispered, her mouth close to Jane's ear and her entire body, mind and soul devoted to protecting the other woman.

If only it was not too late. She should have said it last year, yesterday, and hour ago, five minutes ago. She should never have hesitated, not for a moment.

"Hold on, Jane. Hold on." Maura whispered, her free hand examining Jane's head ever so carefully.

She had not seen the brunette hit her head on the way down but she was not leaving anything to chance. "Maura." Again her name spoken so weakly from those pale lips both thrilled and terrified Maura at the same time.

"I'm here." Maura whispered, placing a kiss on the beloved face of her best friend and her heart's true love.

"I love you too." Jane breathed before the shock and blood loss claimed whatever conscience the other woman had left.

Oh my God! Maura felt her mind begin to jabber as she waited the eternity of minutes, or moments that the ambulance was taking to get to them, to get to Jane.

Oh please, let it not be too late...

The End

Return to Rizzoli & Isles

Return to Main Page