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 (happy birthday darling) 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.

Protection
By The Raven

 

Doctor Maura Isles knew a few things for certain. One of those things was that she had a more extensive vocabulary than most people could even begin to realise. Another one of those things was that she absolutely could not imagine not having silk, satin, cashmere against her skin, nor could she imagine not four hundred dollar shoes. There were just some things in life that were necessary.

These were some home truths that she had learned in her life.

Right now however she had another truth to deal with and this truth was not one that Maura thought she would ever have to face. Not in this lifetime at least.

The heavy cold weight of the Glock 19 in her hands disturbed yet comforted her but she left it slip from her fingers regardless. The smell of cordite in the air was somehow comforting in a strange way. This all was a testament to something that Maura could not identify properly at the moment.

Part of her realised that she was in shock, something that she had not anticipated as being possible, but then she had not anticipated this whole scenario when Jane had taught her how to hold the gun what seemed like a lifetime ago. Time was moving in a dream right now and Maura just wanted to know one thing: Was Jane safe?

Where was Jane?

The sound and noise surrounding her right now was too confusing, the rough wool of the emergency blanket across her shoulders was too abrasive. The chemical a crime scene tech was using to test her hands for gun powder residue was offensive to her nostrils. She needed Jane. Where was Jane?

"Maura?" The voice of her dreams said from somewhere close by.

Glancing up with blind eyes, Maura managed to recognise the outline of Jane in the bright light and unbearable sensory overload of the situation. "Jane." She moved her mouth but no sound came out. Was there something wrong with her vocal chords?

"Can you back off for a minute, she's one of us." Maura heard Jane say to one of the techs who had all but sat on Maura's lap to take samples from her. "And I want that back, it's my gun." Jane added, pointing at the dark shape that was on the ground a few inches away, the gun had been carefully cordoned off as if it was the victim of a crime itself.

She supposed that it was after a fashion.

Maura examined the dark haired detective who was looming over her and willed Jane to be still. Her head was spinning and she just wanted to go home. She craved a shower, she wanted to give Bass a strawberry and she needed a glass of wine.

Maybe she'd take a bath?

Distracted by her thoughts, Maura failed to notice that Jane was sitting down until she felt the familiar presence of the other woman beside her. "Here." Jane murmured as she pushed off the awful blanket and wrapped Maura's shoulders in the blazer that Maura knew the detective had worn all day.

It smelled like Jane and unlike the blanket, it was soft. Jane might have been a grown up tomboy, but the other woman knew how to dress. "I want to go home." Maura whispered as she leaned heavily against Jane, relying on the other woman to give her comfort, to protect her. Just for the moment. Just for now anyway.

"As soon as I can, I'll take you." Jane promised her and Maura believed the detective, not least when she felt the press of soft lips on her forehead.

She believed anything Jane told her, it was just one of those things. Now if only time could be sped up and she could already be home, in her bath, feeding Jane strawberries. Maura opened her eyes and blinked. Feeding Jane strawberries?

What?

"That's it for now, Dr. Isles. Someone will be in touch." An unidentified voice said from the side and Maura just nodded, trusting Jane to take care of her, just for now anyway. "I want my gun back." She heard Jane say brusquely. "Yeah, you'll get it." The voice said and then Maura felt herself being moved, coaxed into Jane's car and they were off.

Oh please, let them be going home. She needed the peace and quiet. She needed a bath and she needed Jane.

"Just hold on, Maura. We're almost there." Jane whispered and Maura felt the caress of a strong hand on her face. It felt safe and comfortable and Maura let herself close her eyes and drift off into semi-oblivion. At least for a few minutes. At least for now.


Finally.

That was the thought that Jane had when she pulled up to her apartment. She had sent Vince over to Maura's to secure the place and ensure that Bass was okay. Ordinarily she would not have sent anyone to do this but would have done this herself, but Vince was a good man and he loved animals, so he'd make sure it was done right.

For her own part, Jane had every intention of making sure that Maura did not leave her sight for the evening, or any other time in the near future. She had debated going to Maura's and having Vince bring Joe there, but eventually the fact that her place was closer won out. It had not been a hard decision at all.

Maura needed to get off the streets and into the safety of somewhere that she felt comfortable and Jane knew that Maura was comfortable at her place.

"We're here." Jane whispered to her dosing companion.

The other woman jumped and opened her eyes. "Hey, it's okay." Jane murmured and them made short work of getting Maura out of the car and into her apartment.

Joe was at the door when Jane opened it and Jane could not help the upsurge of affection that she felt for her small dog. "Hi baby dog." Jane said in a low voice, knowing that the dog would understand her hushed tones just fine.

"Jane." Whipping her head up, Jane saw that her mother was also in attendance. "Mom, can you take Joe out?" Jane asked without preamble, for once glad to see her mother and hoping that her mom would understand that this was a case where she needed some support and no lectures or weirdness.

"Is she okay?" Her mother asked. "Not really." Jane said briefly. "I'll tell you later, okay?" Jane offered.

She really needed to get Maura to the bathroom, the other woman needed a shower, or a bath, or something. "Okay." Jane's mother said, being unusually cooperative.

Perhaps she perceived the urgency of the situation as well. Not that her mother was so terribly clueless, but certainly Angela Rizzoli had her share of bad timing that much was a given. This did not seem to be one of those times. Thank God.

"We'll be right back." Her mother said and Jane only nodded as she guided Maura to the bedroom and through to the master bathroom.

"Come on, let's get you in the shower." Jane said softly to her friend, who at least was operating under her own power now. "Or do you want a bath?" Jane asked when Maura looked around the bathroom listlessly.

Maura being listless was not something that Jane was enjoying at all. "Just a shower, maybe a bath later? I'd like to go to bed." Maura murmured and Jane found herself nodding as she dug out fresh towels and a new toothbrush. "Help yourself to anything." Jane said with a wave of her hand and turned to leave.

"Stay." She heard Maura whisper, "please?" Maura added. The other woman sounded broken. "Of course." Jane replied at once before she could think better of it.

This was Maura. Her friend who needed her right now. Jane would do anything for her friend. Anything. Including stay in the room while the other woman took a shower.


What was up with Jane? And Maura looked terrible as well.

Angela Rizzoli was thinking about this as Joe Friday attended to the call of nature. There was no way though that Angela was picking it up, there was only so much that she would do for Jane and picking up after her daughters dog was not one of those things. And if anyone gave her any grief about it, well Jane was a cop.

Anyway, she was in a hurry to get back to the apartment and see what was going on. Part of it was of course, curiosity, but mostly she was terribly concerned. Jane had looked stressed, distracted and worried and her daughter had a poker face. She was also quite certain that Maura had not even noticed her in the apartment, this meant that whatever it was, it was serious.

The thought propelled Angela onwards and in short order both she and the dog were back indoors. Angela let Joe off her leash and strained to hear what was going on in the bedroom. There was Jane's voice, speaking very gently but no reaction from Maura could be heard in reply. What the hell was going on?

Angela had to know.

Moving to the door she quietly opened it and peered in. What she saw took her breath away and simply made her stop and stare: Jane was carefully easing a baggy tee shirt over Maura's body and laying the other woman into the bed.

Then, covers were carefully tucked around Maura and then Jane simply sat there for a few minutes being quiet. Angela then saw her daughters hand was gently caressing Maura's damp hair and Jane was speaking in such a low voice that Angela simply could not hear her.

"I'll be right back." Angela did hear and then she watched as Jane unfolded herself from the bed and moved towards the door quietly but quickly.

"Thanks for walking Joe." Jane said as Angela stepped aside to let her daughter pass.

"What's wrong?" Angela figured being direct was the way to go.

Jane sighed and ran a hand through her perpetually unruly hair. "Maura had to shoot someone today..to save me." Jane breathed as she collected some water into a pitcher and grabbed a couple glasses.

"Oh my God." Angela could not help the exclamation that escaped her lips.

"Yeah." Jane waved the glasses in her hand. "I need to get back to her." The statement really went without saying.

"Have you eaten?" Angela queried, wanting to do something before she needed to leave. "No." Jane replied tiredly.

"I'll make something." Angela said simply and Jane simply nodded before disappearing into the bedroom again.

Wow, what a mess.

Well, at least Maura had Jane to look after her though, that was something. That was more than something, actually.

After glancing in Jane's cupboards and fridge, Angela decided that she needed to order in. There was nothing she could make, practically speaking from the ingredients at hand. Nothing quick and easy anyway and that was needed right now, also Angela speculated that neither Jane nor Maura would be eating anytime soon.

Quickly Angela found her phone and dialled a number. "Frank, listen, I need you to bring the leftover lasagna from the fridge to Jane's place. No, Frank. It's important, please?" Angela spoke into the phone, knowing that she would be able to persuade her husband to comply with her wishes eventually.

No junk food for either Jane or Maura tonight.

It would be sometime later before Angela realised that things had been awfully quiet in Jane's bedroom. Concerned, Angela pushed the door open a little, it had been left ajar for Joe to be able to come and go, and she looked in.

It was a tender scene. Maura and Jane were asleep. Her daughter holding Maura protectively and the blonde woman's head cushioned against Jane's chest. They both looked so peaceful and at rest. Angela felt her eyes sting a little, the warning of tears that could easily be shed if she was not careful. Sometimes she did not understand Jane at all, but this scene before her she did understand.

Quietly, Angela moved into the room and pulled the covers up higher, wanting to do this motherly thing for both women. Sometimes she wished that her baby daughter had not grown up to be a cop, but Angela was always so proud of her daughter anyway and right now how her child was protecting this hurt woman, made Angela's heart swell with emotion.

It was time for her to leave though, so with a kiss to Jane's face and after a quick scratch for Joe, she tip-toed out of the bedroom and made her way out of the apartment. There was lasagna, fresh bread and salad in the kitchen for when the women woke up and a note taped to a bottle of wine that Angela had dug out of one of Jane's cupboards.

They would be fine.

Angela would see to it.

The End

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