A/N: So here we are at the end. I have tried to be considerate of review concerns/requests, but in the end the muse leads me where it leads me, and it may well have led me to a more involved sequel. And yes I had a special guest star for this chapter, just because we all need a little Good Wife from time to time ;) Thank you to all those who have come along with this journey. All feed back appreciated as I may well be looking at a sequel.

"Florrick, Argos and Associates," the voice on the end of the line was all too chipper.

"I need to speak with Alicia Florrick urgently please." Maura was clearly pained and while she tried to maintain a professional manner she feared too long on the phone.

"Mrs Florrick is in a meeting at the moment, may I take a message?"

"Please tell her Doctor Maura Isles called with an urgent matter, she has my number." She could feel the irritation creeping up on her and knew it was borne of concern for her friend. She forced a smile and hoped it carried down the line, "Please, it's urgent."

For their part the secretary from the Chicago law firm recognised the urgency in the situation. "I could see if she has a moment for you, Doctor Isles."

"Thank you." Maura waited for what felt like minutes, although when she looked back at the phone call she would no doubt acknowledge her own anxiety as the cause of the feeling.

"Doctor Isles, is everything okay?" Alicia Florrick asked crisply, but with genuine concern.

No time for pleasantries, "I need your help on a case here in Boston. I trust you're still in good standing."

"Yes Doctor Isles I am. Massachusetts doesn't require me to pass their bar exam as I meet the pre-requisites to practice law in the state." She paused pensively, there was so much going on in her life and she wasn't sure she could take an out of state case. "Is this not something your Boston team can handle?"

"No. I need the best," she hesitated momentarily, "Jane needs the best."

"Alright then, how soon do you need me?"

"It would really help if you could fly in tonight. I will charter a private jet if need be." She didn't have time to mess around as Jane was due to enter her plea at the pre-trial first thing in the morning and she worried that her friend would plead guilty, against all her wishes.

"That won't be necessary, I will see you tonight."

"I'll have an associate email you all the pertinent details so that you can catch yourself up before you arrive."

"Thank you Doctor Isles, goodbye."

"Goodbye." Maura put her phone down on the side table next to her hospital bed. It pained her greatly that she had not been able to see Jane to talk her out of a bad decision. Unfortunately she was still stuck in the hospital recovering from surgery to re connect the bone flap that had been removed to reduce the swelling in her brain.

Maura had spared no expense in helping her friend defend herself. She had brought in the best lawyers and she had proffered up her own thoughts on the shooting as had been described to her in the letter Jane had left her. While she understood Jane's belief she had been aware before the fact that the threat had ceased to be, she felt there was more than enough doubt that her friend had really been able to process this at the height of stress she was under. Maura had surmised that Jane had only extrapolated after the fact the true order of events. Maura felt that Jane's brain would have already been too overloaded with information and emotion that once the fight or flight reflex crept in there was no chance she recognised before pulling the trigger that her captive had ceased his attack. Maura believed her brain only caught up with the processing after the fact and that now Jane believed that she had known beforehand due to simple regret.

This is what she had told Alicia Florrick anyway and that is what the defence attorney had vehemently argued on behalf of her client. They now stood waiting for the judge to hand down his sentence, with a jury of her peers having found Detective Rizzoli guilty of voluntary manslaughter.

Maura had kept her distance during the trial, mostly at Jane's request and partially because of her own need to heal from her injuries. It hurt to be rebuffed by her best friend but the logic centre of her brain had reminded her that it made a lot of sense. More than anything Jane had wanted to ensure that she had looked after herself.

She had been incredibly lucky to survive her injuries with all her faculties intact. Decompressive craniectomies were still a highly controversial and debatable treatment for swelling of the brain and the statistics about full recoveries didn't paint a pretty picture. She was extremely fortunate. She waited with bated breath as the judge began to read out his conclusions.

"After great consideration of the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Stanford Leary at the hand of Detective Jane Rizzoli I have come to the following conclusion. The Defendant was under extreme duress of an emotional nature and highly unlikely to have truly processed her actions; however she placed herself in that situation and I can't allow that to be unacknowledged. I do believe that the Defendant is of no danger to society and that this was an extreme case that is unlikely to be repeated." He paused to look down at his nose at Jane, "That said the court cannot condone police officers taking the law into their own hands. This court sentences you to five years incarceration, parole for good behaviour no earlier than three years into the sentence."

Maura smiled sadly at the sentence, with time served it would still be two and a half years before Jane could even hope to be free. Still she surmised, it was better than 25 to life for Murder One. Her eyes locked with Jane's as she was being led away by the bailiffs and while it only lasted a moment Maura knew everything she needed to.

"Rizzoli look sharp," the prison officer had laughed, "Here, this came for you."

Jane took the envelope from him and a quick inspection of the handwriting on the front told her all she needed to know. It was from Maura. She opened it up and began to read.

Dear Jane

I hope this finds you well. It should, I have received assurances that you would be taken care of. Still I worry; I have heard so many stories about what happens to law enforcement officers that end up going to prison.

Jane sighed; indeed she was going to be just fine. Patrick Doyle had put the word out that she was off limits. She knew she should feel grateful, but it didn't sit right with her; she continued reading.

I just wanted you to know that while I truly do not believe you need my forgiveness, that I do forgive you. I hope that helps you through the nights until you are free again.

It is hard here without you Jane, but I will wait for you because you were right, I noticed.

Jane's lips curled up into a smile and her heart quickened just a little as she read the last of the letter.

I love you too,

Maura

~END~