Chapter 1

Her jaw clenched as she searched the area where her best friend was held captive for days. Her eyes darkened when she saw a hint of blood and strands of blonde hair to whom she knows who it once belonged to. The mixture of humid air coming from the outside and the stinky smell of the room made her nauseous and stomach dropped and wants to vomit. But she steadied herself and continued on roaming around the room searching for evidences or any lead to the other person that Maura's captor were working with to which she claimed it to be. Before Maura was driven to the hospital by the EMT, she told her that the person abducted her were working with someone and that the whole incident wasn't over yet. That's why now, Jane Rizzoli was back to the room where Maura was once to find anything that will lead them to the other person.

From the corner of her eye, she saw a device that was shining from the low rays of sun rays coming from the outside. She crouched, and took the device from the ground. It's a digital camera. Her face lit up as she turned on the device. Maybe this thing would help them find the other suspect. Maybe it will give her something to proceed the case. Maybe... But when she saw the first photo entry in the device, her whole body tensed up, her movements froze and her heart nearly broke into pieces from the sight before her.

She clutched the device tightly making her knuckles turned white as she scanned the photos of Maura with bruised face. From the photo that was maybe captured from earlier hours, the bruises and blood were still fresh. Jane wanted to scream from the sight. She wanted to throw the device when someone touched her on her shoulder. She didn't look at the person beside her. She knows it's Korsak.

"He hurt her." Her voice was low, but firm and dangerous. Korsak knew not to press Jane with her current state of emotions. Korsak slowly crouched beside her and gently took the device from Jane. He looked at her with soft eyes and patted her on her shoulder like a father would do.

"We got him Jane. He's dead and Maura's safe."

"The other one Maura was talking about is still on the loose."

"We will get him also. I know you will and I am here to help and support you no matter what. You know that. If need be, we will triple time with the case just to get that bastard."

Jane let out a heavy sigh as she closed her eyes. Flash of Maura's bruised face came rushing into her mind when she found her inside the tunnel earlier that afternoon. Her face was so scared like a caged animal. Blood all over her neck and blood on her hands caused by the shard of metal she was holding tightly as a weapon against her captor. Then it hit her. She failed. She failed her best friend. She failed her from the moment she was abducted because she focused on her mother whom she thought was the most vulnerable at that time. She failed Maura and it ached her heart. But being Jane Rizzoli, stubborn, tough and reserved as she was, she didn't let her emotions get the best of her. She didn't let everyone know how she felt since day one of Maura's abduction until today. Her poker face facade was plastered on her face as she continued on the case but Korsak, being her former partner wasn't fooled by her act. But despite of that, he didn't commented on everything.

"It wasn't your fault Jane." Korsak said as if reading what's on her mind.

"I failed her, Vince." she tried very hard to say it with a neutral voice but miserably failed as her own voice broke.

"What?" Korsak frowned. "You saved her Jane."

"I wasn't able to protect her. I let her get abducted. I wasn't..."

Korsak squeezed her arm for her to stop talking and blaming herself. "You didn't know. That time you were protecting you thought was the most vulnerable person in your life. Your mother."

"But Maura was..." She sighed again. "Maura was vulnerable too." She almost choked on her words.

"You didn't know. And no one can blame you for that. Why don't you go back to the hospital? We'll take it from here. Go watch over Maura and Angela."

Jane's mind thought first of Korsak's offer until she gave up and nodded. "Thanks."

When she entered Maura's hospital room, she kept her pace slowly towards her best friend. She was sleeping peacefully but the bruises that turned purple from her wrist, arms and neck as well as her swollen lip were still visible on her pale lithe figure and face. Then, from the sight before her, another surge of anger boiled in her lower stomach. She wanted them to pay. She wanted them to suffer as how Maura suffered from them. But there's nothing she could do right now. The other one was dead when she planted the bullet on his heart. And the other one is still on the loose and unknown. How dare them hurt Maura this way when all she did for her in their entire friendship was to protect her. She clenched her fist, and tightened her jaw as she walked towards the bed.

She sat on the chair beside the bed. She let out a sigh of frustration and anger as she held Maura's right hand in hers. Her right hand was bandaged because of the wound inflicted by the sharp metal she was holding before. She looked at her hand and pressed it on her lips then intertwined them with her own.

"I'm sorry Maur." she whispered. She tried not to cry. Really hard. But she wasn't able to control the tears brimming in her eyes. She wiped her eyes with her right hand just as the door burst open. Angela came in with some clothes and food.

"Janie..." she walked towards her daughter once she saw her.

Jane stood up and walked towards her mother and absentmindedly hugged her making some of the stuffs her mother were holding dropped on the floor. "Ma, how are you?" she broke the hug and looked into her mother's eyes.

"I'm fine Janie. What about you? You must be pretty exhausted." Angela motioned her daughter to sit on the couch who followed her nonchalantly.

"I'm fine Ma."

"You need to eat and take a rest. You had a long week. Here, I brought some clothes for you and food. I know you're not going home to be with Maura."

"I need to keep an eye on her. This isn't over. She told me that her captor was working with someone." Jane replied as her body finally relaxed on the couch.

"I understand. But Jane you need to take care of yourself too. You've been through a lot, too." Angela said worriedly at her daughter.

Jane gave her mother a weak smile. She looked at the sleeping figure of Maura then turned her attention back to her mother again. "How long had she been sleeping?"

"An hour maybe. The nurse injected her sedative. Maura was hysterical. She doesn't like being touched. Since they needed to run tests on her, they put her to sleep first. But the doctor said, she could be released once she woke up."

Jane nodded. "What did Hope said?"

"I called her, and I think she's on her way right now to the hospital."

"What about Constance?"

"I called her also, but she said she's still in Paris and won't be able to leave. She has this installation thing at one of the galleries there."

Jane clenched her jaw. "Even if Maura's in a situation like this? Really?" her voice rose in a high pitch in anger.

"Jane..."

"If they can't take care of her, then I will."

"Of course baby. And I'm also here to take care of her."

"Thanks Ma."

"No need to thank me. Maura's family. She's also my daughter. I will take care of her also." Angela gave Jane a reassuring smile.

Jane gave her mother a weak smile then stood up. "I'll just go get change." she grabbed the clothes her mother brought for her and headed for the bathroom.

Jane was a little shocked when she saw her reflection in the mirror. She barely knew herself at all. She hadn't been sleeping and eating well since Maura's abduction. And suddenly, Kent's words days before echoed her head. 'You look awful.' But she didn't care. She couldn't care less about her appearance was now. Her current appearance is nothing compared to the current state of her best friend. Her best friend. Exhaustion and sadness replaced by anger just by thinking of Maura, right now. Then she made up her mind. Whoever did this to Maura will pay. They will suffer in Jane Rizzoli's hands no matter the circumstances are. A look of determination was plastered on Jane's face as she stared her reflection in the mirror.