A/N: Its been a wonderful ride and I hope you've all enjoyed it with me. For those of you who didn't know anything about drag kings, I hope you are now a bit better informed. Yes this is the last chapter of Random Targets but not the last in the series. Author alert me if you want to be notified of the new story's release…Thank you everyone who alerted, favorited, read, and reviewed….your humble bard, Honorcpt
"Jane, I'm fine" Maura knew she wouldn't listen to her but she had to try.
"You are not fine Maur, you've just spent the last six days in the hospital, had major surgery, had your spleen removed…dammit Maur you almost died on me…" the frustration and anger was still in her voice even though days had passed. Jane couldn't close her eyes without seeing Maura go down, bleeding.
"Jane?" Maura pulled on her hand and made Jane sit next to her on the hospital bed ignoring the tug on her side that reminded her of her surgery. "I'm going to be okay you know."
"I just…dammit Maura…I almost lost you, I don't know…" she had reached her breaking point. For six days she had remained strong, for Maura, for Constance who had left just two days ago, for their friends in the BAU, but now.
Maura pulled her into her arms and let her cry, finally. She had worried from the moment she had woken about Jane's mental state. Now…now Jane was finally letting herself truly feel what had happened.
"Shh…I'm going to be fine, we both are." Letting her go, Maura held her at arms length and put a hand to Jane's chest, grateful for the strong beat beneath her hand. "How are your ribs?"
"Sore, but healing…" wiping at her eyes Jane snorted, "God I hate when I cry."
"I hate when you cry too." Maura said quietly.
Jane opened her mouth to tell her how much she loved her but…
"Hey! You two ready yet?" JJ was pushing a grumbling Emily ahead of her a wheelchair followed closely by Reid and Morgan. Both Maura and Emily were being released. Emily had insisted or she was going to check herself out. Her little excursion during Reggie's siege had cost her and she had been fighting an infection for a couple of days, but with Maura leaving she had insisted. No, demanded.
"Yeah we are, where are the others?" Jane didn't need to know where Garcia was, she had barely left Jordan's side in all this even after being injured herself.
"Hotch is talking with Garcia and Jordan, and Rossi…"
"Is right here!" The elder profiler brought in two bouquets of flowers and presented one to Emily with a flourish and then Maura, who couldn't suppress a giggle.
"Really dude?" Morgan shook his head at him, "that the best you can do?"
"I don't see either of you with any flowers." Rossi ignored them and walked over to give Maura a kiss on the cheek. "How are you feeling?"
"I've been better, but I'll be just fine." She squeezed Jane's hand for emphasis and smiled.
Rossi nodded in approval. He had been concerned with the tension between them earlier on but after everything, he knew they would be okay.
"Alright Casanova, Reid and I did not come empty handed you know." Reaching into the bag that Reid was holding he pulled out two bears, giving the dark one to Maura and the light one to Emily. "You'll always have your ladies." Grinning widely, he waited.
"Morgan I do not look like this bear." Jane pointed to the bear in Maura's hand while JJ giggled.
"It's not that you look like the bear, its more that the colors are congruent with your hair coloring and…"
"Kid…she gets it, she's just messing with us."
Jane smiled at Reid's confusion, "poor kid never gets a break," she thought.
"Aha, here we go…" the nurse who came in with the wheelchair looked around at the amount of people "tsk, tsk..even if you are being released, you shouldn't have so many people in here."
"Lighten up Nurse Fussy" Jane took the chair away from her and helped Maura get settled.
"Fussy?" Rossi asked.
"The name is Nurse Fussberg, but Ms. Rizzoli insists on calling me fussy."
"Its Detective Rizzoli!"
"See, you don't like it either, harrumph…" Nurse Fussberg flounced out of the room, satisfied that her dig had gotten through.
No one said a thing until Morgan couldn't hold his laughter back anymore, "Prentiss, she is definitely worse than you."
"I told you." Emily smiled warmly at him. This incident after everything they had been through had done more to bring them all together than anything else since she had been back.
"Do we know when Jordan is being released?" Maura looked up at them.
"Not for another couple of days. They're hopeful about her progress so far but she'll still have a lot of physical therapy ahead of her." JJ frowned at the thought. "Hotch went to check in with them but also to let Garcia know that she could have more time off if she needs it. She's still on medical leave but he wants her to know so she doesn't stress."
"Good." Jane started to wheel Maura out behind them and stopped. "I wonder if we could extend our leave?" Looking down at Maura, she smiled and spoke to Emily and JJ, "do you mind having company for a bit longer? At least until Jordan gets out…I mean I remember how I felt when I got out of the hospital and I thought everyone was gone and…well…"
"Of course not Jane, we'd love it." Emily took her hand and squeezed it supportively.
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Penelope looked on as Jordan slept. Hotch had just left and she was thankful for his and the team's support. She touched the smaller bandage along the side of her face that had replaced the larger one that made her look deformed and smiled. She had saved Jordan. She had paid for it with the gouge along her face and the busted eardrum but it was worth it. Jordan was finally healing and would hopefully be released in just a couple of days. The doctors were still worried about the spinal cord swelling but it had gone down dramatically in the past two days. She was grateful, this all could have been so much worse.
"Pen?" Jordan's husky voice sent a shiver down her back. She would never grow tired of hearing Jordan say her name.
"Hi sweetie…" Garcia ran a hand across Jordan's forehead before laying a kiss there.
Jordan tried to adjust herself in the bed and grimaced, as things pulled that shouldn't.
"Easy…" Raising the head of the bed, Garcia sat down next to her on it. "Better?"
"Yes…Penelope, you don't have to stay, go with your friends, I'm not going anywhere." Her voice had an edge to it that Garcia had learned to recognize over the last couple of days, an edge of frustration. Jordan wanted desperately to be walking and out of this hospital and the baby steps she was having to take was starting to grate on her.
"I'm fine right where I am, besides, I'm tired, I thought I could lay with you for a little while." Garcia knew that would bring out her chivalrous nature and distract her.
"Oh…of course," arms trembling with effort, she hoisted herself a bit in the bed and shifted over, creating a bit of space for her.
Pen bit her lip to keep from saying something but she knew Jordan liked her independence and she wouldn't take that away from her.
"Thank you." Climbing in carefully, she nestled herself against Jordan's shoulder. "There, now I feel better." Closing her eyes, she hoped Jordan would take the hint and relax with her. She was trying to hard and wasn't resting as she should be.
"Wait…" Jordan lifted her right arm carefully and brought Garcia in closer.
"I don't want to hurt you." Garcia was hesitant knowing full well that there were two healing wounds there.
"You won't querida, you heal me, not hurt me, please." Relaxing into the embrace Pen snuggled in and listened to Jordan's breathing even out as she fell asleep. Smiling, she did the same.
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"Emily Prentiss sit down!"
"JJ I'm fine…oh damn!" The chair she had been moving got caught on the rug and she lurched over it, immediately grabbing at her side. "Don't…" holding a hand up she stopped JJ from saying anything trying desperately to ride the wave of nausea that came over her.
JJ watched her fight through the pain she was feeling. "damn she was stubborn." She thought but she said nothing, just waited. She knew it would be next to impossible to get Emily to relax but she and Jane had been doing a good with both of their partners until now.
"Again?" Jane walked in hand in hand with Maura. After getting her settled, she turned to Emily. "You really are worse than me aren't you?"
"You know what?" Emily shook her head and sat down, "I'm not even going to fight you on that."
"You need to let yourself heal." Maura smiled at Jane who had not let her do anything since her release from the hospital five days ago. They had both taken the time to rest, knowing full well they would be leaving for Boston in a few short days.
"I'm trying I just hate feeling…"
"Helpless?" JJ leaned down and kissed her, "you are anything but helpless hon, but I need you healthy so will you please listen to me?"
"Fine," Leaning back on the couch she was grateful for the extra pillows JJ had placed there for her. "When are they coming over?"
"Morgan went to pick them both up from the hospital." The BAU team had been given two weeks off. Emily was on medical leave until her appointment next week and then desk duty for a while. Jordan was finally being released and had insisted on seeing them, and since Emily's place was on the way to Jordan's…
"Are the others coming?" Maura pulled Jane down next to her.
"Reid and Rossi are on their way and Hotch wasn't sure if he could get away." JJ walked over to the counter and got everyone their coffee and Maura her seltzer water.
Jane smiled to herself as Maura sipped her drink. She had almost lost her and she had come to terms with her feelings for Maura and what her commitment to her was.
"What are you smiling about?" Emily squinted at her trying to figure out what was going on in her friend's head.
"Nothing, I'm just happy everything worked out, you know?" the doorbell interrupted anything else she was going to say.
"I got it"
JJ opened the door and burst out laughing at the sight of Rossi and Reid laden with catering dishes from the local Italian restaurant.
"What? I didn't have time to cook." Rossi led the way followed by a thoroughly chastised Reid.
"What did you do?"
"Shhh…" glancing at Rossi's back, "I apparently insulted his cooking by saying the restaurant food smelled more, uhm, appetizing."
"Oh dear…" Maura stifled a laugh, knowing full well how David Rossi prided himself on his culinary skill.
"Are they here yet?" Rossi looked around and back at JJ.
"Almost…just got a text from Morgan, he's going to drop them off in front and find parking." Jane put her phone away and walked up to the first tray of food.
"Cannolis? Really Rossi?" The laughter that followed her announcement made her blush. Everyone knew that Garcia had compared her to a cannoli when they had first met, thus her drag king name, Joe Cannoli.
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"Are you sure you want to walk it?" Garcia looked at the wheelchair in Morgan's trunk and back at Jordan.
"Yes, I do, besides, its not far." Grabbing the hospital issued cane she was given, she leaned on it and swayed momentarily. The swelling was practically gone, but the resulting bruising of the soft tissue surrounding it had hampered her physical therapy. Jordan did not want to use the chair unless she absolutely had to and right now, she didn't have to.
Morgan drove down the street to park and got back to them just as they got into the elevator.
He was still limping but had gotten rid of the brace on his knee. Looking down at Jordan with concern, "You okay?"
"Yes, thank you Derek."
"I really wish you had opted to go straight home first." Garcia's pout made Jordan smile.
"Querida," she said kissing her on the lips, "I'll be fine. I want to say hello and see how they are doing as well. Besides, I owe them and I promised to be present."
"Present?" confused Pen looked from her to Morgan. "Present for what?"
"Don't look at me baby girl, I was told we all needed to be here today."
"Humph…nobody tells me anything."
Chuckling Jordan walked off the elevator first and took her by the hand. "Come on…"
Reid answered the door and ushered them in.
"Jordan!" Jane walked over and gingerly gave her a hug before escorting her over to the plush chair in the living room. "Hey Garcia…"
"Hi Jane, everyone now why did we have to be present?" Garcia never saw Jordan's flinch or apologetic look toward Jane.
"What is she talking about?" Maura looked around confused.
Quickly changing the subject, JJ asked everyone for their drink preferences before nodding to Jane. Jane walked over and opened up JJ's laptop. On the screen were the Rizzoli clan, Korsak, Frost and Constance Isles.
"Jane what…"
The ringing doorbell interrupted her and Reid ran to open the door, knowing who it was.
"Sorry I'm late!" Hotch burst in looking very unlike himself in running shorts and Tshirt. "I was…erm…busy."
"Its okay Hotch," Jane looked around at everyone and took a deep breath, this was the scariest thing she had ever done. Dropping to one knee in front of Maura, she pulled a small blue velvet box out of her pocket.
Maura's gasp made her smile and gave her the prodding she needed to continue.
"Maura Isles, you make me crazy, you make me love you, I don't know who I am anymore without you…will you do me the honor of marrying me?" Jane tried to ignore the sounds of delight coming from her mother on the video feed and the squeal that came from Garcia and focused all of her attention on the woman in front of her.
"I…" with tears in her eyes she looked at the screen and saw her mother's approving smile, "of course, of course I'll marry you."
Jane leaned forward and captured Maura's lips with her own. The clapping and wolf whistles completely ignored. Pulling back she took Maura's hand and placed the ring on her finger looking around at the others.
"Really guys, wolf whistles?" grinning from ear to ear she saw Constance Isles in a bear hug from her mother and the boys all clapping each other on the back. Shaking her head she was surprised by a kiss on the cheek from Morgan.
"What was that for big guy?"
"Nicely done Rizzoli, nicely done."
Jordan smiled up at Garcia and pulled her hands down from her mouth. "Now do you see why I couldn't tell you?"
Looking from Jane to Jordan, Garcia just shook her head.
"I see…so…have you ever thought about marriage?" Jordan's eyes widened and then narrowed when she saw the twinkle in her eye.
"You're bad"
"That I am dear." Capturing her lovers lips Garcia was grateful that the powers that be had given her another chance with Jordan.
"Alright, break it up you two." Emily took a seat next to Jordan and pulled JJ onto her lap. "Its okay Jayje."
"So, when is it your turn to pop the question Ms. Prentiss?"
"That Ms. Garcia is none of your business, besides, who says it'll be me popping the question?" smiling up at JJ she was rewarded with a quick kiss.
"Alright, alright, enough with the kissy, kissy…let's eat!" Rossi pulled the lids off the platters and watched as eyes opened wide at the meal before them. "Wait! Come on kid" Reid walked out with champagne and sparkling cider for those recovering from injuries. After making sure everyone had a glass, Rossi patted Hotch on the back.
Clearing his throat, "We have a lot to celebrate, so here goes, first of all, congratulations to Jane and Maura on their engagement, I hope we're all invited?" At Jane's nod he ignored the chuckles and continued, "and second, I'd like to welcome home Jordan. We haven't known you very long but I think I speak for everyone when I say welcome to the family!"
Hope you enjoyed the ride…it continues in its next incarnation, "Pick A Target, Any Target" it is the Targeted series after all. Don't forget to author alert and I hope to post the first chapter in the next couple of days….oh, and no worries, we will revisit the Drag King stage at least one time.
Don't forget, please review….