*Okay…here is the last chapter. Thanks for sticking it out with me. I hope I didn't disappoint and at least tied up some of the loose ends.

22

"This is Detective Jane Rizzoli BPD, badge number 825…I need to speak to Vince Korsak, it's a matter of life of death." Jane's voice was breathless as she pushed through the door to finally see daylight, or in this instance, waning daylight.

"Affirmative Detective Rizzoili." A disembodied voice answered. There was a tension in the voice that indicated they had all been waiting for this call before the line went silent.

The silence only lasted mere seconds before Vince's anxious voice followed. "Jane, Jane…where are you?"

"I don't know Vince but I don't have much time. You have to put a trace on this number and send the Calvary." Jane's voice shook as she spun around in a circle taking in her surroundings. "I'm in the woods somewhere. I can't see much else and it's getting dark." Her voice faltered as she tried to find her breath again. "They buried her Vince. I have to find her before it's too late."

"Is the area secure Jane? Have you neutralized the threat?" Vince asked as he waved his hands around trying to get someone's attention in the office.

"Yes, Peter's dead and Lorelei's incapacitated." Her eyes moved to the car and the shovel leaning against the trunk. "I'm going to leave the phone on Vince. Have them trace it. I've got to look for Maura." She set the phone down on the trunk of the car and ignored Vince's voice calling out to her.

With shaky hands, Jane pushed tangled and matted hair away from her face and scanned the area. Letting out a heavy breath, she tried to center herself and look for anything out of place along the forest floor but when nothing stood out, she threw her head back and shouted to the darkening sky above. "Maura!" She called out, hoping beyond hope that maybe Maura would hear her or better yet maybe she would hear Maura.

When nothing but silence answered back, the tears she had been holding in rolled over her eyelashes and stained her cheeks with hot wetness. She could feel the moisture cutting through the dried blood and grime that caked her skin and she attempted to wipe it away but to no avail. The more she tried to wipe away her fear and sorrow, the heavier the tears fell and her vision grew blurry.

"No!" She balled her hands into fists and shouted at the shadow's that were creeping closer to her. "I won't give up!" Her frantic heart beat began to ring in her ears and her vison started to dim but she fought back and pushed the exhaustion away. Taking another deep breath helped bring her vision back, sharper than before and her heart slowed as she formulated a plan.

She knew she only had about an hour left of daylight so she only had one chance at this unless Vince and the Calvary came through but she didn't expect them for a few more hours, depending on how far away they were. If she could find the spot where Maura was buried, she could use the headlights from the car to light up the darkness that was rapidly approaching.

Gathering all the strength she had left in her, she quickly moved around to look in the car for the keys but her heart sank when she couldn't find them. They weren't in the ignition, nor were they in the visor or middle console. She even looked under the mats before coming to the dreaded realization that Peter probably had them in his pocket. For just a moment, her shoulders sagged under the weight of fear but then she quickly stood tall and squared her shoulders with a renewed determination.

The keys were where she thought they would be, tucked securely in the pocket of Peter's jeans. Without giving it much though, she reached her hand in and pulled the keys out before sneering at the still warm body. "You won't win this one." Her voice was a low growl as she pushed herself up from the ground where she had been kneeling. There was no response, but then again she hadn't expected one as she strode away kicking up a trail of dust on the way out the door without even acknowledging Lorelei.

Slipping the keys in her pocket, she looked around trying to decide where to start. She knew that the dirt would be loose and higher where Peter had buried Maura so she set about looking for anything out of place. The area where she was standing was a clearing big enough to hold the car and small shack but the rest was dense forest. It didn't look as if they were in the backyard of someone's house but instead in an isolated, remote place.

"Okay…let's get started." Jane let out a sigh as she lifted the shovel and took a few steps closer to the edge of the clearing. Taking the shovel, she pushed it in the ground trying to feel for loose dirt but was only met with resistance. As she moved in a circle, her eyes followed the edges of tree roots and stumps trying to figure out where to move next. Continuing to move around in a circle, she probed and prodded the dirt beneath her feet only to be met with a hard, dry surface. Her arms ached and her muscles burned and each time she lifted the shovel, she wasn't sure she would have the energy to do it again, but nevertheless, she persisted. It wasn't until the light started to fade and the sun lowered to its final crest along the horizon that something caught Jane's eye. The way the sun's rays filtered through the trees, lighting up the grass and moss along the forest floor gave her a new perspective and it was one that had her heart skipping a beat. The tender vegetation in one spot was smashed down in the shape of a long rectangle and the sight brought a gasp from Jane. Nothing could slow her down as she pushed past branches and bushes to get to the place she knew Maura would be. She dropped to her knees and ran her hands across the flattened grass before looking to her left and then her right. The dirt on her right was just slightly higher and darker prompting her to grab the shove she had dropped. With shaking hands, she slipped the steel edge of the spade into the ground and it slide down all the way to the hilt with ease. This was it…she had found Maura.

A soft, green light greeted opening eyes as Maura slowly came to. It only took a moment for her to realize, to her horror, that she was no longer in the trunk of Peter's car but instead, she was in a rectangular pine box. It was a small space, one that hindered any movement but with each passing second of realization, the space seemed to get smaller and smaller. She shifted her feet, moving the green light a few inches higher and a ripple of relief that she even had it washed over her. The tight squeeze made it virtually impossible for her to move, let alone reach for the lone glow stick that had shifted almost as high as her knees but with some finesse, she was finally able to reach it. When she finally had the plastic light in her hands, she moved it around to get a better look at her predicament. With a sinking heart, she realized that she was trapped until, dead or alive, someone found her. In her heart and mind, she willed Jane to find her before it was too late. They had a lifetime to live together and Maura wasn't ready to give that up.

The last vestiges of light faded as Jane ran around to the driver's seat of Peter's car to slip the key in the ignition and turn the lights on. She didn't start the car but instead just turned the ignition to keep the lights on, praying that they would stay on long enough for her to find Maura.

As she scrambled around to the spot where the shovel lay, her arms and legs burned and ached as fatigue tried to take over. Shaking out the lactic acid that had built up in her muscles helped but she was still wobbly as she picked up the shovel and started to dig. Thankfully the earth was loose enough for her to easily dig, removing shovel after shovel of dirt without much effort. But with each pass of the shovel, her body reminded her how weak it was and before too long she felt like she was lifting rocks instead of dirt.

After what seemed like hours, Jane stepped back and with a sense of dread, realized that she had only dug about four or five inches deep. A sudden panic set in at the thought that Peter had probably dug down at least two feet if not more. Her heart started to race and adrenaline kicked in giving her much needed spurt of energy as she continued to dig with renewed vigor.

"If they don't find us soon…," her voice trailed off, unable to finish the sentence or the thought. "Come on Vince! I'm counting on you!" She shouted to the night sky just as the car lights dimmed a little. "Fuck! Don't you give out on me now!" Her temper boiled over as rage coursed through her and she threw the shovel at the car. The impact caused the shovel to splinter and break in half. The sight drew a sob from Jane as she dropped to her knees and dragged her fingers down her face. "No! No! No!" She cried out in a hoarse voice.

Using what little strength she had left, she crawled over to the shovel head and grabbed it in her blistered hands. She moved back to the hole and used the broken shovel as best she could but it was mostly a futile effort. Tears were streaming down her face, making it difficult for her see in the dimming light but she didn't stop. The broken, splintered handle tore at the already blistered skin on her hands but she still didn't stop. Even as her vision began to blur, she continued to fight for Maura…for them. Finally, she tossed the broken shovel over her shoulder and started to use her bare hands. She clawed and tore at the earth beneath her in frantic strokes, pushing as much dirt aside as she could before she was finally enveloped in the darkness as the car battery died, taking all her hopes and dreams with its last flicker of life.

As she continued to dig in the dark, she could feel the grip of exhaustion squeezing the breath from her lungs. When the sky began to spin above her, she reached out to grab ahold of anything to stop it but found only emptiness until her hands met the ground. The realization that she may never get to Maura in time caused her to double over as the dry heaves took over, raking her body with spasms that shook her from head to toe. When the spasms finally subsided, she collapsed in a heap of hopeless despair.

A cold paralysis crept along her arms and legs as she lay with a cheek pressed against the cold dirt and her eyes fluttered as she tried to keep them open but to no avail…it was too late and darkness descended upon her, blanketing her in its bleak attempt to comfort. It was a comfort she could no longer fight and just as she was about to give in, a far-off sound caught her attention. She couldn't tell if what she was hearing was real or a hallucination. Her eyes caught a beam of light moving towards her and her first thought was that perhaps this was the end. This must be the beam of light people talked about seeing just before they died. She was almost relieved it was over, but the ache in her chest reminded her of what she was losing and she closed her eyes against the silent tears that started to fall. But there it was again, the same light that had circled from above. Jane squinted back the brightness when it finally found what it was looking for and held steady, bathing her in its warm embrace. She tried to turn her head towards the approaching voices calling her name but she couldn't move and her voice had left her mute. Closing her eyes again, the darkness called to her offering her solace from the pain that pinned her to the ground but then she heard Vince's voice calling to her and she reached down for that last bit of strength she would need to finish this.

"Here…," her voice was a hoarse whisper as she struggled to move her body. "Here!" This time her voice was stronger.

"Jane!" Vince dropped to the ground next to her. "Don't you fucking die on me…," His face was now level with hers as he checked for a pulse.

"Maura…," she croaked through parched lips. "Maura is buried under me."

He pushed her tangled and matted hair away from her face to see if she was coherent enough to know what she was talking about. When he was satisfied, he gave her a quick nod.

"No time…," she panted as she tried to push herself up. "Please…get her out." Her body collapsed again.

Vince waved several more officers over to start digging but refused to let them move Jane until the paramedics arrived. "I've got this Jane. You just stay right here until the paramedics get here. The medivac is trying to find a place to land."

"No, Maura first." Jane coughed and tasted blood and dirt.

"We're on it Jane. We'll get to Maura." Vince looked over his shoulder when he heard his name called. "Danny and Frankie are here." The look of panic on Jane's face spoke volumes and Vince understood why. "I can't keep him away Jane. He's your brother. You need him, please…let him do his job."

The only response she could muster was a resigned blink of the eyes before she closed them against the pity she would surly see in Frankie's eyes once he saw her.

Drifting in and out of consciousness, Jane couldn't quite grasp what was happening around her until she felt herself being lifted onto a stretcher. "No, no…," She struggled against the straps holding her down as the realization that she was being taken away hit her. Suddenly she was more aware and she could feel Frankie holding her hand as they moved her further from Maura.

"Jane, it's alright. We've got Maura…they're just bringing her up." Frankie tried to console his sister.

"I need to be the first person she sees Frankie. Please…she needs to know that I didn't give up." Jane started to struggle harder against the restraints. It only angered her more when she felt Frankie give her a light pat.

"We've got this, really Jane. It'll be alright. You need medical attention." Frankie's voice was soft as he tried to soothe her worries.

"NO!" Her shout indicated that she had finally found her voice. "Please Frankie!"

The plea in his sister's voice was enough for Frankie, everyone else be damned. With a quick whistle, he got the paramedics to stop their forward movement and Jane let out a sigh of relief. Off in the distance she could hear people calling out for crow bars and her heart started to race.

"Let me up…," she tried to sit up.

"Alright, stop struggling." Frankie whispered as he undid the restraints. "Danny, come'ere…,"

Danny rushed over to Jane and Frankie, afraid that something was wrong. He frowned when Frankie indicated he should take one of Jane's arms to help her up.

"What'ere you doing?" Danny inquired with a raised eyebrow as he took Jane's arm.

"She needs to see Maura…make sure she's okay." Frankie spoke deliberately as he pulled until Jane was sitting up.

"Help me." Jane took a deep breath when the world around her didn't spin. "I'm better…just help me get over there." She tilted her head towards the direction of all the noise and commotion.

"Okay." Danny wrapped his arm around Jane's waist and pulled her arm around his shoulder to help her stand. "Let's get you over there."

"Maura…," Jane's voice was a whisper as her eyes adjusted to the lights against the darkness she had grown accustomed to. She could see Vince with a crow bar in his hands, prying the top of the pine box away and it drove her on with a renewed vigor. Just as she had closed the gap between them, the top of the box broke free and Vince flipped it off revealing a very quiet and pale Maura bathed in a green glow.

"Maura!" Jane broke away from Frankie and Danny and stumbled over to drape herself across the box. "Maura…please…," her voice cracked when Maura remained silent and still. "Please…don't do this to me!" She shouted to the sky above. When she felt Frankie and Danny next to her, she prepared herself to fight them if they tried to move her but they didn't. "Baby…wake up." She reached down to run her fingers along Maura's cheek finding that it was still warm. Her heart started to race when Maura's eyes fluttered open once, twice, and then a third time. After a moment of uncertainty, hazel/green eyes focused on dark brown and Jane let out a cry of relief.

"I knew you'd find me." Maura whispered. Her eyes said what she couldn't before she closed them again allowing the darkness to take her. Knowing that Jane had found her was all she needed to know, giving her permission to finally let go.

"I've got you." Jane let out a sigh of relief. "And I'm never letting go again."

Epilogue

One month is what it took for the cuts and bruises to completely heal. It was another four months before the nightmares subsided. At six months, Lorelei was sentenced to a criminal mental institution where she would be under lock and key for years to come. They would come to find out that Lorelei was indeed the serial killer, having used her skill and education to wreak havoc on the city. It had been her intention to frame Maura but when she came to realize it would have been next to impossible, she turned to Peter and they devised a plan to rid themselves of Maura forever. Her deteriorating mental state had been her undoing, pushing Lorelei past the brink of no return and into the arms of an insanity there was no coming back from. And after six long months, Jane and Maura were finally free from the ordeal that had taken over their lives. It hadn't, however taken Jane that long to ask Maura to marry her. In fact, it had only taken five minutes after they had been checked out at the hospital that fateful night and Maura's answer was a quick and resounding 'yes'.

So, when their day finally came, it would find them surrounded by their friends and family celebrating a love that knew no boundaries. A love that would surly conquer anything that tried to stand in its path. From that moment on, they would face whatever life handed them…together.

The End