Jane Rizzoli
"Our perps name is Kevin Schofield. The fingerprints on the gun match those on the Marines database" Korsac rhymed off as he picked up his gun and keys up from his desk. He hated that this guy was a soldier but they were going to nail this son of a bitch once and for all. After leaving absolutely no evidence at the crime scenes of his first four murders, this scumbag dumped his gun leaving a single fingerprint. A major mistake on his part but a saving grace for the Boston Homicide Department.
Just as I picked up my gun, my cell phone started to buzz. It's Casey. Signaling to Frost and Korsac that I'd catch up with them, I smiled and answered, "Rizzoli."
"Mommy..."
"Isa, can I call you back baby? I've gotta catch a bad guy." I chuckled as I heard my four year old's voice.
"Dada's hurt mommy. He fell and can't get up."
Bracing myself back on my desk, I feared the worst just as I always did when it came to Casey. Knowing that he was hurt scared me. I don't know why. I should be used to it. The man had been in many horrific scenarios and fought bigger wars than I have yet to encounter. But this time was different.
"Ok, I'll be right there"
Quickly calling Frost and letting him know of the situation, I grabbed my bag and headed for the elevator. Tapping my foot, the elevator couldn't move fast enough for my impatience.
"Jane." Maura beamed brightly as the elevator doors opened to reveal my restless best friend. "I was just coming to see you. I have the test results from the hair fibre you found."
"Can we ride and talk?" I asked as she stepped in and pressed the down button a few more times than it was necessary.
"Is something wrong?"
"I just got a call from Isa. Casey has fallen and can't get up. I'm concerned is all."
"As anyone would. I'll come along with you."
"You don't have to Maura..."
"Of course I do, I'm a doctor so I'll be a great asset if Casey is hurt." Maura smirked knowing I couldn't or wouldn't argue with her then. "Casey will be okay."
I simply glared at my best friend like I usually did when I wasn't amused. Maura was probably right but I wasn't about to admit that. I hated admitting to Maura when she was right no matter the what situation was.
Speeding through the streets of Boston, Maura had to stop me from using the lights and sirens on the car. As much as they would help us get to my family as quick as humanly possible, I just took every shortcut I knew to get home.
"Jane you forgot to lock the car door." Maura pointed out after I jumped from the car as soon as I pulled into my driveway. Stopping mid jog, I shot daggers back at my best friend and made a dramatic act about locking the car doors before heading toward my front door.
"Isa? Casey?" Increasingly concerned, I called through the house praying for an answer.
"Bathroom Mommy!"
I followed the voice of my little girl and raced through the house to the bathroom I'd seen Isa disappear into. Stopping at the door to the bathroom, I gasped as I saw Casey laying on his back looking up at me with a weak smile.
"What happened?"
Noticing Maura standing behind me at the door, Casey felt even more stupid lying on the cold tiles. Maura and I combined our strength to carry him out of the bathroom, sitting him up on the edge of the bed.
"Casey, what happened?" I asked as I knelt down in front of him resting my hands on his knees.
"I was helping Isa with her bath, bringing her favorite Uni to dry off when I slipped on one of her shower toys and fell." Casey explained out of breath, trying to hide the pain seeping into his voice. Uni is what Isa had named her unicorn bath towel. She's crazy about that thing.
It was a good thing Maura tagged along because as soon as I stood up, she went into doctor mode and started to assess Casey's injuries. From what she could feel and see, Maura concluded that the soldier had sprained his back. The extent of the damage was beyond her knowledge without testing.
"Damn watering pot..." Casey began until his eyes fell on his four year old peering out from behind my legs "Isa..."
Isa sniffed softly not wanting to step any closer to her father. She was scared in case he got hurt again. The little girl couldn't understand that her father's fall was just an accident and not her fault. I picked Isa up and held her close whispering to her that Dada was ok.
"Casey..." Maura began softly. She didn't want to interrupt our family moment but we needed to get him to a hospital for a check up.
"How bad Doc?"
"We should get some tests done."
_________
"Jane, Jane..." Korsac whispered loudly as he shook my shoulder gently. Curled up in an uncomfortable laying position on the small chair in the hospital waiting room, I wasn't really sleeping but more on the verge of slumber. I couldn't settle until I knew Casey was fine.
"Hey Korsac," I smiled softly and sat up in the chair slowly so I wouldn't shift a snoozing Isa who had made herself comfortable in my arms. The stress and commotion of hospitals finally wore her down.
"How's Casey?"
"It's worse than we thought, he's in surgery. He complained of pain in his back when we brought him in and the doctor's found a clot near the scar tissue. He's going to have to go through spinal surgery. How are you?"
"I'm fine," I smiled weakly. "Did you catch that Schofield guy?"
"Yeah and he's going to be in jail for the rest of his life thanks to you," Korsac chuckled softly. "But don't worry about work for a while, just take care of Casey."
"Thanks Korsac."
"Anytime Janie," he smiled and sat down across from me and my sleeping beauty. Godfather to Isa, Vince loved her like she was his own. He would do anything for me ever since we were partners and now he would do anything for Isa.
"Detective?" A nurse called out a few minutes later. I looked up quickly hoping for news about Casey. "Mr Jones is back from surgery and is asking for you."
"Here, give her to me" Korsac offered as I stood up with Isa still nestled in my arms. Gently handing the little girl to her godfather, I followed the nurse through to Casey's room.
"He's still a little groggy from the anesthesia."
Thanking the nurse, I stepped closer to the bed and just stared at him. I closed my eyes for a moment so all the times I'd seen Casey in a hospital bed didn't come flooding back to my mind. One time in particular just after Casey came home from Afghanistan was one I couldn't block out.
I raced through the corridors of the Boston County Hospital frantically looking for the right room. Rounding a corner, I saw my younger brother Frankie pacing outside a patient's room. Working on a case just down the block, Frankie only beat me to the hospital by minutes. I'd called him as soon as I knew Casey had been transported to Boston. Frankie had felt he needed to be there for me through this, that I would need someone by my side.
"Is he in there?" I asked as I raced up to my brother. Trying to peer over his shoulder, I couldn't see him through the small window. Frankie refused to move out of my way til I stopped and calmed down for a moment.
"Jane stop, just stop for a second ok?"
"Move Frankie, I gotta see him."
"Jane," the young Rizzoli demanded. I reluctantly stopped fighting him and took a deep breath. "You know what happened over there so he's pretty beat up and there's wires everywhere. Just prepare yourself, ok?"
Nodding calmly, I waited for Frankie to step aside before opening the door. I stepped into the room and gasped at the sight of him. Battered and bruised, Casey had cuts and scratches all over his face, neck and arms. With an oxygen mask to help him breathe, the young soldier looked so weak and hurt. From afar, this man didn't look like the Casey I knew but as I stepped closer I saw his eyes and the freckles on his neck. This was my Casey.
"Hey you," Casey managed softly as he saw me walk slowly toward him. I sat down on the edge of his bed but made sure I didn't sit too close in case I hurt him. Noticing this, Casey insisted I moved closer. He hated seeing that look in my eyes, like I couldn't touch him or be close to him.
"How are you feeling?" I asked not moving from my spot. I was still scared to hurt him.
"I'm ok but ask me again when this morphine wears off," he chuckled trying not to let any pain he was in show on his face. "Where's my Izzy?"
"Korsac is sitting with her out in the waiting room. She's asleep."
"That one could sleep through anything if she wanted to."
"Casey..." I sighed knowing he was trying to change the subject to our child. He was good at saving my mind but not this time. "How long has your back been hurting?"
"A few days..."
"A few days and you didn't tell me?"
"Didn't think it was worth mentioning."
"It is!" I corrected him and shifted a little closer to Casey. Resting my hand on his thigh gently, I watched his face for pain. "Why didn't you tell me you were in pain?"
"I thought it would go away like it has done before," Casey sighed and reached out with his good hand to touch mine. "I'm sorry"
I looked up at Casey silently like I always did when I was thinking. I took a deep breath to restrain myself as I leaned in to kiss him softly on the lips.
"Don't scare me again, ok?" I sighed softly after pulling away only a couple inches. "And don't wait to fall on your ass before you admit to back pain and need damn spinal surgery."
"There's my Jane," Casey laughed as I sat back with my usual pout. "You had me worried there for a second."
"Shutup," I laughed. Staying calm was definitely not usual for me but my last outburst was definitely more to my character. "You had me worried."
"Did I say sorry?"
"Mhmm but you might need to say it more often." I stood up and kissed Casey once again with a smile. "I should wake the little one, let her know that Dada is ok."
"Let her sleep. Korsac's probably out there asleep with her," Casey chuckled and pat the spot on the bed I had just vacated, "Stay with me for a while."
Sitting back down, I pulled my knees to my chest and linked my fingers with his. We sat in a comfortable silence until Casey couldn't fight sleep any longer.
"Sleep tight," I smiled and kissed his forehead as I stood up.
__________
"Casey, could you be nice for once. She's only trying to help, you know." I offered the doctor a smile, which she returned.
Casey sighed heavily and hopped off the bed without thinking. Landing on both feet he yelped and bent over in pain, grabbing at his lower back. "FFUUUUUCK!" Everyone in the room - Korsak, Isa, Doctor Madden, and I all rushed over to him. "It shouldn't hurt this much, should it?"
"Maybe you should consider wearing a back brace just until your back gets better. It'll lessen your painful muscle tension which is a common protective reaction following an injury."
"No—No way," Casey protested. "I refuse!"
10 minutes and a short, but heated discussion later, Casey was walking out of the hospital with his back brace on with Isa and I on either side of him.
"Let me die. I look so stupid with this thing on, like I'm incapable of-"
"Casey, shut up and get in the car." I cut him off and opened the left, back door for Casey. He shot me a death stare, and I smiled back. Isa hopped in the passenger seat and buckled up. Normally I wouldn't allow it but with circumstances being what they are... Casey got in the car; very slowly. Once he was seated I shut the door for him. I got in the driver's seat and drove us back home.