Author's note: This story was inspired by the Bonnie Raitt song, "Let's Give Them Something to Talk About." That being said, I HATE songfics, so the chances of seeing the lyrics in this story are pretty much nil. If you're not familiar with the song, and are interested, then I'm sure you can find it on youtube.
I have said that I'm not a writer and will never publish my own fanfic. Well, turns out I lied. Funny how that works. Oh, well. This may be my only fanfic, or I may end up publishing more at some point. I really can't say one way or the other, anymore. This IS my first fanfic, and the first story I've ever written that wasn't for a school assignment (which I think happened way back in middle school). If something sucks, PLEASE let me know.
This story is not finished. I would actually like help with ideas on how to continue. I got to the end of the second chapter, and completely ran out of ideas, and steam. I will be posting the two chapters I have immediately, so there's no wait for those.
This being my first story, I have no beta. If there's a mistake, let me know. Hopefully I'll be able to figure out this posting thing well enough to fix it.
*insert standard disclaimer here*
Jane Rizzoli walked into the police station, heading for the café to meet Maura for breakfast before their shifts started. She was early, but figured she'd just grab a coffee and wait.
She paused before entering when she heard Maura's named mentioned, and waited on the other side of the doors. She didn't recognize the voices and figured it must be a couple of beat cops. She told herself she just wanted to make sure no one was bad mouthing the ME.
"That Dr. Isles is pretty hot. Think I got a shot?"
"Really, man? The Queen of the Dead? Yeah, she's hot, but no normal chick wants to work with dead bodies all day. There's gotta be something wrong with her. Besides, have you seen the way she acts around Rizzoli?"
"Frankie? Really? Never would've guessed. Lucky."
"Nah. Jane Rizzoli. Frankie's sister. Look, I know you're new here, but you really don't want to mess with Rizzoli, which means you don't want her to catch you checking out her girl."
"Really? Now, Rizzoli I can see. But, Dr. Isles a lesbian? I don't believe it. She's too hot. No way she's gay."
"I'm telling you, man, you do not want Rizzoli to catch you looking at or talking about her girl. Not if you value your balls."
Right then Jane heard the distinct clicking of heels against the floor and scurried to pretend she hadn't just been eavesdropping. She turned to watch Maura walking toward her, stopping herself from focusing on the way her dress showed her figure.
"Hey, Maura, I was just waiting for you."
Maura looked at her oddly, "you could've waited inside at a table. I'm sure Angela saved a table for us."
"Seriously? And risk her serving me zoo animals like I'm five? No, it's safer out here."
"I told you, Jane, rabbits are now zoo animals. Unless you mean a petting zoo. Which, isn't a real zoo. Petting zoos typically have animals more commonly found on farms, while zoos..."
Jane hurried to interrupt, "yeah, yeah. I got it. I don't need an entire rundown on the differences between zoos and petting zoos. Come on. Breakfast. I'm starving." She quickly opened the door and ushered Maura inside before she could get started again.
Breakfast was uneventful, with Maura happily ordering the bunny pancakes and Jane opting for a much safer order of scrambled eggs. Silently daring her mother to make animal shapes, zoo or otherwise, out of that.
Just as they were getting ready to leave, Angela grabbed Jane and pulled her to the side.
"I just wanted to let you know that I set a couple of young men straight about you and Maura, before you got here."
"Really, Ma? Thanks. I don't understand why people think..." Jane then realized she wasn't supposed to know what they were saying and tried to cover herself. "I mean, what were they saying?"
"Well, one of the young men was hoping to ask Maura out on a date. When his friend told him you were together he couldn't believe Maura would be gay. Said she's too pretty to be gay. I informed them that you are both very attractive young women and there's no shame in being with a woman."
Jane just stared at her for a moment, before dragging her further to the side and hissing, "REALLY, Ma? You didn't tell them we're not together? You let them believe we're a couple? Do you have any idea how fast that's going to get around? I can't believe you. It's not bad enough that people can't mind their own business and stop spreading rumors, but my own MOTHER has to help them?"
"Why would I tell them a thing like that? I know you haven't come out to anyone, not even your own mother, but you can't expect me to lie for you. I have eyes. I see things. I'm modern enough to know what's going on. I can't believe you wouldn't tell your own mother these things. Do you honestly think I wouldn't understand? Are you afraid I wouldn't accept you? You remember Mary Facchinello? Well, she has a gay nephew and is always talking about him and his partner."
Jane stared at her, mouth open, disbelieving what she was hearing. Her own mother thought they were together. Not wanting to hear all about Mary Facchinello and her gay nephew, she interrupted, "MA! What do you mean you see things? You know what? Nevermind. I don't want to know. Maura and I are just friends. I gotta go. Stop spreading rumors."
With that she turned and left, half hoping for a new case just to have something to distract her.
A couple hours later, and Frost was finally tired of Jane mumbling to herself and glaring at everything.
"Hey, Rizzoli, what's up? You've been in a bad mood all morning."
Jane glared at him, "I am NOT in a bad mood."
"Yeah, you wanna try that again, without the growl?" He just chuckled when she glared again.
She finally sighed and responded, "Fine, you want to know what's wrong. Ma's spreading rumors about me. Now, other people, I get. I don't like it, but at least they don't know me. But she's my MOTHER! She should know better. And she doesn't even believe me when I tell her it's not true."
He held up his hands, eyes wide, "Wait. Hold up. She's spreading rumors about you? What is she saying? Why doesn't she believe you?"
"She's telling people Maura and I are a couple. Then, when I told her not to, she just went on about how she sees things and how someone she knows has a gay nephew. Like I care about someone's gay nephew. It doesn't have anything to do with me. Maura and I are just FRIENDS! Why can't anyone believe that?"
By the end, Jane was almost yelling, and Frost had backed his chair away from his desk and had his hands up in surrender. Even Korsak had backed away from her and was looking a little afraid.
"Hey, don't yell at me. I didn't do anything. Besides, you kinda have to understand why people think that. I mean, you have to know how you guys act around each other."
Jane gaped at him, "Not you, too. Really? I can't believe you agree with them. I thought you knew us better than that. And, what do you mean, how we act around each other? We act like friends. How else are we supposed to act?"
At this point, Korsak decided to jump in, "You know. You guys are always together. Either she's coming up here, or you're going down there. You guys are always touching each other and staring at each other. If one of you is going out for food or coffee, then you ask the other to go with you. When's the last time you hung out at the Robber without her? Or really did anything without checking to see if she had plans and wanted to join you?"
Jane just stared while Frost joined in, "And what about what happened with Doyle last year? You were ready to do ANYTHING to get her back. You even said as much when you answered the phone. And we all know who gave him the name."
Korsak nodded, "And there was the thing with Hoyt. You can't tell me that it didn't occur to you that he goes after couples."
Her mouth opened and closed several times before she finally managed to respond, "You know that had nothing to do with Maura. He just wanted to finish what he started with me. He only went after Maura because she was there."
"Really?" Frost added, "What about when she interviewed him last year? He tried to get to her then, because he knew it would get to you. If he just wanted to get to you, do you really think he would've gone after Maura, first? Come on, we read the reports. He went after Maura and made you watch. You have to admit, of the two of you, you are the guy."
Jane stood up, her chair slamming backward. "You know what? I'm not listening to this. We're just FRIENDS! I'm going out. This subject is over. Call if we get a case."
With that, she strode out of the room and headed for the elevators. She hesitated before pushing the button for the morgue, before changing her mind and hitting the button for the garage.
She got in her car, not quite sure where she was going, before deciding to just drive. Her mind racing.
The rest of the day was spent trying, unsuccessfully, not to think about what they had said. Even her own mother thought she and Maura were a couple.
The other cops and detectives, she could just ignore. They didn't know her. Didn't know Maura. She wished they'd mind their own business, but they didn't know what they were talking about.
Frost and Korsak should know better. They knew her. Knew Maura. Saw them together everyday. But, they were guys. Guys liked to imagine two women together. She just wished they'd pick a different two women.
She pleaded a headache when Maura called to check on her that night, then had to convince her not to come over.
After a couple beers, and more thinking than she was comfortable with, she finally went to bed after midnight. She spent the next couple hours staring at the ceiling, before finally falling asleep.
She woke before dawn. Panting, sweaty, panties wet, sheets tangled, and Maura's name on her lips.
When she finally caught her breathe she swore, "Fuck!" Then got up to take a cold shower and start the day, knowing there was no chance of getting back to sleep.
Despite the early start, Jane was still late to work.
She glared at Frost and Korsak, daring them to say anything, before pretending to do paperwork.
After more than an hour of uncomfortable silence, Frost decided to try talking to her.
"Have you heard that song, Let's Give Them Something to Talk About? I think it's by Bonnie Raitt, or Shania Twain, or Gretchen Wilson." Jane just stared at him blankly. "Ok, well, it's this woman singing about how everyone thinks her and her friend are more than just friends, and she realizes they're right, and decides maybe they should prove the rumors true." He trailed off at Jane's disbelieving look.
"Country music? Really? You decide to talk about this, after I told you the subject was closed, and you compare it to a country song?" She shook her head. "You guys are worse than teenage girls. I'm going to the morgue."
At the look Frost and Korsak shot each other, she glared at them, pointing, "Not. A. Word. Do you hear me? Not a single word." Then stalked off.
She found Maura in her office, doing paperwork. Before she could stop herself, she found herself checking out the way Maura's legs looked in her heels and skirt, and the way her top showed just enough cleavage to make her want to bury her face in it.
Unbidden, the images from her dream came back and she blushed as her mouth went dry. Deciding maybe Maura was the last person she should be around, Jane turned to leave.
She'd only taken a couple steps when she heard Maura's voice, "Oh, Jane, did you need something? Do you still have a headache? I can get you a couple aspirin, if you haven't taken something already. You should try sleeping more, and drinking less coffee. Sleep deprivation and dehydration can both cause headaches. You know, sex is supposed to help with headaches. Well, not sex, exactly, but orgasms. You can have an orgasm without a partner. Of course, having a partner..."
Jane gaped at her, before stuttering to interrupt, "Maura! God! Really? I don't have a headache. I just came down here to get away from the guys. They were driving me nuts. Maybe I should go back up there though, if you're going to give me a lecture on the benefits of sex."
Maura stopped talking, blushing and pretending to straighten her already neat desk. "Sorry. I was babbling. You can stay down here. I'll try to pick a topic that won't make you uncomfortable. Or, you can go back upstairs. I won't make you stay down here. Not that I could. Make you, that is. Or that I would want to force you to do anything against your will."
At Jane's amused look, she stopped talking. "Sorry. Babbling again. You really can stay down here, though, if Frost and Korsak are bothering you."
Jane chuckled, "What has you so nervous? You don't usually babble like this. Well, not this bad. Did I catch you shoe shopping instead of working, again?"
"No. I was actually just finishing up paperwork on a couple autopsies. Like I said, you can stay here, if you want. I think I'd rather enjoy the company. What were the guys doing to bother you?"
Jane took a couple nervous steps into the office, before deciding to go sit on the couch. "Uh, nothing, really. Just acting like a couple schoolgirls." At Maura's slightly confused look, she continued, "You know, gossiping like teenage girls."
Maura nodded, but didn't look convinced, "You usually just ignore them when that happens. What were they talking about this time?"
Jane ran a nervous hand through her hair, trying to come up with something to say. She finally gave up, and settled on the truth, "Us. They were talking about us."
Confused, Maura asked, "What about us?"
"You know the rumors around the station about us, right?"
Maura shook her head, so Jane continued, "That we're together? As in, a couple, together."
At Maura's nod, Jane explained, "Well, they think they're true. I told them they're nuts, and Frost started talking about some country song. Hell, even MA thinks we're together. She told some guys in the café yesterday that we are. One of them wanted to ask you out, and then said you were too pretty to be gay when the other one told him we're together. Ma actually told them that we're together and that there's nothing wrong with two attractive women being together. Then, she didn't even believe me when I told her we're just friends. She started going on about how she sees things and has a friend with a gay nephew. Then, the guys agreed with her when I told them, and started naming a bunch of reasons."
When Jane finally stopped her rant, Maura asked, "What country song?"
"REALLY? Out of all that, you pick THAT to focus on? What about the fact that Frost and Korsak and my MOTHER think we're a couple? Even after I told them we're not. That doesn't get your attention? You want to know what song Frost was talking about? Why does it even matter?" Jane covered her face, resting her head on the back of the couch and growling in frustration.
"Well, they are entitled to their opinions. And, I can see why they may view us as a couple. We do engaged in many activities and actions usually attributed to couples. I can understand why you would dislike the idea of being in a romantic and sexual relationship with me. You dislike it when people assume you're gay strictly based on your chosen profession, and having others think you're romantically involved with the 'Queen of the Dead' must be less than desirable. You are strong, brave, trustworthy, intelligent, confident, and very visually appealing, I, on the other hand, while visually appealing, am socially awkward and often misread and misunderstand people and situations."
Jane jumped up, going to kneel by Maura's chair. "No, it has nothing to do with that. You're a wonderful, amazing, intelligent, and caring woman that anyone would be lucky to date. I just don't like people saying things that aren't true. Especially about you. I've had people assume I was gay since I was a teenager. I mostly ignore it. I don't like people spreading lies about you. About us. Ma and the guys should know better. They know us. They know we're not together. Or, at least they should." She looked at Maura funny, remembering something she said, "And, what do you mean we act like a couple?"
Gesturing to Jane's hands resting on one of her knees, she said, "Well, we are often in physical contact. We spend a great deal of our free time together. We sometimes have dinner, or even lunch, in common 'date' locations. You've accompanied me to events I know you would not have chosen to go to on your own, and I have done the same with you. You're mother and Tommy live in my guesthouse."
Sitting back on her heels, Jane gestured for Maura to stop, "I get it. When you put it like that, I can kinda see it, too. Does it bother you? I mean, it doesn't bother me. I wouldn't change anything about our friendship. I just don't want to make you uncomfortable."
Maura smiled and reached out to take Jane's hand, "Not at all. If it bothered me, I would have either said something or made an effort to change my own actions. Now, are you going to tell me what song Frost was talking about?"
Jane shook her head, laughing, "it really matters that much to you? You'll have to ask him. I don't remember the name. I was pissed that he didn't believe we're just friends and more than a little surprised he would be quoting a country song at me."