Chapter 1
Friday night filled The Dirty Robber with a sea of random patrons. Jane weaved through a crowd and managed to snag the last open table near the back of the bar. The detective stretched her legs across one side of the booth and waited for the others to arrive. Several groups eyed the near empty table but rushed past after Jane's glare. She smirked and continued to watch more people fill the bar.
A few minutes later Maura and Korsak arrived. The blonde noticed how Jane claimed an entire seat and decided to slip into the other side rather than argue. Korsak flopped down next to her and raised his arm toward the bar.
A college aged guy with scraggly hair and faded jeans brought out a tray of drinks which Vince began handing out around the table. An extra beer was set at the end for Frankie. He gave a nod of thanks and the younger man disappeared back into the crowd.
Jane tipped her bottle towards Korsak in thanks. "Not that I'm not happy for you, but what's with all the extra customers tonight?"
He looked over his shoulder, "Beats me, but I'll take it."
"Geez. Had to grab the booth farthest from the door?" Frankie managed to snag an empty chair and pulled it up to the end rather than share a seat with his sister.
"Next time you wanna come early and grab us better seats, feel free." Jane sniped at the younger Rizzoli but he rolled his eyes, immune to her moods.
Maura frowned as she looked over their table and out into the random faces. "Where's Nina? Why doesn't she ever come out with us?" She looked pointedly at Jane. "You invited her, right?"
Her face tightened and she twirled her finger in the air, pointing back at Maura. "Why are you looking at me with that tone?" In response, the doctor raised an eyebrow. Jane met it with a hard stare. "I always invite her. She said she had stuff to do."
"Stuff? What kind of stuff?" Maura pushed. "What does that even mean?"
"It's a way of saying 'no thank you' without actually saying it. Anyway, if you really want her to come out, I'm not the one who should be asking." She stretched out one foot, just able to nudge her brother.
"Hey," Frankie grumbled, spilling beer down his chin. "What's that for?" His bottle clanked against the table and he used the edge of his shirt to wipe at his mouth.
"Seriously?" Jane chuckled. "You're so clueless. It's like that time in school with the redhead. God, what was her name? Brenda? Becky?"
"Becca," Frankie offered with a sigh. "Do you always gotta go there?"
Maura giggled at their bickering and looked across at Jane. "Who's Becca?"
"Only the first poor girl to fall for Frankie." Jane's grin widened at the blush on his cheeks.
Frankie pushed back against the chair, causing the feet to scratch loudly across the floor. "She did not. Can we please change the subject?" He picked up his beer, downing half before setting it down.
Ignoring his discomfort, Jane continued. "She baked him cookies. Started following him home after school. Asked to be study partners." Her eyes twinkled, noting the amused faces across the table. She glanced to Frankie who seemed resigned to the teasing.
"What's wrong with that?" Maura looked puzzled. "It's refreshing to think of teenagers valuing the importance of education."
Before either Rizzoli could comment, Korsak's laughter interrupted. "A girl's aptitude isn't the first thing most teenage boys notice." The others chuckled, but were quickly silenced by Maura's derisive huff.
"She ended up being valedictorian, Maura. No way she needed help from Elmer Fudd over there." Jane shook her head again and tsk'd as she looked over at Frankie. "Broke that girl's heart."
"C'mon, Janie." His eyes were pleading and after a few seconds, Jane relented.
"Fine, fine." She twisted in her seat, swinging her legs back under the table. She couldn't quite place Maura's expression and nudged one of her feet with her own.
Maura gave Jane a faint smile but it was lost as she shook her head. "I don't understand. Does Nina know Becca or something?"
The question was innocent but it sent Jane into a fit of laughter. "Probably not, but one day they'll bump into each other in 'The Zone'."
"What zone?" Maura grumbled, growing more frustrated. She looked between the others and even Frankie's eyes held a hint of amusement.
Before Jane could respond, Korsak chimed in. "I believe the elder Rizzoli is referring to 'The Friend Zone'." Looking over at her, he caught Jane's eye. "Correct?"
Jane held out her bottle to Korsak and they toasted. She could feel Frankie's glare, but chose to look away, addressing Maura directly. "When two people have a friendship, but one person has…let's say, romantic feelings for the other, but they aren't reciprocated? Well that person ends up in 'The Friend Zone'." She paused to take a swig of beer, missing the color drain from Maura's face. "In the case of Frankie, sometimes the person doesn't even realize the other one has feelings." She risked a glance at her brother, "Which she does by the way."
He squirmed under the scrutiny. "We're colleagues," Frankie argued and looked to Korsak for confirmation.
The older detective shrugged and held up his hands. "If you say so, but she definitely doesn't laugh that hard at my jokes."
"That's hardly a good qualifier, Korsak. Most of your jokes are…" Jane paused when she saw his smile fade as he glowered at her, "classics. Under appreciated by this generation." She turned to face Maura, who would tell her if she'd talked her way out of trouble. Her own smile faltered when she saw lines etched across her forehead. "Hey," she said softly and pushed her bottle across the table to clink against Maura's wine glass. "You okay?"
"So this 'Friend Zone' is a bad thing?" Maura looked to the others at the table before settling her gaze back on Jane. The crinkle above her nose said she was more confused than upset.
Jane's entire demeanor changed with the question and her eyes softened as she watched her friend. "It's not bad, exactly. I guess if you're the person with the feelings, it sucks…" she looked to the men at the table, hoping for assistance but they responded with blank expressions.
"Is it permanent?"
"What?" Jane was puzzled by Maura's persistent questions.
"Does anyone ever leave this 'friend zone'?" She drew in her bottom lip and watched Jane for a response.
"Um," she hesitated. "I suppose it's possible, but I think it's usually a done deal." Jane shifted in her seat, sorry that she'd brought it up. The muscles in her neck were tight and she reached up to squeeze away some of the tension. "Anyway, the people involved usually remain friends, so it's not a total loss." She sighed. "It happens all the time, really. We've all been on both sides at one time or another. Just a fact of life."
Korsak gave an exaggerated shake of the head. "Spent a lot of time there, myself." All three heads turned to look at him with surprise. "You know…before Kiki, I mean."
"C'mon, Maura," Jane teased. "It's not like you don't know you're a heartbreaker."
Her frown deepened. "Wait. So anyone you turn down automatically becomes part of this club?"
Frankie waved his hand. "Nah. That'd be way too many people." When he noticed both Maura and Jane looking at him with veiled irritation, he shook his head, "I meant in general. Geez." Ignoring the glare from his sister, Frankie looked at Maura. "It's not because you tell a guy 'no'."
"Don't worry about it, Maur'." Jane grinned across at her. "You can't help how you feel, right?"
Korsak shrugged. "I don't know. I woulda traded my right arm to get out of the zone at one time." Once again he was met with curious stares. "Not now. And tell me not one of you has felt the same way?"
Frankie chuckled, Jane shrugged and Maura dropped her eyes.
The older detective grumbled. "Fine. Pretend. At least I'm honest enough to admit it. We all have that one person that we thought could be more than a friend."
"Yeah, yeah." Jane tried to dismiss it. "Although I can't imagine Maura in that situation."
Frankie noticed the way Maura shifted in her seat and studied her empty wine glass as she tried not to look over at Jane. It was unusual to see such raw emotion on the reserved woman's face. There was something more in her look and he continued to steal glances at her, trying to figure it out. He shot a glare at Jane. "I pity the poor slobs that pined over you."
"Whatever." She stuck out her tongue, grinning at her brother. "Look, Maur. It's no big deal."
"I think Nina would disagree," she countered. The responding grin from Jane was unplanned, but it caused Maura to return it.
"Okay, how about a new subject?" Frankie interjected. "Janie. You dating anyone?"
"Funny," she grumbled, but didn't appear to really be bothered by the question. "I'm just being selective."
He tried to cover his chortle with a cough. It prompted Jane to kick at him again and the others laughed. "Don't you have to have some interest before you narrow down your choices?"
"Hey!" Jane huffed. "I have interest." Even she didn't sound convinced of the statement and shook her head. "Eh…after everything that happened with Casey, I'd rather be out with you guys on a Friday anyway."
Frankie snorted, "Please. I'd leave all of you in the dust in a heartbeat."
Korsak slapped his hand on the table. "This is getting dangerous. I'm getting another round. All in?" The Rizzolis tipped their bottles in his direction and Maura gave a polite nod.
"We could stop inviting you anytime, little brother." Jane smiled around the mouth of her beer, finishing off the last few drops. She set it back on the table and began idly spinning it until it almost tipped.
Maura reached out to catch it as Jane did. Their fingers brushed against each other and she looked at her thoughtfully. Frankie watched his sister blush and drop her hand. The doctor took a deep breath and pulled hers away, slipping it under the table to rest in her lap. She looked across the table and tilted her head. "You really haven't been seeing anyone, have you?"
Jane looked back at her curiously. "Did you think I was dating in secret?" Her eyes twinkled, amused at the idea.
"Well. No. But." Her brow furrowed. "I guess I just didn't realize it before."
"It's no big deal." Jane tipped her head to the side. "And before you say something that reminds me of my mother, just don't."
"You deserve to be with someone, Jane," she insisted.
Jane smirked. "Okay, that definitely didn't sound like Ma, but still no. I'm fine. I'm out with the people I care about. I'm happy."
Frankie considered the notion that he was actually invisible. The Rizzoli part of him wanted to continue observing them since they'd forgotten his presence. However, the tension was palpable between the two and he couldn't ignore that one of the women was his sister. He gave a wistful look toward the bar where Korsak was still waiting on their drinks. Lucky bastard.
The attention to her personal life made Jane's pulse quicken. Wanting to shift attention, she nodded across the table. "What about you?"
Maura's face tightened. "What about me?"
"I haven't heard you mention any dates since Jack left." Jane only meant to make a point, but when she saw Maura's face fall, she regretted being so blunt. However, before she could backtrack, the blonde went on the offensive.
Maura knew well enough that Jane hadn't meant her comment to hurt, but she couldn't ignore the chill that rolled through her body. Fueled by alcohol and inexplicable sadness, she shook her head. "The Art of Deflection, by Jane Rizzoli."
"Look, I'm just saying…"
She was quick to interrupt. "What Jane? You've insinuated, but you actually haven't stated anything."
The light banter at the table had somehow escalated and Frankie saw both women preparing for battle. He cleared his throat but neither one looked his way. "Hey. Didn't the Sox play this afternoon? Anyone catch the score?"
Jane gave him a sideways glance before turning back to Maura. "I'm only saying if you wanna worry about someone's love life, why don't you make it yours?"
Korsak rested a tray on the corner of the table and began handing out drinks. "You'd think in my own bar I wouldn't have to wait in line, but…" The silence drew his attention for the first time and he looked around. Frankie was ready to bolt and Jane and Maura were trying hard not to look at one another. "O…kay. So what'd I miss?"
Frankie mumbled, "The usual."
Still unsure what was going on, the older detective reclaimed his seat and began talking about the first thing that came to mind. "Kiki's been after me to go to some cooking class for couples." He chuckled to himself. "I told her I can cook a mean steak and my hamburgers are first class, but she's pretty insistent."
Jane looked up at him and chuckled. "I can already picture you in an apron."
"Funny. You know there's still room in the class…"
"Why does everyone assume I can't cook?" She was met with skepticism and groused. "Just because I don't do it, doesn't mean I can't."
"Perfect time to prove it, Janie," Frankie piped in.
"Exactly." Korsak grinned, pleased not to suffer through the cooking class alone. "You should bring Maura." He gave the blonde an apologetic smile. "I mean, I know you can cook and all, but with you there Jane's less likely to need a fire extinguisher or stitches."
"Ha. Ha." She mumbled as she scooted across the bench and stood. "I'll be back." Without looking at anyone, Jane turned and headed to the bathroom.
An uncomfortable silence fell between them until Maura spoke up. "I'm sorry to be the first to rush off, but I have a bit of a headache."
"Maura," Frankie said. His tone was apologetic. "Stay."
"Thank you, but I think a good night's sleep is in order." She placed her hand on Korsak's shoulder and he obliged by slipping out and offering her assistance in standing.
"You want me to call you a cab?" Korsak looked at her with concern. It was obvious something happened while he was retrieving drinks, but he couldn't imagine what transpired in a few minutes to make Maura look so downtrodden.
"No. Thank you, Vince. I'll be fine." She glanced across the room and back at Frankie. "You'll give my apologies to Jane?"
He released a heavy sigh. "Sure."
When Jane returned to the table she felt Maura's absence before she saw it. "Where'd she go?" She looked over her shoulder, already searching the room.
Longer explanations came to mind, but Frankie didn't want to be involved. "She went home."
Jane whipped her head around. "Wait, what?"
"Said she had a headache and wanted to sleep." Frankie relayed the message in a monotone voice, making it clear he didn't believe the excuse. His eyes were on his sister who seemed to shift between angry and confused.
"Why'd you let her leave?" Jane tightened her left fist and bounced it against her thigh.
Frankie's irritation flared. "Don't act like this is on me."
Her face darkened and her body tensed. "What the hell does that mean?"
Even Korsak rolled his eyes at Jane's lack of awareness. "It means, you broke her her, you fix her."
Jane groaned as she looked between the two men. Frankie shook his head, but when he spoke his voice was softer. " We both know why Maura made a fast exit and nothing I could say was gonna change her mind."
Her shoulders slumped and she stared up at the ceiling. "Shit."
The two men watched Jane struggle to gain control of her emotions. They knew better than to speak and gave her the quiet she needed to come to a decision. After almost a minute, she finally looked down at them and released a heavy breath. "I gotta go."
