**Disclaimer I do not own R&I**
Jane was sitting at her desk as was usual, the day coming to a close, the case coming to a close.
She popped her hands as was habit. That's when it happened. Frankie walked in, coming from the drug unit.
"Uhhh, Jane."
"Yeah?"
"I think I need to tell you something…"
"What is it Frankie?"
Jane saw concern fill the face of her younger brother and knew it was important.
"Well you know how Maura and I…"
That's when the elevator door opened and she heard Maura's heels and got a smile to her face.
She heard another set of heels.
Wait, that was not right, Maura was not alone.
She heard Maura talking to someone and the second she recognized the voice they came into view.
"J-Jesssica."
Jessica came to Jane and embraced her.
"Jane, why have you never talked about your wonderful cousin before?" Maura invited an answer.
Jessica was very much like Jane, strong willed, but she wore lipstick. Growing up her mother would make her spend time with Jessica. Jane never had anything out for the girl and they talked on the phone when they could, but still, she always felt as if she was being compared to her cousin who was just a few months older.
"Well Jessica Rabbit it's nice to see you again." Jane said as she awkwardly pulled away. That was their joke since they were kids.
Jessica had moved to Chicago and became a successful pediatrics doctor herself. She was busy.
"Well Maura, Just Jane here always talks about you. It is quite impossible to make her shut up about you actually."
"Oh really? Does she talk about anyone else? Casey?"
"Casey Dear?" Jessica looked to Jane who became nervous.
"My uh…"
Frankie luckily saved the day. "Hi Jessica." He put out his hand to shake the woman's hand.
"Awwww little Frankie is all grown up in his detective suit." She smiled as she now brought him in for a hug.
Maura giggled.
Wait, I am the only one that makes Maura laugh, Jane said to herself.
"So Maura was telling me how you have been doing and I was down there keeping her company. She said you were going to take her home, she had finished early, and this poor beautiful girl was all alone. Poor Jane, you should know better." Jessica smiled seductively at the M.E.
"What are you doing here?" Jane asked in wonder.
"Well I had to attend a conference here in Boston, and I dropped by for a surprise. I asked if I could see you and they said you would be busy, probably down in the morgue with the medical examiner. I knew you would most likely be there since it is Maura and even I know Maura is family so I helped myself. When I discovered you were still up here I figured we could hang out right Maura?"
"Right." Maura nodded in agreement.
"We started talking about medical procedures and time slipped away. Then she talked about that delicious restaurant that she was dying to go to and the Dirty Robber too. Anyway, I told her that before I moved away that I knew the head manager, we knew the head manager, growing up, and could get her in there in no time."
"I know I was going to surprise her and take her as a treat on me."
Maura looked at Jane in astonishment.
"Well, see? Now you don't have to! You really are always busy, I suppose we all are. She said she was famished and I felt bad for the poor thing. I told her I would take her there. Anyway, I'll wait for you in the car Maur. I'll catch you later Janie."
Jessica walked to the elevator, hips swaying.
Jane felt as if she had a blow to her gut, Maur, she was the only one who could call her that.
"Maura what did she mean she would wait for you?"
"Well she said she was taking me tonight! I was rather excited and of course could not turn her down! She is so friendly."
Jane looked at her brother. She knew she would never feel anything for Frankie, she had said no to Tommy for that reason. It was obvious that she had no inkling, inclination, or idea of Jessica through.
"Maura have you heard of the term…kissing cousins?"
"Yes the saying originally came from…" Maura was about to go off on a tangent once more.
"No, Maura, focus, stay with me. You are family…she is my cousin you know how in every family there is one…cousin…who is…"
"Gay! Oh I know Jess is happy!"
Jess? Where did that come from?
"Okay even I know you are genius enough to figure out what I am trying to tell you!"
Maura just laughed once more softly to herself.
"I know Jane. She asked me…she let me know her intentions."
Now it was Jane's and Frankie's turn to look shocked.
Korsak and Frost had gone home early once the siblings had informed them they would hold everything down until they were relieved of duty.
"Wait so let me get this straight."
"She asked you, on a date, and you said yes?" Jane finished for Frankie.
"Yes?" Maura was thrown off by the two being put off. "Is there a problem?" She knew Frankie might be upset after everything that happened, but Jane?
"MAURA SHE IS MY COUSIN." Frankie said.
She expected Jane to defend her.
"Jessie was sweet to me"
There is was again, the pet names.
"Maur, you cannot like someone you just met." Jane tried to defend.
"Look I cannot keep her waiting, I should go. I will talk to you both tomorrow. I would invite you Jane but…"
"Just go."
Jane went to her apartment. It felt lonely. THEY were supposed to go out to the Dirty Robber that night and catch a movie afterwards. It felt wrong. Jessica was cutting into her time.
She thought so much about everything that night. She thought about Maura, about Casey. What if Jessica decided to move back? It was logical, more family was in Boston than where she was. No, she could not think like that.
"Maura what are you doing?"
It was not even the fact that Maura was with a woman that did not put her off, it was that it was Maura, and she did not want to see her hurt ever. This feeling was something she could not place.
The next morning she went to Maura's house to pick her up. She let herself in with the key Maura had given her long ago.
Jessica came down the stairs. Tension hit the minute it happened.
"Hey Jessica." Jane said.
She finally came into full view and Jane saw that her cousin was wearing Maura's pajamas.
"Hey little one."
"Jessica I told you, it's only by a few months."
Jessica scoffed "They are the months that made a difference."
Jane smiled uneasily, awkwardly, and so fake anyone could see it.
"Look can we talk?"
"Sure what is on your mind?"
"Look, back off of Maura. She is really fragile right now."
"She is or you are?"
"Both of us, look you have never been here, you have never been with her like I have. SHE is MY best friend and I don't want you messing that up more than you already have. My brothers get that, you should too."
"A little protective aren't we Janie?"
"I-I-"
"See Jane you can't even say it."
They then heard Maura coming down and went quiet.
"Are you ready Jane?" Maura was ready to head to work once more.
"Yeah-come-"Jane was about to lead her with her hand like she usually does when Jessica leaned across the counter and kissed Maura's cheek.
Jane's blood boiled. It took her forever to get to that point with Maura how could she just take it so lightly…? Take it for granted?
Jane checked her watch every five minutes while on the job.
"You can go talk to her you know?" Korsak asked.
"Yeah you don't have to stay here; you let us off the hook last night."
"Frankie did too, and I can't it is…"
"Jane look we know what happened…" Korsak lovingly stated
"Yeah you two need to talk it out" Frost finished.
That was why the two were her best friends besides well, Maura, who, well she did not even know how to deal with her anymore.
She went down to see here, she had to.
"Hey Maur…"
"I heard you." Maura said over their newest dead body.
"Huh?"
"This morning, it really was sweet of you, but you don't have to defend my honor."
"Maura it was not about that."
Maura took off her gloves.
"Then what was it about?"
"I was confused, jealous, I- I don't know."
"I see."
"I don't think you do. I knew people would talk, just a few days ago with Frankie, and now this? Things get around Maur, and I don't want anyone thinking anything about you."
"Jane it is my life."
"That's the thing though. You are a part of mine. I don't know all of it made me a little off I guess. I didn't think you were into…THAT."
"You say it like it's a bad thing."
"No no, that's not how I mean it, you know that. It caught me off guard. I never pictured…"
"People ask you if you are."
"I know but, that's different."
"How?"
"I'm me. I look and act the part. I never considered that with you because you are so beautiful and not as hard, you are soft. IN A GOOD WAY." Jane corrected herself.
"That's why we worked so well."
"Worked?"
"Jane you will leave. I need something else. I can't just…"
"I know. I told you, whoever you choose, I don't want to get in the middle of it, and I want you to be happy"
"Neither do I, that's the last thing I want! Jane?"
"What?"
"I love you."
"I know."
"Why?"
"Why what Maur?"
"Why can't you say it? After everything we have been through…you can't."
Jane then went to Maura. The distance between them was closed.
"If I say it Maur, I won't be able to stop myself from saying it anymore. That's why. When it leaves my lips, I can't take it back."
"Just say it!" Maura cried.
Jane did better. She kissed her lips. For the first time their lips met and nothing seemed real anymore. It had been so long that both imagined it and finally it was real.
"Jane. What about Casey?"
"I'd say no to him for you. I thought about how you barley knew Jessica and I realized it is the same thing for him and I. Sure we Skype and talk and have history but we don't know each other. It's not the way I know you." Jane touched Maura's heart.
This time Maura kissed her lips.
"God I wanted you for so long."
Jane smiled into the kiss.
"I'm sorry you had to wait."
"It was worth it."
This time Jane pulled away.
"What about Jessie?"
"Oh Jane, she is leaving. Nothing happened."
"WHAT?!"
Jane pulled away as Maura was coming closer.
"We ate but nothing like this happened." She motioned in between them. "It's funny actually. I actually asked why she had not made advances as she had done before and she said that I would not stop talking about you and that she got it. That it was okay."
"You are one sneaky doctor."
"Well I had to get us to discuss this somehow no?"
"Yes."
"Are you mad?"
"No." Jane said bringing Maura back in her arms once more.
Just then her phone rang. She grumbled.
"Rizzoli."
"Aw no wonder Maura finds you cute and hot. That was really something."
It was Jessica.
"What do you want?"
"Why are you out of breath?" She answered with another question.
"Nothing."
"Oh my gosh it finally happened didn't it."
"Shut up Jess."
"Aw now you are picking up her habits? Already? Oh Jane, I could not let you keep talking about her and being so innocently oblivious could I? I just had to do it! I knew I was not the only gay cousin in the family. I and an opportunity with you when I visited and I took it. I knew it wouldn't be long, especially after this morning."
"Goodbyeeeee."
With that the phone was hung up.
"Now where were we?" Jane asked.
