ELEVEN BOLD AND BRAZEN
(and not one a jelly bean)
A/N This story is my answer to a challenge from Halfbadgirl. Choose your favorite and enjoy! Oh and Thanks Halfbadgirl for the creative nudge J
Five foot ten, lean and badassed to the bone. Normally Homicide Detective Jane Clementine Rizzoli crawled between her freshly laundered three hundred thread count sheets and was asleep by the time her jet black curly locks touched the lavender scented pillowcase.
But not tonight.
Tonight a storm raged across the sky in a city named Boston. But this was no ordinary thunderstorm. It's reach seemed to cover the entire city. Brilliant bolts of lightning pierced inky clouds and sent bass waves of thunder rolling through the heavens and the dreams, or nightmares, of the restless cities population.
Jane went two rounds with the tangled sheets and flung one narrow foot over the edge of the California King bed. She flung her forearm across dark brown eyes and raged at the howling wind rattling the windows of her normally mostly cozy apartment.
"What does a body have to do to get some freaking sleep?" She pulled the pillow from beneath her head and threw it at the window. The pillow bounced of the glass and settled on the floor laughing at her. "Aaaaarrrrgggghhhhh!"
Jane ran both hands through her hair creating even more tangles. A beer would take the edge off her nerves and help her get a few hours sleep.
"Perfect, Frankie perfect. You drank the last beer! God brothers are such selfish pigs." She poked a bored finger among the few items in her fridge; milk, orange juice, two mystery containers from the Chinese place down the block, a half jar of sweet pickles, some olives and a lone apple.
She padded back toward the bedroom, but stopped in the living room. There whispering to her in a seductive tone was a bottle of snooty wine. The wine was a gift from Medical Examiner Maura Dorothea Isles. In times of extreme need, open bottle of snooty wine and drink deeply.
After a five minute search in the "catch-all drawer", she found an opener and wrestled the cork from the bottle. Jane looked at the unpronounceable name and rolled her eyes. She poured a small amount into a tea glass and took an experimental sip. It was a deep red, like congealing blood. She shuddered at the unwanted imagery and took another sip and then another.
Of course the storm had knocked the satellite out and left her pacing the floors for entertainment as she drained the bottle. With the last sip pleasantly settling in her stomach, Jane made her way back to bed. She should have been grateful that the storm failed to knock out the electricity. Storms are natural phenomenon, this one also proved to have a twisted sense of humor.
Jane brushed her teeth in preparation for another few hours of tossing and turning. Just as her fingers closed over the switch, a pulse of electricity jumped from the transformer and made a temporary home in the bathroom switch.
"Shit!" Jane yelped her fingers finding solace in her open mouth. She sucked the burned digits until the pain subsided. "The damn cherry on top of the cake."
But it wasn't cherry filling her nostrils as her head found the pillow. Warm, sweet vanilla surrounded her and lulled her to sleep.
Three short hours later, Jane rolled out of bed and fairly danced down the hall to take her morning shower. The smell after the storm carried through the ductwork. Fresh and alive. She lathered heavily enjoying the scent of cucumber and melon. Her personal ritual complete, she made her way to the kitchen and started coffee. She inhaled deeply loving the slight nutty flavor of the dark roast she had purchased on a dare form Maura. The thought of Maura curved her full lips in a smile and rushed her out of the apartment and to the precinct café.
"Good morning Babe." Angela, Jane's mother called as she rang up customers and took orders for breakfast sandwiches and other freshly made delicacies. When it was Jane's turn to order, she nestled her face in the crook of her mother's shoulder and inhaled deeply much to Angela's delight. Normally Jane was strictly hands-off.
"Bunny pancakes and coffee please." Jane ordered a smile on her beautiful face.
A shadow darkened Angela's eyes. She would never accuse her oldest child of being, well, crabby, but Jane was normally much more reserved. "Are you feeling OK?" She tried to press a hand to Jane's brow, but connected with empty air.
"I'm fine Ma. Just hungry." Jane assured. She further surprised and delighted her mother by pressing a brief kiss to the nearest work flushed cheek.
Maura came in as Jane swallowed her last bite of pancake. She flashed her trademark brilliant smile and settled in the chair opposite the detective. "I normally reserve heavy carbohydrates until Sunday morning, but I feel like indulging today."
"One order of Angela's Bunny cakes coming right up. You look especially radiant this morning. Anything we should know about? Maybe a special someone?" Angela fished.
"Just another glorious day in Boston. Thank you for such a sweet compliment." Maura pressed a kiss to the cheek opposite the one Jane had kissed.
As Angela disappeared into the kitchen, Jane leaned toward Maura and asked, "Did you smell peanut butter?"
"Peanut butter? No. Are you sure it isn't the maple syrup you used on your Angela Bunny cakes?"
"This is peanut butter not maple syrup, Maura. Do you smell caramel?" Jane inhaled deeply and leaned closer to the very beautiful woman seated opposite her. The smell of rich caramel intensified as she drew closer to Maura. Acting on pure impulse, Jane captured Maura's face between her hands and pressed a light kiss to soft sweet tasting lips. "Good morning."
A chilly finger of fear raced up Maura's spine. She had read case studies of people with brain tumors having heightened olfactory ability as well as radical changes in behavior. She intended to stay as close to Jane as possible today and observe her every move.
"I want to have a party." Jane announced further startling Maura. "Well, not a real party, just a nice sit down meal for you, Ma, Frankie, Korsak and Frost."
Jane Rizzoli wanted to have a sit down dinner? Scenarios of tricking Jane into a head CT or MRI began flooding her thoughts. There was most certainly something not quite right with Jane. But what?
"A keg of beer, and a couple bottles of that snooty wine you like. What do you think about pigs in a blanket and cheese and cracker platters for starters?"
This was Jane's idea of appetizers for a sit down meal? "How about Bellinis with sour cream and salmon?"
"Sausage balls and a huge pot of spicy chili." Jane continued warming to her idea.
"Sliders and goat cheese fritters.. Antipasto platters. Spring rolls. Individual spinach quiches."
"Are we planning a party?" Angela asked placing Maura's warmed plate and a fresh jug of maple syrup on the table. She took note of Jane's empty cup and went for the fresh pot. She poured her daughter a fresh cup making sure the cream and sugar were in easy reach.
"I thought we could all have dinner at my place." Jane said dipping her index finger in a pool of syrup and popping it into her mouth. She gave her mother a puzzled look and swiped a jellybean nose from the stack of fragrant rabbit shaped pancakes.
"I could do the cooking." Angela offered.
"No. I want you to enjoy yourself. We don't have sit down meals anymore. Remember when we were growing up all the hours spent at the dinner table?"
"I know the perfect caterer!" Maura bubbled warming to the idea. "Doug is amazing. I'll give him a call and get started on finalizing the menu."
"Maura, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but it's my party. I don't want some fancy pants caterer. This is just for us." Jane insisted.
"How about we host it together? You take care of the keg and the blanketed pigs and I'll confer with Doug on the actual meal." Maura compromised.
Before she could open her mouth to argue, the aroma of mocha enveloped her. She turned toward the source and found Frost beaming at her. "Guess what partner?"
"You stopped at Joe's and had a Mocha Latte Swirl." Jane guessed.
"A what?" Frost couldn't contain his grin. It shone for all to behold. "Our good friend and co-worker, one Vincent Korsak is right this very minute at Mass General receiving stitches."
"Detective, it isn't like you to be cruel." Maura scolded. "Why are you so happy about Detective Korsak going to the hospital?"
Frost grasped the empty chair next to Jane and turned it backward. Once he was comfortable, he resumed his story. "We got a call about a disturbance at Triple D's."
"The topless bar near the waterfront?" Jane chuckled.
"Yeah, one of the unis, an officer Rizzoli was trying to cuff a drunk when one of the dancers comes flying out of the club and jumps on his back. Soon, every female in the place is trying to get a piece of Frankie. Me and Korsak go down to help Frankie out."
"Is Frankie OK?" Angela asked , her mother's instinct kicking in high drive. She still got hives when Frankie was involved in any dangerous situation.
"He is, but one of the dancers took off her six inch stilettos and started wailing on Korsak."
"Poor Korsak." Maura murmured fighting laughter as she imagined Korsak battling a topless dancer swinging six inch heels.
"Think of the mileage this story will get him on poker night." Frost chuckled.
"Hey Frost, do you smell Peanut butter or caramel?" Jane asked as Angela filled her coffee cup a third time.
"Nope. But I do smell maple syrup. I didn't have breakfast, any more Bunnies Mrs. R?" He asked with a hopeful smile.
Jane sat looking from one to the other. Three very distinct scents filled her nostrils; peanut butter, caramel and Mocha. Strange. Very strange indeed, but this was only the beginning.
OK let me know if you like it, hate it or don't feel one way or the other J