Title: The Perfect Gift
Author: tika12001
Rating: G
Summary: Look, here's the thing. I'm not rich. Okay? I'll just say that right now. But Maura is. So she can buy anything she wants. I mean ANYTHING. She broke up with a guy and on a whim, bought a freaking BOAT. A BOAT. So I can't compete with that. And yet, it's Christmas, and I have this stupid desire to get her the 'perfect' gift... I am so screwed. Christmas fluff.
Authors note: I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME. THIRD CHRISTMAS FIC. THIRD! And in real life, I'm just like tralala, whatever, it's Christmas, don't care, haven't even got the Christmas tree up cause I couldn't be bothered (don't judge me), and yet when it comes to this I'm like OOH MUST WRITE CHRISTMAS FIC. I don't get it. Anyways. Enjoy. It is now 10:47pm and I am tired so good night. :-P
R&IR&IR&I
December 18th
"What do you want for Christmas?"
Maura jumps and I feel guilty for the smallest of instances before I shove the feeling aside and give her my best you-better-tell-me glare.
"Jane." Maura's voice is frustrated. "You can't just keep jumping out at me from behind things."
"I didn't jump out at you from behind something!" I protest and Maura stares pointedly at the statue I had admittedly been hiding behind before leaping out to surprise her. "Okay, fine, maybe this time I did."
"And this morning from behind the coffee machine, and yesterday from behind my office door, the day before that I believe you were hiding behind Detective Frost... need I go on?"
"No," I mutter shamefacedly. "But Maura, why don't you just tell me?"
"You're my best friend. I'm sure you can figure out what I would like for Christmas all by yourself."
"Well, I can't." My voice has taken on a decidedly whiny tone and so when Korsak approaches me to tell me about our latest case, I immediately deepen my voice to sound professional. Perhaps a tad too much as Maura rolls her eyes, turns on her heels and walks away. "Maura!" I call, but she just waves an absent hand at me without turning her head and keeps on walking.
Korsak has finished talking and is staring at me expectantly. "So it was a suicide, then."
He sighs. "Did you even hear a word I was saying?"
"Yes!" I reply defensively. "He's in debt, he's divorcing his wife, his kid hates him so he offed himself. Pretty standard for around Christmas time. Sucks for the family though."
"I also said that he had a large life insurance policy that goes straight to his was-to-be ex-wife."
"But he definitely killed himself?" I ask and at Korsak's nod, I shrug. "Well, good for her then. She can afford to get that nose job she was blathering on about when we interviewed her." I pause. "Do you think Maura would like a nose job?"
Korsak looks like a deer frozen in headlights. "Um... why would she need a nose job? Her nose is fine."
"Humph," I grump, turning around and stabbing at the button to the elevator crankily. "Too expensive anyway. I don't know what to get her for Christmas. What do you think she'd like?"
Korsak is still standing as though frozen, his eyes the only moving thing on his body. I watch in fascination as they dart about nervously. "I... don't know? I'm sure that whatever you get, she'll like it."
"That's the problem though." I took another few jabs at the button, cursing it's slowness to respond. "I don't want her to just 'like' it. I want her to love it. I want to get her the perfect gift."
The elevator finally arrived and Korsak stepped on, turning back to look at me as I stepped on too. "Well, there's your first mistake. There is no such thing as a perfect gift."
"What? Yes there is!"
"No. There's not. That's what the retailers want you to think, but really Christmas is just an excuse for everyone to spend money and time on people they don't really like. Christmas is completely commercialised now."
"Bit bitter there, Korsak?" I ask, raising an eyebrow in amusement.
"No, just a realist. Trust me, Jane. There is no 'perfect gift'. Once you realize that, the happier you'll be. Just get her something you're reasonably sure she'll like and leave it at that."
"There is a perfect gift out there for her!" I argue, and Korsak just shakes his head at me.
"If there is, it's nothing you can buy," he says, and I huff in frustration.
December 19th
"What do you think Maura would like for Christmas?" I ask Frost on the way to the latest crime scene (what looked like yet another suicide).
Frost stares at me like I've gone insane. "What?"
"What do you think Maura would like for Christmas?" I repeat slowly and carefully, as I duck under the crime scene tape.
"Uh... I don't know, why don't you ask her?"
"I have." I snap on the gloves offered and put the paper booties on over my shoes.
"And?"
"And she wouldn't tell me."
"Uh huh." Frost's voice has a definite note of amusement in it so I glare at him.
"It's not funny! It's less than 10 days till Christmas and I still have no clue!"
"What did Korsak say?"
"What makes you think I asked Korsak?" I reply defensively.
Frost rolled his eyes. "Because you always ask him something before you ask me."
"I do?" At Frost's nod, I wince. "Oh. Sorry. He said there was no such thing as the perfect gift."
"He may be right."
"No, he's not right. Maura said that she's sure I can figure out the 'perfect gift' for her all by myself. So that means that there is a perfect gift out there for her!"
Frost just looks at me and shakes his head. "Let's get to work."
"Frost!" I whine, but he steadfastly annoys me and begins chatting to the detective already on the scene. I groan out loud before moving over to the body.
December 20th
"Susie? Susie!" I shout, skidding to a stop in front of the crime lab. Susie stares at me wide eyed.
"Um... hi Detective. Uh... how can I help you?"
I wonder vaguely why this woman always looks petrified in my presence, but push the thought aside to get to the real matter at hand. "You know Maura, right?"
"Dr Isles? Yes, of course, she is my boss."
"But, you know her? Like, you're friends?"
Susie looks even more uncomfortable. "We talk on occasion about non-work related topics..."
"Great!" I cheer and Susie recoils just the tiniest little bit. "Sorry," I apologize. "Um, so I guess you would know what she wants for Christmas then?"
Susie has a similar deer-caught-in-headlights look as Korsak. "Um, no, not really."
"What, you haven't discussed Christmas at all?" I ask, heavily sceptical. "It's five days away!"
"We've discussed Christmas Day itself... she has told me that she has your family over to her place for a big Christmas feast, and I told her that my siblings and I go to the other side of Massachusetts to visit my family, and..." I cut Susie off.
"Okay, okay, that's great, but really? No discussion about gifts? At all?"
"No, Detective. I'm sorry."
I throw my hands up in frustration and make to leave when Susie's words stop me. "She did say something about how you could get her the perfect gift, if you could only figure out what it is."
Instantly, I am right up close to Susie, unintentionally intimidating her. "Were those her exact words?"
"Y... Yes..."
"Did she say anything else?"
"N... no..."
Suddenly realizing how close I stood to Susie and just how terrified she looked, I deliberately took a large step back and softened my voice. "Thank you Susie. That helps me a lot."
"It does?" She looks hopeful.
I smile at her and leave, muttering, "No," under my breath.
December 21st
Don't let anyone tell you any different, car parks right before Christmas? That's what hell is secretly made up of. Hell is just full of car parks, packed with angry people and not enough spaces for all the cars. And then in the lower levels of hell, for the people who've been really bad? That's the actual shopping centre itself.
After the 8th person bumps into me because they aren't looking where they are going, then swear at me like it's my fault, I almost give up the whole thing as a bad joke. But Maura's face pops into my mind and I know she deserves better than a half hearted shopping trip so I surge on, going into the next shop and the next, each occupied by even surlier shop assistants than the last.
"Can I help you?" a bright voice asks as I examine a garden gnome, wondering if that could be considered a 'perfect gift'. I turn to look at the owner of the voice. She is young, late teens to early 20's, wearing a bright red Santa hat and jingly earrings. Her smile is happy and unguarded, not a sign present of the grumpiness I've seen on so many people to date. I almost roll my eyes at her happiness, but stop myself just in time.
"I'm looking for the perfect gift for someone."
"Okay, who is this someone?" she asks, the smile not dimming a watt.
"My best friend."
"What kind of things does your best friend like?"
I groan. "I don't know. Everything. Anything. She's a bit quirky."
"Quirky, huh? I like quirky." The shop assistant takes the gnome out of my hands and places it carefully on the shelf before walking away. I stand dumbfounded for a second before I realize I'm meant to follow her and I trip along behind her.
She's holding up a painting. Very weird painting too, with squiggles and lines all over it, but, staring at it, I suppose it's the kind of thing Maura would like. I mean, hell, she's got those damn creepy masks in her office. I take it from the girl and as I do, the price tag falls out.
"$400!" I gasp, immediately thrusting it back into the girl's arms. "No. Just... no. $400 for something I could paint? Really?"
"It's marked down from $600!" she replies brightly and I roll my eyes.
"Look, here's the thing. I'm not rich. Okay? I'm a detective, a cop, and no matter what you may hear about cops, we get paid jack shit for what we do. I'll just say that right now. But Maura is rich. So she can buy anything she wants." The shop assistant is staring at me wide eyed as I continue my little rant. "I mean ANYTHING. She broke up with a guy and on a whim, bought a freaking BOAT. A BOAT. So I can't compete with that. And yet, it's Christmas, and I have this stupid desire to get her the 'perfect' gift..." I sigh, and hang my head. "I am so screwed!"
The poor girl looks frozen in place, the smile gone from her face and replaced with a look of shock. "Umm... I can show you some lovely sporting equipment, if you think she might like that?" she asks lamely and I shake my head.
"No, never mind."
I walk out of the store, and take a deep breath. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
It was time to talk to Ma.
December 22nd
"I need to talk to Ma."
"Um..." Frankie looks around the bullpen pointedly. "In case you hadn't noticed, I'm not Ma."
"I know that," I huff impatiently. "But I need to talk to her."
"So why are you talking to me?"
I sigh. "Cause I don't want to talk to her."
Frankie groans and stands up. "Okay, sit down," he tells me, pointing to his chair. Meekly, I do as I am told. He sits on the corner of his desk and peers down at me. "What don't you want to talk to her about?"
"Maurasperfectgift," I mumble, and Frankie tilts his head closer.
"What?"
"Maura's perfect gift," I repeat, louder and slower.
"Maura's perfect..." he trails off and shakes his head. "Okay. So why do you want to talk about the perfect gift for Maura?"
"Cause I don't know what it is!" I whine, and Frankie rolls his eyes.
"Seriously? That's it?"
"What? What 'that's it'? Frankie, this is killing me! What do you think is Maura's perfect gift?"
"Seriously Janie, if you can't figure it out, I'm going to be very disappointed in you."
"Why?" I'm leaning forward in his chair, staring up into his eyes pleadingly. "What is it? Where can I get it?"
"Oh no," Frankie says, standing up and backing away, shaking his head. "I'm not getting involved. You need to figure this out for yourself."
I stand up and stomp over to my desk. What is it with no one being helpful around here?
December 23rd
"What do you want for Christmas?" I ask as soon as Maura walks into her office.
"You're sitting in my chair."
"You're not answering my question."
"Jane."
"Maura."
"I told you, you can figure it out for yourself."
"But I can't," I whine. "Come on, Maura, I've got two shopping days left before Christmas. Tell me!"
"Please get out of my chair."
"Tell me what you want for Christmas first."
"Jane." Maura stares at me and I stare back, my strongest, most stubborn look ever. I dig my heels into the carpet. Maura tilts her head.
Less than 20 seconds later, I'm standing up and Maura is sitting in her chair, happily typing away at her laptop.
"Maura!" I whine.
She continues to type.
"Maura!"
She cocks her head on the side as though in thought, then types a bit more.
"MAURA!"
"Yes Jane?" very calmly, as though I had not been standing here for five minutes yelling her name.
I gape in confusion. "Maura?"
She sighs. "I'm rather busy, Jane, so if you don't mind, I'll catch up with you later."
With a glower, I stomp away. Stupid Maura and her stupid perfect gift.
December 23rd (continued)
"Hey Janie!" Ma says as I walk into the cafe, my head bowing with dejection.
"Hey Ma," I sigh, hoisting myself up onto one of the stools and slumping over the table.
"What's wrong, baby?" Ma says, coming over and starting to stroke my hair. I bat her hand away impatiently and she huffs in frustration.
"I need gift advice."
"You haven't finished your Christmas shopping yet?" Ma looks horrified and I know why... ever since I can remember, she has always bought our presents through the year when there were sales on. That way at Christmastime, the only time she had to brave the shops was when she needed to do grocery shopping. Normally I follow the same routine, and in fact, except for Maura, I have. I've got presents for everyone else; it's just her that's missing.
"I've almost completed it!" I defend myself quickly. "I just haven't got a present for... someone... yet."
"Maura," Ma says knowingly, and I gape.
"How do you know that?"
"Because I'm your mother," she tells me, as though that explains everything, and it kind of does.
"Fine then," I grumble. "So what do I get her?"
"Get her whatever you want," Ma says, shrugging and wiping down the counter with a cloth.
"Ma! I don't want to get her whatever, I want to get her the perfect gift!"
"Oh! Well, why didn't you say so?" she asks and I roll my eyes in response. "Well, you should know what the perfect gift is for her."
"What? I should?"
"Of course," Ma replies, then slowly gapes at me as my face undoubtedly continues to express confusion. "Wait, you don't know?"
"Of course I don't know! Why do you think I'm asking you?"
She examines my face closely. "I think you do know."
"Wha... no Ma, I do not know!"
"Yes you do," she insists infuriatingly.
"No I don't!"
Someone standing at the counter clears their throat. "Oh, sorry Janie, I better serve this customer. Let me know how it goes."
"Wait!" I call out desperately, and she turns to me questioningly. "At least tell me what store I can find it in?"
"The perfect gift for Maura?" Ma asks and I roll my eyes. What does she think we've been talking about for the last five minutes?
"Yes Ma. The perfect gift for Maura!"
"Oh honey. You won't find it in any store. Now, how can I help you?"
"I'd like a..."
I let the customer's voice drone out of focus as I think about what my Ma just said: I won't find the gift in any store.
What?
December 24th
Christmas Eve and I am getting increasingly desperate with every minute that passes. Korsak sent me home early because I couldn't concentrate, and I was grateful, especially as I now crawl up and down the aisles with all the other last-minute shoppers, desperately seeking out that 'perfect' gift for Maura.
Yes, Ma said I couldn't find it at the stores, but what does she know? Really?
"Hi, can I help y..." the girl's voice trails off and I turn to stare at the same young woman who helped me last time. 'Emma', her name tag states. "Hi," she says lamely, then taking a deep breath to seemingly fortify herself, "How did you go with finding the gift for your friend?"
"I haven't found anything," I say, guiltily remembering that the last time I was in here, I got rather loud in my frustration.
"So, you're here today still looking?" she asks, and I can see the excuses forming in her brain as to why she can't possibly help me.
"Yes," I say and sigh heavily. "I think I'm wasting my time though."
Emma takes another deep breath then steps forward. "What makes you think that?"
"I just don't think it's possible to find the perfect gift for her. Not here, anyway." Emma is staring at me uncomprehendingly so I hasten to explain. "It's like... everyone else knows what the gift is, but no one's telling me."
"Maybe it's something you're supposed to figure out on your own?" Emma asks hesitantly.
"Maybe," I say slowly, then explode with, "But what the hell is it?"
Emma takes a big step back, and I watch as her gaze darts to the gun still strapped to my hip.
"Sorry," I apologize, and she nods, stepping forward again reluctantly.
"Umm. Well, maybe you could tell me about her." I look at Emma in bewilderment and she nods vigorously. "Please! I'm... I don't know, I'm good at figuring out stuff. Everyone says it, my family, my friends..." She looks at me expectantly and I sigh. She evidently takes this as approval, as she immediately takes my arm and pulls me over to the 'furniture' part of the story, pushing me gently so I fall back onto an uncomfortable sofa. "If my boss comes along, just pretend I'm trying to sell you this piece of furniture, okay?"
"You'd have to try real hard," I mutter, but Emma either doesn't hear or ignores me.
"So, I remember you said she was quirky?"
"Yeah," I say, then pull in a deep lungful of air, resolutely deciding that if I was going to do this, I was going to do it well. "Okay, she's a pathologist. She's the Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts." (I watch in amusement as Emma's eyes widen in awe at Maura's title). "She was adopted and raised in a very wealthy family, but they didn't have much time for her, so things like social cues and stuff... she just doesn't get. She struggles sometimes with phrases and sayings, as she is such a literal person, but... I don't know. She's just so sweet and innocent."
Emma is nodding her head encouragingly at me, so I continue.
"It's really bizarre actually, that she is as sweet as she is, because her family... both adopted and biological... they don't treat her well. Her father, her real, blood father that is... well, I don't know if you read the news, but her father is an infamous Irish crime boss. Her blood mother is a doctor like her, but when Maura told her who she was, Hope just... left her. And then, because Maura's so sweet and selfless, she gave her younger sister a kidney, and Hope didn't even thank her. That really hurt Maura... she was depressed for weeks. I hated seeing her like that."
Emma is now frowning down at the floor as she listens.
"She, uh... she gets me to do all sorts of crazy things I wouldn't do for anyone else. I've run marathons with her. Just 'cause she asked me to." I stare down at my hands. "She's allowed to touch my hands."
Emma's gaze darts to my hands and she looks at me with a question in her eyes.
"No one else is allowed to touch my hands."
"So why do you let her do it?"
"I don't..." I stop. I have never thought about why Maura is allowed to touch my hands when no one else can, it's just the way it is. "I trust her, I guess?"
"You don't trust other people? Your family? Other cops?"
"Of course I do!" I state firmly, and Emma shrugs.
"So why not let them touch your hands?"
I curl the aforementioned appendages into fists and feel the scar tissue stretch tight across the bones. "She will never hurt me. And I will never hurt her."
"That doesn't answer my question though."
"I don't know!" I explode, and Emma nods as though I had actually answered.
"Well, I think the 'everyone else' you mentioned before is right... the perfect gift won't be found in a store."
"So what is it?" I lean forward eagerly, hoping this young stranger will help me solve this dilemma.
"I... I'm sorry," she apologizes, and I sit back in confusion. "I don't think I can tell you. I really think you do need to figure this out yourself."
"I CAN'T. Figure it out. By myself," I snap angrily. "That's why I need help!"
"I'm sorry. I wish I could help you more," she says, and then a short, squat man comes waddling up with a huge smarmy grin on his face. I raise an eyebrow at him in displeasure.
"Is there anything else I could assist you with, Miss?" Emma suddenly asks, her whole persona changing as this man approaches.
"Hello ma'am, I was just wondering if I could help you with anything today," he says, talking over the top of Emma's question and I stand up to full height, towering over him.
"Actually I was already being helped so no, I'm quite fine thank you," I snap, peering down my nose at him.
"It just looked like..." he whines and I instantly lose whatever patience I had left.
"I don't care what it looked like, I was getting brilliant assistance from Emma here, and do not appreciate your butting in! In fact, while she has been very supportive, due to the blatant rudeness shown by yourself, I am afraid I am going to take my business elsewhere." I turn around and begin to walk out, quickly tossing out a "Thank you," over my shoulder to Emma, who is desperately trying to hide a grin while the man gapes in my direction.
Meanwhile, I am thinking hard. Yet another person who expects me to figure it out myself.
Brilliant!
December 25th
Christmas Day.
It is Christmas Day.
It is Christmas Day and I am freaking out.
It is Christmas Day, I am freaking out, and I have still not figured out Maura's 'perfect gift'.
Even worse? It is Christmas Day, I am freaking out, I have still not figured out Maura's 'perfect gift', and even better, I have not got her a gift at all.
Can you call in sick to Christmas?
Sorry, Santa, just not feeling up to it today. Try again next week.
Hey Santa, still not prepped, man. Can you, like, swing me a day or two extra? I owe you one dude.
Hey Santa, please please please can you grant me my Christmas wish of having it not be Christmas just yet or will that break some time continuum?
Hey Santa... Oh fuck. Doorbell.
"You ready, Jane?" Frankie is standing at the doorway and he is staring at me as I stare back at him wild eyed. "Um, Jane?"
"Hi."
"Hi," he says, and shakes his head in amusement as he steps inside. "You do remember that I was going to pick you up today, right?"
"Right," I say desperately, with no clue as to what he actually said.
"At 10:00am?"
"Yep."
"It's now 10:02."
"Is it really?" I ask, and Frankie shakes his head again.
"Jane, do you even realize it's Christmas Day today?"
"Christmas Day."
"Yes, it's Christmas Day. Today. And we're headed over to Maura's."
"Christmas Day. Today. Maura's."
He sighs heavily. "You still haven't figured out her gift, have you?"
I stare at him wide eyed. "Gift?" I ask pitifully, and he rolls his eyes.
"Really, Jane? You still haven't figured it out?"
"Shops! And the... Emma! But she said... and I... garden gnome. Short man. Gift?"
Frankie is now staring at me as though I've gone insane. "What?"
"Emma," I tell him, as though it explains everything.
"Jane, did you sleep at all last night?"
"Gnome? Christmas Day."
"Oh my God," he groans, staring at the ceiling. "Okay, listen to me Janie, cause I'm only going to say this once."
"Once," I agree readily.
"Okay." Frankie draws in a deep breath. "She wants you."
"Me?"
"You are her perfect gift."
"Me? Gift?"
"Yes. You. You gift."
"I... I am her gift?"
"Wow, a sentence! Can we get another?"
I stare at Frankie. "I am Maura's perfect gift?"
"Five whole words strung together that time, it's a Christmas miracle!"
"Shut up."
"Only two words that time, but that's okay, you're getting better. Come on, let's go."
"Wait!" I pull on Frankie's arm desperately, stopping him from walking out of my apartment. "Wait, I just... how does this work? What do I do?"
Frankie sighs. "Just kiss her, Jane. That's all you have to do."
"What if I don't want to?" I ask, and he shakes his head.
"Really? Don't even try that with me."
"But..."
"No, Jane." He starts walking out the door again and I grab his arm once more.
"Frankie!" I whine.
"Jane, you know how you feel. It's time to stop denying it to everyone. Especially to yourself."
This time, I allow him to walk out the door. And when he comes back a few minutes later and drags me out to the car, I allow that too. I even let him put the seatbelt on me as I stare blankly out the window. And when we get to Maura's, Ma comes out to the car and looks at me concernedly.
"What's wrong with her?"
"She knows what the perfect gift for Maura is," Frankie explains, and Ma nods.
"Ah," she says understandingly.
"Gift?" I ask pathetically, and she laughs.
"Go give her your gift, Jane." She opens the door, undoes my seatbelt and forcibly pulls me from the car. I stand on unsteady feet for a few seconds, then slowly start heading towards the door. I freeze outside on the doorstep, and turn around. Ma and Frankie wave me on, so I slowly open up the door and walk into Maura's house.
I've been here so often that it has truly begun to feel like home. Sometimes I even wonder if I know its layout better than my own home... a silly thought, I know, but still, it comes up every now and then. Every wall is familiar, every piece of furniture a friend. Even Bass and I are beginning to warm to each other now. I lean down to give his shell a gentle pat as I pass him by. His head turns to follow me as I walk, as though he senses something is different today.
I walk into the kitchen. Maura is standing at the stove, stirring something in a pot. She turns to me and smiles, and I feel my breath catch in my throat.
"Hi Jane!" she says brightly, but the smile falters, slowly starting to dim on her face as she looks at me. She turns down the heat on the stove and walks over to me. "Is everything okay?" she asks.
"It's been driving me crazy," I say in response, almost making myself jump at the sound of my own voice as I hadn't made the conscious choice to respond just yet. "I just couldn't think what it could be."
"What?" Maura asks, frowning slightly. She reaches out a hand to grab my arm and I slide my arm up so I can tangle my fingers with hers.
"Your gift," I tell her. "It's been driving me insane. I was asking everyone."
"You were?"
"Yes. And you wanna know what really drove me nuts?" She nods so I continue. "Everyone knew what you wanted. Everyone except for me. Hell, even the shop assistant figured it out."
Maura laughs. "Really?"
"Really! Yet no one would actually tell me what it was that was supposed to be your perfect present."
"Oh," Maura sighs, squeezing my hand tightly. I reach out and take her other hand too. Maura's gaze drops to our linked hands.
"Well, almost no one."
Maura immediately looks at me. "What?"
"Frankie."
Maura frowns but I lean down, pressing my forehead to hers, effectively distracting her. "Why didn't you tell me?" I ask, and she sighs.
"I was scared," Maura mumbles, and I laugh.
"I'm scared too. In fact, I can guarantee you that I will freak out at some point in the near future. But..." Maura stares into my eyes, and our noses bump intimately, "I'm sure I'll be okay. If you're there with me."
"I will be."
"Maura?"
"Yes Jane?"
"Merry Christmas."
As I press my lips to hers, I can't help but think:
Best, most perfect gift EVER.
For giver and receiver.
END
If there's mistakes I really don't care cause it's late and I'm sleepy. So please review, cause... I don't even know why. Just do it. DOOO ITTTT *mind control* Please? :-P