NOW and THEN
Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with R & I. No copyright infringement is intended. It's my take on how Jane and Maura met. This story takes place after the season finale and in the distant past: Maura Isles is an undergraduate student who has a chance, brief encounter with a rookie police officer.
Spring 1997
Maura Isles and Patricia Stanton talked casually as they crossed the Boston-Cambridge lower campus. It was a beautiful spring day shortly before the close of the semester. The grounds were perfectly manicured, and every available space was plastered with flyers referring to the ABC party and one senior activity or another.
"Well Maura, I think it's admirable that you're pre-med. We do need people in service positions. It takes all kinds to make the world spin." Maura inconspicuously rolled her eyes at her walking companion.
"Patricia, did your parents buy you the Bentley you were eyeing?" For Maura, this was a positive change of topic; she didn't relate well to people, and taking the focus off of herself was a coping mechanism. To make matters more stressful, she really didn't care for her walking partner.
"Yes, of course they did." The woman answered with a tone of pretentiousness that surpassed royalty.
"Can I see it?" Maura put her sunglasses on and looked expectantly at the other woman. People on bicycles and roller blades passed by most taking no notice of the pair who were better dressed than many of the university's chairs.
"I will never understand your fascination with cars. To be honest, it's unbecoming and tomboyish if you ask me."
"I didn't ask you Patricia." Patricia opened and closed her mouth like a dying fish. She was somewhat cold and unforgiving which made Maura avoid her, but this semester, she had to share a room with the insufferable woman during dorm renovations.
The other woman laughed, "Surely you're joking. You have such a dry sense of humor. It's….it's quaint."
"Right, thanks I think. Now will you show me the car?"
"Oh, alright." The woman sighed as she adjusted the waistband of her skirt. "Follow me. It's parked right down there."
Maura's eyes widened. "Amazing! A 1996 Bentley Turbo R Sport. V8 engine, displacement 6750 cc/411.9 cu in, bore 104.1, stroke 99mm/3.9 in…."
Patricia interrupted, "Maura I have no idea what you're talking about. All I know is that it's fast and paid for. I don't understand why you find this so fascinating."
"Patricia, cars are like the human body. I have an appreciation for the body, so it's a natural progression to value the automobile in the same way."
The other woman looked utterly confused.
"Let me explain. The engine is like a heart, the oil is like blood, the exhaust system is similar to the digestive system. Did you know that we design cars after our own biological systems?"
Patricia looked like a combination of bored and lost.
"Oh, never mind. This is why I'm pre-med and you're pre-law. Anyway, you shouldn't leave it parked here. This is a loading zo….."
Before Maura could complete her sentence, a tire blew on a office supply truck and sent it ploughing into the back of the Bentley. The driver got out unharmed, but the rear of the car was a mangled mess of metal and plastic.
"Holy freaking shit! What the hell did you do to my car? I'm studying to be a lawyer and I'll sue you. Hell, what am I saying? I'll just call daddy's lawyer, and he'll sue you."
Maura winced at the usually tight laced woman's outburst. She was also embarrassed to be standing next to the woman who didn't bother to ask the driver if he were OK, or understand that it was an accident. A small crowd had gathered, and she decided to take matters into her own hands.
She asked the driver if he were OK as she tended to a small cut on his forehead with supplies she carried in her bag, and asked someone in the crowd to call the police.
Ten minutes later the squad car and an ambulance approached. There were about twenty observers by this time.
Two uniformed officers, one male and one female exited the vehicle. Maura barely noticed them as she bandaged the cut and told the driver he should get checked out to ensure he didn't have a concussion. When she finished, she turned her attention toward Patricia who was yelling at the male officer.
"I want you to arrest that man. He ruined my car. Test him for drugs. He's…he's probably high."
The female officer was examining the car and snickering at the snobby undergraduate's behavior. The young woman was still yelling five minutes later. "I want you to throw the book at him. He has no idea who he's dealing with!"
"Miss, we're calling you a tow truck." The policewoman yelled over the din of the crowd and Patricia's screaming. Patricia simply ignored her and kept hurling threats; the officer shook her head and continued to work the scene. She thought, "Where's campus police when you need them?"
It was hard to tell because the brim of her hat shadowed most of her face, but Maura thought the young police officer was quite striking. She was tall, and had amazing bone structure. They locked eyes for a moment in what felt like shared sympathy and a hint of knowing.
The tall, beautiful cop tipped her hat at Maura who blushed and averted her eyes. Maura looked at her watch; she was going to be late for her Advanced Anatomy and Physiology class. She quickly gave a statement to the male officer and sprinted up the hill, back toward the science building.
PRESENT DAY
It was nearly three months since Detective Jane Rizzoli shot herself in an effort to take down a perp. who happened to be a cop. The road to recovery had been long and arduous, and throughout it all Dr. Maura Isles never left her side.
Maura temporarily moved Jane and Jo Friday into her home. She took a leave of absence from work, cared for Jane's wounds, pushed her through grueling physical therapy sessions, and ran interference between Jane and her mother.
Now, Maura was simply exhausted. She had just made a gourmet meal for Jane and the entire Rizzoli clan. Jane helped her clean, and now the two were lying on Maura's bed. Maura had her head on Jane's shoulder and Jane was toying with her friend's hair.
"Jane, I'll be returning to work next week. Are you going to be comfortable here on your own?"
"Sure Maur, I'll be fine. Jane lazily twirled a strand of hair around her index finger. "Thanks for taking such good care of me. I couldn't do it without you."
Maura smiled widely, and intertwined her fingers with Jane's "I'm happy to do it."
Maura rested Jane's hand just below her collarbone. Jane felt Maura's chest heave a bit as she stifled hot tears.
"What's the matter Maura?" Maura's breath hitched and she shook her head indicating she didn't want to talk about it.
"Come on Maura, please. It's me. Just tell me what's the matter."
Maura sniffled, "It's just that….you've…we've been through so much these past few months. Now that things are winding down. I just can't believe that I almost lost you."
"It's OK. I'm right here. Thanks to you I feel great, and I'm not going anywhere."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
"It's just that it seems like yesterday I was being introduced to you in the morgue—my morgue, and then you were nearly a patient in it."
Jane gently placed her hand on top of Maura's. Jane sighed and decided now was as good a time as any to tell Maura the real story.
"Maura, that wasn't the first time we met."
Maura carefully sat up, rolled onto her stomach, rested her elbows on he bed, and supported her head with her hands. "What are you talking about?"
Jane retold the entire story, and Maura was quite shocked and thoroughly embarrassed. "I thought that I would…."
"What Maura?"
"How could I forget meeting you? You're my best friend, my confident. I should remember meeting someone as attractive as you." Maura blushed, and small details about the day came flooding back to her. She thought about how beautiful the young woman was, and how she kept her cool.
Jane ran her hand along Maura's cheek. "It was a long time ago, we were surrounded by complete chaos, my hat was too big, and it covered my face sometimes, and I wasn't those things to you then that I am now."
"But Jane, you remembered me."
"I remembered because your name was on the report from the accident scene. I was able to put a name with a face and it just stuck. I didn't tell you earlier because we didn't know one another that well, and when we got to know one another better, it just never came up—it didn't matter really. I'm happy to have you in my life now though."
Maura got up on her knees and looked into Jane's deep eyes. "Me too." She leaned over and pecked Jane on her lips.
"We good?"
Maura's eyes glinted. "We're good."
"Good night Jane." Maura shut the light and they climbed beneath the covers. She fluffed her pillow and lay facing the wall. After a few minutes, she felt Jane snake her arm around her waist. Maura leaned into Jane's body and fell asleep.
Jane listened to the even breathing and whispered. "We're good Maura, and getting better." She kissed the top of Maura's head and pulled her closer.