HALF PAST MIDNIGHT
Disclaimer: Don't sue. All I have is a crappy car and a wonderful girlfriend and you can't have either.
Summary: Set during S2. Our favorite crime fighting team faces a murder case that involves family, inflammatory accusations, tension, controversy, and of course romance. Please read and review. I'll continue if everyone likes where it's going. Don't hesitate to let me know exactly what you think. Thanks!
Chapter One: Never a Dull Moment
At half past midnight, Detective Jane Rizzoli stormed into police headquarters and threw her keys against the far wall causing a thump that vibrated through to the locker room on the other side. As she ran her hands threw her tangled hair and moved to retrieve the thrown objects she heard a familiar voice coming around the corner.
Vince Korsak emerged with a sly grin on his face. "Hey Rizzoli, what did your keys ever do to you?"
"Not now Vince, I'm really not in the mood." Jane spat out as she checked the text messages on her phone. "Jesus, what was I thinking when I taught my mom how to text?"
Korsak looked a bit put out as he handed her the keys while grabbing a stale donut from his desk drawer with his free hand. The burly man walked toward the exit scowling, "Well when you are in the mood you know how to reach me."
"Yeah thanks." Jane caught the sarcasm in his voice. "Sorry I snapped at you."
His large expressive eyes softened, "Don't worry about it."
Jane sighed, "Hey, what do you do when your parents go from arguing over what pasta to cook for Sunday dinner, to arguing over the last lousy five-hundred fucking dollars left in the joint savings account? We've gone from being a family to being a fucking statistic and it sucks."
"You're parents marriage is a statistic, not your family. Hopefully, they'll figure it out."
"And if they don't?" Jane blew out another large breath.
"You can't fix 'em Jane."
"I know." Jane ran her fingers through her unruly hair. "Ugh, Goodnight Vince."
"Night Jane."
Jane put her elbows on her desk and rested her face in her hands. As the weight of the day bore down on her, her shoulders slumped and her head suddenly felt too heavy for her hands to support. Jane sniffled and rubbed the heels of her palms into her eyes in an effort to relieve the burn. She sat like that for several minutes until she heard heels clicking on the floor in the lobby.
She quietly rose from her chair and stood in the large glass window overlooking the entrance. A familiar figure, oblivious to her surroundings, reached for the door handle that would allow her to leave the precinct.
Jane smirked, and caught an appreciative glance of the shapely posterior that looked firm enough to deflect a bullet. The detective smugly called to the woman before she could make an exit. "Hot date with a cold body Dr. Isles?"
Dr. Maura Isles jumped at the unexpected voice that broke the silence of the otherwise deserted homicide division.
"Jane, you scared me half to death! What are you still doing here?" The M.E. brushed a stray lock of hair off of her shoulder. "It's almost one AM."
"I could ask you the same thing; when I left here at four, you said you'd be going home by six. I'm here because…..because, I don't know why."
"Jane, are you OK?"
"I had to play referee between my parents and their divorce lawyers. It got pretty ugly, and I went home but couldn't sleep. I started walking and ended up here. I just came here to…to decompress I guess." Jane shrugged.
Maura's expression softened. It wasn't often that her best friend seemed so unsure of herself. "Well, I started a new CME course online." Maura swallowed, "It's about the advanced stages of decomposition. I was so engrossed I lost track of time."
Jane quietly mumbled, "Emphasis on the word gross."
Maura smiled. "I heard that. Jane you look tired, and your pallor tells me you haven't eaten yet. I have some leftovers from the dinner your mom made last night. Come home with me and have something to eat. I haven't had anything since lunch except for a bottle of water."
Jane gave Maura a half smile; the memory of last evening's angel hair in an olive oil, garlic, white wine and caper sauce awoke Jane's appetite, despite not caring about food only a minute earlier. It had been a wonderful night. She, Frankie, Tommy, and Maura laughed and shared amusing stories and played cards. No one gave a thought to the following day's meeting with the lawyers, or the friction it was bound to cause and Maura topped off the meal by making the world's best Tiramisu for dessert.
Once dinner and dessert were over, and the dishes were washed, Jane's mom made espresso in the machine Maura gave her as a housewarming gift. Jane chuckled because it was Maura's house, or more specifically Maura's guesthouse that Angela received the gift for moving into.
Jane suddenly felt warm and comforted by the way Maura had opened her home and not to mention her wallet to her family. She gave her mother five-hundred dollars for that awful painting, and loaned Tommy some money to start his pet sitting business.
Jane found such gestures endearing. She frowned slightly because too many people dismissed the M.E. as odd, or socially awkward. So few people took the time to get to know the kind, warm, doctor with a heart of gold, and Jane found that downright shameful.
Maura's voice brought Jane out of her reverie. "Jane, Jane?" Maura gently placed her hand on her best friend's arm.
"Yeah, oh sorry. That sounds really good. Count me in."
"I'll drive. You can grab a nap in the car."
Jane just nodded, too tired to respond vocally. Once on the road, Maura expertly navigated the streets until she finally pulled up in front of her home. Jane had reclined the passenger seat as far back as it would go, and had fallen asleep almost immediately.
Maura looked over and smiled at the sleeping detective. The doctor blushed as she thought about how Jane's feistiness and protective nature sometimes aroused her. But now, her heart melted because the tall woman looked so vulnerable while sleeping with her hands curled and her lips slightly parted. She reached over to caress the attractive woman's cheek, but gently shook her arm instead.
"Jane, Jane, get up; we're home."
Jane yawned, "Hmmm, whose home? Wha?"
Maura laughed, "My home. Remember?"
"Oh." Jane lifted herself up and returned the seat to its normal position. "Sorry Maur. I forgot where I was for a second."
"Are you still hungry? It is awfully late, or is it terribly early?" Maura bit her lip in contemplation.
The detective yawned and stretched. "Believe it or not, I'm starving." Jane, blinking furiously and getting her second wind, sprang out the car and over to the driver's side where she opened the door for Maura.
Maura's eyes went wide for a second. A minute earlier, Maura was convinced Jane was going to fall straight into bed. Now, she looked as if she had had a full night's sleep.
"Thanks Jane. That's very chivalrous of you."
The lanky woman made a sweeping gesture with her arm. "Come on my lady, we've got leftovers to demolish."
Maura kicked off her heels, and hung her coat and bag in the closet. Jane followed suit and moved about the luxurious home more like an occupant than a visitor. She grabbed two bowls from the cabinet and set the table while Maura heated the food in a large sauté pan.
"Mmmm. This tastes even better now." Jane put a heaping forkful in her mouth and chewed vigorously.
Maura delicately wiped at the corners of her mouth. "Yes it does, and there's some Tiramisu left too."
"Oh yeah," Jane exclaimed excitedly.
Their eyes met and seductively scanned one another's features. Both women were completely aware of the direction their relationship was headed, but neither one made mention of it. They preferred to silently let nature take its course. The constant flirting, telling looks, and subtle touches, were part of the chase, and neither wanted to ruin it by talking about it, nor were they in a hurry to rush the inevitable.
Maura moved to slice into the rich dessert before them when Jane's phone rang almost angrily. The pair suddenly and visibly deflated. That ringtone meant only one thing; they had a body.