A/N: This is a story collaboration with shallow-seas-we-sail! Like last time, it started over on tumblr with tags on a gif-set, which then turned into a conversation and here we are. It's always a blast working with Seas (such a fantastic writer and person and a very patient human!) and I hope you all enjoy!
Disclaimer: Don't own the characters. ETC. ETC.
Maura tapped her credit card against the marble counter of the front desk. Tension settled in her neck and shoulders. The incessant clickclickclick of the keyboard by the young man across the desk kept kept tempo with the dull throb of her headache. He had been trying to find her reservation for the last twenty minutes with little success. Maura was tired. Her eyes burned. She was hungry and she was irritable. And her patience had ran out ten minutes ago.
"Madame, je suis désolé. I cannot find the change to your reservation." He said.
"I called this morning before our flight and had the room changed from a single to a double. I spoke to..." Maura closed her eyes and tried to remember the man's name through the haze of her exhaustion, "Enzo, I believe."
"Oui, but the note for a room change is not here."
Maura pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth. She drew in a calming breath and willed her frustration back down. "What rooms do you have available," she leaned forward and peered at the young man's name tag, "Louis."
"Let me check." He said, tapping a few more keys.
Maura turned and leaned against the counter, her eyes searching for Jane. She found her half way across the lobby, surrounded by their luggage. She sat in an oversized chair and the look on her face as she flipped through the magazine in her hand told Maura that she did not understand a word of what she was reading. Her agitation quieted for a moment when Jane looked up and smiled.
'This is just a small misunderstanding. Nothing to worry about.' Maura thought to herself and returned the gesture.
"Anything?" Maura asked over her shoulder. Her eyes kept focused on Jane. There was some amusement in watching her ill-fated attempt to translate the French publication of Vogue.
"Madame Isles, we are completely booked. I can have a cot brought to your room for your friend if you'd like."
If Maura had a shred of patience left, it had been picked up and blown at the door at the mention of the word 'cot'.
"Monsieur, we are staying for a month. She cannot sleep on a cot. I was assured we would have a room this morning." The politeness in Maura's voice was forced.
"I understand, madame, but-..."
"Hey, what's going on?" Jane asked, coming up beside Maura.
"We don't have a damn room."
Jane scoffed, "That's BS, you talked to them this morning." Jane settled her hand along the small of Maura's back and kneaded the building tension there with her fingertips.
"I know." 'I know, I know, I know.'
"I have offered Madame Isles a cot for the time being. Until we have a room available." Louis said.
Jane shrugged, "Maura, that's fine for now. Honestly, it's not like it's going to be for the entire time we're here. Just until another room opens up."
Maura shook her head, "No, it's not fine. We were told we would have an upgraded room, so we will have an upgraded room." She looked straight ahead and her cold focus fell on the man in front of her. "Right, Louis?"
Louis swallowed hard and Jane bit down on her bottom lip to hold back the bark of laughter itching in the back of her throat. She moved her hand along to Maura's side, preparing to hold her back if she decided to jump the desk and throttle the poor man. Maura was in a mood. Jane looked at Louis as his eyes widened and he shamefully looked down at his computer.
"Madame, all I have is the single. I can call our affiliate hotel and check their availability." Louis said, picking up the phone.
"Really, the cot is fine, Maura." Jane said, trying to ease the tension.
"Oui , je demande de la Shangri-La." Louis spoke quickly into the receiver, "Je cherche des chambres ouvertes que vous pourriez avoir."
"It's not a big deal. I'll go and grab a luggage cart." Jane turned and threw her thumb over her shoulder towards their bags.
"Put. Down. The. Phone." Maura said through her teeth, "Jane, stay where you are."
"Mettre le téléphone vers le bas!" Maura repeated and leaned forward against the desk, watching Louis as he lowered the phone.
Jane stood rooted to her spot beside Maura on the grand marble flooring. Her eyes landed on the bar at the far end of the lobby. She was suddenly thirsty, but it was too far to make an escape. Instead, Jane became the one woman audience to the tirade of the century as of her cultured and sophisticated best friend unleashed a verbal fury. One elective language class her senior year had taught Jane all she needed to know in French: how to ask where the bathroom was and an all important handful of swears. Jane pressed her knuckles against her lips to hide her glee as she cherry picked the expletives that Maura left behind on her war path.
"Je suis vraiment désolé, Madame Isles. I did not know." Louis said remorsefully. Jane was impressed that he hadn't been reduced to a crying heap on the damn fancy marble floor.
Maura shook her head incredulously, "You did not know what? That we had a room!?"
"Oui, vous et votre femme." Louis said, his eyes darting to Jane and then to the hand around Maura's waist. Jane gave a weak smile at her sudden recognition.
Maura's eyes widened as the the haze of her fury was momentarily lifted.
Louis glanced up from the computer at Maura and smiled as he tapped away quickly on the keyboard. A moment later he produced two key cards from behind the desk and handed them to Maura, "You are on the top floor in 1502. Your bags will be taken up to your suite, Madame Isles. I apologize for the inconvenience. Your room has been upgraded at no additional charge."
"Je vous remercie." Maura mumbled. Stunned, she took the cards and turned towards Jane, "I'm not entirely sure of what just happened."
"You handed that guy his ass and got us a suite, that's what happened!" Jane said, playfully tapping Maura on the shoulder as they walked towards the elevators.
Jane pressed the signal button for the elevator. Then pressed it again. And again.
...
The room had all the amenities of a home. A large kitchen with sleek, black appliances. The living room and the black on silver theme gave the room a sharp, modern aesthetic. Full length mirrors lined at least one wall in each room. Behind her, Jane had began to gather their bags from the bell hop. Maura slipped her hand into her pocket. She turned and thanked him, handing him a generous tip. When she turned back around, Jane had already wandered off. She heard the echo of a gravelly voice call out to God from the bathroom
Jane stood in the doorway of the bathroom. Her jaw was slack, and her hand still rested on the light switch. The bathroom was a huge fun house of mirrored illusion that reflected infinitely within itself. The shower was glass enclosed. Jets protruded from the walls and a waterfall shower head hung from the center of the ceiling above it. Beside the shower, the large jacuzzi tub had already been filled. Chamomile and mint filled the air, and rose petals swirled along the surface caught in the jets current.
"I think they upgraded us to the honeymoon suite. You tryin' to tell me something?" Jane chided, sticking Maura in the side with her elbow.
Maura cleared her throat and rubbed the back of her neck to run away the warm sensation that had begun to bristle up there, "It appears that they did. I can call down to the front desk and-..."
Jane walked into the center of the bathroom and was projected endlessly in every direction. Maura pushed her tongue into her cheek and mused as Jane protested; her long arms spread out beside her
"What? Are you kidding? No way am I giving this up. I can't settle for a cot now when there are jets in the shower."
"If this is the honeymoon suite, that means there is only one bed." Maura said, quirking an eyebrow.
Jane rolled her eyes as she walked past Maura and flipped off the bathroom light. They made their way out of the bathroom and back towards the bedroom.
"Wow." Jane said crossing the spacious room. She made her way to the French doors across from the foot of the bed and peaked out the blinds before pulling open the doors, "Look at this view!"
Maura's breath caught for a moment before letting out a low whistle. Lit up across the courtyard of the hotel was the Eiffel Tower. Synchronized lights traveled up and down the scaffolding, putting on a dazzling display. Maura counted back the years since she had last been in Paris. The summer after she had completed her undergrad she remembered. She had spent a majority of her time attending her mother's installations or a gallery opening; caught in the flurry of upper class social circles, awkwardly making small talk. She had only had a few hours her last day to travel to the tower and she had appreciated its beauty alone.
Pushing away the memory, Maura turned and walked back into the bedroom, "We have dinner reservations for eight." she said, "I am going to lay down for a quick nap. You should too. We need to help our bodies adjust for the time difference."
Jane turned and followed Maura, "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?"
Maura rolled her eyes as she pulled back the covers and felt a flush rise in her cheeks, "Do you even know what you just said, Detective Marmalade?"
"I know Patti LaBelle, how to ask where the bathroom is and about half of those swear words you threw at that poor front desk guy. That's the extent of my French." Jane smiled, "But I think I'm okay. I'll bring in our bags and then I'm taking advantage of that bath."
Maura grinned and turned off the side table light. "See you in an hour."
Jane picked her outfit from her suitcase in the living room; a casual button up and black, fitted slacks. She brought their bags into the bedroom and laid them in front of the dresser, then made her way back to the bathroom. After her bath, she changed and walked into the kitchen. The espresso machine was similar to Maura's. After pushing a few buttons and remembering to add water, Jane quietly made her way back out to balcony with her drink. The lingering mint from her bath tingled against her skin in the warm air and she sipped her espresso. Flipping over her wrist, she checked her watch. She needed to change the time. Jane finished her drink and set down the cup on the table beside her and let out a heavy sigh. She was going to miss Boston. She was going to miss her job and her family. She was going to miss her friends and her city. But most of all, she was going to miss Maura. A sinking feeling of dread wandered through her and she felt vastly alone. The way she felt after Hoyt; floating in no discernible direction. Suddenly starting over in DC did not hold the allure and excitement it once had. She walked towards the balcony rail and rested her forearms against it. The dancing lights of the Eiffel Tower glistened against Jane's unshed tears and she blinked them away. She hadn't heard Maura come up beside her, and it wasn't until Maura had looped her arm between hers that Jane was pulled back from her thoughts.
"I'm happy you're here." Maura said quietly, and rested her head on Jane's shoulder.
Something kick started in Jane's heart. She felt her pulse quicken and her body grew warm. Years of meticulous, second natured deflection blamed the caffeine.
Jane smiled and turned her head, her eyes changing their focus from the lights, down to Maura, "Me too."