It wasn't unusual for Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles to have dinner together after work. No one at work, none of their family members, and neither of the women's partners thought anything of it. It was no secret that the two were close, and for the longest time they both blamed their close, intimate friendship on the fact they were women working together in a male dominated field. It was, however, a secret that when the two were alone they shared a lot more than extended glances and your normal conversation.
Tonight would mark two years since the blonde and brunette met one another, and though neither of them had mentioned it yet; they both remembered the day they first laid on each other as though it were yesterday.
"I was thinking we could do something other than dinner tonight." Jane thought aloud as she stood across from Maura at her autopsy table, waiting for the blonde to finish sewing up the body before them so they could leave work behind for the night. Maura pursed her lips softly to hide the smile that begged to be free.
"Why would we want to do that?" Maura asked innocently, pulling her brow together as she continued staring down at the man's body she was half way through closing. Closing a body after they had solved a particularly tough case was always therapeutic for Maura; symbolic.
"You know why Maura." Jane responded with a shy smile as she looked down at her hands that were fiddling with one another in front of her. It had become an unspoken rule between the two that so long as they were inside the Boston Police Department building; they were nothing other than colleagues. Jane Rizzoli, for the first time in her life, felt out of her element as the familiar quiet voice she used when she and her best friend were alone inside that exact building.
"Remind me." Maura responded in her usual calm, collected voice. Jane knew what her best friend was doing. Teasing her; knowing fine well that she didn't want to admit that she had remembered their little anniversary.
"Two years ago today I kissed you for the first time." Jane said, forcing her eyes up to meet Mauras. The blonde felt her mouth open slightly as the slight gold ring on her left hand began to burn through her finger.
"Shh!" Maura giggled; shocked that Jane had actually said the words she had been thinking. She lifted both her gloved hands to her face in an effort to hide the blush that was no doubt making its way onto her beautiful face. Jane felt her heart flutter in her chest at the sight before her.
"Let's go for a walk?" Jane suggested, swallowing the lump in her throat as she tried to come up with any way to make the night drag out longer than their usual hour long dinner date. Maura finished the last three stitches before she nodded slowly, the smile that was lingering from her giggle had disappeared and the eye contact the two made caused both the women to be suddenly filled with extreme nerves.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Are you cold?" Maura asked in a hushed voice as she and her best friend walked side by side through Franklin Park. Not trusting her voice as of yet; Jane merely shook her head. They walked quietly with their arms linked together for more than fifteen minutes before Jane found the nerve to speak up.
"We can't keep doing this to them." Maura felt her eyes slowly drift closed; the ring on her left hand seeming to burn straight through her once again. Jane felt the blonde start to twist the ring on her hand, and she was suddenly reminded of just how horrible of a person this made her. "You're married." Jane chuckled, letting her head fall back as she let out a groan.
"Why haven't you married Casey?" Maura asked quietly, knowing her question was going to cause quite a reaction. If there was one thing she knew about Jane Rizzoli; it was not to ask about her relationship. Jane let out a loud sigh, moving her linked arm away from Mauras only long enough to instead take her hand in her own.
"Because I'm still hoping you come to your senses and realise how god damn gay you are." Jane joked playfully, nudging her best friend with her hip. Maura rolled her eyes at Janes attempt to steer the conversation away from Casey.
"Is that what you are? Gay?" Over the space of two years and after countless midnight kisses not once had Jane and Maura had this conversation. Better late than never, Maura thought to herself as she felt Janes hand tighten in her own.
"Is it possible to be gay for one person?" Jane wondered, her head tilting slightly to the left as she thought through her own question. It was never something she had ever seriously thought about. She knew that she loved Casey; but was it the same way she loved Maura? Absolutely not.
"I don't think anyone can say definitively anything about your sexuality other than you, Jane." The brunette nodded along with Mauras words; not at all surprised with the vague nature of her response.
"Are you going to leave him?" Jane asked outright; yet another question the two had never approached until now. What was it about tonight that was bringing this out in the both of them?
"Jane…" Maura warned gently, removing her hand from Janes as she crossed her arms across her chest protectively. "It's not that easy for me. I'm married." The blonde stopped walking, taking a deep breath as she tried to compose the different array of emotions that ran through her.
"Believe me, I know you're married Maura." Jane responded coldly, swallowing hard as memories of countless mornings where she had been forced witness to Maura and Jack kissing goodbye flooded her mind. It wouldn't have been so terrible if his smell didn't linger on her all day, a constant sickening reminder to Jane that she was not Mauras.
"Do you remember the time we went to Adirondacks?" Maura asked suddenly, her face softening as she waited for Jane to respond.
"We wanted to try camping." It was impossible for Jane to fight the small smile that played on her lips at the memory. She let out a quiet chuckle before she spoke again. "And you tried to put the tent together and ended up flat on your ass on the ground."
"That was not funny! I got grass stains on my favourite pants!" Maura exclaimed with a giggle, softly punching her best friends arm. "Should we talk about the poison ivy incident?" Maura teased, pursing her lips to conceal the loud laugh that was building in her chest.
"Okay that was not funny." Jane said with a playful frown, remembering the far simpler times before she had to share Mauras time with Jack.
"Were you in love with me then?" Maura asked, silence suddenly filling the small space between the two as Jane carefully thought through her answer. Mauras heart was hammering in her chest as she waited for the answer to what could possibly be the most important question she ever asks.
"I have been in love with you since the moment you tried to pay for my coffee in the division one café, Maura." Jane told her honestly, looking down at her hands as she felt her eyes begin to burn with the familiar sensation of tears.
"I'm sorry." Maura whispered, suddenly wondering why she had ever thought asking that question was ever going to make anything easier. Maura closed the gap between them, pulling Jane tight against her body. She felt Jane take three deep breaths against her chest before she pulled away just enough to look down at her.
"Tell me you don't love me." Jane begged quietly, her eyes completely void of the tears that were just threatening to fall. "Tell me you don't love me and I will never…"
Jane didn't get the chance to finish her sentence; Mauras lips capturing hers in what was easily the softest, most intimate kiss the two had ever shared. Jane felt her shoulders relax, her whole body seeming to melt into Maura, whose hands gently cupped her face.
"When I look at you, Jane Rizzoli, my heart races unlike ever before. When you touch me…" Maura started, lifting Janes hand and placing it on her face softly. "I feel more than I have ever felt when any man has ever touched me." Jane swallowed the lump in her throat as she tried to prepare for what was coming. "I love you, Jane Clementine Rizzoli unlike I have ever loved any man."
"I knew you were gay." Jane joked, her voice hoarse as she tried to hide just how ecstatic she was over her best friends words.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
This was just a little one shot idea I had. I know it seems uncomplete and I am genuinely sorry about that. If I get too into this story I will NEVER finish Heartbeat though!
Which speaking of, I am currently working on a nice long chapter of Heartbeat for you all!