Maura sighed dreamily, fingering the envelope in her hands with exaggerated reverence. Frost watched from the doorway momentarily before clearing his throat.
He was appraising her openly, a small smirk on his face, one eyebrow raised.
Maura blushed, sliding the envelope into her drawer as smoothly as possible.
"What's that?" Frost asked anyways.
"Tickets," Maura replied evasively.
"Those must be some damn good tickets to put that look on your face," Frost returned, further entering the office.
"They're the best," Maura nodded. "A private box to see a classically styled revival of Carmen tonight."
Frost's expression did not reflect the excitement Maura clearly felt.
"Opera," Maura clarified. "My favorite one, to be exact."
"I see," Frost shrugged. "You taking Jane?"
"If she'll go with me," Maura responded. "I've been waiting my entire life for this." She couldn't keep the desperate wistfulness out of her tone.
"That good, huh?" Frost inspected her closely.
"I've never wanted anything as much as I want to go to this," Maura admitted.
"Thought you couldn't lie," Frost said softly.
Maura looked up, wide-eyed. They had acknowledged Maura's feelings for Jane only weeks ago, but Frost hadn't really broached the subject since that confession.
"I can't," Maura told him. "I said anything. Not anyone."
"I see," Frost allowed. "Are you going to tell her?"
"You know I can't," Maura sighed.
Frost had encouraged Maura to share with Jane, to elaborate on her feelings, to give her best friend a chance. He believed Maura's feelings were not quite so unrequited, though he left that part out. It was up to Jane to make her feelings known, but Maura expressing her feelings would certainly be a step in the right direction.
"Sorry," Frost backed off. "I didn't mean to push. I really just came down for the Baran tox report. It's great that you got those tickets, Maura. I'm sure Jane will go with you."
Maura handed him a manila folder and smiled.
"I hope so, Barry," she agreed. "I want to share it with her."
Frost made his way back to the bullpen, wondering how he could warn Jane about the opera invitation. He wanted to tell her how important it was to Maura so that she'd be slightly more sensitive, and complain a little less, than normal.
He knew she'd agree to go, but it would help if she didn't hurt the Doc's feelings in the process.
The thoughts got pushed to the back of Frost's mind, however, when a break in the case drew his immediate attention. The next time he saw Jane, opera tickets were the furthest thing from his mind.
By the time he wrote up his report and closed down his computer, Jane had already left for the evening.
It was only the next morning that he remembered the event, and as he poured himself a coffee he asked Jane casually about her evening.
"How was last night?" he asked.
"It was awesome!" Jane enthused. "I can't believe we got tickets at the last minute like that. And in a private box!"
Frost spun, instantly suspicious, and prepared to face Jane's biting sarcasm.
"Seriously?" he raised one eyebrow. "You don't have to lie to me- I won't tell the Doc."
"What are you talking about?" Jane seemed genuine. "It was like the best thing ever! I owe Maura big time for going."
Now Frost's suspicion shot through the roof. And his heart sank.
"What did you do last night?" he asked, brows furrowed together, a sense of dread filling the pit of his stomach.
"Sox/Yankees," Jane looked at him like he'd grown a second head. "Why? What did you think I did?"
"So you didn't go with Maura?"
"She was there," Jane eyed Frost warily. "Why? What's with you?"
Frost bit his lip, desperate to ask Jane a million questions. But he was angry too- how could Jane disregard Maura's lifelong dream for a damn baseball game?
"Why didn't you go to the opera?" he pressed, anger sharpening the words into an accusation. He realized he'd stood and taken a threatening step in Jane's direction.
It was Jane's turn to look confused.
"The opera?"
"Carmen," Frost said.
"Who?" Jane asked.
"Not who," Frost shook his head. "That's the name of the opera. It's Maura's favorite..."
"And?" Jane's confusion was mixing with concern.
"She had tickets," Frost offered. "For last night. Said it was like a once in a lifetime thing."
Jane swallowed harshly.
"She said…" she looked absently at her desk, eyes unfocused. "I'll be back in a little while."
Abruptly she stood, making her way to the morgue, thoughts moving a mile a minute.
"Maura," she called sharply as she entered.
"Back here," came the distant reply.
For reasons she couldn't fathom, Jane was pissed. She wasn't really mad at Maura but she didn't know who to be mad at and it rolled off her in waves, finding a target in her best friend.
"What the hell?" Jane demanded.
Maura appeared, a scowl on her face.
"Jane," she admonished, but Jane cut her off.
"Why didn't you tell me about Carmen?" Jane nearly yelled.
Maura inspected Jane for a long minute.
"Why are you upset?" she inquired, soft and genuine. Her concern made Jane's stomach flip.
"Answer the question, Maura," Jane insisted.
"You wanted to go to the baseball game," Maura said. "It was important to you."
"You're important to me," Jane spoke without thought, without hesitation. "And Carmen was important to you. You should have said something."
"You were so excited about the game," Maura sighed. "And I like seeing you happy. You rarely let down your guard like that, and I couldn't resist."
"But Maura," Jane deflated. "It was... it was your dream."
"It was just a fantasy," Maura shrugged. She began to rifle through some files, a clear dismissal. "Perhaps it will run again, in another twenty years."
"I won't get in the way next time," Jane assured her.
Maura turned, her eyes wide and soft. Her brow slightly furrowed.
Jane's breath caught. Neither woman looked away and Jane found herself paralyzed as Maura put down the file in her hand, approached Jane with confident steps.
Instead of stopping a respectable distance away, she moved into Jane's space and put her hands in Jane's, lacing their fingers together.
"You are not in the way," she breathed. "Ever. I chose you. Seeing Carmen is a dream of mine, yes. It probably always will be. But being with you is beyond that. You put all my dreams to shame, Jane. You're... you're real and loving and kind and I can see the opera anytime I want to."
Something in Jane burst, a feeling akin to the relief when you've been flying and your ears finally 'pop' once you've landed.
"You should have told me," she whispered.
"Jane," Maura sighed.
"No," Jane shook her head. "Not about Carmen. Well, yeah, I mean about that too. But about... how you feel."
She looked away shyly before glancing back over at her friend. Maura's cheeks were pink, her eyes a little wide, but she had a forced air of nonchalance.
"I love you," she turned to face Jane fully. "I think you know that. You're my best friend."
The latter part sounded like an excuse, an apology.
"You can tell me anything," Jane replied.
"You would have given up the Red Sox for me?" Maura's voice was softly curious.
"I'd never watch a single game again in my life if it meant losing you," Jane swore. Both women were surprised at the conviction in her voice.
"But you love baseball," Maura said.
"I do," Jane nodded. "But I love you more."
I like Tommy- a lot, but I love you.
The words echoed in her head, hitting Jane hard, and both women sensed the shift in the energy of the room.
"This isn't really the place to talk about this," Maura suggested, though she was loathe to breakup the conversation.
"I don't care," Jane responded. "I'm gonna say this now. I love you, Maura. More than baseball or cannoli or my shield. You are the most important thing, the most important person, in my life. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. I don't know what I did to deserve you but I'm sure as hell glad to have you. So next time something is important to you, please tell me. Because what matters to you, matters to me. And I'll never forgive myself for taking you to a stupid baseball game when you could have been doing something you've dreamt about your whole life."
"I was doing something I've dreamt about my whole life," Maura whispered, averting her gaze.
Jane looked visibly taken aback.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Maura backtracked. "I will next time. And I love you too. You're the most important person in my life. Being with you... being loved and accepted for who I am, being cherished and valued... having someone treat me the way you do- I've dreamt of that my entire life. For far longer than I have dreamt about opera or anything else. Seeing Carmen would have been a dream, but you've made my fantasy into a reality."
Unbidden, thoughts of other fantasies Jane could fulfill flashed through Maura's mind and she suppressed a shudder.
Jane's eyes were soft, glistening, and she was leaning towards Maura almost as if she weren't aware of the movement.
"Now," Maura squeezed one of Jane's hands. "I've got to get back to work and I'm sure you have things to do. If you're free tonight, I'd love to have dinner with you."
Jane shook herself to clear the fog from her mind.
"Uh yeah," she mumbled. "Dinner tonight would be great."
"Wonderful," Maura stepped away, breaking the moment. "I'll see you later."
Jane was in the elevator, doors sliding closed, before she could breathe again.
She hadn't thought to tell Maura that she was a dream come true too.
Someday she would.
Probably not tonight.
Maybe not tomorrow.
Soon though.
When she figured out the right thing to say. When she figured out how to tell Maura just how much she meant, how important she was…
Jane would make both their dreams come true.