Hello fellow readers, first time writer long time reader here. Thought I'd try my hand this whole writing thing. This story will be updated weekly, if not more frequently, until it has reached completion. Feel more than free to message me or review. Any indication that someone is reading would be much appreciated and very motivating.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the ideas within this work. Characters are simply borrowed.
"Jane…."
"Maura, no."
Maura follows Jane into her house, shutting the door behind them. Years of friendship gives a person a certain amount of authority. Such allowances enable Jane to walk into Maura's house whenever she wants.
"Come on Jane. It'll be fun."
Jane and Maura come to a halt in the kitchen. Jane grabs a beer from the fridge. She unscrews the cap as she turns back to face Maura.
"No, it won't. Can't you see how this will be a bad idea?!"
Maura tilted her head to the side in thought, "I suppose I could see how it could go awry."
"Suppose?! Really?!" Jane spoke her next words in a broken manner, making every word or two sound like its own sentence in order to try and make her point. "You want us to say yes to everything that night. How could that not go 'awry?'" Jane surrounded awry with air quotes and said it with exaggerated emphasis.
"Okay so it may be a bit unorthodox but Jane, I miss the adventure. I used to take chances. I miss that."
"And you want me to join you," Jane said in a monotone voice.
"Of course I want my best friend to join me. It's not as scary that way. Please Jane."
Jane raises her beer to take a drink, "Oh you're going to have to do better than that."
As Jane takes a long pull from her drink Maura takes a step forward bringing her just a foot away from Jane. "Please Jane?" Her voice is pleading, matching her puppy dog eyes.
Jane shakes her head. "Is that the best you got because my answer is still no." Jane raises an eyebrow in challenge as she looks down at Maura.
Maura cocks her head to the other side and give Jane her winning most smile.
In return Jane smirks to hide her smile and shakes her head no.
Maura rights her head and purses her lips. She glares at Jane.
Jane just smiles and takes another drink from her beer.
The motion catches Maura's eye. Her eyes light up with inspiration.
"If you don't I'll stop stocking your beer in my fridge."
Jane's eyes wide, "You wouldn't." Maura says nothing, she simply smiles. "Would you?"
Maura continues to let Jane suffer in silence, knowing well enough that she didn't have to fight anymore to win this argument. Jane would win it for her.
Jane drops her arms to the side and gives an eye roll fit for royalty. "Maurrrraa," Jane moans. Jane exhales in defeat. "What time do you want me to pick you up tomorrow?"
Maura hums as she conducts her autopsy. Y-incision already made she cuts through the ribs in order to remove the breast plate to examine the contents held within. Maura looks up when she hears a strangled sound come from the double doors.
It sounded a byproduct of a chance meeting between a cough and a gag. She hadn't heard it nearly as much as she used to. Frost used to make it on a semi-regular basis. Seeing Nina, she knows where the sound came from. Nina was still getting her morgue legs. Maura smiled at her sadly, remembering Frost.
"Hi doc, I was hoping to get some depth measurements of the wound so I could try and get a better idea of the perp." Nina stepped closer to the table but remained a few feet away.
"Sorry Nina but I don't think you'll be able to deduce much. The weapon used had a particularly sharp edge. The laceration isn't very deep. It wouldn't have taken much force. So it doesn't eliminate an individual of average strength nor doesn't preclude an individual of above average strength." Maura's face lit up with humor and her gloved hands bounce back and forth as she sing-songs her next words. "Because a square is always a rectangle but a rectangle isn't always a square."
"What?" Nina asked.
Maura's joy deflates. "It was supposed to be funny."
"Ah," Nina nodded her head in an encouraging manner, although she doesn't really get it. Weren't joke supposed to be funny? "Anyways girl, you seem to be in a good mood."
"I am!" Maura smiles and goes back to her autopsy.
After a lengthy pause Nina realizes Maura isn't going to continue. "And what has the good doctor in such a good mood?"
"Oh, Jane and I are going out tonight."
"Don't you guys go out most nights?"
"Yes but tonight is different."
Nina raises her eyebrow; she had been trying to figure out if the two friends were more than friends or just that. Since Maura had broken up with Jack she didn't really know. "Different…?"
"We are having a "yes" night."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Well I heard about this social activity where for a night you say yes to anything someone asks you and I convinced Jane to join me."
"I'm sure that'll make for an interesting night."
"Oh I'm sure hoping so!"
"Fun fun. Where are you guys planning on going?"
"Hmm… we actually hadn't talked about that."
"I bet you guys will go to the Robber."
Maura thinks for a minute, she is unwilling to guess but she concedes that it is probable that they will go to their usual haunt. "That is definitely a strong possibility."
"Well then we may see you tonight, Frankie, Korsak, and I were going to go by there after work."
"It would be nice to see you all. I'll try and persuade Jane."
"Cool. Hope to see you guys." Nina turns and starts to walk out.
"Nina," Maura calls.
"Yeah?" Nina turns back to the doctor.
"Have you heard of exposure therapy?" Maura holds up the scalpel in her hand and smiles.
"You did not."
"Exposure therapy works Jane," Maura explained as they she entered through the door Jane held open. "Its practice dates back to the nineteen fifties-."
Jane puts her hand on Maura's shoulder stopping her form walking further into the establishment as well as preempting her factoid rant. "Maur I can see you're gearing up for a big one here and I'm sure it's very informative but I really need a drink. Okay?"
Maura concedes with a nod, she can always enlighten Jane while they drink. As they make their way to the bar Jane continues, "Also, no matter what facts you can sight on exposure therapy it doesn't change the fact that you made Nina pass out in the morgue."
Maura scrunches her nose and retaliates by pinching Jane's arm as they reach the bar.
"Hey!" Jane pulls her assaulted arm away from Maura's reach and reaches out with her other hand to slap away Maura's hand.
"Jane Clementine Rizzoli don't abuse Maura like that!"
Jane looks up to find her mother in front of them. Jane's shoulders hunch as she mutters, "She started it."
"Well what ever happened I'm sure you deserved it."
"Ma!" Jane looks from Angela to Maura. Maura smiles widely. Her head is slightly tilted conveying innocence yet Jane can see the mirth in her eye. Jane shakes her head, "There's no winning."
"I knew there was a reason you're a detective," Angela quips.
If looks could kill Jane would be forced to arrest herself.
Angela simply laughs, "What can I get you girls to drink? I just learned how to make a Hemingway Champagne, would you girls like to try?"
"No thanks Mom, we'll get the usual - a Blue Moon and the house wine."
"Actually Angela we'll both take a Hemingway."
Angela smiles, turning away to start the two drinks.
Jane's head snaps towards Maura, "What the hell?!"
"Oh Jane don't be so over the top. Remember tonight we are saying yes to everything." Maura looks as though she could bounce with happiness.
Jane looks on blankly at Maura's enthusiasm. She groans and scrubs her face.
Angela reappears in front of them with their drinks. She gives Maura a look that wordlessly asks what is wrong with Jane. Maura answers her with a shrug and head shake that says the usual.
Angela sets the drinks down in front of them, "Here you are."
Jane look up from her hands to Angela. Her eyes track her mother's gaze to the drink that rests in front of her. She sits up and takes the drink.
"Thanks Ma."
Angela smiles and walks away.
Jane passively takes her first sip. Her eyes widen. "Oh, that's lethal."
Maura set the glass down after her first taste, "I see what you mean."
Jane smirks at Maura, "So are you ready not to say yes to everything?"
Maura does not immediately answer; rather she straightens her shoulders, picks up her glass and take another drink. "No."
Jane smiles lightly and shakes her head.
"Hey guys."
Maura and Jane turn to fine Nina next to them.
"Hey, take a seat," Jane offers.
"I'd love to but I'm meeting Korsak and Frankie so I should probably get table. You both should join."
Maura looks at Jane and smiles, "I don't see why not."
"Great! Why don't I get us a round of shots to start off the night?"
"It'll be a yes to that as well." Maura smiles.
"Oh have you guys already started the yes night?"
Maura nods happily, "Indeed we have."
Nina smiles, "This'll be fun."
Jane holds raises her hands up shakes them. Unenthusiastically she says, "Yay."