Title: The Unwinding Cable Car
Author: WtUnite [Chedders/Jess]
Rating: T
Pairing: Jane/Maura
Status: 1/?
Category/Warnings: Fluff/Romance, Established Relationship, Femslash
Spoilers: General TV Series spoilers.
Summary: "Aren't you going to introduce us to your friend, Maura?"
A/N: Hey guys! We're back with part three already! We hope you enjoy this part as much as the other two, but we also have some more news. In addition to the Jai Chronicles, we are going to be doing a series of mini-fics surrounding the main parts to give some background and such, so stay tuned for those too.
"Jane? Who's at the door?" Maura called from the living room, picking up Jai and holding him close as she made her way toward Jane. She was talking to the little boy on her hip, her head down as she walked into the hallway without much worry. That quickly changed when she looked up, her body tensing. Just the sight of them knocked the breath right out of her, and if her grip on Jai wasn't so tight, she might've dropped her son in surprise. Instead, she clung tighter to him, staring past Jane at the last two people she expected to see on her doorstep.
"What are you doing here?" she managed to get out, wondering how her voice sounded so calm instead of strangled. She couldn't even remember the last time she had talked to her parents, but if she had to guess, it would probably have been shortly after she started her relationship with Jane. Maura was always calm. She was always steady and sure, but these people happened to be two of three that could make her feel out of her depth. The completely false smile on the face of her mother was enough to make her unease grow, and all she wanted to do was hide Jane and Jai.
"Where are your manners, Maura? Are you not going to introduce us to your guests?" the voice of Laurel Isles was deceptively sweet, but the dagger was definitely under the cloak.
Charles Isles was a big man, not fat but powerfully built, and even topped Jane's nearly six foot frame by a couple inches. Both his hair and very impressive mustache were prematurely white; a stark contrast to his wife's dyed platinum, blonde hair. And more contrasting was Laurel Isles distinct lack of height, especially compared to her husband, and obvious overuse of plastic surgery.
Jane now understood her girlfriend's earlier feeling. On top of Tommy's sudden reappearance the Isleses were a cherry to top off a perfect day of family reunions.
"They're not guests. They live here," Maura informed her mother, holding Jai just a little tighter, as if trying to shield him from something. She didn't feel intimidated, just… exposed. That's how she always felt when standing anywhere close to her parents. Stepping up closer to Jane, she finally looked over at her father, noting that he hadn't changed at all since the last time she had actually seen him.
"You still didn't answer my question. What are you doing here?" she asked again, glancing from one parent to the other, feeling uncomfortable now that she was even closer.
When Jane side stepped to wrap an arm around Maura and Jai there was a flash of surprise and understanding in Laurel Isles' eyes. "Oh." The icy blue eyes immediately covered that spark of emotion. "Well, then, aren't you going to introduce us to your friend, Maura?"
Leaning into Jane was pure instinct, but Maura took the simple comfort and offered her mother a decent smile that didn't quite reach her hazel-green eyes. "Jane, these are my parents. Charles and Laurel Isles."
Shifting Jai so that her parents could get a better look, she tried to relax. This had to be better that the time in college when she brought home her first girlfriend, but Maura was pretty sure that the lack of emotion on their faces only meant it was going to be just as bad. If not worse.
"Charles and Laurel, this is my girlfriend, Detective Jane Rizzoli, and this is our son, Jai." she managed the introductions with a deceptively calm voice, knowing that she was putting herself out there a little, but more than that, she was putting Jane and Jai out there.
For once Jai was quiet, simply watching the goings on with large, intelligent eyes. That was not to say that he was a bad baby, Jai simply had the gift of gab and exercised it frequently.
"Nice to meet you," Jane said politely, extending her hand. But while being polite there was enough hesitation in her voice to make the greeting more of a question. And when no one reached out for her hand Jane withdrew it lamely, scratching the back of her neck and feeling uncomfortable.
Trading her false smile for a gentle one, Maura leaned over and kissed Jane's cheek, shifting to hand their son over to his other mother. Things were going to be said, and she really didn't want Jai around all of it. She didn't want Jane to be here either, but that wasn't her choice to make. "Can you take Jai upstairs and get him settled?" she asked softly, giving Jane a smile that was just meant for her.
Laurel Isles watched the exchange, keeping any form of emotion off of her face. The lack of contact from Maura had always meant that she was usually in a relationship they would disapprove of. In the course of almost three years, they had talked to their daughter once and seen her once. The impromptu visit was meant to see what she was hiding, but she had never expected her daughter to be in this situation.
"Yes, sometime alone with out daughter would be appreciated, Detective." this time is was not the mother that spoke, but the father. Charles was staring at Jane when he spoke, however, his gaze neither unkind or pleasant. It was just there.
Without hesitation Jane took Jai into her arms. "I'll get him put to bed, don't worry about it." With a speculative glance towards her girlfriend's parents and decided it best not to poke the tiger with a stick. Where she would normally kiss her girlfriend with no care as to who saw, Jane simply kissed Maura's cheek before walking away with Jai.
She nipped in to the living room to grab the much beloved blue bunny and took herself upstairs. But half way up the stairs, and just out of sight, Jane paused and shifted Jai in her arms. "You're not sleepy yet, right buddy? We're just going to listen, alright?" Jane whispered conspiratorially to her son.
Maura watched Jane leave, immediately wishing that she had the strong detective by her side again. Without her girlfriend there, she felt even more exposed as she turned to look at her parents. "Would you like something to drink?" she asked after a moment, trying to at least be polite. Jane had been decent enough to Tommy earlier, and Maura could do the same for her parents.
"You don't call, Maura, and you never visit. What have we done to make you distance yourself so?" Laurel asked, adopting a tone that sounded sad and hurt. The look on her face was anything but, and for a moment, the medical examiner was caught off guard at the change. It didn't take long for her to re-find her footing, however.
"Contact isn't meant to be one way. It doesn't work like that. Two or more people have to be involved to make a relationship work. I've lived in this house for seven years, and this is the first time that you have been to visit." she stated, trying to keep up her guard, but trying to not shut them out completely, either. If they wanted to talk, she would hear them out.
Jane kept blue bunny dancing, hoping to keep Jai entertained as she listened to the conversation that drifted up the stairwell from the landing below.
"Well we haven't found this visit very hospitable, now have we?" hissed Maura's mother, who seemed to be the spokesperson for the couple. But a small uncharitable part of Jane wondered if Charles Isles' words simply got lost in his large mustache.
"Laurel," came Charles Isles' deep voice, chiding his wife. "Maura, dear, we've had the Boston home since before you were born, you know where it is to pay us a visit."
"I don't know what else you want me to do." Maura confided, not really knowing what else to say. Her tone was still calm, but there was a slight edge to it. She wasn't so much confused as she was tired. This conversation had been something of a regular occurrence since she graduated college, and only bits and pieces of it ever changed. "I showed up for that charity you hosted a few months ago. I was there the entire time. Neither of you looked at me."
"We are busy people, Maura. Not all of our attention can always be given to you," Laurel chided, looking at her daughter like she was a child instead of a grown woman with a family.
Jane missed the response Maura gave her mother because Jai chose that moment to whimper. He was relatively quiet but Jane knew that sound and its meaning: Jai was getting tired. "I know, buddy, I know," Jane told him, climbing the stairs quietly.
But Jai was well used to getting put to bed by both of his mothers, and he didn't like this routine change. Providing enough attention to the little boy to get him asleep took Jane longer than she anticipated. Walking towards the lip of the stairs Jane paused to catch the thread of conversation from downstairs.
Maura didn't know how to respond to any of this. They had always been civil enough toward each other throughout the years, but this felt different. The way her father was being silent said a lot. He often let her mother lead most friendly conversations, and some formal ones, but he was the parent that she felt most comfortable with. The fact that he was staying out of it meant something. She just wasn't sure what.
"You are unbelievable, Maura. Throwing away your life for this."
The tone was cold and sharp, and it surprised her. Looking between her parents, she straightened her back a little more, knowing that her hazel-green eyes could never be that disapproving about anything. "This is my life-"
Jane crept down the stairs and waited for a moment to rejoin the conversation but was shocked at what she heard. "I thought we raised you right, Maura. You could do better than a butch, tomboy detective, and that child. You had options, there was Garrett. You were normal, happy. And look at you now..."
Laurel Isles' words shocked her husband, her daughter and Jane still frozen at the base of the stairs. "Laurel!" exclaimed her husband, blanching nearly as white as his mustache. Whatever else he was about to say was interrupted by Maura's reaction to her mother's hurtful words.
"You're right. I had options." Maura's voice was quiet, but there was an almost undetectable edge to it. Looking up at her mother, she knew that she was tense, but the medical examiner could care less. Talking about her was one thing. Talking about Jane and Jai was inexcusable. "I had options, but they were your options. Not mine," her voice became a little louder as she regained her footing, trying her hardest not to give herself away.
"That 'butch, tomboy detective' is the best thing that ever happened to me. She is smart and wonderful and I love her. Jane is my option, and she has more class than you ever will. She has given me everything I wanted, and that includes our son," her voice was sharp, and Maura was completely unaware of the fact that she was trembling. She was upset, and it was evident in her tone of voice. In the way she was holding herself.
"I don't like fighting, but for them I will. As my parents, you can say whatever you like about me, but if you ever disrespect either of them, we are done. You are my parents, but they are my family," her voice was soft, and as she looked at her parents, Maura felt something break, but she didn't let it show. She would not give them the satisfaction of seeing her cry.
"Maura-" it was her father's voice, surprised at her statement and at the sudden change in his usually quiet, but respectful daughter.
About to offer up a defense of her girlfriend Jane barely made it in to the hall before Maura laid in to her mother. The ME who was usually so calm disappeared but Jane, who had seen the protective side of Maura before, was still in awe of her girlfriend. It was all that Jane could do, in the wake of Maura's declaration, to squeeze her girlfriend's shoulder and move her hand so that it could be laced with Maura.
"I think it's best if you leave," Jane said firmly, picking up where Maura left off. Squeezing Maura's hand Jane disengaged their handhold for long enough to walk over to open the door. "If you can be civil I believe you know the number," she said in a clear dismissal.
The feel of Jane's hand on her shoulder surprised Maura, but only for a moment. The detective's presence put a cap on her emotions, and the medical examiner relaxed as she felt their fingers lace together. The contact was fleeting, but it was enough to ground her as she watched Jane pull away and dismiss her parents. She watched the way her father paused, as if he wanted to say something, but apparently he changed his mind as he ushered her mother through the doorway without a goodbye.
Even after the door closed and she knew they were gone, Maura didn't move. Her hands hurt from how hard she had them balled into fists at watching parent's departure, but she couldn't make herself relax now. She kept hearing her mother's words and the anger was there, but she was more than angry. Maura was disappointed and upset. She was hurt by her parent's obvious dismissal of her relationship and family, and even though she had felt this way before, it was different. Her parents had disapproved of many of her relationships, but this wasn't just a relationship. It was Jane and Jai, and they were the definition of her life.
Back ram-rod straight and hand squeezing a death grip on the door Jane watched the Isleses head out to their car. They didn't look back and Jane didn't look away until the shiny Mercedes pulled on to the street and out of view. She slammed the door harder than necessary and slid the lock in to place with equal force. Leaning her head against the solid bulk of the door Jane reigned in her outrage at the bullshit she'd just heard.
Turning around to look at Maura swept away Jane's anger and replaced it with worry for her girlfriend. Taking Maura's smaller hands in her own, Jane opened the tightly balled fists and massaged the unclenched palms. The look on Maura's face made Jane's heart break for her. "I am so sorry, Maura," Jane whispered, pulling her in to a tight embrace.
She didn't stop staring at the door until she felt Jane's hands on her own. She let the brunette do as she wished, relaxing a little as her girlfriend massaged the pain away. Still, Maura didn't look at Jane directly and took to staring at their hands instead for a moment, needing to gather herself back up to speak. The detective beat her too it however, and hearing Jane apologize made her stomach twist.
"I should be the one apologizing, Jane. Not you. You did nothing wrong," Maura stated softly as she buried her face against the warm neck of her girlfriend. Exhaling deeply, she gently pushed Jane back, giving her the best smile that she could offer up as their eyes met. "I'm fine."
Cupping Maura's face in her hands Jane searched her girlfriend's face and saw the vulnerability there. "You don't need to be apologizing either. If they can't accept you exactly as you are they don't deserve to be around someone as wonderful as you are. And it's their loss, 'k?" Jane wished she knew what to say to Maura to make everything better.
"Flattery will get you everywhere," she stated softly, giving Jane a small smile that didn't quite reach her hazel-green eyes. Reaching up, the medical examiner wrapped her hands around those of her girlfriend, squeezing gently before she stepped back and let them drop. She didn't feel like Jane should be comforting her. After all, it was her parents that had insulted the beautiful brunette and their son.
"How much did you hear?" she asked softly, needed a confirmation of what she already believed. Jane had probably managed to hear everything, and if that was the case, Maura felt the need to apologize again.
The tops of her shoes interested Jane immensely. "There was the beginning part and the whole end of the conversation. But Jai was tired and took a while getting down. I heard enough," Jane admitted, not entirely sure she heard what she did. She found it incomprehensible that parents would say things that intentionally hurt their child, especially now that they had Jai.
"I hate that they hurt you like that."
"I'm used to disappointing my parents, Jane. I'm just… not that used to being so disappointed in them. What she said- it was hurtful. I'm sorry that you had to hear it."
Hesitating, Maura stepped closer to Jane before reaching out to brush trembling fingers against the soft skin of her cheek. She kept replaying the conversation with her parents over and over, wishing that she would have realized sooner what her mother had been planning. Sighing, she leaned forward and brushed a kiss against the brunette's left cheek before she pulled away entirely again. "We should go to bed before it gets any later, Jane. We both have an early day tomorrow." she suggested softly, even though her heart really wasn't in it.
"Maura…" But Jane decided not to drag the issue out further. "I love you M." Jane wrapped her arms around Maura's waist and kissed her soundly, offering as much comfort as she could. "Let's go to bed."