A/N: I woke up with the chorus to this song at the end of this story floating in my head. It's not a real song, as far as I can tell. I think I actually just wrote a song. Anyway, as cheesy as the song is, I thought I would put it to good use in a fic. The whole "Angela gets Jane and Maura together" thing has been done ad nauseum, but here's my take on it, as a songfic. Let me know what you think.
I didn't think this needed to be said, but now I'm forced to add this to all of my stories:
This work of fiction belongs to me, sociallyawkwardpenguin. The Rizzoli and Isles characters belong to TNT. However this story, and all original characters, belong to me. Absolutely no reposting of this story is permitted (including translations of this story) without my express written permission. If you see this story posted in any other forum besides Archive of our Own or FanFiction, please notify me via private message immediately.
"Ma, there's no way I'm spending the first warm night of spring out on a date that you've set up for me. It's not happening."
"Would you rather go on a picnic in the middle of winter?" Angela asked, just as irritated as Jane was.
"I'd rather not go on a date at all! Especially not one you've set up for me!"
"Really Janie? All I want to do is make sure you're loved and taken care of! I try to do a good thing for you and this is how you thank me? "
It was amazing how quickly Angela could go from irritated to laying on the guilt.
"I'm not going. This whole guilt trip thing is not going to work."
"It's too late. I already packed the picnic basket. Meet your date on the lawn beside the carousel at the Frog Pond." Angela shoved the picnic basket at Jane over the counter. "There's a blanket in there. Your date will be carrying a bottle of red wine."
"Ma, is this a joke? Is this somebody from my past that knows my Frog Face Rizzoli nickname? If it is, so help me-"
"You better hurry up, Janie. You're not going to make it across town to the Common if you don't leave now."
"Maybe I won't leave now. Maybe I won't go at all. "
"Then someone, besides me, is going to be very disappointed if you don't show up. Go Janie. Go have some fun."
"I'm still dressed for work. I'm one giant wrinkle and I smell like gunpowder from the range earlier today."
"Maybe your date will find that sexy. You won't know until you get there."
Jane groaned again. "No, I'm not doing this."
"JANE CLEMENTINE RIZZOLI YOU GET IN THAT CAR AND YOU GO ON YOUR DATE! DO IT! DON'T MAKE ME COME AROUND THIS COUNTER OR I WILL-"
"Okay, okay Ma. Thanks. Thanks for letting the entire precinct know I have a date. I'm going. And when this all goes to Hell in a handbasket, I'm coming after you. Oh, and make sure you stop by my apartment to take care of Jo Friday, since I won't be home now to do that."
Jane grabbed the picnic basket and walked out, wondering who could possibly be so wonderful that her mother would threaten her like she did when she was was a child. She shuddered at the memory of a wooden spoon being picked up, though she didn't ever recall a time when her mother actually used it on her. The threat of being struck with a wooden spoon was always enough to get Jane to toe the line.
It felt like if Angela'd had a wooden spoon there today though, she might have used it.
"Angela, I really think I should go home and change. I'm not used to dates on such short notice. I have much nicer outfits I could wear. I've worn this outfit all day and it is wrinkled and smells like formaldehyde."
"It's just a picnic, honey. Nothing fancy. Here, your date is expecting you to have a bottle of red wine with you." Angela handed Maura the bottle and smiled at her. "Your date has a picnic basket and will be waiting for you by the Frog Pond Carousel at the Common."
"Did you know the Common is the oldest park in United States history?"
"I did not, and you know who else probably doesn't know? Your date. Hurry up, Maura. You're going to be late."
"You didn't even tell me his name, Angela."
"It's all part of the mystery. Just look for someone holding a picnic basket next to the Carousel at the Frog Pond."
Maura frowned at Angela. This all seemed so sudden, so unplanned, and so unorganized. "What does he look like? What if there is more than one person there holding a picnic basket?"
"It's the first warm spring day, Maura. How many people do you think had enough time to plan a picnic and will know to be looking for someone with a bottle of red wine? Just go. You'll know your date when you see your date."
"So it's someone I know, then?" Maura asked.
"Just go, Maura! You're going to be late, and your date will think you're not coming!"
Maura took the bottle of red wine from Angela and headed out to her car. This seemed to have disaster written all over it, but she didn't want to upset Angela, so she went.
Jane parked on Boylston Street and headed into the Common. She circled the carousel once and carefully watched each man she passed. No one was holding a bottle of red wine. She circled a second time, slowly, and then a third.
"This is ridiculous." Jane muttered under her breath. She felt like a fool, circling the carousel and carrying a picnic basket.
Jane stopped next to a bench and put the basket down on it. It was heavy and smelled like heaven. She considered texting her mother and letting her know that her dream date wasn't there, but thought better of it. Jane thought about texting Maura to meet her there, so they could share the delicious food and laugh at what had become of Jane's love life, but thought better of that too. Maura didn't need to know that Jane's mother had set her up on a date and the date had stood her up.
Jane sighed and picked up the basket once more, and started walking slowly around the perimeter of the carousel. If nobody showed up after she'd gotten around once more, she was going to leave. It was bad enough being set up on a date by her mother, it was even worse to think that the date had stood her up.
Maura tried to hurry after parking her car, but the late winter snow that melted in the sudden warm weather caused the lawn around the carousel to be muddy. As a result the heels she was wearing kept getting stuck. It took Maura almost twenty minutes to get to the carousel, and by then her shoes were a mess. She considered taking them off and just walking barefoot, but thought better of it. Maura already felt disheveled because she hadn't been able to go home and change from her work clothes. She didn't need to show up barefoot too.
Maura started to circle the carousel, looking for a man holding a picnic basket. She had gotten three quarters of the way around the carousel when she ran into someone with a picnic basket.
Someone that wasn't male.
Someone that was Jane.
Her back was to Maura, as if she was taking one last look around before leaving.
They walked right into each other.
"What are you doing here?" Maura stuttered.
"Ma set me up on a blind date. Told me to meet him at the carousel. Said he'd be carrying-"
Maura held up the bottle of wine. "A bottle of red wine?"
"Yeah." Jane said, putting the pieces of the puzzle together.
"She didn't actually ever say that it was a man she'd set me up with." Maura said, suddenly making that realization. "She just kept referring to 'my date'."
"Now that I think of it, she never said that to me either." Jane replied. "I'll kill her."
"I'll help you hide her body." Maura responded.
"I can't believe she-"
"I can." Maura interrupted Jane. "I can believe she set us up. I overheard her and Sean in the cafe the other morning. He said something to her about two people being oblivious to how much in love they were. I thought he was referring to himself and your mother, honestly."
"Maybe he was referring to himself and my mother. I think he does love her and is just afraid to admit it. I think he's afraid of getting hurt. Why would you think he was saying that about us?"
"It's not the first time someone has made that assumption about us." Maura remarked.
"Yeah, but just because people say stuff doesn't make it true." Jane said, and she watched Maura's face fall. "Is it true?" Jane asked suddenly.
Maura looked back up at Jane.
"Maura?"
"I've never been one to put any credence in rumors. I deal in facts only, Jane."
Maura's voice was flat, and she was having a hard time keeping eye contact with Jane.
"Oh." Jane said. she didn't know why she felt so disappointed.
All of a sudden Maura was shoving the bottle of wine into Jane's free hand.
"I should go."
"No, wait, Maura-"
"This isn't going to work out. I should go."
"What am I going to tell my mother?"
"Whatever you want." Maura said as she hurried back in the direction she came.
"No, Maura, wait!" Jane yelled after her. "Just wait."
Maura slowed down, but didn't stop. Jane was able to catch up to her.
"Listen," Jane said. "We've got all this food and wine. Why don't we have our picnic? I was actually going to text you anyway, when I thought I was being stood up. It would be a shame to let all of this food go to waste."
"You thought I was going to stand you up?" Maura's face registered hurt.
"I had no idea it was you that was coming, Maura! Don't get mad at me for that." Jane stopped walking and Maura continued on slowly without her.
"Come on, let's open up this wine and get ridiculously drunk." Jane offered, hoping Maura would stop.
Maura stopped walking a few feet away and was looking at Jane with her hands on her hips. She was mad, and Jane wasn't sure she understood why.
"Are you mad at me because I thought I was going to be stood up, or because my mother set you up on a date with a blue-collar, wrinkled, gunpowder smelling detective that would never be good enough for you and also happens to be female?"
"Is that it?" Maura asked. "Is that why you can't love me? Because you think that you're not good enough?"
"What?" Jane asked, flabbergasted.
"Why can't you love me, Jane?"
"I do!" She protested. "You're my best friend and I would do anything for you. I'd give my life for you!"
"I know." Maura said. "You almost did, more than once. You've already proven that you love me, Jane. But why can't you be in love with me?"
Jane stood there, looking for the answer, her mouth moving continually but no sound coming out. Finally: "Do you want me to? Do you want me to fall in love with you?"
"Aren't you already?" Maura countered.
"No, I-"
Maura spun around and tried to walk away, already having heard enough. Instead her heel sank into the muddy grass and she lost her shoe.
"Way to make an exit, Maura." She thought as cold, wet mud seeped between her bare toes.
"Maura!" Jane yelled, shoving the bottle of wine into the picnic basket and jogging after her. "Please don't go. Please. I don't understand any of this. Instead of getting madder at me, please, talk to me."
Jane bent over and picked up Maura's shoe, handing it to her. "I don't want to fight. Please, Maura."
"You don't understand any of this? Your mother apparently does. As does Sean Cavanaugh, and probably everyone else we know. But no one," Maura paused, "no one understands this more than I do. I all but admitted to you that I'm in love with you, and you just told me that you aren't in love with me. So forgive me if I'm a little hurt by that, Jane."
Maura slipped her shoe back on and continued walking, ignoring the fact that she just ruined the inside of her favorite pair of heels with her muddy toes.
"Maura Isles, don't you dare walk away from me!" Jane yelled.
Maura stopped and turned to look at Jane.
"I do. I do love you. And now I feel like an ass because the only time I've ever admitted it out loud is when you've backed me into a corner, and now you probably don't believe me." Jane hefted the picnic basket again and walked toward Maura. "Let's go back to my place and talk, okay? Please?"
"Fine." Maura huffed.
"Maura-"
"Jane, just get in your car and drive home, before I change my mind."
"Do you want to ride with me? I'm parked on Boylston."
"No. I'll follow you. This way I can leave if I don't like where this goes."
Jane shrugged, trying to downplay the hurt and confusion she was feeling. "Okay."
They walked back to Boylston Street in stony silence, and each drove back to Jane's apartment.
Maura pulled up behind Jane's cruiser, and they left their cars parked in front of Jane's building. Jane let them into the building and then up into her apartment, where Jo Friday was prancing in front of the door.
"Shit. Ma was supposed to come by and take care of her, but apparently didn't. Do you mind if I walk her real fast?"
"It's 'really fast'. And no, actually, I'd like to walk her. I need a few minutes."
"Maura, you're not leaving, are you?"
"No, I'm not kidnapping your dog, Jane. We'll be back after I've had a few minutes to clear my head."
"Okay." Jane said, doubtful. She refilled Jo's food and water bowls, and checked on Watson in his terrarium.
Jane decided that she'd put the picnic basket's contents to good use while Maura was gone. She pushed her couch back against the kitchen island, and then moved the coffee table over against the wall, under the living room windows. She spread the picnic blanket out on the living room rug, and took out the contents of the basket. Two plates, linen napkins, silverware, two wine glasses that she was amazed she hadn't crushed when she'd shoved the bottle of wine into the basket. A plastic container of food, serving spoons and a wine bottle opener. Her mother had thought of everything.
Jane kicked off her boots and turned on the stereo so it was playing softly in the background. She didn't know whether she should try to make this the romantic date her mother had envisioned for them or try to make it a soothing, neutral place for them to air their feelings.
Maura came back with Jo a few minutes later and locked the door behind her.
"Can you put the chain on?" Jane asked. "I just don't want my mother to show up."
"Or for me to run out?"
"Well, that either, but I'm fairly certain with all of your advanced degrees, you'd be able to open the door." Jane deadpanned.
"What is all this?" Maura asked, looking at the picnic set up on the livingroom floor and ignoring Jane's sarcasm.
"I just thought that maybe we could eat. And talk."
"I need to clean the mud off my feet." Maura said, and walked into Jane's bathroom.
Jane could hear the water running, and she sat down on the blanket to wait. Her stomach flip flopped, a cross between terrified and elated. She had admitted to Maura that she had feelings for her. And Maura had feelings for her too. And her mother had given them her blessing by setting them up on a blind date.
And then somehow, Jane had managed to ruin it.
When Maura came back into the livingroom, she had cleaned up a bit, but it was still clear that she had been crying.
"I'm sorry." Jane said. "I'm sorry that I reacted the way I did, and I made you upset and angry." She patted the spot next to her on the rug. "Sit with me?"
Maura nodded and grabbed the wine bottle after she sat. "If you don't mind, I need a drink."
"It's fine. I could use a drink too."
"Why, so you can be drunk?" Maura spat out.
"Well do you want to be drunk when we talk about this? It's okay for you to have a drink but I can't? I just want a drink, Maura. I don't want to be drunk. What is with you tonight?"
"I'm sorry. I'm still reeling from when you told me you weren't in love with me."
"But then I admitted that I was. That I am."
"So you were going to lie to me." Maura accused.
"Yes. I was going to lie to you." Jane thought gentle honesty was probably the best course of action here.
"Why?"
"Because I'd been lying to myself about how I felt about you for so long that it was just reflex."
"What else have you lied to me about?" Maura asked.
"Just my feelings for you. That's it. I swear."
"Why would you even lie about that?"
"Because what if you didn't feel the same way? What if you were so disgusted by the idea of going out with me that you cut me out of your life again? Do you not remember what you did after I shot your father? I can't go through that again."
"And you think you're not good enough."
"That too."
"That's insulting. To both of us."
"I'm sorry?" Jane asked the apology. She wasn't completely sure what she was apologizing for, and it made the apology seem weak.
"I'm sorry." She corrected when she saw Maura's expression. "It's true though. I can't give you even a few of the things in life you're most used to. I mean, look at this. I even screwed up our first date, and we're now having it in my crappy apartment. We should be having our first date at a fancy French restaurant whose name I can't pronounce and whose prices cost more than my annual salary."
"No, we shouldn't." Maura argued. "Why would we go anywhere on our first date where either one of us would feel out of place or uncomfortable? I like being here, with you. I'd rather sit on the floor here with you and talk than go somewhere fancy where, despite how beautiful and smart you are, you'd still feel out of place."
"Well, I still ruined our first date."
"It's not over yet, Jane."
"But you agree that I ruined it."
"No, I'm not saying that. Don't put words in my mouth."
Jane sighed. "What do you want me to do?" She asked quietly.
"What do you want to do?" Maura asked.
"I don't know. I don't know what to say or do, or how to act, without making you mad at me again. I don't know how to act now that everything's changed."
"What's changed, exactly?"
"Us."
"Has it changed, really? Are we not still best friends?"
"We are. That will never change." Jane said.
"So what's different then?"
"Everything."
"How? Have we not eaten dinner in your livingroom or mine, thousands of times before?"
"Yes, but it's what happens after dinner that I'm afraid of."
"What do you expect to do after dinner?" Maura asked.
"I don't know."
"So you're afraid of something that you don't know?"
"I'm afraid of... physical things." Jane stuttered.
"What makes you think that I'd want to sleep with you right away?" Maura asked, amused.
"I didn't assume that, I just figured I'd at least have to kiss you." Jane said.
"You make it sound like kissing me is a bad thing."
"I didn't mean that either. Are you going to flip everything I say tonight into something negative?"
"No. I'm sorry. I'll stop."
"For the record, I think that kissing you must be a really good thing. Maybe the best thing in the world."
"You've thought about it." Maura pointed out.
"Yes. Haven't you?"
"Of course. Many, many times."
"Do you want something to eat?" Jane asked, holding up the plastic container of food and changing the subject.
"No. Dance with me. I love this song."
"I'm a terrible dancer." Jane said, putting the container down.
"Come on, Jane. Just get up and dance with me."
We've got nowhere left to go
But there's someplace we gotta be
The answer is simple baby
Right here, you and me.
Jane stood up and took Maura's hand, following her closer to the stereo. Maura wrapped her arms around Jane's neck, and Jane wrapped her arms around Maura's waist. They swayed to the music, and Maura rested her head against Jane's neck.
"See?" She whispered. "It's not so bad, dancing with me."
"I never thought that." Jane said. "I said I was a terrible dancer, not that dancing with you is terrible. You seem to think that I don't want to be with you. The fact of the matter is that I want to be with you very badly, Maura. I was just afraid you didn't feel the same way, or that you'd realize you could do so much better than me. "
"There's no one better than you, Jane." Maura said, and pressed her lips to Jane's neck, just below her ear. "You smell wonderful, by the way."
"I smell like gunpowder." Jane scoffed, struggling to keep her breathing and her heartbeat in check.
"And Lavender." Maura added, grinning against Jane's neck before she kissed it again. "That smell is uniquely you. I can't smell either and not think of you."
We just keep on runnin'
from these feelings and
all the things we see
The answer is simple baby
Right here, you and me
The song played on, and Jane held Maura a little tighter. "I love the way you smell too."
"I love this song." Maura said. "It's almost as if it was written about us."
I can feel you from across the room
and look up in time to see
the smile on your face
Just you and me baby
Right here, in each others space
There's no denyin' the way I feel
or your happy sighs
I'm losin' myself
in the love in your eyes
"I can relate to a lot of this song." Jane said, thinking out loud as they swayed to the beat. "But there's not a song out there that could do you justice, Maura. Not one."
"I can't hear a love song and not think of you." Maura admitted. "But this song, how the writer talks about running from her feelings, it's like our love story set to music."
"Our love story?" Jane asked.
"Yes, isn't that what this is?"
"I hope so."
I know what you're thinkin'
before you say a word
So why do we keep on runnin'
Let's stop and make our feelings heard
Those three words I long to tell you
But I'd rather show you instead
You don't hesitate when I take your hand
and lead you to my bed
We've got nowhere left to go
But there's someplace we gotta be
The answer is simple baby
Right here, you and me.
The song came to an end, and the DJ came on to talk. The lack of music didn't stop them from dancing, though. They danced together slowly, to only the beating of their hearts, as the sun set outside and the room got darker. Neither moved to turn on the lights.
After a little while, Maura lifted her head up and looked at Jane. She pulled Jane closer to her.
"I'd say as far as first dates go, this one wasn't too bad, even despite the rocky start."
"Is it over, already?" Jane asked, pressing her lips to Maura's forehead.
"No, we've got all night." Maura said.
"What do you want to do now?" Jane asked, looking down at Maura.
Instead of answering, Maura tipped her chin forward, brushing her lips against Jane's softly. Jane's eyes fluttered closed and she let out a sigh, and leaned forward to do the same to Maura. Back and forth they went, softly and slowly, pressing up against each other a little longer each time.
Neither noticed when they stopped swaying. Jane brought her hands up to Maura's cheeks and cupped them as she deepened the kiss, and Maura melted into her embrace. Maura ran her tongue over Jane's lower lip, and Jane gasped before opening her mouth to let her in. Maura moaned at the sensation of tasting Jane for the first time.
Jane's hands wandered down from Maura's cheeks to her sides, resting just on her hips and pulling her in closer still. Maura took her hands from around Jane's neck and slid them under Jane's shirt, coming to rest palms flat against Jane's back. Jane hissed at the contact and pulled away from the kiss.
"Is this okay?" Maura asked.
"Yes." Jane whispered, leaning in to kiss Maura again. Jane mirrored Maura's action, and slid her hands under Maura's shirt. The moan Maura let out when Jane touched her was enough to set Jane into action. She pulled away from Maura, but grabbed her hand.
"What are you doing?" Maura asked.
"What the song says." Jane smiled. "Leading you to my bed."
Maura smiled at Jane coyly and followed her to her bedroom, closing the door behind her.
The car pulled up in front of Jane's apartment but no one got out.
"You're not going up to take care of the dog?" Cavanaugh asked Angela when she didn't open the door to get out.
"Jane and Maura's cars are both parked right out front, and the lights are off in her apartment. I'd be interrupting something." Angela said with a shrug.
"You're surprisingly calm for a mother who knows what her daughter is up to, on the first date, no less."
"Ah Sean." Angela sighed. "They've been dating for years. It's about time. Besides, if they're here, that means they're not at Maura's, and we could... you know. If you wanted to try again."
"Huh." Cavanaugh grunted. "I like that idea."
And with that, they drove away.