The shrill wail of the bedside alarm clock quickly ratcheted the sound up to the top of Jane's list of Top Five Most Annoying Noises. Right up next to Baby Crying On A Plane and Chihuahua Barking. "Maur, your alarm," she groaned, stuffing another pillow over her head and squeezing it over her ears. The blaring sound continued. "...Maur?" The covers tented as she lifted her knees. Muttering a hoarse "Really?!" Jane rolled over to the other side of the bed, and finding it empty, that side made with the sheets tucked under the mattress, slapped blindly at the alarm clock, missing it entirely. Another groan as the alarm rang on and on. Jane pushed her loose hair away from her eyes, her torso and limbs tangled in the bed sheets, and forced her eyelids open enough to shut the alarm off. With a sigh, she flopped down onto Maura's side of the bed. Brown eyes flicked open again to observe the time displayed on the screen of the digital clock. Her eyebrows furrowed together. The time was later than she expected and certainly much later than the time that The Commonwealth of Boston's Medical Examiner set every weekday morning. "Hm," Jane grunted, still nonverbal as she flung the blankets off dramatically and eased to her feet. Her neck cracked, her shoulder popped and she shuffled through the carpet and into the bathroom, reaching for the light by feel. The room lit up. Jane blinked. "What-" She rubbed her eyes and considered the double sinks. The side nearest the door, that Maura used, was neat and tidy, a row of facial cleanser and moisturizer and make-up remover. Jane's side, closer to the shower and tub, was tidy, but only had a green toothbrush and bottle of mouthwash beside the sink. This morning, her toothbrush was accompanied with... things. Flower petals, heart-shaped chocolates in red and pink foil wrappers and an assortment of other treats. Still confused, Jane rubbed the back of her neck, her eyes trailing up from the candies laid out in perfect symmetry to the writing on the mirror. She chuckled. Maura had written on the mirror in lipstick. Well that helped clear things up.
It was Valentine's Day.
Jane reached for a chocolate bar.
"What's up, doc?" Jane had woken up enough to regain her ability to put together a sentence. She quirked a brow at the doctor coming in the door, her hair up in a perky ponytail, dressed in her running clothes and yet looking like she'd just stepped out of a sporting goods catalog. The hair around her forehead was a little mussed and Jane leaned against the counter-top to leer at her. Just a little bit. For good measure.
Maura carefully shut the door behind her, smiling brightly at the detective. "Oh good, you're up!" she said and rounded the corner, eyes set on her coffee machine.
"Yeah. No thanks to your alarm," Jane complained, snagging her around the waist.
The doctor complied and let her hip bump against Jane's. She avoided the pointed eye contact she was given and tried to duck away. She wasn't about to give in and admit to the little surprise she'd arranged around Jane's sink in the bathroom.
"Not so fast." Jane smirked and turned Maura to face her. "Thanks," she said once hazel green eyes met hers.
Maura feigned innocence. "For what?" She thought she was doing a pretty good job of it. For the normal person. Maybe not for a homicide detective.
"I think you know." Jane smiled easily and released her hold on Maura, enjoying the way the other woman lingered in her space before stepping away, her mind clearly refocusing on coffee. "I made you some. The way you like it. Not the instant stuff." The way the M.E. beamed was more than worth the time it had taken to ready the stuff so it was perfectly pressed and percolated. Jane crossed her arms over her chest and was about ready to admit to the degree that she was whipped.
Maura sipped from her coffee cup "World's Best Coroner" decadently, closing her eyes as the piping hot drink filled her senses. She could feel Jane watching her, just as she could feel the blush creeping up around her neck under the collar of her windbreaker. "Any idea of what you want for breakfast?" she asked, opening the door to the refrigerator to see their choices. The sunlight was beginning to shine into the kitchen through the window above the sink.
"Oh, I have some idea of what I want." Jane waited until Maura turned then tiptoed quietly up behind her, pinching her from behind and grinning when the doctor squeaked and jumped in surprise. "Every time," she said smugly, taking the retaliating swat without blinking a single eyelash.
"I get the distinct feeling you're not referring to breakfast," Maura said, her eyes narrowing and letting the door to the fridge shut on its own.
The detective laughed. "Now why ever would you get that idea, darling?" She blinked her wide eyes, Rizzoli sarcasm turned up on high.
"It's recommended to have a hearty and nutritious breakfast before strenuous physical activity." Maura made a last, futile attempt at steering Jane back on course. She wasn't trying very hard, the corners of her lips already turned upward, crinkles at the corners of her eyes.
"Who said anything about strenuous?" Jane knew when she was winning. "You went jogging," she pointed out in a tone not normally used when talking about their routine of going running in the morning. She hooked both index fingers into the waistband of Maura's pants and stepped closer to her, bringing them face to face. Noticed the flush creeping up Maura's neck. "My doctor told me that this particular activity I have in mind is very healthy. And, I did eat breakfast," she said before placing a soft kiss on the medical examiner's mouth.
Maura slid her hands up the detective's chest, gentle but firm pressure, steady and sure of what she wanted and what she had. "Chocolate doesn't count," she breathed into the hollow of Jane's neck. Felt the rumble of a start of another laugh under her fingers and the fabric of Jane's Boston Strong t-shirt.
"But it had bacon in it!"