Author Notes: Thank you to tkent for providing the idea for this one-shot. Anymore prompts/ideas (for one-shots/single chapter stories only), please send me them because I like a challenge. Sometimes I just need a bit of a break from a story, so I'm putting Slide down for a short time (I don't intend to put it down for long). I hope you enjoy this little piece.
Drunken revellers spilled out into the street, their high heels sending their ankles off in the opposite direction, and their bodies fell against their equally intoxicated partners. Fingers travelled further, eyes lingered lower and mouths merged with other mouths.
Jane Rizzoli rolled her eyes and pushed past a couple making out in the doorway. The Dirty Robber was not usually so busy, and it pissed Jane off. She longed to while away the hours after work in the bar, anything to avoid going home to an empty apartment. Saturday nights had become an almost no-go where her favourite bar was concerned.
She grunted when someone elbowed her in the side, clenched her fist as a man stepped back and onto her foot (luckily for Jane, her boots were sturdy) and ducked when a woman flailed her arms around. Clutching the edge of the bar, Jane claimed her spot and tried to get Korsak's attention.
"What can I get you?" he asked, slinging a towel over his shoulder and pulling her usual beer out of the fridge below. "Usual?"
She nodded, handed over a bill, and sighed. "What's going on?"
"Wedding party," Korsak said. "Bit of an informal shindig for such a young couple, but they wanted it to be more like a party than a stuffy ceremony in a church. That's what they said anyway."
Jane frowned. "Am I allowed to be here?"
"Sure," he said. "They're all drunk as skunks anyhow. Maura's over in your booth."
"Thank God for that," Jane said, standing on her tiptoes to get a mere glimpse of her friend. She felt a body press against her, and pushed back, until a man stumbled and landed in a heap on the floor.
A crowd of people dispersed enough for her to get past and she rushed around another group. She froze a few feet away, a man Jane barely recognised sat opposite Maura, his fingers tucked around her hand. She stepped forward, then thought better of it. She watched the two converse. Maura laughed softly, until something he said made her tip her head further back and her whole body shook with laughter.
An unfamiliar feeling grabbed hold of her, her heart beat faster and she couldn't breathe. The man trailed a hand across Maura's chin and leaned forward, capturing her lips. She grinned into his kiss and nibbled on his bottom lip. She resisted the urge to throw her bottle of beer at his head.
She was too tired for this. She grimaced and sipped her beer. Before she could turn to walk away, Maura caught her eye and waved her over. Jane wasn't so sure, but when Maura stared at her like that, she couldn't help but comply.
"Hey," she said, holding her beer up and looking around the room. "Busy."
"Sit," Maura said, sliding over and patting the cushion beside her. Jane shook her head. The last thing she wanted to do was sit. Well, no, the first thing she wanted to do was sit beside Maura, but not when there was somebody else there. "Anthony, this is my friend Jane Rizzoli, we work together."
"It's a pleasure," he said, holding out a hand. Jane shook it. "Maura tells me you're excellent at your work."
"Excellent? Yeah." She took a long swig of her drink and lowered it to her side, her knuckled grew pale against the glass. "Maura?"
"Oh, I apologise." Maura motioned toward Anthony. "Jane, this is Anthony Hedgley, he's my boyfriend."
"Your…" Jane narrowed her eyes and cleared her throat. She felt her whole body tense up, and every bit of breath left her lungs. She forced a fresh breath. "I didn't realise."
"I told you we were dating."
"Did you?" She looked around absentmindedly, anything to avoid looking into Maura's eyes and seeing the disappointment that she hadn't remembered she was dating someone. Of course, she remembered. How could she forget? She just hoped the relationship, like many of Maura's, would have ended by now. She forged a smile and nodded to Anthony. "Nice to meet you."
"Join us, please," he said, sliding out from his spot and squashing into the other side of the booth beside Maura. His thigh pressed against Maura's and though he didn't think she could see him, Jane was all too aware of his fingers creeping across Maura's bare knee.
"Nah." She shook her head, barely taking her eyes from the small, darkened space, where Anthony's hand touched Maura's skin. "I'm with someone, they're across at the bar."
Maura turned and looked over but the crowd of people were still blocking the way. Jane glanced briefly at Maura, then away again.
"Go get him," Anthony said. "You can both join us."
"It's fine. He's not really a people person. Catch you later."
She scurried off, forcefully pushing her way back through the crowd to the other side where Maura couldn't see her. She stood by the bar, downed her drink and ordered another. The noise was giving her a headache, but she couldn't leave yet. Her head was still too mashed by their recent case, and Maura's revelation that her suitor was in fact now her boyfriend. That made it official. More than official. That made him a threat to the feelings she didn't expect to resurface. She probably wasn't going to tell Maura anyway, like the first time. But that was beside the point.
"Where's your friend?" Maura asked, appearing suddenly behind her.
Jane turned around. "He went to the restroom."
"Really?" Maura narrowed her eyes. "I didn't know you were seeing anybody tonight."
"Yeah, spur of the moment thing." Jane ordered another beer and a scotch. "He's a scotch drinker."
"I figured," Maura said, glancing at the two drinks on the bar. "You should join us. We won't bite."
"Nah." Jane picked up the scotch and downed it, regretting it instantly. She smiled at Maura, her best smile. "I'll have to order him another."
"Yes."
"I'll see you tomorrow, probably."
"Tomorrow." Maura squeezed Jane's shoulder, her eyes reading her in a way that Jane didn't like. She cleared her throat and threw up her defences. She didn't like how her feelings for Maura made her feel. She didn't like how out of control it all was. "You can tell me all about your date."
"Sure, and you can tell me all about Anthony."
"You know all there is to know."
"Do I?"
"Of course."
"Of course," Jane repeated. She gritted her teeth. The mock tone hadn't been her intention. Maura seemed unimpressed. Jane smiled again, forcing her lips to curve at the edges, and despite attempting to make it reach her eyes, she couldn't take it that far. Her heart broke when she considered that Maura's relationship had taken a more serious turn.
"Goodnight, Jane."
"Yeah, night," she said, as Maura turned around and pushed her way back through the crowd.
x
The scotch addition to her beers meant a cab home, but as they pulled up outside her apartment building, Jane didn't really want to face the dark, lonely condo. She diverted them towards Maura's house, even if she wasn't there, she would at least feel closer to her. If worst came to the worst, she could always knock on the guest house and spend an hour bothering her mother.
In the end, she paid the driver and stepped up to the front door. It was locked. Of course, it was locked, neither Maura, nor Jane, were supposed to be there. She reached into her pockets for keys, but all she could find was her cell phone.
"Shoot," she said, checking again. Her keys were no longer in her pocket, which meant they were probably a few blocks away by now in the back of the cab.
She approached the front door anyway, and perched on the step. Maura wouldn't be long. Her mother might have been out, and though she usually didn't use the front door, she still had to go by it to get to the guest house.
"Welcome to your new life, Rizzoli," Jane muttered, leaning against the door and staring out across the street. Streetlamps spread dots of light around the semi-dark neighbourhood. At least it was a safe enough area. She didn't need to fear being mugged, or attacked. What she really wanted to do was go inside, grab a beer and watch television.
Maura wouldn't be long. She was working the next day. They both were. It was already half ten and Jane stifled a yawn. She leaned her head against the door and closed her eyes for a moment.
"Jane?"
She woke with a start, Maura stood over her, her eyebrows knitted together. Anthony stood behind her, running his hands through his perfect locks. Jane hated his hair. He looked like he was modelling for a hair commercial. Jane bit her tongue to stop from saying so. She gripped the door handle and pulled herself up to her feet.
"What are you doing here?" Maura asked.
Jane shrugged. "Came to see you."
"I was out."
"I know." Jane shuffled her feet. "I came anyway."
"Why didn't you use your key?"
"Lost it."
Maura glanced at her, unimpressed. Jane tried to find the words to explain but she couldn't seem to make her tongue work. Pushing past her, Maura unlocked the front door and walked into the house, turning off the alarm as Jane and Anthony entered behind her.
"Shall I call you a cab?" Maura asked, motioning to Anthony, as though that explained everything.
It did. Jane knew what was coming next. Maura had already talked to her about their sexual relationship. She knew what he was there for, and it wasn't Maura's '79 Chateau Lafite. She didn't move.
Jane didn't want to leave and Maura couldn't make her.
Except that it was her house, and she had every right to ask her to leave. Especially if she planned to entertain her boyfriend.
Boyfriend. Jane still couldn't get her head around the title she'd used. Maura rarely called anyone her boyfriend. She went on dates, she slept with her dates, and then her dates found it creepy that she diagnosed unknown medical conditions. The last boyfriend Maura had was years ago.
"No," Jane said, walking across the lounge and into the kitchen.
"Jane." Maura followed close behind, her eyes fixed on Jane's back. She could feel her attention. "Please."
"No!"
She took a beer from the fridge and cracked open the lid. Maura snatched it out of her grip before she could lift it to her mouth.
"Jane, what are you doing?"
"I was having a drink."
"No, here." Maura sighed and placed the beer on the counter. "I'm on a date, Jane. Anthony and I would appreciate some alone time."
"I'm not stopping you," Jane said, picking up the bottle and carrying it over to the couch. She was. That was exactly what her intention was. They both knew that.
Anthony cleared his throat and stepped forward, his hands on his hips. "You need to leave."
"I'll leave when I want to leave," Jane shouted, her voice louder than she expected. She stared at him. "Anthony. Maybe you should leave."
"Maura has not asked me to, if she wishes that I leave, then I will happily leave. But until then, I don't think it's your place."
"Not my place?" Jane shook her head and swigged the beer. "It's not your place. She is not yours and you have no claim to her."
Resting a hand on her arm, Maura took the bottle out of her grasp. "Jane, you're drunk. You're not making any sense."
"I'm not drunk." She gave up her battle for the beer and stared at Maura. "I'm making plenty of sense. He's not right for you, Maura."
"No?" Maura handed the beer to Anthony and held Jane's shoulders. "Jane. Don't do this. You're making a fool of yourself. Anthony is my boyfriend and you have no right to speak to us like this."
"That's right," Jane said, throwing her arms up in the air and shaking her head. "I have no right. You're not mine, I'm not yours, I'm nobodies and you're his and I have no right."
Pursing her lips, Maura frowned. "What do you mean?"
"What do you think I mean?"
"Don't entertain her drunken words, Maura," Anthony said, his hand outstretched.
Maura brushed him off. "Jane, what do you mean?"
"I can't tell you what I mean, because when I tell you what I mean it all changes and there's nothing I can do about it."
"I don't," Maura paused and breathed deeply. "You need to clarify."
"Make him go," Jane whispered, a hint of desperation in her voice. She stepped closer to Maura, breathed in the heady scent of her perfume and body odour. Her eyes glistened with the threat of tears. "Please."
She turned to Anthony, her eyes downturned. Jane watched on, hopeful that her words would carry enough weight. "Maybe it's time we called it a night."
He stepped forward. "No, Maura."
"I'm sorry, Jane's obviously in a state. I can't leave her."
"Come on, Maura, she's playing you!"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Can't you see it? She's manipulating you."
She pressed her lips together and stared down at the floor. Jane opened her mouth to speak, but Maura beat her to it. "Anthony, please leave before I say something I regret. We'll talk soon."
"Fine," he snapped, picking up his jacket and rushing toward the door.
The door shut behind him. Maura lowered her gaze and sighed, turning back to Jane. Without really thinking, she stepped forward. She cupped Maura's cheeks and captured her lips with her own. Maura didn't respond, just stood there, until Jane's eyes bugged and she realised what she'd just done.
"Sorry," she said, stepping back.
Silence. Maura didn't look up. Jane stared, waiting impatiently. A lump settled in the back of her throat. She tried to speak but words lodged uncomfortably. Eventually, Maura looked at her again.
"This is why you've been behaving unusually," Maura said, her voice stoic and slow. "How long?"
"How long what?" Jane stared at her, dumfounded.
"How long have you had feelings for me?"
"Feelings?" Jane scoffed. "Don't be so ridiculous, Maura. I've had too much to drink."
"You're backtracking because you're scared."
"No."
"You're forgetting that I know when you're lying."
"I…" She fled the room. Her heart raced. She couldn't handle this. She should never have started something she couldn't finish. She pulled open the front door.
"Jane, wait, don't leave."
"I'm sorry," she said, rushing out the door.
Maura sped after her, benefiting from a lack of alcohol in her system. She jumped in front of Jane before she moved off the front step, stopping her in her tracks. Jane averted her gaze.
"Look at me," Maura said. She shook her head. Maura placed two fingers under Jane's chin and forced her to look up. "How long?"
She gulped. The harder Maura stared at her, the harder it was not to stare back. She could feel a slight tremble in Maura's fingers, that matched the shake of her own body. "Forever."
"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Maura stepped back toward the house and motioning for Jane to join her. She followed, slowly, cautiously. Words caught in her throat. "Please talk to me about this."
"I dunno."
"If I'd known…"
"You'd still be with Anthony. You don't feel the same way."
Maura shook her head repeatedly, finally stopping once the door was closed again. "I wouldn't. My relationship with Anthony isn't serious. Why didn't you realise that I do?"
"You…" Jane coughed, the blockage in her throat appeared out of nowhere, and vanished just as quickly. "You do?"
Jane stepped forward, pushing through her anxieties and finding a newfound confidence. She cupped Maura's cheeks again and pressed her lips to Maura's. The hand against her chest shocked her and Maura pushed her away.
"No." She sighed. "I want to. I've always wanted to."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Jane asked.
"I didn't think you were interested in women."
"I didn't think you were."
Maura scoffed. "Please. Jane. You know about my history."
"I do?"
"Look," Maura squeezed her shoulder and kissed her softly on the cheek. "I want to do this. But I can't betray Anthony."
"So, what." Jane shrugged. "You're gonna carry on dating him and I get to go back to being a lonely spinster with nobody?"
"Now you're being melodramatic," Maura said, a slight smirk on her lips. "I merely wish to end things with him before I begin something with you."
"One kiss won't hurt."
"Jane."
"It won't! You're ending things with hi, anyway."
"True."
"So, what do you say?" She sighed. Jane could see the conflict flash across her face. She held her arms out. "One kiss."
"I don't know."
Jane closed the gap. "One. Small. Kiss."
"Okay," Maura said. She pressed a hand to the back of Jane's neck, and another to her cheek, slowly moving her mouth across Jane's bottom lip, capturing her in the softest, sweetest embrace that Jane had ever felt. She slipped a hand around Maura's waist and lifted her lightly off her heels, parting her lips long enough to allow Maura's tongue entrance. She pulled Jane closer, wrapping her arms around her neck, deepening the kiss with every movement of her mouth against Jane's. Until eventually, they both pulled back. "Wait, who was your date?"
"Oh, him?" Jane shrugged. "Made him up."
"Jane!" Maura said, smacking her playfully on the arm.
"I had to say something."
"You made me feel really jealous."
"You, jealous?" Jane asked, raising an eyebrow. "You're the one who brought a guy home."
"Only because I didn't think you'd ever be interested."
"It doesn't matter now." Jane leaned back in, her lips barely touched Maura's before she stepped back.
"No. Not tonight."
"Okay."
"Tomorrow, though."
"I'll hold you to it."
