Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Rating: PG-13
Ping.
Jane had tried three times to gather the courage, to gather the balls, or, as her grandmother would say, the gumption to say something to Maura.
No, it wasn't to ask her how she was. It wasn't to ask her out for drinks. It wasn't to ask her what to feed her new pet. It wasn't even to ask her where she bought her shoes. It was to ask something that could be a first step, a beginning. Asking could also ruin her life.
The first time she tried it was in the most obvious place, the morgue. Jane had bought them both some coffee.
"Maura, " Jane called out as she used her back to push her office door open.
"Yes," Maura replied looking away from her computer screen.
"I thought you could use some coffee," Jane smiled, "considering we've both been here since five in the morning."
"Thank you, Jane," Maura smiled as she stood to take her cup.
It was the smile that did Jane in. It punched her hard, she started to stammer a little, which she never did.
"You want to sit for little," Maura sat back down and took a sip of her coffee.
"I…I need to get back upstairs," Jane turned a little too abruptly and left the morgue before she asked Maura out on a real date.
Ping.
"I think we might go on a second date," Maura spoke reaching for her wine glass on the coffee table.
"Really?" Jane replied taking another sip of her beer.
"Yes, he's smart, nice, can form a non-cocky or rude sentence when trying to impress me," Maura continued after a careful sip of wine.
"That's good," Jane leaned further into Maura's couch, trying to not let a sigh out.
Jane had started to notice things about Maura. How nice she looked in her clothes. How her shoes made her calves look amazing. How her hair perfectly framed her face. How deep and real her laugh was when she did laugh.
Jane started to peel the label on her beer bottle as Maura continued, "I haven't had such a pleasant date in ages."
"Mmm," Jane murmured allowing Maura to continue her story.
"He never once tried to be too forward. He didn't give off that 'slimy' vibe, you know…"
"Did you just say a slang work?" Jane smirked before taking another sip of beer.
"Hey!" Maura smiled despite her tone.
Jane smiled a little and settled back into the couch.
"Oh, good, I've been waiting for this documentary on the French Revolution," Maura leaned forward to turn the volume of the television up a little.
Maura leaned back into the couch and they both sat in a comfortable silence as Edward Hermann narrated them through a turning point in European History.
"Maura…" Jane took a deep breath, put her beer bottle back on the table.
"Hmm," Maura didn't take her eyes off the television.
"I…I was wondering …" Jane cleared her throat she suddenly forgot the entire English language when Maura turned her full attention to her.
"Yes, Jane," Maura turned more toward her.
"Can you think of any other revolutions that did as much as this one," Jane awkwardly finished waving her hand at the television.
Maura quirked an eyebrow, slightly, but immediately had an answer.
Coward, Jane's inner voice practically yelled.
I know, was all Jane thought as she pretended to listen to Maura.
Ping.
They were both drunk. It was Korsak's birthday party. They'd all gone to get greasy burgers at one of Korsak's favorite spots. The place had cheap beer. Greasy food. TVs to watch sports. And old arcade games.
Frost was at a bit of a disadvantage as he was more used to playing games on his smart phone than actually have to pull the leavers on a pinball machine.
"No, Frost, you have to put more elbow into it." Korsak boomed a little too loudly as he pushed Frost out of the way. "Let me show you."
Jane couldn't help but grin. Frost would be a blend of new school and old school in no time, especially with Korsak as a guide.
"Are we sure that Frost is safe with Korsak at that level of inebriation?" Maura took a sip of her own beer.
"Oh, they'll get loud, but I don't think it will come to blows," Jane replied as she poured herself more beer from the pitcher.
After taking a long sip, she rose from the booth they had occupied for the last hour, "Come on I want to show you how to play skee ball."
"But I've been drinking," Maura replied putting her glass down.
"A little inebriated is the only way to learn," Jane smiled pulling Maura up.
"It's all in the wrist," Jane began showing how she tossed a skee ball, "and the follow through," Jane finished as her ball landed perfectly in the fifty point area.
"Aren't there usually scores holes to either side of the machine?" Maura inquired as she reached for a ball.
"Those are on the newer machines, this place, has really old school games, which I think is pretty neat," Jane smiled a little as she moved to stand beside Maura.
"Okay, why don't you try for the thirty point hole," Jane spoke quietly near Maura's ear, "Remember wrist and…"
"…follow through," Maura and Jane said together as Jane's hand rested on Maura's elbow, helping to guide her shot.
In a few seconds, there were various pings and pongs, "I did it," Maura jumped a little and ended up leaning more against Jane as she reached to pick up another ball.
They fell into a rhythm of back and forth, give and take. Eventually the beer pitcher was brought over and Korsak's laughing could be heard from the pinball and pool area. He was beating Frost at everything.
"I think Korsak's enjoying himself," Jane smiled as she took a beer break. She turned her head watching the antics.
"He is," Maura was slightly in front of Jane and could smell her faint perfume.
"Oh, shit, did you see that," Jane laughed putting her beer down.
"What?" Maura looked up from her beer.
"Korsak just beat Frost at pool. I never thought I would live to see…" Jane looked down and saw nothing but green eyes.
"Maura…do you…wa…want…to," Jane wasn't sure what she was trying to say all she could think was Maura looked gorgeous with her hair disheveled, in jeans standing near a skee ball machine. She wanted to kiss her.
Maura just kept looking up at her.
"Jane, did you see that!" Korsak came over and slapped her on the back.
The moment was gone.
"I did," Jane tried to smile at him, but she was still trying to catch the breath she had suddenly lost.
"I wish I had a camera so it could be watched on replay on YouTube," Korsak grinned before taking a long drink of beer.
"You know what YouTube is?" Frost laughed joining the group.
"He…" Korsak started.
"What is YouTube?" Maura voice spoke as she moved to toss another skee ball.
Her answer was deep chuckles.
"Of course," Jane murmured as she reached for a skee ball herself.
"Bet I can beat you at this Korsak," Frost said rubbing his hands together.
"You're on," Korsak shouted slamming his beer down.
"I think we can beat both of them, " Jane murmured in Maura's ear, "What do you say?"
Maura smiled up at her in return.
Ping.
Jane was sitting on the front porch of her parents' home. Everyone else was in the back yard. Grill was firing. Drinks were flowing. Faint laughter could be heard. Jane had wanted a bit of quiet. She dragged a couple of beers with her and was stretched out on the steps, her feet almost dangling over the lowest step.
Ping. Ping.
Another piece of a beer label had landed in a bottle cap.
Tear. Crumble.
Jane was rolling up another piece of label to throw.
Ping.
She was on her fourth beer and was peeling the label off of the third bottle.
Ping.
"You're probably improving your free throw by doing that," a voice came from behind her.
Ping. Clank.
"I'm sorry I caused you to miss," Maura sat down next to Jane, "and you were doing so well."
Jane reached down to turn the bottle cap back over.
She was looking for something to do.
She ripped off another piece of label.
Ping.
There was a breeze and Jane couldn't help but breath in Maura's delicious smell.
Ping.
"I thought you went on another date with Derek," Jane didn't look up, she just couldn't.
"I want to be here," Maura sighed as she leaned back on her elbows.
Ping.
Ping.
There was no more beer label to rip off. Jane slowly put her beer bottle down.
"I want you to be here," Jane whispered as she slowly slid over Maura. She made sure that their bodies were not touching. "I want to take you out to dinner." Jane looked right into green eyes, continuing holding herself above Maura.
Maura slowly ran her hands up Jane's arms, over her shoulders, and, finally, settled them on her back. "Dinner sounds wonderful, but right now...I…I…" Maura never finished
Jane leaned her face down and kissed her long and slowly. They both started to gasp for air and Maura pulled Jane closer, so that their upper bodies were touching.
The kiss ended slowly. Maura couldn't look away from Jane's almost black eyes.
"You'll have to teach me how to hit bottle caps," Maura exhaled as she felt Jane's breath on her neck.
Jane grinned.
"Right after I teach you how to eat barbeque ribs," Jane had resettled next to Maura and right on cue…
"Dinner's ready," Frank shouted from the grill.
Author's Note: This was just a little idea I had. I decided to run with it.