Okay this is my first attempt at a Rizzoli & Isles fic, and my first attempt at fic in general in a very long time, so I just hope it turned out okay
I suppose that it had been building for a long time, possibly since the moment we had first met, but it was now that the realization hit me. It must have something to do with actually having time to realize things. Now that I realized it, I felt that I had a greater understanding of the phrase ignorance is bliss. It would be nice to be ignorant to the feelings that were suddenly taking hold of me. I needed a drink, and as I stepped into my kitchen and opened the refrigerator Jane's beer stood there, silently, almost mocking me. I really needed a drink now. I found myself fantasizing about a glorious red wine, I'd tasted only once before, but I could not remember its name.
I had found the closest bar, and had settled myself on a stool, with composure. I wasn't sure how long I had been sitting there, nor how many of my chosen drink, I had consumed, but I was engulfed by the warm comfort of alcohol. I must look like an alcoholic.
"Bad breakup?" I turned to see a woman staring at me with interest, I managed to shake my head in response. "Lovers quarrel?" I shook my head again. She grinned. "In love with someone you can't have?" I nodded.
"That's the one," I mumbled.
"Well that's a relief." Her words puzzled me, and I shot her a quizzical look. "It's comforting to know I'm not sitting next to an alcoholic." It was my turn to grin. "So, you're either in love with a gay man, or a heterosexual woman, if it's someone you can't have," She began, "Or maybe they're married." I couldn't help but smile at her, and when I did, her face lit up. "Actually, I doubt that there is anyone you can't have." She paused, and I got the strange feeling that she was giving me the once over, and I felt my cheeks flush. "You look beautiful," She added, confidently.
I couldn't be sure if the alcohol was to blame for my sudden, painfully obvious arousal, or if Jane was to blame. Of course Jane was the reason that I had consumed said alcohol, so it was her fault by default. Or maybe it was the fault of the woman standing before me, but the alcohol and Jane were clearly at fault for my rash behavior. I stood up, and nearly toppled over, but the woman next to me broke my fall. I led her home with me, but everything after that was a blur.
"Straight woman?" She was still next to me, as my eyes adjusted slowly to the light, and my mind took a few seconds to take in what she had just said.
"Huh?" That was all I could muster.
"Well you were pretty drunk when you insisted that I come home with you, but I've read that alcohol brings honest raw feelings out, along with the incredibly stupid, so I assume it's a woman you can't have. You don't strike me as a woman, that would deny herself pleasure," I sat up in my bed and stared at her curiously. "I've seen your shoes." I couldn't stop my lips from curving into a smile at that, I did love my shoes.
"What do my shoes have to do with anything?" She spoke a language that I was unfamiliar with.
"They make you happy, you wouldn't settle for less with your shoes, they're expensive, fashionable, and we don't speak the same language, so I can't accurately explain. The point is, you wouldn't deny yourself without a really good reason, and her sexuality, wouldn't be a strong enough reason, for you to deny yourself pleasure. I'm certain that more than ninety percent of your closet could get anyone into bed with you."
"We work together," I sighed, finally understanding her, or so I thought.
"Well that does make things complicated."
"She doesn't feel the same," I added.
"How do you know that she doesn't feel the same? Have you asked her?" I shook my head miserably, obviously there wasn't enough alcohol in the world to make my memory fade. "You'll never know if you don't try," She breathed the words into my ear, and I shivered as she pressed her lips to my forehead.
"But..." She cut me off.
"What's the worst that could happen? She might not feel the same, but there is also a chance that she might feel the same, and it's going to eat you up inside until you know, and no amount of alcohol is going to change that." She was smiling at me, and pressed her lips to my forehead again.
"And if things don't work out," She began with a smug smirk, "Well I've been known to go weak in the knees for cute blondes." My cheeks burned with amused embarrassment, if such a thing was possible. "I'm not sure what's good for a hangover though, so you're on your own there."
"Water," I answered, as I attempted to lift myself up out of bed.
"Oh no, I've seen your balance, and we're not going there," She lifted me up surprisingly fast, and carried me into my kitchen and gracefully slid me onto the countertop. She reached around for a glass and poured water into it, before handing it to me.
"I realize I haven't taken the time to learn your name," I said as I took the glass she offered.
"Kayla," She breathed, grabbing my free hand and pressing her lips against it. "And as I examined the contents of your closet rather than the contents of your wallet, I know not your name, beautiful."
"That's a little over the top, don't you think?" She had been quite amusing to say the least. "Maura."
"Well Maura, it wouldn't be worth doing, if it wasn't just a little over the top," She said with a wink. "Beautiful name, for a beautiful woman." This woman was too good at making me blush.
"So this woman that you work with," She began, capturing my attention again. "Why do you think she doesn't feel the same?" I didn't know, I didn't understand Jane, and I didn't want to feel this way about her, it could only complicate things.
"It wouldn't work." I chose not to answer her question. She stared at me, waiting for my explanation. "We just wouldn't work, I mean she likes baseball, and, and I like shoes, we're polar opposites," I sighed. "I wish I had never realized the attraction," I mumbled.
"Ignorance isn't always bliss Maura. Realizing the attraction could lead you to happiness, besides, there is nothing wrong with baseball. You can have different interests." The sound of my doorbell ringing interrupted, but Kayla helped me down off the counter and I made to answer the door. I was surprised to see Jane was on the other side. She gave me a look, and it only increased my belief that I was incapable of understanding her.
"Is something wrong Jane?" She shook her head.
"Oh yeah, homicide, are you too good to answer your phone now? I called you like a million times." Jane followed me into the kitchen where Kayla was situated on the counter. Jane's eyes caught sight of Kayla and, she began stumbling, "I didn't know that you were, I'm sorry Maura, I, I didn't mean to interrupt," She backed out of the kitchen, and I followed her.
"Jane, Jane you didn't interrupt anything," I brushed my hand over her jacket covered shoulder.
"I... I didn't know, I wasn't aware... I mean... I didn't know that you were," Jane stumbled over her words, and I found it to be absolutely adorable.
"Bisexuality is perfectly natural Jane, many women are sexually attracted to both men and women, I find women to be very soft, and nice to sleep next to." Jane continued to stare at me strangely, but then she shook her head, clearing her thoughts.
"Was this common knowledge?" Jane asked, as if I had been keeping it a secret. I looked at Jane, unsure of what to say to her.
"I assumed it was, I thought for sure she was a lesbian," Kayla said as she stepped out of the kitchen.
"So everyone knew this, but me?" Jane was upset with me.
"I, I didn't think... I mean, I didn't think that it was worth mentioning." Jane smirked at my words, and I felt my cheeks flush. It was obvious that I meant, 'I didn't want to tell you.'
"Is this your way of telling me you're attracted to me?" Jane didn't wait for my reply, she leaned in and kissed me softly before I could react. I smiled and nodded when she pulled back, but Jane's attention had shifted to Kayla. The two of them were wearing identical grins, which lead to a strange fist bump that I was not familiar with.
"We're good now?" Kayla questioned, her eyes on Jane.
"Oh definitely, I think I owe you now" I eyed the two of them curiously.
"They're playing the Blue Jays in a couple weeks, I got tickets," Kayla winked, "Could corrupt her if you're busy. She needs a baseball education."
"You, you two planned this," I shouted at them both, in half anger, half amusement. "For a baseball game?"
"How else could I have gotten you to admit that you're attracted to me," Jane grinned, placing her hands on my hips. My lips curved into a smile, against my will. "Actually we didn't plan it, just asked Kayla here to find out if I had a chance with you."
"And we settle everything with a trip to Fenway Maura," Kayla added. "You should be flattered." I didn't get it, they were confusing, but Kayla said I should be flattered. Then I remembered something she'd said earlier, 'ignorance isn't always bliss.' Maybe she was right, after all Jane and I seemed to have a mutual attraction, especially if she'd sent her friend after me.
They were arguing about a baseball game and it was actually adorable to watch, but soon enough I remembered why Jane was here in the first place.
"You said something about a homicide?"