Maura was late. She was never late. Jane paced back and forth on the cool white tiles of the medical examiner's office. It was only 9.30am so Jane rationally speaking didn't have a reason to worry about her best friend. That was the problem though wasn't it? It's hard to be rational when the person you love isn't where she's meant to be. Of course Jane loved Maura, whilst the realisation itself had only hit her recently, she assumed she always had. She would never say of course, Maura would never lower her standards to such a degree as to welcome Jane into her arms she suspected. Jane had reached for her cell for the fifteenth time that morning as the elevator pinged and the doors swung open showing an immaculately dressed Maura and a small child, practically her double clinging to her. Jane could tell by the look on her face that something serious had gone down this morning, something that would be explained when the little girl was out of earshot.
'Sorry I'm late. Me and Millie had a crisis, didn't we little bug?' Maura sighed gently sitting the girl on the table next to her computer. The little girl nodded shyly from behind her fringe and shuffled closer to Maura.
'That's okay Maur, was a bit worried about you for a second there, but I see you had someone to look out for you. Hi I'm Jane' replied Jane softly holding out a hand to the little girl, whom took it gently and shook it.
'Bug this is Jane, she's my best friend I was telling you about. Jane this is my niece Millie, she'll be staying with me for a few weeks.' Maura replied trying to get into her lab coat and read the case files at the same time.
'Well it's very nice to meet you Millie. I'm sorry to drag your Aunty Maura in today, but we need her help to catch a bad guy. So how about at lunch time I take you out for ice-cream to make up for it?' Jane asked ruffling the girls hair. Millie looked up at Maura with her big brown eyes waiting for her aunty to answer for her.
'That would be lovely wouldn't it Millie, we love ice-cream. Now why don't you go and get your colouring out of your backpack and make a start. I'll come and see what you've done when I've finished speaking to Jane.' Said Maura smiling encouragingly at the small child. If truth be known she didn't have a clue what she was doing, or how to cope with a little girl; but she remembered she liked colouring when she was younger and hoped it would work as a suitable distraction. The little girl hopped of her perch and made her way carefully and slowly to her backpack before settling down to colour her picture.
'Sorry Jane, my friend from boarding school showed up on my doorstep this morning with Millie, saying she needed me to look after her for a few weeks whilst she 'sorted herself out'. I haven't seen or heard from her since Millie was born. I know we need the autopsy today but do you think you could take care of her, whilst I do it? The morgue isn't really the place for a child of that age and I'm not really sure what to do with children. I'm way out of my depth here' Maura rambled visibly stressed by the morning she'd had. Jane couldn't help but laugh, seeing Maura so dishevelled and so unlike her normal self put her slightly at ease. It turns out even the goddess can fall sometimes.
'Sure thing. I'll take care of her. Hey sweetie' Jane said lightly, calling Millie over to her. 'How about I take you upstairs and you can meet some of my friends, whilst aunty Maura works? They have candy and films we could watch?' she smiled brightly at the little girl, whose ears pricked up at candy. Maura smiled encouragingly causing the little girl to take Jane's extended hand and walk quietly with her to the lift. Jane pressed the button for the fourth floor and stood silently holding the girls hand until she felt a gentle tug.
"Janie. Are your friends nice? Mamma doesn't have many nice friends apart from Aunty 'aura. The men are a little scawy." the girl whispered quietly, the gap between her two front teeth clearly evident throughout her speech. Jane wondered just quite what this little girl had seen and made a mental note to discuss it with Maura later. Her heart swelled at the fear evident in the little girls eyes and the fact that she had uttered her first whispered words since entering the building.
"You don't have to worry sweetheart, my friends are lovely. One of them is a bit old though, he looks like a big grey teddy bear but we love him lots, and you can laugh at him when he cries over little kittens on the computer. If you get scared though you just let me know and i'll tell them off okay? No one's allowed to make my assistant sad" Jane smiled, coming down to the girls level to make eye contact in hopes that she would feel safer without Jane towering over her.
"'ssistant?" the girls hushed enquiry escaping her lips with wide eyes and a big smile at the prospect of being a mini police officer for the day.
"yup. All good police officers need an assistant, but first we have to get you a badge! So how about our first task whilst we wait for Aunty Maura is to make you, your very own badge?" she smiled widely at the little girl whose obvious enthusiasm was rubbing off on her. Hand in hand they made their way out of the elevator with Millie chatting endlessly about how much she loved her aunty Maura and all of the fun things that Jane would have to come alone too. Millie suddenly noticing the likes of Frost and Korsak became increasingly quiet and began to hide behind Jane's leg. Bending down to the girls level she scooped her up and placed her on her hip, hoping some added height would decrease the girls nerves.
"Millie, sweetheart. This is my good friends Frost and Korsak" she smiled pointing to the pair in turn. Millie looked out shyly from behind her fringe and upon seeing korsak her face broke out into a large grin.
"You're right Janie! He's a teddy bear! A giant teddy bear! I like you Mr 'orsak!" she squeeled exciting. Korsak shot Jane a confused glance but at the girls squeels he melted and broke into a large grin. Cavannaugh exited his office swiftly to see what all the fuss was about.
"Hey boss! This is Millie, she's Maura's niece, we're just waiting for Aunty Maura to finish working so we can go out for ice-cream. But until then I know how busy us police officers are so Miss Millie has agreed to be our special assistant for the morning." She smiled lightly, hoping her boss would have the good grace to recognise the newly frightened child in her arms and play along. Something had happened before Millie was placed into Maura's care, this much she knew. The girl was too frightened of men for her not to have a past. A past Jane would be discussing with Maura and finding out more about later.
"Well Miss Millie, it's nice to meet you. Once you and Jane have made your badge you come and see me in my office, just there and i'll give you something special to put it in. Every police officer needs a badge holder!" he smiled brightly pointing to his office before returning to finish his paperwork. Jane beamed and sat Millie down on her lap at her desk, handing her paper and crayons for the girl to start her masterpiece. When she was completely distracted she sent a quick text to Maura to let her know.
Millie's settled in up here so don't worry, everyone loves her. Think Korsak just melted. Worried about her though, we need to talk. J x
Millie was talking animatedly about her new friend Bass who she had obviously met before heading over to the precinct. She was telling Jane how Bass was her friend so he needed a badge to and if her aunty Maura allowed she wanted Jane to come and play with him too. He can't move very fast though, Jane was told, because he was only a tortoise. It didn't take long for Maura to reply.
Thanks Jane! Won't be long then we can head out. I know what you mean, I'm worried about her, may need help! M x
Jane played along with the little girls rambling vowing to find out what was going on with Maura's friend and silently promising herself that she would protect Millie and Maura from harm.
Please read and review let me know what you think. Not 100% sure where this is going, what do you want to see happening? I hope you like Millie! Updates shall be soon :)