Detective Jane Rizzoli honestly thought she knew all the quirks and hidden guilty pleasures that her best friend Doctor Maura Isles harboured. She honestly thought she knew; that was until she found herself curled up on the couch on a rainy weekend watching Xena; Warrior Princess with said best friend.
Xena freakin' Warrior Princess. It was ancient Greece, it was exaggerated, it was the journey of two best friends and it was sword fights; lots and lots of sword fights. It was no Criminal Minds, but all in all it was quite entertaining. Still it wasn't something Jane considered being down Maura's alley and yet every time she looked sideways at her friend she was clearly enthralled.
Currently they were in the midst of a story arc which had seen events slowly erode away at the friendship between the protagonists Xena and Gabrielle. The last episode had seen it culminate in the death of Xena's son at the hands of Gabrielle's evil spawn (and don't get Jane started on that entire story line). Currently Xena was fighting her way easily through a tribe of Amazons to get to Gabrielle and assumedly try to kill her. And I thought it was bad when I shot Paddy!
Jane cast a sideways glance at Maura once more and sighed loudly in an attempt to get her attention. When that didn't work she voiced her incredulity, "Really?"
Maura turned an appraising eye on her friend. "Yes Jane?"
"She's really going to try and kill her best friend? You don't find that a bit extreme?" Jane was pretty sure the face she was pulling equated to the pictorial definition of what the hell?
"Of course it is extreme, but Xena is a passionate woman whose child was killed because of a decision Gabrielle made. It is only natural that the encouragement she received from Ares only fuelled her inner rage." Satisfied with her answer she returned her gaze to the screen as Xena held Gabrielle above her head ready to hurl her over the edge of a cliff.
Jane covered her face and peeked through her hands with one eye in anticipation of a terrible act only to almost jump out of her seat with joy when Gabrielle regained consciousness and kicked down at Xena so that she was dropped safely back onto the ground. "Thank God, now would you two guys just talk your issues out!"
Maura stifled a chuckle, having already seen the series through she knew that the seriousness of the arc was about to get a little weird and that Jane was going to whinge incessantly about the ridiculousness of the entire scenario. Naturally Maura still enjoyed the episode, even if it was a musical and the characters were about to burst into song. The message itself was beautiful and she could only hope that Jane would see that, in between all the whining that would surely come.
"Did you know that the actress Danielle Cormack, who plays Ephiny, is the actress that plays the character of Bea in the Australian prison drama Wentworth?" She couldn't help herself she always had to share something she knew with her best friend.
Jane frowned as Gabrielle angrily yelled, "I hate you," at Xena then ran and tackled them both over the edge of the cliff to fall into the water below. She turned to look at Maura, "No I did not know that, but that show is the definition of gritty drama!"
Maura offered her friend a soft smile before returning her gaze to the television. She was actually surprised that Jane had yet to question why she enjoyed the program, but then it was just like Jane to accept everything that defined her in stride. She had stumbled upon an episode while she and Jane were fighting over the shooting of Paddy Doyle and found herself drawn to the friendship between the two women. She subsequently bought the entire series on Amazon and binge watched all six seasons before she and Jane had made their peace with one another.
"Oh God," Jane groaned, "Please tell me this is not turning into a freakin' musical?"
Maura smiled sheepishly at her friend and shrugged, "Sorry Jane, I cannot do that."
"Okay, next. Skip this one; I don't want to watch no freakin' song and dance. This is meant to be like an adventure show, this is so incredibly stupid. I bet they sing out all their problems and all but kiss and make up right?" Jane stared knowingly at Maura.
Maura paused the DVD, having learned very quickly not to trust Jane with the remote control when they were watching something she wanted them to watch. "Jane," she said sternly, "I would really like for you to watch this episode, it has great meaning to me. Actually, it has great meaning for us both."
Jane's eyes narrowed as she assessed the seriousness of her best friend. Recognising an unidentifiable emotion in the hazel eyes that met her gaze head on she felt the need to ask. "Great meaning for us both?"
Maura sighed and looked down at her hands, which she had clasped firmly in her lap before looking back up at her friend. "It helped me deal with my feelings of betrayal and anger after you shot Paddy."
"Oh." Jane reached out and took hold of her friend's hand and gently tugged, "C'mere would ya? I'll watch it, but only if you let me hold you while I do." She always felt a need to be closer with Maura when Paddy was mentioned; shooting him had nearly cost her the most important relationship in her life. She honestly didn't know what she would have done if Maura hadn't forgiven her and if somehow this program had helped with that, she could try to take it seriously.
Maura pressed play on the remote and effortlessly curled against the body of her best friend, who wrapped a protective arm around her before returning her gaze to the television. "Thank you, Jane." She said softly.
They watched silently for several minutes, both women clearly enjoying the closeness that they shared. Neither woman willing to admit that it was the sort of closeness they constantly longed for.
"The Elysian Fields; only heroes end up here. Dead heroes. Dead naked heroes!"
Jane cracked up laughing at Gabrielle's proclamation, "Okay, okay so that was funny. Trust Gabrielle to bring some levity to the situation." She cringed a little as Joxer launched into his little ditty, but couldn't help but finish the song with him, "I'm Joxer… Joxer the mighty!"
Maura pulled back and looked at Jane incredulously, "Who are you and what have you done with the real Jane Rizzoli?"
"Whaaaat?" Jane feigned innocence.
Maura shook her head softly and laughed at her best friend. "You really are deceptively complex, aren't you?"
"Well, I dunno I guess I kinda feel for the guy. He's a bumbling idiot in love with a woman he'll never have because she is so clearly in love with Xena." Suddenly feeling uncomfortable with where she was taking the conversation she tried to cover by adding, "But his song is kinda fun, right?"
"Yes, I suppose it is." Maura replied before returning to her position against Jane's side. She had always seen the similarities between the characters in the show and with her relationship with Jane, and now she was certain that Jane saw it to, but she wasn't going to push it.
They watched the rest of the episode in relative silence until the final song, where Xena asked for forgiveness from Gabrielle and the spirit of her son. Jane had to admit that she felt a lot of similarities between that situation and the one with Doyle. Gabrielle and Maura were the forgiving types, the types that would find a way to forgive their best friend because that's what friends do; regardless the situation. Without realising it she verbalised that thought; "You know you're a lot like Gabrielle."
"I am?" Maura asked, curious to see where her friend was going to take this line of conversation.
"Yeah, you're both incredibly forgiving." She spoke almost reverently.
Maura smiled, "And you're like Xena you know."
"Oh?" Jane twisted her body so she could look at Maura, who pulled back and sat cross legged on the couch.
"Yes, you're both badass!"
"There are also the physical similarities…"
Maura shook her head and laughed at this. "A tall brunette and a slightly shorter blonde? I suppose I can see what you mean, but Jane, Xena has nothing on you."
Jane grinned broadly; she couldn't help it, Maura complimenting her always made her heart beat a little quicker. "Yeah well, those two just fit together seamlessly despite their differences. I think Gabrielle is the strong one; she balances out the warrior in Xena. Kind of like how you make me more careful in dangerous situations."
Maura studied Jane thoughtfully, she understood the words and she even understood the sentiment, but she had countless examples of Jane not being more careful. "Are you trying to tell me that there have been more occasions you could have made an unwise decision like you did when you jumped after Paul, entered a hostage situation in a bank without a weapon or shot yourself?"
"Believe it or not, yes." Jane responded sheepishly, she knew Maura had a point, that despite the fact she never wanted Maura to have to know what it was like to mourn her, and despite knowing she did make the right decision sometimes, she still did a lot of dumb things in the line of duty. "You do make me more careful Maur, even if it doesn't seem like it and when I do get myself into trouble I fight harder to survive it, for you."
Jane watched as Maura tilted her head in thought and realised that she had just made a pretty strong statement to her friend. Deciding to take the bull by the horns she continued, "And you know what else I've noticed about those two? Xena loves Gabrielle unconditionally and to be honest, I feel the same way about you."
"What exactly are you saying, Jane?" Maura thought she understood the declaration but she dare not assume, not in this instance, not when there were so many definitions of love.
Jane ran a hand through her hair and glanced away from Maura while she sifted through her thoughts. What exactly was she saying? "I'm saying that I love you Maura Isles, unconditionally. I'm saying that you are the source of my strength, that you make me want to be a better person… God, I think I'm saying that I'm in love with you."
"You think?" Maura pried gently, "Look at me Jane."
When Jane looked up she had tears in her eyes, "I don't think… I know." She had been afraid for a long time to voice that thought, to confirm it out loud, but really watching this show about two best friends had reminded her of something important, regardless of whether the feelings were reciprocated she wasn't going to lose Maura's friendship over it. She felt foolish for ever fearing she would. It just wasn't possible.
Maura smiled her megawatt smile and said, "I think you should kiss me now."
Jane's eyebrows shot up, "You think, or you know?"
"I know." Maura murmured as she leaned across and took the initiative.
It turned out that The Bitter Suite episode had become even more significant in her relationship with Jane. For once it had reminded her of the importance of forgiveness, but now it had given Jane the courage to change their lives forever.
She pulled away and smirked at the complete look of awe on Jane's face. "Oh and Jane?"
"Yeah?" She asked with a crooked grin.
"I'm in love with you too."