Five times Jane kissed Maura.
Summary:The five times Jane kissed Maura and the one time Maura really kissed her back. Rizzles. Mostly silliness.
Pairing: Jane/Maura
A/N: Obviously, I don't own the rights to these characters. No copyright infringement intended.
xxx
The first time Jane kisses Maura is actually the second time.
The real first time she is simply too drunk to remember about it afterwards.
It is only the following day, when Frost makes a joke at the Division One Café to an extremely hungover Jane, that she grumpily admits that most of the previous night is a complete blank to her.
"You kissed Maura?!" Angela's voice carries over, loud and clear, breaking through what feels like a sudden, church-like silence in the café. "Why didn't you tell your mother about this?" She demands as she points a finger at her own chest. "Nobody tells me anything."
Jane does not need to look up to know every single cop in the café is staring at her.
Crap.
"Ma." A hiss. A plea. "Can you lower your voice? I have a headache."
"You were not saying that last night when you laid that big one on Maura," Frankie says, joining the conversation uninvited, placing his cup of coffee and chocolate muffin on the table and mock raising his hand for a high five.
Jane ignores her brother, and morosely drops her head over her crossed arms. "Moron." She mumbles.
"What's her problem?" Frankie asks Frost over Jane's head, his voice barely understandable around the half muffin that's already stuffed into his mouth.
"Romeo here doesn't remember kissing Maura." Frost laughs.
"Oh, man. That's harsh!" Frankie jokes, hand on chest. "I feel your pain, Jane."
"Frankie!" Angela snaps. "Your sister is not feeling well," she admonishes. She moves around the table and places an arm around Jane's shoulders in a comforting manner. Then, she turns to Frost, lowering her voice only very slightly, "did Maura kiss her back?"
"Ma, really?" Jane groans as she moves her hands to cover her ears. Can her family just pretend to be normal for one day?
"She must have kissed her back," Korsak says as he also joins the group, smiling broadly at Jane's hunched-over form. "I cannot imagine why Jane would have fainted otherwise."
"You fainted?" Angela asks so loudly it almost, almost, drowns the sound of the laughter suddenly filling the café.
Jane wonders if she can fit under the table.
Maybe she can just lie on the floor and pretend to be dead for the rest of the day.
xxx
The kiss makes things slightly awkward between Jane and Maura, but Maura never mentions it, and Jane cannot remember it, and so, Jane finds out that amnesia makes second-hand embarrassment relatively easy to deal with, particularly when it is at her own expense.
And whenever the guys tease her mercilessly about it, she just very maturely gives them the finger. It is who they are, after all, their little group: they need the laughs to function. If it is about this for a while, so be it. She's had her share of laughs at the expense of the others, too. Plus, it is not long before Korsak has the embarrassing encounter with the Franciscan nun that wants to leave the nunnery and run away with him, and so the excitement over Jane's kiss soon dies out.
And frankly, it is the second kiss that counts as the first one, anyway, being that Jane is relatively sober for it and she can actually remember what happened the morning after.
It all seems to go downhill from there for Jane.
xxx
A couple of weeks later, they all meet at Maura's to watch a game. It is a family tradition by now. Angela prepares too many salty, highly caloric snacks and the Rizzoli children bring entirely too many beers, so afterwards, Maura always ends up stuck with a lot of left-over food and drinks that she does not want, a messy living room and, often, a bit of a headache from all the yelling that goes on in the house.
She could not be happier to have them visit.
Jane has been avoiding Maura during working hours; not overtly of course. Mostly, simply by pretending to be busier than she actually was, but she cannot get out of their every-other-Sunday game family night. Angela would never let her get away with it.
On game nights, they watch whatever is on: football, baseball, hockey, basketball. At first, Maura was admired by the nearly perfect overlap between the seasons of the different sports and how the Rizzolis seemed almost equally keen followers of them all. By now, she's used to it. And, truthfully, the game is often a bit of a blur to Maura, who is intrigued by the Rizzoli family dynamics much more than she is interested in whatever is happening on the screen.
But that night is a big match: the Red Sox face the Yankees. Even Maura is somewhat interested in the outcome, having learned about the intense rivalry between the two teams and being, as she is, always interested in the cultural and anthropological dimensions of such a rivalry.
It is thus strange that Jane arrives almost half an hour into the game. She explains it away by complaining about the traffic, but Maura can tell she is not telling the truth. What she does not suspect is that Jane is too chicken to risk being with Maura without the buffer provided by her family, and so she times her arrival to ensure they will not be alone in the house.
Of course, there are her idiot brothers and Frost to deal with anyway.
Frankie starts to make kissing sounds as soon as Jane takes a seat in the sofa.
"Hey, knucklehead," she punches him in the shoulder with more strength than she actually means, "can it!"
"Ow," he complains rubbing his shoulder.
"Kiss it and make it better?" Frost jokes.
Jane just stares at him until he raises his hands in defeat and good-naturally offers her a beer. Jane takes the beer and settles on the sofa, smiling. She does not really mind the teasing that much. It is always fun to bicker with the boys.
The game is a close one and they eat, drink and shout at the television well into the evening, slowly getting plastered.
It comes down to the last inning. The Red Sox are down to the last batter. It looks like they are about to lose to the freaking Yankees when Big Papi hits a massive home run that wins them the game.
Angela runs back into the living room when she hears the loud shouting and cheering. She finds Maura, all three Rizzolis, Frost and Korsak hugging and high-fiving each other in what looks like a demented rugby melee. She looks on as Tommy grabs Maura and gives her a hug that last a second longer than is proper. Then, he turns to also hug Frankie, who is just now letting go of Jane. Jane then turns around with a big smile. She grabs a startled Maura, placing her hands on either side of Maura's head, leans forward, and kisses her full on the mouth.
The kiss only lasts for a second, and Jane immediately lets go of Maura and turns to hug the next person she bumps into, patting Frost's back and high-fiving Korsak in quick succession.
It won't be until hours later that Jane realises what she just did.
Meanwhile, Maura sits on a nearby chair, a flush covering her cheeks.
xxx
This time, it is even harder for Jane to act casual around Maura, because she remembers the kiss and she is at a loss to come up with a good explanation for why she did that. However, a gruesome double homicide takes her mind off Maura and she spends the week working hard.
It is late on Friday evening when they finally crack the case. Jane has slept maybe 12 hours all week and needs to relax before going home and trying to get some shut-eye. She is already on her third beer when she decides to text Maura and ask her to join them at the Dirty Robber. Jane may be brave amongst the brave, but in personal matters, she finds that a couple of beers go a long way. She does not really bother to check if Maura answers the text and just assumes the doc is not going to join them after nearly an hour passes by without seeing her. So, it is a bit of a surprise when a couple of beers later, as she stands to walk to the counter to order another round for everyone, she walks into a soft body: that of a woman.
"I think maybe you've had enough." The body says, using Maura's voice.
Jane is too inebriated to make the connection as her hand goes around the woman's waist, trying to keep her balance. "Wanna join us for a beer?" she drawls. She sounds like she is drunk, because she is. And also, like she is hitting on this stranger that has Maura's voice.
Maybe she is as well.
"You know that I do not like beer, Jane."
That is when Jane realizes that this is actually Maura and not just a look-a-like. Maura does not sound amused.
"Aww, Maura. Lighten up." Jane replies as she waves her hand in the general direction of one of the booths at the back. "Have a drink with me and the boys," but she is having trouble standing upright and not slurring her words, and she is not sure which, out of the two Mauras in front of her, is the one she should be convincing.
Maybe she has had enough?
It annoys her for a moment that Maura is always right. But it only lasts a moment. In reality, she loves that Maura is always right. She is struggling to focus, with all the beer, and her arm is still around Maura. Maura, who smells wonderfully, and is soft and curved and fits just right against her side.
"You came," Jane mumbles with a big smile, her face moving dangerously close to Maura's.
She is so happy to see her that she wants to kiss Maura's cheek, but she ends up planting a sloppy kiss on her mouth.
And it is entirely not her fault, you see, just bad luck: As it turns out, the real Maura was the one on the right.
xxx
"Angela, I really do not mind." Maura tries to calm down the agitated woman.
"That is not the point, Maura! Why does Jane need to get drunk to kiss you?" She asks loudly. "I brought her up better than this."
Angela paces around the kitchen. Then, she stops suddenly and grabs Maura's arm.
"Do you think she has an alcohol problem? Maybe I should talk to Father Dinapoli about this. Just last Sunday, he warned us in his sermon about the evils of addiction. Of course, he was lookingstraight at that old fool, Vincenzo Abbadelli, who, if you must know, gambled half of his retirement money in a game of poker," she trails off for a second and purses her lips slightly, "but still! I am worried about Jane."
"I don't think that would be conductive to-"
"Maybe I should make her join one of those AA groups?" Angela interrupts. Then she gasps. "Oh! Or maybe one of those gay groups? Do you think she is struggling with that? I knew I should have gone to that luncheon for.. what's the name? that sandwich thing... BLT! the luncheon for BLT families that Carla Talucci told me about last week. Her nephew Matt attends regularly." She regards Maura speculatively. "I think he met a really nice man there a few months ago," she nods in approval.
"I think you mean LGBT, Angela. For lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered. You have probably mistaken it with BLT for bacon, lettuce and tomato?"
But Angela is not listening. "Anyway," she says with finality. "I've made up my mind. We should all go and talk to Father Dinapoli."
"I am not sure that is a good idea. You know Jane." Maura tries to dissuade her.
xxx
Jane stands up slowly. Everyone in the circle of mostly perfect strangers eyes the newcomer curiously.
"Hi, my name is Jane and I am here because my mother made me come." She says moodily.
"Hello, Jane." Responds a chorus of voices around the room.
It has been a rough couple of weeks for Jane. Not for the fact that, when faced with two Mauras, she had kissed left-Maura's cheek, which ended up being right-Maura's mouth. That, she could explain away. What she cannot explain is why it took her nearly half a minute to step back or why she sucked Maura's lower lip into her mouth. That her left hand had somehow ended up grabbing Maura's ass is also kind of hard to explain.
"I only made you come because you insist on getting drunk and then, kissing poor Maura here!" Angela stands up to talk even though it's not her turn to speak. "You are going to give her a complex! Can't you treat her right? Put on a nice dress and take her out to a good restaurant?" Jane feels a blush colour her cheeks as Frankie snickers quietly from the row behind her.
"Yeah, Jane. Get your prom dress from that box in the garage and romance the lady," he whispers loudly.
"Shut it, Frankie!" Jane warns.
"Don't talk like that to your brother!" Angela demands, hands on hips.
"Signora Rizzoli, prego," Father Dinapoli interrupts in his thick Italian accent before things can get completely out of hand, "maybe you let Jane tell us about her problem, si?" he smiles at Jane.
It makes Jane frown. "I do not have a problem."
"See? She's in denial, Father!" Angela says.
"Ma!" Jane hisses as she clenches her fists and takes a step towards her mother, bumping slightly into Maura, who is sitting quietly between the two women; reading something on her phone, and mostly ignoring the Rizzoli drama around her.
"Have I been such a bad mother to my daughter?" Angela asks the group dramatically. "Is it so terrible that I want her to act like a proper lady?"
"Bad Jane. Bad, bad Jane." Frankie joins in from the back again.
Jane turns and points a menacing finger at him, but he only smiles and winks at her, fully confident that she'd never hit him with their Ma and Father Dinapoli there. He hopes, anyway. Just in case, he discreetly moves his chair so it will be easier to jump off it and run towards the door, if it comes to it.
A silence follows. It is finally broken by Father Dinapoli who clears his throat before he dares speak.
"Signorina Rizzoli?"
"What." Jane says and immediately feels contrite. "Sorry, Father Dinapia, I didn't mean to snap at you," she says, lowering her voice somewhat and turning to glare at her mother.
"Dinapoli."
"What?"
"His name is Dinapoli, Jane," Maura rises to stand, placing a calming hand on Jane's arm. "It literally means 'from Naples' in Italian." She explains with a smile.
"Have you ever been to Naples, Maura?" Angela pipes in. "I am sure it's very pretty," she crosses her arms and glares at her daughter. "Also, I am sure well-educated people over there do notsmooch their friends whilst drunk."
Jane's eyebrows first rise and then abruptly drop. She stares daggers at her mother for a tense moment.
Then, she turns and grabs Maura around the waist, left hand lying flat on the small of her back, warm against the cool silk of Maura's blouse. She uses the hand to pull Maura towards her, until they are almost hip-to-hip. Her other arm comes up to touch Maura's upper arm, fingers spreading out as she moves it higher, to caress the base of her neck. Her long fingers tangle in the soft strands of hair she finds there. Then, before she has time to really think about this, she dips her head and softly kisses Maura.
It is little more than lip-over-lip at first. A kiss so soft and tender, Maura barely feels it.
But then, Jane steps forward, pulling Maura firmly into her body, her breasts resting heavily on top of Maura's, her hips pushing, arms reaching around, enclosing Maura in a wonderful wave of heat.
Maura grabs at Jane's shoulders to hold herself steady, and for a second, Jane thinks she's trying to push her away, but then, Maura's lips part, a gasp escaping her mouth as she feels Jane's tongue tentatively touch her lower lip.
Jane feels the shift as Maura relaxes and lets herself be held in the circle of her arms. Something like a shock of electricity travels up and down her body, settling between her legs.
When Jane finally pulls back, they are both panting. Maura simply stares at her, eyes wide.
"Jane..."
But Jane is already turning towards her mother.
"See? I can kiss her when I am not drunk, too!"
And then, she just stomps out of the room, followed by Frankie's catcalls and leaving behind a stunned Maura and a broadly smiling Angela.
"We should come to these meetings more often." Says old Vincenzo Abbadelli to his wife, breaking the sudden silence.
xxx
It is late that night when Maura sees Jane again.
There is a single knock at the door. If Maura had not been at the kitchen preparing herself a tea, she would have missed it. She is already in her pyjamas when she opens the door.
"Can I come in?" Jane asks, rubbing her hands nervously.
"Of course. Please come in." Maura steps aside. "I was preparing myself some tea, would you like a cup?"
"Yeah, thanks, Maura."
Jane takes off her coat and takes a seat on the sofa. Her elbows come to rest on her knees as she rakes her hands over her long tresses, face hiding from Maura.
It only takes a couple of minutes for Maura to join her on the sofa. She places their mugs on the coffee table and sits back. They are both quiet for a bit. Then, Maura tucks her legs under her and moves closer to Jane, her body turning and her knees brushing against the outside of Jane's thigh. She reaches a hand to touch Jane's back, lightly caressing.
"It is ok, Jane."
Then, she does the unexpected.
It is what Maura Isles does best, after all. Her whole life is a series of low probability events, one after the other.
She reaches more fully around Jane, pressing her into her body in a half embrace, her hand coming to rest just under Jane's breast. It makes Jane jump slightly, but after only a moment hesitation, she leans heavily against Maura. The move brings their faces so close they can feel each other's breaths.
With the hand that is not around Jane, Maura reaches to lightly caress Jane's cheek, slowly moving her fingertips over her eyebrows and jaw. When she has Jane's attention firmly on her, her fingers reach to touch Jane's ear, caressing it for a moment before moving into Jane's hair, dying to feel those luscious locks of hair.
"Maura..."
xxx
When Angela and Frankie open the door to Maura's house, it is completely quiet inside. It is only when Angela hears Frankie's voice that she gets a bit concerned.
"Is Jane ok?" Frankie asks.
Angela cannot hear the answer as she rushes to the sofa. Maura is comfortably seated, her back against the armrest. Jane is out cold, lying on Maura's arms, a placid expression on her face.
"Maura, dear, what is going on?" Angela asks.
Maura blushes slightly as she moves her hand over Jane's arm, lightly caressing.
"I-, I kissed her and, she-, well-, she went vasovagal."
"She what?" Angela asks as Frankie snorts loudly.
"She fainted, Ma." Frankie explains with a big smile. "Atta girl." He says softly. Then, he kisses his mother cheek and nods to Maura before walking back to the door and leaving the three women alone.
Angela looks at Jane with a huge smile on her face, but then, she frowns. What is she going to do with this silly daughter of hers if she keeps fainting when Maura kisses her? She will spoil their wedding, Angela thinks in annoyance. Father Dinapoli will tell Maura to kiss her wife and Jane will just faint in front of a hundred of their guests. Knowing Jane, she will land awkwardly and get a tear in some delicate part of her dress.
"Again?" Angela finally asks in resignation. She will just have to work around this minor detail.
Maura moves her fingers over Jane's wild hair, combing some stray locks out of her face and letting her fingers tangle in the soft strands. God, how she loves Jane's hair. She smiles tenderly at the woman in her arms and lightly kisses Jane's nose before giving Angela a happy smile.
"Again." She confirms.
FIN.