A/N: The two fandoms I love to write for most are Criminal Minds and Rizzoli and Isles. I love my other Rizzles story, Fall For You, but I wanted the freedom to write something that doesn't feel bound by canon. The best way for me to do that was to start a new fic set after the show ended. I hope you all enjoy this. Please let me know what you think! Any kind of feedback is always welcome.
Jane Rizzoli propped her feet up on the coffee table in her hotel room and took a long drink of her cold beer. She was exhausted from the last minute move and a little nervous about going back to her job as a Boston detective. The nerves were happy, excited nerves, though. As much as she loved Boston, she'd always thought home was wherever you lived. But after living elsewhere, she knew this was home.
Not Boston necessarily, but Boston Police Department. Ma and Ron, Korsak and Kiki, Frankie and Nina. The rest of her family. Jo Friday. Even Kent. And Dr. Maura Isles. Even leaving behind an incredible, high paying job and a nice guy that she was sort of into, even though she was currently staying in a hotel, she hadn't felt this at-home in a year and a half. Of course, everyone had wanted to take her out tonight to celebrate her return, but Jane wanted nothing more than to have a beer and a hot shower and go to bed. She would see everyone in the morning.
A knock on the door to her hotel room shook her from her thoughts. She hadn't yet told anyone her room number, so she had no idea who it could be. She looked through the peephole to see Vince Korsak. She shouldn't have been surprised he'd found her, but she realized then she had hoped for Maura. Even though she insisted they wait to see each other until the next day at work, no matter how much Maura protested, she apparently still hoped her best friend wouldn't listen.
"Hey, Vince." She let him in and gave her mentor a hug.
"Glad to see you back, Jane. You haven't changed a bit."
"It's only been eighteen months," Jane laughed.
"It was the FBI."
"Fair point. Have a seat." Jane joined Korsak on the tiny hotel room couch. "How's Kiki?"
"She's amazing. How's Maura?"
"You see her more than I do. It's been almost two months since she last came to DC."
"You can't tell me you don't talk to her every day," Korsak insisted.
"We talk."
"You went to Paris together."
"She's my best friend." Jane was slightly uncomfortable with this conversation.
"Mhmm. She's not in Paris now."
"She missed cutting open dead people. She stayed a year and finished her book."
"I'm old, not senile." Korsak laughed. "I saw Maura's Instagram."
"Of course Maura has Instagram." Jane rolled her eyes. Instagram was for people less than half their age.
"She's a bestselling author. She has to keep up with her fans." Korsak got up and helped himself to a beer from her mini fridge. "Stop changing the subject. I know you went back to Paris and I know she's been to DC more times than all the rest of us combined."
"She's like my family, Vince."
"Kind of like the rest of us?" And now you're back in Boston."
"Because I'm not cut out to be a fed. You know that." Jane finished off her beer and grabbed another. This was some welcome. "Is this an interrogation?"
Korsak shrugged. "What can I say? I've missed the job."
"How is retirement, old man?"
"About like you'd expect. It's nice and relaxing, but it's not easy."
"I know what you mean," Jane agreed. "I missed being a cop every day since the day I left. Well, maybe not those first couple of weeks in Paris. It was easy to forget how much I loved my life here when I was sitting with my best friend in a swanky hotel room, eating French pastries with a view of the Eiffel Tower out our window."
Korsak laughed. "But did you ever leave the room?"
"Of course we did!" Jane hit him in the shoulder, but then she winked. "A few times."
"Did you read her book?" Korsak nudged her back.
"Of course I did. I practically helped write it."
"I'll bet you did."
R&IR&IR&IR&IR&IR&IR&IR&I
Jane woke up early the next morning, anxious to see her best friend. This was the longest they'd gone without seeing each other since Jane moved to DC and she couldn't wait a minute longer. She threw on clothes, hair still wet, and drove to Maura's. She opened the front door with her key, hoping her mother wasn't around.
"Maura?" she called out.
"Jane!" Maura yelled from her bedroom.
Jane didn't play it cool once she heard her voice. She practically ran to Maura's room and pushed open the door and the two women fell into each other.
"I can't breathe, Jane," Maura choked out after a moment. Jane loosened her grip and stepped back, keeping her hands on Maura's arms. Maura's hair was in a tousled ponytail and she was only half dressed, in a sports bra and tight black workout pants.
Jane was familiar with every muscle and every curve, but as much as she wanted to touch, she was no longer entitled to. She yanked Maura's ponytail gently instead. "Hi."
"Are you alright? Your breathing is labored and your pupils are dilated."
"Way to ruin the moment, Maur."
"Sorry," Maura grinned and kissed Jane's cheek. "Hi. Want to go for a run with me?"
"I could think of another way to get our exercise in," Jane rasped.
"What's that, Jane?" Maura's voice got low and she stepped closer, grabbing the hem of Jane's v-neck shirt.
Their phones rang simultaneously. Maura went to grab hers from the night stand and Jane groaned. "Really? I've been back for two seconds!" She hit the answer button. "Rizzoli!"
"Isles!" Maura turned to her and winked.