Exquisite Agony
Disclaimer: As usual Jane and Maura and the gang belong to Tess Gerritsen, Janet Tamaro and TNT. Much obliged for their permission to take the girls out and play with them.
Jane grabbed her phone and waved at Korsak. "I'll be down in the morgue. Let me know when Frost gets back," she said. The older detective waved at her, engrossed in his fix of puppy porn on the internet.
She didn't need a reason to visit the morgue, but if needed Jane knew she could make one up. She wanted to see Maura. Recently Jane was beginning to wonder if Maura wasn't becoming more than her best friend. As the elevator doors closed she counseled herself to remain calm.
The doors opened and Jane could hear Maura singing. She strained to hear the song but instead got caught up listening to one of the sweetest voices she'd ever heard.
Keep calm, Jane told her rapidly beating heart. Maura will know if something's different. As quietly as she could Jane entered the morgue. She leaned against the doorway, still listening to Maura singing.
"Jane!" Maura cried. She turned around abruptly, noticed the brunette detective holding up the morgue doorway and jumped. She wasn't used to people hearing her sing.
"Sounds good, Maura," Jane said. She hoped she sounded normal but wasn't quite sure what normal was anymore. Maura was breathing hard, Jane assumed it was because she startled the medical examiner.
"I was on a break, Jane. I finished your report," Maura replied, waving a folder under Jane's nose. Jane took the report and started to leave.
"Lunch later, Jane? I should be free around one," Maura asked.
"Sounds good, Maura. I'll be down around that time," Jane said and punched the button for the elevator. She was disappointed to be returning to the bullpen but knew it was for the best. She couldn't have Maura become suspicious as to why Jane wanted to hang around the morgue all the time, she didn't want to ruin their friendship. And, Jane had to admit, her growing feelings for Maura Isles were a puzzle to herself.
Maura arrived at Jane's desk a little before one and started chattering away about her morning. The autopsy had gone well, everything pointed to the same cause of death, a natural one, so no reason to forward a report to homicide. Jane listened to Maura with only half an ear, she was caught up in watching the doctor talk in her usual animated tone. Jane was imagining that passion of Maura's utilized in other ways. Namely, writhing beneath Jane's body in the throes of making mad passionate love with the detective.
Jane's breath caught in her throat. She was in love with Maura. Oh, God, no, please. I can't lose her. If Maura knew how I felt about her, she'd leave.
Maura heard Jane gasp for breath and turned to her. "Jane, anything wrong?" Maura asked. "You look as if you'd seen a ghost."
"Yeah, that's it, Maura. I saw someone half a block away that reminded me of someone I put away a few years ago. He shouldn't be out yet," Jane stammered, relieved that the lie was going to cover her feelings for Maura.
Maura grabbed Jane's hand, concern for her friend on her face. "Should we return to the precinct, Jane? Maybe it's not safe for you to be out here," she said.
Jane laughed. "Maura, I'm a cop. If I'm not safe on the streets, no one is. Besides, it really wasn't who I thought."
Maura's face relaxed. "Good. I was looking forward to trying this new deli and I didn't want to turn back now. Let's eat. I don't know about you, but I'm starving."
Jane watched Maura enter the deli and secure a table. If friendship with Maura Isles was all she'd have in her life, she'd take it. She knew it would be exquisite agony for awhile, until her emotions calmed down, but she'd accept it.
TBC