Title: Fine Tune
Chapter 1/2
Pairing: Maura/Jane
Rating: T (M in 2, obviously. Sorry for always being a tease.)
Disclaimer: Jane and Maura only belong to each other...and Tess...and TNT, but unfortunately, not me.
A/N: My intention is for this to two chapters, and I'd like to finish up the second part tonight. Hope everyone enjoys.

Something was off. Everything was off. This mood Jane was in, she couldn't shake it. This mood took her normal snarky remarks to a whole new level. She was being rude, but for some reason she couldn't help herself. It wasn't like she wanted to treat her co-workers this way. But she just couldn't stop.

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that they had been on this same case for two months, and it still felt as though they were getting nowhere. As soon as a plausible lead emerged it would be ripped away, or proved inconsequential in one way or another.

"This is fucking ridiculous!" Jane leans back in Maura's desk chair, daring it to tip over backwards. It's much more expensive and in turn well made than the cheap fabric covered plastic that sits behind her mess of desk upstairs and she just couldn't look at it anymore. So she went to her friend's office to see if she wanted to go get lunch, but really Jane wasn't even hungry. She just needed a distraction. Her thoughts were moving too fast to do her any good in solving anything, and she figured talking to Maura might help change her mood, or at least amuse her for a little while.

"You'll figure it out, Jane. You always do." Maura's voice is sweet and supportive, and as much as Jane appreciates it, she doesn't have that much confidence in herself right now.

"I've never felt like this before. I've never been so angry that I couldn't find something. I hate being so edgy…" Jane looks to where Maura is sitting on the couch from across the room. She's typing away on her laptop, and does not look up, but she can still tell that the ME is listening. "It's like…I don't know if it's even about the case anymore. I can't focus on the case. I can't focus on anything."

"Maybe you need some sleep?" the honey-blonde looks up briefly as she offers her suggestion, but then returns her attention to the report she's working on. For once, she saves her facts and statistics. She isn't looking to be in Jane's line of fire. She'd already caught an earful, and even though it was directed at Frankie, it had been enough of a warning.

"I slept last night. I went home finally. It's not sleep! It's this fucking case and this fucking jerk that thinks it's his life mission to murder these call girls. I know these girls, Maura. They're nice girls. Good people."

"I know. I know." Jane is right. Maura nods in agreement. Then suddenly, something occurs to the honey-blonde. It may not solve the case, and it will probably bring about some kind of hostile remark, but it is still worth mentioning. She closes the computer and places it next to her on the orange couch. Jane is staring at one of the etchings on the wall that she got in Africa while visiting Ian.

"How long has it been since your last orgasm?" Maura has never been very good at segues. By now she knows that her friend is used to this little quirk of hers, so she usually doesn't even make an effort to find one when they are alone together.

"Excuse me?" Jane's attention is back on Maura now, completely.

"You heard me. How long has been since your last orgasm?"

"Maura." She grimaces. "It doesn't matter, okay?"

"It does matter. I think an orgasm would do you…and your attitude some good."

"Would you please stop saying orgasm?"

"Then just tell me. Isn't this something that best friends talk about?"

"Maybe on Sex & the City, not in the morgue of the BPD. We're basically in the morgue. It's like a room away."

Maura gives Jane a disapproving look and continues anyway.

"You mean you don't want to be Samantha Jones?" Her lips curve into a self-satisfied smile once she's finished feigning surprise.

Jane's mouth is slightly agape now. "You've seen Sex & the City?"

"Well…I….no….I haven't seen a full episode. We only watched some clips in that class I was taking for fun last year. And close your mouth. Please."

"Oh, yeah." Jane uses air quotes now. "'Strong Female Figures in Popular Culture'?"

"In the last ten years..." Maura adds, pointing a perfectly manicured finger at her friend from across the room. "Yes." She knows Jane is mocking her, but her tone is still very matter-of-fact. That class had been very informative, no matter if it was of the detective's interest or not.

The honey-blonde presses on, her curiosity getting the better of her, "Do you always have to be so evasive? Answer my question! How long has been since you last had an—"

"Maura! Please!"

"Sorry, I forgot." She offers a sincere apology and tries to remind herself not to use the word anymore. Jane has always been more than a little repressed when it comes to discussing anything even remotely sexual.

"Anyway, I slept with Dean like two months ago. You know that. Remember? You said I was 'glowing from the release of endorphins' or whatever the next morning when we went out for breakfast?"

"Just because you had sex with Gabriel doesn't mean you had…" This time she catches herself. "…that you were completely satisfied."

Jane shrugs and slumps further down in the comfortable desk chair covering her face with her hands. She doesn't move.

"Well..." Maura prods her further; trying to coax the answer she hopes she already knows out of Jane.

The brunette moves her hands away finally, letting the find a place on the padded armrests.

"WELL…It was fine."

"Fine? Two months ago?"

"Yeah. Because I've obviously had so much time since then to go out to find dates…I'm super available!"

"Still, you don't ever...you know…yourself?"

"MAURA. COME ON…and no…it's too weird. Whatever. No."

Maura can't help but laugh a little bit; sometimes she really doesn't understand Jane at all.

"Masturbation is not weird. It's a perfectly healthy method that is scientifically proven to release some of that tension that's obviously taking quite the toll on you and your co-workers."

"I don't care how healthy it is…" That's the last thing that Maura hears as she stands and walks the few steps across the room. Jane's going on and on about how she wouldn't ever do such a thing and all the sudden Maura is sitting on the desk in front of her, leaning in.

The kiss catches her mid sentence and Jane pulls away roughly.

Her face is flushed. Maura's lips were so soft.

"What the hell?"

Maura remains settled where she sits, looking up at her friend and batting her eyelashes.

Jane, on the other hand, is up from the comfortable chair and pacing. She runs her hands through her unruly hair.

"I was just trying to help," Maura says, using her sweet, innocent voice again. "Will you please sit back down?"

Jane does as she's told, but fidgets nervously. That felt really good. So much different than any man she'd ever kissed. Too good. Was a kiss from your best friend supposed to feel that good? Probably not.

"Do it again." Jane says softly, keeping the eye contact between them brief. She's running on impulse not intellect, now. The case had taken all the intellect she had (against her will). This was all she had left.

Maura leans in and kisses her again. It's just as sweet. It's really hard for Jane to get out of her head. Is this what Maura always feels like? Trapped by her own thoughts?

"Kiss me back!" And suddenly Jane is back and present. "I mean, kiss me back, please…"

"Sorry…" Jane breathes out the word. "Sorry, one more time."

This time the women move forward in unison and Jane remembers how this is supposed to go. She lets her lips play timidly over Maura's for a few minutes until Maura begins to kiss her harder. Then she's like a sports car that's been revved up, and she knows that the ME knows all about those. This newfound rush of feelings causes her to take the chance of letting her tongue slide briefly against Maura's. The sensation sends a bolt of electricity through her that she is sure she has never experienced, so much so that she has to pull away.

"Holy shit." She leans over with her head in her hands, breathing heavily still.

"That's what you have to say right now? Just as eloquent as ever, aren't you?"

"Maura! What are we doing?"

"Kissing. Obviously…and it's been quite enjoyable thus far," she offers flatly.

"I know that," Jane says. Her voice is only a little less irritated than it had been earlier. "That's the problem!"

"I don't see why any of this is problem, really. It might change the dynamic of out friendship slightly. But I think we can withstand it. Is that what you're worried about Jane?"

"No. I know that we will always be friends no matter what. That's not it."

Maura's losing her patience now too. "Then what is it?"

"The issue I'm having is that…that I can't stop picturing you naked…that if we keep kissing, I'm going to want to get you naked and be pressed against you over there on that ugly orange couch." The brunette lifts her head, finally making eye contact with the beautiful hazel eyes that are twinkling in the most intoxicating of ways.

All Maura can do is smile. That is something she has wanted for years now, but would never admit to anyone but herself.

"My couch is not ugly. It's chic, one of a kind, actually…and the door locks. So, can we keep kissing?"

"No. I don't have any idea what I'm doing when it comes to…"

"Lesbian sex," the honey-blonde finishes dutifully.

"And I don't intend to figure it out on your one of a kind orange couch."

"Well, this isn't about me or my couch. And lesbian sex is something I am more than proficient in."

"YOU ARE? Of course you are." Jane lets out a groan from frustration of a different kind. "Oh my God."

"Jane…"

"Yeah?"

"Can we take off your clothes instead?" Her voice is full of curiosity and promise.

Jane sits quietly, obviously considering this suggestion. "Not here." She's not that brave.

"In your apartment?" She's so dearly inquisitive that Jane couldn't say "no" even if she wanted to. Her hesitation is purely caused by trying to calculate exactly what would be the fastest route and best excuse to get them out of there.

"We can take Geary. There will be less lunchtime traffic," Maura offers after a moment.

"Let's go!" Jane says as she stands and grabs her jacket from the back of the chair.

Maura's beautiful smile is all the reassurance she needs now.

"What will you tell Korsak and Frost?" There's a little bit of worry laced throughout Maura's question as she closes and locks her office door behind them. They walk to the elevator and Jane hits the plastic button with her index finger repeatedly.

"I don't think they'll ask many questions. I haven't exactly been the office cheerleader lately." Maura's laugh almost muffles the ding of the elevator as its doors part in front of them.

"Good point."

The elevator takes them to the floor of the squad room, but it's all either of them can do to keep their hands to themselves on the way. Finally the doors open again, and Maura follows Jane to her desk when she picks up her purse and car keys.

Frost and Korsak eye each other at the sight. "Out for lunch?" Frost asks his question with slight trepidation.

"Maura is." Jane says, looking over her shoulder at her. "I have some hours saved up. I'm out for the rest of the day." She looks back to her partner, now. "That a problem?" The edge has returned to her voice, but now she's just messing with him.

"No. No, not at all. Have a good rest of the day."

"We…I mean…I will. Don't worry."

Jane locks the top drawer of her desk after placing the files inside.

The self-control it takes not to run out of the building hand in hand with her friend is more than she knew she had, but soon enough they are in her car.

It's not that she wants to try and beat the yellow lights, and sometimes run the red ones, but she doesn't feel like she has a choice. She ignores Maura's protests and safety warnings.

Jane is an excellent driver. She's much more worried about losing her courage than she is their lives.