Hitting The Open Road

Maybe a road trip is exactly what Jane and Maura need right now? A getaway from all the craziness that has been going on around them, and just a chance to focus on their mending friendship and so much more.

The car was cherry. And it was Maura and Jane's for the next few weeks. "A 69 mustang. My God Maura. How did you do it?"

"It was what you wanted right?"

"Oh ya," Jane smiled closing her door. Top down. Maura checked her spf.

"You got everything?" Jane asked as she put her sunglasses on.

"Yup, bags, cell phone, cash, credit, emergency numbers…compliments of your mother," Maura smiled looking at her Angela.

"Jane baby, I want you girls to have fun…but please be safe and careful," Angela said.

"We will Ma," Jane laughed waving to her mother.

"You girls watch out for each other…and don't drive too late at night…and call me as much as you can honey," Angela said. "I love you Ma," Jane smiled started the car. "Oh baby."

"We'll call you tonight when we get to our hotel." Maura looked at Jane. "Are you wearing block Jane?"

"Hell no," Jane laughed. "All I have on is bad-ass," she winked.

"Okay, you girls keep you cell on all the time. Oh and be sure you make sure you never get below half a tank of gas…and always keep spare food in the car. Don't let you cell battery get too low," Angela said going on and on.

"Ma!" Jane laughed, "it's okay. We'll be okay," she smiled assuring her mother, "see…seat belts," Jane said putting her seat belt on as Maura did the same.

"Ready?" Jane asked smiling to Maura.

"Ready. Let's get the hell out of this town!" Maura cheered and yelled. Jane's mouth hung open. "Maura that is so my line."

Jane put the car into drive and took off. "So where exactly are we going?" She asked looking at Maura.

"Wherever the wind takes us my friend," Maura smiled. Jane took Maura's hand in her own.

"To the wind!" She cheered raising their hands.

"To the wind!"

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Jane looked at the dashboard. "Wow, we've been driving now for four hours. I think that's the farthest I've been from Boston since I was five," Jane laughed.

Maura smiled. "Oh I love this song," Maura said turning up the radio.

"Who sings this one?"

"Blessed Union of Souls. It's called 'I believe'," Maura said remembering back to the first time she had her the song, "I remember when it first came out, how sad it made me."

"Why?"

"Just listen," Maura said taking Jane's hand in her own.

'I've been seeing Lisa now for little over a year. Lisa says she's never been so happy, but she lives in fear. One day Daddy's going to find out she's in love with a brother from the street. Oh how he would lose it then, but she's still here with me. She believes that love will see us through and one day he'll understand. He'll see me as a person and not just a black man.'

"Oh yeah, I remember this song." Jane said.

"I just wish society would let us love who we want you know? That people could be more accepting of us all as individuals."

"I know…if we were all the same the world would be a pretty damn boring place let me tell you," Jane smiled.

"Think about what the world would be like if we were all…all…"

Jane cut her off, "Ma?" she said holding in her burst out of laugh till she heard Maura's own come out. "Oh boy that was good…Dear God I shudder at the thought," Jane gasped.

"Yes but imagine now if the world was full of people like you," Maura smiled, "I think I could live happily in that world."

"Ahh yes dear friend you're bias though," Maura said, "Besides we'd never last…our population would plummet."

"Why?" Jane looked confused. Maura only smiled for her answer, "Oh yeah…I forget for a second there…"

"Do you want to stop for lunch of something?" Maura asked looking at the time. "It's just about 2 p.m. now?"

"Yeah lunch sounds good. I'm kind of hungry," Jane said.

"I think I saw a sign for a hooters back there," Maura said dead serious.

"What?"

"Joking," Maura laughed. "But boy you should have seen your face…I thought you were going to take me up on it."

"Hahaha" Jane said. "Good one though."

"Thank you, I'm just trying to keep up with you," Maura said.

"Not a chance," Jane answered.

"Oh there's a Wendy's up on this exit. How's Wendy's for you?" Maura asked. "Although I am midly against fast food, I do find their salads very good."

"Cute red-heads…I'm in…"

"It's the braid thing for you isn't it?" Maura asked.

"Oh yeah, love those braids," Jane answered trying to keep a straight face but failing miserably.

"Wendy's it is…"

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Both girls sung along to the radio playing Leo Sayers, "make me feel like dancing." Dancing and swaying with the music and laughing between verses.

"You got a cute way of talking, you got the better of me. Just snap your fingers and I'm walking like a dog hanging on your leash. I'm in a spin you know…you make me feel like dancing, I want to dance the night away," both girls sung at the top of their lungs. Maura cracked up hearing Jane trying to hit the high notes.

"So I'm no soprano," Jane laughed.

"Me either," Maura reassured her best friend.

"Oh I love this part, "Jane said, "You really slipped me in motion. I can't get off of the floor…oh this perpetual motion. You got to give me some more. And if you let me stay we'll dance our lives away. You make me feel like dancing…I want to dance the night away…" Jane sang over Maura that time. Loud and obnoxious was her goal and she was quite successful.

"God you crack me up."

"I try. I told you I love making you laugh Maura. Sometimes I wake up thinking of things I can do to make you smile," Jane said seriously looking at Maura, who was now driving.

Maura blushed, as Jane had expected her too. Jane watched her and smiled. Maybe this road trip would was the best idea she had had.

She knew Maura was stressed with all the things that had gone down over the last few months. They both needed this get away. It was perfect. Jane enjoyed these times with Maura. She felt so at ease around her friend. There were no walls left between them. They were open and close…and even crossing other boundaries Jane considered. They had been touching much more now. Holding hands occasionally, hugging…just over all, they'd become far more affectionate with each other. And Jane truly appreciated it. The ease and comfort with Maura got her through all the things she felt she couldn't face each day. A sudden feeling of dread struck Jane.

What would she do the if she'd ever lost Maura? I mean sure, they were close now…but friends can drift apart. Maura was a catch and it would be just a matter of time before love interested would be back in the picture, before work could or would take one of them away. What if someday down the road their loves took them on separate paths. What if Jane would wake up one day and Maura wouldn't be there.

"You look like someone just took away your favorite toy," Maura said smiling. "You okay?"

"Yeah….I just," Jane said feeling a lump in her throat. Her thoughts had really shaken her up.

"What's wrong Jane?" Maura asked concerned.

"I was just thinking what my life would be like if I didn't have you in it." Jane answered honestly, "It scared the hell out of me."

Maura didn't know what to say, expect that she understood. Since Patrick Doyle's shooting incident, Maura had been contemplating her relationships with everyone. But in the end, the one person she kept coming back to with the "what if?" question had been Jane. It had caused her to lose many a night's sleep.

"Jane, we're not going to end up like that."

"How do we know?"

"We don't…we just have to believe in each other," Maura said. "I believe in you."

"I believe in you too."

"Good that's half the battle," Maura said.

"Maura I love you. You know that right?"

"Yeah I know," Maura smiled. Though her heart fell a little, she knew Jane loved her, sadly not the same way her heart loved Jane. But she would never trade these times with her friend for anything. Maura had settled the battle that had been raging a war inside her head over the past months. Jane was her friend, and Maura was determined to make it work from that alone. She'd take Jane in her life anyway she could.

"Sometimes I just worry I don't tell you enough how much you mean to me. And I mean after the shooting, the things we said…did. I mean…well I see how life can throw curve balls- look at Ma and Pop. Each time they think they've finally made it and are happy- something else comes up. I don't want to end up like that you know?" Jane said trying to make Maura understand. Did she understand? Or was Jane not making herself clear enough? She looked at Maura who was obviously contemplating Jane's words.

"I think I understand you Jane."

"Yeah- you're good at getting me," Jane said smiling. Too much sappy deep conversation for one day. Jane decided a topic change was in order. "Oh look! The beach. Let's stop for a break!" she said excitedly.

"You want to?" Maura asked returning her excitement.

"Yeah- it'll be fun!"

"Even though we can't swim."

"Speak for yourself. I'll swim. I don't mind."

"Jane- you're kidding right? The waters going to be freezing."

"Nahh- come on. It'll be good for us…get the blood pumping," Jane said winking.

'Is she flirting with me?' Maura wondered.

'Did I just flirt with her?' Jane wondered.

"We'll see," Maura said as she pulled off the road. As soon as they opened the doors, the smell of the ocean was evident.

"Ummm- god that smells so good," Jane said throwing off her shoes and running to the beach. Maura secured the car. "God Maur, it's like totally dead here- there's no one!" Jane shouted from the shore line. Maura looked up and down the beach. Sure enough- it was empty.

"Yeah this is a pretty isolated area. There isn't much in population I'd imagine for at least 30-40 miles down the coast," Maura said looking to her left.

"This is so cool!" Jane said excited. "I wish we had a kite of something, that would so make this moment awesome!"

Maura smiled at her friend's excitement. She almost felt like she was looking at a 10-year-old version of her friend. She was innocent at times; Maura thought, and it made her love her all the more.

"Oh look- rocks- lets go see if we can find seas stuff," Jane said rushing off.

"Sea stuff?" Maura asked laughing.

"yeah you know- like stuff with a couple of eyes, and lets of hands and feet," Jane laughed.

"Hands and feet?" Maura burst out laughing. "Jane I don't think that is the actual scientific description one would use."

"You know what I mean smart-ass," Jane said pulling her friend with her to the rocks.

"Ohh- check it out! I found a crab!" Maura said now feeling quite young again herself.

"Oh wow! He's huge Maur. Don't lose a finger or anything," Jane said checking out Maura's crab. "What are you going to name him?"

"Jeb."

"Jeb?"

"Yeah- Jeb the Crab"

"Oh my god," Jane said laughing and walking over to Maura. "You're serious?"

"yeah, you don't like it?"

"No it's great…do me a favor though…when it comes time to name your kids…run them by me first okay?" Jane laughed pointing at Maura. "Ask Bass. He'll understand the request."

"Shut up," Maura smiled. She paused a moment and put Jeb down. Slowly she sat on the rocks and looked out to the ocean. "Do you ever think about it…kids?"

"What do you mean?" Jane asked looking at a starfish.

"Like do you think about kids…having them?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Oh yeah," Maura smiled. "I want a big family."

"I think that's great," Jane looked at Maura. "I think you'll make a great Mom someday," she said seriously. "Just don't name any of them Jeb."

"Deal," Maura laughed. "Besides I've already thought of names."

"Really?" Jane asked interested. She sat down next to Maura. "Like what?"

"Oh…you really want to know?"

"Yeah silly- let me hear 'em."

"Well I think if I have a son, I'd like to name him Franklin."

"Maura, that's sweet."

"And if I have a daughter…I liked the names Jane and Kimberly Beth."

"Again…I say sweet. Kimberly beth…that is such a beautiful name."

"Yeah," Maura said smiling fondly. She paused and looked out to the ocean. The wind blew, tossing her hair around her face. The sky was a beautiful pink and gold color.

A soft smile graced both their faces. "Well, it's getting late. Think we should start looking into a place to stay for the night?"

"Sure, sounds good," Jane answered. She stood up and gave her hand to Maura. "After you my dear," she said smiling.

"Why thank you," Maura replied in rich aristocratic tone.

"Oh believe me Madame, the pleasure was all mine."

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The girls walked into their room. Two double beds, a large TV, and spacious bathroom welcomed the weary travelers. "God I am so going to go take a shower," Jane laughed. She threw her overnight bag on the bed and Maura tossed hers on her bed.

"You said they have room service here?" Maura asked looking at the phone with a big smile on her face.

"Oh yeah they do- good room service too from what the desk staff said. Let's order something to eat. I'm starving!" Jane said dramatically as she fell on her bed. "Look at me, I'm wasting away to nothing."

"You're such a silly goose," Maura said picking up the phone. "Cheese burgers?"

"Silly goose? Really Maura? Words hurt," Jane laughed. "Cheeseburgers huh? Aww a girl after my own heart. Sound wonderful…and can you order…"

"Extra fries, yeah I know."

Jane smiled and grabbed her clothes heading into the bathroom. "I'll be out in a bit," she said.

"Take your time," Maura said hanging up the phone, "it's going to be about 20 minutes they said."

"Dare I dream?"

"If that's what you dream about, honey we got to get you a man," Maura smiled. Jane only stuck out her tongue and went into the bathroom. Maura looked at the closed door and heard the water turn on. "Now if a woman did it for you, I'd so be up to that challenge," she whispered and smiled half-heartedly.

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