Title: You Make Me Smile
Author: WtUnite [Chedders/Jess]
Rating: K+
Pairing: Jane/Maura
Status: 1/?
Category/Warnings: Fluff/Romance, Established Relationship, Femslash
Spoilers: General TV Series spoilers.
Summary: "Need some help with bath time?"
A/N: This is Part 2 of our aptly named Jai Chronicles, which makes it a sequel to Running Up That Hill, and you'll have to read that first to understand this. You can also find this and other Rizzisles related stuff on livejournal under our name of WtUnite.

"Jane- I could use some help!"

Maura was pretty sure that in her small struggle with Jai she had managed to break the baby monitor, or at least pop the batteries out of the back. The little boy was managing to put up a decent struggle as she tried to give him a bath. So far, she was soaked to the bone and he was giggling in delight as he used his tiny feet to splash up more water. Usually Jane helped her with bathing, but she had worked late and the ME was hoping that the sound she heard downstairs just a moment ago was her girlfriend coming home.

Sliding the drawer shut and locking it Jane lamented the new precaution. However, she did agree with Maura about having a loaded gun in a house with a child. Even if Jai wouldn't be able to accidentally pick it up for a while. Even so, the gun was always locked in a drawer in the table by the front door whenever Jane came home from work.

She had been about to go find Maura and Jai when she heard the plea for help. Loping up the stairs two at a time brought Jane quickly to the bathroom where she quickly stuck her head around the door. "Need some help with bath time?" Jane asked, somewhat unnecessarily since the flooded floor was not a usual mark of bath time.

Maura turned to look at the door when she heard Jane, giving her other half one of her looks for an answer. Her hair had been back in a bun earlier, but now it was falling into her face, and the casual clothes that she happened to be wearing, ones that she had borrowed from Jane, were soaked through with suds and water. After attempting to stare Jane down for a moment she broke out into a light smile, just happy to have her girlfriend home.

"Sooner rather than later would be appreciated, thank you."

Before heading to the tub Jane grabbed a spare towel from under the sink to help contain a little bit of the flood. Crouching beside the tub Jane caught one of the flying feet and held it steady. "Are you making trouble Jai?" Even as she held the squirmy foot Jane managed to soap and rinse it without getting too soaked. It was a bit of a pity that he had outgrown his bath chair; now baths were the dual chore of washing Jai and keeping him upright.

Moving over to give Jane room, Maura kept a steady hold on Jai, using her shoulder to get some of the errant strands of hair out of her face. He had hadn't really been theirs for long and they were still making day to day adjustments were it concerned the little boy. He was already growing like a weed, and many of the clothes they had bought were useless now. Looking over at Jane, she planted a quick kiss on the cheek of her girlfriend with a radiant smile while she kept Jai from struggling too much against the attempts to clean his feet.

"Did you get the man you were after?"

Even if her pants were now soaked from the knee down, from kneeling in one of the many puddles bath time had caused, Jane did not intend to get splashed any further. With a washcloth Jane was able to clean most of the squirmy four month-old. "Put the case to bed about an hour ago but Frost and Korsak are finishing the paperwork," Jane said scooping Jai out of the tub and in to a large, dry towel.

"That's good."

The look on her face was one of contentment as she listened to Jane and watched as her partner picked up their son and wrapped him in the towel. Smiling, Maura moved to get up from the tub with care, not wanting to slip and fall like she almost had about a week ago. Using spare towels to clean up the water on the floor, she started to drain the tub, glancing over at Jane and Jai every few seconds, watching them. She loved to observe the two more important people in her life. It was heart warming.

Brushing more hair from her face, she grabbed another towel and started to dry off her face and arms. "The Medical Examiners office called today."

Jai had not been in their lives long but already his two mothers had learned a few tricks for handling him. Some gentle roughhousing and playing peek-a-boo with the towel kept Jai entertained long enough to get him dry before he could get fussy. "What did they say? If you have an autopsy I can take the morning off to stay with Jai." Their schedules were in somewhat of a flux with trying to juggle two jobs and a baby, especially since they had decided not to enroll Jai in a nursery yet.

Shaking her head, Maura picked up the towels and placed them in the hamper, letting her hair down as she looked around half-heartedly for the batteries to the baby monitor that she had managed to knock over earlier. "Not just one autopsy. They want me back at work. Three weeks is apparently too much, even though others can do the job," she stated, turning back to look at Jane. She wasn't really ready to go back to work yet. She was the Chief Medical Examiner and had some time built up, but she knew that this day would come. She just hadn't planned on it being so soon.

Maura reached out, feeling the downy hair on Jai's head with a soft smile. "I really don't think I'm ready to go back."

They knew that it was going to be difficult and had planned accordingly. But knowing and having a vague idea of a plan were difficult to reconcile with actually doing. Holding onto Jai more securely Jane led the way out of the slightly cramped bathroom. "Let's get you in to some jammies little man." In the little bedroom they had decorated for him Jane found a blue onesie that she would put on him once he had a new diaper on.

"So I'll take off for a couple weeks and we find a daycare to put him in a couple days a week. My mom is begging to see Jai more, she'll be over the moon to spend whole days with him."

Their routine was simple, but it worked. As Jane grabbed the onesie, Maura grabbed the diaper and the other things they needed to get their son ready for bed. What Jane was saying made perfect sense, even if it wasn't really what she wanted to do. "Jai will love spending time with his grandparents." she offered, getting the changing table ready while Jane held Jai securely. Glancing over at the clock, she calculated how long it would take to get little man into bed. If they were laying him down this late, he might sleep in a decent amount before waking them up, but more than that, she wanted some time with Jane.

"I'll call Jeanie tonight and let her know that I'll be back in tomorrow then."

Settling Jai on to the changing table Jane quickly put on the diaper, an impressive feat considering that she'd never changed a baby's diaper before Jai. "That's because she spoils him," Jane pointed out, but she could not fault her mother because Jane spoiled him just as much. Despite earlier roughhousing Jai had quieted some and it was not too difficult to get him in to the onesie.

"And I'll call and take time off."

Nodding in agreement, although it was more to herself, Maura watched Jane from the sidelines. Out of the two of them, she had spent more collective time with Jai over the last two weeks. Jane had returned to work almost immediately upon getting back to Boston, and Maura had decided to take time off because it was something she hardly ever did. She didn't have a reason to travel out of Boston on anything other than business, and so she had some leave collected up. Apparently, though, her time was up.

"I think Jai will like spending more time with you. He's always happen when you're home," she offered, still keeping her distance, allowing Jane the time she needed with their son.

"He is just generally happy, because he's the best baby in the world, aren't you Jai?" Jane had modified her tone and wasn't speaking loudly anymore. Finishing snapping up the onesie Jane picked up Jai and began rubbing his back. "You sleep most of the night, you don't fuss, a pretty normal schedule. Best baby ever," she said with a smile aimed at Maura.

"Of course he is. He's ours," she stated, walking over to them with a smile. She pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Jai's head, watching as his wide brown eyes started to close. It was amazing how much the little boy resembled Jane. He could almost be mistaken for her real son with his slightly dark skin and dark hair. Maura didn't mind, however, because people asked less questions that way. Brushing her fingers over his back and she pulled away, moving to get his bed set up, turning on the mobile that would spin while singing softly. She had recorded Jane's voice to use, because that's what their son seemed to enjoy most and it helped her when Jane was at work.

"Maddie called to schedule a check up visit sometime next week. She wants to see how well Jai is adjusting to us," Maura commented off hand after a moment, glancing over her shoulder to see girlfriend and son. Even though it was just starting to become 10 o'clock, she was more than a little exhausted after playing and taking care of Jai all day.

The mobile was embarrassing for Jane. She'd come home from work that first week after they brought Jai home and turned it on to soothe him during a fit of restlessness. But Jane had nearly woken him up when she started laughing at hearing her own voice come through the speakers. She assumed Maura had been joking when the idea was suggested, but by now Jane should know better than that.

"We can give her a call once you get back in to your work schedule, see what we can set up." Jane was not worried about their meeting; Jai was already a part of the family. And Maddie would have to be blind not to see it. They loved Jai so much already, and it wasn't just them. The entire Rizzoli family adored the little boy, as did Frost and Korsak who had come to visit them within their first few days of being home. Jai loved all the attention, and watching the grown men playing with him had made her happier than Maura would like to admit.

She knew what it was like to be adopted and have some trouble with adjusting, but coming from Colombia to Boston didn't seem like it had phased him too much. He smiled just as much as he had back in South America and he spent most of his days content with either his parents or grandparents. Jai Rizzoli was definitely loved here in Boston, and that was one thing that Maura was thankful for every night before going to bed. If something ever happened, he would be taken care of, and that meant the world to her.

"That is reasonable," she stated after a moment's delay, her eyes still locked on the little boy in Jane's arms.

Watching Jai get drowsy Jane decided to implement something she read about. Even though he wasn't asleep yet Jane settled Jai in to his crib and withdrew slightly. She smiled shyly at Maura before explaining, "I read about it in the parenting book. He can learn to soothe himself to sleep, and maybe start sleeping the whole night through." But just because a parenting book says so didn't prompt Jane to leave the room, she'd wait until he fell asleep.

"That sounds like a good idea," she commented, feeling at ease here with Jane and Jai. This place was no longer just her house. It was her home. It had been something of a home from the moment her partner first moved in, but now with the little boy it was a true home. She had her family, and she was pretty sure that was long as she had them, she'd never really need anything again.

Moving to stand by Jane, Maura grabbed her hand and laced their fingers together as they both watched their son start to fall asleep.

Jane didn't know how long they stood their, holding hands, as they watched Jai drift off to dreamland. Even after the tiny sounds of his breathing had evened out they still stood there, watching him sleep. Stepping forward Jane gave the mobile another crank to keep it going before whispering to Maura, "Let's go before we stand here all night."

After the brunette cranked the mobile again, Maura gently pulled her out of the baby's room after checking to make sure the monitor was on. Stopping in the hallway at the top of the stairs, she looked back at Jane with an exhausted smile. "Hungry or tired?"

Jane laced her hands above her head and stretched mightily, eliciting cracks from her spine. "I can't decide which basic urge to indulge first, eating or sleeping." While her day had been more mentally than physically draining it had still been a long day. Her decision was made by the yawn that escaped. "I think sleep might be smarter."

Nodding, Maura turned and headed toward their room which was just down the hall. Not close enough to Jai's to wake him if they got loud, but close enough that they could make it to his room without any trouble. As exhausted as she was from a day of baby wrangling, she realized that she had to change out of intend pajamas. They were still slightly wet and she had no desire to sleep in them now. Stretching for a moment to get out the kinks, Maura started to strip down, putting the wet clothes away in the hamper at the corner of the room before she disappeared into the closet.

Jane followed obligingly before attempting to wrestle her way out of wet pants which seemed destined to cling to her calves. Finally free of work clothes Jane simply threw on whatever t-shirt she grabbed first before settling on the bed to wait for Maura. Finally being able to relax her day began to catch up with her and Jane allowed her eyes to slide closed as she listened to Maura puttering around in their closet.

It took her a few minutes to find exactly what she wanted, and when she came out, Maura was dressed in one of Jane's BPD long sleeved shirts that covered her for the most part. It was comfortable and she liked the way it looked. Climbing onto the bed with a little less grace than usual, Maura shifted closer to Jane immediately, wrapping her arm around the woman's waist as she laid her head on her shoulder.

"Jane?"

Lazily Jane opened one eye and looked at Maura, "Yeah? 'M not asleep yet." She shifted slightly to get one arm around Maura until her hand rested on the other woman's hip. "It sucks that we can't just both stay home with him all the time."

Curling into her girlfriend, she just nodded her head. Maura wished they could spend all of their time with Jai, but they had known before hand it wouldn't be that way. They both loved their jobs too much to just give them up so quick, but they would find a way to be there for Jai. She wasn't going to make her parent's mistake.

"We knew it would be like this, Jane, but we'll find a way to make it work out. I am a genius, after all," she teased lightly, making sure that she was as comfortable as she could be.

"And really, really humble too," Jane muttered with a tired chuckle. "G'night Maura."

Placing a gentle kiss on Jane's cheek, Maura closed her eyes and snuggled in close. "Goodnight Jane."