Disclaimer: I, of course, do not own anything related to Rizzoli & Isles or the photo that helped to inspire this little fic. They belong their copyright holder, I just like to play around with the R&I universe a bit.
AN: So, after writing Bass Daddy I have come to find, or have had photos shared with me, depicting various tortoises and turtles in some situations and the idea of Jane having a little fun with the babies from Bass Daddy has been born. So, from time to time I will be taking things that get my inspiration wheel on this subject going and writing little one shots or short stories or something in this universe. Hope y'all like this one. Enjoy!
She heard the chime of her phone that indicated that a new text had just come in. She knew immediately that it was a text from her girlfriend because that was the one she had set specifically for Jane. She was right in the middle of a paragraph of her notes though and wanted to finish it before checking to see what Jane needed.
It wasn't often that she had to come in and work on a Saturday and Jane didn't. However, this case was one that she needed to work on and not a homicide that Jane had received as well. She figured that she would only need another hour or so and then she could head home. She figured that was what Jane wanted to know, so she grabbed up her phone from the top of her desk and opened the text.
Though, to her surprise, it was definitely not a text asking about when she would be home. Instead the picture that she saw startled her enough at first that she nearly dropped her phone on top of the desk. The picture was of Clea, one of the babies of Bass that they had brought home to foster for a while until big enough to go to a zoo. If she hadn't known better she would have thought that Clea was eating a brain. At least, that's almost what it looked like that was between her feet and all over her mouth and spread all the way up next to her eye. Her mouth was also wide open like she was growling at the photographer.
Maura shook her head and looked a little closer at the picture. She had to hand it to Jane. Somehow the raspberry she had given Clea looked a lot like a brain when she bit into it. Part of that might have to do with the fact that Jane had gotten in really close to take the picture too. Finally she couldn't help but smile and laugh at the picture. She had to wonder how bored Jane had gotten today in her absence to actually want to play with their relatively new tortoises. For the most part Jane had tried to stay away from them, saying that she was afraid that she could hurt them.
She decided that she wanted to have a little bit of fun with Jane though and pretend that she was upset with what Jane was doing; before she could type out a reply though another text came in from Jane.
HELP ME MAUR! THEY'RE KILLER TURTLES!
Maura just had to laugh at that line from Jane. However, she still planned to go through with her plan, so she quickly typed up her reply.
Jane! What are you doing feeding Clea again? She's not supposed to eat again until tomorrow!
Maura hit the send button on her message. She wondered how long it was going to be before she got a response back. Luckily it seemed that Jane had been waiting to hear from her.
What? Really? I'm sorry I didn't know. Will she be okay?
A couple of seconds later another one came in.
Wait, what do you mean Clea? That's Bass Junior.
A smile made its way to her face once again. Jane still had problems telling Clea and Cyril apart. Cyril would be the actual name of the tortoise that Jane had called Bass Junior. Why she seemed so insistent on calling him that she still didn't know. As far as she knew Jane thought that Bass should just have at least one of the babies named after him, however she much preferred to give their new additions to the family names of other famous forensic scientists.
Jane hadn't picked up yet on the subtle differences between the two. They had been checked for the sex by the zoo before they brought them home. Right away Maura had notice subtle difference in their shell colorations and patterns and could always tell them apart by this, Jane still had yet to see it. Maura knew that one day Jane would pick it up, but until then she could always have a little fun with Jane over it.
No, Jane. That isn't Cyril that you have fed the raspberry. It is in fact Clea. I think I know my own TORTOISES.
They had accidentally discovered that their new tortoises had liked raspberries when Jane had been leaning over their terrarium eating and accidentally dropped one in. Both seemed to enjoy them. However, just like Bass' strawberries they needed to control the amount that they had. It wasn't good for them to eat too much fruit.
Furthermore, you know they aren't supposed to get too much fruit. You could cause her blood sugar to spike to high if you give her too many too quickly.
Okay so no more raspberries then. I guess Clea and I will catch some of the game then until you get home. Bass Junior is sleeping.
Alright. I will be home soon and we can discuss this further…
Maura smiled at herself. Jane never did like it when she left a text message like that. She figured that Jane would probably be freaking out a little bit about getting that back. She couldn't help it though. Jane kind of deserved it since for playing like that with the tortoises. However, she was still glad that Jane was trying to bond with them.
She gathered up all of her things. Everything else that she had left to work on she could always do tomorrow from her laptop. She didn't want to keep Jane waiting for too long in too much suspense over their conversation.
R&I
Half an hour later Maura walked through the front door. "Jane," she called as she closed the door behind her and started to make her way through to the living room and kitchen. She did her best to keep a stern look on her face.
Jane had apparently jumped up from the couch when she had entered, and was now standing near the kitchen island. Well she was sort of pacing actually. She must have really been thinking about this. She was glad that she hadn't made Jane wait any longer for her to get home.
"I swear," Jane said as she pointed one finger of her hand that was holding onto a beer bottle, "I forgot that you said she wasn't supposed to have any more raspberries. I really don't want to hurt her. That's why I've tried to stay away from them this long, but today I thought I'd just give them a treat and then it was so funny cause it looking like she was eating brains and so I thought I would send you the picture, and I'm really sorry."
Maura made her way over to the island during Jane's nervous, apologetic rant. Somehow, she had managed to keep a straight face. All she wanted to do was break out in a smile at her girlfriend. It was sort of cute the way she had become so worried over possibly hurting one of their tortoises. She sat her bag down in one of the chairs at the island and turned towards Jane.
She was still trying to school her features. From the look on Jane's face at the present moment, she must be doing a pretty good job. Jane looked a little terrified that she might actually be in big trouble. She walked right over to Jane and just looked her girlfriend in the eyes. Quickly though she broke out into a smile and leaned in to place a quick chaste kiss on Jane's lips.
Maura couldn't help but laugh a bit at the confused look on her girlfriends face. Obviously she hadn't been expecting a kiss.
"Uh, what… What was that?"
"Well I was actually really happy to see that the killer tortoises hadn't eaten your brain yet, so I thought I'd cut you some slack."
Jane leaned back a little so she could take in more of her girlfriend's features. "Wait… so… you're not really mad at me that I gave her extra raspberries?"
"I said I'd cut you some slack," Maura replied while smiling. "We do have to be careful about the amount of fruit that Clea and Cyril get right now. However, I did find the picture to be quite funny and cute. Once I got over the initial shock that took me by surprise when I opened it."
Jane sighed. "Okay, I get it. No giving Clea and Bass Junior treats without okaying it through you first."
"That might be a good idea," Maura commented as she stepped closer to Jane. She wrapped her arms around her girlfriend's waist. "However, it is quite sweet and cute that you are finally starting to bond with Clea and Cyril."
Jane shook her head this time. "I don't think we're ever going to agree on his name are we? But if we're not going to agree on that I might as well at least try to be the best mom that I can for him."
Maura couldn't help the smile that worked its way all the way up to her eyes. She loved hearing Jane refer to herself as a mom; even if it was just to their pets for the time being. "I don't think you need to worry Jane. You're going to make a great mom to all our babies."
"Can we at least agree that none of our human babies are going to be named Cyril?"
A chuckle erupted from Maura, but she quickly leaned in and placed another quick peck to Jane's lips. "I think we can agree on that." She stepped back from the embrace. "Now come on, I want to see more of those killer tortoises you were talking about earlier and hear how you managed to escape such a harrowing ordeal."
Jane cracked a wide Rizzoli grin at that comment. She was going to have so much fun with their babies.
And that is all for this one folks. I hope you enjoyed it. I did some research on tortoises and so hopefully I'm not too far off the mark with some of the things I've depicted here. If I am, well... this is fiction. Thanks so much for reading. You know, I'd always love to hear what you think!
