A/N: Thank you so much for all your reviews, follows and favorites! I was not expecting such positive reactions, so thank you very much, you kind souls =)
Happy reading, I hope you enjoy this (longer) chapter!
"Korsak, you have to stop eating so much."
Korsak raised his head in surprise, not expecting to see the Medical Examiner in the bullpen.
"I need something sweet to calm my nerves, this case is killing me."
"If anything, it's going to make you even more excited," Jane counteracted. "I know it, I'm a doctor."
"A doctor for dead people."
Jane chuckled at the reply of the person who had just entered the room.
"Yes, but a doctor still, Susie."
"I'm never asking you to stitch me up," she grumbled, mostly for herself.
Because you're scared of me, Jane thought. She was not called Queen of the Dead for nothing. Sure, she was sometimes cranky and a little bit cold, and sometimes when she yelled she was holding a bone saw. But he brunette liked to believe that the real reason people feared her was because she knew exactly what to do to not leave a fingerprint on a corpse - which meant she was good at her job. She acted as if she hadn't heard the comment, not wanting to make the young Detective uncomfortable.
Susie Chang was a promising recrue. She had been assigned as Maura's partner when Vince Korsak, her partner for years before that, had gotten a promotion from Detective to Sergeant. The short woman's nerdy and humorous personality was a good counterbalance to Maura's seriousness and inability to detect sarcasm.
"You seen Maura?" the ME asked Susie.
"I thought she was downstairs to see you."
"Either we missed each other or she didn't go to the morgue. Thanks, I'm going to call her. Later, guys."
They all waved at her. It was nearly 7:20pm and they were all more than ready to go home.
Jane made her way outside the bullpen and took her cellphone out. She started composing Maura's number but changed her mind and put her phone back in the pocket of her lab scrubs. Five minutes later, she was normally dressed and in her car, turning the key in the ignition.
Maura was sitting at the island of her vast and elegant kitchen, nursing a glass of wine in her hand. She had yet to eat but found herself too wrapped her in her thoughts to do anything but absent-mindedly swirl the ruby-colored liquid and think until her head hurt.
She almost jumped in surprise when she heard a solid knock on her front door. A quick glance at the clock on the oven informed her that it was almost 9:30pm. She had gone home more than two hours ago now, which was when she had come in her kitchen, poured herself some wine and sat in utter silence.
Maura got up and made her way to the door. Just when she was going to look through the keyhole, she heard a familiar voice that inevitably brought a smile on her face.
"Maura? It's me, can you please open the door? I'm freezing."
The blonde turned the key into the lock and opened to find Jane with only a light jacket and a scarf hastily thrown around her neck. The tip of her nose was pinker than usual and she was jumping from one foot to the other to keep herself warm. She had a big brown paper bag in her right hand.
"Why aren't you wearing your coat?" Maura asked.
"I forgot it at the morgue. When I realized it was still hanging there I was already on the other side of town and I didn't want to go back. The heat doesn't work at my place, can I stay here? I brought food," Jane said with her biggest smile.
Maura smiled back. Jane was a good friend and she knew her well.
"I think you want to watch the game on my wide screen."
"Maybe," The ME brushed off " I still brought food."
"Of course you did. Come in, you're going to catch a cold."
"I have an immune system invincible to Boston coldness."
"I am not a doctor but I'd say that it is not possible."
"Well, good thing you're not one. You'd probably constantly be correcting me on scientific facts. Ugh, it would be so annoying."
She entered the house and hooked the arm she had free around Maura's shoulder.
"I'd still like you though," Jane assured her with a squeeze.
"Thank you."
Jane looked at Maura, hiding her concern. The Detective felt the brunette's inquiry look on her.
"Let's eat!" Jane said suddenly, taking her arm back and leaving out the questions she obviously wanted to ask.
Maura took care of the drinks – wine for her, beer for Jane – while the ME heated up the food. They brought then everything to the coffee table in the living room and settled on the couch at their usual spots.
Jane turned the TV on to the sports channel and Maura nibbled at her food while being vaguely aware of the progression of the game. Sometimes the brunette would yell at the screen or insult the referee, a habit she had never been able – and never wanted to – loose. Other than that, the two friends were calm and rather silent.
Maura easily got lost in her thoughts again so she didn't see Jane frequent side looks. She didn't even see when the brunette stopped completely watching the game to focus entirely on her.
"Okay, do you want a hug now or should we talk first?"
It took a few seconds for the Detective to realize Jane was talking to her. She raised her head to find the familiar brown eyes piercing through her.
"You know I don't really like hugs."
"You like my hugs."
"Yes, because you're my best friend."
"Come here."
"I don't need a hug."
"I said come here," Jane insisted, shifting her position on the couch so that she was facing her friend.
Maura knew better than to argue with the stubborn Italian. She caved in and scooted closer to the ME until she was close enough to feel her warmth and the faint traces of her perfume. Two strong arms came around her and she instantly let her cheek rest against Jane's shoulder.
The brunette didn't say anything but only wrapped herself around her friend, tracing eight-like patterns on the small of her back. She knew something was eating her up and she also knew Maura would only rarely ask for attention. As her best friend, it was her job to offer her help when the Detective wouldn't ask for it.
It was not easy deciphering Maura's mind. The blonde had a natural tendency to be on her own and distance herself from others. But the two of them had shared years of friendship and had been through rough things together – the side effects of working in a dangerous field like theirs – and the bond they shared had only grown stronger.
When Jane felt that Maura relax, she untangled herself from her.
Maura felt two scarred hands tenderly direct her face to look at their owner's eyes.
"What is it?" Jane asked, every word a promise that she cared and she would help.
Maura could not lie and she knew she could not avoid the subject, not when her best friend was as persistent as she knew her.
"Doyle."
She saw the ME frown.
"Doyle is back?"
"I'm not sure."
"Wait, I thought he was somewhere in Mexico."
"It appears as he would be back."
"Are you sure? How do you know?"
"He left a note for me at my house this morning."
"What? This morning? Why didn't you tell me?" Jane said with no accusation in her voice but genuine concern.
"Because I wanted to talk to him first."
"WHAT?"
"I couldn't call him however. The last number he gave me isn't working anymore."
"Of course it's not working anymore, the feds erased it," the ME said with an unfeigned exasperation. "You wanted to call him? Maura, are you crazy? You are not supposed to contact him, you are not even supposed to know where he is."
"Neither are you."
"I'm your best friend, I have to know this kind of things so that I prevent you from doing anything irrational. You're diverting. Why is he back?"
"I don't know," Maura answered truthfully. "Maybe he has some business to do here."
"He better not because he's not even supposed to be on the US ground."
Maura shrugged.
"Maura."
It sounded like a warning. Maura knew Jane was getting angry.
"Maura."
This time Jane's voice was softer. The Detective looked up into the brunette's eyes.
"How could you still want to see him? He tried to take you aware from me. Hell, he tried to kill me."
"He's my father."
The brunette grew silent at this, taken somewhat aback.
"We are not having this discussion again," Jane said, rubbing her face with her hands and sighing.
Maura scooted a little farther from her.
"No, we are not."
The ME looked at the blonde through her open hands.
"What do you mean?" the brunette asked, dropping her hands in her lap with a look of disapproval.
"I am not asking for your opinion, Jane. I know what your position is on the matter and you know how I feel about it."
Jane shook her head and snorted.
"You're going to go see him, aren't you?"
Her eyes were piercing holes through Maura's face.
"I think it's better for the both of us I don't answer this question."
"What… Maura!"
"Jane, please." the blonde said, holding her palms open.
The ME opened her mouth to say something, her face the paramount of outrage, but the Detective cut her short.
"Don't."
The brunette looked at her with pure disbelief and, what Maura hated herself for, hurt in her eyes.
"I'm out of here," Jane said as she got up from the couch and stormed out of the room. "Have fun with your dad," she said before slamming the door behind her.
Her sudden absence created a heavy silence despite the sound of the TV.
"Shit." Maura muttered.
She pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and index. She felt and headache coming but she probably deserved it.
