AN: I bet you guys either thought I was dead or were wishing death upon me because of how long this has gone untouched. For that I apologize. Part of the reason was that someone wrote a very mean review about this story. It bothered me that someone felt it necessary to attack me over a fanfiction. But then I was like um fuck the haters (yea I said it). This is my contribution to the fandom even though it is tiny and drawn out. My life has been fucking crazy for the past… well year. Senior year of college and moving across the country will do that to a person. But the bitch is back and ready to serve y'all. Thanks for those who have waited for me. Sorry to those who hate me. I mean well. But make sure to thank my beta Erica Bain. Without her this shit would be sitting in a Word doc chillin and unfinished. Hope you enjoy it!
Maura has never been one to miss things – especially obvious things. In fact, she often considers herself rather observant. But when it comes to socializing, she's admittedly pretty helpless. For instance, recent events have only just allowed her to suspect Jane Rizzoli might be harboring a crush on her. Come to think of it, it was actually Korsak who had inspired her first inkling.
She had invited Roxanne to the station to give her a tour, since she was the first of her partners to seem interested in seeing where she worked. When Maura brought her up to the bullpen to meet her closest friends and associates, Jane seemed a bit upset, neglecting to join in on her colleagues' playful banter. "The guys" – as Jane was wont to call them – laughed over some joke or another and Maura's brow furrowed as she watched her best friend storm off in a huff.
"You would think Jane'd get used to it by now," Korsak said throwing a thumb over his shoulder to the retreating detective's back. "Seems a bit jealous still. Ah well, can't be helped."
Furrowing her brow again, Maura chimed in, "I'm sorry Detective Korsak I don't understand. What can't be helped?"
But "the guys" only laughed again.
The reason for the ME's confusion was simple – she had long ago decided Jane wasn't interested in her. Coming to this conclusion had hurt Maura's feelings more than anything she could remember. She was able to handle the platonic relationship with the raven-haired beauty for a while. But the pain started to affect her so much that she needed to bury it somehow. Yoga hadn't really helped. No matter how much she concentrated, she couldn't seem to reach moksha. Next, she tried losing herself in her work. Normally that would be easy, but proves rather difficult when a certain woman decides to crouch down right in her personal space at a crime scene and breathe on her neck while speaking in that deep tone. So, throwing herself into her work became out of the question. The next logical step, to Maura, was to try to forget about Jane in a physical manner by trying to engulf her lust with other, more willing, participants.
Now, Maura feels horrible about baiting Jane in this way, but at the time, she honestly hadn't seen any other way to get by. Jane seems to be locked into a mindset where she can't see past her own angst to the fact that Maura has always wanted her. When Maura and Jane first met, she would try to ask Jane out on a date, but for some reason Jane didn't seem to realize it. At the time, Maura blamed it on the fact that her social skills were definitely not up to par. After all, she is accustomed to being chased, not doing the chasing.
Some of her partners had been fun to be with, well Luke was a mistake, but she set him right, and at certain points, she really found herself forgetting Jane's eyes, her voice, and the way she brushes her hands over Maura in a "friendly" manner. Maura smiles sadly at the thought. Jane thinks she is comforting her with hands on Maura's body, with smiles, and standing up to anyone who gives Maura a hard time. But instead of comforting her, these words and touches torture her. They have turned her into a desperate woman in need of affection beyond friendship.
At first, these new partners seemed harmless and fun. That is until Maura started noticing a difference in Jane's behavior. She had started getting angrier, easier to annoy, and more distant. Normally, these mood swings are an indication of Jane's workload, but there seemed to be a respite from murders in the past week. After that night in the gym when Maura found Jane boxing, Maura, using her scientific brain, quickly figured out just what Jane was jealous about. She should have immediately figured out that her best friend had been putting up a front. Jane has only been doing that since she was in her crib, Maura suspects.
Now, Maura has been forced to resort to pushing Jane over the edge. So, even though she has stopped cycling through so many partners, she has started bringing Roxanne around more. Today, she thinks she'll invite Roxanne to have lunch in her office. According to her calculations based on many years of friendship, Jane will most likely come down to talk about the current case, expecting to go out to lunch with Maura, and things should go from there nicely, if not smoothly.
This is not guessing, she tells herself. This is science.
After dropping Roxanne off at her apartment, Maura returned home to do some thinking. Soon she arrived at step three of the Scientific Method – Constructing a Hypothesis. She had already conducted several days' worth of research and observation concerning Jane's odd behavior of late. Not to mention the wealth of knowledge about the detective Maura had accrued over several years.
The educated guess she settled on was now hanging boldly on a pink Post-It note above her shoe rack in her spacious closet. Maura knows it is safe there – Jane never goes near her shoes. This way, the doctor could ponder the hypothesis as she created her ensemble each morning.
Maura steps back to read her message once more. It states quite simply, "Jane Rizzoli is jealous of my partners."
The blonde crosses her arms and nods in approval.
Step four can commence – carrying out the experiment. Maura knows this experiment will be a dangerous one. Not because it consists of unstable or highly reactive chemical compounds, but for the fact that it will require poking a stick – not in actuality, of course – at an unstable and highly reactive Jane Rizzoli. This, Maura knew all too well, could prove to be negatively catalytic.
First off, Maura would have to stop sleeping with multiple partners. She had enjoyed her freedom after so many years of constraint – she used to feel as though she missed out by not having a "wild phase" in college. But now that she had actually experienced one, she was thoroughly unimpressed. Her new revelation was sure to bring her even more fun.
Maura arrived at the conclusion that, since Jane never made a move (even after Maura came out as bisexual to Jane and dropped hints numerous times), she would simply have to draw a reaction out of Jane. The only reason Maura had started her wild side excursion in the first place was because Jane didn't seem to be the slightest bit interested. But none of that mattered in light of her recent findings. She would have to make Jane jealous enough to do something about it. At least that's what science pointed to, and Maura always trusted science.
Maura's next move is to call Roxanne and invite her to lunch. She lets her down easy, making certain to not toy with the woman's emotions. It ends well – it turns out that neither is looking for anything serious out of the current arrangement. They continue chatting over lunch in Maura's office, enjoying themselves when Jane stalks in the door, Frankie trailing behind like a puppy.
"Hey Maur, me and Frankie were gonna –" Jane stops abruptly when she sees Maura at her desk with Roxanne perched atop it, her left foot curiously caressing the blonde's thigh just at the hem of her pencil skirt. Incensed Jane feels an angry blush creep up her neck and fill the pulsing vein on her temple.
Frankie leans over to Jane, thinking he's being discreet when he breathes, "Woah, get a load of that…"
Jane froze, worried her little brother had finally caught her in the act of staring at the gorgeous medical examiner.
"What are you talking about, dork?"
"Jane… this girl looks just like you!"
Frankie's eyes widen in terror as he takes a step back from his sister for fear of inevitable eruption. Janes eyes were shooting daggers so hard at him he feels it in his soul. He nervously replies, "What did I say?"
There is an awkward pause as the women at the desk take notice. It's Roxanne who finally breaks the silence.
"We kinda do look alike, don't we? Creepy. I'm Roxanne, by the way."
She gets up, her hip brushing the doctor's exposed arm as she rounds the desk to shake her doppelganger's hand.
Jane just crosses her arms, so Frankie offers his hand instead. Roxanne pretends not to notice turning back to Maura.
"Well babe, gotta get going. Thanks for the talk. Nice meeting you two," with a wink back at Maura, she drifts out of the office.
With Roxanne gone, Frankie stands in awe of Maura. "Where do you keep finding these girls?!"
"Oh, I met Roxanne at Merch last Friday," Maura smiles innocently. "After Jane and I did that undercover assignment there, I wanted to go back and actually check it out. It's really quite fun."
Jane stomps out in a huff – again.
"Hey Jane, where you goin'? I thought we were gettin' lunch," yells Frankie.
Without stopping or turning to acknowledge anyone, Jane shouts over her shoulder, "The gym!"
AN: As an apology for waiting so long to post this chapter the next chapter is going to be posted faster and shall I say… steamy ;)