Author's Note: Hey y'all. First off, I'd like to apologize for the long break. School started about a month ago and I got hit with a shit ton of reading and writing (as a history major, I have to do that weekly). Then when I got a hold of it, I hit my head hard playing Quidditch and got a concussion. That made it hard to read, write, and I was known to forget simple words. That was two weeks ago, I held off writing until now because I didn't want my injury, that lasted longer than it should have, to affect this story. I hope that the wait was worth it.

Chapter 2

Every day that week, Jane would knock on Maura's door and they would talk over Maura's homemade lemonade. They instantly clicked as odd of a pair they were. There was no shortage of laughter as they moved from topic to topic and told stories relating to them.

One day, they got on the subject of how Jane came to be a carpenter.

"Well, my pop was a plumber and when I was a kid, I would go with him when he would install systems in unfinished houses. I would sit outside and just watch the workers build the houses. I liked the idea of using my hands to build someone's dream home; the place they always wanted to live in where they would be relaxed and at their happiest.

"One day, I want to start my own construction company that builds custom homes rather than these cookie cutter homes. Everything every day is the exact same thing over and over. That's fine and dandy for some people but I need a challenge."

Maura, cheek resting against her hand and elbow propped up on the kitchen isle, sat and watched Jane speak in awe. That passion was what Maura liked best about Jane and made Maura want to find something that she was that passionate about. She had a slight smile on her face as Jane waved her hands around accenting her words. It was funny and completely adorable.

Comfortable silence descended around them as they both reflected internally. Maura checked her watch removing her chin from her hand and frowned, "Looks like your break is over."

Jane glanced at the stove clock and frowned as well, "Looks like you're right, Maur."

Maura cast her eyes down in sadness as Jane finished off her glass and got up. Jane turned back to her new… what was she to Jane? She wasn't just a friend, not more per se, and not just an acquaintance. She was, well, she was Jane's Maura. So, she turned back to her Maura and felt her sadness.

"Hey," Jane ducked her head to Maura's level where she was still sitting on her stool and curled her forefinger to tap under Maura's chin with her knuckle. "I'll see you soon. Count on it."

With a wink and a wave Rizzoli was out the door headed off to her job leaving Maura a sighing hot mess in her wake.

The next day after a run through her deserted neighborhood, a long shower, and a healthy breakfast Maura sat down with a medical journal next to an open window on the second floor. The sounds of construction and Jane's magnificent voice yelling out instructions and obscenities pleasant background music. Five minutes into her routine and something didn't feel right. Maura quickly realized that she had yet to actually hear Jane's unique tone of voice. Maura's brow furrowed and she searched out the window for those curly, raven locks held back by a hair band and bandana.

Jane was nowhere in sight. She must be inside doing plumbing or something. But as lunch time rolled around there was no Rizzoli. Maura wasn't sure what to do. Her tiny insecure side told her that Jane finally figured out how weird she was and decided to stay away like the others before. Thankfully, Maura was more inclined to be logical and came up with hundreds of reasons as to why Jane didn't come to lunch. About a half hour after the appointed time, Maura marched over to the construction site directly to the one they called Korsak.

All eyes were on her of course. Tat hot babe that Rizzoli took her break with everyday was coming over looking fine in a skin tight pink tank top and cut off shorts that made her sexy legs even sexier.

"Excuse me, Mr. Korsak. Do you know where Jane is today?" Maura's usual polite tone had a strain of concern in it.

"You must be the Miss Isles that she talks about. Jane is working on painting inside a couple of houses. Our regular guy fell off some scaffolding and broke a wrist in one of them bigger houses. She just radioed in a couple of minutes ago and said she was in a house two streets over. Her truck parked in front," Korsak smiled with a hopeful tone laced in. "I bet Rizzoli is still hungry for one of your lunches."

Maura's entire being became warm and giddy when he assuaged her fears of Jane ditching her. Then it felt like she was on fire when she realized that Jane talked about her. "Thank you, Mr. Korsak."

"Call me Vince," he smiled in a fatherly way.

"Thank you, Vince," she stuck out her hand and he tried to wipe his own clean of sweat, wood dust, and whatever else he picked up. Maura had the decency not to care. "I'm Maura."

She turned and headed back home to pack a lunch, some wine, and beer she might have bought specifically for keeping Jane there longer. Maura strode out to her car and made her way in the direction Korsak pointed her. She quickly found Jane's white work truck with the toolbox and assortment of painting tools in the back. The house was one of the more expensive ones with two stories, a pool, two-car garage, and a huge deck in the back.

Maura parked in the huge driveway, got her cooler, and headed over to knock on the front door. After the third round of knocking, Maura jiggled the door knob only to find it unlocked. She looked around hesitantly before remembering no one lived in the surrounding houses yet and entered the large house. As she came into the foyer she wondered if something happened to Jane causing her to not answer the door. Then her brow furrowed as she heard what sounded like yelling on the second floor. She curiously made her way up the left staircase and followed her ears down the hall. At the end she found a door open to what possibly could be the master bedroom.

"Carry on my wayward soooon! There'll be peace when you are doone. Lay your weary head to reeest! Don't you cry no more!" From there Jane went on to make noises that Maura couldn't identify but were in fact Jane's recreation of the drums then guitar solo complete with hand flailing.

Maura cocked her head observing the interesting display that was Jane rocking out hard with her head bobbing to the music blasting from her iPod, painting, and the movements of her hips swaying quickly back and forth. Jane was wearing painter's overalls with the shoulder straps hanging undone, a white tank top, and a painter's cap on backwards. Somehow Maura could still see her lithe shape through the baggy clothes. She couldn't help but stare as this vision in white, whose dark beauty contrasted nicely with the color, curved back and forth like a belly dancer's.

She wasn't sure how long she was staring before Jane turned towards another paint can behind her and jumped at the sight of Maura there. Jane set down her roll and ripped out her earbuds, "Jesus, Maur! You trying to give me a heart attack?"

Jane's voice was harsh because she was mad for letting herself get frightened so easily. Maura's face crumpled slightly in hurt and in a smaller voice replied, "Actually you're young and healthy enough to only be at a three percent chance of having a heart attack. But fear has been known to increase your chances."

Jane just stared as the little spiel went off used to Maura's mini-lectures. Maura trailed off and held up the cooler helplessly, "I brought lunch. Vince told me you'd be over here so I thought I would bring lunch to you since you were late."

Jane continued to stare her up and down. Maura fidgeted not used to someone making her uncomfortable with their silence. Her arm dropped back to its side and her body slumped as her face became blank trying to block out the slight hurt she felt.

"I can see you're busy so I'll just-" Maura turned to go and made it halfway out the bedroom door before she heard a hasty, "Wait!" behind her.

Maura misread Jane's body language completely. Maura thought Jane was mad at her and wanted her to leave. But what was actually happening was Rizzoli was kinda sorta undressing Maura with her eyes and admiring Maura's beautiful body. As soon as the view started leaving Jane snapped out of it and ran after her.

"Maura, wait! I just didn't expect anyone, especially you, to be here. Tony got himself hurt and I was sent over here to paint before I could tell you. So I thought if I hurried I could finish up this floor and get to you on time but I kind lost track of time," Jane rushed this all out as she grabbed Maura's free wrists.

Maura froze at the contact and immediately perked back up, "I was afraid that you were avoiding me. I'm so glad you aren't. You're the only person I know here and I would be sad to lose this."

Jane softly smiled as one side of her mouth went up. They stared into each others eyes before Jane realized that she was stroking the wrist that she was still holding; using just her thumb. She unwillingly let it go after tugging Maura back into the room by it, "I could use a break."

Maura set down the cooler and spread the blanket she brought on the floor. She sat down with her legs folded to the side while Jane plopped down cross-legged. They soon fell back into their usual level of comfort as they talked and mildly flirted.

"Jane, isn't the whole point of a painter's outfit to keep the paint off your skin," Maura asked in half concern and half sass.

Jane looked down at her exposed arms and upper chest, "What? It got hot in here and I don't know where my painter shorts are."

Maura took another bite of her salad, "Did you know that part of the reason painters wear all white is because it was to distinguish non-union from union workers. Union men would wear white coveralls with a black necktie in the early 20th Century."

Jane just stared at the intelligent woman in front of her as she chewed her sandwich, "I bet you got straight A's and shit in school, huh?"

Maura took the rhetoric question seriously, "No, I got a B once. Well, actually it was an A- but it should have been a B."

Jane smirked but became worried as Maura suddenly scratched at her neck where something appeared out of nowhere.

"Are you okay?!"

"This happens when I lie," Maura's face became dismayed as she scratched a bit more. "I break out in hives and sometimes I can't breathe if I try too hard," Maura said this in a very matter of fact tone.

Jane's eyes bugged out, "So what? You can't lie?"

"No. I don't guess either," that sentence was said with such conviction that Jane found it oddly adorable.

Jane was smiling again as Maura's hives quickly went away, "You are one interesting woman."

"Thank you! I consider you interesting as well."

Jane and Maura caught each others eyes again but Maura broke it off before her feelings overwhelmed her senses and made her do something crazy.

They finished up lunch and packed it up. But Maura wasn't ready to go just yet. She desperately searched for a reason to stay.

"So is painting fun?"

Maura was mentally slapping her forehead. Jane's eyes quirked down in confusion for a second.

"Uhh I guess? It's monotonous but I guess it beats working outside mostly." Jane picked up a screwdriver and hammer. She pried open a new can and mixed it with a stirrer before dumping some in the pan. "You just stick the roller in and go at it."

"May I try? This is fascinating."

Jane smiled yet again, Maura seemed to bring that out in her, and her eyes went soft at Maura's inquisitive nature. She handed her roll over, "Be my guest."

Maura dipped the roll in the pan and tentatively rolled it on the wall slowly. Jane's smile widened, "No ya goofball. It has to be quick, strong strokes to get it spread evenly."

Maura's tip of her tongue barely poked out of the corner of her mouth in concentration as she tried again.

"Here. Let me show you," Jane couldn't resist the opportunity. It was too good. She grasped Maura's right and left hands with her own over the long handle of the roller as she reached around Maura with her long arms. She pressed her torso flush against Maura's back and moved the roller like before. Jane was talking but Maura had temporarily stopped breathing. Jane's warm body felt so good against her and she never wanted it to stop.

Jane slowed her stroked and moved the roller away from the overly painted patch of wall. She rested it on the ground and let go thinking Maura had it. She didn't. The roller fell towards Maura's face bopping her on the nose gently. She started and grabbed the long handle before the roller hit the edge of the protective plastic over the nice wood floor.

She turned towards Jane with a glare thinking Jane did it on purpose. But as she turned her glare was ineffective by the spot of paint on her nose. Rizzoli laughed as Maura became confused. She smelled the paint and touched he tip of her nose with her finger. Finding the paint there, she calmly set down the roller in the pan, dipped two of her left fingers in, and ran them down Jane's cheek.

Jane froze and stopped laughing then gave Maura a playful clenched jaw look that said, "You did not."

It was Maura's turn to laugh before she realized Jane stuck both palms in and chased after her. Maura squealed as Jane got one hand on her hip before Maura twisted away. She ran back to the pan and got her own palms painted. Jane had been running at her full speed before she saw what Maura was doing and her eyes went wide. She skidded on the plastic and tried to turn to run, but Maura literally jumped at her getting Jane's neck and upper chest. Maura's momentum sent them both crashing to the floor trying to get more paint on the other all the while laughing.

They both ran out of fresh paint on their hands and calmed down a little bit without anything to attack each other. They seemed to notice simultaneously that Jane somehow ended up on top of Maura with one of her legs between Maura's. Maura's eye immediately became hooded with a hum and her eyes flicked down to Jane's lips as she licked her own. Jane's smile slid off gently as she slowly leaned down towards Maura.

AN: Muwahaha! I love cliffhangers of any kind. Please don't hate me too much. I'm thinking that this story will have at least three chapters all together but I'm not certain. You may get a fourth. Also, I will deliver on the M rating ;) But all good things to those who wait.