AN: Picture me with a very red face. Like Alexis H pointed out – a pregnant Jane should not be drinking wine. OOPS! I forgot about that part – not that the "real" Maura will ever give a pregnant woman alcohol. Although, that might be something that I can put to good use. The baby however is not likely to suffer from one glass of wine – just don't try it at home. (Don't worry, I am not likely to get pregnant ever.)
Maura sees Jane again the following Friday. Jane's original plan was to get married on the Saturday and back to work on the Monday. Maura would not hear of it. Well, strictly speaking it was not up for discussion. While she was organising Jane some time off for the wedding arrangements, she ensured that there will be some time for a honeymoon as well.
Cavanaugh was in full agreement. There is no way that his favourite pain-in-the-ass was going to have a second grade wedding. He whispered a few words to the commander of the Special Victims Unit and she agreed to make sure that Stevens does the right thing. So to Jane's surprise, after the vows were exchanged she was taken to a secluded spot for a honeymoon.
They barely returned and Stevens was off to see to his cases. Jane done the unpacking, decided that the laundry could wait and drove off to the precinct as well. With no intentions to fake interest in open cases, she greeted her mother and headed to the morgue.
All Maura's paperwork was updated and she was happily browsing for shoes when Jane entered her office.
"Shoe shopping, Dr. Isles?" Jane says in her best commanding tone.
Maura sequels and immediately shut the laptop. This causes Jane to chuckle, knowing full well that only she has the ability to catch the doctor on her guilty pleasure.
"Jane!" Maura sighs with her hand on her heart. "You have scared me."
Jane shrugs her shoulders, leaning against the door. "It's good to get the blood flowing. If you are finish pretending to be working, we can maybe head to the Robber?"
"Why not?" Maura decides. "Will we let the boys now?"
"Nah! Why lead them into temptation. They will find us there when they knock off."
Giggling they walk to the Dirty Robber, Jane telling Maura about the honeymoon. She is practically glowing and still very much in love. Jane claims their booth while Maura places their orders at the counter.
"What this?" Jane asks disgusted when two ice teas and two waters are delivered.
"Drink it, Jane. It is good for you." Maura rolls her eyes.
"Eeuw!" Jane complains. "I want a beer."
"You can't have a beer, Jane. Remember, you are pregnant." Maura explains patiently.
"O fuck!" Jane blurts out. "Shit, Maura, I am pregnant!" Jane eyes are wide as the implication hit her. "And you gave me wine last week." She then accuses.
"I forgot!" Maura defends herself. "Besides, it is your responsibility to make sure that you don't harm our baby. You could have declined the wine."
Jane deflates. "I forgot about that part. And shit, I can't have coffee any more either? Boy, I am fucked."
"Jane, didn't your doctor talked to you about what you should avoid?" Maura questions.
Jane gulps on the water. "Jane, tell me you have been to the doctor?" Maura tone is reprimanding.
"Uhm, no." Jane mumbles. "You should know, since you are my doctor."
"Jane!"
"What, Maura? I only found out I am pregnant last week. Then there was the wedding and then the honeymoon. Why do I even need a doctor? The piss stick was perfectly clear that I am pregnant." Jane is getting defensive.
Maura throw her hands in the air. She takes a calming breath, knowing full well that an argument with Jane will lead to nothing.
"Jane, they need to determine how far pregnant you are and make sure that you and the baby is healthy." She explains.
"I am about two months pregnant and you can make sure that we are healthy." Jane huffs.
Maura rolls her eyes, a habit that she has picked up from Jane. "How do you know that you are two months pregnant?"
Jane can't help her cheeks going red. "That is the night when we ran out of condoms."
Maura squints her eyes. "You weren't on any contraceptive treatment?"
Jane goes red again. "No. I tried the pill once a couple of years ago and it made me all crappy and emotional. I normally rely on condoms, but Dan ran out and –" she rolls her shoulders "things were a bit heated."
"Jane, that is so irresponsible." Maura scolds sternly.
"Sorry, Ma!" Jane answers sarcastically. "What are you going to do? Ground me?"
Maura tilts her head and gives Jane a hard glare. But when she see the detective's mouth twitches, she gives up the battle and sips her ice tea.
"I will begin to get you a good OBGYN and –"
"O, come on Maura!" Jane whines. "Why do I need a Gynae? Can't you do the doctor stuff?"
"No, Jane. I am a pathologist and not a gynaecologist. You are over 35, that mean that you have a riskier pregnancy and therefore you need expert care."
Jane wants to continue arguing, but is interrupted by Frost and Frankie. She greets them each with a hug. Frankie offers to get them another round. Maura give him strict instructions on what to get them.
"Maura, you don't have to drink the same old crap." Jane comments.
Maura briefly squeezes her hand. "I want to be supportive of you while you are carrying our baby."
Jane smiles and let the matter drop.
"So Detective Stevens, where is the other Detective Stevens?" Frost want to know with a gleam in his eyes.
"It is Detective Rizzoli and Mrs. Stevens, partner." Jane corrects him. "I don't know, I will text him to meet us here. "
Korsak join them as well, happy to see his favourite partner back. It is almost two hours later when Stevens walks into the Dirty Robber. Frankie and Frost excuse themselves.
"I have to show the white boy how to dance." Frost chuckles.
Frankie kisses Jane on the cheek. "Bye Sis, see you Sunday."
"Hi, Stevens!" Korsak greets the detective. "Let me get you a drink. Ladies, the same?" Maura and Jane nods and the older detective is on his way.
"Good evening, Detective Stevens." Maura greets friendly.
"Dr. Isles." He nods in Maura's direction.
"Whoah!" Jane protests. "Surely my hubby and best friend can use each other's names."
"Of course." Maura agrees good naturally.
"I don't think it is a good idea, Sugar." Stevens objects. "See, Dr. Isles are the Chief Medical Examiner, our ME's boss. It is never a good idea to mingle with people above yourself."
Jane rolls her eyes. "Yeah, what ever."
"We really need to go, Sugar." Every time Stevens calls Jane Sugar, Maura has to stop herself from gagging.
"But Korsak is getting us drinks."
"I am exhausted, Sugar. I just want you and our bed now." He grins at Jane.
She smiles at him and nods her head. "See you Sunday!" she says to Maura and pecks her on the cheek. This move astonishes the ME, Jane may on occasion hug her, but generally she is not very affectionate. Although studies shows that women become more affectionate if their love life is more active. Maura can see that the man is not amused and she has a feeling that there is going to be some harsh words on the way home. Before she can comment, they are out of the door.
"Jane left?" Korsak questions on his return.
"Yes. Stevens is exhausted." Maura explains.
"What a prick." Korsak thinks aloud and Maura could not agree more.
Maura did not hear anything from Jane the next day. She expected it – the powerful, dominant woman had a sickening way of being very submissive where a man was involved. Maura had not much hope of seeing Jane before Monday.
Maura hates guessing and she is an avid believer that assumption is the mother of all fuck ups. Another expression she learned from Jane, apparently it was a famous quote from one or another movie*. Yet she had a very clear picture of what went down between the newlywed Mr. And Mrs. Stevens this weekend. He was vivid and probably let Jane had it the moment they were alone. Jane would roll over and play dead. Beg his forgiveness and show him her everlasting commitment to him alone. This picture made Maura gagged.
Thankfully though real people does not always conform to the expected norm. Jane and Stevens did show up for the Rizzoli Sunday dinner. Angela was very happy about it. It was Stevens first dinner and Angela tried to shower him with her largest servings. He dutifully attacks the rather large meal, but it was clear that he had other plans. Jane sat on his lap for the game, but after a while she came over where Angela and Maura were cleaning. Only when Angela excused herself, did they had a chance to talk.
Jane was looking lovingly at Stevens from where she was perched on the counter. Uncharacteristically, Maura hops onto the counter next to her. She bumps Jane lightly with the shoulder.
"How did Friday evening go? Did you have words?" Maura asks bluntly.
Jane rolls her eyes, although she would not expect anything less from her best friend. "That is one way of putting it." She admits and then sighs. "Actually there was a short and intense exchange of yelling, than no words at all until this morning."
"Oh, no!" Maura sympathizes.
"It is awful when Dan refuses to speak to me, but family is not negotiable. My grandmother made me promise to always hold on to family. She said that a husband loves you despite your faults and family loves you with your faults. A husband can always chose not to be yours anymore. Family doesn't have that choice, besides anything they will always be yours." Jane explains softly.
"It is true, but won't the same apply to friends?" Maura asks with uncertainty.
"Yip!" Jane agrees.
"I rather like the notion that friends are the family that we have chosen for ourselves." Maura is disappointed with Jane's view.
Jane grins and flings her arm around Maura for a quick hug.
"You are so much more than a friend to me, Maura. You are my sister from another mother. Somebody that I can get angry with and fight, knowing that you will eat my crap and forgive me." Jane chuckles, thinking about their rifts in the past. "Eventually at least."
"Even if there is no blood tie?" Maura asks hesitantly.
"Maur, we do have a blood tie." Jane carefully gets off the counter to stand in front of Maura. She lightly trace the faint scar on the left side of the petite woman's neck with her right hand and the matching one on her own. "Remember how we bled into each other while we were waiting for the paramedics?" she asks softly.
Maura nods, not really wishing to recall the day with Hoyt in jail, yet seeing Jane's point.
"Blood ties were usually forged by cutting hands and clasping them together. They believed that the two parties' blood would flow into each other."
"So you don't like our cuts and would rather cut open our hands?" Jane asks sarcastically. "I don't really like cuts on my hands, Maura."
Maura chuckled, feeling proudly over her scar. "All thanks to Hoyt."
"Should be the silver lining to that very dark cloud." Jane smirks. "Although, you did scrap your knees when you tried to save me after I shot myself. That is another place where your blood got mixed with mine." After a moment of hesitation Jane continued. "We scarred each other's hearts after Dean and Doyle and although it took weeks to mingle the blood, another unbreakable tie was formed. So Dr. Isles, I may not be a genius identity thieve or a snotty Harvard student, but we are still sisters."
Maura giggles at the thought of her half sister and brother.
" So I will bloody hell kiss you on the cheek like I do with Frankie and Tommy when I feel like it. I will hang with you and share all my darkest secrets with. That is what sisters do. And I will always be a Rizzoli and come to family dinners. Dan will just have to deal with it. I do not ask for much from him."
They joined the group in front of the TV again, Jane resuming her place on Stevens lap and Maura sitting between Frankie and Tommy. Like usual Jane is the last to leave the dinner. Maura sees them off at the door, greeting Jane with a kiss to the cheek. Much happier knowing that Jane can and will put her foot down when needed.
*The one or another movie is of course Pricilla, Queen of the Desert.
