Jane paced in front of the door, not sure if she wanted to knock. But, after sitting in the café for an hour, she realized that her mother was right. Something had to give. Pulling on her reserves, she stepped up to the door and knocked.
"Jane?" Maura smiled brightly. "I wasn't expecting you."
"I'm sorry. If I'm interrupting something…"
"No, not at all. Come in," the honey brunette stepped to the side. "How did apartment hunting go? Angela looked tired when she came home, so I thought I wouldn't ask her right away." At Jane's questioning look, Maura answered, "She's in the guesthouse. I hope she's resting. She really looked exhausted."
"She walked home," Jane answered as she moved to lean against the kitchen island.
"She walked? I thought you were driving her?" Not bothering to ask, Maura filled to water glasses and handed one to her friend. "What happened?"
"I took her for a cannoli, and we got into it. She said she was walking home, something about the exercise being good for her." Taking a sip of water, the detective watched the frown grow on her friend's face. "Ma said you went out on a date last night."
"Did she?" Maura's tone was guarded.
"Yeah, some tall blonde chick with glasses. I never pictured you as into blondes," a hint of a Rizzoli smirk ghosted across Jane's face.
Without missing a beat, Maura shot back, "I'm not. I prefer dark haired brunettes."
"That would explain why you keep hitting on my younger brothers," Jane shot back, sitting her glass down on the island behind her.
"Why does that bother you?" The doctor asked, voice tense.
"Why wouldn't it bother me? They're my brothers and you're my best friend. There are social codes, Maura. Best friends and siblings don't date each other. It's a boundary thing." Jane crossed her arms, pulling in on herself.
"Whose boundary? Not mine. Yours, maybe?" The smaller woman took a step forward, invading the detective's space. "What gives you the right to dictate who I spend my free time with?"
Not backing away, Jane leaned forward to emphasize the difference in their height, trying to get Maura to physically back down. "When it's my brothers and my best friend, it gives me the right."
"Your brothers, and me for that matter, are our own people. Just because they're related and I'm your best friend doesn't mean you get special privileges on telling us who we may and may not spend time with." Maura crossed her own arms, glaring up at the dark brown eyes glaring down at her. "This fight is getting old, Jane. When are you going to tell me what it is that is really bothering you about this situation?"
Glare for glare, they stared each other down. Neither backed down or away. The standoff was intense, and, with neither giving ground, the end was nowhere in sight. Not even the front door opening broke their staring contest.
"Whoa, lover's quarrel. Sorry, don't mind me. I'm just headed to the guesthouse to see Ma," Tommy held his hands up as he skirted the opposite side of the room from the two women.
"Damn it, Tommy," Jane's glare refocused on her youngest brother. "We are not dating. Stop cracking jokes about it. First of all, you suck at it, and second of all, you know Maura would never date me; she's completely out of my league," as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she lost her momentum. Glancing down at the shocked expression on the smaller woman's face, Jane sidestepped and headed for the front door. "Whatever, I'm out."
Maura turned to watch her leave, confusion on her face. "What just happened here?"
"I think my sister just said something she didn't mean to. You… um… you going after her or what?" Tommy's nodded toward the front door. "It always takes her a while to get the car going when she's that pissed off."
"I… but what would I say? I don't really think I understand what she said that she didn't mean to say." Maura closed her eyes, rerunning the last few minutes over in her mind. After she'd finished, she opened her eyes and sighed. "Why doesn't she simply tell me these things?"
"You know Jane's not really that kind of person," Tommy shrugged. "I'm taking Ma out to dinner tonight. I'll make sure we grabbed an overnight bag so we can crash at Jane's place."
"Why would you do that?" Maura tilted her head to the side, clearly at loss.
"Because you and my sister need to talk before she winds up exploding and running off to join the reserves or something just so she can avoid you. Look, she's not going to be the one, Maura. You're going to have to do it." Tommy opened the back door. "You got a couple more before she leaves. I parked behind her, and she'll probably…"
"Tommy, move your freaking car!" Jane's voice cut through the room like lightening.
"Yeah, there she is." Tommy smirked. "Sorry sis! I'm just getting Ma," he stepped outside. "I'll move it in a sec, promise," he called out as he shut the door behind him.
