Disclaimer: Please see chapter 1.
Maura sat at her desk gingerly moving her head from side to side. She had spent the whole night tossing and turning attempting to find a comfortable position. Even with the entire king sized bed to herself, she just couldn't get herself to put down. Jane's long sprawling limbs usually unconsciously occupied the majorty of the bed. Although it meant the blonde would have to find a comfortable space in less than thirty percent of the mattress, she found she enjoyed their comfortingly protective warmth.
The eventual sleep she got last night was anything but restful and caused her to wake up with a literal pain in her neck.
"You okay?"
Maura's eyes travelled upwards to the entrance of her office where a tall brunette stood leaning against the door jamb.
"Acute Torticollis..." The blonde smiled as her best friend raised an unamused eyebrow. "Stiff neck... I didn't sleep very well last night."
"Yeah, neither did I." Jane sauntered forward presenting her best friend with a half caff soy latte. "I've forgotten how lumpy my bed was after spending so much time sleeping on your king sized cloud of fluff."
"You know Jane, you could get a memory foam mattress too. Any mattress would provide far superior lumbar support in comparison to the..."
"Feeling punchy this morning?" The brunette smiled at her best friend. Apparently someone had gotten up on the wrong side of the bed.
"Sorry..." The blonde surrendered, taking a grateful sip from the steaming cup. "You didn't come home last night. Did you sleep with him?"
Maura inwardly cringed praying that a case of hives wouldn't start creeping up her exposed neck. Did she just call her house Jane's home?
"What? Uh..." Jane leaned back, slightly annoyed with her best friend's bluntness. "No Maura, it was just dinner and a few drinks. Next thing we knew it was midnight so I just headed back to my apartment. I didn't want to wake you..."
"I'm sorry." The blonde frowned realizing that some deep seated emotions were starting to seep through. "I just had a rough night last night."
"Scar tissue bothering you again?"
"I was just worried..." Maura resigned, searching for the right words to say. "You didn't call or text..."
"Sorry Ma." Jane smiled amusedly, "I'll make sure to call next time I decide to stay out past my curfew."
Maura sighed, allowing Jane's sarcasm to awkwardly settle the tension in the air. "So you and Casey?..."
"Well," The detective shifted in her chair in an attempt to get comfortable in the 'ergonomic' piece of overpriced plastic. "We're going to take it slow. But we're going to try again."
The blonde's stomach did a 360 then dropped to the floor.
"You think this isn't a good idea." Jane commented, noticing the slight falling of her best friend's face.
"No," The ME inhaled, fighting the heat that started to rise from her chest up to her neck. "I'm glad you two are trying again. He's a good man, Jane."
"Yes, he is..." The brunette agreed, still sensing that there was some unease floating beneath the surface. "He's been through alot and so have I. Of all people, I think we should get a shot. Right?"
"Absolutely..."
*BEEP!*
Jane turned, reaching for the offending phone holstered at her hip. "My suspect's here for interrogation."
"You should head upstairs then..." The blonde countered under her breath, an odd annoyance rising in her belly.
Noticing a change in her best friend's demeanor, Jane stood and moved to place a hand on her shoulder. "There's still beer in the fridge right?"
Maura turned to meet the brunette's eyes, a slight smile starting to form on her tired face. "Of course."
"Great!" Jane gave her shoulder a squeeze before heading to the door. "I'll come by after work and we can watch that Red Sox special i just know you're DYING to see. See you in a few for lunch?"
The ME nodded to Jane before the brunette turned out the door. She gazed down the hallway watching the taller woman's hips sway as she strutted towards the elevator. Her commanding presence filling every inch of the hallway she walked by.
Maura shook her head and attempted to concentrate on the files that were sitting open on her desk. Never in her life had she felt such an attachment to another human being. The disturbingly distraught emotions rising within her seemed highly illogical. She had never felt jealousy over any of Jane's potential suitors. Why Casey? Why now?
The blonde took a deep breath in and out, attemting to quell the emotions threatening to boil over. Jane had made plans to spend the evening with her and that's all that mattered. An evening where the two could cuddle on the couch under a shared blanket while drinking wine and beer. A night where Maura was going to allow Jane to pick the evenings programming because it was finally 'her turn'. A night where her best friend would follow her to bed where her warmth and closeness would lull the blonde into a deep and restful sleep.
Hours later Maura sat on her couch at home, a glass of red wine already poured and sitting on the coffee table.
A body had been discovered in an abandoned warehouse near the waterfront shortly after Jane had left her office. It was quite a bloody scene with evidence scattered though all six thousand square feet of dark, dusty space. The forensics team didn't finish processing the scene until late in the afternoon.
Needless to say, the pair never had a chance to have lunch together...
This was nothing out of the ordinary. It would be an odd day if a case didn't pop up to marr any plans they made to have a quick meal together. But the blonde was actually looking forward to spending some time, even if it was a few minutes to share a quinoa wrap that she knew Jane would twist her nose about.
Reaching for the glass, the ME took a long sip of the velvety liquid. It wasn't a habit to pop open a bottle of wine while alone but she knew her best friend would be appearing at any moment to enjoy a glass of her own... Even if she claimed she wanted to come over for a beer or two.
As the honey blonde placed her glass back on the coffee table, she noticed her cell screen light up.
She smiled, quickly unlocking the screen. A message from Jane...
Sorry! Casey asked me to help him with his physical therapy appointment this afternoon. Join us for a drink at the Robber?
Maura squeezed her eyes shut, attempting to fight back the surge of frustration creeping its way through her system. Sure they had spent countless hours together over the last few months but she was especially looking forward to spending this evening curled on the couch with her best friend. Being a third wheel on Jane's 'date' was not the way she imagined her night would develop.
It's okay. Already opened a bottle of wine...
Maura sat as the text spun its way through the cellular network. She took another sip of wine, not sure what Jane would respond with but anticipating an answer nonetheless. Minutes passed and the blonde's phone didn't buzz.
Feeling slightly guilty over the tersness of her previous text, the ME reached for her phone once again.
Breakfast at the cafe tomorrow?
Almost immediately, her phone illuminated and buzzed to life with a response.
It's a date!
Maura sighed, at least Jane was trying to make it up to her. She reached for the blanket draped over the back of the couch, Jane's scent still very present all over it. Turning on the television, the ME settle back enveloping herself in its comforting warmth. Maybe tomorrow would be a better day.
A/N: First of all, I would like to thank all of you for reading and especially to those who've chosen to follow this story. This is the first time in YEARS I've attempted to write a multi-chapter fic. My hope is that this turns out organic and as true to the established characters as possible. Hope you all enjoyed. More soon to come!
