A/N: Hello you wonderful people. Sorry it's taken me so long to get out another chapter. I actually have yet another one planned now though, so yay! Things have just been insane with the new job and my life is sort of a mess right now, but let's not dwell...just wanted to say thanks so much again for the support on this story.
Chapter 3
The fifth time Jane wakes up that morning, Maura isn't in her arms. Maura's absence surges Jane with a kind of energy she hasn't felt all day, and she bolts up in bed, looking around the room.
Then she catches sight of Maura's dress hanging on the bathroom door and lets out a breath she didn't even know she was holding. She's being stupid. Why wouldn't Maura be here still? And yet, the thought of not being able to hold Maura or kiss her is driving Jane crazy, so she hops out of bed to find her.
The smell of something delicious overwhelms her as soon as Jane opens her bedroom door. She turns to see Maura at the stove flipping a pancake. She is wearing one of Jane's button-up shirts. The sleeves are rolled up and the shirt just barely covers Maura's ass.
Jane can't help grabbing Maura's waist from behind, planting kisses on her cheek and down her neck. Maura leans back into her, giggling. Jane smiles at the sound, then buries her face in Maura's honey-blonde hair. Is it weird to love how someone smells?
"Hey, sleepyhead," Maura says. Her voice is lower than usual, rough with sleep. Jane likes this morning voice.
"Hi, beautiful," Jane says with one last kiss to Maura's jaw and then she leans over Maura's shoulder to get a look at what's in the pan. "Mmm, blueberry pancakes."
"Yes, surprisingly you had all the ingredients to make some."
"Okay, well I'm not that bad at cooking," Jane says. "I do make pancakes on occasion."
She gets her first look at the time and jumps a little in surprise. "Jesus, it's 1:30 already!"
"Yes, we wasted the whole morning away."
"Well, I wouldn't say wasted."
Maura turns her head to look at Jane for a moment, smirking. "True."
The way Maura just looked her and simply thinking of earlier in bed, makes Jane feel the sudden urge to spin Maura around so that she can kiss her. Still holding the spatula in one hand, Maura is surprised by the kiss for a moment, then melts into Jane's embrace.
They get lost in each other until Maura breathes, "Jane. The pancakes."
Jane bites Maura's lip wanting to keep her there with her forever. Maura groans a little, then finds the will to lean back from Jane.
"They'll burn!" Maura says, turning back to the stove and flipping a pancake over.
"I don't care," Jane says, pinching Maura's hips a little and making her squeal.
"Jane!" Maura turns back around in defeat, grinning at her. "How are we ever going to get anything done? Being together."
Jane laughs, grabbing Maura for another searing kiss. "Mmm, don't care. Just want you."
Maura throws her arms around Jane's neck in response, pancakes forgotten.
The pancakes are eventually eaten. It starts snowing and after they are done eating, they simply sit and watch the snow fall.
Well, Maura watches the snow. Jane watches Maura.
Maura is in awe. She tells Jane it's been a very long time since she's seen snow. Her eyes sparkle, and a huge smile lights up her face.
They sit in silence for awhile and then Jane leans in to kiss that dimple.
Maura's smile widens, and she turns towards Jane. "Isn't it beautiful?"
"Yea," Jane says, turning to glance out the window and see the city covered in white. She's always loved the way Boston looks in the snow. When she was a kid she loved playing in the snow with her brothers, taking them sledding.
"Ever been sledding?"
"No," Maura says, furrowing her eyebrows, as if the whole concept is foreign to her.
"Oh, my god, never?" Jane has to refrain from leaping out of her seat.
When Maura shakes her head though, she can't help it. She jumps up, grabbing Maura's hand and pulling her towards the bedroom.
"Okay, get ready, grab your things. We're going to your place to pick up some warmer clothes of yours. And then we're going sledding."
Jane starts rummaging through her drawers for her warmest clothes.
"Wait, Jane, I have so much unpacking to do, I really should—"
"Maura,"Jane says, running up and grabbing her by the shoulders in her excitement. "We're sledding. You are too old to have never experienced this before. It's happening. After, I'll come back over to your place with you and I'll help you unpack, okay?"
A smile slowly creeps across Maura's face. "Oh, alright. I suppose."
"Yes!" Jane says, quickly giving Maura a kiss on the cheek.
Maura ends up borrowing some of Jane's clothes because it just makes more sense than going all the way to her house, and she'd have to go through her suitcases to find her very warm winter wear, anyway.
Jane wraps her arms around Maura's waist ready to push them down the hill. She has found the perfect spot and is ready to go, but she first checks to make sure Maura's alright.
"You good?" she asks, giving Maura a little squeeze.
Maura nods and leans back into Jane a little. "Yes."
She sounds a little nervous, so Jane keeps her feet planted on the ground.
"This will be fun, Maur, I promise. And I'm the best person ever at steering a sled."
"Oh, yeah? The best person ever?" Maura turns around, smiling.
"Ever," Jane says, now sure they are ready to go.
She pushes off and they are soaring down the hill. She feels Maura lean back more into her arms, tensing up, and she worries for a second that Maura is frightened, but then she hears it.
Maura is laughing, a sound of pure joy and excitement.
They are rushing past everyone, flying really, and Jane has all she wants in her arms.
She is just so happy, the kind of happiness she hasn't felt since she was a kid. But this is way better than sledding with her brothers. Maura's complete trust in her, the way she snuggles back in her arms, makes Jane feel invincible.
She takes a turn or two, wanting to show off a little for Maura.
They are getting close to the bottom of the hill, but Jane is finding it a little hard to stop. She finally has to let go of Maura to use her hands to help bring them to a stop. They come to a jerky halt and Maura is flying off the sled and through the air before Jane can reach out and catch her.
The place is crowded and full of laughing and shrieking children, but Jane suddenly hears nothing. All is quiet and her focus is completely on Maura, unmoving in the snow. She's splayed out, eyes closed.
It takes forever to crawl to her.
Jane notices weird things, like the fact that Maura has long eyelashes, and she notices more freckles on her face than usual today because Maura didn't bother to put on make-up this morning. Jane throws off her wet gloves and cups Maura's cheeks in her bare hands.
"Maura?"
She can barely get the word out, it's a fractured question. Her brain is going to horrible places.
Oh god, she can't lose Maura. What if she hurt her? What if—
And then Maura blinks and opens her eyes. They're green today as Maura is wearing Jane's dark green jacket. And she smiles up at Jane.
"Wow. That was incredible," Maura says, then goes to sit up.
Jane leans back in shock, giving Maura room to sit. Her hands are out and ready to help. She wants to touch Maura so baldy, but is afraid to hurt her.
She's utterly confused at how fine Maura seems.
Maura loses her smile as she studies Jane. And then it seems to hit her.
She takes Jane's awkwardly outstretched hands in her own.
"Jane, I'm okay," Maura says earnestly, voice soft and assuring.
"I thought that I—that I hurt—" Jane can barely get the words out, her brain doesn't seem to be working right.
"You didn't hurt me, sweet girl, I'm fine."
Maura gently kisses Jane's knuckles, then puts Jane's hand up to touch her cheek. "See? I'm alright."
This touch loosens something in Jane and she scoops Maura up in her arms.
"I'm sorry, I should've controlled the sled better, I was being stupid," Jane mutters into Maura's hair, eyes closed, just taking in the feeling of holding Maura.
Maura rubs circles on Jane's back, holding her just as tightly. "Jane, I'm fine. You were not stupid at all. You didn't hurt me, okay? It was…amazing."
She presses a kiss to Jane's head, and Jane holds her tighter in relief.
"Okay," she says, finally pulling back. "Let's get you home, yeah? We've got a lot of unpacking to do."
Jane stands up. Picks the sled up, rolls her shoulders back.
Get it together, Rizzoli.
But there Maura is, staring up at her from the ground.
"Actually, can we… would you mind if…" She trails off, looking back down.
When she lifts her head up, she's smiling a little, looking hopeful. "Can we go again please?"
The tension in Jane's shoulders dissipates, as she holds out a hand to Maura, helping her off the ground.
"You're sort of an adrenaline junkie, aren't you?"
Maura seems to think about that, looking perplexed.
Then she shrugs. "Perhaps."
Jane grins. "Yeah, okay, we'll go again. Race you up the hill!"
She takes off with the sled up the hill, and hears Maura following her.
"Hey! Jane!" Maura whines a little, and Jane tries not to laugh. "Not fair!"
She slows to let Maura win, then tackles her at the top of the hill.
They sled until it gets dark.
Hope you all enjoyed. Reviews please? Pretty please with cherries on top?