*A/N: I am sorry this chapter took so long to post, you fantastic readers. My sister had surgery earlier this week and I had to spend a majority of my time taking care of her. I hope that you enjoy my latest installment!
Like You
Chapter Two
Detective Jane Rizzoli fumbled with her keys before dropping them onto the paved walkway. She could feel the growl of frustration vibrate against her throat at her the recent string of bad luck. Sighing, she reached for the keys before making her way up to the door a few feet way. As she placed the key in its rightful position, she noted the lack of light from within. As the door opened before her, she confirmed her theory.
"Maura?" She called into the seemingly abandoned house.
When met with no response, Jane peered through the glass door of the kitchen. She found that her mother's guest house was also enveloped in darkness aside from the lone outside lamp that Maura had installed for Angela's safety when coming home from a late shift at the diner. As she turned to leave, Jane heard a muffled voice from within. From the sound of things, someone was really upset. As she entered the residence, Jane noted that Maura's purse and keys were sitting on the kitchen counter along with her phone.
"That explains why you didn't answer my call." Jane mused as she closed and locked the heavy wooden door behind her.
As Jane made her way into the kitchen, a crash sounded from the direction of Maura's bedroom. Swiftly making her way towards the room, Jane unclasped her holster. With one hand firmly on the firearm that still rested against her side, Jane leaned against the door frame leading to Maura's bedroom. She tensed as she listened to the conversation from within. A male voice shouted above an obviously upset woman's crying. He made claims that no man had a right to, claims of ownership. Jane felt the anger rise within at the thought of anyone trying to own Maura Isles. When she heard what appeared to be a fierce slap, Jane shoved open the door with one hand while her other hand pulled out the Glock 23 that it had been resting on.
"Let her go!" Jane shouted as she entered the dimly lit room.
A surprised shriek came from Maura Isles as she jumped up from a sitting position on her bed.
Taking a moment to assess the situation, Jane took a step back in embarrassment. From a brief surveillance of the darkened room, Jane could note an argument waging from the fifty-two inch flat panel television that hung against the left-hand wall.
"Jane?" A slightly fearful Maura questioned.
As she quickly returned her firearm to its holster, Jane stood straight and fumbled for the words to explain.
"I heard a voice." She tried.
"A voice?" Maura's fear turned to concern.
"No, not like a crazy voice," Jane reasoned as her frustration rose, "I heard fighting and I thought you may be hurt. So I came in."
"Oh!" Jane winced when Maura's utterance of understanding finally came.
Reaching for a remote, Maura paused the film that she had been watching.
"Can you turn on the light, please?" Maura asked not daring to move just quite yet.
With the room now illuminated in light, Jane felt even more ridiculous. Here she stood, in Maura's bedroom, before her best friend after terrifying her at gun point.
"Just when I thought tonight couldn't get any worse. I'm really sorry, Maura." Jane apologized even though it sounded more like a deflated whimper.
"Oh, what's a little gun play between friends?" Maura tried once her heart stopped racing.
"Maura, this isn't a joke. I could have shot you." Jane was concerned about Maura's blatant disregard for the severity of the situation.
"Jane, you have been in law enforcement for more than ten years. I think that I can trust you not to enter a residence and fire at the first thing that moves. Now, sit down, you look like you just shot someone." Maura grinned as she patted the bed behind her before taking a seat.
"That is not funny." Grimacing, the detective made her way to the bed and took a seat beside her friend.
"Okay. Now, tell me." Maura coached as though she were a psychiatrist.
"Tell you what?" Annoyance was a Rizzoli trait that Maura had become accustomed to receiving when Jane was upset or in a stressful situation.
"What happened with Special Agent Dean?" Feigning a suggestive tone, Maura knew Jane had called it off Special Agent Dean.
"We kissed. I told him that I wasn't ready to be in a relationship with him. He left." Jane summarized as though she were writing up a police report.
Jane was aware of her ability to detach herself from situations that caused her discomfort. Now, she could feel it in the way she spoke of Dean. She was comforted by the fact that Maura seemed to understand her emotions even when she failed to convey them openly. At the thought, Jane felt a calm begin to settle around her and a slight smile threaten to spread across her face. Spending time with Maura after a stressful day always seemed to provide comforting and relaxing escape.
"Well, there has to be something good about the situation. Your zygomatic major and orbicularis oculi muscles are involuntarily contracting." Maura pointed out as studied the contracting muscles around Jane's jaw and cheek bones.
"What?" Even with the annoyance at having to ask for a definition, Jane welcomed the conversation.
"A smile, Jane, you are smiling. However, the orbicularis oculi only contracts when the smile is involuntary and thus genuine. Therefore, something has made you genuinely happy. Do tell what it is, my friend. " Maura attempted to support Jane by rubbing small circles into the detective's slumping back.
"I don't know why my obscure spatula is moving." Jane lied.
"Orbicularis oculi, Jane. " Maura corrected all the while stopping the movement of her hands.
'You say tomato, I say tomato." Jane whined against the sudden feel of Maura's hand leaving its position on her back.
"If you aren't going to tell me, will you watch this movie with me? I was getting into it." Without waiting for a response, Maura made her way to the door where she closed it and turned off the lights.
Once again Jane found herself in a darkened room with Maura. At least, I am not pointing a gun at her, Jane thought. Standing up, she took a moment to take off her shoes, place her gun and badge on the nightstand beside the bed, and settle comfortable into a laying position on the bed.
"What are we watching?" Jane finally asked once she was in a position to comfortably watch the television.
"The Lucky One." Maura stated as though it explained everything.
"What," Jane paused at the feel of Maura's arm sliding against her own when the blonde settled in beside her, "What is that?"
"It is a Nicholas Sparks film. Sometimes I wonder if you know anything about modern culture." Maura half-heartedly complained.
As the film began, Jane allowed herself to slip into the light banter that she and Maura shared when watching movies. While Maura normally interrupted films with small bits of information about the many falsities presented on film, Jane had found that romantic movies resulted in Maura simply observing and making what Jane jokingly called normal people talk.
"I was smiling because I am glad that you are my best friend." Jane admitted finally.
When a response from the doctor wasn't forthcoming, Jane glanced over to find a sleeping Maura curled up against her side. In the glow of the television light, Jane found that a peaceful smile played lightly on Maura's lips. With a huge grin, Jane closed her own eyes and settled herself closer to the warmth of Maura's sleeping form.
Tomorrow, she would give Maura a hard time about falling asleep during a romantic movie. She'd probably ask if the doctor found romance boring and suggest that it was the reason for her lack of interest in relationships as of late. Tonight, however, she was content to enjoy the comfort of having her best friend sleeping safely beside her. Tonight, like all the other nights she spent with Maura, she would sleep without fear of Charles Hoyt.