Author's note: Thank you very much for the reviews and private messages (I will reply to the PMs this weekend).
...
"I have rocks in my hair!" Jane Rizzoli.
Chapter Four – From The North To The South
Jane stepped out on the small terrace of their studio wearing nothing but a long shirt and her sunglasses. She waved a hand at Maura then sat next to her at the table. The sun had woken her up. It had pierced through the wooden shutters and had slid on her skin in a warm embrace; too warm to remain asleep.
She yawned. Thankfully they had gone to bed early the evening before. After a short walk through the village, they had headed back to the hotel and had fallen asleep within the hour; exhausted after such a long journey.
"Kalimera*!" Fresh as a daisy, Maura poured a mug of coffee for Jane then pointed the different plates that littered the table. "This is a typical Greek breakfast: yogurt, honey, coffee... If you need more, ask Maria. She is the woman who is watering the plants by the swimming-pool."
Jane grabbed a slice of watermelon and bent over the low wall to check the employee Maura had mentioned. The infinity pool was located two floors lower but the vegetation was such that she could barely see an ounce of blue through all the flowers and the plants. Her curiosity to see what Maria looked like would have to wait.
"So what have you planned for us today? And don't pretend you don't have anything in head. I know you do, Maura..."
As long as it didn't include Kostos then Jane was all fine with Maura's plans. She knew that her attitude towards him was not justified but she couldn't help it. He had been adorable with them the evening before at the restaurant, making sure that they had every single thing they wanted, but Jane had obsessed over the way he ogled Maura whenever he stopped by their table.
They had probably slept together. As a matter of fact, Jane was certain of that. And so what? They were both adults and free to do whatever they wanted. Kostos was good-looking, after all. And nice. And smart.
"Akrotiri."
Maura's voice put an end to Jane's wonders. Back to reality. The taste of coffee spread in her mouth before warming up her throat. It was strong and dark; just the way she liked it.
"It's 7.30am, Maura. Please talk to me in English. My brain's not functioning at its fullest."
A very loud siren resounded in the distance. Jane took her sunglasses off and squinted her eyes at the sea that spread below. A ferry was leaving the coast, a large one. It came from Thira. She lost herself in the contemplation of the foam the boat was leaving behind, a trail of white troubling the blue waters of the Aegan sea.
How come the sun was so bright and high already? It reflected on the waves in delicate shades of gold and floodlit the whiteness of the little houses on the cliff.
"Akrotiri is the name of a Bronze Age settlement, a Minoan town. It is located on the other side of the island, right in the South. We need to take two buses to go there: first one to Thira then one to the site."
"Bones? You want to see bones? Maura... You're on vacation! Let it go." Although the deep interest her friend showed in ancient civilizations secretly pleased Jane. There was something cute about it, something nerdy and cute. "I don't know if I'll survive a bus ride through this island. I really thought I was gonna die yesterday."
There are many different reactions Maura could have showed at this exact moment: she could have burst out laughing, she could have mocked Jane. She could have even teased her. But the one she actually chose – subconsciously enough – took them both aback.
She slid a hand on her friend's nape instead and caressed the hot skin Jane's dark curls hid there before bending over to plant a comforting kiss on her cheek.
"If I tell you that there is a beach in the area, does it help you overcome your slight reluctance to take a bus?"
...
Red Beach, Kokkini in Greek, is well known for the unique color of the sand and the hill behind it. Soaring red lava cliffs which drop right to the black sandy shore and into the clear blue sea, make for a majestic setting and one to enjoy.
The least Jane could say was that she was rather curious to see it. It looked very small on the picture of the guide book as only two rows of chaise-longue could fit in between the cliff and the sea. Small and windy. The waves were big.
Her conscience had also caused her to read the description of Akrotiri. It looked like a small Pompei; interesting but not as much as the beach.
"There are donkeys on the side of the road!"
There was something incredibly sweet in Maura's genuine excitement. It was actually the first time that the two of them went on vacation together so far from Boston. Their surroundings were very exotic and Jane saw it as an occasion to see Maura differently, to find out a side of her personaly that she didn't know much until now.
And the truth was that she loved it.
They stepped out of the first bus in Thira just on time to catch back a second one right away. They didn't stay long on the asphalt but Jane realized that the bus station was an adventure in itself: tourists were walking between the buses, drivers were yelling their destinations in Greek and parked in the rather narrow parking lot with a terrifying hability.
The South of Santorini didn't turn out to be as mountainous as the North and soon the landscape revealed vineyards and fields. It didn't look like Oia anymore. The roads weren't craggy but large and rather flat. Jane relaxed immediately.
"How many times have you come here, exactly?" If the guide book she had read while on the first bus was right, the drive to Akrotiri would take them 30 minutes which meant Jane had to find a topic to discuss if only to kill time.
Maura's pink cheeks adopted a darker shade. Aware of her blushing, she looked down at her lap to escape from Jane's gaze. Her relaxed attitude had melted into an obvious and sudden discomfort, one that made her timidly smile.
"This is my fourteenth visit to Santorini. I... This island owns a special place in my heart so I am really happy to share it with you this time."
The sweetness of the confession in disguise didn't reach Jane at all. She missed it out completely as she only kept in mind the amount of times her friend had visited the archipelago already. It was a lot considering that Santorini wasn't such a big island. She had probably even beat some sort of record.
"I won't ask you how many times you've been to Akrotiri. Obviously, you know this place by heart. I don't even get why you want to go back there today!"
Maura's hand slid on Jane's like a comforting caress; an unexpected one. She locked her hazel eyes with her friend's dark ones and let the serenity of her smile rock them both and carry them somewhere else; far from the bus, far from the other tourists.
"Because this is something that you have to see. Trust me."
And it was true. In spite of the scorching heat, Jane found the archeological site of Akrotiri to be extremely interesting to the point that she even complained when Maura announced that it was time for them to go to the beach.
She had been to Italy and France, she knew the weight of European History but something singular seemed to emanate from the ruins of Akrotiri; something powerful and fascinating. The houses, the cobblestone streets, the squares. A very odd feeling to be part of an incredible past had stirred up unknown feelings in Jane. She loved every second of their long visit.
They walked the short distance that separated them from the archeological site to the taverns by the sea.
It was a beautiful day, peaceful and very sunny. As they reached the end of the road – by the bus stop – a dozen of tourists appeared from the small harbor on their right. It was lunch time and a multitude of couples and families had invaded the narrow terraces to enjoy the local products and the catch of the morning.
It smelled of sea food and freshly baked bread. People were smiling. Maura closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"How about we go straight to the beach then buy a few sandwiches once there? All the taverns here seem to be full... Unless you prefer to wait and go to the restaurant instead."
Jane adjusted her sunglasses and opened a large bottle of icy water that they had just bought. The amount of liters she had drunk in the morning was rather impressive. She was close to break a personal record. But then the temperatures - combined to the wind - made her feel very thirsty.
"Red Beach, here we come."
Except taking the sea path instead of the road to go to Kokkini turned out to be more of an adventure than Jane would have imagined. If they did manage to walk along the tavern terraces for a while, they soon ended up facing nothing but the sea. They had missed the catamaran that could have taken them to Red Beach and the next one would not show up before another hour. Conclusion: they were stuck.
Or so.
Not bothered by the situation, Maura took off her sandals and stepped into the water. Little waves crashed against her ankles, warm ones. She made sure that Jane was following her before resuming her walking.
A couple of extra tavern terraces and a parking lot later, they finally reached the cliffs that led to Red Beach.
Kokkini was very windy and the moment they reached the summit of the small path, the sound of big waves crashing below rose in the air so loudly that they covered their ears. The narrow ribbon of gray sand appeared on their right.
Jane stopped to take a few pictures; some that she would make sure to send her colleagues just to tease them the way everyone expected her to do. She made a step backwards and was about to press the button when something landed in her hair; something light. She brought a hand to her mane and took small stones out of it. Red stones. She looked up to check whether someone had throw them at her but soon realized that it came from the cliff.
"I have rocks in my hair! Maura... The cliff is eroding. That's freaking dangerous!"
Peacefully sitting on a rock by the edge of the cliff, Maura offered her friend a smile worth a thousand words. She looked amused, way too amused for Jane's taste.
"It is, indeed. Therefore the sign on your left that says hikers shouldn't be standing under it."
Jane turned around in a very furtive movement and stared at the wooden sign. The colors had faded away but the warning was nonetheless clear. She swallowed hard and tried to ignore the fact that, if she survived the bus rides, chances were that she would die in Akrotiri knocked off by a lava cliff.
Greece was not as peaceful as it looked on pictures.
