A/N: Thanks for all of the follows and reviews! I'm truly grateful that you're enjoying this.
I wanted to give a small warning for this story. I plan to include Detective Frost as a new character that Jane will be meeting shortly. Along with everyone else, I was absolutely devastated to hear of Lee's tragic passing. I felt like it was important to show Frost as a character here, because I think he would have had a profound impact on Jane's recovery. I just wanted to let people know, because I know how hard it was for me to watch the episodes that aired after Lee's death. He will definitely be missed.
"I think my fingers are going to fall off," Jane complained.
"Oh Jane, that's highly unlikely. Physical therapy still going well?"
It had been two weeks of physical therapy. Or as Jane liked to call it, Hell. She spent hours each day working with an overly chipper Stephanie, who seemed to have a smile painted on her face at all times. Jane had spent the earlier part of the week doing clay modeling and squeezing stress balls, which hadn't been all that bad. Unfortunately for her, Stephanie was so impressed with her progress that she moved Jane up to the next level. Jane spent all week struggling with snaps, zippers, and buckles.
The mental frustration was easily the worst part of it. She had spent all day cursing as she worked to get an over-sized button through a hole. All the while Stephanie smiled. The irony of it all was that Jane couldn't even smack her if she wanted to.
"Doctor says the bandages will come off tomorrow. Wounds have finally scabbed over."
"Oh that's wonderful!" Maura exclaimed.
"Yeah..." Jane looked down. Did this mean she would no longer have a reason to stop by?
"Do they feel sore?"
Jane nodded. "Couldn't get them to stop shaking. I'm currently at war with a big yellow button."
"May I see?"
Jane was hesitant, but her curiosity won over. She gave a small nod and held out her hands.
Maura slowly and cautiously threaded her fingers through Jane's.
"Tell me if this hurts."
Jane could only swallow in response. Maura laced her fingers into Jane's and lightly pushed her fingers back, stretching out the palm. Jane inhaled sharply at the pressure. Her wrists and toes felt tingly, as if all of the blood has rushed from there back to her rapidly beating heart.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah," Jane choked out. "Wow, that feels incredible."
Maura smiled as she curled her fingers around the back of Jane's palms and pulled forward.
"And this?"
"Even better." Jane watched in silence as Maura continued to delicately stretch her hand. "So, you speak five languages, went to medical school, and you're a certified physical therapist?"
Maura laughed. "Hardly. I just studied techniques online earlier this week," she said quickly, her face reddening.
"So guess what?" Jane prompted, smiling at Maura's remark.
"I never guess."
Jane rolled her eyes and smirked. "You are impossible."
"She says to the woman giving her a hand massage?"
"That's right," Jane said with a laugh. "I'm going to talk to Cavanaugh tomorrow morning."
"About when you'll be back?" Maura asked, using a small circular movement across each finger.
"Yeah." Jane paused for a few moments, before confessing, "I'm going to ask for a new partner."
Maura stopped her ministrations and looked up. "But why? Detective Korsak seems like one of the bests."
Nodding along in agreement, Jane shrugged her shoulders. "Just time. I'm going to see if Cavanaugh will let me run my own team."
Maura raised her eyebrows at the comment. Jane was already one of the youngest on the force. She was coming off of a nearly two month medical leave, and still she was going to push for team lead. She had such tenacity. Such confidence. Maura could only shake her head in amazement.
Despite her happiness for Jane, Maura couldn't help but worry. True she looked better and better each day, but there was such tiredness in her eyes. That exhaustion remained no matter how many jokes and sarcastic comments she made. Maura could tell that Jane was still only getting a few hours of sleep a night. She wasn't sure how much longer Jane's body could take it. She knew working full time would only exasperate it.
Giving Jane's fingers a small squeeze, Maura whispered, "Good luck."
"I don't know, Rizzoli. We've got a few detectives that have been here much longer than you. Like Crowe-"
"But I've got more arrests." Jane argued. "Closed more cases than him and Tanner combined."
"That's true, " Lieutenant Cavanaugh said, rubbing the back of neck. He had recently been promoted, and didn't want to cause any bad blood among the precinct. Still, she had a point, so he tried another angle.
"Why do you want to move out from Korsak? Vince is a good guy. I thought the two of you got along pretty well."
Pulling the sleeves of her sweater past her bruised hands, she chewed on her lip. She knew this question was coming. How could she tell him that the real reason was that Korsak couldn't trust her. Not after seeing her like that. So broken and helpless. She didn't want to see that look in his eyes ever again.
"We did - that is, we do. It's just that... I need to start this year off right. I'm ready for this, Lieutenant. I won't let you down."
"Rizzoli, I can't avoid the obvious question." Cavanaugh took a deep breath, knowing that treading carefully would get him nowhere. "Your hands. You can't shoot a gun. I can't put you out there if you're a risk to yourself or others. It's not fair to you or your team. I'd stick you on paperwork, but..." Cavanaugh trailed off uncomfortably.
Jane pulled the sleeves down further and grew defiant.
"I'm still just as good as a detective as I ever was. I won't go on any busts, but I can still help. I can put the evidence together to find a motive. I can still interrogate. I can-"
Cavanaugh waved his hand to silence Jane, suddenly realizing that he just might be able to solve his current staffing issue.
"You win, Rizzoli. This is what we'll do. I'll give you your own team. You're going to take this Frost kid, alright? Just started. I think you'll be good for him."
Jane was hesitant. Cavanaugh appeared to be holding in a laugh. What kind of moron were they sticking her with? Still, she knew she wasn't in a position to argue.
"When do I start?"
"What's all this?"
Jane dropped a large Tupperware on the doctor's desk.
"My Ma's famous lasagna. Best you've ever had."
Jane placed two bowls in front of the them as Maura peeled open the lid. Maura gave her a curious look as she scooped lasagna into both of them.
"I'm starting work on Monday. Team lead. Figured we should celebrate."
Maura gasped in delight. "We'll finally be working together!"
Jane nodded as she pulled the bowl closer to her. "And that's not all. Watch this."
Jane reached into the bag and pulled out a fork. She was still unable to hold it normally between her fingers, but she had found a workaround. Grabbing it as if it were the handlebars of a motorcycle, she stabbed it into the lasagna and took a bite.
"Look at you!"
"Ah, come on. It's not like I'm turning water into wine or anything."
"Jane, don't you dare minimize it. This is a big moment."
Jane smiled, inwardly very happy with Maura's reaction. "Go on, have a bite."
Maura happily complied. She listened as Jane retold her experience with Cavanaugh. She couldn't help but be reminded of the dining room scene from Beauty and the Beast as Jane scooped the pasta up awkwardly.
It was one of her favorite stories growing up. She always felt like she could relate to Belle; interested in reading, deemed an outcast by her peers. Despite the way she was treated, Belle stayed true to herself and eventually found the love and companionship Maura always felt she deserved. Maura found herself comparing Jane to the Beast. Rough on the outside, but a kind and gentle person once you got to know her. She couldn't help but smile.
"What?" Jane asked, realizing that Maura was staring and no longer listening. "Do I have something on my face?" Jane asked, knowing full well she had made a mess.
There was red tomato sauce all over her chin. Laughing, Maura leaned over and wiped her napkin across Jane's lips.
"Just a bit."
Jane grinned. "I don't know, I think it was kind of a good look on me."
As they continued to chat, Maura began to worry about the prospect of working with Jane. Most detectives didn't come down to the morgue too often. They seemed perfectly content to wait and read Maura's reports from the comfort of their own desks. Would Jane be the same way? From the bodies Maura had shown her thus far, Jane appeared to be drawn to the gore. The grosser, the better.
She hoped she would come down often. She hoped it wouldn't change the friendship they had formed so far. Maura had made the unwise decision of dating coworkers in the past, which was never a good idea. Even when the relationship was going well, it seemed that their working relationship would suffer. But were not dating, Maura reminded herself. Those rules don't apply.
Again, Jane drew Maura out of her thoughts.
"They're setting me up with some new kid. Frost, I think it was?"
"Oh, yes! We sat through the same orientation class. I haven't seen him since."
"Hmm," Jane said, wiping her chin again. "They way Cavanaugh said his name makes me worried. I hope he's not a huge dolt."
"Jane, he got into homicide. He's obviously not."
Jane grunted in response. "Then you obviously haven't met all of the detectives in homocide."
Maura shook her head and laughed, "Jane!"
"Oh you know it's true. Have you met Crowe yet?"
"Ahh, yes. He's a bit..."
"Terrible?"
"I was going to say a handful. But I could describe you the same way."
Jane gasped in fake disgust and tossed her napkin at Maura.
"I guess I should get going." Having no reason to come back now that her bandages were gone, Jane found she had no excuse to see her for the rest of the week. "See you Monday? Hopefully not over a dead body."
Maura smiled. "See you Monday."
A/N: Hope you enjoyed the fluff! I'm getting ready to delve more into Jane's nightmares, so were bringing on the angst shortly. Hope all of you are ready for the slow burn.