As Jane wandered aimlessly through the small market, her mind wandered back to Maura. Taking her time, she deconstructed the morning's events. So, she had been chatting with another woman, it didn't mean anything. In fact, with the beauty of hindsight, Maura had looked decidedly uncomfortable. 'what a jerk.' Jane mumbled under her breath.
She paused in front of a market stall, perusing the merchandise available. Her eye was drawn to a simple O shaped stone on a leather band. The warm hue reminded her of her lover's eyes. Searching through her bag, Jane was brought to the verge of tears. There were plain envelopes, each of the names of the various stops on, each one containing currency for said location. This. She turned each envelope over carefully. This was why she loved the doctor, her forethought, doing the things she knew Jane wouldn't even think of.
Snapping back to reality, she bartered briefly before purchasing the necklace.
"There you are!" Maura's hands slid effortlessly into Jane's. Their fingers intertwined so naturally. They were a perfect fit. Jane turned, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears.
"I'm a real dickwad, y'know?"
Maura nodded silently, allowing Jane to beat herself up, thus saving her the job.
"I don't know why you put up with me." It was clear Jane was searching for something. "You deserve better." She admitted, dropping her gaze and studying her flip flopped feet.
"Miss….." The vendor seemed irritated. Maura took the white paper bag and flashed him a brilliant smile as thanks.
Tiptoeing slightly, Maura placed a delicate kiss on Jane's lips. "You're my dickwad!" She whispered softly.
-/-
They had been flying almost forever, or at least that's how it felt to Steve. The small plane had developed a rather a pungent odour over the course of the trip.
"Wake those dogs up!" Chip growled from the pilot's seat. "We're landing soon. "
Steve sighed, grateful for the knowledge that he would soon be freed from his present company. Kicking half-heartedly at Bear and Walter, he was greeted with a string of expletives.
"Stop swearing fuckers!" Chip barked, "We're here!
Bear sat up and grinned, exposing foul teeth and a gust of worse breath. Reaching for a large metal box, the excitement radiating from him was palpable. To each man he nodded as he settled for the landing, the large box guarded beneath heavy legs.
As the plane came to a halt, Chip emerged dragging the large box away from Bear and eliciting a dangerous growl.
Ignoring his companion, Chip removed a key and flicked the box open with ease. To each man, he handed a white envelope, which they opened hurriedly.
"OK." Chip began, "Got some good ones this year." He held up pictures as he spoke. "Death row – 17 rape/murders of kids, all under six." He threw the picture to the ground and spat on the image.
"Another sick fuck." Chip continued, holding up a new picture.
Steve zoned out. 'Another sick fuck.' His mind echoed, looking around slowly. His eyes came to rest on each man as he contemplated why they were all there. Yes, Chip was right, a plane full of sick fucks. An island in the middle of god's nowhere full of them. Full was maybe a stretch, there were no more than 15 people on the island, including themselves. They were hunters, each with their own reason for being there. Steve's was simple, but the others? They were no better than the prey they were here for.
A Kevlar vest landed with a thump in Steve's lap, snapping him from his reverie.
"Got eight this year!" Bear was beside himself with glee. "Man, this is gonna be sweet!"
"Any of them 'the one'?" Chip asked, his eyes softening as he handed Steve a large hunting rifle and a metal ammo box. Steve shook his head sadly as he tucked the photographs back into their envelope.
Chip's compassion disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. "Open season!" he cheered, slapping Steve on the back as he got to his feet. "Don't leave any gear behind. No one must know we were here." He shot warning glances to each man before continuing. "You have 6 days, if you're not back here by sunset, you stay." Each man nodded his agreement silently.
Steve watched as they all ran from the plane, each hellbent on his own missions. Picking up his backpack, Steve threw the rifle over his shoulder and stepped into the moist jungle air.
-/-
Jane and Maura ambled slowly through the small market in comfortable silence. Behind them, Jane heard a man's voice raised in anger and she turned slowly. He was gesticulating wildly as his wife tried to pacify him.
"I should go and see if I can help." Jane offered, squeezing Maura's hand softly.
Maura looked towards the commotion and almost instantly recognised the man involved. "Just leave it alone Jane." She tightened her grip on the brunette and pulled her away. "Please?"
Jane frowned down into pleading hazel eyes. "Ok." She relented, "For you."
"John, please will you just ignore them." Elaine pulled on his arm. "They're not hurting anyone."
"Not hurting anyone?" John roared, his face turning an impressive shade of beetroot. "Look at them, walking around with decent people!" he shrugged out of his wife's grip, striding away. "All over each other. It's an affront to God!"
"Really John!" Elaine stopped in her tracks, her own cheeks burning with embarrassment at the scene her husband was causing. "I'm sure if God was that upset with people being in love, he'd strike them down himself!" Her voice cracked with emotion causing John to stop.
"I'm sorry honey." He closed the space between them, wrapping her in his strong arms. "Those sorts of people just make me sick."
"Oh ain't that the truth!" A voice broke into their newfound silence. "They should stick with their own kind." She continued as they pulled apart. "I mean, there are children on this trip too."
John and Elaine looked at the rotund woman with joy and horror respectively.
"That's what I've been saying all along." John extended his hand. "I'm John Ford."
"Lana Logue, good to meet y'all." She regarded Elaine with mild distain before linking arms with John and feeding his vitriol as they walked back towards the ship.
Jane and Maura stepped into their cabin and pushed the door silently behind them. "What was that about?" Maura asked, inflecting as much nonchalance as she could manage.
"What was what?" Jane asked.
"Why did you leave?" Maura asked. She knew she was dancing on the fine line of Jane's wrath but she just couldn't help herself. "You didn't even leave a note."
Jane shook her head. "I'm a jerk." She admitted, feeling the familiar gurgle of annoyance in her gut. Was this really the primary response to Maura or was it just the arch of her eyebrow that fired her irritation? She couldn't decide but she swallowed the feeling and took a deep cleansing breath, hoping to avoid another confrontation.
"I made a mistake." She admitted. "I thought I saw something that I didn't and I over reacted."
Maura smiled. She had her suspicions as to what had made Jane leave.
"Are you mad?" Jane asked. She bounced nervously on the balls of her feet as she awaited a response.
"Do you want me to be?" Maura purred softly, her eyes flashing in challenge. It had been so long since Jane had shown any interest in her that Maura had decided that even jealousy could be a hopeful sign.
Advancing slowly on the brunette, Maura licked her lips and chuckled as Jane fidgeted.
"So you're not mad?" Jane found herself backing away slowly. She had been expecting Maura to be angry at her for leaving, and rightfully so. Of all the reactions and ways she'd imagined this moment going, this was certainly not one of them.
"I can be mad if you'd prefer." Maura closed the gap, brushing her fingers slowly up Jane's exposed arms. Jane bumped into the wall and gasped. "I know you like that." Maura's breath tickled Jane's neck as she spoke.
Jane stood agape, all her senses firing at once.
"I…. Maura." Jane closed her eyes as Maura's lips found her weakness. She could face down the worst of the worst, interrogate the scum of the earth, even take a bullet and yet, faced with her lover, she was completely disarmed. Nipping at the delicate flesh of Jane's neck, Maura pressed her hard into the wall and smiled innocently as Jane shuddered. She had missed this. There was a time when she could render Jane speechless with nothing more than a smouldering look, but lately, well.
She pulled back quickly, straightening her blouse. "Are you quite alright?" she purred softly, her tone heading straight to Jane's core. Jane's eyes darkened to a dangerous obsidian passion as she nodded, her body overriding her rapidly failing brain.
Stalking forwards, Jane grinned as Maura's breath caught in her throat. She'd kept Jane on the back foot so far, but now it seemed the tables had turned.
"She wants you, you know?" Jane growled. "I saw her flirting with you." Maura shuddered, she hadn't realised that Jane had seen so much. Moving around the large couch, her hand reached out for it, steadying herself.
Jane held her gaze, mirroring her movements, slowly stalking the doctor.
"I bet she's in her cabin, thinking about you." The inflection in her voice left no doubt in Maura's mind exactly what she was implying.
"I don't want her." Maura whispered.
"She can't have you!" Jane spat the words out, searching Maura's eyes. The predatory grin that swept over Jane's face made Maura weak.
"Why not?" she croaked.
Grabbing her wrist, Jane pulled Maura into her, spinning her roughly and pressing her groin into Maura's firm backside.
Sweeping long honey blonde hair to the side, Jane delighted in the shaking that consumed her partners body. Jane bit her neck roughly, leaving an angry bruise in her wake. Maura pressed back into rolling hips and gasped as Jane's hand ran up her body, grasping fiercely at full breasts and making Maura cry out.
"Because you're mine." Jane growled into her ear. She ripped at the buttons on the doctors silk shirt, sending them bouncing over the plush carpet.
Maura's skin burned, the air conditioned chill only fuelling the desire that dance, barely contained, beneath the surface.
Jane's hands explored every inch of newly exposed skin, her rough touch drawing primal moans from deep within Maura's soul.
"Jane?" It was a strangled whisper, choked off by need.
Jane mumbled into her neck as she crushed Maura roughly against the back of the couch. Her hands fumbled momentarily with the clasp of Maura's bra before flinging it onto the cushion.
Rolling her hips, Jane teased at tight, firm nipples, her hands driving Maura in her most favoured way. Truth be told, she missed this, missed how Maura's body responding so willingly to her touch. Maura twitched and shook as Jane caressed and teased her breasts before roughly pinching and squeezing the pliant flesh.
"In…. me….." Maura's pants sent bolts of arousal through the brunette and sent her hands automatically lower. Dipping into her shorts, Jane growled. Her teeth grazed Maura's neck once more, leaving yet another mark. Her fingers teased over wet cotton and Maura pushed hard into her touch.
"Mine?" Jane breathed softly.
Maura covered Jane's hand with her own, trying in vain to gain the contact she so desperately needed.
"Mine?" Jane growled again.
Maura whined, a pitiful sound that, in any other circumstance, she would be embarrassed about.
"Tell me." The desperation that oozed from Jane cut through everything else, burning Maura's ears and cutting at her heart.
"Yours." She confirmed.
It was all Jane needed, her fingers dipped into Maura's panties and she caught her breath. Claiming everything she'd ever wanted, Jane moaned as her fingers slipped effortlessly through slick folds. Pushing gently through the ring of muscle, Jane felt Maura shudder as she thrust her fingers deep.
Maura was closer than she'd anticipated possible; her legs were shaking as Jane reclaimed her completely. Sliding one hand between them, she fumbled with the button on Jane's jeans, desperate to feel warm skin against her own.
Jane grabbed her wrist firmly, pressing her hand onto the back of the sofa and holding her in place as she continued to play the doctors body perfectly.
"Jane..." she gasped the word as her knees buckled and her climax ripped through her. Jane caught her quickly, holding the shaking woman as she guided her gently down from her orgasm.
"I need to shower." Maura stated simply almost an hour later. "I want to see what entertainment is on offer for tonight." She stroked Jane's hair as she lay in her lap.
"Me too." Jane mumbled. She had been on the verge of dozing off. "About the shower. I reckon we could make plenty of entertainment of our own."
Maura grinned. "Well I think I still owe you." She purred, causing Jane to sit up abruptly. "Come on." Maura grabbed her hand and led her towards the bathroom.
-/-
Steve set his tent, camouflaged it and had just lit his fire when he heard the first shot. It came from the south side of the island, as he knew it would. He'd trekked north for a few hours before setting camp in a small glade. The boat always dropped the others at the south side; it allowed the cargo ship, unmarked of course, a safer passage. After all, it wouldn't do for anyone to find out what was happening here.
Steve sighed and opened his backpack, pulling a packet of bacon and mushroom risotto and dumping the contents unceremoniously into the water he'd set to boil.
Another shot ripped into the night.
Opening his leather journal, Steve sighed heavily. His heart hurt to sit here and yet, he had no choice. He had considered learning how to fly so that, should he wish, I could take the plane and disappear back home.
The only thing that stopped him was the expense. If he blew money on learning how to fly, then he wouldn't be able to afford the trip. And what if that was the year he was here?
Staring into the flickering orange, Steve's mind ran with memories.
His pants were itchy. They rubbed and chaffed at his most personal of places. Of all the things he currently had to think about, even he was astounded by how much of his consciousness was taken up by his pants.
The trial had lasted a little longer than forever. He'd been there every day, listening to what had happened to his family. How this man had violated his beautiful fiancée, beaten her so badly she'd been blinded in one eye. Slashed her hair off with a dull knife. Sliced skin and flesh from her body and made his daughter watch everything.
He'd seen the pictures of his angel. His sweet innocent daughter who had never hurt anyone, couldn't hurt anyone. The images had been burnt into his soul, created from medical terms he'd had to look up. The things she'd seen, the terror he'd inflicted on an innocent child.
Their deaths had been slow, torturous but they had come. Steve was living in hell, his heart and soul being put through a spiked mangle and doused in acid. He would never be able to live again.
"All parties in the case of State Vs Lucas to court 4."
Steve got to his feet and brushed down his pants. Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door to the court and settled in his seat behind the man accused of unspeakable crimes.
"All rise."
Steve bowed his head slightly as the judge returned and settled into his seat, followed quickly by the jury. This was it.
"Have you come to a verdict?"
Unconsciously, Steve held his breath and crossed his fingers.
"We have."
The anticipation in the air was thick, he could taste the tension.
"On the count of murder in the first degree. How you do you find the defendant?" The judge's voice shook as he spoke.
All eyes turned to the jury foreman. All bar Steve's. He stared at the back of Ian Lucas' head, willing him to turn as he had so often during the trial.
"Guilty."
Steve felt sobs wrack his body as he fell back into his seat. The list of charges all came back guilty. But Steve hadn't heard a thing.
Wiping his eyes, he was thankful he lived in a state that still carried the death penalty and a judge nicknamed 'Captain Fry 'em'.