A/N: Thanks for your reviews…Day 4 is off to an early start…let me know how you like it… as always: Rizzoli & Isles belongs to TNT and Tess Gerritson...I own nothing, just love them!
Day 4, 03:22 GMT+1, Paris, Quatier Latin, 22, Rue Guynemer
Jane lay awake in the perfectly pressed sheets, she checked her watch. It was terrible...she must have slept for a few hours but had woken up again...she tossed and turned but couldn't clear her head and fall asleep…she wondered what had happened after she had excused herself to the guestroom. Did something happen between the Francois and her friend…Maura was not timid when it came to sex…for it released immunoglobulin A…pfff…caus' that was a reason to sleep with someone…He was handsome Jane had to admit and he was undoubtedly into Maura…who wouldn't be…the way she responded to his advances was not telling him to back off certainly…No come on Maur' you didn't did you?...Jane slammed her hand on her forehead cursing the thoughts that centred around if or if not her friend hat engaged in an affair…Please, I want to sleep…I'll know in the morning and what does it matter anyways…but what was Francois weird comment about that Giselle?…obviously Maura had exquisite taste- for sure she had…Giselle was a women's name, wasn't it?…Maybe her interior designer?...But why rumours about that?…whatever, I'll ask her in the morning….Sleep Jane Rizzoli…
After a few more toss and turns it got worse…and an revolting image appeared in front of her eyes…Francois chubby fingers caressing Maura's flawless white skin…Agrr, disgusting …and those tempting cigar smoking lips, which seemed so immaculate, being kissed by this man's….vomit… that was it…
Jane jumped out of bed and slowly opened the door to the hallway. The wooden flooring released a squeaking sound when Jane entered the room…Shit…she had to be careful. Gently the tall woman tiptoed along the pitch black hallway toward the hall… If his coat was still there, he was with Maura- that was for sure…Making her way to the answer that would hopefully provide her with her well-deserved sleep, Jane bumped into something. She suppressed crying out in pain and swallowed the alarming ache in her knee…ughhh…you are like a five-year-old, snooping around in your friend's apartment…you deserve to hurt yourself…you're an accomplished detective for heaven's sake…this was beyond…uhh and it hurt…She held her hands out and tried to scan the object in front of her…it was cold, some metal probably…Jane composed herself and moved a little to the left and just when she thought it was safe and moved on, another wave of excruciating pain hit her, this time in her head…
"Ahhh, what the hell…" She shouted out and sunk to her knees, then slipped down to the floor dizziness taking over…
The lights flicked on and Maura's face appeared before Jane's. "What happened Jane, are you alright?" She looked really worried and her hands were softly placed on the brunette's shoulders.
"Uhmm…ya, ya, yes…I…I…I just hit something…I was thirsty and couldn't find the switch" Jane stuttered, amazed by herself how fast she came up with a white lie….
Maura turned her head and realised that her friend must have bumped into the bronze sculpture. She couldn't help but giggle… The surrendering Pierre de Wissant had knocked Jane out…and there she was lying on the floor in a tank top, briefs and barefooted…it was too bizarre and the doctor roared with laughter...
Jane was all herself again, sat up and got furious: "Hello, Doctor Isles, you are supposed to take care of the slain, not make fun!...I really hurt myself…that is not funny."
"I'm sorry Jane, but it most certainly is... See you were 'stricken' by a man who was known to be one of Les Bourgious de Calais." Maura motioned at the sculpture and continued "A siege was laid on the city of Calais in 1347, when six wealthy citizens surrendered themselves to the English in order to save their city. They are said to have faced Eduard III barefooted…" the doctor looked at Jane's feet, "…and only wearing a shirt. You have to admit, my dear Jane, that is funny."
Jane pouted and Maura held out her hand to help her stand up straight. "I'm fine."
"Well Jane, then may I introduce you to Pierre de Wissant, a replica and part of Rodin's masterpiece…Come on, let's put some ice on that head of yours" the blonde said, heading for the kitchen.
"This is why art and I will never become friends…bite you Pierre de Whatever…" Jane mumbled following her friend, but not without sticking out her tongue at the statue.
"Language, Jane."
Day 4, 08:04 GMT+1, Paris, Quatier Latin, 22, Rue Guynemer
Maura looked at the brown fluid streaming out of the Gaggia coffee machine. Jane will certainly love the taste of an exquisite European espresso. It felt so nice to know that her friend was still sound asleep down the hall. Her presence always made Maura comfortable. Life felt easier with the detective in it. She had someone she could share her thoughts with, someone she could run to whenever something was bothering her, someone who made her laugh, someone who teased her and whom she teased back, and both knew it was never an insult, always just an appreciation of their diversity…all her life Maura had felt left outside…her parents had been constantly busy and left her mostly to nannies. Later she was at boarding school…it was not a bad experience per se, but she never quite fit in…the girls made fun of her because she was different…she didn't get their jokes and they didn't share her passion for science and arts…Since she could remember, she was the odd one out…even at university…people appreciated her knowledge there and this was a common ground to start from, but soon it developed into envy…she was too smart, or too beautiful, or too well-bred…and Maura knew that she lacked social skills…she tried hard, but it was never rewarded…and she had to admit it was not rewarding for her either. Nobody ever captivated, fascinated her…she didn't look down on the others, no, but she couldn't really respect them either…they were too dull in a way. Those were the reasons why she never had a best friend until Jane came along…
She poured the coffee into a cup and walked up to the guest room. The doctor knocked on the door…"Good Morning Jane" Maura heard a murmur from inside and smiled…typically Jane. The doctor hesitated to walk in and decided on waiting for Jane to open the door. She had crossed the fine line yesterday and didn't want to overstep again…certainly she had seen the detective wake up several times, but she was extra careful about Jane's comfort zone…and it was also a matter of protecting herself…it had become harder on Maura to draw the line…
The door swung open and the slender women stood in front of her. The dark unruly curls were messier than usual and a few strands were covering her face. Jane looked awfully cute in the morning…and loveable…the drowsy detective blew the hair out of her face and squinted. "Uhmm…Mornin…" Maura held out the coffee mug and Jane took it graciously. "Heaven, thank you."
The doctor just wanted to hug her, the sight was too heavenly…it was the only time a day that Jane looked soft and nearly vulnerable… her guard wasn't up yet, literally. The always alert detective was still drugged with sleep and therefore lacked her usual intensity and strength…Maura had seen her like this before, but she felt like she would never get tired of the sight…it was just gorgeous…
"Well then sleepy head- get in gear; we have a great day ahead of us…"
"Uhmm…Maur…more lectures?" the tall women mumbled taking a sip of the coffee.
The blonde shook her head. "No lectures today…Paris is ours for the taking. So hurry up. I'll put the clothes I bought for you on your bed, while you're in the shower."
"Yes, Mum" Jane mouthed and was suddenly wide awake. "Shit, Maur'. I have to call Ma- she'll be worried sick…where's the phone?"
Maura petted her friend's arm. "Later Jane, it's the middle of the night in Boston. And don't worry- I had her informed…"
"Are you nuts? An Angela Rizzoli does not like to be informed…she needs to hear first hand…she's a Boston Italian Mother…Hell, I'm dead! Man, she'll go all the Godfather on me. Pff…"
"We'll write her an email, but get ready first, ok?"
"Mhmm…ok." Jane uttered under her breath and went into the bathroom. She saw a stack of towels and took one. It was the fluffiest towel she had ever held in her hands…amazing. She looked for the label, because they would make a wonderful present for her mum, but couldn't find one. Instead she came across a piece of embroidery consisting of intertwined curly letters…M...A…S…C…I…strange brand, or maybe not…mhmmm…Maura's initials possibly?
Day 4, 10:14 GMT+1, Paris, somewhere on the Seine riverbank
They were strolling along the Seine and it was breathtaking…now Jane knew why everyone was making such a fuss about seeing Europe…it was beautiful…she kinda enjoyed being here…but she most certainly would never reveal this to Maura…she would enjoy this far too much, because of all the times Jane had made fun of her and her globetrotting…on the other hand…the doctor had gone to great lengths to make the trip as comfortable as possible for Jane…she had bought her clothes, brought her coffee in the morning, never let her pay for anything, recommended marvellous pain au chocolat…
"You know what Maur', this is not that bad…" she mumbled…bravo Jane, good one. Couldn't you come up with something more sophisticated?
"Thank you, Jane." The doctor smiled…she knew what Jane meant…she was having a good time…knowing her friend that long, she was able to decipher the Rizzoli utterings and her skills of reading facial expressions came in handy.
"Do you like what I picked out for you? I think it suits you." Maura asked shyly and Jane looked down at herself. The doctor had given her a pair of used looking G-star raw jeans, a vintage v-neck tee bearing the Marianne and a and a dark blue Armani blazer. To make the fashionista happy the detective even wore the wrinkled blue and white striped ultra thin cotton scarf wrapped loosely around her neck. "Well yes, thank you. A little fancier than my usual stuff maybe…but fashionable. It was really nice of you to take care of that. You know I didn't have time to pack. But, when did you get them?"
"Oh, I have my ways… I especially love the blazer on you, it has a tighter fit than your usual ones…that's sexy." The blonde gave her a wink.
"Well, thank you…Can I ask you something?" Jane started and continued after a nod from her friend. "What was Francois fussing about some Cecile, some rumours and you having exquisite taste?"
Shoot, the brunette had picked up on that unnecessary comment…she was a detective after all, and a good one…this required bluffing out…
"Mhmm? Oh, don't you think I have good taste?" Maura tried smoothly and just ignored the rest of the question…she hoped that Jane would just let it go…
Jane smiled "I told you before; you always look like we're just about to do a photo shoot…and your home, sorry homes, I've seen so far aren't shabby either…Is Cecile your interior designer and this elite gossip on the secret who decorated whose home ?"
This was an easy one: "No, she's not. I don't have an interior designer…nobody could ever live up to my mother's standard…we do it ourselves."
"Should have figured…so who is she then and what's the rumour about?" Jane sensed that the doctor was hiding something; she was an easy read, for the brunette at least…
Maura could feel her heart rate rising, soon she would start to perspire…in a moment like this she hated that she was unable to lie…her head was spinning, how could she provide satisfactory information without revealing too much…Jane wouldn't drop it and if she tried evading and started talking about random facts, she'd pick up on it…ok, just keep it short and simple: "She's my former professor."
"Come on, don't be boring…let me in on the clandestine topic that is discussed in high circles about famous Dr. Maura Isles…" Jane insisted in an ironic tone and waved her hands about.
That was too much…the detective had hit her Achilles' heel…she was not boring…the Maura-the-Borer times were over…Jane had asked for it…
"Well, Jane Rizzoli, if you must know: rumour has it that I have had an affair with Cecile de Beauclairment who happened to be my professor…does that sound boring to you?"
The brunette tapped the doctor's shoulder, realising that it was her sore point, and said enthusiastically: "Wow. That is definitely not a boring – kudos to this rumour! …so he figured you and me…exquisite taste…I get it…" She laughed and looked at the beautiful blonde walking beside her…"It is a rumour is it?"
"Actually, no. It's quite accurate." Maura said and Jane came to a halt. This caught her off guard. "Wait, what?...you actually had an affair with your professor who is a woman?"
The doctor turned to Jane. She wasn't ashamed; she just didn't want Jane to feel uncomfortable around her. On the other hand, she was tempted to know how her friend reacted…
"Well, you know how it is…" she started but was interrupted by Jane "No, I don't…shoot… You know what, I really wanna hear that story…looks like they are serving coffee over there…care for a kinky topic over café au lait?" The brunette gave her secretive friend a little shove and smiled. Maura shoved back and they headed over to the Café...