7/?
The next morning, Maura was almost positive she knew what the reply would be, but she still had to ask. "Jane? Do you want to go to your parents for lunch today? You could see Frankie."
"No," Jane replied. "I'm still sore from yesterday. We'll go to dinner with your parents tonight. I've got work tomorrow."
Maura walked over to the couch, where Jane was flipping the channels. "Let me look at it."
Jane sat still as Maura lifted her shirt, looking at the scar. It was a little red.
"I must have hurt you when we made love," Maura said, frowning.
"No." Jane was quick to reply, her hands taking Maura's. "No. It's my own stupid fault. I shouldn't have been fooling around with the basketball yesterday. I tried shooting hoops but it hurt too much. It wasn't you, okay Maura? It wasn't you."
Maura kissed Jane's lips and let the shirt fall back down to cover the scar. "Your mother said Frankie wants to visit."
"Frankie should rest."
Maura got up and headed into the kitchen, getting some strawberries for Bass. "Is there a reason you don't want to see your brother?"
Jane started flicking the channels again. She could have told Maura that she was jealous of Frankie for healing so well. She could have told Maura that she felt guilty for thinking that if she could go back in time – she might not have shot herself. She could have told Maura that she felt like her guilt was tearing her up – making her choose between Frankie and Maura. Instead she said:
"Of course not. But he needs to get better, and I overdid it yesterday. Besides, tonight is going to be big. For both of us."
Maura walked back over to the couch and snuggled up to Jane. "You know, they might not come. I thought I might have given Mother a heart attack over the phone when I told her that I wanted them to meet my girlfriend."
"They'll come," Jane said. "They have to. You're their daughter. How could they not love you and want to see you happy?"
"You're biased, Jane," Maura reminded her. She took Jane's hand and caressed it tenderly. "But thank you."
"I can be impartial. I'm a cop, remember?" Jane looked at Maura in the eye. "How could they not love you and want to see you happy?"
Maura burst into giggles and took the remote from Jane. "Let's find the game and we'll watch it together."
Maura smoothed her dress down and patted Joe, Bass and Watson. "You all be good while Jane and I are gone. We'll be back tomorrow morning, I promise."
"Or lunch time, depending how late we sleep," Jane said, walking out into the room.
Maura's eyes widened and her jaw dropped as she saw what Jane was wearing. "Jane…"
The detective was in the blue dress that Maura had bought her, except this time she wore her hair down. Jane blushed. "Do I look silly? I couldn't get my hair into the bun – hurts too much to reach that far…"
"You're stunning."
"Aw, come on, Maura."
"You are," Maura said insistently, walking over to her girlfriend. "You're absolutely beautiful."
"I wanted to make a good impression on your parents, you know? I figured they were dress people…they are dress people, right?"
"I don't care," Maura murmured, her fingers running over the straps at Jane's shoulders. "You're so sexy."
Jane indulged her with a long, deep kiss, wrapping her arms around Maura's waist and pulling her close. Maura put her arms around Jane, leaning into her body as they kissed.
When the kiss broke, Jane smiled down at her. "Come on. You can have fun undressing me later. We need to get to your place so I can make a good impression on your parents."
Maura took her hand. "You've already made an excellent impression on me, Detective. That's all that matters."
Maura's parents had been due to arrive at 7.30. By 9.30, Jane could feel the guilt building inside of her. She had pushed Maura into this. If she hadn't acted like an ass, Maura wouldn't be in the kitchen, muttering to herself.
Jane got up from the couch and walked into the kitchen, finding Maura doling out some food. "Honey? What are you doing?"
"We have to eat. They're not going to turn up."
"Maybe they got stuck in traffic."
"For two hours?" Maura turned around to face Jane, unshed tears in her eyes. "Sorry. I shouldn't take it out on you. It's not your fault."
Jane hugged Maura tightly to her body, rubbing soothing strokes over Maura's back. "Everything will be okay, Maura. I'm sorry. So sorry."
Maura looked up at her, a watery smile on her face. "It's not your fault, Jane. Besides, all I really need is you."
Jane just hugged her again, unsure of what to say. Finally, Maura pulled away.
"We're not going to waste this dinner though. Let's have it now. You and me." Maura kissed Jane quickly. "Come on."
After dinner, Jane had volunteered to clean up. She felt it was the least she could do. She could tell by Maura's unsubtle hints that she wanted to make love, but Jane knew Maura was hiding how upset she really was.
Which was why she had planned to be very chivalrous and just hold Maura close all night, but when she got up to the bedroom, there was Maura – gloriously naked and laid out on the bed like an offering.
"Good god, Maura."
"I want you, Jane." Maura smiled at her. "Come to bed."
Jane quickly slipped off her heels and her dress. She watched Maura for a long moment, then finally joined her on the bed. They kissed gently, but when Maura reached to remove Jane's bra, Jane caught her wrist.
"No. I want this to be about you, tonight."
"But…"
"Please, Maura," Jane whispered, kissing the doctor's neck. "Please, let me."
Maura's arm relaxed and Jane let go of her wrist, placing the hand back onto the bed. Jane kissed her again, deepening it slowly as her hand skimmed over Maura's body.
"I love you," Jane whispered. "And I don't care what your parents think – you are the most amazing, wonderful, generous person I have ever met." And I don't deserve you, she finished in her head.
"I love you too," Maura replied, "and I don't need anyone but you."
Jane kissed Maura hard, trying to erase the guilty feeling in the pit of her stomach. Maura moaned and wrapped her arms around Jane's body as the detective trailed kisses down her neck. Jane's fingers trailed further down, finding Maura's breasts and caressing them with a light touch. She kissed over Maura's shoulders, and she rolled the taut peaks of Maura's nipples between her fingers.
Maura's hold on Jane tightened as Jane's lips followed her fingers and she took Maura's left nipple into her mouth, sucking hard.
"Jane…" Maura whimpered as she felt her arousal deepen. She was glad she had undressed – otherwise her underwear would have been ruined.
While Jane moved to Maura's right nipple, she let her hand skim down over Maura's abdomen, finally reaching the damp heat of her center. She groaned and her lips followed her fingers, trailing kisses along Maura's heated skin until she reached her goal.
At Jane's first long lick, Maura's hips jack-knifed off the bed, almost unbalancing Jane. The detective simply placed a hand on Maura's abdomen, gently easing her back down onto the bed.
"Jane…" came the breathless plea.
"Just relax, sweetheart. I'll make it good, I promise."
Maura's hand reached down to play with the curls of Jane's hair. "You always make it good. Always."
"You deserve it," Jane whispered, kissing Maura's inner thigh. "You deserve everything."
Maura's eyes darted down to look at Jane for a moment, wishing she knew what was on Jane's mind, but the brunette quickly distracted Maura by sliding a long finger inside her. Jane finally looked up, smiling as she felt Maura clench around her finger. She bent forward, flicking her tongue over Maura's clit.
"Jane…oh…god, Jane…"
Jane slid another finger inside her lover, increasing the speed and force of her thrusts. She sucked Maura's clit into her mouth and was rewarded with Maura crying out Jane's name as her orgasm crashed into her.
Jane continued pleasuring Maura, intensifying her orgasm and coaxing her through it. When it was over, Jane crawled up the bed, kissing Maura tenderly and laying down next to her.
Maura took a couple of deep breaths and she reached over, her hand touching Jane's breast. Jane grasped Maura's wrist.
"Not tonight, honey. Tonight was all about you."
"But…"
Jane kissed Maura deeply. "Shh. I'm a bit tired and sore tonight. Next time, okay?"
Maura cuddled up to Jane. "I love you."
Jane smiled and let her fingers caress Maura's back. "I love you too."
Jane waited until Maura had fallen asleep, before she finally relaxed enough to let herself follow Maura into slumber.
Dr Stevens watched as Jane rubbed the scars on her hands. "You look tired."
"I didn't take the sleeping pills last night. I wanted to make sure I was awake if Maura had nightmares."
"What about your nightmares?"
"Doesn't matter." Jane continued playing with her hands.
"Did something happen since I last saw you?"
Jane felt the guilt eating away inside her. "I forced her to come out to her parents."
Dr Stevens simply continued to watch her. "Forced her?"
"I guilted her into it." Jane sighed. "Her mother had called in the morning and asked her to dinner. Maura told her that she was taking care of a friend. Because I'm me, I overreacted and left." Jane rubbed her face. "When I got back she told me she'd invited them to dinner."
"So how did it go?"
"Didn't. They didn't show." Jane looked up at Dr Stevens, the guilt written over her face. "Part of me was relieved. I mean, Maura is hurting, really hurting and I hate them for doing that to her. But I'm relieved that they couldn't show her the mistake she's made."
"You think Maura has made a mistake in being with you?"
"I love her. More than anything. And I need her." Jane's eyes looked down at her hands again. "But she's smart and classy and from that world where they expect them to marry someone from Harvard. I didn't even go to college. And I wore a dress. I dressed up so that maybe they wouldn't see…"
"Wouldn't see what, Jane?"
"I'm not good enough for her! I'm broken and damaged and, god, last night I wouldn't let her touch me and I know I hurt her, and…"
"Jane…Jane…" Dr Stevens interrupted her. "Tell me why you didn't let her touch you. Were you afraid?"
"Of Maura? No. Never." Jane took a deep breath. "I didn't deserve it. Not after what I did to her."
"Jane, listen to me. Love is about accepting the other person – no matter what. Do you believe Maura loves you?"
"Yes." Jane didn't even have to think.
"Then Maura obviously accepts you – no matter what. These feelings of guilt over her parents are not warranted, Jane. From what I've heard of Maura and what you've told me – if Maura hadn't wanted to tell her parents, she wouldn't have made that call."
"But I guilted her into it!"
"You think Maura is that easily swayed?"
Jane smirked. "I tried bribing her once. With chocolate that had gold flecks in it. I failed miserably."
"There's your answer. I think Maura is stronger than you give her credit for."
Jane smiled. "Yeah, she probably is."
Maura arrived home later that evening, due to her meeting with the assistant ME about another case. She had also been to her therapist – talking about her concerns about Jane, about Jane's reaction to Frankie and her own thoughts about her parents. She unlocked the door. Discussing her parents alone could make a therapist rich.
She patted Joe who was bouncing around her legs, and said hello to Bass and Watson, who were idling in the living room. Maura turned on the lights and nearly fell over in shock as she saw Jane sitting on the couch.
"Jane! You scared me to death!"
Jane stood up, and it was then that Maura realised Jane was wearing the same dress she had worn the previous night.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to. I was just thinking."
Maura put her bag and keys down. "Did we have a dinner date? You look beautiful."
"No, we didn't have a date. And thank you. I was just…" Jane walked over to Maura and took her hands. "I love you. And I remembered that last night you told me that you wanted to undress me and I didn't let you, so…" Jane smiled. "Is a day late still okay?"
Maura's face lit up. "I love you too. And a day late is perfect."
TBC
