Note: Sorry this has taken so long. This has been the most difficult chapter to write so far and I've written and re-written and I'm still not completely happy. But there you go! It's also a little shorter than normal. I just said I'd post it and move on!
7
Jane felt like pinching herself to see if she was dreaming but she didn't, because that would have meant having to let go of Maura. Every part of her wanted to hold on as tightly as possible and her whole body was humming with the energy passing between them.
She felt the doctor shudder and just held her closer, moving her hand to cradle her head and stroke her hair. It felt so completely right that Jane just wanted to cry but she reluctantly eased back to examine the smiling face of her old friend.
"So," she said softly.
Maura grinned wider and cleared her throat. "So."
The lieutenant laughed a little. "I'm not sure what to say," she said, scratching her cheek. "But you look wonderful, Maura."
"Oh yeah, exhausted, sweaty and covered in grime. I bet I'm a complete sight, Jane!" Maura replied wryly as she tried to order her hair but she quickly gave up and shrugged. "It's been a long day."
"Were you treating patients all day? Wait..." Jane shook her head, confused. "Maura, what are you doing in Boston? I thought you were living in Los Angeles now?"
"Would you believe me if I told you I was on a girl's long weekend?" the doctor replied with raised eyebrows.
"Uh... well... I think I'd believe you more if you told me you were attending a forensic somethingy conference… but I guess," the lieutenant replied. "But who are the girls?"
Maura's stomach clenched. "It's me and... and... my daughter, Camille." Suddenly, the doctor realised they weren't alone and she smiled at Frost. "I'm sorry. It's really good to see you, Barry." The detective hugged her and then excused himself as he saw something that he suddenly had to do.
"Camille Thomas," Jane replied. "That's a pretty name."
"Camille Jane Isles, actually" Maura replied. "But she goes by Cam."
For a long moment, the taller woman was speechless and Maura smiled. "Yes, I named her after you, Jane. Jim and I never got married. In fact, we split up a year after Cam was born and went our separate ways. He was in her life a lot but... he and I just didn't work."
"Wow," Jane murmured, her eyes on the ground. Then she straightened a little. "I'm sorry, would you mind if we sit down? I'm a little unsteady on my feet these days."
"Of course," Maura replied. "And Jane?"
"Yes?" They walked toward a soot covered bench and sat down. The blonde placed her hand on her friend's shoulder. "I'm so sorry about Frankie. I was reading about you last night and the article said you'd both been shot."
"Eeeyeeaaahhh," Jane replied, unable to meet her friend's eyes. "Thanks. That really sucked. Especially for Mom. It tore her apart."
"How is she?" Maura asked gently.
"She died a couple of years ago of cancer. She and Sean Cavanaugh got married shortly after you and I... um... lost touch... and she died quite suddenly. We only had a few weeks..." The lieutenant sucked in a breath.
"Oh Jane, I'm so sorry." Maura was upset. "I'm so sorry for everything," she blurted. "For not being here for you, for being so awful and hateful to you." She burst into tears, covering her mouth with her hand and shaking her head.
"Maura, hey," Jane pulled her into a hug. "There was fault on both sides. I said some really nasty things too and then ran away instead of facing what happened. I ran off to Australia, thinking that it would solve everything."
The doctor nodded, wiping her tears on her sleeve. "Jane, I'd really like to talk seriously about this. I was so stupid to push you away that day after I..."
"Kissed me?" the lieutenant supplied with hiked eyebrows.
"Yes. But I'd really like to talk about this somewhere quiet over a bottle of wine." Maura's face was hopeful. Jane couldn't turn her down and quite frankly didn't want to, despite the nerves clawing at her chest.
"Tonight?"
"Tonight." Maura confirmed. "At my hotel? I'd love for you to meet my daughter, if, if... that's ok?"
Jane's face lit up, making her seem much younger, not that she'd aged a whole lot since they'd last seen each other. She was still beautiful and Maura wanted to reach out and touch that soft skin and taste those velvet lips.
"I'd love to, Maura. Where are you staying?"
"The Four Seasons. How about 8pm?"
Jane smiled. "I'll be there." She got up and took a couple of steps. Her leg braces were bothering her and she was sweating. Maura got up too.
"Jane, can I ask? What's the condition of your back?"
"Bullet fragments," the lieutenant replied succinctly. "They injected a gel bubble around them but it still causes me issues."
"Did they try lumbar-magnetism therapy?" Maura probed the area with gentle fingers. Jane swallowed.
"Um... too risky," she replied hoarsely. Oh my God, her touch still makes me... "They couldn't really predict the angle of movement."
"Mmmm…" the doctor replied thoughtfully. "Anyway, I'd better get going. I need to call my daughter and let her know that I'm ok and coming back to the hotel.
Jane smiled. "I'll see you tonight." She turned to walk away but suddenly paused. "Maura, when are you going back to L.A.?"
"Tomorrow evening," came the quiet reply. "We have a lot to talk about, Jane."
"Yes, we do." Brown and hazel eyes met and held. "Tonight."
..
When Maura had disappeared from view, Jane stumbled back to the bench and sat down heavily. Her hands, legs, hell, her whole body was shaking with emotion, nerves and happiness. It was a lot to absorb in one day, on top of the bomb that had, Jane guiltily realised, faded in importance to her.
She was going to see Maura again. And she was going to meet Camille. Wow. A hand on her shoulder made her jump and Frost chuckled.
"How are you holding up?" he asked, sitting next to her and patting her knee.
"I'm a little overwhelmed actually," the lieutenant replied with a little laugh. "Wow, she looks so great."
"Yes, she does," Frost replied with a nod. "Jane, are you ok with this?"
The tall woman thought about that for a moment, her eyes roaming over the rubble that used to be part of a building.
"Yeah," she finally replied. "I'm ok with seeing her again. In fact, I'm very much more with ok. I've missed her."
"That much has been painfully obvious for a long time," Barry replied quietly. "I wasn't sure you were going to ever get over her."
The lieutenant stood again and patted his shoulder. "Today has just proven to me that I really haven't." She turned and walked to her car. It was almost six and she had to get home and showered. She suddenly laughed hysterically. "On my God! I'm having dinner with Maura and her sixteen year old daughter!"
..
"Hi, Honey." Maura switched her phone to her other ear away from the noise of the traffic around her. "You doing ok?"
"Hey, Mom," came Cam's reply. "Are you ok?"
"Well…" Maura laughed helplessly. "I'm not quite sure how to answer that."
"Why? What do you mean? You're not hurt are you?"
"Nono, nothing like that. I just…" The doctor took a breath. "Remember you advised me to just call Jane Rizzoli and talk to her?"
"Yes," Cam replied.
"Well, you wouldn't believe who I just bumped into at the bomb scene. And thinking about it, of course, I don't know why I didn't think of the fact that she'd be there."
"You're kidding!" Her daughter's excitement made Maura laugh again.
"No, I'm not kidding. And she's coming to the hotel for dinner tonight and to talk."
"Oh my God! Mom! That's great news! Do you want me to make myself scarce?"
"No, well, I'd like you to meet her and have dinner with us and maybe make yourself scarce afterwards so Jane and I can talk."
Cam laughed again. "I am all over that! I have money. I'll find something to do. Anyway, are you coming back now?"
Maura nodded. "Yeah, I'm on my way back now. I'll be there in about fifteen minutes."
"See you then."
"Bye, Honey."
The doctor hung up and slipped her phone into her back pocket. There was a bounce in her step that had been missing for a while. Maura was very excited and nervous at the same time. But she couldn't wait to see Jane again.
..
Jane twirled her dark hair around her finger as she gazed at her open wardrobe. She was dressed in her best black , lace underwear and had just finished drying her hair and applying a small amount of makeup and lipstick. The woman looking back at her from the mirror was as tall and thin and toned as ever, but Lieutenant Rizzoli now had some scars marring her skin that told stories of her life as a cop. She ran her fingers over the scar she got when she'd shot herself to save Frankie's life when he was a beat cop and the scars on the opposite side of her body from the day her little brother had died.
But the scars that she hated the most were the ones in the palms of her hands, the ones Charles Hoyt had given her many years previously. But she and Maura had beaten him and she took comfort from that.
"So, what the hell should I wear?" Jane took out a little black dress and examined it. "Too vixen." Then she pulled out a pair of jeans and a shirt. "Not Four Seasons enough," she muttered as she put them back. "Ahhh…" Jane chose her outfit and quickly dressed, conscious of the time. She gathered her belongings and stepped into low heels that she could manage with her walking stick.
Jane's hands were trembling as she topped up her lipstick at the mirror next to the door. "Not bad for an old gal," she muttered. Then she took a deep breath to settle herself and headed out the door.
..
