A/N- This chapter is mostly development in the M and J relationship, not a great deal of plot, but as Jane is injured, she can't exactly be kicking ass. That will come. xx
Chapter 9
Jane looked suspiciously at the tray that Maura carried into the room, her latex gloves already in place. Maura set the tray down on the bedside table and looked over Jane.
"If you won't take my advice and seek medical attention at a hospital, you at least have to let me treat you, I insist." Maura turned her best steely look at Jane and invited a challenge. Jane didn't speak but raised an eyebrow in Maura's direction. "You have a couple of lacerations that need sutures in order to decrease the risk of infection and aid normal healing." Maura explained.
"Guess I have enough ugly scars huh?" Jane said, giving Maura permission to continue and rubbing at her palms without thinking.
Maura took some saline and began to clean the site of the first laceration, on the left side of the forehead. "Did you know that the earliest reports of surgical suture date back to 3000 BC in Egypt? The oldest known suture is in a mummy from 1100 BC? I find it fascinating that we still practice such ancient methods. " Maura chatted on as she swiftly went about her task, not really expecting a response from Jane who had gritted her teeth against any oncoming pain.
"Before the introduction of sutures it was common to cauterize wounds, which we now know, actually increases the risks for infection by causing more tissue damage and providing a more hospitable environment for bacterial growth." The doctor was never more relaxed than when she was working or sharing her knowledge, she smiled; satisfied with her handiwork.
Maura moved onto a long cut just along the edge of where Jane's scalp began on the far right side, the tissue here would take a little longer to heal. Maura was silent as she focused for a few moments. Jane tried to distract herself from the sight directly in her eye line; Maura's amazing chest. When Jane finally tried to move her head slightly away, Maura firmly put it back where she wanted it, so Jane surrendered and let herself enjoy the view.
"You know, now that I'm your Doctor, you might want to think about taking advantage of the Physician-patient privilege. You could tell me anything you like and I would be obligated to keep it to myself." Maura said, going for a casual tone.
Jane was not falling for that, she had enough practice with her mother at avoiding heart to hearts.
When Jane remained silent Maura quickly went for the more direct approach, she was never very good at anything else. "Do you want to tell me why you think you deserve this?" She stopped now and looked Jane in the eye expectantly.
"Not particularly Doc, just stitch me up and send me on my way. Which reminds me, what happened to my clothes?" Jane was well versed in the art of deflection and decided to take control of the conversation.
"I put them in the trash, they were beyond repair." Maura replied as she reinforced the wound with adhesive strips, placing them across the wound at evenly spaced intervals.
"You what?" Maura had to pause as Jane moved her head to look at her accusingly. "How the hell am I supposed to get home? Wearing your boyfriend's shirt and my panties?" Jane plucked at the offending item in disgust.
"He wasn't my boyfriend; he was a date who stayed over and left behind his shirt." Maura corrected.
Jane looked doubtful. "Whatever Doc, your business." She raised a hand to halt any further sharing.
"I will get you some clothes Jane, but you shouldn't leave until I, as your Doctor recommend it. I still feel it necessary to observe your condition."
"My condition is half naked and pissed off, I'll be fine." Jane said, already planning her escape.
Maura looked at Jane disapprovingly. "I think the least you could do would be to stay one more night Jane, so I can be satisfied that you will be okay." Maura said reasonably.
Jane's stubbornness suddenly melted away into a sulky type of submission, she guessed she did owe the Doc. "Fine, but tomorrow I'm going home." Jane mumbled something about Stephen King and Misery, which Maura ignored.
"And you'll let your mother know that you're okay? Or I can contact her on your behalf?" Maura went on.
"No way, neither of us are speaking to my mother, not gonna happen." Jane was adamant and crossed her arms defiantly, to show that on this, she would not be moved.
"Fine, I can call Frankie and ask him to let her know, that you are well and will be home tomorrow." Maura persisted.
"I...she...she doesn't need to know, I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself." Jane grumbled.
"Evidently, but it would be considerate to inform her and would be no trouble." Maura knew from Jane's scowl that she had won another battle. Maura hid her triumphant smile by turning her back on Jane and gathering her instruments together.
Maura had surprised herself when it came to Jane, she had never been instinctive in relationships or even the most basic interactions with other people, but with Jane she felt; she just knew how best to handle her. Maybe it was that Jane was so blunt and not easy to offend or maybe it was just that Maura could easily see through her bravado and the wall she put up, to her blatant pain and suffering, but whatever it was Maura felt a connection with Jane that she had felt with very few people in her life. Maura wanted to push on and get Jane to open up about what had happened to her but with Jane she knew she would have to take these small victories' where she could and give her the time she needed.
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Jane woke with a start, she was panting and sweaty, she blinked over and over to get the last image from her dream out of her sight.
A figure in the doorway edged quietly into the room and Jane noticed Maura with water in hand.
"Another nightmare." Maura stated, holding out the glass to Jane.
"Nothing stronger Doc? I find alcohol helps, less dreams, less everything." Jane looked into the glass thoughtfully.
"It was the night you shot that suspect?" Maura asked quietly.
"The night I killed a boy. " Jane nodded slowly. "Yeah."
"I can't imagine what it must feel like, to take a life." Maura said seriously, frowning at her feet.
"You try and prepare yourself for that, it's a risk you take with the job, if you carry a weapon you have to be ready to use it. I have shot at people before, hit a couple, non-fatal injuries. I never questioned my actions, always relied on the fact that I had good instincts." Jane's already deep voice was thick with sleep and emotion.
Maura listened and waited, moving to sit silently by Jane, on the bed.
"At the time, I remember being absolutely certain I had been justified, that's what they call it y'know, Justifiable homicide. I thought the weapon would show up, the investigation would be a formality." Jane shook her head recalling both her arrogance and naivety.
"Then, the more questions they asked; the more I wondered, doubted. Had the surgeon made me afraid? A scared cop is a dangerous one. Did I have something to prove? I mean, I always had something to prove; you know what it's like being the only girl, right Doc?" Jane looked at Maura.
"Yes of course, the majority of women in medicine still specialise in; paediatrics, gynaecology or obstetrics, not many become medical examiners." Maura wanted to show she understood at least that much, having to be ten times better to be respected half as much. Jane nodded sympathetically.
"Yeah, so way before Hoyt I had to be, tougher, faster and smarter than the guys and I guess it finally backfired on me; all the guys that thought I was too big for my boots; came crawling out of the woodwork." Jane sighed. "They took my weapon, sent me to evidence management; I didn't take it so well, if I had kept my smart mouth shut, if the parents hadn't been so well connected, it might have all blown over."
Maura reached out and laced her finger through Jane's that lay between them on the bed. Jane flinched but didn't pull back. "You think the attack had something to do with that night?" Maura asked.
"I know it did." Jane said. "I recognised the guy, he works for Daniels family and he wanted me to know who it was, he called me Detective." Jane's voice cracked at the title and she had to clear her throat.
"Anyway Maura, I'm sorry if I woke you." Jane smiled lightly.
"It was time for me to check on you anyway." Maura admitted.
"Oh yeah, that Doctor –patient thing we got going on." Jane flashed Maura a crooked smile. "I was hoping that maybe we could be friends again Doc, I am sorry for how I treated you before, I would try my very best not to do that again. That's about the best I can do." Jane looked a little shame faced that she couldn't offer Maura any more assurances but she didn't want to lie.
Maura watched Jane and considered what she had said. "I have to say, if you hadn't shown up on my doorstep in the state you were in, I'm not sure I would have ever spoken to you again." Maura said even as she realised that she already considered Jane a friend. Maura didn't have many, so who was she to judge this one?
"See what a woman has to do to get a little forgiveness around here!?" Jane joked.
"Is that what you're after Jane, forgiveness?" Maura said softly, ignoring Jane's flippant tone.
"Yeah, I mean, for being shitty to you Doc." Jane said, a little thrown by what Maura had implied.
"Nothing else?" Maura kept her eyes locked on Jane as Jane took back her hand and stiffened.
"You should get some sleep Doc, you got work tomorrow and you got to get back to your own life." Jane fixed on a smile.
Maura waited a moment and worked her jaw like she had more to say but thought better of it.
"Goodnight Jane." Maura leant forward and kissed Jane softly on the forehead. It came out of nowhere and caught Jane off guard, however she quickly recovered and as Maura pulled back, brushing Jane's cheek lightly with fingers, Jane pounced.
Jane captured Maura's lips in her own and caught Maura's retreating hand by the wrist, squeezing it tightly and pushing herself up so she leant over Maura. It was this action that caused the stabbing pains in her side and just as Maura had begun to respond, Jane abruptly released her. Jane swore loudly at the pain and partly at her own stupid move in kissing the Doc.
Jane frowned at Maura. "Don't feel sorry for me Doc and please, don't be fooled into thinking I'm some kind of fallen angel, I'm far from that. You don't know everything I've done and you can't save me." Jane took a deep breath as she bit her bottom lip against another wave of pain; she pushed herself back onto the pillows, already impatient with this broken body.
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