9th December
Monday had come too soon. Both Doctor and Detective were abruptly woken early that morning by their phones ringing. Duty called.
Rushing through their morning routines in manner that suggested this was an all too common occurrence, Jane barely had time to register just why they'd woken up hand in hand, Maura asleep on her floor.
She did notice that her hands felt much better.
The call out was handled pretty quickly, it was looking like homicide wouldn't be needed to investigate the case. So with the body removed from the scene and headed back to the morgue, Jane drove herself and Maura back to the precinct.
Maura barely said a word on the drive back. Her tired eyes unfocused as she stared out the passenger side window at nothing in particular. Tuning her radio to a station more to her best friends liking, Jane tried to keep the drive back to the station as smooth and as peaceful as possible.
It was still quiet for Jane when lunch time rolled around, so leaving her paperwork half done on her desk, she quickly left to go grab some lunch for Maura and herself.
Twenty five minutes later she was hitting the down button on the elevator to the morgue.
Approaching the office, Jane noticed the lights inside were off. Thinking that Maura must be taking a nap, she decided to just leave the lunch in the fridge and note somewhere easy to find. Just as she was searching for a pen and paper, she was intercepted by Susie Chang.
"Detective Rizzoli?" The sometimes nervous in her presence Senior Criminologist spoke. "Doctor Isles is sleeping. She said if you came down for lunch, could you please wake her."
"Oh, okay. Thanks, Susie."
Ducking her head, Susie then held out a folder to Jane. "For Dr. Isles. It's some preliminary test results from this mornings body."
Handing over the folder, Susie made a quick exit.
Bags and folder tucked under her arm, and a drinks tray balanced in her right hand, Jane carefully entered Maura's office. Depositing lunch on the desk, she then walked over to the couch. Maura was curled up, a small thick blanket covering her. Kneeling so she was eye level with her, Jane softly called her name, gently rubbing her leg to help wake her smoothly. "Maura. Time to get up. Wake up, honey."
Slowly, hazel eyes blinked sleepily up at the smiling detective. "Jane?"
"Rise and shine, Maur. No time for sleeping on the job." Jane gently teased, winking at her friend. "I went to your favourite deli to get us lunch."
Still a little out of it, Maura just stared at her friend. Trying in vein to process what had just been said.
"You're adorable when you're like this." Jane said, more to herself than Maura. Reaching out, she tucked a loose strand of hair back behind Maura's ear, then took both of her friends hands in her own. "Come on. Up you get." With an exaggerated heave, Jane pulled Maura upright.
Five minutes later, lunch was spread out before them. Chicken salads, water and coffee. Tucking in eagerly, the two women ate in relative silence. Jane threw out the odd comment here and there, but mostly they just enjoyed their food and one anothers presence.
Food finished, Maura lay her head on Jane's shoulder. Eye's closed as she let the caffeine from the coffee work its magic.
Voice heavy with gratitude, Jane spoke quietly. "Thank you, Maura. For last night. You didn't have to do that."
Eyes still closed, Maura reached out and stilled the detective's fidgeting hands with her own. "Yes, I did. If you're in pain, and there's a way that I can ease it, I will do everything in my power to do so. I'm just annoyed you didn't call me. Don't do that again. Your stubbornness only led to your own increased suffering, and little sleep for myself. "
"Sorry. I just…"
"Don't like asking for help." Maura interjected. "I know, but you know better than to not ask for mine by now. Much like you do not like seeing me hurt, I do not like to see you hurting either. So please call me or come find me next time."
"Okay. I'm sorry. Really." Jane said contritely. The serious, but heartfelt tone in which her best friend was speaking getting through to her.
Maura gave a gentle squeeze to the hands beneath her own. "How are they feeling today?"
"Much better. Thank you. You seem to have a magic touch."
"Don't you forget it!"
Smiling to themselves. They spent the rest of their lunch break quietly content in each others company.
