Doctor Detective Soldier Heroes

Chapter 10

-Dinner, 7PM this Fri night, Raglans restraunt; dress 2 impres. Jane-

The text had arrived that morning, complete with spelling mistakes, shocking a thoroughly miserable Abby out of her stupor.

Abby didn't know what it meant; didn't it work out with Maura? One thing she knew for certain was that Jane would never string her along as a substitute, so what the hell was going on?

Did she want to spend time with Maura and Jane? She knew both of them well enough to now they would never flaunt the fact they were together in front of them. Despite what had happened three days ago, both of them were still her friends, still cared for her and still wanted her to be happy.

In the end she'd mentally shrugged and gone searching through her closet for a nice dress, something that was classy but still showed enough skin to be interesting. She still remembered Jane's words about her body being amazing, how good they could be together. It made her shiver a little, remembering Jane's voice saying those wonderful words.

Mentally she chastised herself, she'd lost, Maura had won and she'd had lost and that was all there was too it. She was still brooding when her phone dinged, announcing another message.

-Stop thinkng ur self in2 a mess, i can hear it clear across town, b there and look hot. Jane- Abby had to bite back a laugh; Jane really did know her well.

Shrugging, Abby examined her wardrobe, before grabbing her bag and heading out, maybe some retail therapy would help, if nothing else it'd be nice to wear something to dinner that wasn't a uniform, something feminine.

Sitting in Raglan's at a table reserved in the name of Rizzoli, seeing the looks cast at her, some curious, some appraising, some speculative, Abby wondered what the hell she was doing. Where was Jane? It was almost seven and she wasn't here.

Suddenly she became aware that the Maître d' was leading someone over her way, in the restaurant's gloom she saw a mass of dark hair, slacks and heels, realising Jane was here and wondering where Maura was, when the woman stepped into the light and Abby realised the woman wasn't Jane. She must have been led to the wrong table.

The other woman smiled and thanked the Maître d', then turned to Abby; she was gorgeous, tanned skin, dark, curly hair, warm brown eyes and a smile that lit up the room.

"Hi, you're Abby right?" Abby nodded, wondering what the hell was going on. "My name's Riley, Riley Cooper, Jane suggested we should meet up, she said we'd have a lot to talk about"

"I'm sorry Ms Cooper..."

"Riley, please"

"Riley, but I'm not sure what's going on"

"Jane and I work together, I'm a detective, Jane and I are friends, we've been wing men on nights out, so I know all about you and her, god knows Jane's drowned enough sorrows about you over the last few weeks" 'She had?'.

"Oh" Riley indicated the other chair at the table.

"Do you mind if I sit down?" Abby nodded, looking the woman over as she sat, a slim figure, deep crimson slacks, a crisp cream blouse and four inch patent leather pumps, she really was gorgeous.

"Uh, yeah, sure" Abby blushed a little as the other woman sat down. "Look, I'm sorry, I'm usually a little more articulate than this" Riley grinned at her, it lit up her face.

"Hey, it's cool, remind me to kick Jane's ass for dumping you in this mess" Abby couldn't help it, she chuckled.

"I'm sure she had good reasons" Riley leaned forward and smiled.

"Now you're being way too nice" Abby ducked her head a little shyly, wondering what the hell Jane had said to Riley.

"So you work with Jane?"

"Yeah, kinda, Jane's in Homicide and I'm in Narcotics, there aren't all that many female detectives in the BPD so we sort of look out for each other" Abby nodded, there were similarities between the two detectives she was already picking up, more than just the looks, Riley had much of the same self-confidence Abby had found so attractive in Jane. It made sense she supposed, women making it in a very male world, used to not showing weakness.

"So why on earth did Jane ask you to join me for dinner?" Riley shrugged.

"She just said that she knew this beautiful woman who was lonely and hurting and I should help cheer her up" Abby raised an eyebrow.

"Oh did she?" Riley looked a little abashed.

"She also said if I didn't make you happy, I'd be busted back to Vice so fast it'd make my head spin; working street corners doing sting operations dressed like a hooker" Riley suddenly laughed, that was so Jane.

"I'm sorry that she put pressure on you like that" Riley grinned back at her, completely unabashed.

"Hey, I'm sorry if I've embarrassed you" Abby smiled suddenly.

"Oh no, I'm just tossing up whether to thank Jane for caring, or kill her for putting me in this situation in the first place" Abby suddenly realised how hurtful what she'd had been said as Riley leaned back. Unconsciously she leaned forward, laying her hand on Riley's.

"Not you, I didn't mean that, I meant setting us up on a blind date like this" Riley nodded slowly, her eyes dropping onto Abby's hand resting on hers, before she flipped her hand under Abby's, so her hand rested in the detective's.

"Well, it's been a while since I've been on a blind date…" Abby smiled a little shyly.

"So Riley, what's your batting record?"

"Could be better, but I'm kinda hoping it'll improve" Abby caught her bottom lip between her teeth for a moment, feeling something warm start to come alive again deep within her, before shyly smiling.

"So how's that coming?" Riley smiled, rather obviously letting her eyes roam over Abby's face and body quite blatantly, the Kelly green gown and silver jewellery highlighting her red hair and pale skin, before her eyes came up to capture Abby's, making the redhead smile, Riley really was quite gorgeous.

"Looking pretty good right now" They laughed together, neither woman in any hurry to move their hands, both enjoying the warm contact.

From a booth in the back of the restaurant, two pairs of eyes watched them, crinkling with smiles as they watched the women at the other table laugh. Sparkling hazel eyes turned to warm brown.

"Are you sure you are not Jewish Jane? You certainly seem to make a good yenta" Jane smiled softly, looking down to see their hands linked across the table.

"I just want her to be happy Maura, I found my happiness with you, but I hurt her, I didn't want her to be left alone because I have you"

"That is so admirable Jane; you really are a good person"

"You make me want to be a good person Maura, I want to be worthy of you" Maura smiled.

"Oh no Jane, it is me who wants to be worthy of you" Jane smiled softly at her words, but Maura interrupted before she could speak. "You chose me over Abby, she is a wonderful person, anyone would be honoured to be her partner, but you chose me"

"Really there was no choosing about it, you already had my heart, I was in love with you, have been for ages. I really, really like Abby, I could have loved her, but I already love you"

"What made you think of Riley?" Jane shrugged.

"She's beautiful, smart and sexy and swings both ways. She'd actually hinted that she would be there for me if I needed her, but I needed a friend more than a friend with benefits, especially someone from work, so we'd always stayed just friends. We'd go to the Robber and talk out our issues over beers; you get to learn a lot about people that way" Maura tilted her head slightly.

"How did you learn she was bisexual?" Jane shrugged gently, smiling in memory.

"It kinda came out when she asked if I could find out from you if one of your people, Susie Chang, was seeing anyone" Maura's eyes widened.

"I believe that Susie is both straight and seeing someone"

"Good thing then that we both know someone who isn't either" Maura's eyes drifted away from warm brown ones to the other table, seeing the laughing faces and flashing smiles and noting that, like them, both women were still holding hands.

"Yes it is, it certainly is"