Author's Note: Sorry about such a long delay between chapters. I wish I had more time to devote to writing. Things are going to get a little rough after this so enjoy the smut and romance while you can. All rights for the characters belong to TNT and Tess Geritsen. Adult warning for femslash. Thanks to those of you who have continued to read the unfolding story. Your comments and feedback have been most appreciated.

Closer to Fine

Chapter 10

The steady rain continued throughout the night but slowed as the darkness became the morning. Jane was the first to wake about 6:00 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep. Maura was already packed so Jane could drop her at Logan later this morning. Her flight didn't leave until 12:30 so there really wasn't a reason to be up this early. Jane had already told Korsak she wouldn't be in until late morning as she wanted to stay with Maura as long as possible before it would be time to go through security or until Jane got tired of listening her travel companion, the great and brilliant Dr. Fraser, forensic pathologist extraordinaire.

"Jane, are you awake? What time is it?"

"Shh…go back to sleep. It's just a little after 6 a.m. We don't have to get up yet. I couldn't go back to sleep and I want to lay here with you in my arms as long as possible."

Maura sat up suddenly, all hopes of going back to sleep officially over for her as well as she studied the look on her partner's face.

"Oh Jane, it wasn't another nightmare was it?"

"No, thankfully I slept very well. Nightmare free. That happens a lot anymore when I am here with you. You help me feel safe. Grounded."

Jane leaned in to kiss her girlfriend and held her tighter.

"Sorry, have to pee…and get rid of my morning breath. Hold that thought, my love, I'll be right back."

Jane admired Maura's unclothed state as she left their bed. She heard the sound of water running and realized how comfortable they were together after such short time of being together and now living together. Jane was happy. Truly happy and at peace for the first time she could ever remember.

Jane heard Maura return into the bedroom from the adjoining master bath. She heard her partner remove something from the bottom drawer of her dresser and then return to the bathroom.

Jane moved from the bed to go use the spare bathroom. As comfortable as they were around each other she still needed more time to be okay performing basic bodily functions in front of her partner and lover. Maura's trip to Long Island, while only for two days, would be the first time they had been apart since finally admitting their feelings for each other and becoming a couple. Jane was normally so terrified of what other people thought about her but this time her happiness was instead taking center stage. She pushed down the worries of what she would have to explain to her mother and others eventually.

As Jane returned to the master bedroom she could tell the good doctor was in the mood for more romance and passion versus any thoughts of trying to get more sleep. Besides, sleep was overrated, Jane thought to herself as she took in the sight of the bedroom before her. The candles flickered in the darkness of the still room and Jane could smell hints of lavender and vanilla.

"What are you up to, Dr. Isles?"

"Come here and find out for yourself, Detective Rizzoli."

Maura's voice was smooth and her skin felt warm to the touch as Jane slid under the covers with her lover. After such a short time together, the women were still exploring each other and their new found sexuality. At the same time, Jane and Maura felt like they had been together forever. Kissing and touching led to moans of desire and longing. Jane reached for Maura's wetness but was interrupted by the doctor pushing her onto her back and claiming a nipple between her lips. Maura Isles had a plan for this round of lovemaking and Jane was not one to discourage her.

"Do you trust me, Jane?"

"Of course, my love." Jane's voice came out in only a whisper as Maura reached for the other nipple and simultaneously moved her hand down to Jane's folds, silky and moist with desire. Jane parted her legs farther and hoped that Maura planned to follow through with her actions as she didn't have the patience for any teasing this morning. She wanted to make love to her partner and wanted release from her burning desire.

"Please Maura, don't tease. Make me come for you."

Jane could barely get her words out when she gasped as she felt something other than Maura's finger enter her.

"Shh…my love…relax…it is just a small dildo designed to reach your G-spot. I know you aren't as interested in penetration as I am but I think you might enjoy this. Especially when I get to taste you."

"Maura…that feels…ohh…don't stop."

The auburn haired woman moved to lying on top of Jane as she continued to move down her body. Maura's right hand controlled the small toy while her left hand continued to caress each of Jane's breasts. She rolled her nipples between her fingers and began to thrust both harder and faster inside of Jane. The knob on the end of the dildo was buried inside of Jane and creating wonderful friction on her slick walls. Jane instinctively spread her legs even wider to accommodate Maura's presence between her legs.

"Oh, Jane, you smell delicious. I'm going to make you come, my love. Let me taste you, let me hear you."

The medical examiner was a master at oral sex, always finding just the right pressure with her tongue to bring Jane the most incredible orgasm. This time, in combination with the curved dildo, the dark haired woman felt the sensation in multiple places as she careened into and through her release. Maura stilled her movements and instead marked her lover's body with small kisses as she moved back up to Jane's lips. She slowly removed the toy from inside Jane and felt her gasp as the contact left her body. Maura smoothed the hair from Jane's face as she trembled with the aftershocks and fought to get her breathing under control.

"That was amazing, Maura. Just when I think I have had the best orgasm of my life, you continue to surprise me. That toy was perfect now let me use it with you."

Jane leaned in and captured her lover's mouth, as she tasted herself on her lips she moved to deepen the kiss. She was determined to please her partner just as much and moved to kiss and fondle her full breasts. Her tongue made circles around one of Maura's nipples while Jane's left hand squeezed the other breast. She loved the sounds that only she could create from Maura as she licked and sucked on her smooth skin.

"Where is the dildo, Maura?"

"Actually Jane, I want to use something else…something a little bigger. I have an idea; you did say that you trusted me."

Jane was just as aroused as before and was burning to hear Maura scream her name. She moved her hand and thrust two fingers inside her lover and relished in the gasp it created in the doctor.

"You are so wet, my love." Maura handed Jane a much larger blue ribbed dildo and Jane couldn't keep from saying something even if it meant moving her lips off Maura's full breasts.

"Blue? Does it have to be blue?"

"No, Jane, they make them in all kinds of colors. Many women prefer a bright color to any flesh color as it makes them look less similar to a male penis. The shape is what matters and of course the person who is using it with you." She turned to capture Jane's lips in a searing kiss and took Jane's hand in hers as she entered the tip of the toy inside her. "Oh, Jane that is going to feel so good." Their collective hands continued to thrust the object deeper inside Maura and Jane moved her lips back to her lover's breasts.

"Jane, I want you to put this between your legs. You can hold the base of it between your thighs. I want to mount you."

The detective was always amazed by the sounds, noises, and words that came from the doctor during their love making. Maura was not only vocal and adventurous; she also was very in touch with her sexuality and was not afraid to try new things. On the day that Jane moved in with her she unabashedly showed Jane all of her sex toys but said she was disappointed that she didn't own a harness. Jane tried to keep an open mind but said she wasn't sure she was ready for something like that just yet despite Maura insisting that they could take turns wearing the strap-on so as not to stay in any prescribed gender roles in their relationship.

Now, in the heat of the moment, Jane could not refuse Maura anything. She knew that being filled by an object while she looked into Jane's eyes would bring her partner complete satisfaction and she wanted to fulfill her every desire. Jane moved the base of the dildo between her legs and felt one of the ridges rub against her still sensitive clit.

"That's it Jane, I want this to feel good for you too." The lighter haired woman had moved very fast as she was now above Jane on her knees and holding the tip of the dildo against her opening. Jane watched in reverence as Maura slid her body down to rest on the top of Jane's legs.

"Oh, that feels so good, Jane. Thrust into me."

"Maura, look at me." Jane could see that her girlfriend was having trouble keeping her eyes opened as she moved up and down on top of Jane. The dark haired woman moved her lips back to Maura's nipple. She nibbled and felt her lover's moan in her own body. Jane wrapped her arms around Maura's shoulders and pulled her down with her on the bed changing the angle of the phallus that was still moving in and out of her wetness. Jane silently cursed herself for saying no to Maura's request to buy a strap-on as she realized she needed more control to penetrate her partner in many positions and angles.

"I changed my mind, Maura. Buy the strap-on. I like this feeling of fucking you."

"Yes, harder Jane. Faster and so much harder, please."

Jane lifted her partner's hips off her lap as Maura continued to ride Jane. She could hear the sounds of Maura's wetness as her movements created a rhythm they both wanted to linger as their orgasms were both just slightly out of reach. Jane admired her lover's raw sexuality as their breasts bounced together and a sheen of slick wetness coated their bodies.

"Maura, I have an idea." Jane was breathless with the exertion but knew there was no way she was going to stop now. She wanted to hear Maura scream her name as she brought her release.

"Turn around. As much as I love seeing your eyes when you come for me, I want you to be on me backwards. Then I can reach your clit."

Maura did not hesitate and maneuvered her body so that she was filled again by the object and pushed her hips down into Jane's center. The dark haired woman gasped as she knew this position created better contact for both of them. It was Jane's turn to thrust as their bodies held the dildo in place. She spread Maura's legs farther apart and thrust even deeper into her. Jane couldn't hesitate to first grab both of Maura's firm breasts in her hands while she heard the hushed whisper of her partner who pleaded with her to touch her where she longed the most. Jane's fingers grazed the toy as she felt it move in an out of both of their bodies. It connected both of them together and Jane parted her lover's wet folds and found the bundle of nerves with the pad of her finger. She circled around Maura's clit as she used her other hand to push the dildo father inside Maura and tighter against her own center.

"Maura…"

"Not yet, Jane, come with me."

It must have been the dancing of the candle light off the ceiling as the light from outside started to penetrate the darkness, but Jane Rizzoli swore later she saw stars as she and Maura came together. Their cries were louder than ever before and they stayed joined together as they rode out their collective orgasm and floated back to their senses.

"That was amazing. I love you."

"I love you too."

The gray haired man stretched his limbs in the back of the van as his journey had taken a toll on his body. Even without any windows, Hoyt could still tell he was close to his destination. Correctional Officer Sanchez was proving more useful and dependable than he would have originally imagined. The wise man was grateful for times like this if nothing else to remind himself that you can never fully judge someone without allowing them to prove you wrong. Jane had done that several times over. Hoyt still found himself smiling at the depths of her bravery and ingenuity in the face of such insurmountable odds. The man ran his fingers across the scarred tissue on his face and felt his smile deepen as he thought ahead to soon being reunited with his greatest foe and worthy adversary.

"Jane, when do you think you might feel more comfortable being honest with your family about our relationship?"

The doctor's question had caught Jane off guard as they were just finishing their breakfast and Maura was gathering some last minute things to take with her on the trip. Jane knew they would have to leave for the airport in the next few minutes just in case they encountered any late morning traffic on the trip to Logan airport.

"Oh, I don't know, Maura. Sometimes I just want to shout it from the rooftops and then other times I want to keep you…and us…all to myself. Everything is going so well I just hate to deal with any of the fallout. I know my mom loves you, and that won't change but she is going to have a hard time accepting me as her lesbian daughter. She is all about appearances…and grandchildren."

"Well, many same sex couples decide to have children. Those things are not mutually exclusive. That is something we still need to talk about as we plan our future."

Maura finished putting away her marked containers of Bass' food and circled the kitchen to place a soft kiss on Jane's neck.

"Wait, let's deal with coming out and moving in together first before we talk about having a family. Speaking of family, when do you plan to tell your parents about us?"

"I emailed my mother the Sunday you moved in here. She will have shared the email with my father. He prefers written communication over any electronic medium. My mother is busy with her gallery opening in Paris but my father plans to meet for dinner tomorrow night at our home in Oyster Bay. I'm sure he will have lots of questions for me but I'm prepared for them. They knew about Miranda when I was in college. I'm sure my mother thought it was just a phase back then but neither of my parents have ever pressured me about marriage. They always seemed to be glad I stayed focused on my career. My father has always been a little more open in talking about my relationships and he was very supportive when I was dealing with my breakup with Garrett and Miranda. Maybe it is because he has never tolerated any prejudice regarding same sex couples. He was very close with his adoptive brother, Ian, and then later with his partner, Harry. I think he realized as a young boy that love was love no matter what. He would have witnessed some of the discrimination and hate that Ian felt growing up.

"Did your family not accept Ian and his lifestyle?"

"Sexual orientation, Jane. Lifestyle implies that it is a choice like choosing to dye your hard red or choosing a sports car over the family van. Yes, my adoptive grandparents practically disowned Ian when he came out in his 20's. They took it so personally, like he became gay to get back at them for adopting him. He really struggled when he was younger and I think, even though my father never confirmed it, he even attempted suicide. Everything changed when Ian met Harry. His family was the total opposite. In fact, I think his mother even became an officer in her local P-FLAG support group. My father found ways to support Ian and Harry without his parents finding out. I guess I've always admired that about my father, his willingness to stand up for things he believed in no matter what it could cost him."

Jane noticed the faraway look in her partner's eyes and admired her even more than before. She was breathtaking inside and out.

"Well, I'm glad you will get a chance to spend some time with your father on this trip. Make sure, when you do talk about me, that he knows my intentions are pure. I'm not after your money, Maura, just your amazing body."

The kisses started softly but became more passionate. Jane hated being the rational one.

"Maura, we should probably get going…in case…uh…there is any…oh…traffic." Jane could barely get a coherent statement out as Maura ran her hands under her blazer to make erect her nipples and simultaneously found a favorite spot on her neck. Despite amazing rounds of lovemaking both last night and this morning, the women felt they could just return to the bedroom for the rest of the day.

"Before we go, I have something I want to give you."

Jane was looking at Maura cautiously while she undid her belt and pants to re-tuck in her shirt. Maura held out her hand in front of Jane and suddenly looked nervous. Just like she did the day she had the house key to give Jane.

"What is it?" Now it was Jane's turn to be nervous. She was aware it was a ring but was not sure what implications her girlfriend intended.

"It is a Scandinavian buckle ring. It belonged to Harry's mother and father." Maura showed Jane the matching ring on her right ring finger.

"Harry gave them to me when I graduated from medical school. I've never taken this one off that belonged to his mother. She had died only a year before and he insisted that I was the one to carry on the legacy of his parents' marriage. He made me promise him that I would save the matching one and give it to the love of my life, when I was sure I had found my soul mate. I've never been so sure of something in my whole life."

The tears began to fall for both the doctor and the detective and Jane was still speechless.

"If you feel comfortable wearing it I hope you will accept this, Jane Rizzoli. I didn't have the time to get it re-sized to fit you so I was hoping you might do that while I am gone over the next few days."

Jane reached for the ring and held it closed in her left hand while she reached for Maura and held her and the ring closet to her heart.

The driver of the silver sports car almost missed the turn on the winding road. He had seen the wood sign marking the entrance to the Nissequogue River State Park and swerved to turn in the drive as a cloud of dust was left in his wake. Agent Dean slowed the sports car and had his first look at the ruins of the buildings around him. He had to hand it to Hoyt; this did look like a good place to hide out undetected for as much time as needed. The agent was not a patient man and he was eager to move the older man's plan into action.

The driveway was marked by weeds and cracked pavement and the agent crushed out his cigarette as he exited his car and moved to find the door to the side of the building. The dust filtered through the fading sunlight as he moved farther into the building and used the code that had already been set up as a signal of his presence.

"Hello, Agent Dean."

"Leave it to you Hoyt, to escape to an abandoned lunatic asylum."

"Ah, a nice bit of irony, to say the least. It is also fitting that we are in the morgue. This place used to be its own city. Can you imagine, over 9,000 patients living here only 50 years ago? Oh, the horrors they faced before the age of psychiatric medicine."

"Did Sanchez head back?"

"Yes, too bad that good man won't make it back to his family. Driving at night when you are tired can be so dangerous, don't you agree?"

"How are we going to get Jane here?"

"Patience, my friend. First things first. I'd like you to meet another colleague of mine, Dr. Fraser."

TBC