CHAPTER TEN

A/N Jane tries to accept her new "awareness" and absorb it in to her everyday life. She and Maura meet with Doug the caterer to finalize the arrangements for the dinner. Jane finds Doug's interest in Maura more than a little bothers her.

Jane said good night to her Angela and Korsak and literally fell onto the couch. She lifted her feet and allowed Maura to settle on the opposite end. "Did Frankie leave any leftovers, or take them home in his stomach?"

"He and Frost each took a couple burgers with them for a midnight snack." Maura chuckled. She absently began rubbing Jane's feet.

"Mmmm, that feels great. You can keep it up as long as you want." Jane closed her eyes and allowed the calming massage to reduce her to a boneless mass.

"You need to wake up and go to bed." Maura whispered near her ear a hour later.

How long had she been asleep? Jane opened lazy eyes and found the clock. It was almost midnight. "Are you staying?" She mumbled not wanting to move.

"Since I live here, yeah. I'll be staying." Maura swatted her playfully on the hip and asked. "Are you staying?"

"Do you think I should call her?" Jane asked her mind spinning in circles. The puzzled look Maura gave her said Jane had spoken her thoughts aloud. "My Aunt Shirley. Do you think I should call her and ask about….this gift?"

"My professional advice is that you should get a good nights sleep. Let the questions gel in your mind. Have a nutritious breakfast and then call and have a conversation with your Aunt." Maura offered her hand and helped Jane stand.

"Excellent advice Dr. Isles. Would you mind if I took a shower before bed?" Jane blushed remembering their past patterns. If one of them was in the mood for romance, a shower was the signal. If one of them said "I'll shower in the morning", no romance was in the cards.

"You are welcome to shower if you like." Maura's complexion shone a soft rose as well. She wanted to ask where Jane's thoughts were, but felt it was too soon to re-connect.

"See you in the morning." Jane said agreeing with Maura's hesitancy. It was too soon.

Jane kept her eyes on the report she was reading. Frost and Korsak could decide the winner of a trip to the landfill. Her phone rang pulling her attention away from the adult boys and her work. "Detective Rizzoli."

"Good morning, Detective." A cultured male voice purred. "This is Doug, I've been trying to reach Doctor Isles."

"Is something wrong?" Jane asked more concerned with Maura's whereabouts than his inability to find her. After her shower, Jane had slipped into bed and wrapped her arms around a sleeping Maura. The feel and scent of Maura had almost been too much to resist. She had lain awake staring at the ceiling and tracing soft patterns on Maura's freckled shoulders and throat. Maura had already left when the alarm woke Jane.

"No, of course not. I just wanted to go over a few details with Maura. If you see her will you ask her to call me?" Doug inquired too politely, Jane thought.

"When I see her, I'll tell her you have questions." Jane snapped.

"Thank you Detective. I'm so looking forward to catering your dinner party."

"Me too." Jane closed the phone and glowered at the inanimate object.

"Hey Rizzoli, that creep auctioneer, has a rap sheet longer than my arm. He's been in prison for the last fifteen years for theft. Those fancy apartments he was talking about. He didn't live there, he masterminded the theft of a million plus in statues and crap. Janie, are you listening. Earth to Jane." Frankie shouted waving his hands in front of her face.

"Good morning. I brought you a coffee." Maura said placing the cup on Jane's desk. "What have I missed?"

"Jane, are you hearing voices?" Korsak asked swiping the fresh coffee.

"Wh..what did you say Frankie? Oh, good morning Maura. Korsak, I want that coffee back." Jane shrugged her shoulders and concentrated on Maura. "That guy was bad news. Glad he's safe behind bars."

"You heard and saw all that, but didn't see and hear it?" Frankie muttered. Pranking Jane was going to be a lot more challenging now.

"Coffee is long gone Rizzoli. Ya snooze, ya lose. Besides, I am off to the landfill." Korsak gave a grimace and drained the last of the coffee before returning the empty cup to Jane's desk.

"I hope you are all planning to be on time for dinner tomorrow night." Maura reminded.

"Wouldn't miss it." Korsak assured.

"Count me in." Frankie promised. "But if Madam Rizzoli starts talking to people who aren't there, I'm out."

Jane tossed the empty cup which Frankie handily caught. "Go do some police work. And, Thank you for the info on Raymer."

"I heard the Captain telling your mother that he had been in prison for theft in Louisiana." Maura said settling in the chair in front of Jane's desk.

"I swear, Ma probably knows more about the goings on here than any one of us." Jane chuckled and rubbed her eyes. "Oh, the caterer called, he has questions."

"Did you make the call?" Maura offered Jane her own half finished cup of coffee.

Jane drank grateful for the warmth. She had indeed called her Aunt and learned an awful lot. "Yeah. She started out like me. She could smell fear and emotions, but not flavors. She said she could hear her best friend clear as a bell. every single thought." Jane chuckled remembering the conversation.

"What's so funny?" Maura asked taking the coffee back for a sip.

"She said one day they were in chemistry class and her friend started thinking about making out with her boyfriend. Aunt Shirley said the details were so clear it was as if she had been in the car with them watching everything."

"What did she do?" Maura chuckled. She could easily visualize Jane squirming while her Aunt told this story.

"She said she just yelled out loud, 'I don't need to hear that stuff'."

"In class? What did the instructor do?"

"She got sent to the Principal's office and had to spend two evenings in detention."

"What did her best friend say?"

"She never told her what she was talking about. She just let everyone go on thinking that she was complaining about the test they were about to take."

"Did it effect her grade?" Maura wondered.

"Only you would ask that question and that's one reason I love you." Jane stood and came to wrap her arms around Maura from behind the chair.

"You love me?" Maura said breathless. Were they starting over?

"Breathe." Jane said feeling Maura's pulse accelerate. "I just want you to know how I feel. No one is guaranteed tomorrow."

"I love you too." Maura whispered. "So much."

"I love you both, now how about getting some work done for the state of Massachusetts?" Cavanaugh interrupted. "Rizzoli, a body just washed up on the shore. Take the invisible man over there and check it out."

Both Maura and Jane had forgotten about Frost. He looked sheepishly from one to the other. "I'll go warm up the car." he gave Maura a wave and sprinted to the elevator.

"Leather is a little cranky this morning. I guess he got wind that Ma and Korsak had a hot date last night." Jane griped.

"Don't bait you boss, Jane." Maura tried to suppress a grin, but failed. "I'll go see Doug and let you know if there are any problems."

"Maura."

"Yeah Jane?"

"Do you like Doug?"

"Of course I like him. He's the best caterer in the city. Why do you ask?"

"No reason." Jane shrugged and clipped on her badge and gun.

"Do you like him?" Maura asked dimples flashing.

"Of course, he's the best caterer in the city." Jane snapped striding to the elevator.

"Jane Rizzoli, I do believe you're jealous." Maura chuckled. She would have to make it a point to invite Doug to an extra long lunch today.

"She jumped." Jane shaded her eyes and scanned the bank. "There." She pointed to a storage container near the waterfront.

"I'll check it out." Frost said. He took a step and turned back hesitantly and asked. "Did she tell you that?"

"No. But, I did feel something pull my attention to the container." Jane offered a silent prayer that she wasn't hearing the dead girl speak. If her Aunt was correct, she would only hear them if she opened the door between their world and this one. Afraid she would accidentally open it, Jane had asked how to open the door. The answer had both comforted and terrified her. The door was opened by communicating with a lost loved one. Since she hadn't lost anyone close to her, the door was firmly closed. She hoped it stayed that way for a long time.

"Dead on."

"Really, Frost." Jane scolded.

"Sorry, spot on." He had returned with a pair of jeans and a T-shirt from a local high school. "I checked the pockets, there's a note in the left front."

"Suicide?"

"Yup. You want to read it?"

"No. She was bullied." Jane stepped aside so the body could be loaded onto a stretcher for transport to the ME's office. "Life is too damned short."

"It sure is." He turned and led the way back to the car. "Want to drive?"

"Nah, you got it. I'm too distracted to drive." She fastened her seatbelt and gave him a speculative look. "Do you know anything about this caterer Doug?"

"He's the best in the city." Frost rubbed his shoulder from the vicious punch Jane landed.

"Do you know anything else?" She snarled. Right now Maura was… what was Maura doing?

"He's handsome, successful, wealthy…"

"Shut up and drive." She didn't need to hear anymore. "Drop me off at the caterer's."

Frost bit his lip and turned toward the glass and chrome building. No way was he going to ruin his fun and tell Jane that Doug was gay.

A/N OK, this is the last chapter before the dinner party. I work long hours for the next three days, so it may be a couple days before I get the last chapter posted. Be patient, I hope to make it worth your wait. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING AND BEING SO SUPPORTIVE. I DO APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK J