"So what did you do this weekend?" Frost's question made Jane glance over at Korsak. Thankfully, the old man was too busy trying to put the lid on his coffee.
"Spend it with Maura." She conveniently left out 'and her daughter'. She figured if no one knew about it by now, Maura wouldn't want her telling everyone about it either.
Frost raised his eyebrows in surprise. Did he hear that correctly? "I'm sorry, did you just say you spend it with Maura?" Jane nodded, shrugged and went back to her paperwork. Maybe she should've finished it Friday.
"Well?" She smirked when Frost kept pushing. Although she didn't blame him for being curious. After everything that had happened everyone would be.
"It was… fun. And strange. And uncomfortable. Awkward too." The man rolled his eyes, glancing over at Korsak himself. He wasn't even listening to them.
"But it was good? Apart from all of that I mean?" Jane looked at him for a moment. Was it good? It was many things, but she never really thought if it was good. It wasn't bad, that was for sure.
Sighing, she shrugged again. "I think so, yeah. It was kind of like old times y'know? She hasn't changed that much." Apart from having a daughter and being even more beautiful than I remember her to be.
"Just don't screw it up this time, okay partner? Can't run away now." Jane frowned.
"I didn't run away Frost! She told me to leave and to get out of her life. So that's what I did. Besides, did you know that she never wanted me leave in the first place? Not really." Frost looked pleasantly surprised and Jane smirked. That would teach him.
Jane Rizzoli didn't run away. Yes, she might have had the urge to now and then. But she never did. And she wasn't going to start now. Maura had shown an interest in her and after she would have everything figured out it would all be okay.
If only she could figure things out sooner rather than later. Frost kept his mouth shut, still reeling from this piece of information. He was happy for Jane, don't get him wrong, but he just couldn't believe that Maura would forgive her just like that.
Okay, maybe not 'just like that'. He had seen the M.E. give Jane a hard time. At crime scenes and at the office. But Jane had never backed down. Maybe that was what eventually turned the table, he mused. It showed that Jane wasn't going to go down without a fight.
Maybe Maura appreciated that. He would, that's for sure.
The sound of heels hitting the floor made both of them – and even Korsak – look up from their work. There was no mistaking who it was that had just entered the bull pen.
Maura had a radiant smile on her face and Jane felt her heart skip a beat. The corner of her lips turn up and she knew she wasn't going to get any work done that day. She barely had and now with the image of Maura wearing a skintight black dressed that hugged every curve of her body and stopped just above her knees, all chance at finishing her paperwork was lost.
"Good morning Detectives, Sergeant." Korsak smiled back politely. He had taken a quick liking to Maura, unlike some of his colleagues.
"Good morning Doc. What brings you to this side of town?" The M.E. chuckled softly, before turning her eyes on Jane.
"I was wondering if you had any plans for lunch Jane. I was wondering if you'd like to go out. With me?" The question immediately silenced all conversations in the room and Jane noted all eyes on the pair.
She sighed internally, giving Maura a 'really?' look. She wondered about dragging Maura away from those prying eyes, but knew that would only raise more suspicion. Besides, everyone was probably wondering what had happened to the M.E. She hadn't exactly been happy about working with Jane.
The Detective smiled softly, nodding her head in silent agreement. "Sure sounds good. I'll meet you in the café at noon all right?" Maura smiled, barely containing her excitement.
She had been thinking about a way to spend more time with Jane. She couldn't exactly invite the woman over for dinner. She was afraid it would be too soon too fast. Even though they had just spent an entire weekend together. But she said that she would give Jane the time she needed to figure things out.
Lunch wouldn't hurt either of them and it would give them a chance to get away from the station. Nodding her goodbye to everyone, she walked out, a little extra sway in her hips.
She wasn't surprised to find Jane staring at her when she turned to look over her shoulder. The Detective – after seeing that Maura had caught her staring – quickly turned around in her seat and pretended to go back to work.
The M.E. smirked. Her plan was once again working. Although it didn't take much to get Jane hot and bothered. She chuckled to herself once she was safely in the elevator.
"So you and the Doc are finally getting along huh Jane?" Jane looked up at Korsak, seeing relief in the older man's eyes.
She knew that her and Maura's relationship wasn't exactly helping the cases they had been working on. Jane was – more times than not – quite cranky. And when the M.E. would come over and point something out, it made Jane's mood all the more worse.
So if it meant that their relationship was bettering, that meant that Korsak didn't have to worry about whether or not the two women would fly at each other's throats.
"Yeah. We're uhh… becoming friends. I guess." She still wasn't entirely sure what they were.
Friends? Maybe. But friends didn't do what Maura did to her the other night. And friends wouldn't sleep in the same bed. Right? But they weren't more either. Jane wasn't ready to take that step yet. Which made them something in between? The only thing Jane could think of was friends with benefits. But they weren't sleeping together either.
Finally, she settled on complicated and left it at that. She had more important things to think of than what to call their relationship. Like lunch for example. Was it such a good idea to say yes to it? What if things got awkward? Not that she wasn't an expert about those kind of situations by now, but still.
Sighing, she quietly went back to work. Maybe it would be enough to get her mind off the hour she was going to be spending with Maura. Alone. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she concentrated even harder on her work.
Two hours later and Jane had barely gotten any work done. She was frustrated, annoyed and a nervous wreck. The Detective was standing in the middle of the café, biting her fingernails as she waited for the M.E. to finally show up.
Her paperwork still wasn't done and it was all the honey blonde's fault. If only she hadn't come up and given Jane's brain enough things to imagine about. Her dress for example, or the way she would look like without it. What was the honey blonde wearing underneath it?
Jane sighed for the millionth time that day, trying to shake these thoughts out of her mind.
"Janie?" She cringed inwardly.
"Yeah Ma?" She turned around slowly, hoping that Maura would walk in and that they could get out of there. But she had no such luck. Glancing at her watch, she saw that the honey blonde still had five minutes to get here.
"Why are you standing here like a nervous school girl? Don't you have better things to do?" Jane rolled her eyes.
"I'm waiting for someone Ma. We're going out for lunch." That was the wrong thing to say.
Angela glanced around to make sure there weren't any costumers she had to serve and quickly closed the gap between her and her daughter. She was smiling brightly, barely containing the squeal at her daughter's confession.
"Who? Do I know him? Is he cute? What's his name?" The Detective quickly held up her hand, effectively silencing her mother. But unfortunately not her enthusiasm. And it wasn't infectious either.
"You know her." Angela nodded eagerly. After the fiasco with Maura, Jane had pretty much come out to her family. She told them she wasn't gay, but that she did entertain the thought of other women. No one seemed to have a problem with it. At least not until she brought home her first girlfriend after Maura.
Her mother had been fine with it. She didn't expect anything less. Frankie and Tommy too, but her father just couldn't accept it. He told her he did, but he never really believed she would bring a girl home.
There had been screaming, curses and eventually Jane had pulled the girl out of her home. But by then the damage had already been done. She had been dumped minutes later and her father wouldn't talk to her for a week. She still thought it was the beginning of her parents' divorce. Didn't matter how many times Angela told her it wasn't.
"So? What's her name?" Jane blinked a few times, trying to get her bearings back. She had been so caught up in her thoughts.
"Maura. The new M.E." This time her mother did squeal. Jane quickly shushed her, looking around to make sure no one heard.
"Ma! Come on! We're at work. Act normal." Angela merely rolled her eyes, clapping her hands together excitedly.
"Oh be quiet you. Let me be happy for my daughter. I can't believe we're finally getting a doctor in the family." The Detective sighed deeply, running a hand over her tired face.
"We're not dating Ma."
"Not yet. Oh! Dr. Isles, Jane was just telling me about your date." Jane's eyes widened in shock and she dropped her hand to see Maura standing there, all smiles.
"Ma, I told you it's not a date." Jane hissed, glaring intensely at her mother.
But Angela merely waved a hand her way, too busy staring at Maura.
"You look absolutely wonderful dear. I can't believe Jane had the guts to finally ask you out." Jane gave up. It didn't matter what she said, her mother wouldn't listen anyway.
How had she not learned that yet?
"Oh, she didn't ask me out Ms. Rizzoli. And it isn't a date. We're just going out as friends." She shot Jane a quick smile, the raven haired woman relaxing slightly.
"Of course you would say that. Janie probably told you to tell me that. But no worries, your secrets safe with me." She winked at the honey blonde. "Now get going, before your hour is over. I could put in a word with Sean if you'd like Janie?" Jane – having had enough – pulled Maura close to her by her arm. The honey blonde stumbled into her, letting out a soft 'oh'.
"That won't be necessary Ma. We're going." Angela watched the two walk off, a knowing look in her eyes.
"Sorry about that." Jane immediately apologized for her mother and the way she grabbed her the moment they stepped outside.
"Don't be sorry Jane. I kind of liked it. Who knew you could be so rough?" The M.E. couldn't help herself. She loved teasing Jane. Especially when she looked as flustered as she did right now.
"You liked my Ma interrogating you?" She tried to save some of her dignity. Damn that woman and the hold she had on her.
"Your mother is very kind Jane. You shouldn't be so hard on her."
"I shouldn't be so hard on-" Jane huffed, rolling her eyes. Why did no one ever side with her?
"So where are we going?" The Detective changed the subject.
"I was hoping we could go to the new deli on the corner? I've been wanting to go there for the past week." Jane shrugged, silently agreeing. At least it wasn't that far away.
They walked in relative silence, navigating through the busy Boston streets. Jane kept glancing over at Maura. The honey blonde was looking even more beautiful in the afternoon sun. Quickly averting her gaze, she willed herself to calm down.
Her heart had been racing the moment she laid eyes on the other woman. But when they were around other people, the Detective was able to compose herself. When they were alone – even though they were surrounded by dozens of people – she found herself unable to do so.
All she wanted to do was be close to the other woman. Not necessarily intimately close, but close nonetheless.
So when she had to side step a pedestrian and ended brushing shoulders with Maura, Jane didn't step away. The honey blonde smiled coyly, reaching out to link their hands together. Jane didn't pull away then either.
A sense of belonging overcame both women and they turned their heads to smile at each other.
"How's Danny? She sleep okay?" Jane cleared her throat awkwardly.
"She did, thank you for asking. She asked about you this morning." Jane raised an inquisitive eyebrow, a small smile appearing on her face.
"Really?" Maura nodded, stepping even closer to the other woman. Jane swallowed nervously, but didn't pull away.
"She was wondering if you'd be there when I'd pick her up from school this afternoon." The Detective chuckled softly. "You really made an impression on her Jane."
"She made an impression on me too." It was voiced softly, but held a vast amount of emotion. Maura squeezed her hand, grinning up at the Detective.
"Looks like someone has you wrapped around their finger." Jane rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless. "So? Will you be there?" When Jane gave her a confused look, Maura elaborated. "To pick her up from school." The Detective's eyes widened momentarily and she stayed silent.
"You don't have to. I can tell her you were busy." Jane bit her lip.
"Wouldn't that be lying? Something you can't do. Or did you find a way around that?" At Maura's shake of her head, she sighed. "You're right though. She has me wrapped around her little finger." Then a few seconds later. "I'll be there." Maura's smile was worth the feeling of dread that filled her.