My Serenity
Summary: Captain Jane Rizzoli is an infamous name in the "Verse," but the rogue bounty hunter may have met her match in the clever and mysterious Doctor Maura Isles.
Disclaimer: The characters and most of the plot elements used in this story are property of Janet Tamaro and TNT. The setting of this story, the "Verse," (Firefly) and some plot elements are property of Joss Whedon and 20th Century Fox. The following is a piece of fiction and is intended for entertainment purposes only.
WARNING: Rated M for some violence, language, and sexual situations. This fic contains (eventual) femmeslash and sexual situations between two female characters. Do not continue if this is not to your liking.
A/N: Reviews make my day, so please leave even a short comment!
Chapter 12 – What Makes a Captain pt 1
"Hmm…" Maura mused with a deep frown, running her gloved fingers over the bruises at the corpse's neck and mouth.
"Is that a good 'hmm' or a bad 'hmm'?" Jane asked quietly.
Maura started at the sudden break in the relative silence. She had been alone in the morgue for several hours and was just finishing up her autopsy. For most of the morning her voice was the only sound that filled up the cold, vacant room. The doctor didn't even notice the captain enter the room.
"What are you doing here, Jane?" Maura said with concern; as the brunette attempted to lift herself from her wheelchair in order to get a better look at the body. "You should be resting!" She added, removing her gloves quickly and rushing to her friend's aid.
"I couldn't sleep." Jane said simply, trying to shake the awful feeling that the nightmares left her with. She shivered. It was only a dream, Jane. She's fine. She thought to herself, watching the honey blond out of the corner of her eye. I'm going to kill that bastard before he can ever lay a hand on her.
Maura frowned down at the brunette. "You should at least stay in bed. Your sutures are never going to heal if you're constantly on your feet."
"I'm not." Jane said resigning to the wheelchair again. "See?"
"You know what I mean." Maura said giving her an agitated look.
"Did you find something?" Jane inquired, pointing to the bruising at the corpse's neck.
"I don't know." Maura said with a contemplative frown. "Even though I have forensic experience there is no way to know for sure but…"
"Out with it!" Jane prodded with a grin, happy that her ploy to change the subject had worked.
"The bruise pattern and size do seem to be similar to that of Mr. Anderson, and all other signs point to asphyxiation." Maura relented after giving Jane an incredulous look.
"So Todd killed this man too?" Jane observed more than asked.
"We don't know that Jane!" Maura said, but shrugged her shoulders. Apparently, she had learned she was fighting a losing battle with the captain.
Jane raised her eyebrows and rolled her eyes. "Really?" Jane exclaimed. "We have two suspicious deaths within three days. The M.O.'s are the same, the bruising and C.O.D.'s are the same. Todd is known to have been in both locations. We have means and opportunity, Maura. That's two thirds the equation right there."
"You still don't have a motive." Maura said quietly, looking down at the elderly gentlemen's body on her examination table. She found it hard to believe that someone as nice and giving as James would be able to strangle an obviously innocent and helpless individual like Mr. Roland here, or Mr. Anderson.
"I don't know, Maura," Jane said looking somewhat exasperated, "Why does anyone kill? Greed? Anger? There are a lot of sickos out there that just kill because they can. If you're lucky that's all they're out for."
Hoyt was on Jane's mind again and Maura could tell by the way the brunette avoided her gaze. Jane grew quiet as she started to knead her palms again, looking over at Mr. Roland with a frown. In her mind, there was no question that Todd was the killer, it was just a matter of proving it. What made her uncomfortable was the nature of the killing; it had a distinct signature. One thing Jane had learned about Hoyt's apprentices was that they were encouraged to develop a signature kill, to make it their own.
For a moment Maura was quiet as well as she watched Jane closely. The captain was clearly troubled by these killings. Did she think that James was working for Hoyt? Why else would Jane pursue a criminal with no known bounty on his head, especially when they were now so stretched for cash? The doctor didn't want to believe such a nice man as James would be involved with a serial killer like Hoyt, but though it might be a leap, it wasn't entirely out of the realm of possibility. Then again, maybe Jane was just desperate to find the man that had given her those scars, physical and emotional.
"Jane I…" Maura said quietly, wishing she could find the words to comfort her friend.
"I better get back," Jane said, still avoiding Maura's eyes, "before the nurses send out a search party."
Maura laughed weakly and watched Jane roll out of the morgue in silence. She watched her leave with a curious yet solemn look on her face. How was it Jane and her could feel so close one minute and so distant the next? Maura frowned. For a moment she wished she could understand what was going on in that head of Jane's. Maybe then she would be able to tell what to do with all these emotions the brunette invoked in her.
Jane did not return to her room, however. Rather, she wheeled down the hallway slowly with no destination in particular. She was lost in thought. If her wounds didn't make it so difficult to even stand up, she would be pacing back and forth anxiously. All that had happened lately was racing through her head.
She tried to pretend it was the murders that were on her mind. But in all honesty, investing her energy in trying to solve the crimes was just a way of putting off thinking about the truly troubling issues. She knew it was silly and foolish to avoid them, but it just so easy to fall into her usual bounty hunting routine. Hunting down criminals just came so naturally to her; she didn't know why.
"What's bothering you, Detective?" Korsak said warmly, lightly placing a hand on her shoulder.
Jane started as if waking from a daydream. She shook her thoughts away and smiled up at the sergeant. "Nothing…" she said with a shrug. "I'd really just like to go home, I guess."
Korsak smiled softly, but examined her face closely. After all these years he had learned how to tell when the brunette was lying. Normally he would pry further, try to get her thinking process going, but he had a feeling this had nothing to do with 'the case.'
"Well, that's actually why I'm here." He said taking hold of the wheelchair and steering her back in the direction of her room. "Tommy and Frankie set up the shuttle with what they could rescue from the ship. It will be cramped, but it will just have to do 'til we fix Serenity up."
"What?!" Jane said, stopping the wheelchair forcefully. "There is no way I'm bunking with all of you!"
"I thought you'd be happy to bunk with me and the boys!" Korsak laughed in mock offense.
Jane rolled her eyes and looked up at him annoyed. "Please tell me you are kidding."
"Of course I am." Korsak said with a smile, "There's no way you, me, Frost, Frankie and Tommy would all fit in there, no less keep from killing each other."
"What about Ma?" Jane added with a laugh as they continued down the hall. "There's no way any of us can stand five minutes in close quarters with her, no less six weeks!"
"She's going to stay with Maura." Korsak stated simply. "She insisted."
"Ma insisted?" Jane said with a frown, her mother sure was getting familiar with the doctor if she started treating her just like she did Jane and her brothers.
"No," Korsak said shaking his head, "Maura insisted. She said you and your mother are to move into her place. Angela is already moved into the small compartment." Korsak laughed admiringly, "Maura called it her guest room. She wants me to help you move in as soon as you are released."
"I'm glad that I was a part of this decision." Jane said, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she rolled her eyes. "I am the captain after all."
"It was all decided yesterday while you were asleep." Korsak said, his smile audible in his voice. "Or should I say Maura decided."
"Jeeze, how long was I out yesterday?" Jane said, her tone laced with just a hint of annoyance. "Did you go and vote her Captain or something? That's mutiny, you know."
Korsak shrugged, "Just following doctor's orders. Maura seemed to think you would recover faster under her care, and she really didn't think it was fair to have Angela stuck living with all us guys. Besides, I think Maura has a soft spot for her."
"Yeah," Jane observed quietly, "Maura's not really close with her mother. She just soaks up all that lovey-dovey stuff Ma puts out. Plus, I think Ma finally found the daughter she always wanted."
"Jane." Korsak said nudging her reprovingly.
She knew she was being self-deprecating but it was hard not to feel like Maura was everything she wasn't. The doctor was intelligent, well educated and successful. She dressed impeccably, had manners and class to spare, and was compassionate and kind to boot. Sometimes Jane would watch Maura and her mother talking—about cooking and clothes and sometimes even men—and she would just burn with this jealous longing to be just a bit more like the honey blond. Not because she wanted to be more girly—though she honestly felt like that would make her mother happier—but because sometimes she felt like she wasn't worthy enough of Maura's time, or of her friendship.
"Sorry." Jane replied quietly and decided to change the subject. "You sure you won't mind having to bunk up with Frost and the boys. They get on your nerves enough as it is."
"Frost and I will keep 'em in line." Korsak said with a smile.
"You are willingly going to do something with Frost?" Jane said with mock surprise, "Who are you and what have you done with Vince?!"
"He's not that bad." Korsak said with a shrug, trying to act casual. However, Jane could tell by the way his eyes shifted that he didn't want her reading too much into it.
"We'll just see how much you like him after bunking up with him for a while." Jane said with a laugh.
Jane had spent a lot of time with Frost one on one. They did a lot of the footwork together, sometimes even camping out a few nights while tracking down a particularly stealthy bounty. Frost was likeable and friendly but just as it was true with most people you spent hours on end with, he could start to grind on your nerves. Mostly, Jane and him would just get into little spats here and there and make up after a few hours of the silent treatment. But she wasn't so sure Korsak and him would have such an easy time getting along.
"You just have fun spending the next month living in close quarters with your mother." Korsak retorted with a laugh.
Jane rolled her eyes. "It's not like there was ever much space on Serenity." She said, sighing as they finally reached her room. "She's always been up in my business. Speaking of—"
"Where have you been?!" Angela screeched as she leapt to her feet. "The nurses have been looking for you everywhere! I was worried out of my mind!"
"Ma!" Jane interrupted her mother loudly, trying to escape the arms that were dangerously close to hugging her, "I was just down at the morgue talking to Maura. Why did you send the nurses looking for me? I'm sure they have plenty to do already."
"Apparently!" Angela said with an agitated frown, "They want to send you home already!"
"Dr. Isles seems to think Jane will be alright back at her place." Korsak suggested.
"I know… it's just … only two days ago we didn't even know if Janey was even going to survive." Angela said with her arms around Jane's head, since she had not been able to capture anything else in her attempt to hold her daughter.
"Ma!" Jane hollered. The only thing she hated even more than hugs was when her mother treated her like a little child and talked as if she weren't there. "I'm fine, okay?"
Angela stepped back and looked at her daughter with her eyebrows furrowed and her lips pursed. It was hard for Ma Rizzoli not to be overprotective of her eldest child. She had such a dangerous profession and always seemed to be putting her life on the line. And in the end, she might be the oldest, but she was still her first, her little baby.
"Ma?" Jane said, her eyebrows raised in surprise. "Are you okay?"
Angela's eyes were teary even as she nodded. "I just worry about you, Janey."
"I'm fine, Ma, really." Jane said, feeling guilty for brushing her mother off so quickly. "Even Maura thinks so."
"I never said that." Maura stated simply, suddenly appearing in the doorway. "This hospital is just underequipped and understaffed; you would simply do better under my care."
"You think so, Maura?" Angela said with a hopeful expression.
"Did you finish the autopsy already?" Jane said curiously, hoping the conversation would veer off in another direction; she didn't like the way it was going anyway.
"Yes, Angela. I think Jane would recover much faster on her own." She said kindly to Jane's mother, then looked at Jane. "And, yes, I finished the autopsy."
"And?" Jane said, looking at her expectantly.
"And I will discuss it with you as soon as we get you ready to be discharged. The clerk is getting the paperwork together, your physician already approved you to be released under my care." Maura said gesturing for Korsak and Angela to leave the room. After Maura had shut the door behind them she handed Jane a worn leather bag. "Here, I brought some of your clothes."
"You went through my things?" Jane said in an irritated tone. Rather than being annoyed with Maura's violation of her privacy, Jane's reaction was more a part of realization that she was apparently no longer in charge of the goings on.
"Not a lot of your things survived the crash." Maura said, ignoring her question. "But Angela mended your favorite shirt for you."
"I don't have a favorite shirt." Jane said with a frown, sitting down on the bed and watching as Maura took the neatly folded clothes out of the bag and delicately placed them beside Jane.
"Excuse me." Maura said politely, "That is just what your mother called it. Besides, it's so worn and faded that I'm surprised Angela was able to rescue it at all."
The truth was most of Jane's clothes were worn from use and bleached from exposure to the dessert sun. Dust and sweat stained most of them. There were even bloodstains on her vest. She never had much money for buying fancy clothing, and she always preferred the rough and tumble look; it made her seem more intimidating. Besides, new clothes would never match her old leather boots, and there was no way she was getting rid of those.
"Take off your gown." Maura said unblinkingly.
"What?!" Jane said with a frown. "Why?"
"We have to get you dressed." Maura said, looking at her as if it were obvious.
"We?" Jane said blinking at her. "No way. I am perfectly capable of dressing myself, thank you."
Maura raised an eyebrow, her hands to her hips. "You can barely get in and out of that chair without help. How are you going to put your bra on?"
Jane's face reddened. She tried to pretend it was from anger, but it probably had more to do with the image of Maura's hands on her bare chest, slipping slowly around to her back. Jane tried to shake the image from her mind but her heart was racing and unconsciously she licked her lips.
"I think I'll manage fine on my own!" The brunette said rather harshly, standing up defiantly and grabbing at the pile of clothes angrily.
In her flustered state Jane ended up dropping most of her things to the floor. Not wanting Maura to help her, though Maura was already bent down to do so, Jane dived down to pick them up. Jane winced painfully and stopped mid motion.
"Jane!" Maura said reaching for the spot where Jane's hands instinctively clasped at her wound. "Be careful; you could tear your sutures!"
"I'm fine." Jane lied through gritted teeth.
"No you're not." Maura said, looking at her with pleading eyes. "Please, just let me help you, okay?"
Jane instantly regretted glancing at the honey blond. As soon as she caught sight of those hazel eyes she couldn't refuse. She cursed herself for being so easily swayed but sighed and nodded.
The brunette didn't think her heart had ever raced as fast as it did when Maura's fingers were at her back, untying the hospital gown carefully. But then the course material fell to the bed and exposed her bare skin, leaving her in nothing but her panties. Instinctively, her arms went up to cover her chest, the cold air making her shiver.
Standing silently behind her, Maura struggled to breathe evenly. Her intentions had been completely innocent; she simply wanted to help Jane get dressed. But now that she stood just inches from the exposed olive skin of Jane's back, Maura could feel her heart racing and her body temperature rising. Her eyes gazed over the rough, reddened skin of Jane's back. The burns there were just starting to heal over older, deeper scars. The doctor unconsciously licked her lips, fighting back the urge to place a kiss on the back of Jane's neck.
Jane could feel Maura's breath on her neck. The sensation sent shivers down her spine. She swallowed and let out a heavy breath, trying to focus her energy on not letting her imagination wander away with her. She shifted uncomfortably, unable to think about anything other than the heat coming from Maura behind her.
"Maur—ah..." Jane managed on a hitched breath as another shiver shook her.
"Yes?" Maura whispered breathlessly.
"Would you…" Jane struggled to speak; she had to close her eyes just to focus on anything other than turning around to face Maura. "…hand me my bra?"
"Oh!" Maura said suddenly as if waking from a daydream, "Yes."
She leaned down and scooped Jane's clothes off the floor and handed them to her. Jane did not turn around, she simply mumbled "thank you" and started to dress. Maura had to help her with her clasps because despite several attempts Jane could not get her arms to stretch the way they normally would. Maura managed to assist her friend in this task without getting too flustered, though she had to constantly remind herself that she was caring for Jane and that she needed to remain professional.
Jane slipped shakily into her blue button-up shirt mostly on her own. The bandages on her hands, however, made it difficult to do the buttons. After several minutes of trying on her own she finally turned and looked at Maura pleadingly. She gulped as the doctor reached eagerly to help her. They were silent, but Jane could swear her heart was pounding loud enough for Maura to hear, the sound growing louder and louder as she proceeded up her chest, moving at an impossibly slow pace, as if savoring every moment.
Is she thinking it too? Jane wondered, watching as the hazel eyes moved up her chest to her neck, not daring to raise any further. Is she wondering what it would be like in reverse?
An image flashed through Jane's mind. Maura's movements were forceful, desperate. Her lips seared against Jane's as she made quick work of removing the cumbersome garment. Jane's hands slipped into her silky, honey blond locks, pulling her flat against her body.
"Jane?" Maura said, finally looking up into those coffee brown eyes, which had grown strangely dark.
"Hm?" Jane said, meeting Maura's gaze. Was that lust in the doctor's eyes?
"We have to…" Maura said, her eyes flitting down to Jane's lips as she waged a battle with her imagination. "… finish getting…you dressed."
"Yes…" Jane said with an idle nod.
Jane was thankful that she managed to get her pants on without help. She didn't think she could stand to have Maura's hands anywhere below the belt without going completely mad. But then Maura kneeled down in front of her and helped her put on her socks and boots. The delicacy and care the honey blond used in simply helping her with her footwear made Jane's heart swell in her chest.
What is it you're doing to me? Jane thought, looking down at her. This isn't just friendship I feel for you. Am I… am I falling—?
"There!" Maura said with a triumphant smile, standing up suddenly. "All set."
"Almost." Jane managed to say, shaking her worried thoughts away. She slipped her arms effortlessly into her old tan vest and topped her dark curls with her dusty cowboy hat. She looked up at Maura with bright eyes and a goofy smile. "Captain Rizzoli doesn't go anywhere without her trusty hat and vest."
Maura turned up her nose at the ensemble. The boots were bad enough, but she didn't understand why Jane insisted on wearing such dilapidated clothing. There had to be years' worth of dust and stains on that hat alone.
"Apparently not." Maura said with a laugh, there was something simply adorable about the way Jane looked up at her with that cocky smile the moment she put the hat on.
"Hey!" Jane said with a frown as she searched her bag, "Where's my pistol?"
"They don't allow guns in here." Maura responded.
"I'm not much of a captain without one." Jane said with a subtle pout.
"Didn't you notice?" Maura said with a smirk, "You've been mutinied. I'm the new captain now."
"Yeah?" Jane said with a laugh, "Where's your gun then?"
"I don't need one." Maura said, grinning from ear to ear, "I stole your crew right from under your feet while you were asleep. And it's not the gun that makes the captain, it's the crew."
"I thought it was the ship that made the captain." Frost interrupted with a wide smile on his face. "As far as I know, you don't exactly have that either."
Jane smacked his shoulder as if offended, but she knew he was just playing. "Serenity might be broken but she ain't dead." Jane said firmly. "I'll fix her up soon enough."
"You mean she is not dead." Maura corrected.
Jane smirked up at her. "I thought you said ships don't have a gender, huh?"
"They don't." Maura said, blushing. "Serenity does."
Jane smiled at Maura appreciatively. "Oh really?"
"Jane." Frost said, looking apologetic for interrupting but continuing anyway. "I came down here 'cause they caught Todd."
"Damn!" Jane said angrily. "I wanted to catch that bastard."
"Jane, language." Maura said frowning at her reprovingly.
Jane ignored her. "Where did they find him?"
"He was trying to board an Alliance vessel at the skyplex." Frost explained. "Apparently he got detained by Alliance officials after a random search."
"Damn it!" Jane said, exasperated. "The Alliance has him? When did this happen?"
"He apparently didn't get very far after fleeing the inn. They detained him yesterday. Sheriff Bourne only got wind of it this morning." Frost said with a disappointed sigh. "He tried to petition them to release him into his custody for questioning, but they refused. They claimed Todd was under government protection."
"Protection?!" Jane said indignantly. "What for? The only thing he needs protection from is my gun at his temple!"
"I'm not sure." Frost said, growing restless, avoiding Jane's eyes. "All I know is the message Bourne received … it was signed Shay Colther."
(To Be Continued)