THAT SERIES FINALE. Did anyone else find a bit of closure with the way they ended Rizzoli & Isles Monday night? I know I did; the producers redeemed themselves with that episode, I have to say. As much as this last season pissed me of, the fianl episode managed to fix quite a lot of it in my books and made me very happy with the open ended ending. Not ashamed to admit I cried through parts of it *coughJaneandMaura'svideoscough* and my inner - like WAY INNER - fangirl was squeeing gleefully when Jane pulled out her plane ticket.
This chapter fits oddly well with the finale, completely unintentional as I've had it written since last Wednesday and have been sitting on it until the finale was over and I could comment on it a bit.
Oolee - Frost is definitely the voice of reason and Jane's calming - and sometimes antagonizing - influence.
Read on!
She glanced off his arm and followed with a jab toward his stomach, smirking as he doubled over and gasped for air. Jane back off and allowed Frost an opportunity to regain his breath with a gracious wave of her hand. "You've got quite an arm on you," he said, wincing a bit as he straightened.
Jane smirked more widely and shook out her hands a bit. "I have two younger brothers, both who know how to get in trouble; if I didn't learn how to take care of myself, they would have never made it past adolescence. We all know how to…"
"Piss people off," Frost offered with a grin.
Jane gasped dramatically and covered her mouth with her hand. "Mister Frost, how dare you say such crude words in front of me! I am a lady!" She fanned her face overzealously and pantomimed fainting under his amused eyes.
Frost chuckled and picked up the dropped swords, offering one to Jane with a grin. "Care to try your luck again, this time without any scary faces?"
"I dunno," she said thoughtfully, tapping her chin with her lips pursed, "I kind of like my scary faces, and if they keep you on your toes, that's just an added bonus. Buuuut, I suppose I can be magnanimous this one time." She held her weapon loosely in her grip and waved her hand. "You may proceed."
"Why thank you, kind lady. So, now that we're limbered – and tenderized," he rubbed his arm with an exaggerated pout under Jane's amused eyes, "let's get to the basics of swordplay."
Jane limped into the captain's cabin late that evening, gingerly bracing her ribs with her forearm and rolling her shoulders as she shut the door behind her. She lit the lamp by the door then pulled her sweat damp shirt away from her skin with a grimace and carefully worked it over her head, depositing the shirt on the back of the chair by the desk and studying the welts on her ribs and stomach. "Frost sure doesn't pull any punches," she muttered, poking one of the dark bruises and wincing as pain radiated dully out from that point.
Jane laughed to herself as she untied the leather thong that had kept her hair out of her face and felt its comforting weight settle on her shoulders and tickle between her shoulder blades. "But I got him a couple times toward the end, too, showed him that I could learn." She laughed again and then froze, breath catching when her ribs protested the movement. Delicately supporting them, she dug through a drawer built into the wall and pulled out a clean shirt, leaving the laces undone and walking over to the open window to enjoy the cool evening breeze coming through the cabin. She felt her muscles slowly ease as she stared across the dark water, highlighted here and there with the few rays of light left from the nearly set sun.
Jane startled when the cabin's door opened behind her and whirled on her heel to watch Maura walk into the room, a worried frown on her lips as she distractedly pulled at the laces of her shirt. "Maura," Jane said, suddenly feeling all the stiffness rush back into her body as startled hazel eyes jerked up to meet hers.
"Jane, I – I didnae see ye there! I was jus' turnin' in fer the night, an'…" She gestured at the loosened laces of her shirt and smiled weakly.
Jane hummed, sweeping toward the door and Maura. "I'll just be-"
"Jane," Maura said quietly, reaching out to grab her wrist as the brunette tried to walk nonchalantly past her, "please, jus'…talk tae me. Please." Jane stood still, watching the way Maura's fingers danced nervously around her wrist, and barely caught the captain's next words. "I donnae know what I did tae irritate ye sae much the other day, but I would see it rectified. A ship is nae place fer problems, especially 'tween the captain an' her crew. Talk tae me, please."
After another agonizing moment of silence, Jane sighed and gently freed her wrist. "Five minutes," she said quietly, dark eyes meeting Maura's. The captain smiled widely, once more taking Jane's arm in her grip and urging her toward the bed. They sat side by side on the edge of the mattress, Jane fidgeting and looking anywhere but the bright eyes staring holes through the side of her head.
"Jane, why did ye take such offense tae what I said?"
"You know why."
"If'n I did, dear, I wouldnae be havin' this conversation with ye." Maura stilled the anxious movement of Jane's fingers which were worrying at a loose thread at the hem of her shirt. "I asked ye tae take a more active position on the ship an' ye stormed out 'fore I could ask what was goin' on." She pulled Jane's hand into her lap and idly played with her fingers, hair sweeping out from behind her ear and hiding her face from Jane's gaze.
"Then I go tae sleep without ye beside me, an' wake alone this mornin'. Ye refuse tae meet me eyes this mornin', an' go outtae yer way tae avoid me today. The only reason I knew ye were onboard was 'cause o' Mister Frost's lesson on deck today. Sae please, enlighten me, Miss Rizzoli. Tell me what I did sae wrong that I drove ye away from me, because I assure ye, 'twas nae me intentions."
Sincere hazel eyes found Jane's and wordlessly pleaded for her to understand. Jane fought her instinct to immediately spill everything to the woman before her, warring with the want to stay angry and the childish urge to stay silent because, dammit, she should know what she did wrong, and if she doesn't, she should figure it out on her own. Jane sighed and looked down at her feet, still in her boots and slowly kicked out of them under Maura's hopeful eyes. She let them lay where they fell and scooted back on the bed until she could flop onto her back and stare at the wooden ceiling.
"Well? Lay down; I'd rather be comfortable for this, and my ribs ache like nobody's business." She heard Maura scramble out of her own boots and felt the bed dip beside her as the woman laid down, arms just brushing and the scent of salt and herbs wafting over the brunette. Jane folded her hands over her stomach and cautiously tipped her head to find Maura already staring at her. She felt heat race across her cheeks and cleared her throat nervously. "So, uhm…"
"Yer story, Jane. What did I do sae wrong yesterday?"
Jane sighed. "It wasn't…I only meant – the way you said it, like I was just a thing to be used."
"Oh, Jane, I didnae mean t-"
"I know, I realized that today while I was sparring with Frost, but…Maura, you have to understand, my father treated me the same way, back in Boston. He treated me like I was something to be used until he found something better, then traded away like…like nothing, no better than the goods I sold you." Jane felt tears unexpectedly well up in her eyes and chuckled wetly. "God, I sound like such a girl."
"Well…"
"I mean, like 'poor me, why am I not good enough,' yadda yadda." Jane brushed a finger beneath her eyes. "It just-"
"Made ye feel like nothin'. I am so, so sorry, my dear. 'Twas nae me intentions tae make ye feel that way. I only meant – I dannae want anyone tae see ye as weak. The sailors, well behaved as they may be fer the most part, are still rather coarse men. If'n they saw ye as incapable o' defendin' yerself, they might feel inclined tae take…liberties. I dannae let others damage what is mine tae protect, Jane, I hope ye realize that." Jane blinked at the sincerity lacing Maura's voice and startled when the captain's fingers danced across her jawline. "I willnae let anyone take advantage o' ye, I promise ye that. They willnae sully ye."
Before she could stop herself, Jane blurted, "According to one of your sailors, you're already sullying me, sooo…" She watched in fascination as color flooded Maura's cheeks, right to the tip of her ears and past the collar of her shirt, then felt a blush flare in her face as her words registered. "Oh God, I didn't mean to say that at all."
Maura's mouth flopped open and shut uselessly for a long moment, then she began laughing, loudly, uninhibited and joyful. Jane felt her lips twitch and then was laughing alongside her until her ribs protested the action and she gasped, curling in on herself. Maura's mirth was abruptly overshadowed by her concern for the brunette and she touched Jane's shoulder. "What happened?"
"Frost and I…ahm, we might have gotten a teensy bit overzealous today." Jane gingerly poked her side and hissed in pain.
Maura sighed, rolled her eyes, and poked Jane in the same place, raising a brow when dark eyes glared up at her. "Ye shouldnae have gotten intae it with him."
"He was teaching me!"
"An' I'm sure ye did nothin' tae provoke him intae a more…visceral reaction?" Jane's sheepish look said everything she didn't and Maura nodded. "Stay there an' donnae move."
As she rooted through a chest against the wall, she heard Jane muttering to herself and shifting restlessly on the bed. She victoriously pulled out a small, opaque jar and got back on the bed and began pulling at the hem of Jane's shirt. Jane immediately swatted at her hand and froze under the stern glare aimed her way. "Let me help ye."
"You're trying to take my shirt off."
"Aye, sae I kin rub this," she brandished the jar, "intae yer skin. But if'n ye continue tae be obstinate, I'll simply let ye suffer." She crossed her arms and stared down Jane until the brunette huffed and reluctantly lifted the bottom of her shirt.
"That's a good lass."
Jane glared but let Maura lift her shirt further, squawking once again when she attempted to lift the cloth past her chest. "Jane, the shirt has tae come off, otherwise the ointment will rub off ontae it, an' then it will have done nae good. Ye ken?" She waited for Jane to slowly sit up and then slipped her shirt over her head, dropping it on the edge of the bed. Jane refused to look at her, arms crossed over her breasts and fingers clenched around her elbows.
"Jane."
A flush darkened her skin and Maura slid closer, gently circling Jane's wrist to coax her arm away from her body. "There's nothin' tae be ashamed of here. Ye're gorgeous, my friend." Jane glanced up shyly from beneath her eyelashes and Maura smiled reassuringly. She eased Jane's other arm away from her torso, hazel eyes flicking across her breasts briefly before she turned her eyes away.
"Ahm, yes, sooo…this jar contains camphor oil; it will take away the ache in yer ribs an' by the mornin', ye'll be right as rain. Then ye an' Mister Frost kin resume hittin' each other." Jane snorted incredulously and winced as the movement jarred her bruised sides. "Lay down, Jane. Let me help ye."
After Jane lay back on the bed, Maura scooped some of the cream on to her fingers and leaned over her, gently pressing against her ribs. Jane inhaled sharply and squirmed, eyes skittering across Maura's face.
"'Tis alright, dear, jus' relax."
She rubbed the cream into Jane's skin, thumb pressing lightly against her abdomen as her fingers brushed against the underside of her breast. Maura dragged her hand across Jane's abdomen and felt the muscles tense under the pads of her fingers. She slowly pulled away and dipped her fingers in the jar again, then applied the salve to her other side, fingers occasionally brushing against the underside of her breast as she kneaded the skin.
"Is this – is this the part where you tell me you're attracted to me?"
She met Jane's eyes, smiled coyly, and casually slid her hand up until her palm rested flat in the valley between her breasts. "Aye, it is." Jane's eyes widened dramatically and her mouth dropped open. Maura's eyebrows creased and uncertainty fluttered through her eyes, but her hand stayed where it had landed. "Is that – is that alright? I mean, I donnae know how ye feel 'bout these sort o' things, but ye keep lookin' at me like there's somethin' there, an' maybe I misread the situation but I really-"
"Maura." Jane quietly overrode the captain's rambling and pinned her in place with a look. "You're rambling."
She reached up with a trembling hand to frame Maura's cheek, thumb brushing just beneath her eye. "I don't know what these feelings are," she said quietly, "and I don't know how this," gesturing between the two of them with her other hand, "would even begin to go. God knows no one back home would…well, I don't suppose it really matters, does it? It's my own life, and you…you've only made it richer since we met."
"I suppose the darin' escapes an' rescues from thugs have endeared me tae ye somewhat."
Maura smiled and Jane scoffed, tapping her cheek with two fingers. "Something like that. Seriously though, I think – I think I want to see where this goes. You didn't misread anything, even if I wasn't really consciously doing anything." Jane smiled ruefully and inhaled.
Maura watched her hand gently rise and fall and the way Jane's breasts moved with the motion. "Uhm…" Maura rapidly removed her hand, tucking it under her leg securely. "I'm sorry, dear, I didnae mean tae-"
"It's fine, it felt – nice." Jane's cheeks were flushed but she met Maura's eyes squarely and smiled a bit. Maura's confidence came roaring back with a vengeance, leading in with a sultry smile and her fingers tripping up the length of Jane's stomach toward her sternum. Jane inhaled sharply but otherwise lay still, watching the captain from beneath her lashes.
"Is this alright?"
"Hmm, yeah." Jane squirmed as Maura's fingers skittered off course and mapped the ladder of her ribs, teasing at the underside of her breast again. A smile slowly spread across her lips when Maura's palm again stopped between her breasts, fingers kneading gently at the skin.
"May I kiss ye, Jane?"
Jane's eyes sought out Maura's, holding her gaze for a long moment before she nodded. Maura smiled widely as she slowly leaned in, the ends of her hair brushing across Jane's breasts and tickling as she moved, and then warm breath was puffing against her lips and all she could see was hazel. "Wha-"
"Ye're sae beautiful."
Before Jane could respond, Maura closed the distance between them and pressed her slightly chapped lips against Jane's. The scent of salt and herbs invaded Jane's nose, her eyes fell shut, and she slid her arms around Maura's shoulders to keep her close as Maura tilted her head to get closer. Feeling bold, Jane nipped at Maura's lower lip and nearly shot off the bed in shock when she heard the captain moan above her. Her eyes shot open just as Maura twisted fingers through her tangled curls and invaded her mouth with her tongue, coaxing her own out and gently taking her lower lip in her teeth as she pulled away. Jane whined as she tried to follow Maura up but the hand on her chest prevented her from closing the distance and Maura sat back, cheeks flushed and breathing a little heavy.
"Wow."
"I thought that was supposed to be my line," Jane said breathlessly. Maura giggled as she leaned back but found her retreat arrested when Jane wrapped her arms around her shoulders and tugged her back down. "Lay with me."
"Jane, I have tae-"
"Sleep, the crew and ship will still be here in the morning. You already got your boots off, just relax."
Long fingers rubbed between Maura's shoulder blades and coaxed her onto her side, head on Jane's shoulder and a hand thrown over her waist. Maura sighed contently and shifted a little closer, burying her nose against Jane's neck. "Ye're sae warm."
"The curse of being an Italian," Jane snorted. Her hand lazily played with Maura's hair as she blindly searched for the blanket to cover them with.
As they lay quietly in the dim lighting of the guttering lamp, Maura gently rolled to meet Jane's eyes. "Are ye certain about this?"
"No, I'm not. But I want to do it anyway. You…intrigue me, Maura." Jane offered a smile and brushed her knuckles along Maura's cheek, sighing as she leaned in and kissed her again. "And I really like kissing you."
"An' I, you. Go tae sleep, Jane, we've a long day ahead o' us." They burrowed under the blanket together and fell asleep to the rocking of the ship and the warmth the other brought, hands searching each other out as they shifted closer in their sleep.
I just can't leave Jane and Maura in all that uncertainty. This is the only ship I write for that I can't do angst (like, at fucking all), simply because they are so damn good together and they (almost) always work their shit out in little to no time.