Maura's eyes flickered to the clock hanging above the entrance to the morgue. There were fifteen minutes left until she could leave without feeling guilty for not putting in a full day's work, and she was starting to feel irritated that time was moving so slow.
How silly. Time moves the same as it always has. My impatience is simply because I want to see Jane soon. She walked the floor doing her final check for the evening. I do hope Angela hasn't made Jane too angry today. I hate it when I go home to find my detective sullen and irritable. With a slight tilt of her head, she mused, Well, more so than usual.
Since Jane had been released from the hospital, two weeks after arriving, she had been staying with Maura. During the day, Angela would come in to check on her daughter between going back to the family house to make sure Frankie was comfortable and doing her normal errands. When evening came, assuming something didn't keep her, Maura took over caregiver duties. In theory, the doctor would have preferred to take off and give all of her attention to the brunette occupying her guest room, but, in reality, medical examiners were in short supply, and she really couldn't afford to take off for several weeks in a row. She had taken time the first three days to help Jane settle. After which, she had returned to her office to find everything in a distasteful disarray. Her replacement was clearly not her. She disliked the thought of someone else coming in and making chaos out of her carefully created order.
Angela's regular visits were enough to make sure Jane was properly taken care of during the day, and Maura had taken to going home during lunch when she was able so she could check on Jane herself. Between the two women, the detective was well looked after.
It was always a welcomed relieve to Maura to step inside her home and see Jane sitting on her sofa greeting her with a sly grin and a sparkle in her eye. Though Angela's visits during the day were necessary because there was still quite a bit Jane could not do completely on her own, the blonde found the agitation they often caused unsettling.
She disrupts our chi. That was the thought Maura found floated through her mind when she would come home to find Angela there. Why she insists on harassing Jane about every little thing while she's trying to recover, I'll never understand. All things come in their own time. Maura began to gather her things to leave. Pushing Jane only makes her more steadfast. By now, surely Angela knows this.
Her phone vibrated in her purse. Making an annoyed face, she fished it out. It was a text from Jane.
MLME, Ma is driving me nuts! Please come home soon. ~YWD~
Maura couldn't help but smirk. A few things had happened over the course of the past four weeks. First, Jane had started referring to her house as their home. Then, at some point the doctor could not pinpoint, Jane had started calling her 'my little ME' in more than just jest. In turn, Maura had started calling Jane 'my wonderful detective' in more than just jest. It was an odd pairing of pet names, but it seemed to suit their relationship. At least it is unique. Of course, I've never had a pet name before nor have I given one. I wonder how others create their pet names for their loved ones? I should research that.
Quickly, she replied.
Just leaving now. Do you need anything?
Keeping her phone in her hand, she threw her purse over her shoulder, grabbed her keys, and made a hasty dash for the exit before someone could stop her. Her only thoughts were of Jane. Her mind kept filtering back to the taste of Jane's kisses, the feel of holding her, the scent of her shampoo, the giddy feeling at seeing her smile, the lovely but startling tightness she always felt in her chest when Jane would gently whisper how much she loved her… The phone buzzing in her hand startled her. She's the only person I know who is able to distract me like this despite not being present.
You… and pizza. In that order.
Maura stepped off the elevator before replying.
I'll pick up a pepperoni on my way home. That you can have. As for having me…
Her heels made sharp, clicking noises as she made her way to her car. The phone's buzzing echoed in an almost eerie way.
That's not what I meant! I miss you. So do Bass and Joe.
She unlocked her door and slid in, chuckling at the last part of the message. Another buzz caught her attention.
They also miss beer. So do I.
Maura gave a snort.
Painkillers and beer don't mix, MWD. But, I'll bring you something good. See you in a while. ~YLME~
With that, Maura pulled out and headed to Jane's favorite pizza place.
Balancing the pizza box and the bag on top of it in one hand, Maura gently opened the door with the other. Already, she could hear Angela and Jane in a heated discussion.
"Ma, why do you keep bringing this up?" Oh no, Jane sounds angrier than normal with Angela. This can't be good. Maura stepped quietly in and gently pushed the door to. I wonder what they're arguing about now? She stood still, listening.
"But, Janie, sweetie, all I want is for you to be happy. If Maura makes you happy, why not make it official?" Oh my God, is Angela trying to get Jane to…
"When I ask Maura to marry me," Well, that answers that. "it'll be because I'm good and ready, Ma... because I think we're both ready and not because my mother pushed us into it before we're ready for it out of some ill-conceived," 'Ill-conceived'? I must be rubbing off on her. "notion that we need to get married before the age of 35, and I'm definitely not going to do it while I'm practically an invalid!"
"Don't be silly! You're not an invalid. You go back to work in two weeks."
"Desk duty." She's cute when she pouts.
"Still, you know what I mean. Why not? I know she would say yes." Would I? I'm honestly not sure.
"First of all, I need to focus on getting myself put back together before I do anything else. Second of all, I will not ask Maura to marry me while I can barely walk. I want her to say yes, if she says yes, because she loves me, not because she feels like she needs to take care of me. Third of all, my love life is really none of your damned business, and, frankly, I'm getting pretty fed up with you making it your business." I should really break this up before it gets any messier.
"Jane, I would never…"
Maura opened the door and closed it loudly this time, making certain the women in the other room could hear it. "Hello? I brought food!" She attempted to sound cheerful as she called out. Walking into the room, she could feel the hostility between the dark haired brunette and her mother. The doctor put on her best smile.
Jane was seated on a stool at the island. Angela was, naturally, by the stove. "Hello, my wonder detective," she bent over to give Jane a quick kiss. "I come bearing gifts. I hope you're hungry." She placed the pizza box and the bag on the island. "Hello, Angela. You're here late. How's Frankie?"
"Hi, Maura, he's fine. Frank's home early tonight, so I thought I'd stay with Jane until you got here just in case she needed something."
"Oh, well," the blonde placed her purse on the island beside the pizza box just before batting Jane's hand away from the bag she had carefully set away from the box, "that was thoughtful of you. I hope she hasn't been too much of a handful." She silenced Jane's protest before it could begin by placing her hands on the detective's shoulders. As she continued to speak, she worked at the knot she found between Jane's shoulder blades.
"Not any more than usual." Maura noted that Jane simply rolled her eyes. Good. Perhaps I can get Angela to leave sooner than I thought if my detective is willing to be nonresponsive.
"Well, I believe I can take it from here. You should go home and try to relax a little while Frank is there to help with Frankie. I believe the rest will do well for you; you've been working especially hard lately." The smile had never left her face, but her body tensed as she waited to see what the older Rizzoli would say. Please?
"You're right. Maybe I'll go to bed early tonight. These past few weeks have been hard, you know?" Angela headed for the door, purse in hand. "Thanks for taking care of her, Maura."
The doctor nodded in reply, walking out with Angela. At the door, they said their goodbyes, and it was just a few moments later that she was back in the kitchen where she found Jane digging in the bag.
"You could have at least waited until I returned, Jane." She was only slightly annoyed.
"Is this chocolate I see in this bag?" Jane's whole demeanor had changed from a minute before. It was clear to the doctor that she was excited, happy, and anxious. "Is this white chocolate?" In fact, Jane was practically dancing on the stool. I love it when she's like this. It's so cute.
"Yes, I picked up some gourmet white chocolate truffles from one of my favorite chocolatiers on my way home. I thought that, instead of beer, this might do for now."
"I'm not even going to comment on the fact that you have a favorite chocolatier." Jane pulled a truffle from the bag and held it up to the light. "But, I'm going to eat this right now, and you can't stop me." With that, she popped the truffle in her mouth and gave the woman across the room a smug look.
"I expected nothing less." Maura crossed the distance and waited beside Jane until she was certain the seated woman had swallowed her treat. Placing a hand on the back of Jane's neck, she leaned over to kiss the brunette. The taste of Jane and chocolate… oh my… I must experiment with this combination more.
Parting with some reluctance, the blonde grabbed the bag of chocolates and walked to the opposite side of the kitchen.
"Hey! I was eating those." Jane made a half-hearted attempt to take the bag back.
"After dinner." Maura pulled two plates and glasses. "Okay?"
"Yeah… yeah…" Jane glanced toward the back door. "I'm going to let Joe in."
"Of course. I'll just go set everything up. What would you like to watch tonight?"
Jane stopped her slow walk to the door and turned around with a look of something Maura couldn't quite place. "Chanel 42 is showing an episode from the first season of NCIS and then following up with an episode of Law & Order."
"I would think you wouldn't enjoy those types of shows considering your profession, but I'm amicable to it." You just want to watch Caitlin Todd, Jane Rizzoli. Maura narrowed her eyes slightly. "Tomorrow I get to pick."
"Okay, fine. I'm letting Joe in."