Author's note: thank you for all the reviews! Here comes a light chapter.
Chapter Twenty-Five: A Game of Appearances
"Why are you lifting up my eyelid?"
Jane jumped of surprise - taken aback by the sudden question - and sat on the floor by the couch. She hit the coffee table, winced in pain.
"I was checking if you were alive. Since when do you take naps at work?"
A group of lab technicians passed by the door – files in hand – chatting joyfully while heading to the elevators. Jane cast a brief glance at them then focused back on her wife. Hands crossed on her rather flat stomach – would it ever grow? - Maura had finally opened her eyes and was staring at the ceiling with great serenity.
"I was slightly tired so I decided to lay down for a while after I finished an autopsy. My legs feel a tad heavy and my lower back hurts."
"Are you alright? You can go back home if you don't feel fine." Suddenly worried, Jane bent over and caressed her wife's cheek lovingly. Her brow furrowed, she swallowed hard. Perhaps Maura had come back too early.
"I am perfectly fine. I don't suffer from morning sickness, I am just a bit tired which is normal. We may not see it but my body is going through a lot of changes right now and one of the consequences is that I do experience this state of slight fatigue. But it is just fine, don't be worried."
Not really convinced, Jane nonetheless nodded and brought a hand to Maura's stomach. She had always been one to find such gesture stupid on pregnant women but since they had learned Maura's pregnancy, she had developed the idea herself; perhaps in the stupid hope that it would make her feel closer to the whole thing. A peaceful smile played on her lips as she felt her wife's fingers slide along hers in a soft caress. She lived for these moments, for these tiny seconds during which life seemed to get suspended and nothing mattered but that bubble she and Maura were in.
"Why have you come downstairs? Do you need something?"
The Italian shook her head and ran her tongue over her lips, repressing the urge to settle against Maura on the couch if only for a couple of minutes. "No, not really... I needed a break from all this paperwork thing. It's the last time I let this happen. I have way too many files to deal with." Pout. Pause. "But now you're asking... The guys want to know about the Halloween theme you chose for tonight's party."
Maura rolled her eyes and let a laugh of triumph pass her lips. "I knew it. I knew that you had a reason – other than seeing me – to come here. But it is vain, Jane. I already told you that it was a surprise. We do have one but you won't get to know about it before we step into the Dirty Robber at 6.30pm."
Moan of frustration. Fist clenched. "Oh, come on! I'm not asking you the secret recipe to your Quinoa salad!"
"I don't have a Quinoa salad secret recipe."
"It's just an expression. Don't take it literally. The guys just want to know... We made it clear that we'd be dressed up as ghosts so how about your team? What's with the secret thing?"
But Maura was categorical, or just stubborn if Jane was asked about it. "We want it to be a surprise so if you don't have anything else to ask me please let me take advantage of this little break. I need a nap. Thank you."
Not really taking offense – on the contrary – Jane came closer and slid a hand between her wife's legs rather suggestively before drawing a path of kisses on her neck. "I might have an idea or two about a different kind of requests, actually."
The honey blonde giggled – tilted her head on a side to give her partner more access – and spread her legs slightly as she felt Jane's fingertips brush her inner thigh. "The door is still opened..."
Jane stopped her ministrations – looked up – and shrugged. Within two steps she went to close it then settled back by Maura. On the couch, this time. It was not that she didn't like the floor but the heat of the scientist's body was a lot more welcoming than any expensive carpet.
"How long is your break supposed to last?"
Sliding a leg between the detective's, Maura smiled suggestively. "How about the whole afternoon?"
Her question got welcome by Jane's laughter before the brunette's hoarse voice died in a kiss. A long one, sensual enough; soon echoed by quiet – intense – caresses. T
hey rarely allowed themselves such moment at work. It wasn't the right place, usually not the right time either. And yet...
The ringing of Jane's cell phone got the effect of a cold shower.
"Damn. I can't have peace for five minutes, here." Reluctantly and annoyed, the brunette grabbed the electronic device and checked the message she had received.
"Five minutes? You were hoping to be finished within five minutes? How nice."
"Excellent sarcasm, Maura. Really. But it's not the right time. Ugh... Looks like Cavanaugh wants to see me." Jane stood up and adjusted her clothes without the slightest bit of enthusiasm before smiling timidly at Maura who had remained on the couch; an arm behind her head, legs still opened. "See you at the Dirty Robber dressed up as... Whatever you're supposed to be dressed up as."
For long minutes, the medical examiner kept on staring at the ceiling from her seat; enjoying the rather peaceful moment of a quiet day at the morgue. Yet she couldn't spend the whole afternoon dozing off either. She had an article to write, research to make. Feet on the ground and up. She was walking back to her desk – determined to resume her work – when a small carved pumpkin caught her attention on her right.
She had always liked Halloween but it was the first time she really gave into it at the BPD and dared to bring a semblance of decoration there. She grabbed the cucurbitaceae and without thinking twice about it, slid it under her shirt then looked at the reflection in the mirror. Would she look like that when she started showing? Uncertain, she bit her lips and frowned.
Her body was changing. It was a strange game of appearances.
…
"I told you guys that we had gone heavy on the makeup. I mean look at my glass!" Jane giggled and raised the object in question for the table to see. A large white mark had got printed on it, making it slightly greasy as soon as she tried to clean it.
First time she celebrated Halloween with the BPD in five years. First time she wasn't working for the evening and could enjoy the happy hours and dress up party at the Dirty Robber. Nice escape even if she wasn't too sure about the whole costume thing. At least nobody had showed up dressed in normal clothes. She fitted in the crowd.
"We rejected the vampire idea because of the teeth. Be happy. You wouldn't be able to drink with such long canines."
Fair point. Ridiculous but fair point from Frost. She was about to add something when laughter made her look up and freeze. The lab team had just entered and what an entrance. Speechless, she looked how Maura made it to her table – nodded politely at Jane's colleagues – before sitting timidly on her seat.
Blink. Long pause. "Wow. You must have all spent a huge amount of time getting ready because you really look like a mad scientist."
The medical examiner's white blouse had turned into shades of yellow and purple while her cheeks were slightly black and her hair defying gravity in a very Marge Simpson way. But it wasn't just her, the whole lab team looked like that. And embarrassed.
"We had planned on dressing up as the double helix. This isn't a costume. We faced a little explosion due to an unfortunate experience an hour ago at the lab."
"Oh my god, are you okay?" Jane brought a hand to her wife's stomach immediately, not caring much that her colleagues could see her in such a state. She wasn't an OB/GYN but she knew that explosions weren't really helping.
"Oh yes. It was a minor incident. Who would have guessed potassium permanganate would have such reaction when in contact with a tiny amount of glycerol?"
Silence. Maura's giggles didn't find much of an echo around the table except for the confused faces that were now staring at her as if she had just spoken Chinese. Somewhat reassured, Jane brought her hand to her wife's hair and tried to run it through the now very curly blond mane.
"Oh... It's sticky. And I guess you have..." Very delicately, she grabbed a tiny piece of unidentified blue things. "... You have stuff stuck in it. It's like marshmallow."
Her curiosity piqued, Maura squinted her eyes at the foreign body her wife was holding. "I absolutely don't know what it is. It seems to have crystallized. How interesting..."
You have married the strangest nerd of the whole universe, Riz'. The cutest one too but seriously... Do you know many people who would show up at a Halloween party wearing their work clothes after an incident transformed the whole? Nah. Of course not. Enjoy. Or whatever. At this point, who really knows...
Jane grabbed her beer and washed down the slightly disturbing thought with a long sip only to choke on it as she saw Susie Chang pass by. Obviously, the Senior Criminalist had been around by the time of the explosion as well. With such an impressive hairdo, she could have taken part in a Jackson Five Lookalike Contest any time.
"As much as I appreciate the spontaneity of the last-minute costume, scientists dressing up as scientists is no game! We are cops and chose to be ghosts. We didn't go for the easy ride and picked up something like Police Academy."
Jane rolled her eyes and made a face at her brother. "Shut up, Frankie. They're mad scientists. It works. They stick to the costume theme and to their job. Smart move. Okay, it wasn't intended but still. It's Halloween... It's all about a game of appearances."