Please see Ch 1 for disclaimers…
4 Chapter Posting Night - please start with 48
The loss of Maura's warmth snapped Jane's focus off the window for a moment, but the speed in which the blonde disappeared only solidified that something was going on.
Jane walked over and looked through the glass. It appeared everything was normal. She frowned over her shoulder at the empty room. All she could see was a light dusting of new snow over her mother's car and it looked like Korsak must have arrived early. That explained the call. Her mother must have been warning them.
But still, Maura had practically crawled out of her skin a second ago. Jane folded her arms over her chest and took another long look at Maura's little courtyard. She studied her mother's front door and based on the footprints in the snow figured that was where they went. So that was that.
When her brain fully recognized exactly what she had seen, Jane froze. The key word was 'they.' As in plural. As in more than one set of footprints leading from Korsak's SUV to her mother's door. Jane blinked hard but the picture didn't change.
No wonder a certain medical examiner had fled the scene.
She ran into the bedroom and grabbed her phone, dialing her mother the second it was unlocked. In the space of dialing to her mother's cheerful "Merry Christmas!" Jane decided to be more objective. Try the high road for once. People could count it as an extra Christmas present.
Jane listened to her mother prattle on about the plans for the day. Apologizing for sleeping through breakfast. The woman thought she had no clue. Sneaky. From behind the closed door of the master ensuite she heard the shower start.
Apparently all the women in her life were sneaky.
Still, she'd give Angela the benefit of the doubt. Jane cut her mother short. "That's nice Ma. Hey, is Frankie or anybody with you?" She bit back the frustration at her mother's response. "So just Vince, huh?"
Jane had no idea what else they talked about other than she was supposed to go down and put the coffee on. Her eyes narrowed on the closed bathroom door. She went over and tested the handle. Locked. "You're going to have to come out sometime Isles."
Maura's voice was muffled by the sound of the shower running, but Jane could make out the yelled, "I can't hear you." She put her hands on her hips as she debated grabbing the key she knew was over the bathroom door when the silver angel caught her eye. Damn it. Maura had put up with enough of her shit lately. It was Christmas.
They could discuss open sharing regarding the shenanigans of one Vince Korsak and a certain Rizzoli matriarch later. But no way in hell was her Ma going to end up wife number four, no matter how good Angela thought Korsak looked in a Santa hat.
Suddenly all Jane could picture was her mother looking at him last night. Ew and ugh and not happening. She dragged her hands roughly over her face trying to rub out the image that last thought had running through her mind. Just no.
That was it. She and Vince were going to have a heart-to-heart while they washed dishes later. He wanted to date her mother? There were going to be serious ground rules. Otherwise she'd have to murder him and that was going to put a strain on her relationship with Maura. Especially when the ME had to help cover it up. There wouldn't be enough Benadryl in the world to deal with those hives.
Satisfied with her plan of action, Jane let out a deep sigh and went over to the nightstand. She sat down on the edge of the bed and picked the angel up, testing the heft as she tossed it up and down. It was good. Solid. She liked the size of it.
The fourth time the angel bounced in the air the bathroom door opened, distracting her. The angel glanced off her fingers and fell to the floor.
Maura stared at the angel and then back up at Jane.
Jane tried grinning. Maura merely pursed her lips. Sheepishly she grabbed the statue off the floor and kissed its head. That earned her a raised eyebrow.
When Jane batted her eyes, Maura just shook her head slowly. "That's precisely why I had it made of metal."
Maura spun around and disappeared into the closet before Jane could say a word.
Jane carefully placed the angel back down on the end table and the flash of red and white between the lamp and the wall caught her eye. Jane picked up the candy cane and turned it over in her hand. "Maura did TJ come back upstairs last night?"
Maura appeared in the doorway. "I couldn't hear you. What was your question?"
Angela's muffled yelling floated in. Jane rolled her eyes. "Never mind." She jogged over to the bedroom door and cracked it open. "What Ma?!"
From the bottom of the stairs her mother's voice rebound against the walls. "I thought you were making coffee?"
Jane shoved her hand into her hair, tugging roughly before she yelled back. "I was going to. I have to get dressed first."
"You're not even dressed yet?" Angela's voice was the perfect mix of disbelief and exasperation that had been the soundtrack of her entire childhood. "Jane Clementine Rizzoli, do you know what time it is? Half of Christmas is over already."
For a moment Jane was about to mention that half the day wouldn't be over if a certain mother was where she belonged rather than having sleepovers with her daughter's Sergeant. But that was only going to highlight exactly why she wasn't ready either. No way would her mother leave that alone.
Before she could yell back her mother's disembodied warning boomed up the hallway. "Five minutes. I need help cooking. Your brothers are on their way and TJ's going to want to open presents when he gets here. Get your fannies downstairs."
With a frustrated grunt Jane closed the bedroom door and spun around. Maura was standing by her bed in a matching lingerie set with Jane's red button down hanging off a finger.
"I ironed your shirt for you." Maura gestured to the two dresses side by side on the bed. "I can't make up my mind between the two."
Jane blinked her eyes again but the image didn't change and the primary thought running through her mind was exactly how it would feel to step behind Maura and run her hands over the scraps of lace and silk. "How is it we spent the past 12 hours basically having sex and I still need to clasp my hands behind my back like a 13 year old boy because you're standing there in your skivvies?"
Maura tilted her head and handed over Jane's shirt. "Scientific or allegorical response?" She held up a dress, considered Jane and put it down in favor of the other. "I think I'll go with the winter white."
"How about we go with option C? Rhetorical question. No response required. I don't wanna hear about hormones or mating rituals of the east mountain white panda whose magic fur made that dress." Jane reached out and stroked the cream dress. "That's so soft."
"There is no such thing as a white panda, albino yes, but not white. Though pandas do live in mountainous regions in Asia." Maura slipped the cashmere dress over her head. "And the dress is meant to be."
"I'll let you google the panda thing later. It exists." Jane couldn't help herself. She reached out and ran her fingers over the velvety material covering Maura's waist. "This dress is meant to be what?"
Maura stepped into Jane and her hands pushed under Jane's top. "Touchable." She caressed Jane's lower back and placed a kiss on a sensitive neck. "Inviting."
Jane closed her eyes. Maura was so soft and warm. The lips against her neck sucked lightly and suddenly the day surround by everyone seemed like some sort of grueling experiment in fortitude. "Please go kick out my family. That's all I want for Christmas."
Maura stepped back and left a final kiss against side of Jane's mouth. "If I do that you won't get to watch everyone open up all those Christmas gifts waiting under the tree. You still have a surprise from me waiting under there."
Jane tightened her hands on Maura's hips ready to make a more convincing argument when little footsteps and a high pitched voice went running by the bedroom door.
"Aunt Jaaaaneee! Santa came!" They listened to TJ furiously knocking on the guestroom door, his yelling increasing in volume.
Jane called towards the bedroom door. "Wrong room TJ." She groaned and closed her eyes when the TJ started calling her name again. "No wonder all the parents at work look either exhausted or frustrated. How in the hell do they ever have sex?" Maura's laughter only made her growl as she ripped off her tank top. "I'm not even joking. He's three for three at this point."
Clearing her throat Jane yelled again. "Wait there TJ, I'm getting dressed."
"Well considering most of those parents have multiple children I imagine they figure it out." Maura admired the long legs as Jane hopped out of her shorts almost falling to the floor in her haste. "Do you need help?"
Jane balanced on one foot, trying to free the other and caught the heated flush washing over Maura's face when she was caught ogling her. She felt a small smile creep over her face when she realized how many times she'd seen that look before and never fully appreciated what it meant. "No need to get all red there Doc. You're supposed to look."
She slowly stood up as Maura strolled over.
Maura exhaled and ran her fingertips over Jane's clavicle and down her sternum. Rested her palm on the toned abdominal muscles. "That's true isn't it? I went to turn around before you caught me." She brushed her hand along the gently moving surface. "But I don't have to do that anymore."
She wrapped both arms around Jane's back and felt the embraced returned. "Even more important, it's okay to want you to do this." She squeezed Jane and felt the arms around her tighten. "I don't need an excuse anymore. I don't have to be upset, or frightened. "
"You never did." Jane kissed the side of Maura's head. "I never knew you thought you needed a reason. But I thought you don't like being touched when you're upset?"
Maura breathed Jane in. Felt the tangible heat of life under her hands. "Haven't you noticed? Not when it comes to you. I want you to hold the pieces of me together." She looked up and found dark eyes waiting for her. "You're my exception. Always have been."
Jane cupped Maura's jaw and their gazes intertwined. She fell into flecks of green, light brown, all swirling around a ring of bittersweet. Unique, clear, honest.
She was the one Maura choose to let all the way in. Maura needed her. Wanted her. The words were barely more than a whisper. "Forget whatever is under the tree. That is the best Christmas gift you could ever give me."
And even if her third wish came true and she woke up tomorrow to find out the past few days had been some sort of glorious, screwed up dream, there was one absolute truth she now understood.
Verna was right. It wasn't magic that made wishes come true.
It was love.
