Thanks for your patience as I got the next chapter written and posted. It was hard to determine how exactly I wanted things to turn out.
The rest of Jane's summer after Maura went back to New York was pretty boring, she got into a funk. Her father kept yelling at her whenever she did something wrong when practicing to drive. It led to them not talking for several days. Jane hardly ate and most of the time she didn't even talk to Maura on the phone, the distance was getting to her and school was fast approaching. It was a few days since she talked to Maura, today Maura did text her asking her if everything was okay.
Jane assured Maura that she was fine, just kind of in a mood and she didn't want to take it out on her girlfriend. She rather Maura remember their moment at the aquarium, the talking and all the kissing they'd done.
Jane slept horribly the night before she started school. She didn't know why she was like this, she's been excited to be a senior plus that meant she would be able to do what she wanted after graduation, whatever that meant for her. If she was being honest the future scared her, she hardly knew what she wanted in life. It wasn't like she would ever get to be on the Boston Red Sox, that was something she always wanted but knew it wouldn't come true because she was a female and she really didn't want to pull a Mulan.
Jane was about to leave her house on the first day of school but Angela scolded her to have breakfast. "I swear Jane, I know you know that I don't like you not eating breakfast before school."
"It's the whole anxiety thing Ma, I can't eat on the first day, you know this. It's been this way since the first grade. I promise I'll eat lunch," she kissed her mother's cheek, grabbing her lunch and heading out the door. She usually never waited for her brothers to get ready for school. Today she had to get there early for baseball and Frost who had a military father and was always up before it was dawn.
"Thanks Admiral Frost for taking me to school, I really appreciate it. Figured I'd show Barry around since he hasn't been to high school here yet."
"You've always been a good friend to Barold, it's the least I could do. You two have a good day at school. And behave yourself Barold."
"Of course dad," Frost all but pulled Jane out of the car when Admiral Frost stopped in front of the high school. "I don't know why he's so certain I won't behave."
"Who knows, did you want to join the baseball team? It'll be great fun."
"I'm not very athletic Jane."
"Oh come on, it'll be nice you being on the team with me, everyone else is an asshole. Or they are just Giovanni," Jane grumbled seeing Giovanni wave warmly at her.
"Hey Rizzoli, enjoy your summer. You didn't come around the garage much this time around. Thought you wanted to be taught on fixing cars," he looked at Jane.
"Remember what happened last time I came over and you tried to teach me things?"
"I told you my hand grazed your butt."
"Yeah and it just so happened to accidentally squeeze said butt?"
"I told you it would never happen again. You didn't even give me a chance to prove myself."
"Where's Coach Korsak?" Jane asked deciding to change topics.
"He's over there smoking, he's stressed out, another missus Korsak left him."
"Wait seriously? Can't that man keep a wife? He was happy when we were teaching those kids, funny how only a few weeks can change someone. Come on Barry, let's go see if I can talk to him about letting you on as a designated hitter."
"A what?" he asked confused causing Jane to roll her eyes and grab him by the arm.
Meanwhile Maura was looking in her closet, she couldn't decide what she wanted to wear, what was even appropriate attire for public school? Maura didn't have enough time to worry about it. She grabbed a dress and a pair of flats and went to go change and head down to the kitchen. Constance and Arthur decided to rent this house in Boston and still keep their home in New York. It was quite exquisite and it was almost twice the size as their house in New York City.
"Mother, father, do I look alright to you?" Maura asked, turning for them to fully observe her outfit.
"You look wonderful darling," Arthur greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. "Nervous about your first day at a public school."
"Nervous that Jane is going to freak out when she sees me at her high school. What if she thinks I'm stalking her or something?"
"I'm sure Jane will be greatly surprised to see you," Constance insisted. "Now the car should be coming to pick you up shortly."
"Being chauffeured to school doesn't seem very public school like."
"Would you prefer to sit on a bus? You don't like public transportation."
Maura shook her head, "No the car sounds nice, just was thinking maybe you or father could drive me."
"We both have to be at work early sometimes you can't always depend on us every morning. We only have your best interests at heart," Constance reassured her. "Actually me and your father must be going," she kissed her cheek. "Have a good day at school."
"Bye," Maura sighed as her parents left her alone in the house.
Soon the car had come to pick up Maura and drove her to her first day of public school. Maura was self conscious about this, anxiety building the closer she got to Jane's high school. "Miss Isles, I'll be back at four to pick you up."
Maura nodded, "Thanks Larry. Thanks for being here for me," she kissed his cheek, grabbed her bag and got out of the car, trying to steady her breathing as she approached the school. She knew where everything was that was important what she didn't know was where Jane was.
Maura approached her homeroom and went to find a seat, someone sat next to her and she wasn't amused.
"Why hello there. Do my eyes deceive me or are you that fancy girl that was in Paris?" Joey Grant smirked, causing Maura to roll her eyes. "You're hotter than I remember, maybe I can take you out sometime, show you what a real man can do, not some wannabe man like Rizzoli."
"I think you should just leave her alone, how about that?" Barry Frost approached, his arms crossed.
"Oh yeah sure, like I want to listen to you," Joey rolled his eyes. "You may have been great at baseball practice but you're still a loser."
"That's rich, you hardly know me."
"But I do remember you Barry, we grew up in the same neighborhood until daddy had to leave for where did he transfer to?"
"At least I get to travel the world, imagine that," Barry sat down on the other side of Maura. "Sorry about him, he's just feeling insecure I got a home run first try and he couldn't pitch to save his life."
"Does baseball practice always happen this early?" Maura asked causing Frost to chuckle.
"I have no idea."
Soon homeroom was done and Maira got her schedule, she was in all AP classes along with Frost, she was also in gym and she didn't like that very much, especially since it was the last class of the day.
She was almost to her last period and she has yet to see Jane which was quite concerning to her. She wanted to text her but she knew it would ruin the surprise that she was here. She was oddly surprised that Joey hadn't spilled the news but he just wanted Maura for himself so why would he tell Jane. She sat next to Barry in gym class, they got there first.
"I think Jane is in gym this class, I haven't told her you were here. I'm sure she'll be in for a big surprise," Frost spoke to her getting the beautiful girl out of her thoughts. "Don't look so worried," he patted her leg.
"I'm not worried."
"Could have fooled me," Frost shook his head and nudged Maura when he seen Jane approaching, she was talking to Coach Korsak about something just as the rest of the class filed in. Frost got out of his seat and went to grab Jane by the arm. "Hey Jane, I was surprised not to see you all day."
"Well I can't have all AP classes like your smart ass. You're making me look bad, pretty sure I'm already failing English. I have to read some Shakesphere garbage."
"Shakespeare you mean."
"Isn't that just what I said?"
"You said it like the geometric shape," he laughed in amusement.
"Oh shut up," she hit him in the arm.
"Why must you hit? Anyways, come sit with me I made a friend today and I'm sure you'd like to meet her. Don't make me change my mind, she's pretty hot if you catch my drift," Frost nodded as they approached Maura. Jane just stood there, her jaw dropped seeing the girl.
"Maura, is that really... are you really here right now? Or is this some kind of illusion?" Jane pulled the girl up and gave her a hug. "You are actually here, you're real."
"Of course I'm real. I'm not some sort of figment of your imagination."
"I can't believe that you're here at my high school... in Boston."
"Well believe it because here I am," she leaned up to give Jane a kiss, causing Jane to freeze up, hearing Joey in the distance mutter the word dyke.
Jane pulled away and looked at Maura, her happiness faded. "Yeah, I mean that's cool," she sat down next to Frost, slumping down in her chair. "Nice to see you again Maura," she muttered and then focused on class, avoiding being close to her when they went to walk the track.
Frost rushed up to Jane as Maura fell behind, she felt unwanted by Jane right now. "Hey, what's your problem Jane? She was anxious to see you all day and now you're giving her the cold shoulder."
"You should know what my problem is. The dick Joey Grant, I will not let him call me a dyke."
"So you're just going to ignore Maura?" he asked, looking behind him.
"What else is there to do? He's just going to mock me and her and she deserves better than that. She deserves better then me," she kicked at a rock on the track. "I'm going to run now, I can't stand keeping up with your slow pace. No offense," she patted his back before taking off.
Frost fell back to walk next to Maura, "I'm sorry about how she was acting. I thought she didn't care what people thought, that's not the Jane Rizzoli I knew growing up."
"I'll just have to get over it, she has an image to uphold and I'm just not it during school hours."
"But you should be it all the time, she cares about you and she should start acting like it. Or else there will be consequences," he lightly scolded, causing Maura to smile.
"You don't sound very threatening there Barry," she linked her arm with his, glad she had found a friend like Barry Frost at a time like this.
"Jane will get her head out of her ass one of these days."
"I just hope she does it before it's too late for us," Maura stopped, trying to calm her breathing. Her and Jane just had to survive all of this right, they'd be okay right.
Frost rubbed her back, "Hey Maura, you're starting to hyperventilate, are you going to be okay?" he asked in concern looking over for Jane, waving her over. Jane seen her girlfriend in a panic and rushed over.
"Frost, what happened?" Jane asked, observing Maura.
"I told her you needed you get your head out of your ass and she said she hoped it was before it's too late for you both, then this happened."
Jane nodded in understanding, cupping Maura's cheeks, causing her to look at her. "Hey, we're going to be okay Maura, I promise. I'm not going anywhere," she let her thumb brush against the girl's trembling bottom lip. "I just... it's difficult to explain," Jane looked around, before kissing the girl's lips to calm her down. She sighed in relief when she got her to calm her breathing.
"Y-You kissed me..." Maura bit her bottom lip.
"Geez Rizzoli, keep it in your pants," Joey Grant came up beside them, Jane turned to Joey, seeing red as she punched him in the face and he dropped to the ground.
"Jane Rizzoli! Principal's office now!" Korsak shouted at her, Jane just shrugged, giving Maura a kiss on the cheek before rushing inside.
"I wish she wasn't so violent," Maura shook her head an amused smile on her face though.
"Maybe her head was never in her ass," Frost smirked, pleased at what he just witnessed. "You totally deserved that Grant, give it up already," he linked his arm with Maura's not bothering to help him up, continuing their walk around the track.
"You know I never had someone so protective of me, it's quite endearing."
Frost chuckled, "I think it's quite safe to say you're really smitten with Jane."
"Oh Barry, you have no idea."
Writing the Maura/Frost interaction friendship I was kind of reminded of Sandy and Frenchie. Frost is totally the Frenchie of the story. Little angst between our Rizzles but only for a moment. Hope you enjoyed it!