Jane groaned as the sound of her alarm blared in her ear. "Maur," she pulled the pillow over her head. "Turn it off," she mumbled through the pillow.
"It's your alarm," Maura groaned with her. "You turn it off," Maura pushed Jane. "You set it, you get your butt out of bed and turn it off. Jane replied with another groan.
Jane blindly felt for the bedside table and the blaring alarm. She opened her eyes slightly so she could press the correct button and returned to her place under her pillow. She felt her girlfriend kiss her bare shoulder.
"You have to get up," Maura pulled the pillow off Jane's head. "You have practice in an hour."
"It's too early," Jane covered her eyes with her arm. "Two a day practices are stupid."
"They are not stupid," Maura laughed. "Pull yourself out of bed and get ready. I'll make you some breakfast."
"Pancakes?" Jane raised her eyebrow and slightly opened an eye to look at the blonde.
"If you would prefer," Maura smiled and kissed the brunette. "Now get your butt up or you'll be late."
Jane obeyed and walked towards the closet where she stored some of her clothes, for exactly this purpose. She dressed in sweats and a hoodie and made her way to the kitchen. She saw Maura dressed in her robe pouring some pancake batter on the griddle. "You look delicious," Jane smiled.
"Shut up," Maura laughed as she placed a plate of pancakes on the island for Jane to eat. A full glass of water and a small cup of coffee sat near the pancakes. Jane sat at the counter and stared at the food in front of her. "Full glass of water first," Maura demanded. "Then one cup of coffee."
"Coffee first, then water," Jane compromised.
"No, water, then your one and only cup of coffee. Coffee dehydrates you and you're having an intense day of training. Water first," Maura stated as she pushed the cup of water towards Jane.
"Two cups of coffee," Jane tried to negotiate.
"You do whatever you want Jane Rizzoli, but I will gloat when you come to me with cramps. I will withhold sex if I have to," Maura pushed the water glass a bit further towards Jane. She heard Jane sigh and grasp the glass of water. Jane downed half the glass of water and finished eating her pancakes.
"What's in these pancakes?" Jane asked. "They're really good."
"I substituted some of the flour with protein powder. To prevent that sugar crash you're going to have otherwise."
"Maura," Jane whined. "If you keep taking care of me, I'm not going to have an excuse to see you today."
"That's the plan," Maura winked. "Today's the first day where everyone knows about us. No more unnecessary trips to the team doc," Maura took Jane's plate and the empty cup of water. "Now finish your cup of coffee and get out of here. I'll see you at work," Maura kissed Jane lightly and walked up the stairs.
Jane sauntered into the locker room, taking her place beside her best friend. They were both early.
"Damn," Katie laughed. "You look exhausted."
"I didn't get much sleep last night," she laughed. "And Maura wouldn't let me sleep any longer."
"Poor Jane," Katie teased. "Your life seems so hard."
"She made protein pancakes this morning, and only let me have one cup of coffee. She all but forced water down my throat," Jane whined.
"Your life seems so hard. You have a beautiful girlfriend who you had sex with all night, who made you breakfast this morning, and didn't want you to be too dehydrated on your first two a day of the season. You should just break up now, it's never going to work," Katie's sarcasm hit Jane.
"You're mean," Jane pouted.
"And you're whiney today," Katie laughed.
Jane and Katie sat in their practice uniforms as the rest of the team filed into the locker room. "Is it just me, or does it feel like the mood has shifted?" Jane whispered to her friend.
"It's not just you, I just don't think anyone knows what to say," Katie smiled softly.
Coach made his way into the locker room with the two rookies trailing behind him. "Listen up ladies," he started. "Some of you may have met the two rookies last night, but in case you didn't," he pointed to the two kids behind him. "This is Brooke and Sarah. Make them feel welcome." He led them towards the two open lockers in the middle of the room and gave them a run down of practice expectations.
Jane laced up her last cleat and stood. "It feels good to be in a practice uniform again," she smiled. "You wanna go?" She looked at Katie.
"Yeah," she stood and followed Jane out the tunnel to the green grass ahead.
Jane pulled a ball on her feet. God it felt good to do this again. Without the sharp pain of broken ribs and a torn lung. "I can finally twist without the slight burn of my ribs," she laughed.
"Don't tell Maura that," Katie laughed again. "She'll sit you out just for lying."
Jane laughed along with her best friend. They were juggling the ball back and forth waiting for the rest of the team to join them. They were always first on the field. It gave them time to get into their head space. Allowed for time for their own mental warm up they've been doing since college. Juggle the ball between them, a couple quick sprints, and then the warm up with the team.
"Hey Jane," Brooke yelled as she ran out onto the field, Sarah following behind.
Jane sighed, everyone on the team knew not to interrupt her and Katie until they were done. "Hey rookies," Jane smiled politely. "Grab a ball and follow along," Jane invited.
Brooke nodded her head and her and Sarah juggled the ball back and forth. While Jane and Katie had barely moved from their spot, never letting the ball hit the ground. Brooke and Sarah could barely get it back and forth. The difference between knowing the people you're playing with and not knowing.
Katie received the ball and stopped the juggling streak. "Katie, we were hitting a record," Jane whined.
"What fun would it be if we hit a record first day of the new season?" Katie laughed. "Move those feet. Last one to cross that line pays for lunch," Katie started to count down.
"You're on," Jane started her sprint to the other side of the field. She noticed the two rookies did as they were told and followed along. Jane ran alongside Katie just as she was about to pull ahead, Katie tugged lightly on her thumb, causing her to slow down a bit. If Jane didn't know her best friend, she would have put it down as an accident. But this was Katie, she pulled herself back to her sprinting pace and jabbed her best friend lightly just as Jane crossed the line.
"You're such a cheater," Katie laughed as she caught her breath.
"You cheated first," Jane laughed.
"From what I saw you both cheated and you should pay for the rookies lunch," Maura laughed as she approached them.
"Dr. Isles," Jane nodded her head. "Are you spying on me?"
"I'm here to wrap Katie's ankle," she laughed. "Not everything is about you Jane."
"She's extra whiney today," Katie pointed out. "Tell her about your ribs Jane."
"What's wrong with your ribs?" Maura stood concerned. "I thought they were one hundred percent. You told me they were one hundred percent."
"They are," Jane glared at Katie. "I just mentioned how I don't feel them as I twist or play anymore," Jane laughed. "It's a good thing."
"So you lied to me when you said you didn't feel them before?" Maura prodded. "What did I tell you this morning?"
"I didn't lie, I said they felt better before. But, now they feel good as new. Great even," Jane smirked up at the doctor. "Katie's just trying to get over the fact that she just lost again."
"I still think you both should buy the rookies lunch for putting up with your antics," Maura urged as she bent to start wrapping Katie's ankle.
"Ugh fine," Jane grumbled. "Lunch after practice rookies," she barked. "If you don't feel like puking," Jane whispered to Katie.
"You're serious?" Brooke laughed.
"If you don't feel like puking," Katie laughed as Maura finished wrapping her ankle.
"I love you Jane," Maura whispered as she stood up. "Remember what I said this morning," Maura glared at Jane. She picked up her tape bag and glided back towards the locker room.
"So is that what you're doing now?" Katie laughed. "That's a big step."
"We'll talk about this later," Jane smiled as she watched the rest of the team walk out of the tunnel.
Jane was on the last round of timed sprints, it was down to her and Ruby. Ruby obviously had an issue with Jane being named the starter, she was trying to prove herself. The rookies were out in the first couple of rounds, Katie and Holly were out a couple of rounds ago, her and Ruby were the only two. It was time to push herself, dig deep and pull a miracle out. She could feel her body's urge to puke. This is what two a days conditioning were about, run and sprint until you puked. She refused to be the first to puke. She pushed down the urge and gulped down the last sip of water. She walked up to the line to start another sprint set. This is the furthest she's ever made it in these. She always tapped out with Katie.
Her foot on the line and her focus straight ahead. She knew she had 6 seconds to get to the other side. She had to do it at least 15 times with basically no recovery period. She knew she was going to cramp after this. Thank god this was the last thing before part one of the day was over.
Jane heard the beeping begin, the count down. Three… Two… One… she took off sprinting to the other line. Easily crossing before Ruby. She lined up again, waiting for the beep. She focused on crossing the line and keeping her breathing even. Sprinting back and forth until she knew she was on number 15. She barely crossed the line before the beep. She dropped to her knees as she felt her teammates pat her back. She was still the best. Ruby hadn't even taken off on the fifteenth sprint. She just laid on her back on the other side.
Jane stood and waived off the rest of her teammates as she jogged over to the trashcan and emptied the breakfast that hadn't fully digested yet. She sat on the ground as Katie handed her a water bottle with watered down Gatorade. She rinsed her mouth and sighed. Her practice uniform soaked with the sweat of pushing herself too hard on the first day. Katie helped her up and all but carried her to Maura's office.
She winced as she walked, her calves on fire. She knocked on the door and made her way inside the doctor's office. "You were right," she breathed out. "I was wrong."
Maura laughed as she motioned for Katie to place her on the training table. Jane laid down on the table, her eyes closed as she groaned in pain. "What happened?"
"She pushed herself too hard," Katie laughed. "We were doing the timed sprint test and she just had to win."
"Did you win Jane?" Maura grabbed a towel from underneath the table. "Are you happy you won?" All Maura could get out of Jane was her low groans. "I can't understand you."
"I was happy at the time," she groaned out. "Now my calves are on fire and my mouth tastes like vomit."
Maura took Jane's cleats off and pulled her socks and shin guards off. "You smell," Maura laughed as she wrinkled her mouth. She dried the sweat off of Jane's legs and began massaging the sore muscles below. Maura laughed at the moans coming from her girlfriend's mouth. "I can't believe you pushed yourself this hard, knowing you had another practice this afternoon," Maura shook her head.
"Ruby was going just as hard, needing to beat me. She's super angry that I re-signed with Boston. She got traded here and now she's second string because I'm here. I can't slack off and let her take my starting position," Jane explained. "Plus, I think she might be homophobic," Jane shrugged. She sat up when she felt Maura's hands slow.
"You think?" Maura handed her girlfriend a tooth brush and a small tooth paste.
"You're the best," she smiled. "I could just kiss you."
"I'll kiss you tonight after you've showered thoroughly, and brushed your teeth," Maura laughed. "Now you need to drink at least 40 ounces of water before your second practice. I'm not kidding Jane."
"I know Maur," she smiled back. "I love you. Thank you," Jane stood.
"I love you too," Maura pushed her through the door. "You seriously need to shower."
"On it," Jane smiled as she limped her way back towards the locker room. She finished the liquid in the bottle she was holding and grabbed another on her way towards her locker.
"Dude," Holly laughed as she made her way towards Jane. "That was epic," she patted Jane's shoulder.
"Yeah," Jane laughed as she stripped her shirt off and made her way towards the showers. She rinsed off the dried sweat from her body and changed back into her sweats and hoodie. She hung her sports bra in her locker to dry and grabbed her keys. "Lunch rookies?" She nodded her head to Brooke and Sarah who were dressed and ready.
"You could ask nicely Jane," Katie laughed as they walked towards Jane's car. The two rookies following behind.
Jane pulled her car up to The Dirty Robber. She turned her car off and led the group into the bar. "Rizzoli," the bartender shouted from behind the bar. "It's good to see you. I'm happy the season is starting back up again. My two best customers are back."
"Hey Joe," Jane laughed. "We'll start with eight waters," she shouted back as they sat in a booth in the corner.
"Eight?" Brooke laughed. "There's only four of us."
"She means two for each right now," Katie explained. "Nothing is worse than returning to practice already dehydrated." The two rookies nodded.
"So we're back to the two-a-day's," Joe laughed as he placed the waters on the table. "Who are these two?" Joe laughed.
"Meet the two Rookies, Joe," Jane pointed at the two. "Lewis and Wright."
"Nice to meet you ladies," he nodded your head. "You two want your usual?"
"Nah Joe, Jane has been taking lessons on nutrition," Katies teased. "We'll both have my usual."
"Yeah Joe," Jane sighed. "Her usual."
"What's your usual?" Brooke asked.
"A spring salad with grilled chicken, a fried egg, and avocado, sweet potato mash with a glass of chocolate milk," Katie explained.
"Ugh, it's the worst," Jane sighed. "If I eat my usual and Katie tattles on my girlfriend I'll never hear the end of it. Sometimes I think they team up against me."
"It's for your own good," Katie laughed.
"I guess we'll all have that," Brooke looked towards Joe and watched him nod his head.
"Four Hughes' specials, coming right up," he laughed.
"I went to USC," Brooke smiled slightly. "I heard about everything that went down while you two were there."
"They still talk about it," Jane groaned. "It's been six years."
"The seniors who I played with as a freshman were there when it all went down," Brooke explained. "It's the reason why I never told anyone I had a girlfriend." She sighed. "My girlfriend was also on the team. Everyone just thought we were best friends. But in reality we'd been dating since freshman year. She got drafted to Houston. Now we live on opposite sides of the country. I'm not sure we're going to make it," Brooke sighed.
"Not everyone can do distance, not everyone can deal with the constant travel of professional sports. Jane and I have had our fair share of failed relationships for these reasons. You just have to find that someone who supports you no matter what," Katie explained.
"Yeah I guess," Brooke sighed.
"I've lost a lot of relationships to this profession," Jane laughed. "You'll be okay," Jane patted her shoulder. "Just play your heart out and everything will happen as it should."
"Yeah?" Brooke looked up to her teammate.
"Yeah," Jane smiled. "If you ever need someone to talk to about this, you can come to us. We'll have your back."
"Okay," Brooke smiled as their food arrived.
"Ugh, this is disgusting Kate," Jane sighed. "I literally hate you."
"Eat up," Katie laughed.