author's note: Jane and Maura are finally together in the same place! Now the journey to Rizzles begins. It will be slow but not really angsty.
As soon as Jane saw Maura standing in the doorway to the ambulance she began to try to get up off the gurney so she could go to her friend. Noticing Jane's attempts, Maura held up her hand to still her friend's movements. "Jane," she gently chastised, "Please don't try to get up. I am afraid you will fall and hurt yourself even more."
Groaning, Jane leaned back on the gurney. "Maur," she whined, "how am I going to get on the plane if I don't get up. Come on. Come over here and help me up."
Mentally bracing herself for a barrage of complaints, Maura responded, "Jane, you are not going to be able to walk up the stairs and on to the plane. Part of the job of the men who work for this ambulance is to get you settled on the plane. They are going to bring you onto the plane and help you get settled into your seat."
A look of annoyance and frustration flashed across Jane's face. "Fine," she huffed. "They need to hurry up then. I want to get on that plane and go home."
Maura was ready to continue arguing with Jane when her friend's words permeated her consciousness. She looked at Jane in shock. "You aren't even going to argue with me?"
"No, Maura. I am just too tired to argue. Besides, I know that I will just lose in the end. I figured it was just quicker to cut out the argument so we can go home." Jane replied to her friend with a tired smile.
Once Jane was settled into her seat on the airplane, Maura finally began to relax. She thanked the men from the private ambulance company, retrieved and stored the wheelchair and dog crate from the concierge, introduced Jane to Clara, and then settled down in the seat next to Jane. Closing her eyes Maura felt as if a weight had been lifted, Jane was here with her, finally. With her eyes closed, Maura could feel Jane staring at her and she mumbled, "it's not polite to stare." She then smiled at the deep rumble of the chuckle that came from Jane.
Jane noticed just how tired Maura looked as she sat there with her eyes closed. She thought about how much the smaller woman had done for her in so little time. "Maura, I can't even begin to thank you for everything you have done for me in the last twelve hours. Without you I would still be stuck, alone in that hospital. You look so tired, when is the last time you slept?"
Maura tilted her head to the side, considering Jane's question. "I don't know," she replied. What day is it?" She continued after a brief pause, "Truthfully, I have not been able to sleep since we ended our video call. I have been so worried about you. You don't need to thank me for anything, I did this because I love you, there is no way I could leave you in that hospital all alone."
Jane looked at Maura, her gaze filled with affection, "Why don't you close your eyes? Rest while the pilots get ready to take off," she suggested to Maura.
"We aren't ready to leave just yet, we are still waiting for Nina," Maura explained.
"Nina," Jane questioned, "What is she doing here?"
" Oh," Maura exclaimed, "I can't believe I forgot to tell you! Nina came with us so she could go to your apartment and get Frosty and pack up some clothes for you. I hope it is okay that she went to your apartment. I didn't think you would mind but maybe it is an invasion of your privacy."
Jane interrupted Maura's ramblings, "Of course it is okay! Thank you so much for thinking of Frosty, I can't believe I forgot about him. It will be nice to see Nina too."
Nina arrived and Jane had a sweet reunion with both her future sister in law and her puppy and then everyone settled in for a brief flight home to Boston. Arriving in Boston was a welcome relief to everyone on the plane. It was also when Jane felt comfortable enough to allow her hard headed, stubborn nature to reemerge.
"No Maura, I don't want the pilots to carry me off the plane and I don't want a wheelchair ride to the car." Jane stated stubbornly, with her uninjured arm on her hip.
After several unproductive minutes of arguing Maura shouted, "You are impossible! Stop acting like a child. How do you expect to get off this plane and to the car? Then Maura stormed off to speak with the pilots.
Jane sat sulking in silence until Nina approached her cautiously as if she were about to explode. "Jane, I know you value your independence," Nina began, "but you have to cut Maura some slack. She has been terrified ever since you went into that building. She is solely focused on getting you home as safely as possible. How do you expect to get off this airplane."
Jane looked sheepishly at Nina, "I don't suppose Maura will allow me to slide down the emergency chute?" Jane paused to allow Nina to finish laughing before she continued, "My legs aren't broken. I really only need someone to help me balance on the stairs."
Before she could continue Jane was interrupted by Maura, "If Nina will agree to help you down the stairs will you compromise and allow me to push you in a wheelchair to the car? It is a long icy walk and I just can't bear to think about what would happen if you fell right now." Maura concluded with a sniffle.
"Aw, Maura. Please don't cry. You know I hate it when you cry. I can agree to that compromise." Jane responded, almost begging Maura not to be upset.
Maura smiled tearfully and reached down to gently hug Jane. "Thank you Jane. I will try not to smother you, I just want you to be safe."
The four women and one small puppy arrived at Maura's car without any further difficulty and once all of the passengers and luggage were loaded, Maura drove them all to her home in Beacon Hill. After they arrived and said good-bye to Clara the other three sat in the car planning how to safely get Jane up the stairs and into Maura's bedroom. Maura and Jane had already agreed they should quarantine themselves away from the rest of the household in case either had been exposed to Covid-19 over the course of the last few days. When Angela had been informed of this decision she had been upset but understood the reasoning. Finally, it was determined that both Maura and Nina would work together to support Jane up the stairs and into a chair in Maura's bedroom.
After all of the people and belongings reached their destinations, Maura took Frosty for a walk before settling the small dog in his new bed in Maura's room. Then she sat down in the chair next to Jane and picked up Jane's hand, slowly rubbing away the accumulated aches and pains. "Welcome home, Jane," she stated almost giddily.