I'm not going to lie, part of me just wants to take the two in this universe, lock them up in a closet and not let them out until they've worked out all the tension between them. But that wouldn't be much of a story.
Anyway, this chapter is part of why I feel that way, but it's not all slow.
Thank you guys so much for all the feedback. It's amazing how many people have put this on alert. I never thought I'd get such a strong following for this piece, because it's really just an experimental foot into the fandom and I'm overjoyed that even one person enjoys it, let alone the dozens of you that have been reading. Again, thank you so so much.
Enjoy.
Jane walked into the morgue to see Maura for no other reason than just because she could, since she was still very aware of Ian's presence in the other woman's house and it was still bothering her. Walking into the autopsy room, she grinned at the sight of the M.E. with her hands in a dead guy. She had missed this, in a grim and slightly disturbing way given the dead guy.
"Hello, Jane," Maura greeted her, lifting her head to offer her a smile. "I'll be done in a moment."
"Take your time," Jane told her, sitting on the counter just because she could. "Have you heard from Ian today?" She hadn't wanted to talk about it, but the silence was starting to make her nervous.
"Yes. We've been coordinating over text so that I know what to order for his supplies," Maura answered, turning to grab a different tool and then back at the body. As she stood to get the organs to put back in, she glanced over at the brunette to see her sitting there a little awkwardly. "Would you feel better if I showed you the messages?"
"No, not really," Jane admitted. "I trust you, though I won't lie and say that the fact that I know you can't lie has nothing to do with that." She frowned. "Though that statement could honestly be one of your not-telling-me-everything statements… but I don't think you'd do that in this situation."
"I wouldn't," Maura admitted, turning back to the body as she started putting it back together as much as she was possible. "I know how you feel about Ian being here right now, and I wouldn't hide anything about this situation from you."
Jane made a noise, not sure how to respond to that. Sure she believed Maura, but anything she would say would just put more light on even more insecurities, and Jane figured she'd been insecure enough for a while.
"Would you like to go get something for lunch when I finish this?" Maura asked. Jane wanted to say yes, but she felt too raw right now to do something so normal for "friend Maura and Jane" and jumped from the counter.
"Nah, I'll grab a sandwich from the café and get back to work," Jane told her. Maura nodded, not really surprised by the answer despite her hopes that she would hear otherwise. "But, maybe we could go out tonight, just the two of us?"
"Oh, yes!" Maura agreed quickly. Feeling her cheeks warm, she cleared her throat to calm down. "Detective, are you asking me on a date?" she teased.
Jane grinned. "Maybe I am. Guess you'll just have to see." She walked over to kiss Maura's forehead before heading for the door. "I'll come get you at seven, okay? If Boston doesn't kill anyone between now and then, I think you can get ready by then."
Of course, Jane decided with a scowl, Boston couldn't let her give the best woman in town a night out without being called in for a dead body. She had just left the apartment to go get Maura when the call came in, and despite the pantsuit she was wearing being the nicest thing she owned she didn't feel like changing and drove straight to the crime scene.
She was amused to see Maura also decked out for the now ruined evening together when she arrived, and made sure to appreciate the way she looked.
"I'm sorry our evening has been put on hold," Maura told her as they crossed paths.
Jane grinned. "If anything, we'll be the fanciest two people at the 24-hour diner when we leave here." The two shared a chuckle before getting to work.
Unfortunately, Jane wasn't able to meet Maura for a quick bite before heading in to the precinct because of some witnesses and an unexpected visitor to the scene that needed questioning. Not wanting to head home just yet, since she had expected an evening out with the detective and didn't look forward to facing Ian instead, Maura chose to go down to the morgue and change to start working on the autopsy.
If Jane had to work on this case already, Maura could certainly do what she could to help as soon as possible.
The next time Jane saw Maura was two days later when the M.E. showed up in her apartment an hour after she had gotten home and had collapsed on the couch with a cold beer after a long shower.
"Have you eaten?" was the first thing out of Maura's mouth as she closed the door behind her.
"Not yet, but I haven't really felt hungry yet," Jane admitted. She was a little upset because of the lack of communication between the two. Phone calls had been limited to information about the case and quick check-ins from Maura making sure Jane was taking care of herself. To top things off, Ian hadn't left yet and he was starting to become a thorn in Jane's side. The idea that he's probably gotten it in his head that he's still the love of Maura's life and he doesn't want to leave until she gives in to him was stuck in her mind and wouldn't leave.
Maura seemed to sense Jane's melancholy and put in an order to their favorite Thai place before making Jane lay face down on the couch. "This really isn't the ideal position for this," she said as she started giving Jane a rub down, "but I don't want to put you to bed until you've eaten something."
"You've worked as hard as I have, Maura, you don't need to do this," Jane told her even as she closed her eyes and gave in to the pleasure she felt from the doctor's hands, which gave way to a slew of images about other things the woman could do with her hands and, combined with a well-placed push on her back, ushered a low moan from her. "God, Maura, you're awesome, you know that?"
"I have been informed a few times," Maura teased, "and most of those times have been from you I believe."
"Good, I don't really want to think about the other people that tell you you're awesome after you make them feel as good as I feel right now," Jane tossed back, rolling her shoulders and getting up to pull Maura into her lap. "It seems almost silly, but I've missed you."
Maura settled in on Jane's lap and leaned her head against Jane's. "It's not silly, Jane. We've communicated, yes, but there hasn't really been any interaction between us over the last couple of days. I've missed you as well." Jane made a noise that Maura couldn't identify, and then felt a kiss on her collarbone. "How have you been dealing with everything?"
"By 'everything' you mean the Ian thing, don't you," Jane mumbled against her skin, making Maura shiver almost unnoticed. "I'm trying not to let it bother me, even though I haven't been there to keep an eye on him. But, I'm trying to trust you and not let it control me. Lord knows I want nothing more than to storm into your house, load up his shit and tell him to get the fuck out."
Maura smiled; that would be typical Jane behavior, and a small part of her would be overjoyed if the scene were to be played out. But, she didn't want Jane to do anything of that nature despite her feelings on the matter. There was still protocol to keep in mind, and she did try to support Ian's efforts since they were noble.
"How much more stuff is he waiting on?"
"From what he said, there should only be one more shipment arriving and then he can start arranging for it to be taken to the airport for transport," Maura told her. "I'm hoping he'll be gone by this weekend, as neither of us on on-call, I checked, and I want us to spend the weekend out of town without anything to distract us."
"Why Dr. Isles, do you plan on seducing me?" Jane joked. Maura rolled her eyes, and playfully smacked the detective on the shoulder. Jane twisted so that Maura slid backwards from her lap and onto the couch, leaning over her. "When he leaves, would I be too obnoxious if I asked you to have the security code changed? And anything else that needs changed to make sure he can't just waltz in later?"
"No. If it will make you feel better, I'll even change the locks," Maura answered.
"I don't think that's necessary, but I appreciate the thought." She leaned in to kiss Maura on the lips, tentatively at first and then growing more confident. Just as she was really giving in to the sensation, she was jolted back by a knock at the door. "Dammit…"
They were getting into bed when Maura brought it up, though Jane hadn't even been aware of it until she mentioned it.
"Are you frightened by the idea of us being together still?" Maura asked, seeing Jane tense up. "I'm not upset really, I'm just a little concerned because you have been doing well so far with the more intimate touching when around others but you seemed to mind earlier with the possibility of being caught kissing. We both know that knock could have been your mother, and that was the thought running through your mind before you remembered that we ordered food."
Jane nodded. "I don't get it to be honest, Maura. I want to kiss you, I want to touch you. Hell, I want to love you in every way possible. And God knows I hear enough from the guys that it really doesn't, or at least shouldn't, bother me for them to know and outside of them and my family who cares what the general consensus is?" Jane ran a hand through her hair watching Maura slide into bed, patting the space beside her. She just stared at it. "I don't know what's going on in my head right now."
"I think I understand," Maura said. "I don't mind going at your pace, Jane. You're still holding on to a lot of feelings, and with Ian still here you seem a lot more reserved than usual."
She watched as Jane's face melted into serenity. "How the hell can you put up with me?"
"I love you, that's how. Now, come to bed."