The next morning, it was still dark outside when Jane's alarm went off. She set it a little earlier than what was needed because for once she wanted to wake before Maura.
Jane stretched and smiled as she thought about the night before and the plans she and Maura had for today. She threw the covers back and shuffled her way into the bathroom. She took a quick shower and dressed warmly.
The weatherman reported that the temperatures were going to continue to drop along with more snow so she took the extra time to dry her hair completely before heading downstairs to make coffee and a quick breakfast for her and Maura. The last thing she wanted was for Maura to spout facts about why she shouldn't be out in the cold with wet hair. Oh, who was she trying to kid, she loved it when Maura went all google mouth.
Love. There's that word again Jane thought to herself. "Get a grip Rizzoli, Maura is your best friend. Nothing more," she said out loud to herself in the mirror before shutting off the bathroom light and heading for the kitchen.
Jane was sitting at the kitchen island when she saw Maura walking in. She let her eyes roam over the beautiful woman but only for a moment before her conciseness stepped in. Stop it Jane! She chastised herself before making her mouth say words. "Morning," she said with a smile. "I made a fresh pot of coffee and I made you breakfast."
Maura raised her eyebrow at her best friend. "You mean you worked my and I quote "overpriced coffee contraption" and made breakfast all before," she paused and looked at the clock. "Seven AM, are you feeling okay?" Maura remarks, trying but failing to hold a serious face.
"Ha ha, very funny Maur and yes I'm fine. I just thought it would be nice if I did this for you for a change." Jane makes her way over to the fridge and pulls out a bowl. "Here," she said, holding out the bowl. When Maura reached for it Jane held it high above her head.
"Wha, Jane!" Maura said laughing. "Can I have, what I hope is, my breakfast?"
Jane tapped her chin with her free hand. "Hmm, I don't know. Are you going to keep picking on me?"
"I'll stop," Maura replied a little too quickly.
"Why don't I believe you?" Jane countered.
"Jane, you know I can't lie," Maura says with a slight pout. Oh how that melted Jane's heart every time. Jane relented and brought the bowl back down.
"Don't you want to know what it is first?" Maura stopped reaching for the bowl and looked at Jane.
"Why? What did you do to it?" Maura asked, narrowing her eyes at her best friend.
"What? Come on Maur. Like I would ever tamper with your food."
Maura placed her hand on her hip and tilted her head to the side causing Jane to back track. "Okay except for that one time but I replaced your food. So do you want to know what it is or not?"
Maura smiled to herself. If she didn't know any better she would say Jane was flirting with her. What? No, Jane is just being her playful self she thought to herself before answering. "Sure Jane, what kind of unhealthy breakfast did you make for me?"
Jane grinned as she placed the bowl down in front of her friend. Maura's heart melted at the sight. "It's low cal yogurt and granola with fresh blueberries. I even had a bowl myself."
Jane turned to fix herself another cup of coffee and Maura's first. Maura didn't say anything as she stared down at the bowl in front of her. No one she had ever been in a relationship with cared enough to remember the small things she liked. Of course she and Jane were not in a relationship but the gesture made Maura smile anyway.
She was pulled from her thoughts when Jane sat a steaming mug in front of her. "If you don't want that I can make you something else Maur. We still have time."
Maura realized that she hadn't said a word since Jane gave her her breakfast. Fearing what Jane may be thinking she spoke quickly. "Oh, no Jane. It's perfect. Thank you."
Jane smiled triumphantly. "You're welcome Maur. While you eat your breakfast I'm going to go clear the driveway and start the car. I figured since we are going to the same place it would make more sense to just take the one vehicle," she remarked as she made her way towards the coat rack.
She stopped suddenly when she realized that she had just assumed Maura would spend the day with her. Maybe Maura had other plans she didn't know about. Jane quickly backtracked. "Um, unless you have other things to do today. Then I can go start your car too." Smooth Jane, real smooth, she thought to herself.
Maura looked up with an amused look. "No, actually I cleared away the day so one car is fine Jane." Jane smiled a shy smile before slipping on her coat and snow boots.
"Alright, well enjoy your breakfast," she said before exiting in a haste. Maura chuckled to herself before taking a bite of her breakfast. Is Jane being weird or is it just my imagination? She wondered to herself while picking up the morning paper.
Try as she may, Maura couldn't focus on the reported news as her mind kept drifting back to Jane. Before she could register what was happening her body had taken control and she felt like an invisible force pulled her towards the kitchen window. She looked out and smiled as Jane began working on removing the snow from the driveway.
Her movements were familiar, like she had done this a thousand times. Has she? Maura thought. Had Jane always put this much effort to make things easier on her? She continued to watch as Jane cleared the front walk, the driveway and the sidewalk.
It was on Jane's trek back towards the garage that she stepped on a particularly slick spot. Maura watched in horror then amusement as Jane's long legs slid out from under her, sending the shovel flying in the opposite direction as she landed with a grunt.
Maura couldn't help the laughter that rumbled from deep in her chest. Jane looked up at the window to see Maura's smiling face. As much as she wanted to be embarrassed and cuss, she laughed at herself. Jane picked herself off the ground, avoiding the slick spot, before disappearing out of sight.
Maura sighed as her laughter subsided. She placed her hand over her heart in endearment. God how she loved that woman. The words rolling in her brain caused her to pause. Of course she loved Jane. She was her best friend, her family. No, that wasn't right. That definition didn't fit the kind of love Maura was feeling.
No, she was helplessly IN love with her best friend. Maura's heart rate sped up, and she gripped the counter to hold herself up right as the revolution hit her tenfold. Get a grip Maura, she's your family, your best friend. You can't have these kinds of feelings for her.
Maura sighed heavily and regained control of her breathing. She knew her subconscious was right. She could never act on these feelings. She could not jeopardize the best friendship she ever had. She couldn't lose Jane in any form of the word. Besides, Jane had never expressed interest in her in any way other than friendship and that's how it would stay for Maura as well.
Maura was jostled from her thoughts when the front door opened and shut quickly.
"Geez it's cold out," Jane said out loud. "We are going to need to fill the thermos with coffee if we don't want to freeze our asses off today," she said as she rounded the corner.
Jane noticed the redness on Maura's face and became alarmed. "You alright there Maur? You look a little flushed. If you aren't feeling well I can go take care of the nativity by myself and you can stay home and relax." She remarked, making her way over to her friend to check for a temperature.
Maura stepped away before Jane could reach out to her, not trusting herself to blurt out her deepest feelings. "I'm fine Jane."
Jane looked at her skeptically. "Look, no hives," Maura said, pulling the collar to her shirt a little lower to prove her point. "Let me just fill the thermos then we can go," Maura said, turning towards the coffee machine.
Jane couldn't put her finger on it but she knew Maura well enough to know something was on her mind and she was determined to figure it out. After Maura filled the thermos and shut off the lights they bundled up to face the bitter Boston cold.
When they reached BPD, it took them a very bone chilling two hours to get the nativity scene completely set up. They were just completing the finishing touches when Korsak stepped out to check on them.
"Thank you both for helping do this." Korsak was usually in charge of setting up the nativity at the station but this year his schedule had been quite hectic.
"Your welcome Korsak," Maura said warmly.
"Let's go inside for a minute. I can't feel my nose," Jane pipes in as she makes her way towards the front doors of BPD. She familiarly made her way through, until she found herself standing at her old desk. For just a moment, she had to admit she missed it. The peace she had found in her life since she quit though was worth more than the job ever offered or fulfilled.
Jane looked up to see Korsak grinning.
"What's so funny?"
"You kidnapped the baby Jesus," he said, pointing towards the ceramic baby figure she still held in her left arm.
Jane looked down. "Oops. My bad. I'll put him back in on my way out. I was just anxious to get inside and warm up. It's freezing out there."
"Hey you two, how's it going?" Jane glanced towards the voice to see Nina waddling towards them.
"Hey, where's your shadow?"
Korsak shook his head at Jane vigorously.
"Coop is at a scene without her. Don't get her started."
"You're three weeks from your due date. Don't you think maybe you should throw in the towel and go on maternity leave?"
Nina dismissed the thought with a wave of her hand. "So I can stay at home on the couch eating bon bons while Frankie smoothers the hell out of me? No thanks. My doctor says I'm fine," Nina says, grinning at Maura before turning her attention back to Jane.
She raised an eyebrow at the brunette. "What's with the baby Jesus?"
"We were working on the nativity and I didn't realize I still had it when I came in to warm up. We'll have a quick cup of coffee and then we should probably get going. Tommy is coming by tonight to help decorate the top half of the Christmas tree. I'll return baby Jesus on my way out," Jane says with a chuckle.
"I'll get you two some coffee," Korsak said, before going downstairs to the cafe to do just that.
Nina and Jane talked for a few minutes while Maura talked with Suzie, who had just came up with a report for Korsak.
While she and Nina were talking Jane went to place the ceramic baby Jesus on her desk, well, Nina's desk now. She misjudged and it went smashing to the floor, giving a hard thud on her foot before shattering.
Jane pulled her foot up and began to dance around on one leg, fighting back the tears trying to escape. "Son of a bitch! Damn it!" She said loudly, her voice echoing through BPD. She stopped hopping as she heard her name by none other than Sister Willifred Callahan.
"Jane Clementine Rizzoli, when are you going to grow up and stop acting like a hooligan."
"Sister Willifred," Jane says, putting a fake smile on her face, still grimacing with pain. Sister Willfred had been Jane and Frankie's teacher in grade school and was one of the meanest people Jane knew. You would think a nun would be all about God's love, but not Sister Willfred. She was as mean as a snake.
She heard Maura chuckling.
"Can you at least check and make sure my foot is not broken before you laugh at me?" Jane said, a tad bit annoyed.
Maura stopped laughing. "I'm not laughing at you hurting your foot Jane. I'm laughing because you're the only one I know that would scream son of a bitch, damn it after breaking baby Jesus."
Maura glanced over at Sister Willfred. "Sorry sister."
"Here Jane. Sit down and let me look," Maura says, pointing to Riley's vacant chair, across from Nina who had taken a seat at Jane's old desk.
"Put it up on the desk," Maura instructed. Jane did as Maura asked and Maura pulled off her sock to inspect the damage.
"Well, good news. I don't think I'm going to have to amputate," Maura says after a few minutes of looking over the injured foot. "It's not broken but the top of your foot is probably going to be pretty bruised. You should put some ice on it for a bit before we leave. Try to offset any swelling."
"Would you mind Nina?"
Nina nodded. "Sure, at least I can be good for something around here."
When Nina went to get the ice, Suzie went back downstairs and Jane looked up at Maura from her sitting position.
"You know Maura, how did you get pulled into this whole nativity scene project anyway? I find that strange considering you don't even believe in God."
Maura's cheeks reddened as she heard Sister Willfred gasp behind them.
She was trying to think of a response to appease the sister when Korsak returned, Angela trailing behind him.
Angela gasped. "Jane! You broke the baby Jesus! That was an antique!"
"Of course it's an antique ma. He predates the dinosaurs."
"I'm not worried about the baby Jesus. I'm just wondering why Jane and Maura have some kind of foot fetish thing going on in the middle of BPD."
Cue Riley showing up just as that last statement came out of Korsak's mouth.
"Ew! Get your dirty hoofs off my desk Rizzoli and I won't ask any questions."
Riley stared at Jane's foot. "Did anyone ever tell you that you have monkey toes? Those babies go on for miles," Riley asks humorly as she thumps Jane on the big toe, causing her to yet again let a "son of a bitch" fly from her mouth.
Once again, Sister Willfred gasped.
"Sister, don't you have anything to do other than be a busy body?" Jane asks pointedly.
"Humph! I'll pray for all of you!" Sister Willfred said before turning and walking away.
That caused everyone to laugh.
"We should get going. Tommy is supposed to come by after while and help me decorate the top half of the tree." Jane went to get up, only to be gently pushed back down by Maura.
"Wait for Nina. I want you to ice that foot for a little bit before we go."
Jane groaned. "Fine."
"Hey Rizzoli, as long as you're here and you're stuck here for a minute…" Riley pulled up a chair from an adjacent desk and sat down. She plopped down a file folder in front of Jane.
"Would you mind looking at this case? I'm a little stumped." It wasn't uncommon for Riley and Nina or sometimes even Korsak to ask Jane to consult with them on a case. Likewise, Maura was often consulted by Kent and other ME's downstairs.
"Sure. Why not." Nina showed up with the ice and Jane put it on her foot before going to work looking through the case file with Riley. While she was doing that, Maura went downstairs to say hello to Kent and Angela returned to work at the Cafe that she now ran, Korsak walking back downstairs with her.
After a while, Jane and Maura both wrapped up and said their goodbyes before heading out of BPD. They planned to stop somewhere and have a quick lunch and get home so Tommy could come help with the tree.
"I told Korsak I'd replace the baby Jesus so we need to stop by the mall." Jane groaned. Going to a mall with Maura was not her idea of a good time. Jane was a get in and get out kind of person while Maura was a touch and feel everything type.
"I'll be quick. I promise."
Maura suddenly stopped causing Jane to plow into her. She was staring ahead of her and Jane followed her gaze to see what had made her stop so abruptly.
Jane gasped when she realized what she was looking at. She quickly ran over and scooped up the baby girl, who was bundled up in a jacket and hat, also wrapped in a blanket, left in the vacant manager. She looked to be about a year old and it was obvious whoever had left her went through extra measures to assure the child stayed warm.
"Get her inside," Maura said, going into doctor mode.
Jane followed Maura downstairs to the morgue and Maura pointed at one of the tables.
"Uh uh! Not where the dead bodies go. Come on Maur."
"Don't be anal Jane. It's clean."
Maura threw a clean sterile blanket down over the hard, cold metal. Reluctantly, Jane placed the baby down. Maura undressed the tiny girl from her layers and began to check her out. It was while this was going on, Jane found out her lungs worked just fine as she screamed loudly.
Maura looked her over for ten minutes or so before giving her a clean bill of health.
"Who in the world would do such a thing? Why?" Maura shook her head in disbelief.
"Well, I would say this should hold a clue," Jane says, holding up a piece of paper that had been tucked in the baby's blanket. She unfolded the white sheet of notebook paper and began to read.
Detective Rizzoli and Doctor Isles, I don't want to tell you who I am. Let's just say we have crossed paths in the past. I'm in a bad situation and I need help. I had come to BPD this morning and I was going to turn over my baby girl. I just couldn't though. I love her and this is one of the hardest things I have ever done. Then I saw you two working on the nativity this morning. I know you are both kind, loving people. So while you don't have to do this, I ask a favor of you if you can find it in your heart. Can you take care of her for a month or so? I just need some time. I'm afraid if I turn her over I will lose her. I promise I will explain everything later. Her name is Noelle. I named her that because she was born on Christmas day. I'm sorry I will miss her first birthday. Please give her a yummy cake and maybe some presents? I love her. That's why I'm here. Please help me. Signed, NB
"NB. Who signs a letter nobody?"
"That's their initials Jane.
"Oh. Of course it is. So NB. Does that sound familiar?"
Maura shook her head. "We've come across hundreds if not thousands of people over the years Jane. I would be hard pressed to remember a name, much less two initials." Maura thought for a moment. "If it's someone who has crossed paths with us it has to be a criminal."
"Not necessarily. Not every person who has come across our path has been a criminal. A lot to be fair," Jane says with a chuckle, but not all of them."
"Yeah, well, only a criminal would just leave their baby like that."
"Now Maura, we don't know the whole story. Let's try not to judge. I'd rather someone leave their live healthy baby outside of a police station than find a dead baby in a dumpster."
Maura sighed. "So, what are we going to do?"
"What do you mean what are we going to do. I guess we're going shopping for diapers and formula." Jane looked from the baby girl to Maura. "Wait, do babies this age still drink formula?"
"After the first year they can go to regular milk. She's almost one so I'd say it would be safe. We can't do this though. You know as well as I do that this baby needs to be turned over to the proper authorities."
"So they can bounce her from foster home to foster home? I've seen first hand how awful some of those foster homes can be."
"Think with your head Jane. You were a cop. You're talking kidnapping."
"Are we though? It seems we have a letter of consent from the mother right here," Jane argues as she holds the letter up.
"Without a name. Not helpful. Good luck finding NB if there is an emergency."
"Well, if there is an emergency I happen to know a couple great doctors," Jane quipped back. It was like a battle of the wills.
"Maur, this baby's mother, for whatever reason, has turned to us. Let's let this play out and see what's going on. If the mother doesn't show up in a few weeks like she says she is going to, we will go to the authorities, OK?"
Maura sighed, defeated. "OK."
"OK then. It's settled." Jane takes off for the car.
"Ahem. Jane, don't you think you're forgetting something?"
"I know, we have to stop by the mall to get another baby Jesus."
Maura rolled her eyes. "The baby Jane. A car seat. You need a car seat."
"Oh," Jane says, as she has a moment of realization.
"Well, let me call Lydia. Maybe she still has TJ's old car seat."
Maura tried, but failed, to hide her laugh.
"TJ is five years old Jane. That car seat can't be used even if she did still have it. They have a expiration date. How do you not know that? You were a cop."
"Cop things I know. Baby things, not so much other than you have to feed them, change them, burp them, and rock them to sleep."
The baby in Maura's arms let out a gurgly baby laugh.
"Oh, do you think that's funny?" Jane asks, as she blows raspberries in the little girl's tummy.
This small interaction made Maura smile. She had always thought Jane would make a great mother, even if she would have a slight learning curve.
"I'll call Tommy and have him go buy us a car seat and I'll pay him back."
"OK but tell him to keep it to himself. That's like calling the Boston Times."
That made Jane laugh as she pulled out her phone. Maura was right. Tommy had definitely picked up their ma's gossip gene.
Jane gave Tommy a quick run down about what was going on and a threat on his life if he repeated it to anyone. As she was talking to him, she was watching the baby and began to chuckle. Tiny, chubby little hands were pawing fiercely at Maura's left boob.
"Um, Tommy, bring a baby bottle and milk also OK?" She says goodbye before hanging up and turning her attention back to Maura.
"Sorry kiddo. That dairy queen is dry," Jane says jokingly.
Maura didn't laugh.
"What's wrong Maur?"
"Jane, that baby is almost a year old. If she is a breast fed baby we are going to have a problem if she has never had a bottle."
"Here, take her." Maura passed the baby to Jane before disappearing inside BPD. The baby then began to paw at Jane's boob instead. "Yeah, that dairy doesn't have any milk either. Sorry kiddo. We'll get you something."
A few minutes later Maura came back out carrying a baby bottle filled with milk. She tried, and failed to get the baby to take it. "Here, you try," she says, passing it to Jane. Jane tried, and the baby pushed it away, effectively knocking it out of Jane's hand.
"Wow. You're a strong one," Jane remarked.
"That's what I thought," Maura said, murmuring to herself.
"Call Frankie and tell him to stop by Walgreens. I'm going to call ahead to the pharmacy and have him pick a couple of things up."
Jane looked at Maura in confusion but did as she was asked while Maura made the call to the pharmacy.
The baby began to scream, obviously done with these games. Jane jiggled her, trying to get her to calm down. "It's OK little one. We'll get you something." Maura could see the panic beginning to build in Jane's features.
"Don't panic Jane. It's a special bottle I have Tommy picking up. It mimics the breast. Then there's a sling you can attach it to so it further helps mimic the real thing. In the meantime, I'm going to go downstairs and see if Suzie will mind pumping a couple of bottles for us. Why don't you take her to the car so she can be warm."
Jane nodded as she and Maura went their separate ways.
About thirty minutes went by before Tommy showed up with what Maura had asked for and a brand new car seat. By this time, the baby was red faced, crying with a pissed off fury. Maura had taken her from a very frazzled Jane. When she saw Tommy, she passed her back.
"Give me that bottle, she wants to eat and she wants to eat now."
Maura first pulled out the sling contraption and wrapped it around herself. Then she pulled out the breast feeding bottle, filling it with the milk Suzie had pumped for her. She attached the bottle to the sling and then took the baby back from Jane. Settled into Maura's arm, she immediately latched on to the bottle and Maura sighed in relief.
"There you go. See, that's not bad is it? Just like the real thing."
"Not hardly," Jane muttered under her breath.
"What was that Jane?" Maura asks, smiling down at the baby girl.
"Nothing Maur," Jane said, glad that Maura didn't look up to see her red face. She glared at Tommy when she heard him snicker. Great. He'll never let me live that one down she thought.
After Maura got the baby fed and satisfied, they secured the new car seat in Jane's car before buckling her in. They headed off to the mall, agreeing to meet Tommy at their house in a couple of hours.
They got the replacement for the baby Jesus in the nativity. Along with every baby gear item, contraption, toy, and piece of clothing that was in the mall. Jane barely managed to cram it all into her car.
"Jesus Maura. Do you think you managed to leave anything in the mall for anyone else?"
"Babies need a lot of things Jane."
"She's only going to be with us for a few weeks, Maur." Jane could already see Maura was headed straight down the lane of heartbreak.
"Yeah, I know. I just wanted to make sure we have everything we need," she says as she glances back at the baby girl that was sleeping peacefully in her new car seat.
"Hey, is Suzie going to bring us more milk?" Jane asks as she cranks the car and heads towards home.
"Yeah. She is going to stop by in the morning and pump. In the meantime, she pumped a couple bottles for me and gave me several that she had frozen in the fridge."
"She keeps her baby's milk in the dead fridge?" Jane asks, scrunching her nose.
Maura grinned. "Oh Jane. Some things you never let go."
The two talked about things they still needed to get done for Christmas as they made their way home. Once there, Maura got the baby out and Jane helped her up the drive and into the house, wanting to make sure she didn't fall, especially with tiny cargo.
Maura smiled to herself as she watched Jane go back out to the car to start carrying in all of the shopping that had been done for the baby. God, she was so sweet. So protective, fiercely so.
Jane made about five trips back and forth between the car and house before everything was finally inside.
Then she went to work pulling things out. The high chair was pretty easy to assemble. The playpen was just a simple easy set up. The stroller unfolded. Then she made it to the crib. She hauled it into the guest room and opened the box, starting to pull it out piece by piece. She took a quick glance at the instructions. "How hard can it be?" She mumbled to herself.
Those were famous last words as she sat there an hour later, muttering every swear word there is.
"Having problems?"
She looked up to see Tommy standing in the doorway.
"This stupid thing. The instructions may as well be written in Greek. How the hell did you put one of these things together? I'm way smarter than you and I can't figure it out."
"Are you going to keep insulting me or do you want my help?" Tommy asks, eyebrow raised.
"Please, by all means," Jane says, waving towards the pile of parts and tools in front of her.
Maura came up and watched in amusement as Jane and Tommy together still struggled to assemble the crib.
"You may have to sleep in the playpen tonight," Maura whispered in the baby's ear.
They finally managed to get it put together after another hour had passed.
"Oh Jane. It's beautiful." Maura beamed.
"Who am I? Chopped Liver?" Tommy asks, insulted.
"Thank you Tommy," Maura added with a grin.
"Man, I'm hungry. I just realized we didn't eat lunch Maur. We were supposed to stop and eat." Jane rubbed at her growling stomach.
"Oh no! It's an emergency!" Maura teased. "I figured neither of us would want to cook after the long day we've had so I ordered some Chinese food. I got enough for you as well Tommy. It's the least we can do after all the help you've given us the last couple of days." As if on cue, the doorbell rang.
"There it is!" Maura said cheerfully.
She laid the now sleeping baby down in her brand new crib. "Oh, we don't have the baby monitor in here yet."
"Um Maur, did you hear the volume of that baby's lungs? We'll hear her. Trust me. I think the neighbors may hear her also."
Maura laughed. "Yeah, you're right."
"Let's go eat."
Without thinking about it, Jane put her hand on the small of Maura's back as they made their way down the stairs.
Tommy grinned. "Yeah, definitely by Christmas," he said to himself, before making his way down the stairs behind them.