The museum wasn't too bad, now that Jane had a scavenger hunt. She bustled through exhibits, coming back to Maura, always engrossed in something, with a smirk so that Maura knew she'd found something. Mara was worried they'd get kicked out, since Jane kept moving around so fast that at least two guards had started watching her. But Jane was a detective, and she knew when she was being watched, and Maura laughed as she led the security guards on a merry chase through the exhibits, her grin even cheekier than before when she sidled up to Maura at the end of her circuit.
"Just tell them you're doing a scavenger hunt," Maura whispered. "You're going to get us kicked out." Jane pouted, then looked at Maura.
"You'd be bummed if we got kicked out, huh?" Jane asked, and Maura nodded seriously. Jane sighed, her shoulders slumping as she approached the guards, holding out her list as she explained. The security guards laughed, not unkindly, and made a few notes on her list for her. Jane turned and stuck her tongue out at Maura, who turned back to the dinosaur bones she'd been admiring, shaking her head. Jane was having fun, Maura was having fun, no one was getting kicked out. Maura knew that if she had Jane at her side, Jane would be interested, but only interested because Maura was. She knew that Jane had already quickly scanned each exhibit, and while Maura was absorbing information, Jane was assessing the members of the public filtering through the building, examining each with a scrutiny Maura almost wished Jane would use on the exhibits. Almost, because Maura knew that once they were back at the hotel, Jane would happily listen to and absorb any of the information Maura had learned that day.
Maura had been busy with the exhibits, but the paper puzzle she handed Jane had her scratching her head.
"It's simply cryptography," Maura said, watching Jane pace and scribble. "Do you need a hint?"
"No, I'll get it," Jane said, scribbling again. Maura made the evening calls to check in, Jane only lending distracted grunts to the conversations.
"You liked that dinosaur, huh?" Jane asked.
"The triceratops? I like to see different bones, and while I was allowed to examine a dig site in Alberta, I didn't get to fully appreciate the magnitude of the entire skeleton. It makes me wonder what kind of muscular distribution they would have had, what kind of gait would have been the most efficient."
'Well, uh, here." Jane said, pulling something out of her pocket. It was from the souvenir shop, and Maura hadn't even noticed Jane go in there. "It's the right one, I checked," Jane enthused as Maura unwrapped it to find a small, Sterling Silver triceratops keyring.
"It's beautiful," Maura said honestly. "The detail is incredible."
"Yeah, and if you hold it like this," Jane took it to demonstrate, "you could easily puncture an eyeball." Maura took it back and held it herself, chuckling at Jane's protective nature. Function and form, the little trinket had both.
"Thank you. I spent some time in the gift shop as well. Where is your list?" Maura asked, and Jane eagerly handed over her scavenger hunt list. "Close enough," Maura said, chuckling at some of Jane's commentary. Maura reached into her bag and pulled out a NASA baseball cap. Jane immediately put in on eagerly.
"Do I look good," Jane asked, faux-posing, and Maura laughed.
"I'd always wanted to date an astronaut," Maura said wistfully.
"Too late now," Jane crowed. "You're stuck with a detective." Jane leaned in to kiss Maura, still laughing.
"Come on, I'll take you where no woman has gone before," Maura said flirtateously.
"Really, Star Trek?" Jane asked.
"How'd you recognise it if you're not into it?" Maura countered, and Jane chuckled against her cheek.
"I'm into you, nerd," Jane said. "C'mon, show me that final frontier."
Notes:
Thought of doing an April Fools chapter but no.
I looked up a lot of dinosaur gift shops and I really wish I could go back to the Royal Tyrell Museum this year; the museum near me doesn't have anywhere near the amount of exhibits or dinosaurs.
They don't sell triceratops keychains at The Smithsonian and that seems like a bad move, financially.
I know Jane never talks about space but who doesn't love space?