After jotting down the most important new information from the lab, Jane busied herself in wrapping her mind around the puzzle until a happy red-faced Julia excitedly entered the room after spending some hours with Frankie at the ice rank. The girl jumped onto the bed, taking care not to crumple the sheets of papers which were spread around Jane. The brunette put them back together to a pile in order to pull her kid into a hug.
Julia giggled and Jane nuzzled her nose into the girl's dark curly hair which smelled like fresh air and snow. It had begun to snow the previous evening, and it was still snowing now. "So, how was ice skating?" she asked, eying her daughter.
"Great!" Julia replied giving her mother a detailed description of her day so far. "And then Uncle Frankie threw a snowball at me!" she playfully pouted acting offended. The brunette chuckled. "No way!" she played along, acting offended to.
"Yeah! But don't worry ma, I threw one back!" Julia told her with shining eyes. All proud of herself.
Jane smiled and felt grateful for Frankie who brought so much joy to her daughter.
They spent some more time talking and snuggling until Angela called them for lunch. Julia, obviously hungry dug into the Mac and cheese while Jane ate slowly. She wasn't really hungry and tried to ignore her mother's suspicious glares.
She felt bad enough and hoped that no one would bring Maura up. Sitting on the bed later she pulled her strong hands through her mane, listening to the voices of Angela who was playing with Julia. The brunette decided to go for a run after not being able to focus on the case anyways. As she wanted to make sure, that her daughter wouldn't see the file, she hid it. Hopefully she would be able to focus better after some fresh air.
Her phone buzzed announcing a message when she was just about ready to leave the guestroom. Jane reached for it in her pocket quickly reading the message.
Hey, I'm going to take Sophie to the art exhibition for children tomorrow. Sophie wants to invite Julia to come with us. Would that be okay for you?
The brunette gave it a thought. Of course, she had no problem with that, if that's what Julia wanted. Even though she knew that the perspective of spending time with her friend would make her daughter say yes anyways, she asked her daughter, who was more than excited.
That's fine. I can take her to your place if you give me a time.
We would leave around nine.
Jane nodded. Nine was a good time. She ended the conversation with a quick confirmation and headed for her run.
Later that night she found herself standing in front of the dirty robber to meet Frankie. Loud music was coming out of the bar as she opened the door to see that the room was packed. The brunette saw her brother sitting at the counter talking to Korsak and took a deep breath as she made her way towards them.
Korsak walked around the counter to hug her. "Jane, good to see you!" he said while a smile spread across his face that warmed her heart. The brunette checked for her phone as she took a seat on the bar stool next to Frankie.
Julia was used to her not being home every evening due to her work. It usually worked fine as her neighbor who was a student loved to babysit the girl. But Jane wasn't sure how it would go here in Boston, so she felt a bit nervous.
"What do you want to drink, Jane?" Korsak asked adding that all her drinks would be on the house tonight. The brunette went for a beer and started to relax. She spotted some of her former colleagues from BPD in the room as she glanced around.
"So, how's NYPD?" Korsak asked over the music handing her the bottle.
Jane took a sip and thought. "Very different. Much bigger with more workload." She replied.
Korsak listened to the siblings as they exchanged stories about the cases, they had worked over the last years stating that he was happy to have retired. "Yeah, your lucky." Jane said as a hand touched her shoulder.
"Rizzoli! How nice to see that you haven't killed yourself by jumping from a bridge or shooting yourself yet." Crowe said with a mischievous grin plastered to his face. "I heard you have a kid now…" he continued but got interrupted by the brunette. "Yeah, and I'm surprised that no one has killed you yet as you are so charming."
Crowe clicked his tongue. "Still the same old Rizzoli, ha?" then he made a point in looking around and asked "Where is your girlfriend Maura? You never showed without her. Is she at home babysitting your five kids?"
"Leave her alone Crowe!" Frankie growled before Jane could speak.
"Oh, how nice. Her little brother is…" the detective shut up when he saw the menacing glare from Jane. The brunette appeared to be calm to the outside, but the fists were pumping in her lap where no one could see them. She was everything but fine, as a panic attack was just around the corner. Crowe must have felt the peril as he suddenly turned to Korsak to order more drinks for himself and his friends.
Korsak chuckled. "Damn, I hope you'll never be mad at me like that. I would drop down dead with this glare in your eyes."
The brunette felt how the tension left her body and chuckled with the boys. She couldn't help but smile when driving home after the second beer. It had been her first evening out in ages and the talk with some old friends had been good.
Julia was sleeping when she returned home. Angela had waited up for her, watching TV. Jane went to bed after checking in with her how the evening had gone. Her mother couldn't stop praising how sweet the little girl was and that they had had a lot of fun together. First playing games, then Angela had read her a story and tucked her in.
Maybe there had been no reason to fear this visit in Boston Jane thought opening the door to the guestroom quietly. Julia shifted automatically into her arms when she settled into the bed. "Good night, sweetie. I love you little angle." Jane whispered to her and kissed the tiny forehead before falling asleep herself.
The brunette had a strange feeling when standing on the porch of Maura's home at beacon hill the next day. She could recall her coming and going as she pleased all too well. Back then when she had had a key to the house. Now she had to ring the bell like anybody else.
Julia hopped from one foot to the other, like she always did, when being excited, waiting for the door to open. Jane chuckled at her little energy bundle still feeling odd.
"Coming!" she heard Maura's voice from inside shortly before a key turned in the lock. The blonde wore an elegant marine-blue coat and a white scarf was wrapped around her neck. It had stopped to snow, but the surrounding was still covered in white and it was cold.
Sophie appeared behind Maura and greeted them. "Can Jane come with us?" she questioned, looking up to her mother. Adding a long "pleeeeaaaaaase."
Maura hesitated and looked at Jane. "I think that Jane is busy, sweetheart."
Jane cleared her throat, touched by the fact that Sophie wanted her to join. "Well, I think I can easily spare the time for the visit to the museum." She heard herself say in surprise.
Needless to say, that Julia was happy too, when the four of them sat in the car driving off to have fun.
Sophie and Julia sang along the Christmas carols which were playing on the radio, while Jane focused on the street driving carefully as it was slippery and wet. Once at the museum the girls headed off to the first exhibits leaving Jane and Maura to themselves.
Now I know how divorced parents must feel Jane thought feeling a little bit awkward. They spent a little while strolling behind the girls. Maura explaining them some things occasionally, when asked. Jane looking at the exhibits herself, letting herself fall behind from time to time to calm down.
The brunette shrieked when Maura's face suddenly appeared on the opposite site of the showcase which she had been looking into. "Hell Maura, you almost gave me a heart attack." She scolded the blonde.
"Sorry Jane, I wondered what you were looking at." Maura said and blushed.
"How's the case going?" the blonde asked to divert the subject when both straightened up. Jane raised an eyebrow, presuming that this situation must feel odd for Maura too.
"Not good." She mumbled. "We have a primary suspect but not enough evidence to build a case."
Jane saw how Maura pursed her lips. "What is it?" she gingerly asked.
"Well, I would have to see the ME's report again, I had not much time to read it at the airport. But there was something which stood out to me." the blonde stated glancing at the kids who were chasing each other down a long floor.
Jane followed her glance and started to walk towards them. By the time she had reached them Julia was already lying on the floor as she had stumbled over an open shoelace.
"Hey honey, its okay." The brunette said with a gentle voice caressing her daughters face with the back of the hand. She had once read in a book about parenting, that panicking as a parent made the child panic to. she lifted the crying girl into her arms and talked to her softly.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt her." Sophies tiny voice came from behind Maura's leg. Jane could hear that she was close to tears too.
"Don't worry." She addressed the kid. "Stuff like this happens. Ask your mum about me and Uncle Frankie." She said and winked at Sophie who cautiously poked her head towards her, the rest of the body still hidden behind Maura.
The brunette carried Julia to a bench to make her sit after she had calmed down. Crouching in front of her she whipped the tears away with her hands. "Are you okay, honey?" she asked with such a soft tone, which made Maura tremble slightly. She had never heard it before.
Julia moved the limbs of her body, as if she was testing if everything was still were it belonged and then nodded.
The brunette gave her a wide smile. "Lets tie up your shoelaces and then you can play with Sophie again. Okay?"
The girl nodded cleaning her nose with her sleeve and watched as Jane worked on her shoes. Then she hopped off the bench as if it had never happened and started a new race with Sophie which made Jane and Maura roll their eyes.
"I'm sorry." Maura apologized once more for the incident, but Jane shrugged it off. "Remember my broken nose when I played basketball with Frankie? I mean it when I say that stuff like that happens."
Maura chuckled as she remembered only too well how she had to reposition Janes nose at a crime scene.
The blonde was surprised to catch a warm glimpse of Jane, but as it vanished quickly, she wasn't sure if she just hadn't imagined it.
They hurried to catch up with Julia and Sophie who had disappeared into the next room of the exhibition. Jane thinking that her job had made her paranoid about something happening to her girl. Even at the restaurant at the airport she had chosen a seat which had enabled her to watch Julia through a TV screen, which mirrored the corner with the toys.
Obviously, Maura felt the same notion, giving Sophie space to run, but always staying close enough to have an eye on her.
"So, if you like I can take another look at the report. Maybe I can give you more information then." Maura resumed their talk from earlier. "You might send it to me or so."
Jane started to relax as she noticed that Maura was not pushing her. Unlike her mother or Frankie. It appeared that the blonde had accepted the situation. But hadn't this always been one of their strength? Their understanding for and of each other? Letting the other be, although they were so different?
Out of this feeling of freedom she suggested that she could swing by with the file if this made it easier for Maura.
The blonde nodded. Of course, it would be easier reading the papers instead of reading from a small picture, even if you could enhance it.
"You could swing by later, when Sophie sleeps. I don't want her to see the file."
Jane agreed. She didn't want Julia to see it either therefore she always hid the files when she wasn't around. The brunette would have preferred if Maura came to her mother's house though. First, she was afraid of the memories linked to beacon hill. And second she trusted herself more if somebody else was around. But seeing as it was more practical because she had Angela as babysitter, she had not much choice.
"Just text me when you're ready." She quietly said. "Its only a ten minutes' drive."
The blonde promised to do so. Afterwards they kept following the kids in silence, until they were through with the exhibition.
"Did you like it?" Jane asked when they had dropped Maura and Sophie at their house.
"Yeah. I think I'm going to be an artisan too when I'm grown." Julia replied after giving the question a thought.
Jane chuckled. "Its an artist, honey." She corrected the girl and earned another "Whatever."
After eating a huge slice of Pizza Julia fell asleep on the couch, a happy grin covering her face. Jane pulled a blanket over her tiny body and sat to the other end of the couch, watching TV. These exhibitions make one really tired she thought as she felt her eyes close.
"Ma, could you please babysit tonight? I have something to do." Jane asked her mother later while helping to put the groceries away. She wondered if her mother was expecting some disaster with the amount of food, she had brought home from the mall.
Angela stopped in her track and glanced at Jane nosily. "What are you going to do?" she asked bluntly. The brunette didn't want to tell her that she was going to meet Maura, so she went for a "Ma, don't be so nosey."
The matriarch smirked. Jane could see how she fought herself over wanting to know so badly that she would threaten Jane not to baby sit and the desire to spend as much time as possible with her grandchild. The second one won. But Angela was not happy as she continued to stuff groceries in already overflowing cupboards.
"Do you have a date?" Angela tried again later, looking suspicious at Jane who nervously tugged at her shirt in front of the mirror.
Jane caught her breath, imagining what it would be like to have a date with Maura. I really must stop this nonsense she scolded herself, feeling angry at herself. And at her mother.
"No ma, I'm not having a date. I'm done with dating in case I haven't told you often enough before." She pouted.
Angela looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "You had a shower and you are nervous about how you look. That's a lot expenditure for doing just something." The older woman pointed out flatly.
The brunette thought that her mother was right, so she stopped fumbling around her cloths and left the bathroom.
When Maura hadn't written at 10 pm Jane wondered if Maura was rejecting her again? Anger mixed with pain to a bad feeling.
Half an hour later her phone buzzed. 30 minutes of nerve-racking herself made her feel tired. She reached over Julia who was sleeping in her arms to reach for the phone on the nightstand.
Sorry, Sophie wouldn't sleep. Do you still want to come by or rather tomorrow?
Jane growled silently and moved her tall body out of the bed afraid to wake her daughter. Once she stood, she knew that her cloths were totally wrinkled.
Her mind was racing as she couldn't decide if now or tomorrow but seen as it was already late it would be tomorrow anyways when they met.
I'm coming, if you don't mind staying up late. She texted on her way to the door.
Now is fine. Less risk to get disturbed.
Jane couldn't help but chuckle. If somebody didn't know the background story that they were talking about studying a file together he would probably have assumed that something dirty was going on.
Maura opened the door right away this time, wearing a golden silk pajama. When she saw Jane gasping at the view she blushed. "Sorry, I didn't want to lay down with Sophie in my other clothes."
"Naw, its fine." Jane said feeling relieved after the explanation.
The blonde pulled a bottle of wine out of the fridge offering some to Jane. The brunette took a glass and sat down onto the couch handing Maura the file.
She was in awe as to the blonde's ability to memorize things.
"Sophie was so overwhelmed and exhausted that she fell asleep after coming home." Maura mentioned while flipping to the right page.
"Yeah, Julia too. I woke her up otherwise she would still be up now." Jane replied absentminded, rubbing over the scars on her hand.
"I'm glad you joined us today." Maura tried to make it sound casual, not daring to look up at Jane.
The brunette let her mind roll around it while watching the blonde read.
Then Maura explained to her that she thought that the ME had made a mistake of interpretation of the evidence. Seeing Janes puzzled look Maura elaborated that in her opinion they had a very good evidence to build the case and Jane jotted down what the evidence was and why the misinterpretation couldn't be true so she could talk to the ME and ask him to change his report.
This was going to be fun she thought sarcastically. Especially as she had to do it over the phone.
"I know him, if you like I can talk to him tomorrow." Maura offered, reading Janes thoughts.
The brunette rubbed her eyes. Wouldn't everybody think that she was a baby if she let the blonde handle the situation? But on the other hand, they stood probably a better chance if she did it.
"You thought I would reject you again, didn't you?" a stern voice drifted into her thoughts.
"What?" she looked up in surprise. Damn it! Maura could still read her like an open book. She saw how the other woman bit her lip, looking worried, even shaky. Jane recognized the fear of losing her. Maura didn't pressure her, but she kept dropping hints that she liked to rekindle their friendship. At the end she wanted Jane to know that her assumption from earlier was wrong. There wouldn't be a further rejection. But there wouldn't be a romantic relationship either.
Jane took a deep breath to calm herself. "Yeah, I did." She replied honestly hoping that this wouldn't become a long talk about feelings. She was far too tired for it or to keep her self-protection upright. This might end in a fight if she wasn't careful.
Their eyes locked for a moment before Jane stood and announced that she would drive home now. Maura agreed on calling her college to set things straight and led Jane to the door.
"Good night, Maur." The brunette had used her old nickname for her on purpose to let her know that she wasn't running.
"Good night, Jane." The blonde replied acting as if she hadn't noticed but looking relieved.