This idea came to my mind after hearing the new Kx5 song Escape Ft. Hayla. If you haven't heard it, I suggest listening to it before reading. It isn't necessary but I promise it will make it better! I am not a writer so I apologize for any errors! Enjoy!
...
Saturday nights were always Jane's favorite. It's the only time she really had to relax and let loose...unless she was on call, of course.
After a grueling week of nothing but case after case, all she wanted to do was spend time with her friends at the Dirty Robber and blow off some steam but when Maura tried to convince them all to go try this new fancy bar in town, she felt a tad irritated.
She wanted cheap beers, not fancy mixed drinks. She wanted familiarity not new territory. She wanted to be unbothered, save for the few men that consistently hit on her that she knew how to handle, not new people to fend off. She just wanted to relax but Maura was persistent.
"Please, Jane! It's all everyone has been talking about and I hear they have a multi-level dancefloor!"
"I don't dance, Maura...you know that."
"I know..." she said with a sad smile. "I just thought maybe it would help you unwind. You have been a bit grumpy lately."
Her last statement earned a chuckle from Frost and Frankie and an "oh no she didn't" look from Korsak.
"Yeah...well that's because we've been working nonstop this week and now we are here on a Saturday filling out paperwork. So excuse me if I seem a little 'grumpy'," Jane sneered, throwing her hands up and flopping them on her desk which Maura was sitting on the corner of.
"Don't be mad at me because you don't know how to relax!" Maura said with a playful smile. "I am always trying to get you to meditate or do yoga with me but you never want to!"
"I'd rather everyone here see me dance then meditate or do yoga..." Jane deadpanned.
Maura took this as acceptance. "Really?! Great, then it's settled! Want to pick me up around 8?"
"Oh no, no, that's not what I..."
But before Jane could finish her sentence, Maura was already walking excitedly towards the elevator doors to head back down to the morgue.
"That's great, Jane, see you then!" She said over her shoulder.
"I hear it's even a haven for the ladies!" Maura yelled through the elevator doors as they closed. She smiled to herself because knew that would earn the acceptance of Frost and Frankie and leave Jane with no choice.
"Ladies? I'm in!" Frankie said looking over at Frost.
"Hah! Good luck man. You're gonna have some stiff competition!" Frost said, slapping Frankie on the back.
"Jane, don't let these guys have too much fun," Korsak said as he grabbed his coat and began to pull it over his arms.
"You mean you're not joining us, old man?" Frost joked.
"Me? Nah... I'll leave the fancy bars to you young kids. I'll stick with the Dirty Robber."
He looked at the clock and said "6pm...you all better get going soon too. Don't want to keep your ladies waiting," he said with a smirk and with that, he was gone.
Jane sighed to herself. She wanted nothing more than to join Korsak but she could tell this meant a lot to Maura for some reason and she always wants to support her best friend. She wasn't used to someone having such power over her. Maura could literally get her to do anything just by batting those perfectly mascara'd eyelashes and Jane knew it. She just wasn't sure why. She decided to pack up, run home and take a shower before picking Maura up. Maybe a nice relaxing shower would help prepare her for this evening's festivities.
...
Jane climbed the stairs to her apartment and slipped her key into the door. She could hear Jo Friday's little paws scratching on the other side. She scooted Jo back, shut the door and patted her head. She decided it would probably be a good time to take her out for a walk since she didn't know how long she'd be gone tonight. Jo was happy to be hooked to her leash because that meant she could go outside to sniff and pee on every tree they came across. Great for Jo, irritating for Jane. Once outside, Jo picked a nice tree to perform her "ritual" as Jane called it. She was caught up in her thoughts when a voice snapped her back to reality.
"Hello, earth to Jane!" said the mysterious voice.
Jane followed the sound to Col. Casey Jones.
"Casey?! Oh my God...Hi! Wha...what are you doing here?!" Jane said, a bit taken aback, as she hugged him.
"I was in the area and...I thought I'd drop by." He said with a warm smile. "I've missed you. It's been too long."
"Yes, it has! I'm just taking Jo for a walk. Did you want to come inside and catch up?"
"As tempting as that sounds, I actually have to be somewhere in a few minutes," he said, looking down at his watch. "But I was wondering what you are doing tonight?" He asked, laying his hand on the small of her back, making the intention of his question very clear.
Jane froze at his touch.
"Oh, well, I actually promised Maura I'd go to this new bar in town with her," Jane said, being somewhat thankful to Maura that she now had an excuse.
"You two sure spend a lot of time together, don't you?" he asked as a curious look appeared on his face.
"Well, she is my best friend...would you want to meet us there? My partner, Frost, and Frankie will be there too." The words flew out of her mouth like a caged bird before she could catch them.
She didn't know why she asked. A moment ago she was relieved that she could avoid this whole complicated dance that she and Casey always seem to get caught up in. Casual one night stands and talks of the future only to have it all ripped away in a second by his next orders. She also felt like she needed to deflect his question about Maura. She always had love for Casey. Sometimes she even thought that he was the one but this "relationship", if you could even call it that, was not cutting it for Jane.
She found herself being content alone. She could eat whatever she wanted (except when Maura encouraged her to eat more quinoa and kale because cheeseburgers are unhealthy), wear whenever she wanted (except when Maura convinces her to wear a dress for some fancy-schmansy event she drags her to), watch whatever she wanted on tv (except when Maura wins her over with some boring medical documentary instead of the scary movie she wanted to watch during their Friday movie night) and she never has to answer to anyone about where she's going or who she's with or when she'll be home (except for the short texts she sends Maura periodically to let her know she's safe).
The Doctor crosses Jane's mind again. How is it that she is the only one who can get her to do these things? The thought scared her a little until she realized once again that she was unintentionally ignoring Casey.
"Jane...you ok?" He asked.
"Yeah sorry, it's just been a rough week at work," she said, running a hand through her hair.
"It's ok...I was just saying that I don't think the bar is the best place for me right now. I've been trying to stay away from alcohol for a while." This was true. He was trying to refrain from drinking but he didn't tell Jane the reason and she didn't bother to ask. Instead she took that as her way out.
"Oh...I'm sorry. Maybe we can meet up next time you're around," she said, half sincere. Again, she has no idea why she said that. It implied that she wanted to continue seeing Casey this way, even though she already decided in her mind that she didn't. But she wasn't about to have that conversation with him now.
"Yeah, maybe next time," he said as a sad smile flashed across his face. He gave her a quick hug and just like that, he was gone.
Casey was in town to meet with a therapist. This therapist was supposed to be the best that Boston had to offer when it comes to treating PTSD. He wasn't going to tell Jane that though for fear that she'd think he was weak but Jane would never think that. Although Jane would never seek help on her own, she herself struggles with PTSD after her run ins with Hoyt.
Casey was diagnosed with it after his last tour in Afghanistan. He knew that his struggles were the one thing truly holding him back from having a long-term relationship with Jane and he was trying to get help. This would be something Jane would actually consider romantic, had she known, not him showing up randomly and barging into her life just to end up in her bed and then on the other side of a computer screen. In the meantime, he was focused on keeping his mind and body right by staying active and healthy and that meant no partying and no alcohol.
...
Once back at her apartment, she removed her badge and her gun and stored them in their designated drawer. She started undressing as she made her way to the bathroom, articles of clothing making a trail on the floor behind her. She silently laughed to herself about how Maura would probably tell her to pick up her jacket before it wrinkled.
There she was again.
Creeping her way into Jane's thoughts. Each time, this strange feeling in her stomach grew but instead of exploring that feeling, she turned on the faucet as hot as she could stand and got in the shower.
She let the steaming water cascade over her shoulders as her thoughts shifted to her interaction with Casey. She didn't understand why she couldn't just say no to him. She wasn't known for being nice or protecting other people's feelings, so what was it? She had history with Casey and she found him attractive, she couldn't deny that but there was something else nagging at her. She did always want a family and kids and right now, Casey was the only viable option...or was he?
She turned the faucet off and grabbed her towel. She dried herself off and tied the towel around her body. With a sigh, she opened her closet and stared inside. What was she supposed to wear? A dress? No, that seemed too formal. After what felt like an eternity, she settled for a pair of dark wash skinny jeans and a cream colored blouse. It has three-quarter sleeves that are rolled at the ends and a plunging neckline with 3 buttons. She left the top two undone, showing just enough cleavage that said 'I attempted to dress up for this but I don't want to be drooled over'. She smiled to herself as she remembered Maura picking out this blouse for her during one of their many shopping trips that the ME convinced her to go on.
In a fancy boutique that Jane would've never stepped foot in on her own
Maura gasps "Oh my!"
"What, Maura?!"
"Jane, you just have to get this blouse!" It's perfect for you!" Maura said, running towards the rack.
"That's too nice for me, Maur."
"Not at all! I think you'd look stunning in it!" She held it up to Jane. "It's the perfect mix of feminine and edgy. The cream color would look lovely against the olive tone of your skin. It's tapered slightly at the waist so it would extenuate your figure nicely. Sort of like how your work clothes could if you had them properly tailored," Maura said innocently, having no idea that she had just both offended and complimented Jane at the same time. "Please just try it on," she batted her eyelashes.
"Ughh...Maura!" Jane protested like a child who was just asked to eat their broccoli.
"Please, Jane! For me?" Maura pleaded, smiling sweetly at Jane.
"Ughh, give it..." Jane said, snatching the hanger from Maura's hand and heading into the fitting room.
Jane snapped out of her memory when she realized that she was running late. It was already 7:30 and she still had to finish getting dressed and do her hair and makeup. Luckily, her routine wasn't very time consuming.
She put on some concealer and a hint of blush, a bit of mascara and the same lipstick she's had for probably the last 5 years. She towel dried her hair, scrunched in some curl cream and left it to air-dry. She grabbed a jacket and threw on a pair of ankle booties with a modest heel. She took one last look at herself in the mirror, sighed, grabbed her keys and headed for the door.
...
Jane pulled up to Maura's at exactly 8 o'clock. Her hair was dry by now but she couldn't shake off the chill that she had. It was a cool October night in Boston so she had slipped her jacket on before going to knock on Maura's door. She's not even sure why she knocked. She has a key. The honey blonde opened the door and Jane immediately noticed her eyes raking over her. She felt a sudden flush creeping up her neck.
Maura beamed at Jane when she realized she was wearing the blouse she had bought for her. She was surprised that Jane let her buy it in the first place but she argued that Jane would never spend that much on a shirt and if she ended up not wearing it often, or even at all, she wouldn't be out any money and to her delight, Jane agreed.
Maura took in every detail of Jane's look. Her hair was beautiful as always, an unruly mane of curls that cascaded down her shoulders. She had a bit of makeup on but not too much. Just enough to accentuate her natural features. The blouse looked stunning just as Maura remembered. The top two buttons were undone giving her a perfect view of the Detective's cleavage. Maura swallowed hard when she realized her eyes had probably lingered there too long. Jane had accessorized with a dark gray leather jacket that fit perfectly. Her dark wash jeans hugged her curves in all the right places and her ankle booties finished off the edgy, yet feminine look. Maura looked Jane up and down again, not realizing she was biting her bottom lip. She noticed Jane rocking back and forth on her heels, seemingly uncomfortable.
"Is this ok?" Jane asked, gesturing broadly at herself.
"Perfect," Maura said, matter of factly.
"So... shall we get going then?" Jane asked, attempting to break the awkward silence that fell between them.
She secretly hoped that Maura did not notice her starting. Maura looked stunning as always. Her hair was curled and styled in a half pony. She swapped her usual dress for a black sleeveless silk top and designer jeans. Jane was not used to seeing Maura in jeans and it was a sight to behold. The jeans fit like they were made just for her. Accentuating every curve. She had on black kitten heels that made her ass look phenomenal. That last thought terrified Jane. Why was she looking at Maura this way. She's her best friend. Sure, Jane had always thought Maura was beautiful but this felt different. She felt a warmth in her body that she could not explain and she was praying that Maura didn't notice.
"Yes, just let me grab my jacket!"
Maura disappeared into her bedroom leaving Jane alone with her thoughts for a few more moments. Jane was thankful to have a moment to catch her breath. She wasn't sure what she was feeling but it was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Maura returns a few moments later holding her jacket and a set of keys. A perfect distraction.
"I thought you wanted me to drive tonight, Maur?"
"Oh, I do," she said tossing the keys to Jane.
"We're taking your car?" Jane asked, catching them.
"You call yourself a detective?" Maura chuckled as she walked past a bewilder Jane and towards the front door.
Before Jane could ask the Doctor what she meant, she stepped in front of her and opened the door. A gesture that Maura would never tire of. Jane slipped out of the door behind her, locking it on the way out.
"What was that all about, Maur...a," Jane said with shock as she finally noticed the jet black 1965 convertible mustang that was parked in the driveway next to Maura's Prius. She must not have seen it on her way in because she was too busy rubbing the scars on her palms as she walked up to the door. A nervous habit that she started after her last encounter with Hoyt.
"Holy shit, Maura! Is she yours?!" Jane said as she ran over to the car. 'She' Maura repeated under her breath and smiled to herself.
"For the rest of the weekend, yes," Maura explained. "I rented 'her' to surprise you!"
"Me?!" Jane asked. "What for?!"
"I knew you probably wouldn't want to go to this new bar so I figured I'd give you my apology now in case you have a bad time," Maura said as she gave Jane a knowing smile.
"It's got a manual transmission, I hope that's not a problem," Maura said as Jane was already running over the passenger side to open the door for her. She offered her free hand to help her in.
"Not at all! They made us take driving courses in the academy so I can drive a stick...no problem," she said as she attempted to hop into the driver's side without opening the door. Maura couldn't contain her laughter as Jane landed in the car with her legs hanging over the door and the back of her head in Maura's lap.
"Smooth, Detective!" Maura snorted.
Jane regained her composure as she was sure she just suffered the most embarrassing moment of her life. She sat up and started the car, looking over at Maura who was overcome with laughter. Seeing Maura's face light up was all worth it.
"I meant to do that..." Jane said with as much confidence as she could feign before crumpling into laughter with Maura.
They savored this moment. Neither of them said so but they both made mental notes of the other's eyes crinkling at the edges as they giggled and how their mouths parted as they smiled widely.
"We'd better get going, Frost and Frankie are probably already there racking up sexual harassment charges as we speak," Jane said with a chuckle.
"Wait until they see us in this baby!" Maura said as she looked over at Jane.
With a flick of her eyebrows, Jane revved the engine a few times.
Maura just sat there, looking back at Jane with dark eyes. Her mood completely shifted as if they were not just laughing like schoolgirls a moment ago. Jane could just barely see the way Maura was looking at her in the dim light of the lamp post in Maura's driveway. She swallowed hard and looked away.
What the hell just happened?
The air around them felt charged and Jane didn't know how to handle it so she put the car in reverse. She threw her arm behind Maura's headrest, turning to look behind them. She slowly backed the car out of the driveway. She shifted into first gear and headed off down the road. Jane shifted gears smoothly like she's been doing this her whole life.
Maura would sneak a glance at her every once and a while trying to push away her thoughts that were racing faster than the car they were in. She felt that familiar ache growing between her legs and she felt like she was going to explode.
Everything Jane was doing was turning her on. The outfit she chose, opening the door for her, maneuvering this fierce machine with ease and precision.
She knew she was attracted to the Detective, she accepted this long ago. It started shortly after they had first met. At first, it was easy to hide but the closer she and Jane got, the harder it is for Maura to control. She hoped that Jane hadn't noticed for fear of scaring her away.
'And she calls herself a detective,' Maura thought, laughing inwardly at how this is the second time she's had that thought tonight.
Sometimes she could swear that she saw a hint of reciprocation coming from Jane but she couldn't be sure and her friendship with the brunette was far too important to risk.
Jane had quickly become one of the most treasured people Maura had ever met, much to her surprise. Their lives have become so entwined and it all happened so naturally. The only child was not used to spending so much time with other people, let alone a family unit like the Rizzoli's, or a friend group like the Detectives. Most people turned and ran after one "google-mouth" session, as Jane so longingly put it, but not these people. They had all just accepted her for her and she did not have to put up a front with them and for that, she was so thankful. She finally felt like she was part of something and it was all because of Jane.
At first, she thought this could be a fun fling, had Jane been interested, but the more she got to know the Detective, the more she realized the rumors about her weren't true and that a "fling" was never fling to happen. Jane liked men. She had relationships with men, although unsuccessful, and she never showed any interest in women.
Until recently.
Maura had noticed that there has been a shift in Jane's demeanor. She seemed almost nervous whenever Maura was close by, which had never been the case before. Maura had also noticed more eye contact, lingering touches, more playful banter, which teetered on the line of flirting, and more chivalrous gestures like opening doors, pulling out chairs, carrying things, etc.
Maura decided that tonight would be the night to test her theory. She called it a scientific inquiry to ease her own mind.
...
They drove to the bar in a surprisingly comfortable silence, despite the electricity they were both feeling, unbeknownst to each other. They were just enjoying the cool October air and listening to the purr of the engine.
Jane pulled onto the street where the bar was located, hearing the faint bass drum of the music before seeing the building. They had both now just realized that they drove all the way there in complete silence.
"Where do I park?" Jane asked, breaking the silence.
"It looks like they have a valet," Maura said, pointing to a spot in front of the bar.
Jane pulled up and noticed Frost and Frankie standing outside. They were now staring at the car, not realizing who was inside. Jane got out and tossed the keys to the kid in the valet uniform. He couldn't have been older than 19 or 20 and he just gawked at Jane. She gave him a smirk and waved at Frost and Frankie, whose jaws were now practically on the ground. The valet went to open Maura's door but Jane cut him off.
"I got it," she said as she jogged over and pulled open Maura's door for her.
Maura stepped out and Jane felt like everyone outside of the bar was staring at her best friend. She felt an equal amount of pride that she was the one Maura was there with but also jealousy that everyone was checking Maura out. Her Maura. They walked up to the boys who were obviously stunned to see them arrive in such a beautiful car.
"Where the hell did that beauty come from?!" Frankie asked as he watched the valet pull away from the curb.
"If I told you, I'd have to kill you," Jane joked, pushing her brother with her free hand. Her other hand had absentmindedly slipped onto the small of Maura's back. Jane was distracted and oblivious to the contact but Maura, on the other hand, was hyper-aware. Scientific inquiry starts now.
Opportunity #1.
She studied Jane's features, looking for any sudden signs of sexual arousal. No dilated pupils, no goosebumps, no rise in skin temperature. She came to the conclusion that Jane was caught up in her conversation and wasn't aware of what she was doing. She would have to wait for another opportunity for study.
Maura, on the other hand, would be a textbook example of sexual arousal. She was sure that if Jane were to look, she would notice all of those signs in her. She silently cursed herself for teaching them to Jane.
"All I know is, if you were a guy, you'd have your pick of any chick you wanted with that baby," Frost said jokingly. Or was he joking? Maura eyed him suspiciously. Then she shot a look at Jane to see how she'd respond.
"I don't need a car for that, Frost," she said, her voice 3 octaves deeper. She winked and then she, Frost and Frankie all erupted into laughter. Maura was so taken aback by Jane's reply that she forgot to laugh too. They all looked at her for a moment as their laughter died down. Maura chuckled awkwardly so as to not give herself away.
"Well, you came in with the most beautiful one here tonight, if I do say so myself," Frankie said sheepishly, looking at Maura. Jane instinctively pulled Maura closer to her. Something that had not gone unnoticed by the Doctor.
"In your dreams, pal!" Frost said, erupting into laughter again. Frankie looked away from Maura and down at his feet, almost like a scared dog when they know they're in trouble. He rocked on his heels and then chanced a glance back up at her.
"Thank you, Frankie," Maura said, giving him a sweet smile.
Opportunity #2.
She didn't break eye contact with Frankie this time. Instead she just continued to smile at him. She tilted her head to the side and took note of how Jane looked between them and then abruptly started guiding Maura towards the door. "Alright, let's get this over with," she said as she led Maura into the bar by pushing her slightly. Her hand still at the small of Maura's back, although her fingers were now dangerously close to the hem of Maura's jeans.
Jealousy, the first piece of evidence. Maura made a mental note of this.
...
As they made their way past the bouncers and into the bar, they all looked around in awe. This place was huge. The blue-hughed lights were dim but there was enough light to see that there were people everywhere. The music was loud and it pumped a steady beat throughout the building. The main floor was essentially a giant square with a bar on both the left and right sides and a dancefloor in the middle. The dancefloor has two sets of stairs on either side going up to a second and ultimately, third level, just like Maura said.
"The architecture is marvelous," Maura said loudly in Jane's ear. Jane just nodded her head but she couldn't help but think that it was reminiscent of a beehive or an ant colony, especially with all of the people crawling around.
"This feels more like a club than a bar, Maura!" Jane yelled as loud as she could so that Maura could hear.
"Why did you want to come here so badly? This isn't really our 'scene'".Jane said the last word with air quotes.
Maura frowned and bit and yelled back "I just really wanted to go dancing, I guess."
"You guess?!" Jane mouthed the words to Maura instead of yelling them, putting a hand over her chest and opening her mouth wide to appear shocked. Maura laughed, grabbed Jane's hand and started pulling her towards the bar. Frost and Frankie followed.
It was quieter by the bar which was a relief because Jane didn't want to have to scream her order to a stranger. They all ordered a round of shots and took them together. Frost and Frankie got a round of beers for themselves. Maura ordered some fancy champagne that they had never heard of and Jane ordered a cocktail. Frost and Frankie snickered at her unlikely beverage choice but she grabbed it from the bar tender, slid her a tip and then took a sip.
"When in Rome," she said, shrugging her shoulders.
Frost and Frankie saw a group of cute girls walk by and bid the ladies farewell.
"We'll catch up with you guys later," Frost yelled.
Jane watched them walk after the girls, playfully bumping shoulders. She shook her head in amusement and turned around to find Maura talking to the bartender. Maura's drink was still full so she surely wasn't ordering another.
The music was lower by the bar but she still had a hard time hearing what they were talking about so instead, she just sat and watched. She saw Maura tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear as the bar tender playfully swatted Maura's arm. What the hell?! Is she flirting with Maura?
Jane felt hot.
Not because there were roughly 200 people packed in this place like sardines but because she couldn't bear to see the bartender hit on Maura.
Jane has seen many men hit on Maura and sure, that bothered her, as did every man that Maura had ever dated, but she had never seen a woman hit on Maura.
The bartender was a cute blonde, probably in her mid to late 20's. She almost certainly was doing it to get more tips but that didn't stop the fire that was rapidly growing in Jane's chest.
Before she could think, she downed the rest of her drink and shot up to interrupt whatever was happening here to order another.
"Excuse me, I'd like another drink please," Jane scowled.
"I'm sorry, but I'm with another customer right now. I'll be with you in a moment," the blonde said, to turning her attention back at Maura. They both started giggling and that sent Jane over the edge. She grabbed Maura's hand and pulled her away from the bar.
"Jane, what are you doing?!"
"I'm not really feeling this place, Maura, can we please go?"
Opportunity #3.
"But We just got here, Jane. I haven't even gotten to dance yet!"
"Fine, can we at least go check out the other levels or something?"
"Sure, Jane. Let me just grab my dri..." Maura's sentence was cut short by Jane pulling her by the wrist towards one of the sets of stairs, leaving her drink in it's place.
"I'll get you another one," Jane yelled over her shoulder.
...
They made their way to the second level to find a smaller dance floor than the one below it. There were also a few tables in front of another small bar off to the side.
"Man this place is crazy," Jane said but Maura couldn't hear her over the music. Instead of repeating herself, she just continued to lead Maura up another set of stairs to the third level.
The third level looked exactly like the second, only it was a bit quieter because it was farther away from the speakers. They decided to stay up there for a while.
They walked over to the small bar area, got a few more drinks and then found an open table to sit down. They were sitting and talking, enjoying their drinks when a couple of men came over to them. Jane rolled her eyes as they leaned down.
"Would either of you beautiful ladies like to dance?"
Jane just crossed her arms and sat back.
"No, we're good," she said, snapping her head around as she heard the chair next to her move.
She watched Maura get up and take one of the men's hands.
"Suit yourself," the other said to Jane as he and his friend led Maura to the dance floor.
Jane just sat back, clenching her jaw. She felt so stupid. She couldn't understand why she was feeling so jealous of all of these people here tonight and now she was alone.
Her jealousy quickly turned into rage as she watched Maura become the middle of this meathead sandwich. She couldn't bring herself to watch any longer as one of them was grinding on her from the front and the other from the back, putting their hands where they had no business being.
Jane stood up and made a beeline for the bathroom. Maura was secretly watching Jane to see how she'd react when she saw her storm off.
Jealousy confirmed.
Maura politely excused herself from the dancefloor and apologized to the men. She didn't feel bad though as she wasn't interested in them in the slightest. There was only one person she cared about and she was no doubt plotting the murder of these men in the bathroom.
Maura felt bad as she had not intended to hurt Jane's feelings, she just wanted to...draw them out a bit for the sake of testing her theory. Jealousy was a good sign but it in no way proved that Jane was attracted to her. She would have to take another approach.
"Jane?!" Maura called as she swung open the door to the bathroom.
"Go away, Maura," she heard through one of the stalls. Luckily, they were the only ones there at the moment.
"Jane, what's wrong?" Maura asked through the door.
"Nothing, go back to 'dancing' with those douchebags." Jane used air quotes around the word 'dancing' even though Maura couldn't see her but the Doctor could tell by the tone of her voice.
"I'm sorry, Jane," Maura said with a slight sadness to her voice.
"Sure seems like it..." Jane said, opening the door to the stall. She didn't realize Maura was standing so close but she didn't back away.
"Look Maura, I didn't come here to get ditched, ok? I'll just take off and come pick you back up when you want to leave," Jane said as she pushed past Maura and started walking towards the door.
Maura grabbed her by the wrist, causing her to spin around. They are dangerously close again. Jane pulled but Maura did not let go of her wrist. Jane sighed.
"No, Jane. Please stay, I'm sorry. I just want to dance and since you won't dance with me, I thought I'd have to find other partners."
Jane winced at the word 'partners'.
"Maura, I hate dancing. You know that."
"I know, Jane."
"Then why'd you bring me here?" Jane asked, almost yelling.
Maura didn't know how to respond. She didn't want to lie and she certainly didn't want to tell her that this had all turned into a giant experiment to see if she was attracted to her. She opened her mouth to speak but before she could say anything a group of drunk college girls burst through the door creating the perfect diversion for Maura.
"If you would just dance with me once, I'll never make you do it ever again. I won't even bring it up!" Maura said, flashing those signature puppy dog eyes. Jane felt like a puddle around Maura's feet.
"Whooo dancing, yas, get it queens," one of the girls yelled. All the others started to cheer them on. Maura and Jane both looked at the girls and smiled and then Maura looked back at Jane expectantly.
"Fine, Maura...one dance and that's all you get!"
Jane groaned as she opened the door and let Maura through. The group cheered and clapped as Jane and Maura left the bathroom.
...
Opportunity #4.
Maura led Jane to a spot on the dancefloor where a bit of room had opened up. She didn't want to start off too close to Jane for fear of making her even more uncomfortable than she already was. Just as they walked on to the dancefloor, a new song started.
Soft piano chords emanated over the speakers. They were delicate and beautiful and created an atmospheric sound that Maura secretly loved. Maura spun around and held both of Jane's hands. She looked at Jane, only to find the extremely confident, badass Detective looking rather feeble. She noticed that Jane was shyly looking all around her at everyone else around them.
Maura wasn't used to seeing Jane this way and she was starting to question everything up to this point. She dropped Jane's hands and backed away a few feet. She figured she would give Jane her space and if she wanted to join her, she could. The first lyrics of the song made their way to Maura's ears.
"I'm not invisible to you." She laughed to herself. How relevant is that?
Maura started to sway to the kick drum that was now beating steadily.
Jane finally stopped looking around and noticed Maura swaying to the music. She just stood and stared. Maura looked back, not breaking their eye contact.
"Do my eyes, do my eyes speak true?"
Jane swallowed hard as Maura moved a few inches closer.
"My soul's so in touch with yours tonight."
Maura broke her own rule and reached out and grabbed Jane's hands again, attempting to get her to relax and let loose.
Jane stood awkwardly as Maura moved her arms for her. She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.
She opened her eyes again to find Maura inches away from her now lifting both of their arms above their heads. Jane felt woozy. She couldn't understand why all of this was happening and she was tired of fighting it. With a deep sigh, she decided to give in.
"Won't let my head, let my head take flight."
Jane took a step closer and started to sway with the music, finally taking a moment to pay attention to the lyrics.
"We could leave this place. Freedom, ours to chase. What if I escape with you?"
Feeling more confident with the buildup of the music, Maura spun around, her backside now facing Jane. She looked over her shoulder to make sure Jane hadn't run away and continued to sway to the music, her hands reaching up above her own head before tangling in her hair for a moment.
Jane felt her heart race. All night she was so afraid of what she was feeling but she never stopped to think about what Maura was feeling.
"What if I escape with you?" repeated.
As if it was second nature to Jane, she instinctively grabbed Maura's hips, pulling her closer. Maura couldn't contain the groan that escaped her throat at the contact. Luckily, the music covered it up.
They were swaying in sync now. Jane's hands still resting in Maura's hips, Maura's arms swaying freely above her head. They were too caught up in what was happening between them that they had not realized that they'd drawn a crowd.
A few people began to gather around them and watch the sexy scene that was unfolding. Some of them were the girls from the bathroom who looked on with pride and cheered. Frost and Frankie were making their way up the stairs to the third level when they noticed a circle of people on the dancefloor.
They pushed through to see what all the commotion was about and froze solid when they saw Jane and Maura. Frost bit his finger and Frankie just looked away quickly as if he wasn't allowed to see what was happening.
Frost looked at them and in that moment he could see that they had finally broken through that wall that had been up between them. He always knew that there was something there, he just thought they were too oblivious to ever figure it out.
He smiled at them with a mixture of happiness and pride as he turned to Frankie who was looking away, pretending not to see what was happening. Frost chuckled at him and threw his arm around Frankie's shoulder, walking him back towards the stairs.
"Now I know which Rizzoli's got the best game!" he said, ushering Frankie back down the stairs.
In a moment of sincerity, Frankie turned to Frost on the stairs and with a frustrated sigh he said "I can't compete with her, Frost. I never could."
Frost put his hand on Frankie's shoulder and gave him a soft smile.
"I don't think anyone else in the world had a shot in this case, man," he said looking back towards Jane and Maura again.
He could barely see them from where they were on the steps but he smiled at them again and turned back to Frankie.
"They just needed to figure that out for themselves first."
Frankie smiled knowingly and nodded his head. "Now let's find you someone you actually have a shot with," Frost joked, motioning down the stairs.
...
Back on the dancefloor
"Is it real? Is it just a fantasy? Cause the unknown, the unknown's pulling me."
Maura turned her head slightly so that she could just see Jane's face. Jane looked hungry like a wild animal about to feed on its prey.
Maura knew this was her final opportunity. This moment would determine once and for all of Jane Rizzoli was attracted to her too.
Opportunity #5.
"We could leave this place. Freedom, ours to chase. What if I escape with you?"
With all the confidence she could muster, she placed one of her hands over Jane's that was still on her hip and slid it onto her stomach. Jane felt Maura's taught stomach muscles flex and they swayed to the beat. Maura used her other hand to reach behind her, entangling it in Jane's hair. She looked back again and when she did, she felt Jane press her whole body into her backside. Her breath hitched. Her body was on fire, humming with anticipation.
"What if I escape with you?"
"Let's get out of here," Jane whispered into Maura's ear from behind.
The sensation sent shivers down Maura's spine. Jane felt Maura's body tense under hers and she smirked. For the first time, Jane realized that this whole night was not about Maura just wanting to go dancing.
She thought back on their relationship and gathered all the evidence, reread all of the signs that Maura had given her and finally pieced it together.
"And I call myself a detective?" She laughed to herself.
Maura turned around in Jane's arms, leaning up on her tiptoes and capturing Jane's lips in a searing kiss. Jane's knees went weak. She was stunned. She couldn't believe this was happening. She decided to continue her mission of throwing caution to the wind and she relaxed into the kiss. Her confidence grew as she grabbed Maura's face in her hands, deepening their kiss. Maura was the first to break away because she was sure that if she didn't get any air soon, she would pass out.
"I thought you'd never ask," Maura said breathlessly.
Success.