Chapter 4

They were in sync working as one. Maura moving her arms and hands like a well-oiled machine, as Jane pushed her forward.

Must be all that yoga she forced me to...Maura is really fit, knows what to eat...her body...oh man, her body's so...Jane's train of thought was derailed by Maura screaming her name.

"JANE! JANE...THEY'RE GAINING ON US!" Maura sensed a lag in motivation at her slowed pace variable so brought on by Jane not running as fast as she was at the start.

Jane glanced to her left and saw Alex and Julie.

"Where the hell did, they come from?!" Jane shouted looking like a deer in headlights.

Alex smiled and blew past the girls.

"SHIT!"

To Jane's right was Bert and Ernie! Jane turned up the heat by pushing Maura faster...a little too fast and Maura lost her balance and wiped-out chin first, skidding along the grass.

"SHIT...MAUR! ARE YOU OK? OH, MY GOD, I'M SOOO SORRY." Jane couldn't decipher if Maura was crying in pain or knocked out laughing. She bent down to check on her teammate.

"Maur...Maur...oh shit!"

Maura's body was shaking, but not in pain, but with laughter. Giggling, she rolled over and asked Jane, "How bad is it? We lost. I'm sorry."

Jane started to laugh as well, seeing the grass stain on Maura's chin along with the remnants of blades of grass being held by mud, which was adorned upon her chin.

"What...? Why are you laughing? Aren't you mad, we lost?"

Jane's laughter subsided and her voice became softer.

"Honey, it doesn't matter. Are you ok? You face planted in the dirt, no thanks to me. You're wearing blades of grass and...mud, like it's the newest fashion."

"NO!"

"YES!"

"JANE!"

"I'm sorry, looks like it hurts," Jane admitted.

Jane took the bottom of her own shirt and tried to clean up Maura's chin.

"What are you doing?!"

"Trying to clean you up!"

"Not with your dirty, sweaty t-shirt!"

"Ok...Maura, let's get you up. You need a medic. Let's get you to Dr. Ma, if you don't trust me, I know you'll trust my mother."

"It's not that I don't trust you, and I am a doctor...it's just unsanitary and..."

"I know, I know. Here, get on my back, I'll take you back piggy-back style to ma, so you don't hafta walk and for my penance, for dragging you through the mud and costing us the race."

"Jane, that's quite alright. I can walk."

"Maura, I can be your ambulance, don't take the fun outta this."

"Alight, but if you cause me any more harm, I'm afraid I'll have to seek legal action," Maura teased.

"Oh...you wouldn't!" Jane bit right back, also joking.

"Yes, I would. Take you for every dime! Even that work out dummy, Frost and Korsak bought you!"

"No...no, not that! Come on, hop on. You'll be safe with me, I promise." Jane beamed a flirtatious, mega white smile and Maura surrendered.

On Jane's back, they traveled back to their picnic area, with no sign of Angela and Ron they were left to their own devices.

Being a doctor and the person that Maura is, she always has her first aid kit. Jane got it from the car and proceeded to nurse Maura's chin.

"You know, I can do this on my own."

"I know you can, but at least let me take care of you...I mean this...let me take care of this."

"Go ahead Jane, you have my consent."

"Why, thank you, doctor."

Jane gently cleaned the area and applied an ice cube from her cooler, wrapping it up in a clean t-shirt she had packed.

"Here, hold this on your chin, it's starting to bruise."

"Thank you, Dr. Rizzoli."

"You're welcome, Maur."

Silence fell over them and they noticed that the area around them was densely populated.

"I guess everyone is still at the race," Maura added.

"Maybe. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to push you that hard. How can I make it up to you?"

"I thought the...what did you call it...piggy-back ride was restitution...was it not?"

"Yeah, but not nearly enough."

"Jane, stop beating yourself up...I'm fine, I'm having fun. I'll tell you what, you must drink this wine with me after dinner, so hold off on the beer."

"I don't know, wine and hot dogs...but ok, I will. You are...having fun?"

Maura put her hand on Jane's arm to reassure her and to feel some kind of connection for the moment.

"Yes."

Jane let out a breath to steady herself. She was feeling something within that moment. Maura's touch, electric, warm comforting yet inviting. Something was shifting. Jane couldn't take her eyes off her best friend.

"Maura...OH MAURA...honey, we saw you fall! You ok?! JANE, HOW COULD YOU DO THAT? So focused on winning, getting the G.D. trophy, not knowing who you'll hurt!"

"Geez Ma, she's ok, I took care of her!"

"Ron, check her out please. Make sure nothing's broken. This one...always reckless, I tell ya!"

"MA! ENOUGH! Where were you two anyway?"

Ron did as he was told by Angela and checked on Maura.

"Fine job, Jane...your patient will live. We watched the end of the race, Julie and Alexandrea won, then some of the kids wanted to give it a go, so we watched them for a bit. Then Angela and I went for a walk."

"Yeah, needed some alone time," Angela purred while giving a seductive glance to Ron.

"UPPPP NO MORE, PLEASE SAY NO MORE, we don't need to know what you two were doing in the bushes!"

"Jane," Maura scolded.

"What? We're adults! You kids! We just walked...always with the dirty mind, Jane."

"MA!"

"Well, if you girls are ok, we're gonna start the grill. I think there's one more game after dinner, so rest up. I got a text from Frankie, that he and Frost decided to hang at the Dirty Robber. Probably a good idea to sit this year out. You girls were doing so well! The egg toss is next, rest and eat, build up your strength. I think you can win this one. See ya later, girls."

"Later ma."

"Bye Angela and thank you Ron."

A/N: Well what ya think? Hope you all are enjoying this and remember to leave a review! It's comforting to know someone's out there reading this. Thank you and more to come!