Angela was a smart woman. She could read a room and she knew when her presence was or wasn't wanted, even if she chose to ignore those signs most of the time. Her kids, God bless their souls, were all grumpy and temperamental Rizzolis. Frankie, her youngest, was usually the sweetest and most gentle with her. Her eldest, Jane, had a soft spot but it usually took some digging before it appeared. Unless you were a victim's family or Maura Isles of course. If you were, then that soft spot showed up without any convincing necessary. That's why she chose to leave the two women alone after dropping off her infamous lasagna and more than enough zeppole to feed an army. She knew that Maura had a tough week and figured that the two could use some quiet time. Especially after she saw the way Jane looked at Maura when Maura wasn't paying attention. Angela knew she needed to head out.
Jane seemed surprised that she chose to leave so early and Angela knows she made the right decision when Jane gives her a big, unexpected hug. She hears the front door close behind her and begins to feel a bit lonely. Angela felt that way sometimes when she witnessed how Jane and Maura interacted, seeing how intimate and inseparable the two women were. It even made her reconsider dating. She decides to call Sean, who has been on pursuing her for weeks, and gives him a chance at dinner. Sean was a safe choice, as Jane respected him highly and Angela knew that Sean took care of her two detectives at work. That made him much more attractive. She calls his number, her heart full of hope and perhaps a touch of giddiness.
Back inside the Beacon Hill home, Jane and Maura were on the couch, basically cuddling on top of each other, despite having the entirety of the very large sectional. Maura's head is on the top of Jane's chest, their breaths almost synchronized as Jane watches the game and Maura drifts off into sleep. It was only the afternoon, but Maura felt so warm and safe that her eyelids grew heavier with each second. The combination of some wine, lasagna, and zeppole had done its job as her stomach and soul were fulfilled. Jane interrupts her thoughts, saying "I can hear that big brain of yours and it's making it hard to focus on the game." Maura hears the teasing tone in her voice and smiles, forgetting how much she missed their banter.
"Is that so?" Maura replies, shifting so she can look into Jane's eyes.
"Yeah. Whatcha thinking about?" Jane asks. She sees hesitation in Jane's eyes, almost as if Jane were afraid to damper their day by reminding Maura of the last few days.
Maura reassures Jane with her answer. "Just how happy I am. How good it feels being here with you."
Jane's dimples appear and Maura thinks about how she would do anything to make Jane continue to smile that way at her. She can feel her love for this woman spread throughout her entire body and her fingertips tingle with excitement. "I'm happy too," Jane responds as her hand comes up to run her slender fingers through Maura's hair. Maura becomes aware of how Jane's legs rested between her own. Both of them had on shorts, so with their skin touching and Jane whispering comforting words into Maura's ears, Maura couldn't focus on anything else other than kissing Jane. She held herself back though, knowing that Jane needed some time to process her feelings and that she needed time herself.
It didn't surprise either of the two women that there were mutual feelings as the duo had been flirting for the last five years. Those around them had already suspected a romantic relationship and they were always met with shock when informing others that they were, in fact, not a couple. After Frankie had kissed her, they had both agreed that it felt weird, considering that they were basically family. What Maura didn't tell Jane though, was what Frankie chose to tell Maura in confidence after.
Maura rarely saw the youngest Rizzoli as serious as he was that night, as he usually joked around or had a "chill" demeanor, as he called it. After they had awkwardly admitted that they should remain friends instead of pursuing more, Frankie had confessed that he knew better than to go after the one that his sister loved. Maura had thought nothing of it at first but realized he had meant love in a different sense. He apologized for Jane, saying that she was sometimes too stubborn to appreciate what she had in front of her. Asking Maura to be patient, he told her that he hoped Jane would figure things out and make Maura an actual family member one day.
It was then that Maura realized that Frankie was referring to Maura becoming his sister-in-law. Something similar had happened with Tommy, although her brief encounter with Tommy had occurred way before the one with Frankie. Tommy was less poetic with his words, choosing instead to crack jokes about how hot it would be to see Maura with his sister. He confessed that he had a crush on Maura since the day they met, but sensed Maura's lack of reciprocation quickly and had given up.
After he met Lydia, he began pressuring Maura more to make a move on Jane. During Sunday dinners, he would find Maura and pester her on whether Jane and Maura had finally kissed yet. Every week, he would be disappointed as Maura shook her head. He would walk over to Jane, punching her in the arm while Jane looked at him with confusion.
"You're so stupid sometimes, sis," he would say. The memory brought a smile to Maura's face and her thoughts moved to those that they worked with. Susie was always nervous around the detective. Maura had known Senior Criminalist Chang for many years and knew that Susie was intimidated by Jane's strong personality. She had walked in on many awkward situations, often in the midst of an embrace between Jane and Maura. Maura thought that perhaps Susie had developed a crush on Jane, as Susie blushed every time the detective entered a room. Susie wasn't the only one. Frost's attraction for Jane was evident since the day he made detective, but she watched as he stifled that attraction over the years for the sake of professionalism. He often watched Jane and Maura interact with amusement, chuckling as the two women fought, made up, and flirted.
He too had brought Maura aside for a private conversation one day. "You know I'm a detective, right?" Frost had asked Maura.
Maura had replied, "Of course. What makes you ask that?"
He had laughed before replying, telling Maura that he had figured out that Robin, his mother's roommate, was more than just a roommate the first time that he saw the two women interact. Frost had told Maura that this is exactly how he knew that Jane and Maura had feelings for each other, since it reminded him of the way Robin took care of his mother. She had dismissed his observation, saying that they were simply best friends but telling him that she appreciated his support.
Maybe it was time to do what everyone around them had been wanting them to do. Maybe it was time to do what she wanted. Which was nothing more than to taste Jane Rizzoli.