Wednesday
Maura unlocked her door as usual in the morning, almost forgetting that she'd given her spare key to Jane the night before until she saw the rouge curls spread across the arm of her couch, a pile of paperwork spread across the coffee table and Jane's chest, a soft hand curled up atop the paperwork. She looked so sweet and vulnerable in her sleep, and Maura shoved down the urge to take a photo with her phone and lost, taking a snap quickly before Jane could wake up.
But she didn't. She slept through Maura setting up her laptop, quietly in deference to what had obviously been a long night. She slept through Susie coming in with a report of the blood sample. Maura saw Susie's eyes dart towards the detective and back a few times, deliberately not asking but clearly wanting to.
"It's not very professional, is it," Maura asked finally. "I should wake her up, but she was up all night with the witness statements."
"If any of the other detectives come in, she'd never hear the end of it," Susie agreed. "But she looks a lot less intimidating when she's asleep, doesn't she?"
"She's cute when she's sleeping," Maura agreed, feeling a blush rise to her cheeks. "In the way an untrained puppy is after they've trod dirt all over the carpet, ripped up all the pillows and eaten their weight in prime steak." Susie's grin told Maura she didn't believe her. "But you're right. I should wake her."
Maura got up, taking her half-empty coffee cup with her. She squatted easily on her heels next to the couch, wafted the open coffee cup under Jane's nose, seeing it twitch, seeing Jane's lips curl into a smile. She rested a soft hand on Jane's bicep, shook her gently.
"Detective Rizzoli, it's morning," Maura said, mindful that Susie was watching with interest. Jane rolled onto her side, dislodging a cascade of paperwork onto the floor, revealing that Jane had taken off her button down, was in the tee she'd worn underneath, tucked into her pants, the chunky belt making her look smaller and more vulnerable, the plain of her abdominals faintly visible through the fabric. Maura raised her hand from Jane's shoulder to her face, brushing back Jane's hair. "Your team will be wondering where you are," Maura continued.
"Hnng," Jane said, opening one eye and squinting. She looked up and saw Maura and smiled.
"I have half a coffee," Maura offered, and Jane propped herself up, moved into a sitting position and took the coffee, downing it in a single gulp, Maura fighting down the urge to mention that the practice of sharing beverages was unhygienic. Maura stood, went back to her desk and took the papers from Susie. They discussed the results as Jane collected herself and her papers, looking over her notes and running her hands through her hair.
"Did they test those dog hairs?" Jane asked, reading one of her scrawled notes.
"No. Is there anything to indicate they're significant?" Maura asked.
"None of the families targeted had dogs, but dog hair was found at three of the ten abduction sites. I'd like to know what kind of dog they came from. You found dog hair on Caiden too, didn't you?"
Maura held her breath for a moment, letting it come out with a rush.
"That's brilliant," Maura said.
"Six years ago... Dog might still be alive?" Jane asked.
"Depending on the age of the dog, and the breed, it's possible."
"Do you need the samples yourself, or can they retest them up there?"
"I can ask them to record their microscopic analysis and request they send the samples for DNA analysis." Maura said.
"It's not much to go on," Jane grizzled, shrugging her shirt back on and buttoning it up, Maura's eyes drawn to the scarred hands. "But if we can find any other crimes in the area, check out any reports from... Trailer parks, camping spots, anywhere extra kids wouldn't be noticed. Dogs allowed. Portable." Jane scratched at her head and yawned again. "Don't suppose you have any more coffee?" Jane asked hopefully. Susie and Maura both shook their heads. "Alright, thanks for the crashpad," Jane said, holding out Maura's office door key. Maura looked at it, hesitated before taking it back, Jane's fingers soft on her palm. Susie excused herself, taking a print from Maura's printer.
"Wait," Maura said, getting to her feet, turning Jane back towards her, unbuttoning the buttons Jane had done up incorrectly and rebuttoning them properly. She straightened Jane's collar, not looking up into the face so close to her own.
"Thanks, hun," Jane said sarcastically. "I was gonna grab a shower once I dropped off the papers."
"Which means you would've walked into the squad room like that?" Maura queried, and Jane chuckled, a low happy sound.
"I did thank you," Jane pointed out as Maura pulled Jane's hair out from the collar, adjusting the fit of the collar against Jane's neck. She let her hands run down to Jane's waist, tucking in the shirt where Jane had missed it, aware that her fingers were technically inside Jane's pants. She looked up finally, seeing Jane's amused, affectionate gaze on her. "Do I pass inspection, Doctor Isles?" Jane asked, and Maura stepped back.
"You have exquisite long bones," Maura said finally. "I'd love to dress you."
"Anyone else that gets into my pants usually says the opposite," Jane said, smirking.
"That would be inappropriate," Maura said stiffly. "And we are at work."
Jane rolled her eyes. "Lighten up, Doc. The departments are separate." She looked worried for a moment, remembering that technically she had dragged the doctor into bed with her. "But if you are uncomfortable, the Human Resources department..."
"No, I'm not -" Maura paused. "I'm not used to..."
"Workplace banter?" Jane asked, eyeing Maura.
"Did you have dinner?" Maura asked, ignoring Jane's question. It was true that she didn't indulge in niceties at work, but it hadn't been banter, and they both knew it. It had been very careful flirting, from brushing Jane's hair out of her face to commenting on dressing and undressing. Jane shook her head and Maura rolled her eyes, causing Jane to snort out a little laugh.
"Sorry, you looked... You looked so human then."
"I am human," Maura pointed out.
"Relatable," Jane amended.
"I have leftovers from your mother. I left them in the breakroom on level 3."
"I'll just grab something from the café for now - I need a coffee - but come up and grab me when you're ready for lunch, ok?"
Maura nodded, watching as Jane jostled her paperwork and her travel mug, smiling at Maura as she left.
"The DNA matches. From Caiden's kidnapping and the shirt of the other body," Maura said, sliding a report onto Jane's desk. "We're running the dog hair, and we're running the DNA. Are you ready for lunch?"
"We were going to grab burgers from down the street, but you're welcome to come with, Doctor Isles," Frost said respectfully.
"She brought lunch in for me," Jane said, looking abashed. "I'll catch up with you after," she said as Frost and Korsak grabbed their jackets. "Doctor's orders," she added with a grin.
"You could have gone with your team," Maura said, watching them get in the elevator together.
"We could have gone with them, and no, we made plans and they didn't." Jane stood and stretched, yawning, and Maura watched the entire process. "You're not second place, or an afterthought," Jane added seriously, seeing Maura's face. "You met my Ma, you know what our family is like. You're included."
Maura stared at Jane. She'd met Jane's mother twice, and the busy, dominant woman had taken her in like a broody mother chicken tucking a duck egg under her soft, fluffy down feathers. And she saw a lot of Angela in Jane, in the easy way she spoke to people, in the way her voice sharpened when someone was disrespectful, in the way she'd tucked Maura under her metaphorical wing. She nodded slowly, then looked away, headed for the break room. Jane sighed and followed her, unsure if Maura had understood.
"You can't go wrong with reheated lasagna," Jane said, pushing the container in the microwave. She quickly washed two plates and forks, the drying rack full, seeing Maura eye them distrustfully as Jane unloaded them. She dished up the food evenly. "It's been a long week."
"Your perception of time is skewed because you spent a night at the station," Maura pointed out. "It's only Wednesday."
"I hate Wednesdays," Jane sighed. "But they're better with a lunch date," Jane said, reminding Maura of how she'd thought Sunday dinner might have been a date. A lunch date was something people with jobs did. Technically Frost and Korsak were on one as well. It didn't mean anything.
"The dog appears to be a purebred German Shepherd," Maura said, uncertain of how to carry out conversation at work over a meal. "Which implies that it potentially guarded the children if they were unsupervised."
"And warned our perp if anyone came near," Jane added. "There a register for purebreds?" She asked.
"The AKC and the SV both register German Shepherds." Maura dug into the lasagna, finished chewing before she continued. "One of the samples had the hair rootball attached, we may be able to find the pedigree from that if there has been any genetic testing in the bloodline."
"And from there?"
"From there we find the litter, and check the registered owners."
"I hope it's not just some random dog," Jane moaned.
"It seems unlikely, given the incidence of hair at several sites." Jane chuckled and shoved Maura's shoulder.
"Relax, it's just me," she said. "Y'can just say "it's probably not", or something, I don't bite."
Maura nodded, suddenly aware of how tense she was, how easily Jane could read her. She deliberately relaxed her shoulders.
"It's just me, why are you so nervous. Ms Bigwords?" Jane asked gently. "You - you called it a date," Maura said quickly. Jane's eyebrow quirked. "I called it a lunch date, Mau," Jane said, and Maura hated people using nicknames for her, hated people shortening her name, but Jane left off the harsh 'r' at the end, and it sounded pleasant in her mouth. "I'd still call it that if we'd gone with Frost and Korsak." Jane forked more lasagna into her mouth, eyeing Maura as they finished their meal, wanting to ask why the idea of being on a date with Jane made her so nervous.
"You're cute when you're nervous. We should do this more often," Jane said, scooping up the empty plates and rinsing them in the sink. "Gym tomorrow?"
"Sure," Maura said, getting to her feet. She felt off-kilter somehow, like she hadn't had the experience she'd expected. Like she'd ruined it by bringing up work. "I'm sorry. I don't know how to do this." She gestured between them.
Jane chuckled and came over, tilting Maura's chin up so she looked at Jane.
"As long as you're talking to me, I don't mind. I don't understand half the stuff you say, but as long as you're saying it to me, we're fine." She let go of Maura's chin self-consciously when someone else came in. "You don't need to apologise for who you are. Not to me. Never to me. You find all that stuff fascinating and I appreciate it. It helps me do my job. But I also like that you get so excited about it. It's cute." Jane blushed and looked away. "Ma is going to want her Tupperware back. Are you coming on Sunday?" Jane asked, as though she'd already invited Maura, as though she already expected her to come for dinner. Maura nodded mutely, still looking up, transfixed by the smile on Jane's face.
"Always knew you were gay, but didn't know you'd turned her too," Detective Crow said, and Jane rolled her eyes.
"Don't have to be gay to turn you down, yet every woman in the Boston area has. We can't all be lesbians, Crow, no matter what your lonely nights on the internet tell you." Jane dragged Maura out of the break room by the hand, Maura watching Crow's face as it went from puzzled to angry to sad. Jane stopped at her desk. "Sorry about... him. Someone forgot to tell him workplace harassment is illegal," she yelled the last four words, and Maura could see Crow flinch through the breakroom door. "I'll keep reading these witness statements and looking for anything else in the crime scene photos they might have missed. Thanks for lunch. And thanks for last night."
Maura saw Crow walking past with his lunch, half-turning to comment but instead shaking his head and continuing to walk past.
"You're welcome," Maura said.
"I'm sorry I made you so nervous. I didn't realise you'd interpret it..."
"It's fine," Maura said, shaking her head as though it hadn't mattered.
"Trust me, when I take you on a date, you'll know you're on a date." Jane smirked, then looked panicked. "If. If I did. If we were."
"Now who's nervous?" Maura asked softly, small smile showing she'd understood Jane's intent. Jane's mouth opened as though she was going to respond but Frost and Korsak came back to their desks, talking about a football game that had been playing on the tv at the local diner they'd been to and Jane just smiled, sitting back at her desk, asking questions Maura assumed were pertinent to the game as Maura went back downstairs.
Notes:
I guess this is a 2022 or at least 2020 reboot of Rizzoli and Isles. The show it could have been now that we have multiple shows with multiple diverse representations.
And yes, they are both cute.