"Doctor Maura Isles! Just the woman I wanted to see," says the woman at the front desk. With blonde, voluptuous hair and a dress that probably cost more than Jane's car, Jules Blanc looked every part like the woman who owned the expensive boutique that Maura frequented. She walks around the counter, giving Maura a kiss on each cheek. Jane stands uncomfortably, never knowing how to act in front of Maura's fancy friends.
"Oh mon Dieu, Maura. Who is this gorgeous companion of yours? She is a sight for sore eyes!" Jules says as she takes in the tall woman before her.
Maura smiles, already used to the hordes of women who threw themselves at Jane wherever they stepped out into public together. "This is someone very special to me. Her name is Jane and we were hoping to find a nice outfit for her brother's upcoming wedding."
Jules puts her glasses on, placing its little frame against her sharp nose bridge. "I see. Please, make yourselves comfortable in the fitting room suite. I will arrange for some options for you," she says as she disappears into the expansive, climate-controlled storage room behind the counter. Jules's assistant leads them to the suite, where Jane stares at the contents of the room incredulously. With pearl white couches that looked as if they belonged in the Queen of England's living quarters and ruffled curtains lined with gold, Jane began feeling even more out of place.
"Maura, you are really making me work for this date, aren't you?" Jane asks as she gestures toward everything around them. She knows that Maura is about to get carried away, seeing the gleam in her eye as Maura already begins perusing the rack of clothes nearest to them.
Jules comes back in, her hands full with a roll of measuring tape and a notepad. Three assistants follow her, their own hands full of different dresses, suits, and everything in between.
"I wasn't sure what Jane would like, so I brought it all. Do we have preferences?" Jules asks.
Maura turns to Jane for guidance, not wanting to pressure her into anything that she didn't feel comfortable with. Jane already looks as if she rather be anywhere else but in this room. "I don't really know. I usually wear dresses for special occasions but I wear a suit every day for work so I guess I am open to whatever."
Jules smiles, "Ah, yes. Let's see what we can do for you, shall we?"
For the next few hours, Jane cycles through jumpsuits, dresses, and tuxedos of every color. Jane would be hating the experience much more if she didn't see Maura staring at Jane with hunger in her eyes as she takes in the sight of Jane in different outfits. Maura adjusts the clothes on Jane whenever she can, using it as an excuse to touch the other woman. It's hard though, as Jane continues to ask Maura to turn around while she changes.
"Jane, you know that I think that you're gorgeous no matter what, right?" Maura asks as her heart breaks at the thought that Jane would ever think otherwise.
"You say that, Maur. But you have no idea. I look like a goddamn teddy bear that a dog has gotten to a few times too many. Or Frankenstein. It's not a pretty sight," Jane says as she places the remaining buttons into their place on her collared shirt.
"I don't mind. I think you are perfect regardless. But I respect your feelings and understand why you may be hesitant," Maura says, speaking to the wall in front of her. She hears as Jane dresses behind her, hearing the distinct sound of satin moving against itself.
Jane pulls her zipper up and checks herself in the mirror. Straightening her blazer, she calls back to Maura. "Okay, I'm ready."
As Maura turns around, she gasps as she takes in the sight of Jane. Jane is wearing a white, button-up shirt with the top button left open, revealing smooth, tan skin. The blazer jacket is navy blue and enhances Jane's skin tone. Her black hair sits in perfect contrast against the whiteness of Jane's pumps, which are Jimmy Choo's. With the shoes, Jane's stature increases by three inches, increasing the height difference between the two women even more. With Jane's already slender frame, Maura knew that Jane would likely be as tall or even taller than most of the men in attendance at the wedding. Jane has rose gold Bvlgari cufflinks three centimeters below where the sleeve of the blazer ended. Jules has also loaned Jane a Rolex of the same color to sport on her left wrist, completing the look. As a final touch, a thin, gold chain also hangs across Jane's collarbones. A small pendant with one of the patron saints sits in the middle of the chain, paying homage to Jane's Catholic upbringing. With a combination of the handsome suit and the sexy heels, Jane is the picture-perfect mixture of femininity and a more dominant energy. Maura immediately feels the heat rising in her cheeks as the temperature in the room increases. Stepping closer, she places her hand on Jane's chest, feeling the quality of the material.
"That's a Prada suit, Doctor Isles. An exclusive that was granted to me for my private collection by the designer. Isn't it a beaut?" Jules says as she watches Maura's reaction.
Maura gushes, "It is absolutely breathtaking on Jane. I do have to commend you, Jules. As always, you have outdone yourself."
Satisfied with Maura's reaction, Jules excuses herself to allow Maura and Jane some private time alone to discuss. Jane turns towards Maura, surprised herself at how well the outfit had come together. "I was a little worried about wearing a suit to the wedding but I have to say, I really like how it looks."
Maura stares up into Jane's eyes, desperately wanting for Jane to pick her up and take her right in the middle of the room. "You look dashing, Jane. I have never seen a suit more tailored to your style and I am incredibly attracted to you right now."
Jane smiles, stepping closer to Maura. "Is that so?" Jane says with an eyebrow raised. Maura nods silently, pushing Jane slightly. Jane falls back against the couch with force, not sure if she is turned on or surprised right now. She has never seen this side of Maura. Maura puts her hand over Jane's and guides Jane's hands all over her body as they kiss feverishly on the couch. A tiny moan escapes Maura, making Jane put her hand over Maura's mouth as Jane continues exploring the rest of Maura's body.
"Be a good girl and be quiet," Jane orders as Maura feels her appetite for the other woman grow. Emboldened by Maura's obvious desire for her, Jane grabs Maura gently by the roots of her hair, pulling her face back so they can look at each other. Maura moans even louder against Jane's hand, the vibration tickling Jane as she feels a rush. Jane feels tempted to take things a step further, but stops herself. Maura deserved more than a first time in the middle of a dressing room. Jane wanted to take her time consuming every part of Maura and this just wasn't the place for it.
"I want nothing more than to continue this, Maura. But I think we should stop for now," Jane says. Maura's eyes widen as she realizes how carried away she has become and stands up, fixing her dress and hair.
"You're right, Jane. I don't know what came over me. I apologize."
Jane gives her a smile, touching the back of Maura's hair as she leans in, whispering, "Don't worry. It was hot."
With perfect timing, Jules knocks before entering the room again, asking the two women their opinion on the clothing options. Maura buys the suit without hesitation, despite Jane's best efforts in convincing the woman otherwise after Jane hears the price tag. Maura gladly ignores Jane, thinking instead about how delicious Jane looked and how she was going to have to hold herself back on the day of the wedding. They left the boutique and Maura goes in search for a cold drink, wanting to cool herself down after the hot and heavy events that just took place in the room.
It had been weeks since Maura Isles had last performed an autopsy. With the dust settling down around them after all of the drama with Olivia and Sarah, Maura had been cleared to come back to work. She feels bad for Jane, knowing that Jane was itching to get back into the field. Jane had given her puppy eyes when Maura left this morning and Maura knew that Jane was not sad about not only being left alone all day but also at the fact that Maura got to return to work while she sat at home. Jane was making good progress in her rehabilitation, now able to walk independently. To celebrate her milestone, Jane had wanted to use a Louisville Slugger on the walker. With months of pent-up frustration from being unable to do things alone, Jane was rightfully fed-up. Maura had stopped her just in time, convincing her to donate the walker to a local medical equipment distributor instead. To keep Jane in good spirits, Maura had ordered a custom-made cake for every accomplishment of Jane's. They had pictures posing next to cakes with a variety of messages, from "Congrats! Your stitches are out!" to "Congrats! You can sprint again!"
The cakes had made Jane double over with laughter as she thanked Maura for being there to celebrate every little victory with her. The pictures sat framed on Maura's desk at work, which was now filled with images of her and Jane throughout the years. The two women had settled into the change to their new relationship with ease, spending even more time together than they did beforehand. Considering Jane's recent run-in with death and Maura's track record dating serial killers, neither of the women were particularly eager to begin labeling their relationship. Instead, things remained as they always had been, except Maura was now able to kiss the other woman whenever she felt like it. Jane had been a good sport throughout a tumultuous rehabilitation process and they had only found themselves in an argument once, when Jane had fallen in the shower and refused any help from Maura. Things had heated up a few times, but Jane always stopped things from progressing further. The last time, she had apologized to Maura.
"I'm sorry, Maura. I want you more than anything. But you deserve better and I need to be at my best when I make love to you so I can do all the things that I want to do to you," Jane had said with a touch of embarrassment.
Maura had comforted her, remaining patient and understanding as they had chosen to watch a movie instead. Maura didn't want to rush things, but she found it difficult to control herself after almost nine years of pent-up sexual frustration due to her attraction to Jane. And that is why she sat at her desk now, staring at the cursor on her computer screen as she fantasized about how Jane would taste against her tongue. Her email dinged, which brought her back to reality. She scolds herself, not able to believe that her thoughts about Jane had been able to distract her from her work. This never happened, not with Ian or any of her other partners. She had always focused on her work, maybe a little bit too focused. Her partners had questioned their importance to her as she continually chose her education and her career over them. When things began getting serious with Ian, Maura had poured herself into her work instead of committing to him. But with Jane, Maura found herself counting down the minutes until she could come home to Jane.
Her phone rings, grounding her again. She sighs at the stack of unfinished paperwork on her desk and picks up the receiver.
"Medical Examiner's Office. This is Doctor Maura Isles speaking."
A gruff, unfamiliar voice comes over through the line. "Hello, Doctor Isles. This is Director Patel at Quantico. I am calling regarding a candidate that we are considering for employment. I was hoping that you can offer some insight into a coworker, specifically regarding their behavior, professionalism, and work ethic."
Maura closes her laptop, wanting to give this call her full attention. She wonders who the candidate is, curious whether one of her interns had applied for a position with the FBI. "Of course, Director Patel. Anything that I can do to assist. Who is the candidate?"
She hears the sound of papers shuffling coming through the speaker. "The candidate is Detective Jane Rizzoli. How would you describe Detective Rizzoli as a colleague?"
Maura almost drops the phone. Her blood rushes to her ears and she found herself feeling paralyzed, unable to move her mouth. "Excuse me?", she manages to croak into the microphone.
"Detective Jane Rizzoli, ma'am. Our records indicate that you have been colleagues for the last nine years. I know she works in a different field than you, but surely your work brings you in close contact with the homicide department," the man states.
If only he knew how intimate that "close contact" was. Maura blacks out as her brain begins running on auto-pilot. "Absolutely. I apologize as this has taken me by surprise. Detective Rizzoli is a sharp, honest, and trustworthy colleague. She has one of the best case close rates in the entire state and it can be attributed to her strong skills as not only a leader, but an important team member. I enjoy collaborating with Detective Rizzoli and believe that she would excel in any role that she may find herself in."
Maura hears as Detective Patel writes down notes, the scratching of the pencil against paper filling in the silence as he summarizes her words. "Very well. Would you say that Detective Rizzoli is prepared for the stress associated with a career in the FBI given her recent traumatic experience with a suspect?"
Feeling conflicted between wanting to support Jane unconditionally and wanting to tell Director Patel no so that Jane will stay in Boston with her, Maura hesitates. "Director Patel, I am afraid that I am not a clinical psychologist. That determination is reserved for the provider on her case. However, I can say that Detective Rizzoli is incredibly resilient and has recovered from many setbacks throughout her time here."
Anxious to hang up the call, Maura speaks again. "If there is nothing else, Director Patel, you'll have to excuse me. I have some notes to finish up."
Director Patel offers no comfort, speaking without emotion in a monotone voice. "Thank you for your time, Doctor Isles. We may be in contact for follow-up questions." Maura hears his phone click, signifying the end of their discussion. Without a second thought, Maura hits the speed dial on her phone, calling Jane.
"Hey, Maur. Lasagna or pesto tonight? I'm feeling energetic and I can have dinner ready for us by the time you walk through the door."
Maura is quiet, unsure of how she wants to begin this conversation. Jane senses the apprehension, taking Maura off of speakerphone. "Maura? What is it?"
"The FBI, Jane? Seriously? When were you going to tell me?" Maura asks as her voice trembles.
Jane starts to explain, stuttering as she didn't expect Maura to find out yet. She had wanted to tell Maura when the time was right, after they had a few conversations about it first.
"Maura, I am so so sorry. Please let me explain," Jane begs.
Maura hangs up the phone without another word.