Disclaimer: We do not own Rizzoli & Isles or its characters. They belong to the author, Tess Gerritsen, and its producers at TNT. No money has been made from this endeavor.
AN: So don't hate us you guys! Trust me, we know we're asses for taking so long to give you an update. Between hectic job schedules and all sorts of happenings in life, it's a hot mess for the both of us all the damn time; we adore this fic, promise more, but can't promise when.
BUT! Look, there's an update! Please know that we do have some twists and turns in store for this, as it becomes a multi-chapter fic, which will take some time for us to get together. We think you guys will enjoy the ride as we all experience it. Follow, review, tell us what you want and we'll try real hard to deliver.
We just wanted to take the time to thank you for sticking around and for each and every response that has been sent our way. We truly appreciate it. – driz
R&I
Doctor Maura Isles was jarred awake by an enormous clatter coming from the kitchen; pots and pans were banging, there was singing, the smell of coffee wafted into the bedroom and oh my god.
"Jane, wake up!" she whispered, scrambling to find the nightie that had fallen victim to the slumbering detective the night before. Cursing, she found the remains of the gorgeous silk nightgown, which had been discarded haphazardly by the nightstand.
With a soft smile she picked it up and stashed it in the back of the closet, then pulled on a soft cotton v-neck and her favorite pair of yoga pants, you know, appropriate attire for a platonic sleepover with your best friend.
The best friend who happened to still be naked in your bed.
"Maura, are you up?" came the voice of Jane's mother from the kitchen, where she wouldn't stay for long if-
Oh my god.
"Jane, you gotta get up," Maura begged, "I adore your mother but I am not ready to have this conversation."
Nothing.
"Jane, your mother is in the kitchen."
No response, as the detective continued to sleep peacefully despite Maura's frantic attempts at shaking and poking and trying like hell to wake her up.
As if on cue, Angela yelled, "Coffee's ready honey, would you like me to bring you a cup?"
"NO!" Maura shouted, then a little less vehemently, "I'll be right out."
Eyes closed, she inhaled deeply, then released the breath and turned toward the bed. "Dammit Jane," she whispered, "you really are going to make me face her on my own, aren't you?"
When Jane merely snuggled deeper into the covers, Maura rolled her eyes, squared her shoulders, and prepared to face the mother of the woman that she had magnificently violated just a few short hours before.
Clearly it was going to be a long day right from the start.
R&I
Maura closed the door quietly as she left the room, and Jane released a sigh of relief that her mother's complete lack of boundaries had actually worked in her favor for a change. Sure, she had almost jumped when her mother had offered to bring Maura her coffee, knowing that offer usually meant she was already opening the bedroom door. Apparently, adopted fancy pants doctor children were granted boundaries that the children she'd actually given birth to weren't granted.
It always amazed Jane how quickly Maura had adapted to being surrounded by the Rizzoli clan when she generally preferred to fall back on the awkward isolation she was accustomed to throughout the years. Yet at the same time, it was beyond frustrating that this woman, this smart, funny, and breathtakingly gorgeous woman, had her whole family smitten.
She was nowhere near ready to face her mother this morning, to hear her gush about her magical evening with Cavanaugh. She was even less ready to face Maura, to be alone and have an adult conversation about what had happened last night.
As far as she was concerned, what happened between them last night had never happened, and even if it had, it could never happen again. From here on out sex was ruined. Even though Jane would forever consider last night utterly mind-blowing, life changing even, it was a mistake that would never be repeated.
Because she wasn't gay. Absolutely, positively, not gay. She had been called a dyke one too many times to be even remotely comfortable with the idea of just going out into the world and being known as one half of an all girl couple, even if it meant a lifetime of earth shattering sex. Even if, in the end, it meant she got to be with Maura.
Oh my god, what have I done?
The raven-haired detective fell back against the pillows with a frustrated grunt. How could she explain it to her family when things started to go wrong without divulging the fact they had slept together?
From the moment she'd heard the honey blonde's voice caress her ear upon waking, Jane had known that today was going to be unbearably long.
She just hadn't truly thought through the many ways in which their lives were impossibly intertwined.
Of how very hard her life was about to become in avoiding someone there was no valid excuse to avoid.
Of how her walk of shame was going to be right past her own mother.
Fuck.
R&I
"Good morning, Maura," Angela smiled as her favorite not-in-law on the planet entered the kitchen, "sleep well?"
"Never better," the younger woman replied, then added, "how was your dinner?"
Angela absolutely glowed as she responded, "Sean is such a wonderful man, Maura. He's the kind of man that I hope my Janie will find some day." She paused, a dreamy look on her face as she added, "And I want to thank you for keeping her occupied last night."
Maura choked on her coffee, thoughts of exactly how she'd kept Jane occupied suddenly rendering her incapable of swallowing.
"Are you okay?" Angela asked as the younger woman dabbed at the coffee stain on her shirt.
"F-fine," Maura responded, "I'm fine," she insisted, as thoughts of Jane's naked body beneath hers throughout the night caused an ill-timed blush to creep across her face.
Quizzically, the elder Rizzoli asked, "I'm sorry honey, am I interrupting something?"
Jane, you're a dead woman.
"Of course not," Maura deflected, "why do you ask?"
"Because I assumed that Jane spent the night," the matriarch explained, "and that you had kept her from interrupting my date. However," she continued with an awkward eyebrow motion, "her car wasn't in the driveway, you've been blushing all morning, and you can't keep your eyes off the bedroom door. The last time I saw you blush like that, Doctor Ian was in town."
"Ian isn't here," Maura assured, fishing for an honest non-hive inducing explanation for her behavior, "and I didn't have any male suitors visit last night."
So, so definitely not male, just perfect breasts and soft skin and the most ridiculously delicious body I've ever assaulted.
"If you say so," Angela said skeptically, eyeing the honey blonde as if she were expecting the tell tale splotches to erupt at any moment.
"If you'll excuse me," Maura said with a nervous smile, "I'm going to get my shower."
"Before your morning run?" the elder Rizzoli asked.
"I actually had a very energetic workout last night," the honey blonde replied with a soft smile, "and I think I pushed myself too far. So today, I'm giving myself the day off."
There, it was an honest response, right? Yep, no hives. Yet. Isles 1, Rizzoli 0.
"Did Jane push you too hard?" Angela asked.
Maura was grateful that the older woman was focused on the toaster, as she didn't see the furious blush the innocently spoken statement elicited. "You know I worry," the elder Rizzoli continued, pointing at the scar hidden under the younger woman's clothes.
You won't survive past this morning, Jane.
Without another word the honey blonde escaped to the safety of her bedroom, and her breath caught in her throat as her gaze fell upon the glorious sight sprawled across her bed.
Fine, one more morning.
With a huge smile plastered on her face, Maura headed into the bathroom with memories of last night practically dancing in her head.
R&I
As soon as she heard the shower start, Jane sat up and ran through her options, none of which seemed likely to improve her mood anytime soon. Either she had to face Maura and deal with the entire "morning after and I'm not sure I'm okay with what happened last night" scenario, or face her mother and hear about-ugh, so not a valid option!
Or she had to face them.
Together.
Or, she could just stay in bed for the rest of her life.
In Maura's bed, where she was completely naked and aching in places she hadn't known existed until this morning.
With a pillow smashed against her face to muffle the sound, she screamed her frustration at the predicament that she had landed herself in, knowing full well that as awkward as right now was turning out to be, she could easily see herself waking up in exactly the same situation tomorrow morning.
Hearing the water turn off, she chose the best option for her current state of mind, and once again pulled the pillow across her face.
R&I
"If you're awake you should know that your mother is in the kitchen," Maura softly stated to the unmoving form in her bed, "and I really wish you would just talk to me."
No response, as Maura's phone rang and she answered, "Doctor Isles." Exasperation was clearly evident in her voice, but for once, Maura wasn't concerned with what anyone else thought. Only one person mattered, and that person was the frustratingly stubborn woman who was currently feigning sleep in her bed.
Jane lay immobile under the shelter of the pillow, cringing as she realized the majority of her body was on display to the doctor in the room, waiting for the shrill shriek of her phone to cut through the other woman's one-sided conversation.
"Of course," she heard the honey blonde say, "I'll be right there."
And then the detective's senses were enveloped by the scent and warmth of a freshly bathed Maura, who grasped her hand in a gentle caress, her lips leaving a ghost of a kiss across her skin. She lingered for just a moment, waiting to see some sort of reaction from the beautiful detective, no matter how small, but was granted with the suffocating silence quickly closing in on her bedroom.
Disappointed, Maura reluctantly released Jane's hand and tucked the blanket around her exposed body, an almost inaudible sigh escaping past her lips.
It didn't take long for Jane to feel more alone than before, as the renewed contact had every nerve ending screaming for Maura to come back. When the door closed behind her, a much more audible sigh exploded from the detective's lips, one of relief and pure regret at being unable to reciprocate the blonde's affection.
R&I
Bracing herself for another onslaught of questions, Maura smiled brightly as she entered her kitchen for the second time that morning.
"Do you have time for breakfast?" Angela asked as she popped some bread into the toaster.
"I don't," Maura replied as she poured her coffee into a travel mug, "I have a double autopsy waiting in my morgue."
"Double autopsy!" the matriarch of the Rizzoli clan exclaimed, "I guess you and Jane will be working overtime until you solve the case, right?"
"Actually," Maura explained, "these murders are part of an ongoing international investigation. I won't be working this case with Boston Homicide." The honey blonde figured this would be the perfect distraction until she could approach the skittish detective about last night.
"Oh my," Angela replied, then added, "So I suppose you won't be seeing Jane?"
"No, not at work this morning," Maura carefully replied, glancing nervously down the hallway as she asked, "Would you like to ride in with me today?"
Please say yes.
"I have today off," Angela informed an ashen Maura, who had just run out of time and couldn't think of a single plausible reason to kick the woman out of her house before she left.
Except of course her naked daughter in your bed.
That thought alone caused Maura's face to drop, her mask slipping just for a moment.
Noticing her distress, the older woman zeroed in on her discomfort, "You had company last night."
Unable to lie without it being basically written all over her face, Maura froze as Angela continued, "That's why Jane left, isn't it?"
As Maura floundered for a response a fully dressed Jane suddenly burst into the kitchen. Snagging a bagel she announced, "Got a murder. C'mon Maur, you're driving. See ya later, Ma. Love ya!"
Stunned, Maura was then dragged out by the arm while a bewildered Angela buttered her coffee, poured creamer on her toast, and wondered what in the hell had happened the night before.
R&I
"Jane?" Maura asked as they headed for the car.
"Yeah?" the detective replied.
"We don't have a murder. I have a double autopsy, but you-"
"Hey little brother, what are you doing here?" Jane, who hadn't formulated a plan beyond getting past that kitchen, enthusiastically greeted Frankie as he smiled and handed over her keys. If one Rizzoli failed to make things completely impossible for Maura to hash out with Jane, another always showed up to finish the task.
If it wasn't one Rizzoli, it was another. Isles 1, Rizzoli 1.
"Ma's cooking," he shrugged, noticing the bagel and asking, "aren't you staying for breakfast?" To Frankie, it would be blasphemy to turn down such an offering.
"I need to walk Jo Friday," Jane lied, knowing that her neighbor had already taken the spoiled mutt out that morning, "and Doctor Isles has two bodies waiting for her. Right Maura?"
"Right," Maura stammered, stunned by the lie that Jane had just told, "of course." They both knew that Marisa had a key to Jane's apartment, and that the young law student often took care of the tiny dog when the detective was unable to return at a decent time.
Oh my god, she's freaking out.
"Your loss," Frankie smiled as he headed inside, oblivious to the storm brewing between the two women.
As he walked away and their eyes connected, Maura knew what Jane needed, knew what she had to do. Despite knowing it was currently for the best, it didn't hurt any less when she smiled tightly and without inflection offered, "Have a good day, Jane."
"Okay yeah," a skeptically relieved Jane replied, eyeing Maura curiously. "See you later," she lamely offered, rushing to her vehicle where she turned, "Have a good day, Maur."
Then her sunglasses were on and she was taillights in the distance, and Maura was left wondering how in the hell anything was ever going to be normal ever again.