A/N: Full disclaimer (and shocker, I'm sure), I don't own Rizzoli & Isles in any sort of way and I'm not profiting from this work. Also, full disclosure, I've never been parasailing (or, in fact, done any of the four activities that will be featured in this story - poor planning, you may say) so I'd like to thank all of you lovely readers and the Academy and the Good Lord but most of all YouTube and Google for all of the support and for making this chapter happen. You da real MVP. And folks, I am punchy as hell tonight so it's a good thing this was already drafted...I just found out that I spent a decent chunk of money giving my beloved dog what are likely placebo, counterfeit pet meds for the last 1.5 years so this fic is about the only form of self-care that's keeping me from screaming into the void right about now. Anyway, I digress. Happy reading (and hope you're all having a better day/night than me right now because holy fuck).

Summer

"This might suck," Jane observed as they pulled into the marina. She tried but failed to get a good look at Maura's face due to her cascade of hair and sunglasses. "And if it does, sorry in advance."

"I don't think it's going to suck," Maura responded easily, causing Jane to inadvertently savor the sound of the slang words - so unlike her best friend - in her best friend's voice. "But, now that you mention it, this does seem a bit…"

"Outside my normal bullshit?" Jane couldn't help trying to goad Maura into more swearing.

"I was going to say uncharacteristic of you." Maura kept her tone prim on purpose, making Jane grin widely. How was it that there was always a conversation under their conversation? "And I don't mean that as a criticism," Maura continued. "The whole point here is to get you to try new things on your terms. And if this is how you want to do it, then so be it."

Jane eyed the other people that seemed to be heading toward the same small boat they were supposed to be boarding, helpfully marked with the name of the parasailing and jet ski company they had found online and booked with. "I didn't really consider the fact that there would be other people involved in this," she groaned. "I don't like people."

Maura rolled her eyes. "If that was true, then you and I wouldn't have become friends and we wouldn't even be sitting here having this conversation."

Jane wasn't even sure why she was arguing or how this had all snowballed. "Most of the people I meet are a) dumb b) criminals c) other cops, so usually douchebags or d) some combination of the above."

"This," Maura said forcefully as she pulled her keys out of the ignition and gathered up her stuff, seemingly done with the conversation. "This is why we're here. You are too young and you have too much to live for to be this cynical. And you're going to snap out of it."

"I am?" Jane was half-questioning, half-pushing to see how Maura would take it.

"Yes, you are." Maura turned to face Jane fully in the driver's seat and pulled off her sunglasses to give her a direct stare. "You chose this. You. Not me. And you had a reason for it, too. At some point, this was something that looked fun and exciting and new and different. And we're going to do it. And you're going to enjoy it."

"Yeah," Jane mock-cheered, trying to hide how amused she actually was. "We are going to have fun, damn it."

"I mean it. You can't even blame me for being here. Hence why I'm not picking any of these activities. We are going to go and try it and you are going to own it whether you like it or not, hate it or not. Are we clear?"

"Crystal," Jane said without protest. She waited for Maura to bang her way out of the car before gathering up her own stuff. It wasn't much - keys, wallet, phone, a towel, and a spare t-shirt, all in a waterproof drawstring bag that Maura had insisted on buying them after a night of research on parasailing. Jane felt a little wave of guilt at the sight of the bag. Maura was right, even as it pained her to admit it. Jane had chosen this and Maura had jumped in wholeheartedly, and even if it did suck, they were here and they tried it, and hell, they could probably still get a drink after and it wouldn't be so bad. And what would be bad about it anyway? It was a warm day and they were on the Cape, no small feat due to Boston traffic and the overall inconvenience of the logistics of the whole thing, and they were about to try something that Jane had absolutely yearned to do as a child. So what exactly was she whining about?

That was just it, Jane thought as she finally opened her door and readied herself to make amends. She had gotten so in the habit of whining about everything that even today, doing something that she had chosen that Maura had made absolutely no complaint about and had in fact moved mountains to make happen, Jane had fallen into her typical pattern of protesting and criticizing. Maura had a point; this cynicism and overall crappy attitude needed to get reined in a bit before Jane had no friends and no fun and was still as miserable as before.

She met Maura around the back of the Prius and watched for a second as Maura swiftly traded her running shoes for flip flops. She'd refused to drive in flip flops and wouldn't let Jane drive with them either. Jane knew that Maura knew that she was there, so she stood quietly for a few minutes and just let the silence speak for itself. It also gave Jane a good opportunity to subtly scan Maura's outfit - her basic but expensive board shorts and bikini top under a standard camisole - not that she needed to, really, because they'd shopped at the same store and were wearing nearly identical outfits save for different color choices. But it gave her a good opportunity for a gesture of apology.

"You put sunblock on, right," Jane asked gently as she sidled closer to Maura. She reached out to brush the top of Maura's shoulder softly. "With your fair skin, you'll burn to a crisp out on the water." She continued to rub Maura's shoulder even as she noted Maura's careful nod as she continued to fuss with her bag. Jane could tell from her motions that it was out of distraction, maybe even a way to regain some balance, rather than actually needing to reorganize her stuff for the hundredth time.

Jane startled a bit when Maura handed her a tube of Banana Boat over her shoulder. "Maybe you could do my back a little," Maura suggested hesitantly. "Just where the tank top doesn't cover. I don't think I was able to reach enough before."

Jane took the tube, aware of the wordless communication passing between them. "Of course." She squeezed the sunblock into her hands and rubbed it in her palms before spreading it evenly across Maura's back and the tops of her shoulders. "Tie your hair back for a sec," she ordered, but without bite. "If you put it up while we're on the boat, your neck is going to fry." She stopped for a second as Maura gathered her hair over her shoulder. "There you go."

"Do you want me to do you," Maura offered as she stood very still and let Jane finish up. Jane didn't let on that most of the sunblock was in fact soaked in, but still kept up the same soothing motions across Maura's skin.

"No, thanks, I put a lot on before we left," Jane finally said as she stopped, letting her hands linger on Maura's shoulders just a moment before dropping them back to her sides. She couldn't resist reaching out again, though, to spin Maura around to face her. "You're right," she said earnestly. "Like always. And I'm sorry. I'm going to try to be better. You just may have to still remind me now and then."

Maura smiled at her, the tension seemingly broken. "I can do that," she replied, matching Jane's earnestness. She grabbed her finally-packed bag from behind her on the back of the car and reached for Jane's elbow. "Come on, it's almost our time."

"Are you sure you're ready," Jane teased as they fell into step easily, mindful of Maura's hand still on her arm. She was actually surprised to feel Maura's grip tighten a bit and cut her eyes over at her searchingly.

"I have everything," Maura said in response, an answer but not an answer all at once. She ducked from Jane's glance and angled ahead of her as they approached the reservation window, quickly offering their names and showing their tickets on her phone. Jane kept one eye warily on Maura as she took the offered lifevest and listened to the overview of rules and guidelines for the boat, noting that Maura's grip on her arm still hadn't loosened. Interesting.

-R-I-

"Okay," Jane whispered to Maura as they watched a husband and wife get strapped into the harnesses. "We're next." They had landed a spot in the middle of the pack, thankfully, giving them a chance to watch as a few groups set off ahead of them; a family of three, a pair of teenage girls, and now the husband and wife. Jane had observed how everyone before them had kicked off their flip flops and secured their belongings on the boat before getting strapped into the harnesses and slowly but surely being carried up into the air, far behind and above the boat, and then occasionally dipped into the water before eventually landing on the boat once more.

"It's like a ski lift," the instructor had explained. "Just keep your legs up at the end as we're bringing you in and we'll have you back in no time." Jane nudged Maura playfully at that, well aware that Maura, with her privileged upbringing, had been skiing many times, and noted that Maura's nudge back was not nearly as...distinctive as usual.

"Maur," Jane said again, casting a look at Maura and frowning at the sunglasses blocking her expression. "You've been quiet ever since we got on the boat. You seasick or something?"

"I don't get seasick," Maura said, wrinkling her nose as if the mere suggestion disgusted her.

"Well, what is it then?" Jane actually had found herself in a pleasant mood once they'd disembarked out of the marina. The families and couples on the boat weren't nearly as annoying as she feared, and she'd actually had a good chuckle at watching the pair of teenage girls who went a little before them. They'd reminded her a bit of her and Maura, she realized, especially as she noted that the dark-haired one was now carefully braiding the blonde's hair as they sat across from them after their ride. The blonde one had worn such a look of apprehension as their parachutes had opened and they'd been lifted in the sky, but Jane had seen the appreciative look she'd thrown her friend as the darker-haired girl had reached out to grab her hand. And suddenly Jane realized what was going on.

"Maura." Jane waited until Maura's face was angled toward her before gently easing the sunglasses off Maura's face and on top of her head. "You're nervous."

"I…" The look in Maura's eyes alone was enough confirmation for Jane.

"Don't lie, you'll break out," Jane sighed. "Why didn't you tell me? Are you just nervous? Or are you scared of...heights or the ocean or both?"

"Not scared, per se," Maura admitted. "It's silly. I lived in Africa. I've done adventurous things. But you're right...I am a bit apprehensive, I suppose."

"You should have told me," Jane said, aware that the exasperation was seeping out instead of the deep affection she felt. "I would have picked something else."

"Stop." Maura held up a hand. "That would have totally defeated the purpose. And, like I told you weeks ago, you suffered through many things with me that you didn't enjoy."

Jane fought back the urge to groan. Great. So Maura was all but admitting that she was not only not enjoying this, but suffering through it, after Jane had made such a fuss in the car. Not to mention that Jane clearly had been less than a pleasant companion at all the events and activities Maura had dragged her to over the years, hence why Maura was now stoically sitting on a boat waiting to be hoisted up into the clouds when she'd clearly rather stay right where she was. "Why don't you just stay on the boat," Jane suggested softly. "I'll go, and you can watch, and we'll have the whole rest of the day to just relax together. This is supposed to be fun, not forced."

Maura set up straighter. "No," she said firmly. "I'm going. You put your misgivings aside to get on this boat with a good attitude and I'm going to do the same."

"But…"

"Seriously, Jane. We're doing it."

"Fine," Jane grumbled. "I'm not going to fight you on not doing something that you actually don't want to do."

"Who says I don't want to do it," Maura countered. "I'm nervous, yes, but not too nervous not to want to do it. We've talked about this for weeks. You've looked forward to this for weeks."

Jane realized with surprise that Maura was right. She had been looking forward to this. It had been something fun to think about when she needed a break at work or felt down about a case. It had provided them with an ongoing topic of conversation and many details to hash out - looking for parasailing companies and shopping for gear and planning their day trip and even making sure to stop for coffee and bear claws that morning before their trek out of Boston. "I have," she said honestly. "I really have. But most of all I've looked forward to doing this with you. So thank you."

Maura patted her knee and looked over Jane's shoulder just as the husband and wife were landing back in the boat. "We're up." They both stood, kicking off their flip flops and tucking them in their drawstring bags. Jane could see Maura gathering up her resolve and taking a deep breath as they made to head for the back of the boat.

"We'll watch your stuff," a friendly voice called from the side. Jane looked over to find the blonde girl smiling at her, no longer apprehensive or shy. "And it's not so bad, really," she added, somewhat in Maura's direction. "I was scared but once you get up there...it's pretty cool." She grabbed the dark-haired girl's knee as her friend nodded in agreement.

"Thanks," Jane offered. She took Maura's hand as they walked by the two younger girls. "Guess we'll be seeing you when we're back Earthside." She smiled at the girls' giggles, aware of how much they must have overheard.

They were strapped in and secured, each hanging in separate harnesses but close enough that either could reach for the other, if they wanted. And Jane barely had time to think before their chutes were opening and the boat was speeding ahead and suddenly they were up, way up in the air as everything else - the water and the beach and her own stress and anxiety and tension - seemed to shrink to miniature and even disappear entirely. She was able to pull herself out of her own head enough to think Maura with some desperation, but when Jane looked over, all she could see was Maura beaming back at her, her hair and her eyes and her smile as bright as the sun.

"Guess you're good," Jane called, still reaching for Maura's hand and feeling like she'd been anchored somehow when Maura caught it and held tightly. And then they were falling, dipping down into the freezing spray of the water, Jane screeching and Maura gasping before both of them were laughing, laughing like they hadn't in what seemed like ages. It seemed like seconds but also hours passed before they were careening back into the boat, feet outstretched in front of them as instructed.

"Wow," Maura gasped as the instructor helped them both out of the harnesses and Jane rubbed a little at the chafing on her thighs. They had been wise to wear board shorts. "Wow...that was...wow."

Jane threw an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. "It must have been pretty good to reduce the very articulate Doctor Isles to just a few 'wow's," she teased. They walked a little shakily, still entwined, back to their seats. Their bags were right where they'd left them, and Jane smiled at the teenagers in thanks, catching the knowing look that they seemed to give each other before glancing back between Jane and Maura.

"Okay, I have a better one," Maura said as she pulled out her towel and draped it over her lap. She sat crosslegged on the bench, facing Jane and pushing on Jane's knees until Jane mirrored her position. "It was...life-affirming. Very, very life-affirming. And I'm glad we went. Are you?"

"Yes," Jane said seriously. She reached out with both hands for Maura's, the two of them sitting like little girls on a playground, hands clasped as if to start a rhyming game. "I am glad. But seriously, though, you liked it? You're not just telling me what you think I want to hear?"

Maura played with Jane's fingers. "It was not so bad," she agreed. "Not so bad at all."

Jane resisted the urge to pull Maura to her. "Just wait until you have to survive football in December," she warned.

Maura only smiled. "We have to get through Halloween first."