I'll be honest...not enough reviews. Not enough interest. Am I on the right track or should I quit this story?
Thanks to those that did comment...love you guys and your honesty.
Luv Jam XxX

CHAPTER 6

Maura answered her phone on the second ring, "Doctor Isles."

"Hey Maura." Nina's voice comes through the earpiece. Maura wonders if Nina is ever sad or down because she never sounds it.

"Hi det- I mean Nina"

Jane looks up abruptly from her coffee and meets Maura's gaze. Maura smiles weakly before turning away.

"Is now good to talk Maura?"

Maura glances over her shoulder at Jane who is watching her.

"One second." Maura says as she takes her phone into the front room where Jane won't be able to hear. It's been two days and a few code words. But Nina asked to call her about something.

"Okay, I am ready."

"Well. It's definitely a burner phone. Haven't been able to get much off it. But the phone hasn't been off at all so I've got a few locations for you."

Maura takes a deep breath in. She feels nervous, like she is breaking the law.

"Over the last few days, most of the location pings have been near or at BPD."

"And right now?"

"It's by your house. I can't get an exact location but it will be within a quarter mile of your house right now."

"Okay. I'm at my house." Maura parts the curtain looking out onto the road searching for the undercover car that must be nearby.

She see's nothing. But figuring that is to be expected if her and Jane are under surveillance.

"Are you sure everything is ok Maura?"

"Yeah...yes...fine. You messaged that it had been at Jane's too."

"Yes. And yesterday it was at the somewhere on east third street."

"Jane was at a crime scene there." Maura mutters under her breath.

"Plus a cafe near the station, the coffee shop on the corner a few times. And...at Frankie and my place...which I don't understand."

"Oh." Maura says softly, her brain trying to put the same surveillance detail at all those places, "Yes that makes sense because Jane visits him."

"Is the phone Jane's?"

Maura shakes her head

"Maura?"

Maura takes a breath as she peeks through the door into the living room where Jane is.

"No. I...I don't think so."

Jane is reading a sports magazine and rubbing her forehead. Every few minutes she glances at the door Maura stands behind.

"Can you...could you call it?"

"Sure. I'll block my number."

Maura holds her breath as she pushes the door open wider. If Jane goes for it, or if she hears it ring, she will know. She wants to know.

"It's ringing now." Nina informs her softly.

Maura watches Jane. Watches for any reaction. But nothing. Other than a slight clench of her jaw, she is flipping through the pages with a soft frown, eyes near the top of the page so she could be ready to glance up and watch the door Maura stands behind.

And Maura feels confused now. She isn't sure if she is relieved. She isn't sure what she thought was happening exactly.

"It just rings. No voicemail." Nina lets her know.

"Thank you Nina."

"No problem Maura."

"What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Oh...about the ping being at our place, Frankie and I. But I think I understand now...someone is following Jane?"

Maura sighs, "Someone is."

"FBI, CIA...?"

"I am not completely sure...but yes they are on our side. Or at least the good guys."

"Do you know why?"

"I can't say...I'm sorry Nina. I...I can't..."

"That's ok. I understand Maura. Please be safe and call if you need me."

"I will."

Maura hangs up and leans against the doorjamb. The owner of the phone must be following Jane. It doesn't explain the strange phone Jane had.

She walks back into her living room and is met by Jane's intense brown searching eyes.

"Everything ok?" Jane questions non-commitally.

"Yes." Simple and short is her saving grace.

"A case?" Jane asks.

Maura nods and smiles softly. She loves the way Jane worries for her and protects her.

"You should charge extra when it's after hours." Jane says with chuckle.

Maura touches Jane's shoulder as she passes. She doesn't know why but she wants comfort from her friend right now.

"Shall we watch this game then?"

Jane smiles and nods and they move to sit on the couch side by side, Maura shifting closer than usual to Jane so just their shoulders are touching.

"Are you ok Maur?"

Maura sighs and leans into Jane further, "I just worry...I hope nothing bad happens."

Jane knows what she's referring too and reaches over to touch Maura's hand.

"I'll keep you safe. I promise."

"You always have." Maura replies.

The sweet moment is broken by Jane's cellphone ringing. Followed by Maura's.

"The game may have to wait."

"Rizzoli.", "Isles"

They say in unison.

The problem was how smart Maura's was.

Usually Jane liked it...sometimes the 'show all your work' process of Maura's mind annoyed her...but the rest of the time she felt special, receiving all these new tid-bits of information, having her own form of Siri to answer her questions.

And because Maura kept very little to herself, Jane almost always knew where she stood in their friendship. Trust, which was usually difficult for Jane because of her career path, was particularly easy with Maura. Maybe even more-so when Maura couldn't lie, but more trust than she had with most friendships and relationships in her life.

But right now, Maura's smarts scared Jane.

Perhaps she had been naive at the start, foolishly thinking Maura wouldn't figure it out.

And at first she thought she would get away with it. But Maura had been able to keep the secret about the threat from her...rephrased...Maura had successfully kept a secret from Jane. That had not happened before. Never.
Usually Maura would have been ambivalent and emotional. Jane expected Maura to slip up or to confide in her out of necessity. But she hadn't.

And then there were the other things.

The secret meeting she had snuck out to.
Kent asking if the 'phone thing' was sorted.
Nina calling Maura and Maura leaving the room to talk...followed by the vibration of the burner phone in her bag she had to ignore. It was from an unknown number.
She had caught Maura poking around in her bag at work once searching for something.
Then there was those glances, those frowns.
Maura eyeing up Jane's hall drawer as she walked past. Looking intently in Jane's desk drawer when she had pulled it open.
Glancing over her shoulder more often and playing with her ring in silence more often.

Maura being more observant about things. Maura wasn't usually like this.

She didn't usually watch Jane so closely.

Every movement seemingly recorded into that big brain.

It would be unlike Maura to NOT be piecing it all together subconsciously.

And so Jane needed a plan.

Jane needed to hide the burner phone...and not just leave it at home...because what if Maura texted it...what if Maura needed help...It wouldn't be the first time.

10:34am 'Is Jane ok. I can't get hold of her.'
10:35am 'She is fine. We have eyes on her.'

8:44pm 'I think someone is following me. Is it the un-sub?'
8:46pm "No. You are perfectly safe. We will keep you safe."

2:02pm "Are you doing anything to catch this guy? Why has nothing happened yet?"
2:05pm "We are doing everything within our power. We are getting closer everyday."

She had made it a habit of replying immediately to any of Maura's concerns, just as any official agency would do.

So Jane came up with her own plan.

"Hey Frankie...You know that favor you owe me..."

Frankie rubs his eyes and leans against his apartment doorway blocking entry. "No?"

Jane looks at him eyebrows raised, then past him, then at him again.

"What?" He asks confused.

"Aren't you going to invite me in little brother?"

Frankie sighs as he steps back opening the door wide and stretching his arm to indicate she may enter.

"What do I owe you a favor for?"

Jane strides past him and perches herself on the barstool and helps herself out of the bowl of crisps on the counter.

"Help yourself." Frankie mutters before sitting beside Jane.

Jane eats a few chips and smiles at him in a way that has him worried.

"Do you remember that family dinner a few years back...on your and Nina's one year anniversary? The one where you wanted to leave to go home and...well...you know...Ma..." Jane winks at him, "She was going to talk wedding plans and and the pitter patter of feet allllllll night long?"

Frankie sighs heavily, he does remember, and he remembers dragging Jane into the living room and begging to do anything for her to help them leave so they could spend what was left their anniversary alone together without upsetting Ma.

'You'll owe me big' Jane had said at the time.

"Remember how I distracted Ma by asking her to set me up on a blind date...and then you two were able to leave?"

Frankie nods and smiles at the memory of what came next for Jane.

"No...you don't get to smile...I couldn't get out of that date. I had to go...and it was bloody awful. I had to call Maura and make her fake an emergency halfway through to get me away from him...and then she had a panic attack about having to lie and so I ended up spending a sleepless night at Maura's to make sure she was ok."

Frankie can't hide the smile and Jane glares at him angrily which makes him laugh, "I'm sorry Jane but that was the worst distraction you've ever used."

"Ma. Plus wedding plans...Nothing else would have worked. So stop being amused."

"I know, I know...I'm sorry." Frankie says with a grin.

Jane thumps him in the arm.

"Ouch."

"You and Nina had a wonderful anniversary together...alone. I had a terrible date and a sleepless night...So you owe me big."

Frankie nods solemnly as he rubs his arm, "I do owe you. What do you need Janie?"

"Firstly...you talk to no one about this."

"Fine."

"I need you to safeguard a phone for me...no questions asked. You may not answer the phone if it rings. I need you to let me know immediately if the phone receives a text and tell me what the text says. And also I may need you to text a message from the phone for me as well. It must be on at all times. It will only be for a few weeks I think."

Frankie frowns in his usual way, "Is it a case?"

"No questions Frankie. I mean it. It's top secret."

"Right. Ok. Sounds simple." Frankie says, remarkably happy that the 'owe her big' seems easy enough. Not like some favors he has had to repay in the past. "How will I know who to text?"

"There is only one number in the phone." Jane says pulling the phone and charger out of her pocket and holding it out to him.

"Is it someone I know?" Frankie asks grasping the phone.

Jane doesn't let go of it yet, she knows one glance at the saved number and he would recognize it anyway.

"You agree to my conditions?"

"I guess...sure."

"It is Maura's number."

Frankie's mouth drops open, "What?"

"No questions." Jane reminds him.

"But...is she in trouble?" Frankie can't help but inquire.

"No."

"I don't get it."

"You don't need to get it. You just need to do this...So...are we good?"

Frankie nods and so Jane releases the phone into his care with some final instructions, "Only text what I say, don't let Maura see this phone, don't let anyone see or know about this phone...and never say a word to anyone about this...ever."

Frankie nods again.

Jane smiles at him softly, "Don't worry, everything is fine. I promise. You're a great brother. Thank you."

Frankie smiles back. He hopes it really is all fine. And the compliment seals the deal.

The case closed later that afternoon and celebratory drinks were had at the robber.

Jane hadn't heard a peep from Frankie during the day so she knew all was quiet and well. She had backed off the 'Maura dates', firstly since she had been busy at work anyway and secondly because she knew that it had to end soon, involving her brother was the last straw, it was never meant to get this big or involve anyone else...now that it had she would wind it down faster, she had to.

Maura had been busier than usual lately as well. A handful of out of state autopsies had flooded in on top of her usual workload. The new cases had brought with them a few old colleagues of Maura's to BPD.

One old colleague, Brent from Florida, was a gentleman that had attended the same college as Maura back in the day.

As far as Jane could grimly tell, he was interested in her friend on a less than professional level.

She scowled as she watched him flirt with Maura across the room, clenching her bottle of beer with a white-knuckled death grip.

She was drinking far too much, ignoring her own colleagues for the most part, just to prevent her reacting to the situation.

She was so distracted she didn't even notice Nina had sat down next to her.

"What's gonna happen when Maura finds out?"

Jane freezes, her heart jumps into her throat. She takes a moment to breathe and think taking a sip of beer to cover the silence. Fortunately her training has taught her how to stop her natural reaction and maintain full self-control. But she can't help that her throat has closed up and the fizz of the now warm beer is threatening to escape another way, by tickling her nostrils. She holds the mouthful and tries to casually take the bottle away. It burns the back of her throat and makes her eyes water.

Nina watches the non-reaction with amusement.

Jane puts the beer down and tries to act casual, swallowing heavily and painfully and turning to Nina pretending she doesn't know what Nina is referring to, "Huh?"

"It's obvious." Nina says as she raises her eyebrows, "Really? You're going to deny it."

Jane stares at Nina, trying to read her brothers fiancee, what she thinks, what she knows. Has Frankie said something, did someone see her interrogate Maura upstairs at bpd.

She swears silently under her breath.

"You've been watching Maura without blinking for a full four minutes."

Jane glances back to Maura, almost relieved that Nina is making an observation not an accusation.

"I Yeah...S-sorry...I might have been...I'm worried about her."

Nina sighs and shakes her head causing Jane to look back quickly.

"What Nina?"

"I've been sitting here for over ten minutes. The way you look at her friend Brent, like he is an intruder...and then you look at her like...It's not concern. I think that you might...love her."

Jane lets her mouth sag open, wide. Its shock, or surprise. Because even if she believed it herself, which she wouldn't commit to, she wouldn't think anyone else would notice anything different in her. She feels the same about Maura...mostly.

"It's obvious you know. You watch her in the way Frankie watches me. Those looks you give her. Maybe you should just tell her."

Jane swallows, "I'm not. I don't. I...not like that. She's my best friend, she is family. I love and care about her like family. I look out for the people I care about. There is nothing to tell her." Jane tries to downplay it but she has already felt her neck heat up and she is pretty sure she is perspiring.

Nina shakes her head softly, "Try telling that to your warm beer."

"It's not...I don't..." Jane scowls, she hates being readable to any degree, and she hates not having a defense.

"She watches you too." Nina continues thoughtfully, "Mostly when you're working. Busy. Distracted. Always when you're stressed or not steeping and eating properly. I've seen it since I started working here in Boston. I think she has always taking more notice of you than anyone else."

Jane frowns softly turning to look in Maura's direction again.

She catches Maura watching her back, disengaged momentarily in the conversation of her peers.

They hold each others gaze for a half second, then Maura looks away joining back in the conversation as if she never left but the frown stays crinkled across her brow.

"She does?" It comes out as barely a whisper.

Nina laughs softly, "You two really are perfect for each other. Both oblivious. I guess that's why you are such good friends huh?"

"Yeah." Jane replies absent-mindedly. She didn't think Maura was the type to be oblivious. But then she didn't think she was either.

But she is distracted by Maura's movements, how her body is turned away slightly from Brent, how whenever he talks she leans away from him, how she cringes slightly when he touches her anywhere.

"Why don't you just talk to her?" Nina offers.

Jane snorts and shrugs, "It's complicated."

"Does it need to be?"

"No." Jane replies defensively, "But it is. And she isn't. And I'm not anyway."

"You don't fool me." Nina says with such confidence that Jane looses hers.

She want's to growl at Nina, but she knows that would only confirm Nina's point completely, "I am happy and I don't want anything to change. She is my best friend. And besides...she likes guys. And I am not a guy."

"So then you admit that you do like her?"

Jane growls again under her breath, "No. I don't want to talk about it."

Nina sips her beer with a smirk. Jane won't admit but she didn't deny it. Most of BPD already thought their relationship was intimate, and if it wasn't, no males would ask to date either of them anyway.

Nina watches Jane get distracted once more watching Maura, she wishes she could show Jane how obvious she is without having to deal with the repercussions.

The pause is so long that Nina is about to leave, then Jane speaks catching her by surprise.

"She doesn't like me like that. She is just worried about me...and that's my fault."

"Well...then she has been worried about you for many years."

Jane frowns and clears her throat, she can't talk about this right now, "So how is my brother? behaving himself?"

Nina laughs softly and shrugs, "No less than usual."

Jane can't help but smile as she looks over to the other side of the room at Frankie who is playing darts with Korsak. She spots the extra bump in his pocket and knows that is her link to Maura, close enough to be useful, distant enough to not be a liability to her.
This way Maura would never know.

Jane raises her arm to order another beer.
She would keep drinking until Maura was finished chatting to her out-of-town-friends, or colleagues, about their respective jobs cutting up dead people. She would try to ignore Brent hitting on Maura. She tried not to imagine herself grabbing his wrist when he tried to touch Maura's arse and breaking it. She tried not to imagine grabbing Maura around the waist and dragging her away from him, grabbing her the way she had in the alleyway, holding her and keeping everyone else away. She hoped Maura would leave them soon, leave him, and come and sit with her like they usually did. So she could smile like she wanted too and relax and laugh and enjoy her night.
Either way, it wouldn't matter soon, because with enough alcohol she wouldn't care anymore, or at least she wouldn't care for the rest of the night.

Quite possibly she could forget this night entirely with enough beer.

...to be continued...