I don't own Rizzoli and Isles, but I wish I did.
A/N: Thank you for all of your favorites, follows, reviews, and patience! Sorry this has taken so long and sorry this is shorter than usual. I'll make up for it later. :) Happy times are ahead.
Kellie was royally pissed. Joshua had used her evaluation to get back at Maura. "Ten minutes. Long enough to alter my results. That little son-of-a-bitch!"
The two women glanced at their watches. The bell was going to ring in a few minutes.
"Kellie, don't talk to Joshua. I know you're pissed, but we need time to figure this out. Let me talk to Maura."
Kellie knew Jane was right, so she deferred to her. She didn't have to like it though.
After the final bell of the day rang, Jane went in search of Frost. The amiable man was busy chatting with a group of senior boys when Jane interrupted, "Hey, sorry to interrupt." Jane glanced at the group of boys who had started their own conversations once Jane addressed Frost. " I need you to take over practice today. I've got to take care of a few things." Jane added under her breath, "I think the shit is finally going to hit the fan with Kellie."
Frost's eyebrows shot up, "Seriously?"
Jane nodded, "Yep. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks again." The brunette jogged off in the direction of the Science Wing.
"Maura!" Jane burst into Maura's classroom.
Maura dropped the beaker she was holding, "Shit! Jane, you scared me!" Maura's hand flew up to cover her heart.
Jane ducked her head to get a good look at the floor. The broken beaker laid at the doctor's feet.
"You didn't get cut did you?" Jane's concerned eyes searched Maura's feet.
"I'm fine, Jane." Maura admonished, "Let me get a broom." Maura walked into the closet and rummaged around for the broom.
"Hey, since when did you start swearing?" Jane called out to the retreating blonde..
"Ever since I started dating you." Maura teased back as she reemerged from the closet..
Jane laughed and took the broom and dustpan from Maura. "Here, let me do that."
While Jane swept the mess, Maura removed the rest of the beakers from the sink where she was washing them and set them aside to dry.
"Maura, I learned something today." Jane said over her shoulder as she dropped the broken pieces of glass into the trashcan.
"What did you find out, Jane?" Maura took the broom and dustpan from Jane and returned them to their place in the closet.
A few weeks into the school year, Maura could no longer tolerate the disorganized closet. Aside from the fact that it was cluttered and completely unusable, Maura had ulterior motives for cleaning out the closet. After a box of sea sponges and a set of old textbooks had fallen on them during an intense make out session, the two women had enough.
So, one Friday afternoon, Maura and Jane set about reorganizing the mess that was the Science Department's closet. It took several hours to complete, but by late afternoon everything had its label and its place. Truth be told, Maura and Jane would have finished sooner if Jane hadn't stolen the labeler. For weeks after cleaning the closet, Maura would find labels on the undersides of her stapler, podium, tape dispenser, etc. There wasn't a surface left untouched by the sneaky brunette.
Jane hopped up on one of the lab tables. "Our favorite person came by my room to gloat today."
"She didn't!" Maura gasped wiping her wet hands on a paper towel.
"Yes, but she said something very interesting, Maur'." The doctor tossed the used towel in the trash and leaned against a nearby lab table..
"Apparently, she had scored you as a two not a one." Jane fiddled with a loose thread on her shirt.
"I don't understand, Jane. The evaluation's score was clearly a one." Maura's mind was working overtime. Why would Kellie contradict herself?
"Someone close to her saw this as a crime of opportunity." Jane hopped off of the table and paced the room. Her footsteps echoed loudly in the quiet room.
Always the brilliant one, Maura immediately connected the dots. "Joshua?"
"Maura, he snuck in and changed your score when Kellie was out of the room." Jane stopped and shook her head in disgust.
"I knew he wasn't happy that I turned him down, but I didn't think he would be so spiteful," Maura said sadly. What lengths would people go to in order to hurt others?
The doctor continued, "Have you talked to Korsak?"
"Not yet. Hold on a sec."
Jane grabbed her phone from her blazer pocket and tapped out a quick message.
The brunette placed her phone on the table and redirected her focus on Maura.
"I just sent him a message asking him when we could talk. Also, I told Kellie to avoid talking to Joshua until I talked to you." Jane raked her fingers through her hair and released a frustrated huff.
"I'm so sick of this bullshit, Maura. It would be really nice if we could be left alone. Honestly, I just want to do my job and spend time with you. Why is that so difficult?" Jane threw her hands up in the air in disgust.
Maura sensed the brunette's growing frustration and positioned herself between Jane's knees. The doctor knew that her physical contact had a calming effect on the woman, so she pulled herself flush against the brunette's body and held her until she felt the tension leave Jane's body.. Jane released a contented sigh.
"You know I love you, right?" Jane delicately pressed her lips against Maura's.
"I do." The doctor couldn't help the fire that grew inside of her at the touch of Jane's lips against hers, so she kissed the brunette harder.
Jane pulled back breathing heavily, "Maura! We can't do this now." Jane tilted her head in the direction of the door. "Besides, your door is open."
Maura had forgotten that she had propped her door open last period because the heater in the room was working too well with twenty-five kids in the room.
Before the doctor could respond, Jane's phone buzzed alerting her to a new text message.
The brunette glanced at the display. "It's Korsak. He told me to come see him after bus duty was over."
"If that's the case..." Maura walked over to her door and unwedged the door stop. A satisfying click of the door closing filled the quiet room.
"I have an idea of how we can pass the time and relieve our stress." Maura stalked over to Jane and wrapped her arms around the brunette's neck before pulling her into a deep kiss.
Jane pulled back from Maura when the need for air grew too great, "You really are insatiable, Dr. Isles."
The use of her formal name sent a chill down the blonde's spine. "Only when it comes to you, Jane," Maura sassed and pulled Jane into another deep kiss. "Now, let's make out like two teenagers in love."
R & I R & I R & I
"So, that's all we know," Jane sunk back into the chair across from Korsak.
For the past fifteen minutes, Jane and Maura had regaled Korsak with all the information they had discovered about Maura's observation debacle.
Korsak shook his head, "I'm glad the two of you told me this. I have a meeting with Mr. Talbert tomorrow morning. He and I talked about this situation over the break, and we've come to the conclusion that a disciplinary hearing is in order for Ms. Thomas. Before we hold the hearing, we need to speak with Ms. Thomas and Mr. Davis to hear their sides of the story."
Jane's disgruntled face belied her true feelings about his course of action, but Jane was a professional and understood that the two of them should have the chance to explain themselves.
"We'll present all the evidence we have collected. Chances are, they'll incriminate themselves." Korsak reassured.
"Korsak, it's going to be difficult to prove that she scored Maura unfairly if her goal is throw Joshua under the bus." Jane chewed on her thumbnail. It was a habit she had tried breaking countless times.
Then Jane remembered the key piece of evidence against Kellie. "Korsak, remember the comments that Kellie wrote about Maura?"
Korsak nodded his head, "I do."
"One remark stood out to me in particular. The one about the cell phone?" Jane looked at Korsak to gage his understanding. "Can we take a look at it again?"
Korsak pulled the report from a file folder sitting on his desk and read the comment aloud.
While students were working on the activity about DNA replication, Dr. Isles used the time to make personal texts. Most likely these were made to Ms. Rizzoli whose class was taking place at that time. Her actions illustrated her lack of professionalism.
"Korsak, Joshua had his afternoon classes that day, so it is highly unlikely that Joshua would know when one of my planning periods is. I know this because all interns from BCU have had classes on these days for years, and Kellie being the crazy bitch she is would most likely know when I have my planning periods."
Korsak scratched his goatee before pulling a pad of post-its from his desk drawer. He scribbled down what Jane had just told him.
Maura indignantly added, "There was no way for her to know if I was texting Jane. She must have assumed this because I had a positive reaction to a text from my mother about the recent donations she wanted to give the school. Besides, my original reason for using my phone was to take attendance."
Both Jane and Korsak smiled warmly at Maura.
Korsak stood and led the women to the door. "Don't worry, ladies. I'll take care of this, and you'll never have to worry about it again."
Taking their cue, Maura and Jane thanked Korsak and left his office to go home.
R & I R & I R & I
When Joshua emerged from Mr. Talbert's office the next morning, his countenance betrayed him. Gone was the intern's cocky bravado. He had blown it, and he knew it. Any hopes he had for becoming a teacher or coach were gone.
Kellie on the other hand had dodged a bullet. She still had her job, but she was stripped of all of her privileges. No more field trips. No more interns. No more evaluations. Nothing. None of the extra cash from mentoring or evaluating. She'd have to work her ass off to obtain any sort of positive reputation again. A letter was put in her file and sent downtown, and good luck getting a job if she was ever fired from Boston East. No school would hire her now. Kellie Thomas had finally learned her lesson.
Korsak and Mr. Talbert assured Maura that Kellie's evaluation would not appear on her record. Instead, Mr. Talbert and Korsak would personally handle her evaluations for the remainder of the year.
The two women had returned to Jane's room after meeting with Korsak, who informed them about Mr. Talbert's decision to terminate Joshua and reprimand Kellie. The brunette settled into her desk chair and turned to face her laptop. After moving the mouse to wake up the computer, Jane opened her email.
"Ok, Maur'. I submitted the paperwork for the field trip, and…" Jane opened an email labeled field trip, "it was approved!"
Sitting in the chair Jane had dragged over to her desk, Maura clapped her hands in excitement. "Oh, that's wonderful, Jane! Now I can write the itinerary." The doctor grabbed the pen and pad of paper Jane left lying on her desk and began to scribble furiously. By the time, Jane looked up from her monitor, Maura had already mapped out the first half of the trip.
Jane stood from her chair to look over the blonde's shoulder.
"You're hovering." Maura gently scolded.
The brunette scoffed at the blonde and pulled the pad out of her hands. "Hovering, huh?"
Maura reached for the pad, but Jane held it further out of reach. "Don't even try unbuttoning your blouse, Maura.. I've already fallen for that once." Jane smiled as she narrowed her eyes at the playful blonde.
"You think I'd try that ruse again, Jane?" Maura replied innocently as she moved to sit in the brunette's lap.
"Nah, you're far too clever for that." Jane's dark eyes sparkled, and relenting she handed the notepad back to the doctor.
Maura kissed Jane softly on the cheek before returning to her seat with pen and notepad in hand.
Maura continued to map out the trip while Jane busied herself with securing transportation for the trip and organizing the workouts for her track team for the next week. The team's first meet of the season was in a couple of weeks, and Jane wanted all of her athletes to be at their best.
Laying her pen down, Maura cast a tired smile at the brunette. "I'm ready to go home, Jane. I don't know what it is, but I'll really tired all of a sudden." The doctor punctuated this statement with a yawn.
Jane caught the doctor's yawn and raised her arms over her head in a satisfying stretch. "It's been a crazy couple of days. It's no wonder you're tired."
Maura rubbed the tense muscles in her neck. She was clearly exhausted.
The couple hadn't really spent any time apart except during the day while they were teaching. The brunette didn't want to smother the blonde, so with trepidation she asked her girlfriend, "Want to stay at my place tonight?"
Sensing Jane's consternation and sensing why, Maura reassured her girlfriend, "I'd love to stay with you. I just need to pack a few clothes. I think it might be nice to spend a few days at your place since we were confined to my house for so long."
The doctor pulled Jane's hand into hers and kissed her wrist delicately.
"C'mon. Let's get the hell out of Dodge," Jane stood and helped Maura to her feet before gathering her things to leave.
"Whatever you say, Tiger." Maura smirked at the smile that tugged at Jane's lips.
R & I R & I R & I
The following week flew by without incident. Maura had her evaluation completed by Korsak this time, and she passed with the impeccable score of a five. The two women went to Maura's favorite restaurant to celebrate. Rarely do teachers do anything on weeknights since their days are so exhausting, but this was a special occasion.
That weekend they enjoyed spending time with Tommy who had come in town from Florida. This was the first time Maura had ever met Tommy or learned anything about him at length since Jane had never really talked about her parents' divorce. From what Jane had shared, Maura gathered that the man cheated on Angela with a woman half his age, and the two ran off to Florida. Tommy followed Frank down to Florida to work with him as a plumber. By no means was Tommy estranged from the rest of his family, but Tommy's proximity to Frank did make communication feel a little strained.
Jane and Frankie couldn't help but tease Tommy and ask him to join the rest of the family at Boston East. The school was in need of someone who could teach the technical classes for the students focusing on a trade endorsement on their diplomas. Much to the surprise of Angela, Frankie, and Jane, Tommy said he would consider it.
If Tommy had to be honest, he really did miss being with the rest of his family. Working with Pop was alright, but deep down he resented how Frank had treated Angela, and he believed he had made a mistake moving there.
"Tommy, if you'd like, I could mention something to Korsak," Jane offered while watching the Bruins playing the Rangers on the tv.
"Yeah, that'd be great, Janie." Tommy's boyish grin stretched across his face.
Before Jane and Maura left to go home, Tommy pulled Jane to the side. "Hey, you mind if I talk to you?"
"Of course not, Tommy. What's up?" Jane said gently.
"I really just wanted to let ya know that I like Maura, and I think she's good for you. I can't remember seeing you this happy before. Don't screw it up!" Tommy laughed and pulled his big sister in for a tight hug.
Squeezing him back, Jane smiled and said softly, "That means a lot, Tommy. Thanks."
Tommy then grinned devilishly. "Besides, if you don't take good care of her, I know another Rizzoli who can."
He playfully waggled his eyebrows, but his remark earned him a hard punch in the arm.
"Ow!" The man pouted as he rubbed his bruised arm.
"Serves you right, jackass," Jane grinned. "Have a safe trip back and really think about joining us."
Jane pulled him close once more and whispered in his ear, "I'm so damn proud of you."
Tommy wiped the tear that quickly formed in his eye. "Thanks, Janie."
After many hugs, Tommy waved goodbye as the two women left the house.
R & I R & I R & I
Maura held onto Jane's hand as the two women drove to the doctor's house.
"I really like Tommy, Jane. I'm glad I had the chance to meet him." Maura kissed Jane's hand before returning it to its place in her lap.
Jane without taking her eyes from the road responded, "I am, too, Maura. It's rare that he makes it up here, but I really do hope he'll consider moving back. Tommy would be a good teacher and role model for a lot of the kids."
"How so, Jane?" Maura traced light circles on Jane's palm.
"He used to get into trouble with the law as a kid. For awhile he was heavily into drugs and alcohol, but the possibility of a felony charge and jail time from driving drunk made him turn his life around. His addiction was ripping the family and his life apart. He went to rehab and got clean. This doesn't mean that he didn't have relapses, but he didn't give up. He maintains his sobriety by going to AA meetings..."
Maura could hear the pride in Jane's voice when she remarked, "He even sponsors others now." Jane's voice caught a little. "Tommy's five years sober, Maura. I'm so damn proud of him and the hard work he has done. That's why I think he'd be good for the kids."
Maura's heart swelled with love for Jane and her family. "You're right, Jane. He would be."
Jane slowly brought the Jeep to a stop at a traffic light. "Besides, he could sponsor our chess team. They try and get me to do it every year, but I don't have the time."
"We have a chess team!?" Maura asked gleefully.
Jane groaned and dropped her forehead on the steering wheel.