Im not teasing. I swear, its just that I am not feeling great, and I dont know when the next update will be. I promise to get the date in the next chapter, we just began, cant back out now. Thanks for sticking with me.
Jane, Korsak, and Frost all settled that Frost would go undercover, and Frost was at the crime scene least and people might not recognize him or not even remember him. As for Frost, he liked the idea because Jane was going to the show tonight, unarmed, and he wanted to be there with an extra gun just in case. He always felt that danger clung to her like a wet blanket, and she needed as much backup as possible.
Korsak watched Jane all day. He saw her hands fidget, and her eyes take a far away look. Just when you thought she wasn't listening, or she was not thinking about the case she would pop in with a brilliant idea, or a possibility. Vince knew she was distracted, but he was wonderfully surprised at her capacity to juggle the case and her personal like. It was around 2pm when Frost went to the BBC for his new 'job,' and Jane and Korsak were left in the bullpen looking at Jane's note from the morning.
"This is good work Jane. You think Frost might be able to overhear something?" Korsak asked as he touched her sticky notes inspecting each note and possibility closely. They didn't take it down, even though Frost said he can put pinpoints on the map that was projected on the big screen monitor. Jane shrugged, but Korsak objected. He said it was sometimes nice to have an old school feel to the job. It was something he could relate to. Jane smiled, and Frost shrugged and went about his business.
Later when they contacted the Boston Ballet Company CEO to confirm with him Barry's involvement he immediately let Barry Frost on set as a set assistant. The change would be a lot more enticing to Barry. He would play a quiet a film and theater student and could shadow for a few weeks how a ballet stage was run. This new development allowed Frost to be all over the stage, in the auditorium, and behind the scenes and no one would be the wiser.
"Jane, take the rest of the day," Korsak said.
"Vince, I can't leave. My shift isn't over with," Jane argued, but Korsak smiled.
"It is if you are going undercover tonight as well," Korsak responded with a wink. Jane smiled up at the man and shook her head. She stood, grabbed her blazer and grasped his shoulder.
"Thanks," she turned but Korsak called to her.
"Don't be nervous Jane. You already got the worst part over with," Korsak said with a smile on his face.
"Oh, and what's that?" Jane asked with a tilt to her head.
"Finding out if you actually like one another. Just go to the show, be normal, and be together. If something happens it happens," Korsak advised. Jane could only smile and nod her head in thanks. She was on her way out when Maura bumped into her on the way out of the elevator. They paused smiled shyly at the other.
"I have some more on the tox reports," Maura said and Jane's eyes shifted to the file, "Were you leaving?"
"Yeah, Korsak told me to get ready. I guess he thought I was nervous or something," Jane said half joking.
"Are you?" Maura asked.
"Do I need to be?" Jane asked in response.
"Well…" Maura tilted her head and then smiled, "I don't believe so," Maura then looked to Jane and then to the bull pen. "Do I need to be nervous?" Maura asked. Jane's warm smile shined down on her and instantly she felt at ease and knew without a doubt that no matter what happened it would be ok.
"Never," Jane whispered, "Never be nervous with me Maur. I already…" Jane paused as she reevaluated her words, "I already love spending time with you," Jane then nodded to herself as if it was the right thing to say because Maura's smile grew, and Jane could only want to make that wide smile apart of Maura's daily life. She wanted to bring that smile to Maura's lips every chance she got. Maura walked to Korsak with the file when Jane called out.
"Anything I need to know about?" Jane asked.
"Not really, only that she had been drinking, and her stomach contents had chocolate, gram crackers, and marshmallows mixed with charcoal," Maura watched as Jane smiled and shook her head, "Yes, Jane, I know what a smore is," Maura then shook her head, "I'm still trying to find how she ingested the Oleander," Maura told Jane.
"You will find it Maur. You always do," Jane reached out and shook Maura's hand and smiled. Both women took only a moment before Maura blinked back to reality and then smiled as she turned from Jane to give Korsak her findings. Jane sighed as she walked into the elevator as it opened a few moments later. When she hit the lobby, she saw her mother. They looked at each other, and Angela grabbed her coat, her shift over as well as she took the early one.
"Ma," Jane said in greeting as Angela stepped in time with her daughter. The woman followed the brunette to her car. Jane turned around.
"Can I help you?" Jane asked irritated.
"No, but I can help you," Angela said as she slid into the car. Jane blinked and then slid behind the wheel of her car, "How do you figure that?"
"I know what you are wearing, and you are going to want my help, hon," Angela said and looked forward. Jane took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She closed her eyes. Her mental mantra of not committing matricide filling her thoughts and then opened them.
"Why do you think you can help?" Jane asked rebelliously as she turned the key in the ignition.
"Because I can do your hair," Angela replied simply.
"Ma, this isn't senior prom," Jane gritted as she gripped the steering wheel tightly. Angela simply sat there in the car, silently smiling. Jane let the quirk go. Her mother could help her…. Yeah right. When they opened the door to Jane's apartment Jane's gaze immediately went to the dress. Her eyes wide, and her jaw dropped.
"Ma," Jane whispered, "I need your help," Jane spoke softer than her whisper. Angela only grinned in victory. Jane however felt her stomach knot, and then fill with bees. Butterflies in her opinion would have meant a gentler description of the sensation she felt. No, in this instance she felt like her guts where being stung by thousands of bees. Nerves took over and Jane slumped on a stool eyeing the dress. Then she looked to her mom.
"Maura helped you, didn't she?" Jane asked.
"Yes," Angela said her smile slipped.
"Did she pay for it?" Jane asked as she looked at the gorgeous emerald dress hanging in her living room.
"No honey, but she did help me find a good cut, and great color for you, and cheap," Angela watched her daughter.
"Ok," Jane rasped and then looked at her mother, "Ill pay you back Ma," Jane said as she looked back to the dress.
"Oh Jane," Angela slid over to her daughter and placed a hand on Jane's shoulder, "Don't worry about it. I loved shopping for you, honey," Angela smiled down to her daughter. Jane looked into her mother's eyes and saw truth. Besides, Angela always wanted to put Jane in dresses. It was the first time though that Jane was speechless.
"How much time do we have?" Angela said as she rolled up her sleeves.
"She said she would pick me up at 7 sharp," Jane said as she stood and began pacing. She looked around at the state of her apartment. She wasn't messy by any standards, but Maura was almost OCD in her cleanliness. Jane groaned.
"Go shower, I will take care of this," Angela said as she saw her daughter begin to get overwhelmed. Jane smiled and ran to the shower.
"Oh Honey, don't forget to shave!" Angela shouted.
"MA!" Jane yelled back embarrassed. Angela snickered and quickly began to tidy the clutter. Everything was wonderful in the universe, or at least Angela's.
OOOoooOOOooo
Maura left not long after Jane did. She didn't have much to do but she wanted to look perfect tonight. When she stepped out of her shower and looked in the mirror she clutched the towel about her body just a little tighter as she saw her reflection. Her dreams always had her and Jane together whether they were nightmares, or moments of bliss. Maura's eyes closed as her fingertips slid to her lips as she remembered the kiss they shared last night. As she replayed the moment over and over in her thoughts, it was not accidental is was simply magnetic.
They had been tip toeing about their attraction for one another for who knows how long. To Maura, it had always been there. Always present in the background. The touches, the embraces, and the emotional support, they had always been together in one way or another. Maura opened her eyes and saw her usually bright hazel eyes, shine back at her deeper, and veiled with a nervous shimmer. She placed her hand on her stomach as she felt her intestines seem to flip in her abdomen. She shook her head from her thoughts and grabbed her hair dryer. As she styled her hair, twisted, and curled, she smiled as she imagined Jane's face when she saw her later. When she finished applying her make up she walked back into the bed room and into her closet. She grabbed her attire for the evening, and her smile grew into a smirk. Jane was going to flip. She pulled matching heals and a clutch from her collection, and then looked at the clock. Right on time.
She drove to Jane's. and miraculously didn't hit one bit of heavy traffic. She made excellent time, so she grabbed her phone.
"Siri, where is there a florist near me?" Maura said into her phone. Believe it or not she hated using the thing, she wanted to do her own research but for once the convenience and the lack of time made the use to Siri a godsend.
"Bob's Blossoms. 3.7 miles north northwest. Turn right in 300 feet…" Maura smiled as she followed her phones instructions. She found parking easily at Bob's and walked in. She inhaled and smiled. She loved the fragrance of flowers, she just felt them fleeting in their lifespan, and because of this she always treated flowers with reverence and care. They didn't have long to let their beauty shine, and in Maura's opinion it was a perfect metaphor for the life of a human. She walked the rather wonderful collection of flowers and spotted exactly what she wanted. She grabbed the single flower and walked to the counter.
"That all Miss?" asked the florist, and Maur nodded with a smile and pulled a 10$ from her clutch.
"Keep the change," Maura chimed as she took the flower and walked to her car.
When she drove back to Jane's she looked at her clock and it was 6:56 and she grinned brightly. She just loved when plans worked out perfectly. She walked from her car across the street and clicked her car alarm and heard it chirp behind her. She walked the stairs to Jane's apartment and as soon as she put her first step in the building she felt her muscles tense nervously as each inch Maura made to Jane's apartment meant the beginning of something… different.
Maura lifted her hand to knock on the door and she smiled as she heard Angela in the background shouting to the door. She heard steps coming toward the door, and she straightened her posture, and placed her clutch under her arm, and held the flower in her hand. Angela opened the door, and Maura smiled brightly as the woman looked her up and down from the top of her head to the points of her heels.
"You look…" Angela's jaw stayed open, and then she moved to the side to let the doctor in. Maura took in the apartment, noticed it only slightly cleaner. Jane wasn't messy by any means. Maura's eyes slid over to the piano. She walked slowly in the apartment taking in everything as she usually did, but her feet took her to the piano. Dreams could be such a wonderful catalyst for the waking world. She placed her palm on the piano. She heard the footsteps before she heard the gasp. Maura turned.
"Oh my," Maura blinked when her eyes landed on Jane. Her words were early spoken, but everyone heard them. Angela faded into the background of the kitchen, so she didn't disturb the moment, and Jane stood stock still looking at Maura, eyes devouring Maura. Then Jane looked to her dress, and then to Maura's…
"I never knew you could look so gorgeous in a pants suit doctor," Jane rasped as she stepped forward. Jane reached out and took Maura's trim between her fingers as she looked back to her dress, "We match," Jane said and smiled at the effort it took to coordinate their wardrobe. Maura took Jane's hand in her own.
"It wasn't on purpose until I saw this divine suit," Maura bit her lip and looked into Jane's nearly black eyes, "I wanted to do something different for you," Maura whispered, "Especially since you wore a dress for this occasion, I figured I could wear…" Maura was stopped when Jane placed her index finger against her lips stopping her stammering.
"You look perfect," Jane said as she shifted closer to Maura, as if their bodies simply pulled them together as if gravity sucked them closer. Maura pulled her thoughts back to the present and blindly lifted her hand and presented the Bird of Paradise to Jane. Jane looked to the flower and her gaze softened, and Maura could breathe yet again once Jane's eyes broke away to look at the plant.
"It's a…" Maura began.
"Bird of Paradise," Jane finished with a smile, as she looked to Maura, "Its one of my favorites."
"Why?" Maura asked as she stepped from Jane and looked for a pair of scissors, which magically appeared on the counter top with a vase, the only vase in the apartment with fresh water in it. Maura looked up and Angela stood as quiet as a church mouse in the kitchen with a smile on her face that spoke volumes. The older Rizzoli simply winked as Maura smiled back at her and turned to cut the long stem to place the flower in the vase.
"It looks like a bird Maur. How cool is that for a flower," Jane chuckled, and Maura felt the tension in the air ebb and release. She laughed with her friend.
"In some cultures when you are given this flower," Maura snipped the stem and placed it in the water, "It means faithfulness, and thoughtfulness," Maura stopped their as she turned to Jane and saw the detective simply tilt her head waiting. Jane took Maura's fingers in her own.
"You forgot love," Jane said, and Maura's throat caught, "in the language of the flowers it represents faithfulness, thoughtfulness, and love," Jane said stunning Maura, and out of the corner of Maura's eyes saw movement, and discerned that it was Angela's hand lifting to her mouth in just as much surprise. Jane gave Maura her arm and they began to walk toward the door.
"Ma, find your way back home please," Jane said louder to the woman in the kitchen, but never took her eyes from Maura.
Maura blinked as she watched Jane's free hand slide to the left and grasp a wrap. They walked through the door, didn't even bother locking it because Angela had to leave. Maura was in a slight daze as they walked to her car. For a split second she wanted to do something gallant and chivalrous like open Jane's door, but the detective was already at her car door, and opened the door for her. It was a shift, a ground quaking shift, and as soon as Jane slipped into the passenger seat Maura turned on the ignition. Emboldened by Jane's words about love, she clasped Jane's hand. Jane looked to Maura and Maura took a risk. She dove into the deepest waters she had ever ventured into. She brought Jane's hand to her lips. Instead of kissing the knuckles of her hand she placed her lips in a feather light touch to the scar on the top of Jane's hand. She dare not look at Jane, she dare not see the emotion in Jane's eyes. She could not look over and see what her uncharacteristic actions had done to the woman. She was not ready to witness any of those possibilities. She heard Jane's breathing hitch and felt the woman grasp Maura's hand tightly when Maura's lips brushed over the one terror Jane believed that could never be healed. She knew, innately, Maura knew she changed the trajectory of their evening with that simple action. She just hoped she didn't screw anything up, she loved her friend to damned much.