Maura stared at the TV screen as the credits began to roll across it. Jane looked at her expectantly turning off the TV, "So what did you think?"
Maura turned her head in thought, "It's interesting."
"Interesting?" Jane questioned incredulously.
"Yes. The idea of a family, predominantly women, forging their way in the west with primitive resources, is quite intriguing."
"So you liked it?" Jane asked again.
"Yes I did." Maura smiled back at Jane. Jane clapped and jumped up to refill their drinks. Maura picked at the throw-pillow in her lap, "So, what do you like about it?"
Jane pulled out the jug of water with citrus infusion and filled up their glasses, "I love how that no matter the struggles, their faith in their bond as a family and their desire to be the best version of themselves in order to make it through."
"I never really appreciated the bonds of family as a young girl, the zeal and loyalty that I watch you and your siblings share."
"And now?" Jane stretched out next to Maura on the couch.
"Now I have formed an attachment to my loved ones, and I rely strongly upon those relationships. I hope I will never lose them."
"You never will lose us sweetly." Jane pulls Mura into a hug, "We wouldn't know what to do without you."
Maura snuggled up to Jane and for a few minutes both in deep contemplation, "Jane?" Maura breaks their silence.
"Yeah?"
"I'm worried."
"About what?"
"What if I fail my daughter?"
"Fail her how?"
"What if I fail in how I raise her? What if I do something that scars her for life? You know I didn't really have the best example as a mom."
"Nonsense! You are going to be amazing as a mom. Aside from reading every child-rearing article ever written, you have so much love to give this little angel. Every choice made with a view to love, cannot be bad."
"That's beautiful."
"My Nana use to tell us that when we were little."
"She is a wise woman."
"Yeah. I think we are going to get her to come and see us this year. You'll get to meet her."
"I would love that!"
"She would love you."
"About when will she get here?"
"About the same time as the baby gets here."
"That would be wonderful! Where will she stay?"
"Well, with Ma if you don't mind."
"We will be most happy to have her here."
Both women fell back into deep thought once again. Jane traced her fingers up and down Maura's arm, and Maura moved the blanket, she was wrapped in, to share with Jane. Maura followed the same pattern Jane drew upon her arm upon her stomach, lulling herself into a deep sleep and Jane shortly followed suit.
Maura could not recall, since she had become pregnant, a night she had slept so well. She felt Jane's arms draped around her, her steady breathing and strong heart beat beneath her ear. A smile pulls across her face as she knows that this is not a dream. She raises her head and looks at Jane's face in the morning light. The stress and anxiety that usually lines her face was no where to be found. The way she was completely relaxed with her arms securely wrapped around Maura caused her to smile to turn into a full blown grin. 'This is how each morning should be.' Maura thought. She risked kissing the nape of Jane's neck as she slept, knowing that such an act might wake her beloved. But Jane just sighed in her sleep and tightened her arms and Mura snuggled back into the embrace. Yet as many pregnant women will tell you, the bladder began to demand her attention. So Maura tried to move without waking Jane, but her large belly and position on the couch didn't allow for that.
Jane stretched herself as she woke and noticed Maura struggling to get up. "Here let me help!" she yawns as she pushed Maura up, supporting her back, so she can stand up off the couch.
"Thank you dear." Maura shuffles off toward her bathroom.
Jane stretches again, stands and moves into the kitchen to put the kettle for Maura's tea. As she waited for the water to boil, Jane reflected on last night and how she could not recall a time she had slept so deeply, so peacefully. She could still feel the impression upon her shoulder where Maura's head had been. Her side was still warmer than the rest of her body, where both Maura and that baby had been curled up against her. Jane felt, within that moment, such desire and love for both of her beloved girls that she later would swear she felt a holy presence surround her entire being. It removed from its self all her feelings of guilt and doubt, as well as all her self loathing. She looked upon Maura's frig where there was a picture of the both of the laughing. neither of them were looking at the camera, they were laughing at something T.J. was doing, and Frankie snapped the picture. The whistle of the kettle sounded off drawing her attention back to where she was; in Maura's kitchen. Jane poured the hot water into a cup and took out that funny looking spoon and the loose tea jar, then proceeded to make Maura's tea. It was a blend of stuff that was to assist in staving off the nausea. As the tea set she took out one of those muffins, that Jane secretly admitted that she like, and put it on a small saucer for Maura when she came back out. Jane looked at the clock and calculated her time and she had just enough to run back to her apartment and get ready for work. So she took a picture of the tea and muffin and sent a text to Maura telling her that she would see her at work. As Jane arrived at her apartment. Her phone pinged with a text from Maura thanking her for the tea and muffin. Jane walked into her apartment with a smile on her face. The smile remained as she made coffee, laid out her work clothes, as she washed her hair in the shower. But as she cleared the steam from the mirror and looked into her own eyes, the bliss faded with the steam. Her beloved wouldn't share her affections. "Stop kidding yourself Jane." She spoke to her despondent reflection. And for the rest of the morning she avoided seeing herself in all mirrors.
Maura on the other hand was glowing literally. She glided into the station like she was walking on air. Frankie grinned as she pushed the elevator button, "Good night Doc?"
"Yes, it was a good night." Maura smiled thoughtfully at Frankie.
"You and Janie had a girls night didn't you?" he asked.
"Yeah, we had a delicious dinner that Jane made. Then we watched an old favorite of Jane's, The Little House on the Prairie and I quite enjoyed it."
"Oh so she pampered you all night."
"I would say so." Maura smiled to herself, "The best sleep I had in a long time."
"Little one didn't keep you awake?" Frankie asked, impressed.
"Nope! For once we slept at the same time." Maura smiled not noticing Jane walking up behind her, "It was the most perfect evening all around."
A warm blush crept up Jane's cheeks but she said nothing, just took a drink of her coffee.
"Morning Jane!" Frankie greeted his sister.
"Morning." She nodded back.
Maura turned in surprise and smiled up at Jane, "Oh hello."
"Morning." She smiled back.
"So the Doc was telling me you two had a good night last night." Frankie was rocking back and forth on his heels with a bit of a knowing smile. As the deep rooted affection between the detective and doctor was common knowledge for everyone in the family and in the station. This however was unknown to the two women, along with the betting pool that was going around.
"Yeah, we had a great time." Jane takes another drink of her coffee grateful that the elevator door had finally opened. Both Rizzoli children waited for Maura to enter and as they ride down to the morgue a hush falls upon the trio. Until the doors once again ding and open at Maura's stop.
Maura gets off of the elevator but turns back to look at Jane, "Oh Jane!" she shouts as the door is closing, but a hand shoots out and block the door from shutting all of the way.
"Yeah?" Jane says as the doctor came back into view.
"Would you be able to make some time to grab lunch and eat in my office today?" Maura smiles up at Jane again.
"Sure thing! What do you feel like having today?" Jane smiled leaning against the door.
"I'll text you when it gets closer to time. My cravings can change on a dime." Maura smiled and waved as she walked down the hall towards her office. Jane smiled too as she step back next to her brother chuckling to herself as she pushes the button for Homicide.
Out of the corner of her eye she catches Frankie looking at her, "What?" She snarks.
"Nothing!" Frankie raises his hands, "You two would make a cute couple."
Jane spits her coffee, "And Ma has always wanted a Doctor in the family!" Jane punches Frankie's arm, "Ow! Me think you do protest to much sis. OW OW OW!" He shouts at the repeated punches to his arm.
The door dings open and Jane storms off of the elevator toward her desk. She picks up the file on her desk and begins to flip through it looking at the notes made by Dr. Pike on the autopsy, and the notes she and Frost had taken. She didn't notice her Ma walking up to her desk.
"Hey Janie!" the elder Rizzoli smiled down at her daughter.
Jane looks up, "Hey Ma, what's up?"
"Can't a mother come and say hello to her daughter?" She tucks a strand of Jane's hair behind her ear, only to have her hand swatted away, "Did you have breakfast?"
"No Ma I didn't get a chance to eat." Jane looked back down at the file in front of her.
"Well don't worry, I brought you a bagel and more coffee, made just the way you like it." She set the items in front of Jane.
"Oh thank you Ma!" Jane stood and kissed her mother's cheek, and starts to chow down on the food.
"Well I will see you for dinner tonight. Don't be late!" Jane watches as her Ma walks out of Homicide and smiles down at the loving gesture that was left behind. But her joy was short lived as her phone rings, "Rizzoli." She answers, "Yeah on my way." She grabs her food and coffee, "Hey partner!" She grins at Frost as he walks in the door drinking his own cup of coffee, "You're driving!" She strides past him and hits the elevator button.