Jane POV
Today Kate was a month old. Time has flown by, and every day I fall deeper in love in a way I didn't know was possible. One whole month with her staring at me with her big eyes. I never knew that such a soft cry would break my heart so easily, but it did. My world had been turned upside down and sideways all for this little girl. She stole my heart, what was left of it, and spun my world round. There was always someone holding her, our little princess, catering to her each and every need. It was as if she filled a need in all our lives that we didn't know was missing until now. I was back at my apartment after her first week home. I had told Maura that it was because I needed to be able to sleep upon returning to work, but I knew the truth was far from that. I couldn't sleep so far away from Maura and Kate, but it turned my gut every time I saw Antonio's face. He was staying in the guest room and all I could think of was that he was so close, too close to my girls. This possessive jealousy was driving me insane. So instead I lay awake in my bed, crying alone, at my-self inflicted exile. I would only come over when I knew he would be out for a run or when the house was filled with other people. I avoided talking to him as much as I could... I was worried if I didn't I would end up hitting him in the face. Currently I was on my way to see Kate and Maura, because Antonio would be out for a run. The sky was stormy gray, just like my emotions, but as the miles passed me by I let my mind wonder to when I was there last night, stealing a few moments with Kate while Maura was taking her shower.
I sat on the couch with my feet propped up on the table so to support Kate on my legs where she could look at my face as I talked to her. I sang every children's jingle and rhyme that I could remember, while singing "There was an old lady who swallowed a spider" Maura joined us wrapped in her big fluffy robe.
"Hello Mamma! Say we missed you while you while you were gone!" I spoke for Kate.
"You know she only does that for you or your Nana." Maura tucked in at my side.
"Does what?" I chuckled.
"mover her eye brows as you're talking. I think it's because you both are really animated when you talk to her. Babies don't have a lot of control over their facial expressions, but something about you two creates that reaction."
I watched and she was right, "Well she is an above average baby and is better than every other baby ever!" I helped Maura adjust to feed Kate.
Before I could pull my hand away Kate grabbed a hold of my finger and stealing just another piece of my heart. Maura smirked, "Well, well, the big bad Detective Rizzoli controlled by the whims of a baby."
"Yeah, but in my defense every adult who meets her is under her spell, so I don't feel too bad about it. She is irresistible."I kiss Kate's hand and trade my finger for her mother's. I stand and stretched, "Sadly I will have to be leaving soon."
"Have you eaten?"
"Yeah, I grabbed a burger on my way over, but thanks!"
"I'm guessing you haven't eaten a vegetable in three weeks." Maura raised her eyebrow in criticism.
"There was lettuce and tomato on the burger and last I checked potatoes are considered a vegetable."
"Not the way you eat it. Anything deep fried loses its right to be considered anything but a coronary waiting to happen."
"Fine! I promise to eat a salad tomorrow."
I am please to say I kept my word and my thoughts remained focused on seeing Maura and Kate. However my joy was short lived when I heard the pop coming from my passenger tire. "What the fuck?!" I was a little over five minutes from Maura's. I put the car into park and grumbled as I pulled out the jack and tire iron. As I tried the tire iron I discovered it was the one from Ma' car, mine must be in her trunk. "Damn it!" I pulled out my phone to discover it was dead, when I looked in the car for my charger, it too was gone; most likely Ma as well. I toss my phone into the seat and no sooner had I closed the door than it began to pour out rain in a deluge. In frustration I shouted up to the heavens, "Why do you hate me?!"
When thunder clapped and I heart in the thick Italian accent I dreaded, "Jane?"
I looked over at Antonio, "Really?" I whined.
"Are you alright Jane? May I help?" Damn him! Even in the pouring rain he looked like a sportswear model ready for his photo shoot, while I'm sure I looked like a drowned rat.
"What?" I growled.
"Do you need help detective?"
"No I'm just peachy!" I kicked my flat tire.
"I could help you change your tire." he offered.
"I know how to change my own tire!" I yelled.
"Oh no doubt! But you seemed a little overwhelmed and I just wanted to offer my help to a friend." He gave his charming smile.
"Well I'm good pal."
"English isn't my first language but I understand sarcasm." I braced my hands on the car as he spoke, "You don't like me very well do you."
I sighed, "It's not your fault."
He leaned against the car and asked, "What's holding you back?"
I cocked my head, "What?"
"You're here and Maura is waiting on you. What I don't get is why you haven't just kissed her yet. Everyone is tip toeing around your feelings and I don't see why."
"Watch it buddy." I growled up into his face.
"You are this big badass detective and yet you behave like a coward. And no one is willing to say it out right, but I'm going to. There is a beautiful woman who dreams of you, and all you can do is stand there hoping for a sign. One would think you would have found a thousand by now. So if that is what you need then I suggest you go and kiss Maura." A lascivious smirk pulled across his face, "I highly recommend it." Before I could process his words fully my fist collided with his perfect jaw. He began laughing, "Wow, you are more frustrated than I thought! Don't worry, Maura has a technique that really helps with that." My knee collided with his solar plexus winding him. He coughed, "No really, if you two would just say the words, and not be so focused on creating a moment then you would create a unique moment all of your own. That woman loves you! Really loves you! And if you would take a moment and tell her then you can both stop living in fear that you're about to lose the other. Because a life time is passing you buy while you wait for a moment."
"It's not that simple!"
"Nothing is! Then again, do you love her?" I stood unsure and afraid, "Well Detective? Do you love Maura?" Shivering in the rain I nodded vigorously, "Then run Detective. Run. RUN!" He shouted.
I began to run, rain pouring down, my heart pounding, and my mind on one thing, Maura.
Maura POV
I decided to take Angela's advise, I have resolved to tell Jane, take a leap of faith!
"If you jump, she will catch you!" Rosa said.
I believed in Jane, she wouldn't let me fall. We would be by ourselves tonight, Jane, Kate and myself. Kate already ate and was laid down, I was waiting on Jane to serve our dinner. She was running late, and the rain had started coming down in sheets, so I texted her. No sooner had I sent the text when I heard a knock at the door. I opened it to find Jane soaking wet and out of breath. "Jane!" I gasped pulling her inside, "You are going to catch a cold! Stay right there!" I ran and grabbed a towel from the laundry basket and handed it to Jane. "Here I will take your shoes and socks." I knelt down taking the items off of her while Jane ran the towel over her body. After taking them to the laundry room I came back with another towel and some sweats for Jane to change into, "Here, so you can shower and get into something warmer."
"Thank you." She rasped.
"What happened?"
"I got a flat tire."
"Where's your car?"
"With Antonio, I didn't have the right tire iron."
"Why didn't you call?"
"Phone's dead."
"And you ran all this way in the rain?"
"I found some motivation." She took my hands, her mouth opened and closed a few times. Finally she took a deep breath, pulling my hands to her chest where the towel had been draped over; she looked at me with glassy brown eyes and said, "Maura I... want to take you out to dinner on a real date." Is this happening? "I want us to find cute nicknames for each other." I think it is. "I want to find your hair all over my pillow, and find your car keys in my coat pocket. I want to go to a boring art show and spend the entire time admiring you from across the room. I want the mundane quiet nights and lazy afternoons. And there is no one else that I would rather face the darkest hour of my life with. In fact I want every day to begin and end right next to you." Tears were pouring down my face now, "I love you Maura, I'm so sorry it took so long for me to say it. I hope I'm not too late, I hope that somehow there is hope, any hope..." I began to cry harder, She said it! My heart hurt I was so happy! I buried my face in the towel as sobs wracked my body. Jane stood there soothing down my hair with one hand and supporting me with the other. Her voice cracked when she begged, "Please say something Maura."
After a moment I gathered myself sighing as I looked up into Jane's face, "I love you too Jane."
The smile on her face grew reflecting my own. A laughter of relief escaped her chest as she leaned her forehead against mine. Our eyes locked and only after a brief pause we leaned in and our lips gently touched. A thrill tingled my lips and when Jane moaned into the kiss the biggest smile spread across my face as I pulled back. Her eyes were closed and her voce rasped as she spoke, "Wow... You're really good at that Maura."
Using the towel I pulled her back in and pressed my body into hers softly kissing the corner of her mouth, "Want some more?"
She nodded looking down at me with lust filled eyes, "Yes please."
"Oh? Such nice manners." I chuckle into the kiss.
"Oh you like that?" She responded, "Then you're going to love how I hold open doors and help little old ladies cross the street."
Jane deepened the kiss as I buried my fingers in her wet hair. She moaned as I massaged her scalp, her lips moved down to latch onto my neck, "Jane." I gasped when she found my pulse point.
Suddenly she pulled back, her eyes dark and hungry, both of us breathing heavily, but her expression held slight panic, "Wait Maura, just wait."
Confused I asked, "What? What's wrong?" panic fluttered in my chest.
"We need to slow down, you just had a baby and I don't wish to hurt you." I felt her hands trembling around my hips.
"Jane, I may have just had a baby, but there is nothing stopping us from making out like teenagers." To prove my point I pulled her back in for a long deep kiss. Just about the time I ran my tongue across Jane's bottom lip, Kate began to cry.
We both groaned and pulled apart, "Well maybe not nothing." Jane chuckled.
"I will go take care of her, you get a quick shower and change. Food will be waiting when you're done." I pecked her lips and went to take care of Kate; leaving her with a dazed and stupid smile.
Jane POV
I can't stop smiling. She loves me! Maura loves me! Beautiful, brilliant, Dr. Maura Isles loves me! I am floating as I shower and change into the borrowed clothes Maura lent me. I look into the bathroom mirror and blush at my reflection. I walk down the stairs just in time to hear the door knock. It was Antonio returning my keys. Before I get to the door Maura exclaims, "Oh my goodness! What happened?"
"I got into an altercation with the good Detective."
"Jane?!"
"Ummmm... I'm sorry about your face."
He handed me my keys, "No worries, I changed your tire, it's in the drive."
"Thanks man. Are we good?"
"Yeah, I think so." He gave me a half grin.
"Jane! Did you hit him?" Maura looked furious.
"And she kneed me in the stomach." Antonio added.
"JANE!"
"Dude you said we were good!" I exclaimed.
"To be fair Maura I provoked Jane into it." He offered by way of an explanation.
"That's no reason to act out with violence!" Maura's expression was unsettling.
"I said I was sorry! Besides he just admitted to provoking me."
"She had every right Maura, the detective was defending your honor."
"I don't require anyone to defend my honor."
Antonio and I both took a step back from Maura. After a moment of strained silence I said to Maura, "I regret that I let myself be provoked into a fight. Looking back it was rather obvious. But I'm not going to apologize for standing up for you."
"The Detective won't let anyone speak of you with disrespect. I knew this, and because of that fact, I said some things that were less than savory about you. Truly Maura don't be angry with Jane." Antonio pleaded on my behalf.
"Fine," She caved, "but this needs to stop! We are a family! Jane you cannot hit people because they say something you don't like. Not to mention I don't want that kind of influence around Kate." I nodded ashamed. "And as for you," she turned on Antonio, "If I ever find out that you have provoked Jane or you have behaved in a derogatory manner towards me or another member of our family I will never let you near Kate!"
"Maura?!" He was shocked and to be honest so was I.
"I've never used my fortune or standing to harm others, but know I have the means to turn your life into a living hell; I suggest you don't give me the will!"
"Yes Maura, and I'm sorry for having offended you." He looked contrite with his head hanging.
"Good." She placed a hand on his chest and pushed him out of the front door, "Now if you would please leave, we have dinner waiting."
Once he was on the other side of the threshold she closed and locked the door. Being both terrified and aroused by this new side of Maura I remained silent. She calmly took my hand and pulled me after her to eat our dinner.
Later as we laid in bed, Kate asleep on my chest and Maura curled under on my right side, under my arm; I had one hand patting Kate's bottom while the other was on Maura's lower back. Maura had a hand rubbing small circles on Kate's back, and the three of us lay content in Maura's bed. Maura sighed, "I'm so very happy."
"As am I, it's more than I thought I would have." I kissed Maura's forehead. My chest expanded with such warmth and affection for these two beautiful souls in my arms, such joy my soul has never known. I don't know what the future holds, but this here is all I will ever need. "What are you thinking?" I murmured into her hair.
"Your Nana was right, if I took a leap of faith you would catch me."
"I only hope I can maintain your faith in that."
Maura looked up into my eyes, "Don't doubt yourself, or us. we may not be perfect, and we may argue and be over worked; even though it took us so long to get here, we aren't going to give it up. How many people get the exact thing they have wished and dreamed for? Better yet it's real, far better than the ideal."
I chuckled, "Better than the ideal."
These are the words that will carry us through the rest of our lives. They will guild the good times with peace, and provide solace in the bad times. Every step it took to get here, every agonizing one, that carrying us closer to each other was worth it. While we may have danced around each other and these shared feelings, it is a wondrous relief to be able to hold both so close to my heart.