Chapter 6

As Jane continued to watch the sparkle in Maura's eyes, she took the phone off her side that was screaming to be answered. "Rizzoli." Jane listened for a moment then returned the phone. "Alright, Wyatt Earp we gotta go."

"Do we have to? I was just getting good."

"Um, just getting good? What was next Maura, blowing the paper clean off the clip? Put Thelma away and lets go. Two bodies in the park. Now!" Jane said a she slapped Maura slightly on the ass as she walked by. Maura hated to admit that one gesture just added to the tension that Jane had caused earlier.

"Well, can we at least come back later?" Maura said as she put the gun back in its case and handed it to the officer.

"Sure, we'll come right back." Jane rolled her eyes and held the door open for Maura. "We wouldn't want you to get rusty, Dr. Isles."

"You're just jealous." Maura mocked as she walked out the door Jane held.

"Of you? Yes, very." Jane smiled.

Funny thing about homicide, there is no break, no weekend, no holiday. The twisted mind of criminals never care that it is your weekend off and you are trying to help your best friend feel safe in her own home. It only cares about one; who's dying today.

"What you got, Frost?"

"Female, mid to upper 20's. Then, nearly 100 feet away is a male approximately the same age." Frost continued as Jane and Maura looked over the female body that was laying face down in her own blood. "We checked around and there seems to be no witnesses. The business across the street had surveillance camera's that we're getting a warrant for."

"Just another day at the office." Jane huffed.

"Alright, I'm going to look at the male." Maura said.

As Brian watched the Doctor walk away, he walked over to stand close to Jane. As he looked at the body he cleared his throat and softly asked. "You gonna tell me?"

"Tell you what?" Jane looked at her partner a little more that confused.

"What happened on last night's episode of The Love Connection?" Frost nodded toward Maura.

"Honestly, I don't know." Jane looked at Maura leaning over the dead body just beaming with excitement. Jane smiled softly. "She still isn't talking and Frankie wouldn't tell me anything this morning. Something about me being stupid, I don't know." Jane returned to looking at the body.

"So that's it?"

"What?" Jane answered still looking at the body.

"That's it? You are just gonna let this go? Dr. Isles and your brother?"

Jane stood until she was face to face with Brian. "Yes, I am. Because if I don't, it's gonna drive me insane. I don't care who Dr. Death has the hots for or wants to get all freaky deaky with. Now can we just concentrate on the bodies that are laying all over the street?" Jane said walking off.

"Stupid is right." Brian said under his breath.

"What did you say?" Jane spun around to look at her partner.

"I said your hair looks nice."

"Don't start, Frost." Jane said pointing at Brian.

Frost raised both hands in surrender and chuckled. "Yes, ma'am" He watched her turn and step toward where the second body was as he coughed saying, "Ray Charles." Jane spun around again.

"Really? You are acting like a 3 year old. What did you say?"

"Nothing." He smiled placing his hand on his throat. "Had a tickle." He extended his hand toward Maura was. "Shall we?"

"Stop it. I mean it." She demanded.

"Yes. ma'am." Brian said following his partner.

The next several hours played out like every other day. Jane and Brian were out most of the day doing witness interviews, Korsak went over some of the footage from the surveillance cameras, while Maura went over the bodies with a fine tooth comb. She was entering the information on the computer when she heard a knock on the door.

"You busy?"

Maura looked up and smiled. "For you? Never." She returned to her computer as Frankie walked toward her.

"How are things going?"

"Very well, actually. I just figured out the victims were both injected with …" Maura noticed the smile on Frankie's face causing her to smile in return. She chuckled saying, "You weren't talking about work were you?"

"Nope. But if you want to explain all this to me I will listen and when you are done, I wanna know how my sister spent the night with you last night and you didn't say anything to her."

"Frankie, I….""Chickened out? Got cold feet? What?"

"It isn't that simple."

"You can't just keep this up. This needs to be out in the open."

Maura pouted at Frankie. "I know, but I don't want to do anything to jeopardize our friendship."

Frankie chuckled. "You are hopeless, Dr. Isles." He said as he pulled her into a hug.

"Hey Mau…." Jane stopped as she saw her brother and best friend separate.

"Yes, Jane?"

Jane, still feeling a little awkward, trying to remember why she was here. All she seemed to be thinking about was the immediate knot that was in her stomach at the site of them. "I-I was just wondering if maybe…if maybe you wanted to grab drinks with us tonight?" Jane felt like someone kicked her into stating the obvious. "Frankie, you are more than welcome."

"Nah." He said looking back at Maura. "I actually have a hot, hot date tonight."

Jane looked at Maura. "Oh."

Frankie let his sister off the hook. "With the girl in lab." He walked over and kissed his sister on the cheek and whispered in her ear, "Not with her." He smiled back at Maura. "You guys have fun and if someone dies, don't call. I am really hoping to get lucky tonight."

"Have fun." Jane added as he walked out. It was a second before she could turn and look at Maura. "Are you ok?"

Maura chuckled. "Now that the man I am in love with is dating someone else?" Jane only gave an apologetic smile causing Maura to finish her thought. "I am fine, Jane. Now about these drinks?"

"Yeah, me , Frost and Korsak are heading to the bar, if you are game?"

Maura smiled sincerely at Jane. "I'm game."

It would be hours later before a couple things would happen. One, that Frost would share way too much information about a "lunch break" that Korsak took earlier after eating at a hot dog stand just down the street. Two, that the group would see one thing that they had never before, an extremely drunk Maura Isles.

After getting Frost into a cab and dropping Korsak at home, Jane and Maura made their way to Maura's so Jane could help her friend get into the house.

As Maura opened the door, she stumbled into it causing Jane to catch her, twice, before reaching key hole. Jane watched Maura hit and miss the key hole several times before taking her hand and steadying it enough to unlock the door. A very intoxicated Maura looked Jane in the eyes for a few seconds before turning the key the remainder of the way and opening the door.

"Home sweet home." Jane said as she once again steadied Maura.

"Right." She slurred. "You are tired, detective. You slept on my couch and it is NOT comfortable." Maura giggled stumbling again.

"Whoa." Jane said as she kept her from hitting the wall. "I am good. I'll just make sure that you get to bed."

"I can do thissss, Jane."

"Yeah, I see that you can." Jane said as she put her hands out to catch her friend before she hit the wall.

"I don't neeeeed you to help me."

"Yeah, I can see that, too." Jane walked Maura to the bed guiding her until she was sitting on the edge of the bed. "Come on. Let's get you out of these clothes."

Maura giggled like a school girl. "I do not find you undressing me appropriate, Detective."

"Detective? Ok, I don't find having to undress you appropriate, Doctor." Jane grabbed the bottom of Maura's blouse and lifted it above Maura's head. As Jane had her hands extended above Maura's head, it caused their faces to be very close.

Maura looked deep into Jane's eyes. "Have…ha I ever to you how beautiful your eyes are?"

Jane slightly chuckled as she pulled Maura's leg up removing her shoe. "No, I don't think so, but thanks."

"Well they are. And the way they sparkle when you….."

"Ok, Maura. Thanks. Now, hand me your other foot."

As Maura put her leg up for Jane to remove the other shoe, she continued with the thoughts that she couldn't stop from coming out of her mouth. "And that smile…" As Jane's head was lowered removing the doctor's shoe, Maura ran her hand through Jane's hair. "And that hair….."

Jane looked up and chuckled. "Ok, you are just way too drunk." Jane helped Maura stand up and was looking in her eyes while her hands found the button on Maura slacks. "What are you going to tell me next?"

Maura couldn't say anything as she felt her pants slide to the floor. She looked into the brown eyes in front of her. "Jane….." Maura stopped.

"Come on. Step out the slacks." Maura did as she was told and was lead to the bed by Jane's hand. "We aren't going to dress you, ok?" Maura nodded as Jane pulled the bedding down for Maura to get in. "Undressing you was enough." Jane chuckled as she laid Maura against the bed and helped her sit. "I'll call you in the morning and I'll bring your car back, ok?"

Maura nodded. "Jane….." She was so intoxicated that she was babbling but after she sat down, her ability to speak or stay awake was going away.

Jane watched Maura lay back on the pillow and leaned over to pull the blanket up as if she was tucking in a 5 year old. "Yeah?" Jane smiled as her friend gazed in her eyes. "What?"

Maura had put her feet in the bed and was covered. She wasn't sure at what point she lost

all control of her body, but it was here. Maura took Jane's face that was already so close to her, and pulled it to her until she felt Jane's lips on hers. Jane was so shocked that she didn't remember kissing Maura back before the kiss was over. As soon as she pulled her head away, Maura laid her head on the pillow and closed her eyes. She was losing the fight against the alcohol.

Jane looked at her friend, still in shock. What came next only intensified that feeling. An almost passed out Maura mumbled the words, "I love you, Jane."

Jane slowly sat on the bed in shock. She wasn't sure how long she sat there staring at Maura. She felt tears come to her eyes and finally closed her gaping mouth. She stood and began to walk out the door when she stopped. She turned to look at the sleeping woman in the bed. She slowly walked over to her and bent over until her face was inches from Maura's. She searched the woman's face for any sign that she was awake. When she realized that she wasn't, she leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on Maura's lips. "I love you too, you impossible woman."

Jane stood and walked out of the room quietly closing the door. After tonight, she would carry Maura's secret and now, one all her own.