Prompt: 5+1 prompt: 5 times Jane answered her phone during a date (and then left) and the 1 time (the first of many) Jane didn't answer was when she was on a date with Maura. Bonus if many, if not all, of the calls interrupting the dates were from/regarding Maura.
A/N: Thanks to kiarcheo for this genius prompt! I had a lot of fun writing this and stuffing it with plenty of Rizzles. And using all Jane's beards here, because it was too much fun showing them where they stood in the great pecking order of important people in Jane's life. Somewhere between not on the list and not on the list. Thanks again kiarcheo Enjoy!
Jane ran a hand through her hair, looking at herself in the mirror a little nervously. Gabriel Dean had actually come to Boston without being involved in a case. And he had asked her to a dinner that had been promised since the beginning of their association with each other.
Checking herself again, she ran a hand down the front of that black dress she'd worn only once before: to the "dinner" her mother had organised, which turned out to be an attempted set up between her and Joey Grant. Jane shook her head at the memory, recalling the way she had ended up walking out on him with a bottle of wine in hand, making a beeline for, of all places, the lab, where Maura was. That night, Maura spent more time admiring her in the dress than Grant did.
Jane decided she was ready. She wore her hair out, like normal, a touch of makeup, nothing else. She never really liked dressing up, and doing all that fancy stuff people always for before a date. Grabbing her purse and pulling the black heels onto her feet, she paused in the doorway to take a deep breath, almost as if she was steeling herself.
Stepping out of her car, she closed the door and turned to look at the restaurant. Maybe it was unusual that they had agreed to meet at the restaurant, rather than having Gabriel pick her up. But Jane had decided against it. She wasn't really ready for him to come by her place yet. Even though he'd visited before, had even been in her apartment, she didn't feel comfortable with the idea of him coming to pick her up. Even thinking of him as "Gabriel" rather than "Agent Dean" was still a little odd.
When she walked into the warmth of the restaurant, she immediately spotted her date sitting at a table by the window. Putting a smile on her face, she made her way over.
"Hi."
"Hey. You look… beautiful."
Jane looked down, a little embarrassed. "Thank you."
"Well," Dean looked at the table between them. "Shall we get something to eat?"
Jane nodded, still smiling, as she picked up the menu. It was Italian, not particularly original. But at least she knew what all the dishes were. One time she had been taken out on a date by some guy who picked a fancy high-end restaurant, and she didn't understand any of the courses. It didn't go any further than that one date. The place would probably have been a better fit for someone like Maura.
Glancing down the columns, she immediately picked out what she wanted. It was quite predictable, and anyone who knew her wouldn't have to ask her what it was she chose. But Gabriel did ask.
"Wow… they really have a lot of dishes…" He looked up in mild surprise when Jane put the menu away. "What are you getting?"
"Oh, well, I think I'll order the bruschetta, carbonara, and the chocolate gelato for dessert."
Gabriel lifted his eyebrows, nodding and looking impressed. "That sounds… great. Do you mind if I order the same?"
Chuckling a little, Jane nodded. "Sure, go for it."
Just as he raised a hand to gesture a waiter over, Jane's phone went off. The tones of Chopin's "Funeral March" told her who the caller was before she pulled it out to look at the ID. Looking apologetically at Gabriel, she said quickly, "Sorry, I should probably take this."
"Oh, well sure."
That was all she needed and she quickly tapped the answer button. "Maura?"
"Jane, I'm not bothering you, am I?"
"Oh…" Jane glanced across the table at her date. "It's okay, what's up?"
"Well, I'm in the lab and I think I've found something." Jane could hear the excitement in Maura's voice, and could picture the beautiful blonde bending over a table, or staring intently at the computer screen. The image brought a small smile to Jane's face. "We don't have a direct hit with the DNA sample you got yesterday, but I've been looking and I've found a distinct patterning in the DNA sequence that allows me to conclude that the suspect is related to Freddie Coren."
"The psycho killer that was taken down twelve years ago?"
"Yes."
"That's brilliant, Maura!"
She could hear the smile in Maura's voice. "Thank you, Jane. I understand if you don't want to come in and have a look, I was actually planning to leave it until tomorro–"
"No, it's okay, I can come. Be there in ten"
"Oh, great! I'll see you then."
"See ya, Maur."
As she hung up the phone, she suddenly remembered where she was. In a restaurant, at a table, across from Gabriel Dean. Instantly, she felt guilty. The phone call had completely wiped the date from her mind, and she looked at the man apologetically.
"I'm sorry, I have to go. Maura– it's this case we're working on, and it's been dragging on for ages. Maura, uh, Dr Isles just found a possible DNA connection and I should check it out…"
"Oh." Dean looked a little disappointed. "Right," he nodded. "That's, that's okay. Uh… guess this is where we part ways?"
"Yeah, I guess it is." Jane stood up. "I'm really sorry. I just… this is my job."
"I understand, Jane. It's fine."
Jane gave him a last apologetic smile, before she turned and left.
"Jane!" Maura looked up at the sound of a door opening, and turned to see Jane in a black dress that she'd seen before. It was the same one Jane was wearing that night she walked out on Lieutenant Grant. And, of course, Jane looked absolutely gorgeous in it. Maura had told her as much that night.
"Hey Maura."
"Were you on a date?"
"Oh… yeah I was…" Maura watched Jane shift from one foot to the other. "Dean was in town."
"Agent Gabriel Dean?"
"Yep."
"Then what are you doing here?" Maura looked at Jane with a mixture of surprise and amusement. "I had absolutely no idea, or I wouldn't have even called!" Her face turned serious. "I didn't mean to interrupt your date, Jane. You shouldn't have come."
To her surprise, Jane looked hurt by her words. "Not that I'm not happy to see you. I'm always happy to see you. But I don't want you sabotaging your dates because of me."
She smiled when Jane did, as the brunette gave a little shrug. "I don't really mind."
"Jane…"
"What? They're only guys!"
Maura gave her an amused, slightly sceptical look.
They both chuckled a little.
"Fine, look, I really don't mind, at least, not for you."
Jane groaned. She really didn't want to go on this date anymore. She never really wanted to go in the first place, but her mother had been pestering her so much lately about going out on a date, that she finally agreed just to shut her up.
Stupid.
Now she had to leave the house in half an hour to meet the guy at a café on their "lunch date".
The guy was nice looking enough, some cop from Narcotics. Apparently he "had his eye on her for some time, but never had the guts to do anything about it until now". When he finally did do something about it, he had done it in the precinct cafeteria. And in front of Ma, who had glared at her. She was basically forced into agreeing.
She decided she'd forgo the pleasant dress, and was further thankful that is was lunch they were meeting up for. She dressed in her usual black slacks, a purple collared shirt, and blazer. Attaching her badge and gun to her belt, she pushed out the door, and walked to her car.
Jane decided that she had the worst luck ever sometimes. She'd always get called on a case whenever she wanted it least, and now she was looking for any excuse to get out of meeting up with Steve the cop from Narcotics. The biggest thing about him that irked the detective was when he spoke. He wouldn't. Stop. Talking. He kept going on about his biggest busts whenever they saw each other next in the corridors of BPD, and bringing up their date plans in a loud voice. Honestly, he was a bit of a tool.
Finally, last night, she had gone over to Maura's, huffing and complaining about having to go on this date at all. Maura listened with a sympathetic ear, offering Jane a beer from her fridge. Maura always had beer in the fridge for Jane. By the end of the night though, Jane was smiling again, both of them laughing as they shared playful banter. And the brunette had ended up spending the night, a common enough occurrence.
But in the morning, Maura had been called in to have a look at new test results that had come back from the lab. Jane fed Bass for her, before heading home to shower and change, feed Jo, eat some breakfast, and go out again.
She pulled up outside a small café that Steve had picked out. It was a quaint place, and not really to Jane's taste. A ball park, a bar, or at least a place that sold fries and hamburgers were her ideal hangouts. This place looked like a salad/sandwich health-nut set up. This is where Maura would drag her if they were having lunch. Not that she minded much when it was Maura.
As she pushed open the door, a voice called from behind!
"Jane!"
The detective flinched at the loud voice of Steve, as he strolled up. Hitching a smile on her face, she turned. "Hey, Steve. Good to see you."
The man gave what Jane guessed was supposed to be a roguish grin, but it came off as arrogant and annoying. This guy really was something else. "Same to you. You look great! Really… wow."
"I look like I always do…" Jane watched him carefully. He's a polished sweet-talker, but he doesn't even know what he's talking about.
The response came back a beat late. "Exactly." Good save, Jane thought wryly.
Pushing open the door, the brunette found the nearest table and sat down at it. The sooner this was over, the better. When Steve sauntered over after her, she had to avert her eyes, it was so abominable. As he sat down, he launched into another of his "amazing" stories. "Hey, did I tell you about this one time when…"
When the waitress had come back with her sandwich and coffee, she was ready to throw something. The image of Steve with a sandwich to his face was very entertaining, and Jane had to try stop her sniggering. Apparently, the cop had thought she was laughing at his joke, and winked at her, instantly wiping the smile of Jane's face.
As she bit into her sandwich, her phone went off. Grabbing it, she didn't even look across the table as she answered the call.
"Rizzoli."
"Jane?"
"Maura?" Jane was surprised. She hadn't paid attention to the ringtone, only desperate for a distraction, but as Maura knew all about the stupid date she had today, she didn't expect Maura to call. Unless, of course, she needed anything.
"Yes. Are you still on your date? I wanted to ask for your help on something."
Jane's forehead creased. That was an unusually vague statement from the astute doctor. "Is everything alright?" she asked worriedly.
"Oh yes, everything is fine. I just wanted your opinion on something, if you weren't busy, but if you're still on your date…"
"No, I'll come!" The detective answered too quickly, and she could hear a chuckle down the line. She couldn't help smiling as well; the sound of Maura's laugh always made Jane smile.
"I'll see you soon then, Jane."
"Bye, Maura."
She hung up, and looked across at Steve, who was looking back at her with surprise, as if he couldn't believe she would answer her phone in such riveting company.
"Hey Steve, the lunch was great but I gotta run. Maura needs me."
"Oh–I–um–" he spluttered. "Okay, I guess. Well then, next time!"
"Ohoho, no." Jane shook her head as she grabbed her coffee and the other half of her sandwich. "Sorry Steve, but I don't think it's gonna work out. See ya!"
And she was out of there like a shot.
"Maura?"
The medical examiner looked up from her files at the sound of her name, and smiled at the brunette detective as she walked in.
"Jane. How was the date?"
The cringing look she got in answer was enough of an answer, and Maura couldn't help laughing at the ridiculous face her friend was pulling.
"Was it really that bad?"
"Oh no, it was worse."
Maura gave a little exasperated sigh. "Did you even give him a chance?"
"Uh, yes!" Jane looked offended by the question, though Maura could see the twinkle in Jane's eye. "I was so patient. If I hadn't been, he'd be covered in a chicken salad sandwich right now."
"Oh, a chicken salad sandwich? That's healthy!" Maura watched with amusement as Jane rolled her eyes in response.
"Mauraaaaa."
Shaking her head, she looked back down at her files, only looking up again to see Jane looking at her curiously. "What's the matter, Jane?"
"Uh… you said you needed my opinion on something?"
"Oh… not really."
"What?" Jane's face was incredulous.
"Well, I knew you might be looking for an excuse to get out of your date, so I thought I could provide an opening if you wished to take it."
The detective's face softened into a smile. But then, her eyes widened. "Wait… Maura, you LIED to help get me out of my date?"
Maura's head snapped up. "No, I didn't, because I did need your opinion on how the date went, so I could know that what I did was right in calling you to help you out."
"I… that… I don't know if that makes sense."
"Well if you want to look into it, it's a matter of–"
"It's okay," Jane quickly cut her off, her eyes dancing in amusement and exasperation. "I'm sure your fancy logic makes it all make sense."
Maura looked at her knowingly and gave her a smile before looking back down at the sheets in front of her. After a moment of quiet, Jane spoke up again.
"Thank you."
Maura frowned, looking up once more. "For what?"
"For getting me out of that stupid date with that jackass."
"Jane!" Maura admonished her lightly.
The detective chuckled. "And for looking out for me."
Maura looked affectionately at the lanky brunette. "You're very welcome."
She had a date with Joseph Grant. Her childhood enemy, police academy rival, and pain-in-the-ass colleague. Who had had a crush on her since they were in high school, and he "cheated" off her in a test, and who had gone off to D.C. for a job op.
Jane hadn't really expected to see him again, but she got a call one night, saying that he was coming to Boston for a while, and if they could go out for dinner. Really, it was a familiar situation, after Agent Dean.
When she agreed, she wasn't sure how she felt about it. Their relationship had been complicated, with a lot of jabs between them and arguments and dislike that might have been hidden attraction… Jane still wasn't sure. But she did want to see Joey again. They had known each other for a long time after all, and he could be a decent guy when he wasn't kissing brass.
It was with amusement when she arrived at the very restaurant that she and Dean had gone to. The same Italian restaurant. In fact, so much about the dates seemed identical. Though she was wearing a different dress this time, a red number with matching heels, and diamond earrings. She'd forgone the garish makeup again, but wore a silver necklace her mother had given her one time. She never wore that necklace.
Walking through the door, she looked around and caught sight of Grant sitting at a table by the back window of the restaurant that overlooked the harbour. As she made her way over to the man, he turned and smiled at her.
"Hey Jane."
"Joey, how are you doing?"
"Ah, I'm good. D.C. is alright, but I still miss home." He cocked his head a little. "I missed you. You look beautiful."
"Thanks," Jane smiled in return. "I missed you too."
The lieutenant's smile widened a little at that. Placing his hands on the table, he looked down for a moment before looking up and asking, "So… how's BPD? Frost and uh… the other detectives?" Jane noted that he didn't mention Korsak's name, and recalled how he had dismissed her ex-partner, brilliant detective and friend, when she had accosted him about his own promotion. For a moment, she felt her face harden.
"They're good. Place is running well, even though we don't have your amazing talent anymore," she said, with the barest trace of sarcasm. They both chuckled at the comment, but there was a very tiny loaded silence that followed before Joe cleared his throat.
"Should we order?"
Jane softened a little, realising she might've sounded a little harsh before. "Kinda the point of being here, isn't it?" she quipped, and Joey recognised the joke and chuckled.
When she didn't pick up the menu, Joey looked at her in vague surprise. "Know what you're ordering already?"
Jane nodded. "Yeah, I usually get the same thing each time, and I've been kinda wanting to eat this for a while now." Since she didn't get to have her meal when she went on that date with Dean.
"Okay, let me guess… you want… uh… bresaola?"
With a snort, Jane shook her head. She genuinely liked all Italian dishes, but that was one of the ones she'd always been a little less fond of.
"Ah." The lieutenant frowned a little. "Braciole?"
"No."
Grant shook his head. "Maybe you should just tell me, I might be guessing for a while."
"Bruschetta."
"Ah, right," Joey nodded, looking abashed. "Well… would you happen to be ordering… a… pasta dish for your main?"
She smiled. "I am."
"Um… Cannelloni? Gnocchi?" He thought for a while. "Carbonara?"
"Bingo."
They both laughed a little. Joey gestured for a waiter. "And for dessert… I don't know."
"I'm craving chocolate gelato."
"Chocolate gelato it is." He repeated the orders to the waiter, adding his own dishes, and when the well-groomed man turned to take their requests to the kitchen, a quiet fell over the two.
Jane shifted a little uncomfortably. It felt a little awkward as the silence stretched out, but before she could open her mouth to say something, a familiar ringtone sounded from beside her. She recognised it as her partner's and looked at the phone in surprise. Picking it up, she looked up apologetically at the man across from her.
"Uh, sorry, I should probably get this…"
Joe waved his understanding and Jane picked up.
"Frost?"
"Jane. Thank god, thought you weren't going to pick up."
"Why, what's wrong?" Jane could hear the worry in her friend's voice, and she felt something drop inside her. As if by some strange foresight, she knew something had happened. "Frost, what happened? Is it Maura?"
"She's okay. She– nothing's wrong with her, she's just a little shaken up."
"Frost, what happened!?"
"Heading home a little late, and stopped off at the grocery store. Guy jumped her, tried to mug her but she slung one across the jaw and he stumbled. I'd say that was your doing, teaching her that move. Witness called the force and Frankie was close. Caught the bastard and he's in custody, but Maura's in a bit of shock." She heard the man pause. "She didn't want me to call you. Said not to bother you but I thought you might wanna know."
Jane's hand was clutching the side of the table in a death grip and when she was assured that Maura was safe, she let out her first breath. "Thanks Frost. Is she home at the moment?"
"Your mother's with her. I think she wants to see you, even if she says she doesn't."
"Don't worry, I'll be there. Thanks Frost. I'll see you."
"Bye Jane."
Hanging up, she began to gather her things, giving a very apologetic look at Grant. "I'm so sorry, Joey. Something's happened to Maura, and she needs me." She didn't bother saying she wished she could stay. Or any other lie. Between the two, Jane would put her best friend first.
The lieutenant looked a little disappointed, but shrugged it off. He knew just how deep a friendship Jane shared with Maura. "It's cool, don't worry about it, Jane. Maybe another time?"
"Yeah," Jane smiled. "Another time."
Joe nodded, looking down. "Look after her, Jane."
The brunette turned to look back at that. "I will."
"Jane? What are you doing here?"
Maura was surprised to see the lanky detective on her doorstep, wearing jeans and T-shirt, with a bottle of wine in one hand and a packet in the other. She expected Jane to be on a date, and couldn't understand why she was here. Unless… Detective Frost must've had something to do with it.
"Frost told me what happened. Were you really not going to tell me?"
"Oh, no Jane! I just didn't want to bother you on your date! I'm fine, really, Angela just left. I'm feeling much better now, I was just suffering from some shock, which is understandable in such an event, as a result of the sensory overdrive as the mind tries to compensate for the sudden actions and simulates fight or flight actions in the mind."
Jane was watching her patiently, a worried look still shining in her dark eyes.
"Really Jane, you shouldn't have walked out on your date with Lieutenant Grant." She suddenly recalled an incident, once before, where Jane had walked out on a date with the man, strolling into her morgue with a bottle in hand, and wearing that beautiful black dress. "It'd be the second time."
Jane shrugged, before stepping forward and pulling the doctor into a hug. For a moment, Maura tensed, but she instantly melted into Jane's hold, realising just how much she really did need the detective right now, after the quite terrifying ordeal she'd just been through.
"Well, this was an emergency, so he understood."
"This isn't an emergency."
The detective pulled back a little, to look down at Maura. "You needed me. So I'll be there for you. Now I brought some of that wine you like, and a bag of fudge clusters. And we're gonna sit on the couch and watch a movie and relax, and when or if you want to talk about what happened, I will listen, and if you don't want to talk about that, we can talk about something else. Okay?"
Maura smiled, hugging Jane just a little tighter. She hadn't forgotten that Jane hated hugs, but the taller woman only tightened her own arms around Maura. It made her feel safe.
Jane sipped her coffee as she studied the file in front of her. She had needed to get away from the bull pen for a while and decided that the cafeteria was too noisy. Instead, she opted for a small café around the corner, which was blissfully quiet. She would've gone down to the morgue, but after the kidnapping and revelations regarding her birth father and the existence of her brother, Jane realised she needed some space, as Korsak had pointed out. Taking another gulp of coffee, she frowned. She was determined to get this case in hand.
A shadow fell over her, and she instantly looked up, hands balled up and on the defensive. She was met with the surprised face of Jack, the guy who'd come over to fix her air con last week, after she had failed to kick the thing into life herself. She was a plumber's daughter, not an electrician's.
"Oh, hey." Jane's voice was tired, like her brain as she ran a hand through her hand. Maura's disappearance had been more taxing than she'd even realised.
"Hi." The man looked a little nervous. "Uh… Detective Rizzoli… this probably seems a little strange and out of the blue but… you're just… would you like to go out with me?"
The brunette's eyes widened a little in surprise. She certainly wasn't expecting that. Looking a little more closely at the electrician, she couldn't deny that he was quite good-looking. Sandy hair, strong jaw, muscular build. And he was friendly and did his job well. But Jane was tired and worried about Maura. She looked into hopeful eyes, which happened to be hazel. Almost like Maura's though there was more brown in it than green. Maybe that's what made her say yes.
After they'd settled on a time, Jack had walked out quite cheerfully, and Jane turned back to her work. The date was wiped from her mind for the rest of that day.
That night Jane was making a grilled sandwich for herself when "The Funeral March" began to play through her apartment. Quickly turning the heat down, she rushed to unearth her phone from amongst the couch cushions where she'd dumped it earlier. Pulling it up, she pressed the answer button and held the phone to her ear.
"Maura?"
"Jane."
"Hey, what's up?" Her voice softened in concern, and she listened intently to the other side of the line. She heard a deep breath, then a sigh.
"Would you mind coming over? I–I would really appreciate your company. If you're not busy, that is…"
"Sure. I'll be there in ten."
Hanging up, Jane grabbed her blazer off the stool, turned the stove off and packed up the ingredients for a grilled sandwich. Maura would have bread and cheese, but it'd all be that healthy and organic stuff that wasn't right for a proper grilled sandwich. This night called for good comfort food.
Knocking on the door, she was greeted by the blonde doctor. Almost subconsciously, Jane decided that Maura was beautiful even when she was stressed out or worried or sad. Or all three. Following her to the kitchen, she dumped her bag on the little island, and began pulling out saucepans and plates. Maura had already popped open a beer for her, and was currently standing by, watching her cook as she sipped wine. They didn't need to speak. Jane knew what was bothering Maura, and because Maura had asked for her company, she'd follow Maura's lead.
As she flipped one of the sandwiches though, she glanced over at the medical examiner to see her looking at her. Their eyes met, and an unspoken message passed between them. Turning back to her task, the detective asked a question.
"Do you want me to keep you company?" She didn't need to say anymore for Maura to know she meant for as long she needed, if it were a day, a week or a month.
There was no answer for some time, and Jane didn't look up from the saucepan. As she plated the sandwiches, however, she felt Maura standing close behind her.
"Yes please."
"I'm really sorry, Jack, but I won't be able to make it to the date."
"Oh. That's… too bad then." Jane could hear the disappointment through the phone line, but she couldn't find herself feeling too sorry for the man as she looked down at the peaceful sleeping form of Dr Maura Isles. Brushing a golden strand back from her forehead, Jane smiled down at the gorgeous face.
"I'm sorry. But I have something important to do."
"Okay. Another time then? Maybe?"
"Maybe."
She hung up the phone, and placed it on the bedside table. Laying down, she turned to watch her friend sleep. With a small smile, she closed her own eyes. She had an important job to do.
Keep Maura Isles safe.
Jane was ready to laugh. She was ready to crack up when Casey pulled up at the now familiar Italian restaurant. Jane wondered what the staff must think. But she didn't find herself minding too much. She was in a good mood. Since they'd bumped into each other at the Hero's Night after years of lost contact, they had gotten along so well. Then Casey had asked her out, and Jane couldn't say no.
Dressed in a blue dress this time, with gold earrings and a matching necklace, Jane had waited for Casey to come pick her up, in front of her apartment. They shared playful banter in the car, and the interaction was just so comfortable. None of it was forced, or awkward, or painful. But they both did tiptoe around the issues of war, or the shooting.
But now, Jane was trying very hard not to start laughing. She didn't want to explain why their destination seemed to spark such hilarity in her. A thought crossed her mind, wondering if the place was maybe cursed to make her phone ring so she'd be unable to finish her date. Having happened twice already, she wondered if she'd get third time lucky. And actually sit through one entire date without disruption.
Casey led her into the warm interior, where a waiter guided them to a rather private place near the back. Casey continued his little anecdote about that one time during training, when his best mate earned himself a week of cleaning the toilet because he hadn't been paying attention. The soldier was the same as Jane had remembered, except grown up. He was still compassionate, strong, brave. When he finished, he took up a menu, but put it down again.
"You already know what you're going to get, don't you?"
Jane was surprised. "How did you know?"
Casey chuckled. "You haven't changed a bit since high school."
"Oh," Jane joined in the laughter. "I'd always order the same curly fries and chocolate milkshake whenever we went to that place on the corner."
"Right. So is it still that bread thing and pasta thing?"
"You mean the bruschetta and cabonara?"
"Something like that. I can't remember, too long eating salt beef and slop. And I never got the Italian names right anyway, remember?"
Jane nodded, smiling at the memory of his attempt at speaking Italian one time, during their high school years. A tiny thought slipped into her mind, niggling her. She couldn't help noticing how much they seemed to be relying on their past to talk and joke, and she realised she was getting the most enjoyment from reliving the memories. She pushed the thought aside.
"Do you know what you want?"
"Uh… I'll have whatever you're having."
Jane smiled. "Anything would probably taste great after living off salt beef and slop, right?"
"Right."
The waiter came to take the orders, and when he was done, they fell into easy conversation again. Soon their entrees were here.
"That is amazing," Casey nodded approvingly as he bit into the crusty bread.
Jane laughed, as she took a bite of her own. Between each bite, they kept talking, but when the plates were cleared, the voice in the detective's head didn't dissipate, only getting louder if anything. The longer they sat there talking, the better Jane understood the man sitting across from her. And it was becoming clearer that they were not the same people, nor did they feel the same way, as they used to. All this talk and comfort was that of good friends. Which was good, but there wasn't the same flame.
It was when the waiter was taking the plates away that the phone gave a predictable ring. Letting out an inaudible sigh, Jane looked over at Casey.
"I'm sorry, I should probably take this call, if that's okay?"
"Go ahead," Casey smiled.
"Thanks."
She pulled her phone out, and couldn't help smiling a little at the sight of "Maura" flashing across the screen.
"Hey Maura."
"Oh, Jane! I–I wasn't expecting you to pick up!"
Jane frowned at that. "Then why'd you call me?"
"Oh… I thought you might've turned your phone off… or put it on silent. Or you'd at least ignore the call. Aren't you on a date with Casey?"
"Yeah, but… Maur, that doesn't answer my question. Why'd you call? What's up?"
"Oh… it's not really anything. I shouldn't have called, I'm sorry, I'm keeping you from your dat–"
"Hey, hey, Maura. Maura! Don't apologise, just tell me what's wrong. Please."
"I…" Jane could hear her voice breaking, and her concern grew. "I… just… I feel lonely." The final admittance was so quiet Jane barely caught it, and she could almost feel the embarrassment emanating from the blonde down the line. Her face softened, as did her voice, as she whispered her reply.
"Do you want company?"
"No, Jane, you should be enjoying your date. This was horribly thoughtless and selfish on my part, please, don't cancel on my behalf. Enjoy your date."
"Maura…"
"Please, Jane. This was unaccountably foolish of me. Enjoy your night, Jane."
The beeping sound filled the brunette's ear, and she made up her mind. Looking at Casey, she sighed. "Casey, I am so, so sorry, but I need to go."
"Maura needs you."
"I– how did you know?" Jane stared across at the man in surprise.
The man smiled back. "I may have been in a battlefield half a world away for a few years, but I can still see the way she looks at you, and hear the way you talk about her."
"I…" Jane was speechless.
"It's fine, Jane. I'm glad we had a chance to catch up. But your girl needs you now. Best go to her."
A smile slowly spread across Jane's features, at the words "your girl". She nodded, grinning at the soldier, who grinned back just as widely. "Thank you."
Casey waved it away. "All's fair in love and war. It was good seeing you again. Maybe we should stay in touch. Now go look after Maura."
Picking up her things, she stood up, and Casey stood as well. Reaching a hand across, Jane smiled at her old friend as they shook hands. She turned to leave, before looking back at the door and waving goodbye.
Maura was curled up on the couch, berating herself for her moment of weakness. She shouldn't have called Jane. She knew that Jane had a date, and she also knew that Jane would leave it to be with her if she asked. And she hated herself for partially hoping that Jane did leave her date. A part of her was afraid that Jane wouldn't.
So Maura huddled on the couch, a documentary playing that she didn't pay attention to, a glass of wine that sat abandoned on the coffee table, as Maura angrily chastised herself for her foolish actions.
The sound of a car door slamming outside was enough to tell her that Jane had come. A mixture of happiness, guilt and shame filled the doctor as she realised that the loyal brunette had once again walked out on another date to be with her.
The gentle knock on the door told her Jane was waiting outside, but she couldn't bring herself to answer it. She was too ashamed to face the detective, for calling her away from a date with Casey, and instead, she hid beneath the covers of some blankets she'd pulled out from a cupboard.
No one would ever have guessed that Dr Maura Isles, Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, would like to curl up on a couch under a bunch of blankets, much less wearing a shirt that was too big for her, and a pair of baggy sweatpants. The always immaculately dressed doctor was a far cry from this… normal carefree kind of look. But she was wearing a too big T-shirt and baggy pants. What was more, she was wearing Jane's T-shirt and sweatpants. They were comfortable and, more importantly, they reminded her of the lanky detective who had come to mean more to her than anything else in her life. More important than her job, or her house, and even her life. She had understood what it was like, possibly losing Jane forever, and the terror she had felt, the darkness that filled her, were enough to tell Maura that a life without Jane would be a dark one indeed.
Maura was in love with Jane. She was in love with Jane, and she didn't know how to stop. She didn't know how to control it, to regulate it and break it down into a science and analyse it. It was beyond the reach and scope of maths or science. It dealt with raw human emotions and feelings, and those had never been a strong point for the doctor.
There was one thing she did know though. That she had two choices. To be the best friend to Jane she could ever be, or to leave and not come back. Telling Jane her feelings wasn't an option. The beautiful brunette would never reciprocate. And she already knew she couldn't leave, she couldn't part with the most important person in her life. So she'd stay, and be a good friend. She let out a sigh.
She'd failed.
A good friend does not call someone in the middle of their date to tell them she was lonely. And that was exactly what Maura did. So she covered her face with her hands and hid as the sound of knuckle on wood echoed throughout the house.
When it finally stopped, Maura thought Jane had taken the hint, and left. But a few moments later, she heard the sound of a key in the lock, and the door opening. Shocked, she sprang off the couch, and ran to the hallway, to see Jane standing, outlined in her doorway, key in one hand, flowers and a bottle in the other, and dressed as she always was; a black blazer and slacks, with a baby blue T-shirt this time.
"What are you doing here?" Maura's voice had more shock than offence as she stared at the vision in her doorway.
The vision tilted her head, much as Maura often did herself, and she could make out a small smile on the corner of Jane's face. She realised Jane was taking in her outfit, and she felt a warmth creep over her cheeks when she realised that she was in the detective's clothes.
"You look beautiful."
Maura's head snapped back up from the patch of floor she was staring at intently, to see Jane had taken a few steps towards her, a look in her eyes that made Maura's knees weak. The detective was close now, close enough for Maura to reach out and touch, for her to wrap an arm around her neck. She could hear Jane breathing, and the proximity was giddying.
"Jane… you're not meant to be here."
"And why not?" Jane's voice was a whisper.
"Because…" Maura felt herself take a shuddering gasp, and she willed herself not to cry when she spoke again. "Because you're meant to be with Casey." She couldn't look into those dark eyes any longer, as she felt guilt overtake her again. Guilt and shame. "You shouldn't have come, Jane. I was being a terrible friend. I shouldn't have called. I–"
She felt a finger gentle rest against her lips, stopping her words. And without thinking, Maura closed her eyes and kissed it. When her actions finally registered, her eyes flew open and an apology was about to burst forth from her lips when Jane moved her hand so a thumb brushed against them as her hand cupped Maura's cheek.
"No, Maur. You should've called. You should always call. And I will always be there."
"But what about you? You keep walking out on your dates, keep leaving them, for me. I know you don't say so, but I know you really want to find someone who can be your partner, who can understand you and protect you and love you and be special to you. I'm keeping you away from that."
A smile crept across Jane's face as she looked down at Maura with a softness in her eye that seemed reserved for Maura. Her hand was still on the doctor's cheek, and Maura could feel it like a burn. A delicious burn that she didn't want to end. And as she watched the brunette smile gently, her thoughts careened, and she wondered what it would be like to taste the forbidden fruit that was Jane's lips. Realising what she was doing, Maura blinked and looked down again, but felt a finger lift her chin up gently.
"Maura… you're not keeping me away from that. God, I've been blind. But the truth is… I've already found someone who can be all those things for me. Who are all those things to me. And more."
The honey-blonde wondered if this was what breaking hearts felt like. It must be. Of course, it didn't really break, it was just an expression, but like so many other things, Jane made her accept things that weren't a pure science. That were nothing more than a wisp of a feeling. And yet it breathed a new life into Maura. And now, the day had come, when she had to accept that Jane would find some man to settle down with, when Maura would no longer be needed.
"I found you."
Maura blinked. She wasn't the kind of person who ever misheard anything, but she was sure she'd done so just now. "What?"
Her expression seemed to be amusing to the brunette, and Jane chuckled softly as she smiled down at Maura. "Has the amazing Dr Isles been so completely taken unawares that the best thing she could say in response was 'What'?"
Shaking her head a little, she took a small step back, away from Jane's touch. She didn't understand; was this some cruel trick Jane was playing? Or was she telling the truth?
Jane seemed to realise, and quickly closed the distance again, brown eyes looking earnestly into hazel. "Maura… I…" For the first time since Jane had walked through the door after unlocking it with the spare Maura had given her for emergencies so long ago, Maura saw nervousness in the tall brunette. "I know I might be… uh… getting ahead of myself and all… I… I may be presuming too much but… well, I thought about it, I mean, when I left Casey, I thought about things, and stuff, when I went to change and… I just thought, maybe, I mean…" Jane was tripping over her words. It was a rare sight, and Maura couldn't help thinking how adorable it was. "I just… maybe… maybe you felt the same way?"
She could hardly breathe for nervousness, and her next words were a whisper. "And what way is that?"
"That… I'm… I… uh… that…" Jane was fidgeting, rubbing her hands and kneading her scarred palms. A reminder to Maura of just how brave Jane was. "I just… I never even realised… until Casey… he said… and then I realised… I… that I was… that I am…" Jane was looking around the room, looking like a trapped mouse.
Maura reached for Jane's fidgeting hands, taking them in her own and rubbing them gently. She may not be particularly knowledgeable when it came to emotions and such, but a dawning realisation came over her as Jane tried to find the words to express her feelings. Maura's touch seemed to steady the usually unshakeable detective.
"That I'm in love with you…" her voice trailed off, husky and nervous, almost terrified.
And something inside of Maura snapped. Her self-restraint was gone, and she threw her arms around the taller woman's neck, and before either of them realised what was happening, their lips met. Oh god, Maura wanted to moan, as she finally felt the softness, tasted those lips she'd dreamed of. Jane's surprise melted away and she reciprocated. And Maura felt like she'd found seventh heaven, or some other strange expression she'd never understood until this moment. Fingers wrapped in long locks, breathing, drinking each other in, finally, after years of barely concealed emotions. Somehow, Jane had managed to put the wine and flowers on a side table, and they sat forgotten as they kissed, passionately, lovingly, wonderfully…
When at last they parted, Jane leaned her forehead against Maura's, their noses brushing. Both were breathing more heavily now, arms still wrapped around each other. "Maur…"
"Hmmm?" The doctor couldn't form an articulate word, as she sighed happily, nuzzling Jane's nose with her own.
"I wish I'd realised sooner. But I want to do this right. So… I want to take you to dinner. Tomorrow. Six o'clock. I'll pick you up."
Maura only smiled and nodded in response, before kissing Jane again. Taking one hand, she led Jane towards the living room. They could have their proper date tomorrow, but tonight, Maura wanted to cuddle with Jane on the couch and talk.
And that was exactly what they did.
This was it. Jane knew it, sure as anything, as she stared at herself in the mirror. Don't mess this up. She'd never felt so nervous before about a date. Maybe because this was Maura, and Jane knew, she just knew that this was the person she wanted to be with forever. Dean, Joey, Casey, Steve, Jack, every other person she had ever dated… she had never expected it to last. She never looked for much more. But with Maura… everything was different. So…
Don't mess this up.
It was almost funny, how nervous she felt about going out to dinner with Maura. They'd spent so much time together, done so many things together. But this was special.
She checked herself again, dressed in a black suit set, similar to her work suits, but a little neater and nicer-looking. She had an ocean-blue shirt on underneath, and her hair was left in its characteristic loose state of dark brown curls. A touch of make-up to highlight her face, and the silver watch she always wore; a gift from Maura from two years back. She settled for nice black dress shoes, flat-heeled.
She'd never admit it to anyone, but Jane was a true romantic. Which was why she wanted to take Maura on a proper date, and woo her in the proper fashion. She wanted to woo Maura, to win her heart, whether she had it already or not. In truth, they had almost been dating for the last few years without even realising. Their interactions were too familiar to be just platonic friendship, but they had never taken that last step into a relationship until last night.
And last night… Jane touched her lips as she remembered the wonderful soft fullness of those lips, the taste of Maura, the feel of her… God, kissing Maura wasn't like anything Jane had ever known, and she realised she'd been waiting for this for so long.
Picking up her car keys and a single, perfect red rose, she left her apartment, head up, shoulders back. Jane Rizzoli was badass, and she was gonna do this perfectly.
Approaching the door, the nervousness was back. Jane tried not to fidget, taking deep breaths and trying to calm herself down. She knocked on the door, and about a second later, it opened. And there was Maura, standing in the doorway wearing a beautiful black dress that hugged her in all the right places. Accompanied with the jaw-dropping dress were a pair of black stilettos that made the doctor's legs stretch on for days. A gold chain and watch set adorned Maura's neck and wrist, and her beautiful golden curls were immaculate as always. In short, Maura was completely and utterly breathtaking.
"Maura." Jane managed a half-strangled croak, as she tried to stop her heart from palpitating.
"Jane," Maura smiled, her eyes running over the detective's body appreciatively. And if Jane wasn't mistaken, a little hungrily. She could see the blonde medical examiner swallowing a little, a running a tongue over her lips unconsciously. A small grin appeared on her own face, as she also noticed the light flush on Maura's cheeks; it seemed she had just as much of an effect on Maura as she did for her.
"For you." Jane held out the delicate, blood-red rose that she'd spent all afternoon looking for. It was perfect, almost completely bloomed, with a full red colour that was hard to find.
"Oh, Jane, that's so sweet. It's beautiful."
"Not as beautiful as you though." Jane immediately felt her cheeks redden at her blurted words. But when she glanced up, she was met with warm, loving eyes, and realised Maura was both smiling and blushing at her compliment.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome," Jane held her hand out for Maura to take a hold of. "Should we go?"
Maura nodded in response, taking Jane's hand and squeezing it. Jane was proud that she didn't stumble when Maura pressed close to her side, entwining their fingers together.
The car ride had been awkward at first, as neither knew what to say. Five minutes of awkward silence permeated the air in the vehicle, until they stopped at a red light and caught sight of few youngsters playing in a skate park. It reminded Jane of an old incident involving Tommy and Frankie when they were younger, and before long, the two had slid back into their old comfortable routine without even realising it. Only this time, hands were entwined on the stick shift, and loving looks.
Pulling into the car park, Jane looked up at the Italian restaurant once more, and a part inside her was nervous, a part excited. She'd picked this restaurant of all places for a very special reason.
Some people may have thought it was bad luck by now, to bring a date to this place. Three times Jane had had to cancel her date, cut it short here. Each time she'd been pulled away by a phone call. But this time, it would be different. This time she was on a date with Maura. This time nothing would distract her. Nothing would pull her away, because the most important person in the world would be sitting across from her. Everyone else could wait.
Turning the engine off, she quickly got out of the car and ran around to open the door for Maura. Chivalry would still exist as long as Jane was living. Maura laughed a little at the display, taking Jane's proffered hand and standing up, but before Jane could lead her towards the door, she felt a pair of lips brush her cheek. She could feel her cheeks reddening and a pleased grin spread across her features.
The inside was warm and comfortable as ever, but this time, at the door, they were greeted by a smiling waitress. Every time Jane had come in, she had been served by the same waiter, who she was sure must've been judging her. The waitress led them to a small corner in the back, away from most of the activity in the restaurant. It gave them a delightful view of the harbour, and the dim lights gave a beautiful heavenly glow to the place.
Jane automatically pulled out a chair for Maura, before taking a seat herself. The waitress smiled at them both. "I'll be with you in a moment, these are the menus."
"Oh, we already know what we're having," Maura spoke up, glancing at Jane with a cheeky smile. Jane looked back in surprise, which quickly turned into a laugh and a loving look. Of course. The only person who knew Jane better than herself was Maura.
The waitress looked surprised, but there was a twinkle in her eyes. "Oh, well then, what can I get you two?"
"For entrée, could we please have the bruschetta and bresaola, Jane will have carbonara and I will have the cannelloni, and for dessert chocolate gelato and tiramisu please," Maura rounded off without batting an eyelid. She knew all Jane's favourites. The waitress wrote down the orders and smiled.
"Not a problem, I'll be right with you. Any drinks?"
"A bottle of your finest beer and red wine please."
"Certainly."
When the cheerful woman left them alone again, Jane reached across the table to hold Maura's hands. She brought them to her lips, kissing the back of each one and looking across the table lovingly.
"Damn, Maur, you know me so well."
The beautiful honey blonde laughed. "Of course, Jane. After the amount of time we've spent together and the strength of our bond which has developed, the brain would automatically begin to retain information about the other, and if there is increased interest in that person, the brain would automatically begin to notice more and retain more information, in order to be able to please or impress the other."
"Googlemouth," Jane chuckled affectionately. She tilted her head, something she realised she'd picked up from Maura, much as Maura had picked up on the eye-rolling from her. "Is that your way of telling me you've liked me for a while?"
The ME looked down at their hands, and Jane picked up on her hesitancy to answer.
"Maur? Maura. Hey," she tried to coax Maura to look at her. Finally succeeding, she noticed the wetness in Maura's eyes, and her heart broke a little. "Oh, Maura, don't cry, please don't." Jane closed her eyes, kissing Maura's hands again. She berated herself for stupidity. How had she never realised she had been in love with Maura all this time? She was a detective for crying out loud! The feelings she got when Maura looked at her, smiled at her, whenever they touched… Whenever the doctor praised her on a job well done, whenever she laughed at her joke, whenever she did that adorable Google-talk that only Maura Isles could do. When Jane had woken up in that hospital bed, and the only person she wanted to see was Maura, who was right there by her bedside, asleep but holding her hand. It should have been obvious. It was obvious. Jane had been blind to her own feelings, and she'd been blind to Maura's too. But now was the time to fix that.
"Maura, I was completely, completely stupid. I've been in love with you for a long time. A really, really long time, but I was too stupid or stubborn or blind or whatever to realise it. And I am so sorry for that. Lost time and all the rest of it, but I will be damned if I do not fix that right here, right now. I love you, Dr Maura Isles, and I want to make sure you know it. I want to take you to places and stay over at your place and the stuff that we've always done, but this time, it'll be more than just best friends. I want it to be more than best friends. It's kinda like we've been dating for the last few years anyway, but we never showed it. But from now, I'm gonna show you just how much I love you, Maura. Because I love you so much, it actually hurts when I see you with some other guy, someone else, someone who isn't me. And Dean and Joe and Casey and all the rest of them, I never felt the same about them, the way I felt with you. If it was ever a choice between you and anyone else in the world, you'd win every time. I've loved you for a long time. I just never realised it. Thank god, Casey made me see what I couldn't see myself."
Tears were streaming down Maura's face now, but she was smiling, laughing, and she pulled Jane in, kissing her deeply and passionately. Jane's own eyes were watering a little, and she kissed the doctor back, hands slipping up to tangle in those soft, silky locks.
Then a phone cut through the moment.
Or tried.
Neither woman paid it any attention, locked in their embrace, and the phone soon silenced itself. It was only when two bottles were placed discreetly on the next table that they pulled away, to see the waitress smiling at them and retreating, leaving them in peace.
Jane felt like every single fibre in her body was humming, and she couldn't wipe the goofy grin off her face. She was one fire, and she loved it. Moments later, the waitress was back, bearing their entrées, and poured their drinks for them. The smell of food was wonderful, and they both settled down to eat, slipping into their old ways again, except with the occasional caress, the open lingering glances and smiles.
And then Maura picked up a piece of her bresaola and held it out for Jane. Realising what Maura intended to do, a small smile spread across the detective's face, and she slowly lent in and took the piece of meat into her mouth slowly. She knew she was being teasing, and grinned when she saw Maura's shocked look, and the way she shifted a little in her seat. By way of apology, she decided to give Maura a bite of her bruschetta, and held it out for the blonde to bite.
It seemed two could play at this game. Jane groaned internally as she watched Maura take the most sensual bite she'd ever seen, a seductive smile playing on her lips as she slowly ran a tongue over them. The little moan of pleasure that she added was completely uncalled for. God, Maura had just taken a bite of her grilled bread and Jane was turned on beyond measure. She tried not to show it, but she could see by the way Maura was smiling that she had failed to hide it.
It seemed to turn into a little game, as they each began to feed the other, and trying to make the other more aroused. By the time the main course had arrived, Jane was sure she had ruined her underwear. As they were about to continue their deliciously painful game, the phone went off again.
Jane reached for it, hung up, and threw it back into her jacket pocket on the back of her chair. When she turned her attention back to the table, and Maura, she realised the game had shifted under her feet and Maura was taking it up a level. A fork was already held out to her, and the medical examiner was looking at her with bedroom eyes. Then Jane felt a foot brushing up against her leg, slowly and purposefully. It was definitely not by accident as Maura ran it up the inside of Jane's left leg, right up to her knee and down again. Jane had to bite her lip to keep her face straight.
Alright. Jane could do this.
She reached out with her own hand and took Maura's, surprising the blonde. Guiding the fork to her lips, she slowly took the food into her mouth, sure to use her tongue as she licked the fork clean. The foot on her leg paused in its movements and she glanced up to see the doctor licking her lips as she watched Jane eat. Pulling the fork out of her mouth slowly, she used her other hand to pull it from Maura's grasp. Taking her hand, she then slowly moved it towards Maura's wine cup. The medical examiner was completely entranced as Jane dipped Maura's fingers into the wine. She didn't look up to see if Maura was surprised or confused or shocked, but brought those fingers to her lips and kissed the tips before taking them in her mouth.
A low moan escaped Maura's lips, and Jane grinned. The display would've been indecent in public but there was no one around in their secluded corner to see.
"Mmmm, that's a fine vintage," she smirked, sitting back. Her smug look turned to shock and then unadulterated arousal when Maura stuck the same fingers into her own mouth, and began to softly moan and suck on them.
"It is, but I think I prefer your taste."
Damn.
This was getting out of hand. Maybe they wouldn't finish the date here after all.
By the end of their main course, it was clear both women were very much on edge and wanted to clear out of there. When the waitress approached to take away their used plates, Jane quickly asked her. "Could we get our desserts to go please?"
The woman nodded, and quickly took the plates. Moments later, she was back, bearing their desert in containers and smiling as always. "Here you are." She laid it down with the check, and Jane whipped out her wallet, but Maura had beaten her to it, quickly laying down the money and giving a generous tip as well. "I hope you enjoyed your meal!" The waitress gave them a last smile, but Jane wasn't paying attention, as she grabbed her jackets and the containers in one hand, Maura's hand in the other. They rushed out of the restaurant to the car, and the drive back may have been illegal, but Jane was too wound up to car, and so, it seemed, was Maura.
Pulling into Maura's driveway, they couldn't stay apart much longer, and the minute the engine was off, Maura threw her arms around the brunette, pulling her in for a passionate kiss, filled with promises of the night to come. Somehow, Maura had managed to slide right out of her seat, and into Jane's lap, straddling her hips as they made out. Hands were wandering, as Jane slide hers up and down the honey-blonde's back, drifting lower until they were at the hips, and pulling Maura closer to her body. She felt Maura gasp into her mouth, as their bodies pressed flush together.
And the phone rang again.
Jane grabbed the phone, threw it into the back of the car, and opened the door. Without missing a beat, she lifted Maura out, shutting the door with her back. Maura had fished the keys out of Jane's pocket, locking the car door, before Jane pressed her against it, kissing her with fervour. Maura let out a moan, before she pushed the detective away, grabbing Jane's hand and leading her to the door of her house. Fumbling with the keys, she finally managed to unlock the door as Jane nibbled at the skin on her neck. She pushed the door open, and stepped inside quickly. Jane shut the door, and turned to find herself pinned to the door by Maura's body as Maura pressed herself into Jane. Their lips met once more, and Jane's hand moved own the curve of Maura's hip, down over her backside, squeezing it. The sensation made Maura buck her hips into Jane, eliciting a loud moan from both of them.
Jane pushed the medical examiner away. Then she bent and swept Maura's feet out from under her, carrying her bridal style up the stairs towards Maura's bedroom. Walking in, Jane laid Maura down on the bed gently, bending over her and kissing her. Maura's arms wrapped around her, and she tugged Jane down on top of her.
It was a good thing they had the next day off, Jane decided. She stretched, smiling as she cuddled the warm and very naked body of the doctor beside her. Maura stirred with Jane's movements, and she opened her eyes to look up at the grinning detective.
"Morning, beautiful."
Maura blushed a little at the compliment, snuggling a little closer against Jane. "Mmmm, good morning, Jane. What time is it?"
"Uh… bit passed eight."
"Oh..." Maura seemed to think for a moment. "Let's stay here a little while longer."
Jane's eyebrows rose, but she wore a cheeky grin. "Really? The great Dr Isles, who never sleeps in, is suggesting we stay in bed a little while longer?"
Maura swatted Jane playfully on the arm. "Yes. It's our day off, and I'm quite tired out from last night's activities."
It was Jane's turn to blush now, as she recalled the medical examiner splayed out wantonly beneath her, moaning and screaming her name.
"And I have the pleasure of having you in my bed with me, and I like being with you like this, so I don't want to get up and stop."
The detective leaned in, kissing Maura on the shoulder, the neck, chin, nose and lips. "Well then, I have a proposal to make. Why don't we just stay in bed all day?"
"You want to sleep all day? That's a waste of a day, Jane."
"There's more than one kind of sleep, y'know."
Realisation dawned on the blonde's face, as she realised exactly what Jane meant. "Oh… well then," her voice lowered, and her eyes darkened as she pushed the brunette onto her back. "I think I quite agree with your proposal, detective."
It was almost dark when Jane finally went out to grab her phone from the car. They had spent the entire day inside, and mostly without clothes. It had been a very good day. But they were on call again tomorrow, and Jane needed her phone close by. As she fished around the back seat for it, she finally located the device to see that there had been five missed calls and one voice message.
Looking through the list, one was from Frost, one from Frankie, and three from Ma. The voicemail was from Ma as well, and with a sigh, she let it roll.
Janie, you haven't picked up your phone once, so I'm leaving this voicemail. WHEN DID YOU START GOING OUT WITH MAURA? HOW LNG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON FOR, EXACTLY? I DON'T APPROVE, JANE. I DON'T APPROVE OF YOU NOT TELLING ME ABOUT YOU TWO. DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I HAVE WAITED FOR YOU TWO TO PULL YOURSELVES TOGETHER AND GET TOGETHER? MY GOD, JANIE, IF THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR SOME TIME, YOU HAVE CAUSED YOUR MOTHER A LOT OF GRIEF FOR AGONISING OVER YOU TWO WHEN YOU WERE ALREADY TOGETHER. I HAD TO FIND OUT OFF FRANKIE WHO FOUND OUT OFF FROST WHO HAD SEEN YOU TWO GOING TO THAT ITALIAN RESTAURANT. Oh, you're just perfect for each other, I'm so happy for you! My Janie is all grown up, and you two will be so happy together. I saw you two come in last night, I'll be out all day today so you can have your privacy, but I want to hear all about you two when I get back. And if you don't say anything, I'm sure I can just talk to Maura. Oh! Maura is already part of the family, I know, but she could be part of it officially! Oh, and grandchildren! How many will you have, do you think? I can't wait for my grandbabies to get here! Have a wonderful night, Jane. Though it does sound like you two are enjoying yourselves. Love you, bye.
OH MY GOD. Jane could feel the heat of embarrassment on her cheeks at the last comment. But she couldn't help smiling at the approval her mother had for her and Maura's match. Maybe she was getting a little ahead of herself with the marriage and babies and all, but it was Ma. And Jane couldn't help thinking that she wouldn't mind that. Getting married, having a family… with Maura.
Smiling, she went back inside to find Maura curled up on the couch, wearing an old Red Sox jersey of Jane's, huddled under blankets and waiting for her girlfriend to join her. At the sight of her, Jane's grin widened and she settled down next to the blonde, wrapping an arm protectively around her shoulders. Telling her about the voicemail, both laughed, and then they cuddled on the couch as some show played on the TV screen.
As Jane lay there, her arms wrapped around the smaller woman, she nuzzled Maura's hair inhaling deeply and smiling. And she realised something. Every date she'd had with one of those guys, she had picked up the phone immediately when it rang, knowing Maura was most likely on the other side. But when she was with Maura, nothing took precedence over their time together. Really, it couldn't have been more obvious. There was only ever one person she wanted to be with. Only one person she'd ignore any phone call for.
The woman in her arms.
Dr Maura Isles.
