They drove the short distance to Jane's house in resolute silence. They rain was pelting down onto the windscreen making it impossible to get to their destination at the speed they both stubbornly wanted. As Jane drove past Maura's car in search of a car space as close to her apartment as possible, Maura's anger boiled over.
"You can't even drop me at my car, Jane?" Maura asked, heatedly. "Now who's being immature?"
Jane's nostrils flared with anger as she reversed her car into a space over 300 metres from her apartment.
"Your keys are in my apartment, Maura!" Jane retaliated with as much venom as she received.
"Well, you could have dropped me at your apartment," Maura mumbled stubbornly as she looked out the window at the rain pelting down even harder than before.
"Oh, no. If I gotta get wet, then you're sure as hell gonna get wet too," Jane replied, turning off her car as her eyes scanned between watching Maura, and watching the rain come down on her windscreen.
"Well, its ok for you," Maura replied, glancing down at Jane's clothes, "Your clothes are from… from Walmart. This is a Valentino Garavani!"
"Excuuuse me?" Jane turned, now fuming. "I don't care if you're wearing a gown made for the Queen of freakin' England… And I do not buy my clothes at Walmart!"
"Well, you could have fooled me," Maura replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she looked Jane up and down before meeting her eyes.
"Get out of the car, Maura," Jane seethed through gritted teeth as she opened her door and got out, slamming the door shut behind her.
"Slam it a little harder Jane! I don't think it's shut!" Maura called out through Jane's closed door.
Maura was visibly surprised when Jane's door opened again, and Jane peered back in angrily, "What did you say?"
"N…Nothing," Maura replied quietly in response, looking anywhere but at Jane.
"That's what I thought," Jane replied, "Now get out," she finished before slamming the door shut harder than the first time, causing Maura to flinch.
With a deep breath Maura braced herself and stepped out of the car. She saw Jane a few metres ahead as she closed the door and heard it 'beep' locked as she followed her. She attempted to run but was limited by her Jimmy Choos, and so settled for a half walk, half jog. As she internally fumed at Jane's ability to take long easy strides, Maura cursed herself for leaving her car at Jane's house that morning. She cursed herself for drinking too much, and cursed herself for falling asleep next to Jane, and cursed herself… well, she just cursed.
She looked up, her face a picture of outrage, to find Jane standing under a bus stop waiting for her, laughing. This did not go down well. As she approached Jane, she notice a small puddled in the gutter. Not caring about her already ruined shoes, with a swift flick of her foot, she successfully covered Jane in a splash of cold, dirty water. When she realised what she'd actually done, she covered her face (and smile), and eyed the detective with a small amount of fear and shock.
Jane was also shocked. She opened her arms and glanced down at her once wet, and now also dirty, clothes. She opened her mouth to speak as she looked up and saw Maura attempting to hide her smile behind her hand.
"You did not just…" Jane began, eying Maura with contempt, "Oh you are so gonna cop it!"
"Jane?" Maura replied, slowly moving away from Jane and towards her apartment, her smile now completely vanished.
"You better run Maura," Jane stated as she started towards Maura.
"Wait, Jane," Maura countered as she turned and attempted to jog towards the apartment. "Jane, I didn't mean it!" she called back to Jane who was easily gaining on her.
"Hives Maura!" was all Jane said in response.
When Jane finally caught Maura, she picked her up from behind in a bear hug, effectively covering the back of the impeccably dressed Medical Examiner in mud.
"Eeeeek," Maura squealed, attempting to squirm her way out of Jane's hold.
"Oh no you don't," Jane replied, now laughing.
"Jane!" Maura squealed again, attempting to hold in her own laughter. This was, after all, an expensive outfit, and was no laughing matter. "Jane, stop, please. I give."
With one finally squeeze Jane let go of Maura who swiftly turned to face Jane. She attempted to give Jane the 'evil eye', however watching Jane in fits of laughter deterred her. She was just glad that Jane was no longer mad at her.
Maura looked down at her ruined dress and shoes before looking up at the rain that was not showing any signs of slowing down. As much as she was annoyed that her outfit was a wreck, she had to admit that running around in the rain was more enjoyable than she imagined. She realised that, despite her uncharacteristically tattered state, with Jane beside her, she didn't have a care in the world. She didn't care what passers-by thought, she didn't care that she might get sick, and she didn't care that her outfit was ruined. All she cared about was that Jane was laughing and not yelling at her, and that she hadn't ruined her friendship with Jane by once again being out of tune with the codes of friendship. With this in mind, Maura smiled, her eyes closed, her arms outstretched, and her face looking towards the sky.
When Jane's laughter eventually subsided and she was able to stand upright again, she looked up to see Maura the most free-spirited she had ever seen her. She looked on in wonderment, unable to tear her eyes away, and unable to remove the awe filled smile that settled on her face. Maura's hair was stuck to her neck and her face, her make-up had started running, her dress was clinging even tighter to her body than usual and droplets of water were trickling down her neck, over her heaving chest. With her arms outstretched looking towards the sky, she didn't think she had ever seen anything more beautiful.
At that moment, Maura opened her eyes and looked over at Jane. What she saw in Jane's eyes was overwhelming. She saw love, and admiration. She saw happiness, and wonderment. And when she saw Jane's eyes flick down to her tight fit dress, up to the rain soaked skin of her chest and over her lips, she also saw something in those dark pools that she never expected to see. Lust. Want. Desire.
"Jane?" Maura queried curiously, looking at Jane for an explanation of what was happening.
Hearing her name, Jane looked back into Maura's eyes, seemingly startled from her daze.
"We better get inside," Jane replied as she moved towards the door of her apartment block leaving a confused Maura in her wake.