I do not own the characters Rizzoli, Isles, and others; they are just play'n in my imagination sandbox. There is no Swizzle stick coffee shop, I just made up the name.

Rated T, Still

Bitter Embrace

Chapter Three: Distress

On Tuesday, three days after the visit to the Fairfield mansion, Jane and Maura were still avoiding each other. Neither Frost nor Korsak were privileged to hear the showdown between the women, but they knew something was amiss between the pair. Maura continued to ignore all of Jane's phone calls, preferring to deal with Detective Frost while at work. Jane sat at her desk, staring at open files while working in silence. Frost and Korsak valiantly tried to cheer Jane up, but to no avail, she remained depressed.

Getting up with a huff, Jane paced around the squad room in despair, reminding the other detectives of a bear with a thorn in its paw. Work, Work, Rizzoli. Don't think about Maura, she doesn't matter anymore.. Yeah, Right.

"Hey Frost, did you ever get a hold of Garrett Fairfield to solidify his alibi?"

"Uh No, Jane. He is a squirrelly one. I called him and his attorney, but neither one have returned my calls." Frost, noticing the quick scowl crunching Jane's eyebrows asked, "What are you thinking of doing? Jane, these are people we can't push." Frost continued glancing at her, "They have power and a tight grip on the Brass's gonads. I'm not prepared to lose my job. Are you?"

"Just back off Frost, I mean, really. Would I do something stupid? On second thought, don't answer that." Jane continued pacing between the desks, thinking and rubbing the back of her

neck in frustration over the situation.

"Frost, what do you think about setting up an impromptu interview with the 'Fairfield's'; attorney present, of course." Jane stopped pacing, and stared down at Frost while he sat at his desk going through the Fairfield records. She shook her head at the audacity of the rich only to release censored records, as if the underling police detectives were not good enough to go through the whole records. Damn the pricks.

"Have you seen Maura today?" Frost looked over at Jane, one eyebrow raised in an inquisitive sign. Frost, knowing of the tension between the two women, suspected Jane was avoiding the situation. Jane looked down at Frost and lightly whacked him on the back of the head, not bothering to dignify the question with a response, at least not yet.

Jane muttered under her breath while turning and heading to the coffee machine, "Screw you, Frost Bite."

Jane realizing the coffee pot was empty, made a quick decision to head out to the coffee shop on the corner. She walked to her desk, grabbing her jacket, wallet and keys. She turned to Frost, "I am going to get coffee and take a quick break; I got my cell." With one last glance at the back of Frost's head, Jane headed out of the squad room. Walking by the elevator on her way to the outside world, she stops mid-step and glared at the down arrow which would take her down to the morgue, and down to confront the source of her emotional turmoil. Maura. Jane released a deep sigh, and turns to take the coward's way out, rapidly walking out of the building.

Jane settled her leather jacket around her shoulders as her feet hit the sidewalk, and took a quick look around at the busy downtown Boston sidewalk. Slipping her sunglasses out of her jacket pocket and placing them on her nose, she started heading towards the much loved by the BPD Swizzle Stick coffee shop.

She walked at a slow pace, enjoying the sunlight and the solitude. Earlier in the week, Frost and Korsak kept throwing side-glances at her, making her feel cornered; they want her to confront the situation with Maura. Maura, Maura. I was just making a point about friendships at work and she lost her cool with me. She should apologize first. Several feet from the entrance to the coffee shop, Jane noticed a familiar orange car parked obscenely close to the shop. OH No.

Jane, realizing that only one car looking like that could belong to only one person, stopped still as a statue, hoping to go unnoticed. Looking to her left, and then noticing an oak tree to her right which was big enough to hide behind, ducked around it stealthily. Jane released a quickly held breath, and peeked around the tree at the still parked car. Keeping the car in her sights, she noticed a female looking head seated in the passenger side. The back and side of the head was covered with light brown hair. Plenty of brunettes in the city. Long French tipped nails reached out of the open window to adjust the side mirror.

Jane drew in a deep gasp. She knew those nails; knew them in a professional and personal way. She had seen them roughly grasping a silver scalpel, and gliding gently down her forearm in many a soothing gestures. Jane remained transfixed, staring at Maura, sitting in Garrett Fairfield's car. Maura remained unaware of Jane's gaze.

A movement at the coffee shop entrance broke Jane's stare, causing her to look at the tall, imposing figure of Garrett Fairfield. She watched him approach Maura with two coffees in hand, smiling the goofiest smile Jane had ever seen. OH Please!

He handed Maura her coffee through the open window; Jane continued watching those nails wrap gently around the Styrofoam cup. Garrett then walked around the car and got in the driver's side. Jane, still watching Maura's cup wrapped nails, saw movement from the driver's side and watched Garrett lean into Maura. She watched Maura's head turn towards Garrett, those lovely nails moving out of sight, and they shared a passionate kiss.; a lover's kiss.

Jane, suddenly feeling dizzy, sat down on the cold, concrete sidewalk leaning back against the tree for support. Rapidly blinking the gathering tears away, she listened for the car to drive away before deciding on getting up and leaving her bark-encased perch. No longer able to enjoy the fine brew at the Swizzle Stick, Jane kept walking down the sidewalk, feeling her heart rapidly beating and her upset stomach churning. Thoughts of Garrett and Maura locked in pleasure played through her mind with each step, leading her farther away from the once peaceful coffee shop.

Jane, lost in her thoughts, barely realized she had arrived at her parked car outside the station house. While digging her keys out of her pocket, she watched an orange car pull up to the curb, and parked. Maura smiled at Garrett and gently kissed him before exiting the ostentatious sports car. Jane looked at Maura walking to the station house entrance.

Maura, glancing up the street, saw Jane standing by her car, watching her with disbelief gracing her features, mouth frowning. Maura met Jane's eyes and turned to walk into the building, leaving Jane still standing still as a statue. Confusion and hurt controlling her thoughts, Jane made a quick decision to runaway. Getting in her car and starting the engine, Jane drove to a nearby park. She often came to this small park to mull things over and find her center when too many thoughts in her mind whirled. The serenity of the park always brought order to her chaos.

Jane walked down the secluded sidewalk to what she often thought of as 'her' bench. She sat down and stared off into the clearing. Fuck you Maura.

Twenty minutes into her peaceful gazing, and two hours after she left the station, her cell phone rang. Recognizing the ringer as Frost, Jane hit the silent button to quiet the annoying Cops theme-Bad Boys. Fuck this case.

She watched a family of geese fly over the small pond a few feet in front of her bench. I wish I could just fly away.

Jane remained seated on her bench for another hour before the cold nippy Boston air forced her to take refuge inside her car. Leaning her head gently against her steering wheel, her tears gently rolling down her wind-chapped cheeks, Jane Rizzoli sobbed as if her heart was breaking. A softly heard crack echoed around the interior of the car.