Ask Me
Disclaimer: I do not own Rizzoli and Isles, including the book and the TNT show; Jane Rizzoli belongs to Tess Gerritsen and Angie Harmon, and Maura Isles belongs to Tess Gerritsen and Sasha Alexander. The plot for this story is my own, but that is all I could or would stake claim to. Leave feedback if you wish; these girls are delectable, and my muse would appreciate your affirmation!
Synopsis: "It's just that I didn't ask for much. I don't think I really knew how." In the face of Maura's childhood, can Jane teach herself to give what the doctor can't ask for? Post-ep for 1 x 08, with lines from 1 x 06. Mostly fluff with a little bit of sugar on the side. Rated T for language use only.
"Okay, you know it's cold when your teeth start chattering between your driveway and your front door," Jane commented as she and Maura almost tumbled into her apartment. As the evening had worn on, the temperature had dropped steadily, slicking the parking lots and intersections into frustrating rinks of ice. The couple had begged out of Sunday desert in favor of running to the store for "groceries," as Jane had explained it, then rocketed through an F.Y.E., Best Buy, and Wal-mart before heading back to Jane's place.
"Your muscles are contracting and extending to create heat through physical energy," Maura responded dryly, unzipping her boots on the small mat inside the door. Jane lifted her coat from her hands without even thinking about it, hanging it on the hook beside the door just after she'd tossed her own over the small side table.
"Is that Grey's Anatomy I hear?" Jane questioned, over exaggerating her actions as she pretended to look questioningly at her TV. "Oh, wait, no. It was the Google speak again." Maura shot her a pretend glare, but her mouth quirked involuntarily into a smile.
"The term Google was recently added to the dictionary as a verb, as well as the proper noun indicating the search engine and affiliate corporation. I was not aware it had also been added as an adjective." Jane grinned.
"Your teasing is getting better, Maur." Flopping on the couch, Jane reached down to tug off her ubiquitous black boots before they created huge wet spots in her carpet. "C'mon, sit down so we can figure out which one to watch first." Maura hesitated by the couch, and Jane glanced up to find her biting her lip.
"I was thinking perhaps I could…" The blonde gestured down at her dress before looking back up at her girlfriend. "Could I maybe borrow a pair of yoga pants?"
"Always," Jane replied, her face softening. "I think you have a couple of pairs in the bottom drawer, but if not, you know where mine are." Maura grinned back at the brunette and moved towards Jane's bedroom. Once there she paused, contemplating her choices. She knew there was a single pair of her own pants buried under several tank tops and a dress in the bottom drawer of Jane's dresser, casually dubbed "the fancy drawer" by Jane herself, months ago. She also knew that her favorite—she would never admit this to Jane—pair of the taller woman's running sweats were lying in the second drawer. Making a snap decision, Maura stripped off her woolen dress and swiped Jane's pants from their resting place, tugging a Boston P.D. sweatshirt over her head. Taking a minute to check on her hair in the bathroom mirror, Maura sighed deeply and moved back out into the living area, heading for the kitchen.
"In response to your other comment, Jane," Maura commented as she passed the couch, running her hand softly up Jane's arm simply because she could, "I do not have a preference for which movie we watch first. According to my research, the first Disney film was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, however we could not find that one to purchase so it is probably not logical to watch them chronologically." Jane chuckled. Of course, Maura had done her research.
"I don't think chronologically would work either, babe. The first few are not the best." Maura had moved into the kitchen intent on preparing drinks and pop corn but the sight of Jane's handwriting adorning the fridge made her pause.
Fact #1: I want Maura Isles.
Fact #2: I'd like to smack the shit out of her parents, then I'd like to hug her and never let go.
Fact #3: Merch waitress.
Fact #4: Maura can't lie.
For a few seconds, Maura's brain processed several things simultaneously: first, that Jane had used permanent marker on an expensive appliance which would severely impact her ability to get her security deposit back should she ever choose to leave the apartment; second, that Jane had actually written out a list of facts while making a decision; and third, that there was a curious sensation of amusement, affection, and inherent… warmth spreading throughout her body as a result of Jane's scrawled words.
"Maur, what do you think?" Jane's voice registered between her thoughts as the brunette entered the kitchen, wondering why the M.E. had stopped taking to her.
"Excuse me? Oh, I'm sorry Jane, I didn't hear what you asked. I was… distracted." Jane glanced between Maura and the fridge, her face reddening into a blush.
"Wow, I, um… I totally forgot that was on there. I'm sorry, Maura." Jane reached up and tugged a hand through her wild curls.
"Don't be," came the immediate response. This time, it was Maura's turn to blush. "I mean, you might be sorry that the Sharpie will likely not ever come off of the surface of the door, but don't be sorry that I saw it." The blonde glanced up at Jane and their eyes met, Maura trying desperately to convey the feeling she could not articulate to her girlfriend. Jane's posture softened, and she smiled gently before reaching for Maura's waist.
"I get it," she whispered softly before kissing her, long fingers slipping under the sweatshirt to splay over the soft skin of Maura's lower back. They kissed, languid and swaying gently, for several minutes, Maura's hands returning to Jane's hair which was softer than she'd ever expected it to be and grounded her when she felt as if she might dissolve into a pile of emotions. As they broke apart, Jane laid her lips against Maura's temple for a few moments, closing her eyes and breathing in the feeling of her best friend held tightly against her, the warmth of the tiny body in her arms something she never wanted to forget.
"Can I add something?" Maura asked suddenly, feeling oddly impulsive.
"Um, yeah, sure." Jane handed the Sharpie to Maura and turned to retrieve a bag of popcorn from the cabinet, popping it into the microwave. When she turned around, Maura's elegant handwriting glistened at the bottom of her list.
Fact #5: Maura loves me.
Jane blinked. She knew she loved Maura. Knew the love she felt for the blonde was as familiar to her as the feeling of a gun in her hand or the keys of a piano beneath her finger tips. She had just never expected her best friend to say it that quickly. The sound of the kernels of corn beginning to pop behind her shook Jane out of her daze and she glanced up at Maura.
"I love you, too." There were not grand expressions of love. They didn't need them. Maura grinned fiercely, and Jane returned the smile. Then, the popcorn finished and the shrill call of the microwave broke their gaze. Jane grabbed a bowl for the finished snack while Maura pulled a beer and an open bottle of wine from the fridge.
"So, which one are we going to watch first," the blonde asked as she poured a glass of wine.
"Tonight, we'll start with Lion King, then move to either Aladdin or Beauty and the Beast. Tomorrow, we can go more obscure." Maura chuckled.
"What is considered obscurity in the world of Disney movies?" The pair settled into Jane's couch, bowl of popcorn between them.
"Excellent question, grasshopper. I would say absolute obscurity might include Melody Time and Treasure Island, but we're going to ignore those. I meant more of The Sword in the Stone and Robin Hood." Maura eyed the tall stack of VHSs and DVDs sitting beside the entertainment center.
"And the others?" Jane grinned, lifting the remote to start the DVD for The Lion King. Picking up the popcorn and gesturing for Maura to scoot closer to her, Jane paused for a moment as the classic Disney intro rang across the screen in a sparkle of blue glitter.
"You hear that, Maura? That's the sound of childhood." The blonde looked up at the screen, and a small smile drifted across her lips.
"Play it again."
"Just the intro?" The blonde nodded and Jane hit the skip back button. They both fell silent for a moment as the Magic Kingdom castle rolled into view, and Tinkerbell dragged the half circle of magic across the sky.
"It's a good sound," Maura murmured, her voice barely louder than a whisper.
"Yep," Jane responded, pulling the other woman even closer into her side and digging into the popcorn.
The End.
A/N I almost wrote a scene for their actual watching of the movie, but that wasn't really the point of this story, was it? If you guys are interested, I might write one or two one shots involving Google-mouthed Maura and Disney movies, but only if you want 'em. This has been a fabulous ride. Thank you all for making this the first non-one-shot fan fiction I've ever actually completed. Stay tuned for my next story—Silent Night, the story of the one thing Jane couldn't let Hoyt steal from her and how Maura helped her get it back.