A/N: This chapter has made me realize that I am really bad at dialogue (like I was laughing at myself while writing this) so you'll have to bear with me. Also, that 'groove' I was talking about being in? Is completely gone in this chapter. Sorry, in advance.
Disclaimer: Don't own the characters, not making money, etc.
Jane found herself sitting in the passenger side of an unmarked car on the way to the hospital with the ever talkative Detective Amanda Rice. She had no idea how she got roped into this. Amanda just kept talking and talking and it took all of Jane's willpower to not yell at her to just shut up. She had no idea how her partner put up with her. She had no idea how she was going to put up with this for however long it took to get the guy. It had been a couple days after her initial meeting with Lt. Emerson. They spent most of that two days setting up their operation. Their suspect hadn't made another move. They didn't know if it was from their increase in patrol or if the guy was still nursing a bruised face and ego from the bouncer but either way, Jane found herself thankful for whatever it was.
It was decided that she, Amanda and Amanda's partner, Detective Kate Scott, would all go undercover together. Two male officers would also be undercover in the bar along with the response team consisting of Frost, Korsak, and Emerson in the van outside watching and listening to their every move. Jane had to admit, it was a pretty solid plan. As for Jane's feelings towards her undercover partners that was still up in the air.
She knew Kate. She and Kate were on the same beat when they both worked patrol. Years ago they were friends and it was pretty easy to pick up where they left off. Kate was a great detective and had made a name for herself in the unit she was in. But Amanda was going to drive her to insanity. The younger woman was like the energizer bunny. She just kept going and going and going. She talked fast and a lot and rarely gave anyone time to answer her back. It was slowly driving her insane yet somehow Jane was roped in to going to the hospital with this woman instead of Kate and somehow she was roped into sitting into the passenger seat instead of driving. She sipped her coffee trying to tune the woman out. Detective Nathan Mathews from their unit and Detective Joe Howard from Violent Crimes were going to be the men with them in the bar. She didn't know much about Howard but Kate said he was a good detective so she guessed it would work out. She was so used to doing things homicide's way that this whole situation of inter department mingling was screwing with her mind. She just wanted this case to be over with. Then she could get some real sleep and real food and have quality time with her best friend.
The car stopped moving and the woman at her left finally stopped talking. Jane had never been so happy with silence her whole life. She rushed out of the car and through the hospital doors with Amanda following her.
…
Maura was in her office when she heard a knock on the door. She looked up expecting to see Jane, but instead her eyes connected with the deep blue ones of Detective Kate Scott. Detective Scott was a detective for the violent crimes unit and was going to go undercover with her partner Detective Amanda Rice and Jane. Maura didn't like the whole situation. Watching Jane and the other homicide detectives interact with the ones from the other unit gave her mixed feelings. She just wanted this case to be over. Maura eyed her warily. "Is there something you need, Detective Scott?"
Kate stepped forward with trepidation. The few days they were working together she kept getting weird vibes from the doctor. She wanted to clear up any misunderstandings without alerting Jane that's why she got her partner to go to the hospital with Jane instead of going herself. She brought her hand up to her neck grabbing the silver chain that hung there and began fiddling with her dog tags. She wore them everywhere. They were a symbol of war, of service, the things she had lived through and others hadn't. Some people wore crosses or a St. Michael's pendant across their necks but she preferred to put her faith in the worn, roughed up metal squares. And if there was one thing she needed at this exact moment it was faith. She took a steadying breath. "Jane and I are just friends. That's all we've ever been, all we'll ever be. We were on the same beat for a while back in the day. There's not a whole lot of female cops out there so we grew to be friends." Her words were rushed but clear.
"Excuse me?" Maura asked incredulously.
Kate dropped her hand from around her neck, now she was completely confused. "I just thought – I'm a detective." Kate spouted. "I mean to say, I read people for a living."
"People aren't books they can't be read." Maura interrupted curtly.
Kate rolled her eyes. "You've been treating me with a strange wide birth of utter professionalism. You and Jane seem to have a thing going on and I just wanted you to know that I'm not stepping on your territory nor do I plan to. I'm in a committed relationship with a man who is on the Massachusetts Highway Patrol." She finished with a nod.
"I treat everyone with the same professional courtesy. I work with the detectives in the homicide unit on a regular basis. Naturally I am closer to them and we have an understanding. I apologize if it felt like I was singling you out. As for the other thing," Maura started filing things on her already completely organized desk. "Jane and I do not have a thing going on." She emphasized the word. "She's my best friend. Jane isn't anyone's territory because she is a person and not an object."
"Dr. Isles?" Both of the women turned to see a clean shaven lab tech holding a file in his hand standing in the doorway.
Maura walked towards him holding out her hand. He gave her the file before leaving quickly. It was silent for a moment before Maura looked up at Kate. "You can tell your lieutenant that she was correct. The suspect is not in CODIS, there wasn't a match found." Maura walked back to her desk.
"I'll be sure to tell her." Kate said nodding her head feeling sufficiently awkward. "I'm sorry for misjudging the situation, Dr. Isles. I guess I'll see you around then."
…
The next day Jane was sitting in the morgue on an empty, unused autopsy table while she watched Maura finish up reexamining the second victim. They were supposed to go undercover that day. She was trying to listen to what Maura was saying thinking it might just be vital to the case but she was failing miserably. Hospitals always wore her out and the visit she had the day before with Amanda Can't-Shut-Up-To-Save-Her-Life Rice really zapped her of all her energy. The peanut butter and fluff sandwich she'd eaten before she crashed on her bed last night was doing nothing for her now that it was the middle of the day. She needed more coffee.
Jane hopped off the table with a heavy sigh. When her feet hit the ground the world around her seemed to shift. She stumbled backwards a few steps knocking a table of medical instruments to the ground. At the sound of metal on tile Maura quickly took off her gloves and walked towards Jane. She grabbed the woman's arm for stabilization. Jane brought a shaky hand to the bridge of her nose taking slow breaths as her vision went back to normal.
"When was the last time you've eaten?" Maura pressed the back of her hand against Jane's forehead.
"Stop!" Jane whined pushing Maura's hand away from her face. "Dinner last night?" She guessed.
"Jane!" Maura admonished.
"What?" Jane said pulling away from Maura. "I was working. I am working. I just forgot to eat." She finished with a yawn. Maura was now glaring at her. "Maura, I'm fine."
"No you're not Jane!" She hissed grabbing the detective's arm again in fear that she might drop and bust her head open on the floor. "You're running yourself into the ground. You always do but this time it's different. I can tell. Whatever is going on in your head, whatever point you have to prove or mountain you feel like you need to conquer alone, whatever it is it's going to get you killed." The word hung in the air around them. As if out of all the things that happened between them that one thing was the sole giant pink elephant in the room. Jane shifted her gaze away from Maura. "You're going undercover tonight. So you," She started dragging Jane to her office. "Are going to lie down on my couch and sleep for a couple hours. Then I'm going to wake you up and bring you some food. The other detectives can handle the case alone for a while." She pushed Jane onto the couch.
Jane sat looking at Maura. She was running around the room shutting blinds and turning off lights leaving the room in total darkness. "Maura?" She called just as the door was about to close. "I – I love you too, you know?" Her voice was quiet and soft, it was always easier to tell people things in the dark. Over the past few days she was becoming unsure of what kind of love it was that she had for Maura. Their relationship seemed deeper than pure friendship yet it didn't hold that familial bond. It was complicated. Jane never had something like that before and it was starting to make her question everything. And it was all because of Frost. Frost, and his stupid, big mouth.
Maura paused in the doorway, a faint of a smile on her lips. "I know, Jane. Get some rest."
Two hours later Maura made her way to her office with two containers of chicken pot pie courtesy of Angela Rizzoli. She opened the door to her officer quietly flipping on the light with her elbow. The couch was really too small for her friend. Jane's left leg was hanging off the piece of furniture; her knee was resting on the floor. Jane's left hand reached the same fate. She had her head to the side resting her face on her right hand.
"You're staring." Jane said her voice rougher from sleep. "And you have food!" She sat up with a yawn and a stretch. After a few minutes of mindless eating Jane looked up at Maura who looked bothered. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." She said taking a bite out of her food.
Jane rolled her eyes. "You know you keep saying you can't lie but I'm beginning to think that's a lie in itself." She took a swig from her bottle of water. She looked at Maura in the eye. "This – this undercover thing is going to be okay. I'm not going to be the only one there. There's going to be plenty of backup. She reached out for Maura's hand. "I wish I could promise you that nothing will happen, that I'll come home. I do. But I can't make a promise that I can't keep. Even though I'm like ninety-nine percent sure it'll be okay."
Maura looked at Jane. "That's not," She sighed. "While you were sleeping I spoke with Lieutenants Emerson and Cavanaugh. They want my in the truck with them because of my knowledge of criminal psychology. They think I'll be of use to you while you try to pick up the suspect's DNA. I agreed."
Jane nodded her head feeling herself stiffen at the thought of Maura going out of her job description to help them solve a case, again. "You'll stay in the truck though?"
Maura nodded her head. "Cavanaugh explicitly said so."
Jane nodded her head silently. All of the food was gone, she looked at her watch. "Well, then I guess I will see you in the bullpen then." She stood. "I gotta get ready."
…
Jane stood in a stall in the women's restroom pulling on a pair of black skinny jeans with a frayed hole at the knee and some lace up black boots that she couldn't remember buying. She exchanged her blazer and v-neck for a charcoal tank top. She took out her make up bag with a heavy sigh. This was her least favorite part of undercover work. When she worked undercover in DCU she learned being someone else was easier when she didn't feel like herself. So she put on heavy eyeliner and mascara in a way she never ever wore it. Just as she was putting on the finishing touches and fluffing her hair the door to the bathroom opened. Detective Can't-shut-up walked in looking all dressed and ready to go. "Hey, thought I'd find you here!" Amanda said brightly. Jane had to force herself not to roll her eyes; this woman's perkiness was really starting to grate on her nerves. "I have a question and you'll probably want to hit me for asking it." She laughed nervously. "But I didn't get to be a detective by not asking the hard questions. And you should know I'm trained in mixed martial arts. So don't mess." She said with a little finger wag in Jane's direction. Jane raised her eyebrows. The younger detective was the least intimidating woman she'd ever met. Jane turned around leaning against the sink crossing her arms. "Okay, so that medical examiner of yours," Jane clenched her jaw feeling her whole body tense. If this woman was going to say anything bad about Maura there was going to be hell to pay. "Are you two like a thing?"
Flabbergasted, Jane was completely and utterly flabbergasted. "What?"
Amanda walked to the sink fixing her hair in the mirror while she spoke. "It's just you both do these cute things when the other is in the room and I was just curious. But I guess you're not? Oh! Is it one of those things where you are both totally in love but too afraid to say anything? Or is it one of those forbidden love things because you're both women? That's kind of sad." Amanda finally took a breath but continued on before Jane could even process everything she said. "I don't know what your problem is. Dr. Isles is a beautiful woman and she so completely adores you. People like that don't come around often. Don't let your chance pass you by!" She ended with a fist pump and a face cracking grin. Jane stared with wide eyes blinking dumbfounded at the detective. She was sure if it were possible her jaw would've been on the floor. What the hell just happened? At Jane's silence Amanda's smile dropped. For the first time since knowing her Amanda actually looked like a serious detective. "I'm sorry. When I tend to ramble. Word vomit is what Scott likes to call it. Luckily it only happens when the badge is off." Amanda gave a nervous laugh. "I realize now, by uh, by your face that I overstepped. There was a line and I crossed it. So now," She took a step backwards. "I'm uncrossing it."
Before Jane could form coherent sentences the door opened once again this time bringing Kate into the room. She looked at Jane's still shell-shocked expression and her partner's serious one. Kate raised her eyebrows walking up to the sink between the two women. "What'd you two do kiss or something?"
"Dr. Isles is straight." Jane hissed completely ignoring what Kate had said.
Kate started laughing before turning to her partner. "You thought so too?" Amanda nodded her head breaking into another smile.
"What do you mean 'you too'?" Jane asked. "Why does everyone think we're together?"
"Oh I cornered the doc yesterday." Kate replied easily. It was incredibly easy to get a rise out of Jane.
"What did you say?" Jane asked incredulously.
Kate laughed. "I was getting a weird vibe from her. So I laid it out nice and straight for her. But apparently I read it wrong. She didn't say anything to you?"
"Oh my God." Jane groaned putting a hand to her forehead. "Why can't people stop meddling in my life?"
"People keep meddling in your life because you're an idiot." Kate answered. "You don't see it because you're in the middle of it. If you just take a step back and look at the whole situation it would really open your eyes a bit. She's completely enamored by you. I've only just met her and I can tell. And you," She pointed at Jane. "You're just stubborn but you are totally taken by her as well."
"People meddle because it's incredibly frustrating seeing two people that belong together not actually together." Amanda interjected.
"We're both straight!" Jane exclaimed.
"Female sexuality is very fluid." Amanda replied
Kate snorted. "Oh, I distinctly remember you being not straight back in the day."
"Oh, that's not fair! That was a ph –"
Kate raised her hand in front of Jane's face giving her a pointed look. "A sixth month relationship is not a phase."
"Fine." Jane snapped. "What makes you think Maura's not straight?" She challenged.
"You're getting too caught up in labels." Kate answered back.
"Maybe she is, but she's definitely gay for you." Kate doubled over from laughter at her partner's quip.
"Great. I'm glad you find this so hilarious." Jane said dryly.
The door opened revealing Lt. Emerson. "Rice, I need you out here for a sec if you're all good in here." She turned to the other two women. "We're almost ready to go." She said with a nod before walking out of the bathroom.
"I bet she can't work her iPhone again." Amanda looked at the two of them. "Well it's been fun, ladies." She walked to the door. "See you in a few." She left the room with a slight bow leaving Jane and Kate alone.
"Your partner is psychotic." Jane said seriously.
Kate shrugged. "People cope in different ways." It was the second time in less than a week that Jane had heard that line before. Maybe there was some stock to it after all. "Look," She put her hand on Jane's shoulder, the laughter from moments before completely gone from her face. "No matter how strange you think Rice is, she has a point. I've known you a long time, Jane. Maybe you don't know how you feel yet, and that's fine too. But if there's even a chance there could be something there that you refuse to see, it could really be something magical. Besides," She had a hint of a smirk across her face. "I thought the great Jane Rizzoli wasn't afraid of anything? Or has homicide made you lose that balls-to-the walls lunatic that's always been part of you? What are you afraid of? You've shot yourself and faced a sociopathic serial killer and right now you're afraid of a little blond woman who wears skirts and four inch heels?" She raised her eyebrows at Jane. "That's weak, my friend." She patted Jane's shoulder before she too left the bathroom.
Jane threw her head back with a groan. First there was Frost with his stupid assumptions and then these two women, one of which she had never known before, and their stupid assumptions about her and Maura. It was confusing the hell out of her. She had just gotten back in Maura's good graces and these people were stomping all over that. She sighed. She would figure this all out later. Right now she had to work and try to catch a killer. She moved to her duffle bag pulling out the last piece of her ensemble. She shrugged the black leather jacket on over her tank and checked herself over in the mirror. She definitely did not feel like herself.
A/N: I think I misrepresented myself when I introduced LT. Emerson last chapter. The only reason she even exists is because I wanted the undercover thing to happen so the conversation in this chapter could happen. Because I needed something to push Jane into that line of thinking because she's really stubborn.
Thanks for reviews/alerts for the last chapter! Thanks for reading!