"Jane, how are we going to work things out if you walk away when you don't like where the conversation is headed?" Casey asked her as he went into the living room and sat down on the couch.
"You want to talk? let's talk." Jane said as she sat down in the arm chair across from him. "I don't like how you just assume I'm going to quit my job, a job I absolutely love and become some obedient Army housewife."
"I didn't come here to argue with you." He told her in complete disregard of what she just said.
"Then why did you come here?" Jane asked him.
"I didn't want to leave things with us in the middle of a fight." Casey told her.
"Leave things?" Jane asked confused, "Wait, you're leaving again? You just got back!"
"I came back because I have a few meetings in D.C in the morning then I have to go back to Afghanistan." He told her.
"So you just came back to go to some meetings?" Jane asked getting angry.
"Well not entirely. I needed to see you." He said with a smile as he went over to her and knelt down by her. He took her hand in his, "Jane, don't worry about the engagement. We love each other and we'll find a way to work everything out."
If only she was as confidant about it as he was.
In the morning Jane woke up and found a note on her nightstand from Casey telling her he loved her and that they'd talk when he could.
Jane went to work and avoided the café and her mother for as long as she could before finally going in to grab a sandwich late in the afternoon.
"Jane, I'm glad you're here." Angela said to her as she rounded the counter.
"Ma, I don't have time to talk. I just came to grab something to eat quickly at my desk." Jane told her as she grabbed a sandwich.
"Have you decided on when you'd like to get married?" Angela asked her, "June is a very popular month."
"We haven't talked about anything." Jane told her as she paid for her food.
"I'll just have to ask Casey then." Angela said to her, "Is he at your apartment? "
"No Ma, he's gone." Jane told her.
"What did you do?" Angela accused.
"I didn't do anything. He only came back because he had some meetings to go in DC then after that he's going straight back to Afghanistan." Jane told her and saw the disappointment on Angela's face. "Ma, just relax. When we have the time Casey and I will talk about it."
Angela gave her a look as if she didn't believe her.
"I promise." Jane said to her.
"Good girl." Angela said with a smile.
"Now can I please go eat my sandwich?" Jane asked.
"Yes." Angela said to her and Jane took off for the elevators.
Jane headed down to the morgue with her sandwich. She walked into Maura's office just as Maura was finishing up a call.
"Hey." Jane said to her as she sat down.
"Hi." Maura said as she hung up the phone, a frown on her face.
"What's wrong?" Jane asked her.
"I won ballroom dance lessons at a charity auction I went to a few months ago and the first lesson is tonight." Maura told her.
"Yeah I'd frown too then." Jane said to her and when Maura didn't smile she asked, "So what's the problem?"
"My partner just cancelled on me." Maura told her, "I don't have time to find a replacement."
"I'll do it." Jane offered.
"Do you even know how to ballroom dance?" Maura asked her.
"No, but I imagine that's what the lessons are for right?" Jane asked her.
"Jane I can't ask you to do this with me." Maura said to her.
"Well It's a good thing you aren't asking me then." Jane told her, "Come on let me go fancy dancing with you."
Maura smiled at her, "Okay if you're really up for it."
"Anything for you." Jane said as she got up from her seat, "Wait…." She said pausing as she got to the door, "I don't have to wear some frou-frou dress do I?"
Maura laughed, "No Jane. These are just lessons not a ballroom dance competition."
"Oh thank God." Jane told her with a relieved sigh, "Because honestly I would have backed out."
Maura smiled, "Good to know where you draw the line."
Jane left Maura in her office, 'Shit, what the hell did I get myself into?' she thought as she rode the elevator back upstairs.
Maura wasn't sure it was a good idea to have Jane as her partner but the more she thought about it the less she cared because it meant that she and Jane would be together doing something that required them to be in close proximity to each other.
Later on Maura shut down her computer and locked the doors to her office and the morgue before going upstairs to meet Jane.
"Everyone left?" Maura said as she walked into the squad to see Jane was the only one there.
"Yeah just a little bit ago." Jane said to her as she turned in her seat and looked up at her.
Maura saw how tired Jane looked, "Jane, maybe we should just cancel."
"No absolutely not." Jane said as she stood up and put on her jacket, "I'm sure once I get there and we start to salsa or guacamole or whatever I'll perk right up."
Maura drove them to the Carnegie Dance Hall and parked, "Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked as they got out of the car.
"Just don't step on my toes." Jane said to her as they went inside.
Maura went over to the dance instructor and talked to her for a few minutes as Jane stood by one of the full length mirrors. She ran a hand through her ragged looking hair and tried to wipe the sleep out of her eyes.
"The instructor has no problem with you being my partner." Maura told Jane.
"How very open-minded of her." Jane said glaring at the teacher.
The teacher gathered everyone and explained a simple waltz to them before instructing them to get into the proper form.
"Okay come here." Maura said and Jane stood in front of her. Maura put one of Jane's hands on her waist and then held the other, "You'll be the man."
"Why do I have to be the man?" Jane asked.
"Because you're taller?" Maura said to her with a shrug and Jane gave her a look.
"Okay I'll lead first then when you get the hang of it then you can lead." Maura said to her as she switched their hands, "Happy now?"
The music started and within one beat they bumped right into each other. Jane started to laugh, "Sorry."
Maura regained their form then tried again. They almost had it when Maura stepped on Jane's foot and Jane had to grab ahold of Maura around the waist so she didn't fall over. "Oh my god Jane, I'm sorry." Maura said to her.
"It's okay." Jane said to her, "But really Maura, stop goofing off or the teacher will make us stay after class." She smiled at Maura and they continued to move around the dance floor.
"Okay I think I got it now." Jane said to her, "Let me be the man now."
Jane switched their hand positions and once they got the form right Jane started to lead Maura.
"Dancing is a very personal and sensual thing between two people." The instructor said as she watched the group dance, "It can be a very powerful thing as well. There must be passion, lust and want!"
She walked around looking at the couples, "You must feel not only the music but each other. The soft way you move with each other, the gentle sway. The rhythm must move through both of you as if it's the beats of your hearts coming together as one. "
Jane looked into Maura's eyes as her hand slid from Maura's waist up to the small of her back and gently pulled her closer.
Maura felt Jane's body against hers, felt her moving to the music. She stared back into Jane's eyes wishing she could figure out what Jane was thinking.
Jane's heart was beating fast as she held Maura close to her, 'God, you're so beautiful.' She thought as they continued to dance. That urge came back to her, the urge to just lean in and kiss her.
"Excuse me, ladies." The instructor called out to them, "The dance is over. The music has stopped."
They both looked over at the instructor then back at each other. Jane didn't want but she stepped back and let Maura go. Jane cleared her throat and stood quietly by her, her heart still pounding in her chest.
"Now we Tango!" The instructor said with a hand flourish.
"Oh shit." Jane mumbled under her breath and Maura had to stifle a giggle.
Two hours and 4 of Jane's smashed toes later the class was over.
"Can I just crash at your house?" Jane said as she practically limped to Maura's car. "I don't know if my broken toes can push the gas pedal in my car."
Maura smiled, "I wasn't that bad."
"Tell that to my toes." Jane said to her as they got into the car, "And my heel. Like, how in the hell did you step on my heel?"
Maura laughed as she started the car and drove them back to her house.
At the house Maura poured herself a glass of wine and gave Jane a beer. They sat down on the couch and Jane took her shoes and socks off. "I see a bruise." She said looking at her big toe.
Maura set her wine glass down on the coffee table and sat back, "Okay give them here." She said and patted her lap.
Jane gave her a look, "What?"
"Put your feet up here." Maura said as she leaned forward and grabbed at Jane's pant leg and hauled up one of her legs.
"What are you going to do?" Jane asked as she put her other foot in Maura's lap.
"I'm going to rub your feet." Maura told her.
"No, gross. My feet are stinky and sweaty." Jane said trying to move her feet off Maura's lap but Maura stopped her.
"Stop it." Maura said to her, "I'm around dead people all day. If that smell doesn't bother me then I doubt your sweaty feet will."
Maura barely touched Jane's feet and she jerked them back and started to giggle.
"Are you really that ticklish on your feet?" Maura asked grabbing Jane's feet and putting them back on her lap.
"Maybe just a little." Jane said with a smile.
She carefully took one of Jane's feet into her hands and slowly started to massage it. Jane didn't realize that her body had tensed up till Maura started to rub her feet. She relaxed and sat back as Maura used her thumbs to knead the arch in her foot.
Jane closed her eyes, "That feels really good."
Maura smiled as her hands moved to the top of Jane's foot then to her ankle. Maura switch to the other foot giving it the same treatment. She watched as Jane's head fell back a little and a smile appeared on her face, "You definitely massage better than you dance." She said to her.
"Thank you for going with me tonight." Maura said to her as she stopped rubbing Jane's feet.
Jane looked at her, "You're welcome. I have to admit I had fun."
"Maybe tonight's lesson will help you for your wedding." Maura said quietly.
Jane swung her feet off Maura's lap and sat up, "I doubt one lesson will do any good."
She stood up and stretched then sat back down next to Maura, "So what's on TV?" She said changing the subject as she grabbed the TV remote.
They watched TV in silence before Maura urged Jane to get up before she fell completely asleep on the couch. They went upstairs, changed and got into bed. Maura turned the light off then rolled over to face Jane who was lying on her back with her eyes closed.
A few minutes passed, "Jane?" She asked quietly as she looked at her. She didn't get a response and figured Jane was asleep. She rolled over, her back to Jane, "Don't marry Casey." She said quietly into the dark.
Jane opened her eyes.