The next day Jane was nursing the hangover from hell. Jane had lost count of the volume of alcohol she had consumed after the third pitcher of beer. Frost was a lightweight when it came to drinking. She vaguely remembered shots of tequila. No wonder her head felt like someone had taken a sledgehammer to it. Perfect.
She was sprawled across her desk, matching the posture of Frost as he did the same. Their attempts at slumber were broken by Korsak's deep chuckle; he recognised the signs of their hangover and given yesterdays verdict was not surprised. The members of the BPD understood, especially when a kiddie was involved.
"Here. I thought you could do with this."
He deposited fresh coffee and a breakfast roll in front of them both. Jane looked up at him with familial love.
"Oh my God Korsak. Thank you."
She tore the paper and started gulping down her food. It was exactly what she needed, she just couldn't have got it herself; she could barely tolerate her Ma at the best of times but with a hangover the thought was unbearable.
She loved her Ma, she really did. It was the constant nagging. When are you going to get married Janie? You're not getting any younger you know? Why you do such a dangerous job is beyond me. You've nearly died more times than I can remember and your poor scars. How are you going to find a husband with the hours that you do? I'm never going o have grandkids. It's not much to ask is it?
It was always the same, maybe in a different order and sometimes comparing her to one of her friends' daughters who was married or had kids blah blah blah. Sometimes Jane wanted to tell her she was gay. Or bi. But then it would only be the gender that would change in the incessant nagging. Jane was happy as she was. No one really understood her hours or what the job meant to her. She was off her game, she had a funk she needed to clear and she needed to clear her head. The tablets she had taken and the food were not working. She needed fresh air.
"Korsak, thank you. Frost, you could learn a lot from him. That is what partners do."
"Hey, I got drunk with you. Partners do that too."
"True." reflected Jane thoughtfully. "I need to get some air. I'm going to go up to the roof."
"Want me to come with you?"
"No, I'm good."
Jane headed to the bathroom first to throw cold water on her face, as she walked to the lift she pressed the button. She wasn't really paying any attention and it was only when she pressed the up button with her back to the wall that she realised she wasn't alone.
"Hello Detective. It seems we meet again."
She remembered that voice. Perfect. It just had to be the honey blonde. Who in the hell else would it be?
"Ms Isles. I don't think I have any murderers that need your help to get them freed today, so why else are you here?"
Jane's eyes blazed with anger, challenging the blonde to reply. Just at that moment the elevator lurched and came to a stop, causing Maura to over balance on her heels. Jane's hands grabbed at Maura's waist, stopping her from falling. She couldn't help the surge of electricity that was coursing through her veins. She could almost hear the blood being pumped around her body at the touch of this woman.
Maura's fingertips were on Jane's biceps; she couldn't help but flex them as she could swear she felt Maura trace her fingertips over the taut muscle. Jane could feel Maura's tiny waist; she was the perfect balance of womanhood; soft, curvaceous and yet she too could feel the layer of muscles. Maura obviously worked hard to stay in shape. Jane wondered if the rest of her felt so damn intoxicating.
As the thought permeated her consciousness, Jane pulled away as if she had been burned.
"Perfect. Just perfect."
Jane hit the alarm button repeatedly, trying to regain control of her feelings. She couldn't be attracted to this woman. Particularly a straight woman who freed the people Jane tried to take down. It just couldn't work. Ever. Could it?
Maura's voice brought Jane out of her momentary daydream.
"You know I don't think pressing that button numerous times will affect the time taken to answer you. Once the alarm is triggered it is triggered, regardless of how many times you press it."
God this woman was infuriating. Beautiful but infuriating. Jane pressed the button another seven times before giving up. She moved to the side of the lift and sat down.
Perfect. Of all the people to be stuck in a lift with, it had to be her. From her seated position on the floor Jane allowed her eyes to travel up the length of the woman in front of her. She was wearing expensive Jimmy Choos which were so high Jane didn't know how she could walk in them. Her calves were well sculpted from exercise and her thighs were toned. Yeah, she definitely worked out. Jane would guess yoga and running. Her shapely legs looked to be toned from running and the firm yet supple core could only be from yoga. Jane imagined that Maura was very flexible and that thought caused a fluttering throughout her body.
Maura wore a well tailored dress which accentuated her thin waist, flat stomach and showed enough cleavage to be decent but leave a person wanting to bury their face in her bosom. Her hair was perfect and her makeup wasn't overly done. She was beautiful. Stunning. Breath-taking. She was way out of Jane's league.
"Do you see something you like Detective?"
"What! No! I was just trying to work you out Ms Isles. You are obviously a woman of money so why do you do what you do?"
"Doctor."
"Excuse me?"
"It is Doctor Isles. I have a PhD in Criminal Psychology."
Jane nodded and smiled ruefully. "Of course you do."
"Hello." A man's voice broke the tension.
"Finally! Hi, yes we're stuck in the lift. Please get us out as soon as you can."
"We have an engineer on their way but it may be a couple of hours depending on what parts he needs."
Maura saw the colour drain from Jane's face. "Ok. Thank you."
She watched as Jane started hyperventilating. She fished in her bag and pulled out a paper bag.
"Here, breathe into this."
Eventually Jane was able to control her breathing.
"Thank you."
Neither woman had noticed that Maura was stroking Jane's back.
"Is it being stuck in a confined space?"
Jane nodded, careful not to start again. "Not all the time. I think it's just being trapped in general."
Jane rubbed the scars on her hands without thinking. Hoyt. Another way he had fucked her life up. Jane Rizzoli was not a victim. The initial panic had passed; she was back to her controlled self. Steely determination replaced the momentary panic.
"Uh, you can stop touching me now."
"Of course, sorry. Some find the contact reassuring."
Jane had found the contact more than reassuring. She spoke gruffly, as that would counteract the attraction she was feeling for the Doctor. In spite what she wanted to feel, this woman was highly intelligent, accomplished and somewhat of an enigma. She was someone Jane wanted to know better. That thought scared the crap out of Jane.
"Look why don't you sit down, it is likely that we will be here a while."
"I would love to sit down but this floor doesn't look particularly clean and this dress is a vintage Chanel."
Jane snorted and looked at the woman who cocked her head to one side with a puzzled look on her face. She was being serious.
"Really?"
"Yes really. Why would I lie? Besides, I cannot lie, it makes me go vasovagal."
Jane looked at her blankly and blinked while opening her hands to the shorter woman, conveying she didn't know what in the hell she had just said.
"It makes me faint."
"Huh. So I guess you can't defend people who admit they have committed the crimes they have done?"
"Exactly Detective, the same applies where the evidence is compelling and in my opinion they have also committed the acts they are accused of."
Huh. Maybe Jane had gotten it wrong. She was usually perceptive when meeting people and usually called them right each time. A part of her hoped that she was wrong about this intriguing woman.
Jane took off her jacket and set it down on the floor.
"Here. Those heels don't exactly look comfortable. Why don't you sit on this? I am always getting dusty and dirty so it won't matter and you can keep your dress clean."
Maura looked at the brunette, an unreadable look on her face. Jane held her hand up to the woman and helped her sit. She still managed to look refined and demure as she did it.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. Listen, about yesterday, can we just forget about it? It's just that I seem to be seeing you more and more and I want to clear the air a bit."
"There is no need Detective. I was doing my job, just as you were doing yours. Although on this occasion I seemed to be doing mine better than you were."
What in the hell? How the hell dare she say something like that? The gall of the woman. She had been trying to clear the air; no chance now!
Jane stood the atmosphere suddenly tense, the friendship that they had been forging suddenly being railroaded by Jane's temper.
"Why are you here? You're everywhere at the minute!"
Maura stood, meeting Jane's eyes, seeing the anger blazing in her deep brown pupils. They were eyes a person could drown in, but not when burning with rage.
"I am doing my job Detective, much like you."
"No, Doctor Isles, nothing like me. I am trying to lock the bastards up; you are trying and succeeding in letting them walk free.
How do you do it? How do you defend someone who is guilty? How in the hell do you sleep at night?"
Maura too was angry. How dare Jane question her integrity in this way, particularly when she had already explained herself? And even if she hadn't, how dare she? It was her life and her career. She had only taken the case as a favour to a friend.
"Innocent until proven guilty, Detective. The burden of proof rests on the Prosecution. I would suggest you question their integrity and your own rather than mine, particularly when you stink like a brewery."
It was a low blow but Maura was hurt at the sudden change in the Detective. They had been getting along and Maura had hoped for a friendship, perhaps more if the rumours surrounding the Detective were true.
At that precise moment the elevator lurched towards its destination having been fixed during the women's row. The women were so engrossed in their heated exchange that they had missed the noises of the lines being fixed.
The doors opened and Maura strode out, leaving Jane reeling from their exchange. The cheek of that woman to question how she did her job. Jane was good at what she did. The best in fact. The irony of that comment eventually hit her. They were both good at their jobs. To be fair her pores were oozing out the vapours of the beer truck she had drunk last night but how dare she!
Jane pressed the down button and skulked back to her desk, her quest for air forgotten, the air now seemed tainted. As she walked she found her pride was wounded and she had a sudden desire to prove herself which carried her towards the mountain of paperwork on her desk. She desperately needed something to distract her from the beauty that was Doctor Maura Isles and the fact that once again the blonde had left her flustered.