A/N: Honestly thank you so much, again, for the reviews, favourites and follows. It always brightens my day when I get to check my emails and I see all the notifications. I'm so glad to be joining the R&I family, you are all so lovely! Now… I warned last chapter that people wouldn't be liking the guest appearance in this chapter so don't hate me for it :( The rest of the chapter is lovely Rizzles interaction though! Hope you like it! (Darn Maura's big brain is hard to write for!)
Disclaimer: Don't own Rizzoli & Isles.
For the second morning Jane wakes to the smell of breakfast. She reaches a hand across the comfortable bed, reaching for Maura. Her eyes fly open when her hand only finds cold sheets; Maura has been awake for a while. Jane stretched and rolled onto her back, bringing her arms behind her head and staring at the ceiling. Maura had cried herself to sleep, Jane following soon after, not even wanting to withdraw her contact for the time it would have taken to change into one of the many sets of pyjamas Maura keeps for her. Maura hadn't said anything; she hadn't even looked at Jane.
Jane rolled off the bed ungracefully and made her way downstairs, ready to attempt another apology. Three days in a row she'd owed Maura an apology. She really needed to pull her head out of her ass and her foot out of her mouth. Jane smirked for a second, trying to imagine what that would even look like, before her face dropped at the sight in the kitchen.
Maura was wearing a fluffy white robe that Jane was sure cost more than the detective made in a week. Her hair was softly flowing down her back in seamless curls. What broke Jane's heart was the slight sniffle and the uncharacteristically slumped shoulders that made her seem so small and vulnerable. Jane would take a bullet for this woman, would do anything to protect... but what does she do when she is the cause of the pain? Well for one, she knew she needed to start doing whatever it was that was best for Maura, no matter how it hurt her own heart.
"Morning pretty girl," Jane said softly, almost a whisper, as she slid into a chair at the island, wanting to give Maura her space.
Maura turned her head towards Jane slightly, acknowledging she had heard but making no effort to actually face her. "Coffee?"
"Nuh I want some panda poo tea," Jane smirked.
"Really?" Maura chirped, spinning to face Jane with a wide smile on her face, misery temporarily forgotten. Upon seeing Jane's teasing smile she understood that she had just missed the joke. "Oh, ha ha," She smiled, quickly grabbing a cup, filling it, and placing it in front of the brunette.
Jane grabbed her wrist lightly before Maura could move back to the eggs and what appeared to be turkey bacon that she was making. Maura stopped but didn't meet Jane's eyes.
"Maur... can you please look at me?"
Maura slowly raised sad hazel eyes to Jane's, bright with unshed tears.
Jane lifted her spare hand to Maura's jaw, stroking it softly but keeping her hold on Maura's wrist with her other hand. "I had no right to say those things to you. I have no excuse that will take away those things I said. I didn't mean any of it, I am sorry."
"No... it was my fault."
"Maura, stop it. Stop thinking that every time that I'm a dick that it's your fault."
"It's basic psychology. Displacement. A theory originated with Sigmund Freud that there is an unconscious defense mechanism wherein the mind will substitute a new object for aggression if the original target is unacceptable. It is the minds way of transferring emotions in order to alleviate anxiety in the face of aggression."
Maura felt herself smile as she took in Jane's confused frown.
"I theorise that Detective Crowe was the original target for your aggression but as he was unattainable - in Lieutenant Sean Cavanaugh's office - your mind seeked to dispel the aggression and I misguidedly pushed you into a confrontation by not giving you time or opportunity to... calm down."
"Isn't Fraud that guy who thought everyone wanted to bang their mothers?"
Maura rolled her eyes, obviously spending far too much time with Jane. "Sigmund Freud and in a word - yes. Although that it just a common misconception because - "
"I always thought psychology was a 'soft science' unlike the better hard sciences like pathology," Jane teased.
"I can admit that there are benefits to psychology."
"How big of you," Jane smiled, her eyes shining as she took in Maura's matching smile.
Maura shook her head and moved back to the eggs. "Are we still on for Saturday?"
Jane smirked at Maura's back, grateful for the opening to get another rise out of her friend. "Saturday?"
"Jane!" Maura whipped around so quickly that a small piece of the scrambled eggs flew across the kitchen from the spatula in Maura's tight hand.
Jane tried to keep her face impassive but quickly cracked at seeing how cute Maura's shocked face was. "I know! Yoga, brunch, shopping and then wasting 3 hours of my life."
Maura turned back to the eggs, happy that Jane did actually remember the plans that had been made months ago when they realised that this would be their only Saturday off together for the foreseeable future (assuming there were no murders on Friday). "3 hours and 39 minutes."
"3 hours and 39 minutes," Jane groaned. "Why do you like to torture me?"
"Jane. It is a very educational movie. We are actually very lucky that the art theatre will be playing it this Saturday. I'm sure you'll find it very enjoyable."
"I'm sure I'll find it just as enjoyable as the painful yoga, rich people brunch and carrying your various shoes around shopping."
Maura glanced over at Jane as she plated the breakfast.
"There do appear to be more enjoyable activities for myself to enjoy than you... we can cancel the yoga and go running. Maybe go to the chocolate cafe instead of brunch?"
Jane shook her head as she took a large bite of the eggs. "Nuh," She said around the food in her mouth, "S'cool. 'Bout time we did some stuff you liked. You always put up with me watching sports her with the guys."
"Of course Jane," Maura smiled, once again excited for the weekend.
Silence fell over them, peaceful and companionable, the type of silence that seemed special to the connection she had with Maura.
The week flew by quickly with Jane taking special care to treat Maura as a best friend should be treated and soon it was Saturday, a day that she actually found herself looking forward to, not because of what they were doing but because it was an entire day with just her and her favourite person. She was woken up far too early for a Saturday with a text from Maura.
Maura: Make sure to eat a light but nutritious breakfast this morning.
Jane smirked, wanting to take another opportunity to tease her friend. Sometimes she felt like that little boy that just kept pulling Maura's piggytails because she couldn't find the right way to say how she felt. Of course that thought started leading to other thoughts about sexual orientation so she quickly jammed it away.
Jane: Why? What's today?
Jane stayed in bed, staring at a phone as she imagined Maura rolling her eyes, just like the detective had taught her. She pouted as she realised Maura wouldn't be replying and pulled herself out of bed and to the kitchen.
She'd only taken one bite of a stale cold piece of pizza when there was a knock on the door. Her eyes widened and she looked for where to hide the old pizza. It was probably Maura and she didn't want to start the day off with a lecture about why week old pizza wasn't a viable breakfast option. She didn't seem to remember that she was actually supposed to be the one picking Maura up so there would be no reason for Maura to be there.
She stuck the pizza under a couch cushion, wincing at how gross that was and also hoping that Maura didn't want to sit on the couch. There was another, less patient knock, so she quickly made her way to the door. She flung it open and her mouth dropped in surprise. It wasn't Maura...
"Dean?"
A/N: you were warned… sorry. Next chapter will be a bit rocky… we are heading into that whole dead Maura, fired Jane thing so it's going to start ramping up.
End chapter 4.