When Angela Rizzoli got home that evening, she let herself into Maura's through the kitchen door. Everything was quiet, but she'd seen Maura's car in the driveway and the kitchen light was on, letting her know the ME was home. "Maura?" she called out. When she didn't receive a response, the older woman headed for the living room. "Maura?" she tried again.
Just then, she noticed the doctor curled up, asleep on the sofa. She was still in her work clothes, so Angela assumed she'd passed out before making it to the bedroom. That was odd. The older woman had never known the doctor to be so lax as to lounge around in her nicer outfits. Maura was practically OCD about them getting wrinkled.
Angela debated with herself about waking the younger woman up. She could make Maura some dinner, try and get her to open about whatever it was that was bothering her. Mrs. Rizzoli had a fairly good idea of what had Maura so upset Jane would willingly come to her for help, but still, maybe the blonde would feel better after talking it out. Angela tapped her hand anxiously against her thigh.
If it was one of her own children, she wouldn't hesitate to pry. That was what mother's did. But this was Maura, and as much as she loved and treated her like a second daughter, she knew overt signs of affection could make the doctor feel uncomfortable. So, instead of waking her, Angela grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and placed it over the sleeping form.
"She missed you," Angela murmured as she brushed Maura's hair gently off of her face. "She needs you," Mrs. Rizzoli gently tucked the younger woman in and left, turning off the lights behind her.
In her sleep, Maura shifted slightly, cuddling down into the couch cushions and the blanket. Once she was comfortable, she stilled and silence descended over the house, the only movement came from Bass, making his slow, pondering way into the kitchen.
The next morning, Maura woke confused. She wasn't in her bed. Where was she? And then she felt the soft wool of the blanket against her face, and sat up. She must have fallen asleep on the couch last night. She glanced down; and in her clothes, too. Maura sighed. They would be horribly wrinkled.
The doctor shook her head, groaning slightly as the ever present headache made its way back into her temples. Perhaps she would call and schedule a massage for later in the week. That would help to relax her muscles and over-stressed mind. She grabbed her phone off the side table and headed for the kitchen to start a pot of coffee, and get some strawberries out for Bass.
However, the clock on the wall already said seven thirty. That couldn't be right, could it? She checked her phone. Maura was going to be late! Forgetting the coffee for the moment, she whirled and headed for the bedroom. Dr. Isles hated being late.
She showered and changed quickly, put out some berries for the tortoise and headed for the precinct. She was out the front door so quickly, she didn't realize she'd left her phone sitting on the kitchen counter until she was already in the car. Huffing in annoyance, she jumped out and ran back to the house. By the time she managed to make through the Boston morning traffic and to the precinct, the normally composed medical examiner was flushed and flustered.
She pulled her car into her spot, and then sat for a moment, attempting to take deep, calming breaths. Everything was fine, she reminded herself. She was allowed to be fifteen minutes late, that wasn't a crime. She'd overslept. It was perfectly acceptable. People did it all the time. She was only human after all. Yes, she was human, not a cyborg.
Maura smiled slightly at the memory of Jane questioning her humanity. It had been purely in jest, and Maura had gone along willingly with the joke. It was then that Maura had realized how comfortable she felt with Jane, how easy it was to just be with the other woman. Maura didn't have to constantly check what she was going to say, or be worried that her random facts and scientific emotions would scare the other woman away. That had been one of the first times Maura knew what it felt like to have a best friend.
The happy memory helped to soothe her, and Maura stepped confidently out of the car. She would have to stop in the café and pick up some coffee as she hadn't had time to make her own. As nice as it had been to remember a pleasant time with Jane, Maura fervently hoped the detective wouldn't be in the café talking to Angela when she arrived. Jane would be sure to realize the doctor was late and make some rude comment about it, if she even bothered to acknowledge the doctor at all.
Maura sighed as she entered the precinct. It was her own fault after all. She knew Jane was waiting for some sign that Maura had forgiven her, the doctor just didn't know how to go about giving Jane such a sign.
Maura's gaze landed on Jane immediately as stepped inside the café. She frowned and attempted to smooth the wrinkles out of her dress. Jane's eyebrow rose as she caught the good doctor's eye.
"What's up, Doc?" Jane quipped, approaching the other woman. In her head, Jane was screaming at herself to look at the signs. Five hours ago she'd been on the verge of hyperventilating because she was so worried about the woman's well-being, and now she couldn't even be civil. Dammit. Be nice, she told herself. Figure out what's going on. Angela wasn't in yet, so Jane hadn't been able to ask her mother how the little reconnaissance mission had gone last night. "Geez, Dr. Isles. Coming in late this morning, I see," Jane glanced pointedly at the clock on the wall and then back at Maura.
Maura took an unconscious step backward as the detective approached, trying to put as much space between herself and the other woman. Jane's eyes flashed as she noticed the move. Was that concern Maura glimpsed for a moment? No, it couldn't have been because just as quickly Jane was back to displaying annoyed contempt.
"Have you got any of those labs back yet?"
Maura shook her head. "I - I haven't had a chance to check yet."
Jane nodded as though she'd assumed as much. "Well, we can't all sleep in on a Thursday."
Maura flushed and looked away. "I'll have them for you soon, Detective."
Jane took the opportunity to study Maura's features. She looked as though she'd gotten about as much sleep as Jane had. "Alright then," Jane responded.
Maura looked up quickly, as though surprised Jane hadn't said anything snarky or rude. She noticed that Jane's cheek bones protruded more than they had several weeks ago and there were dark circles forming beneath her eyes. Maybe the detective hadn't been sleeping well either. "I'm sorry," Maura couldn't help murmuring.
Jane's head shot up. "For, for the labs. I'll wo-work on them." Maura cursed herself for her inability to articulate how sorry she actually was. Because as soon as she'd clarified what it was that she was sorry for, Jane had assumed a dejected puppy dog look, one which Maura had always found weighed heavily on her own emotional positivity.
"It's fine," Jane muttered, brushing past the doctor, and heading for the bull pen.
Maura watched her go. She hated to use such idiomatic expressions, but she believed that Jane would have told her she had just successfully put her "foot into her mouth." She wished she could take it back, and explain what she was actually sorry for, but the brown haired detective had already disappeared into the elevator.
Angela Rizzoli walked in just at that moment. "Was that Janie I just saw?" she asked the medical examiner.
"I - well, yes. She was inquiring after some labs."
"Oh!" Mrs. Rizzoli looked pleasantly surprised and she smiled at Maura.
Hating to disappoint the older woman, the ME mustered up a smile in return. "I should get downstairs."
"Of course, dear," Angela patted Maura's hand comfortingly, happy when the doctor didn't turn around. "Would you like a coffee to go?"
"Yes, please," Maura responded.
Once she'd gotten her cup of coffee from Mrs. Rizzoli, managing to avoid the concerned looks the older woman was shooting her way, Maura practically bolted for the morgue. This day was not starting off well.
When Jane clomped angrily into the bullpen, Frost and Korsak were both standing up and pulling on their coats. "Where are you guys going?" she asked.
Frost glanced her way. "C'mon, you're coming, too," he said. "We've got a body."
"Good," Jane muttered under her breath, snatching up her car keys.
Korsak looked at her with a bemused expression. "I mean," Jane tried to backtrack, "it's not good that there's a body of course."
Korsak merely nodded and glanced at Frost knowingly. "What?" Jane asked. "You two got something to say?"
Frost shook his head. "I'm staying out of this one," he muttered.
"Vince?" she questioned, turning on the older man.
"It's nothing, Jane. Let's just get out to the scene," he wouldn't meet her gaze.
"Seriously, cause that didn't look like a normal little glance the two of you just shared. If you have something to say, you can say it to my face, ya know."
Korsak groaned. "It's just that you only act happy about a murder when you've come from some sort of argument with the doc."
"With Maura? What are you talking about?" Jane questioned, crossing her arms defensively. "I'm not happy about the murder, I'm just happy to have something to do. My attitude has nothing to do with Dr. Isles."
"Of course not, Janie," Korsak agreed quickly. Too quickly.
She wasn't really up for arguing about this right now. She knew both men thought the cat fight between the two women had gone on long enough, but neither wanted to be the one to just come out and confront her about it. "Fine," she sighed. "Let's go."
"Can I drive?" Frost asked hopefully as they headed out, attempting to relieve some of the tension.
"Hah!" Jane let out a bark of laughter. "In your dreams, buddy."