Jane leaned back in her chair and let her eyes settle somewhere in space, between her computer screen and the window. It had been a week now since they'd had the tea.
Once again, her thoughts drifted towards the beautiful Medical Examiner, her friend and colleague, Maura Isles.
She had tried fighting it at first, trying to focus her sexual fantasies on Casey or Daniel Craig while masturbating, but her stubborn mind would constantly tug her away and go to Maura.
Maura's skin was soft, Maura smelled good. Maura knew what Jane liked, somehow. Maura made her come so hard. Maura held her and kissed her gently afterwards, and kept her safe.
Maura was kind and funny and quirky, and never took Jane for granted. She understood the dark haired Italian woman better than anyone.
More than anything, the detective would think fondly about the "morning after", as she was now calling it, and wished she could have that every morning. She wanted to wake up with Maura and have coffee with her, to feel her gentle, loving hand on her back as a good morning greeting. Jane would turn around and take her in her arms for a kiss instead...
Jane closed her eyes in a painful wince. She could never have that. Why wouldn't the obsessive thoughts go away? The sweat tea wasn't just an aphrodisiac, it seemed more like a...
Suddenly, as if she'd had an epiphany, Jane leaned forward again and typed something in the Google search window. She looked down the list of results, clicked on a few links, dismissed them, went to the next one, shaking her head.
"Ooooh, love potions? Do you have your eyes on someone?"
Maura's voice behind her made Jane jump. The brunette frantically clicked on the screen to close the browser window.
"Shhhh! What are you doing? Spying on me?"
Maura handed her a folder and Jane snatched it out of her hand.
"What did you find?"
"The soil sample might be consistent with Quincy quarry. We'd need to confirm with actual samples from there. It's only about ten miles from here." Maura reported in a professional tone, unmoved. She half sat on the detective's desk while Jane read through the report.
The brunette dropped the folder on top of her pile and looked up at Maura.
"Do you believe in love potions?"
Maura tilted her head and pondered the question. Jane braced herself for the answer.
"An aphrodisiac increases an individual's sexual desire, but that's not what you're talking about, is it? Smells and pheromones can make someone attractive to someone else, but love potions as described in ancient texts as magic potions have been disproved, I'm afraid. You'll have to do it the old-fashion way and get your flirt on." Maura tilted her head and gave Jane a sympathetic look. "Why do you think you'd need a love potion? You're a very attractive woman. You could get anyone you want."
Jane sighed. She looked around to make sure nobody was listening and leaned forward.
"I don't want a love potion. I want an antidote!"
"What?"
"I want an antidote to love!" Jane hissed between her teeth.
"For whom?"
"For me!"
"Jane, what are you talking about? Who are you in love with?"
"Nobody! You weren't supposed to be spying on me." Jane straightened up and pretended to ignore Maura. She picked up the folder and grabbed her jacket from the back of the chair. "Let's go. We need to collect soil samples from the quarry."
Jane drove. Maura didn't bring up the love potion. She knew Jane would broach the subject again when she was ready. However, her mind couldn't help but wonder at Jane's atypical inquiry about something as esoteric as a love potion antidote. Jane didn't believe in witchery, she was way too practical for that. Why would she look for such a solution to a real problem? Even though she was dying to ask, Maura decided not to. Jane remained quiet, which was also unusual.
At the quarry, which was now a park, they spotted several rock-climbing walls, and Jane decided to take samples at the base of each of them. They found two separate sites that had suspicious reddish-brown stains in the granite dust, and Jane called for officers on the ground to tape off the two areas. It could well be the murder site.
They drove back in silence, and got stuck in heavy traffic about half way to Boston. Jane sighed as she slowed down to stop behind a pickup truck. She suddenly turned into the right lane and crossed over to exit the freeway. She parked the car on an adjacent side street and turned off the ignition. She turned to Maura and sighed.
"Look... It's the tea. I'm still not over the tea and it's driving me insane. I can't stop thinking about... It's not just the... 'arousal'." Jane rolled her eyes as she used the technical term. "I think that tea was cursed! I need an antidote!"
"You think the tea was a love potion?!"
"Yes! What else could it be?"
"Jane, there is no such thing as a love potion. I can assure you! And the arousing effects of the tea should have worn off days ago. I don't understand..."
"Well me neither! You're the doctor. Fix it! You made me drink that tea!"
"Me? I didn't make you do anything! You went ahead and did it when I wasn't looking."
"But you wanted me to." Jane's eyes went big and she gasped. "You wanted me to! YOU wanted me to fall in love with you!"
"What? No! Wait. You're in love with ME?"
"Ah fuck!" Jane bumped back on her seat and lifted her face to the ceiling. She fisted her hair with both hands and shook her head.
"But see, I'm not supposed to be in love with you. It's the tea. That stupid tea did it, not me!"
"But it can't be the tea, Jane." Maura was shaking her head slowly, wondering if somehow it could truly have been the tea. But she was positive there was no such thing as a love potion. There couldn't be. It was scientifically impossible. And yet...
She had no satisfying answer for her friend. Maura reached over to touch Jane's forearm. Her skin felt good. Without a thought, she slowly brushed over her wrist and entwined her fingers with the detective's. She felt Jane squeeze her hand back.
Time seemed to stand still for a while. The hum of the outside world filled the car, and they didn't talk or move.
Jane slowly lifted Maura's hand and smoothed her thumb over her palm. She turned it over and ran the tip of her fingers all over it, following lines and knuckles and tendons. She looked at her own scarred hand, and Maura touched it. The doctor traced over the knotted flesh, past it, crossed over to her palm, splayed her fingers to follow each of Jane's digits, until their pads lined up. The doctor flattened her palm over Jane's. Her hand was slightly smaller, Jane's fingers stretched long and thin.
The detective swallowed. Her heart was thick in her throat and she opened her mouth to draw a breath. She finally looked over at Maura. She fought the tears that threatened to spill.
"I'm sorry," she croaked.
"Why? You did nothing wrong."
"It's going to be awkward..."
"It doesn't have to be..."
Maura leaned over and cupped Jane's cheek in her palm. She looked into her eyes and dipped closer. Their breaths mingled, and they closed the short distance between them. Their lips touched, and then they were sealed together. After a brief pause, Maura kissed her once, twice.
Jane pulled back slightly, just enough so she could whisper between them.
"Maura... You don't have to do this..."
"It's not the tea, Jane. It's just us..."
"But it's crazy."
"I know. Kiss me."
After a brief hesitation, Jane pressed her lips to Maura's again and kissed her. The little pecks grew languid, wanting. Jane reached behind Maura's neck and pulled her in. Maura pushed her tongue forward and slid inside Jane's mouth, and they both moaned together. Both scooted over closer, so they could hold each other, hands roaming freely around.
By the time they stopped and straightened up, the windows of the unmarked police car were all steamed up. Jane looked at the time on her cell. "Oh god, it's practically time to go home!"
"Jane?"
"Mmmh?" Jane looked over at the doctor and noted her swollen lips and mussed up hair. She had done that. She smiled. Morning after.
"Jane, you know it can't be the tea, right?"
Jane shrugged. "All I know is that it started with the tea..."
"No, not for me. It started long before the tea..." Maura's voice was low and shy.
Jane's eyes widened in disbelief, but she didn't know what to say. She let her hand drop from the key in the ignition.
"You're not just saying that to make me feel better, are you?"
"No! Of course not!"
"I know. You can't lie..."
"I wouldn't. Not about this."
"Can we talk about it tonight?"
"Are you spending the night?" Maura smirked.
"Mmmmaybe... Would you like me to?" Jane acted flirty, but was panicking inside. Would Maura expect to have sex? What if Jane was no good at it? When was the last time she shaved? Could they just cuddle?
"Only if you want to. I know it's all happening fast. Come over for dinner, and then you can decide if you want to spend the night. How does that sound?"
Jane could have hugged Maura in relief. Of course Maura would be gracious about it, that's why Jane loved her.
The detective nodded and gave Maura a bright smile. She started the car again and merged back into Friday rush hour traffic...