Chapter Three

Joey Grant woke to an empty bed. He noted it was only 11:30 and started to roll over and go back to sleep. He knew Jane was probably still downstairs, going over case files. Jane rarely went to bed before midnight.

"Wait," Joey mumbled to himself. "Didn't Janie say she was going out for something she needed?" He racked his brain but couldn't remember hearing her return from her errand. Quietly he got out of bed and went to the top of the stairs. He tried to see if any downstairs lights were on but didn't see any. Softly running down the stairs he noted the downstairs was dark.

Her car wasn't in the garage or the driveway. "Did she get called out?" Joey asked himself but didn't recall hearing the phone ring. Grabbing his cell phone he called dispatch. No, Detective Jane Rizzoli was not on a call. Quickly making up his mind Joey got the next door neighbor to come over and watch the kids. He grabbed his keys and went looking for his wife.

Maura couldn't sleep. She usually had difficulty sleeping before a long business trip like this one but knew the real problem was sighting Jane outside her home. Maura smiled to herself then quickly wiped the smile off her face.

I can't think of Jane this way. I can't allow myself to continue this line of thinking. Jane made her choice several years ago. Maura burrowed down into the covers and took several slow breaths. She thought of the business trip in front of her and the tasks she needed completed that month for the Isles Foundation.

Several minutes later she threw off the covers and grabbed her robe. Peeking through the blinds she saw Jane's car still parked outside. Maura slid her feet into her slippers and went out into the night air.

Jane had settled back in the driver's seat and was half-asleep when she was startled by a sharp rap on the driver's window. She looked up and saw Maura standing beside her car.

Shit, busted, she thought. "Hey, Maura," Jane said.

"What are you doing here?" Maura asked angrily. Jane let out a breath.

"I don't know."

"At least you're honest. This time," Maura replied and continued glaring at Jane. Just then both women noticed headlights coming down the street, the car's speed slowing as it approached Jane's vehicle.

Jane groaned when she recognized Joey's car. Maura's mouth became a straight line as she was angry at Jane for sitting here and was getting angrier by the minute.

"Maura," Joey nodded in greeting. He draped himself over his wife's car and looked at his wife.

"Coming home soon?" he asked. Jane shut her eyes. Can this get any worse? She thought.

"I looked out my window and saw your wife parked out here," Maura said to Joey. She glanced at Jane. "Just so you know, Joey, I told Jane earlier this evening I have nothing to say to her." Maura's tone was short, her words clipped. Jane knew she was really angry; Maura didn't waste time on emotion but she was inordinately calm when she was very mad.

"How did you know where to find me?" Jane asked Joey.

"Where else do I find you? Dr. Isles returned to Boston six weeks ago; I knew it was just a matter of time."

"Joey, nothing happened. Jane just happened to park her car across the street," Maura interjected. She didn't want Joey to think there was anything going on between the two.

"Just happened to park here? Hell, Maura, for all I know, you two might have gone out together and Jane was stopping by for a nightcap." Without realizing how angry she really was, Maura slapped Joey.

"There is nothing going on between us," Maura said in a controlled voice. She looked at Jane. "That slap should have been yours." She turned and walked away.

Working his jaw Joey stared at his wife. Okay, yes, it can get worse, Jane thought. She fought the insane urge to start giggling. Instead she looked back at Joey.

"I'll follow you," Jane said to Joey. Not looking at Maura she closed her window, started her vehicle and turned around in the street. Her headlights caught Maura's back as the other woman retreated inside. Maura didn't turn around. Jane's heart felt like it dropped in her shoes as she thought she probably destroyed whatever hope of friendship she might have had with Maura.

Joey dropped his keys by the front door and immediately turned to face his wife.

"What the hell are you doing, Jane?" he fought to keep his voice down. The neighbor discreetly walked out the door, shutting it behind her. Joey knew this would be all over the neighborhood by the end of tomorrow morning's coffee klatch.

"Nothing happened, Joe. I went over there and parked the car. That's all."

"Yeah? This time maybe. What if I hadn't gone looking for you? What if Maura decided to let you in? What then, Jane? Or what about the next time?" Joey asked.

"There won't be a next time!" Jane shouted.

"How do I know?"

"She doesn't want to hear from me, Joey. I tried to return her phone call today and Maura told me not to call her again."

"So you went over there."

"No, yes, but I didn't get out of the car. I don't know, I can't explain it. I was so surprised when Maura told me not to contact her it was just working at me. I couldn't believe it, so I drove over there. I swear I wasn't going to go in. I didn't get out of the car."
"Yeah, so you told me." Joey let out a long sigh. "Let's go to bed, Jane. This isn't going to get taken care of tonight."

"I'm sorry, Joey. I didn't mean to make you think we were having an affair. I've never cheated on you," Jane said.

"Yet," Joey said.

"Is that what you think, Joey? Maura comes back to Boston and I start an affair with her? That's why you came looking for me," Jane said angrily.

"Don't you trust me?" Joey looked at Jane for a long moment.

"You're asking if I trust you when I found you exactly where I knew you'd be," he answered. "I'm going to bed, Jane. I am too angry and upset to continue this tonight."

"I'll be in the downstairs office," Jane said. She didn't want to sleep next to Joey tonight and wanted to be alone with her thoughts.

Jane stretched out on the sofa. She reviewed a few case files but couldn't take her mind off Maura, Joey, and being found in front of Maura's house.

Friends, could we go back to being friends? We were lovers. I knew I had feelings for Maura that went beyond friendship, but she's so beautiful, I didn't think she'd have feelings for an ordinary cop like me. Then when she kissed me…Jane squeezed her eyes shut to prevent tears from coursing down her cheeks.

Maura sat alone on her sofa. She didn't know how to feel. She was angry at Jane for starting this mess tonight but wasn't really angry at her friend.

Friend? Is that what we are? We were once lovers, how can we go back to being friends? I don't want a friendship with Jane, I want to belong to her, have her be mine. At that Maura felt the tears start rolling down her cheeks. No, I'm not crying over Jane anymore. Maura stood up and headed back to bed.

TBC. This one was a little shorter than usual but I hope you like it.