The music played softly in the background as Maura sat at her desk going over various papers while trying to ignore the call of the internet. Her gaze flipped between the stack of work still to do on her desk and the warm glow the computer screen with its screen saver of the latest shoes from a few of her favorite designer lines.
She sighed, flipped the screen off, turned her speakers up so she could hear the notification should she receive an email or instant message, and slowly turned back to her work. As Schumann's Wenn Ich Ein Vöglein Wär continued to speak of what he would do to get to his love, the doctor squinted at the paperwork as it swam in front of her.
Her concentration was lacking. She sighed, glanced at her watch, and then tried to fill out a few additional lines.
"Maura," Jane's voice cut through the light, airy German lyrics floating through the air.
"Oh! Jane," the medical examiner set her pen down as she looked up with a smile. "I was just thinking about you. I hope you're here to take an early lunch. I think I may be hungry."
"I'm here to take a moment because, if I don't, I might shoot Cavanaugh in the nuts," the detective replied as she plopped down on the sofa.
"Something else has happened, I take it." Maura stood, closed and locked both office doors, shut her blinds, and then joined her girlfriend on the sofa. "Tell me."
In a rush of angry emotion and frustration, Jane relayed the events that had just happened in the lieutenant's office. "I'm sorry, Maura," Jane finished the story by saying, "I know we hadn't really decided what to do and I know you don't like it when I use threats, but it all just sort of came out, and now I think we're in a cold war."
"An apt metaphor, all things considered," the doctor said as she wrapped an arm around the lanky shoulders of the other woman. "Perhaps we should go to HR now? Maybe it would be better to be proactive instead of waiting for even more harassment. You don't deserve to be treated in this way, Jane. You've done nothing wrong, and Lieutenant Cavanaugh has overstepped the line enough."
Jane leaned into Maura's arms, resting the back of her head on the other woman's shoulder. "I want to find out who the leak is. Whoever it is will do it to someone else. If we just go in and complain about Cavanaugh without knowing who his inside person is, I can guarantee that nothing will happen. We need a plan. We need information. We need…"
"Someone to go undercover," the doctor interrupted, voice cautious.
Jane abruptly sat up. "What are you thinking?"
Maura slightly paled. "Angela offered to see what she could find out. Perhaps we should let her try."
"No," the detective shook her head, "no way am I asking Ma to do that. Maura, she's already having a hard enough time dealing with the fact we're dating. The last thing I want her to do is have to dig around for us when she's not even sure that she supports us. No, not happening."
"Jane," Maura was patient, "Angela offered on her own, and I think it may help her come to terms with us if she had to look at the situation from the viewpoint of someone completely against us."
One dark eyebrow raised in question. "Like Cavanaugh?"
"Yes. I don't think Angela is homophobic. Based on what I've seen of her interactions with people from the LGBT community, how she interacts with us now, and what she's said in the past regarding homosexuality, I believe she simply has issues understanding it, which is a far cry different from hating us." Maura reached forward to take Jane's hand in her own, "Dear-heart, we'll never be able to do this on our own, and your mother is exceptionally good at needling out information from others."
"Man, how would she even get started? I mean, what is she going to do? Is she going to go up there to HR and put in a complaint about us or something? I don't know," the detective shook her head, eyes tired. "I don't want to put Ma through any more, Maura."
"I think we should ask. If she seems uncomfortable with it or if she says no, then we can easily drop it and try a different approach, but, Jane, make no mistake on how I feel about this. Something must be done. HR can't be allowed to cause this kind of destructive havoc in employee lives." The doctor stood, pulling on the hand in hers to urge Jane to stand as well. "Why don't we take an early lunch, ask Angela to join us, and then find a private booth at the little café on the corner we all enjoy?"
Jane followed Maura's lead, standing with a grunt. "I hate Cavanaugh for putting us through this."
Maura gave the dark haired brunette a gentle kiss. "I know, but perhaps we can keep him from putting anyone else through this."
"So," Angela started as they settled into a corner booth, "what's on your mind this time? One of you isn't transgendered to go along with all of this, are you?" At any other point in time, the elder Rizzoli might have been teasing, but her face said she was completely serious.
"No, Ma, and, for the record, I'm completely happy being a woman. I'm just happier when I'm also dating one, not that there's anything wrong with being transgendered. I mean I… okay, this is a conversation for another time. Look," Jane poured a large amount of sugar into her coffee as she tried to not be annoyed with her mother. "Something else has gone down with Cavanaugh, and we wanted to tell you about."
"He's a bastard," Angela shot back. "I've never liked him."
"I have encountered more… pleasing people," Maura offered. "His behavior leaves much to be desired."
"Yeah, he's a bastard," Jane nodded her agreement.
After placing their orders, the detective explained the latest incident involving her superior. "In a nutshell," Jane said as she watched the server place their dishes on the table, "He and I are at a stalemate."
"We feel that something must be done before he and his HR contact cause issues in someone else's affairs as he has ours." Maura pulled the salt from Jane's hand and set it away. "The sugar is bad enough."
"So is this salad. I mean, really? I wanted a burger," the dark haired brunette pouted.
"I want you to fit in that little black dress Angela bought you last year," Maura countered, eyes narrowing.
"Fine." With a humph for emphasis, Jane stabbed a few leafy green things on her plate and took a bite.
"The problem is," Maura continued as she turned her gaze back to Angela, "that we cannot find out who the HR leak is on our own."
"I could see where you would have problems." Angela took a sip of her water as she watched the interactions between her daughter and the honey blonde. "Are you asking me to help you?"
"You did offer," Maura reminded her, "and I think you'd be very good at find out information."
"What with all those murder mystery novels you read," Jane grumbled. A split second later she let out a yelp as a sharp pain ran up her shin.
"I know this is difficult for you," the doctor continued on as if nothing had happened, "but would you be willing to help us?"
"Let me think about it," Angela answered quietly. "I'll let you know in a few days."
"That's all we can ask," Maura answered just as quietly.
"Great," Jane gave a sigh, "Now we can celebrate with chocolate cheese…"
"Little black dress," Maura interrupted.
"Fine," the detective grumbled.
"I never realized how whipped she has you," Angela passively remarked before taking another bite of her pasta.
"I am not!" Her daughter snapped back.
"Jane," the doctor warned.
"Yeah, yeah… sorry, Ma," the younger Rizzoli answered.
Angela raised an eyebrow but said nothing. However, a smirk found its way to her mouth for the remainder of their lunch.