(pre) Authors Note: One word; Fluff.
Maura pulled into her driveway and cut the engine; smooth and near undetectable. She looked over at Jane with a quick grin, for two reasons. One: it was still very early, she hadn't slept more than 3 hours and was un-caffeinated, so was therefore dead to the world. Two: Jane was not asking questions about anything which was slightly un-Jane-like. The latter gave her a sense of pride, confidence almost, that Jane trusted her that much that she didn't feel the need to ask her these questions. She wrapped he scarf tighter, grabbed her purse, and stepped out of her car. She walked over to the passenger side, after realizing Jane was in a daze and wasn't going to get out on her own. Maura opened the door slowly not wanting to completely startle her, knelt slightly, and ran her hand gently over Jane's leg. Jane soundly was pulled back into the now and looked over at Maura who had now stood up, and held out a hand for her. Jane laid her hand in it out of gratitude and slid out of the car, knocking the door shut and linked arms with her.
Kicking off their dripping boots at the door, Maura collected their jackets and winter wear to hang in the closet. Turning and taking Jane by surprise, she slid her fingers in between Jane's while she walked passed her, pulling Jane to follow along before she had time to protest.
Maura walked with her usual silent steps down the hallway then through her bedroom to her master bathroom, Jane trailing beside her. She let go of Jane's hand, and bent down to kneel and turn on the faucet to her overly sized garden bath until she found the right temperature, and added what Jane would call an annoyingly amount of vanilla and lavender scented oils. She stood up, placed her still wet hand on Jane's hip, and spoke her first words since Jane's apartment. Her voice smooth and soft; oh. so. Soft.
"Get in," two words but Jane had sighed before Maura could finish the first syllable. A sigh shaky and nearly unnoticeable, but Maura's voice, after being absent from Jane's ears even for that little fragment of time, made her stomach flutter. Or maybe it was because of the wet, heated hand on her hip that did it. Either way, she was convinced she needed a net to catch and contain the flutters.
The door closed next to her and Maura was gone.
She stripped, and stepped into the water, pleasantly surprised at how if water had a 'perfect' temperature to take a bath in, this would be it. Wrapped up in her thoughts still confused about them all. Maybe it was all just lust, just a pure intense physical attraction. Even so, Jane Rizzoli was straight, and as far as she knew, so was Maura. But she couldn't deny Maura was a pretty woman—beautiful—gorgeous—stunning actually. She had this thing about her that when she walked into a room everybody's head turned. Men usually couldn't form coherent words to talk to her. Woman, even if they were straight, would look at her like they were undressing her with their eyes. Jane couldn't blame them. To walk into a room with Maura Isles next to you, made you feel like a million bucks.
Maura knocked on the door and Jane startled.
"Yes?" Jane's voice unintentionally cracked.
"Can I come in?" Maura asked rather perky. Jane's heart pounded. Why? She wasn't quite sure. "I won't look. I'll keep my body turned away from you. You won't need to worry. I mean we're both women. And I see naked people all the time. Besides, it's not like we haven't seen each other completely naked anyways." Maura cringed on the other side of the door, realizing what she had just said in her nervous ramble. Is that what she is? Nervous? About what?
"Uh. Yeah. I guess. Can you turn off the light when you do," Jane replied in her deeper register. Maura started to open her mouth to politely tell Jane that she didn't have to say yes, but for some unknown reason stopped herself. She opened the door, hit the light switch off, but turned the heating lamp on above the tub. The light, withs its orange tint, bounced off Jane's making her glow, her skin even more desirable and tempting. The fact that Maura had a heat light above her bath didn't surprise Jane and she made a mental note to tease her about it later. Maura walked in sideways, parallel to the bath, set a handful of things on the floor behind her next to the tub, then forward towards the sink to grab a large towel out of the odd contraption on it. Jane, not taking an eye off of Maura the whole time, watched as she again awkwardly walked backwards to the tub. She skeptically pulled her legs into her chest, covering it, wrapping her arms around her knees.
Maura dropped the towel on the ground in the corner where the tub and the wall met behind the door, and sat on it. Leaving a few inches so if, and when, Jane got comfortable enough she could turn her head to look at her face when they were having a conversation.
"How's the water temperature?" Maura took a swing at trying to break the awkward silence.
"MmmmmPerfect," Jane acted as though she had to think about it, moaning softly in her throat, then finishing with a light and smile graced response. She had let go of her legs and was now leaning back against the tub, her head angled towards Maura when she replied. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Maura went to go turn her head but quickly caught herself, and turned it back with a grin. She thought about apologizing but realized it would only be a lie.
"I know it's not even 8am yet, but would you like a glass of red wine. I just opened a bottle," she reached beside her to caress the glass between her fingers and take a tiny sip, savoring it on her tongue before swallowing. Jane looked down next to Maura to realize that her friend had somehow smuggled a bottle of wine and two glasses into the bathroom without her noticing. "I just figured we both could take a second to relax. Even if it's just for a little bit. If you don't want wine I think I still have a few bottles of beer in the refrigerator—"
"I would love a glass of wine Maura," she was internally laughing at Maura for drinking before 5, which was something Maura could never fathom, and her new spouts of rambling intrigued Jane.
Maura set down her glass between her knees, then reached over and pored Jane a glass from the loosely corked bottle of wine. She reached across her body and turned slightly to hand it to Jane, making a slight eye contact, in what they would never admit to each other to be, too long. Maura slid it into Jane's hand and found her eyes to be soft and relaxed, so much different than the night prior. Maura herself relaxed at this sight and the slight touch. Realizing she was doing what she had told Jane she wouldn't do, she turned her head away.
Jane, for the first time took a small sip, like Maura had told her a mere thousand times before, and let it linger in her mouth before she swallowed. She couldn't deny at what a difference it made rather than gulping it down, but knew she would never tell Maura that. She set her glass in the corner of the bath and rested her head against the back of the tub, looking at Maura. She looked peaceful; tired, but peaceful, comfortable enough to just sit in silence. She smiled knowing that Maura wanted so desperately to shower and clean up. When she had left Jane to get in the bath she had quickly thrown her hair up in a ponytail to get it out of her face, and put on a long sleeve shirt and something that Jane thought Maura didn't own; sweatpants.
"Maura?" Jane interrupted their silence, but her name came out more breath than sound.
"Yes," she replied savoring a bit more wine and waiting for the pending question.
"Maura," She said a little less softly.
"What?"
"Look at me." Maura hesitated only for a second before turning to meet a glowing face. Jane's cheeks were flushed from from the combination of heated water and wine. Her face glowed from the heating lamp above her. Maura's heart raced; Jane looked beautiful.
"Thank you," Jane said softly almost breathy. She held Maura's eyes and reached for her glass to take another taste of her wine.
"You're welcome, I hope you like it. It's one of my favorites," she replied smiling and taking an un-Maura-like gulp.
"Yes, the wine is lovely, but that's not exactly what I was thanking you for," she said taking her eyes away from Maura, hoping she would understand. She wasn't good with this mushy gushy stuff, but a part of her felt that this really needed to be said to Maura. "I was—I am thanking you for everything you have done for me," she spoke in a voice that was only reserved for Maura; slightly deeper, softer, almost breathy. "I really don't know what I have done to deserve any of this. I really don't know what I have done to deserve any part of you. You're an amazing person that cares so deeply for the people around you, and it amazes me almost every day. Most of the time I'm just an awful person, sometimes even to you, so I really didn't deserve a minute of last night and now. I don't think I could ever repay you for anything you have or ever will do for me. So for right now, the best I can do is look at you and say thank you. So thank you Maura. Thank you for everything you have ever done for me. It means the world—you mean the world to me." By the end of Jane's near speech both of their eyes were glossy. A tear finally rolled down Maura's cheek, but she instead reached out to caress the side of Jane's. Jane couldn't help but to slightly press into her hand.
"Jane, you have saved my life," she paused thinking for a second "on more than one occasion," she added with a laugh, and it made Jane smile. "I'm the one who can never repay you. So yes, wether you like it or not I'm going to spend the rest of my life torturing you and trying to repay you for something I will never fully be able to. Not only have you saved my life it's almost as if you've given me life and shown me what life is. Because of you and your family I wouldn't know what having a 'family' feels like. What being loved and accepted for who you are feels like. For once in my life I don't feel alone anymore. You're the only person I've ever trusted, I've never told anyone the things I've told you and to be honest I don't think I ever will. You needed someone last night. I don't know what I would have done with myself if I had known what was happening and I wasn't there. So don't say you didn't deserve anything because you deserve everything from me- and then some. You mean more to me than anyone ever has." Maura looked at Jane with such sincerity in her eyes that it sent tears dripping down Jane's cheeks. Maura slowly swiped her thumb across Jane's face, brushing the tears out of the way. She held Jane's gaze then slowly turned to a safe parallel angle to Jane. Their faces right next to each other. Neither of them could tell what the other wanted so desperately to do, that the other's stomach was fluttering. That it took all their physical strength to contain themselves. Jane was the first to break the dangerous gaze and looked forward, pulling her long skinny legs up towards her chest, wrapping her arms around them, and resting her chin on her knees.
Maura looked over at Jane's back. It looked so soft and toned, a bit bony, but the muscles were so tempting to touch. She watched how her ribs would protrude more when she exhaled, how even and sound her breathing was. She didn't know when she had started but before she knew it she was pulling up her sleeve and dipping her hand in the water. Her hand made contact with Jane's skin, Jane gasped and violently flinched at the unexpected touch, but Maura didn't move her hand away. Jane quickly warmed up to her hand.
Maura started at the small of Jane's back; her hand cuffed, slowly coming up bringing water along with it. Sliding its way to the top, then letting go of the hot water, and letting it cascade down and over Jane's back, warming it further. Maura had only done it a few times before Jane sighed, making no effort to stifle it. She shifted her head to lay on her knees and took a quick glance at Maura who was focused on the task at hand. Maura had her so relaxed she could hardly keep her eyes open, and her body was starting to fall limp.
All Jane could focus on was how Maura's hand would carefully and skillfully bring up the water to a new and unwarmed area so she could slowly release it to flow over her back. Then take her hand and run it down her muscles, over her sides back into the water to repeat the process again. And again. And again.
Maura started shivering; the woman was always cold. She brought her legs closer to herself and wrapped her arm around them, careful not to spill her newly poured wine. Jane opened her eyes to look at Maura and quickly realized her wineglass was slipping from her own fingers. Maura shivered again.
"Cold?" Jane inquired
"Yes," Maura replied not taking her eyes or her hand off of Jane's back. Jane liked the fact that she could not lie. It had its disadvantages at times, but overall it's one of the things Jane likes most about Maura. Without missing a beat and before her brain could filter, the words had fallen off her tongue
"Get in."
(post) Authors Note: This chapter is a bit longer but I think I like it that way. I left you with a kinda-sorta cliffhanger and I'm not even done writing the next chapter so if you want to know what happens, and I'm just gonna throw this out there, reviews always help me write better/faster/fluffier/smuttier. Just sayin'.
(post)(post) Authors Note: Thank you Amanda! And for all of you who don't know who she is, she is 1 of 2 of my amazing editors. So amazing that she edited this chapter twice for me because I forgot she edited it the first time. Yeah, she's that amazing. And she did it without complaining. Gurl do you come in different flavors, because you're a Life Saver. (what the fuck did I just type? What even was that? A writers pick up line? *sigh* Sorry, I'm heavily medicated.)
(post)(post)(post) Authors Note: I also need to take a second to thank my other editor, 2 of 2, Kristen. For all of you who don't know about her, she is usually the first person I send my drafts to so she can correct all the really stupid mistakes that make me question why anyone lets me near a computer let alone lets me write. I'd insert a cheesy writers pick up line right here but I can't think of one right now. I'll take a rain check.
(post)(post)(post)(post) Authors Note: But the person I really need to thank the most is you. Thank you for sticking around for my updates even if they take a month. Thank you for dealing with my complaining and rants in my AN's. Thank you for leaving reviews, and such nice reviews at that. (I'm so thankful I haven't had any assholes hit the review section. Yet.) Honestly, the Rizzoli and Isles (Rizzles) fandom has some of the best fans out there. I just hope y'all stay that way.
Much Love,
~A.Z.