Disclaimer: Neither Rizzoli & Isles nor Scott & Bailey belong to me. I am merely borrowing the characters.
London UK
The train was pulling in to London's Euston station. From here Rachel and Jane were going directly to Holloway. The plan was for Rachel to find a cafe and wait while Jane visited Maura. But then they found out that visiting was either 9:30 to 10:30 or 14:30 to 15:30 so they decided on the afternoon visiting as getting to London let alone out to Holloway for 09:30 involved leaving at stupid o'clock. So it was now about 12:10 and Rachel would wait in a pub after finding the hotel and booking in.
They got off the train and walked up the ramp to the main concourse.
They then went to the underground and got on a Victoria Line train. Changed at Kings Cross for the Piccadilly Line to Caledonian Road, from there they got the bus.
Rachel kept Jane company in the queue outside the prison gate.
Inside Maura could see the queue*. See saw the way Jane and Rachel behaved together and the way they looked at each other and her mind was full of regret that she could never be like that with Jane. They had been close, sure. But this was different.
After a while the gate opened to let visitors in. Jane went in and Rachel left to book into the hotel.
After Jane had gone through the pat down, showed her passport, and put her excess belongings in the locker she made her way into the visitor area.
She scanned the room. Then she saw Maura looking sad and forlorn at one of the tables.
Jane walked over to it.
"Would you like a drink?" she asked Maura flatly.
"Hello Jane, nice to see you too. A white tea please, no sugar."
Jane went to get the drinks.
When she returned she told Maura that a condition of her visit was that she was not allowed to discuss the case. Maura nodded in understanding but it was going to be the elephant in the room for the whole half hour visit.
After sipping her tea Maura brought up the other thing on her mind.
"Who was that I saw you with in the line?"
"Oh that was Detective Constable Rachel Bailey. She's very kindly allowing me to stay with her, moved heaven and earth to get this visit, and came down to keep me company today."
"She's in love with you."
The remark hit Jane with the force of a bullet. It was quickly followed by a second blow.
"And you're in love with her. Don't waste it Jane. Grab it with both hands." Maura had a tinge of sadness in her voice.
She suddenly realised what she'd been too stupid to see all along. Jane hadn't loved any of the men in her life. Perhaps she might have loved Maura for a time but Maura admitted to herself that Jane would be nothing more than a friend to her. Maura was straight. Well; she might be capable of going gay for the stay if she received a long sentence. But that would be for pure physical need not anything deeper.
They then fell into a conversation about Britain and what jobs Jane could get here. They settled on security consultant. Maura told her about the educational opportunities for women in British prisons, which Jane was surprised to learn included college degrees.
After the frosty start things thawed and they fell into an easy conversation. The visit was over all too quickly, but Jane got another visiting order for the next morning before she returned to Manchester.
After Jane picked up her things from her locker she looked at her mobile and saw there was a message from Rachel. Why did she now anticipate rejoining Rachel with so much excitement? Was Maura right?
When she rejoined Rachel at the pub she asked: "What time do you have to be back in Manchester for, tomorrow?"
"No particular time: I've got the day off, well officially babysitting you making sure you don't get up to anything to help you're mate. That sort of thing."
"Good. I've got another visiting order for tomorrow morning. If you can come it includes you."
"No problem as far as you visiting is concerned. And I'd love to but I can't, I'm an officer working on her case, it would be against PACE."
"PACE?"
"Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984."
"Oh, I guess I will have go alone then. OK what are we doing tonight? Any good gay clubs around?" Jane felt a tingle as she said these words. "Oh and Maura's convinced we're in love." She leaned in to whisper in Rachel's ear "and from my side she's right!"
The next thing she experienced was Rachel's lips crashing into hers.
"I'll tell Maura she was right."
"OI you two get a room."
Rachel flashed her warrant card at the middle age man who promptly shut up.
For about an hour they didn't take their eyes off each other or stop smiling.
Rachel broke off first. "Let's get something to eat."
"Any ideas where?"
Rachel got out her mobile and fired up an app.
"Yeah what do you fancy? We've got Indian, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, French, Mexican, or Italian."
"Any British?"
"Oh, they're all British!"
"Yeah, that's one of the things that I like about this country." said Jane laughing.
They settled on the most British of all – Indian!
After eating and they went back to the hotel for Jane to formally check in and both of them to shower and change. Then they headed out.
"Going anywhere nice ladies?" enquired the concierge as he took their keys.
"A club called Heaven." answered Rachel.
"Have a good evening! I'd say 'Don't do anything I wouldn't do' but that'd give you way too much scope!" he yelled as they went out of the main door.
* This is dramatic licence on my part: I don't think you can see the visitor queue in this way at HMP Holloway. Although I know that you can in some US prisons (eg FCI Danbury).