A/N: How about that season 5 premiere, huh? Here's chapter seven for your reading pleasure! Thanks to those of you that have sent me reviews, you all make my day! Keep reading and reviewing, please! :) This chapter is pretty fluffy, so I hope you like it. I enjoyed writing it! I don't own any of these R&I characters, unfortunately, and all mistakes are mine since I have no beta! Keep on keepin' on, kiddos :)
Maura had been right, of course. The rain had started a few blocks before their designated turn around point on the jog. As the sprinkles turned into bigger, wetter drops, the two women exchanged a glance that spoke volumes. The playful look behind Maura's eyes and the slight smirk on her lips said I told you so, without the words ever having to actually leave her mouth. Jane's slightly exasperated look was complimented with a twinkle in her eyes that told Maura to Hush. By the time they had turned around to head home, the inky black color of the sky had less to do with the approaching night, but more so with the looming storm. At the first sight of lightning in the distance, Jane saw worry dance across Maura's features, and their pace quickened.
"Did that lightning light a fire under your feet, Maur?" Jane huffed with a grin at her friend.
"Metaphorically, yes, Jane. Lightning can strike up to ten miles away from the actual storm!" Maura retorted playfully. "And I'd like to get home before these new sneakers I wore are totally soaked."
"Hey, that's your fault for wearing new shoes! You knew it was going to rain," Jane stuck her tongue out at her friend as Maura's house came into sight. Maura responded to Jane's comment with a perfectly formed pout. Then the downpour started. The two women nearly sprinted the last block and a half back to Maura's place, and quickly made it inside. They were both completely soaked from the rain and when they got a good look at each other, burst into laughter. A run had been the perfect distraction for Jane. No, Jane thought to herself, MAURA was the perfect distraction. Even with her hair stuck to her face haphazardly, Jane thought Maura was the most beautiful woman she had even seen. She watched as a droplet of water left the end of a strand of hair and rolled down to the tip of Maura's nose. Before she knew what she was doing, Jane lifted her finger up to catch the drop before it fell. Her breath caught in her chest as Maura just smiled.
"Come on," Maura grabbing Jane's hand as she turned to start up the stairs, "We'll need to get into some dry clothes." Jane exhaled the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding as a single word, "Yeah," escaped with it, and she let Maura lead her upstairs.
Maura had started to rattle off some weather related facts, and Jane thought she had even heard her say something about hypothermia, but her brain couldn't really focus on Maura's words. Once they had reached the upstairs, Maura had tossed a t-shirt and a pair of sweats to Jane for her to wear. Maura had turned to her own clothes then, and Jane watched her friend start to peel off the wet shirt that clung to Maura's torso. Jane could feel her jaw dropping, but did nothing about it since Maura's back was to her. It was only when Maura's arms came back up to take off the black sports bra she had been wearing that Jane averted her eyes. She wasn't sure she could handle watching what would happen next. Jane turned to the clothes Maura had given her and quickly changed into them. As she did that, she saw the sports bra hit the floor out of the corner of her eye and Jane felt her knees go weak.
"Wouldn't you agree, Jane?" Maura asked her. Jane slowly looked at Maura, not sure which state of undress her best friend would be in now.
"Uh, yeah, sure," Jane replied. Slightly relieved and disappointed at the same time that Maura was wearing clothes again. Not just any clothes though. She was wearing a tight pair of yoga pants and a teal sweater that hung slightly off of one shoulder. Maura smiled at her and continued whatever it was she was going on about. Maura took the wet clothes she had been wearing and went to place them in the hamper in her bathroom, just off of the bedroom. Jane's eyes followed Maura the whole way, as Jane was now sitting at the end of Maura's bed. Maura walked out of the bathroom, still talking away.
"You know, Maur, you're absolutely beautiful, almost an infuriating level of beauty," Jane stated simply as she stood and crossed to Maura, placing both hands on Maura's shoulders. Jane didn't know where these words were coming from. Well, she did, but she couldn't believe they were actually making it past the filter of her mouth that she usually kept well-guarded.
"Thank you, Jane," Maura smiled warmly at her, "I've always striven for a level of charm and class that-" but that was all Maura managed to say on that matter. Her words were cut off as Jane's lips suddenly met hers. It was a soft kiss, slightly tentative, but full of meaning that had passed unspoken between the two women over the past several years. Jane's brain felt like it was melting. Maura's lips were softer than she had ever imagined. Jane felt as if her heart were soaring through the air, even though she knew Maura would say that would be impossible. But then Jane's brain kicked in and she pulled away from Maura quickly.
As Jane's lips had met hers, Maura had felt alive. It was different that when anyone else had ever kissed her, and she was confused when Jane pulled away from her. Jane was shaking her head side to side.
"No, I can't—you don't—we shouldn't—damn, I messed up!" Jane blew past Maura as she spoke and raced downstairs to the front door. Jane's mind was racing, "How could I have done that? Maura's going to hate me now. I'm so stupid! Did that just happen? Did she kiss me back? What does it matter, it's not like she likes me like that. Dammit, Rizzoli!" Maura was rooted to the spot for a moment, not sure what had just happened. Hearing Jane thunder down the stairs threw her back into reality.
"Jane, stop!" Maura called after her best friend, "Where are you going? Stay here!" Jane's thoughts were too loud, rattling around in her brain, for her to register Maura hot on her heels. Maura followed Jane out into the night, but Jane continued running away from her, into the rain and darkness of the night.
"No, Jane, wait!" Maura cried after her, "I want this, too! So badly, Jane!" Maura's voice cracked under the strain of yelling as tears ran down her face, mixed into the cold rain on her face. Lightning seared through the sky and thunder cracked overhead, all too close to home. It scared Maura, but not as much as the thought of losing Jane, which she was sure was what had just happened to her. She collapsed onto her hands and knees on the ground, feeling the ground turn to mud underneath her. The tears flowed freely now, there was no point in hiding them, and when Maura had the courage to lift her head and look to where Jane had run off to, she could no longer see her best friend. Maura thought she could physically feel her heart breaking, even though she knew that was impossible.
"Well, ain't that a shame, sweetie," a gravelly voiced sneered at her from somewhere over he left shoulder. Before she could turn her head to see the man, something cold and hard connected with her head and everything went dark.
A/N: Ok, so that ending wasn't fluffy at all, but what did you think of it? After all, we have a case to get back to ;)