Author's note: thank you everyone for all the reviews!
Chapter Thirty: Isles-Rizzoli or Rizzoli-Isles
If she had thought humiliation had reached a point of no-return when she hadn't been able to bend over to pass under the yellow tape, Maura restrained a growl of frustration as she tried to squat by the victim and missed to fall on the corpse by two inches. Rescued at the last second by Jane who grabbed her by the arms to help her kneel down properly.
Barely four-month pregnant and she couldn't make all these daily gestures already. What would it be in the last trimester?
Pretending that nothing had happened – ignoring the wave of heat that had rushed up her cheeks – the honey blonde focused on the corpse and replied to Jane and Korsak's questions. That was her job, she could do it anytime. Easily. She was on a professional mode. Not even triplets would have stopped her.
But then she had to stand up again. In front of everyone. Couldn't she simply roll on a side and creep to the nearest wall to stand back up on her feet? Sadly, no. Good luck, Isles. Taking a deep breath, she did her best to push on her feet but lost her balance only to be rescued – one more time – by her wife.
What was this day, exactly?
Adjusting her dress, Maura nodded timidly at the brunette and cleared her voice."Thank you..."
Jane smiled back and craned her neck to see the journalists waiting by the yellow tape. She hated them. She hated being on television. "Don't take it bad, Maur'... But maybe you should go for flat shoes now. These stilettos will have the death of you by the time you hit your last trimester."
Walking towards the media, the medical examiner gasped – visibly offended – and stared at the Italian before pursing her lips. "This isn't the best moment to make a joke, Jane. Really. And if you happen to be serious... What next? Me showing up in tennis shoes?"
The detective made an instinctive step backwards. Maura's tone of voice was anything but welcoming. Would she ever stop being susceptible? She raised her hands in the air to apologize. "Never mind. I'll always be here to help you, anyway. Consider me as being your personal elevator on crime scenes."
"What were your grandmothers' names? I don't think you have ever told me about it..."
Jane squinted her eyes – taken aback – then shrugged. Now that was one way to change the subject with very little transition. "Alba... Why?"
"What about the other one?"
She blinked. "Both happened to have the same name... Maura, what is going on? There is a dead person behind us – a dozen of journalists three feet ahead – and you think it's the right time to give it a shot at my family tree?"
"I only got to know one of my grandmothers. Her name was Lucie. French spelling. Do you like it?"
Jane shrugged. "Yeah, it's kind of cute. Is it supposed to be an old name in France? I didn't know that."
But barely listening to her wife's comment, Maura resumed her walking and nodded to herself.
"Lucie and Alba... I like it a lot." As they were reaching the television crews, she suddenly stopped and looked at Jane with determination. "Lucie and Alba. How about these names for the twins?"
The brunette choked and cast a desperate glance around. She hadn't expected that at all. "I err... You're taking me aback."
Maura raised an eyebrow, waiting for an answer. Jane swallowed hard. Lucie and Alba. Alba and Lucie. "Alba and Lucie Isles-Rizzoli..."
"No. As a matter of fact, it will be Rizzoli-Isles. I will give birth to them, this is my part. I want them to have your name first. I find it fair."
For Christ's sake, shut your mouth, Riz'. You're gonna look like a fish. In front of the news. They're live, dammit.
"Really?" Maura nodded and smiled timidly. "Lucie and Alba..." It did sound right. She liked it. But then... "Aren't we supposed to spend the rest of the pregnancy fighting over names? That's how it works, no? We can't just... Go and settle on them within five seconds? What is that? We're ruining all the fun!"
Maura laughed – quietly enough – then rolled her eyes. "I am sure we will have many occasions to... You know... Bicker about life and this pregnancy. And about the girls."
The girls. Why did it suddenly sound so realistic? On a crime scene. Before journalists. Wonderful. Not knowing what to add, Jane nodded – frowned – then turned around to head to her car. She wouldn't stay for the media. Not this time. Maura however made the few steps that separated her from journalists and smiled politely; ready to be interviewed.
"Good afternoon, Dr. Isles... Isles-Rizzoli."
Don't roll your eyes. Smile. You are on television. Local television. Unless it is national? Of course, it is national! You know that Melanie works on national television. Wait. Why is a national network here?
"How is your pregnancy going? Is your wife being supportive? How did you decide whom would turn out to carry the child? Did it work out on the first time?"
One. Two. Three. Three blinks. No, she hadn't dreamed. She was live on television – at a crime scene – and the journalist was talking about whatever was going on in her uterus after a stop by an insemination clinic.
Her private life. Her freaking obsetric private life. And – to an extent – her sexual orientation.
Oh, that's what you want? Fine, Melanie. Be ready. The honey blonde's smile grew wider and melted into a grin. With calm, she turned her head around to face the camera. "Why everything is going fine, thank you for your interest. As fine as your secret affair with your cameraman may I hope, Melanie."
…
"So?" Anxiously, Jane jumped off her seat as Maura passed the front door and dropped her bag by the couch.
"Well... I now owe a favor to the Senator but the case is closed. And something tells me that Melanie is not about to ask me any personal question any time soon live on television. By the way, he... Well, he also congratulated us; saying the future safety of the streets of Boston was now assured."
Jane made a face and blinked with great perplexity. "The Senator jokes? Really?" Who cares? He has not pushed Maura to quit for what she said on television so be happy and celebrate. Go. Go and kiss her. Now. What are you waiting for?
The comforting kiss resounded loud in the quietness of the evening. Accepting her wife's arms around her frame, Maura smiled. She felt fine, and satisfied. Not even tired, nothing. Just fine. "I wouldn't say no to a glass of wine. You know, to celebrate my bitchy side. What I did to Melanie was mean, let's be honest."
"Maybe but she totally deserved it." Without even insisting on the fact Maura had just asked for a glass – the first one since she was pregnant – Jane walked back to the kitchen and poured wine in one before holding it out to the blonde. "Go slow... I don't want to have to carry you up the stairs utterly drunk."
"I think I will allow myself one glass per trimester so I am going to take my time and sip on it for the rest of the evening. Thanks, honey." Shoes off. She lost six inches but won in comfort; yet didn't show it as Jane was still on a war to make her stop wearing stilettos.
"How are Al' and Lulu doing?"
Maura rolled her eyes – shook her head at Jane – then went to sit down on the couch. "They aren't born that you have already given them nicknames?"
Frown. "What's wrong with that?" She had spent the whole day thinking about the names. After Maura getting into troubles for her comment on television, they hadn't had a chance to talk about all this name thing again. They had focused on the consequences of the scientist's words and what if it had an impact on her career. But now the issue was solved, Jane was eager to think about nothing but it.
She couldn't wait for Lisa and Guadalupe to know. Haumea would have two friends to play with. What more could they ask for?
"I guess they have moved..." Before her wife's surprise, Maura shook her head and swept away her last remark with a gesture of the hand. "They haven't kicked but... It is like little bubbles, almost butterflies. A very odd sensation. Not unpleasant though. Just... Different, and new."
Jane sat down and approached a hand from the honey blonde's stomach but stopped halfway. She had started reading one of the pregnancy books they had bought. She knew that it was too early. She didn't stand a chance to feel the mere thing. "What is it that you like the most about it?" Low voice, shy. She looked down at her lap, intimidated.
"The fact that you are by my side."
It came up so fast – with so much sincerity – that Jane didn't even question it. Maura had blurted it out without thinking twice about it. Determined. Her tone of voice had been confident enough. She meant it. She really did.
"That's sweet..." Jane's light laugh died in a whirl of emotions she did her best to hide. How come she had spent all these years thinking that Maura was just a friend? Her best one but still.
Her feelings were so strong, now. So certain. How come she had missed them for so long? The more she thought about it, the less it made sense.