Domino effect
— This takes place roughly a couple of weeks after the end of The Perfect Storm. And I honestly have no idea where we are in the tv series timeline… I'll figure it out if it becomes applicable.
Jane and Maura were sitting at the Dirty Robber one friday night after a long day at work. Jane was nursing a beer and Maura had her requisite glass of wine. They had been talking about the case they were working on when Maura switched topics.
"Jane, I think we need to go on a real date." Maura said, taking a sip of her wine and looking at Jane expectantly.
"Okay…." Jane said, a bit uncertain where this topic had come from.
"I mean we're together, you know and I'm fine that we're keeping it quiet for now, but I do think we need to go on a date." Maura said, raising her eyebrows expectantly.
"Like where we both dress up and I bring you flowers and take you out to an expensive restaurant?" Jane asked uncertainly. She hadn't really ever had to think about the specifics of it before.
"Well, you don't have to do everything." Maura said as her cheeks reddened slightly. "I've actually sort of already got an idea. If you don't mind I mean…"
"No, by all means Maur you can plan it. I had no idea what to do for a 'real first date' anyway." Jane said adding the air quotes with a grin.
Maura smiled, obviously pleased with herself. "Well then I think we should go tomorrow."
"What if I have plans?" Jane asked, pretending to be insulted.
"Oh please. What would you be doing?" Maura asked with a smile.
"I'm wounded." Jane said with a slight pout. "I have stuff that I do… you know, with people."
Maura laughed and reached under the table to squeeze Jane's knee. "Face it Jane, we already spend most of our time together."
"Okay, okay." Jane acquiesced. "So where are we going on this 'first official date' then?"
"Nope, you're not getting that information from me." Maura said playfully. "It's a surprise. I'll pick you up around one tomorrow afternoon."
"You're going to drive?" Jane asked with a slight whine, she really preferred to be in control of the car.
"Oh be quiet, Jane." Maura admonished. "I am a perfectly capable driver."
"Yeah but you actually drive the speed limit!" Jane argued. "I can't stand it."
"Speed limits exist for a reason."
Jane through up her hands in surrender. "Oh alright. I'll be ready tomorrow. Can I wear jeans or do I need to dress up?"
"You can wear whatever you want." Maura said with a smile knowing that this would make Jane happy.
"Jeans it is!" Jane said. "Well we better get going, its getting late."
Both women walked out to Jane's cruiser and Jane drove the short distance to Maura's house. Jane got out and walked Maura to her door.
She leaned down to kiss Maura on the lips. After a few seconds she slid her hand through Maura's hair, deepening the kiss. Maura kissed her back excitedly and Jane reached behind her to open the door that Maura had already unlocked. Maura put her hand on Jane's on top of the doorknob, stopping her.
Jane broke the kiss. "You don't want me to come in?"
Maura ran a hand through her hair. "No I do, but… maybe you should go home tonight. You know we have our date tomorrow and its not much of date if we're already together." Maura said, examining Jane's face for her reaction. "Besides it will be more fun this way! We can both get dressed separately and then we'll be excited to see each other."
"Alright, alright." Jane said, placing a finger on Maura's lips. "Too bad you're so adorable when you're excited about something."
Maura smiled and kissed Jane once more before slipping inside her house. Jane stayed on Maura's stoop for a minute gazing up at the winter sky and watching her breath form little clouds in front of her. She knew nothing about dating a woman. Even though they'd practically been dating for years, the reality of a first date was different than just sleeping together and falling in love on an accidental trip. Jane barely knew how to date men, she couldn't even fathom how to date a woman.
Jane headed back to her car, resigning herself to the fact that she wouldn't be able to figure it out by tomorrow anyway. She also trusted that Maura knew exactly what she was doing.
—
Jane spent most of Saturday morning watching some ball games that she'd recorded before she decided to go on a run. She relished the way the freezing cold air seemed to clear her head. When she got home she took a shower and blow dried her hair. Standing in her towel in front of her closet she rifled through her clothes trying to decide what to wear.
Jane's phone buzzed on her bed. She picked it up and saw that Maura had texted her. Can we meet at my house? I'm not quite ready yet. Jane texted her back that that was fine.
Jane returned to her closet and finally settled on a pair of her nicer jeans and a long sleeved dark blue shirt. She shook her curls over her shoulders and sat down to pull on her black boots. She grabbed her coat from the hall closet and headed out to her car even though she would be a few minutes early. Jane was surprised that she was nervous about this date. It wasn't like she and Maura had never been out to eat together before. This time just felt so different to Jane.
She pulled up in front of Maura's house and rubbed her hands together anxiously. A few minutes closer to one, Jane got out of the car and went up to ring Maura's doorbell. She heard the chime echo in the house and a few seconds later the door opened. Jane was greeted by Maura wearing a brown skirt, blue v-neck sweater and brown knee high boots.
"Hey." Jane said after taking in Maura's appearance. She moved forward to kiss the blonde on the cheek.
"Hello." Maura said with a smile. "Let me just grab my coat and I'll be ready. You know I'm still driving though!" She called behind her.
Jane rolled her eyes at Maura's turned back. "Yeah I figured."
Jane led the way to Maura's Prius and got in the passenger side. "So you really won't tell me where we're going?"
"Patience Jane…" Maura said with a grin. They drove for a while in comfortable silence before Maura pulled into a parking lot. They were outside a large building, but Jane didn't recognize it as anyplace that she had ever been before.
"It's in here." Maura said, opening her door and waiting for Jane to join her. They walked in to the building through what appeared to be a back door. Jane surmised that it seemed to be some sort of museum although it was sort of hard to tell because they seemed to be in the work area.
"Uh Maura, are you sure that we're supposed to be back here?" Jane asked pointing a sign that said 'Authorized Personnel Only'.
"Yes, it's fine Jane. I'm just looking for the right door." Maura replied, seemingly absorbed by finding her way.
"Okay…" Jane muttered under her breath, deciding to instead devote her attention to watching her girlfriend's ass in her tight skirt.
"Ah, here it is." Maura said reaching a door at the end of a small hallway. She turned the handle and Jane was immediately hit with a wall of humid, fragrant air. As Maura stepped inside Jane was able to see that the room they were entering was some sort of greenhouse. There were floor to ceiling windows and row after row of plants and exotic flowers.
Jane stopped after stepping through the doorway to take in how large the space was. On one wall there were all sorts of climbing flowers and vines making their way up trellises.
"Wow, Maur." Jane said. "How did you come up with this place?"
Maura looked at Jane with a smile. "Well I've been here once before, it's attached to the Museum of Horticulture but the greenrooms aren't open year round. I pulled a few strings and I arranged this…" She said as she led Jane over to a table set up in the center of the green house. It was already heavy with food and there was a bottle of white wine in the center of the table.
"Jeeze, Maura. This is beautiful." Jane replied smiling at the blonde. "Wait, there's a Museum of Horticulture? Why does it not surprise me that you've been here before."
Maura ignored Jane's jab and pulled out a chair at the table. "I thought you might like it. It's a bit more unique than a simple date out at a restaurant."
"Uh yeah, I'd say so." Jane agreed, taking the seat across from Maura.
"Wine?" Maura asked as she poured herself a glass.
"Sure." Jane said, she figured if Maura had picked it out it was a good one. Jane picked up one the silver platters revealing roasted chicken and vegetables, under another there was potatoes. "Mmm this looks good." Jane said taking the serving spoon and spooning some on to her plate and then Maura's.
"Thank you." Maura replied as she sipped her wine. They enjoyed a comfortable lunch, discussing everything from their recent case to a TV show they'd both watched the week before.
After lunch the women strolled up and down the aisles, admiring the flowers. Maura was knowledgable about many of the different species and Jane didn't even mind her google-talk for once. She took Maura's hand in hers and enjoyed the feeling of it in hers while they explored the greenhouse.
After they had seen all of the greenhouse they went back to the table and Maura walked over to a small refrigerator that Jane hadn't noticed before. She pulled out another, smaller platter and opened it to reveal chocolate covered strawberries for dessert.
"I remember you saying once how much you liked these." Maura said with a shy smile.
"Oh yeah." Jane agreed. "I love chocolate covered strawberries!"
Maura picked one up off the platter and brought it over to Jane. She perched herself in Jane's lap and moved it toward the brunette's lips. Jane opened her mouth, enjoying the closeup view of Maura's cleavage. She ate the strawberry in a few bites and then leaned up to kiss Maura slowly.
"Mmm. You taste good." Maura whispered, kissing Jane again. When she pulled back Jane picked up a strawberry and offered it to Maura.
She opened her mouth, staring lustfully at Jane as she took a slow bite. She finished the strawberry and then bent down, pulling Jane's fingers in her mouth and sucking the juice and chocolate off of each one. Jane simply stared up at the blonde, entranced by her mouth. Maura finished sucking and grinned at Jane.
"Are you even aware of the effect you have on me?" Jane asked.