Disclaimer: All recognizable Rizzoli & Isles characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners including, but not limited to Tess Gerritsen, Janet Tamaro and TNT. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this fan fiction story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No financial gain is associated with the publishing of this story. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Note: This is turning into slow burn to Rizzles territory and I don't intend to speed it up significantly right away. Thanks for your patience—or for not yelling at me in your impatience! ;) -DKC
Slow and Steady – Chapter 4
"Who is Dr. Isles dating?" Korsak asked in the squad room, causing Jane to suddenly pay attention to a conversation she hadn't been part of.
"I don't know. That's just what he said," Frost responded. "Maybe Jane knows."
Both men were looking at the brunette detective and she had no idea why or what they had been talking about before Korsak had asked whom Maura was dating.
"She's not dating anyone," Jane said, attempting to keep her curiosity at bay.
"That's not what Crowe said," Frost responded.
"Crowe?" Jane nearly growled.
If there was one detective that Jane couldn't stand it was Crowe. She was glad when he had left their precinct a few years before and hadn't given him much thought since.
"Yeah, I guess the doc was over at his new precinct and one of the detectives asked Maura if she was seeing anyone, you know, to ask her out. And she told him she was," came the calm response to Jane's near growl.
"Well, we don't' tell each other everything," Jane said almost under her breath. "But I would definitely know if she was dating someone."
"If who is dating someone?" came the soft voice from behind the detectives.
Jane turned and saw Maura standing in the doorway to the bullpen. She hadn't heard Maura approach and quickly saw why—Maura wasn't in heels for the first time in, well, ever.
"You. Crowe said Detective Palmer asked you out," Frost answered, offering his chair to Maura, but she waved him off.
"Oh. I… He did ask, but I…I…" Maura stuttered.
"Maur, you're going to give yourself hives," Jane chuckled. "Out with it."
"He's friends with Crowe. It's Crowe!" Maura whined and all three detectives busted up laughing.
"How did you not get hives when you told him you were seeing someone?" Jane asked.
"He didn't define 'seeing;' I see people all the time," came the doctor's rationale.
Both of the men laughed and Jane simply stared at her best friend. Until that moment she hadn't noticed the incredibly tight trousers Maura had on. She was lost in the image before her when she heard mention of Detective Crowe again.
"You could always date Crowe," Frost kidded Maura.
Jane took the opportunity to throw an empty paper cup at him in Maura's defense, narrowly missing the side of his face and landing on his desk.
"Hey! There are plenty of single men in the BPD," he argued. "So many we could have our own calendar.
"Gross! You do realize you're talking about Korsak, right?" Jane made fake gagging noises and Korsak feigned devastation.
"I won't be dating any of the single men of the BPD," Maura responded, putting extra emphasis on the men part.
"Let me walk you out, Maur," Jane said, furiously trying to hide the blush that had developed on her face with Maura's last comment.
Would Maura consider dating Jane? The detective had no idea, but she did know she suddenly felt much better knowing that her best friend wasn't seeing anyone. Why? She couldn't decide. Whether or not Jane wanted to date Maura, she wasn't sure. But she was sure she didn't want anyone else touching Maura.
"Anxious to get out of that conversation, detective?" Maura teased as they walked toward the elevator.
"You have no idea!" Jane exhaled.
"You were jealous," Maura dug.
"Was not!" Jane's response was too quick and vehement to be true.
"You were," Maura said quietly as she pushed the elevator button.
"Why did you come upstairs?" the detective was trying desperately to change the subject.
"Don't change the subject," Maura grinned.
"Maur…" Jane whined.
Maura Isles stepped into the elevator and locked eyes with Jane. Jane's stubbornness was legendary. Getting Jane to admit that she was in fact jealous of anyone that might be dating Maura was a tall order.
"Jane…" Maura demanded as she pulled the detective by her wrist into the elevator as the doors were closing.
Jane stumbled forward, nearly running into Maura as she tried to keep her balance. Maura held Jane by her wrist and didn't lose eye contact.
"I came upstairs because I wanted to see you," Maura whispered. "Right now, I only see you."
With those last two words, Maura closed the small distance between the two women and pressed her lips to Jane's. It was chaste, though fueled with unspoken desire. Whatever was going on between them was going to burn them soon if they didn't stop getting so close to the flame.
Breaking the two women from the kiss and the moment was the sound of the elevator dinging and the doors opening. The doctor had never pushed the button for the morgue. Jane stepped backward out of the elevator, not losing eye contact until the doors of the elevator were closing with the doctor's eyes behind them. The last thing she saw was a look of satisfaction on her best friend's face.