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: The end of the road for this story feels bittersweet. There will be other stories, I promise. Thank you all for your kind reviews, many of which put a smile on my face and I won't soon forget. I hope this final chapter does this story justice. I put a bit of my heart in this one. -DKC
Slow and Steady – Chapter 20
"Maura," Jane hollered from the side door as she carried a bag of fresh bread into the kitchen.
"Hey, I'm right here," Maura answered, coming around the corner into the kitchen.
The doctor approached Jane, placing a hand on either side of her face and kissing her softly before taking the bag and placing it on the kitchen island.
"Is Ma here?" Jane asked.
"She went to get something from the guesthouse."
Taking the rare opportunity alone with the doctor, Jane put her arms out against the counter, effectively pinning the doctor between them. She then leaned in and pressed her lips to the doctor's. It didn't take long for Maura to respond by gripping Jane's hips and tracing her bottom lip with her tongue. The kiss became heated quickly, but was put on ice suddenly when Angela came abruptly through the door Jane had just entered through.
"Oh!" Angela was nearly as startled as Jane and Maura. The two friends, now lovers, had broken their kiss as the door opened, but were still in a rather intimate position.
"I didn't hear you drive up, Janie," Angela approached the two stunned women and kissed her eldest child on the cheek before approaching the fridge.
Jane raised her eyebrow at Maura, shocked that her mother didn't comment on the intimacy she walked in on. Jane untangled herself from the woman before her, but didn't make an effort to distance herself at all. The two women stood with their backs leaning against the island, their shoulders touching as they listened to Angela rattle off the ingredients she would need for the now traditional family dinner.
The afternoon continued on much the way it had started. Neither woman was shy in showing affection to the other nor did Angela comment on this new development. At one point Maura had sided with Angela about something and Jane retaliated by wrapping her arms around Maura from behind and tickling her relentlessly. Once Maura's laughter had died out, Jane kept her arms around Maura and simply stood holding the doctor as the conversation with the Rizzoli matriarch continued. It was as if nothing had changed. And maybe nothing had. These two women had always loved each other. They had always been touchy-feely with one another. Had they had wild, passionate sex? Yes. Did they still love and respect each other and share a friendship greater than any either had ever had? Yes.
Frankie was the first of the guests to arrive, followed by Frost and Korsak. True to his reputation, Tommy showed up late with TJ, but the patchwork family waited to start the meal until he arrived.
As the family sat around the table eating, there was no grand announcement that needed to be made. Maura and Jane were happy and everyone could see that. Jane was more forthcoming with the looks she reserved only for Maura. Maura reached out to touch Jane even more often than she would normally.
They didn't need to tell their friends and family that there had been a change in their relationship status because there was nothing sudden about it. They'd been moving toward this outcome for years, really. Slowly, steadily, they were always meant to be right here. At one point, when Jane pulled Maura into her side and kissed the top of her head, laughing at one of the doctor's useless facts, Jane caught Korsak winking at her mother as if to say it was about damn time. Jane didn't even have the urge to kick her former partner under the table.
"The policeman's ball is coming up," Korsak mentioned, the conversation continuing to flow along with good wine.
"Oh yeah, Frankie you gonna ask out Michaela Alberici? I hear she's newly divorced," Tommy teased.
"Shut up, Tommy!" Frankie threw his napkin and his brother.
"Now, boys," Angela chuckled.
"Frankie asked Michaela Alberici out to the junior prom and she turned him down," Jane explained to Maura who was utterly confused by the Rizzoli boys' interaction.
"That's terrible!" Maura responded, patting Frankie's arm from her seat.
"Nah, I think I'll challenge Janie to a basketball game to see who gets to take Maura," Frankie teased his sister who responded by glaring at him. If looks could kill.
"And to think I felt bad for you," Maura joked, pulling her hand back away from Frankie.
The entire table erupted in laughter, including Jane who was grinning from ear to ear. Not able to contain herself, Jane leaned over and kissed Maura on the cheek, unafraid of who noticed or what their reaction would be. This seemed right and she was tired of denying herself what was right for her.
As the conversation continued around them, Maura looked over and noticed just how truly happy her best friend was. Seeing Jane happy was the greatest thing Maura had ever discovered. She reached for Jane's hand under the table, interlacing their fingers. Maura leaned into Jane; her mouth just below her ear while everybody else at the table was concentrating on Frankie.
"I love you, Jane. I love this. Thank you for sharing all of it with me."
A stray tear escaped Jane's eye and Maura reached up to catch it. She knew that it was a happy tear, not like the tears she'd caused Jane before. Happiness looked good on Jane and she was awfully proud of herself for having a hand in it.
"You know I'm going to have to have my way with you tonight, right?" Jane whispered into Maura's ear, causing the doctor to choke briefly on the wine she was in the process of swallowing.
The entire table turned toward Maura to make sure she was okay. She couldn't form words, instead waving them off and encouraging them to continue their conversation. She felt herself blushing, those now familiar butterflies in the pit of her stomach.
Instead of answer Jane, a feat Maura couldn't conquer in the moment, she reached down and clenched Jane's upper thigh. Like everything else between the two, it wasn't necessary for her to articulate a response. The look she gave Jane said it all.