The chirping of birds filled the air as the smell of hearty food was being cooked. The honey blonde opened her eyes and had to adjust to the light outside showing that it was mid- morning. Maura looked around the room she was in and tried to remember how she had gotten there. It was a stone house like Korsak's but it was different from what she was used to seeing. This is someone else's house the young princess confirmed as she continued to look around. She was lying in larger bed from her own at Vince's house and it was made of feathers rather than straw. There was wooden framing around the mattress to hold it up. The stone room was bare, with an exception of a clerestory that was letting in the sunlight. Once Maura got her bearings she decided to get up and investigate her location. She made her way out of the one way room and followed where the smell of food and sounds of movement was being held. This led her to the front room and to the sight of one Jane Rizzoli kneed in front of the fire place most likely making food. Maura stared at the woman before her as she was muttering her inappropriate cuss words that infuriated her to no end. The honey blonde usually finds herself berating the other woman but could not find the strength to stop her as she continued to stare. Her hair has gotten longer the honey blonde told herself, and it is quite gorgeous. Statements like these that seemed to find their way into Maura's head but they did not shock her anymore. At first it confused Maura but when she really thought about, she thought it was just friendly. There is nothing wrong with noticing another woman's beauty, that's the way they were intended. This was the constant justification for thinking these thoughts and for her actions like staring her at friend for instance. Maura was confused as she adjusted to their friendship as this was the first real one she had ever had. The closest maybe Garret, but just had an ulterior motive for me to fall for him she corrected herself. What she had with Jane was real. The older woman wanted nothing more than the pleasure in her company. Jane would listen to her talk and truly try to engage, even when she doesn't understand what I mean she tries to listen anyway. This made Maura smile and feel the fluttering feelings that occurred whenever she was around or thought of Jane. She continued to stare at the other woman lost in thought. There were beautiful women in France that were openly appreciated by other women. What could be so bad?
"Hello sleepy what's got you all smiling?" the familiar deep voice asks bringing Maura out of her stupor. Maura opened and closed her mouth like a fish out of water trying to find a response. The brunette got worried for her friend as she approached her and put a hand on her arm. "Maur its okay you have to answer. Don't have a heart attack." She said in a calm voice.
Maura shook her head as she found herself finally grounded. "Well a heart attack would require….."
Before she could start her lips were stopped in mid speech when a calloused thumb was placed on her lips. "Ya I know Maura it isn't possible to get a heart attack because of that. It's just too early in the morning for all your knowledge to attack me." She said with a hardy laugh that left both girls smiling. Jane continued to rub her thumb over Maura's smooth lips as if in a trance. Usually Maura would find this unsanitary but with Jane she didn't feel that way. Maura was unsure to what to do so she continued to stare at the other woman not wanting her to stop. The brunette finally realized what she was doing and stopped and immediately looked down embarrassed. "Sorry" she muttered quickly averting her eyes.
Oh I don't mind the blonde almost said but was about to keep it only in her thoughts. She tried a different approach, "Its fine Jane" she spoke quickly. "So what are we eating?"
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The food was delicious the honey blonde thought as she continually ate. Jane was a very good cook and that surprised Maura as she was learning new things about her friend. Apparently she built this house from scratch and worked on it for months along with Frost, Casey, and Korsak's help. As they ate Maura started to remember how she had got there. It was Jane's home that she was taken to. Maura and Jane had been riding horses yet again. Though this time it was better for Maura since she had gotten used to controlling a horse unlike that first night where Jane told her about what she had found out in town and it got late and they stayed at Jane's. Yes she had been afraid of Constance's declaration and yet she felt safe being with Jane. Others like Vince, Melanie, and Frost she began to get close to. She enjoyed Frost's company and even created a friendship. He was a sweet, young man who did not get along with his father which was deemed a very complicated relationship. Maura understood that, her family wasn't exactly normal. Well it once was when Mom was still here. Before that bitch took away everything. Maura had never hated anyone before, but this atrocious woman ruined her life along with her family. This helped motive Maura to continue her training , even when she wanted to give up. Jane was right; it was more difficult than she thought. Though the girl was approving according to both Jane and Frost as they were very good teachers. Maura continued though having one key objective in mind, to kill the woman who ruined everything.
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"Come on Maura get him!"
Maura was going a few rounds with Frost while Jane observed the whole thing. Maura had learned and memorized all the techniques they taught her and now they were trying to have her reinforce them through practice. These full on practices have been going on for about a week and surprisingly Maura was able to hold her own. Though she hasn't been able to defeat Frost yet. The honey blonde was breathing heavily as she wiped sweat off the back at her hand. They had been at this for almost two hours and the fatigue was really starting to get to her. Maura didn't want to give in; she had gotten so close at times but was unable to execute her moves. She was just waiting for the opportune moment. Both fighters had their arms up as they tried to circle around each other. Maura had received some bumps and bruises along the way but was able to avoid getting seriously hurt. Frost had been very kind to help her out, though at first he was reluctant to fight a girl but Jane convinced him otherwise. She was probably threatened him if he didn't. Maura was very lucky to have Jane by her side, encouraging her to continue on. Frost was circling her and in a quick move was behind her.
"Maur get out of there he has you if you have your back turned." The older woman shouted.
Frost wrapped his arms around her neck. Not in a dangerous way but just to keep a hold on her. Oh no not this again she honey blonde thought. She would always get so close to beating him but when he would get her from behind she was unable to stop him. She found herself hesitating quite frequently as she was now.
"Princess you can't let him get you in that position. You're useless against him now. Don't hesitant. Get in there and fight back!"
"Dammit Rizzoli I'm trying!" the younger woman yelled both placing shocked looks on the other's faces. Jane had her mouth wide open as a huge smile crept on her face.
God Jane doesn't think I can do anything. Just because of who I am doesn't make me physically inferior. I am not weak! Anger had been boiling inside the other woman profusely. She was mad and she now begun to react. As a reflex, Maura lowered her elbow and pulled it backward hitting Frost's gut loosening his grip then she head butted him in his noise as he yelled out in pain. Frost let go completely as she held one hand to his nose, hunched over, and looked at the other woman in shock. Oh my I did it!...Oh my goodness I hurt him! But before she could do anything she looked at Jane who had an insane wide smile that was spread across her cheeks as she was jumping up for joy. She looked like a child getting his favorite toy on Christmas.
"Oh my God! Way to go Maura!" the raven haired woman yelled as she made her way to Maura and pulled her into an embrace.
Maura was slightly flushed from Jane's reaction but then logic soon took over. "Oh Barry you're bleeding are you alright? I am so sorry….."
"Oh no Maura it's not a problem really." He responded with a genuine smile on his face.
"HA he's only saying that because he got his butt beat by the Princess!" Jane said with a bark of a laugh escaping her lips.
"Jane don't be mean! I didn't mean to hurt him on purpose…."
"We know highness don't feel bad" Frost spoke softly. "This is what we have been training you for. I figured you eventually become more of a challenge for me."
"Yea relax Maura, Frost will be fine. The important thing is what you did today. Good job." Rizzoli said with a smile on her face.
Maura blushed at this still not use to complements. She went to his nose to inspect it. "I believe I just popped it out. I could pop it back in for you?" The honey blonde suggested.
Frost didn't look too comfortable about it but before he knew it, it was too late. "Ow!"
Maura removed her hands from his face with a sad puppy look on her face. As Frost was holding onto his nose Maura turned to look at Jane who had a big smile on her face. Her dimples are showing.
"Good job Maur!" Jane said as she placed a hand on her shoulder. "Let's call it a day and take Frost home to rest." They all seemed to agree and begin to make their way back to the village.
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"Maura! I don't understand what is so important!"
"Oh Jane shhhh….it won't take long." The irritated blonde said.
"Did you just shhh me? The older woman looked at her friend with eye brows raised. "I hate it when people do that. The last person to do that lost an eye."
"Well I doubt you'll do that since I continually catch you staring in them." The young woman retorted back not looking at the woman with a smile on her face. When she finally looked up she saw the usual calm woman all flustered.
"Whatever Princess just hurry up!"
"Jane Rizzoli you have to be the most inpatient person I have ever met!" She said loudly that gave the other woman a huge grin. "Where are you taking me anyway?"
"I told you. It's a surprise so you're gonna have to find out. But come on let's go."
"Give me five minutes!" she said hurrying into another room.
"Three!" the older woman shouted as she found a seat on a stool quickly losing patience she stood up and went to where Maura was. "Alright how's it going? If you need me to get any….AHHHH!" the last part she screamed out as she jump backward and fell on the hard floor.
The noise alerted Maura that commotion occurring as she hurried out of the room. "JANE?! What's happened?" The honey blonde found her on the floor and approached her, kneeling down to her fallen friend.
Jane looked slight distorted from her fall but soon snapped back to reality as the figure of her sudden reaction once again appeared in her sights. "AH! What the HELL is that?! Oh my God it's moving!" the woman screeched and pointed at the approaching figure.
Maura turned to look at her cause of distress and had to hold back a laugh when she spotted the small, well now close to medium sized reptile making his way toward them. "Oh Jane, it's just Bass! Oh Bass honey you rightfully scared Jane out of her wits!" Maura laughed happily at the change in Jane's demeanor.
Jane looked at her in complete horror as she was unafraid of the creature. "Bass? What the hell that thing is alive let alone has a name?!"
"Language Jane!" she scoffed at the other woman. "Besides Bass is my pet. He will not harm you don't worry." She said with a wide grin spreading on her face.
Jane was slightly embarrassed by her reaction to this now seemingly small creature and tried to shake it off. "Oh well he came out of nowhere and started me is all. Besides I can easily sit on him and squish him if I must" she said smirking.
The honey blonde looked up with an appalled look. "Jane Rizzoli you will do no such thing! Not if you value your life."
This last comment shocked the older woman. "What are you going to use your new found combat skills and take me down?" she responded with a slight smirk.
"You better believe it Rizzoli" the younger girl responded back staring at her with her intense haze eyes.
This occurred for a couple minutes and Jane found herself having to look away from such intense, beautiful eyes. "Ok fine turtle is safe."
"Tortoise. Actually African spurted tortoise." Maura corrected the other woman.
Rizzoli rolled her eyes in response. "Alright fine. Are you ready to go?"
"Yes I have everything" she said quietly but then an idea struck her. "Oh Jane can I bring Bass with us?"
"What the creepy little turtle? No way he's staying here."
"Oh Jane please? He hasn't been able to be outdoors in a while and I think it is good for his social c…."
"No Maura the animal stays here and that's final!"
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"Where are we going Jane?"
"Relax were almost there. Just a little further."
Both girls had ridden on Colt until they reached a hilly area and started to make their way up it. They were making their way up to a peak as Jane assisted in Maura walked the slope. The honey blonde was beyond curious about their location but reframed from asking. She had asked multiple times at the house and the majority on the way there but Jane had not budged. This was slightly annoying to the young Princess but she let it go. She would find out eventually. Finally they made their way up to the top of the peak and went near the edge. This area they could see a huge amount of land underneath of the grassy terrain. Jane began to set up a quilt on the ground and prepare things.
"Hey I know it's nice down there but we're actually going to be looking up."
This caused Maura to look up and finally she saw what she was missing. The beautiful stars of the universe were brightly showing throughout the night's sky and onto them. Maura of course had seen stars but not this close and within a natural setting. She was captivated by them she barely noticed Jane make her way next to her.
"Come one sit down and well look at them together." She said as she grabbed her hand and pulled her in a sitting position on the blanket. Maura had placed down her satchel next to the blanket and opened its contents bringing out a small cage. Maura found her eyes gain to the bright sky. She felt Jane's warm body sit next to her and look up too.
"Oh Jane it's beautiful" she said quickly and looked at the other woman. "How did you know I would like it?"
"Well since you know everything from your books I thought you would want to see the real thing. At least a better view." She replied back.
"Yes I have read all about them but have been unable to see them."
"Can you tell me about them?" the older woman asked looking her in the eye.
This shocked Maura. Maura got the impression that Jane did not like her little informational spiels by huffing or rolling her eyes in response. "Wait you want me to tell you something I know? I didn't think you liked my facts."
This caused Jane to slightly chuckle. "Ok yea sometimes they can be a bit much but I usual listen to what you say" she said with a smile on her face. "I pay attention to you more than you think Princess."
Maura started to blush profusely. Oh my goodness she needs to stop saying things like that. She placed a hand over her heart and smiled. "Oh Jane….that's really sweet."
Jane scrunched her face as her eye brows furrowed. "What?! Uhh whatever you say Princess."
Maura laughed and looked a shooting star that flashed across the sky as they both stared at it. Maura then told Jane about the myths of shooting stars and where they started. She also talked about the constellations like Orion's belt, the Big and Little Dipper, Andromeda, and many more while discussing their history and the stories behind it. Looking at the constellations that were big, bright, and yellow shinning in the distance provided a calming effect. Jane seemed to be intrigued as the other woman was explaining everything. The dark haired woman could not help but look at the other woman and marvel at her as she was in awe of her knowledge and beauty. The other woman was amazingly intelligent and so few people seem to appreciate that quality. It was a beautiful night and both women were basking in it. Jane felt a sudden movement of Maura body as she shivered against the cold wind. Rizzoli moved closer to the other girl.
"Hey you cold?" she asked in a concerned voice.
Maura quickly looked at her. "Well may be a little. The change in wind frequency along with the hour makes….." she says but quickly stops when Jane rose and grabs a blanket from Colt and pulls it over both of them. This made Maura smile as she leaned into the hot, warm body next to her.
"Better Princess?" her deep voiced asked.
"Yes thank you."
The honey blonde sighed loudly as she started to take everything in. She then looked at the cage near the blanket. "Oh Bass do you wanna be let out of your cage?" She asked as she moved him out of his cage and place Bass on the grass next to the blanket.
Jane rolled her eyes, "Really you're asking your turtle? I don't know why I let you take him with us."
"Well firstly it's tortoise. And even though you pretend to have a tough exterior you're such a softy underneath." She said as she petted Bass softly.
"Oh honey you just haven't seen what I am fully capable of just yet." Rizzoli replied with a mischievous glint in her eye.
"Yes I can see what you have already done and can see you have a compassionate heart." She replied to the other woman as she pressed her head on Jane's empty shoulder. She could feel Jane tense as she assumed it had been a long time since Jane was this close with anyone. Maura had noticed that Jane was not particularly fond of physical contact, well except her. Why does she trust me so much?
"So where did you come up with Bass? A past suitor or something?"
"No. Robert Lauder of The Bass King of Scotland. I read it in one of my books and he interested me."
"Oh right that Bass." She responded sarcastically while looking at the creature. "You ever have a boyfriend?"
This question stumped Maura as she looked at her friend. "Um not really." She decided to respond.
"Not really? How can you not really have had a boyfriend?" She asked in a sarcastic tone.
"Well it was more one sided. He liked to assume we were."
"He never forced you into anything did he?"
Maura looked at Jane quickly. "Oh no never that! Garret was a gentleman." She looked at Jane as she was waiting for her to continue. "Though he was never shy about expressing his affections toward me."
It was quiet for a little while. Until Jane spoke up. "So he was decent toward ya?"
"Oh yes he was. He was very understanding when father got sick and I had to leave Paris." Maura continued to speak as she felt Jane's thumb rub the lower part of her back creating goose bumps. She then felt the hidden weapon within her boot and pulled it out. "He actually gave me this before I left. Something to protect myself with if I needed to on my journey home." She said as she showed the dagger to Jane.
"Wow that's an Irish Knight's Damascus dagger! This is really rare." The older woman exclaimed.
"Yes, Garret tends to enjoy the best things in life."
"Yea I can see that especially since he likes you."
This made Maura fully blush while a multitude of tiny butterflies seemed to be in flight within her abdomen. Maura could not find the words to respond back but just laid her head back on Jane's shoulder as she gravitate her body closer to the other woman, pressing her face into her neck. She felt Jane shudder and could not help but smile.
"Do you miss your father?"
"Why yes. Yes I do, very much." She said quietly. "I am just so worried about him. When I had encountered Constance I did not truly get to evaluate my father's condition. It's been months and I am not even sure he is still alive…."
Jane reacted by wrapping her arm around the honey blonde's waist and placing her head on top of Maura's. "It would have been big news if something had happened to him. There would have been word about it within town. I'm sure he's fine Maur." She said trying to calm her friend.
"Oh Jane I hope you're right." She sighed. There were many things running through her mind that Maura just had to ask. "Jane do you have a family?"
Maura could visibly feel Jane's body tense and feared she had gone too far. Oh no she think it's too much and shuts me out.
"I did, at one time." She answered quietly.
Maura was unsure what to do next but could not help her next question. "What happened?"
"Life had a different plan for them."
The honey blonde knew that she needed to stop asking questions. Even though she was very curious she knew she needed to wait until Jane opened up to her about her family. While Maura was wondering when that was going to happen she snuggled closer to her and her eyes started to flutter shut as sleep was over taking her under the beautiful starry sky.
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Yayyyy chapter 18! Hey so I feel like I haven't updated in a while! Sorry about that I had to work on paper for English along with many projects that my college course requires so I have been busy. So more interaction. You like? I just really wanted to develop their friendship before anything else were to occur. So the last scene in this chapter I enjoyed writing the most and I found myself listening to the song Yellow by Coldplay on repeat and I thought it help with writing that section and I just love that song! Anyway rambling aside, I hope to get started soon with the next chapter as we continue on our journey. Thanks for the reviews I have been receiving. They have helped me continue to stay motivate in writing each chapter. I only ask if you wish to continue giving me feedback, it just helps with process of writing this story and I get your opinions about it not to mention it warms my heart when I know someone is enjoying my work. Alright thanks again and until next time!
~C.L. 3