A/N: Wow, total laptop melt down and lost a chapter entirely. Tech stinks but oh well. So there's kind of some family drama here because that's pretty much my family when we get to the holidays, some ones always acting the fool. Next chapter were going to have some fun stuff so here we go.
Thanksgiving Day
Alexis cursed as the curling iron touched her bare neck. She jerked it away and nearly pulled the lock she was currently twisting in her haste to get the burning object away from her skin. She set it down and gently pulled away her hair to look at the red mark that would be a source of irritation to her all night.
"Alexis, Darling?" Gram said from the hallway, "Are you alright?"
She rolled her eyes before calling out, "Yes, I'm fine Gram. Just burned myself with the curling iron."
Martha Rodgers stuck her head into the bathroom. "Oh dear." She slipped all the way in and set down her brandy before searching the sink cabinet for a flat iron. Having found one she set it on the counter and started to unplug the curling iron.
Alexis grabbed her hand, "Gran, I don't want to straighten it I want to curl it."
"But darling." She said as she shook of the teens grip and yanked the plug out. "You always look so beautiful when your hair is straightened."
"I like it better when it's like this." She said with a bit more defiance than Gran was used to, "I love the look of unruly curls and I like how it looks on me."
She narrowed an eye at her granddaughter, "You mean you like to look like Jane."
"Yeah, I like that too." She said as she cocked her hip and glared with her arms crossed over her chest.
Martha gasped as she saw Jane's attitude come out of her sweet young Alexis. She set the flat iron down and glared back at her, "Now look here, kiddo. I know that you adore Jane but that woman may not be the best influence in this house for you."
Her eyebrows raised and sarcastically shot out, "Why is that again?"
"Because there is another woman in this house who sets a much better example for you. Kate loves you and is going to marry your father. She is the one you should be looking too."
"Really?" she said, "Aunt Jane and Kate are best friends, you know. Why don't you like her, she's done tons of things for this family."
Martha picked up her brandy and took a large sip before she answered, "She's not your Aunt and she's definitely not related to you." She swirled the brandy in its glass as she regarded Alexis, "She's Kate's friend and she's in love with…" She couldn't finish her sentence but Alexis heard the ending loud and clear.
"A woman," Alexis spat. "You hate her because she's a lesbian."
Martha didn't look at her, "She's a bad influence on you."
"That's why you left," she said as her posture loosened. "You left because she was torn apart over a woman."
"No!" she said quickly, "I told you, it was time to move on and be on my own."
Alexis shot her a look that said she wasn't buying it for a second. "You've never lied to me before, Gran. Why are you now?"
"It's not a lie" she said whimsically. Alexis didn't budge and after a minute Martha caved, "Fine, yes, Jane had a lot to do with why I left. But it's not just because of her preferences for dating."
"Then what was it, really?"
Martha emptied the glass into her mouth and swallowed. She wiped her lip with her finger before meeting Alexis gaze evenly. Like an adult, an equal. "It's because of her effect on Kate and my son, and most of all her effect on you. Jane Rizzoli isn't like us. She comes from a different kind of family. She's loud, crass and rude. Kate dropped everything to take care of her over a broken heart. In my day, we drank a bit and found a new man. There were so many to choose from back then." She glanced off into the distance for a second before she renewed her assault on Jane. "Your father welcomed her into his home at the drop of a hat and she stole Kate's attention from him. For weeks, my son slept alone while his girlfriend was sleeping with Jane, under his own roof. Then she turns her attention to you."
Alexis stared in disbelief at what her sweet gran was saying. Gran didn't let up.
"Look at you." she waved a hand at the mirror, "You were this sweet, polite, young woman who could do anything in the world you wanted to do. Kate should be the one you're trying to be like. She's smart, tough, and well balanced between a tough cop and feminine grace. Jane on the other hand dresses in combat boots and tries to be a man. I see her harsh attitude and her smart mouth in you and I wonder where my sweet granddaughter went. I pray that you come to your senses soon and realize that Jane Rizzoli is a bad influence on you and the rest of this family."
"Is that so?" A masculine voice boomed from the hallway and Rick stepped into view.
Martha turned around, gasping, "Richard, I…"
"You what, mother." He said as he crossed his arms and leaned on the door frame, "You're sorry?"
She stood up to her full height, her blue eyes glistened and her red hair shined in the light, "No I'm not sorry. I am… concerned."
"Well that's too bad." He said and his face got stern, "Let me tell you what I see and then Alexis can tell you what she sees."
"I really don't want to hear this?" she said as she grabbed her empty glass. "Excuse me."
He didn't move, "No you don't but I'm going to tell you anyway. I see a woman who means as much to Kate as a sister. I see a woman who came to the ones she trusted above all others when she lost something precious to her. Imagine what that would be like. Imagine if Alexis slapped you in the face and left. Imagine how you would feel if you punched me out in front of Alexis. I know Jane a whole lot better than you do. After all, I was here the whole time. From the day she came here."
"Richard," she tried to interrupt but Rick was having none of it.
"No, mother, I'm not finished." He straightened up in the door way. "I was there. I sent Kate into that room to be with Jane and regardless of what you may think I know that was where she was needed. Kate and I hadn't been together all that long and I wanted her to move in with us. Kate didn't want her to be alone and we all took turns taking care of her which was a lot easier to do here than at her apartment so she moved in and since we were all so busy looking out for Jane, Kate and I didn't have the whole big song and dance about feeling out our relationship. We've never regretted that, not even once and it's all because of Jane.
"She was sleeping with a lesbian!" Martha interjected.
"She was holding a friend while she cried herself to sleep." he said sharply, "I know what went on and I know what didn't. Jane is in to women but she would never do that with Kate, certainly not while she was torn up over Maura. And as for her effect on our family, I think she's brought out the best in each of us. Kate says that Jane is the best partner and best friend she's ever had. Jane and Kate have a kind of friendship few people have and they're closer then sisters. There is no one in the world I want more at Kate's back on the job than Jane.
He leaned in to her, "Jane saved Kate's life out there. Did you know that? A man had a gun pressed to the back of her head and Jane was the one who killed him before he could kill the woman I love. That's something I can never repay her for, bringing Kate out of that factory alive.
"And as far as Alexis goes, I love that she calls her Aunt Jane. The kinship is through Kate, sisters remember? Sure Jane's humor can be crass and yeah she can be rude, but let me tell you one other thing. Jane has some other things that have latched onto Alexis. Determination, strength, and Jane's follow through. But I see a lot of Kate in there too."
"And what about Jane's choice of partners?" she said mockingly. "What are you going to say when Alexis comes home with a girlfriend?"
Alexis shifted uncomfortably, Rick new she wanted an answer to that one too.
He smiled at his daughter, "Nice to meet you, I'm Alexis's father, Rick."
"Richard!" Martha couldn't believe it. "You would allow her to date women?"
He leveled an understanding glare to his mother, "Only if it makes her happy because the very person you condemned this evening denied that part of herself for most of her life and the first thing she'd say about it was how miserable she was because of it. If Alexis ends up liking girls instead of guys, I'm okay with that, and that is an understanding I learned because of Jane, too."
Martha leaned against the counter and shook her head. Alexis wanted to go to her but she knew Gran needed time. Her father had never talked to her like that, civil as he had been.
Rick picked up the box of Kleenex from the corner and handed it to Alexis before he spoke again, "I love you, Mother but this has to stop somewhere. The woman has been through hell and back, a couple times over. You have no idea what she's been through, the scars she carries. Jane is going to be here soon and she's bringing Maura with her. You don't have to like her or Maura. Most people don't like there in-laws anyway. But I do expect you to be civil and keep your comments about their relationship and orientation to yourself." He turned to leave the room but he had forgotten something, "Oh yeah. Thank you for helping us out and hanging out with Olivia. I know she's still broken up over Alex leaving her to go to Africa but there is something you should know. Alex is short for Alexandria. She's Olivia's girlfriend."
He left the room, but he only got out into the hallway before he spotted Kate. She had a look on her face that he didn't see too often, naked pride and admiration.
He felt kind of sheepish that she had overheard him talking to his own mother like that but he had to do something. He rubbed his hand around the back of his head and before he could apologize, she had slid her arms around him and pulled him tight against her. His arms wrapped around her out of habit as she kissed him.
She broke away quickly and rested her chin on his shoulder. He held her for a second as she brought her lips to his ear and kissed his ear lobe and whispered, "Thank you." She looked into his eyes then, "I'm sorry you had to do that."
Jane was family and he had stood up for her against his own mother. It was then that he realized what Jane had brought out in him. Unwavering loyalty.
He pulled her closer and kissed her gently. "I love them both."
Alexis stood looking at her Gran. Martha was almost to tears. Alexis pulled out a tissue and handed it to her.
Martha looked up at her before taking the tissue. "Are you going to yell at me too?"
"He didn't yell, Gran." She said, "But he's not wrong. Jane has been good for this family."
"She turned my son away from me." She said as she sniffed.
"No she didn't." she said back, "Jane constantly reminds him to call you because family is important to her."
"Didn't she run away from hers?" she spat.
"Yeah. She did." Alexis came over and sat down on the counter next to her Gran. "She was confused and scared and she did some things she couldn't face at the time."
"She knocked out her own brother?"
"The very same one who's sitting on our couch, right now." Alexis put her arm around the older woman. "I know that she was drunk and thought he was someone else and that she spent the next two days in a motel. Drinking orange juice and sobering out. She doesn't drink much anymore and when she does, she just sips at the same bottle of beer all night long, so she can't get drunk like that again."
"That explains the orange juice." She said soberly.
Alexis patted her Gran's shoulder. "She's done more for us than you know. She never fails to step up and help. She's always there when I need her no matter what she's doing. She is fiercely protective of us and she never lets any of us down. She's especially been there for me."
Martha reached out and pulled a lock of twisted red hair through her fingers, "This does look good on you, darling. I just didn't want to admit it." She stood up and put the flat iron away and plugged in the curling iron, "Alexis?"
"Yeah Gran?" she asked as she stood before the mirror with her gran behind her.
"Are you a lesbian, too?" Gran couldn't look at her, not even through the mirror.
"I don't know, Gran. I've only dated boys and I've never…" she paused, "…You know."
She nodded and finally met those ocean blue eyes, "I'm sorry, Alexis." She said as she took the curling iron in hand and wove it through her granddaughter's silky hair. "I know sometimes I shouldn't say or do the things I do."
She grabbed her grans hand, "I love you, Gran. I miss you and I wish that you hadn't left. I wish you could know my Aunt Jane like I do because I know you'd love her like I do."
"I still don't like her, kiddo." She said as she continued to work, "But I will try to see what it is you see in her."
A small smile creased Alexis's mouth. It was a small victory but it was a step in the right direction.
Maura rubbed her hands over her dress for the sixth time as she and Jane rode the elevator up to Rick's loft. It was a nervous habit, one that Jane was slightly annoyed with but refused to mention. Instead she took Maura's hand and squeezed it gently.
"Maur, relax." She said softly, "It's just Thanksgiving dinner, there's no reason to be nervous."
"Oh yes there is Jane," She didn't look at her, "Everyone in that apartment only knows me as the one who tore apart Jane Rizzoli's heart. I know that you're not worried about it but I am. I'm going to be a constant reminder of what happened to you."
Jane stepped around Maura and stuck a finger under the blonds chin, lifting it so she would meet her gaze. "Some of them don't know but even if they do it will only take them a few minutes to realize how happy we are with each other."
A single tear slid down her cheek which Jane swiftly wiped away with her thumb. "Those are your friends in there and they're going to hate me. They're important to you and I don't want to hurt that."
"They will love you if you let them." She smiled, "Kate doesn't hate you. Why would the others?"
The elevator pinged and the doors parted. Jane pulled Maura slowly from it and into the hall way. Jane pulled her tightly and gently kissed Maura's full lips with that dimpled smile.
"Just trust me and give them a chance." She kissed her again, "I know they can be scary but I'll be right here with you and so will Frankie. You know we won't let anything happen to you."
Maura didn't drop her hands from Jane's back. Instead she leaned in closer and buried her face into Jane's ebony curls. She nodded slightly and took a deep breath. Jane's lavender scent filled her nose and then it filled her heart. She trusted Jane and would follow her wherever she led.
Jane led Maura through the front door, immediately the smell of dinner replaced the scent of Jane. Memories of Angela and the aromas of her cooking filling her home slammed into her. She missed this more than she realized. The smell of family and home, but this wasn't her family. This was New York and the though sent a pain into her heart and she gripped Jane's arm a little tighter.
Jane turned and seeing the look on Maura, she slipped her arm out of Maura's grasp and took her hand.
Colin jumped up from the couch, "Hey, she's here!" He set his beer down and slapped Frankie in the shoulder, "C'mon, Frankie."
Frankie rolled his eyes and stood up to greet his sister and Maura. Olivia turned away from the balcony windows in time to see Alexis and Gran come down the stairs. Alexis tried to rush to Jane but Kate beat her to it, with Rick not far behind.
She stood proudly staring at Jane and Maura's hands entwined. But a look from Jane told her something was up.
What is it?
Jane's eyes replied, She's nervous.
Kate smiled warmly at the blond, "Maura, I'm so glad you were able to make it, today. I was hoping for a chance to get to know you better." Even though she didn't know Maura all that well, Kate reached forward to hug the woman. It was a light embrace but it had the effect she wanted. Maura had visibly relaxed and had hugged her back gently.
Jane's look was one of sincere gratitude, Thanks partner. I owe you.
Kate nodded and stepped back as Rick slipped in to take her place, "Dr. Isles you look stunning. Particularly next to Jane here."
"Hey," Jane slugged him in the shoulder, "I clean up pretty good too, Castle."
He laughed as he rubbed his shoulder, "Yeah Jane. You do. But I know Kate wants that grey suit back so don't be surprised if you go back to Maura's in your work clothes."
"Why do you think I left the jacket at home?" She snickered then she realized what she said.
Home. She called Maura's condo home. Damn, it's only been four days, what the hell Rizzoli?
Kate and Rick didn't miss it either. Neither did Alexis who froze at the words.
"It's alright Jane." Kate said with a smile. "It looks better on you anyway."
"All right, all right, enough with the Riz hoggin'," Colin reached passed Rick and swung Jane up into a bear hug, her heeled shoes dangling beneath her, "Jeez girl. You may be strong as an ox, but you don't weigh nothin'."
Jane slipped from his grasp, grabbed his waist, locking her hands together, and lifted him up, all 220 pounds of him three inches off the floor. "And you feel like a sack of potatoes."
She dropped him and he laughed, "Strong as an Ox, I'm tellin' ya." He hugged her more gently and looked at Maura, "So this must me your bird." (Irish slang for steady girl)
She turned to Maura who was looking quite surprised by Jane's greeting. "Maura, this is Colin O'Malley. He's the friend I met at LETO." She swung around Maura and wrapped her arms around her waist. "This is Dr. Maura Isles. My girlfriend."
"It's nice to finally meet you, Colin." She said as she held her hand out. "Jane has told me a lot about you."
He pushed her hand away and wrapped his arms around her and Jane. "Lass, that doesn't even compare to all the wonderful things Jane has told me about you. But I should take both of you to task for not figurin' this thing out years ago."
He let them go and grinned. "Should have come to Boston and knocked some sense into both of you years ago."
"Wish you would have," Jane said as she kissed Maura's cheek, sweetly. "Would've saved us both a lot of time and trouble."
Maura leaned in to her, "Maybe or maybe this was how it was supposed to be."
"Now that's not the scientist I used to know." She scoffed. "What about facts and evidence and all of that?"
She looked over her shoulder and cupped Jane's cheek, "I had to learn to take some things on faith."
"Alright make room for the impatient bother." Frankie hollered out. Colin stepped aside and Frankie grabbed up his sister. He held her for a minute and let her go before he snatched up Maura, "I should be mad at you for keeping my sister for the last two days but I'm still so grateful you found each other."
Maura kissed his cheek and smiled. "I hope we'll be able to catch up more today."
Jane pulled Maura away from him, "Jealous girlfriend, here. Don't be getting all touchy with my girl." She wrapped her arms around Maura and made a tough face.
Frankie laughed, "I'm not buyin' it, Janie, besides you'd better get used to it 'cause that's what's going to happen when you come home."
Alexis opened her mouth to say something but she quickly closed it and turned around.
Jane started to pull away from Maura to go after her but before she could, Olivia came up to them.
"Liv," she smiled, "I'm glad you decided to come." She let go of Maura and hugged her friend tightly. "I meant to come over this week to say hi but I kinda got occupied." She slid her eyes to Maura.
"It's okay, Jane. The big chair has had me tied up a lot." She turned her attention to Maura, taking in her appearance from her designer shoes, up the expensive dress and all the way to Maura's perfect hair.
Jane saw the look. "I have someone I want you to meet." She slipped back into Maura's embrace. "This wonderful woman with me is Maura Isles. Maura this is my friend Olivia Benson."
Maura reached out to shake her hand, "It's a pleasure Olivia."
Olivia's look was not entirely friendly as she shook Maura's hand a bit too tightly. "Hello Dr. Isles, it's nice to put a face to all those stories I've heard."
Maura wasn't really that good at picking up on people's nuances but she was fairly certain this woman didn't like her. Worse was when Jane excused herself from the group.
"Baby, I need to go find someone, could you excuse me for a minute?"
Maura turned to stop her but Jane had already kissed her and jogged down the hallway.
"So, Dr. Isles." Olivia said.
"Please, call me Maura." She responded as she looked for Frankie or Kate. Kate had returned to the kitchen and Frankie and Colin returned to the couch while Rick passed them a pair of beers.
"Would you like a drink?" her voice had an edge that Maura didn't like. "I believe Rick keeps some fairly good wine around."
Maura looked around again and found no one else within ear shot. She decided to show some of Jane's courage and pointedly looked at Olivia. She mustered all of her teacher's voice, "Is there something I need to know about that makes you look at me the way you do?"
Liv blinked, "How am I looking at you?"
"Like I've done something to you that makes you hate me."
Olivia stared at her, "You want to get into this now?"
Maura shucked her shoes by the door and hung up her coat. "I'd rather just get it over with, yes."
A smile graced the older woman face, "I'd like that too. Shall we?" She indicated a pair of chairs by the window.
Maura nodded, "After you."
Olivia lead the way to the chairs and sat down, she was surprised to find Maura right behind her. As Maura sat down, Olivia picked up her beer from the table.
Maura eyed Frankie who smiled as she caught her eye. She turned back to the SVU Detective.
Olivia stared at her for a few seconds, "Oh, I guess I should start, huh?"
"Since I'm not sure what this is about, that would probably be for the best." She said calmly.
"Yeah." she took another swig of her beer and set it down before she rested her elbows on her knees and leaned towards her, "See, here's the thing. I don't know how much you know about my relationship."
Maura matched her, "If you are referring to Alex, I know quite a bit and I'm sorry."
"Oh, good." She said with an evil glimmer in her eye, "Jane was there when I needed someone to be. Especially after my partner just quit and disappeared and even when Alex was here, Jane never let me forget she was around if I needed her."
"That's Jane's way." Maura said with a knowing grin, "She's loyal to a fault with her friends."
"Yes she is." Olivia eyed her, "When you left, I was there for her too. Not as much as Kate was but I was there for her none the less. I know things about Jane that I suspect only you do."
Maura shifted uncomfortably, she didn't like the idea that someone else could be as close to Jane as she was. "Did you sleep with Jane?" It was out before she could stop it.
Olivia glared at her, "No. I didn't. As far as I know the only woman she's been with is you and that's not what I was getting at."
"Then what were you getting at?"
"She was devastated by you and I don't want to see that happen to her again." Liv's eyes watered slightly. "Don't do to her what Alex has done to me. I know she's strong but she couldn't take that from you."
Maura opened her mouth but nothing came out. She wanted to tell her that her fears were unfounded. That she would rather die than ever harm Jane. But she didn't know how to say it and have her believe her. So Maura let her emotions fill her and she stared directly into Olivia's mocha colored eyes.
"I came back, for her. Because when I was in Mali, I realized that no matter what happened, I had to tell her how much I love her. When I did get back to Boston and I found out that she had left. I was devastated. I felt like I was going to die from the agony of her absence. I went through a depression and then some. After I found out she was working with Kate, I came to see her. She took one look at me and fled. I thought she hated me and I wanted to die for causing that." She wiped a tear from her cheek and continued but she omitted the part about the diary, "I left my job, packed my things and moved to New York just so I could be close to her and because I thought she hated me, I never went back to see her. I lived on the hope Jane would come find me and one day she did."
Maura leaned back, "It was like this great weight that was crushing the breath from me was just lifted. And then she did the most amazing thing I have ever seen."
"What did she do?" Olivia asked. Her face was brighter now.
"She kissed me, she told me that she loves me and no other." Maura leaned forward and took Olivia's hand. "I love her more than my own life and I would give up anything and everything I have to be with her. And after meeting you, I can't imagine why Alex wouldn't do the same for you."
Liv shook off her hand, "You don't even know me."
"No, but Jane does and has said the same thing about you more than once. Now that I've seen your protectiveness and loyalty first hand, I know without a doubt she's right, not that I would ever doubt Jane. But you should know that everything Jane went through without me, I had my own version of it and neither of us enjoyed it very much."
Olivia studied the woman carefully. There was no denying that Maura felt everything she had said but she didn't want to believe it. Her own experiences with Alex screamed for her not to trust Maura with Jane. She also couldn't deny that Jane was a helluva lot happier today than Olivia could ever remember seeing her.
She stared at Maura for a few seconds before she took the woman's hands into hers. "If you really love her that much, then I am happy you found each other. But be warned, I won't let you do to her what was done to me. I care about her too much to ever let her turn into me."
Maura nodded. She had no intention of ever hurting Jane but Olivia's words and the icy stare she was giving made Maura wonder just how far Olivia would go to protect Jane. Her initial theory was: A lot"