It was always fun, Jane thought, to watch Jo Friday bounce around when the detective got home and then go straight into serious stealth mode, on the hunt for a suitable patch of grass as soon as they exited Jane's apartment.
A few minutes of searching and assessing the general area, and Jo's bladder was empty and she was tugging on her lead for Jane to take her back up. Once she was unclipped, she frolicked around the kitchen until Jane fed her breakfast, then she was fine for the day. She'd snuggle up to Jane's side as the brunette slouched on the couch with a beer in hand at night, but during the day she felt tougher, and so she would take it upon herself to scout out their home now and then; being the guard dog and all.
Jane smiled to herself as Jo settled in a patch of sunlight and appeared to fall back into a very comfortable sleep. I need a shower, Jane thought as she could feel her own body wanting to creep back into sleep. She turned to head to her room, but at that moment, her phone on the kitchen counter rung, so she took her usual big strides over to answer it.
She casually looked at the caller ID, just like always; but this time she froze. She breathed in deeply, trying to calm her racing heart, but it was just not going to happen; and she knew she had to pick up, so she swallowed her fear and answered.
"Hello, Mrs. Frost." Her voice was shaky and her hands were sweaty, and she could feel her eyes begin to burn with tears. Shit.
"Hello, Jane. How are you?" The other woman's voice was still shaky, but not as much as Jane's. Maybe she'd been sitting by the phone for hours preparing herself for the call, and now that it was upon them, she seemed more 'ready'.
"I...I'm fine," Jane managed. She was a little surprised by how... normal Camille sounded. Her face dropped to a concerned look, however, when she asked how Camille was in return.
"Oh, I'm well. I was just calling because..." The older woman paused to calm herself. Jane could hear Camille on the other end trying to hold herself together. Uh oh. "Because today is the anniversary of the day Barry became a detective." Jane's eyes darted up to the calendar on her fridge and saw that it was.
"Wow, you're right." Jane looked back at the kitchen counter in front of her. "I was so happy to have him as my partner." She sniffled as she felt her eyes well up. She heard a sniffle at the other end as well. A part of Jane was already counting down until the two women burst into tears, which she knew would not be very long now.
"He was so honoured to be yours too, Jane. He was so lucky to be taught and guided by you." Camille shifted on the edge of her couch as she tried to hold back the flood of tears she could feel coming. "You were his hero."
Oh, my god. I'm gonna cry now. "His hero? In a lot of ways, he was mine. He always knew how to make me laugh when I was down, and he was the most loyal cop I've ever met. He was so brave." Jane swiped her cheek with the back of her free hand, the old tears being renewed by a new wave.
"Maybe if he was just a little bit less brave?" Jane's eyes shut tightly as she tried to block the memory of when she found out how Frost died from entering her mind. "I remember the day he was promoted; he called me up and he was so happy. I was so proud of him. I will always be proud of him. And he told me of his new partner: a detective who was so badass, he reckoned she could give Chuck Norris a run for his money."
"Ha!" Jane laughed at that. "I'm not sure about that!" The sight of her going up against Chuck Norris was quite frightening, even if she was badass.
"He looked up to you even before he was your partner. He remembered just being intimidated to step into homicide 'cause he knew you were there. And then when he became your partner, I think he thought he'd end up as badass as you!" The two women shared a laugh over the memory of something so very Barry. A short silence filled the line before Jane broke it.
"I miss him. So much. I miss him every day."
"I know you do, Jane. And that's why I wanted to talk to you. You were his best friend." Jane stayed silent as Camille's words sunk in. "I miss him too." Camille looked up at her wall clock and saw the time. "Oh, Jane, I've got to get to work."
"I understand, but hey, next time you're in Boston, let's have lunch."
"At the Dirty Robber?"
"Of course. Bye Camille.
"Goodbye Jane."
Jane placed her phone down gently on the counter, the silence touching her like a ghost. She breathed out heavily, letting her tears burst through, making Jane slump onto her counter, her back shuddering as she re-mourned the loss of her friend and partner. She pulled back off the counter, her back turning to the cupboards. She slipped down them until she was securely hidden in the corner of her kitchen, the tears forever flowing.
Bass bumped around the kitchen as Maura busied herself with cleaning. She didn't know how long she'd been dusting, vacuuming and sweeping for, humming peacefully to herself before she got a call from Jane asking her to come over.
She'd sounded less than happy, so Maura quickly packed up her cleaning supplies, and drove over to Jane. She let herself in and scanned the dim and empty lounge room and kitchen before calling out. "Jane?"
"Down here." The little voice from deep within the kitchen made Maura worry just a little. She closed the door behind her and set her bag down on the couch. She made her way over to the kitchen to find a very tired, very tear-covered Jane; her head resting on the cupboard doors, her knees brought up tightly to her chest.
"Jane, what happened?"
"Frost's mother called."
"Oh, Jane."
"I just had to cry." Maura peered back over to Jo, still asleep on the floor in the light of the window, then back to Jane, still in her clothes from last night.
"How long have you been down here?" she asked as she squatted down in front of Jane, her hands on the tired detective's knees.
"Um... about an hour. Maybe more." She sounded exhausted, so Maura deduced that she'd spent the majority of that time crying.
"Oh, Jane." Maura reached over and tilted Jane's head up to look at her. Her eyes were puffy and red, and her cheeks had a sheen on them from the tears. "Hop up for me." She helped Jane stand and wrapped an arm around her waist to help her to her room. "You need a shower." Jane let out a small laugh. "What?"
"That's what I was going to do just before Camille called." Maura sat Jane down on her bed and knelt down to take off her shoes. Jane slouched again and her head lolled forward, the tips of her hair dangling in front of Maura's face.
When Jane's shoes were removed, Maura tucked Jane's wild hair behind her ears, lifting her head up in the process. Maura used the pads of her thumbs to wipe away any excess tears that still remained on Jane's face. Jane closed her eyes and let her head fall into Maura's hands. She rolled her head forward, still pressing it into Maura's wrist letting her know that she wanted a hug.
Maura sat up on her knees, her tummy pushing on Jane's knees until they spread, and she moved in to hold Jane. Her left hand wrapped around Jane's weak neck, her fingers weaving through Jane's hair while her other arm dropped down between them so she could snake it around her waist. Jane's arms merely clung onto Maura, her hands scrunching her shirt in her hands. She rested her forehead on Maura's shoulder and sniffled as the last tears made their way out.
Maura's fingertips drew soothing circles on Jane's back and she could gently feel the brunette's breathing slow down to the point that she was almost asleep. Maura tapped her back telling her to wake up. "Come on, Jane. Wake up."
"I don't want to." Maura pulled back and waited for Jane to look at her before speaking.
"Yes, you do. You take a shower and I'll wait for you out with Jo and then you can both come over for the day. Ok?"
"Ok." Jane threw a smile on at the end to show that she was truly fine. She stood up with Maura for one last hug before she went into the bathroom. All of a sudden she was filled with something; an emotion that told her to cling to Maura and not let her go. It came so strong, but she felt so weak. She slid down Maura's frame until she hit the bed, her arms still wrapped around Maura's waist. She pressed her forehead into Maura's soft, fuzzy, sweater-covered stomach and dug her fingers into the doctor's back.
Maura stood with her hands on Jane's shoulders, the sensation of the detective's warm breath reaching through to her skin sending tingles through her body. "Jane?" The brunette's only response was a deep inhale of Maura's scent, her arms clinging on tighter to her body. "Jane, what's wrong?"
"I don't know. I just don't want you to go."
"I'm only going out to the lounge room, Jane," she said with a slight chuckle.
"No, don't leave me."
"But you have to have a shower."
"I know, and I will."
"Jane?" Maura felt slightly confused. Was Jane asking her to have a shower with her or just hold her hand until she was in the bathroom? She tilted Jane's head up towards her, her hair falling back gracefully over her shoulders.
"Just stay with me." Maura tilted her head to the side, still needing more clarification. "Follow me," Jane instructed as she stood up and grabbed Maura's hand.
She led her into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.