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Chapter Five

They disappeared in the depths of the Louvre thanks to an escalator which anachronism amused Jane a lot. The architecture she had seen on the surface had nothing to do with the modernism of the subterranean floors. It was strange. Almost confusing. As a matter of fact, the place looked like a luxury shopping mall downstairs.

Certainly not a museum.

She let Maura guide her through the crowd of tourists that was taking pictures of the upside down pyramid and couldn't help but think about The Da Vinci Code. Dozen of groups were following colorful umbrellas that guides held firmly as they walked through the endless marble corridors. The brouhaha was suffocating and the atmosphere singular.

"The Louvre was originally built as a fortress in the late 12th century under Philip II. Remnants of the fortress are visible in the basement of the museum. You'll see them as we head to the Egyptian section. Due to the urban expansion of the city, the fortress eventually lost its defensive function and, in 1578, was converted by Francis I of France in the main residence of the French kings."

"When did it become a museum?"

"In 1793 – during the Revolution – when the National Assembly decreed that it should be used as a museum to display the nation's masterpieces." Maura stopped by another escalator that led to an upper floor. "The Louvre is big, very big. We won't be able to see everything."

Jane nodded. She felt intimidated by the place. She was the one who had suggested to visit the infamous museum but she had expected something very different, something that would simply look like a castle. She was lost instead in a labyrinth of modern corridors.

"Yeah... I just wanna see the mummies, Mona Lisa and all that jazz. That's fine."

"Have you ever heard about the ghost of the Louvre?" Maura laughed lightly. She was in a very good mood. She had woken up to a quiet serenity that sharply contrasted with the mixed feelings she had felt the day before. Thus she was ready to tease Jane and pique her curiosity. A ghost story would catch Jane's attention a lot more than the origin of the word Louvre. "His name is Belphégor."

"Ahem... Nope." Jane's steps subconsciously slowed down as she tried to remember anything about a ghost. She had read several articles about the Louvre and she had watched documentaries as well but none of them had ever mentioned the presence of a ghost inside the museum. "So it's a haunted castle? I thought it was a Scottish thing."

They had had breakfast in their suite. A delicate laziness had pushed Maura to call room service instead of heading to the restaurant of the hotel. Jane hadn't complained. Eating croissants while observing the Eiffel Tower in the distance was a change of habits that she actually enjoyed very much. She was getting used to the quality of palace services quite easily.

"As a matter of fact, Belphégor is a mini-series that was filmed in the 60's. I'm just messing with you. I'm sorry."

The lightness Maura showed reassured Jane a lot. It had swept away whatever doubts she may had had the day before about her friend's state of mind. The Maura she knew and loved was back - at last - and it felt like home in spite of the surroundings having nothing to do with Bostonian ones.

"Is it any good?"

Maura nodded.

"There are four episodes only. We'll watch them together if you want to. I'm sure you'll enjoy the show."

Jane wasn't very fond of art. She didn't always understand it. As a matter of fact, she didn't have the required sensibility to admire the artist's work through his or her masterpieces. But because she was in Paris – and because she was with Maura – she abandoned herself to the soul of the Louvre with an unusual easiness and the museum revealed itself to her quietly.

Time got suspended. The other tourists vanished from her sight and all she managed to see during her visit turned out to be Maura, paintings and sculptures. How her friend moved with fluidity around the statues. How her hazel eyes seemed to feed themselves of the colors of a canvas. Maura was mesmerizing but Jane couldn't admit it out loud.

"Are you hungry? We can have lunch in the Jardin du Palais Royal."

The sudden cacophony of the street as they walked outside the Louvre took Jane completely aback. She had enjoyed the quietness of the museum and the serenity of Maura so much that she didn't feel like being part of this world again. Not so fast. She wanted to remain in her bubble instead and listen to the beats of her heart.

She gave Maura a nod though, because she was indeed hungry.

They chose a table at the very end of the public garden, in the sun. The temperatures were a lot warmer now than the ones of the day before. The pace of their day was different too. Things felt easier. It hadn't been tough until now but a brand new logic had wrapped them up nonetheless. Their vacations had started. Finally. They had found their pace and their jet lag was nothing but an old memory now.

"Why did you never mention Léopoldine until now?" The waitress had just left with their empty plates and the question that had burned Jane's lips all along their lunch finally hit the air. Her voice was low but soft. Her tone was anything but violent. She didn't reproach Maura her silence but she honestly wanted an answer. "Did something happen? You don't seem to like her much."

If Jane remembered well, Maura had told her that Léopoldine was singular. As much as the adjective could define Maura's aunt, it remained extremely vague. Too vague. Jane's curiosity was fair.

The silence that followed the question caused Jane to wonder if she hadn't been tactless. With Maura looking lighter, she had assumed that it was safe to allude anew to the artist but perhaps she was wrong. Perhaps Maura didn't want to have anything to do with Léopoldine and it was none of Jane's business.

"We argued... Once." Anxiety pushed Maura to clear her voice. A smile briefly curled up her lips but a heavy sigh swept it away almost immediately. "It's not worth being mentioned. It's not why I'm here, with you."

Jane nodded but she found herself way too disarmed to even say anything back. Maura misinterpreted her silence.

"Do you think a lot about Agent Davis?"

"Oh no!" The sincerity of the answer made Jane blush. She had showed a lot of vehemency. Too much probably. "He's not part of this trip. Quantico isn't part of this trip. This trip... It's for you and me. For us. So let's focus on this."

...

You and me.

Maura tried to focus back on the page she had opened on her laptop but Jane's words sounded way too loudly in her head right now. As frustration grew, she rolled her eyes then sank her face into her hands. The whiteness of the Word page felt like a betrayal. It stirred up a thousand doubts. She had come to Paris in order to work on her novel but not a single word would stay still in her head long enough for her to type it on her computer.

It was Jane's fault. Jane's sweet fault.

You hold my hand way too often here. You look at me – in the eye – all the time. You whisper sweet words that make my heart beat fast. My feelings for you are loud and you don't notice the mere thing. You don't see it. You don't get it. I'm in love with you, Jane. You're the only person I want to be with. So please, don't run away from me.

Not after all the things we're presently living.

Jane.

Maura turned around in order to observe the lounge of the Lutétia. A few people were enjoying a drink in the room but the place was extremely quiet all in all. Maura couldn't ask for better conditions to work on her novel.

If only her brain could stop thinking about Jane so much...

Even Jane had actually left her alone. She had gone for a swim at the swimming-pool of the palace for a while. It was the matter of a couple of hours but Maura terribly missed her.

How is it going to work out if I can barely accept the fact you aren't in the same room as I am for an hour? How do you want me to accept the distance that Quantico puts between you and my heart? I don't know when I've reached such degree of dependency – and the truth is that I hate it – but if you abandon me, Jane, then my life simply ceased to be.

I cease to be.

It isn't emotional blackmail as I don't force you to stay by my side. As a matter of fact, I have done nothing but to encourage you to embrace whatever feels right to you. My selfishness is awful. Shameful.

You deserve to be happy even if it means I'm not part of your life anymore.

"Would you like another cocktail, Mademoiselle Maura?"

The question barely reached Maura. She heard it from a distance. Even her nod seemed to go a tad slow. She smiled at the bartender nonetheless as he held out to her another Martini but her mind wasn't in the room anymore. She was still lost in her thoughts.

Then Jane appeared on the other side of the room and everything turned bright anew.

Life resumed.

Sometimes I think you're trying to seduce me. Of course it's just a ridiculous fantasy, because I know that it can't be true. I don't want it to be true anyway. It would make everything even more difficult.

A bright smile lit up Jane's traits as she motioned the drink Maura had in her hands.

"See? I knew you go all Hemingway when in Paris! I just hope it's not a sorrow you're trying to drown... Everyone should be happy in the City of Lights." Jane rested a casual and gentle hand on Maura's shoulder as she slightly bent over to catch the bartender's attention. "May I have the same, please?"

It took Jane a minute to get her drink. Glass in hand, she locked her eyes with Maura's and raised her drink.

"To us."

To whatever was meant to be.