*Happy weekend everyone! Hope you enjoy this one…Thanks for reading and reviewing…and a special thanks to 'T' for giving me an idea that I decided to run with…

Destiny Rules

Chapter 7

Maura smiled at her reflection before a frown furrowed her brow marring the somewhat perfect picture in front of her. Something just wasn't right and she couldn't quiet place her finger on what it was. Her eyes swept up and over the image that looked back at her from the full length mirror hoping that something would stand out. She could find no glaring discrepancies as she continued to quietly study herself, the frown turning to a pensive expression. Her intention when she had gotten dressed was to go with a simple, yet elegant look. Casual attire was not her forte but she liked what she saw reflected back at her. The way her pants were tailored accentuated her curves and the green silk blouse she was wearing brought out the green in her hazel eyes. Leaning closer to the mirror, she studied her eyes and realized what was missing. There was no glow of anticipation or gleam of excitement to indicate that she was happy to be going on a date.

The minute she had agreed to go on a date she knew it had been a mistake. She had almost called it off but realized it was too late when she found herself sitting alone at the table after Carly had quietly left her to her thoughts. And of course those thoughts had been about Jane. She had been worried, uncertain, angry and sad all at once as she contemplated navigating the mine field of emotions that Jane evoked. On more than one occasion that afternoon, she had picked up the phone to call Carly to cancel but her stubborn streak made it impossible for her follow through.

As she was giving herself another once over, she paused when her eyes fell on her hands which were fidgeting at her sides. She knew that she needed facts to substantiate her feelings so she methodically went through each one in her mind. It was a fact that Jane hadn't checked in with anyone since she had left the precinct the day Maura had seen her and Korsak talking in the hall. It was also a fact that Maura hadn't been able to keep Jane out of her thoughts since that day three years ago when Jane had been brought into the hospital, broken and bleeding. She thought that she had finally gotten over the hurt of having her heart broken. She thought that she was ready to move on. So many thoughts came to her mind in that instant, but there was one she hadn't expected to have and that was the thought that she was still in love with Jane, even after all these years. The revelation caused her eyebrows to raise up in surprise as she dared the image staring back at her to agree. She could see the sad resignation in the depths of hazel and green that seemed to recognize what she wasn't prepared to acknowledge but she could also see a flicker of light beginning to grow behind the veil of sadness.

She watched as her once calm expression changed to one of indecision. Images of Jane and her own uncertainty caused her stomach to clench as she was left to wonder where the sudden case of nerves had come from. Tilting her head slightly, she marveled at the way the light in her eyes flickered at the mere thought of Jane. It was both exciting and frightening that Jane still had that effect on her. With a resigned nod to herself, she decided that going through with the date was her only choice. She would give this other woman a chance even though she knew in her heart that it wouldn't go further than this evening. At this point she thought she had nothing to lose and there was always the possibility of gaining a friend.

Smoothing down the front of her slacks, she watched as her hands moved over the creases liking what she saw reflected back. As an afterthought she reached up to unbutton one more button on her blouse to reveal just the barest hint of cleavage. "Why not show off some of my best assets…?" She thought to herself with a smirk. Turning abruptly as if the reflection might somehow disagree, she grabbed her jacket off of the bed. As she slipped her arms into the soft leather, she gave one last look over her shoulder at the mirror. She smiled at the imposing figure looking back at her and saw a faint glimmer of hopefulness giving her the feeling that no matter what, things were going to be alright.

Jane found herself sitting in her car again but this time it was in front of Maura's house. Drumming her fingers along the steering wheel with nervous energy, she studied the beautiful, yet modest two story craftsman that Maura called home. A longing swept over her for what should have been hers as well and it settled in the pit of her stomach. The heavy, empty feeling of self-pity made her realize she hadn't eaten since she had grabbed a bagel and cup of coffee for breakfast. When her stomach let out a menacing growl, she huffed loudly in frustration knowing that if she didn't eat something soon, she wouldn't be able to focus on what she needed to tell Maura. As if a lightbulb went off over her head, the thought that she might be able to convince Maura to go out to dinner with her caused her to smile. Of course it also occurred to her that if she could get Maura to agree, it would mean she wouldn't go out on her date. It seemed like a good enough plan, one that might even work with some luck. A little wine and a little food might loosen up the mood between them. Hopefully they would end up back at Maura's where they could talk.

"It'll work…" She said to her reflection in the rearview mirror. The dark eyes that looked back at her didn't seemed convinced that it was such a good idea. "It'll work." Her voice sounded more determined this time as she squinted at herself, challenging those dark eyes to disagree. "What?" She raised her eyebrows in an attempt to hide the uncertainty she was feeling.

Again her stomach growled in an effort to draw her attention away from the strange one sided conversation she was having with herself. "Okay…okay…" She gave herself a quick pat to the middle before undoing her seatbelt. As she climbed out of the car, she took a deep breath to calm the nervousness she was feeling. For a brief moment she bent forward and rested her hands on her knees as dizziness almost took her to the ground. After another deep breath, she stood tall and squared her shoulders. By the way she was standing, she had almost convinced herself that she wasn't scared half to death…almost but not quiet.

As her long legs carried her up the pathway towards Maura's front door, she took in the well-manicured yard with its perfectly symmetrical sections of green grass and flower beds on either side. She couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her lips as she compared the color of the green grass to the green flecks that she knew floated in the depths of Maura's hazel eyes. As she recalled the times that those green flecks had shimmered their brightest, her cheeks began to burn with a blush that was spreading over her face.

"Come on Rizzoli…snap outta it…" She whispered to herself.

All too soon she found herself standing in front of the door and the urge to bolt almost overcame her. She paused for a moment to swallow down her pride and reach for some of the courage she knew she had buried deep within her. Her eyes went from the large, ornate door knocker to the small white button of the doorbell and she couldn't decide which one she should use. An unexpected wave of nervousness washed over her again and she suddenly felt like a sixteen-year-old kid about ask a someone out on a first date.

As she struggled to find her balance, a thought occurred to her. The fact that she had spent most of the day either sitting in her car or somewhere else made her realize that she probably looked a mess. With shaky hands, she smoothed out the wrinkles in her pants as best she could before she grabbed the collar of her oxford shirt, giving it a tug to straighten it out. She shifted her gun and badge further along her hip so they lay hidden under her jacket and buttoned the first button to close it. Finally, she combed her fingers through her long, dark hair pushing it over her shoulders in an attempt to tame the unruly curls that had gotten even more unruly as the day progressed. She had half a mind to put the mass of tangled locks into a pony tail but decided against it when she realized her rubber band was still in the car. Giving herself a quick shake, she squared her shoulders again hoping she would appear more confident than she felt when Maura opened the door. Before she could change her mind, she reached out to press the white button of the doorbell and stepped back to wait. And wait…and wait. When nothing happened, she scowled at the door as if she could somehow intimidate it into opening for her but again nothing happened. Shoving her hands deep into her pockets she turned to leave but couldn't resist giving one last menacing glance over her shoulder. It still didn't have the desired effect she was hoping for so she headed back to the car.

Slipping into the driver's seat, she caught a glimpse of the clock and realized how late it had gotten. Her shoulders sagged when it occurred to her that Maura must already have left for her date. "Damnit…" She leaned her head back against the head rest and let out a heavy sigh. "Damnit…damnit…" Her hand hit the steering wheel as her anger grabbed ahold of her. "How did I miss her?" She asked the emptiness around her. As she sat there brooding, her stomach again reminded her that she was hungry. "Fuck you…" She growled as she looked down at the offending sound. The thought that she could go home to her mother occurred to her because there was always an abundance of food wherever Angela was but she quickly dispelled that idea when she remembered that her mother was staying with her Aunt Sara. The fact that she would have to eat another fast food meal had her frowning as she considered what to do next but a sudden idea caused her to grin like a Cheshire cat. "Carly!" She said with excitement. "She'll feed me!" And with that settled, she started the car, threw it into drive and peeled away from Maura's house in search of a hot meal and possibly a shoulder to cry on.

Maura did her best to smile and nod in all of the right places as she tried to listened to her date go on and on about herself. The Park Avenue lockjaw accent was grating on Maura's nerves, but she did her best not to betray what she was really feeling. She sipped her wine as she silently critiqued the woman whose hands continued to move around in a flourish as she explained how wonderful a lawyer she was and why the DA's office had recruited her. Her shoulder length blonde hair was straight and in Maura's opinion lacked the luster and shine of a healthy person. She also thought that perhaps the all too pale skin was the sign of a workaholic, someone who didn't have time for outside activities and then she reminded herself that she also was a workaholic but she still somehow found time to get outside to let the sun touch her skin. She had the sudden urge to tell her date that a multivitamin might be a good idea but dispelled the urge with a heavy sigh. The odds were definitely stacking against April the more that Maura listened to her drone on about her ivy league education and what kind of car she drove. When Ryan set another bottle of wine down on the table, Maura looked up to find an apologetic smile directed her way before Ryan disappeared into the kitchen leaving her alone again to feign interest in the one sided conversation.

"Hey…" Ryan slipped behind Carly who was standing at the stove adding the finishing touches to her sauce. "I still don't understand why you had me invite April…she is so not Maura's type." She wrapped her arms around Carly's waist, stood on her tippy toes, and placed her chin on broad shoulders to see what smelled so good.

"Hmm…that's what I'm hoping." Carly lifted the wooden spoon she had been using to stir the sauce and gave Ryan a taste.

"Oh…that is good." Ryan smacked her lips before giving Carly a quick kiss on the cheek. "But I still don't understand."

"Well…" Carly turned around in Ryan's arms and looked down at her. "I think that Jane is about to make the move we've all been hoping for."

"Really?" Ryan tilted her head in that cute way that caused Carly to smile. "What gives you that idea?" She brought her hands to rest on Carly's hips, lacing her fingers through the belt loops of the faded jeans she was wearing. The t-shirt and jeans look that Carly was sporting was one of Ryan's favorites and she couldn't stop herself from tracing the hem of the soft cotton shirt with her thumbs.

"She called me and left a somewhat cryptic message about 'righting wrongs'…but I haven't been able to get a hold of her since. So, when Maura said she needed to get out and meet people…" Carly grinned wickedly as she watched Ryan's eyes widen in recognition. "I decided to sidetrack her just a little until Jane had a chance to do whatever it is she's going to do."

"I see…" Ryan gave Carly's side a gentle pinch. "Meddling has never been your style…"

"Aw, come on. This has been hard on everyone. I just want to see them back together…ya know…like they should be. I think in thier case destiny rules." Carly tried to squirm away from Ryan's insistent teasing.

"Maybe it isn't for us to say whether they should be together or not…" Ryan looked away from Carly's questioning gaze. "Look…Jane is Jane…I just don't want to see Maura get hurt again." She shrugged her shoulders.

"I know…" Carly wrapped her arms around Ryan and pulled her close. Resting her chin on top soft, silky blonde hair she let out a long, heavy sigh. "But I think this is it…Jane's last chance at redemption. I know there's something more to the story and I think that maybe Jane is finally ready to come clean."

"I hope so…I don't think I can continue to hide the fact that Maura is as much a part of our lives as Jane is…maybe even more so…she did help us realize our dreams by investing in the bakery." Ryan looked up, her green eyes twinkling with the flicker of hope. "But for now…I think I 'd better get out there and rescue Maura from her date. She looks so bored and April just keeps talking. At least Maura is a good sport." She gave Carly one last squeeze before releasing her from her hold and placing a quick kiss to her lips.

"Get at it then…" Carly gave Ryan's backside a light slap when she turned around to leave.

"Oh…you'll pay for that…" The threat lingered in the air as Ryan grinned over her shoulder before leaving Carly to finish making dinner.

"I have no doubt…" Carly let out a breath as a shiver of anticipation ran up her spine. "But it'll have to wait…we've got work to do…" She turned her attention back to her sauce and her mental scheming of getting Maura and Jane back together.

"And then she stepped on the ball! They had to call the whole thing off." April's pretentious voice carried throughout the room as Ryan slipped back in.

"Oh…Auntie Mame…I love that movie…" Ryan reached across the table for her wine glass and smiled at both Maura and April.

"Excuse me? I was just telling Maura about a ping-pong tournament I was in during my college days." April seemed slightly affronted.

"Um…oh…it's…um…I guess maybe I heard that story somewhere before." Ryan mumbled around the rim of her glass as she took a healthy swig of her wine.

"It's one of my favorite movies too." Maura smiled at Ryan, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Don't tell me your opponent was Bunny Bicksford…?" Ryan tried not to smirk.

"No…it was Regina Nesbitt." April said with uncertainty as she looked between Maura and Ryan not quite understanding.

Maura rolled her eyes as she took another sip of her wine and watched April flip her hair over her shoulder in a way that was reminiscent of those old seventies shampoo commercials. She was no expert on seventies television but the thought caused her to laugh anyway drawing a look of confusion from April. It was becoming increasingly difficult to keep herself from laughing hysterically when Ryan mimicked the move behind April. Maura realized that Ryan must have thought the same thing as they had both watched April toss her head from side to side.

"I think I'll go see if Carly needs any help…" Maura jumped up from her seat. Ryan tried to grab her arm as she maneuvered past but Maura was too quick. Glancing over her shoulder she gave a sheepish grin to the look of desperation that appeared on Ryan's face at the thought of being left alone with April.

"I think you've got some explaining to do…" Maura said as she stepped into the kitchen. She had come to the conclusion early on in the evening that things weren't quiet as they appeared and when she saw Carly duck her head and drop her shoulders she knew she was right.

"Um…what?" Carly didn't turn around to look at Maura.

"I don't know in what twisted version of my life you thought that woman out there would be a good match for me…but I smell a rat." Maura moved to lean against the kitchen counter. She slipped one hand into the pocket of her pants and swirled her red wine around the glass with the other. Leveling her gaze at Carly as she continued to swirl the ruby red liquid in her glass, she couldn't stop herself from smiling.

"You said that you wanted to meet new people." Carly chanced a glance at Maura. She was surprise to see that Maura had a relaxed smile on her face as she casually leaned against the counter.

"Ummmm…." She brought her glass up to her lips and took a slow sip, savoring the medley of flavors that danced around her mouth before swallowing. "I guess I did…" Her smile returned as she watched Carly move with ease around the stove.

"Hey…no harm no foul…" Carly shrugged her shoulders as she grabbed the pot of boiling pasta to pour into the strainer.

"Why do I get the feeling that there is more than meets the eye to this set up?" Maura sighed in an attempt to hide her frustration. When Carly didn't answer she took a deep breath before speaking again. "Please tell me this doesn't have anything to do with Jane…"

"I haven't spoken to Jane in over a week Maura." Carly said. It wasn't a lie but she also didn't answer the question.

"Okay…I'll give you a little time to think on that one." Maura tried not to smirk at the guilty look on Carly's face.

"Look Maura…I really haven't talked to Jane. She has no idea we set you up on a blind date…she has no idea that we're still friends." Carly finally turned around to look at Maura. "I'm just really tired of keeping this from her. You are a big part of our lives…I don't like hiding that."

"I don't think you need to anymore." Maura could hear the sincerity in Carly's voice. "I'm back…and I have a job that will keep me here for a while. There's no reason for us not to be friends. Jane will just have to deal with it."

"I know…I know…but ever since Jane's accident…" Carly hesitated and ran her fingers through her hair. It was a nervous habit that she shared with Jane and Maura forced herself not to reach out to comfort her. "We've been keeping this from her for the last three years…more so if you count all of the letters, phone calls, and correspondence over the last fifteen years. Having you invest in the business…you helped me realize my dream of owning my own bakery Maura and I can't share that wonder piece of information with her."

"I understand all of that. You and Ryan have always been there for me, it just seemed natural for me to be there for you when you needed me." Maura brought her wine glass up to mouth and took another sip. For a moment neither one of them spoke but Maura continued to watch Carly over the rim of her glass before swallowing and lowering the glass. "Can I tell you something?"

"You know you can." Carly said, her voice soft and encouraging.

"Ever since that day she was brought into the hospital…so helpless…so lost…I haven't been able to get her out of my mind." Maura took a shaky breath before continuing. "I think that is when I realized I might never get over her."

"Does that mean you can forgive her?" Carly ventured to ask, not sure she was ready to know the answer.

"I still can't answer that." Maura gave a sad smile. "I suppose it might be nice if I could talk to her…but she seems to have disappeared." She couldn't stop the self-depreciating laugh from escaping.

"Give her time Maura…I have a feeling she is trying to work some things out before she asks for your forgiveness. I think there is more to the story than any of us realize." Carly reached out to pull Maura into a hug. "But when she does come to you…can you promise me that you will at least give her a chance?"

"I can't promise to forgive her but I will at least listen to her." Maura conceded as she allowed Carly to engulf her in a hug. She opened herself up to the rare moment of comfort Carly offered but all too quickly it was over.

"You wanna help me with these dishes?" Carly released Maura and tilted her head towards the counter where several platters waited to be served.

"I'd love to." Maura set her wine glass down to free up her hands to help.

"Here…" Carly handed Maura a plate filled with toasted French bread covered in melted cheese.

Maura waited until Carly had the other plates before following her out to the dining room. She couldn't help but smile at the tantalizing aroma that wafted over to her from the plates that Carly was carrying. If anything, she thought to herself, she was going to get a great meal out of this blind date fiasco. As they each set their plates down, she couldn't help but notice the look of relief that washed over Ryan's face at their greatly appreciated appearance. She gave Ryan a quick, knowing wink as she took her seat next to April.

Before they could settle down to their meal, the doorbell rang causing Ryan to raise a questioning eyebrow at Carly who had a look of uncertainty mixed with panic.

"Are we missing someone?" Ryan asked Carly, her voice laced with an undercurrent of accusation.

"Um…no." Carly's words were firm as she gave Ryan a stern look. It was true that she hadn't invited anyone else over and even though she had no idea who was standing outside their door, the sinking feeling in her stomach indicated that she might actually know exactly who it was. That little voice in the back of her mind screamed 'Holy Shit, Jane's here!"