Hey Everyone…I know this one a little shorter than usual but I thought it best to get it out before it got away from me. Sorry for the slow build up, but I hope it pays off in the end. My Muse is back, but she has been kind of lazy as the heat had gotten to both of us but I am hoping with the prospect of cooler weather in the future, she will be more active giving me the motivation I need to keep up. I hope you all like this one and I am willing to take suggestions on some Karaoke song ideas even though I have some things in mind. If anyone has a suggestion…give a shout out. Even if I don't use if for Jane/Maura…there are still several other characters that may need it. I hope everyone has a great week…see you on the next go round.
Some Things Never Change
"Hold still and quit squirming." Maura said with a huff as she removed the last of the stitches from Jane's lip.
"I can't help it. It tickles…" Jane shifted her weight under Maura's gentle ministrations.
Maura raised an eyebrow at Jane's answer as she leaned back to get a better look at her handy work. The scarring was minimal with just the barest hint of a white line she was sure would eventually fade with time. "Well, if you're good…I'll give you a lollipop." She reached into her bag and pulled out a red sucker.
"Oooh…red, my favorite." Jane clapped her hands together like a little kid bringing a smile to Maura's face.
"You. Are. Adorable." Maura punctuated each word as she leaned forward and placed a quick kiss to the corner of Jane's mouth.
"I'd rather have some more of this…" Jane wrapped her arms around Maura and pulled her closer so she could kiss her back. As her lips moved over Maura's in a slow and unhurried kiss, she ran her hand up and over the curve of an ear before slipping into the soft silky hair at the base of Maura's neck. The fingers that had found refuge in the gentle curls moved to graze along the outside of a flushed cheek and then down to the slope of a shoulder before intertwining their fingers. Bringing their intertwined hands up to her lips, Jane placed a lingering kiss there. "I. Adore. You." She emphasized each word with a flutter of butterfly kisses along Maura's jaw before ending with her mouth hovering over slightly parted lips.
"Have I told you how much I love it when you wear a tank top?" Maura barely whispered as her fingers skimmed along the black ribbed material that covered Jane's torso.
"Ummmm, maybe once or twice." Jane's words came out on a shaky breath. The feeling of Maura's hands moving over her tank top held a possessiveness she hadn't known she liked until that moment. She liked the feeling of belonging to Maura and she liked the way that Maura let her know who she belonged to even more. "I've missed being able to kiss you…"
"Me too," Maura sighed and even though she knew it was coming, she was still surprised when Jane's dark eyes dropped down to look at her lips. When their mouths came together, it was tender and sweet, filled with so much promise it almost brought tears to her eyes. She pulled back just enough to take a breath, their lips never losing contact. And when Maura went back for more, her lips parted so she could run her tongue along a full bottom lip asking permission for something more. So caught up in the moment, neither of them heard the light knock at the door. It wasn't until Angela's tentative voice carried to them that Maura realized they were no longer alone. Hesitantly, she started to pull back, but this time when they parted, it was slow as if neither was willing to let the other go. And as her nose skimmed across Jane's, a tilt of the head led them back to each other and the kiss.
"Jane? Maura?" Angela called out again. She was doing her best to abide by the boundaries that had been set, knowing that she shouldn't just walk into Maura's house even though it was the middle of the afternoon. "You have about ten seconds before I open this door…"
"You insisted she know where the key was hidden." Jane mumbled breathlessly against Maura's lips.
"I can find a new hiding place." Maura sighed as she pulled away but not before running her fingers through Jane's thick, dark wavy hair. "Anyway…as inconvenient as it seems, it is a welcome interruption. We have to be at the ballpark in an hour."
"Are you sure you don't want to just sit this one out?" Jane closed her eyes and tilted her head into Maura's touch.
"What? And miss seeing you sing Karaoke?" Maura quirked an eyebrow at her in question.
"Hmmm…we'll see about that…" Jane started to say but was interrupted as Angela swung the door open and popped her head inside.
"Ready or not…here I come." Angela said in a sing song voice as she stepped into the room, trying to look everywhere but at Jane and Maura.
"Hey Ma." Jane said, her voice laced with mild irritation and frustration.
"Is she being a good patient?" Angela turned her attention to Maura.
"Absolutely…she's even got the red sucker to prove it." Maura tilted her head towards Jane who was holding up her sucker to show Angela.
"Oh, red…your favorite." Angela bent forward to get a better look at Jane's lip. "Wow Maura…you did a great job. I can hardly see a scar." She didn't see Jane's eyes darken but Maura did. "Did you ever consider becoming a plastic surgeon?"
"No…not really." Maura caught Jane's gaze and gave her a reassuring smile. She knew how sensitive Jane was about her scars, the ones she kept hidden. Her heart lightened when Jane smiled back.
"Well…you should have." Angela said matter-o-fact. "I'm not one for all of that cosmetic stuff but you could have really helped a lot of people."
"She still helps a lot of people Ma." Jane tried not huff but she was unsuccessful drawing a raised eyebrow from her mother.
"I didn't mean to imply that she doesn't already help people." Angela's voice was quiet.
"I know you didn't Ma…sorry. I haven't been sleeping well lately and I'm cranky." Jane couldn't help but give Maura a small smirk over Angela's shoulder. She had spent a few sleepless nights lying next to Maura, unable to find her courage to move past the snuggling stage. Not only that, but her stitches had itched and pulled at the most inopportune moments leaving her feeling frustrated because they couldn't even kiss. But that had all changed when Maura removed the thin, blue thread and the memory of it caused her cheeks to color.
Angela didn't say anything, she only nodded when she noticed Jane's cheeks turn a light pink. She wasn't accustomed to seeing her daughter blush but she knew if anyone could cause it, it was Maura. "Don't you have to be at the baseball field soon?" Her inquiry seemed genuine but it was a welcomed change in subject.
"Yeah…supposed to be there in about an hour." Jane pushed herself up off of the couch and stretched her arms over her head.
"I heard a rumor that there is a friendly bet on the game." Angela moved closer to Maura. "Something about the losing team singing Karaoke." She tilted her head to regard Jane as she watched her fidget.
"That is correct Angela and I do believe that it will be Jane gracing us all with her dynamic stage presence." Maura tried not to smile, but the look on Jane's face caused her to laugh.
"That ain't gonna happen." Jane groused as she rolled her eyes in an exaggerated way. "If anyone is gonna be gracing us…it's you Dr. Isles."
"Ummmm…Dr. Isles huh...that's how we're gonna play it…Detective Rizzoli." Maura lifted her chin and tried to sound defiant. The tone of her voice had Jane backtracking but the playful twinkle in her eyes let everyone know she was kidding.
"I guess we'll see after today…" Jane let her voice trail off as she thought about the fact that her department was playing Maura's in just a few short hours. She couldn't help but scowl at the memory of Maura's team beating Frankie's team the weekend before. It was down to four teams now and it was do or die. If she lost today, she'd have to turn in her badge due to embarrassment. How would anyone respect her if she was forced to strut around and sing in front of them? It was something she didn't want to find out.
"Well, seeing as I love you both…I can't pick sides, although it would be nice to see you loosen up a bit Jane." Angela gave a slight nod towards Jane.
"Whatever Ma…I'm gonna get ready." Jane huffed as she moved past her mom towards the stairs. Glancing over her shoulder she caught Maura's eye and silently asked if she was going to join her but Maura gave a slight frown indicating she couldn't. With a shrug of the shoulders, Jane continued up the stairs and out of sight.
"She can be a sore loser sometimes." Angela said with a sigh.
"I have a feeling that no one is going to be losing in the end." Maura said rather cryptically. The comment brought a slight blush to Angela's cheeks at the implication of what Maura may have meant.
"Um…how are things going…ya know, with you two?" Angela cleared her throat nervously as she asked the question.
"Things are moving along…slowly…but in the right direction." Maura couldn't help but cross her arms in a protective gesture.
"Good…I've been worried about her. She hasn't been the same since…," Angela hesitated before grounding out the last word. "Hoyt."
"We both know she went through a very traumatic experience. It takes time to get over something like that." Maura's voice shook slightly. For some reason she felt she needed to defend Jane and she wasn't sure why because Angela wasn't implying anything they both didn't already know.
"Look sweetheart," Angela reached out to place a comforting hand on Maura's arm. "I think…, no…I know that you're good for each other. You always have been. I'm just glad to see Jane smile again…I'm just happy to have my daughter back…you know."
"I am afraid you give me too much credit Angela." Maura tried to push the compliment aside. "Jane is a strong woman…the strongest I've ever know."
"Be that as it may…she's stronger with you by her side." Angela couldn't stop herself from pulling Maura into a hug. "I've known in my heart, since the day I saw her look at you with so much love that I thought it would break my heart that you two were destined to be together. I'm just glad you've found your way back to each other."
"Me too." Maura whispered as she allowed Angela to hug her.
Jane knew the moment she heard the crack of the bat against the ball that it was a homerun. Looking up at the sky, she watched it soar towards the chain link fence that was meant to be a barrier but nothing was going to stop it from sailing over. She pushed her hat back and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand as she dropped her mitt on the ground kicking up the dust at her feet. It tasted dry and made her wish she was enjoying a cold beer instead standing under the late afternoon sun feeling hot and drained. Her eyes followed the hitter as she rounded first base making her way towards second and closer to where Jane was standing with her hands on her hips. She wanted to be mad but as Maura got closer to her with that smile on her face, the one that made her weak at the knees, her heart swelled with pride. They had been beat fair and square by Maura's homerun and even though Jane was nervous about their bet, she felt a calm peacefulness overcome her as Maura reached out to her silently mouthing the words 'I love you' as she ran towards third base. No, there would be no anger at the end of this game. Instead Jane would remember the little things, like the way Maura ran to her, almost toppling them both over in her excitement when it was over or the way Maura smelled like sweet, freshly cut grass or a smile that was almost as bright as the sun that had shone down on them that afternoon. It would be these things that Jane would cling to when the inevitable darkness that sometimes clouded her thoughts tried to claim her in the middle of night. But with any luck, tonight would not be one of those nights.
As Jane held Maura close and held her tightly, she didn't want to let go as she inhaled the sweet intoxicating scent that was a mixture of light sweat, dirt, and grass. It was everything she had remembered from their days in high school. The love, warmth, and desire were still there and it caused a slight flutter of anticipation in the pit of her stomach. A tremor moved through her body with a force that caused her to shake slightly.
"I can't believe we won." Maura said breathlessly as she settled in Jane's arms. Everything about this moment felt like home to her but she hesitated and pulled back when she felt Jane shiver. "Are you mad?" She mistook Jane's shaky legs for anger.
"I'm so proud of you." Jane looked down into Maura's hazel/green eyes that were wide with wonder and a touch of uncertainty. Bending forward, she placed a quick kiss to Maura's forehead but the move caused the bills of their hats to bump against each other knocking Maura's hat off. Letting go, Jane leaned over to pick it up only to pull back up to find Detective Martinez from Vice standing next to her with a smug smile on his face. She blew out an exasperated sigh and waited for him to stick his foot in his mouth.
"So, beat by a bunch of geeks." He groused as he placed his hands on his hips and gave Jane the once over before glancing over at Maura.
"What of it Martinez." Jane said through clenched teeth. She didn't like the way his eyes lingered over her body but she especially didn't like the way he was leering at Maura. It didn't help that they had a history between them, one she would gladly forget but it seemed to embolden him whenever they came across each other. Thank goodness it wasn't often. She could see Korsak looking over Martinez's shoulder silently asking if she needed his back up. A quick nod had him pulling Frost away from Frankie to stand closer in case they were needed.
"Detective Martinez." Maura gave him a curt nod, her irritation evident at his interruption. Relief washed over her when she saw Korsak, Frost, and Frankie move to stand behind Martinez at a safe enough distance not to be noticed but close enough to step in if they needed to. The move emboldened Maura who curled her lip up into a sneer as she eyed the short, stocky detective.
"Congratulations Dr. Isles." He tried to give her his best smile but faltered slightly when she didn't smile back. "But I'm afraid you're gonna have to play against the 'big boys' next time…and…," he hesitated as he gave Jane a sideways look. "We won't be push overs."
"What are you implying Martinez?" Jane straightened up to her full height which was a good four inches taller than him. She began to twist Maura's hat in her hands causing him to shrink back slightly as her shadow towered over him but then he squared his shoulders and tried to appear taller than his 5'7" stature would allow.
"Oh, nothing Rizzoli…except you let your girlfriend here beat you and you and I both know that you never get beat." He sneered at her, thinking that he had hit the nail on the head.
"They won fair and square asshole." Jane took a step closer to him causing Maura to step closer to her, essentially putting herself between Jane and Martinez.
"Yeah…whatever." He dismissed her as he turned to leave. He knew he was no match for Jane, especially when she had her backup which he had noticed when he turned to leave.
"Hey…care to make a wager on the game?" Maura's words surprised everyone, including herself and it caused Martinez to stop and turn back around.
His dark eyebrows knit together as he contemplated her offer. He could tell by the stunned look on Jane's face that she hadn't expected Maura to make such a proposal. "Yeah, okay…whatcha got in mind?"
"Well…if we beat you then Vice has to pay for the first round of drinks at the Dirty Robber…for everyone." Maura said sounding rather proud of herself for coming up with an idea.
"And when we beat you? What then?" He asked.
"Then my team will buy the first round." Maura answered quickly.
"Okay…but as long as you throw in a date…you and me." Martinez waved his hand between him and Maura.
"Okay…and as long as we're throwing in extras…," Maura leaned close to him so she didn't have to speak loud. "Don't let me catch you looking at Jane like you did earlier…ever again." Maura's pleasant smile tightened as she looked him in the eye daring him to deny it.
"Deal…" He held out his hand for her to shake. "I hope you like Italian…oh wait, what am I talking about…of course you do." His words were punctuated by a wink before giving Jane a last once over. Tossing a flippant wave over his shoulder, he left.
As they watched Martinez walk away, Jane held her breath until she knew they were alone again. With a roll of her eyes, she turned to Maura with an expectant look on her face. "So genius…how are you gonna pull that one off?" She could see Korsak, Frost, and Frankie visibly relax as Martinez walked away.
"I have no intention of going on a date with that Neanderthal…so, it is my intention to win and we both know that once I set my mind to something…I always win." Maura quirked her mouth into a half smile showing off that one dimple in her left cheek.
"Yeah, well you'd better win. I'd hate to have to knee cap Martinez so he won't be able to take you out on that date." Jane pursed her lips together as she thought about it.
"Do you doubt my capabilities?" Maura took a step closer and smiled up at Jane.
"Absolutely not." Jane's tone was serious but her eyes held a playful twinkle as she placed Maura's hat on her head and yanked it down over her eyes with a swift tug. "But I bet I can still outrun ya…" She said as she took off toward the car. "Last one to the car is a rotten egg."
Maura pushed her hat back away from her eyes and grinned as she watched Jane run. It was moments like these that she held dear, the moments when Jane was carefree and happy. The moments she couldn't see the toll that Hoyt had taken on her behind her dark eyes. With a chuckle, she ran after Jane at a slow jog knowing she would eventually catch up and knowing that Jane would always be waiting for her at the end of the finish line.