This one was a bit harder than I anticipated. For some reason getting what I had in mind down on paper was a struggle for me but I hope I did this one justice. It wasn't an easy task to write a Karaoke scene. I did my best to include the suggestions I was given so I really hope that those of you who reached out enjoy this chapter. Anyway…thanks again for the reviews and for reading this story. I truly appreciate all of the kind words and encouragement I have received. I am going to warn you all that the next chapter will either come at me fast and furious or it will stretch out my creative muscles but I do hope to have it up as soon as I can, so with that being said…I'll see you all on the next go around.

As You Wish

It had already been a long day and Jane had no doubt that it was about to be followed by an even longer night. She shifted uncomfortably next to Frost and ran her hand through her hair as an impatient huff escaped from her lips catching his attention.

"What's got you so wound up?" He glanced at her before turning his attention back to the assembled group of BPD's finest.

"I'm not looking forward to having to perform in front of this…," she held her hand out to indicate she was talking about the small crowd that seemed to be getting bigger with each passing moment.

"You sure it doesn't have anything to do with the fact that you asked me to pick you up at your place and not Maura's." He turned his full attention to her and raised an eyebrow.

"Whatever…," she mumbled as she ran her fingers through her hair again. Looking away was her only defense because he was right. Maura had dropped her off at her apartment even though she had done everything she could think of to lure Maura into staying home and skipping their evening at the Dirty Robber. Nothing had worked and now she felt like she was being punished by having to sit and wait for Maura to make her arrival, which she had yet to do.

"Couldn't convince her to stay in tonight?" Frost tried not to smirk.

"Nope." It was all Jane could think to say as she frowned.

"Hey…look…Frankie just got here and he has our dates in tow." Frost jumped up and gave Jane a quick slap on the back. "I'll see ya on the flip side Rizzoli."

"Asshole…," Jane muttered under her breath.

"Did you just call me an asshole?" He turned back to her, a surprised look on his face.

She hesitated as she tried to think of a comeback but when nothing came to her she smiled and winked. "Yes…but it was said with love."

"Bullshit…but I'll let it slid since you're out of sorts." He grinned before leaving her to her thoughts.

Leaning back in her chair, her eyes scanned the room looking for familiar faces in the sea of strangers. She could feel her palms sweating so she rubbed them on her jeans before rubbing them together as she was prone to do when she got nervous. Her mind drifted back to those moments in Maura's car before she was dismissed. She couldn't help but feel a little put out about it. No matter what she did or said, Maura's mind had been made up and it was apparent that Maura's intention was to put as much space between them with the hope of not giving in.

Jane shifted again, leaning forward and placing her elbows on her knees before resting her chin in the palms of her hands. Again her eyes moved around the room in search of a familiar face, finally settling on Martinez. She watched him for a minute before making the decision that she would buy him that beer she owed him.

It only took few a few moments to grab two beers and stride across the room to were Martinez stood talking to several people from Vice. It also only took a few moments for those people to scatter when they saw Jane approaching.

"Here…," she handed him the bottle of beer and gave him a sheepish grin.

"Um…thanks…," he took the drink from her, an expectant look on his face.

"Here's to mending fences." She clinked her bottle against his before tipping it back and taking a long drink to give her the courage to continue. He didn't say anything as he continued to stare at her expectantly. "You're not gonna make this easy on me are you?"

"Not a chance. It's not every day that Jane Rizzoli admits she's wrong." He finally lifted his beer up to his mouth to take a drink. It didn't hide the smirk her was giving her.

"Look, what you did today with Maura was a dick move. Agreed?" Jane tilted her head as she waited for him to concede.

Swallowing his beer, he nodded his agreement. "And I apologized for that." He looked sincerely sorry for what he had done. "I shouldn't have dragged her into something that should have stayed between us."

"Okay…good start." She nodded sagely as she tried to think of what to say next.

"This is where you tell me that you are sorry for being an asshole to my sister." He gave her a stern look waiting for her to disagree.

"What happened between us was mutual Martinez. We both know that, so I make no apologies for my part in something I cannot take sole responsibility for." She paused giving him the chance to try to interject. Raising her hand to stop him from saying anything she continued. "But as far as you and I are concerned…I have no excuses. And for that I am sorry."

"We used to be good friends…what happened?" His voice was soft but with an edge of regret.

"I was an arrogant asshole who shit all over a friend…," she shrugged her shoulders. When he didn't disagree she laughed. "I guess I just didn't know what to do to fix what we had when Wendy and I broke up. It didn't help that…um…," her face colored slightly as she thought about his feelings for her. "You know…you liked me…liked me."

"Yeah well, have you seen yourself? You are one hot detective…but I guess you're right. You did make it clear that you weren't interested in me that way. I just wish I could have let it go before I did…and for that I am sorry." He gave her slight nod. "I suppose I found it hard to believe that a knock out like you could be into women…," The words got caught in his throat as his attention was captured by someone coming in the front door.

"That's a pretty narrow minded thing to say man…," Jane said as she looked to see what had shut him up. When her eyes met hazel/green all of the breath left her body as if she were suddenly in a vacuum.

"Damn Rizzoli…I get it now." Martinez spoke with a reverence Jane hadn't heard before. "She is absolutely stunning."

"And very taken…," Jane's eyes widened as she looked Maura up and down. "Um…we good here?" She turned her attention to him for the briefest of moments.

"Uh-huh…for the most part." He said without looking at her as he watched Maura make her way their direction. "I'm gonna go get some ice water." He said giving Jane's shoulder a light bump as he passed her.

All Jane could do was nod as he left her standing alone in the middle of the room on the verge of self-combustion. The heat that raced along her skin was a welcome feeling because it was something she hadn't felt since Hoyt. In a moment of clarity, she knew without a doubt that she was ready to give Maura anything she wanted.

As Maura got closer, Jane couldn't help but notice the sun kissed glow of her skin and it reminded her of their time together in high school. She grew slightly dizzy at the memory of the freckles that dotted Maura's shoulders and chest, and the many nights she had spent tracing a path with her lips from one to the other. She knew that they would be darker against the tan skin that taunted her with each step Maura took towards her. Taking a deep breath to push oxygen to her brain before she fainted, she smiled at how carefree Maura looked in her light green sundress dotted with lavender flowers. The dress came to the tops of her knees showing off a healthy amount of skin wrapped around shapely calves. The slight v at the front dipped down just enough to show the barest hint of ample cleavage causing Jane's mouth to drop open. She knew what wonders lie beneath the thin fabric that was being held up by two spaghetti straps revealing bare shoulders. But it was the radiant, carefree smile that made Jane weak at the knees.

"Close your mouth sweetheart or you'll attract flies." Maura whispered as she moved closer, pressing herself against Jane's tall, lean figure seeking a hug.

"Um…you look…," Jane wrapped her arms around Maura's waist and pulled her close as she struggled to speak. "You look breath taking."

"Well detective…if you play your cards right, I just might be willing to administer CPR if needed." Maura ran her hands along the lapels of Jane's jacket. It was something she had wanted to do from the moment she had seen Jane from across the room. She needed to know if the shiny material felt as soft and slick as it looked. It did.

"Why Dr. Isles…are you flirting with me?" Jane tried to smirk playfully but the feeling of Maura's hands moving over the front of her jacket was distracting her.

"Absolutely detective." Maura's fingers moved to caress the silky material of Jane's white shirt. Her hands moved over several buttons disregarding the temptation to undo a few so she could get a better view but then she sobered because she knew why Jane hadn't left them undone. "I really like the way you look."

"Are you sure we can't just get out of here…go back to your place and get to know each other…again?" Jane gave Maura's waist a light squeeze before letting go. She could see her mother making her way their direction with a huge grin on her face. "You didn't tell me you were bringing my mother."

"I didn't have much of a choice. She was waiting by my car when I got ready to leave." Maura gave an apologetic pout.

"Well, I guess if I'm gonna make a fool out of myself…best to make it a family affair." Jane dropped her shoulders in defeat.

"It'll be fine…I promise." Maura lifted up on to her tippy toes to place a quick kiss to the corner of Jane's mouth. "Now…if you'll excuse me…I need to go speak to the guy in charge of the Karaoke machine." She gave Jane's side a light pinch as she quickly moved past her before Jane could stop her.

"I'm in so much trouble…," Jane sighed as she watched Maura disappear in the steadily growing crowd.

"I don't know what's worse, waiting or getting it over with?" Jane took a sip of her second beer.

"I'm saving the best for last." Maura leaned closer to Jane in an attempt to calm her. "Look, Carly and Ryan are here."

"Great, more witnesses to my demise." Jane huffed.

"So, ready for a fun night?" Carly asked cheerfully as she dropped down next to Jane.

"Not even a little bit." Jane pushed her long dark hair over her shoulder and glared at Carly who had the beginnings of a smirk on her face.

"Well, for what it's worth, I love karaoke." Ryan settled next to Maura. "Did you pick all of the songs?" her question was directed at Maura.

"Well, I did have a hand in most of them but I am solely responsible for choosing Jane's song." Maura tried not to make eye contact with Jane. "And I have requested her song be last."

"Interesting…," Ryan glanced over at Jane taking note of her nervous fidgeting. "Well, do you mind if I join in on the fun?"

"Of course not." Maura grinned.

"Cool…I've got a song in mind." Ryan couldn't help but smile back at Maura.

"Whatever." Jane grumbled as Carly laughed.

"It's not that bad Jane." Carly tried to reason. She stopped talking when all Jane did was glare at her. "So, who's first?" Her words were directed at Maura.

"I think our first victims are just about to take the stage." Maura reached over to take Jane's hand in an effort to reassure her.

A hush fell over the small crowd as the DJ made an announcement for Frost and Frankie to come up on stage. With a vibrant energy that always seemed to surround Frost, he jumped up and accepted the cheers and accolades being offered. Frankie on the other hand looked confused.

"I'm not in Homicide…what gives?" Frankie asked as he passed Maura.

"I'm afraid it's guilt by association." Maura gave him a small smile. "Anyway…Frost needs a partner. It's a duet."

Frankie continued to look confused but decided it was best to be a good sport as he joined Frost on stage. Before he had a chance to look at the screen, Frost handed him a microphone with a smirk. It wasn't until the first stains of music filtered through the speakers that Frankie realized what song it was and it was too late for him to do anything but listen as Frost's voice sang out the first lines to 'Islands in the Stream'.

"Baby when I met you there was peace unknown…I set out to get you with a fine tooth comb…I was soft inside, there was something going on…" Frost's sang.

Before Frankie could even register what was happening, he saw the word 'both' next to the lyrics and he joined in following Frost's lead.

"You do something to me that I can't explain…Hold me closer and I feel no pain…Every beat of my heart…we got something going on…" The sang together.

All they could do was be good sports at this point but it didn't stop Frankie from giving Maua a look of warning. Their dates clapped along and seemed to be enjoying themselves so it bolstered both of them to play it up. By the time the song was over everyone was on their feet, cheering and clapping. Frankie and Frost took their bows and headed back to their seats but not before passing Jane and Maura.

"Paybacks are a bitch Dr. Isles…," Frost leaned down and whispered into Maura's ear with a wicked grin.

The look of surprise on Maura's face had everyone laughing, including Jane who couldn't help but feel just a little sorry for her.

"Um…should I be worried?" Maura turned to Jane, eyes wide with worry.

"Yes." Jane nodded with determination.

"Nah…they're just yanking your chain." Carly leaned over to reassure Maura that everything would be alright.

"If anything, you made their dates like them even more." Ryan tilted her head towards Frost and Frankie who looked like they were getting cozy with the two women that had been cheering them on.

Maura let out a sigh of relief but then felt anxiety rush over her when she herd Korsak's name announced making him next. She glanced over at Jane nervously because she had no idea what song her colleges had picked but by the snickers coming from their table it was bound to be something she didn't know.

"You have no idea what song they picked for Vince, do you?" Jane couldn't stop herself from laughing.

"Well, I did give them free reign over some of the choices." Maura looked worried. Her anxiety only heightened when she saw the look of confusion cross Korsak's face just before the song started.

"You can't touch this…you can't touch this…" Korsak's voice was slightly monotone and off beat as the song kicked in. His eyes were wide as he did his best to keep up as the lyrics moved quickly over the screen but it was a losing battle.

"Oh, my God!" Jane clapped her hands together. "I can't believe they picked 'You can't touch this' by MC Hammer."

"Hey…that's my jam!" Frost jumped up and headed towards the stage to bail Korsak out of trouble. Korsak gave him a grateful look when he stood next to him and sang along to the bouncing ball. Together they sang and as an added bonus Frost seemed to have the dance moves down bringing the group to their feet again with chants of 'Go Frost…Go Frost…' echoing throughout the bar.

When the song finally ended, a red faced Korsak handed the microphone back to the DJ and took a bow with Frost. He was glad it was over with and even though he had never heard the song before, he couldn't help but smile. It had been embarrassing, but fun and that was what it was all about…good fun. As he stepped off of the stage, he caught Angela's eye and saw that she was grinning at him. He gave her shy smile in return. For some reason he suddenly felt ten feet tall.

As the evening progressed, one by one the homicide department took turns singing. Some were heartfelt, some not so much but everyone seemed to be having fun and in the end, that is what counted. There was only one person left to sing and before Maura could say anything, Ryan asked if she could have a go at it. The move caused Jane to let out a sigh of relief even though she was only prolonging the agony.

Ryan stood, straightened the collar of her oxford shirt, and gave a crooked smile in Carly's direction. With a quick wink, she moved away from them and took her place on the makeshift stage. She leaned over to talk to the DJ who gave her a nod as he set about cuing up the music.

A nervous energy emanated from Carly causing Jane to reach over and place a reassuring hand on her knee at precisely the same moment that Maura did. The gave each other a knowing smile and intertwined their fingers as they turned their attention to Ryan.

Within seconds, the familiar melody coming from a keyboard had Jane grinning wide as she gave Carly a shoulder bump and then Ryan's soft, somewhat nervous voice filled the room with the first line of Hall and Oates 'You make my dreams come true'.

"What I want…you've got, and it might be hard to handle. But like the flame that burns the candle. The candle burns the flame. What I've got…full stock of thoughts and dreams that scatter. You pull them all together. And how I can't explain, oh yeah…well, well you, you make my dreams come true…"

As the song continued, the words came with a conviction that almost brought tears to Jane's eyes in light of the news of Carly's pregnancy. She could see the love and devotion that they held for each other shining through their eyes and smiles and she almost felt jealous. The feeling of Maura's hand on her bouncing knee brought her attention back and she let out a heavy sigh filled with anxiety.

"You know if you are this worried about getting up there, I won't force you." Maura leaned over to whisper in Jane's ear.

The bouncing of Jane's leg subsided as she realized that Maura was giving her an out, but she knew she had to go ahead with it.

"I appreciate that…and that is why I love you." Jane responded as some of the tension that had her wound up eased. "But I think I need to follow through. Everyone else has."

"And that is why I love you…you never give up." Maura moved her hand to Jane's and interlaced their fingers.

"Carly and Ryan look really happy…" Jane mused as she watched Ryan sing her heart out to the love of her life.

"I think they are. It really is wonderful that they are adding to their family. I myself am looking forward it…," Maura hesitated when she realized she may have said too much. "Someday that is." She finished quickly so that she wouldn't instill panic in Jane.

Jane tilted her head and gave Maura a crooked grin. She could see that Maura thought she had said too much and all she wanted to do was ease Maura's nervousness. "Me too. Maybe we can practice with Carly and Ryan's little bundle of joy…ya know get all of the mistakes out of the way so our kid will be perfect."

Maura didn't say anything, instead she raised an eyebrow in interest at Jane's comment. It thrilled her that Jane hadn't panicked and it lightened her heart to hear Jane's response.

Before Jane was ready, Ryan was making her way back towards them with a huge grin on her face as she fell into Carly's open arms. They held each other close for a moment before Ryan glanced over at Jane, giving her a quick wink to bolster her courage. "Your turn stud…"

A nervous cough escaped from Jane as a shiver moved through her body. It will be over soon… she thought to herself as she stood.

"If it makes you feel better, I'll sing a song after you." Maura stopped Jane's forward progression because their fingers were still intertwined. Jane gave her a weak smile and a little nod to acknowledge what she had said.

Shouts of encouragement filled the small backroom where they had all convened as Jane moved through the crowd towards the stage. Her heart was beating so hard she could hear it echoing through her ears with each thud louder than the last. When she reached her destination, she hesitantly took the microphone from the DJ and looked down at her feet.

"Just let me know when you're ready…," he said with a small smile.

Taking a deep breath, Jane looked up and zeroed in on Maura who was grinning at her reassuringly. She let out her breath in one long, slow exhale before glancing over at the DJ. With a quick nod of her head she consented and accepted that it was too late to turn back.

The sound of a synthesizer filled the air and Jane knew in an instant what song Maura had picked. True to her word, Maura had picked a Madonna song but this one wasn't the one that would have made Jane turn bright red in embarrassment. No, this song was fun and upbeat causing Jane to smile at Maura as her anxiety drained away. As the music continued its introduction, Jane gave Maura a wink before striking a pose that had everyone cheering. And then the words came across the screen and Jane began to sing in that low timber that sent chills up and down Maura's spine.

"You've got style…that's what all the girls say…Satin sheets…and luxuries so fine…" Jane's voice carried around the room as she held the microphone out in front of her. "All your suits are custom made in London…I've got something that you'll really like…" Her eye's never left Maura as she continued on to the chorus feeling a little more confident with each passing second. "Gonna dress you up in my love…all over, all over…Gonna dress you up in my love…all over your body…" Suddenly she felt herself moving like she had seen Madonna doing in the video she had seen more times than she could count when she was a kid. Swinging her arms and moving her hips, she actually felt as if she were channeling the eighties version of the queen of pop. As the next verse approached, her movements became more fluid and the small crowd cheered her on. "Feel the silky touch of my caresses…They will keep you looking so brand new…Let me cover you in velvet kisses…I'll create a look that's made for you."

Maura watched in awe as Jane strutted across the small stage looking as if it were the most natural thing in the world for her to be doing. A familiar flutter moved through her stomach up into her chest as Jane smiled down at her showing off those dimples she loved so much. Her eyes never strayed away from the dark brown that held her in a smoldering gaze that had her wishing they were somewhere else. She was happy when she saw that Jane's anxiety had disappeared the second she recognized the song but they both knew what Jane had expected and the thought of that night, Jane's eighteen birthday caused a rush of heat to color Maura's cheeks. As Jane continued to sing, Maura thought she may have seen a flicker of recognition in the eye's that held her own, almost as if Jane knew what she had been thinking and by the smirk that was directed her way, she had no doubt that Jane knew where her mind had traveled to.

The color of Maura's cheeks gave her thoughts away and it only emboldened Jane as she continued to sing and move around with a confidence she hadn't known she had. She couldn't help but give Maura a sexy smirk that let Maura know that her thoughts had betrayed her. And just as quickly as it had started, it was over leaving Jane feeling elated and energized. Everyone jumped up and clapped, showing their appreciation for Jane's participation. With a huge grin, she took a bow before jumping down off of the stage and trotting over to Maura.

"See, that wasn't so bad was it?" Maura whispered into Jane's ear when she found herself engulfed in a hug.

"How about we go home so I can cover you with velvet kisses…?" Jane nuzzled Maura's neck, just under her ear.

"Ummmm…sounds good to me, but it's my turn." Maura tilted her head towards the stage before reluctantly pulling away from Jane's arms.

As Maura made her way towards the DJ and away from the safety of Jane's arms, she could feel the curiosity hanging heavily in the air as all eyes turned towards her. Her stomach fluttered as a nervous energy propelled her further and she couldn't help but rethink her decision to join in on the fun of the evening. She had become painfully aware of what people thought of her with each passing day she worked for the BPD. Co-workers eyed her with caution, weary that she had no sense of humor or that she was too stiff and snobbish. The hope that her participation in the softball tournament would change the unpopular opinion of her seemed distant at the moment only adding to her anxiety. Her decision to take the stage was an effort to establish a more favorable opinion, at least that is what she had told herself in the beginning. Her thought was that if she acted like everyone else, it would solidify a place for her in the department as being just like everyone else. But the closer she got to her destination, the more she questioned herself and if she was making the right choice. A quick glance over her shoulder eased the tension that had suddenly taken root in her stomach. She wasn't sure if it was the dimpled smile, the sexy wink, or the silent 'I love you' Jane mouthed her way but whatever it was, a wave of confidence washed over her. Perhaps it had been all three.

Jane watched with trepidation as Maura leaned close to the young man in charge of playing the music. A little too close for her comfort but she knew it was an innocent gesture on Maura's part. Her heart skipped a beat when Maura gave her a pointed look before turning her attention to the screen in front of her. Jane immediately recognized the soft sounds of the Ellie Goulding song "Love me like you do". A slow smile spread across her lips as she listened to the words.

"You're the light, you're the night…You're the color of my blood…You're the cure, you're the pain…You're the only thing I wanna touch…Never knew that it could mean so much, so much…" Maura's voice was soft but strong as she sang. Her eyes moved around the room, not quite meeting Jane's but she didn't want to make it obvious who she was singing about. "You're the fear, I don't care…Cause I've never been so high…Follow me to the dark…Let me take you past our satellites…You can see the world you brought to life, to life…"

Sitting on the edge of her seat, Jane watched Maura as she looked around at everyone but her and her heart broke just a little when she realized why. It was Maura's way of giving Jane the privacy she held so dear but Jane didn't want that, she wanted everyone to know how much Maura meant to her. When Maura's eyes finally came back to capture her own, she gave a nod and a smile to let Maura know it was safe. Her acceptance and openness was rewarded when Maura looked right at her and delivered the next lines of the song.

The smile directed her way set Maura at ease, giving her the confidence to look directly into Jane's eyes as she sang the chorus. "So love me like you do, la-la-love me like you do…Love me like you do, la-la-love me like you…touch me like you do, ta-ta-touch me like you…what are you waiting for?" She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in challenge as she watched Jane fidget slightly in her seat.

The feeling of her heart racing caused Jane to fidget in her chair as she listened to and watched Maura. She wanted nothing more than to pull Maura away from the stage and out the door towards home but she was also mesmerized by the slight sway of Maura's hips so much so that she missed the next few lines of the song. The feeling of an elbow to her ribs brought her back to the moment. Glancing to her right, she saw Carly grinning at her before giving a slight nod towards Maura who was now moving in their direction. Time stood still as she watched Maura move through the crowd that seemed to instinctively part to let her pass. She could hear the music in the background but Maura had stopped singing and was now standing in front of her. Looking up, Jane felt the bottom drop out from beneath her by the look in hazel/green eyes before Maura leaned close and whispered in her ear.

"Take me home…," Maura's voice was slightly breathless as she spoke. "Now…"

Taking the hand that was outstretched before her, Jane grinned and answered with the only words that came to her mind. "As you wish…"