After a weekend of computer troubles…things are back to normal. Hope everyone continues to enjoy this story as I try to keep up. Sorry for the slow simmer…but we all know how Jane is. Have a great week.
Chapter 6- It's going to take some time
Standing in her closet, Maura ran her fingers over her black corduroy pants. She couldn't decide if she should wear pants or a skirt to the Rizzoli family dinner, but she needed to make a decision soon, Jane would be there in less than thirty minutes.
With a sigh, she reached for the pants, figuring they would be a safe bet. Jane was always telling her that she needed to dress more casual. As she laid the clothes out on her bed, she thought back to the party and the wonderful feeling of having Jane lying next to her. With a small smile, she also remembered how they were woken up.
"Hey….wake up sleepy heads." Frankie stood at the side of the trampoline, tapping both Jane and Maura on the feet.
Jane shot up with a start, letting go of Maura's hand. "What the hell Frankie!" She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
Maura rolled over onto her back, feeling the warm connection to Jane break when she let go of her hand.
"Who comes to a party and falls asleep?" Frankie smirked and swayed slightly before climbing up next to them.
"Shit Frankie…you've been drinking haven't you?" Jane said bracing herself from the bouncing motion that Frankie had caused.
"No…maybe…I don't know." He tried not to look guilty.
"How much?" Jane looked him in the eyes.
"One… or five maybe." He gave her a sly smile, holding up his hand and four fingers.
"Come on, I need to get you home." Jane started to pull Frankie towards the edge of the trampoline.
"Hey," he stopped and pulled her back.
"What?" She was impatient.
"Wait for Maura…" He leaned back and pointed to Maura who was still lying on her back.
"Maura….Maura…" Frankie leaned over poking Maura in the arm, causing them to bounce again.
"Stop it Frankie." Maura looked over at him. "I'm awake…you don't have to poke me." She said sitting up and stretching. She looked over at Jane who gave her an apologetic shrug. "How much has he had to drink?"
"Enough." Was the only thing Jane could think to say.
"I like you Maura," Frankie threw his arms around her. "You make my sister happy."
Jane grabbed Frankie and pulled him off of Maura. "Come on. We need to get you home." Jane said trying not to look at Maura. Even in the dim light, Maura could see Jane was embarrassed.
"Here, let me help." Maura said putting her arm around Frankie's waist as they scooted towards the edge of the trampoline.
"Thanks." Jane mumbled. "How am I gonna sneak him past my Mom?" she looked over at Maura, worry written all over her face.
"Well," Maura thought out loud. "Why don't you come spend the night at my house?"
"What about your parents?" Jane seemed skeptical.
"Oh, they aren't home. My Dad is in Africa and my Mom is in Paris."
Jane stopped and turned to Maura. "What? They just leave you alone?"
"Well, yes." Maura wasn't sure what was so strange about that.
"Really?" Jane started moving again, as they pulled Frankie along with them.
"Jane, please slow down. My legs aren't as long as yours, or Frankie's." She skipped slightly to keep up.
"Oh," Jane slowed down. "Sorry."
"So, do you want to stay at my house? At least until Frankie sobers up?" Maura was hopeful.
"Um, yeah…I guess that would be a good idea." Jane opened the car door and shoved Frankie into the back seat.
"Don't you dare throw-up in Maura's car…" She pointed a finger at Frankie. "And who ever gave my little brother beer is gonna haveta answer to me." She turned around and said to the crowd of party goers who still lingered on the front lawn.
"Come on Rizzoli…lighten up." Someone shouted back at her.
Jane grumbled something that Maura didn't understand as she climbed into the car. "Well?" she looked at Maura expectantly. Maura climbed in the car after her and off they went.
Maura sighed at the memory of how their evening had ended. Jane and Frankie had stayed the night after the party so Frankie could sober up. Even though Maura had hoped to spend more time with Jane, Frankie had other ideas. He spent most of the night kneeling in front of the toilet in the guest bathroom, emptying what little he had in his stomach. Jane had spent the whole night next to him, trying to sooth him. Her protective sister role kicked in and it was in full force as she rubbed small circles on his back when the dry heaves took over. It wasn't exactly how Maura had expected to spend her first night with Jane, but it was a start.
Jane sat outside of Maura's house trying to garner the courage to get out of her dad's old work truck. She was embarrassed by the fact that she had to pick Maura up in her dad's truck, especially after she had seen what Maura herself drove. Nervously running her fingers through her hair, she looked up at the four story brownstone and let out a heavy breath. Even though she and Frankie had spent Friday night at Maura's house, she had been too occupied with taking care of Frankie to pay much attention to how big the house was. As she sat outside silently contemplating her unease, it hit her that she was completely out of her element.
Feeling as if she had a heavy burden on her shoulders, Jane finally opened the door and stepped out of the truck. She swallowed the pride that had lodged itself in her throat and stepped up to the front door. With a shaky hand, she reached up and pressed the doorbell button and then stepped back as if afraid of what was on the other side of the door.
When Maura heard the doorbell ring, her stomach gave a nervous lurch. She wasn't sure why, but suddenly the thought of spending the evening with Jane and her family overwhelmed her. She took a few deep breaths before opening the door. What she saw on the other side had all thoughts of worry flying out of her mind.
Jane had a small grin on her face as Maura stepped out onto the porch to greet her. She could feel the slight flush that heated her cheeks as her eyes roamed over Maura's figure. She wasn't sure how, but Maura even made casual look sexy. Shoving her hands into the pockets of her jeans, Jane suddenly felt very shy.
Maura on the other hand was feeling rather encouraged by the look she saw on Jane's face. She could see the play of emotions that went from desire to downright shyness.
"Am I casual enough?" Maura asked as she closed the front door.
"Um…damn Maur…your idea of casual…I mean…you look great." Jane all but stuttered as her eyes traveled over Maura's body. The black corduroy pants fit just right and looked so soft. Jane had the urge to reach out and touch the material, but she kept her hands shoved deep in her pockets. Maura was wearing a tight green V-neck sweater that brought out the traces of green in her eyes, almost mesmerizing Jane. So caught up in the sight before her, Jane didn't notice that Maura was looking at her with the same hungry look.
As Maura looked Jane up and down, a small smile played across her lips. Much to Maura's delight, Jane had that soft but rugged look she wore so well. The figure hugging blue jeans hung low on Jane, accentuating her narrow hips. Her light-blue oxford had three buttons undone; allowing just a hint of cleavage under the white tank top Jane was wearing underneath. But it was the black leather jacket that caught Maura's attention. It was cut perfectly to show off Jane's broad shoulders, just tight enough to suggest the power that lay beneath.
Jane stepped down off of the porch, Maura following close behind and pointed at her dads work truck. Jane suddenly felt embarrassed again that she was there in such a beat up, old work truck. In her mind, Maura deserved better.
She gave Maura a crocked smile. "Sorry, my Mom's car is in the shop."
"This is perfectly fine." Maura smiled at Jane. "I can honestly say that I have never ridden in a pickup truck before. Did you know that the first factory assembled pickup was based on the Ford Model T car, with a modified rear body? Henry Ford billed it as the "Ford Model T Runabout with Pickup Body." It came out in 1925…." Maura stopped mid-sentence when she saw the way that Jane was looking at her, wide eyed and full of wonder.
"Sometimes I wonder Maur. You have so much stuff inside that big brain of yours…it's scary." Jane gave her a wide grin. She opened the passenger door and waited for Maura. "Your chariot awaits m'lady."
With a giggle, Maura slipped into the truck and allowed Jane to shut the door. She waited patiently for Jane to join her on the bucket seat and when she did, they both buckled their seatbelts. Jane started the truck and put it into drive. As they pulled away from the large, four-story brownstone, Maura turned to Jane with a worried look on her face.
"Jane…I have to tell you something." Maura said as she fidgeted nervously in the passenger seat.
"What?" Jane looked concerned.
"If anyone asks about what happened Friday night….I can't lie."
"What do you mean you can't lie?" Jane tried to look at Maura, only taking her eyes off the road for a second. Something told her she should probably file that little bit of information away for future reference.
"I get urticaria if I lie." Maura was wringing her hands nervously.
"English Maur."
"I break out in hives if I lie. I don't know what to do if you mother or father asks about what really happened Friday."
"Um, okay. I'll just try to deflect any questions that are asked. I'm good at doing that. My Mom asks a lot of questions though, it's like she's the Spanish inquisition or something." Jane gave Maura's leg a light pat. She smiled as she realized the black corduroy was as soft as she had imagined. "Hives huh?"
"Yes. One time I even fainted when my Mom asked if I had done my homework and I told her I had even though I hadn't." Maura shivered at the memory.
"Wow… that is serious." Jane frowned.
"Are you mocking me?" Maura turned in her seat to look at Jane.
"No…maybe. Sorry, sometimes my sarcasm gets the better of me." Jane grinned.
"It's okay." Maura smiled back.
"So, you can't lie and my Mom is gonna ask like a million questions about Frankie and why he wasn't feeling well Saturday."
"Did your parents believe you when you told them Frankie had a stomach virus?" Maura questioned.
"I don't know. I kinda think my dad figured it out. He didn't say anything if he did though. I'm not so sure about my mom. She keeps fishing around for information. She is trying to catch us in conflicting stories." Jane said as they pulled up to her house. She put the car in park and looked over at Maura.
"Are you sure you're ready for a Rizzoli family dinner?"
"Yes…I am looking forward to it." Maura beamed with excitement.
Jane shook her head before looking up at Maura with a silly grin.
"What…?" Maura asked.
"Nothing…you'll see soon enough." Jane said, giving Maura a pat on the shoulder.
As Maura followed Jane up to the front door, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was missing something important and that Jane was the only one who knew what it was. When they stopped at the closed door, Jane ran her fingers through her hair and took a deep breath. It was something that Maura had noticed Jane did when she was nervous and she suddenly felt the same.
Jane looked over at Maura giving her a smirk and a wink before she reached for the door handle. "You sure you're ready?" She wanted to give Maura one last chance to bail.
Before Maura could answer, the door was thrown open and she was greeted with a big hug from Mrs. Rizzoli.
"Maura, welcome to our home..." Mrs. Rizzoli held her tight.
"Come on Ma." Jane sighed as she pushed her way past her mom.
Momentarily paralyzed with surprise and maybe even a little fear, Maura wasn't sure what to do with her arms. She decided it was best to let them hang at her sides as Mrs. Rizzoli almost crushed her in a hug. She wasn't used to any physical contact between family members.
Jane's dad pulled Mrs. Rizzoli off of Maura and extended his hand. "It's nice to meet you Maura. I'm so glad you were able to help Janie here keep her spot on the team." He beamed at Jane and gave her a light pat on her back. Jane looked away, embarrassed by the attention.
"Jane did most of the work. I'm just glad I was able to help." Maura said with a smile. She saw Frankie sitting on the couch and he gave her a nod. She nodded back.
"This here is Tommy." Jane said wrapping her arm around her youngest brother in a mock chock hold, rubbing a knuckle on the top of his head. Tommy scowled and elbowed Jane in the stomach. Jane exaggerated her injury by grabbing her side and then winked at Maura to let her know she was okay.
"Squirt is getting tough." She gave him a light push.
"Come on Jane." He shoved her back. "Don't call me that."
"It's nice to meet you Tommy." Maura gave him a big smile.
Tommy looked at Maura as if this was the first time he had seen a girl before. "You're really pretty. What are you doing hanging around with her?" He said hitching his thumb towards Jane.
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Jane growled at him.
"Alright you two…let's get the table set." Mrs. Rizzoli said, trying to defuse the impending argument between the siblings.
"Okay, okay." Jane said throwing her hands up in defeat, but not before shooting Tommy an angry scowl. "Wanna help Maura?" Jane's scowl turned into a bright smile when she turned to Maura.
"Sure." Maura followed Jane into the dining room.
"Here," Jane handed her the silverware.
Maura followed Jane around the table and placed each piece down in its spot on a placemat.
"I hope you like lasagna." Jane gave her a hopeful look.
"I love it." Maura smiled back.
"Sorry about Tommy. He can be so immature sometimes."
"Oh, don't worry about that." Maura stopped as she placed the last piece of silverware down.
"All done girls?" Mrs. Rizzoli asked coming into the dining room carrying a big dish of lasagna. "Jane, would you get the salad and bring it in."
"Sure Ma." Jane disappeared into the kitchen leaving Maura alone with Mrs. Rizzoli.
"Dinner's ready." Mrs. Rizzoli called out towards the living room.
"Where would you like me to sit?" Maura asked politely.
"You can sit next to me." Tommy said with a mischievous glint in his eye as he entered the dining room.
"No way Squirt..." Jane said, carrying the salad in. "Maura, you can sit next to me." She pointed to an empty chair on the other side of the table.
"What? Why can't I sit next to Maura?" Tommy pouted.
"She's too old for you Tommy." Frankie said as he sat at the table. He still looked slightly pale.
Maura could feel the blush creep up her face and Tommy rolled his eyes as he slumped down in the chair next to Frankie.
"Don't act like such a brat." Jane gave Tommy a dirty look. Tommy picked up a piece of bread and threw it at her. Just as Jane was winding up to throw the bread back at Tommy, she was interrupted.
"Alright, enough." Mr. Rizzoli gave them both stern looks. "Sorry Maura, they aren't used to having guests."
Maura tried to smile as she watched Mrs. Rizzoli pile a huge amount of food onto her plate.
"Come on Ma, you aren't feeding a third world country here." Jane said indicating the amount of food on Maura's plate.
"It's okay Jane." Maura said graciously accepting the plate from Mrs. Rizzoli with a smile.
Jane just rolled her eyes and so did Frankie.
Maura sat back in quiet observation as she watched the Rizzoli clan. She could see where Jane and Frankie got their dark, brown, extremely intense eyes and thick, almost black hair. Mr. Rizzoli had the same eyes and hair. Tommy favored their mother with his hazel eyes full of merriment and light brown hair.
Mr. Rizzoli animatedly talked to Jane and Frankie about their latest football game and Maura could see how much Jane admired him. Tommy was still scowling next to Frankie, but gave her a shy smile when he saw her watching him. She smiled back, causing his eyes to light up. The Rizzoli's were a mighty fine looking bunch Maura thought to herself.
Maura's train of thought was interrupted by Jane's hand under the table as she gave Maura's leg a light squeeze. Maura turned to look at Jane, utter surprise on her face.
"Earth to Maura…" Jane moved her hand away.
"Excuse me?" Maura looked around trying to figure out what she had missed.
"I was just asking about your parents." Mrs. Rizzoli smiled at her.
"Oh…what would you like to know?"
"What do they do?" Mrs. Rizzoli asked.
"My father is a sociological anthropologist. He's in Africa right now studying the Ashanti tribe."
Mrs. Rizzoli looked impressed even though she wasn't sure exactly what a sociological anthropologist was.
"And my mother is an art professor. She's on sabbatical right now though so she is in Paris showcasing some of her paintings."
"You mean your parents have left you all alone here in Boston?" Mrs. Rizzoli sounded shocked.
"Well, yes I suppose so. I'm used to it though. We do have a live in maid that keeps me company." Maura said casually.
Mrs. Rizzoli had a sad look on her face as she shook her head. Feeling the need to comfort, she reached for Maura's hand. "I can't believe they leave you all alone to fend for yourself."
"Ma, she's seventeen. It's not like she's five or something." Jane rolled her eyes, sensing Maura's unease.
Maura wasn't sure why this information upset Mrs. Rizzoli so much. She was used to being alone. Even when her parents were home, they were usually out doing fundraisers or attending parties. She hadn't really thought much about it until now. She suddenly felt unsure as Mrs. Rizzoli questioned her.
"Really, Jane? I can't imagine not being here with you guys, watching your games, seeing you grow up, experiencing your senior year…" Mrs. Rizzoli started to ramble.
"Okay Ma…" Jane conceded with another eye roll.
"Angela, some people are just different." Mr. Rizzoli said. "I am sure Maura's parents are very nice people."
"Oh my goodness…I didn't mean to imply they weren't." Mrs. Rizzoli clutched at her heart. "I'm sorry if that's what it sounded like."
Maura gave her a reassuring smile. "No, of course you didn't."
"Did you get the same stomach bug that Frankie got Friday?" Mrs. Rizzoli decided it was time to change the subject.
Maura gave Jane a panicked look and Frankie sat up a little straighter.
"Come on Ma, no one wants to talk about that at dinner." Jane gave her mother a sour look.
"I was just wondering if Maura was a lucky as you were…not getting sick, that is." Mrs. Rizzoli narrowed her eyes at Jane then looked pointedly at Frankie. Frankie seemed to shrink under her gaze.
"Um, no I did not get sick." Maura said looking at Jane for help as Jane was trying to suppress a smile.
"I just find it strange that Frankie was the only one who got sick." Mrs. Rizzoli waved her hands in the air.
"Well, drinking plenty of fluids, taking vitamin C, washing your hands, getting enough sleep are all things that can help prevent the spread of the flu…" Maura began then stopped when she saw all eyes were on her. Jane gave her a small, reassuring pat under the table.
"Maura knows her facts." Jane chuckled.
"Beauty and brains…" Tommy said with a dreamy smile on his face.
"I suppose it could have been something he ate." Maura could feel her face getting hot under the scrutinizing eye of Mrs. Rizzoli.
"Enough Angela…this isn't the Spanish Inquisition. Kids are going to be kids." Mr. Rizzoli leaned back in his chair and set his fork down.
"What's that supposed to mean Frank?" Mrs. Rizzoli's voice was slightly higher as her anger grew.
"What I mean is, just leave it be." Mr. Rizzoli gave Maura an apologetic smile.
"Have you heard from Casey?" He turned to Jane in an attempt to change the subject.
"Um…no…" Jane looked away from Maura, not wanting to see the question in her eyes.
"Who is Casey?" Maura asked innocently.
"Just Jane's boy-friend…" Tommy exaggerated the last work before he pretended to gag.
"Shut up Tommy…" Frankie punched his younger brother in the arm in an attempt to come to Jane's rescue. "He is just a friend…leave Jane alone." When he looked at Jane, she gave him a grateful smile.
"I haven't talked to him since the day he left for basic…we never agreed to be exclusive..." Jane hesitated before looking at Maura. "We're just friends." For some reason, she felt like she needed to emphasis that last point so Maura understood.
"Is he still taking you to prom?" Mrs. Rizzoli asked.
Maura didn't wait to hear Jane's answer as she retreated into the solitude her own thoughts again. She ate the rest of her dinner in silence, as several different conversations reverberated around the room. She wasn't sure how she felt about this Casey person that Mr. and Mrs. Rizzoli seemed to like so much. Feeling the unfamiliar sting of jealousy, Maura decided she needed to wait until they were alone to bring it up again.
Tommy was the only one who wasn't talking, but he was intently watching Maura. It didn't make her uncomfortable when he gave her that shy smile again. She was flattered. Things carried on like that until the plates were empty and Jane jumped up, pulling a pensive Maura out of her chair.
"Okay, you two dorks get to do the dishes tonight." She said pointing at her brothers. Frankie looked defeated and started gathering the dishes. Tommy on the other hand jumped up and pointed back at her.
"I don't think so...I did them last night." He snapped back. Crossing his arms in a defiant stance he dared her to challenge him.
"Jane don't call your brothers dorks. And Tommy, she's right. You and Frankie can do the dishes tonight. Jane has a guest." Mrs. Rizzoli said leaning back in her chair letting out a tired sigh.
"So what…I can hang out with Maura while Jane does the dishes." Tommy stomped his foot on the ground.
"Thanks Tommy, but I think maybe we can reevaluate our relationship in about fifteen years." Maura winked at him.
Jane whipped her head around and gave Maura a funny look. Tommy was beaming with the biggest smile on his face as he conceded and followed Frankie into the kitchen suddenly feeling like he was floating on air.
"Come on" Jane grabbed Maura by the arm and pulled her out of the room.
"Thank you for dinner, it was delicious." Maura called out as Jane dragged her up the stairs towards her room.
"What was that?" Jane stopped in the hall.
"What?"
"That…with Tommy." Jane threw her hands up in the air.
"Come on Jane, a little hope never hurt anyone. Anyway, he is a very handsome young man. He's going to be a heart breaker one day." Maura tried not to smile.
"Rob the cradle much..?" She huffed as she opened her bedroom door.
"Jealous much...?" Maura countered.
Jane tried to give her a stern look, but she could only laugh. Maura was definitely getting better at sarcasm.
"So this is the room of a star athlete." Maura said looking around at the posters on the walls and trophies on the shelves. "I am sure there are plenty of boys on the football team that would love to get a sneak peak at Jane Rizzoli's bedroom."
Jane blushed slightly and sat on the edge of her bed. "Consider yourself lucky…I don't even let my Mom in here."
"I can see why." Maura stepped over a pile of clothes and football pads. "Do you ever hang anything up?"
"Why? I'm only gonna unhang it." Jane shrugged. "What do you wanna do?"
Maura was quiet for a minute as she took in everything around her. There was a small desk against the wall by the window and a dresser with a TV and VCR on it in front of Jane's unmade bed. Posters hung on the walls. There was a Boston Red Sox poster and a Celtics poster too. There were several posters of bands that Maura didn't recognize. A pile of records sat on the floor next Jane's bed and Maura walked over towards them.
"What kind of records do you have?" Maura sat on the edge of the bed next to Jane.
Jane jumped up and grabbed her albums and sat down on the floor next to Maura's legs. She leaned back against the bed as Maura crossed her legs and leaned over Jane's shoulder to see.
"Here, let me show you." Jane said, excitement in her voice. "The Go Go's, Pat Benatar, Duran Duran, Journey, Joan Jett, Motely Crue…" Jane read off the names of the artists. "I know the new thing is cd's but I really like these. There is just something about sliding a record out of its sleeve…"
Maura nodded and watched with curiosity. She didn't recognize any of the names that Jane rattled off, but she was enjoying Jane's excitement.
"Do any of these ring a bell?" Jane tilted her head back to look up at Maura. Maura shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. "Really..? What kind of music do you listen to?"
"Mostly classical." Maura let out a sigh feeling slightly embarrassed for some reason. "Oh, I know that one." She said pointing to one of the albums as Jane was flipping through them.
"The Carpenters." Jane said with a smile.
"Yes…I've heard of them. Aren't they a brother and sister?"
"Yeah, but most of the songs are kinda sad." Jane mused as she flipped to the next album.
"Oh, that's an interesting one." Maura reached down and pulled it from Jane's hand. "Tapestry by Carole King." Her fingers lightly grazed the album cover.
"That's one of my favorites. It belonged to my mom. She gave it to me because it's one her favorites too, but I'd never let her know how much I love it. I'd never hear the end of it." Jane said with a wicked grin.
"Can we listen to it?" Maura asked.
"Sure." Jane jumped up and put the record on the turn table next to her bed before she lay back on her bed next to Maura, who was still sitting up. Jane patted the empty space next to her, indicating that Maura should lie down beside her. Maura leaned back next to Jane, feeling Jane's warmth next to her.
When the music started, Maura fell in love with it instantly. She closed her eyes and listened as each song wrapped itself around her. After several songs, she felt Jane turn on her side to look at her.
"This really is wonderful." Maura sighed without looking at Jane. "I love the folksy sound and the piano. There is so much raw emotion in each song. It's like I can feel everything at once."
"Tell me how you really feel." Jane chuckled and Maura opened her eyes and turned towards her. They looked at each other, neither saying anything. Jane reached over and gently brushed a strand of hair from Maura's face.
In a bold move, Maura grabbed Jane's hand before she could pull it away. Slowly bringing it down to her lips, she placed a tender kiss on the back of Jane's hand before letting it go.
Jane shivered when she felt the soft, warmth of Maura's lips against her skin. Her eyes traveled along Maura's face until she was looking into Maura's eyes. Seeing such longing in those hazel-green eyes almost took her breath away. Jane was so lost in the moment that she didn't realize Maura was touching her face.
Maura watched in wonder as Jane's eyes moved from her lips to her eyes then back to her lips again. Looking into Jane's dark eyes, she saw a need she'd never seen before. Jane seemed lost in thought and it compelled Maura to place her hand against Jane's cheek and then trace her thumb gently across the softest lips she had ever felt.
Maura's gentle touch startled Jane from her thoughts. She blinked a few times, wondering if she was dreaming.
"Jane…?" Maura couldn't stop herself as Jane's name escaped from her mouth in a quiet whisper.
For a brief moment, Jane didn't think it was really happening until she heard Maura whisper her name with such reverence it almost brought tears to her eyes. Just as Jane opened her mouth to say something, there was a soft knock on her door.
Jane practically jumped out of her skin. "What is it?" She shouted as she bolted off of the bed so fast that her sudden movement caused Maura to roll off the side, landing on her back with a loud thud.
"It's me, Frankie. Can I come in?"
"Um, yeah...just a sec…" Jane moved to the side of her bed to find Maura still lying on her back. "You okay?" She asked as she nervously ran her fingers through her hair.
"Just peachy…" Maura sighed in frustration as she pulled herself up off the floor. She could feel that she was blushing as she sat on the edge of the bed, trying to look casual. Letting out a heavy breath, she prepared herself for yet another interruption.
"What do you want?" Jane all but growled as Frankie pushed the door open and peeked inside.
"Really Jane, you could have a least picked up a little." He said as he stepped over the piles of clothes that littered her floor. He didn't seem to notice that both Jane and Maura were slightly flushed as he headed towards where Maura sat.
"Get to the point Frankie." Jane sounded slightly annoyed. Maura wasn't sure if it was because they had been interrupted or if it was Frankie's comment. She crossed her legs, giving Frankie a place to sit next to her.
"How long am I gonna haveta owe you for Friday?" He asked, sitting next to Maura.
"I'd say a month of dish washing should cover it." Jane gave him a slightly triumphant smile. Maura leaned over and gave Jane a light push.
"Don't you think that's a little extreme, Jane?" Maura asked.
Jane gave Maura an annoyed look. Frankie gave her a small smile and mouthed the word 'thanks'.
"All right, how 'bout you do the dishes for the rest of this week."
"Okay, I can live with that." Frankie smiled at her. "What do I owe you Maura?" He leaned back, putting his arms behind his head.
"I don't think you owe me anything Frankie, it was Jane…" She stopped mid-sentence when she saw Jane furiously shaking her head. Frankie was looking at Maura and didn't see Jane.
"I guess I should at least thank you." He said with a crooked grin. "Thanks…"
"Yeah…and maybe not ever do that again." Jane slapped him on the arm.
Frankie gave her a nod and rolled his eyes. "Why are you listening to this sad stuff?" He said sitting up as Jane turned the record player off.
"Alright, time for you to leave." Jane said pushing him off the bed so she could sit next to Maura.
"Hey, how come Frankie gets to hang out with you guys?" Tommy said from the doorway, his arms crossed in anger.
"He's not hanging out with us Squirt." Jane gave Frankie another shove towards the door.
"I told you not to call me that." Tommy shouted as he launched himself across the room at Jane with such ferocity that it took Maura by surprise. Jane, however wasn't as she quickly jumped to the side catching Tommy by the arm. Spinning him around, she grabbed him in a real choke hold. Frankie leaned forward and gave Tommy a poke in the side.
"Squirt." Frankie said.
Tommy was attempting to elbow Jane in the ribs like he had earlier, but she held him tightly.
"Not gonna work this time." She laughed.
Tommy tried to wiggle out of her arms, but he was no match for her strength.
Maura gasped when Jane flipped Tommy around on his back onto the floor. In one swift movement, Jane had him pinned to the ground.
"One, two, three…tap out." Frankie was laughing
"Not fair…." Tommy struggled under Jane. "Two against one..." He gasped.
"Oh, Jane, don't hurt him." Maura said nervously.
Jane looked up at Maura and smiled. "I wouldn't hurt him…anyway, he would go cry to Ma." Jane let him go but didn't drop her guard in case he tried to tackle her again.
"I won't go cry to Ma." Tommy said red in the face, trying to hold back tears of frustration. "You suck." He shouted at both Jane and Frankie as he ran out of the room.
"Yeah, like he hasn't said that before." Frankie laughed.
"Do you two always gang up on him like that?" Maura looked upset.
"It's the natural pecking order of siblings Maur…" Jane whined as she dropped down next to Maura on the bed.
"It just seems so unfair." Maura shook her head with uncertainty.
"Come on Maura," Frankie tried to reassure her. "You have no idea what he's done to me and Jane. One time when our parents went out to dinner, he locked us out of the house and didn't let us in until right before they got home. We had to sit on the front porch the whole time. And it was really cold outside."
Jane laughed good naturedly then saw Maura looking worried again.
"It's not always like this. Sometimes we have each other's backs too. Remember that time that Tommy broke Ma's expensive vase from Italy?" Jane said.
"Yeah and you took the blame so Tommy could still go on his Boy Scout retreat." Frankie said giving Maura a smile. "See, it goes both ways. We kinda gotta rag on each other…it releases the tension of living under the same roof."
"I was grounded for two weeks." Jane rolled her eyes at the memory. "But at least we got rid of him for a week…"
Both Frankie and Jane started laughing as Maura shrugged her shoulders. She wasn't sure she would ever understand the dynamics of siblings. She watched Frankie give Jane another small shove as he passed her on his way out.
"Dessert is ready." Mrs. Rizzoli called up the stairs.
Amazed at how quickly Jane's mood could change, Maura's eyes followed her as she got up from the bed. She fought the desire to grab Jane's hand and pull her back down next to her.
Jane looked over her shoulder, silently asking Maura to follow. Without much thought, Maura found herself trailing Jane towards the door. It was the silence that caused her to stop and contemplate what had happened between them earlier.
Jane halted when she could no longer feel Maura behind her. She could sense that the wheels were turning in that big brain of Maura's and Jane wasn't sure she could bring herself to look at her. She was afraid that Maura would be able to see everything she was struggling to keep hidden. Fear and excitement churned in the pit of her stomach as she imagined what would have happened if Frankie hadn't interrupted them earlier. Jane had felt a want and a need she couldn't quite bring herself to accept.
Watching Jane's shoulders slump slightly as she stood in the doorway, Maura could see the internal struggle that Jane fought to hide from her. It was in that moment Maura realized that even though Jane allowed her rare glimpses of how she truly felt, Jane would quickly retreat leaving Maura feeling confused and frustrated. Sadness almost overwhelmed Maura as she suddenly found herself feeling very much alone standing just a few feet away from Jane.
"It's going to take some time…" Jane all but whispered as she turned to look at Maura. Her dark eyes were silently pleading for understanding and patience. She could see the sadness in the hazel-green eyes that looked up at her with confusion. Knowing she was the cause, Jane reached for Maura's hand and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "Come on…dessert always makes things better." She said with a small smile.
Grateful for the small acknowledgement, Maura nodded and allowed Jane to lead the way. If it was patience and understanding Jane needed, Maura would give it to her.