Sorry about the delay on this one…got the family on winter break so my time has been limited. Hope you all enjoy…I guess I should give a warning of a small amount of violence in this one…nothing big…just a little fight. Again, thanks for everything to all of you who take the time to read this…
Chapter 16-Sooner or Later
"Thanks for the ride Maura…" Frankie said from the backseat of her car. Leaning forward he put a hand on her shoulder and Jane's as well.
Maura looked in the rearview mirror to see his smiling face looking back at her. She could also see Cindy sitting next to him, a shy smile on her face when their eyes met.
"Sure Frankie…any time." Maura put the car in park and turned off the ignition. Turning slightly in her seat so she could see him, she stopped when she saw the look on Jane's face. Maura could see Jane's frown as she regarded her brother with a serious expression. "What is it Jane?"
"I don't want a repeat of the last party we went to…" Jane gave Frankie a stern look.
"Me either…" He tried to sooth away his sister's fears. "I won't let it happen again." He tried to convey his sincerity in a crooked grin. He didn't want to disappoint Jane again or Cindy for that matter.
"Okay…" Jane drew the word out as her eyes went from Frankie to Cindy. "I've known you a long time Cindy…and I trust you to keep each other out of trouble…kay?"
Cindy nodded at Jane, knowing that Jane set a high standard for herself as well as those she cared about. "I don't drink Jane…" She reached out to brush her fingers through Frankie's dark hair. "And he won't either…"
Frankie knew he couldn't resist the girl next to him, no matter what she wanted. He smiled at Jane, nodding his agreement enthusiastically.
A small smile creased Maura's lips as she watched Frankie and Cindy. It was nice to see the shy, yet insistent touches between them. It made her feel that slight flutter in her stomach as she thought about Jane. She watched Jane's serious expression lighten up into a smile as they watched the two occupants of her backseat climb out and shut the door behind them.
"It's starting to snow…" Maura looked out the windshield at the slow falling flurries that had finally decided to grace them with their presence.
"Yeah…?" Jane leaned forward so she could see the small, white fluffs hitting the window before melting. "I'm glad it waited until now…" She sighed. Her body ached and she was bone tired, but she knew she had to make an appearance at the victory party. It was one of the unspoken responsibilities of the team captain.
Maura watched Jane's shoulders sag slightly with fatigue. "Tired…?" She asked as she ran a hand up Jane's arm to a shoulder where she began to gently massage the tight muscles she found there.
"Yep…" Jane let her head fall forward as Maura's hand moved across the sore muscles, kneading the knots she found there. Closing her eyes she allowed herself to sink further into the sensation.
"Jane…?" Maura's voice was soft as they enjoyed the quiet moment.
"Maura…?" Jane sighed into the delicate touch of fingertips as they grazed the collar of her shirt.
"Will you stay with me tonight?"
The question held an uncertainty that Jane had never heard in Maura's voice before. Slowly she opened her eyes to see Maura looking at her with indecision. Even though it was dark in the car, the soft light from a nearby street lamp draped across them, illuminating the play of emotions on Maura's face. A smile curved Jane's lips as she reached out to run her fingers through Maura's hair. "I'd really like that…" Jane hesitated as she thought of something that worried her. "What about your mother though?"
Moving her hand from Jane's shoulder to her neck, Maura slipped her fingers around Jane's neck and into the soft silky hair that was still slightly damp from an earlier shower. Slowly, Maura pulled Jane towards her until their faces were inches apart. "She's in New York for the weekend…" The words were spoken against Jane's slightly parted lips. Before Maura could do anything, she saw a small crowd of football players heading towards them from the sidewalk. Leaning forward, she placed a soft but quick kiss on Jane's eager lips. When she pulled away, she was met with a confused and frustrated look.
When Jane leaned forward to recapture Maura's mouth, she was stopped by a hand on her chest holding her at arm's length. She wasn't sure why Maura had pulled away from her, but she didn't like it. She let out an annoyed huff when Maura smiled at her. "What?" Her voice was laced with disappointment.
"I think we're about to have company…" Maura said just as Jane's door was pulled open. With wide eyes, she watched as a multitude of hands reached in and dragged a slightly stunned Jane out of the car.
"What the hell…?" Jane stuttered as she found herself surrounded by her teammates pushing her toward the house and the party inside. "We'll finish this conversation later tonight…" Jane shouted over the heads of the brawny tidal wave that she was being carried away on.
"That we will…" Maura giggled as she climbed out of the car to follow Jane.
As Maura trailed behind Jane and her fan club into the crowded house, she suddenly felt out of place. Jane was being pushed along towards a group of people, some Maura recognized and some she didn't. She could see Jane's apologetic smile over the heads of the horde that she was captured in causing Maura to give her an understanding shrug of her shoulders. Her eyes scanned the room to find that it was mostly football players and cheerleaders. Ducking her head, she headed towards the kitchen to where the crowd seemed to be thinner in an attempt to escape the gathering group around Jane.
Jane watched as Maura disappeared around a corner and into a long hallway. She felt bad that she had let herself get caught up in the excitement, leaving Maura to fend for herself but she knew she had to spend some time with the guys or they would never leave her alone. As she rode the wave of bodies that pushed her into the living room, it was Giovanni that picked her up in a bear hug, swinging her around as he did.
"Damn girl, I knew you'd do it." He smiled at her as he set her down.
"Thanks Gio…" Jane looked up at him with a smile to match his. "Thanks for keeping that linebacker off of my ass…mostly." She grinned at him as he let her go.
"Yeah…sorry about that miss though." He said as he touched her nose.
Jane reached up to touch her tender nose, already forgotten in the melee of excitement around her. "I guess I can forgive you…just this once."
"That guy was a total asshole though…he kept talking shit about ya. Pissed me off somethin' awful…" Giovanni nodded towards a small group of guys that were standing by the back door. "And he even had the nerve to show up here…"
It was the familiar, friendly face of Barry Frost that Jane saw first. He smiled at her when their eyes met from across the room and she smile back. He gave her a wave as he continued to talk to someone that Jane couldn't see at the moment. She nodded at him, wondering who Giovanni was talking about because she knew Frost wasn't a linebacker. Her question was answered when the person Frost was talking too turned around with a smug smirk on his face.
The kitchen was big, with a wraparound breakfast bar where Maura found most of the band members congregating. There was food and drink littering the counters, mostly chips and soda's but there was also a keg sitting in a large tub filled with ice. With a shake of her head, Maura slipped past the line that was gathered around the keg as she headed towards the few familiar faces she recognized.
"Hey Maura…" A short red head said.
"Hey Sandy…" Maura said to the girl who was leaning against the counter next to the kitchen sink. Maura and Sandy had a few classes together and had partnered up for labs. Sandy was also in the band, having occasionally stopped to talk to Maura as she watched Jane practice.
"Want something to drink?" Sandy asked as she held up her cup.
"Some water would be great." Maura sighed. Even though it was snowing outside, it was hot and humid inside, the direct cause of too many people moving around at once.
"Here…" Sandy said handing Maura a plastic cup with ice.
"Thanks." Maura took the cup before filling it up in the sink. "It's pretty hot in here…isn't it…?" She said, more as a statement than a question.
Sandy nodded as she took a sip of her drink. She peered at Maura over the top of her cup wondering why she was there. She didn't think Maura was the type to party with the popular crowd. "Who are you here with?"
"Oh…I came with Jane…Jane Rizzoli." Maura said as she took a long drink of water.
"Really…?" Sandy raised an eyebrow in question. "She did good tonight."
"Yeah, she did…didn't she?" Maura couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face. "The guys have commandeered her for the moment to celebrate, so I thought I'd find a nice quiet place to sit until things calm down."
"Well, far be it from to interfere with your quiet evening…" Sandy smiled at Maura as she watched her wander towards a quiet corner in the den where only a few people assembled to hold quiet conversations. She couldn't help but wonder how Jane had befriended someone as conservative and quiet as Maura Isles. Sandy thought that Maura was nice enough, but she definitely didn't fit in Jane's group of friends. As she stood there thinking about Jane and her friends, Sandy realized that Jane didn't really have a group at all; she was just kind of everyone's friend. With a shrug of her shoulders, Sandy turned her attention to a heated discussion of which cheerleader was dating which football player.
As Maura found an oversized chair to sit in by the window, she didn't know she was being watched by a pair of icy blue eyes that observed her from across the room. Settling down in the snug leather chair, she looked out the window at the snow falling at a much faster rate than before. She gave a slight shutter at the thought of driving home in it. Winter was one of the few things she didn't like about living in Boston.
It didn't take long for Maura to feel the weight of the gaze that found her sitting alone. When her eyes made contact with Susan Rodgers, she shifted uncomfortably as she watched the short, stocky girl make her way over to where Maura was sitting. She moved with such purpose, it appeared to Maura that she was on a mission. In a matter of seconds, Maura was looking up into the smug face of the last person she wanted to see.
"You know, you're nothing special." Susan placed her hands on either side of Maura on the arms of the chair she was sitting in. Leaning down so she was face to face with Maura, Susan glared into Maura's wide eyes.
"What do you want?" Maura implored, looking for some semblance of reason in the cool blue gaze that bored into her.
"She doesn't see it now…but she will." Susan hissed under her breath.
Maura pulled back to put some space between her and the sinister glow that was shining from Susan's eyes. As the words sank in, the implications caught her by surprise. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean…" She all but whispered.
Susan tilted her head to the side as she quietly regarded Maura, looking for any sign of understanding. When she saw the slight flicker of comprehension pass over Maura's face, she leaned closer so their faces were mere inches apart.
Maura tried not to move when she felt Susan's hot breath against her cheek as the other girl moved in to whisper in her ear. For some reason, Maura felt as if she needed to stand her ground.
"Although, I can understand the attraction…" Susan's words reached into Maura, causing a slight sting against her skin.
When Susan reached up to run her fingers through Maura's hair, Maura couldn't help but flinch when she felt the unwanted contact. The sudden movement seemed to please Susan as she gave Maura's hair a tug causing her face to tilt up. The smug smile returned as Susan's fingers slipped through Maura's hair, trailing down across her jaw line. "But it won't last…" Her voice was husky with something that Maura didn't recognize.
It was Cindy that caught the movement in the corner of the room. She could see the distress the instant her eyes met Maura's. Susan's back was to her, but based on the flushed look on Maura's face, Cindy could tell something was very wrong. Before she could reach Maura, Susan turned to push past her. The slight bump of her shoulder was anything but unintentional. Susan had a self-satisfied smile on her face as she disappeared down the hall, away from a slightly stunned Maura.
"Hey…you okay?" Cindy asked as she sat on the arm of the chair that Maura was now gripping in a tight white knuckled hold.
Maura was quiet for a minute as she tried to piece together what had just happened between her and Susan. One thing she knew for sure was that the other girl had made her intentions towards Jane very clear. Conflict was something that Maura avoided at all costs, but Susan had sought her out with the goal of intimidation. A small fire began to spark deep inside of Maura as she allowed herself to absorb what Susan had said to her. 'Over my dead body…' She thought to herself as she turned to look at a very concerned Cindy.
A mixture of emotions crossed over Maura's face starting with distress, then moving to irritation, before finally settling on determination. Giving Cindy a weak smile, she straightened her posture sitting up straighter to show she was okay.
"Thanks Cindy, but I'm fine." Maura put her hand on the other girls, giving it a gentle squeeze.
"I didn't like the way that girl was talking to you…" Cindy leaned back so she could place her arm over Maura's shoulder.
"She was just giving me a rundown of the score…" Maura stiffened slightly at the contact she usually shied away from. She did her best to relax under the touch that was meant to comfort.
"What do you mean? You were at the game; you know what the score was." Cindy gave Maura a bewildered grin.
"You are absolutely right…I do know what the score is." Maura couldn't hide the small smile that was slowly growing on her face. "I appreciate you looking out for me though."
"Well with Frankie and Jane MIA…someone's gotta have your back." Cindy gave Maura's shoulder a gentle pat. "And speaking of Frankie and Jane…what say we try to find them?"
Maura nodded as Cindy stood up, knowing she was more than ready to find the comfort and safety of Jane's arms. But then she remembered that she would have to wait until they were alone later to feel Jane holding her. With a shake of her head to dispel her thoughts, Maura followed Cindy towards the living room where she had left Jane earlier.
Tension gripped at Jane's insides when she saw the person Barry Frost was talking to. She instantly recognized him as the same guy she had met at the last party they had attended. He was also the same linebacker from Northside that had blitzed her without restraint during the game, the one that Giovanni had tried to keep off of her. It was his hand that had tried to grab her face mask, only he missed hitting her in the face causing her bloody nose. 'Joe…' She thought to herself. 'What a prick.' She couldn't get the memory of him leering at Maura out of her head, bringing her temper to a slow boil.
"Hey, isn't that the same linebacker from Northside that hit you in the face tonight?" Frankie asked as he slipped between Jane and Giovanni.
"Yep…" Jane growled. "The one and only..." Her eyes did not leave him as he saw her, giving her a curt nod in acknowledgement.
"Hey…that's Barry…" Frankie waved him over. "You remember Barry, don't you?"
"Uh-huh and his friend Joe…" Jane could feel the muscles of her already strained body tense as the two football players made their way over.
"Hey Rizzoli…good game." Barry reached out to shake Jane's hand.
With a tilt of her head, Jane regarded the young man with the kind eyes. "You're the one who caught the interception…" She started.
"Only to be promptly dropped and recovered by this guy…" He reached out to put his hand on Giovanni's shoulder. "But that was one hell of a bullet you threw."
"Yeah…? Too bad you dropped it though." Jane gave him a friendly smirk.
"I guess I wasn't expecting it to hurt when it hit my hand, kind of caught me off guard. You've got a strong arm there, for a girl…" Barry smiled at her, his eyes twinkling playfully giving Jane the impression that he hadn't meant any harm in what he had said.
"I did hit you pretty hard." Giovanni added.
"I think I'll be carrying around an imprint of your shoulder pads for a few days…" Barry laughed as Giovanni gave him a sheepish grin.
"Yeah, well looks like Rizzoli will be sporting a black eye thanks to me…" Joe spoke for the first time.
Jane rolled her eyes at the comment. She knew he was trying to be a smart ass, but decided to ignore him.
"Hey, where's that cute blonde piece of ass that follows you around everywhere?" Joe said as he looked over Jane's shoulder as if searching for someone.
It took a few seconds for the words to register in Jane's mind. She blinked a few times, stunned into silence. Frankie stiffened next to her, stepping closer in a protective move.
"What?" Joe looked at the surprised faces of Jane, Frankie, Barry, and Giovanni. As if sensing his next words would let loose a hornets nest, he leaned into Jane to whisper in her ear. "If you're finished with her already then you won't mind if I have a taste?" Pulling back to look Jane in the eyes he gave her an arrogant smirk. "Bet she tastes as sweet as…" He started to say before Jane's movements became an explosive blur.
When the words finally sank into her brain, Jane felt a rage race through her like a wild fire. When Joe pulled back to look her in the eyes, she could only see the deep, dark blackness of those coal black recesses staring back at her. She didn't even have time to think about what happened next, she only reacted as her fist made contact with his face.
What she hadn't expected was the counter punch to her stomach that had her dropping to the floor on her hands and knees gasping for breath. It was followed by the swift kick to her side, not once, but three times. The pain all but rendered her immobile as she tried to absorb the shock to her left side as Joe's booted foot made contact with her ribs. Her teeth rattled as she bit down on her bottom lip, drawing a thin line of blood that began to run down her chin.
"Dyke…maybe I'll show your girlfriend what she's missing…" Joe hissed as he bent down to survey his handy work.
"Asshole…" Jane cried out as she thrust her fist up into his groin, dropping him where he stood. She jumped up, adrenaline pushing her pain into the far recesses of her mind.
"Bitch…" He gasped as he curled up on the floor holding onto what was left of his manhood.
Before Jane could get in a few kicks of her own, she found herself being pushed away by Giovanni and Frankie. Barry was following close behind shaking his head as he looked over his shoulder at his now incapacitated friend.
"Son of a bitch…let me at 'im. I'll kill 'im…" Jane shouted as Giovanni picked her up, carrying her towards the kitchen and right into Cindy and Maura.
Maura had heard the commotion before she saw it. As she rounded the corner she was surprised to see Jane thrashing around as Giovanni tried to hold her. Frankie was following closely behind; a serious and stern look on his face.
All Jane saw was the color red as she felt strong arms and hands pushing and pulling her away from her intended target. As her vision began to come back to her, she could see several of her teammates picking Joe up. They dragged him kicking and screaming towards the front door as he continued to scream obscenities at her.
"Get off me Gio…!" Jane shoved at Giovanni who now had her arms pined in a bear like hug.
"Calm down Jane…" He whispered to her as she continued to struggle. "Maura's watching…she doesn't know what happened…you're gonna upset her."
Suddenly going limp in Giovanni's arms, Jane allowed him to carry her the rest of the way into what she presumed was a study. The room was small, but the walls were lined with bookshelves full of books. There was a small leather couch and recliner in the middle of the room and that is where Giovanni deposited a thoroughly spent Jane.
Jane watched as Maura, Frankie, Cindy, and Barry followed them into the room. Barry closed the door behind them before turning to Jane.
"I am so sorry about that Jane." He knelt down to apologize to her. "I wouldn't have brought him if I knew he was going to do that." The sincerity in his voice calmed Jane as she looked into his friendly, hopeful face.
"Not your fault…" Jane sighed as the dull ache in her side began to grow.
"Would someone tell me what happened?" Maura was frantically looking from one face to another for an explanation.
"Ah…nothing really Maura. You know, too much testosterone floatin' around." Giovanni tried to smile behind his explanation.
"Too much testosterone…?" Maura's voice started to rise. "What does that even mean?" She turned to the one person she knew would be honest with her, Frankie.
Frankie shrugged his shoulders when he saw Maura looking his direction. He looked at her, then at Jane. When he saw Jane give him a small nod, he looked back at an imploring Maura.
"Well, that guy Joe…he kinda taunted Jane." Frankie said.
Maura furrowed her brow as she thought about that name. It was familiar and so was young man that had followed them into the study. Her eyes fell on Barry when with a sudden realization she remembered.
"Barry…Frost, right?" Maura looked at Barry who nodded at her. She could see the apology in his eyes.
"The other guy was Joe…I remember you both from that first party." A shutter ran through her body as she remembered the way that Joe had been looking at her that night. When her gaze fell on Jane, all of her questions were answered by Jane's sad look.
"Maura?" Jane's voice was shaky as she tried to hide the pain she was in.
With one look at Jane, Maura knew what she wasn't saying. Barry stood to allow Maura easier access to Jane.
"Jane?" Maura found herself kneeling in front of Jane as she took Jane's hands in her own.
"Can we please just go home?" Jane implored her usually lustrous brown eyes dull from the pain she was fighting to contain.
"Anything you want…"Maura said as she tried to pull Jane up onto her feet. She stopped when Jane winced and grabbed her side. Reaching out, she wiped the thin trail of blood that had run down Jane's chin that had gone unnoticed until that moment. "You're going to tell me what happened…right?"
"Later, I promise…I just really wanna go to bed." Jane put her arm around Maura's shoulder, leaning against the only person she wanted to be with.
"Here, let us help…" Frankie said as he slipped himself under Jane's other arm to help Maura lead her out.
"I really am sorry Jane." Barry said as they moved past him. He looked so sad and forlorn that Giovanni decided to pull him along towards the party.
"Hey…no worries. Come on…let's see what kinda trouble we can get into." Giovanni winked at Jane as he and Barry headed towards the door.
"Hey Frost…" Jane called out causing Barry to stop and turn around. "See ya on the flip side…" She tried to grin at him, but exhaustion was getting the better of her.
Barry smile back and with a wave he disappeared behind Giovanni.
With the help of Maura and Frankie, Jane began to get her strength back as they headed towards the front door.
"Rizzoli…you gonna be okay?" Someone shouted from across the room.
Jane straightened up, letting her arm slip off of Frankie's shoulder as she tried to brace herself to stand. Giving a thumbs-up to everyone in the room seemed to satisfy the curiosity that permeated around them. She did her best to hold her head up high to show that she really was okay, but the dull ache in her side caused her to hiss under her breath.
No one but Maura noticed that Jane was fighting to hide her pain. She tightened her grip around Jane's waist to help hold her up causing Jane to give her a grateful smile.
"Hey Frankie…you and Cindy should stay. Have fun…Giovanni can bring you home." Jane looked at her brother who looked back at her with concerned eyes.
Frankie was unsure what to do, but Maura smiled at him letting him know it was alright. "I've got this Frankie…" She said to ease his mind.
"Okay." Frankie leaned over to give Jane a gentle hug. "Let Maura help you." He whispered into her ear.
Jane nodded as they pulled apart. "Go on…have fun." She winked at him as Maura slowly pulled her away towards the front door.
Cindy watched Maura lead Jane away a worried look on her face. "Is she going to be okay?" She asked Frankie as he took her hand.
He looked at Jane before looking back at Cindy. "Yeah…Maura will take care of her." Watching as Jane and Maura disappeared outside, he pulled Cindy back into the throng of party goers who had all but forgotten what had happened earlier.
Looking up at the falling snow, Jane let out a long breath. She watched as the white cloud that escaped from her lips rose above her head before disappearing in the air. The flurries were falling at a faster rate than before sticking to her face and hair causing her to laugh.
"What's so funny?" Maura looked over at Jane, her curiosity piqued.
"The snowflakes tickle my cheeks." Jane grinned down at Maura. "They are so beautiful." She closed her eyes, feeling the soft touch of cold fluff graze her eyelashes. "Is it true that no two snowflakes are alike?" Opening her eyes, Jane saw a meditative look on Maura's face.
"Well…I can't really answer that Jane. If two identical snowflakes fell to the ground, who would really know? No one can check every single one can they?" Maura stopped to look up at the falling snow. "I mean, technically it would be a yes. Snowflakes are complex snow crystals that develop from super cooled cloud droplets that eventually freeze when they fall. They come in a different shapes and sizes…" She paused to look at Jane who had stopped and was giving her a lopsided grin. "What?"
"I love it when you do that." Jane tightened her hold on Maura's shoulder, pulling her closer. There were still too many people around for her to do what she wanted to, which was kiss Maura as the snow fell around them. "I'm glad we're heading out. I would really like to be alone with you, cuddling up with a cup of hot chocolate. We could watch the snow fall outside the window from the warmth of your bed…"
"Hey Rizzoli…" A familiar voice called out, interrupting Jane. She turned around to find herself face to face with a stocky, dark haired middle aged man in a police uniform.
"Officer Korsak…?" Jane said warily.
"Congrats on your win tonight." He smiled at her. "You headed out?"
"Yeah…too much excitement for me." Jane tried not to smirk.
"Good thing then…I guess I won't have to write you a citation." He tried not to smirk back at her. "Got a noise complaint. Gonna haveta shut it down."
"No skin off my nose, we were heading home." Jane could feel Maura begin to tremble against her as the cold started to sink in around them. "But, um…thanks anyways…"
"Anytime…" He shrugged his shoulders and smiled at her. "How's your mom?"
"She's good." Jane smiled back. "Hey…could you send my brother Frankie out here…maybe tell him he needs to come home with us. I don't want him to get in trouble with our parents."
"Yeah, will do." Korsak turned to leave but stopped and turned to say something to Jane. "Guess you can't tell your mom I said 'Hi', you'd have to explain why we saw each other." He frowned slightly.
"Nah…as long as we don't get into trouble, I'll let her know you asked about her." Jane couldn't help but laugh at what he had said. Her mother's temper was as well-known as the Boston Tea Party.
"Thanks…" Korsak said as he watched Jane move stiffly as she left him standing alone. He couldn't help but think that Jane had the same beautiful smile as her mother. With a wistful sigh, he turned towards the house and the crowd that was trickling out of the front door as they realized what was happening. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a younger version of Frank Rizzoli moving quickly away from the revelers. "Hey, Frankie…?" He was surprised at how much the boy had grown. It had been a few years since he had seen him.
Frankie stopped like a deer caught in headlights. "Yeah…" His voice cracked slightly in fear.
"Hey, it's Korsak…you remember me?" He held up his hands to indicate he wasn't a threat.
"Um…Korsak…yeah…" Frankie blinked a few times as he finally recognized the stocky officer. He was holding onto Cindy's hand so tight, he was sure she would have no feeling.
"I just talked to your sister. She said you should go home with her…" He nodded in the direction that Jane had gone. "Keep an eye on her though; I think she might have gotten hurt in the game tonight."
"Thanks…" Frankie said as he started pulling Cindy towards Maura's car, knowing exactly how she had gotten hurt.
"No problem kid, see ya around." Korsak said.
"Not anytime soon I hope." Frankie said under his breath as he headed towards the warmth and safety of Maura's BMW.
"Who was that?" Maura asked as she buckled her seat belt.
"Oh, a family friend. My Ma knew him in high school…" Jane struggled with her own seatbelt, prompting Maura to reach over to help.
"You going to tell me what happened in there? I know you're hurt…" Maura sighed when she heard the familiar click that indicated the seatbelt was secure. She could see Frankie and Cindy walking towards them. "Frankie and Cindy are coming…but just so you know, we're not done here."
All Jane could do was nod in understanding at the serious look on Maura's face. She knew she would have to tell Maura what had happened, but right now all she wanted to do was lay down on something soft and warm. The thought of something warm and soft being Maura caused a flush to rise to her cheeks as she tried to look away from Maura's inquiring eyes.
"What's that look for?" Maura tried not to smile at the sudden color of Jane's face. But before Jane could answer, the back door opened allowing Frankie and Cindy to tumble in with huge grins on their faces.
"That was close…" Frankie said as he shut the door behind him.
"Let's get outta here." Jane rolled her eyes at Frankie's comment. She was so ready to be as far away from this night as possible.
"It's really coming down out there." Jane looked through the kitchen window at the steady curtain of snow that fell from the sky. "I don't think it's gonna let up." She turned around to lean against the sink to watch Maura as she placed a kettle on the stove for their hot chocolate.
"Frankie and Cindy should just stay here tonight." Maura said as she absent mindedly put the chocolate powder in two cups before she reached for two more. "Call your mom and tell her you're going to wait out the storm here. I'm sure she'll glad we're off the roads."
Running her fingers through her hair, Jane nodded as she tried to take a deep breath. It still hurt, but not as bad as before. "I suppose you're right…"
"There's a phone in the study you can use, just dial a 9 for an outside line." Maura watched Jane carefully as she tried to evaluate the injuries Jane still had yet to explain.
"Kay…" Jane said as she moved over to where Maura was standing with her back to her. Slipping her arms around Maura's waist, she nuzzled the long hair that hung down around Maura's shoulders. "Hummm…you always smell so good…" She whispered into Maura's ear.
The warmth of Jane's breath against her ear sent tingles up and down Maura's spine. She leaned her head back to allow Jane access to her neck where she felt the soft brush of lips move along her skin igniting a fire deep within her.
"Are you still breathing Maura…?" Jane's words were barely a murmur as she continued to bury her face in the honey-blonde locks.
Closing her eyes against the onslaught of sensations as Jane's mouth moved like silk down her neck before moving up to her ear again, Maura realized that she actually hadn't taken a breath.
"Breathe Maura…" Jane continued to whisper as she began to gently rock back and forth, holding Maura in her arms.
Moving within the circle of Jane's embrace, Maura turned around so they were facing each other. She reached around, wrapping Jane up in a hug of her own. Just as she was about to rest her head against Jane's chest, Maura felt her stiffen at the contact. Maura reluctantly pulled away to look at Jane, but only caught a glimpse of pain as it flashed across Jane's face before it was replaced by an impassive expression.
"Jane…?" Maura started but was interrupted by Frankie as he pushed through the kitchen door looking for them.
Frankie stopped mid step when he saw his sister with her arms around Maura, who had her arms around his sister. Even though she had her back to him, Jane could imagine the look on his face as it dawned on him what he was seeing. With an exhausted sigh, she kissed the top of Maura's head before she released her. Jane was just too tired to explain at the moment, so without turning around she slipped out of the kitchen towards the study to call home.
The surprise that crossed Frankie's face would have been comical if Maura hadn't been so worried about Jane. Instead of pulling away, Jane had almost sagged against Maura as if she might collapse. When she felt the light kiss on the top of her head, Maura knew Jane was exhausted. She stood still as she felt Jane release her hold and watched her disappear through the kitchen door leaving her alone with Frankie.
"Um…sorry…I…um…" Frankie looked as surprised as Maura felt. He nervously shuffled from one foot to the other.
"Jane's just gone to call your mom to tell her you are all going to stay the night. The storm is getting bad…thought it would be best." Maura turned back to the cups of hot chocolate she had been preparing before Jane had interrupted her. "You should have Cindy call home, let them know she's here." Maura couldn't quite bring herself to look at him or answer the questions she was sure to see in his eyes.
"Um…yeah…okay…" He stuttered slightly as he backed up towards the door. When he found himself standing alone in the hall, he leaned his head back against the wall. He realized that what he had just seen was an intimate moment between his sister and Maura, but what surprised him was how natural they had looked with their arms around each other. It was something that he had pondered as he had watched the relationship between them grow into something deeper than friendship. Letting out a heavy sigh, he considered that his reaction wasn't exactly what he wanted to convey. He was just slightly shocked to see Jane showing any type of affection, not particularly who she was showing it to. But he also knew that Jane had left him and Maura alone without saying a word which was her way of telling him she wasn't ready to talk about things yet.
Sitting on the edge of Maura's bed, Jane couldn't help but smile as she watched Maura bustle about the room. Jane could feel the nervous energy that vibrated off of Maura causing her to reach out and grab Maura in an effort to stop her.
"Come 'ere beautiful…" Jane sighed as she slipped her fingers in the belt loops of Maura's jeans. With a gentle tug, she pulled Maura close to her.
Without a struggle, Maura allowed Jane to pull her until she was standing between Jane's legs looking down into soft, brown eyes that radiated love and understanding. She let out a long breath as she lifted her hands to find purchase in the long, dark unruly hair that fell around Jane's shoulders and slightly in her face.
"What am I going to do with you?" Maura mused out loud as she tangled her fingers in Jane's unmanageable curls.
Jane closed her eyes, leaning into the strength she knew Maura was offering her. "Whatever you want…" Jane whispered, slipping her arms around Maura's waist. She pulled Maura closer so she could rest her cheek against the softness she found there.
"Why do I have a feeling that tonight won't be the night I get to do whatever I want…?" Maura tipped Jane's face up so she could see her eyes. She was greeted with a sheepish grin and a look of apology.
"Do you know how hard it is for me not do this…" Jane lifted Maura's t-shirt to revel the warm, soft skin of Maura's stomach. Placing a gentle kiss on the exposed skin before her, Jane let out sigh of contentment.
"Don't start something you can't finish Jane…" Maura said as she again tilted Jane's face up to look at her. She had a serious expression even though the deep desire to continue was barely veiled in those hazel-green eyes that gazed into soft brown. "You are going to tell me what happened to cause this…" Gentle fingers ran up and down Jane's left side causing her to hiss in pain. "How hurt are you?"
"Not too bad…I don't think…" Jane tried to look away.
"You'll always be my hero Jane, but even hero's need to be taken care of sometimes." Maura allowed her other hand that was still tangled in Jane's hair to slip down, lightly grazing Jane's cheek. "You will let me take care of you, won't you?"
"Umm humm…." Jane leaned into Maura again, closing her eyes to savor the warmth and safety she felt in that moment.
"But first…" Maura paused causing Jane to look at up at her with a questioning arch of her eyebrow. "I think it would be a good idea for you to talk to Frankie…"
Jane pulled away so quickly that Maura almost lost her balance. "I can't do that…" Jane started to look panicked.
"Not about us Jane…" Maura soothed as she tried to close the sudden distance that Jane had put between them. "I am a little concerned about leaving him and Cindy alone...you know."
"Why?" Jane asked, but before Maura could answer it dawned on her what Maura was talking about. "You want me to talk to him about sex?" The look of panic returned.
"I am sure you don't want to be an aunt in nine months, just as I am sure Frankie is not ready to a father." Maura tried to reason.
"Well, I am sure he knows all about that…" Jane tried to reason back.
"I would feel better it you'd talk to him…" The look Maura gave Jane had her giving in without any more argument. "He looks up to you Jane, I think he will listen to what you have to say."
"Okay…" Jane nodded her consent. Reaching up to take Maura's hand, she allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. It hurt, but again not as much as it had earlier.
"And we're not done talking either..." Maura watched as Jane headed towards the door.
"I didn't expect we would be." Jane's shoulders sagged as she realized she would have to tell Maura what happened.
"Hey Frankie, what do you know about Susan Rodgers?" Cindy asked as she curled up next to him on the couch in the den in front of the lit fireplace.
"A little, why?" He asked as he pulled her closer to him.
"I don't know, but I think she was harassing Maura at the party tonight." Cindy laid her head on his shoulder.
"Really?" He asked, pulling back so he could look at her. "I saw something similar a few weeks back. Wonder what that's all about. Did you ask Maura?"
"Yeah, she just said Susan was giving her the score…whatever that means." Cindy sighed.
"Jane used to hang out with her before they headed in separate directions in high school. I'll have to ask her about it…" He stopped when he felt Cindy's lips on his neck, soft and warm. Without much thought to what they had been discussing, he was more than happy to return the favor.
"Hey Frankie…?" Jane called from the doorway. She could see that they were kissing and it took all of her will power not to run the other direction, but she realized that Maura was right. It was bound to happen sooner or later, but she wanted to make sure Frankie understood the consequences. "Can we talk for a minute?"
Startled from their make out session, Frankie jumped slightly, pushing away from Cindy. "Yeah, yeah…" He said as he climbed off of the couch. He nervously ran his fingers through his hair as he walked across the room to where Jane was standing.
"I won't keep him long." Jane tried not smirk at a very red faced Cindy. All Cindy could do was nod back.
Jane stepped out of the doorway to indicate that Frankie should follow her. Without saying anything, Frankie followed Jane to the kitchen where he was sure they were going to talk about Maura and what he had seen earlier.
"So, you and Cindy…?" Jane crossed her arms as she leaned against the counter.
Frankie blinked back the confusion as he watched her closely; trying to figure out what she was asking him.
"Um…yeah. You know we've been dating for a few months…" He shrugged his shoulders to indicate it was something she should already know.
"What I'm asking you Frankie is…" She swallowed hard as she tried to think of the best way to ask him how far their relationship had gone. "Have you two…you know…"
"What…?" His dark eyes grew wide with recognition. "Noooo…." He held up his hands as if that would show his innocence.
"I'm only asking because you're down here alone…you know, no parents, adults, or supervision. I just want to make sure that things don't get out of control." Jane reached out to put her hand on his shoulder. "I know what it's like to be around someone you want to have a deeper connection with…" She could feel her cheeks growing warm with the blush she knew was spreading across her face.
"Look, I understand where you are going with this. Yeah, sometimes it's hard to know where to draw the line, but I really care for Cindy."
"I know you do bro…but I just don't want you to have to deal with the consequences of one night for the next eighteen years. You get what I'm saying." She tried to hide the small smile that was curling her lips as she thought about the fact she didn't have to worry about things like with her and Maura.
"If you're asking me if I have protection…then yes I do. Giovanni gave me something to keep in my wallet."
"Guess I'll have to thank him for that…" Jane sighed as she ran her fingers through her hair.
"Jane, I don't think Cindy and I are going to go that far…not tonight. But thanks for looking out for me." Frankie had a serious expression on his face.
"Hey, that's what I'm here for…keeping you outta trouble." She smirked.
"Yeah, too bad I can't do the same for you." He sighed as he nodded towards her side.
"I know you've always got my back…I'm sorry I didn't give you the chance tonight." Jane pulled him to her in a hug.
As carefully as he could, he hugged her back before they separated and looked at each other. They both had serious expressions, almost matching in intensity.
"Love ya bro…" Jane gave his cheek a gentle slap as she headed towards the door. "And hey, don't do anything I wouldn't…"
"Hey Janie…" Frankie called out, causing Jane to pause. "So, you and Maura?" He asked.
Looking at him long and hard, Jane was quiet for a moment. Finally she grinned and nodded before she left him standing alone in the kitchen to ponder what that meant.
"Careful, please…" Jane pleaded as Maura helped her pull her t-shirt off. Underneath she wore a white tank top that Maura pushed up over her ribs to expose the black and blue coloring that had taken up most of Jane's left side.
"Oh Jane…" Maura was barely breathing as she took in the steady bruising that ran along Jane's rib cage. "You may have some broken ribs…you should see a doctor."
"Nah, I'm fine. I just need some rest and your arms around me." She tried not to wince when she felt Maura's fingers gently press into the tender skin.
"I'm not sure…" Maura sighed as she leaned forward to put her ear against Jane's chest. "Take a deep breath…if you can."
"What are you doing?" Jane looked down to see what Maura was doing.
"I'm listening for crepitus. Now take a deep breath please."
"You're looking for what?" Jane tried to pull back.
"Stop pulling away." Maura said before letting out an exasperated breath. "Okay, what I am listening for is something called crepitus. It is a unique sound that is made when pieces of broken rib run against each other…so please let me listen."
Trying her best to do what Maura asked, Jane took as deep a breath as she could.
"Well, I don't hear anything. Does it hurt when you breathe?" Maura asked as she continued to inspect the bruised flesh.
"Only when I'm near you…" Jane tried to joke, but turned serious quickly when she saw Maura's face. "A little, but not as much as before. I think I'm just bruised pretty bad."
"Badly…" Maura corrected. When Jane didn't say anything else, Maura looked away from Jane's injuries to find a somber expression looking back at her.
"Look, I'm really sorry that this had to happen, especially tonight. I really thought that maybe we…" Jane looked away the embarrassment she was feeling evident in her red cheeks.
"Hey, look at me…" Maura reached up to touch the cheek she was now looking at. When Jane finally looked back at her, Maura smiled reassuringly at her. "It's okay, really. I won't say I'm not disappointed, but I can wait."
"Yeah, but I don't wanna wait anymore Maura…" Jane sighed as a twinge of pain shot up her side as she exhaled.
"Well, I guess that will teach to go getting into fights with guys twice your size than." Maura grinned as she leaned up to place a soft kiss on Jane's lips.
"Kay…" Jane tried not to pout. "But he was askin' for it."
"Do you want to tell me what he said to you?" Maura asked even though she had a bad feeling it was about her.
"Let's just say that he had some unsavory things to say about you and me…and leave it at that."
"Okay…did things go well with Frankie?" Maura quickly changed the subject.
"Yeah, I think he understands." Jane sighed again. "I think I need some help getting these off…" She sat down on Maura's bed as she unbuttoned her jeans.
"You know, I've had visions of this…" Maura said as she knelt down in front of Jane to help her pull her jeans off. "But the outcome was different…" She laughed as she tossed the jeans across the room.
A flushed feeling traveled all along Jane's body as Maura ran her hands up her now bare legs before coming to rest on Jane's thighs.
"We could try…" Jane tried to say before she was stopped when Maura held up her hand.
"As much as I want to Jane, I don't think it would be a good idea. You could do further damage to your ribs if you strain yourself during physical activity." Maura stood up, releasing her hold on Jane's leg. She could see that Jane was watching her with some semblance of sadness. "Sooner or later…" Maura began as she leaned forward kiss the tip of Jane's nose. "We'll have our moment."
Nodding in understanding Jane allowed Maura to pull the blankets back so she could climb beneath them. The sheets felt cool against her heated skin as she settled down against their softness. She wasn't sure how she would get through the night sleeping this close to Maura with only her tank top and underwear on. The last time they had spent the night together, Jane had stayed fully clothed. Now Jane was faced with sleeping next to Maura who was wearing an oversized t-shirt and not much else.
As Maura slipped under the blankets next to Jane, she was instantly surrounded by Jane's arms. The skin on skin contact had her rethinking what she had told Jane earlier about waiting. It was Jane's groan in pain when their bodies pressed together that made her realize it would have to wait. Carefully, she snuggled against the warm body behind her trying her best to avoid touching Jane's side.
"I'm gonna miss you while you're in Paris…I wish you didn't have to go…" Jane whispered in Maura's ear.
"I'll call you, I promise." Maura snuggled closer to Jane. She didn't want to go either, but there was no argument where her mother was concerned.
"I'm sorry I got you in trouble…maybe if I hadn't snuck in your room, you wouldn't have to go." Jane sighed.
"It's not your fault. I have a feeling that my mother was going to insist I go anyway…" Maura tried to soothe Jane's fears. "Let's get some sleep…okay?" She could feel Jane nod behind her as Jane's grip around her waist tightened. Placing her hands on Jane's she gently squeezed before intertwining their fingers. 'This is going to be a long night, but there's nowhere else I'd rather be.' Maura thought to herself as she felt Jane's body relax and her breathing even out as she fell asleep. "A long night indeed…" She whispered to herself as she closed her eyes to try to find the comfort of sleep as well.