Chapter eleven
''Emma, I'm here, I'm right here...''
Jane's voice thickened as she tensed in the bed and Maura had to push herself and keep the Detective down. The fever had insisted throughout the night but it seemed to ease now and the Doctor once more dabbed her forehead with the cool cloth.
Every time Danny would cry downstairs Jane would physically react, trying to reach for someone who wasn't there. It was the first time she had spoken though. Maura swallowed hard, watching the pain in the other woman's features, knowing that the majority of it was not due to her injuries. She couldn't even begin to imagine how she would ever survive losing Danny.
Korsak had left, in search of Dennis, and now a young man was sitting in her living room. He called himself Benny and he looked to be in his early twenties. He had referred to Jane as an ''alpha'' but Maura wasn't sure what he meant like that. He had also mentioned that he was some kind of counsilor but, again, the Doctor was unsure of his job being there.
She heard him climb the stairs and when he walked through the guest bedroom door she looked up to him. He took a seat right next to the bed and sighed, staring down at the inert form.
''I know that this seems to be too much.'' He said. ''But you are in no danger, Dr Isles.'' He seemed to have an odd pacifying effect on her and it was at first weird, but then worrying. She felt like she had taken a sedative and it sent alarm bells ringing in her head.
''What...'' She muttered, surprised to hear herself slur. ''What's wrong with me?'' She withdrew her hands away from Jane and she focused on not looking directly into his eyes. Somehow she knew it would be bad. ''What are you?'' She asked, finally.
''Like the Alpha said, I am the pack counsilor.''
Now he had called Detective Korsak an ''alpha''. This getting more confusing by the second.
''When a wolf is injured or when we are dealing with young pups, or strays who can't control themselves, they send me in, it's my job in the pack, I have a calming effect on people.'' He smiled and Maura knew it was true. She couldn't understand it but she knew it was true. ''Jane has excellent control but it's pack protocol to make sure we got her covered.''
''So you're trying to say that you're all werewolves...?'' Maura said and the notion seemed less impossible as time went by.
''I know it's hard to accept doctor but you're a scientist, keep your mind open.'' His smile was incredibly calming and Maura thought she could sleep if he just kept on talking for a few more minutes. But then Jane stirred and finally opened her eyes.
Benny's attention turned to the injured woman, smile still fresh on his lips. ''Hey, Alpha, how do you feel?''
Jane looked back and forth between the two of them, then solely on Maura. ''You know what I am...'' She said breathily. It wasn't a question, just a statement.
''I'm afraid she saw you shift.'' Benny offered and Jane nodded.
''Thanks Benny. You won't be needed here anymore.'' Jane's voice grew steadier and despite Maura's attempt to stop her she pushed herself into a sitting position. ''I need some privacy with Dr Isles here.''
The door closed and the two woman sat in silence for a few minutes before Maura finally found the courage to speak. ''Jane.'' She started. ''I think you really need to explain some things to me.''
Jane nodded and actually begun getting out of bed. Maura reached for her but she was gently pushed back as Jane rose to her feet, slightly bent in weariness. ''We need to go to the morgue now.''
''What?'' Maura stuttered, taking a step away from the taller woman. ''Absolutely not! You're in no shape to be walking and I have nobody to watch Danny.''
''Benny will stay with him. You need to trust me on this.'' She leaned her shoulder against the wall for support. ''In order to explain I have to show you. And this can only happen in the morgue.''
''You're insane.'' Maura muttered, shaking her head dismissively. ''You're all insane!''
''Maybe.'' Jane smiled weakly. ''But do you trust me?''
Maura drew in a deep breath and considered the question. It was stupid, she barely knew that woman who now stood dressed in a wrinkled t-shirt and sweatpants, in the middle of her guest bedroom. Yet that very woman had gotten between her and a loaded gun that could have easily killed her. She might be crazy but she wasn't trying to hurt her. And suddenly she came into the realisation that she did, in fact, trust her. She had trusted her from the very first moment she saw her and all she had had to do was to ask those four words, ''do you trust me''.
Maura Isles nodded, despite herself. ''Okay.'' She sighed.
Jane turned to look around the room and scented the air. ''Korsak was here...'' She muttered. ''Did he leave my bag?''
Maura gestured towards a duffel bag on the floor, at the bottom of the bed. ''He left that for you, if this is what you're looking for.
''Good, 'cause I need shoes.'' Jane looked down at her bare feet and wiggled her toes.
She took a long time putting the shoes on and Maura didn't move in to help her, knowing that at this point she would only injure her pride. Instead she stood buy and observed her and she knew now what this woman, Jasmine, had seen in Jane. Maura could see it in the sad and concerned expression the Detective's face had when she looked up to the forming bruises around the doctors throat, she could see in it the intensity and stubborness with which she pushed herself through the pain, the aura of strength and the way she carried herself with quiet strength.
Despite herself Maura imagined a life like this for herself and she found that it hurt, just to think about it. She heard Danny cry from the other room and Jane's head snapped towards the door.
Then the Detective shook her head and exhaled. ''Sorry. Force of habit.''
They drove uneasily to the morgue and it was late enough in the night that it was empty, or Maura would worry about showing up like this, in her casual clothes, accompanied by a pale and terribly dressed Jane. Opening the glass door she paused to look up to her, forcing her to stop walking.
''You probably saved my life.'' She said but Jane did not reply. ''Thank you.'' She said and this time there was a genuine nod as a response.
When they finally reached the chilly and sterilised air of the morgue Maura stood next to the table unsure of how to proceed. She still hadn't decided what kind of paranoia Jane had but she felt bad to point it out. For now she would play along.
Jane reached for one of the drawers of the morgue fridge and pulled out a body. She wheeled it close to Maura and pulled the sheet down to the waist of a young looking man. He must have been in his thirties, Latino, with very good musculature but it didn't change the fact that he was dead. Under all that dark skin and muscle he still had a heart which even those strong muscles couldn't protect from the bullet that pierced it.
''What are you doing?'' She asked but Jane seemed completely detached. She reached for a tray of instruments, took out a metal bowl and set it on the mans chest. Then she reached for a scalpel and swallowed before drawing a thin line against her palm. Blood flooded out, trickling in the bowl and Maura rushed to take the scalpel away but Jane held it out to her voluntarily.
''It's okay.'' She said, wiping her palm, holding her hand up to show her that the cut was...
It couldn't be... Maura thought. The cut is healing. She can't be healing, I must be going crazy too.
Jane came up behind her and took hold of her hand and when Maura tried to pull away she found out she couldn't. Her back was pressed against Jane's chest and she was trapped in the vice like grip. She started to panic.
''What are you doing?!'' She asked, as Jane forced her hand into the bowl, dipping her fingers into the blood.
''Don't talk.'' Jane ordered and Maura felt the electricity that buzzed around them. It wasn't the kind of electricity that had to do with attraction but the kind of buzz that had to do with raw energy. She felt every single one of her senses prickle up, she could see, smell, hear, feel everything with every cell of her body.
''You're in danger, because of what you are.'' Jane said, right into her ear, forcing Maura's fingertips to paint the mans eyelids with blood. ''That's why I'm here to protect you. Its my job.''
''What do you mean?! What do you mean because of what I am?!'' Maura almost screamed, overtaken by the flood of senses and emotions. She could smell the blood, almost taste the tiny particles floating inside her nosetrils, she could feel every cell of Jane's bare skin against her own. ''What do you mean?!''
She watched with horror as Jane forced her hand against the man's lips, painting them with grotesque bloody red.
''Let me go!'' She protested. ''Let go, you're nuts!''
''Ask him.'' Jane whispered, her voice eerily calm despite Maura's shouting and struggling against her. ''Ask him to rise.''
''What?!'' Maura tried to elbow the woman behind her and she heard her huff as her elbow found the bullet wound still fresh on her stomach, but the grip on her whole body remained. ''You're crazy!''
''Imagine your baby, imagine Danny being in danger, imagine what you would have done to keep him safe, imagine this man having his hand around your baby's throat, ask him, ask him to rise Maura!'' Her voice grew intense but it remained even. ''You're running out of time! Your baby's gonna die! Ask him!''
Maura felt the anger literally fill her body like a heat wave. Every muscle tensed and her chest heaved with that anger and finally shouted. Everything around them was liquid and bright, she felt Jane's body vibrate behind hers until they were both literally shaking with energy. ''Rise! Rise fucking rise! Is this what you want me to do?! '' She hollered. ''Fuckin' rise!''
Suddenly Jane let go of her completely and Maura almost fell back with surprise because the man on her table had just opened his eyes.
''You, Maura Isles...'' Jane said when the Doctor turned to her wide eyed. ''You are a Necromancer.''
Well, let me know what you guys thing about this eh?!
LK