Jane lunged for the ball aggressively, her muscles burning as she jumped down into a squat and held the basketball to her chest and bent over to protect it. With one step outward and the harsh quack of her sneaker scraping the polished court floor she grunted and pushed her way.

Frankie backed off but only momentarily, he raced her to the half way point, sweat blurring his eyes as he marked on the defensive.

It had been hard to keep up the family tradition she and her father started all those years ago. They weren't middle class enough to afford one but God be damned Frank Rizzoli Sr was going to get his kids a basketball hoop like all the other houses on their block, and he did. So every Sunday before dinner he would take on all three of his children in a handicap match that always resulted in someone's knee being scraped and loads of laughter and rolling around. Soon Rizzoli & Sons took off, or slowed down, Jane never really knew, it caused her father to work more on the weekends, Tommy started hanging around a tough crow and would rather spend the Sunday at one of his friend's place until the porch lights came on and dinner was ready, so that left them. Jane and Frankie, and through the years it had changed, Jane had played her younger brother out of obligation (Once she made detective she hardly saw him, and as a beat cop fresh out of the Academy Frankie was six again: following her around and asking all sorts of questions) and then he too played her out of a sense of support after Hoyt, and then when they lost the house it was hard enough to find a place for their mother to live let alone play basketball. When Angela finally moved into the guest house and subsequently started hosting Sunday dinner at Maura's the two always found time to get a few beers in on the couch before everything was ready until one day Frankie called her up and invited her to play a game at a local youth center near where they used to go to High School in Dorchester. Jane hadn't anything better to do with Casey overseas and thus the tradition started anew.

"You know the problem with your game?" Jane asked as she dribbled the ball between her legs.

"My game?" Frankie took a moment to wipe the sweat from his face before returning into a defensive stance following her closely lifting his arms up and down to defeat any idea of advancing closer to the basket. "I'm up by eight, Janie." She hardly ever beat him yet she was playing today with a certain ruthlessness he hadn't seen before.

Jane took a long stride back and jumped the ball from mid court effortlessly hitting a three point shot. "Five baby boy." She exhaled proudly after wiping her face and grinning at Frankie's unmasked surprise. "Go get my ball."

Frankie laughed and went after the ball to check her and restart the battle. "What in the hell has gotten into you?"

Jane wiped her face free of sweat again while panting. "Nothing, just… needed a good work out." Frankie bounced the ball a couple times as he came back to center court. "And whooping your ass is doing the trick." She put her hands up for Frankie to toss her the ball and when he did she motioned for him to come closer. "C'mon."

Frankie chuckled as he got back into a defensive position. "Mmm I don't know, there's something else." He lunged for the ball but Jane was wise to his movements by now. "Tommy call you too?" Frankie went on the offensive and stomped forward into his sister successfully managing to knock her footing from under her and snatch the ball.

Jane laughed from her seat on the ground of the basketball court as Frankie began walking to the net nonchalantly taunting her as he made little effort to toss the ball into the net. "He called you too huh?"

Frankie grabbed the ball and sat it on his hip before walking back over and putting his hand out to help his sister get up. They often played way rougher than they should but neither ever complained, both always helped the other up. "Yeah, said he needed my help getting Lydia back, like I know how the hell to matchmake, and its Tommy no less." He checked the ball to Jane who in turn checked it back to him before entering her own defensive stance.

"Said the same to me."

Frankie took his time lining up his next shot in his mind as he dribbled the ball. "Think he was drinking?"

Jane shook her head. "Nah, I think after you guys got into that fight at the Robber it embarrassed him way too much y'know…" Tommy had really cleaned up his act in the last couple years, she was really proud of him.

"Yeah but I don't really like him hanging around Pop so much, when's he going to New York for that job?"

"Right after he sells the family business to secure our future, remember?"

They shot around in silence for a few more baskets. Frankie was still up by three. "We gonna help him out?" He finally asked.

Jane bounced the ball with her left hand and faked the shot before running around her brother and hitting a perfect layup. Her entire body tingled and she was having trouble breathing but it felt amazing. She forgot how physically demanding her job was until she was off for a literal four days. It felt nice to be moving again. Frankie ran after the rebound leaving a tiny trail of sweat on the ground behind him, Jane looked at her own grey BPD shirt drenched a deeper gray and nodded as she wiped her face in it. "Yeah," She agreed feeling good about it. "Yeah I think we should." Tommy had always marched to the rhythm of his own drum and seldom really asked them for advice in anything let alone dating. If he had called the both of them late like that it meant he was reaching out.

Frankie bounced the ball to her. "Yeah but what do you and I know about matchmaking? I mean we're not exactly good examples."

"You do remember that you're engaged right?"

"Yeah, and I'm still honestly surprised Nina said yes and not take a hike." He chuckled. "I won the lottery…and you're not really dating mater—"

"—Watch it, Francesco."

"Didn't Maura do it all last time anyway?"

"No." Jane huffed. "I helped too." Jane didn't want to talk about Maura, in fact her main goal was to find something she could do that wouldn't make her think about the ME at all until she saw her later that evening for dinner and came up with a cool collected way of telling her that she maybe overreacted by hanging up on her but it wasn't because she didn't like their…exchange. It was because she liked it too much? Jane needed something so monstrous in size, something that would take every ion of her insecurities out of her so she could do this right.

She also needed to figure out what that meant.

"Alright so how we gonna do it then?" Frankie winced. "Maybe you should get Ma involved?"

Jane tried for another three point jump shot but watched as the basketball circled the rim before falling out on the other side and bouncing away. She ran after it. "Isn't she involved in a little too much of our lives as it is?" She leaned over and caught the ball as it continued to try and roll. "He called us right? We got this." She threw the ball to Frankie from outside of the court before stepping in ready for the defensive. "We just gotta make sure Lydia's sticking around."

Frankie began to dribble the ball forward. "Well we know one thing, she does love TJ." He wiped some damp hair out of his face. "I can't see her really leaving him again."

Jane knew it. "Yeah." She raised her hands to block Frankie, "Can't blame her for being principled though." She swatted at the ball but Frankie jumped back.

"Is that exactly fair, Janie?"

"What? You want Nina to stick around if you start drinking yourself into oblivion?" She slapped the ball again. "C'mon!"

"Oh yeah? You wanna see game?" Frankie bent his knees further.

"Show me." Jane laughed at her brother and began losing her breath in the process. Frankie was passing the ball between his legs and wobbling his knees goofily. "Oh wow, they teach you that at Momma Boy Boot Camp?" She broke stance to jeer.

"Oh you like that huh?

"Mhm, s'good."

Frankie laughed. "Nah, they taught me this at Beat Your Old Sister's Ass At Basketball Yet Again Camp." He lunged forward and back quickly and then bolted when he caught Jane off a measure. She wasn't far behind him though as they raced toward the basket. "Arrgh!" Frankie grunted as Jane literally jumped onto his back.

Jane laughed as she hooked her arm around his sweaty shoulders. "I'm not letting you win!"

Frankie had already fatally leapt for the basket though which caused them both to hit the polished ground like an elephant's stomp. After a silent moment of shock the two erupted into a fit of sored laughter as they rolled around on the ground and the basketball bounced off court.

Jane held her stomach as her eyes watered and her right knee pulsed from the land. "Ow!" She glared behind her grin when Frankie shoved her playfully from his spot on his back beside her.

"You're such a sore loser!"

He was holding his face but Jane could just make out the curl of his smile.

##

"I don't understand it with you two!"

Maura put her fencing bag down in the doorway and was shocked to hear Angela's voice raised several octaves. Any increase in stress hormones after any trauma would prevent her from healing well. She rounded the corner of the small pillar that separated her hall from her living room with concern and paused at the sight before her.

Frankie and Jane stood in front of their mother with their backs to the front door like two wounded puppy. Frankie was holding a bag of her organic frozen peas to his face and Jane was leaning stubbornly on her left leg with her arms crossed. Both were dressed for sport with shirts stained with perspiration. The background played a comic scene of any other Sunday evening with the Rizzoli's: the amazing aroma of a Sunday gravy fitted with herbs and parmesan cheese flooded the room, there was some cheese already put out and the dining room table looked to be getting ready to be set. Maura noted George Herman's tank on the counter as well. He was often placed near the window. Jane must have picked him up after basketball. Usually she'd come home from fencing to Angela in her apron jigging to some music, already a glass of wine into the evening and they'd finish everything together. Now Angela's apron hung firmly in her hand like she was ready to wack any one of her adult children who interrupted her.

"Every single Sunday!"

Jane put up a finger. "Not last Sunday." Her finger dropped quickly when Angela glared at her.

"Jane Clementine—"

"Ma!"

"Don't Ma me! What am I going to do with you two!?" Frankie lowered his head and mumbled something. "Francesco Rizzoli Junior I swear to God!"

"We're fine, Ma." He shook his head dripping defrost onto the wooden floor.

"You have a knot on your head the size of an avocado, Frankie!" She shook her apron. "Perché? Perché? You were such a good boy!"

"Ma, take it easy before you bust a stitch." Jane warned, once the Italian came out there was no turning back and her mother had literally just come home from a car accident the morning before,

"Every single thing I ask you two not to do, you do!" She pointed at Jane sternly. "You have to throw yourself off a cliff every single time you do anything!" She looked at Frankie "And you follow her! What is wrong with you two!?"

"Tommy did run over a priest…so, I kinda feel like maybe he should be here to—" Jane began.

"Leave your baby brother out of this!"

Maura stepped into the room to make her presence known and the three Rizzoli turned. "What's going on?"

"Oh thank God." Frankie muttered, at least now if they were killed there would be a witness. He wondered briefly when he and Nina should set up that benefits paperwork at the precinct.

Angela slapped her apron down onto a bar stool. "Look at them!"

Maura regarded her organic peas and Jane's fidgeting. "Are you hurt, Frankie?" She took a step toward them locking eyes with Jane for only a moment in silent greeting.

"I'm fine, Maura really, just a bump." He removed the bag of peas.

"I can see, here keep the ice on it."

Jane watched her mother storm back around the island and turn down some boiling water. "You um…need help Ma?" Jane asked. Her mother threw her hand up in the negative and Jane looked back to her brother. "See what you did?" She grinned.

Frankie let Maura poke at her face. "Me? You're the one who couldn't take loosing again."

"Jane is a very bruised loser." Maura nodded in agreement.

Jane looked at her incredulously. "No I'm not, and it's sore Dr. Smartypants." She turned on her heel and winced. Luckily Maura's back was turned advising Frankie on what to do about his cheek or she probably would have noticed. "I'm going to shower." She announced before making her way upstairs as fast as she could. After a quick shower she changed into some loose jeans and a simple black shirt she found in the drawer of the guest bedroom where she usually slept if she stayed over. It had been laundered, and smelt like Maura's clothes.

Jane sat on the edge of the queen size bed in the guest room and slipped on some socks one foot at a time, she was careful to match her toes and heel with the helpful grey patches of material as she thought out the evening. She and Frankie had decided that after dinner (since Lydia had TJ tonight) they would chat with Tommy and sketch out how realistic his request was. With their father in town Jane wanted to make sure he wasn't pushing his way into yet another Rizzoli relationship especially one with the potential to bounce back like Tommy and Lydia's

Speaking of bouncing back the detective still hadn't come to a viable way of handling how she had handled herself the night before. She'd usually consult with her best friend, they'd laugh, well Maura would laugh at her but once that was over she'd entertain any solution probable that would have Jane come off in a better light, she always had her best interests in mind. Jane wondered how exactly they were to navigate this. All stereotypical conventions aside she didn't know how to separate the two, and was she even supposed to? Couldn't it be that maybe Maura was just still Maura, except now there was this space that Jane had always known she admired…

How did she tell her best friend it turned her on?

Jane exhaled shortly.

Jane knew she couldn't hide upstairs forever. So the decorated homicide detective put her damp hair into a ponytail and made her way down into the living room. If anything she had worked up an appetite. Downstairs she found Frankie setting the table and Maura in the kitchen with a flowery apron on stirring something on the stove. There was music on somewhere, a fun little melody of wind instruments, most likely Maura's choosing, and the room was pungent with the smell of a home cooked meal.

"Where's Ma?" Jane asked as she entered the kitchen. She glanced from Maura to her brother to Maura again.

"She's grabbing wine from the basement." Frankie nodded.

Maura paused and looked over at her friend before capping a lid on a pot. She couldn't help her smile. Jane looked almost… Sheepish. "Hello Jane."

Jane smiled a little too as she stepped further into the kitchen into their normal amount of separation. "Smells good in here. You need help with anything?"

"Well…" Maura began as she stirred another pot of something before putting the lid on it too, "Would you mind grating cheese?"

"Sure." Jane walked over to the counter near the stove and took position beside Maura as she took things off the heat and maneuvered others down to simmer. "She still seem pissed?" Jane picked up a wedge of crumbly parmesan and began grating it onto a small blue cutting board.

Maura tapped her wooden spoon on the edge of the pot before resting it down. "I think she knows you two also love messing with her."

"That's not a no." Jane pointed out.

"An astute observation." Maura nodded as she moved into the refrigerator and grabbed a few items to put a salad together. There was a bundle of microgreens at the market that looked so young and snappy she knew she had to buy the last container. "Hydroponics are fascinating don't you think?" She looked over at Jane and motioned to the micro greens. The detective raised an eyebrow as she worked. "Terrestrial plants may be grown with only their roots exposed to a mineral solution, or the roots may be supported by an inert medium, such as perlite or gravel…" She grew thoughtful.

Jane smirked. "You're a terrestrial plant."

Maura broke from her thoughts and chuckled as she closed the refrigerator. "It's probably thirty degrees outside and we are able to have the taste of spring right here in our own kitchen." She placed the small container beside Jane non-verbally adding the salad prep to her list. "It speaks wonders for seasonality and will most likely revolutionize the way we categorize the raw material needed for our food sources, but I do not believe there is any real negative offset to this change." She crossed her arms. "An argument could be said for the struggle consumers would have with adapting to a non-conventional means of agriculture—"

Jane paused her work and looked over at her. "No dirt?"

Maura nodded. "Correct, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's less nourishing or a bad thing, simply… different. An added element to what counts in global food systems."

Jane stopped grating cheese all together to look at her fully, her eyes narrowed some and Maura tilted her head to the side in silent question.

Their thing was hydroponics, and everything was alright.

"…Pretty cool, Maura."

The ME nodded; thankful that Jane understood. "I still think so." She had never been good at communicating with others, even into her adulthood there always seemed to be a bit of social anxiety the doctor had about being misunderstood. She never really felt that with Jane.

The detective looked over her friend's petite shoulder at her brother distractedly setting the table with one hand, the other pressed was into an actual ice pack at his cheek. Jane took a small step closer and spoke quietly. "I'm sorry I hung up on you." Their eyes warmed.

Maura smiled. "Don't be."

"Do you think that they could grow plants with beer?" She asked in the same hushed tone.

Maura laughed but then looked at her with a meaningful expression. "I think anything is possible, Jane."

##

Jane leaned back in her seat and laughed at Tommy's animated story about TJ climbing a tree and not being able to get down. Her cheeks were flushed from the couple glasses of red wine she had had and her stomach was threatening to burst small delicious nuggets of spicy Italian sausage and ricotta ravioli all over Maura's nice floors, and she could honestly care less.

Jane Rizzoli was happy.

Maura was tickled by the look of childish content on her friend's face beside her. The ME motioned her empty wine glass to her left where Jane was sitting somewhat slouched and patting her stomach. "More please."

Jane jerked forward to reach onto the table for the bottle of Sangiovese. "You took some fire rescue courses Tommy, you should be able to climb a tree." She brought the bottle over and refilled Maura's glass generously. The detective smirked. "I'm cutting you off after this before you start reciting the periodic table of elements again."

"You tease me but people actually pay to hear me speak." She grinned having only had two but it accompanied a particular weakness for Italian wine and the lovely company of the Rizzoli clan. The combination granted her a confidence she humbly kept in check during the work day. "Some people find it amusing."

Jane put the bottle down onto the table. "Some people find it annoying."

Nina had turned to reach for the bottle of wine next. "Endearing, definitely endearing."

"Thank you, Nina." Maura looked to her right where Nina sat. "Chemistry is endlessly fascinating, when will she understand that?"

Nina chuckled at the look on Jane's face. "Never?"

"I like chemistry!" Jane protested. "There's chemistry in baseball."

Maura had just finished taking a sip of her wine. "That's physics, Jane."

"Well I like physics too."

They laughed. Maura tossed her a smile before turning to Nina to say something Jane didn't catch, The raven haired woman looked across the table at her youngest brother and then her mother at the head. . "Ma, what's for dessert?"

Angela looked over at Tommy. "Thomas?"

"What?" He looked around the table and back to his mother. "Oh that was me this time?"

Everyone else at the table groaned in various degrees of politeness and familiarity. "Yeah that was you Tommy." Frankie shook his head.

"What are we going to eat now?" Jane asked in a tone that caused Maura to look at her.

"Jane you've had four five ounce portions—"

Jane looked at her right and motioned to herself. "I have to put on weight remember? Doctor's orders."

Maura raised a perfectly trimmed brow. "The doctor you saw three years ago?"

"Yes that doctor, Maura." Jane shook her head before taking the napkin off her lap and wiping her mouth before flopping it on the table in a show of annoyance.

Frankie sighed and did the same and it took Tommy only a second to remember their old teenage tricks. He grinned at his brother and his sister. No matter how strained their relationships had been there was always the next prank on their mother or the next rouse to get out of doing something particularly boring. After being locked up he felt they grew increasingly annoyed at him, his inability to Rizzoli properly and all. Tommy knew he could never do what they did, it just wasn't what was as important to him, but sometime after TJ was born he realized that they were never really annoyed at him for existing, they just knew he was worth more than he presented himself as. it was something he knew he'd never be able to see without his sobriety.

"Well what do you want me to do about it huh? You two don't have kids." Tommy pointed his knife and his fork menacingly at his siblings. "You think I'm worrying about baklava with my son in a tree!?"

Angela crossed her arms. "That's right, you two, I don't see any other grandbabies taking up your time. You could have reminded him."

"We did." Jane and Frankie grunted in unison.

"Well it isn't that big of a deal is it?" Maura began. "I have some lovely cookie—" Jane's dining chair scraping abruptly interrupted her.

"Those." She pointed at her. "Are not cookies."

"You don't even know which I have, Jane."

Jane motioned to her brothers who began to get up as well. "Oh I know the ones. I couldn't…process them for a week, Maura." She motioned to her stomach which got a snicker out of Tommy.

"You ate the entire box, the serving size clearly says three—"

"Who can eat three cookies? Like even if they're horrible who has three cookies and thinks that's enough?"

"You're impossible." Maura grinned seeing that Jane would take this argument to the grave if she let her. "Practice some self-control." A shuffling of chairs and plates began to drown them out as everyone around them began clearing the table.

Jane raised a brow. "Self-control?" She picked up her empty plate and then reached for Maura's. "If I bring you one chocolate bon bon from Rosetta's Bakery—"

"I'll kill you and stage the scene forensically to make it look like an accident." Maura threatened as she stood so the two were now facing one another.

Jane smirked. "I knew it."

Maura grabbed her arm playfully; the one that wasn't currently holding their empty plates. "I'll give you my wallet. They close in an hour do you think you'll make it?"

"I don't need your wallet." Jane snorted. "Half dozen?""

Maura bit her lip cutely. "A full baker's dozen, Jane?"

"A full baker's dozen?" Jane took her arm back. "Maura you can't have that many in this house, remember what happened last time?" She watched as Maura took up their wine glasses and a few stray dishes and moved toward the kitchen where everyone else was helping to load the dishwasher. Jane chuckled and followed after her.

"I'll simply have to ration them this time, Jane—Oh Angela allow me, please I insist." She hurried around the island to gently but sternly move Jane's mother away from loading the dishwasher. "Nina and I can load this, when you lean forward like that the erythrocyte cells at your stitch will inflame the area which can be generally harmless but uncomfortable."

Angela looked over at Jane who shrugged. "Why can't you offer to help like this?"

"Because I don't even know how to say erythroatide right?"

Angela crossed her arms. "And?"

Jane pointed to herself. "Because I'm…" She paused trying to think of a good reason.

Angela chucked and handed Nina a plate. "Nina, honey did you get those fabrics I sent Frankie home with?"

Nina looked over at her Fiancé who was munching on a leftover piece of bread he saved from being tossed out. "Um… sorry Ma I forgot to uh…" He pushed the rest of the bread in his mouth and shrugged as his cheeks bulged: a sight that normally wouldn't be so attractive but with the addiction of the discolored patch of skin on his right cheek it was damn near extraterrestrial.

Nina laughed. "No, Momma Rizz, you'll have to show me." She handed Maura a plate. "I have to admit I haven't been as involved as I should be." She looked over at Frankie chewing as slowly as possible. "We were just talking about picking the day already. June seems nice, but it's so soon."

"Well don't you worry, we can tackle the whole thing together, sweetie."

Tommy coughed into his hand. "Mistake"

Angela glared. "What was that, Thomas?"

"Uh… nothing, Ma."

"This is our cue to leave." Jane nodded at her brothers who were quick to act in gathering their coat and shoes and beginning to slip them on. They knew Tommy hadn't gotten dessert earlier that day but decided it was the best opportunity for them to slip away and have a private chat with him. Frankie had to be in early tomorrow to help process more paperwork from his arrest, and Jane usually stayed over at Maura's on Sunday nights, it was just easier and seeing as tomorrow was her first official day back she wanted to be as close to work as possible.

The detective nodded in thanks to Frankie who had motioned her coat to her before resting it on the couch.

"C'mon Janie."

"I'm coming." Jane brought her plates over to where Maura was standing and rinsing off a small stack of dishes before placing them in the dishwasher. "You need anything from the store?"

"Is one open at this time?"

Jane shrugged. "I'll find one." She put the plates down. "Soymilk? For the bon bons?"

"Oh yes please, and agave, you know the one I like? Jane nodded. "Okay." Maura glanced over her shoulder at Angela and Nina chatting. "Are you staying over tonight?'

Jane nodded once. "That's not breaking a rule or anything right?"

Maura moved to adjust a plate in the wrack and then looked at her. "No, since we didn't finish the experiment I don't see why we would—"

"Janie!"

Jane and Maura looked over at Tommy and Frankie waiting for her dressed for the cold. "I'll be back." Jane hesitated and then put a hand on her shoulder. Maura got the message and smiled softly before Jane slipped her hand back and turned to leave. She had made it as far as the door with her boots and coat on until Maura called out to her.

"Jane?"

"Yeah?"

"Spinach for George?"

Jane nodded quickly. "Alright." She waved at her mother and Nina who were still cleaning off the table and bringing Maura dishes. "Nina if you lock yourself in the second floor bathroom she won't find you there."

Angela waved her off. "You kids drive safe!"

##

"It's just that, when I look at her with our kid, and think about not being in her life… I dunno guys it sucks." Tommy admitted as he followed his brother and sister down the dairy aisle at a nearby grocery store opened twenty four hours. He had two large pink pastry boxes tucked at his hip.

Jane stopped them in front of a unit and slid it open to grab a half gallon of soymilk. "Do you think she feels the same?" She paused to make sure it was the right one before closing the unit and looking over at Frankie who was reaching into another freezer for fudge pops, his arm already heavied by the wild mixed greens, spinach, and herbs for Jane's tortoise.

"Yeah." Frankie agreed. "It's one thing to realize you messed up and you work at change, it's a whole other thing to have that person admit they wanna forget that for the future." He turned to Tommy and lifted the box of fudge pops. "TJ like these?"

Tommy nodded. "So.. you guys think she may not take me back…" He slouched his shoulders in defeat. He had wanted to call his mother too for help (Lydia loved Angela's chocolate chip cookies after all) but something told him if he wanted honesty the best course would be Jane and Frankie, if anything they hadn't ever tried to sugarcoat life for him like it seemed everyone else did. He also doubted chocolate chip cookies could fix something like this…

Jane shook her head. "We're not saying that." They continued down the aisle.

"Yeah." Frankie nodded. "What made you ask us for help?"

Tommy shrugged. "Well you guys are y'know established?" He winced when Frankie tossed him a look that Jane missed. "I just figured that with TJ now in the picture it's about family…" He shrugged. "I mean despite all my crap I know you guys will always have my back, I'm terrible at these things! TJ needs her too. I just wanna do right by them both so I don't end up like Pop…"

Jane and Frankie exchanged looks. "Alright so you think maybe she might feel the same?" Frankie asked again.

Tommy scratched the back of his head. "I mean she said she was glad I wasn't drinking, that it was a really good thing."

"That it?" Frankie probed.

"And that she thinks I'm a good dad…"

Jane nodded. "You are, Tommy."

"That doesn't seem like enough y'know? I need a plan." He put his fist into his open palm and almost dropped their desserts in the process. "Like last time."

They rounded a corner. "Hold on." Jane approached a display of fresh fruit and grabbed a pint container of blueberries and raspberries. "I think that's it." She looked at what they had. "Nina or Ma say they needed anything?" She asked Frankie who shook his head no in response. "Alright let's go."

##

"He can't do that!" Jane exhaled heavily as she pressed her foot on the brake pedal at the next traffic light.

"Why not! That's a great idea." Frankie nodded from the back seat with all the groceries.

"Yeah sure he should do that but Lydia's gonna have him arrested." They all laughed. "Tommy no, you gotta come at it from an angle of maturity cause I know she ain't expecting it."

"Hey!"

Frankie chuckled. "Good point, Janie."

"Angle of maturity? Haven't I already done all that adult stuff? TJ, work, meetings—"

"What does she like to do?"

"Be a mom…um, she likes animals—"

"Right, that's right. Invite her to the zoo." Frankie sat forward in the back and leaned his elbows on Jane and Tommy's chair shoulders. "Tell her there is a project TJ has to do for daycare and say you need her help and the three of you go to the zoo."

Jane nodded as the light turned green. She took a cautious moment longer than usual to advance. "Yeah, that's perfect."

"TJ doesn't have daycare projects."

Frankie shook his head. "That's the point, Tommy."

Jane glanced over at her youngest brother. "He's right, it could be a family date, ask her how she feels at the end of it, tell her you wanna do more stuff together like this."

Tommy was quiet for a long time. "You guys have to come."

"What?" Frankie shook his head.

Tommy jumped in his seat. "We can make it a real family day, Ma, Maura, Nina… that way you guys can y'know watch TJ for a bit and I can talk to Lydia at the end—"

"Tommy I don't think that's really—" Jane began.

"—She'll be too worried about the little guy to really talk. If we're all there I think she'll see that I can support her and that she'll have a family unit too…Her Ma is drinking again and with Pop in town it's weird, but this would be fun, c'mon."

Jane shook her head slowly. "Tommy that's…"

Frankie nodded. "It's not a bad idea, Janie."

"Yeah but, you have to be able to handle things on your own y'know, we can't have the talk for you."

"You won't have to Janie, you guys just have to watch TJ for a little bit at the end, c'mon Janie, I love her."

The car grew silent as the eldest Rizzoli knew the whole thing banked on her approval. She glanced at her youngest brother again, he had really stepped up, and the comment about their father had surprised her. Was it possible that Tommy could see through his bullshit too? Was it that maybe Tommy was just a more compassionate person than she? If he was she was glad for it and she didn't know why. Tommy had also said he loved her, Jane hadn't remembered the last time Tommy had said that about any woman, well maybe Jessica Alba in High School but that didn't count really. Sure Lydia was…Lydia, but if her brother loved someone, wouldn't she want to do everything to see him happy? He deserved a little bit of happiness, they all did.

"Alright."

"Yes!" Tommy jumped in his seat causing Jane and Frankie to laugh.

"But! But—" Jane began putting up a finger to halt the celebrations.

"But what!? It's the perfect plan, I knew you guys would come up with something—"

"Hey listen you can't go messing this up again, you gotta stay clean." Frankie reminded.

"Yeah." Jane added. "That means less hanging out too, she has to see that you mean it, and even if then you have to realize that she might not feel the same anymore."

Tommy rolled his eyes. "You guys are such a buzz kill."

"Tommy."

"Alright alright, yeah I get it."

##

Jane stretched her legs out and put her feet up on the coffee table as she rinsed down her third bon bon with a tall glass of soymilk.

"I really don't know where you put all of this." Maura spoke as she came over with her mug of tea. She was dressed down in her silken pajamas, Jane in a worn baseball tee with dark blue sleeves with baggy brown sweat pants and socked feet. Maura sat on the couch beside her and regarded the open box of treats before them on the coffee table. As custom had it everyone got sent home with leftovers but the dessert always stayed here. The dining room overhead light had been turned off leaving the kitchen light and hall light to strain into the living room where they were, it felt sleepy and familiar. The air also smelt faintly of an organic citrus cleaning agent Maura used and the small lavender candle that was lit and sitting in the kitchen while the soft rutting of the dishwasher hummed along with the final dessert load.

Jane looked over at her best friend and realized that she had been looking forward to being alone with her all evening. "You had three as well." She let a small smile up. "I saw you." She added surely when it looked like Maura was going to protest.

"Yes well…" The ME brought her cup of tea to her mouth. "I didn't eat my weight in ravioli." She leaned her left shoulder into the couch to face Jane and relax.

"Well we all can't be over achievers, Maura. It's something I think you'll just have to live with." She took another drink from her soymilk.

Maura chuckled softly. "It's very difficult for me."

"I know." Jane leaned forward to put the glass of milk aside. "Can't believe you have me drinking this stuff." She turned some to face her. "Everything else was perfect though. Thank you… I mean I almost stopped to get something to eat before coming over here because I thought we were going to eat rabbit food but, I was pleasantly surprised."

Maura smiled. "Your mother has been letting me take more control over some things. I love learning."

"What was yours?"

"The ravioli." Jane raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Yes, from start to finish." Maura nodded proudly before taking another sip of her tea.

The cop whistled lowly. "They were so good, just like Ma's. I doubt anyone realized."

"Do you think so?"

She nodded. "Oh yeah." The room felt quiet and suddenly Jane blushed for no real reason. "How was um, fencing?"

"It went well." Maura nodded. "Basketball with Frankie? You were limping earlier."

Jane nodded. "Yeah we played pretty rough." She smiled a little at the look of concern on her friend's face. "I'm fine, Maur…"

"It has been a very eventful week, I'm sure you want to get some rest before tomorrow morning."

Jane nodded, the milk had really done the trick, she felt sleepy and was sure she looked it. "You alright?" She thought to ask though. "You seem tired too."

Maura rested her hot mug down on the coffee table and then adjusted the pillow under her arm. "I've been sleeping better; this week has just been heavy in terms of work and…" She paused.

"Nearly being shot at or in an orchestrated car accident?" Maura tiled her head forward and Jane thought for a moment more. Those being the obvious answers left her with only one other possibility. "Thinking about our thing?"

"Yes."

"We never really got to finish our experiment…" her feet came off of the coffee table and her elbow rested on the back of the couch as she adjusted herself to face Maura a little better, "You want to?"

Maura's features crinkled into a small smile. "We almost have to now."

Jane chuckled. "We don't but… I want to." She scratched the back of her head. "Y'know?"

"I do." Maura agreed. "I think that we should, Jane." Jane nodded. "Are you still…hesitant?"

"No… it's just… new, Maura. It's just new." She reached a hand out for her shoulder again like she had in the kitchen. On her run she had said a many truths to herself that she wasn't sure she was ready to say aloud but Jane Rizzoli was sure of how she felt. "I think most all I'm just… nervous." She shrugged and took her hand back. "I feel like I'm a teenager again." They laughed.

"The inexplicable anxiety about everything coupled with surge of hormonal imbalances? Yes." Maura laughed. "That seems most correct."

"I really had hoped I grew out of that years ago." She laughed at herself now. "And I honestly thought I'd be a bit smoother too."

"There is a first time for everything and sometimes even a second time for everything."

"Is this your first time—"

"Being a teenager?"

Jane nodded. Maura had always seemed to be adventurous, and from the little bit she told her about her wild streak in college Jane supposed she had the motive and opportunity, but the thought of Maura with another woman? Making plans and holding hands? Well that was something she realized she needed to know. "Yeah."

"Feeling as we just described yes…A first." She shied but tried not to. Maura wasn't ashamed to say it was just that Jane's eyes were exacted on her every movement, her interest had been peaked and Maura loved that look Jane wore whenever she focused on something like this, Her attention highlighted her strong cheek bones and mysterious eyes and would make even the most confident of villain's shy away from a lie.

"What about… any other…y'know lady interests?"

Maura chuckled. "Sure I've had crushes, and even experienced being—"

"Kissed?"

"Yes, that as well." Jane nodded thoughtfully. "But I cannot say I have ever felt so….adolescent about anything in my entire life, Jane." Nina had called it an enchantment, and Jane a stage of uncertainty and emotional sincerity that could only appear without wisdom and stem from the purest of places. Maura supposed it were a bit of both.

"I don't want you to feel overwhelmed by all this…" Jane now looked worried.

"I don't want you to feel like you have to change." Maura nodded. "Or rush into any consideration aside from what you want."

"What does it mean if I consider you?" Jane asked earnestly. "Like all the time?"

Maura wore a firm look of calculation. Jane wasn't just asking to ask, she wanted a real answer. "Research doesn't say much on the matter…If I hadn't kissed you—"

"I'd still consider you." Jane looked at her now. "You're my best friend, Maura. I think about you all the time." There was no use lying to a woman who already knew her so well.

"You're my best friend too, Jane." Maura's smile faltered just a little but returned when she found her words. "I have an unconditional positive regard for you, I wouldn't place any bets on that going anywhere."

"See?" She shook her finger. "Now that was smooth."

Maura chuckled and leaned her elbow on the back of the couch and regarded Jane with a small smile. "Have you ever had lady interests, Jane Rizzoli?"

Jane shook her head no. "Not…like you." She had trouble maintaining eye contact now.

Maura tilted her head slightly to find her gaze before gently pushing at Jane's knee. "That's really sweet." Her grin was teasing. Jane hadn't really answered the question and Maura was intrigued to know more but it could wait. She could be patient.

The detective rolled her eyes. "Yeah whatever." Maura chuckled and Jane pointed at her. "Do not repeat that, Maura."

"I'll only tell my journal, promise."

"And Bass?" Jane reached forward for her glass of milk.

"And Bass… oh and George."

"And Jo Friday's family?"

Maura smiled. "Possibly."

"Great." Jane took a sip of milk before shaking her head. "Tasha know I'm coming to New York with you?" She was ready to talk about something else.

She nodded and reached for her tea as well. "I called her today, this morning. She is excited." Maura took a sip. "I've also made dinner reservations for the three of us at this lovely Italian restaurant on the upper east side, the sommelier is the friend who managed to hold the case of wine for me."

"How exactly are you going to bring a case of wine back from New York?"

"We'll drive back." She nodded simply.

"Don't you mean I'll be driving and you'll be forcing me to listen to Tori Amos while shoe shopping and not helping me navigate at all?"

"Isn't that what I said?" Maura shook her head at Jane's expression. "Anyway I know you haven't purchased your flight back yet. It'll be fun."

"I have to book my ticket."

"Well you'll have to do that soon Jane. I need to be there in three weeks for this conference."

"Three weeks huh?" Maura nodded. "Alright I'll have to talk to HR after my RTD tomorrow…"

"RTD?"

"My Return to Duty Interview." Jane explained the process before pausing. "I'll get my gun and badge back." She had instinctively gone to put them in the front hall drawer lock box at Maura's at least twice this weekend to find her hip and the box both symbolically empty.

Maura couldn't help but noticed Jane's energy almost giddy at the idea of getting to go back to work. "You really have missed it."

Jane looked at her and nodded once before looking away. "Helping Frankie with this case, it felt…" She rolled the glass of soymilk in her hands trying to figure out just what she meant to say. "I would say it felt right y'know but that's not it…It was more than that." She looked over at Maura then and their eyes met. "It's what I'm supposed to do."

Maura let her cup of tea rest gently on her leg. "Do you think you will feel the same about teaching?"

Jane shrugged gently. "How do you feel about?"

"You lecturing?"

"No, at BCU, y'know minus recent events."

Maura gave it a moment of introspection before answering. "I enjoy sharing what I have learned, eager minds are… inspiring in and of themselves. It reminds me of why I do what I do. It's balancing."

"Didn't think you needed reminding too."

Maura shrugged gently. "Yes well with Hope coming into the picture years ago it made me wonder what kind of physician I would be if I hadn't gone into pathology."

"To live people?"

Maura smirked. "Yes."

"What'd you come up with?"

"Well after being invited back to lecture at BCU and meditation I came to my answer." She paused and gave Jane a knowing look. "What do you think it was?"

"You wanted to be a pathologist still." Maura nodded with a little smile. "That one day in Virginia was so fun and… different, but one day is different from a whole career shift. I'm a damn good detective, and I like it, but I'm missing so much…"

"Do you think this part time contracting would lead to something more permanent?"

"I dunno." Jane took a final sip of her beverage leaving the glass a filmy off white. She leaned over to place the empty cup on the coffee table before resuming her previous position facing Maura.. "Being away from everyone when I do leave will already be hard…Boston is my home. Kinda defeats the purpose y'know?"

Maura nodded at what was unsaid. "I think you owe it to yourself to try, Jane." There were many things Maura Isles knew and knew well, and even the things she did not know well she knew of. The feelings she had for her best friend rivaled any close relationship she had ever had for another living thing, and though she knew that life as it was is designed to continue on, she also knew she was unaware of what that would look like without Jane Rizzoli. An even greater wisdom yet was the knowledge she had that she wanted only the very best for the woman sitting beside her, and Maura would never hold that over Jane for her own sake. It was uncomfortable to say the least but she leaned in regardless.

Jane groaned. "Well if the commute doesn't kill me being called a "Fed" really will."

"Have they started at work yet?"

"Nope, but tomorrow is a new day."

"Often, teasing is done in a spirit of affection and playfulness, and teasers attempt to convey these intentions through subtle nonverbal cues."

"Maybe."

"Once you have syllabi will you share it with me? I can help you create course work; it's really actually quite fun."

Jane chuckled as she watched Maura take another sip of her tea. "Do my homework for me and I'll buy you all the chocolate Bon Bons you want, Dr. Isles."

"Those are very attractive terms, Detective Rizzoli."

They stayed up chatting until it grew late. Jane frowned at Maura's stifled yawn and stood before putting out her hand for the sleepy woman. "C'mon Maur. I'll lock up down here." Maura accepted her hand and smiled under heavy eyelids as Jane held it a moment longer than necessary.

"May I hug you goodnight?" The shorter woman asked, eyes twinkling.

Jane knew this look, it was the look Maura gave her while asking her to do something she knew she couldn't say no to, which was most anything when the detective gave It some real thought,…

"Yeah." Jane nodded before lifting her arms some and feeling her stomach flutter and chest tighten simultaneously as Maura slipped her hands around her slender midsection and pull her close. Jane didn't know hugs could be so…intimate. She had hugged Maura before, hell she had hugged other woman before too, but there was something about them right then wrapped around one another in Maura's living room that made Jane's heart ache. She didn't really want to let go, not really. Maura must have felt it too because their arms moved almost instantly to slide up the other's back firmly and wrap fingers around bases of necks and use palms to pull the other closer. Maura made a small noise akin to a hum before she exhaled unevenly into Jane's shoulder.

The doctor hadn't expected this at all. The idea of Jane being in Virginia and her in Boston or even France made her want to be closer to the taller woman, and a hug, seemed the most innocent. The wash of oxytocin she anticipated and had even braced herself for, but the pool of adrenaline and vasopressin left her almost weak and fully alert of how strong Jane's upper body felt.

Jane could feel Maura's heart beating in her own chest, it was something that made her painfully aware of their mortality and that wasn't something she wanted to think about right now so the detective tightened her embrace protectively to ward off the scary certainties of life. This caused Maura to press herself closer so the fronts of their bodies touched from knee to collar.

They held that position for a long time.

"Good night, Jane." Maura finally whispered; her voice honey dripping all over the side of Jane's thoughts and making them stick together with a temporary frustration. Maura touched the detective's cheek affectionately and watched as Jane pulled away enough to look at her with warm dilated pupils and a small smile. "Tomorrow is another day." She reminded which made Jane's smile widen crookedly.

"Do I get one of these tomorrow night too?" She joked trying to hide the emotion that made her voice raspy.

"Will you stay over tomorrow night as well?" There was no real reason for her to, but Maura found herself asking anyway, not caring how it exposed her.

Jane recognized this. "I have to ask my parents first…" She teased the situation to lighten the bundle of nerves still running around her chest knocking things over and causing a general nuisance.

"I don't think teenage Jane would have thought to ask for permission."

Jane grinned. "I'd probably just sneak out to see you." Maura was smiling now too. "But I'd probably just end up coming back home because you'd have some chemistry test or something." She laughed a little at the mental image. "You'd totally turn me away."

"My grades were very important to me." They let go of one another slowly. "Will you?"

Jane nodded. "Yeah. I'll come over."

AN: Review!