Her heart thudding soon warped with the single cello creating a sinister sound that had nothing to do with ones imagination of good and evil, it was a sound so biologically human that all movement in the theatre stopped and there was a collective holding of breaths as the protagonist inched deeper into the stainless steel jungle that was the kitchen at the Michelin Star restaurant Pompey.
Jane looked to her left when Maura's hand grabbed hold of her arm. She chuckled softly at the look of extreme possession on Maura's face in the dark; she had thought the ME might die along with Patricia Waird's character if she wasn't silent too, so she let Maura hold her arm as she focused back on the large screen.
The movie had been pretty graphic, and that was coming from a homicide detective. Still Jane was glad she was able to get the seats they had though considering how late they had been. Tommy had been pretty tight lipped about what he and Lydia had discussed but they left together with TJ passed out in a sugar coma in his arms. Jane would follow up with him later. Frankie and Nina went home, and she drove her mother and Maura home before heading around the corner to her own place to shower. When she came back Maura was drinking tea with her mother and it took them a good forty-five minutes to tire the older woman out so they could leave to catch the final showing of the night without setting off suspicions.
Jane was beat, and in the beginning of the movie when the storyline took it's time to establish itself she actually dozed off some. If Maura had noticed she wasn't sure. The first scene of the movie was a botched appendectomy and the medical examiner had plenty to murmur about it without needing much retort, Jane was pretty sure she were in the clear.
The detective watched along as the executive Chef of Pompey began making professional and efficient strokes of his boning blade to his secretary Glennis. Patricia Waird watched on in shock behind a large steam kettle as the renowned chef completed his prep work for the next day's service. She had just recently dined at Pompey after meeting a group of rather charismatic doctors at the new hospital where she began her fellowship one week ago. Was this what they were all so giddy about? Cannibalism? Patricia recalled with the audience their flushed cheeks, the stolen glances in her direction as she ordered, she remembered how the master mind behind it all Chef Kirill Adolfy graced table after table as if he had been serving the same dining room for years. Her presence at the table had startled him and now as she watched him she knew why.
The shock of it all was near choke worthy even though as a viewer you knew the whole time where this was going. Jane felt her stomach turn a little at how calm the actor seemed slicing some lady up into neat little three ounce portions. Jane had seen first hand that calm, so had Maura, his replication of that was eerily accurate. Glennis Kury would go with a leek puree with a garnish of parsnip stems and lemon juice.
Jane looked around the dark theater at the faces fixed in morbid fascination. Her stomach turned again.
Maura glanced over at her when she could feel Jane's arm shifting under her vice like grip. She was about to shush the fidgety detective until she saw how blank her expression was. Maura rubbed her arm and leaned close enough to whisper. "Are you alright?"
Jane nodded quickly. She hadn't meant to disrupt the ME's experience. "Lot of people here." Maura furrowed her brows softly but nodded once. Jane knew it was to make her feel better. "This stuff is pretty realistic."
The blonde looked about the theatre. "We can leave." She whispered to which Jane shook her head no. "Are you sure?" Was it possible the movie had triggered something unpleasant? Maybe Hoyt?
The detective covered Maura's hand at her arm. "I'm good, watch the movie." Maura went back to watching on but made it a point to keep her hand on Jane's arm even once the suspenseful parts were clearly over. Jane hadn't minded one bit, something about it stopped her churning stomach and let her focus on the movie itself and not the people in the theatre and the statistics behind if they would try and emulate something in the thriller that she would have to deal with down the line.
##
"Well you love hamburgers."
"Yeah, because their delicious and anonymous."
Maura chuckled. "What if you didn't know who you ate?"
"Can I just say that I think it's weird you're asking me this?"
"I don't think it is too farfetched of a question to debate, it begs the question of humanity and our hypocritical habits. Why a cow which is a living thing with a brain that is capable of processing complex emotions? Why not a plant?"
"Complex emotions, Maura?"
"They have a best friend they share everything with. They can become attached."
"Uhuhm."
Maura smiled softly up at her from her spot beside Jane with their arms linked. "If we were cows we could be friends still, isn't that a lovely thought?"
Jane made a face. "I guess," Some movement across the street dragged her attached away from the conversation and when she was able to confirm its minimal threat level she looked back to her side. "You're asking how I could eat a burger and not a human?" Maura nodded. "Even if I didn't know them?"
" Right."
Jane shrugged loosely. "Well it's the same reason why cows don't eat other cows right? Isn't there something in our DNA that says not food?"
"Hm…" Maura nodded. "Yes, also I suppose a predatory organism is at a disadvantage when facing its own kind—yet as rare as it is it's not completely uncommon, Jane. Consider some civilizations ritualistically celebrate the consumption of human flesh. After death it is seen as a sign of respect or as a way to take in an opponent's power. Neither of these ideas have any bearing in the animal world and are purely human constructs, why is that?." She was lost to her thoughts for a few beats. Jane waited as they walked along arm in arm. The two could care less for the bitter nights wind that whipped their cheeks red and kept their hands deep into their coat pockets on their small stroll to Maura's doorstep.
Judging by the way the morning sky and the darkness of the night battled for exposure Jane was sure it was past one in the morning. Everything around them was so quiet, and she could just make out the smallest puffs in front of her from her breath. It was nice, being with Maura in such an often-missed part of the day was nice, it's newness with her friend made things seem simpler for some reason and after a block Jane decided she'd ask Maura something new too.
"All this talk about eating and stuff had me thinking." They waited at a stop sign even though there were no cars in sight.
"About?" She'd have to remind herself of that research she was recalling later.
"How come you're not a vegan or something?" Maura laughing quietly in the silence of the morning made Jane smile at its faint echo. "What?"
"I went to boarding school in France, Jane."
She grinned. "Spoiled you rotten didn't it?"
"Unpasteurized cheeses, the charcutier, foie gras.." Her face became dreamy as they stepped onto the road to cross the street. "I do abstain from eating meat from time to time, our bodies certainly don't need it. Yours especially."
Jane snorted at the jab. "It's so apart of how I have been eating y'know?" Maura's front steps came into sight.
"Things can always change, Jane."
"I know I know… but I gotta tell you, after getting the bad guy?" She looked down at her side at Maura. "A bacon double cheeseburger with extra pickles and American cheese is the best reward."
Maura smiled softly. "After a particularly challenging autopsy I reward myself with lemon curd dolloped on a pint of blueberries, I eat the whole thing in my office."
Jane chuckled. "Maura that's the healthiest thing ever, and how come you've never shared with me? I thought we were cows or whatever."
"You never share your burgers."
"Yeah…hm. I guess I don't."
Maura patted her arm affectionally with her free left hand. "You deserve to be a little selfish sometimes. From what I've read about police work and seeing you and the others…it's important to take time for yourself."
Jane nodded and noted that they both slowed down considerably at the same time. "I think New York will be good for that…"
"I'm happy you decided to accompany me."
Jane smiled a little. "I wasn't going to."
Maura nodded. "May I ask what made you change your mind?"
Jane remembered her run as they finally made it to Maura's door. "Just thinking about all the things that are important to me." She shrugged as they un-looped their arms. "I'm never going to be the kind of person who is always able to stop on a dime and show people what they mean to me with grand gestures or holidays away because of my work." She looked away a moment. "I want to try and be though, sometimes at least, y'know?" She looked back at Maura. "Especially for you, Maur."
"You do know that I don't need those things, Jane. Especially from you."
They knew each other to well.
"I know." Jane broke eye contact to scratch the back of her ear. "You'll tell me though?"
Maura tilted her head as the detective stuffed her hands back in her pockets. "Tell you what?"
"What you need."
Maura's smile was as gentle as the cold hand she cupped Jane's cheek with. They locked eyes as she spoke. "Are you asking me now?" Jane nodded. She couldn't look away If she wanted to, Maura's eyes were so whole and warm and sweet. How was it possible to have such a sweetness about you with her occupation? Jane knew she had lost some with what she had seen of the world, it amazed her how Maura remained so… Maura. "I believe…" The ME began still looking at her. "I believe I have been very fortunate."
"I don't know what that means." Jane confessed with a mild frustration at herself that Maura found endearing.
It wasn't a conversation she wanted to have just then, so the pathologist simply shook her head. "Will you hug me goodnight now?"
Jane chuckled and pulled the other woman close into their little goodnight embrace. Maura let herself wrap her arms around Jane's taller shoulders and rest her head to hers so they were ear to ear, while Jane lowered her arms to wrap around the ME's lower back and then finally her waist. A stirring whipped up in Jane's chest when she could feel Maura's body sigh into hers as if finally able to relax after the entire day on it's own.
To Maura no definition could give what this felt like justice. It was her only complaint. it was as if maybe, a divine notion ensured they were made to fit just so. Jane just felt so right.
It was impossible to think of all the times she'd try to deny it.
"You're tired too." Jane mumbled against the shorter woman's honey blonde hair when she felt Maura get just a little heavier.
"Exhausted." Maura pulled away just enough to look at Jane's face. "It is already tomorrow."
Jane groaned, it reverberated between them in a funny way. "I'm on call tomorrow."
"I have a fencing match and then Sunday dinner to help Angela prepare."
Jane's features quickly lifted. "Ravioli again?"
Maura patted her shoulder. "Apologies in advance."
"Maybe I'll be out in time, sure it'll be good."
They stood there a beat in silence.
"Will you let me go?" Maura asked softly.
"Yeah." Jane nodded, but neither woman moved. Finally, Jane leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her cheek hoping that continuing their routine would help break whatever spell she were under but it hadn't. Instead it launched her right into the depths of her own subconscious finally chaining her to the reality of how she felt and her place around her feelings. Jane Rizzoli didn't know what to do and her anxiety about doing the right thing by this woman had near paralyzed her mere inches from Maura's face. She could feel the tip of her nose brush gently onto Maura's cheek as she took a small breath in defeat. This feeling, this need, it overwhelmed her. "Maura" a plea of sorts, barely audible to even her own register. She was too sure of what she wanted to pull away, she needed help.
Maura nodded. "Won't you?" She breathed. Couldn't they? Didn't Jane want to?
Jane's brows knitted "I—"
Maura pulled her hands up the detective's arms to rest at her shoulders for a moment again before creeping them gently to the base of her neck, she impressed her thumbs onto Jane's strong jaw and directed her to look at her. "Won't you?"
Jane refused to deny her, how could she? Maura was the only person that made her feel like she was doing it all right, she wanted to give her anything and everything for that alone. She was brilliant and funny, and oh so beautiful and she could, Jane Rizzoli knew she could. "I want to." She muttered as her hold on the shorter woman tightened some and they looked at each other both knowing very well that there was no physical act that could take them too far, they were already passed the point of negative return.
Maura watched her only, she could feel her thumb pressing gently into Jane's jaw line, oh what she would give for her to speak, to confirm, to detest, to wish, anything at all that would give her a clue as to what the other woman were thinking at that exact moment. Jane's jaw remained fixed for a moment or two before it relaxed under her fingers massage. The detective dipped her head before placing another small kiss on the ME's chin. Maura closed her eyes and let her hands drop to her shoulders as she felt Jane kiss her cheek again, this time closer to her lips. There was small hesitation by the taller woman before a softness blanketed them and their lips met in a warm kiss.
It could barely crawl on it its own, but it was enough, more than enough.
Before they knew it it was over, and the two were left bare gazing at one another in surprise.
Maura recovered first; wrinkling her brow some before licking her thumb and running it along the corner of Jane's mouth where a very obvious smudge of lipstick clung. The detective blushed, but let her. When Maura was sure it was gone she let her knuckle gently graze Jane's cheek. "Better." She whispered as their eyes locked again.
A long moment passed with them standing there still partially embraced simply staring at the other.
Jane cleared her throat. "Thanks." She smiled. "You um, okay from here?" She motioned to her front door.
Maura nodded twice and reached a hand for her purse. "Yes, yes. I'm… I cam do this, go inside I mean." They both chuckled shyly. "I am perfectly capable of entering my own home." She motioned to the front door in example that she knew where she was before turning back to Jane. "Thank you for the movie…."
Jane nodded slowly before stuffing her hands into her pockets and taking a small step backward. "Thank you for the free zoo." They had been treated like animal kingdom royalty today with Maura as their leader. "Can't wait to see how all those pictures look in Ma's digital frame." She nodded again.
Maura smiled at her openly. "Yes, they should be lovely."
They stood there awkwardly before they both laughed again at themselves. "You um—just now…that was nice to do. I mean…" Jane reddened. Maura's face turned adorable at this but had no words which Jane supposed was a good thing? She didn't make it a habit of walking around kissing her best friends. There was another moment of silence before Jane tossed a thumb over her shoulder and Maura began looking for her keys at the same time. "I have to move my car…"
"Yes, of course. It's late." She singled out a key and unlocked the front door before looking over at Jane. "I thought it was nice too, Jane." She nodded once and Jane fought a wide smile.
"Night, Dorthea." She teased her middle name as if she were mocking it, but added a friendly wave as she took another step backwards.
Maura chuckled a little too loudly and then hushed herself with a stern look. "Go home." She whispered and made a shooing motion.
Jane turned with a chuckle caught in her throat and started up the block. When she looked over her shoulder Maura was inside the threshold with the door ajar. Jane looked about the still morning on Maura's block and made a locking motion with her hand to which the ME did as well to show she understood before heading inside.
##
Jane had an on-call ritual that she and Frost used to always do right after a crime scene intake. They would go and get the most fatting greasy drive through food they could find and park in the quick-service restaurant's parking lot and eat it before making their way back to the precinct. It started with just a club soda run, because back then most crime scenes still made her poor partner lose his lunch, and then it turned into a club soda run and a burger, because after loosing said lunch or breakfast depending upon when they were called in Frost's feverish appetite would show itself and he would be complaining all day that he was starving, and then one day they wanted tacos instead of a burger, and then the next day fried chicken.
A thus their on-call ritual was born.
It never occurred to Jane that it might seem a little grotesque to need to eat junk food right after viewing the most vicious side of humanity until the accident. When she sat alone (if she were close enough, at his grave) and ate. It depressed her, but she did it anyway in honor of Frost's loopy stomach from when they first met. Once she confided in Maura about it, the ME had something to say about grieving, and wanting to hold on to good memories. It surprised Jane, she was fully expecting a lecture on emotional eating and the negative effects it could have on the healing process. Maura actually thought she should continue the little things that made her think of her partner in a more human light, he was a great guy, all around badass whiz-kid, and she missed him dearly, even now. Grabbing a miniature bucket of chicken and biscuits and visiting his headstone every couple months wasn't going to completely cause her to drop dead. In fact, now years later Jane looked forward to the quietness and reflection time: it became less and less about missing him because of his death and more and more about remembering how positively and permanently he impacted her life.
Jane craned her neck to read the colorful drive through menu display. "Um…yeah can I get a large coffee, black…a crispy fish sandwich…" She bit her lip in thought. "A mini apple pie…and a small fries? Please." She nodded when she was sure her order was complete.
It was Sunday, mid morning had long since stretched into the brunch hour and she had just left a crime scene of a thirty-eight-year-old Jane Doe, body dumped in the park nearly identical to the one she saw last week. A thick manila envelope sat in the passenger's seat of her unmarked car under her grey suit jacket with the specifics of the other case. She had brought it home with her on Friday and wanted to work on it over the weekend but hadn't had a moment to.
"That will be eighteen eighty-three, Ma'am. Drive to the next window."
Jane shook her head. "Ma'am." She put the car in drive and accelerate to the next window before stopping and looking for her wallet. As she was fighting to pull out a twenty dollar bill her cell phone began buzzing wildly in her lap. She smiled at the sullen teenager who took her money and picked up the phone distractedly. "Hey Ma." She snagged it under her ear to accept the bag of greasy goodness.
"Janie I need help with this damn tablet again."
Her mother's voice was soft, she was most likely still in bed. Jane rested the fast food bag in the center console before getting her coffee cup situated. "Ma it's probably just not charged again." Once her coffee was secure she pulled out of the queue and immediately into a deserted section of the parking lot.
"It's charged it's charged. I swear it."
Jane cracked the widows some to let a bit of cold air in before unbuckling her seatbelt and turning the car off. "What are you trying to do?"
"I want to watch one of my shows."
"You got the right app?" She reached for her French fries.
"A wha?"
"The right app Ma."
"App? What app? What's that have to do with anything?"
Jane sighed. "Where's Ron?"
"He's away for the day remember? He's going to meet me later."
She shrugged. She hadn't. If she were still harboring any annoyances for the guy getting her mother into an accident on accident she wasn't admitting it to herself. "What about Maura?"
Angela brightened. "Is she seeing someone?"
A french frie broke in her hand scattering tiny salty pieces all over her lap. They were frying these for way too long. "What? Maura?"
Angela's tone seemed more alive now, a true gossip would sacrifice all kinds of leisure for a good scoop. "She didn't come home until very late from what I understand, and this morning she was singing, it only makes sense, we're roommate y'know? I noticed when she was dating that lovely fellow with the daughter that she sang too…It must be someone. Has she mentioned anyone?"
Jane blushed a little as she dusted her lap onto the car floor. "One, you're not roommates, and two leave her alone will yuh?"
"So she is seeing someone." Angela concluded triumphantly.
"Ma."
"What? I can't be concerned? You girls need to find someone nice to settle down with. Have some happy times instead of dealing with all these dead people all the time—oh! Janie it's loading. I gotta go."
Jane shook her head. "No meddling just watch your shows."
There was a distracted pause on Angela's end. "…I don't like your tone."
The detective chuckled. "Bye, Ma—."
"Oh Janie. How are you feeling today?" Jane could hear the show beginning in the background.
"Not depressed, Ma."
"Well I was just asking, you seemed… quiet yesterday." The show paused. "Is there something you want to tell me?"
Jane shook her head. "No."
"Hmph, you kids—"
"I'm at work Ma." Jane sighed.
"Alright alright, shoo me off the phone. You know I love you honey?"
Jane smiled. "I know. Love you too, Ma."
"Bye, sweetheart."
When she hung up Jane tossed her phone onto her case work beside her and sat back to enjoy the first sip of her coffee.
She and Maura had kissed last night.
Well… technically this morning.
It didn't take a Detective First Class to know that the singing and the event were correlated. It sure did help though. It made Jane nervous in the kind of way getting a promotion did. Just the right amount of general anxiety mingled in with excitement of a new prospect. She wanted to do it again and was now very certain that Maura wanted her to as well.
With a small sigh of reality and a large mouthful of the stale apple pie snacker Jane tried to temper her excitement; she had to have known that they would be compatible physically. What did this mean? The experiment was finished, she supposed there'd be the questionnaire, a thinking period and then what? They talked? Then they try to tell others? Would anyone even understand? They had been compared to so often as sisters, and Jane wondered if that was because there was no other word wildly acceptable for two women in the same generation who were as close as she and Maura. Sister's didn't hold one another the way they had been though, and sisters didn't kiss one another goodnight.
##
"You're being very secretive." Maura reached out and quickly stopped him from mixing the large bowl of dark leafy greens meant for their salad with his bare hands before handing him a pair of wooden salad forks. "These work a little better and prevent the spread of potentially fatal pathogens that are often em—present in your line of work."
Tommy looked at them suspiciously for a second before shrugging and taking them from her to toss the salad. "Well you know." He grinned. "I don't want to jinx it."
"So the conversation was worthwhile, did she enjoy the zoo?"
"She did, Lydia loves animals, it was the best idea." Tommy nodded. "No one enjoyed it more than TJ though, it took me two hours just to get the kid to shut up about turtles and bats and lions." He chuckled. "He asked when we were goin' again, you believe that?"
Maura emptied a small bowl of pumpkin seeds into the salad before touching Tommy's tall shoulder. "I would be delighted to take him any time."
Tommy was getting the hang of fluffing the salad and did so now with a childish vigor that made Maura worrisome. "He really looks up to you y'know? Don't tell Jane, but I think she's got some solid competition for best aunt award."
"I get a lot out of the experience too—" A piece of kale flipped over Tommy's arm and onto the floor. "Thank you, it's perfect, Tommy really…"
Tommy grinned TJ's toothy grin before slapping his hands together and rubbing them. "What else?"
Sunday dinner was running late tonight, Angela was at a department store sale right outside of the city and was just getting in leaving an enormous amount of pressure on Maura's shoulder for the famed Gnocchi Night. Luckily the matriarch had a few tricks up her sleeves, and when that too were exhausted she dictated the recipe over the phone as Ron drove and then sent Tommy over to help out. Frankie and Nina were on their way now, and Jane was still a no call.
She was too anxious about the gnocchi to really mind Jane missing out because she was buried in paperwork. Maura almost rather not have Jane come at all even though she had been thinking about her all day. Gnocchi night was just too important, and she was certain if Angela didn't walk in the door in the next hour she'd have a complete emotional breakdown.
Breathing helped.
And Tommy, Tommy helped too. Maura always felt he were the most open of his siblings, it made him thoroughly entertaining and an honest delight to talk to. He distracted her well enough and she was wondering if that was what Angela sent him over to really do. "Let's see…" Maura scanned the kitchen. "I'll stir the ragu, and how about you put on some music and set the table?"
Tommy nodded. "Alright, I'm on it, what do we want? A little Tupac? Maybe some Beach Boys?"
She blinked, he was serious. "I was thinking maybe…. Motown." She nodded politely.
Tommy nodded. "Right right." He went into the living room to the media player tucked into a dresser. "So anyway, you think Frankie and Nina would like a bar as a wedding gift?"
Maura moved to the stove and put on mittens to lift the lid to the boar simmering into tenderness with onions and peppers. "A bar?"
"Yeah y'know, a bar." Tommy was busy bent over turning dials.
"A bar of what?"
"For their place, I got a guy who works as a carpenter, said he could make this really cool unit for me…I guess they could use it as a TV display." He chuckled at himself. "Easy Rizzoli, two years clean and you're still thinking about bars." Sound filled the large space and Tommy nodded with his hands on his hips as if he had built the sound system himself. He came back into the kitchen and went into the drawers beside Maura for utensils. "You think they'd like that?"
"That's actually really thoughtful, Tommy. I think it would make a great gift. Even though I believe the fifth year is the wood anniversary gift traditionally I'm sure they would appreciate it." She watched him eyeing the two spoon sizes. "The left one."
He nodded in thanks and tossed the other handful back into he drawer. "Cool."
"How has everything been for you, with the program?" She asked carefully.
"It's been workin' some, not working some. Been clean though, that's the good part.." Tommy admitted. "TJ helps; lookin' at him, y'know immediately I don't want a drink…thinking about him growing up without me and all… Pop being in town sure complicates things huh? Frankie and Janie won't even try to see it from his end. I get their mad but y'know… he's not a bad guy."
Maura nodded, she didn't feel right speaking to Jane's feelings as if they were her own, and she wasn't sure she knew how Frankie felt either, still the Medical Examiner felt she had to defend them at least a little. "Disappointment can drive many other emotions."
"Yeah but he's trying."
Maura nodded. "Yes, there has to be something said for that…. Perhaps he might try a different method?" She knew Jane was hurting over the whole thing by the way she completely shut down about it. She hadn't entertained any semblance of a conversation or observation with her since the hospital, and that was even with this new closeness.
"Rizzoli & Sons gets sold to some cooperate ass wipe tomorrow…." Tommy adjusted a spoon at a place setting. "He needs to the money for this New York move."
Maura nodded at the new information. She didn't know if it were worth having though and decided that going deeper in this conversation with Tommy was making her a little uncomfortable. "How is TJ's skin? Did you purchase the humidifier?"
Tommy finished the table and came back into the kitchen for his can of flavored seltzer. He learned at the zoo that is was Lydia's new favorite thing and was trying it out for size. "Yeah I did, he's definitely sleeping better. No nose bleeds."
"The Environmental Protection Agency recommends keeping the humidity level in your home between thirty and fifty percent. It makes sense that his skin was affected. I'd keep an eye on it though, air too humid can promote the growth of Stachybotrys chartarum, the infamous genus otherwise known as black mold." She handed him the finished salad bowl she had put a damp paper towel over to keep crisp until everyone arrived. "If respiratory disease is hereditary it would only make the situation worse."
Tommy took the bowl to find a spot for it in the fridge. "I remember getting these rashes as a kid pretty often, kinda grew out of it though."
"I know a wonderful woman who is an allergen specialist in Cambridge, I'll give you her number for him." Maura nodded. "It could be genetic, Jane is prone to nose bleeds if the relative humidity drops below fifteen percent." She moved over to the gnocchi dough and checked her watch. She would have to start it at least if Angela didn't walk in the door in the next ten minutes. She had seen the woman do it countless times, it was merely a matter of replicating it. She replicated a Y incision perfectly the first time she had to do one on her own, there had been a similar level of anxiety then to this, if she just focused her hands she would be fine…
Tommy looked over at her curiously from inside the open fridge. "How do you know that?" He chuckled.
"What?" She asked distractedly.
"Janie's nose bleeds. I didn't know she still got them."
Maura blushed a little at the intimate fact. It was something she had known for years now, and until spoken allowed seemed like something every good friend would know if they minded their friend's comfort. "I suppose I just know." She nodded and quickly thought of something to change the subject. "After the salad is in the fridge would you mind grating some cheese?"
Just then loud voices could be heard just outside the front door before it open revealing Abgela and Ron. "Oh thank goodness." Maura sighed with a big smile.
Angela saw it and laughed. "Have you started?" She came over to the kitchen immediately while Ron took off his shoes and fought with Angela's shopping bags. Tommy went over to help him.
"I was fearful I would be exiled from my own home." Maura shared.
The mother of three chuckled. "We'll do it together, someone has to learn, who's going to make it when I'm an old lady?"
Tommy walked through the kitchen with his arms full of shopping bags to get to the back door. "You are an old lady, Ma."
Ron followed behind him with arms full as well. "A beautiful old lady."
Angela wacked him on the shoulder. "Bag boys don't get to weigh in." She went to the sink and washed her hands. "Lord knows Jane never had the patience to get past my spaghetti and meatballs recipe. Here, let's make some space."
Maura moved aside the bag of double zero flour to clear the work bench. "She makes it quite well, that and cereal."
Angela chuckled. "Someone has to learn, now, first remember that you don't want to kneed it too much, they will become tough little pebbles if you do."
Maura leaned against the counter and watched carefully. "Right."
Nina and Frankie arrived about fifteen minutes later with very little explanation about where they had been all day when Angela asked. Nina expertly navigated not mentioning the wedding Venus they had looked at and instead inquired about the shopping trip her fiancé's mother had taken all day to go on. Wine was poured and eventually the gnocchi were ready to boil off.
Frankie and Tommy were sitting on the couch watching tv and talking quietly amongst themselves when Frankie felt his cell phone buzzing in his pocket. He put his glass of wine down on the coffee table before reaching for it.
"I think that's a good idea man." He nodded. "He's getting older, wouldn't hurt to put him into something that will keep him focused on school."
Tommy nodded. "Lydia wants him to do chess club." He huffed. "What's he gonna learn sitting around all day? He's gott get into karate or something."
"Hold on it's Jane." He motioned to the screen of his phone with incoming call image of Jane sitting at a Red Sox game grinning with a beer in her hand. If one looked close enough you could make out Frost's hands clasped in concentration sitting on the other side of her as he watched the game. They were miss scheduled for whatever reason that day and not needed at the station. It had been a great day. One of his favorites actually. "Janie, where are you?" He answered.
"I'm stuck in traffic." She groaned. "You guys sit down yet?"
"Yeah and we ate all the gnocchi—"
"It's gnocchi night!?"
Frankie laughed loudly. "You forget?"
"While you were off looking at flowers and cakes I actually got another homicide on my hands,"
"Yeah yeah yeah, just get here." Frankie hung up. He looked over his shoulder and called to the women in the kitchen with Ron. "Jane is on her way!"
When Jane burst through the front door fifteen minutes later everyone was already seated at the table eating. She hurriedly took off her shoes and all but stumbled face forward into her seat beside Maura, only giving the ME a glance in acknowledgement before reaching for the large bowl of gnocchi at the center of the table tossed in a light red sauce.
"You aren't going to wash your hands first?" Maura asked innocently.
Jane paused to look at her while she held the big bowl suspended over her own empty one. Maura raised an eyebrow at her and Jane bit the corner of her lip. "I washed them before I left work…"
"And no guns at the table!" Angela added shaking her head. "How many times do I have to say it?"
Jane looked over at her mother with big eyes. "But Ma I—"
"No buts, It isn't safe, and I don't care how many cops are in this family,weapons at the door please." Angela reached for her glass of wine and looked over at Frankie.
He sat up at attention. "Wha?" He hadn't worn his off-duty weapon today. "Don't look at me."
Maura watched Jane sulk as she got up making it a point to scrape her chair as she went into the front hall to put her gun in the lock box in the top drawer of the end table there. When she returned she wasn't wearing her badge either. Jane plopped down beside her only to groan even louder and get up again to wash her hands.
Everyone laughed and while her back was turned at the kitchen sink played at them going for seconds and thirds and wondering loudly with false concern if there would be enough left for her. Jane cursed them under her breath but was surprised to find her bowl full to the brim when she returned and Nina pouring her a glass of wine.
"Cmon, Janie." Frankie chuckled as he ate. "What'd you think?"
Jane finally relaxed. "I thought I was going to have to buy a new family."
They all laughed. "Before she had teeth she wanted gnocchi. You know your father would sneak you some when I wasn't looking, you could have choked!" Angela smiled at her daughter. "You kids ate pounds of it when you hit puberty too. It was too expensive."
Tommy chuckled and looked to Ron. "Janie ate the most. Made you really wonder."
Frankie laughed too. "It was all out war on gnocchi night." He looked to Nina. "That's how I broke my toe, remember? I was telling you?"
Angela laughed. "Lord, we had to bring it to the emergency room with us or else Tommy and Jane weren't going to come. No loyalty."
Jane laughed remembering it well. "It was either Frankie's life, or the gnocchi."
"Pretty obvious at that point." Tommy nodded.
##
"Here, let me help."
Maura looked up from the dishes to see Jane come over to help her dry them. "Thank you." She smiled. Until then she had been sitting stuffed and happy at the table with the others just chatting. Angela and Ron retired early leaving the rest of the kids to open another bottle of wine and relax. At some point Jane had noticed Maura excuse herself to the restroom before coming into the kitchen and begin straightening up some. It felt weird to be sitting beside her empty seat though they had hardly said much to one another all night. There were those soft glances, and at one point during the meal Maura had touched her shoulder while trying to recall a story. Jane took them as all good signs. So when the conversation with Tommy and Nina hit a lull she got up and brought the remained of the plates into the kitchen while she tried to think of something to say that would let the other woman know she had thought about her all day without it sounding too lame.
"There's always too many dishes."
Maura was already running the dishwasher for the glassware and silverware but Jane was right, there was still a good amount of plates and other serving things left that she decided washing by hand would be faster. "There was a time when it was just four of us on Sunday's. Do you remember?"
Jane nodded. "When Tommy was locked up…" She chanced a look over at her friend. "You remember when I invited you 'round back at the old house?"
Maura chuckled softly at the memory of her first Rizzoli Sunday dinner. "You were so nervous I wouldn't like it."
Jane dried a bowl. "Yeah." She remembered wanting Maura to find the food interesting, as if the cultured woman had never had Italian food before. "Could you blame me? Between Frankie burping the and Pop telling those dumb plumber jokes I was pretty sure you'd never want to come up to the Bullpen ever again."
Maura made an amused noise as she shook a plate of the access water and handed it to Jane. "We were just starting to be friends then. I found the whole thing charming."
Jane snorted. "Don't lie."
Maura chuckled. "I was a little alarmed."
Jane laughed. "Knew it."
The pathologist handed her another plate. "How was work?"
Jane put the dried plate aside. "Got a call pretty early this morning, Jane Doe in the park. Kensington. Kent said he'd have an idea for me tomorrow morning, but he thinks it's the same COD of our last park victim."
Maura thought on it. "Was did lividity suggest?"
"Couple hours, would have put here there around eleven at night, right before we went into the movies."
"Kensington Park would have been closed at that time."
Jane nodded. "That's why I'm not automatically thinking their connected, but I haven't really got too far into victimology."
"I slept well last night." Maura looked at her briefly and Jane smiled a little to herself as she worded to dry off another bowl.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yes."
"You don't know why?"
"I have an understanding of sorts."
"Ah." Jane nodded before stealing another glance at her left where Maura stood preoccupied with scrubbing. "I've been uh… thinking about…" Maura looked up at her for their eyes to meet. "George Herman, all day."
Maura's brows furrowed, a laugh played at her lips. "George Herman?"
Jane nodded. "Yeah. Y'know…how he was doing, what he was thinking about…" She paused in thought. "If he had any other turtles in his life that maybe were thinking about him too.."
"He's a tortoise Jane, they're very solitary creatures. Aside from Bass I don't believe he has known another in his adult life."
Jane went back to drying. "You never know." She shrugged.
Maura went back to washing dishes silently. "Oh…." She said a moment later, her cheeks flushing gently. "Were you referring to me just then?" She looked over at her as Jane sighed. "Possibly?" She pushed into Jane's shoulder a little and the detective cracked a grin. "Yes?"
"More washing, less talking."
"You'd honestly prefer me not say anything?"
"You have no idea how much."
Maura chuckled, Jane was beginning to blush now. "Some people wouldn't take this abuse."