DISCLAIMER: I do not own Rizzoli & Isles nor any of the characters from the show. I am writing this purely for entertainment, not profit. Rizzoli and Isles are property of Tess Gerritsen and TNT.
Please find the full disclaimers in the beginning of Chapter 1.
Chapter 9
Jane felt the flutter of Maura's long lashes on her cheek, and she smiled. She was still trying to catch her breath and control the maddening pounding of her heart in her ears.
"I'm… really… glad… you… wanted… more… than… kissing… and… making… out…" Jane husked, still panting.
Maura laughed. "Me, too… This… felt… incredibly… good…"
Back from their highs, they delicately removed their hands from inside each other, and Jane rolled on her back, taking Maura to lay partially on top her, kissing her forehead and stroking her naked back.
"I love you." Jane said, and laughed after a brief pause.
Maura raised her head to look surprised into Jane's eyes.
"I love you too, Jane… But why are you laughing?"
"Because now I understand why I never told any partner before that I loved them. It was not that something was wrong with me, or that I was incapable of saying it… It was because I didn't feel it. Feeling it now, it is so easy to say it…"
Jane saw Maura's eyes get full of unshed tears.
"Do you really mean it?" Maura asked, her voice breaking.
"I do…" Jane turned to kiss Maura softly. "I love you, I am in love with you, and being with you makes me the happiest person on earth…"
"Oh, Jane… I love you so much…" Maura squeezed her. "Why did we wait so long?"
Jane sighed.
"I don't think I knew for sure that long ago, Maura. Any time even the suspicion of something like that crept in my consciousness, I drowned it. I drowned it in alcohol when you were dead because it was the hardest to deny… When did you know?"
It was Maura's turn to sigh.
"I think I suspected strongly that night you jumped from the bridge. But loss and grief were also so strong that it was easy to excuse the feeling, and when we found you alive less than twelve hours later, I pushed any suspicion back to a darker locked room in my consciousness… My mother stirred the pot when I was in France, asking me about our relationship…"
"She did?"
"It was not the first time. She asked the same question when she first met you – she was sure we were together then and it took her a while to believe we were not. Then again she was sure we were together when she was hit by that car and we grew apart… I was so miserable and she again confronted me to come clean with my feelings. But there was nothing to come clean about then, or nothing that I would admit to, anyway. And now, in France, she challenged me again… I was, by then – and since the bridge – suspicious about what my feelings really were, but I continued to deny and bury them, fearing it would destroy our friendship if you didn't feel the same…"
They were silent for a little longer, just enjoying their closeness.
"I guess in my case I owe one more to Dean…" Jane admitted.
"Why?"
Maura felt Jane's body tense beneath her, and Jane blushed.
"Tell me …" Maura squeezed Jane lovingly.
"The night you were late… I… I got really worked up. I was so worried… I was transported back to a year ago all over again… I… drove to the Agency campus… I thought that if I could just find your car, I would wait close by for you, to make sure you were okay. But the campus was full of cars, and I couldn't spot yours… So I decided to walk to your building reception and ask for you. Dean was leaving the building, and saw by my demeanor that I was out of my mind with concern. He asked me to wait and went downstairs to check on you, coming back shortly after to reassure me you were alright. He didn't tell me anything about the birthday party that he likely witnessed, but he just reassured me you were okay and that I didn't need to worry. And then, seeing my relief… he asked me if I hadn't told you yet… At first, I didn't understand what he was talking about, and then he seemed to realize that I likely didn't know or had not admitted even to myself…"
"I am really happy that we finally admitted to ourselves and to each other how we feel… This…" Maura pointed her chin to them, together. "… is too precious not to be lived…" and Maura craned her neck to capture Jane's lips into a loving kiss.
As they parted for air, Jane flipped them over.
"Ready for round two?" Jane asked, a smirk on her lips, raising her eyebrows suggestively.
"Oh yesssss…" Maura breathed, laughing.
And they spent most of the night exploring each other's bodies, mapping the geography of each other's curves, and bringing each other to climax again and again, before falling asleep exhausted, sated and happily in each other's arms.
Maura woke up first the following morning. It took her a few moments to realize she was laying across Jane's naked body. She smiled to herself, feeling warm and fuzzy, her skin tingling with the memory of the sensations from the previous night. Careful not to wake Jane up, Maura moved to sit up in bed, her hands trying to smooth out her tousled hair. She soon felt the palm of Jane's scarred hand caressing her naked back.
"Good morning… I didn't mean to wake you up…" Maura looked smiling at Jane over her shoulder, her voice raspy with sleep.
"I missed your body over mine…" Jane husked, and Maura felt her skin break into goose bumps – one sentence like that was enough... "Good morning…" And Jane sat as well, kissing Maura's scapula before resting her chin on Maura's shoulder, her arms crossing around Maura's slim waist.
Jane checked the clock on Maura's bedside table.
"We should get some coffee before getting ready to hit the road…" Jane kissed Maura's shoulder and moved to stand up.
"Hit the road?"
"Yes… Our date continues today…" Jane extended a hand, that Maura took to stand up.
Jane crouched to pick up the discarded clothes from last night, but Maura stopped her.
"I need clothes to get back to my apartment and get ready and changed for the day…" Jane chuckled.
"No, you don't…" Maura tugged her by the hand, and walked to the one internal door that separated their apartments. It had been one of the features Maura had considered as a safety measure when she picked the two apartments to buy. It could be opened in either side, but so far it had remained locked. Today it was about to gain a whole new meaning.
Looking deeply into Jane's eyes, Maura unlocked the door, and opened it completely.
Jane looked at her, intently, knowing there was a deep meaning to this act based on Maura's intensity, but afraid of reading too much into it.
"This is now one house if you want it, Jane. Our house…" Maura braved, biting her lower lip.
Jane grinned almost splitting her face in two.
"I like the sound of that…" she hugged Maura tightly to her body. "Go get ready, I will have coffee for us when you show up." Jane offered, lightly slapping Maura's bum before crossing to her side of the apartment.
Jane showered quickly and changed into clothes for the day, before going back to Maura's side of the apartment for the kitchen. She prepared coffee for both of them.
Maura walked in on a satin robe, a towel on her hair.
"Hmmm…" she hummed, her face inside the mug of coffee, and then kissing Jane. "Are you going to tell me where we are going today?"
Jane chuckled. "No, it is another surprise. But informal clothes are perfectly fine, dress comfortably."
Jane cleaned their mugs while Maura disappeared again in the bedroom, to come back a quarter of an hour later ready to go.
Again she was in one of her sunny dresses and a different pair of wedgy sandals.
"How do you manage to become prettier every time I see you?" Jane asked, puzzled, kissing Maura lightly.
Maura blushed, and slapped Jane's arm weakly. "You flatter me."
"It is the truth… Are you ready?" Jane offered her arm, and Maura hooked hers on Jane's in response.
Jane drove them leisurely to one of the most scenic wineries outside of DC. Jane's plan included visiting three different vineyards: Two Twisted Posts Winery, famous for their chardonnay – that Jane knew Maura enjoyed – and then continuing to Notaviva Vineyards. After tasting wines and munchies in both places, they continued to a late lunch at Breaux Vineyards. Finally, on the way back, they stopped by Waterford to visit the remarkably preserved 18th century village, following a walking tour Jane had researched online Friday night in preparation for their date.
They had a perfect day, enjoying each other's company, great wine, great scenery, and delicious food.
When they entered their apartment much later that day, they left their shoes in the inside of the door, before plopping in the sofa, exhausted.
Jane leaned against the armrest, and Maura immediately found her place cuddling against Jane.
"You delivered on your promise. This was by far the best date of my life…" Maura kissed Jane thankful for Jane's thoughtfulness in planning their romantic weekend activities.
"Does it mean I can retain girlfriend status?" Jane teased.
"That was not contingent on the date… You conquered it after the very first kiss…" Maura kissed Jane lovingly to make her point.
They continued kissing and making out in the sofa, until Jane sighed deeply.
"Tomorrow is a workday, and we both need to work…" Jane kissed Maura lightly, moving to stand.
Maura stood with her, and followed Jane as Jane moved through the apartment.
"Where do you think you are going?" Jane asked teasingly, stopping, and looking puzzled at Maura.
Maura moved her body flush with Jane's, and stood on tiptoes to capture Jane's bottom lip, before responding: "We didn't yet… inaugurate… your side of the apartment…"
Jane laughed her throaty laughter, and picked Maura in her strong arms, carrying her to Jane's bed. Maura didn't even protest, just circled Jane's neck with her arms and continued kissing Jane…
They might have been lost, but they had finally found each other. And none of them was willing to let it go…
(The end… for now… I am not a big fan of continuations, but somehow this story keeps triggering new ideas… So you might see a new story continuing this one in a few weeks again, stay tuned!)
