Series title: Whumptober 2024
Chapters: 1/1
Characters: Jane Rizzoli / Maura Isles
Trigger warnings: Mentions of bullying
A/N: The characters and universe don't belong to me. All rights go to TNT, and everyone involved in the production of Rizzoli and Isles, as well as Tess Gerritsen. Everything else belongs to my twisted imagination.
A/N2: Third part of "Sunburnt" posted on day 5.
A/N3: I've been sick and I'm in the process of moving out but I'm trying to catch up.
All of these stories are only meant to be one-shots, but last year has proven that it can easily change. Those one-shots are written as part of the 2024 Whumptober challenge. I'm following the list of prompts and didn't intend to write second parts for any of the one-shots. That's why they're all posted separately.
Dr. Maura Isles was used to being alone. She had been ever since she was a child. She didn't blame her parents though; it wasn't their fault. They had taken her in when she was a few days old and were unprepared for such an expected arrival. The Isles never had children of their own, and they adopted her to save her life as she was the result of a forbidden relationship. They didn't know how to take care of her, and so she didn't ask for much. They were living their own lives, teaching her the right attitude to have in the high circles of society and sending her to the most prestigious schools. She was raised to be the perfect little lady. But this education hadn't come without a cost. It had made her a cold and detached professional, awkward around people, oblivious of the attitude to adopt around normal people.
She was an awkward child already, not knowing where she stood, and her peers made fun of her all along her life. Her decision to work on dead people came from this inability to fit in with the live ones. She wasn't meddling with normal people and was doing her work meticulously. This impeccable conscientiousness made her rise through the ranks until she was named Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It was a prestigious position that very few women had the honour of occupying. It led her back to Boston, her hometown, after traveling all around the world and making connections with influential and important people. Her parents' name helped a lot. People were mostly coming to her because of the name 'Isles', less because of her status in society.
Boston never felt like home to her. She didn't have any attachment to the city. Her parents were always traveling and never stayed around for more than a couple days. She didn't have any friend, or acquaintance. She didn't even have a place to stay. She eventually bought a house in Beacon Hills when she was done living in a hotel suite. She tried to make herself at home in it, decorating it with memories of her different travels and rare pictures of herself and her parents. She didn't make much more effort to turn this house into a real home. After all, she didn't spend much time here except for sleeping. Sometimes she wondered what was the use of owning such a big place if you had no one to bring home to share a meal with. She wasn't close enough to her coworkers to invite them over.
Solitude became a constant in her life, and she was fine with it. She found solace in it. She worked better when she was alone in the morgue or in her office. Nothing would distract her. That was how she managed to be so meticulous. But that was also why people were giving her nicknames like Queen of the Dead and Ice Queen. It wasn't the worst names she was ever given. They weren't particularly flattering but they had some prestige. Not that she cared about it. Her only care was to speak for the dead, find the reason behind their death and bring answers to their families. Her job captivated her. No one really understood why she had chosen this path, nor how she could handle seeing the worst of humanity and be so detached about it. They all thought that she didn't care that she was cold-hearted. The truth was that she couldn't let her emotions get in the way. After particularly rough cases, she isolated herself in her yoga room to relax.
Dr. Maura Isles was used to solitude, but she never felt lonely. Not until she met Lieutenant Jane Rizzoli. Their interactions were short and professional until that day she was dragged out of a burning building presenting severe symptoms of a heatstroke. Her quick assessment of the situation had enabled the Lieutenant to be taken in charge quickly. That saved her life. She couldn't explain what had pushed her to visit her in that hospital room. She just did. She was pleasantly surprised to be welcomed so warmly, so friendly. And when Jane offered to see her again once she was out of the hospital, she found it hard to keep a straight face. She was not used to people wanting to see her again or wanting a friendship with her. She never had such a bond with anyone before and to be honest, she was afraid of screwing all up and seeing Jane leave.
They kept Jane in observation for a full week. She was complaining that she was fine and just wanted to go home whenever her family and colleagues were around. She was loud and brash around them, but she was quieter and nicer when Maura came to visit her. She always had a bright smile and kind words for her. She was the nicest person Maura had ever met in her life. She visited her every day, each visit lasting longer than the other, each of them seeing her smile more and more. Jane was always happy to see her, and it was easy to be around her. Maura had never felt been comfortable around her peers, but it was different with Jane. She was lively and fidgety and tactile. And Maura who usually wouldn't let anyone close to her accepted Jane's hand in hers, on her arm, on her shoulder. She even accepted hugs.
Now Maura did feel lonely when she wasn't with Jane. She missed her smile, her kind words, her soft touches. Her work had never looked gloomier and colder now that she had experienced the brightness and warmth of Jane Rizzoli. She was nicer with people working for and with her, sometimes offering them a smile and an encouraging word when she would have barely acknowledged them before, but it wasn't like being around Jane. Their judgmental looks on her reminded her of her school years. She went from Maura The-Bore-A, the weird boring little girl, to Ice Queen, the cold professional. If she wasn't their superior, they would have bullied her just as those kids in school and colleagues when she was just a beginner. They still talked in her back though, and no one wanted to approach her like she was some kind of psychopath. Or as if her awkwardness was contagious.
"Earth to Dr. Maura Isles, do you hear me?"
Maura shook her head at the sound of the gravelly voice calling her name. Jane had been released from the hospital in the morning. No one could pick her up and drive her home, so Maura offered to do before going to the office. Since Jane hadn't been home for over a week now, they had stopped by a convenience store for her to get a few things, and while Jane was picking up a box of her favourite cereals, Maura got lost in her thoughts.
"Do you know that these have no real nutritive value and just full of sugar that can cause diseases such diabetes?"
"I kinda love that you know that. But I love these cereals. And look, I've taken some healthy things too."
Jane pointed to a few cans she had tucked in her arms with her cereals and personal hygiene products. She had that smirk on her face. She was making fun of her, but not in a bad way like every other people she met. Jane was only teasing her gently. She was playing with her, but didn't mean to hurt her.
"That can barely be considered as healthy."
"Oh, so you're a nutritionist now?"
"No, but industrial foods conditioned that way are rarely made to be healthy. You need a better diet, Lieutenant."
"Well, these are only for the days I don't have the motivation to cook after a long shift. But my freezer is full of Italian meals. My Ma's cooking is much better than these."
"Oh."
"Maybe you'll get to try it someday, but let's not go too fast. I promise you a coffee first."
Maura's heart leapt in her chest at the perspective of a future with Jane. Her new friend, her first friend, intended on seeing her again after that coffee. It wasn't just a way to thank her for saving her life on the field and checking on her afterward. Jane wanted to stay in her life and not just pass by and forget about her the minute she was out of sight….
On a cherrier note, we're organising a Rizzoli and Isles Secret Santa. Signs-up are open from October 1 to October 31. Check it out on rizzoliandislesecretsanta on Tumblr. :)