DISCLAIMER: Rizzoli & Isles and its characters are the property of Tess Gerritsen, Janet Tamaro and TNT television network.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: So I have very few stories actually finished and archived. So, if you like, then comment. Constructive criticism is appreciated. It might encourage me to write more. This is my first Rizzoli & Isles fic. Written for ralst.com's Farewell to 2013 challenge. Fills the Jealousy bingo square.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
FEEDBACK: To ivydreams4[at]gmail.com
No Good Very Bad Day
By Ivy Elizabeth Mars
All was well within Boston Homicide. Most of the cases had been simple and Jane hadn't had to chase anyone all week. With her spirits high, Jane decided to go visit Maura for lunch. The morgue was quiet, except for the noise of shuffling papers. Maura was sitting at her desk going over reports, something she only did when she ran out of autopsies.
Jane snuck up beside her, "Blunt force trauma, I think I've read that one already." She moved quickly to avoid the startled movements her sudden proximity had caused, but felt slightly bad when the report her friend had been reading flew into the air and looked like confetti. She crouched to start picking up the pieces of paper.
Maura gave an exasperated sigh, "Really Jane, did you have to sneak up on me? Besides, it's not your case so it is highly improbable that you have read that particular report. However, I can tell you, that one is a boring read, even for me. Did you finally get tired of Korsak and Frost comparing penis size?" She looked at Jane with a slight smirk.
"Jesus Maura," Jane looked at her horrified, " Why did you have to put that in my head? No there was no comparing of...of...that type. I just wanted to come down and see if you wanted to go get lunch." Jane stood and placed the report back in the folder on Maura's desk.
Maura was smiling, but there was sympathy in her eyes, "I can't. I'm sorry, but I have a date for lunch today. I could come over after work if you would like?"
The detective was shocked, "A date? Why am I just now hearing about this? I thought we told each other everything. Well who is he?" She tried to hide the hurt in her voice.
The medical examiner lit up when she started talking, "His name is Dave. He's 32, tall with dark brown hair, and green eyes. He's an investment banker. He got his degree from Harvard. We met at a dinner for Professionals for Underprivileged Kids of Excellence. We've been talking ever since and he asked me out to lunch, so I said yes."
"Oh, well good for you. At least he's not a nurse. I'm gonna go grab lunch then and I'll see you later." She exited the morgue as quickly as she could, leaving a mildly confused woman in her wake.
Two weeks and she hadn't heard anything from Maura about the date. She was hoping it hadn't gone well. She reasoned an investment banker would be too boring for Maura. Now she was more concerned with fending off one Angela Rizzoli. That woman never gave up.
"Ma! Look, I'll be there. Just calm down. Joey? Who the hell is Joey? No ma, just no! If he's there, I'm going right back out the door. No, I'm not kidding. I gotta go ma. Ok. Love you too. Bye ma!" Jane jabbed the end call button and made a face at the phone. She heard snickering behind her. "What Frost?" Jane briskly asked, "You want to go out with Joey?" He held up his hands in surrender.
Korsak chuckled at their interaction from the corner. "Can you two keep it down? Some of us are trying to get work done around here."
The detective walked over to his desk. "Oh that's bull. Like what, break your record at solitaire? Everything is tied up in getting warrants or waiting for lab results. I'm starting to go stir crazy here. I've spent more time shoveling snow than I have putting bad guys away. It's a shame the snow doesn't slow down the murderers." The others nodded in agreement.
A blizzard had taken over Boston for a good portion of the week, shutting down almost everything. The lab and the courthouse had either people or electricity. It made closing cases next to impossible. Thankfully Boston PD headquarters had backup generators with a decent supply of fuel.
"I'm gonna go see if Maura has anything. Good luck with the solitaire. It took you three months to beat it last time." She smiled and walked off. "It did not." Frost chuckled in the background at Korsak's reply.
At least the elevator still worked. Thankful for the quick ride, she stepped out of the elevator and arrived at the doors to the morgue. There was a man standing next to Maura, who matched the description of the Medical Examiner's mystery lunch date. She wasn't sure it was Dave, but when he leaned in and gave Maura a slight kiss, there was no doubt. She felt a knot grow in the pit of her stomach and she retreated from view of the sight before her. Leaning back against the wall, she worried her bottom lip and pulled her arms around herself. She jerked upright when the door opened and the man stepped out. He nodded in passing and she glared at his back.
Maura had stepped out into the hallway while her back was turned, "Jane? What are you doing out here?"
Her head whipped around to face her friend. "So that's Dave huh? Not surprised your description was accurate. He's cute...in that stuffy upper-class way." Maura gave her a scalding look. "Have you found anything? Fibers, reddish brown stains, the reason some people think there is a man in the moon and felt the need to name him Charlie?"
Maura had been shaking her head, but the last part made her confused. "It's impossible for someone to live on the moon. Even you should know that. As for the origin of the name, it most likely correlates to the popularity of that particular name on the year that myth was created."
Jane pinched the bridge of her nose. "Forget it. I never should have asked. If you don't have anything, I guess I'll go shovel snow or ...something...again." She returned to the security of the elevator, leaving Maura to stare after her retreating form. Halfway back up to her floor the elevator suddenly stopped and went dark. "Of course," she muttered, leaning forward and slowing banging her head against the wall in the dark.
Once the blizzard cleared out, things had gotten back to relatively normal. They were finally getting work done and the bad guys put away. Jane decided to bring Maura along with her to Sunday dinner at the Rizzoli household. It gave her an excuse to be close to Maura and to hopefully assuage her mother's instinct to hook her up with every man she could find.
Jane knocked on her parents' door and waited with Maura at her side. She stiffened as her mother opened the door. "Hi ma." She began nervously looking over her mother's shoulder.
"You can relax. Joey's not here, but only because your father didn't want extra company. Maura! How are you?" Hugs were exchanged and Mrs. Rizzoli showed them into the house. "Have a seat at the table. Dinner will be ready shortly." She continued into the kitchen.
"Where's Frankie? Hey pop." the detective hugged her father before he could reply.
"He had a date," replied the phantom voice from the kitchen. "Dinner's ready. Go wash up."
Everyone did as they were told and made their way to the table. Dinner had been going well and was uneventful, until Mrs. Rizzoli turned her attention to Maura. "So Maura, do you have a boyfriend yet?" Jane rolled her eyes.
The woman in question just smiled, "Yes actually, I do. His name is Dave. We met at a charity dinner; he works as an investment banker." She looked over to see Jane staring at her plate and poking at her food somewhat more pointedly than normal. She dismissed it as her friend's dislike of her mother involving herself in people's personal lives.
"Ooo he's smart, rich, and charitable. He sounds like a keeper." Angela prodded further, "Is he handsome?"
Her smile grew bigger. "Dave has a very symmetrical bone structure in his face and no deformities that I know of, so I would think so yes."
Jane sank lower in her chair. She knew what was coming next. "I'm so happy for you. See Jane, maybe if you would give someone a chance, you could meet a nice young man like Maura has. If you keep yourself closed to the possibility, it can never happen. Even finding the male version of Dr. Isles would be better than you going home to an empty house all the time. Really Janie, I do want grandkids you know."
"Angie," Frank Sr. warned gently.
"What?! It's a mother's prerogative to guide her children toward what is best for them. I just want Jane to be happy. Is that so wrong?" Mrs. Rizzoli looked genuinely upset.
"Mom I can handle it myself. I don't need you hooking me up with the sucker of the week every time we have dinner. I meet enough losers on my own. I don't need help." She stormed away from the table.
"Janie..." Her mother tried to stop her.
Mr. Rizzoli intervened, "Let her go calm down."
They all heard the door slam.
The week was full of people making a complete ass out of the detective and today was no exception. They were currently searching for the perp in a double homicide. The only evidence they had was sperm on one of the victim's clothes. Retrieving their only suspect didn't go as planned, leaving Jane with no option but to tackle the guy.
"How was I supposed to know he didn't have sperm?!? He didn't have a sign saying 'Hey I shoot blanks'. He ran. That's good enough evidence for being guilty. Why run if you aren't guilty?" Jane was sulking at her desk with a bag of ice on her elbow, while Korsak chuckled from the corner of the room. The gentle click of heels on the linoleum made Jane close her eyes and hang her head. Muttering to herself, "This day just keeps getting better." She looked up and plastered a tight smile across her face. "Hi Maura."
The doctor's steps slowed when she noticed the ice bag in her friend's hand. "Jane what happened? You didn't tell me you were injured. Let me see." She pulled gloves from her purse as she approached.
Jane rolled her eyes and removed the ice. Goosebumps appeared when she touched the detective's arm, "You're hands are cold. So, am I gonna live Doc?"
Maura smirked and removed her gloves, "Yes I think you will. It looks like the excoriation doesn't go far into the dermis. Just keep it clean to prevent infection. We wouldn't want you getting any flesh eating bacteria."
She looked at her friend, horrified, "Thanks for the reassurance. A bacteria that eats my skin is so much less frightening than, ya know, a simple scrape on my elbow. Geez."
Korsak commented from his desk, "It could have been worse Rizzoli. Your mother could have seen you tackle the guy. You know how much she hates it when you are so un-ladylike." He gave her a huge grin. Jane glared at him.
Maura giggled, "Glad I could help. Are we still going to the park after work?"
The detective threw her bag of ice toward a snickering Korsak. "Yeah, but I gotta go run something over for my mother first, so I'll just meet you there."
The park was beautiful this time of day. The light from the sunset cast a glow over everything in view. They had spent many evenings walking here after work. It calmed them both after a busy day. Today was no different...until Maura's newest boyfriend called. The longer she was on the phone, the more tense Jane grew. When she giggled at some unheard joke, a sneer started to tug at Jane's lips. The phone conversation ended with Maura none the wiser of her companion's mood change.
Jane raised an eyebrow as to enquire about her friend's phone conversation. "Dave just wanted to make sure I had my coat with me, in case it grew chilly out in the evening hours."
"That man is way too nice. It makes my teeth hurt he's so sweet," Jane winced, "How do you put up with that? It's gotta get old after a while."
"Being considerate of others never gets old Jane. There is nothing wrong with being nice either. It's very chivalrous." Maura smiled and continued walking. "It is really nice out today. The low cumulus clouds interspersed with higher altocumulus formations reflect the colors of the sunset perfectly." She looked to her friend with a contented grin on her face.
Jane was looking at her like she had grown a second head, "You can't just say 'the puffy clouds are pretty' can you? I'm sure Dave would understand and enjoy your elaboration on why they are so...so...voluminous. There see, I can use big words too." The sarcasm dripping from her voice didn't go unnoticed.
Maura came to a sudden stop in the middle of the sidewalk, "Jane, why does it bother you so much that I'm with him? There's something you aren't telling me, isn't there," Maura paused, "Did you run a background check on Dave and find something?" Jane shook her head. Maura creased her brow, her anger growing, "Then what is it? You always seem to find something wrong with the men I date. Honestly Jane, you find more flaws than I do..."
Jane closed her eyes. She couldn't handle the woman being mad at her. It was chipping away at the wall she had built within herself. Taking a big breath, she opened her eyes. Her feelings refused to be held in check any longer, "It's cuz I like you ok?!? There I said it. Are you happy now? Every time he touches you I want to punch him in the face a-a-and when you go home with him, I lay in bed wishing it were me you were next to." Maura started to speak, but Jane was on a roll and held up her hand to silence her. "I don't know when it happened, but I can't stop thinking about you. I'm sorry I've been such a bitch lately, but all I think about when you're dating someone, is how they are taking you away from me, and if I could just grow a fucking pair, then maybe it would be me you were with. Don't you see it Maura? We'd be perfect together. You're the sexy brain and I'm the clumsy, but cute, brawn." Jane was panting from the lack of oxygen her rant had created and the nerves that were tearing her apart.
Maura wasn't sure how to reply to everything she had just heard. "So you mean to tell me that all this time, you were just jealous?!? That is the most...immature thing I have ever heard come out of your mouth Jane Rizzoli. We're adults. Adults talk about their problems. Not..."
Jane cut her off abruptly, "And I'm a Rizzoli, we brood and wallow. We don't hold hands and sing Kumbaya and share our feelings. Look, the point is, I'm saying it now. I need you Maura. You may be the Queen of the Dead to everyone else, but to me...when I'm with you, I've never felt more alive."
The silence hung between them for a seemingly endless amount of time. Jane had begun to give up hope and turned to walk away. "Jane..." She stopped, but refused to turn around, turning her head only slightly to better hear what the Doctor had to say. "What do you want me to say? I don't want to hurt you and I certainly don't want to lose what we have. After all we've been through Jane, can you honestly walk away right now?" The detective's shoulders slumped in defeat. She was getting somewhere. "People can have feelings for more than one person at a time. Being with him doesn't mean I care any less about you. The fact is...I haven't cared more about anyone in my entire life."
Jane had turned around and stuffed her hands in her pockets, looking like a scolded child. "You have a funny way of showing it. If you feel that way about me, then why are you with him?"
Maura walked slowly toward her explaining, "I thought you weren't interested, so I felt I should try to move on. You are my best friend. I could handle not being with you, but I couldn't handle not having you in my life. It's like the perfect pair of shoes. When they are in the box, nothing is wrong with them. You can see them and touch them whenever you like. However, if you try them on and they don't fit, then it doesn't feel the same anymore. There is disappointment and anger over what you've lost. Whereas, if you hadn't tried them on, things would still be fine. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?" As she stopped in front of the woman, she looked up at her hopefully.
Jane arched an eyebrow in disbelief, "Did you just compare me to a pair of shoes?"
She held up a finger and scrunched up her nose. "That probably wasn't the best analogy was it?" Jane shook her head. "Do you really think I'm sexy Jane?" Her insecurity won out; it carried through her voice.
The detective slowly reached up and cupped Maura's cheek with her hand. "Yeah, I do. Give me the chance to prove it. I promise. No more hiding how I feel."
Maura covered Jane's hand with her own, "I still have a boyfriend. I can't just dump him because you finally came around." The pain in her eyes refused to be hidden.
"One night, that's all I'm asking for. One chance to show I'm serious about this. If you don't like how it goes, I'll leave you and Dave alone and pretend all this was just some nightmare ok? Tomorrow night, my place, 8 pm. If you don't show up I'll know your answer." Jane quickly kissed her cheek and walked away as fast as she could into the night.
At 7:45 pm, Jane was pacing her kitchen floor. She had double and triple checked everything, making sure the evening would go just right. She couldn't afford to mess this up, if Maura even showed up. The knock on her door stopped the pacing and generated a small whimper. She smoothed her little black dress while she moved to the door. Sending a little prayer to whomever was listening, Jane opened the door. An impeccably dressed Dr. Maura Isles stood in front of her in a deep red, calf length dress with a low cut neck line, her coat draped over her arm. "Hello Jane."
A grin split Jane's face. "Wow Maura, you look absolutely gorgeous. Um, come on in. Here let me get your jacket."
While Jane stored her jacket, Maura took in the sight of the apartment with dim lighting. The fireplace was lit, casting a glow over everything in the room. A bottle of wine sat in a bucket of ice on the living room table, with two glasses rested in front. There was a pleasant aroma wafting from the kitchen and the light sound of jazz music reached her ears. When she heard footsteps coming toward her, Maura turned her attention to Jane. The little black dress seemed to cling to her body in all the right places. "You look really beautiful Jane."
A blush crept across the detective's face and she suddenly looked shy. "Thanks. Have a seat." She led her guest to her couch and cleared her throat. "Tonight I'll be serving a finely seasoned fillet of lamb with roasted tomatoes and potatoes. I also have a nice Shiraz to accompany the meal," she recited the practiced line with a twinkle in her eye. Jane did her best Vanna White impression when she picked up the bottle to pour their drinks. The move elicited a giggle from Maura, easing her nerves slightly.
"I love lamb. It sounds lovely and it smells divine. I never would have pegged you as a romantic, Jane," Maura paused, "but I'm glad I was wrong." She accepted her glass and swirled it. It smelled wonderful and tasted like heaven. Jane disappeared from her sight and she watched fire dance in the reflection on her glass. Her companion returned with two plates of food neatly placed and decorated with herbs. Maura pointed at her plate and raised an eyebrow, "You did this?"
"Yes and, before you ask, it's not from a box either. Cooking is highly emphasized in the Rizzoli household, so stop staring and eat. It's not as good once it cools." Jane smirked at her friend before hiding her face behind her drink. She began cutting into her meal, when she was stopped by a very suggestive moan coming from the woman seated next to her. The rest of their meal was spent in relatively comfortable silence with stolen glances and coy smiles.
Jane took their plates to the kitchen and turned the music up slightly on her way back. She extended her hand toward Maura, "May I have this dance?"
An evil glint reflected in Maura's gaze. "I don't know if I should. My date might get jealous."
"I won't tell if you don't. Besides, I don't think she realizes what a good thing she has," Jane replied with a grin.
Maura accepted her outstretched hand and let herself be pulled into the other woman's arms. "I think she's starting to, but I won't tell." She laid her head against Jane's shoulder with her eyes closed and allowed herself to follow her partner's lead. The warmth of Jane's hand against her own, the other against her back, felt like coming home. They both lost track of time, too focused on each other to care. Jane was finally relaxing when she felt Maura stir.
The doctor pulled back from her dance partner's shoulder to look her in the eyes, "This is really nice. A romantic dinner, a blazing fire, wine, and now dancing. Jane Rizzoli, I do believe you are trying to seduce me."
The detective fought down the fear that suddenly hit her. "I was going to take you on a carriage ride around the city, but I figured I wouldn't have any way to top myself if I did. Plus, I wanted you all to myself tonight," she spoke softly.
Maura laughed and tilted her head, "Oh really? And why is that?"
"Because I've really wanted to do this." Jane leaned in and gently pressed her lips to Maura's. They stopped dancing as Jane placed a hand against the nape of her partner's neck. She increased the pressure when she felt Maura relax into her. A whimper escaped when she felt the tip of Maura's tongue against her lips and granted it entry.
The slow pace of the kiss built up a passion between the two neither was expecting. Maura pulled away slowly, opened her eyes, and leaned her forehead against Jane's, "I would say that's a good reason," she replied out of breath.
Jane chuckled against her, "I thought so." She pulled back to see Maura's eyes and placed her hands on the woman's waist. "Maura, you are the most beautiful, caring, intelligent, and amazing person I have ever met. I know I'll never be as rich or cultured as your friends, but I'd be the wealthiest person in this whole damn city if you would be my girlfriend."
Maura placed a finger over Jane's lips to silence her. "We can talk tomorrow," she pulled out of the woman's grip around her waist and grabbed the detective's hand and led her toward the bedroom, "For now, let's just enjoy each other's company." Jane realized something as she trailed behind, "Maybe this day isn't so bad after all."
The End