DISCLAIMER: Women's Murder Club and its characters are the property of James Patterson, 20th Century Fox Television and ABC. Rizzoli & Isles and its characters are the property of Tess Gerritsen, Janet Tamaro and TNT television network. No infringement intended.
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FEEDBACK: To Demeter94[at]yahoo.de
SERIES: Falling Dreams Series

Almost Lovers
By Demeter

 

The soft knock on the door startled Jill out of her musings about what she would do with an evening alone, her newly-wed wife being at a conference out of town. In the doorway stood Maggie Snow, smiling brightly. Underneath her coat, she wore a short dress that set off long legs, her hair wound up in a French roll. She was carrying a small gift basket and two coffees on a tray.

Jill blinked.

"Can I come in?"

"Sure," Jill said, not sure at all whether or not this was a good idea. She hadn't really talked to Maggie in a non-professional context in forever, and so far, that had seemed to work for both of them.

Maggie sighed as she came closer. "You know I've been out sick, and on vacation, so there was never a good moment. I just came to give this –" She put the basket on Jill's desk. There was champagne and chocolates, roses and a card, "to you and Denise. Congratulations, Jill. I'm really happy for you."

"Um... thanks. I appreciate that, Maggie." It didn't help the feeling though that she'd just slipped into a strange universe. Their separation hadn't exactly been an easy one, and Jill guiltly remembered her part, still.

Maggie nodded, pushing one of the coffees towards Jill. "Okay, what else is new? I hear that Lindsay's going to quit."

"'Quit' is hardly the word I would use," Jill said heatedly, barely keeping the impulse to jump to her feet in check. This was still a touchy subject around here, and she couldn't believe Maggie had just walked into it.

However, Maggie Snow seemed unfazed by the harshness of her words. She simply shrugged. "You know, I have access to the reports, too. Hoyt was one particularly sick son of a bitch. Between Kiss Me Not and those murdering bastards that came in between, I can understand that she's had it."

Jill didn't know how to answer that. Maggie talked on, "It's not gonna be the same without your little club."

"It's not a—"

"I just hope that Cindy will keep coming around. She's fun."

"True." Despite herself, Jill had to laugh. "Though I seem to remember that the last time you two went to investigate together, you came back with a bloody nose."

Maggie chuckled. "Right. Wasn't her fault though. There's just something about that girl that makes a person's protective instincts run haywire. Just don't tell Boxer. She might misunderstand."

Still smiling, Jill shook her head at Maggie's wording. Cindy wouldn't be too pleased to be called a girl either, but sometimes they all tended to forget how many years had passed since she'd breezed into their lives, the Theresa Woo case, the return of Kiss Me Not. Jill shivered. "So what are you up to?" she asked to break the spell of remembrance.

Maggie smiled brightly. "I've got a date with a great guy tonight. You know what, I wouldn't mind if I was the next to go on a honeymoon. It seems like romance is all around in this department."

"A... guy?"

"Well yeah, there is that." Maggie's expression turned solemn for a moment. "I won't lie to you, Jill. I miss you sometimes. Coming to work here every day didn't make it easier, but... I meant it when I said I'm happy for you. I've moved on."

"That's good. And good luck to you. You look great," Jill said, meaning it. "Who's the lucky guy?"

Maggie stood up, picking up their empty paper cups. "A sexy ER doctor named Luke. Yeah. Who would've thought, right? Good night, Jill."

With that, she turned to go, leaving Jill speechless. After the moment she needed to overcome this mild shock, Jill picked up the phone, shaking her head as she smiled to herself. There was only a small twinge of melancholy. And the news certainly called for cocktails at Papa Joe's with the girls.

"Claire? It's me. What are you doing at the moment...?"

The End

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