DISCLAIMER: Rizzoli & Isles and its characters are the property of Tess Gerritsen, Janet Tamaro and TNT television network.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is my first R&I fic, so please go easy on me. I came up with 4 ideas on the way to work one day, a 15 min trip, and this is one of those fleshed out. Even my mother was amused by this, since I finally got her to agree with one of my pairings. All feedback, bar flames, is welcome.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
SPOILERS: Ep 10: The Gun Goes Bang Bang
FEEDBACK: To kc_sg27[at]yahoo.com.au

Making an ASS of U and ME
By KC

 

The Charity Ball

"I'm sorry, I didn't realise you were taken."

"Excuse me?" Jane whipped her head around. She had been piling a small plate with appetisers. Standing next to her was the man she had been talking to earlier about the importance of a good swing speed.

"I mentioned my younger brother when we were talking before. I thought a beautiful woman who could talk baseball would be perfect for him."

"Ok?" Jane squinted.

"And now I feel bad because I called and invited him, but then I saw you with your girlfriend."

"My girlfriend?"

The man with graying hair looked around till he found the woman he had seen with Jane. He spotted her gesturing with her hands what he assumed was a drawing motion. "The pretty one there." He pointed.

Jane's frown stayed in place as she followed his line of sight. "Maura?" She shook her head and gave a half laugh. "She's not my girlfriend. We're just friends. I'm 100% sss…ingle."

"Oh, I just thought… Sorry. I didn't mean to make assumptions." He was blushing more than Korsak had when he came face to face with Maura after her little stint under cover at the nightclub. "I'm going to go and leave you to your mini quiches."


The Car Wash

"Thanks." Jane grabbed the change from the clerk and headed for the door.

"I'dpaytoseeyouandyourgirlfriendwashthecar." He muttered.

Jane spun around and looked ready to strike. "Excuse me?" She demanded.

Sweat broke out over the pimply forehead. "I ah, have a cough." He coughed.

Jane was back at the desk in two strides shoving her badge in his face. "Wanna try that again?"

He gulped. "I ah, um…" Fear gripped his soul. "I think I gave you the wrong change… Here." He quickly opened the draw and pulled out a handful of quarters.

Jane narrowed her eyes at him and without breaking the death glare she picked up the coins in her free hand and put them in the donation tin on the counter. "Try concentrating next time."

He nodded obediently.


The Appointment

"Your girlfriend not with you this time?"

"Pardon?" Maura asked as if hearing the girl at the counter for the first time. She was waiting at the Vets with a very quiet and non-eating Bass.

"The tall brunette with intelligent eyes."

"Jane?" Maura blinked.

"Too busy to come with you today?"

"Yes. She's working very hard." Finally realisation dawned on the M.E. "She isn't my girlfriend. We're just friends."

"Whatever you say darlin'." The girl tapped her nose conspiratorially.


Coming Out… of the Hospital

Maura pushed Jane's wheelchair down the corridor. She smiled to herself. After much argument she finally persuaded Jane to let her 'push her around'. What amused Maura most is that they 'pushed' each other around all the time. They were each other's weakness, or kryptonite as Detective Frost had once mentioned to her. She pulled up beside the nurse's counter and put the wheel lock on. She didn't want Jane rolling off, and knowing the woman she'd do just that.

The nurse brought a clip board around and handed it to Jane. "Just a few squiggles and you and your girlfriend can get out of this place."

Jane, numbed by her meds, didn't realise the nurse's assumption until she had handed the release forms back over. "She isn't-"

Maura cut her off. "Is there any other paperwork or are we free to go?"

"That's it." The nurse smiled. "I'd say 'take it easy', but I heard what happened with the physio yesterday so I won't bother."

"Good call." Jane smiled smugly as Maura took the brakes off and started towards her waiting car.


Making Assumptions

The trip was made in silence, with Maura driving and Jane gazing out of the window. It was so good to finally be in natural sunlight. She had spent the last few weeks recovering in hospital from a gunshot wound. The plan was for her to stay at Maura's so the Doctor could take care of her. It was the only option her mother didn't argue with, surprisingly enough. Joe Friday was already there, she didn't have to traipse up stairs, and although she'd never admit it, she didn't mind Maura taking care of her. Despite starting to fuss as much as Angela Rizzoli, Maura did it in a sweet and adorable way.

Finally settled on the lounge, pain meds taken, Joe Friday lying by her feet, Jane sighed happily. Everything was perfect except for the persistent pain in her abdomen. Luckily she knew that would fade as soon as the meds kicked in.

"Jane?" Maura shifted at the end of the lounge to look at Jane. She put the book she hadn't been reading on the side table.

"Mmm?" Jane tilted her head towards Maura.

Appearing to come to a decision, Maura asked, "Has that ever happened before?"

"Has what happened?" Jane opened her eyes and looked at her very confusing friend.

"The nurse. What she said, assumed, about us. Has that ever happened before?"

Jane paused a moment. Why were they discussing this? "Yeah, a few times. It's no big deal. Don't worry about it." Jane turned her head back and closed her eyes.

"I'm not worried in the slightest. But it does make me wonder."

Jane didn't move. "Mhmm."

"What if there's something to it?"

Jane couldn't pretend to be falling asleep, especially since she had been wondering the same thing. "Maura, what are you trying to say?"

"What if they're right?" Maura held up her hand to stop whatever Jane had opened her mouth to say. "Hear me out."

Jane closed her mouth and gestured for Maura to go ahead.

"It seems we have both had instances where people have assumed were we are in a relationship. When I analysed the evidence that led to them to this conclusion I have to admit it's pretty convincing. We spend a lot of time together including at work and out of work, we're both very comfortable with each other including some physical interaction that people interpret and intimate, even though we've both been on dates with other people none of them has lasted more than 3 or 4-"

"2 for me." Jane added.

"-whenever we go to events we always take each other-"

"Like the Fairfield memorial, the Boston Marathon and the Annual Charity Ball."

"-and we trust each other above all others." Maura concluded, although she could have listed numerous other evidential examples.

"What about Korsak and Frost?"

"Including Korsak and Frost."

"That's a big assumption."

"Is it?"

Jane paused a moment. Did she really trust Maura more than her partners? Probably… "What's your point?"

"My point is, Jane, that maybe they aren't wrong to assume we're in a relationship."

"We are friends. That's a relationship."

Maura gave her a condescending look. "Jane, you know what I mean."

Jane shrugged. "So?"

"So we do everything except sleep together." Maura said. "To clarify we do sleep together, we just don't have sex."

"Not every relationship involves sex." Jane defended.

"For a healthy loving relationship to work in the long run then it needs to include a healthy sex life."

Jane groaned. "Maura, are you trying to tell me that we need to have sex just because people assume we're having sex?"

Maura tilted her head and thought for a moment. "Yes. No. Maybe. No."

"I don't think I understand…"

"Haven't you ever thought there was a reason why we refuse to settle for anyone else and despite the good and bad things that happen in our life we always celebrate together or comfort each other?"

"No?"

"Jane."

"Alright! Yes, I have." Jane gave in. "But what does it matter?"

"It matters because all the evidence points to us being in that sort of relationship and we're not."

Jane waited, and when Maura didn't say anything else, asked, "Do you want to be?"

"Yes." Maura said with conviction. "Do you?"

Jane had realised how she felt about Maura as her eyes fluttered shut on that sidewalk. If she was brave enough to shoot herself to save her brother and she'd be damned if she chickened out now! "Yes, I do."

The tension fell from Maura's face and she smiled that smile that always made Jane weak at the knees. "I'm glad. I had hoped… but I didn't want to assume… and… I'm really happy that you feel the same way.

"Me too." Jane beamed in return. Fighting the pain meds, she added, "Plus, you know what they say about making assumptions…"

Maura shuffled right next to Jane on the lounge. "What do they say?"

"It makes and ass out of u and…"

Maura leaned over until she could feel Jane's warm breathe. "Me?"

"Exactly." Jane grinned and closed the distance between them.

The End

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