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Strike A Match

Summary:

“Choosing who to save and who dies isn’t easy Dr. Isles, it’s one of the hardest things a person could ever do in life. And those people over there, they don’t know anything other than saving lives; that’s what hospitals are all about. But you and me, people like us, we know the truth. FD and I are gonna be out there having to choose who can be saved and who can’t. We’re the first line. Then you and your team are going to be choosing who could actually survive long enough to get to the hospital because you see death every day. You know what will kill someone.” She threw on her helmet and closed up her jacket. “Then, only after we’ve done the hard part, are we going to deliver bodies to them. I don’t need any of them freezing up because they’re seeing more death than life.” Then like the drop of a hat the lieutenant’s entire demeanor shifted back. She was relaxed. “They said you were the best.” Cheeky almost, and without a doubt cocky. “So go be the best Dr. Isles. I got people to save.” She tossed Maura a challenging smirk and turned jogging towards carnage.

The universe seems dedicated to pushing Maura Isles and the cocky lieutenant firefighter Jane Rizzoli together after a first encounter at a major city accident.

Notes:

Felt like we needed a firefighter Jane in our lives. This one ended up worming its way into my heart a little bit more than I anticipated, so I hope you like it.G!p Jane for all of us who love it.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

The first time Maura laid eyes on her it was in the midst of chaos.

There was a train collision in the city, thousands were injured, and an unknown amount dead. Like many others, Maura received the call asking for anyone with healthcare experience to respond to the scene immediately.

But unlike the others while throwing on a set of scrubs mentally preparing a list of all phone calls she would need to make in preparation for the amount of bodies that would likely need to be identified, Maura received an urgent call from the Governor. He wanted to make sure Maura knew she was expected to be at the scene and that this incident took precedent over everything else.

She agreed, reassuring him that she was on the way, would take care of coordinating all of Boston’s response for bodies, and would be phoning in all available M.E.s in the area.

It was everything he wanted to hear and more. And with a quick instruction for her to call him directly with anything that comes up for question, they ended their call and Maura dashed out of the house.

When Maura arrived at the scene firefighters, cops, doctors, and nurses were everywhere barking at one another, huddling under industrial grade blue tents, and pressing against the caution tape barriers that kept them from getting too close to where destruction began.

“Listen up!” A voice yelled over the raging mayhem. It was strong, commanding, raspy, but still too quiet in comparison to what was going on.

Maura looked around trying the find the source of the voice, but was startled, like those around her, when the high pitch whirring of a nearby fire truck’s siren sounded. It cut out after a few seconds and that same voice boomed again; this time amplified through a megaphone so all could hear.

She was tall, that much could be told even if she was standing on top of a truck, dressed in the familiar black and neon tactical gear that read B.F.D. Her hair was full and wild flying each direction the wind took it. She shoved back wild flying curls when it wrapped around her eyes.

“Jesus. Anybody got a hair tie?” she asked into the megaphone. Several hands shot into the air, some with hair ties at their fingertips. “Toss it up.” The request wasn’t made to anyone in particular which resulted in several hitting the side of the truck and a handful making their way on top. She leaned down to grab one, lips moving before her knees started to bend. “I’m Lieutenant Rizzoli, your Chaos Manager. Right now, all available BFD fighters and trucks are at the trains. The first batch of victims will be here in eight minutes. Some will be alive, some will be dead, some will be near death. How you choose to prioritize is your truth to sleep with at night.” She held up four separate bags filled with tags. “Black for dead, red is critical, yellow need attention, green good to go. Questions?”

The group shook their heads as a collective. They weren’t new to this. From natural disasters to tragic accidents, if you got the call, you knew the drill. And if this was their first time, the experienced around them kept them from asking. They didn’t have much time and every minute spent on a question was a minute wasted from saving a life.

“Good. Tent leaders, you’re in charge, you make final calls, people ask you questions, you ask FD questions. Tent one, Dr. Ivan Ericsson. Two, Dr. Michelle Sanchez,” and so the list went on. Ten tents, nine doctors, one name to go. “And Dr. Maura Isles tent ten.”

“What?” The word slipped from Maura’s lips before she could stop it, causing a few others around her to send her questioning looks. Maura had never been asked to lead before. Though this was her first major accident since arriving back to Boston. Perhaps her high position made her more favorable now? It explained the governor’s instance she got there immediately.

“All Boston M.E.s are in tent ten. Everyone else, find a tent with not enough people.” When no one moved unsure if the lieutenant’s speech was over the command of “What are you staring at me for? Let’s move,” was shouted sending everyone scurrying to a destination.

Tent ten was the furthest away from the initial meeting spot, but the closest to the accident. Maura grabbed a pair of gloves from a box on a folding table just in time to hear her name being called from the distance.

“Dr. Isles?” Lieutenant Rizzoli’s deep voice hammered through the air, pulling Maura’s attention to the woman approaching behind her.

She was even more stunning up close despite the dirt and grime sticking to glistening skin. She had her hair pulled back in a thin barely holding on tie. Her frame stood solid and strong, the heavy jacket resting on her shoulders like a suit of armor. But what stole Maura’s breath away were the dark, almost black, pools whispering truths of what lied behind those distant shouts.

Maura choked a little, having to clear her throat before trying again. “Lieutenant Rizzoli.” This wasn’t the time to admire a work of art. They had to focus on the incident at hand. “What can I do for you?”

“You’re the big wig right? The M.E. for the governor?”

Well, not quite, but Maura got the gist of what she was asking. “I am the Chief Medical Examiner for the Common Wealth of Massachusetts and yes I report to the governor. Is there a problem?”

“Let’s walk and talk,” it wasn’t a request. The lieutenant was already on the move towards the line of caution tape and orange cones. “Governor said you phoned in all your M.E.’s.”

That explained the frantic phone call Maura received on her way to the incident.

“Yes, I sent word to them. A few haven’t responded, I was planning to call them once I got here.”

“You’re not going to have time for that,” Lieutenant Rizzoli lifted the caution tape so Maura could step underneath. “We got you on lead of tent ten because it’s closest to the incident. We need you and your team to announce as many of them as you can before they make it to the other tents.”

“You want…” Maura’s question trailed off, the reality of the situation setting in. They didn’t value her medical expertise, they knew she was the Queen of the Dead, and expected her to act as such. But to specifically give M.E.s their own tent, meant this was far worse than she originally anticipated. Maura made the active choice to shove her hurt feelings aside in favor of the greater good. If they wanted a medical examiner than she would give them the best. “How many of them are dead that you know of?”

“Trains didn’t just collide,” the lieutenant explained. They stopped at one of the trucks and she climbed up to grab a helmet before coming back down. “Something on the first one exploded which caused the collision. Right now, the boys are doing a lot more retrieval than rescue.”

“Then why send out for so many of us? It’s an abuse of resources.”

Lieutenant Rizzoli whirled around her voice loud and carrying over everything around them. “Cause there was still a shit on of people on those trains. And if they got a pulse, that means they all—” she pointed back towards the emergency responders gearing up for a long day “—are gonna try and that means I need you tellin’ them who's worth trying on.”

Maura was stunned by the outburst. The lieutenant eyes were fiery and her breathing hard, she was passionate about what was happening and what her role was in it; Maura admired it.

“Choosing who to save and who dies isn’t easy Dr. Isles, it’s one of the hardest things a person could ever do in life. And those people over there, they don’t know anything other than saving lives; that’s what hospitals are all about. But you and me, people like us, we know the truth. FD and I are gonna be out there having to choose who can be saved and who can’t. We’re the first line. Then you and your team are going to be choosing who could actually survive long enough to get to the hospital because you see death every day. You know what will kill someone.” She threw on her helmet and closed up her jacket. “Then, only after we’ve done the hard part, are we going to deliver bodies to them. I don’t need any of them freezing up because they’re seeing more death than life.” Then like the drop of a hat the lieutenant’s entire demeanor shifted back. She was relaxed. “They said you were the best.” Cheeky almost, and without a doubt cocky. “So go be the best Dr. Isles. I got people to save.” She tossed Maura a challenging smirk and turned jogging towards carnage.

***

Maura saw Lieutenant Rizzoli was a few hours later when she pulled open the back doors of a rig stationed nearby for supplies. The lieutenant was hunched over at her waist tears streaming down her face the demolished contents of the rig surrounding her. It stopped Maura in her tracks, unsure how to respond.

When the lieutenant heard the outside world much clearer than before her eyes cut to the intruder and in one large step she pulled the first door closed. “Use the other one,” she barked then slammed the other one.

It left Maura speechless and concerned. She was caught between checking on the lieutenant and heeding her warning, but a nurse beckoned her for extra hands and she was swept back into thick of it.

The day was long, and far from easy. But they managed to save more than they lost, and that’s all they could have really asked for. Maura didn’t see the lieutenant again but she’d learned from whispers and overheard conversations that they’d lost one of their own.

Maura tried searching for Lieutenant Rizzoli once it was all said and done, but she was nowhere to be found, and everyone she asked all had competing answers about where’d she gone. Maura accepted that she wouldn’t find the lieutenant again and packed up the rest of her things to head home for a few hours of sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a long and heartbreaking day of families identifying bodies.

***

The next time Maura saw Lieutenant Rizzoli was six weeks later. BPD had a friendly baseball game scheduled with the fire department in preparation for city’s charity game in a few weeks. Maura and a few members of her own team attended practice in hopes that they could help fill out the roster.

“I’m sorry Dr. Isles, but the roster is full,” Korsak said as he and Maura chatted on the sidelines. So far only members of BPD made it to the field and everyone was mulling about stretching, throwing balls back and forth, and practicing their swings.

“Sergeant, I know you’ve lost five players in the last two weeks. Please don’t lie to me.”

“We replaced them already,” Korsak rushed out in explanation.

“Sergeant.”

“Alright fine. Why do I always gotta be the bad guy,” Korsak huffed. “The boys don’t want you.”

“Why not?” Maura screeched.

“Well,” he looked her up in down; her gear was far from traditional and indeed a little over the top. He also doubted any of them had enough coordination to actually hit the ball. “It’s just— have you ever played before?”

“No, but I’ve researched the sport enough to know that—”

“That’s the thing doc.” He cut her off, feeling that she’d already proven his point. “Baseball ain’t about research. It’s a feeling.”

“Yeah,” the husky interruption came from behind Maura sending chills up her spine and Korsak’s eye growing into saucers. “Tell that to your batting average.”

“Jesus,” he groaned. “What’re you doing here Rizzoli?”

“We got a scrimmage, don’t we?”

“You gotta be kidding me. Please tell me you’re not playing.”

“Oh, but I am.” The lieutenant sauntered up to stand beside the pair her carefree smile in place as she dropped her bat from her shoulder. “You didn’t really think I’d miss this game two years in a row did you old man?” She tossed him a wink and wolfish grin.

“Fuck me,” Korsak grumbled, dragging his feet towards where the rest of the BPD players were limbering up, still cursing under his breath.

Maura smiled at the lieutenant, taking in all of her statuesque beauty now that they were alone. She was in gray baseball pants and a custom navy blue and red B.F.D. baseball jersey; the matching baseball cap she wore backwards seemingly to keep the hair out of her face, since Raybans were resting on top of her head.

“Dr. Isles,” the lieutenant greeted, dropping her shades back to the bridge of her nose. “Good to see you again.”

“Likewise, Lieutenant Rizzoli. And while I appreciate the professional courtesy you can call me Maura.

“Then you’ll have to call me Jane.”

“I can do that.”

“Great. Hey uh, listen,” Jane readjusted her duffle bag hanging on her shoulder, and dropped the side of her body a little so she could rest some of her weight against the metal bat digging into the dirt. “I’m actually glad I ran into you. I should have stopped by the station or something sooner, but I wanted to apologize for the last time we met.”

The apology through Maura off. The last time she saw Jane, they were in the middle of managing a tragic accident and working together to save lives. Jane had done a fantastic job of coordinating everything on top of being in the thick of the crash. Her system of having Maura’s tent the first spot for victims proved to be seamless and allowed them to save more critically injured than what was statistically probable. In simple terms, the lieutenant was a genius when it came to chaos management.

“I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. Or been monopolizing the rig. That was unfair to you, and I’m sorry.”

Oh. Thinking back it seemed like such a meniscal thing that took place that day.

All Maura could remember was the agony and pain that was everywhere, and the way Jane kept things on track, eased fears, offered a shoulder to cry on, prioritized saving lives above everything else. And yet still, six weeks later, here she was offering Maura an unnecessary apology for something that Maura had long forgotten.

“That’s very sweet of you Lieutenant—”

“Jane,” she corrected with small smile.

“Jane.” Maura confirmed. “That’s very sweet of you, but completely unnecessary. It was an incredibly stressful day that you were largely responsible for managing.” Maura glanced down at her toes, unsure if mentioning what’s she sure caused the outbreak was a good move. “I also understand your station lost someone that day.”

Jane sniffed and shifted a bit, not closer or further from Maura, just largely uncomfortable. “Yeah. We did. I’d just found out, but that’s no excuse. You didn’t deserve that, and Frost woulda said the same thing. So, I’m still sorry.”

Frost, Maura remembered the name from signing the card that went around BPD. She typically wasn’t asked to participate in those types of request, but since she was on the scene Korsak thought to bring it by just in case. And she did sign it, because she felt like she owed it to the lieutenant at the time.

“I appreciate that. Thank you.”

“Yeah of course. Anyway,” this time Jane did take a step back and righted herself a bit more before throwing her bat back over her shoulder and offering Maura that cocky smirk. “You wanna practice with me and the boys?”

“Oh. Really? You’re not worried we’ll crap on your style?”

A laugh bubbled from deep in Jane’s chest sounding like the first breeze of spring after a horrid Boston winter. It was beautiful and disarming and made even more radiant by the pearly white teeth that reflected the sun’s shining rays.

Maura wasn’t sure what she’d said to cause the response, but she knew she’d say just about anything to cause it again.

 “I think you mean cramp my style but same point. And no, I’m not worried about that.” Jane bounced her eyes over to the sad small group of Maura’s teams that were sulking over being denied practice time. “We’re the fire department Dr. Isles, we don’t judge a book by its cover.” She readjusted her bag and stepped off to head towards the opposite dugout flooded with firefighters. “And tell your little band of misfits to suit up. We gotta see how you bat to decide the order.”

It turned out Korsak’s complaints in seeing Jane walk on to the field were justified. BPD didn’t stand a chance if she was playing and it was only made to look worse when it turned out Maura had a killer swing, Susie a powerful arm for outfield, and Kent was an effective coach from the sidelines, having grown up enamored with the American sport and watching it his whole life.

BFD won seven to two and that was only because a third of the team got called in for a breakthrough in a case.

“You know doc,” Korsak started, saddling up next to Maura from where she was chatting with Jane and some of the others. “I think we might have space for you and Susie after all.”

Jane snickered at the man’s feeble attempt to get back in Maura’s good grace. “That’s very kind of you sergeant, and while I can’t speak for Susie, I will be declining your offer.”

“What? You were just asking to play.”

“Yeah, but why play for the losers when she can cheer for the winners,” Jackson, a newer member to station 9, Maura learned, spoke up making the others laugh.

“You can’t be serious doc.”

“I can be quite serious. I usually am. But in relation to this conversation, I’m afraid the fire department is correct. I plan to cheer them on at the charity game.”

“But you work for the police!”

“No. I work at the police station. I work for the state.”

“You know,” Jane commented nonchalantly, “Since you work for the state, you could probably just hop on our roster now that I think about it.”

“This is ridiculous.” Korsak shouted throwing his hands up in the air. “You gotta give us something Janie. I’ve known you since you were in diapers.”

“Shoulda taken her when you had the chance old man.”

“I’m calling you mother,” he shouted over his shoulder stocking off to collect his items and leave with the rest of his team, leaving BFD to snicker in amusement.

“Could I really?” Maura asked looking back at Jane.

“I’ve got no idea. But I love to rile the dude up. Either way we’ll get you a jersey.”

***

By the third time they met each other again Maura was starting to think universe was trying to tell her something, and because the first two times proved unsuccessful, it was stepping up its game.

It was career day at her niece’s school, and the young girl had begged and pleaded with Maura to “pretty please with peanuts and sprinkles and whip cream and cherries on top,” for Maura to attend.

Unlike most adults, Hailee found Maura’s career of cutting open dead bodies fascinating, and loved to hear all about her cases. Excluding the gory details of course because Maura did not want to be responsible for nightmares.

Holding back was not a concept that Harrison Elementary understood. All career fair participants, which turned out to be one hundred twenty three participants, were asked to arrive at eight fifteen on the dot for an intro and rundown on how the day would unfold. Then at nine they had a designated forty five minutes to set up their booths with a fifteen minute gap before the official start time at ten. It was a full day worth of working with tiny people running around, but the smile on Hailee’s face would undoubtedly be worth the blaring headache that Maura would likely start experience in a few hours.

Maura was sat in the back row waiting for the introductions to start when she felt the presence of someone else stepping up beside her.

“Seat taken?”

The familiar husky voice made Maura smile. She shifted her eyes from her phone to be greeted by a dashing Lieutenant Jane Rizzoli. It was the first time Maura was seeing her in her perfectly tailored station uniform. The look completed with a silver badge in place on the left side of her chest and a matching cuban link chain hanging off her neck. Maura could admit, she was a sucker for a woman in uniform, and she’d never seen a woman wear one quite like Jane.

“Lieutenant—” she began, with a subtle lick of her bottom lip, but a pointed look from Jane stopped her mid way and she corrected herself. “Jane.”

“Hi Maura.” Jane’s lips stretched into a warm smile, that caused dimples to appear and her eyes to crinkle just little on the sides. It was cute and easygoing and made Maura want to melt into a puddle of goo for having it directed her way.

“Hi Jane.”

They shared a long moment of genuine smiles before Jane finally motioned to the open chair with a gentle clearing of her throat. “Can I sit with you?”

“Yes of course.”

“Awesome. Thanks.” Jane dropped her helmet down on the seat Maura was using for her purse and took the other open spot next to her. “How’d you get roped into career day?” She asked once situated.

Maura found Jane’s ease in molding their items together intriguing. Most people hesitated to make any sort of move around Maura without having first asked permission. It was a result of her natural demeanor of being too cold, or uppity, as she’d been told throughout school. But not Jane. In their brief interactions Jane only ever treated her like she treated everyone else, open and friendly, warm and unafraid. It was nice.

“My niece, Hailee.” Maura explained shaking herself from the spell Jane’s actions put her under. “She turned on the puppy dog eyes and next thing I knew I was submitting time off.”

Jane bobbed her head in understanding. “Puppy dog eyes huh? Didn’t expect that to be your weakness.”

“It typically isn’t, but with that one all she has to do is flutter her lashes and I’m a sucker.”

“Oh man, you’ve got it bad.”

“I’ve accepted my fate,” Maura conceded with an airy chuckle. “What about you? Did the school reach out to the fire department?”

“Nah, we usually do a hole safety training for them once a year, so we’re never really invited to this. But my nephew, TJ, is in school now, so he asked me to come.” Jane explained with a shrug. She extended her legs out so her feet could rest between the legs of the chair in front of her.

It was strange, but Maura often forgot how tall the lieutenant actually was. Jane just never seemed to tower over her in the way her five eleven stature suggested she would. Was that something Jane did purposely?

“Made him play me for it and he won.” Jane continued unaware of Maura’s eyes dancing over her long bones. “So here I am.”

“You made him play you for it?” Maura asked pulled from her wandering thoughts.

“Sure did.”

“If he just started school, he’s five I’m assuming?”

Jane nodded in confirmation.

“What did you make him play where he possibly beat you?”

“Whoa! Hey now.” Jane exclaimed throwing her arms up in mock offense. “Don’t go doubting my nephew. Kid’s got a mean jump shot. Going pro one day for sure.”

Jump shot. Maura knew that one, she was sure she’d heard it when Collin was watching… football? No, maybe baseball. No, no, basketball. Would Jane think she was an idiot if she said the wrong sport? She was a genuine fucking genius and the thing that was going to ruin her chances with the lieutenant was sports.

“He beat you in a game of basketball?” Maura asked, giving it her best shot.

“Sure did.” Jane confirmed. “Shoulda seen it. Kid was hanging off the rim after the dunk, show boating and everything. Here, I got a picture.”

Digging into her pocket, Jane pulled out her phone and swiped over the screen a few times before showing Maura a picture of a small blonde headed boy indeed hanging off the rim of an outdoor basketball hoop.

“Absolute savage that kid.”

Maura couldn’t help but laugh at Jane’s serious demeanor, because while yes, TJ was hanging off of the rim, there appeared to be a five eleven firefighter holding him in place while he hung.

“You didn’t stand a chance,” Maura agreed around laughter.

She liked seeing this side of Jane. Lieutenant Rizzoli was beyond attractive; it should have been illegal to be that sexy and commanding in everything she did. But Jane the auntie was sweet and showed off her nephew with pride. Maura was sure she also helped instigate a lot of troublemaking he may have gotten into.

“If everyone could please take their seats,” a woman, Principal Rose if Maura remembered correctly, stepped out on to stage. She spoke into a mic addressing the crowd. “We’ll begin the introductions shortly.”

Jane shifted so she could lean closer to Maura, but kept her eyes fixed on the stage. “You prep for this?” she asked in a whisper, as if afraid she’d get into trouble for talking during an assembly.

Maura found it endearing and could only imagine the kind of trouble the lieutenant found herself in when she was in school. “I have a few talking points,” she whispered back. “But I find my line of work to be very disturbing to most children outside of Hailee. So, I don’t imagine I’ll have very many visitors once they realize.”

Jane cocked her head to the side when she turned to look at Maura, deep in thought for a moment before offering an alternative, “Make a model of something and talk about that.”

“A model?”

“Yeah, use candy to make something, so they can play with it then eat it. Kids love making shit they can eat.”

“I didn’t bring any candy.”

“Well then, it’s a good thing they drag us in here so early before it starts.”

***

Jane was right. Kids loved being able to eat something they made.

After a quick browsing of stores nearby the pair snuck off in Jane’s truck to grab enough supplies for everyone to make DNA blocks. Maura used the edible sculpture to explain what DNA samples consist of, and how her team used them to help police officers catch the bad guys.

By result, Maura’s table had been quite popular all day long, and left Hailee gushing over how cool her aunt was compared to all the other professions represented.

Throughout the day Jane swung by Maura’s booth a few times to steal a piece of candy here and there, but other than that, her table was just as popular, everyone eager to try on some of the different gear she brought and ecstatic over the free firefighter helmets she passed around.

It was nearing the end of the event when Hailee tucked herself into her aunt’s side with droopy eyes after such a big day filled with never ending excitement. “Did you have a good day darling?” Maura asked, her hand rubbing the young girl’s back in soothing circular motions. Hailee nodded in response. “Do you want to hang out with me after this or go home to mom and dad?”

“Hailee!” A young energetic voice shouted from somewhere in the crowd.

He came barreling towards them a look of shock taking over his tiny face when his feet were magically lifted off the ground and he was tossed over familiar shoulders. “Whoa freight train,” Jane admonished. “Almost plowed into Dr. Isles here.” She turned so her back was to the pair, but they could see TJ’s smiling face. “Say sorry.”

“Sorry Hailee and Hailee’s mom.”

“This is my auntie M.” Hailee corrected him. “She’s my daddy’s sister. Her job is way cooler than my mommy’s.”

“Oh sweet. This—” he paused and tapped Jane’s back. “Put me down please.”

“You got it sir.” Jane flipped a squealing TJ over her shoulder, so he stood right side up once his feet hit the ground.

“This is my uncle Jane. She’s my dad’s sister too.”

Maura choked on her saliva. Uncle Jane. Cardiac arrest was just over the horizon; Maura was certain of it.

Questions ran rampant through Maura’s mind. Did Jane use different pronouns or did Jane just prefer masculine terminology? Did she prefer it in other places too? Like in bed when she had a woman beneath her gasping in soul breaking pleasure, seconds away from—

The correction from a nearby student ripped Maura from her mind’s treacherous thoughts. “She’s a girl, she can’t be your uncle. That makes her your aunt.” He’d been standing nearby, staring at Jane’s badge, absolutely enamored by seeing a firefighter up close.

TJ didn’t miss a beat in shouting back at him, “Gender is a social constrict that we do not sss-port.”

Jane held her fist out towards her nephew in support, chuckling at the way his little fist dabbed against her own. “Good job. Two corrections.”

“They’re big words Uncle Jay,” TJ whined.

“Yeah, and you’ve gotta big brain, which is why we’re gonna make sure you learn the big words. Sound it out. Con-Struuuct.”

He gave his uncle and exasperated sigh, but mimicked the word none the less. “Con-struuuct.”

“Su-pport. Uh instead of ooo. S-uh-port.”

“S-uh-port,” he parroted. “Can I show Hailee your helmet now?” he asked staring at the item on Jane’s head with big hopeful eyes.

“Say the full thing.”

Bobbing his head with each word, TJ did as asked. “Gender is a social con-struuuct that we do not s-uh-port.”

“Good shit. Here,” she handed him the helmet. “Stay close by.”

The two of them watched as the duo of five year olds ducked behind Maura’s booth and TJ started explaining different firefighter details to Hailee.

“Jane,” Maura pulled the lieutenant’s attention with a small touch to her arm. “Have I been using your wrong pronouns?” Maura asked.

“What? No, why?”

“Well TJ refers to you as uncle.”

“Oh.” She laughed that good natured belly laugh that made her all the more handsome. “No. I don’t really have much of preference actually. The uncle thing was a joke when he was three and it just kinda stuck. Teaches him a good lesson though, so win-win.”

“Oh.” So certain things may not have been out of the question. How titillating.

“Yeah. Appreciate you asking though. Hey listen—” Jane casted her eyes down and dug the front of her boot against the vinyl flooring. She took a small breath then looked back up at Maura. “The little guy and I were gonna go grab some gelato after this, I know a spot that makes it just like they do back on the homeland.” She started, a hopeful look taking over her features. “I don’t’ know if you and little bit got plans, but if not do you wanna tag along?”

“Sugar him up then take him home?”

“You know it.” Jane agreed with a breathy chortle. “Best part about being the number one uncle. Don’t tell my brother though. He already hates TJ rather be a firefighter than a cop.”

“Lieutenant Rizzoli,” Principal Rose called, stepping through the sea of children and professionals and approaching the pair. “Oh, and…” she trailed off, staring at Maura in search of her name.

“Dr. Isles,” Jane supplied.

“Yes, that’s right. I’m sorry. Busy day. I hear your DNA session was very popular.”

“Well, I have Jane to thank for that. It was her idea.”

“Eh. I just wanted some free candy.”

“Right,” Principal Rose started, her eyes bouncing between the pair before focusing solely on Jane. “I was wondering if you still wanted to do that thing?” she asked.

“Yeah. The boys are already here. We good?”

“We are,” Principal Rose said handing Jane a mic.

Jane gave it a puzzling look, before putting it just in front of her lips, not quite touching, a clear indication that she was aware of germs and Maura appreciated that. “Hello?” Her voice echoed in the space. “Oh, it’s already on. Cool. Lieutenant Rizzoli here.” Maura laughed to herself over Jane’s genuine antics. She couldn’t deny that the lieutenant was charming. “I’ve just got one question for all my little probies out there. When you see a fire who do you call.”

“9-1-1,” came the shouted response from all children in the space, including the two standing beside them.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you. Who do you call?”

“9-1-1!” With that last chant came a loud honking sound from outside causing tiny ears to perk up everywhere.

Pure chaos of excitement erupted when flashing red and white lights pierced through every window.

“I probably should have sat in one of your presentations,” Maura goaded stepping into Jane’s personal space once Principal Rose took back the mic and made work to organize the final event of the day.

“Oh yeah? Why’s that?”

“I thought the answer might have been Ghost Busters.”

And then Jane laughed. That beautiful deep from her chest, full belly laugh.

***

The next time Maura saw Jane, it was entirely on purpose, and she found herself more flustered than ever before because Jane rang the doorbell right on time and Maura was still applying the last of her eye makeup. It was in that moment she cursed herself for not having a faster routine.

Quickly tossing her mascara and eyeliner back into their drawer, Maura hurried downstairs, taking a deep breath on the last step to calm her nerves before pulling open the front door with a bashful look. She was greeted first by a colorful bouquet of flowers and second a dumbstruck lieutenant.

“Fuck me, you’re beautiful.” Jane murmured her eyes glazed over in adoration.

Maura could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. It wasn’t the first time she’d ever received a compliment for her physical appearance, but coming from Jane, with that look on her face, it made Maura feel it more than she ever had from anyone else.

Jane cleared her throat a few times and extended the flowers out. “Shit. Sorry. Sometimes I forget to turn on the filter. These are for you.”

“They’re very lovely, thank you Jane.” Maura took a few small steps back to allow Jane enough space to step inside. “Please come in. I’ll put these in water and then we can go.”

“Yeah, that sounds great.” Jane said, stepping past the threshold.

Maura only needed a few minutes to get the bouquet situated before returning to Jane who remained where she was left. “Ready to go?” Maura asked.

“Yeah. Let’s do it.”

Throughout the drive to the unknown destination Maura couldn’t help but notice how reserved Jane seemed to be. She was making conversation, never letting an uncomfortable silence find place between them, but not quite as jokey or flirty as she’d been all the times before. And most importantly, that cocky little smirk that made Maura weak, never once made an appearance. It was unsettling. Maybe Jane was regretting the idea of going out on a date. Though Maura couldn’t imagine why, she was nearly drooling at the sight of the honey blonde the moment she’d opened the door.

When they finally pulled into the parking lot of the unsuspecting building Maura turned in her seat and placed her hand against Jane’s arm to keep her from making any moves. “Jane, is everything okay?”

“Yeah of course. Why you askin’?”

“I know we don’t know each other terribly well, but you seem off.”

“Off?”

“Yes, off. Just— you don’t seem as,” she wanted to say confident, but that felt unfair, “comfortable with me.”

Jane released a deep sigh and dropped her back against her seat. She hadn’t realized her concerns manifested enough to be visible by her date.

“I uh—“ she dropped her head and rubbed at her eyes mumbling something in a language that sounded a lot like Italian.“—shit.”

“What is it?” Maura asked rubbing soft circles with the pad of her thumb against Jane’s arm in an attempt to put her at ease.

“I’m not really your type, am I?”it was phrased as a question, but sounded more like a statement of something she’d finally accepted.

It was the last thing Maura expected and she couldn’t fathom why Jane would even ask it. “Why would you think that?”

“I don’t know, maybe because every time I see you it’s like you’ve just stepped off a runway. I mean shit Maur, you’re hella smart, probably like a child genius or something,” well she wasn’t wrong, “and you seem to be doing pretty fucking good for yourself. I mean you’re probably used to dating doctors and lawyers. And then there’s me, my father was a plumber, I barely got my associates, and I work as a firefighter, which as I’m sure you know isn’t exactly lucrative. I mean do I do alright? Yeah, but I can’t compete with art dealers and shit.”

Maura couldn’t deny her dating history did have a heavy record of those particular professions. But she didn’t want Jane to think that meant anything. She had no expectations in regard to her partner’s profession. As long as it was legal and ethical, and they could handle her being the breadwinner, things many of her exes could not historically do, she was happy.

When Maura didn’t respond right away, she saw the crest fallen look fall over Jane’s features. “Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Jane sighed turning the ignition back on. “Look, I can take you home. I didn’t mean to pressure you into a date or nothin’.”

Panic. That was the only word that could describe what Maura was feeling. Finally, she’d found someone who was selfless, didn’t get turned off from her high intelligence or try to complete with it, was disturbingly attractive, who genuinely peaked Maura interest, and now she was nearly slipping away.

Without giving herself much time to think about it Maura wrapped her hand around the back of Jane’s neck and surged forward to press their lips together; unbothered by the way the seatbelt dug into her clavicle or her knee hit the center console of the truck.

It was small, just a gentle meeting of lips as they moved together, but at first contact Maura knew she’d never tire of kissing Jane Rizzoli. Jane tasted like honey and a heat that traveled down Maura’s spine straight to her core and spread across her skin in the form of goosebumps.

Maura pulled back from the kiss, just enough that she could stare into black pools so Jane knew she meant every word of what she was about to say. “This isn’t a pity date. I said yes to your offer because the first time I laid eyes on you, you were commanding, confident, and desperate to save lives. Then six weeks later the first thing you said to me was an apology for grieving. And the way you were with TJ and Hailee at ice cream… I would have questioned my own sanity if I turned you down.”

“Yeah?”

“Mm,” Maura pressed a quick kiss to her lips because now that she’d felt them once she wasn’t sure how long she could go without feeling them again. “Plus, you look very sexy in your uniform.”

“You know I get that a lot.” And there she was, with that cocky little smirk falling back into place where it belonged.

“I’m sure you do. Now come on,” Maura unclipped her seatbelt and leaned forward so she could pull the key out of the ignition. “You promised me a date.”

Put at ease over her concerns, Jane let her shoulders relax and nodded. “Alright, yeah, let’s go. You’re gonna love this.”

Jane hurried out of the driver’s side, catching Maura’s door just as it was pushed open.  She extended her hand out allowing Maura to use it for support as she hopped down out of the truck.

“Where are we?” Maura asked following Jane up the steps and to the unsuspecting door.

“It’d be pretty lame to tell you now when we’re two minutes away from you seeing it.”

It did only take them an additional two minutes for Maura to figure out what they were doing for the night.

“Jane!” A short pot bell man dressed in a chef’s jacket greeted them as soon as they entered. “Buona sera,” his accent was thick and rich reminding Maura of her weekends spent in Italy while in boarding school. “Sono felice che tua sia qui.” He embraced her in a full hug and kissed both of her cheeks before turning his attention to Maura. “Chi è questa bella donna con te?”

But what was even better was the Bostonian wrapped version of the language that flowed so effortlessly from Jane. “Grazie per l’invito. Questa è Maura,” and the way she accentuated the vowels and rolled the r in her name…Maura wanted to hear it again, except maybe as a breathless whimper instead, with Jane’s chest heaving and her body spasming in pleasure. “Mi amica,” and as if it never happened, the Italian flair to her Bostonian accent disappeared, “Maura this is chef Antoni.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Chef Antoni,” Maura smiled at the man, accepting the kiss on the cheek he provided. “Will you be cooking for us?”

“No no no, you will cook. I will teach. Today is lobster ravioli in a cheese sauce. My mother’s recipe. Bellissimo.”

Maura’s eyes lit up and she turned back to Jane in excitement. “A cooking class?”

“Yeah, thought it might be fun,” Jane explained with a subtle rise and fall of her shoulders. “Antoni’s the best. Responded to a fire at his restaurant a few years back, and couldn’t stop myself from going back after he shoved food down our throats.”

“Sì, Jane kept my whole restaurant from burning down. Now I feed her like she’s one of my own.”

“Lord knows I’ve got the appetite to support it.”

“We have three more pairs coming,” Antoni told them motioning to the four empty stations across from the front of the room. “Take a spot wherever you like. We’ll get started shortly.”

“Your Italian is beautiful.” Maura complimented as they made their way across the room. Naturally gravitating to the spot in the back right.

Each station was already set up around the room, consisting of a cutting board, pasta roller and various jars of ingredients.

Jane, a woman who Maura was realizing couldn’t sit still, picked up each ingredient reading the names sprawled out in chalk. Her eyes snapped to Maura in question, contemplating if she knew the language or simply recognized it. “Parli italiano?”

“Così-così. Ho imparato mentre vivevo in Francia. I used to visit Italy once or twice a month for years. Eventually I picked enough of it up to hold a conversation.”

“Tu sei pieno di sorprese.” Jane dropped the jar and turned her full attention to Maura. “Not a lot of people I can speak Italian to outside of my mother and grandmother, well speaking to mi nonna is more of broken attempt at a cross between Sicilian and Italian, but its better than nothing. My brothers couldn’t retain it for shit though.”

“It’s been a long time since I’ve had someone to speak it to,” Maura told her. “But I look forward to dusting it off.”

“Spsh, couldn’t even tell. You picked it back up like a natural.”

Not long later the remaining pairs arrived, and they were off listening and watching Chef Antoni’s explanation for their dishes. It turned out Maura had a knack for cooking, and she couldn’t help but laugh at the glazed over look in Jane’s eyes when she noticed. It appeared the quickest way to the lieutenant's heart was through food. And despite Jane’s jokes regarding burning down the kitchen, she actually made a decent sou chef, and was happy to submit to Maura’s instinctual habit of taking lead.

Once the meals were made each station was left on their own to enjoy. Jane and Maura fell into an easy banter that introduced small touches and flirting looks. It was the best date Maura had been on in years.  Not just because of the company, but the thought that went into it.

Fine dining in a restaurant was fine, predictable, and played out, but fine. Cooking however, when forced to watch your partner’s skills while wielding tools, how delicate or commanding they could be with hand placements and working around you, having to find ways to work together to accomplish the same goal. It was an experiment of compatibility, one which Maura felt they aced with flying colors.

After bidding farewell to Chef Antoni with promises of Jane bringing Maura to his restaurant in the future, they were back in the lieutenant’s truck headed towards Beacon Hill, and Maura was trying to figure out a way to invite the woman inside for a night cap that would hopefully lead to something more.

“Have you ever been to Italy?” Maura asked, hazel eyes dancing over Jane’s profile as she rested her hand on top the one Jane secured to Maura’s own thigh. It found purchase there not long after pulling out of the parking lot, and neither of them made a point to move it.

“Few times when I was a kid,” Jane said, eyes glued to the road. It was something Maura noticed Jane did habitually. Eyes glued to the road, bouncing back and forth, scanning the intersections, and never veering once to glance at Maura while they spoke. It didn’t bother Maura by  any means, it was obviously the safest choice, but it was something worth admiring. “Beautiful place. Think I’d like to retire there once it’s all—”

The truck came to a screeching halt just in time to watch as a suv barreled into a sedan in the intersection causing the vehicle to jostle and flip before landing right side up again.

“Shit, shit, shit.” Jane barely had the truck in park before she was climbing out of the driver seat and rousing the back of the bed while Maura was running towards the car, their flight or fight responses working in tandem.

“Oh god, oh god, oh god. Are they okay?” the driver of the SUV stumbled out of his car approaching the sedan. Maura could smell the alcohol coming off of him in waves from only a few feet away. “What did I do? Oh no. I gotta go.” He turned, prepared to sprint but before he could take his first step he was shoved against the trunk of the car and a fist connected with his face, knocking him out cold.

“The door is jammed,” Maura explained already on the passenger side pulling the door open with her phone pressed tightly between her ear and shoulder. “Yes, I’m with Lieutenant firefighter Jane Rizzoli of station nine.” Maura dropped her phone on the dash switching it over to speaker so they could work and talk. “Can you hear me?” She asked the driver climbing into the car and looking her over. “Gloves.”

Jane dropped a black pair into Maura’s outstretched hand. “Who is this?” Jane barked at the phone climbing into the back driver’s side.

“It’s Allison McKay.”

“Allie, we need fire and the medic. Sedan T-boned in the intersection. We can’t get the driver out so we’re working around her. I’ve got Dr. Isles, Chief Medical Examiner, with me. We’ll do what we can but we need space to work.”

The driver started to come to, her head killing from side to side a little bit.

“Don’t move,” Maura warned. “Tell us your name?”

“It’s Vicki,” she murmured. “Vicki Croons.”

“That’s real good Vicki,” Jane praised, fastening a neck brace around her. “I’m Jane, I work for the fire department. Over there is Dr. Isles. We’re gonna help you out until the team can get here okay? Can you wiggle your toes and fingers for me.”

Vicki’s fingers moved easily, and Maura paused her initial examination to lean over for a better look at her feet, she couldn’t tell if there was any movement, but that’s when she saw it. Something wet and pooled between Vicki’s legs.

“Vicki are you pregnant?” Maura asked, her hands already coming to the woman’s stomach to assess as much as she could from the angle.

“Uh-huh.”

Jane threw herself over the center console to see what Maura saw. Pregnant, t-boned, and her water broke. All worse case scenarios. “How far along are you?”

“Seven months.”

Seven months. Eight was better, nine was preferred, but seven wasn’t awful.

“How far out dispatch?”

“Sixteen minutes.” Allison responded.

“We need to get her out of the car for me to do a full exam.” Maura whispered against Jane’s ear.

They both knew sixteen minutes was too long. A pregnancy was like a ticking time bomb in car accidents, it could throw everything out of whack in an instant. Maura and Jane both knew it, and they knew if Vicki was still in that car when the bomb went off, they’d be at risk of losing two lives.

Like a prayer being answered from above blinding bright yellow lights came slowing down next to Jane’s trick.

“Keep her talking,” Jane instructed running towards the lights.

“What are you doing?” Maura called back, watching the scene unfold.

Jane stood in the middle of the street bringing the truck to a halt. She dashed to the driver's side, her hands flying, speaking a million miles a second. Whatever she said was enough to have the driver hauling ass out of his own truck and the both of them sprinting to the back to rummage through his supplies. Seconds later Jane emerged with a power saw holding it in the air victoriously.

“Usually I ain’t got nothin’ but shit to say about construction in this city, but shit if this isn’t our lucky day.” Jane handed Maura a pair of safety glasses and put a set on Vicki. “Vicki, this is going to be loud and you might get burned from debris, but I need you to stay very still and not panic. I’m cutting you out of here.”

“What about my baby?” She was coming to a little bit more, aware of what was happening around her which was a good sign.

“I gotta get you out so Dr. Isles can examine you and them.”

“Dispatch this is gonna get loud.” A generator kicked in the distance and Jane hopped out of the back seat to crouch beside the driver side door. “Don’t move,” she reminded before the loud buzzing of a metal saw was heard, followed by the whizzing of it cutting against medal.

 It took several minutes of a steady hand, but Jane was able to cut through enough that she could pry the door open and they could get Vicki out.

“Do you need me to call an ambulance,” the driver shouted at the pair while using tall orange cones from his truck to block off the space Maura and Jane needed.

“Already done. Just keep doing that.” Jane told him. “Dispatch we got her out. Examining now.”

“Is my baby okay?” Vicki sobbed desperately.

Maura pulled a stethoscope from Jane’s medical bag and threw it on, sliding it across Vicki’s belly. “I’ve got a heartbeat. It’s distressed but it’s there.”

“Distressed?” Vicki cried out. “What does that mean? What’s happening.”

Jane snapped a new pair of gloves into place. “That means you’re meeting your kid today.”

“No, it's too soon. There’s eight more weeks.”

“Hey,” Jane stopped her fiddling around, so she could look directly at Vicki. “I came out at seven months too,” she told her, soothing back messy hair. “And I’m not doing too bad thirty-two years later. But if we don’t take this kid out, I don’t know what’ll happen to the both of you. So, you gotta trust that Dr. Isles and I are trying to keep you and them alive.”

With her bottom lip trembling Vicki hiccuped and blinked back tears. “Amellia,” she whispered, staring back at Jane.

“Amellia? That her name?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. Then let’s do this. It’s Amellia’s birthday so we gotta welcome her with open arms alright?”

“Open arms.”she agreed.

“Thatta a girl. Dispatch you catch that?”

“Delivering another one lieutenant?”

“They say I got the magic touch dispatch. Babies can’t help but feel safe round me. Even before they’re out.”

With that, Maura and Jane made quick work of removing all necessary clothing, thankful that Vicki was already wearing a dress, and prepping her for what was to come.

“When’s the last time you delivered a baby Dr. Isles?” Jane asked from where she was looking between Vicki’s legs.

“Not since my rotation in the OBGYN unit.”

“That is not encouraging,” Vicki shouted down at the both of them.

“Well, you don’t need to worry about that Vicki, cause I delivered one just last week.” Jane reassured her, lowering her voice to speak to Maura again. “You gotta get out more doc.” bringing a life into this world is a healing thing.”

 “I’m looking forward to it then.”

“Good. Alright Vicki, this is going to hurt like a bitch, but I need you to push.”

And she did. Several times at Jane’s prompting, and on the last one Jane pulled a tiny human out just as sirens and lights could be heard racing down the street.

“Is she— Is she,” Vicki’s eyes drooped and her body went slack.

“You’re up doc,” Jane shouted, still focused on the infant.

They worked side by side, each giving it their all to keep mother and daughter together.

“Rizzoli?” Captain Cavanaugh barked, coming off the truck.

“Bout damn time. Let’s go! Get me the gurney,” Jane waved her team forward and directing others to Maura and Vicki. “Baby’s eight weeks early and breathing, but it’s wheezed. She came out two minutes ago, mom immediately went unconscious.”

“Mom suffered substantial blood loss during birth; likely several internal injuries that I was unable to diagnose from the accident.” Maura explained to the paramedics. “Someone needs to call the hospital to let them know they’re incoming.”

The rest of the accident was handled in a blur of shouts and lights and recounting the events at least five times for both Jane and Maura. By the time they were climbing back into Jane’s truck it was the tail end of the eleven o’clock hour and the busy city life was swapped out for a whisper of secrets.

The drive back to Maura’s was quiet, both women coming down from their adrenaline rush and seeking solace in the fact they’d gone through it together.

Jane pulled into Maura's driveway and let the engine idle while trying to formulate some type of response to the end of such an eventful night.

“Would you like to come in for a drink?” Maura asked, turning to look at Jane. “Seems like we could both use a night cap after that.”

Maybe it was an inappropriate response to what they’d just gone through, but Maura couldn’t deny watching Jane in action, flexing her quick thinking and overall intelligence was attractive. And it made her all the more determined to have the lieutenant in her bed that evening.

“Yeah,” Jane agreed, turning off the ignition. “That sounds like a very much needed idea.”

Maura grasped Jane’s hand in her own as they made their way through the front door, ditching their shoes in the process, and into the kitchen, only letting it go to peer through her wine collection. “Do you like red?”

“I can do red,” Jane agreed looking around the modern kitchen for the first time. “Prefer beer though.”

“Beer? I might have some.” Grabbing a bottle of wine for herself, Maura placed it on the kitchen island then swung around to open the fridge. She moved a few things out of the way to reveal a half consumed six pack sitting in the back. “Is Modelo okay?” she asked pulling it out to show Jane.

“Yeah, that’s perfect.” Jane relieved Maura of the pack and snatched her keys out of her pocket to pop the cap off of one. “Hell of a night huh? One second, we’re making dinner, the next we’re delivering a baby,” she snorted and tipped the bottle back against her lips.

“Certainly not what I expected,” Maura agreed. She placed a corkscrew near the bottle of wine she’d taken out and moved to grab a glass from a cabinet. “It was nice to see you in your element though. Your ability to quickly assess a situation and make an informed decision is impressive.” When she turned back with a glass Jane was already opening the bottle, and without prompting poured some out for Maura.

“You think?” Jane asked pushing Maura’s glass towards her. “That’s high praise from someone of your caliber.”

Maura contemplated her next choice of words. If she wanted something to happen between the two of them that night, she would have to make it explicitly clear. Jane didn’t appear to be the type that would make the first move after asking someone out on a date. Whether that was self-induced doubt or a unique perk of her character Maura was unsure.

“Yes well, it was rather arousing.”

Jane paused mid sip, pinning Maura with a smoldering gaze. “Careful Dr. Isles,” she warned. “You’ll start giving a girl ideas on our first date.”

With a click of her tongue Maura stepped closer to Jane, giving her hips an extra sway that made Jane’s eyes darken. “You could argue this is at least our second.” She knew what she wanted and she was certain Jane felt the same. “Our first just happened to include two kindergartners.”

“You know—” Jane plucked Maura’s glass from her hand and set it down beside her beer. “—I like the way you think Dr. Isles,” she husked leaning forward to press thin lips against plump pink.

Smiling into the kiss, Maura gripped the front of Jane’s floral button down to pull her closer and slide her tongue across Jane’s lower lip. “You know there are a few other things I can do you might like.”

“Jesus,” Jane groaned. She tried pulling away from Maura, but every time she took a step back the honey blonde followed and before she could stop herself Jane had her arms wrapped around Maura pulling her closer. “Shit,” she tried again, this time putting a hand between themselves to keep Maura from latching back on. “You’re hard to resist you know that?”

“I never said you should try.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know. But I gotta tell you somethin’ first,” she sighed, dropping her head a little and introducing more space between them. “Kinda has to do with this.”

Maura stopped her teasing when she realized Jane was growing more nervous by the second with constant rubbing of her hands. “It has to do with sex?”

“Yeah, just um if you’re not cool with it just don’t be an asshole okay? I’ll leave and you can never hear from me again.”

“Ja—”

“I have a penis.”

A lot of things ran through Maura’s mind when Jane started talking. Maybe Jane was married. Maybe she had an STI. A child perhaps? The options seemed endless, but male genitalia never quite crossed her mind.

“I’m intersex,” Jane continued. “I’m assuming you know what that means?” Maura nodded. “Okay, yeah. So, without getting into the medical bullshit I got all the boy parts down south. I was lucky, my ma caught something was different early on and took me to get tested instead of it all showing up during puberty. I chose to keep the tits because I never felt like anything else other than a girl. And I wasn’t willing to part with my junk. So here I am.”

The longer Maura thought about it, the more her fantasies of what it would be like to be with Jane morphed. The idea of a Jane filling her while strong hands mapped all over her body made Maura clench. It may not have been what she was expecting, but it certainly didn’t deter her.

“Are you sterile?”

“Whoa, hey,” Jane exclaimed cupping the front of her pants. “Relax would ya. It’s a sensitive topic for em.”

“I’m sorry. That was invasive.”

“No, it’s okay, and it’s fair, I just wasn’t expecting it as the first thing you said.” She pulled her hands away from protecting her womanhood. “I’m not sterile. It’s just a really fucking slim chance that anything would happen. Docs all told me if I wanted kids with a chick they’d recommend insemination for best chance.”

“Did you bring any condoms?”

“That’s it? That’s your only question?”

“Well I have some, but I’m hesitant to think they would fit based on your build. I suppose you could pull out instead. If you’ve been tested recently that is.”

Jane was dumbfounded. While she didn’t always receive a negative reaction when her bedmates found out it usually took a while before they were comfortable with trying it. And those were people Jane was dating. This was one date with Maura and she was already pass the shock value and ready to climb into bed?

Jane shook her head in disbelief, but answered Maura’s questions either way. “Uh, no I didn’t bring any condoms, I didn’t think I’d be this lucky. But yeah, I’m clean. Got tested a few weeks ago.”

“Do you usually get negative responses?”

“I mean yeah oftenish.” Jane admitted. “I’d say thirty percent kicked out, called a name, or broken up with. Seventy percent fun to try, pushing me to transition, or breaking up because they don’t see something with me long term anymore.”

“People are ignorant. If you’re comfortable with who you are then that’s all that matters. But just to be clear, your intersex status doesn’t bother me.” Maura cleared her throat in an attempt to clear the crawling blush from her cheeks. “And not be too forward, but it’s not something that would cause me to think something couldn’t happen between us long term.”

A small silence settled between the pair. Maura could tell Jane was assessing their situation, really assessing Maura. Mulling over her blatant honestly and trying to determine how truthful it was. While unfair to Jane, she knew how close-minded people could be and imagined her response was one of very few Jane ever received when discussing her anatomy.

“You mean that huh?” Jane finally asked after several minutes silence.

Maura confirmed with a gentle nod. “I was an odd kid growing up. Too intelligent for my peers, too young for adults. It wasn’t something I asked for, it was just the result of genetics, but still I was ostracized for it more often than not.” She pushed Jane’s arm down and took two steps forward so she could drag a finger up her chest. “Plus, you’re a catch. So, while I don’t like how people have treated you in the past, I’m certainly glad to have caught you single.”

Jane’s eyes shined in anticipation as she chuckled from deep within her chest. It was the type of chuckle that made Maura want to moan because it was deep and sexy and invited so many ideas of what was to come into her mind. “We make quite the pair huh?” Jane asked picking up her beer to take a sip. “Just a bunch of rejects.”

Maura took a moment to pause, looking at Jane with a sparkle as the future of what could be flashed. Jane was kind, intelligent, great with kids, driven, strong, and an absolute panty dropper. For the first time, in a long time, Maura saw the possibility of more evolving with someone and that was scary thing. She knew she could be a bit of an oddball at times, especially outside of her family’s societal ties, so Jane’s genuine interest was rather surprising and very addicting.

Jane reached out for Maura, letting her hand rest on her hip. “It alright if I kiss you again?”

“By all means lieutenant.”

***

“Oh thank god,” Maura mewled, her head thrown back with one hand gripping lavender sheet and the other buried in brunette tresses. Her walls tightened around Jane’s fingers as she sobbed in relief when Jane brushed her tongue across her clit.

“You always get this wet?” Jane asked peeling her mouth away from Maura only long enough to get the question out before diving back in letting her teeth graze the nub causing Maura’s hips to buck and breathy scream to escape her lips.

“Gods, you shouldn’t be this good at this.”

Jane laughed, and it sounded like music, and only pushed Maura further towards the edge. “Oh yeah?” She crawled up the beautiful naked body beneath her, pressing open mouth kisses against any fraction of skin her lips found until she was laying completely over Maura, fingers still buried deep and thrusting at an orgasmic pace. “Why’s that?”

Maura could feel Jane’s hard on pressing against her thigh, teasing her with what else she had to offer. Jane felt moderately above average in size, though she couldn’t be sure because somehow, while they managed to peel every inch of clothing off of Maura, Jane still had on a cute pair of black and campfire boxer briefs.

“Because it’s addicting,” Maura groaned pulling Jane down for a messy kiss that was full of teeth and tongue and the taste of Maura herself. “Oh god,” she choked when a third finger was added and that special spot inside of her was tapped repeatedly. “Please don’t stop.”

Jane was hypnotized by the way Maura’s teeth hung on to her bottom lip and she panted little breath into Jane’s own mouth. It made her twitch in her briefs and her hunger to bring the woman to climax that much stronger.  

Stai andando così bene,” Jane encouraged in a deep husky voice. “If this is how you feel around my fingers, I know I’ll lose it once I’m inside of ya.”

Maura felt herself clench then gush at the whispered words of praise. Jane’s fingers were unmatched, stroking and pleasing her in ways she’d never felt before. She could only imagine what the lieutenant would be capable of with her hips.

“You gonna come for me Dr. Isles?”

Jesus, it was such a simple question, but it sounded absolutely filthy coming out of Jane while she curled her fingers and thrusted even harder. Maura’s walls seized, gripping Jane’s digits in a tight grip as she came undone, wetness coating both their thighs. It was intoxicating and surrounded by the faint smokey smell that Jane seemed to naturally carry. Gods it was everything.

As she came down from her high Jane continued to lazily pump in out of Maura, pressing delicate kisses across her skin. “That’s definitely one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen,” she said turning kisses into nips, her legs rocking and rubbing her erection against Maura’s leg.

“I’m sure you say that to all the girls,” Maura teased still breathless, skimming her hands across Jane’s muscled back and down to flexing ass cheeks.

Jane groaned and thrusted her hips forward nudging her cock against Maura’s folds. “Never been with a woman as beautiful as you to say it to,” she admitted.  

The whisper, the lazy rocking, the way Jane’s body flexed each time she sunk her nails into her skin; it was too much for Maura. It worked her back up and made her squirm.

“I like you like this,” Jane told her, hiking Maura’s leg around her waist and pressing against her harder. “Wantin’ me inside you.”

“I do. I want it,” she whined and shoved her Jane’s briefs down as far as she could freeing her cock from it’s confines.

Jane’s movement stuttered  as she took in the feeling of any part of Maura touching her sexually.

“I’ve never come that hard from someone’s fingers alone.”  Maura whimpered and dragged her hand between her thighs to collect her wetness and spread it down Jane’s length before pumping her hand slowly.

“Then— shit— you ain’t been with the right people.” Jane’s Boston accent grew thicker as her hips jogged after Maura’s fist increasing in speed.

 “Are you planning on changing that lieutenant?”

“Hell yeah I am.” Jane tightened her hold on Maura’s leg and thrusted faster. “A woman like you should be reminded how irresistible you are frequently.”

The constant praise, the raining compliments. It’s stroked something in Maura that made her ache all the more for the person spewing them.

She dropped her leg from Jane’s waist and adjusted so she could drag the tip through her sopping folds, moaning when she nudged her clit.

“Where are your condoms?” Jane grunted, her body melting at the feeling of where she could be as Maura teased her own entrance.

“They’re too small. Can you pull out?”

Jane nodded and Maura lined her with her entrance so she could sheathed herself in heated heaven. .

“Jesus Christ,” Jane moaned from deep within her gut. She grabbed Maura’s writs and pinned them above her head. “Ain’t no way imma ever be inside you with a condom after this,” she said eyes rolling back in pleasure.

Maura was perfect. Everything about Maura was absolute fucking perfection. She tightened around Jane, pulling her deeper as wetness gushed around the welcome intrusion.

Jane snapped her hips, delivering a sharp thrust of her hips, the start to a methodical and rhythmic pace. “You some type of crazy axe murderer or something?”

Maura let out a breathy laugh, her chest bouncing with the movement and catching the lieutenant’s eye. “Maybe,” she drew the word playing along with Jane. “Why do you ask?” Loving the way her bed mate continued to stare at her chest, Maura pushed her chest out inviting Jane to wrap her lips around pink nipples, lavishing them with her tongue, and making Maura buck when she sunk her teeth in.

“Cause I can’t imagine how someone lets you go after knowing what this feels like.”

“Careful lieutenant, you might give me a big head, thinking all it takes is letting you inside of me to get whatever I want.”

“I can tell you right now, yea, that’s all it’s gonna take. Shit— Jesus you’re so fucking wet, and warm. Feels like you tryna make me part of you.”

Jane was a talker during sex. That fact both surprised Maura yet fit the lieutenant perfectly. It wasn’t something Maura could say she had a strong opinion of one way or the other, but then Jane said something that shot arousal from her brain all the way to her core that made her clench with a high pitched whine.

“God that’s it beautiful. You’re taking me so good.”

Beautiful. It was such a simple word. An adjective she’d heard more than once as a compliment from men and women alike.

But with the strong and handsome Lieutenant Rizzoli rolling her hips against her, sliding herself in and out of Maura, trying different techniques to keep her keening, it took on a whole new meaning. And that did something to Maura’s brain in the moment that made her feel like the sweetest thing in the world. Like Jane being inside of her was an honor.

“Fuck.”

She was so close, the pressure was building in her belly, crawling down her spine, her walls pulling Jane closer her trapped arms desperate to hold the lieutenant only heightening what she was feeling.

“What’d you need?”

“Faster.”

Eager to please, Jane dropped her head to Maura’s shoulder and sped up her thrust, freeing one hand to wrap Maura’s leg back around her waist.”

“Oh god, yes,” Maura cried. “Right there. Fuck don’t stop Jane.”

Jane was close, she knew she was close with the way her balls tightened and jolts of electricity shot through her veins, but she couldn’t yet. There was no way her first time with someone like Maura Isles she was gonna come before her.

But fuck, Maura had clamped down and didn’t seem interested in letting her go and it felt so fucking good. But something was holding her back, keeping her right on the brink, with her eyes screwed shut and her breaths shallow.

“Tell me,” Jane demanded sinking her teeth into the softness of Maura’s chest.

Maura cried out in absolute heaven at the feeling, using her free hand to slide down her body and rub vigorously at her clit. She needed to hear it, that’s all she needed. “Say it again.

Jane racked her brain trying to decipher what Maura was talking about. She’d said a lot of things trying to figure out what Maura’s style was.

“Jane please, I’m so close.”

“Beautiful you gotta tell me what it is— sweet fuck.” Jane stilled her hips, her teeth gripping her bottom lip and her eyes slammed shut.

Maura came around her like a freight train, pulling her deeper, tightening around her like Jane was her property. And the choked wail that reverberated from her chest and ended as a scream was like music to Jane’s ears. And all she needed to come undone.

Jane pulled out of Maura using one hand to stroke her own length while the other pushed two fingers inside of Maura to help her ride out her own pleasure. She twisted and pumped herself vigorously grunting as ropes of cum shot out covering all of Maura’s lower half in it.

With deep breaths she leisurely jacked herself off letting the last of her release spill from her tip and on to her hand.  “Sorry about the mess,” Jane apologized withdrawing her fingers from Maura and sucking the juices before reaching over to grab her shirt off the floor to wipe Maura off.

“You’re a very thoughtful individual,” Maura commented watching Jane clean her up.

“It’s the least I could do after letting me do that.”

With soft eyes and opened arms Maura beckoned Jane to her. “Come here. I like how you feel on top of me.”

The lieutenant fell into Maura’s embrace willingly loving the feeling of the smaller woman wrapped around her.

“You mind if I stay here tonight?” Jane asked her body growing heavier with each passing breath.

“I prefer it. I couldn’t imagine you driving home after the day you had.”

“Appreciate it. Here,” she rolled off of Maura and on to her back. “Go use the bathroom, then we’ll get some sleep.”

It was a command, soft and caring, but a command none the less. Maura looked at Jane with a challenging arched brow, that Jane didn’t seem all that intimidated by, but got out of bed nonetheless, already having planned to use it before Jane said anything.

When Maura returned Jane had the sheets pulled down to her waist and her breathing was heavy and even.

“You are going to get me into so much trouble,” Maura murmured crawling back into bed beside Jane. “Come back here.” She softly pulled at Jane’s arm a little to encourage her sleep drunk mind to roll over until half of her body lied on top of Maura. “Good night lieutenant.”

Notte, bella

***

When Maura woke up the following morning it was to the soft pressing of lips against her neck, then her cheek, and finally her lips. It caused her eyes to flutterer open and a smile to spread across her face.

“I gotta go,” Jane whispered. “Got shift in a few hours,” she pulled back a little so she could lose herself in Maura’s eyes. “I wanna see you again.”

“When are you off next?”

“Friday at six. I gotta double.”

“Do you want to come over after? I can make dinner.”

“Alright, yeah. That sounds good.” Jane pushed against her knees to stand. “Come lock the door behind me.”

With a grumbled protest Maura crawled out of bed, wrapping her hands around Jane’s arm and followed her downstairs.

“I’ll call you when I’m done,” Jane promised pulling open the front door before turning back to Maura.

“I’ll be on call so if a body shows you may have to meet me at the precinct instead.”

“Not a big deal. Just let me know.”

With a single nod in confirmation Maura leaned up on her toes to press her lips against Jane’s. “Have a good shift.”

“Thanks, beautiful. Have a good day.”

Maura groaned at the pet name and pushed the lieutenant out the front door. She watched as she climbed into her truck and sped off before closing and locking the front door.

It was a beautiful way to start the day.

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