The Next Chapter (A Rizzoli & Isles fanfiction)

21.

What was Maura hiding? As Jane finished up her bath, she started to wonder why Maura had been so secretive about her book. Maura got so weird about it whenever Jane asked and now she was questioning everything. Was there something there she didn't want Jane to read? What was she hiding? Jane was a detective and she was going to find out what it was that Maura was hiding, even if it had a detrimental effect on their friendship. 

She changed into her pyjamas and joined Maura in the bedroom. She was tapping away furiously at her laptop keys, her eyes focused only on her screen. What was she writing about? Jane had to know...
"Hey." Jane said. 
"Hey." Maura finally stopped typing, closing her laptop screen down until the screen went black, the lid almost shut. Jane released a heavy sigh, her eyes rolling as she folded her arms. 

"Okay Maura. Enough is enough!" Jane snapped. "What are you writing about and why don't you want me to see it?!" Maura simply stared at Jane, her eyes wide, her bottom jaw dropped open as if caught off guard by the brash detective's outburst. She had always been impatient, but they had been in Paris for one full day and this was how it was ending. 
"It's nothi-"
"You're lying, Maura, and you get hives when you lie. So don't even try it." Jane raised a brow. 

Perhaps Maura should just tell her the truth. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad being out in the open, right? What's the worst Jane could do? Say she didn't like her back and would rather just stay as friends? It can't be /that/ scary to say 'I think I might like you' to your best friend, right? Maura couldn't exactly keep it hidden for too much longer. Jane didn't have the patience to stick by Maura's side whilst she acted like a love sick puppy. 

The very thought of putting those words out into the open brought a sickness to Maura's stomach, but she knew that if she didn't do this soon, she ran the risk of losing her best friend. Was she really prepared to lose her best friend over this when she could just come out and tell the truth? It's not like Jane could storm off in a fit of rage, because they were in Paris and Jane wasn't great at directions here. Maura realised then that this could be the best opportunity to tell Jane, whilst the hotel was closing services and the night was creeping in on the room, casting shadows on the floors of the hotel suite. Yes, this moment right here could be perfect...

"You know what Maura? Don't bother." Jane waved a very dismissive hand, her guard coming right up at Maura's hesitation to answer her question. "I don't even care that much anyway..." Jane mumbled under her breath as she turned sharply on her heel, her back to Maura. Jane then pulled the scrunchie from her hair, allowing it to fall down her shoulders. Maura loved the way Jane's hair framed her face so perfectly and yet still kept the unruly curls Jane's mother was always trying to tame. 

Jane was really mad at her and there was only one thing Maura could think to do. She had to tell Jane the truth. She had to tell her how she felt, otherwise, there might be no coming back from this. Sure, they had fights much worse than this in the past, but this was different. It felt different. The honey blonde knew that their fights in the past had been resolved rather quickly because it was over minor things or work things, but this was personal. This was... new and terrifying but as Maura studied the cold and uninviting body language of the fierce detective before her, she knew her time was limited. She had this moment and this moment only to fix the damage she was doing here.

"Jane." She said softly, walking a little closer to the female who had her back turned to her. 
"No, Maura. I don't want to talk about it anymore. Clearly you don't want me reading this book of yours which is crazy, by the way." Jane huffed a sigh, arms still folded as she risked a quick look over her shoulder at the female behind.
"Stop being so stubborn and hear me out!" Maura burst out, snapping at Jane. It got her attention though and Jane turned around again to face Maura. 

For a moment, neither of them said anything. An uncomfortable silence settled in the now darkened room as Maura composed herself again. She turned on her heel and walked back to the laptop. She hesitated for just a second - was she really going to do this? Yes, she was. She had to... Opening the screen, she tapped in her password and opened the document containing the outline of the story and character details. 

"Maur'?" Jane said softly from behind her. 
"Here. Read it, okay? Just..." She paused. "Read it." Lowering her voice, she got up from the chair and moved to the bed, plonking down on the end. Jane watched her for a moment, unsure if she should do this, but Maura looked to the floor and Jane made her decision. Slipping into the chair where Maura had just been in, Jane focused her eyes on the screen and began reading. 

A woman named Mila Irvin, set on changing her career to shake up her boring life. Mila lived a boring life, just going about the motions and sticking to her routine, but when the opportunity arises to travel, Mila quit her 9-5 job and jumped on a plane to explore the world she was yet to see. Paris was her first stop and Mila was just expecting to pass through, but she ends up staying longer than expected because she falls in love. The love Mila experienced was different to that she was used to. She had only ever dated men, but when she sets her eyes upon a beautiful woman named Jaime Raoux. Neither of them had ever been with men before, but after spending  a month in Paris together, feelings begin to form and Mila has a hard decision to make - will she stay in Paris for Jaime or will she leave this all behind? 

Jane began to put the details together. 
Two women, going to Paris for a month together. It was vague and so far, Jane couldn't see why Maura was freaking out. She had told her most of this on the plane, so what was the problem? The only details Jane didn't know were their appearances and names. 
Names.
It was then that Jane grabbed a pen and paper and wrote out the two names on it on a separate sheet of paper for each.
Mila Irving. 
Jaime Raoux.
The raven haired female scrolled down and continued reading. The next page was the character's appearances and backgrounds. This was what was looking for.

Mila Irvin - short in height, honey blonde hair, natural. Dresses up, adores fashion and really loves learning about the world, different cultures and facts. Worked hard her whole life to get into her chosen profession. Works a 9-5 job in a magazine company, assisting with getting the models ready for the catwalk and approving images for the covers of magazines. Determined and smart but awkward around people. Tends to babble when she feels cornered or scared or nervous. Only ever dated men, but to no success as they all ended awfully.

Jane went to Mila's paper and began taking notes on her character, underlining some key words as she went. She then continued reading. 

Jaime Raoux - tall (taller than Mila), raven haired curly hair, natural but messy sometimes. Hates fancy things and usually just wears whatever she sees first in her wardrobe. Living in Paris simply because her ex boyfriend had dragged her here and then broke up with her not so long before she meets Mila. Works hard and never misses a day at her job in a bank. Takes life too seriously. Has been through some horrible things in past relationships. Only ever been with men. No problem talking to people but can be sarcastic. 

Just like with Mila, Jane took notes on Jaime's page and underlined those key words again. When she had finished reading over her notes, she sighed and put her pen down on the table. Something was so familiar about these characters. There was things that were totally off, like Jaime working in a bank and Mila in a fashion magazine, but something was... oddly familiar. 

At this moment, Jane let out a small gasp and grabbed her pen again. 
She knows, Maura thought to herself as she watched the detective circle something furiously on her pages. 

(M)ila (I)rving .
(J)aime (R)aoux.

Maura Isles.
Jane Rizzoli. 

The detective sat frozen in her spot for a little while, unable to move or speak to the honey blonde. That silence that settled in the room had /really/ made itself comfortable now as Jane took a moment to re-read everything. What did this all mean? Was Maura writing about them? No, she can't be because half of this wasn't true or hadn't happened... She then thought about it again and it hit her. 

Pushing her chair out, Jane slowly rose to her feet, watching as Maura did the same. She locked eyes with her best friend, her jaw opened just slightly. 
"Maura..." She said quietly. "Is this- is this about us?" When the honey blonde didn't answer, Jane swallowed a lump in the back of her throat and tried again.

"Are you in love with me?" Jane asked, her voice shaky as she watched the honey blonde's eyes fill with tears, waiting for her to respond. Maura stood frozen in her tracks, allowing the tears to well up as she kept shaky eye contact with the woman she had fallen completely in love with.

Well Maura, there was no turning back now...