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“No! No hospital!” Detective Adams almost shouted as Rizzoli tried to usher him towards an ambulance.
“Adams, you got shot in the shoulder, you need to see someone” Korsak tried to persuade him.
“No hospital!” He reiterated.
“Fine, then at least have Maura check you out, I can take you to her” Jane suggested. She wasn’t stupid, she had seen the looks they’d been giving eachother and figured she was the only person he would let near him.
As much as Adams hated hospitals, he knew having Maura check him out was the next best idea.
“Alright alright, let’s go!” He gave in letting Jane lead him to her car as he grabbed his arm, wincing at the pain in his collarbone.
—
Adams raced past houses, not bothering to wait for backup, as he jumped over a gate to tail the suspect.
“Police! Drop the gun and let me see your hands!” He shouted as he cornered the suspect in an alley.
In a split second the suspect had turned around and fired a shot. He felt the pain rip through his shoulder as he shot the suspect square in the chest - just like they were taught.
They fell to the ground almost in unison as Adams let out a scream from the pain he was feeling. He had been shot before but damn did it hurt just as much - if not more - every time.
“Adams! Are you okay?” Jane asked as Frost ran to check on the suspect and radio for an ambulance.
“Come on, we gotta get you to a hospital” Jane said trying to help Adams stand up.
“No, I’m fine really” Adams tried to play it off, obviously failing when he gritted his teeth in pain.
“Seriously, no you’re not, you need a hospital” Rizzoli persisted as Adams started to walk away.
“No! No hospital!”
—
“Alright, come on tough guy” Jane said as she helped Adams out of her car and into the building.
They took the elevator down to Maura’s floor, Adams wincing at every bump.
“Maura, are you here?” Jane shouted as she helped Adams walk into the morgue, hoping he wouldn’t pass out on her.
“Jane? What happened?” Maura asked as she hurriedly took her gloves off, giving Adams a worried look.
“I’m fine Dr Isles, really” Adams said as he tried to get away from Rizzoli, who was still worried he was going to pass out on her.
“You are not fine! Detective ‘hotshot’ over here decided it would be a great idea to sprint after an armed suspect, who was facing away from him, and corner him in an alley” Jane explained to Maura, her voice laced with sarcasm.
She seemed angry but Adams knew she was just worried about him.
“What was I supposed to do, he was going to get away!” Adams defended himself as he walked over to one of the autopsy tables and sat himself on it.
“You wait for backup!” Jane shouted back at him.
“Oh like you’re any better” He shot back, immediately thinking he took it too far.
“I’m sorry, that was too far” He apologised, correcting his anger.
“It’s okay, I get it, you’re angry, but Adams, I learnt from that mistake and so should you” Rizzoli used her soft voice on him, he was younger than most of them so she felt like an older sister towards him and often got very protective.
“I know, I’m sorry, it won’t happen again” Adams told her.
Maura had been poking and prodding at his shoulder the whole time they were arguing. She pulled his suit jacket off - making him wince as she looked at him in apology - so she could get a better idea of what she was dealing with.
“I’m going to need you to take your shirt off so that I can examine your wound properly” Maura stated as she collected the supplies she would need to clean and stitch his shoulder up.
“It seems like a through and through so it just needs cleaning and stitching up” She added.
“Yeah, not happening” Adams said defensively, starting to get off the table he was sat on.
Maura stopped him with a hand on his good shoulder.
“It’s either me or a random doctor you don’t know, your choice” She told him, not wanting to trap him but also not wanting him to walk around untreated.
She thought about all the possibilities if he didn’t get it treated: infection, sepsis, amputation..death. She took a deep breath to stop those thoughts.
Adams looked down in thought, chewing on his cheek - an anxious tic he had picked up as a child. He was scared. He had always been careful not to injure himself so this wouldn’t happen. He was scared that people would find out and he would be treated differently.
Maura must have sensed his distress as she furrowed her brow. “Jane, why don’t you deal with wrapping up the case and I can treat Detective Adams here” She suggested.
“Okay, call me if you need anything” Jane said as she walked out of the lab.
“I thought you weren’t good at reading social cues” Adams said with a chuckle.
“I’ve been anxious and scared enough myself to recognise it in other people” Maura replied, standing in front of him.
“Why do you not feel comfortable taking your shirt off?” Maura inquired.
Adams sighed. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t tell her. His crush on her was bad enough now. What would he do if she hated him after this?
“I need to treat your wound otherwise it will get infected” Maura told him, trying to comfort him but also convey the urgency to clean the wound as soon as possible.
“I know, I know. Can we draw the blinds or something?” He asked.
“I can get a privacy screen to put here if that would help?” Maura suggested, wanting to make Adams as comfortable as possible.
“Yeah, that would, thanks” Adams thanked her, she was so kind and considerate and no wonder he was crushing on her.
As she came back, setting up the privacy screen so nobody from outside could see them, Adams figured it was now or never.
“Maura, there’s something about me that I haven’t told anyone at the station, not even Jane” He started.
Maura nodded to show him she was listening. Adams’ heart pounded in his chest, he supposed if someone had to know he was glad it was Maura, but it was still terrifying. He took a deep breath and just said it.
“I’m transgender” He said, scrunching his eyes shut in anticipation of her reaction. When he didn’t hear her say anything, he slowly opened one eye, catching Maura smiling widely at him.
“I had my suspicions” She said casually.
Adams’ eyes widened. “What!?” He shouted. “You knew?” He asked.
“No. I said I had my suspicions” She corrected him. “It wasn’t my place to ask or go snooping or tell anyone else so I kept it to myself. I knew that if you wanted me to know, you would tell me yourself” She added.
“I appreciate that, not everyone is so understanding” Adams thanked her.
“So I assume the reason you won’t take your shirt off is because you have not yet had top surgery?” Maura asked.
“Yeah. Wait, how do you know so much about this?” He asked.
“Well, when I first had my suspicions, I looked it up. I’m always open to learning about new things and I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable or say the wrong things." She explained.
“I have to say, out of everyone I assumed you’d be the least accepting. I mean you are all about science.” He admitted.
“Well yes, I love science, but there is scientific evidence pointing to the fact that transgender people’s brains do in fact differ from the biological sex” She ranted about her research on the topic.
Adams would be lying if he said he didn’t find it wildly attractive. No one had ever done any sort of research regarding his identity and the fact that Dr Isles was willing to learn kind of turned him on a bit.
“I just don’t understand how someone could attack people for simply living, you aren’t a danger to society, you’re one of the kindest men I know and anyone who says any different can-”
Maura felt her legs turn to jelly as Adams cut her off with a kiss. It was gentle and slow, she couldn't help the butterflies in her stomach. Adams wrapped his hands around her waist, tenderly pulling her towards him, not hard enough to stretch her spine in the wrong way, which many of her past lovers had done - she found it very uncomfortable - but just enough for her to be standing closer to him.
Adams opened his mouth into the kiss, their tongues fighting for dominance, yet somehow still gentle. Maura couldn’t help the soft sigh that fell from her lips, she had never been treated with such care before, it was always men trying to get her into bed.
Adams eventually pulled away, foreheads together and hands still resting on her hips. Maura’s lips were swollen and her lipstick was smudged but she had a goofy smile plastered on her face - so did Adams.
“I’ve been wanting to do that for so long” He whispered, not wanting the intimate moment to end.
“Why haven’t you?” She asked, hands still wrapped around his neck.
“I didn’t know if you felt the same” He answered, ducking his head between them.
“Or if you’d accept me once I told you. Supporting someone is one thing but being attracted to them is completely different” He added.
“But just now..when you were ranting about the research you did, to be able to-to know me better and not make me uncomfortable. I just..No one has ever done any sort of research for me before” He explained.
Maura’s smile grew impossibly bigger.
“Well, I am definitely attracted to you, no matter what gender you are or what genitalia you have”
“I am glad to hear that” He replied, smiling goofily and looking at her with absolute adoration.
“Now, sit down!” Maura softly shouted at him.
“Yes, boss” He smirked at her, kind of liking her bossy voice.
“Take your shirt off” She told him.
“Maura! At least take me to dinner first” He joked.
“Very funny” She replied as Adams started to unbutton his shirt.
“Just..don’t look too much okay?” Adams asked softly, not wanting to look her in the eyes.
“Of course, I’m only here to clean and dress the wound” She reassured him.
He peeled his shirt off, revealing the tape he uses to bind.
“Is that safe?” Maura asked as she started cleaning the wound.
Adams knew she was genuinely concerned and wouldn’t mention it otherwise.
“Yes, as long as you follow the guidelines like correct application and removal. I’ve had a couple instances where I haven’t taken it off properly and ended up with some grazing” He answered.
“Interesting, I only read about binding with binders, but I read that’s not completely safe either” She mentioned.
“Yeah, it’s okay as long as you follow the rules and listen to what your body is telling you. Some people do abuse it and end up paying the price, but I get where they’re coming from. The physical pain is better than the mental pain dysphoria causes” Adams explained.
“I can’t even imagine” Maura sympathised.
“Okay, all done” She exclaimed after a few minutes of comfortable silence.
“Thanks Doc” Adams said as he started buttoning his shirt back up.
“You’re very welcome” Maura smiled as she turned to clear the equipment away.
“So..” Adams started as he slid his arms around her waist, laying his chin on her shoulder. “Would you like to go to dinner with me tonight?”
Maura turned, draping her arms over his shoulders, the biggest smiles on both their faces.
“I would love nothing more” She concluded.