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Detective Jane Rizzoli honestly thought she knew all the quirks and hidden guilty pleasures that her best friend Doctor Maura Isles harboured. She honestly thought she knew, until she found herself curled up on the couch on a rainy weekend watching Xena; Warrior Princess with said best friend.
Xena freakin' Warrior Princess. It is ancient Greece, it is exaggerated, it is the journey of two best friends and it is sword fights. Lots and lots of sword fights. It's no Criminal Minds, but all in all it is quite entertaining. Still, it isn't something Jane considers being down Maura's alley and yet every time she looks sideways at her friend she is clearly enthralled.
Currently they are in the midst of a story arc which has seen events slowly erode away at the friendship between the protagonists Xena and Gabrielle. The last episode culminated in the death of Xena's son at the hands of Gabrielle's evil spawn (and don't get Jane started on that entire story line). Currently Xena is fighting her way easily through a tribe of Amazons to get to Gabrielle and assumedly try to kill her.
And I thought it was bad when I shot Paddy!
Jane casts a sideways glance at Maura once more and sighs loudly in an attempt to get her attention. When that doesn't work she voices her incredulity, "Really?"
Maura turns an appraising eye on her friend. "Yes Jane?"
"She's really going to try and kill her best friend? You don't find that a bit extreme?" Jane is pretty sure the face she is pulling equates to the pictorial definition of what the hell?
"Of course it is extreme, but Xena is a passionate woman whose child was killed because of a decision Gabrielle made. It is natural that the encouragement she received from Ares only fuelled her inner rage." Satisfied with her answer Maura returns her gaze to the screen as Xena holds Gabrielle above her head ready to hurl her over the edge of a cliff.
Jane covers her face and peeks through her hands with one eye in anticipation of a terrible act only to almost jump out of her seat with joy when Gabrielle regains consciousness and kicks down at Xena so that she is dropped safely back onto the ground. "Thank God, now would you two guys just talk your issues out?!"
Maura stifles a chuckle. Having already seen the series through she knows that the seriousness of the story arc is about to get a little weird and that Jane is going to whinge incessantly about the ridiculousness of the entire scenario. Naturally Maura still enjoyed the episode the first time around, even if it was a musical and the characters on her screen are about to burst into song. The message she took from the episode itself was beautiful and she can only hope that Jane will see that, in between all of the whining that will surely come.
"Did you know that the actress Danielle Cormack, who portrays Ephiny, is the actress that portrays the character of Bea in the Australian prison drama Wentworth?" Maura cannot help herself she always has to share random facts with her best friend.
Jane frowns as on the screen Gabrielle angrily yells, "I hate you," at Xena then runs and tackles her, sending them both falling over the edge of a cliff into the water below. She turns to look at Maura, "No I didn't know that, but that show is the definition of gritty drama!"
Maura offers her friend a soft smile before returning her gaze to the television. She is actually surprised that Jane has yet to question why she enjoyed the program, but then it is just like Jane to accept everything that defines her in stride. She had stumbled upon an episode while she and Jane were fighting over the shooting of Paddy Doyle and found herself drawn to the friendship between the two women. She subsequently bought the entire series on Amazon and binge watched all six seasons before she and Jane had made their peace with one another.
"Oh God," Jane groans, "Please tell me this is not turning into a freakin' musical?"
Maura smiles sheepishly at her friend and shrugs, "Sorry Jane, I cannot do that."
"Okay, next. Skip this one; I don't want to watch no freakin' song and dance. This is meant to be like an adventure show. This is so incredibly stupid. I bet they sing out all their problems and all but kiss and make up right?" Jane stares knowingly at Maura.
Maura pauses the DVD, having learned very quickly not to trust Jane with the remote control when they are watching something she wants them to watch. "Jane," she says sternly, "I would really like for you to watch this episode, it has great meaning to me. Actually, it has great meaning for us both."
Jane's eyes narrow as she assesses the seriousness of her best friend. Recognising an unidentifiable emotion in the hazel eyes that meet her gaze head on she feels the need to ask. "Great meaning for us both?"
Maura sighs and looks down at her hands, which she has clasped firmly in her lap before looking back up at her friend. "It helped me deal with my feelings of betrayal and anger after you shot Paddy."
"Oh." Jane reaches out and takes hold of her friend's hand and gently tugs, "C'mere would ya? I'll watch it, but only if you let me hold you while I do." She always feels a need to be closer with Maura when Paddy is mentioned; shooting him nearly cost her the most important relationship in her life. She honestly doesn't know what she would have done if Maura hadn't forgiven her and if somehow this program helped with that, she can try to take it seriously.
Maura presses play on the remote and effortlessly curls against the body of her best friend, who wraps a protective arm around her before returning her gaze to the television. "Thank you, Jane." She says softly.
They watch silently for several minutes, both women clearly enjoying the closeness that they share. Neither woman willing to admit that it is the sort of closeness they constantly long for.
"The Elysian Fields. Only heroes end up here. Dead heroes. Dead naked heroes!"
Jane cracks up laughing at Gabrielle's proclamation, "Okay, okay so that's funny. Trust Gabrielle to bring some levity to the situation." She cringes a little as Joxer launches into his little ditty, but cannot help but finish the song with him, "I'm Joxer… Joxer the mighty!"
Maura pulls back and looks at Jane incredulously, "Who are you and what have you done with the real Jane Rizzoli?"
"Whaaaat?" Jane feigns innocence.
Maura shakes her head softly and laughs at her best friend. "You really are deceptively complex, aren't you?"
"Well, I dunno I guess I kinda feel for the guy. He's a bumbling idiot in love with a woman he'll never have because she is so clearly in love with Xena." Suddenly feeling uncomfortable with where she is taking the conversation she tries to cover by adding, "But his song is kinda fun, right?"
"Yes, I suppose it is." Maura replies before returning to her position against Jane's side. She has always seen the similarities between the characters in the show and with her relationship with Jane, and now she is certain that Jane saw it to, but she isn't going to push it.
They watch the rest of the episode in relative silence until the final song, where Xena asks for forgiveness from Gabrielle and the spirit of her son. Jane has to admit that she feels like there a lot of similarities between that situation and the one with Doyle. Gabrielle and Maura are the forgiving types, the types that will find a way to forgive their best friend because that's what friends do, regardless the situation. Without realising it she verbalises that thought. "You know you're a lot like Gabrielle."
"I am?" Maura asks, curious to see where her friend is taking this line of conversation.
"Yeah, you're both incredibly forgiving." She speaks almost reverently.
Maura smiles, "And you're like Xena you know."
"Oh?" Jane twists her body so she can look at Maura, who's pulled back and sitting cross legged on the couch.
"Yes, you're both badass!"
"There are also the physical similarities…"
Maura shakes her head and laughs at this. "A tall brunette and a slightly shorter blonde? I suppose I can see what you mean, but Jane, Xena has nothing on you."
Jane grins broadly, she can't help it, Maura complimenting her always makes her heart beat a little quicker. "Yeah well, those two just fit together seamlessly despite their differences. I think Gabrielle is the strong one. She balances out the warrior in Xena. Kind of like how you make me more careful in dangerous situations."
Maura studies Jane thoughtfully, she understands the words and she even understands the sentiment, but she has countless examples of Jane not being more careful. "Are you trying to tell me that there have been more occasions you could have made an unwise decision like you did when you jumped after Paul, entered a hostage situation in a bank without a weapon or shot yourself?"
"Believe it or not, yes." Jane responds sheepishly. She knows Maura has a point. Despite the fact she never wanted Maura to have to know what it was like to mourn her, and despite knowing she did make the right decision sometimes, she still does a lot of dumb things in the line of duty. "You do make me more careful Maur, even if it doesn't seem like it and when I do get myself into trouble. I fight harder to survive it, for you."
Jane watches as Maura tilts her head in the cute little way she does when she is thinking and realises that she has just made a pretty strong statement to her friend. Deciding to take the bull by the horns she continues, "And you know what else I've noticed about those two? Xena loves Gabrielle unconditionally and to be honest, I feel the same way about you."
"What exactly are you saying, Jane?" Maura thinks she understands the declaration, but she dares not assume, not in this instance, not when there are so many definitions of love.
Jane runs a hand through her hair and glances away from Maura while she sifts through her thoughts. What exactly is she saying? "I'm saying that I love you Maura Isles, unconditionally. I'm saying that you are the source of my strength and that you make me want to be a better person… God, I think I'm saying that I'm in love with you."
"You think?" Maura pries gently, "Look at me Jane."
When Jane looks back towards her, she has tears in her eyes, "I don't think… I know." She has been afraid for a long time to voice that thought, to confirm it out loud, but really watching this show about two best friends has reminded her of something important, regardless of whether her feelings are reciprocated she isn't going to lose Maura's friendship over them. She feels foolish for ever fearing she would. It just isn't possible.
Maura smiles radiantly, "I think you should kiss me now."
Jane's eyebrows shoot up, "You think, or you know?"
"I know." Maura murmurs as she leans across and takes the initiative.
It turned out that 'The Bitter Suite' episode has become even more significant in her relationship with Jane. For once it had reminded her of the importance of forgiveness, but now it has given Jane the courage to change their lives forever.
Maura pulls away and smirks at the complete look of awe on Jane's face. "Oh and Jane?"
"Yeah?" She asks with a crooked grin.
"I'm in love with you too."