RIZZOLI & ISLES

The Hero

bluepoet

Title: The Hero

Author: bluepoet

Rating: PG

Spoilers: Ep 1 “See One, Do One, Teach One”

Summary: This follows the scene at Maura’s, where Jane confesses her fear while the two lay on the bed.

A/N: This is for Challenge #1 - http://community.livejournal.com/rizzoli_isles/8939.html, inspired by: “In my wildest dreams, you always play the hero. In my darkest hour of night, you rescue me, you save my life.” – Bliss and Cerney

Disclaimer: Characters aren’t mine. This story, however, is.

The Hero

bluepoet

“I’ve never been so scared in all my life.” Jane tried to smile to play off the terror. As frightened as she felt, she wasn’t good at playing the part of anything other than the hero.

She and Maura continued to lay in silence, staring at the ceiling.

“Will you be able to sleep?” Maura asked her.

Jane sighed. “I dunno. Maybe from sheer exhaustion.” She paused and then whispered, “I’m afraid to fall asleep. I’m afraid to dream.”

Maura rolled over onto her side to face Jane, propping her head up on her left hand. With her right hand, she began to stroke Jane’s right arm. It felt awkward to Maura, always unsure about people, but she hoped it would bring Jane a little comfort. Jane looked up at Maura, again giving her that sheepish smile.

“When we have a tough case,” Maura began, “I sometimes dream about it. I tell myself it makes me a better investigator, better able to understand the victims, to find the clues their bodies have for me. I know that dreams are a smattering of conscious thoughts and feelings we tuck away into the unconscious to process later, but it does shake me from time to time.”

Jane, again staring at the ceiling, breathed deeply and moved her left hand to steady Maura’s hand on her arm. Maura’s hand felt warm under Jane’s. Surprised at the chill of Jane’s skin, Maura took Jane’s hand in hers, hoping to warm it.

“You’re always the hero in my dreams,” Maura said.

Abandoning the nothingness of the ceiling, Jane turned her head to see Maura. “Yeah?” she asked.

“When those dreams turn dark, you always rescue me. You always save my life.”

Jane’s eyes began to glisten, and an unexpected tear escaped. She instinctively pulled her hand from Maura’s to wipe her cheek.

Maura sat up and turned, rising from the bed. “Let me get you some tissue,” she said as she headed for the door. This was one of those instances where she knew just what to do to help someone.

“Wait,” Jane said, surprised by the near panic in her voice as she sat up quickly and reached for Maura. Jane’s voice caught Maura, who stopped and turned to see Jane, a few lines on her cheeks revealing the paths of tears Maura hadn’t seen fall. “Please. Just stay. Don’t worry about it. I’m fine. Just stay with me, okay? Please.”

As Maura sat back down on he edge of the bed, Jane pulled her knees to her chest, hugging them. “Some hero I am, “ she muttered, wiped her tears on the sleeves of her sweater. “I’m a friggin’ mess.”

Maura moved closer to Jane and wrapped her left arm around her, pulling Jane to her. Jane rested her head on Maura’s shoulder. Maura rested her head on Jane’s. They sat on in silence together.

“We’ll catch them. We’ll catch Hoyt and his apprentice,” Maura said, reassuringly.

“I sure hope so,” Jane exhaled.

“Jane,” Maura said, raising her head and letting go of Jane, turning to move toward the door. “Let me go put on something to sleep in. I promise I’ll be right back.” As she opened the bedroom door, she looked back at Jane, the strong detective looking scared and small on Maura’s guest bed.

Maura turned off the lights in the house. When she returned in her tank top and running shorts, Jane was again laying on her back, her hands on her stomach. Jane had dried her tears and retreated to the easy posture of laying on the bed and staring at the ceiling, willing her strength back. She knew, though, that her eyes gave her away when Maura returned and she turned to watch her friend enter and shut the door.

Again laying on her left side facing Jane, Maura rested her hand on Jane’s arm, steady. “Will you try to get some sleep?”

“Yeah. You’ll stay?”

“I’ll stay.”

While Maura reached down to the end of the bed to pull a blanket up and over them, Jane rolled onto her left side, facing away from Maura. Maura laid down, pulling the blanket over Jane and up to her own shoulder. She slid over to Jane, resting her head in a mess of dark hair and pillow. She wrapped her right arm around Jane’s midsection, moving in behind Jane, spooning her. Jane’s tension eased slightly under Maura’s protection, and she and Maura intertwined fingers.

“I can play the hero tonight,” Maura said softly into the back of Jane’s neck. Jane gently squeezed her hand.

~ ~ ~