Disclaimer: All recognizable Rizzoli & Isles characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners including, but not limited to Tess Gerritsen. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this fan fiction story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No financial gain is associated with the publishing of this story. No copyright infringement is intended.

Author's Note: The idea for this piece was actually a dream I had about different people. It made perfect sense when applied to Jane and Maura. I know there are a few stories out there about a drunk Maura, but this, I think might be unique. -dkc

Tipsy

Maura Isles was not one to get tipsy. In fact, she had a very high tolerance for the effects of alcohol and could calculate her own blood alcohol level accurately. Her drink of choice—wine—was substantially less inhibiting of her faculties than hard liquor and she knew this about herself. Therefore, Maura Isles did not get tipsy.

When Jane arrived at the Dirty Robber after work, she was surprised to find the doctor was already there. Instead of their usual booth, she was sitting at the bar drinking a glass of wine and visiting with the bartender. It was odd, but not entirely worthy of concern on her best friend's part.

"Hey, Maur," Jane pulled out a stool next to her friend. "Get started without me?"

"Jane!" Maura's cheeks were rosy, something that could be attributed to the alcohol or some degree of embarrassment.

Nodding to the bartender, the detective was presented with her usual beer. She gave a questioning look to the bartender who flashed her three fingers as he walked away, an answer to the unspoken: How many drinks had Maura had? Three glasses of wine wasn't entirely out of the ordinary, but this usually happened on a weekend when Maura knew she didn't have to work the following day. And it never happened at a bar. Three glasses of wine, moving on to the fourth, happened in the privacy and safety of her own home. Here it was six o'clock in the evening and at the very public bar that everyone from the precinct frequented.

"What's up?" Jane asked.

"I was waiting for you," the doctor smiled at Jane as if nothing was unusual or cause for alarm.

"I see that," Jane wasn't getting the kind of answer she was hoping for and she didn't expect that she would.

"Anything exciting happen down in the morgue today?" Jane took another approach.

"Our newest acquisition continues to work with precision."

Maura's face lit up talking about the scientific gadget that she and Susie had pined over and nearly done a happy dance about when it arrived.

"I missed you at lunch," Jane said.

There was no missing that Maura's face fell at the mention of lunch. The detective couldn't find the M.E. at lunch and nobody in the lab knew where she had gone. Clearly something happened at lunch that defeated Maura's spirits. It was best not to push, Jane could see.

"Let me finish my beer and we can go home," Jane offered.

Maura's hand was quickly on Jane's forearm. They were often touchy-feely. It was something that had developed in their friendship early on and neither woman took exception to it. In fact, Jane had come to relish every touch that Maura offered, despite knowing that this wasn't how most friendships worked.

"Oh, Jane," Maura was alarmed. "I left my car back at work."

Placing a hand over Maura's to calm her; the detective couldn't help but chuckle at the situation. It wasn't in the cards for the doctor to be driving anyway, but what made the detective chuckle was the fact that Maura had forgotten that they rode to work together that morning. Jane had spent the night at Maura's house after a late dinner with Angela. Jane's car was still at Maura's house.

"No big deal, Maur. We can walk to my house and I'll have Ma bring my car over."

Smiling back at Jane, Maura seemed okay with the solution. She swallowed the remainder of her fourth glass of wine, making a slight movement with her thumb under Jane's hand that was a bit unusual—she was lightly rubbing Jane's forearm. Shrugging it off, aware that Maura was always much more free with the touches and long looks when she had more than two glasses of wine, Jane still thought she felt a twinge of something in her own stomach at the movement.

Pulling out her wallet, Jane placed cash on the bar and extended a hand to Maura.

"You can't pay for my wine," Maura protested.

"I just did. Now come on."

Taking Jane's hand, Maura stood. She wasn't tipsy on her feet it seemed, though, given time, the alcohol might make her so.

Leaving the bar, Maura never released Jane's hand. Instead, once outside, the doctor laced her fingers in Jane's as they walked down the block in the direction of Jane's apartment. This was quite different, but Jane enjoyed it far too much to say anything or move to release the grasp they held.

After a couple of blocks, talking about nothing of significance, Maura stopped in the middle of the sidewalk to take off one heel at a time, rubbing the back of her foot and rolling her toes before putting the heels back on.

"I don't see how the look of those heels can possibly outweigh the function," Jane joked, attempting to laugh away the loss she was feeling at having Maura let go of her hand to do the careful dance of one foot then the other.

"When I chose these this morning, I had no idea I would be doing this kind of walking," Maura tilted her head to the side in the adorable way that made Jane melt.

"You're on your feet all day. How could walking be any different?" Jane shook her head, trying not to get lost in Maura's eyes.

"You know I wear sensible shoes while I'm doing autopsies. Besides, heels don't exactly go with scrubs."

And then Maura did the shimmy of her shoulders that could bring Jane to her knees.

"Come on," Jane broke away.

The truth of the matter was that when Maura got extra friendly, her tipsiness giving way to more touching, more flirting and more lingering looks, Jane had to put on her best defensive game or she would easily fall into her own weakness. She could quickly become as flirty and handsy.

"Wait!" Maura got Jane to stop, catching up to her and brushing against her shoulder.

They continued walking the familiar path home to Jane's and after another block, Maura's hand reached over and took Jane's again. This time the action brought actual butterflies to Jane's stomach. She looked over to her friend and saw a sadness there that she had only seen once before at the bar when she had mentioned missing Maura at lunch.

"You want to tell me what's going on with you?" Jane broached the subject again.

"I had a few glasses of wine after work is all."

That Maura wouldn't look at Jane was telling.

"Uh huh," Jane drawled. "Four glasses. Did something happen?"

Maura shook her head and continued to avoid looking over at Jane whose eyes she felt boring a hole in the side of her own face. Suddenly Maura dropped the hold she had on Jane's hand.

"You know I don't enjoy days after a long case when we have no new cases and no new bodies arrive. The clock is tedious. I had performance evaluation meetings with various members of the lab staff. Calls to my assistant medical examiners in each of the counties took most of my time. It was a long day."

Just as Jane was about to question why any of this called for four glasses of wine sitting alone in the Dirty Robber, one of Maura's heels caught a seam in the sidewalk and she swayed to one side. Acting quickly, Jane moved to catch the doctor, wrapping an arm around her waist, effectively pulling Maura's body sideways into her hip. He hand came to rest on Maura's belly.

"Whoa there!" Jane said as she made the quick-thinking move.

The detective was sure Maura was going to pay no heed to Jane once she was firmly on both feet, but instead the doctor made a slight adjustment to their position that couldn't be ignored. There was no way Maura hadn't meant to push her backside back a bit further against Jane's hip. There was no way Maura had done so for the purpose of gaining her footing. The only plausible reason for doing it was to be close to Jane. This realization hit Jane hard. She was stunned and unable to respond in any meaningful way. She liked the position.

"This is about more than the wine or a long day," Jane could nearly whisper, Maura's ear was that close.

Maura let out a sigh before stepping away from Jane.

"It's really nothing," she shook her head.

"Right," Jane knew better. "I'm willing to listen. And I'd like to help."

When Maura went to step forward, resuming their walk home, Jane reached out a hand to stop her. She was surprised when the M.E. whipped around and wrapped her hands around the back of Jane's neck. The smoldering look she gave the detective would have toppled a lesser woman. Never would either of them thought that with one having had too much to drink it would be the other who would be the most vulnerable.

"Maur?" Jane rasped.

The doctor's hazel eyes were full of emotion and slightly glazed from the alcohol that was now fully reaching her bloodstream. She was about to say something when a whistle caught their attention and they were forced to break apart by a beat cop coming out of a deli they passed.

"Hey Rizzoli," he had a shit-eating grin on his face that made Jane want to punch him.

She nodded at him and gestured to Maura to continue walking. Once they were a safe distance away, Jane's anxiety decreased and she let out a sigh of relief.

"That was awkward," she spoke, glancing sideways at the doctor whose cheeks were a touch more pink than moments before.

What Jane didn't know was that the color of Maura's cheeks had nothing to do with the officer they had encountered while in a precarious position. She had been quite turned on with her hands clasped behind Jane's neck and their bodies so close together. Looking into Jane's dark brown eyes, Maura saw things she hadn't allowed herself to see before. And had they not been interrupted, the alcohol would have been enough of an inhibition-dampener that she may have kissed her best friend.

"You'll be the talk of the beat cops," Maura chuckled. "You know once they get past the Queen of the Dead talk they all want in my pants."

Jane's jaw dropped. She had never once heard Maura use the phrase "in my pants." It was far too crass for someone like the M.E. She was also stunned by the implication that the beat cops might think she and Maura were, well, intimate.

"You could make a lot of men awfully jealous, Jane."

Once Jane's mind had caught up and she could form coherent thoughts again, she couldn't help but counter Maura with the banter that had been a mainstay in their friendship. In fact, the banter had at times turned to flirtation bordering on foreplay.

"And you don't think you'd be making anyone jealous?" Jane smirked. "Don't pretend you don't see how they all look at me when I'm in the gym."

The blush returned to Maura's cheeks as she considered how often she, too, had looked at Jane in the gym. Those abs were irresistible. She couldn't help herself sometimes.

"Don't you pretend you don't see how I look at you in the gym," Maura retorted.

It was Jane's turn to blush. What the hell was happening?

Maura brushed her shoulder against Jane's once again, this time linking her arm in Jane's as they continued their walk. When Maura's other hand came over to grip the hand of the arm that she had linked to, it was obvious to both of them, Jane's sober mind more than Maura's, how much like a couple they must look to passersby.

"Are we almost there?" Maura whined, changing the subject.

"Two more blocks," Jane smiled.

"I'm going to need a foot massage after this," Maura hinted.

"Hmm… It's too bad you don't know anyone who gives good foot massages," the detective teased.

"I bet you give good full body massages."

And here was where their banter became dangerous. Jane could have easily said it was time for Maura to find out or she could remain safe and say Maura would never find out. However, Jane loved the idea of giving Maura a full body massage and had, more than once, allowed the thought of doing so to a nude Maura cross her mind.

"No comment, Detective?" it was Maura's turn to tease.

Jane clenched her jaw to prevent any words from escaping before her brain could censor them. There was far too much innuendo that might come out of her mouth if she dared speak.

"Look at that, two blocks. Just like I said," Jane smiled as she looked ahead to see her apartment on the other side of the street.

The doctor stepped off the curb to cross the street without looking right as there was a UPS truck coming.

"Whoa!" Jane grabbed Maura by the shoulders and pulled her back toward the curb. "You didn't even look!"

Unable to tell if Maura had meant to do it to get Jane to pull her back or not, the detective was floored when the doctor leaned back against her. It seemed that being pressed together was the sole goal of Dr. Isles that evening.

"Look both ways, Doctor," Jane's voice had dropped and was now gravelly.

"It's hard when all I can do is look at you," Maura hummed.

Jane took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a moment as the smell of her friend's shampoo and distinct perfume floated through her nostrils. She dropped her hands from Maura's shoulders, side stepping the still woman and placing a hand at the small of her back.

"I'll do the looking for you while your eyes are occupied," Jane's voice betrayed nothing.

Leading them across the street and the span of a few houses, Jane never dropped her hand from the small of Maura's back. When they reached the steps to her building, she followed behind the doctor to ensure the doctor didn't stumble. Her eyes, inevitably, were drawn to Maura's shapely backside. She could feel the flush overtaking her body. When they reached the building entrance, Jane reached for her keys and placed them in the lock. Her hand felt seared from where it had been on Maura's back. Her tipsy friend was putting all of her willpower to the test.

She held the door open for Maura and once again followed behind as they climbed the stairs to the landing outside Jane's apartment. When the doctor leaned her back flat against the wall outside the door, Jane moved to put her key in the lock. She was stopped by Maura's hand. She dropped her hand, somehow retaining hold of the keys. Another hand reached out for her and before she knew what was happening Maura was pulling Jane against her. Having used those scarred hands for her purpose, the doctor released them and moved her hands to Jane's lithe hips.

"Oh," Jane couldn't summon any other response.

Stealthy hands began a slow ascent from hips to obliques and were stopped as they hit the ribs just beneath the edges of Jane's breasts.

"Maura," Jane held wandering hands in place. "What's going on?"

The serious expression on Maura's face explained nothing.

"You're a very attractive woman, Jane," she spoke in sultry tone.

"And I'm your best friend," the detective reminded them both.

"Perhaps I need some coffee."

At this Jane nodded. She released Maura's hands, hands that then dropped to the doctor's sides. Finally unlocking the door, she waited for Maura to enter before stilling her nerves and walking into the apartment. She went toward the coffee maker, dumping in the coffee grounds and filling the machine with water. The distance between where she stood and where Maura had kicked off her shoes and made herself comfortable on the couch was much needed. Jane's heart rate slowly came back down to earth.

Once the coffee was done, Jane fixed it with the proper cream and sugar to Maura's liking and carried it over to the couch where Maura sat with her eyes closed. She held out her hand without opening her eyes and took the mug Jane offered. Unsure of what to say, Jane kicked off her boots and sat down on the couch without a word. They sat in silence for some time. Maura drank her coffee slowly while deep in thought.

"Talk to me, Maur," Jane finally spoke.

The doctor shook her head, resuming the slow sipping of her drink. Her mind had gone back to her lunch date. All of the feelings churned up at lunch were now weighing heavily on her mind. While she was tipsy and her mind was slowed, her emotions seemed to be heightened.

"I meant what I said about you being a very attractive woman," Maura eventually said without looking toward Jane.

"You do realize how bizarre that sounds, right?" Jane turned her body so she could face Maura and hopefully draw hazel eyes toward her.

"It sounds like the truth," Maura answered.

"But from you? You're saying it like I'm a piece of meat and you're one of those men who want to use my handcuffs on me."

Maura finally looked at Jane, a coy smile plastered on her face.

"Maybe I do want to use your handcuffs," the doctor countered.

"God, Maura," Jane was visibly frustrated. "What is going on?"

The sigh that came from Maura caused Jane to see that Maura was far more sober than she had initially thought. It had now been an hour since she first found Maura in the Dirty Robber. The time, the walk home, the coffee and the conversation seemed to have slightly negated the effects of the alcohol. The honey-haired woman was still tipsy, yes, but she was not exactly drunk. Certainly not plastered, by any means.

"I saw my mother at lunch," Maura revealed.

"Constance is in town?" Jane was surprised Maura hadn't mentioned it before now; usually one to get quite nervous when she knew her mother was visiting.

"She had a layover at Logan on her way to Los Angeles," the doctor explained.

"Oh," Jane wasn't sure if this was a good or bad thing. She was now even more confused why seeing Constance had made Maura unusually flirtatious and sexual toward her.

"We had lunch together before her flight," she continued. "Our conversation was interesting."

Jane knew Constance well enough at this point to know the woman had an uncanny ability to get in Maura's head and make her doubt herself. It was one of the things that had initially infuriated Jane about Maura's mother.

"If it was about art, you know I'm useless," Jane tried to lighten the situation.

"It was actually about you."

The truth that Jane had tried to coax out of Maura for nearly an hour now hung between them like a bombshell.

"I told her about the baby."

The sadness that came with the mention of the baby Jane had lost was palpable. Some part of her wished Maura hadn't told Constance and another part of her was surprised Maura hadn't told her mother prior to now. It had been several months since the incident that abruptly ended Jane's pregnancy.

"She was surprised that you would…" Maura paused, rethinking her words. "That pregnancy would happen to you before me."

Never throughout the shortened pregnancy had Jane thought about Maura having a child. Constance's assertion was confusing.

"Because you have far more gentlemen suitors?" Jane said with mock insult.

"No, not at all," Maura reached a hand out to cover Jane's, a gesture of apology. "I really don't know why she thinks what she does, but I know it has nothing to do with our dating histories."

The raven-haired detective couldn't decide if she should be offended or not.

"I still don't understand what this has to do with you behaving the way you have," Jane looked down at their hands, hoping Maura's eye line followed. "You've been very friendly."

"God, I'm sorry," Maura leaned her head back against the couch in embarrassment. "I drank too much."

Reaching for the mug, Jane placed it on the coffee table and scooted closer to the doctor.

"I don't think this is just the wine."

"She said my biological clock is ticking and—"

Maura as cut off by Jane's laugh.

"I shouldn't have to explain anatomy to you, but if your biological clock is ticking, you're barking up the wrong tree if you want to get pregnant."

Jane was given Maura's best not amused face.

"I don't want to get pregnant, Jane," Maura rolled her eyes. "But if I did, I wouldn't want it to happen with just anyone."

The glazed hazel orbs that had been looking at Jane all night were becoming clearer.

"If this is where you tell me that you're in love with Frankie, excuse me while I gag."

Maura's patience was always tested by Jane, but in this moment her blood alcohol content was causing even less patience. Instead of defending herself and refuting Jane's comment, Maura did what she had been wanting to since Jane walked into the bar. She leaned in and pressed a hard kiss to Jane's bewildered mouth.

"Um? I think I missed something," Jane rasped when Maura pulled back and watched for her reaction.

Unwilling to explain, unwilling to carry on this deep conversation about pregnancy and their age, Maura leaned in once again and kissed Jane with frenzy. Her knees were pressed against Jane's thigh; her hands were soon tangled in a long, curly mess of hair.

The instigator of the kiss tasted like an expensive Shiraz and a hint of hazelnut coffee. When the depth of that taste dawned on Jane, Maura's tongue was pushing past Jane's lips into the cavern of her mouth. The touch of tongues was like an electric shock. Jane pushed Maura back by the shoulders with a completely perplexed look on her face.

"What the hell, Maur?" she wasn't angry, but she was awfully confused.

The detective's confusion was amplified by how badly she had wanted to know what Maura's kiss would taste like. Her fantasy of kissing Maura was coming true, but she couldn't allow it to continue with her best friend in this state. State of what? She had no idea what was truly going on with the woman.

"You don't want me?" Maura's tone was disappointed and sad.

It broke Jane's heart to see her friend like this. Constance Isles could be depended on for one thing and one thing alone: Completely crushing her daughter's self-confidence.

"Maura," Jane was gentle, not releasing Maura's shoulders where she had used them to push the doctor away. "You have to tell me everything."

What Jane didn't and couldn't say was that yes, she wanted Maura. She had always wanted the medical examiner to some degree. She'd pushed these feelings down; she'd denied herself the opportunity for happiness; and, she caused herself pain by continuing the dangerous flirting and touching that only flared up the feelings she was avoiding.

"She said if I don't do something soon, I'm going to grow old alone, childless, with you."

Jane now understood. But the proud Rizzoli in her couldn't let go of how it was used as a negative—growing old with Jane.

"Would that be so bad?" Jane almost snapped at her friend.

"No," tears began falling down Maura's cheeks. "That's the problem."

It all became crystal clear. The reason Maura had been all over Jane hadn't been because of desperation or neediness associated with the alcohol she had consumed. The reason Maura had been unusually physical was because she had come to the conclusion that all she wanted in life was Jane, to grow old with Jane.

"Oh," Jane was in a trance of anxious thoughts. "Oh."

Unable to read Jane's response for what it was, Maura leaned back and was going for her coffee when a scarred hand stopped her. She turned, surprised by the look on Jane's face.

"Oh," she murmured as Jane pulled her in.

The detective didn't move to kiss Maura; instead she wrapped her arms around the doctor and embraced her. This wasn't like the hundreds of hugs they had shared in the past. Inebriation always made hugging much less uncomfortable for Maura, but this wasn't that. This was not a friendly hug. This was not a comforting hug after a hard fought case or a tough day with unresolved family emotions. This was intimate. This was the hug of two women who not only loved each other they were madly in love with each other.

"Maura…" Jane's voice had taken on a tone that the M.E. had only dreamed of hearing. The voice was sensual, reflective of a heart that had been deprived of something it wanted for a very long time.

Putting a bit of space between them to look in the beautiful brown eyes that had brought her friendship, happiness, protection and love, Maura leaned in and kissed Jane once again. It was a slow, increasingly passionate kiss. This time when Maura's tongue snuck past Jane's lips, Jane reciprocated. It was the kind of kiss that anyone would have loved to have as a first kiss. While it wasn't their first kiss that night, it was their most important kiss.

When they broke to breathe, Jane looked into Maura's eyes to gauge her level of inebriation. She wanted so badly for Maura to be completely sober in this moment.

"You've had a lot to drink," Jane said with some noticeable disappointment.

"For a woman of 135 pounds, 5'7", both exercise and time decrease the level of…of…" she couldn't find the word in her cloudy brain.

"Impairment?" Jane smiled at the adorable woman before her.

"Maybe I need a bit more time," she, too, was disappointed. "But Jane?"

Nodding in undivided attention, Jane awaited whatever Maura had to say.

"It's not going to change how I feel."

Pulling Maura in once again and planting soft kisses to her lips, cheeks, eyes, nose and forehead, Jane could do nothing but smile.

"Me either," she whispered. "Me either."

The doctor rested her head against Jane's shoulder and took a moment to breathe. A gentle hand was softly tracing patterns on her back.

"Let's get you something to eat and more coffee," Jane suggested.

Maura chuckled for a moment before sitting up.

"What?" Jane didn't see what was funny about this.

"Isn't it the custom to 'liquor up' a woman before you try to get in her pants? It seems you're doing it all wrong, Detective."

Yes, Dr. Maura Isles was still tipsy. She was again saying words that she would not be caught dead saying completely sober and in polite company.

"You and I have never done things the easy way," Jane stood and offered a hand to Maura who eagerly took it and stood in front of the detective.

"Mmhmm," Maura smiled, revealing the dimple in her cheek that made Jane crazy.

Jane leaned down and pressed a kiss to Maura's perfect lips. It took a great deal of resolve to keep it chaste. When she released those lips, a slight mewl escaped them and nearly drew Jane back in.

"Food," she mumbled.

"Yes, ma'am."

The smirk on Maura's face at that moment was both adorable and undeniably sexy. And for the first time, Jane Rizzoli didn't have to quash her feelings for her best friend or pretend she was unaffected by the doctor's desirability and charm. It was liberating.

-finis-