Eurydice

Jane shifted the package she was carrying to her hip allowing the now free hand to knock on the door in front of her. After several long seconds of standing out in the freezing cold, she could hear the sound of a dead bolt turning and the door opened to reveal her best friend, Dr. Maura Isles. The red head was dressed casually in dark denim jeans and a wine colored cotton blouse that brought out the green of her eyes. Jane only had a few seconds to appreciate the view before the shorter woman ushered her in to the warm house.

Long legs carried the lanky brunette into the living room where she turned to wait for the other woman to catch up to her. Green eyes examined the large box in her hands curiously before meeting her own in an unspoken question. Jane just smirked. Maura was a true scientist and needed answers to the things that piqued her curiosity. This time, however, she'd just have to suffer.

"I've gotta run this stuff out to Ma," she said as she shook the box slightly in explanation. "It's your turn to pick the movie so why don't you get everything set up and I'll be back as soon as I can escape from Ma."

Maura smiled, that bright beautiful smile that the detective only ever saw aimed at her. Jane loved her family, she really did, and they drove her nuts, but she often played up her frustration just to see that smile.

"Okay, Jane, but if she seems reluctant to release you just tell her I threatened to make you watch a really long and boring medical documentary if you kept me waiting too long."

She was already half way to the door, but turned back at her friend's teasing. A dark eyebrow rose, "Does that mean you weren't already planning to make me sit through one of the several you have stashed away?"

An enigmatic smirk was her only answer and she rolled her eyes as she made her way out the back door. She made her way quickly over the short distance, thankful that she hadn't taken off her coat yet. February in Boston was a bitch.

She didn't bother to knock this time as she entered into the small but spacious guest house. Warm air washed over her carrying with it the wonderful scents of her mother's cooking. The off key notes of Angela's humming could be heard over the banging of pots and pans. She sat the box down on the nearest flat surface as she called out.

"Hey, Ma."

"Hi, Janie. I'm in the kitchen."

Brown eyes rolled in response to the obvious, but she dutifully made her way to the kitchen none the less. The room was smaller than the one at her parent's old place, but it was perfect for the two people that currently occupied the house; especially since Tommy rarely did more than sleep there.

The older woman looked up from the sauce pan on the stove as Jane entered the kitchen.

"So Janie what brings you by?"

"Well, it's movie night with Maura, but I thought I'd stop in and see how you were doing first."

"Uh huh," was the clearly skeptical response. "Don't lie to your mother. Why are you really here?"

"Fine," Jane huffed. "I need your help with something."

All movement stopped as the blonde looked over her shoulder at her daughter; surprise written all of her face.

"What?" came the defensive response. "It happens... occasionally."

Angela just turned back to her cooking.

"So what is it that you need my help with? It must be something important otherwise you wouldn't be asking."

"Well.. kinda. Maura's mom invited me to their annual Valentine's Day masquerade in next week. It's benefitting some organization or another."

"Really? Why? You hate those kinds of things."

Jane shrugged before continuing.

"Not really sure why, honestly. I guess because I'm Maura's friend. Anyways... I need your help with my costume. Mrs. Isles said that it has to be a historical character, either an actual person or a fictional one. So I decided to go as the Greek myth Orpheus."

"Orpheus? Never heard of her."

"He was said to be blessed by gods themselves with the gift of music. When the love of his life, Eurydice, was bitten by a snake and died he ventured down into Hades' realm to rescue her. Hades loved his playing so much that he wept and allowed him to take Eurydice back to the world of the living. There was a catch though. Orpheus was not allowed to look back until both were clear of his realm. So Orpheus made his way back and could only hope that Eurydice was following behind him. When he stepped into the sunlight of the living world he turned back, but she was not out completely and got pulled back down. He was so distraught that he killed himself in order to be with her in the after life."

"Ok, so why go as this Orpheus guy and not the girl?"

"Well, it's Maura's favorite myth so chances are really good that she'll go as Eurydice. Even if she doesn't, though, I think that this will help draw her out and make it easier for me to find her in a room full of people wearing masks."

"Aren't you guys going together?" asked a clearly confused Angela.

Jane shook her head before explaining, "Nope. Mrs. Isles explained that Maura wasn't supposed to know I was going. Even the couples she invites aren't allowed to arrive together or know what their partner's costume looks like. I thought it was strange at first, but she said that it added an 'air of mystery' to the whole thing. I'm just following the lady's orders here."

Angela didn't respond as she stood studying her daughter. Jane suppressed the urge to fidget like a guilty five year old as she waited for her mother to say something... anything.

"When are you going to tell her, Janie?" she asked softly.

That question was completely unexpected.

"What are you talking about, Ma?"

"Don't play dumb with me young lady. You know exactly what I'm talking about. I'm your mother. I know you better than you know yourself."

"Ma, drop it, please," the brunette practically begged. "Nothing can come of it so just let it go."

"Ok fine," Angela said with clear reluctance lacing through her voice. Despite what her daughter thought, she did know when to back off.

"Everything you need is in the box in the living room," Jane said breaking the tense silence that had fallen between them. "I have a picture of what I kind of want it to look like. I'm giving you a little bit of free reign here, just please don't over do it."

"Such little faith in your mother. I made all of your Halloween costumes from the time you were born and they all turned out fantastic. Don't you roll your eyes at me. You're not too old for me to take this wooden spoon to your behind. Now, get out of here and enjoy your movie night. I'll take care of the rest."

Jane walked over to her mother and placed a quick kiss on the older woman's cheek.

"Thanks, Ma. I love you."

With that she turned and made her way back to the main house, missing the returned sentiment from her mother.

"I love you too, Janie. I just wish you could see I'm not the only one."

Jane had never been so happy to see the end of the work day. It had been a surprisingly slow day at the precinct. She and Frost had closed their most pressing case two days ago and they were currently waiting for reports from various other departments on the rest. This, of course, meant that instead of running after bad guys and chasing down leads she was chained to her desk catching up on paperwork.

As soon as it was time to clock out for the day, she packed up her stuff and threw a quick good-bye over her shoulder before dashing out of the door. She only had a couple of hours before the party started and she still had to pick up her costume from her mother and get ready.

She parked the car and made her way around back to the guest house. Luckily, Maura had gone over to her parents' house early to help organize. Jane wasn't up to lying to her best friend about her reason for being there.

"Hey, Ma!" she called out as she once again entered without bothering to knock.

The answering call, surprisingly enough, came from the kitchen. The lanky brunette walked in just as the blonde finished drying her hands on a kitchen towel.

"Come on, Janie. You're costume is in the living room," she said, excitement evident in her voice.

Jane followed her mother back the way she came as the older woman crossed the room and grabbed the box out of the far corner. It thumped softly as it landed on the coffee table. Angela opened it and pulled out the finished product before handing it over to her daughter and pushing her towards the bathroom to try it on.

The brunette detective changed quickly and turned to inspect herself in the large mirror hanging on the back of the door. The dark red fabric brought out the natural tan of her skin while the lack of sleeves gave the illusion of broad shoulders and emphasized her strong arms. The material draped perfectly across her chest easily hiding her modest breasts. A wide, black leather belt cinched in at the waist while the rest of the outfit continued to flow down around her long legs before coming to rest against bare ankles. She knew the black gladiator sandals she'd found would match perfectly.

She exited the bathroom and rejoined her mother who was waiting impatiently to make sure no last minute alterations were needed.

"Oh, Janie! That looks fantastic on you," she exclaimed. "It's going to be perfect with the cape."

"Cape?" asked a surprised brunette. She was just glad her mom had been able to pull this off with such short notice. She hadn't expected there to be anything more.

"Yes, Jane," came the 'no, duh' response. "A costume like that needs a cape, especially with it being so cold out. You'd look silly arriving in a normal winter coat."

Okay, so she has a point.

Angela once again reached into the box and pulled out the long cloak. It was obviously made of a heavier material but the color matched her toga exactly. A strong jaw dropped to the floor when her mother turned it around revealing the design stitched across the back. Gold, black, and red beads outlined the image of a phoenix in mid flight. The golden wings stretched from the right shoulder to about mid back on the opposite side. The bright red head sat on the left shoulder while the flaming tail spread across the bottom. Jane was truly in awe of the skill necessary for such detailing.

"Ma! That's... amazing. You didn't need to go through all this trouble."

"It was nothing really," the blonde said with a slight shrug of her shoulders. "The actual costume took so little time. Plus, I thought the design suited you."

"Thank you, Ma. Really," the tall brunette said as she leaned down to give her mother a hug.

Jane pulled up to the front of the rather large mansion and adjusted the black leather mask that covered half of her face. She grabbed the last piece of her costume and made sure her straightened hair was secure in it's low ponytail before getting out of the car and handing the keys over to the valet. The dark red cape settled around her shoulders blocking out most of the cold February air as she made her way up to the front door.

An older gentleman in a black suit and tie opened the door and checked her invitation. The large foyer she entered into was tastefully done in beige and off white with hints of gold throughout. A crystal chandelier hung from the middle of the high ceiling while a circular dark wood table sat directly beneath it. The white dual staircase wrapped around the edge of the room with its intricate wrought iron banister. While gorgeous, the room was fairly intimidating. Such a grand entranceway could only mean the rest of the house was even more extravagant.

Few people milled about sipping champagne, probably to escape all the noise of the party that was drifting down the hallway. Jane decided that it was definitely a mansion when she finally entered what was clearly a ballroom. There was no other way to describe it. It may not have been as big as the ones she'd seen in movies but there was no doubt about what it was.

Dark hardwood floors gleamed under the lights hanging from thirty foot ceilings. White walls held various paintings from artists that she'd never be able to name but was certain they were the originals. The outer wall was covered in floor to ceiling windows and despite the darkness outside she could clearly see that they looked out over a huge garden. A five piece band was tucked into the back corner and soft, melodic music wafted throughout the room. It was the perfect compliment to the multitude of conversations buzzing about.

She snagged a glass of golden champagne from a passing server. The effervescent liquid danced across her tongue as she studied the dozens of people in various period costumes spread out in front of her. A few unsuccessful minutes spent searching for a flash of red hair told the detective that either Maura was in another room somewhere or, more likely, wearing a wig. She knew her best friend well and the other woman did nothing in half measures. This made finding the ME more complicated but Jane had faith in her abilities. In the meantime, the hors d'oeuvres seemed like a great place to begin her search and she carefully made her way through the sea of bodies standing in her way.

She was careful in her selection afraid that her middle class manners might show and give her away too soon. After selecting a few that seemed easy enough and not too terrible scary, she began to slowly circle the room. Most of the women seemed to be near Maura's height and have a similar body type. If everyone were dressed normally, she'd be able to spot the woman in an instant, but the costumes were effective at hiding more than just the person's face. Sharp ears filtered out the female voices, but none matched the lyrical notes she was familiar with.

Chocolate brown eyes did not miss the appreciative glances thrown her way. A smirk crossed her full lips at the thought. She was certain most of them would never give her the time of day if they knew who and what she was. It didn't matter though, she had eyes for only one woman; one very elusive woman apparently. She sighed in frustration as she realized that watching would not be enough. She would have to mingle.

Suppressing the urge to cringe, she made her way into the fray and struck up conversations with those who seemed open to approach. She was careful to deepen her voice so as not to break the illusion she had created. After an hour and speaking with a dozen women, she'd been able to mark them off her list. Unfortunately, she was now stuck with a Marie Antoinette wanna be with a voice that could shatter glass. She politely nodded along with whatever the woman was blathering on about while surreptitiously looking for a way to escape.

A flash of white across the room caught her eye and she turned to study one of the few women she'd yet to talk to. Curly blonde hair sat high in the back but long tendrils snaked their way down a smooth neck and over a bare shoulder. The angle was all wrong for her to be able to get a clear look so she skillfully extricated herself from the current conversation she was trapped in and carefully made her way closer to the blonde.

As she neared more and more of the costume came into view. She could see that the white material was also made into a toga, but unlike her's it left the other woman's right shoulder bare and only came down to mid thigh on her right side. It draped across to her left side before coming to rest at the top of gold gladiator sandals with three inch heels. While she appreciated the pale skin and toned muscles of the bare leg, what really caught her eye was the golden snake wrapped around the shorter woman's calf.

Bingo, she thought as a cocky smirk graced her lips.

She waited patiently behind the blonde as she finished her conversation with an older gentlemen dressed as Sherlock Holmes. As the man walked away, she made her way to within inches of the woman and leaned down slightly to speak into a delicate ear.

"Eurydice, right?" she asked in her deep, husky voice.

The blonde started slightly and spun around. Green eyes lay hidden behind a white porcelain mask; the flowing gold design only enhancing the gold flecks laced throughout. They locked with her own and Jane knew without a doubt that this was the woman she'd been searching for since her arrival

"Mais oui!" came the excited response in a French accent. "How ever did you know?"

Very clever, Maura. The accent was flawless and few people knew the ME was fluent in the language.

"It was just a guess, but the snake wrapped around your leg is a pretty decent clue."

"Ah, and yet you are the first to be correct. Most people here tonight have guessed Aphrodite."

She paused to study Jane's costume. It didn't take the smart woman long to spot the lyre strapped to the detective's side. Green eyes once again met hers.

"And you would be Orpheus, oui?"

Jane gives a gallant bow while taking the delicate hand in her own and placing a light kiss across her fingers.

"It is my pleasure, Eurydice. Well, it seems that the 'Fates' have decided you are to be my other half tonight. Would you care to dance?"

A smaller hand was placed into her outstretched fingers as she led the blonde onto the dance floor. She had never been so glad for the dance lessons her mother had forced on her as a child. Naturally taking the lead, she spun the beautiful woman in her arms around the dance floor gracefully despite the nerves coursing through her body. They were dancing with barely an inch between them as they conversed easily. All it would take was for them to shift the wrong way and she knew her secret would be found out. Of course, the fear also existed that Maura would fall for the 'guy' she was dancing with and would wind up hating her for the deception.

These thoughts raced through her mind and caused her to misstep. The smaller woman brought them to a stop and led her off the dance floor.

"Are you alright? You look a little pale," concern laced her voice.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just a little warm." It wasn't a complete lie; the room had gotten hotter with all the dancing.

The blonde gently took her hand and led her out a small door located in the back of the room. Jane followed silently through the empty hallway and out into the cold night air.

"Here, this will help with the heat."

No kidding, she thought as the frigid air rapidly cooled her overheated skin. An easy silence settled between them as they looked out over the garden. The bright moon cast everything in a silver glow and Jane felt as if she'd entered into a fairy tale.

She noticed the smaller woman next to her starting to shiver and without thinking, she unclasped her cloak and wrapped it around the shaking blonde. When it was securely clasped again she began to remove her hand from the delicate shoulder but was stopped as soft fingers twined with her own; effectively holding her in place. Electricity tingled up her arm from the contact and her heart began to race. A contented sigh escaped the ME as she snuggled into the warm side of the tall detective.

Jane tensed slightly at the unexpected closeness, but relaxed into it after just a few seconds. If this was all she'd ever have, she'd make sure to remember every glorious second spent with the woman of her dreams resting in her protective embrace.

She felt the ME shift in her arms and a light kiss placed against her cheek. She pulled back slightly to stare into dark green eyes. Slowly, she began to lean in giving the other woman plenty of time to change her mind. Seeing no resistance, she closed the remaining distance between them and took soft lips in a gentle kiss. It was a mere press of lips, but that small contact made her see stars. She'd dreamt of this for longer than she cared to admit but her dreams had fallen far short of reality.

Guilt made her break the kiss much sooner than she would have liked. Maura still thought she was a guy and it wasn't fair for the other woman not to know the truth. Before she could even begin to speak, however, the blonde leaned back in and took her in a deep kiss. A small whimper escaped as a warm tongue entered her mouth to dual with her own. Her long arms wrapped around a thin waist pulling them closer together as gentle hands threaded behind her neck.

After several minutes, but still much too soon, the two women pulled apart. Panting breaths manifested and mingled between them as clouds in the cool air. Foreheads came to rest against each other as they basked in the closeness they shared.

"Jane," was said on a soft whisper. It took a moment for the foreign sound to register in the brunette's mind, but as soon as it did her head shot up and she stepped back in shock.

Wide brown eyes searched calm green.

"But... how?" she asked in her normal voice.

The gentle smile aimed at her calmed her nerves slightly.

"It was a lot of things that added up throughout the night," Maura explained in her gentle voice. "I knew when we began dancing that you were not male. Though the costume does a good job hiding it, women just move differently. Then there are your eyes. I have spent a lot of time staring into your beautiful brown eyes. Even hidden behind the mask, I could see still clearly see you. But I knew for sure when you wrapped your cloak around me. The scars on your hands are very distinct and I could tell by touch alone."

She took a step closer to the woman still in shock.

"I was so glad when you finally kissed me. I have been waiting for you to make the first move for so long. Longer than I think I even realized."

Jane's head was spinning. Maura had known most of the night that she was female. And she knew before they even kissed that it was the detective she was with.

"So... what you're saying is... What are you saying?"

"What I'm saying, Jane, is that I would love to go on a date with you this Friday."

Jane's stunned look slowly morphed into a wide smile as she closed the distance between them and brought the ME back into her arms. She pulled her own mask off before gently easing Maura's away from her face.

"No more hiding," she whispered before leaning in for another mind blowing kiss.

A/N: Ok so this was supposed to be posted on Valentine's Day, but I was out of town visiting family and friends and was pretty distracted. Quite honestly I'm surprised I'm only a day late with this. Let me know what you guys think. It's been forever since I've written for this pairing. Swan Queen has taken over my brain, but this has been in my head since before xmas and was just begging to be written.