Sick Days
"Where's Maura?" Jane asked, having just come from the morgue. She had wanted to see if the doctor wanted to go get drinks after work, but she hadn't been able to find her.
"Called out sick," Korsak said, through a mouthful of his sandwich. "She said she'd probably be out for a few days."
"Maura… called out sick?" Jane repeated questioningly. "Maura never gets sick and she never misses work." She looked between Korsak and Frost suspiciously.
"I'm just telling you what she said," Korsak defended. "She didn't really sound like herself though." Turning back to the computer screen, he lost interest in the conversation.
"I've got my phone guys,” Jane said, grabbing her things and heading out.
XXXXXX
Maura sat on the floor of the shower, letting the lukewarm water run over her body. It had been hot, about twenty minutes ago. She figured she had another ten before the water became completely cold. Still, she couldn't find the strength or the motivation to move.
Twenty minutes later, Maura was still sitting on the cold tile. The doorbell rang several times, but when there was no answer Jane eventually let herself in. "Maura?" Jane called from the doorway, before shutting the door and heading inside.
Once Jane heard the shower running, she headed towards Maura's bedroom and the adjoining bathroom. Knocking once, she let herself in. Finding Maura's crumpled frame she knelt down next to the shower, "Sweetie how long have you been in here?" she asked, looking affectionately at her friend.
Maura jumped at the sound of the detective’s voice. She had been drifting in and out of sleep for the past few moments and hadn't heard her come in. Lifting her head from her knees, Maura's chattering teeth became apparent. "A while," she said, swallowing hard. "Fever," she then mumbled, in explanation.
Jane quickly rose to her feet and shut off the water. Shoving a comb in her back pocket, she tossed a towel over her shoulder, grabbed another and went back to the shivering doctor. Helping her stand, Jane wrapped the fabric around Maura's trembling form. She slid an arm behind Maura's back. "Hang on, babe," she murmured, gently lifting the doctor into her arms.
"Cold Jane," Maura whimpered, burying her face against the warm flesh of Jane's neck. She would never have called Jane for something this basic, but she was more than pleased that her friend had shown up. Maura didn't like asking for help, but that didn't mean she wanted to be alone either.
"I know, we're gonna get you warmed up. What have you taken Maura? “Jane asked, wanting to make sure she didn't double dose anything. Reaching the bed, she sat Maura down on the foot just long enough to pull the covers down. "Hang on," she told the doctor, pulling the comb out. Towel drying the doctors hair, she ran the plastic through several times before satisfied. Helping the thawing doctor under the blankets, she fought off all protests of getting the pillowcase and sheets damp.
Taking both damp towels back into the bathroom, Jane riffled through Maura's medicine cabinet looking for medicine. Finding what she was looking for, Jane went and grabbed a bottle of water and headed back to the bedroom. "Here sweetie, take these," she said, sitting down on the bed next to Maura.
Maura propped herself up against the pillows, the sheet managing to rest just above her chest. Rubbing her eyes, she took the pills from Jane and studied them. "Acetaminophen and Guaifensesin with Dextromethorphan?" Maura questioned.
Jane couldn't help the small laugh that escaped, "If that's Google Speak for Tylenol and Mucinex than yeah. Take the damn pills and lay down, I'm not gonna poison your Maur." She handed over the bottle of water and nervously watched her friend.
Maura swallowed all three pills at once followed by several long sips of the bottled water. "Thank you Jane," she said, meekly. She smiled shyly as Jane nodded in understanding. Realizing how truly naked she was underneath the covers, Maura tugged the sheet around herself a little more securely. "If the fevers not gone in forty minutes I can overlap with Ibuprofen," Maura said quietly.
"Is that you were of asking me to stay?" Jane teased, taking the bottle of water from Maura and placing it on the bedside table. Moving to get up, she was surprised to find Maura's hand tugging her back down. "I'm just teasing you Maura, I'm not gonna leave you like this."
"Promise?" Maura asked, looking up at Jane with need and an unfamiliar helplessness. She felt miserable and while she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, she wanted Jane close. Looking back on her afternoon she realized maybe she wasn't as capable as she liked to think. Spending the afternoon on the shower floor was hardly her best decision.
"Of course," Jane said, sitting back down on the bed, "Sweetie, just relax, I won't leave. I'm just gonna go make sure everything is locked up and let Frost know where to find me." Helping Maura lay back down, she stroked the doctor's cheek slightly before leaving the room.
Maura rolled onto her side, listening to Jane move about her home. She wasn't used to hearing anyone other than herself and Bass, but it was comforting to have Jane there. She had already come to recognize the new sounds her friend had added to her home. The patter of her feet, the hiss of the beer caps being opened and then tossed carelessly onto the counter, the way Jane plopped down onto her couch after a long day, she'd even come to accept the sound of Jane's shoed heels hitting her coffee table. This was familiar. Jane was here. Things were safe. Closing her eyes, she tried to will her body to rest.
Jane quietly moved back into the room, hoping Maura had already drifted. She wanted to keep an eye on the other woman and it wasn't as if they hadn't shared a bed in the past. Slipping out of her blazer, Jane stripped down to her underwear and tank top. Studying the bed for a moment, she reconsidered staying in the same bed with a very naked Maura. Rolling her eyes at herself, she slipped underneath the comforter but on top of the sheet, leaving a very thin layer of cloth between them. Jane smiled to herself, when Maura backed up into her arms. "I got you," Jane whispered against the doctor's ear, pulling her close into her arms.
Maura sighed happily, "You feel good Jane." She wiggled in Jane's arms getting comfortable, enjoying the feel of their bodies pressed against one another. Every muscle in her body was sore and the little bit of movement was both painful and comforting. It felt good to have Jane's lean frame pressed against hers. It was almost worth being sick.
"You feel bad Maura, get some rest," Jane said, laughing at the constant squirming. Hugging Maura closer to her, she gave her companion very little wiggle room. "We'll get up in a little while, for now just sleep," she said, kissing Maura's cheek and throwing a leg over the doctors.
"Called out sick," Korsak said, through a mouthful of his sandwich. "She said she'd probably be out for a few days."
"Maura… called out sick?" Jane repeated questioningly. "Maura never gets sick and she never misses work." She looked between Korsak and Frost suspiciously.
"I'm just telling you what she said," Korsak defended. "She didn't really sound like herself though." Turning back to the computer screen, he lost interest in the conversation.
"I've got my phone guys,” Jane said, grabbing her things and heading out.
XXXXXX
Maura sat on the floor of the shower, letting the lukewarm water run over her body. It had been hot, about twenty minutes ago. She figured she had another ten before the water became completely cold. Still, she couldn't find the strength or the motivation to move.
Twenty minutes later, Maura was still sitting on the cold tile. The doorbell rang several times, but when there was no answer Jane eventually let herself in. "Maura?" Jane called from the doorway, before shutting the door and heading inside.
Once Jane heard the shower running, she headed towards Maura's bedroom and the adjoining bathroom. Knocking once, she let herself in. Finding Maura's crumpled frame she knelt down next to the shower, "Sweetie how long have you been in here?" she asked, looking affectionately at her friend.
Maura jumped at the sound of the detective’s voice. She had been drifting in and out of sleep for the past few moments and hadn't heard her come in. Lifting her head from her knees, Maura's chattering teeth became apparent. "A while," she said, swallowing hard. "Fever," she then mumbled, in explanation.
Jane quickly rose to her feet and shut off the water. Shoving a comb in her back pocket, she tossed a towel over her shoulder, grabbed another and went back to the shivering doctor. Helping her stand, Jane wrapped the fabric around Maura's trembling form. She slid an arm behind Maura's back. "Hang on, babe," she murmured, gently lifting the doctor into her arms.
"Cold Jane," Maura whimpered, burying her face against the warm flesh of Jane's neck. She would never have called Jane for something this basic, but she was more than pleased that her friend had shown up. Maura didn't like asking for help, but that didn't mean she wanted to be alone either.
"I know, we're gonna get you warmed up. What have you taken Maura? “Jane asked, wanting to make sure she didn't double dose anything. Reaching the bed, she sat Maura down on the foot just long enough to pull the covers down. "Hang on," she told the doctor, pulling the comb out. Towel drying the doctors hair, she ran the plastic through several times before satisfied. Helping the thawing doctor under the blankets, she fought off all protests of getting the pillowcase and sheets damp.
Taking both damp towels back into the bathroom, Jane riffled through Maura's medicine cabinet looking for medicine. Finding what she was looking for, Jane went and grabbed a bottle of water and headed back to the bedroom. "Here sweetie, take these," she said, sitting down on the bed next to Maura.
Maura propped herself up against the pillows, the sheet managing to rest just above her chest. Rubbing her eyes, she took the pills from Jane and studied them. "Acetaminophen and Guaifensesin with Dextromethorphan?" Maura questioned.
Jane couldn't help the small laugh that escaped, "If that's Google Speak for Tylenol and Mucinex than yeah. Take the damn pills and lay down, I'm not gonna poison your Maur." She handed over the bottle of water and nervously watched her friend.
Maura swallowed all three pills at once followed by several long sips of the bottled water. "Thank you Jane," she said, meekly. She smiled shyly as Jane nodded in understanding. Realizing how truly naked she was underneath the covers, Maura tugged the sheet around herself a little more securely. "If the fevers not gone in forty minutes I can overlap with Ibuprofen," Maura said quietly.
"Is that you were of asking me to stay?" Jane teased, taking the bottle of water from Maura and placing it on the bedside table. Moving to get up, she was surprised to find Maura's hand tugging her back down. "I'm just teasing you Maura, I'm not gonna leave you like this."
"Promise?" Maura asked, looking up at Jane with need and an unfamiliar helplessness. She felt miserable and while she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, she wanted Jane close. Looking back on her afternoon she realized maybe she wasn't as capable as she liked to think. Spending the afternoon on the shower floor was hardly her best decision.
"Of course," Jane said, sitting back down on the bed, "Sweetie, just relax, I won't leave. I'm just gonna go make sure everything is locked up and let Frost know where to find me." Helping Maura lay back down, she stroked the doctor's cheek slightly before leaving the room.
Maura rolled onto her side, listening to Jane move about her home. She wasn't used to hearing anyone other than herself and Bass, but it was comforting to have Jane there. She had already come to recognize the new sounds her friend had added to her home. The patter of her feet, the hiss of the beer caps being opened and then tossed carelessly onto the counter, the way Jane plopped down onto her couch after a long day, she'd even come to accept the sound of Jane's shoed heels hitting her coffee table. This was familiar. Jane was here. Things were safe. Closing her eyes, she tried to will her body to rest.
Jane quietly moved back into the room, hoping Maura had already drifted. She wanted to keep an eye on the other woman and it wasn't as if they hadn't shared a bed in the past. Slipping out of her blazer, Jane stripped down to her underwear and tank top. Studying the bed for a moment, she reconsidered staying in the same bed with a very naked Maura. Rolling her eyes at herself, she slipped underneath the comforter but on top of the sheet, leaving a very thin layer of cloth between them. Jane smiled to herself, when Maura backed up into her arms. "I got you," Jane whispered against the doctor's ear, pulling her close into her arms.
Maura sighed happily, "You feel good Jane." She wiggled in Jane's arms getting comfortable, enjoying the feel of their bodies pressed against one another. Every muscle in her body was sore and the little bit of movement was both painful and comforting. It felt good to have Jane's lean frame pressed against hers. It was almost worth being sick.
"You feel bad Maura, get some rest," Jane said, laughing at the constant squirming. Hugging Maura closer to her, she gave her companion very little wiggle room. "We'll get up in a little while, for now just sleep," she said, kissing Maura's cheek and throwing a leg over the doctors.