Rizzles AU. Jane and Maura meet in Junior High school in 1996. Soon the two become friends and later more. This is my first Rizzles AU, characters belong to TNT and Tess Gerristen. Hope you like it enjoy.

Until I Met You

Chapter 1: You can sit here if you want to

It's March of 1996, seven months of Jane's seventh grade year already over, and far too many to go for her liking. She and her best friend, Marci Carlson stand out on the bus stop at 6:40am waiting to go to school. It is just barely spring and still a little chilly for this time of the morning. Jane stood wrapped in her back bubble jacket, with her dark curly hair wafting in the breeze. The 13yr old was never one who cared to dress to impress as she was dressed in her favorite blue jeans, Doc Martens, and her slim fit Korn t-shirt. Marci went for a more elaborate look. She wore a long black coat with faux fur around the collar. It was her mother's and she absolutely loved it. She also wore her signature knee high black boots, black and red striped stockings, a black pleated skirt, and a black baby tee with a cat on it. Marci's hair was long straight dark hair with a blue streak down the left side. Her makeup included back eyeliner, mascara, and maroon lipstick. It was a long ordeal in the morning, but Marci took pride in her look, even if some other people had a negative opinion of it. She wanted so badly to pierce her lip, but there was no way her mother would let her, not at thirteen anyway. Marci was grateful her mother was open minded, and she was free to express who she was through her wardrobe.

Jane found her mother to be fairly open minded, but there was one thing she has neglected to talk about with her family. About a year and a half ago, Jane started to have the feeling that she was gay. It didn't make sense to her for a long time, and at first she felt like there was something wrong with her. Jane struggled with this for months until she finally told Marci. Saying it aloud felt so good, and Marci was incredibly supportive and understanding. Without her Jane may never have gotten through it, and she was thankful to have someone else know. Her friends were still the only ones, who knew, and Jane wanted to come out to her brothers and her parents, but she didn't know how she was going to do it yet.

The bus finally came, and the girls took their usual fifth seat back. The ride to school was pretty normal. The girls talked about their weekend, and Marci endured one or two disgusted looks from other kids. At the third stop someone new walked on the bus. It was a girl with long flowing, honey blonde hair, and a floral sundress wrapped in a creme colored knit sweater. The mere sight of her took Jane's breath away. She was immediately smitten with this mystery girl who looked lost for a moment looking around the bus. Instantly the scene from Forest Gump flashed through Jane's mind, and she wanted so badly to tell her 'You can sit here if you want to.' Yet she felt breathless, and couldn't find her words. Finally she took a seat in the third row, and Jane couldn't stop staring at her.

"Who is that?"

"Must be a new girl." said Marci.

"She's beautiful." Jane hadn't even realized she said that out loud until she was Marci smirking at her.

"Ooooh, you have a crush on her already, don't you?"

"Shut up." Jane giggled while nudging her friend.

Jane did indeed have a crush on this girl, and needed to find out who she was.

Maura Isles sat quietly on the bus, hands folded in her lap as she observed the other kids on the bus. A few of them were looking at her wondering who the new girl was, which made Maura uncomfortable. Maura glanced behind her momentarily in time to catch Jane watching her, and the moment they made eye contact, Jane quickly ducked behind the seat. This made Maura chuckle a little to see someone observing her so intently, and then became flustered once she was caught. Maura too has started to have the feeling she was gay, and has not talked about it with anyone. The Isles family moved to South Boston a little over a week ago, and has just settled into their new home, Maura's mother has been offered a teaching position at the University which meant a new house, and a new school. Maura was in boarding school all through her elementary years, and now in Junior High, public school was a completely different territory. As much as Maura liked to learn from new experiences, she was also very nervous. So much has changed for the 13yr old. She was blossoming into a young woman, discovering her sexuality which was still confusing to deal with, and on top of everything else, she was in a new environment having to make new friends. Maura hoped her fellow classmates would be welcoming to her, and she would be able to have a friend.

The bus was almost at school, and Jane couldn't stop watching the pretty blonde seated across from her. Something seemed different about her, Jane thought to herself. She seemed to carry herself in a stoic manner, and not someone who demanded attention, although Jane couldn't imagine that this beautiful girl wouldn't turn a few heads. Jane was mesmerized and wanted to know more about who she was. If only she knew what to say.

Everyone finally arrived at school, and by the time Jane made it out of the bus, she'd lost sight of her. She kept looking around hoping the girl would reappear, needing assistance to find her way to class, and Jane would be there to help her. Only she was nowhere in sight, and Jane was left there with a goofy grin on her face, which Marci immediately took note of.

"Wow, you really like her; don't you?"

"What? Marci, I don't even know her..." Jane said still searching around."...but I want to."

"So, you should go talk to her."

"What would I say?"

"Say 'Hey beautiful, you come here often?' "

Jane giggled giving Marci a playful shove.

"Marci this is Junior High, not a singles bar." Jane sighed. "I want to know her. She seems different, ya know not stuck up or trying to impress anybody. She seems worth getting to know."

The bell rang, and both of them hurried in to get to class.

"Hey, if you talk to her, I want to know everything." Marci called out.

"You'll be the first to know." Jane told her, and headed off to class.

Jane sat in homeroom lost in her own world. The new girl in school remained on her mind. She hoped to run into her later in the day and get to know more about her, and hoped this girl would like her. Jane was still very young, and hadn't dated before. She wasn't sure how much game she had, so she just hoped she could wing it.

"Miss Rizzoli, are you with us?"

The teacher's voice snapped Jane back to reality as she looked embarrassed at the many faces staring and giggling at her as she was caught in a daydream.

"Uh yeah, yeah, I'm here."

Jane sat up straight in her chair, and tried to focus on her lesson for the day.

Maura arrived at her first class, and walked into the room with all eyes on her. She was the new kid on display with people staring and whispering, and Maura wanted nothing more than to bolt immediately. The teacher saw her and beckoned her in.

"Class, we have a new student, Say hello to, Maura Isles."

The class greeted her in unison while Maura took a seat in the third row. A few kids were still looking at her in curiosity, but still she tried to focus on the teacher, and not them. School was Maura's only saving grace. She was very intelligent, and found it hard to relate to her peers. She wasn't always up on what kids her age were into, and much of the time she felt so different from them, but school she was good at. It was Maura's comfort zone and she loved to learn. Every new piece of information opened up a whole new world for Maura, and gave her a chance to broaden her horizons.

Jane headed to lunch with Marci, which was her favorite part of the day. A time to unwind with her friends and relax. Jane was about to sit and join her friends when she saw her. Maura was seated at a table by herself reading a book. As fate would have it, they both had the same lunch period, and Jane finally had her opportunity.

"Hey, isn't that the girl from the bus this morning?" Marci asked.

"How weird is it, we have the same lunch?" Jane said frozen where she stood.

Marci leaned in and nudged her forward.

"Go on, go talk to her." Marci told Jane and walked away.

Jane was flustered standing there wringing her hands. Slowly she walked a few feet closer, but then she stopped, too nervous to continue. Jane wracked her brain for what to say or what to do, but before she could consider her approach, Maura looked up at her and smiled, and Jane's throat went completely dry.

"Hi." Maura said sweetly.

"Uh...hi." Jane gave a nervous laugh before stepping closer.

"I'm Jane. I saw you on the bus this morning. I...I just wanted to say hi."

Maura found Jane's nervous stammering adorable. She was so used to being the shy one, and she had no idea that she could have that affect on someone else.

"Do you wanna sit?"

"Uh..yeah sure." Jane sat at the table still nervous.

"So Jane, do you have a last name?"

"Rizzoli."

"I'm Maura Isles; it's nice to meet you." Maura said, the two of them shaking hands.

"It's nice to meet you too."

Jane felt she was doing well so far, but she was still nervous, and didn't know what to say next. She'd never met anyone who made her so flustered and unsure of herself. From the moment she first saw Maura, she was knocked over by her, and Jane couldn't help but be in awe. The way her beautiful green eyes looked into hers, the way her hair fell just in front of her face, and the way she smiled would make Jane's knees buckle. Jane wasn't sure if it was love at first sight, but this feeling was definitely something new and exciting.

"So, how do you like it here so far?" Jane asked.

"It's been going well, I suppose. Everyone seems really nice."

Jane fidgeted in her seat, trying to keep her cool and make good conversation. So far things were going smoothly, and Jane hadn't made a total fool of herself.

"So what's your schedule like?" Jane asked her. Maura pulled out her class schedule to show Jane.

Jane scanned the list of classes impressed as she took note of the honors math and AP Science classes listed. It was obvious from talking to her that Maura was very bright. She was mature for her age and spoke more eloquently than any other 13yr old girl that Jane had ever talked to. The two would surely have many interesting discussions to come. As she continued down the class list, Jane noticed the two also had the same gym class and that delighted her.

"Hey, we're in gym together."

"Oh really, that might come in handy later. I have to admit, athletics are not my forte." Maura told her.

"Well, I'd be happy to help in any way I can."

"Are you an athlete?" Maura asked.

"I play field hockey for school. I'm an attacker."

Maura looked mildly alarmed, and Jane realized maybe she misunderstood.

"Attacker is a position." Jane clarified to her.

"Oh."

"You should drop by a game sometime."

"That sounds like fun."

The bell rang to signify the end of lunch, and Jane was disappointed that they had to part ways. She wished she had more time.

"Uhm...well it was really nice to talk to you. I should get to my math class." Maura told her while they headed to the hallway.

"Hey, if you need help finding your way around at all, I can help. All you have to do is ask."

"That's very nice of you, thank you." Maura smiled and Jane couldn't help but smile back.

"So, I'll see you in gym later."

"I'm looking forward to it. Bye, Jane." Maura said before heading down the hall to her class.

Jane waved a silent goodbye, still standing there grinning ear to ear. Marci snuck up behind Jane, and her voice startled her.

"So...how'd it go? What's she like?" Marci asked eager to hear every detail.

"Amazing."

It was all she could say. Jane still felt giddy and lightheaded from just a short conversation.

"What's her name?"

"Maura."

She said the name so dreamily; it was obvious Jane had fallen head over heels for this girl. She had her first crush.

"Someone's got a girlfriend." Marci teased. Jane quickly grew flushed with embarrassment.

"Marci, I don't even know if she likes me, ya know, like that. Just because I'm gay doesn't mean she is."

The truth was, Jane was so taken by this girl, it didn't even occur to her to consider whether she was gay or straight.

"You never know till you ask."

"How do you go about asking something like that? What if it freaks her out?"

"Did she seem to like you?" Marci asked her.

"I don't know. I guess she did. I felt so nervous talking to her, and she just kept looking and smiling at me, and she was so sweet. I thought there might have been a moment...I'm just not sure."

Jane babbled nervously, while her friend placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Trust me, as soon as she gets to know you, she'll love you. Who knows what might happen."

"You really think so?"

"I know so." Marci told her matter of factly.

"Thanks Marci."

The two head off, and now Jane couldn't wait for gym class.

Jane entered gym class, and walked among the other students all seated in their rows. On the way to her own row, Jane spotted Maura and both smiled at each other. Maura sat with her hair up in a ponytail wearing her gym clothes that included a white top and gray cotton shorts. Jane had on her Nike high tops, black gym shorts, and her Red Sox T-shirt. It was her standard tomboy look that Jane was perfectly comfortable in, but today it made her feel sloppy. Never before had Jane cared about what she looked like. She was never a girly girl who would primp for hours in front of the mirror, and fuss over her hair. It was easier to throw of comfortable clothes and head out the door. Today admittedly, Jane wished she was dressed cuter, and not like a sloppy tomboy wiping sweat from her brow.

After they'd stretched, the class way going to play basketball. The rack of ball was wheeled out, and the class was split into two half court games. Six kids would play each other at a time, while the remainder of the class would sit until it was time to switch out with someone else. Jane was playing in the first game while Maura sat on the bleachers with the others waiting their turn. She sat watching Jane dribble the ball, eager to witness her athletic prowess. She had no idea Maura was having the same feelings she was. Maura too would often wonder 'Does she like me the way I like her? How would she feel if she knew I felt that way?' Maura wondered if her feelings were obvious to anyone but her as she swooned watching Jane play basketball, and observed every movement her body made. The way her hips moved as she strided down the court, and the way the sweat glistened off of her tan muscular arms was enough to make the young genius starry eyed. Every once in awhile they'd catch each other's glance and smile, and it filled Maura's stomach with butterflies.

"Isles, switch out with McCaffrey!"

The gym teacher's voice calls out, and startles Maura out of her reverie. She stepped out on the court feeling totally out of her element. Maura was not the athletic type. She'd taken some ballet when she was little and did fencing in boarding school, but team sports were not her strong suit. Moments later the ball headed her way, and when Maura caught it all she could do was stand there frozen. In a moment of panic she threw the ball up, and it bounced off the rim. Jane was the only one who took pity on her and came to offer her assistance.

"I'm sorry. I'm just not good at this sort of thing." Maura told her flustered.

"It's okay. Come here, let me show you something."

Jane stood behind Maura, and held up the other girl's hands as if to hold a basketball, in order to show her the proper technique to make a shot. Being that close to the young blonde, Jane was able to take in the scent of Maura's milk and honey shampoo, and it gave her chills. She felt so intoxicated by their closeness, that she almost forgot what she was saying.

"Uhm...yeah, so you just push off with your elbow, and that'll send the ball straight in."

"Okay, thank you."

"So I'll pass you the ball, and you try and shoot it."

"But..."

"Don't worry, you'll do great."

Maura wanted to protest, but the events were already in motion. Jane got a hold of the ball, and passed it off to Maura. Maura bit her lip, took a breath, and did as she was instructed. Sure enough the ball went in, and Jane met her with a high five.

"See, I told you, you could do it. We'll make an athlete out of you yet."

Maura was excited to have made a positive impression in gym class for once in her life, especially in front of Jane. They'd known each other barely a day, but already Maura wanted to spend as much time with Jane as possible. She hoped for a wonderful friendship to form between them, and perhaps a little more.

Finally it was the end of the day, and time for everyone to head home. Jane headed to her bus with Marci and she couldn't get those moments in gym class out of her head. She kept thinking about how cute Maura looked in her cotton gym shorts, and it left her with a silly grin on her face.

"So what's got you all giddy and dreamy eyed? It's that girl you met today: isn't it?" Marci quipped nudging Jane with her elbow.

"Marci, she's just so beautiful, and incredibly sweet. She seems smart. I can tell when I talk to her."

"Sounds like you definitely have your first crush."

"Yeah."

Both girls got on the bus, and sat in their usual seat. Jane kept watching for Maura, but has yet to see her. Finally she stepped on the bus, and the moment Maura saw her Jane waved her over.

"Hey Maura, do you want to sit with us?"

"Sure."

Maura smiled while heading over to sit with Jane and Marci.

"Maura, this is Marci; Marci this is Maura."

Marci extended her hand out for Maura to shake.

"It's nice to meet you." Marci told her.

"You too."

"So how was your first day?"

"It went well, I think. Jane helped me out a lot in gym class today."

"Oh, well that was very nice of her." Marci said, giving Jane a nudge and a wink.

Jane blushed with embarrassment. Jane was tough and could stand up to any guys in sports or defend herself to some smart ass in the cafeteria, but she was quite shy concerning matters of the heart. Marci could see Jane was smitten with this girl, thoroughly enjoyed teasing her. Jane felt heat rise up in her chest as Maura touched her arm and whispered in her ear.

"Thank you again for today."

"No problem. Anytime."

Both girls smiled at each other. The two sat quietly for most of the bus ride home, occasionally exchanging glances at one another. Maura was the most beautiful, smart, and sweet girl Jane had ever met, and from the first moment she saw her, Jane felt like she was floating. It was her mission this year to show Maura that she could be a good friend to her, and hopefully more. Soon they came to Maura's stop, and she got up to leave, looking at Jane on her way out.

"Bye Jane."

Jane could barely find her words and was only able to wave goodbye. She came out of her reverie long enough to find Marci looking at her, giggling

"Stop staring at me." Jane said with a blushed face.

"Somebody's in love." Marci teased in a sing song manner. Jane just laughed and gave her a nudge.

Momentarily the girls were at their stop, and Jane practically skipped home. When she came in the door, her mother Angela was washing dishes, and noticed her daughter's particularly good mood.

"Hey Ma."

"Hi Sweetie, how was school today?"

"It was pretty good." Jane answered with the same smile she'd had all day.

"You're in a particularly good mood, especially after coming home from school."

"I had a good day today."

"Well good for you, Sweetheart. You wanna tell me about it?"

Jane was excited about meeting Maura, but wasn't quite ready to share this with her mom. She didn't want her mother to read anything into it, since Jane hadn't come out to her yet.

"Uhm, maybe later, Ma. I've got homework to do."

Jane knew the homework detail would deter her mother from asking more questions.

"Okay Honey. Dinner's in an hour."

"Okay."

Jane ran up to her room, and flopped down on her bed still with the same floating feeling. All she could think about was Maura, and she couldn't wait for school tomorrow and being able to get to know her better. Of course getting to know Maura better meant she'd eventually have to tell her family she was gay. Jane was nervous about that, and wasn't sure how she'd go about talking to them. For now she wouldn't let that sour her mood, and she couldn't wait for tomorrow.

So that's what I have so far, Ch 2 is almost done. Any thoughts?