This is a short (under 1000 word) modification of Season 5 finale' "Family Matters.
Jane Rizzoli was totally surprised when she learned that Vince and Maura had joined forces to create the Barry Frost Memorial Scholarship. The fact that Tasha would be the first recipient of the scholarship almost sent her over the edge.
She came into the Dirty Robber under a cloud of self loathing, following the conversation she had with Maura on the drive back from Connecticut.
She regretted having misled Maura, and that regret blossomed when Maura disclosed how the incident made her feel. Their conversation on the trip back from Connecticut was still burned into her memory:
"First it was just hot," said Maura, describing the sweat lodge, "then it was hot and sweaty and then I started to smell something."
"Eeew." replied Jane.
"No," said Maura, "like a flower, or the universe. And then it was just, like BOOM my head just exploded!"
"Exploded?" said Jane.
"Everything that had been weighing on me," continued Maura," "you, the cad-cam program, Tasha, Jack and its not like they're all magically fixed but it gave me insight and helped me move forward."
"Wait, I was weighing on you, how is it that I was weighing on you are you mad because I didn't go sweat lodge with you?" asked Jane.
"No, not mad," replied Maura, "its just that I thought I was going to be able to clarify something with you that's been on my mind. When you didn't want to be with me I think it just hurt my feelings."
"Hearing those words cut Jane to the bone. She would rather take a bullet than hurt Maura Isles. She was barely able to hold back her tears as she drove back to Boston.
Maura and Jane stole away from the excited revelry about Tasha's scholarship and sat alone in a remote booth in the back of the Dirty Robber
"Obviously Barry's scholarship was sweat lodge revelation number 2," said Jane.
"Well I only had it because you wouldn't let me call the admissions office." replied Maura.
"Thank you." said Jane, pausing for a moment before continuing, "You obviously won't tell me about your revelation about me until you are ready, so what about jack."
"The revelation about Jack is that he is awesome," began Maura, "but even if he weren't moving to Arizona, there just wasn't going to be that total love commitment."
"Really," replied Jane, "I thought you really had feelings for him?"
"I did, and I do." said Maura emphatically, "The feelings just weren't what I thought they were. The sweat lodge made me realize that he was my mask. I was using Jack to hide my real self."
"Then who is the real self you were trying you hide." said Jane.
"Well," said Maura, "explaining that will mean explaining sweat lodge revelation number 4.
Looking intently at Maura, Jane said, "So sweat lodge revelation number 4 is what you learned about me"
"Yes." said Maura returning Jane's intense gaze.
"Then what the lodge revealed about me was what let you know that Jack was a mask that you were using to conceal something about yourself." said Jane.
"That's a remarkably concise observation, Jane." replied Maura.
"So when will be the time to talk about your sweat lodge revelation about me?" asked Jane.
"Now." replied Maura.
"Now?" asked Jane.
"Yes." said Maura, "but you don't know how difficult it is to talk about this."
"I'm beginning to." said Jane, almost shaking with fear, not knowing what Maura was about to say.
"No really, I'm serious. What I'm saying might change how you feel toward me." began Maura, hesitating she looked down before continuing, "I didn't love Jack in a way that made me want to spend every waking moment of the rest of my life with him. For the longest time I knew that but I didn't know why." finally raising her head she looked deeply into Jane's eyes, "In the sweat lodge I realized that I was the reason, that I wanted to spend every waking moment for the rest of my life with someone else."
As Jane looked at Maura she felt tears filling her eyes. "So that was the part of the revelation that was about me wasn't it." she said as she reached out to take Maura's hand.
"It was," said Maura, "but I knew if I told you things would change."
Jane literally glowed hearing Maura's revelation ans she said, "It does change things, Maura. It changes everything. It means I don't have to hide my feelings for you any more." she said as she squeezed Maura's hand as tears of joy rolled down both woman's cheeks.