"Shit," Jane mutters under her breath as she exits the classroom.

"Did it not go well?" Maura asks from the bench she has been occupying for the past half hour.

"It was awful, Maur," Jane sighs and plops herself down on the bench, swinging her feet up to lay horizontally. Resting her head in Maura's lap, she looks up.

"I don't understand, Jane. I've been helping you study for this exam all week. And what about last night? Our three hour power session?"

"Yeah, well..." Jane's sentence trails off as she steals a glance at her friends chest, "I was distracted."

"Distracted?" Maura asks as she starts to run her fingers through Jane's hair. "By what?"

"Um..." Jane was finding it incredibly difficult to focus with Maura's hands rubbing at her scalp. "I was distracted by, um," she chances another look at Maura's chest, "Anatomy."

Maura's eyebrows wrinkle in confusion.

"Anatomy? But you're not even taking that class."

"Yeah, well..." Jane says as she sits up, needing to distance herself from all the touching, "Maybe I'm thinking about it."

"Really?!" Maura's eyes light up with excitement. "Oh, Jane that would be wonderful! The human body is truly fascinating. And I could help you!"

Jane's mind instantly flashes to more demonstrative ways of learning about anatomy with her best friend; she feels her cheeks color, "Uh, yeah, well we'll see. I haven't picked my classes for next semester yet."

"Well you will have to let me know. I'm quite the expert when it comes to the human body."

Yeah I bet you are, Jane thinks to herself, in more ways than one.

Instead of responding Jane leans forward, rests her head in her hands and exhaustedly rubs at her face.

"I'm just glad that was my last exam for the week and it's a three day weekend. Speaking of," she pauses to glance back at Maura who is packing up her bag, "Are you still going to your mom's show this weekend?"

"No, actually. A few of her installation pieces are stuck in Paris, so she had to postpone the opening."

"So you don't have plans?"

"Other than getting ahead on some reading assignments, no."

"Well, a few girls from the field hockey team are driving up to Rockport for the weekend. Kate's family owns a house on Sandy Bay, I think it is. I know it's not really warm enough anymore for the beach, but it will be nice to get away. Wanna join us?"

In her nervous habit, Maura used both hands to tuck her hair behind her ears. "That sounds lovely, but I don't want to intrude if it's a team bonding thing."

"What? Oh, no it's not a team thing, I mean there will be a few girls from the team, but everyone's bringing boyfriends, girlfriends, um, you know friends and stuff. It's like an open invite thing. A lot of people are going."

Maura looks down at her lap and starts picking at her fingernails.

"Are you sure?" she asks.

"Yes! I won't have any fun if you're not there. I want you to come with me." God do I want you to come with me.

"Well," Maura begins, "if you're sure it's ok, I'd love to come with you."

Fuck. "Great! We're thinking about leaving early tomorrow morning. Wanna just pack a bag and stay over at my place tonight?"

"Okay," Maura says with a hint of excitement in her voice.

"Perfect. I'll text Kate and tell her to pick us up in the morning at my apartment."

Jane pulls out her phone and starts typing out a message to her friend before helping Maura up from the bench. The two exit the building with a sense of freedom washing over them.

"It shouldn't take me long to pack. Shall I just come over once I'm finished? I can grab some dinner on my way?"

"Sounds perfect, but I can grab the food. One less thing for you to carry. I know you're not the lightest packer," Jane teases.

"Very funny," Maura responds playfully and pinches Jane's side.

"I'll see you in an hour or so," Maura says as they part ways, "And Jane?"

"Yeah?" Jane responds with a look over her shoulder.

"Thank you. For inviting me, I mean. I... I really appreciate it."

"Of course, Maur."

Jane smiles at her friend and turns to head home.

xxx

A few hours later, bellies full of Chinese food, Jane and Maura find themselves snuggled up on Jane's futon watching a movie.

"I can't believe you like this movie. It's so weird! Maur?"

Jane looks over at her friend who is slumped against the edge of the futon, sound asleep.

Laughing at the sight, Jane turns off the TV and reluctantly moves to wake up her friend, not wanting her to wake in the morning with a kink in her neck.

"Maur," she whispers and gently nudges her friend's shoulder.

"Hmmph," Maura grumbles.

"Come on, I just wanna move you to the bed alright? And then you can go right back to sleep."

"Fine," Maura replies sleepily as Jane helps her stand up and walk the short distance to her bed.

"Come on sleepyhead," Jane teases as she instructs Maura to get in under the covers. "There we go," she says and tucks in her friend.

Jane turns to head back to the futon when Maura's hand reaches out and grabs her wrist, "Where are you going?" She asks, suddenly wide awake.

"The couch, I wanted you to have the bed."

"Well that's not fair," Maura states. "We can share."

"Uh, have you seen the size of my bed, Maur? It's a twin!"

"So? Come on," Maura says as she scoots over until her back hits the wall. She pats the small space next to her. "See? Plenty of room."

Jane hesitates. "You sure? I don't want to kick you or anything."

"Just get in already," Maura says as her eyelids slip shut.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Jane replies, finally settling herself down beneath the blanket.

She wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight. Not with her beautiful best friend in such close proximity.

xxx

After a few hours of trying to fight it, Jane finally falls asleep.

Minutes before her alarm is set to go off, she is woken up by a tickle to her nose. Confused, she opens her eyes to find golden locks of hair draped around her neck and face. It was then she felt the weight pressing down on her chest and one of her legs.

Maura.

Taking a moment to enjoy the feeling of her friend pressed against her and the ticklish exhales against her neck, Jane gently brings her hand up to stroke Maura's hair, both to get it out of her own face and to selfishly touch that gorgeous hair.

The action causes Maura to stir and shift her body, unintentionally rubbing Jane in the wrong (or incredibly right) way.

Jane lets out a frustrated groan at the movement, which seems to officially wake up Maura.

"Oh!" Maura gasps, pushing herself up on her hands, hovering above her friend. "Jane I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to sleep on top of you. I should've warned you...I tend to gravitate towards warm bodies in bed with me," she says, blushing.

Jane chuckles as she watches Maura's chin tilt down, embarrassed.

"Good to know," she says and Maura once again tilts her head to make eye contact with Jane.

"You're not mad?"

"Mad? What? Why would I be mad at you for snuggling with me?"

Maura opens her mouth to respond, but is at a loss for words.

"I'll let you in on a little secret," Jane whispers and Maura, without realizing, leans in close to hear her, "I really love cuddling."

"Good to know," Maura smirks, proud of herself for using a line Jane had said moments earlier.

It was then that Jane realizes the position they are in; how intimate it is. Her eyes search Maura's face before landing on her lips. God did she want to kiss her, but before any further action could be made, a loud knock on the door startles them both.

"Come on ladies, don't keep my baby waiting!" Kate yells from the other side of the door.

"Baby?" Maura asks, clearly confused.

As gently as possible, Jane slips out from underneath Maura to quickly get ready. Laughing, she answers Maura's question, "That's what she calls her red pickup truck."