N: This was an idea i had while listening to the Serena Ryder song Famous. It is what it is. Enjoy!

I smeared blood across my face, my nose was split open and probably broken. I groaned, flicking the blood off my fingers. How many times did I break it? Was this number three? I waved off the EMT's, "I'm good." I stumbled. The punch to the face knocked a few marbles loose, but the dirtbag suffered worse when I took him to the ground. Rolling my shoulders, I winced. I sprained or twisted something.

"Jane!" Korsak bellowed behind me. I stopped, hanging my head down. I didn't want to deal with this now.

"I'm good." I sniffed, blood making it hard to breathe through my nose.

"You need to be checked out. You took a few hard hits." I turned to Korsak. The look on his face told me it was bad. His eyes fell to my bloodied hands. "Where are you hurt?"

He went to reach for my hands, I shook him off stepping back. "I think my nose is broken." I wiped more blood pouring from my nose. "I might've broken a finger grabbing for his gun." My hands shook as the adrenaline began to filter away.

"Jesus Jane." Frost appeared out of nowhere. Korsak left when his name was shouted from the back of the ambulance were the dirtbag was being loaded up.

I frowned. "Please save it. I don't need a lecture, the hovering or a silent rundown of my injuries." I looked up, giving them the patented look of leave me the fuck alone.

Frost never broke from my eyes. "Jane. You just chased an ex-marine, took him down and went three rounds with him. The dude is at least two fifty of solid muscle and you knocked him on his ass. He's out cold with a severe concussion. Of course we're going to ask if you're okay."

"He killed six people. I had to stop him." I clenched my jaw. "I had to stop him."

"Backup was right behind you, I was right behind you." Frost took a step forward, "Please let the EMT's check you over then you can walk away. I won't make you go to the hospital."

I groaned, "Frost." That's when I looked up and caught her running through the dirt in her heels. The panic, the fear was painted all over her face. "Shit." I turned to Frost. "There's no bodies."

Frost sighed, "Yeah, but when the officer down call went out, it went out everywhere. She almost stole a patrol car until Susie calmed her down." He gently took my elbow. "She's scared, Jane." He looked up at me, and with his silent gaze I knew what he was saying. This was my third close call in the last year and it was starting to weigh heavily on our friendship. "Jane, you know she cares about you."

I swallowed hard, stumbling as we climbed out of the small ravine I rolled in with the marine. I looked up and caught teary hazel eyes locked on mine and fighting their damndest not to cry as I limped up. "Maura." I rasped the words out, grabbing onto Frost's arm as I wobbled.

I watched as her eyes took in the sight before her. I knew my face was smeared with blood, my hands looked like Hoyt had another go at them, and my clothes were ripped and filthy. She shook her head, swallowing hard, her mind retreating to the hundred other times I'd thrown myself on the proverbial grenade without a second thought. She stepped back, a tear slipping free. "I can't. I can't keep doing this." She covered her mouth with a trembling hand, turned and half ran back to her car.

A harsh sting stabbed my heart watching Maura run from me. I hated watching her cry. "Frost."

"Don't. You know what I'm going to say. It's the same thing I've been telling you at the end of every night at the Dirty Robber. Tell her how you feel before she gives up on you. Her heart, her love for you can only take so much more of this. You need to tell her you love her just as much, give her something to hold onto in moments like this." He smiled softly as he led me to an ambulance. "Every mountain she climbs is for you."

I gave him a curious look, "How do you know she loves me?" My voice wavered. Frost had blown apart my poorly hidden secret a month ago when he caught me staring at Maura waiting for her outside of the robber. He confronted me the next morning and I admitted over an overpriced coffee in the café down the street that I'd fallen in love with my best friend a long time ago but was clueless what to do. He'd been pushing ever since, but then this case fell in our hands and like always, work came first.

He chuckled. "It's probably the neon sign in her eyes. They light up every time she sees you and practically broadcasts I love Jane Rizzoli." He helped me sit on the edge of the ambulance bumper, sitting next to me and waving an EMT over. "How is it you have no fear when chasing a murderer? No fear taking on the dirt of this earth, and yet, you can't tell the most wonderful woman in the world you love her?" He titled his head his Barry Frost way. "Figure it out Jane and cool down on the superman moves. You're not the only detective in the department and there's a lot of us who'd like to see you go a whole year without stitches."

He stood, "Tell her before you lose her." He winked leaving me to poked and prodded by a tired EMT.

Two hours later I was standing outside of Maura's door, debating and trying to build up the courage to follow through on my partner's advice. I'd been sent to the hospital to get my x-rays and my nose stitched up. It gave me plenty of time to overthink, analyze and finally admit my feelings. I loved Maura. There was only Maura over the last year. She was who I wanted and maybe it was time to stop being an idiot and do this.

I knocked on her door, wincing at the ache in my right hand. Everything hurt. I'd taken quite the tumble with the marine, so much so the doctor was impressed I only had a broken nose and broken finger. I waited, glancing down at the baggy t-shirt I found in my trunk. There were a few blood drops on it from my nose. "Shit." I turned to go back and change when the door swung open.

"Jane." Maura's voice was so small, broken, tired.

I looked up, trying to smile. "Hey." I went to rub at the scar on my left hand, frowning when the gauze prevented it. "Um, can I come in?"

Maura looked defeated as she nodded and stepped away from the door. "I don't have much time. I have a dinner reservation." She was closed off, throwing up the infamous queen of the dead walls.

"This won't take long." My stomach twisted. Maybe I was too late. "I didn't get a chance to talk to you at the scene."

Maura walked towards the kitchen where her bag sat. "I understand." She fidgeted with her wallet. "You had to speak with Lieutenant Cavanaugh and Sergeant Korsak."

I sighed. When she used titles, she was pissed off. Hurt. "Maur."

"Jane, whatever it is, please say it. I don't have much time for idle conversation. I have a reservation and don't want to be late." She refused to look at me and kept blinking rapidly.

"I'm sorry…"

"Sorry for what? Running into the fire without a second thought or waiting for backup? You knew the suspect was a prone to violence and would fight when chased. And yet, you run in blindly. Not thinking about anyone else." Maura spoke quickly, struggling to contain her anger.

"I had to stop him. If I didn't, he would've killed again." I ran a hand through my hair, grimacing at the dried blood caked around my fingers.

"He would've killed you! Then what! Then what would it all have been for? You'd be dead, and I'd be lost. You never think before you act, which is one of your most admirable qualities, and worst faults, Jane." She looked up, she was crying. "You ever stop and think about the ones who love you? And can't handle watching you skirt the edge of death?" She sniffled. "I can't do this anymore, Jane. I think it's best if you left."

My heart cracked and my temper flared. "What do you mean? You can't do this?" I stepped closer to her, "I did think of my loved ones when I went after him." I was teetering the edge of full blown anger from holding my feelings back and keeping the truth from Frost, Korsak and Maura. "The one person I thought about as I fought him, was you. The one person I love more than anything in this world. You, Maura. You. You're all I think about." I threw my hand up, "He was going to kill more, and we all know our track record has maniacs circling back to us and the last thing I wanted was you to become a target. So yes, I thought about you and threw myself right into the mouth of the fire. Why? Because I love you so much I will give up my life to keep you safe." I blew out a heavy breath. "I love you, Maura. Have for a long time and if you can't do this anymore, fine. I'll walk out that door and we can go back to being friendly co-workers. I'm willing to give up the fame and the glory of being the hero, I'm tired of bleeding all over my good pantsuits. More than that, I'm tired of hurting you and watching you cry because I'm stupid. I know it's a bitch to be my best friend when I do the dumb things I do to keep you safe, and I'll accept it. But you have to know what I feel about you before we call it a day." I paused, Frost's words ringing in my ears. I looked up at Maura, fully crying now. "Every mountain I climb is for you. Every fire I light is for you."

I shrugged, "I'll see you around, Maura." I sniffled, more blood leaking out of my nose. I lifted the corner of my shirt to wipe it.

As I turned to walk away, a warm hand wrapped around my wrist. "Your nasal membrane is irritated and it looks like they didn't correct the broken blood vessel when they reset the bone." Maura's hand came up with a thick towel. She wiped my nose before pinching the side of my nostril. "This should alleviate the bleeding in a minute."

I went to pull my head back. "It's fine. I'll shove gauze up it when I get home." I just wanted to get out of her house, go home and cry in the privacy of my bedroom.

"Jane." She swallowed hard.

I tried to smile, but my heart was completely broken. "Don't worry about it, Maur. My ma will be over the second she weasels what happened out of Frankie. He gave me a three hour grace period."

"I want to build something of our own, Jane." Maura had my full attention, and I looked down at her. She wiped more blood from my face. "I want to take a chance, but I'm scared. I've never loved anyone like I've loved you." She pressed her hand against my cheek. "I love you."

Maura let the three words hang in the air between us for a moment, as if it would be the catalyst and the world would erupt around us. Instead of the world exploding, I grinned. "How long have you been holding that in?"

"Too long." She smiled, "That's why I left the scene. I couldn't stand and watch you bloodied and battered, and be just the friend. Today was the final straw and I made the decision it was better to walk away. It's hard loving you from afar and in silence, Jane." A lone tear slipped down her cheek. "If you died, my world would die with you and I'd have to go back to my solitary life before Jane Rizzoli."

I wiped away the tear with my thumb. "If you stopped being my friend, my world would die too. You're everything I live for, Maura." I smiled as a slow smile crept across Maura's face. I suddenly leaned forward and kissed her, fighting the pain of a broken nose being mashed against her perfect skin. Maura grabbed my hips, pulling me deeper into the kiss. My brain gave me a hard slap for not doing this sooner.

I broke away, my nose making it too painful to continue. Maura wrapped her arms around me, laying her head on my chest. "Could I be enough for you now, Jane?" She asked tentatively.

"More than enough. Maura." I kissed the top of her head.

She sighed contendely, "We still have to talk about you not throwing your life into the fire. You have backup, there are other officers." She leaned back, looking at me. "And why do I have a funny feeling Frost talked to you?"

I chuckled, kissing the corner of your mouth. "You don't guess, Maur."

"Okay, I need to thank him for talking to you. I thought we'd never get here." She ran delicate fingers over my cheeks. "You stole my line."

I gave her a dirty look, "Your line?"

She nodded, "Mhmm. Every mountain I climb is for you. I was listening to a song and that lyric stuck out. I mention to Frost at lunch how do I tell someone that every mountain I climb, literal and figurative is for you. I never mentioned your name though."

"Frost is one hell of a detective." I laughed, shaking my head and looking at the clock. "You should go. Your reservation and I have to face the wrath of ma."

The doorbell rang and Maura slipped out of my arms. "The reservations were a online order from Roberto's Deli." She opened the door, took the large brown bag and tipped the delivery man handsomely.

I sat down on a bar stool, cradling the bloody towel. "Did you just lie to me?" I smirked, "And here I was coming to you with full blown open honesty."

Maura set the bag down, "Roberto's calls their online ordering reservations. I was not lying." She came around the corner, stepping in between my legs and kissing me solidly. "Frost also sent me a warning text you were steaming to my house like a bull in a china shop. It appears Frost is a better matchmaker than Angela."

I squinted, eyeing the brown bag. "Does that mean?"

Maura slid both of her hands along my face. "There's a double cheeseburger and extra fries. I added it on to the order while you professed your love." She smiled softly, "Would you like to have dinner with me? This be our first official date?"

I grinned, pulling her closer by the hips. "I love you, Maura."

She grinned back, "I love you, Jane."

I knew as my wounds healed, we would heal. But I finally had a reason to fully live for and stop playing superman. The love of my life, Maura Isles.