Hey there,

so these are just small pieces of my imagination. Some Episodes of R&I inspired me to write something. It's not that much, but I have the feeling to publish it anyways.
Maura and Jane are in love, and I thought that they are at the beginning of the story just friends. And the actions of the episodes brings them together. So I will relay on Episodes (SPOILER WARNING) and the "chapters" are completein itself, but eventually they admit their feelings to one another. But I'm not at that point by now.

You can skip a chapter, you don't have to read one to understand another. But you have to know the episode otherwise it will not make much sense I guess.
Note: I will not follow the order of the episodes and the seasons. I will just grab one and write something to it. So it's sort of AU.
Have fun and...yeah, maybe you can leave a comment.
(Note: English is not my mother tongue, so be warned.)

Tales of falling in love

Season 2, Episode 4: Brown Eyed Girl

„Don't do this." Maura's voice was barely a whisper. Jane almost didn't hear the words, she was to distracted with her own thoughts which hammered in her head. Loud, all too loud.

"What?"

"Don't do this to you." Jane blinked multiple times, then finally looked at Maura.
They we're sitting at the MEs Couch, a blanket thrown above their legs to spend more warmth than her bodies already did. The TV sends inaudible noises to the room. Both women stared at the pictures, but doesn't really register them. It was simply something to make the silence bearable. To make them forget what happened today.
It failed his job miserably.
It was just 11 o'clock in the morning, but both struggled to stay awake. They were almost eighty-four hours at their feet, worked hard, doesn't eat much and doesn't rest. Now that they were sitting at the couch the fatigue crashed over.
The sun played with their futures and Maura caught herself staring at Jane. It seemed like this was the first time Maura really sees her friend. Realizes how beautiful she really was. Yes, she heard about that. She knew that Jane was a fine woman, that man stand in line to go on a date with her. But it never really occurred to her that she believed that too. That she, Maura, finds her best friend attractive.
Real attractive.

"We almost didn't find her.", Jane's voice was low and ripped Maura out of her thoughts.
Jane doesn't feel the urge to speak out loud. It wouldn't fit the situation, there was nothing to scream about. Just a whisper would make it real though, would remind her that today was real indeed. She rubbed her hands and drained her eyes at the coffee table. She couldn't stand looking at Maura. She doesn't wanted to see her pitiful look, the look that said 'You made it Jane.'

"We...Mandy almost didn't make it."
And Jane was thankful that Maura didn't say a word. That she gave her the look, but doesn't give her words. That she let her process for herself. Just sits there.
Maura scooted an inch closer. Stretched her hands out and took Jane's in hers. She knew that nothing that she would say would make the dark-haired feel better. So she stand silent and offered support. She knew Jane was strong, that she would get over. But it needed time. They both needed time.
It was horrific to think about the possibility to lose Mandy. And Maura had to admit that the percentage to find her alive were so little that her logical mind told her she wouldn't find her in time. But she had known better than to tell that to Jane.
And once again Jane taught her that statistics can tell you what they want...at least they are just statistics.

"Maur...?", something shifted in Jane's tone that made Maura look up. She was greeted with big brown eyes, full of concern.

"Yeah?" and there was this lump in her throat. Always when Jane used her name in this way. When she spoke in this voice. Like her name was the most beautiful word she ever knew.

"Thanks for staying there. I was so angry at this woman. I almost felt like punching her, to get the answer." her hands tighten at this words and Maura could tell that her whole body tenses up. "I nearly lost it. I mean, how could she just sits there and speak with us and Mandy is in this room, locked up, searching for her parents? Never knowing if she is going to see them again?", her voice almost broke with her emotions, a tear fell down her face and Maura had to use all her strange to not cry herself. Instead she rubbed small circles above Jane's back of hands.

She almost give in her need to embrace the taller detective. But then Jane spokes again: "And I almost hit her face. Imagine I would had done that. She's ill, I know. But that don't mean she doesn't deserves it. For Mandy."

"Anyways.", Jane let out a sigh and gave Maura a small smile. "Thanks for being there. You kept me at bay, kept me calm. Reminded me what to do."
And then Maura sits there, her hands froze in the motion and her jaw almost fell open. This was something Jane does sometimes. Hit her by surprise, kicked her out with emotions, left her unspoken. These were the times, when Maura believes to see the real Jane. The concerned, heart-warm, honest Jane.

The Jane she loves so much and sees so rarely.
She bet she was the only one to see Jane in this way.

"Close your mouth. You have nothing to say. I just wanted you to know."
And then the moment was gone and Maura almost burst out into laughter. These moments were rare and even more precious.
She loved them.

"You're welcome, Jane. Any time.", she whispered and Jane gave her a smile full of trust and love and honesty that Maura almost forget that they were just best friends.