A/N: kind of spoiler-ish for 5x11? Maybe…not really? I have no idea. It really only references one thing, but it's one thing that was repeated several times throughout the episode and confirmed a headcanon that I've always had about Maura. YEAH.
It wasn't the first time I'd slept in Maura's guestroom, but it was the first time I found out something about her I never would have guessed. Using the guestroom happened every so often after a long, grueling case that left Maura and me both unsettled. I didn't think we'd yet gotten to the point in our friendship that we could sleep in the same bed (But best friends don't do that as adults anyway though, right? I never really thought so, but now I know differently.), so just being under the same roof was comforting to us and it was satisfying enough, I think.
Right after the case where Hoyt trained his first apprentice (Green Berets are supposed to serve our country and protect us, aren't they? Bullshit sometimes if you ask me), and Maura took me out for drinks instead of cleaning up my apartment, we returned to my place, repaired my door as best as we could, and she drove us to her mansion of a house. (I know it's not really a mansion, but it just feels that way to me. Maura's fancy and gorgeous and wealthy, so I find it funny to think about.)
Even though I was utterly exhausted, my sleep wasn't dreamless when I finally did fall asleep. (I know Maura argues that sleep is never dreamless because dreams occur in the REM stage of sleep, and the average person has 4-6 of them per night, but I figure, if you wake up and can't remember any dreams, it's basically dreamless. We've had this discussion a couple of times before and she just becomes frustrated. I end up amused though because I have fun doing that sometimes.) I'd already had a couple of nightmares since the case started, but they weren't nearly as haunting as the one I had that night. Honestly I can't even remember the specifics about it, but I do remember waking up disoriented, terrified, and sweating profusely. My hands trembled. I was on the verge of tears. Even as I laid back down and tried to calm myself, I just couldn't shake the feelings.
Taking a deep breath, I threw back the covers and crawled out from under the warm sheets and duvet. (I swear on my Law Enforcement Oath of Honor that the thread count of Maura's sheets had to be like 5000 or something because I've never felt any that soft.) I was eternally grateful that Maura had taken to having a nightlight in the room for times when I slept over. I didn't really like for most people to know about it, but Maura did and she never made me feel the least bit stupid. (File that under reasons why I'm glad she's my best friend.) I walked quietly to the door and turned the doorknob, pulling it open slowly as I stuck my head out and glanced up and down the hallway to make sure it was clear. (That was another thing Maura would probably never make fun of me for.)
Nothing was there. Obviously. I pulled the door open the rest of the way and stepped out into the hall, turning left toward Maura's bedroom, where the door was closed. My first thought was to just enter quietly and crawl into bed with her, but the proceeding thought was far more logical. She'd probably freak out, so instead I softly tapped my knuckles twice on the door.
A few seconds I waited.
No answer.
I knocked again.
Still no answer.
With a sigh, I turned the doorknob and entered the room, closing the door silently behind me. Laughter bubbled up in my chest when I noticed that Maura also had a nightlight, and, best of all, she was sleeping facing away from me in a bit of a relaxed fetal position on the left side of the bed (I'm not sure why I like this so much about her, but I do. I looked it up later and decided it fit her perfectly.), but I bit my lip to keep from laughing. Dark honey blonde waves were splayed across her pillow. The covers were pulled up to her neck.
She looked so peaceful. It relaxed me though and I wasn't entirely sure why.
I tiptoed toward the bed and lifted up the covers on my side, just far enough down that I knew I could slide underneath without jostling the bed too much. As I placed my hand on the mattress to crawl underneath the covers, I immediately noticed that the mattress was memory foam. (Of course it was. Maura Isles would want to basically sleep on a cloud or whatever most people would compare a memory foam mattress to.) That soothed all of my fear about waking her up as I got into bed with her.
Climbing in did, however, cause her to roll over onto her back with her face turned a little more toward me, even though she didn't wake up. I laid my head on the pillow (obviously also memory foam) and rolled onto my right side facing her. While I felt a little bit creepy, I couldn't help myself as I watched her sleep for a couple of minutes. Face relaxed. Worry lines across her forehead smoothed. The hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. (This was one of the first times I was overcome with the sudden urge to lean forward and press my lips against hers.)
She looked perfect.
And she was my best friend.
I tried my best to scoot closer, but not too close.
Her subconscious must have sensed something amiss because suddenly her eyes began to flutter as she woke from her sleep. First it was very subtle, but it didn't take long for her eyes to grow wide and for her to gasp loudly, pushing away from me as quickly as she possibly could. Of course in her haste and sleep-frightened-awake state, she ended up scrambling out from underneath the covers entirely.
Even in the low light of the room (thanks to the nightlight, once again), I could tell that she was entirely nude from head to toe. I froze, my eyes wide. "Maur," I croaked, my voice scratchy from several hours of disuse.
Finally realizing it was me and remembering her undressed state, she gasped and jerked enough of the comforter from the bed to cover her body from her breasts down. "Why are you in my bed?" she breathed out.
"I had a nightmare. It was awful and I just…I didn't want to be alone." (I couldn't just say that I wanted to be able to touch her because it always soothed me, no matter what kind of contact it was. A brush of her hand against my upper arm, a squeeze of the hand, thighs touching when sitting close together. It all made me feel better.)
"Oh." That's all she could say. (For once I felt powerful knowing that I'd been able to render Maura Isles nearly speechless.)
"You're not mad I came in here, are you?" (I kept chanting in my head for her not to be. I needed her too much for her to be mad.)
"Oh Jane, no. I'm not. I just hadn't expected it, or I would have actually worn something to bed." She laughed nervously.
"So you always sleep nude?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow. (For the record, that thought turned me on immensely, and that was definitely the first time the thought of something related to Maura made me feel horny.)
She breathed in deeply and nodded.
I laughed quietly. "Well, you look hot naked. Or at least it seems like you do since there's not much light in here." (I was going for nonchalance and humor, but looking back I'm not sure if it was very convincing for either of us.)
"Thanks," she said softly, and I noticed her mouth turn up in a lopsided smile. "Would you mind turning around or closing your eyes while I grab some pajamas to wear?"
"Sure," I replied, closing my eyes. "No problem." (Confession: a few seconds later, I may or may not have peeked open an eye and caught a glimpse of her ass as she walked through her closet door. It was hard to see much in the dark, even with the nightlight, but I saw enough to know it looked very, very good.)
When she came back and climbed into bed beside me, on her side facing me, she quietly told me, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you I sleep naked. Not that it would really be important or come up naturally in conversation, but it never even occurred to me to do so. In hindsight, I realize I probably should have told you somehow."
I smiled as I looked up at the ceiling. "I grew up playing sports. Believe me, I've seen plenty of girls naked, especially in high school."
Her laughter was infectious. I laughed with her. Moments later, I turned to look at her, only to find her still looking at me. "I'm not saying this just because you complimented my body, but you're my best friend and I'm always here if you need me."
"I know," I replied quietly. "Thanks."
"Are you feeling better now?"
I nodded. She smiled. (It was the second time that night that I had the urge to close the distance between us and kiss her. I decided it was a feeling I needed to explore, but it wasn't the right time or place.)
The next morning I woke up completely rested and relaxed. I wasn't sure if it was because of Maura herself or because of her amazing mattress, or both, but I was determined to sleep in her bed as often as possible.
(In case you were wondering, it only took a couple of months for me to finally ask Maura out on a date, and a few more weeks after that for the whole nude sleeping thing to become a non-issue. In fact, it quickly turned into our preferred way of sleeping.)
I thought it was a possible way that Jane found out for the first time that Maura slept in the nude. I know it's really silly. hahaha