Don't Go
We've all got our own version of how this should end. This is mine.
They were sitting on the bench outside the Dirty Robber, relaxing, trying to find the words they needed to move past the pain that had suddenly surfaced.
"Don't go."
"Maura, I have already accepted. I need something different in my life. I think my mother is right. I can't keep doing what I'm doing forever. I'm getting older. I have to do something safer. What kind of a life do I have? I'm alone, I'm childless, there is no one even in the foreseeable future that I will have in my life. I'm getting tired, Maur. I have to stop."
Maura found that she couldn't speak. The impact had finally hit her. She was going to lose Jane – forever. She was going to lose her best friend, her confidant, her protector, the love of her life. The love of her life who she had never told was the love of her life. And suddenly, the lump in her throat was too much.
She took a deep breath knowing that if she didn't make a move her tears would start. She was afraid if she started to cry, she would not be able to control the release of 7 years of emotion.
"Are you ok?" Jane leaned toward her friend and put her arm on the back of the bench. "Maur. It's going to be okay. We'll stay in touch. We'll call, we'll talk. It's going to be okay."
"No, Jane, it's not – it's not going to be okay." Maura pulled away and stood up to leave. Jane rushed to stop her and grabbing her by the arm, spun her around.
"Why is it, Jane, that I seem to be so distraught, and you seem to be able to just walk away? We have been in each other's lives for 7 years. You have saved me. I have saved you. We've flirted over drinks, held each other during the worst times of our lives. I'm staying, and you're leaving, and I'm a mess and you're acting like it's just a ho hum, changing my life, leaving you and my family and moving to Quantico kind of decision."
With every sentence, Maura's voice rose, and her fists clenched. Jane backed up. She knew the signs of Maura's anger.
"Why are you getting angry?"
"How can you just leave me?"
"I'm not 'just leaving you'. Of course this hurts. Of course this is hard. I am holding in my emotions because I am trying to make it easier on you."
Maura's reaction was a full-throated scream of frustration.
"You are so oblivious. How can you not see this?"
'See what", was Jane's response.
Maura took two steps forward, and before Jane could react, she grabbed her by the lapels and kissed her hard on the mouth.
While Jane was still in shock, Maura had pulled away and had run to her car.
There will be one or two more chapters. Love these characters, love this community, love you guys.
