Hey guys :) I'm back with some fluffiness of our Maura and her mother.

The title is based on the song "Don't Forsake Me", from Duffy. You guys should check the lyrics, I thought it portrayed perfectly Maura and Hope's relationship :D

Hope you like it!

…..

A knock on Maura's door woke her up from the light sleep she was in. She put the blanket away and painfully got up, heading to the door. She was feeling a little under the weather that day, worse than any of the days she had spent in the hospital. Her head was throbbing, her mouth felt dry and she had a feeling she was running a fever.

"Hope?!" She asked astonished when she saw the doctor in her doorstep. She hadn't heard of her since her stay at the hospital, when she had come to visit her room once.

"Hello, Maura." Hope Martin greeted her daughter in her calm and gentle voice.

"What are you doing? Shouldn't you be with Caitlin?" A strong throb in her head made her hold tighter into her front door.

"She is with her father, he stayed after the surgery to help. So I decided to come check on you." She noticed Maura's frowned forehead and the sweat in her face and neck. "Darling, is everything OK?"

Maura made a false a move and mumbled "I don't feel so good…"

Hope held her steady by her arm. "Here, I got you. Let's get you to the couch." She guided Maura to the couch and helped her lay down. She put a hand in her forehead. "Dear, you're burning up. How did this happen? You must be running an infection. When did this started?"

"I don't know… I woke up feeling not so good today, but I thought it was normal."

"No, Maura, this is serious, you seem to have a very high fever. This needs to be taken care immediately. Where do you keep your medication?"

"Top drawer in the counter." Hope headed to the kitchen. "You must have other things to do."

"Nonsense." She said, handing Maura a couple of pills and a glass of water. "I also found a thermometer."

"Thank you." Maura said, taking the pills and putting the thermometer under her armpit to take her temperature.

Hope held a towel soaked in cold water onto Maura's forehead, gently refreshing her. She handed another one for Maura to refresh her neck. "Thank you." She mouthed, slightly embarrassed at her vulnerability.

"I don't want to sound meddlesome, but wouldn't you be more comfortable on your own bed?"

Maura weakly opened her mouth to riposte, to tell her she was fine, that she could go back to her real daughter, ask why her she caring so much about her now. But she stopped herself from saying any of that: her mother, her real mother, a caring one, for that matter, was there, taking care of her. Why would she deny it, instead of enjoying it?

"Yes, you're probably right." Maura said, trying to give a hint of a smile. The thermometer beeped and Maura took it from under her clothes. "You're right again." She handed Hope the thermometer.

"Oh my god, Maura. 105ºF!" She exclaimed, and worry was visible in her eyes. "This is very serious. Do you think we should take you to the hospital? I don't think they can do much for you, but still…"

"No… I'll be fine…"

"Here, let's take you to bed." Hope helped her to her feet and guided her to her bedroom. "Do you mind if I prepare your bed for you?"

"No, it's OK…"

"Do you wish to change into something else?" Hope said, helping Maura into bed.

"No, I'm fine like this, thank you." The medical examiner thanked, adjusting herself in her bed.

"Good." Hope smiled, adjusting the covers around her daughter. "I don't want to sound like I'm pushing the limits, but have you changed your bandage today?"

Maura felt a little uncomfortable being vulnerable, but she shook her head. "No, I haven't."

"Do you mind if I do that?" She noticed the discomfort on Maura's eyes. "I mean, I don't have to, if you don't feel like it, but, well… I'm a doctor after all." She gave her a small smile.

Maura smiled back. "I guess it's OK."

"OK then. Can you lay on your side for me then? I'll go pick up some bandages and stuff. And do you mind I use your kitchen? I'd like to make you some lemon tea to help with that fever."

"Yes, feel free to use whatever you want." She watched Hope nod and smile, turning to leave. "But, Hope, seriously… Shouldn't you be returning to Caitlin? Your daughter might need you."

"You're my daughter too." Hope stated, her voice filled with hurt and love. She turned around and left the room.

Maura was taken by surprise, and the air was trapped in her throat. Her mother had just called her daughter for the first time. Hot tears streamed down her face, and she felt herself sobbing, partly from happiness, partly from sadness that she had that missing in her life until now. She slipped under the covers, laying her head in the pillow, tears soaking her pink pillowcase, waiting for her mother to return to the bedroom.

Hope returned a few moments later, and placed all the things on Maura's nightstand. "OK, let's take a look at that." She sat on the edge of the bed and gently pulled the covers aside. "Well, I'm sorry about my hands, they're probably freezing, my patients complain about that all the time." She sounded so much like Maura when she was nervous, babbling uncontrollably. She lifted Maura's shirt and gently remove the bandage that covered a part of her small back. "I've read studies that show that doctors with cold hands are more likely to-" A gasp interrupted what was certainly a very interesting study. "Oh my god! Darling, how could you not be having such a high fever, this incision is very, very infected! How did this happen?"

"I-I don't know, I've been changing the bandage every day... But… well…" She fought a grimace when Hope touched the hurt skin around the incision. "…I've been doing it alone, and I can't get a good reach. Besides, I've been most of the time in pain…"

"Oh honey!" Hope caressed her back gently. "I'm so sorry, aren't your meds helping? Caitlyn has been doing fine, I didn't know you were feeling like that…"

"Yes…" Maura said, her heart tormented, trying to hide her repressed from tears voice.

"Well, I'll clean this up, and with the medication you're on, this will soon go away." Hope worked for a few minutes on Maura's back, her gentle hands soothing Maura's pain, in different ways. She found herself almost drifting to sleep, when she felt the doctor soothing her skin through the bandage and pulling her shirt back down. "Well, it's good for now. I'll come do it for you every day and we will see how you clean this infection. I'll make you some tea now."

"I really think you shouldn't put yourself into that much effort for me." Maura mumbled.

Hope rearranged the covers around her daughter and, in a very motherly way, kissed Maura's forehead. "Shhh…"

Maura felt a mixture of sadness and overwhelming joy overcoming her body that she just felt like screaming. She couldn't believe in that moment.

Hope returned a few minutes later, holding a mug of steaming tea and a couple of cinnamon cookies. Maura had already been able to dry up her tears, and was already sat up in bed. "Thank you. " She said, with a smile as Hope handed her the mug. "For everything."

Hope just smiled back, and patted her legs gently. "I called to check on Caitlyn, and my ex-husband says she's doing fine. That means I can stay here with you at least until the evening. I want to make sure Angela keeps an eye on you."

"Oh, she will, don't worry." Maura smiled, and took a sip of her tea. A comfortable silence fell between the two of them, but the medical examiner's thoughts were ecstatic: there she was, sharing a cup of with her mother, while she took care of her. She thought she would never live up to see such a moment, a moment she had dreamt for years.

"Well, I don't know if you're feeling to tired, but how does a chess play sounds to you?"

Maura showed her a tired, yet bright and dimpled big smile. "Sounds wonderful."

…..

So, this is it, guys. I know, I'm such a sucker for fluffiness, but what do you expect, Maura's pain drive me crazy and I love to see her and Hope interacting!

Kisses*