Maura is sited on her desk in the leaving room looking at some papers. When he falls, he falls hard. She hears Jane's words echoing in her head. So you can't mess with his heart, okay? She sighs, letting her head fall over her arm. Shit! She gasps mentally. Get a hold of yourself, Maura. You don't swear! Her head feels heavy when she forces herself back. She reaches for the glass of wine in front of her and is about to take a sip when the doorbell rings. Please don't be Frankie, please don't be Frankie, please don't be... "Ian!"

She opens the door and Ian's eyes met hers with a desperate and passionate look. He didn't change a bit. At least not physically. He's still a handsome looking guy and the love of her life. Isn't he?

"Hi there!", God! His smile melts my heart.

"Hi.", she says, but it's almost a whisper.

He drops his bag and holds her tight to him, pulling her for a kiss. A long and slow kiss. A kiss that she needed. A kiss that means love. In a moment they're in the hall and in the other they are on the couch, feeling each other, loving each other. Maura knows that after this all of her problems will still be there, but right now she can only think about the way she is being loved. It's better this way. It would hurt so many people if it didn't work out and… Her thoughts are cut when she feels herself being lifted up in the air by two strong harms that will make her forget everything else. At least for now.

The investigation and research held by Dr. Jones proves that…

Maura is starring at her computer monitor unable to write anything down. She should be writing a critic of a thesis well defended by a friend, but she can't develop it more than one sentence. An incomplete one, by the way. Her head is spinning from all of the events of the last days. Ian is gone. Forever. And, if his departure is not bad enough, he was a fugitive. She harbored a fugitive. So clever Dr. Isles. You're so clever to find evidences where no one can, but you can't seem to see when people are using you. And who gets hurt? You! That's right! Nobody else! Just you!, and though her thoughts begin on the inside she starts to speak out loud without realizing, her frustration growing, and growing, and…

"Maura?", she looks up at the sound of a familiar voice. She freezes. "Are you alright?" Her eyes are lock on Frankie's and her mouth is moving, but nothing is coming out.

"Maura?", he moves further into her office putting the file he brought her over the table. He steps beside her, takes her hands in his owns and gets down to be at her level. "I know we haven't talked about what happened between us, but I want you to know that…", but she can't let him finish that sentence. Not now. So she cuts him of.

"Frankie… Please, don't do that. Don't say what you're thinking. I… I can't handle it right now." And she is out of the room like a thunder, living Frankie behind.

"You did WHAT?!" Jane yells has if the house is on fire. Well, it probably will be. Frankie is sited on his sister's couch, with a beer in his hands looking down at it. "You kissed Maura?! Like kiss, kiss? On the lips?" She tries not to yell, but the last word comes out as a high pitch sort of yell.

"Well, when you say you kissed someone is probably on the lips, otherwise you won't tell your sister about a random cheek kiss!" And because of this he gets a punch on the shoulder that should be playful, but comes out more painful than Jane thought it would.

"Autch! What was that for?"

"You don't get it do you?"

"No! It was so long ago…" And suddenly, it hits her.

"How long ago?"

"Uh… I-I don't know. Maybe… a month or so… Two? I'm not sure. What is wrong?"

"You're messing with her feelings, Frankie. That's why she's been acting weird." She sighs, calming down. She sits beside her brother looking to his hands too. "Do you remember the guy that is wanted for questioning by Interpol?" Frankie nods, not getting what she is trying to tell him.

"Well, that guy is Ian Faulkner. The love of Maura's life."

Silence.

"W-What? I…I had…no idea."

"Well, now you know." She waits for him to say something and when he doesn't, she continues. "I've been watching you guys, you know?" Frankie looks at her with is brown eyes open wide. "Not spying or something like that, but when you're together you're all giggles and touches and smiles. I know what's going on. At least in your head!"

And know it feels a good time to finally drink some of his beer. Or the whole bottle. Frankie drinks his beer all at once, without blinking. He gets up and puts the empty bottle on the kitchen table, turning to the door.

"I should probably go. Thanks for the beer, Janie." Jane is looking at him completely puzzled. Her mouth opens to call for his brother, but it's already too late. "Frankie!" He slams the door behind him.

"Hey Ma.", Frankie sits on one of the stools of the Division One Cafe. He looks pale, dark circles under his eyes. He plays with some napkin left on the table, distracted.

"What's wrong?" Angela approaches the table and sits in front of him.

"You always notice everything, don't you?"

"It's not difficult! You look like a sad puppy. Is that something to do with, uh… I don't know… Maura?" She looks at him with a grin and a curious look, and Frankie can't help it but smile. A sad smile.

"You know about Ian, right?"

"Yeah, Maura's colleague. He stopped by a month ago to consult on a case and have some tea." Angela chuckles. "I didn't buy that one if that's what you're asking!" Frankie looks down at his hands, visibly uncomfortable.

"Oh, honey. You really like Maura don't you?" Frankie shots her a look to not speak so loud, looking around to see if someone has heard her.

"She has been acting so weird, and I barely see her when I'm home. I think she is sad and I think you should talk to her. Talk to her and tell her how you feel."

"I can't do that Ma! She doesn't even look at me since…" Oh shit! I knew I shouldn't have started this conversation. But now is already too late because Angela will not rest until she knows what happened.

"Since what Frankie?" They stare at each other and when Frankie doesn't say anything, Angela moves further and grabs Frankie's hands with hers, starting to rob some circles on them. Frankie knows exactly what she is doing, but can't get out, just like when he was a kid.

"You know mothers know things…And they only want to help their children. You can tell me anything you want you know? I won't be mad…" Angela can be very persuasive and Frankie can't hold on too much.

"I kissed her, ok? Please, don't make a fuss about this like Jane did!"

"You told Jane before telling me?" Frankie sighs. He should already know that kissing Maura is not the biggest problem to his mother. She always wants to be the first one to now things. Well, anything.

"Yeah, we were talking and suddenly I felt the need to tell her, you know? She's Maura's best friend and I thought that she could talk to her and maybe discover why she has been avoiding me." Angela is about to say something when she spots Maura from the corner of her eye entering the precinct and walking to the elevators.

She points in her direction and Frankie looks behind him. He studies her figure, so calm and confident, and yet so mysterious. That's why he fell in love with her. "You should talk to her. Right now. Don't waste any time, kid!" Angela gets back to work, kissing Frankie goodbye, leaving him alone on the table. He looks back one more time and sees the lift door closing in front of Maura. He tries to focus his attention on her eyes, and for a moment their eyes met, but he can't move. He watches the door close, feeling his breathing increase.