A/N: Inspired by a song I was listening to, so it kind of just wrote itself. It's a little short, cheesy, and sappy but I hope someone out there enjoys it. I don't own anything but the mistakes. (ps, first fic! woot!)
Sitting on Maura's couch with each of their knees sandwiched with the other woman's, Jane struggles with how to start this long overdue conversation. The beginnings of sentences linger on the tip of her tongue but don't quite seem to make it past her lips. Taking a deep breath and bracing herself, she settles for direct.
"After Hoyt, I became a different person. I felt..broken."
"Jane-"
The detective gently shushes her and speaks quietly.
"Just let me say this, okay?"
Maura nods, and Jane looks down into their laps. Taking hold of Maura's hands she feels reassured at the gentle squeeze she receives. Lifting their intertwined fingers she faces the backs of her hands toward Maura. Showing her scars.
"These," she says motioning to her hands, "they healed."
She takes Maura's right hand, and flattens it with her left onto her chest. Right above her heart.
"But this..this didn't."
Looking into Maura's eyes she feels at home. And it gives her the strength to continue.
"But you started to pick up the pieces and put them back together again."
Maura's heart is bursting and beating as fast as the one underneath her fingertips. She feels so very privileged to get to hear Jane open up and bare her scars.
"And after everything we've been through I just..I need you to know." He voice is gravelly with emotion and breaks with each word.
Maura's thumbs gently stroke Jane's hands. Urging her to continue.
"Maura I love you. No, I'm in love with you. And if you don't feel the same then-"
She stops short at the sight of the doctor trying to repress a laugh.
"Are you..? You're laughing at me. Why are you laughing?" Jane says nervously, feeling the heat creep into her cheeks.
As soon as Maura feels she can speak without giggling, she simply shakes her head.
"I'm laughing because you're always calling me 'the dumbest genius you know,' but you just might be the dumbest detective I know." She says grinning.
"What are you talki-" Again her sentence is cut short but this time by the softest pair of lips she's ever felt being pressed against her own.
It takes a moment for Jane to register what's going on but as she melts into the kiss, everything fades into the background. For a split second there is no hurt. There is no fear. There is only this moment and the only important thing is Maura, and the fact that she's actually kissing her. Maura pulls back ever so slightly, so that their foreheads lean on each other.
"Jane, I am so in love with you." she breathes.
To hear those words being said back to her, nearly causes Jane to question whether or not she is dreaming. But the scent of Maura all around her, and the softest skin under her fingers anchors her back down. Both of Maura's hands lay flat against Jane's rapidly beating heart, while Jane's own scarred hands gently cup Maura's cheeks. She strokes her thumbs across the doctor's jaw in the same way Maura always does to her hands.
Jane kisses her again.
And she is home.
