Author Notes: This one references the point in the fourteenth episode of the third season where Casey leaves Jane in her apartment in a miserable state and she calls Maura. This one might seem to be a little hard for those who like Casey; however I do not intend to put him as a bad person, just as someone who fails to see the pain he is causing to someone close while he is going through a tough time. Maura's point of view.
Maura was feeding Bass his favorite strawberries when she heard her cell phone ring. It was Jane. For reasons unknown Maura felt a tinge of concern and she wasn't relieved of it when she picked the phone up.
"Hello, Jane?"
"Maur," Maura heard Jane pause and sigh. She was about to question when Jane continued, "Maur, can you come by? I am at my apartment;" Maura could sense the ache in her voice and the hurt in her breath. "I just don't feel like staying alone tonight."
"Of course Jane, I will be right up."
Maura hung up and hurried to be alongside her best friend but her mind raced from the events of today and she had a fair idea what was troubling Jane so much. Casey had come by today, to leave again. Jane loved Casey; so much so that it hurt her. Every time Casey came by, it felt as if he opened a gaping wound when he left. The last few times, of course it was terrible what had happened to him, but he was making an unintentional habit of leaving Jane stranded every time, in as much emotional pain as he was, even more. Maura couldn't understand. Was Casey not able to see what he was doing to Jane? Or did he still see Jane as a young naïve and vulnerable college student? She was not. The Jane that Maura knew was brave and strong and resilient. She could fight battles no normal human could without breaking. And yet, Casey thought it wasn't right for Jane to see him like this, help him and hold him. Maura wasn't judging one sided. She understood Casey's reasons to some degree. He did not want to strung Jane along a path he wasn't sure was worth her pains. He thought, being the man, it was his duty to be the support and not the other way around. However, Maura couldn't see past Jane's pain.
The hurt that took over Jane's heart and soul every time Casey left was torturing Maura as well. Jane's eyes created havoc every time Casey came and left. Right now, perhaps Jane was crying. Maura couldn't even take it up to her heart to picture that. She couldn't see tears in those eyes. She was trying to handle this in the morning as well. Whole thirty four minutes when Jane kept talking to her, sorting her feelings for Casey, she was listening with her heart in the clasp of her fingers. She was listening to the throbbing in Jane's voice that ached for a reasonable explanation. She was wondering if she should tell her that she didn't deserve this pain, this indifference and this anguish. It was torturing Jane, the way she was trying to reason her irrational heart with what Casey was throwing at her. Maura felt anguish, rage and helplessness course through her veins. But it wasn't her place to question. She was her friend and she was supposed to help her; sort things out. And that is what Maura decided to do. She couldn't stop the pain and hurt from coming, but she made it her mission to stand with Jane until this pain receded, to soothe her in any way she could, and to be the friend she deserved when her heart writhed in pain.
Even if Maura couldn't keep Jane from harm's way, she was ready to do anything to lessen the misery that raged in Jane's heart because her own heart was squirming in agony and calling for aid.