The knock sounded early in the morning, and Maura momentarily questioned the sanity of people. It was 3am on a Sunday. But then again, she was also still awake. She pulled her silk robe tighter around her thin frame and answered the door. It was Jane.
Maura sighed in relief and stepped aside to let the detective in, before giving her a questioning look. "Is everything okay?" Maura turned to lock the door quickly, then focused her attention back to Jane. Already at home, Jane was wandering towards the kitchen and slumping down onto one of the chairs beside Maura's island. Maura could see the tense muscles in Jane's body, she could read the expression on Jane's face- she hadn't slept either. Placing a hand gently on Jane's shoulder, Maura rephrased her question, "what's wrong?"
Jane looked up at her, feeling like she was lost in a haze. Just an hour before she'd awoken in a cold sweat, gripped with the paralyzing fear of another nightmare. She'd kept the previous nightmares to herself, not wanting Maura, or her mother, to worry- but now it was too much. She couldn't shake the fear. The sound of his voice. The racing of her heart. "They're back," she whispered in a small voice, feeling weak.
Maura didn't need clarification. Based on the body language and her knowledge of Jane Rizzoli, she knew exactly what was back, and she knew how much it was taking for Jane to bring herself to Maura's home and ask for comfort. Wordlessly, Maura wrapped her arms around the detective and pulled her into a protective hug. She slid her hand along Jane's back soothingly, apply pressure along certain muscles in an effort to relieve some of the tension.
Jane's eyes fluttered shut as she melted into Maura's embrace. She inhaled deep, relishing in the scent of Maura's body, her lotion, the smell of her detergent. Everything about her. She shivered at the feel of Maura's fingers working their way down her back, and the sound of Maura's steady heartbeat against her cheek. There, against a Medical Examiner in a silk robe at 3am, Jane felt safest. Even if Maura couldn't shoot as well as her, or take down a criminal as efficiently, she could keep Jane safe in her own way. A way that comforted Jane more than twenty uniforms guarding her condo would.
Maura pressed her lips to the top of Jane's curly mass of hair, and tightened her hold slightly. "Stay with me tonight," she whispered. She was rewarded by a slight nod of Jane's head.
A whistling tea kettle interrupted their embrace, and Maura reluctantly released Jane to silence the whistling. "I was making tea, would you like some?" Jane scrunched up her face in that adorable way that she did and Maura shook her head, "tea can be very medicinal. It would help you relax, even sleep." Jane sighed and gave in, nodding in acceptance of the cup of tea. Maura smiled and quickly dropped a tea bag into another mug before pouring the boiling water in. "It should only take a few minutes to steep, do you want to shower and change into some more comfortable clothes?" She'd noticed Jane was still in the same clothes from earlier that day, and realized the detective must have fallen asleep on her couch like she often did.
Jane looked down at her wrinkled top and khaki pants, then looked over to the hallway that led to Maura's room and the master bath. She didn't want to admit that she was afraid to go alone, but a hot shower sounded so good. Her hesitation was telling enough, and damnit if Maura didn't know her inside and out. "Come on, grab your mug and let's go."