Maura sat in the uncomfortable hospital chair as she clutched Jane's hand. The brunette was lying on her side in the bed staring out the window. Unnecessary instruments lined the room's walls. A fetal heart monitor and an ultrasound machine, unplugged and unneeded, mocked two broken hearts with their silence.

The grip on Maura's hand tightened as Jane clenched against another cramp, one of the much too early contractions that was expelling the remnants of lost life from her bruised body. Another tear slid down Maura's face, following the mascara streaked path created by its predecessors. Jane's fingers relaxed as the pain eased and they both used lamaze breathing in a way neither had anticipated.

"It's probably for the best," Jane whispered, her voice deeper and more broken than Maura had ever heard it.

"Don't say that," Maura admonished.

"I would have been a horrible mother."

"That's not true, Jane. You'd make a wonderful mother."

"I complained the whole time, Maura. About no caffeine, no alcohol, no good food."

"But you made those sacrifices. Even if you did complain, you never cheated. Not once."

Jane tensed as another contraction came and Maura silently guided her breathing by example.

"Do you want some medication for the pain? The doctor said he could prescribe something."

"No. They aren't as strong as they were. I think the worst is over. Physically anyway."

"I can't even imagine," Maura said softly.

Jane turned to look at her with a sad smile. "Those tear tracks down your face say otherwise. You are losing this baby just as much as I am."

"What do you mean?"

"You were the one making doctor's appointments, buying jogging strollers, and planning college funds. Reminding me to take my vitamins and to eat right. Sometimes I felt like you were the mommy and I was just an incubator."

Fresh tears poured down both their faces. "I'm sorry," Maura croaked. "I didn't mean to overstep boundaries."

"Don't apologize, Maura. I wasn't offended. And there were no boundaries. I'm glad you took charge because I had no idea what to do."

"Are you sure?"

"From the moment we read the positive result on that pregnancy test to this very second, I have only felt unconditional love and support from you. Even when you asked if I wanted to terminate, there was no judgment at my decision to keep the baby. Just 100% acceptance."

"I don't know how I could have reacted any differently, Jane. The pregnancy was a surprise. Your birth control failed. You never planned on having children. And you had just ended things with Casey. It wasn't a decision you made lightly. Support was what you needed...what you deserved."

Jane squeezed Maura's fingers once more, but only to tug the blond toward the bed. "Get up here," she whispered.

Maura tilted her head in confusion, then looked toward the door.

"Come on," Jane pleaded.

Taking a moment to kick off her shoes, Maura then scooted onto the bed and spooned up behind Jane. After settling into comfortable positions, Jane took their intertwined fingers and placed them over her heart. Maura gently guided brunette tresses aside and placed a soft kiss behind Jane's ear.

"I feel torn," Jane whispered. "Half of me feels like someone has scooped out a part of my soul that I can never get back. But then I feel like this isn't really happening. Maybe like how amputees say they still feel itching and pain in lost limbs. It's like Baby is still here, still growing inside me, despite what all the machines and doctors say."

"Baby will always be with you, Jane. Physical bodies die, but love is eternal. We won't ever hold this baby in our arms, but we'll always hold her in our hearts."