Maura sat with her best friend on the couch, watching an episode of Jay Leno, drinking some of Jane's beer. After a long Friday at work, Jane had insisted Maura "crash with her" since they were both so tired. This was not out of the ordinary; they had been friends for years.

But tonight wasn't ordinary. Maura could feel it.

She looked over at her friend, who was recovering from a hearty laugh at some baseball joke Maura didn't understand. She's so wonderful, Maura thought.

She had been going over the words in her head for months now and tonight she would finally get them out.

"Jane, could I talk to you?" Maura whispered.

Jane stopped drinking her beer, mid-sip, and turned to look at her friend, a look of concern crossing her face.

"Sweetie, what's wrong? Did I do something? Cause we don't have to watch this if you want. I think Project Runway reruns are on right now," Jane began to pick up the remote to change the channel.

Maura snatched the remote from her hands and quickly turned the television off. A puzzled Jane turned to Maura, trying to comprehend what exactly was going on.

"Jane, I just need to say some things and I just need you to listen, okay?" Maura hesitated, anxiety over what she was about to say fully kicking in.

"Sure, Maur. Whatever you need," Jane said, curiosity overtaking her.

"I'm really weird and-"

"Maura, no you're not!"

"Jane, it's rude to interrupt someone when they are speaking. May I continue?"

"Yeah… sorry."

"I'm really weird and although that has contributed to my excellence in academia and my professional life, it has always given me the curse of a serious lack in social interactions. I've never had many-"

Maura stopped herself, and realized that if she was going to tell Jane the whole truth of her feelings, she ought to begin being honest now.

"I've never had any real friends. Sure, I've had a few "pals" but no one who really understood me and cared about me."

Jane's heart broke hearing this from Maura, so she scrambled to find something to say. Then she remembered one of the few lines from that musical Maura made her see months ago because "the music and the story are phenomenal" and it would be "really fun for us to go" and it would be wonderful if she "actually watched it for once."

Jane began, "And I've had so many friends,"

"Jane!" Maura shrieked, tears now threatening to flood her eyes, "Not only have you interrupted me twice but now you're making me feel-"

"But only one that mattered," Jane finished.

She did pay attention, Maura thought.

Maura's anger subsided, touched by Jane's words.

"Jane, you're the most beautiful person I've ever met, both internally and externally. You're impossibly gorgeous and I wish you could see how beautiful you are. You're also incredibly tough, and although some may see it as bitchiness, I see strength in you that I only wish I had. You're the most driven worker I've ever seen and you constantly amaze me because of it. You're tough, but you're also the most sweet, caring person I've ever met, even though you don't realize when you're doing it. You've made sure I was okay when I was sick. You've made me laugh when I needed it. You've cheered me up when I was upset. You've given me encouraging pep talks when my self esteem was low. You've listened to me when I've spoken, whether it was about what I love, what interests me, or what scares me. You've tolerated my quirks and social mishaps. You haven't ignored me when I've cried, just held me and allowed me to let go. You accept me for who I am, which I still don't understand. (And I have never been incapable of understanding something up until this point.) You're my best friend. I don't know what cosmic force in the universe has been so pleased with me, but I'm eternally grateful that he or she or whatever it is that decides what happens to us has brought you to me."

Jane, misty eyed, opened her mouth to speak before Maura cut her off.

"I'm not done," Maura sighed, taking a deep breath before saying the words that she had been both ecstatic and terrified to tell Jane, "I love you. As a best friend, but more than that. I thought I knew what love was, but you proved me wrong. I've never felt about anyone the way I feel about you. When I'm around you, I feel better than I have in my entire life. I feel safe, happy, fearless, loved…"

Maura paused, trying to find the words.

"Even my extensive vocabulary can't begin to describe it," she chuckled,

"All I know is I need that feeling. When you're gone, I feel empty. I can't concentrate on anything. I try and put my mind to use thinking about other things, but everything goes back to you. When you're not with me I don't want to do anything or go anywhere. I just want to wait until I'm with you again because nothing matters more to me than you. I would do anything for you, Jane. I would give up my clothes, my family, my house… even my shoes,"

Jane and Maura both smiled,

"I would throw it all away if I could spend every day with you. I used to think I loved the men that I had dated, but I don't want any of them. I'm not fighting these feelings I have for you anymore. I just want you, Jane. It's always been you. I love you."

"You done?"

Maura pondered that for a moment, "Yes, I think so."

"Good," Jane sighed before cupping Maura's face in her hands, bringing her in for a gentle kiss.

Jane's hands moved to Maura's hips and gave them a tight squeeze before Jane looked deep into the medical examiner's eyes,

"I feel the same way about you, I've just been too afraid to say it because I didn't know whether or not you felt the same way. I love you so much, Maur."

Maura's heart leapt at finally hearing those short little words that she'd been waiting to hear for weeks. She brought her lips back to the detective's, overwhelmed by the joy in her heart.

Jane let out a soft moan, encouraging Maura to deepen the kiss by tangling her hands in the detective's raven locks. Her hands slowly moved down to the detective's hips and began to pull the blue baseball tee from the waistband of her shorts.

Growing impatient, Jane broke their kiss to quickly take off her shirt, revealing more of her toned olive skin to Maura, who couldn't help but marvel at the toned muscles the athletic brunette possessed.

Maura, not wanting to be the only one enjoying herself, stood up and slowly began unzipping the side of her dress. She eased her arms out of it and let the smooth fabric drop to the floor, stepping out of her patent leather Jimmy Choos, revealing the black lace lingerie set she had worn for tonight, hoping for the best.

Oh, how right she'd been.

Jane hopped up and quickly removed her shorts and began to look hungrily at Maura.

Even though Jane was only wearing a white cotton bra and underwear set, Maura couldn't think of anything that would have suited her better. The simplicity of it was so Jane, and the stark white contrasted beautifully against Jane's deep olive skin.

Maura looked up to Jane's deep chocolate eyes and saw the lust in them, but still thought she should confirm what they were about to do was what they both wanted.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Maura asked sheepishly.

"Maur, I've been wanting this, late at night, in my bed, alone, under the sheets, naked, for a long time now."

Maura blushed at Jane's bluntness.

"And sometimes in the shower," Jane grinned.

Taking Jane's hand, Maura began to slowly lead them back to Jane's bedroom.

Jane, frustrated at the pace of things, broke her hand away and instead quickly backed Maura into her bed and climbed on top of her. Maura began to protest before she felt Jane's lips crash down onto hers. Maura couldn't resist and gently opened her mouth to allow the detective's skilled tongue to explore hers.

Maura pushed Jane away from her. Jane sat back on her feet and began to protest just as she saw Maura's hands begin to take off the black lace masterpiece that was standing in the way of her and more of Maura's body. Jane's eyes grew wide as Maura tossed the garment to the side, revealing two firm, supple breasts.

Maura took Jane's moment of distraction to her advantage and eased the detective onto her back.

"Jane, let me show you how much I love you," Maura breathed into Jane's ear, nipping at her earlobe to punctuate her intentions.

As she began trailing gentle kisses up and down the detective's firm neck and collarbone, she reached behind Jane and unhooked her simple bra, revealing the silky, tanned skin of Jane's breasts. Maura tossed it aside and slowly moved her lips lower to Jane's breasts. She took one nipple in her mouth and gave it a gentle suck, looking up to see Jane's hands gripping the bed sheets, her eyes closed in concentration on the moment, what she'd wanted for so long.

Encouraged by the detective's reaction, Maura began licking and sucking Jane's nipple at a quicker pace, and moved her right hand up to gently grab Jane's other breast. She began kneading Jane's breast in time with her tongue as it circled around the detective's erect nipple. As she moved her mouth to the other breast to give it the same treatment, Jane moaned in frustration at the slow pace.

"Is there anything I can help you with, Jane?" Maura asked innocently, in between licks.

"I want you. Now," Jane panted.

"Where, specifically?"

"I want to feel you inside me. Please, Maura," Jane begged.

Maura's lips attacked Jane's in a fierce kiss before slowly moving lower towards Jane's heat. She began nipping at the inside of Jane's thighs, causing the detective to moan, much louder. Maura stopped, eliciting a whimper from Jane, "Shh, mustn't wake the neighbors."

Jane sighed in compliance and resorted to closing her eyes to try to contain her excitement. Maura slowly inched her fingers up and began sliding the detective's underwear down her toned legs, nibbling and kissing every inch of her as she did so, before quickly ripping off her own black panties. She had only bought them for tonight, anyway. (Not that she'd ever let Jane know that.) Maura reached her manicured hands up to grasp the detective's breasts, causing her to arch her back, wanting more contact.

"M-m-maura!" Jane breathed out, barely able to contain her need. Maura quickly responded to Jane's need by placing a tentative lick through Jane's center.

"Fuck!" Jane growled.

Maura kissed Jane passionately, her tongue silencing the detective, as she began rubbing her fingers into the brunette's wet folds.

"Language, Jane," she whispered in the detective's ear before slowly easing her way back to where Jane really wanted her touch. Maura began slowly running her tongue up and down the detective's sensitive folds, relishing the taste of her. A deep moan escaped Jane as Maura began sucking on her clit, exciting the bundle of nerves. Maura never saw the controlled detective lose her cool, so it was nice to see her completely let go.

She wanted to see more.

Maura began dipping her tongue inside of Jane, quickening her pace. As her tongue plunged deeper into her best friend's sex, Maura remembered something she had read in an article the other day before she went shopping for the black lingerie set. She stopped what she was doing, making Jane groan with frustration.

"So impatient," Maura mused, before putting her whole mouth over the detective's clit, gently sucking and kissing it, while she slowly inserted two fingers into the detective.

Jane couldn't help but scream with pleasure as she arched her back further into the medical examiner's fingers. Maura smiled at the reaction she had gotten from Jane and quickened her pace. After a few more seconds of Maura's movements, the detective was sent into a mind shattering orgasm, screaming "Maura!" as waves of pleasure washed over her. Maura continued her movements as Jane rode out the last waves of her orgasm. She moved up and nuzzled into the panting detective's side, enjoying the feel of Jane's skin on hers.

Recovered from her high, Jane looked down into Maura's sweet face, seeing the questioning in her eyes.

"That was amazing, Maura. You're amazing. The way I love you is amazing. We," Jane said, wrapping her arms around the blonde, "are amazing."

Maura smiled, fully in agreement with her best friend's words. Slowly the pair drifted off to sleep with serene grins on their faces.

Maura woke up the next morning at 6:00 am, the usual time she got ready before doing her morning stretch routine. The sun's rays were just beginning to peek out from behind the blinds on Jane's window.

Jane.

Maura, remembering the beautiful night they had just had together, positioned herself so she could look at Jane. She had always loved the way she looked when she slept. Calm, peaceful, not plagued by the troubles of her job or her family. There was never a time Jane looked more stunning than when she was asleep.

Knowing she needed her morning coffee, Maura slipped out of Jane's arms and out of the bed. Tiptoeing her way into the kitchen and flicking off the light, she inadvertently woke up Jo Friday, earning a small growl from the feisty dog.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to! Jane needs her breakfast! I'll be out of here in a jiffy, I promise! Say, did you know a jiffy is actually a genuine measurement of time and not just slang?"

Maura frowned as her words quickly put Jo back to sleep, "Guess she did know then."

Looking around her kitchen, Maura noticed Jane had all of the ingredients necessary for a good pancakes and bacon breakfast. Searching for a bowl to begin the meal preparations, she found a frilly white apron lurking in the back of one of Jane's drawers. Maura grinned, a wicked idea crossing her mind.

Jane woke up in a daze, not wanting to get out of bed. She rolled over to check her alarm clock and quickly noticed the lack of Maura in bed next to her. She bolted upright, a bit of worry in her voice as she called, "Maura?"

"Coming, Jane!"

Jane sighed with relief as she heard Maura's voice.

Maura slowly made her way into Jane's bedroom, balancing their morning meal on a tray.

"Oh my god, thank you so much, Maur! I really need to eat something!" Jane hungrily took the tray from the blonde's hands and placed it on the bed before looking up and noticing the ME's choice of attire.

"Breakfast is served," Maura smirked.

I love this woman so much. She's perfect, the brunette thought.

Jane grinned back at the detective, "Like I said, I need to eat something."