Wow! Thank you so much for the positive response to the first chapter. I understand that you have questions, but I promise I will answer them at some point during the story. Now, onto Chapter Two...

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Maura yawned and slammed her hand down hard on her alarm clock, immediately irritated. She had been having a rather pleasant dream, in which an unknown figure had stood behind her and massaged her shoulders and started kissing her neck. She knew in her heart who she wanted to be touching her, but she forced those thoughts from her mind as her eyes adjusted to the cool light of early morning. And it was very early. She sighed, craving the taste of coffee on her tongue. Once she had managed to get to sleep at around one in the morning, she had been woken several times by the fluttering of anxiety in her chest.

She knew that Sara was in excellent hands – she had done a rotation at Mercy Hospital during her residency, and remained in touch with a few of her colleagues there. Yet, the niggling feeling that she shouldn't have left her there wouldn't subside, her stomach in knots for most of the night.

Jane was there, of course. Yes, Jane, who would take a bullet for Sara and, she hoped, for Maura too. Jane, who had risked her life for Maura before. Jane, who had shot herself to stop anyone else getting hurt. But that was a long time ago, and Maura didn't know if that Jane was the Jane she had seen the night before.

Still, it would be good for Sara to have her there when she woke up. Jane had a point, and Maura could see that not having her there was having a detrimental effect on Sara. She was forlorn at times, and only seemed to perk up when she knew Jane was on her way over for a visit. When Jane had had to cancel because of work, the look on Sara's face could've broken Maura's heart, even though she knew that it was unlikely that a facial expression could have a physiological effect on her organs.

She pulled herself up so she was sitting with her back against the headboard. She'd not been able to get rid of her bed when Jane left. Too many memories. Maura wasn't usually the sentimental type, but this was the bed in which her and Jane had made love for the first time. It was the bed that they'd slept in the first night they brought Sara home, their little girl tiny, helpless, and so, so loved. Neither of them had slept that night, instead taking it in turns to watch their baby in a silent agreement that they'd always be there to protect her, to protect each other.

Perhaps, Maura thought, she just wasn't ready to let go yet.

She dressed modestly in jeans and a jumper, foregoing her usual high heels for running shoes. She checked her watch as she brushed her teeth; 6:30am. She'd be early, but she was sure that Jane hadn't slept last night, and would be glad to be relieved. Even if she wouldn't admit it.

Filling her flask with fresh coffee, and grabbing her bag, she turned out the lights and headed to her car. It took her seven minutes to get to the hospital, as there was a significantly reduced amount of traffic on the road, given the hour. She parked up easily, at 6:54 exactly. She recognised Jane's shock of black hair blowing in the gentle breeze of the fall morning, and noticed the hunch in the Detective's shoulders. Perhaps it was her who needed a massage... Again, Maura had to push those thoughts from her mind. She prepared herself mentally, brushed non-existent wrinkles from her jumper and checked her hair in the rear-view mirror before getting out of the car as gracefully as she could manage with her coffee in her hand.

Jane saw her crossing the parking lot and smiled, her hand raised in a meagre wave. Her eyes were rimmed with the darkness of sleep deprivation, and her skin looked unhealthily pale. Maura wondered when she had last eaten.

"Good morning, Jane. How is she?" She tried to keep her voice calm, but being in Jane's presence made her throat dry.

"They just took her for another scan, I'd tell you the name but it has a few too many syllables for my liking," she chuckled, her voice rough and hoarse.

"Was it an Electroencephalogram? Once they've ruled out anything more sinister, that's likely the diagnostic tool they'd use to test for epilepsy."

"Yeah, electrocapoopogram, that's the one."

Maura couldn't help herself. A shrill laugh exploded from her lips and her cheeks widened.

"Did you manage to sleep at all?"

"Yes, it was nice to be back in my own bed actually. Thank you for staying."

"You don't have to thank me, she's my daughter."

Jane shrugged, her shoulders aching from being slumped in the hospital chair all night. She had insisted, with the help of her police badge, that she would not leave her daughter's side. She hadn't moved until the nurses had come to collect Sara for her scan at twenty to seven. She guessed she'd had no more than half an hour of fretful sleep, preferring instead to watch over Sara like a lioness watching over her cub.

"I've got it from here, if you wanted to go and get some sleep?"

"I've gotta go into work now anyway, but it's nice to dream." There was that husky laugh again.

"How is work?"

"Well, we haven't solved a case in almost six weeks. I think it's our new Medical Examiner. He can't be that smart, or he wouldn't keep asking me what I think about things."

"He does have all the required qualifications, but not everyone can be as efficient as I am," she said with a wink. Jane's stomach flipped.

"Was that snark I just heard, Doctor Isles?"

"Yes, yes I think it was." She smiled her brilliant smile, and Jane thought she could feel her heart physically swelling in her chest.

"I miss this," she said, almost in a whisper. She moved her hand as if to reach it towards Maura, whose own hands clutched her purse, then brought her hand back, thinking better of it.

"Jane, please don't make this harder than it already is."

"But why does it have to be this hard? You know there's an easy way we can get passed this," she was one step away from getting on her knees and begging – dignity was not something that was particularly important to her in that moment.

"You can't really think that after everything that's happened I can just let you walk through the door and act like everything's the same as before? It's not, Jane. Nothing is the same. I'm sorry, but I can't do this right now. I have to go and see Sara." She went to move passed Jane, but found her wrist held in a firm, yet gentle grip.

"Please don't walk away from this, from us. I thought I could live without you, but I can't. I can't have Sara growing up thinking her mama and her mommy hate each other. Please, Maura, I don't want to sleep another night without you by my side."

Maura said nothing, but her eyes grew blurry and her chest grew tight with the threat of tears. She couldn't cry in front of Jane; that would only spur her on with protestations of their current living arrangements, and Maura was already torn between what she wanted and what she knew was right.

"Please let me come home, Maura."

Jane's eyes were filled with tears, and her bottom lip trembled.

"I think you lost the right to come home when you took another woman to your apartment, Jane." Maura's voice had turned to ice, her eyes raging with fire.

Jane could say nothing; she could barely stay standing. Maura's movement away from her snapped her out of the trance.

"Maura, how many times do I have to say, it wasn't like that," she growled, anger tinging her words.

"I think it's pretty clear what it was like, Jane. She had her arms round your neck, her lips on yours..." She stopped, forcing a cry back down so it wouldn't escape from her mouth. She walked closer to Jane, stopping a couple of feet away.

"I can't do this again, so please stop asking."

Jane started to reply but was interrupted by the shrill sound of her phone ringing. She sighed, closing her eyes momentarily before answering. She watched Maura walk into the hospital and took in a deep breath.

"Rizzoli."

A body's been found. A child. A girl. Prepare yourself, Janie, it's a bad one.

"I'll be right there." She husked, swallowing back tears. On top of everything, she had to go and look at the corpse of a child. She wasn't sure how much more she could take.

She started walking towards her car, but thoughts of Sara lying in the hospital bed made her turn back. She made her way to her room and knocked on the door softly. Angie came to the door and smiled.

"Is it okay if I say goodbye? I have to go to work, they've found a... there's a new case that's just come in."

"Of course, Detective. She's just having breakfast."

Jane walked in slowly, avoiding eye contact with Maura, who was sitting next to Sara's bed.

"Hey baby girl, how are you feeling?"

"I'm much better today, I think it's 'cause you stayed with me all night." She ended her sentence with a clap of her hands, which made everyone laugh.

"Well I'm glad you're feeling better sweetheart. Listen, Mama's got to go to work now, I have to go and catch some bad guys. But Mommy's here and Nonna will be here this afternoon once she's finished work, is that okay?"

"I don't want you to go." Sara's voice was small, her words barely distinguishable. Jane felt the threat of tears form a lump in her throat once again. Maura turned away to face the wall.

"I know, I really don't want to leave you either. But I tell you what, I'll come and see you as soon as I can. If Mommy lets me know when, I'll come and see you, and I'll give you a special Mama hug. How does that sound?"

Sara considered for a second.

"Will you bring me a present?"

Jane laughed heartily, her first genuine laugh in weeks.

"If you're good, baby girl."

She bent down to kiss Sara on her cheek and told her to be a good girl. She left quietly, without a goodbye to Maura.

Maura herself let out the breath she had been holding in, and moved closer to her daughter.

"I think the doctors will let you come home this afternoon, how great is that!"

"Can Ma come over later? Can we have dinner? She likes gnocchi like Nonna does it." The excitement in her voice was too much for Maura and she started to cry, silent tears spilling onto her cheekbones.

"Why are you crying, Mommy?"

"I'm sorry, darling, I'm so sorry." She sobbed as she buried her face into Sara's hair, holding her tight.

xxx

Please, let me know what you think. Your reviews mean everything to me. I'm going to be on holiday for a week now, but I will get you all an update upon my return. Thank you all.