The immediate thought to run through Jane's mind was, 'Oh cruel Universe, why are you dangling a doughnut in front of the very hungry cop?', and the thought made her smirk until the words Maura had said fully registered and her smirk turned into something a bit more mischievous than what was really appropriate for the situation. "Doctor Isles," her eyes danced with the inappropriate mirth she was trying to hold back, "Are you making assumptions?"

The unexpected reaction caught Maura off guard, and she immediately fell back into her usual, familiar pattern of conversation whenever Jane accused her of taking a guess. "No, of course not. Based on the evidence that has been presented before me and the observations I've made over the course of our time together, there is enough empirical data to suggest that, on a theoretical level, you do not hold romantic feelings toward me."

"Is that so?" Giddy. Jane was giddy on the inside. The woman she had been trying for months to keep out of her dreams and her waking thoughts as being anything more than her best friend had just said she shared the same depth of emotions for her as she did for the doctor. "I could say the same for you. Based on the number of guys you've dated and how many times you tried to push some random guy off into my bed, it doesn't really look like you have those kinds of feelings for me, either. If you can hide your feelings, what makes you think I can't hide mine?"

"Well, I… But, you've always said you're not interested in dating wom… No," Maura stopped herself. Her eyes slowly blinked as her mind raced over all their conversations about dating she could recall. She shook her head in the negative, repeating herself. "No, you've never said that. Jane," her gaze ran back to the detective's, "would you seriously consider dating a woman?"

The mischievous smirk turned into a knowing smile. "It depends on who the woman was."

The doctor's eyes narrowed in frustration. "Me, Jane. Would you seriously consider dating me?"

"Maura," this time, the smile turned into a dimpled grin, "we've been platonically dating for about four and half years. I figure, if we keep going, we'll be platonically married by the end of next year some time."

The hand holding the soggy tissue batted at Jane's shoulder but the mood was suddenly and thankfully lighter. "Jane, I'm being serious!"

Giving a mock face of pain, Jane rubbed at her shoulder. "So am I!" She dropped her act and her expression sobered. "Look, Maura, I… Yes." The word left her mouth sounding more like a sigh of relief than an actual response. "Yes, I would seriously consider dating you. In fact, I'd do more than that if you're serious about this, too."

Hazel eyes began to sparkle. "Such as?"

"Oh, I don't know," the detective gave a too nonchalant shrug. "Maybe ask you out on a date and then suggest we take some time to see if we get caught by Ma making out on the couch because, and I'm being completely serious here," she held her hands up as if that added to the fact she was being honest, "Ma always walks in on me and the guy… the person I'm dating making out on the couch within the first three days of the two of me and the other person deciding to give dating each other a try. It's like she has radar for it or something."

An honest chuckle bubbled up from the honey brunette's throat. "I actually believe that."

"Which part?"

"All of it." They both laughed, relief flooding them, and the tension in the room dissipating. "I am serious, Jane." Maura's face was the picture of relief and hope. "But you don't have to take me out on a date. If we go by what you're suggesting, we could consider ourselves ahead of the curve regarding dates."

"You saying you wouldn't be opposed to skipping ahead a few pages in the book of dating?" Jane could not, despite her best efforts, wipe the now goofy grin from her face.

The grin was returned in kind, and, much to her bemusement, Maura was blushing slightly. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying."

Throwing a hand to her chest in an over exaggerated motion and widening her eyes, Jane's voice took on a mock tone of shock. "Maura! I can't believe how forward you're being. Suggesting such things so early in the relationship!"

Maura shrugged, eyes going wide to feign innocence. "Or, perhaps, we're getting a late start? Look at all the dates you've taken me on, and you've never once so much as kissed me goodbye or goodnight!"

Jane pretended to consider this grievance for a moment before replying with absolute seriousness in her voice. "If we do this, there's no going back."

"I know," came the quiet but assured reply. "I'm fine with that, but do you feel you'd be?"

This time, Jane honestly considered the other woman's words. "Yeah," she nodded slowly, holding the eye contact between them to make sure Maura could see the certainty in her eyes. "Tell me your bedroom door locks."

"I could tell you that, but it'd be a lie." Moving in a fluid motion to stand up, Maura pulled Jane's hand to get her to stand up as well. "I'd rather not have hives tonight, if it's all the same to you."

Jane followed, grimacing as they did their usual house check before bed. "Fine, but you know what's going to happen tomorrow."

The smaller woman shrugged. "It may not."

"Maura," the detective's voice sounded exasperated, "let's not pretend the Universe likes me enough to prevent the episode from happening where Ma walks in on us. It's too good to pass up."

Giving a disapproving click of her tongue, Maura replied in a slightly annoyed tone, "You make it sound as though we're living inside a television show, Jane."

"That's because I'm half convinced we do," came the weary reply as they walked into the master bedroom and closed the door behind them.

"Well," Maura cocked her head to the side like she normally did when she was considering a line of thought as she wrapped her hands behind Jane's neck to pull the taller woman down toward her, "If we are in a television show, let's hope it's on Showtime or Cinemax. Otherwise, someone is about to have to pay several heavy fees to the FCC for many violations." She gave a devilish smile as she watched Jane's features darken before planting a passionate kiss on the waiting lips of the detective.