I had really intended this to be a one shot. But, for what it's worth, this is how it plays out in my head as ending. I hope this gives you guys some closure. Really sorry about that. I didn't mean to leave you hanging!

Laying in the dark with Maura curled up at her side, Jane thought about what her mother had told her.

Everything she had said, every part of that list applied to the woman beside her. Maura had somehow slowly become her world, and that fact alone should have had Jane running for the hills. In fact, Jane was certain that, had it been anyone else, she would have made a hasty retreat months ago. But, that's not what she wanted to do at all. In fact, she wanted just the opposite.

That desire frightened her.

She had never had strong feelings for anyone, and, when she did find herself attracted to someone, it was always a man. Finding herself attracted to a woman made Jane feel like she didn't know herself. She felt like she was losing her identity, and such a loss of control was something she wasn't sure she could handle.

What if who she turned into wasn't someone she liked? What then?

Maura whimpered in her sleep. Jane rolled over and wrapped an arm around her to quieten her. It wasn't the first time she'd done that for her friend. But, this time, she realized how intimate that gesture actually was. In fact, most of the things with Maura were much more intimate than Jane really wanted to admit.

It was Maura that Jane went to when she need consoling. It was Maura Jane thought of when she needed human interaction. It was Maura that came immediately to mind any time her mother suggested they all go out and bring a friend with them. It was Maura that Jane wanted to see when she didn't want to see people at all. At her most anti-social, Maura was always welcomed. It was Maura. It was always Maura. What's more, Jane had a hard time thinking of life without Maura.

She took a deep breath to clear her thoughts. The scent of Maura's lavender body spray filled her, and she smiled. For a moment, she allowed herself to indulge, to enjoy the sensation of holding Maura in her arms.

It wasn't that Jane didn't know. If she was honest with herself, she'd always known. It wasn't that she was afraid of how others would react. Her mother had calmed her fears just tonight on that. It wasn't that she thought there would be rejection. Maura's reply had assured her otherwise.

Jane Rizzoli was afraid of herself.

Jane woke to find she was still holding Maura from the night before. As she opened her eyes, she saw that the other woman was staring at her.

"Hey," Jane was trying to get both eyelids to stay open at the same time. "You're awake early."

"I think I wake up earlier than you, ordinarily."

Jane chuckled. "Probably." She moved to extract herself from the tangle of sheets and Maura so she could make her way to the bathroom. When she stepped out, Maura and Joe were gone. So, she started a pot of coffee and set two bowls out for cereal.

"Thanks for taking Joe out." Jane pulled down a box of Lucky Charms from her cabinet.

"Of course, Jane." Maura smiled at her as she sat down at the table. "I would have done it earlier, but I decided to shower first."

"How long have you been up?"

"Two hours."

"Why were you in bed when I woke up?"

"I wanted to be there when you awoke," Jane regarded Maura as she poured the cereal and milk.

They allowed the silence to stay for a moment as they ate and did the dishes.

Finally, Jane walked to the couch and sat down. She waited for Maura to follow, and, when they were both settled, she started.

"Maura, I've been thinking. I spent half the night awake thinking." Maura nodded but didn't interrupt. "I think that I'm scared."

"Of Hoyt?"

"No, Maura," Jane shook her head. "Of myself... of you... of us... Of this," she motioned between them. "It scares the hell out of me." For once Maura didn't correct her on her language. Instead, she sat and tried to assimilate the information Jane was giving her. "I don't know what to do with this. Tell me, what do you want to do with this?"

"I'd like to explore the possibilities, but I don't want to do anything that would make you uncomfortable, Jane."

"Too late for that," she gave a humorless chuckle. "I don't even know where to start." She closed her eyes and leaned forward to rest her head against her left hand. "Does this change who I am? If I... I mean, if we go through with this, does that change me?"

"All intimate relationships change an individual."

"That's," she sighed. "That's not what I meant, Maura. I mean, if I admit out loud what's going on in my head, does that mean I'm really a different person than who I was yesterday? Than who I thought I was all this time? Does changing who I want to spend my life with change who I am? You know, on a ... on a fundamental basis."

"I don't see how it would. You are the same person I knew yesterday. How would being with me make you different?"

They sat there staring at each other for a long moment.

"Jane, in a way, we are already together. I have observed romantic relationships that were not as close as our platonic relationship is. To be honest, I don't understand how that can be, but, then again, the desire to procreate is a strong biological urge."

Jane laughed. "Only you would pull a reproductive fact at a time like this."

"But, it's the truth. It is a strong urge that is..."

"I know, Maura. But, let's not talk about that right now. Let's finish this first, okay?"

Maura chewed on her bottom lip as she nodded yes.

Jane leaned forward to place her elbows on her knees. She stared at the blank tv. "I'm not an easy person to deal with."

"I am aware."

"My job makes dating me very stressful. I could die or be seriously hurt at any given point in time."

"I know."

"I scare easily."

"So do I."

"I've never done this sort of thing before."

"Neither have I."

"What do we do?"

"Start slowly? What does one do when one first starts dating a person?"

Jane glanced over her shoulder. Maura was watching her waiting for a reply.

"Well, if this was high school and you were a cute guy, we'd make out." Jane grinned. "But, I'm not ready for that."

"Baby steps, Jane."

For once, Jane didn't have to ask for clarification. She turned toward Maura and reached out to place a hand at the side of the blonde's face. "I want to make the first move. I really do, but I'm not sure I can." She ran her thumb over Maura's lips. "Help me."

Maura leaned forward and placed a kiss gently on Jane's lips. It was the barest of touches, feather light. But, it was enough for Jane to know that she wanted more.

She leaned into Maura, kissing her harder, pulling Maura to her as the kiss deepened. As it ended, Jane pulled back and gazed into Maura's eyes.

"I won't lie. This is going to be hard. I might run."

"I believe that you will come back." Maura smiled. "You always have."

"I'm glad you noticed."

Jane leaned her forehead against Maura's. They sat there enjoying the new found feeling of closeness until both of their phones rang.

"Looks like we have a case." Jane sighed as she pulled away from Maura.

"Shall we pick this up later?"

"Yes. Count on it."

With that, they answered their phones and moved to take on another case.