Angela let herself into Maura's kitchen on the third day that Maura had been gone. She and Jane had made plans to have dinner tonight. Her baby had looked dead on her feet this morning when they'd seen each other at the café. Her eyes a little duller, her shirt a bit more wrinkled. Thankfully they'd wrapped up the case late this afternoon, getting a confession, only paperwork remained.

Jane had told Angela she'd meet her at Maura's house. She had things to shower with there.

So, opening the door she expects to encounter a head of unruly brown hair sticking up over the sofa –these days just as likely some science documentary on the screen as Sportscenter. But the living room as well as kitchen was empty. She'd seen Jane's car in the driveway so she knew she was here somewhere.

Jo came bounding down the stairs as she places groceries on the counter.

"Hey, buddy." Angela coos, scratching the mutt behind the ears and on the belly. "Where's Jane, huh? Where's Janie?"

Angela follows the pup upstairs towards Maura's room –where her daughter, freshly showered is dead asleep, a worn BCU sweatshirt and yoga pants adorning her sprawled out body. Angela pauses in the doorway, her daughter so peaceful, face devoid of the scowl she normally wears.

Angela stops to wonder…Maura keeps stuff for Jane to shower with in her master bathroom? She looks around the room further and notices Jane's Red Sox hat on the dresser, the crime novel she'd lent Jane on a bedside table. Hmmm, she'd bet money that Jane's bedroom showed similar telltale signs of the doctor as well.

Thoughtfully, Angela gently shuts the door heading back downstairs to start dinner, figuring she'll let her daughter rest. Jo follows silently along behind her.

Once in the kitchen she watches Jo walk right over to her water dish that was always ready for her at the doctor's house.

Angela starts to lay out the lasagna fixings and continues to think on Jane and Maura, wondering. Angela could admit she was a worrier of first class proportions…two children as police officers and one an ex-con. She'd earned it, thank you very much. She'd always wanted them to find partners, contrary to what they thought, not for her but for them. Knowing and having someone to help cope, talk things over, always count on was something they deserved especially Janie. She gave so much of herself, put herself out there, she needed a person she could let catch her. Angela had always pictured Jane with a tall, dark haired man with a big smile –funny, tough…but now maybe she had to change her vision, perhaps a shorter, smart, certainly strong, beautiful woman was Jane's forever.

Angela was broken from her thoughts as feet bounced down stairs to reveal her somewhat refreshed first born.

"Ma, hey. Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep." Jane says sheepishly coming up to kiss her cheek and steal some cheese from the snack Angela was having.

"No worries, Janie. Lasagna is in the oven and I'm just enjoying some wine and cheese and crackers. This cheese is amazing, where does Maura get it?"

"Trader Joe's, I think." She answers absently, drinking a glass of water before she allows herself a beer.

"Water, Jane?" Angela asks pushing the cheese plate towards her daughter.

"Huh? Um, yeah –Maura and I made a deal: always a glass of water before beer. I don't drink enough water." She says matter of factly making a couple of cheese and cracker sandwiches.

Angela stares incredulously at Jane, speechless.

"What?" Jane asks mouth full of crackers.

Angela flutters her hands "-Oh nothing. How are you doing, really?"

Wiping her mouth, "Much better. The shower, the nap, the case being solved. Much better." Jane says before finishing off her water and heading to the fridge to pull out a beer, deciding she's earned one of the fancy beers that Maura keeps in there for her.

"So have you talked with Maura today?" Angela asks, sipping wine.

"No. I'm trying to give her the space she needs. Just a couple of texts this morning. We'll talk tonight before bed. I can't believe she will be gone until Sunday." She plops on the stool opposite her ma.

"How does she seem?" Angela asks.

"I think good. She's been outside a lot. Running, some yoga, her friends own the B&B she's staying at. Seems good." Jane trails off.

"But?" Angela prods.

"What? Oh, but nothing. She needs her space, can't have us –me, around all the time to crowd her."

Angela puts her hand on Jane's. "She doesn't feel like you crowd her. She needs you and she knows it. Just like you know how much you need her. Now maybe the rest of us crowd her but not you." Angela finishes and stands to check on the lasagna.

"Maybe." Jane allows. "I just miss her, just being able to see her –be next to her. I didn't realize…" Jane stops, realizing she said her thoughts out loud to her mother, no less.

"Oh, Jane…" Angela says. "Maybe you should just go up there. See for yourself."

Jane looks down at her hands, worrying the scars there, deciding to just be honest. She was too tired for anything else. "Believe me, I've thought about it. But I told her I trust her so I don't want to worm my way into her time away."

Angela turns to pull the lasagna out of the oven choosing to stay silent hoping Jane will continue. She's cutting into the steaming lasagna when Jane speaks.

"Maura didn't grow up like us –she had to figure a lot out on her own and I know she knows she doesn't have to do it like that anymore but…I want her to feel like I, we are part of her support system not a replacement."

"Jane. She does. She knows."

"I know, I know it's just since the warehouse and Paddy and everything else –I know I can't lose her, again, ever." Jane's voice is vehement.

Angela places a plate of lasagna in front of her, along with a new beer.

"You won't. You both learned some things about yourselves and each other."

Jane takes a bite of lasagna. "Ma, this is amazing. Just what I needed after today. Thanks for making me dinner tonight."

"You're welcome. Maybe you can feel Maura out tonight when you two talk. I don't like her being up there by herself."

"Ma." Jane narrows her eyes at her mother.

"Janie. You and Maura together, being each other's support, best thing you've ever done."