Disclaimer: I own nothing, sadly. I don't even own the dream Maura has. If they were mine they would be dating.

A/N: I am just assuming Maura's legs were tied, why else would she have not run to Jane's aid like Jane did when Hoyt cut Maura's throat? I wasn't a huge fan of this episode, it had some great subby moments but TPTB could have really run with a cool episode arch with this one. *sigh*

A/N2: Thank you to my wonderful reviewers. You guys inspire me to push through writers block. This is not betaed by anyone but me. Thank you to Potnia Theron who mentioned my story on her Tumblr, it made my day.

Last little note, some of you may pick up on Maura's dream, quite honestly I think RandI is just one big ol' Xena Uber come to life. I kinda tried to play on that here. I doubt this will become a crossover story but the throat slitting scenes reminded me so much of Ides of March that I slipped it in. Don't know what an uber is? Go ½ way down the page here (minus the spaces): http:/ whoosh. org/issue25 /lunacy1 .html

(#)

It had been a full week since that bastard reentered their lives. It felt like a dream, but Maura had the physical scars to prove that it was real. He was dead; finally Jane could sleep in peace. The blonde let out a choked laugh, peace? Jane's and her lives were anything but peaceful right now. She ran a brush through her freshly dried hair and picked up the jar of cold cream to remove her make-up.

She thought back to that day, six hours after Hoyt had attacked them she finally left Jane's side. As soon as Frost cut Maura's binds she staggered over to Jane, who pulled back from Korsak and collapsed into her arms almost taking them both down. Once she got herself under control Jane's wall went back up, she closed herself off and became Detective Rizzoli, short answered and short tempered. Both had been taken to the hospital, against Jane's wishes of course, to be checked out. Maura received 8 stitches to hold the cut at her neck together, and it had taken a good four solid hours for the buzzing in her ears to stop. Still, after everything that had happened Angela insisted on having a party for Jane. The 'surprise' party didn't last long, maybe if she were to guess two hours tops. Most of the cops at the apartment began to clear out early knowing what kind of day the birthday girl had had. Maura was weary to the bone and she knew Jane felt the same. Maura was getting ready to follow Mrs. Rizzoli home when Jane's hand caught her elbow.

"Stay?"

One word was all it took. Maura understood, she didn't want to be alone either. Neither spoke about the incident. Maura had got a glass of wine for herself and a beer for Jane before flipping on the history channel. Both lay in Jane's bed watching American Pickers until their eyes finally fell shut. Maura had woken up gasping a few hours later, startling Jane awake. No words were said as the side table lamp was turned on and they just sat, both staring at the TV till the alarm went off at five and Maura headed home.

Staring at her reflection in the mirror Maura shook her head. She had darkening of the periorbital, she knew she needed sleep but the same dream always woke her. Shaking her head at her reflection she shut out the light and headed for bed.

(#)

The binds were tight, she could feel them biting into her skin as her hands strained against the plastic tie, her feet had all but gone numb. She watched helplessly telling herself to look away but she could not. Her eyes met Jane's, trying desperately to convey everything she felt into one last look. Suddenly Hoyt was coming towards her with the tazer, she froze. She felt her breath come in gasps. This would be it, she wanted to vomit. This was not how it was suppose to end. Not like this. "No, no, no no!" She looked over and saw Jane's eyes, she saw the desperation there and she felt guilt. She would not be able to save Jane, she should have done SOMETHING. Along with the guilt she felt a sense relief wash over her, she would not have to watch her friend be raped and cut to pieces. Suddenly her body seezed, the feeling reminded her of when she was a child jumping into the cold pool right after getting out of her parent's hot tub, it stold her breath. Suddenly the fuzzy white ceiling she was staring at gave way and she saw snow, big brilliant white flakes that flickered in torch light. She was shaking, her hands and her back ached, and rough wood was cutting into her. She was freezing; her feet numb and her fingers broken. She looked to her right and saw Jane, or she thought it was Jane. She had the most beautiful look on her face. She tried to pull her eyes away to look at the figure looming above her but she couldn't. Jane's eyes were calling to her, telling her she was going to be alright, that she loved her…

Maura gasped, sitting bolt upright in bed. She looked around; the room and bed were bathed in moonlight that was shining through the second floor window. She held her breath and listened, hearing the sound of her grandfather clock ticking gently in the distance. Glancing at her alarm clock she realized was it was 3:10 am. Releasing her breath in a sob she scrubbed her face with her hands, "Damn it." She cursed. Swinging her legs over the bed she found her house shoes. Forgoing clothes she reached for her robe and padded down stairs.

The streets of Boston were deserted; it took her less than fifteen minutes to get from Beacon Hill to the outskirts of Little Italy. She parked her car and used the key Jane had given her three years before. The remains of the party were still strewn around the apartment, a deflating horse balloon glimmering in the moonlight almost made the blonde lose control of her bladder. Putting her hand to her chest to steady herself Maura quietly shut the door behind her and turned when she heard the scrambling of feet. She scooped up Joe Friday and shuffled into the bedroom. In the nightlight lit room Maura could easily make out Jane's figure. She was standing in front of the window looking down at the street. "Hey."

"Hi." Maura whispered afraid to let her voice shatter the silence. She put the dog on the bed and removed her rode. "I-I had a nightmare again."

Jane nodded finally facing her friend, there were large dark circles under her eyes and her hair was slightly damp with sweat. She sat down heavily on the bed. "I haven't slept yet."

Maura nodded staring at the black screen of the TV hanging on the wall. Her fingers went to the white bandage on her neck; she fingered it and then mentally cursed herself. She was fidgeting she hated fidgeting. The eight stitches in her neck itched; she knew the skin and the blood under were coagulating. She looked over at Jane; she had butterfly bandages on her forehead and a small white band aid on her neck. Hoyt had cut Maura deeper. She was sure he would have let her bleed out while he finished Jane off. She shuttered, she would never forget the feeling of the scalpel sliding into her skin. Maura pulled the comforter and the sheet back and slid underneath Jane followed suit. Jo turned two circles at the bottom of the bed before plopping down. Maura smiled at the little dog. Jane picked up the remote and flicked on the TV, the sounds of the weather channel filled the room. "Poor idiots are still live at 3:30 in the morning."

Maura propped herself into a sitting position and looked at Jane. She watched the brunette chew on her lower lip, "Do you remember when we first met?"

Jane frowned at looked over at Maura, "That's an odd question."

Maura shrugged, "We were formally introduced when I was taken around the building you were the only female in homicide then."

Jane nodded. She remembered being intimidated by the medical examiner. She had been working so hard at being one of the guys; she didn't need another woman, even if she was in a different department encroaching on her territory. The Dr. Isles she first remembered wore expensive suits and didn't talk much to anyone, and when she did it her voice said words that were made everyone frown. Did she speak that way to belittle those around her? Jane stayed away. She made Korsak go down the morgue to deal with the new doc. Six months later, after Hoyt had pinned her to the ground with scalpels she tried the same with Frost. It didn't go over well. Her partner's stomach made Jane go downstairs to get the report. "You were wearing your black scrubs and had your hair up. I remember thinking that you did look like the Queen of the Dead."

Maura narrowed her eyes at her, "Thanks."

Jane smiled, "But then you opened your mouth."

"What? You had spoken to me before at crime scenes."

"I know, but this was different."

"I was having a bad day."

Jane shrugged, "We all have those."

"But then I saw your hands." Maura reached out and gently traced the scar on the back of Jane's left hand. "You had bled through the bandages."

"I needed practice that day, I was going to be cleared for active duty the next week and I hadn't held a gun in over two months." Jane flexed her hand before curling it around Maura's fingers. "You were the first person I let touch them, I didn't feel like you were judging me."

The blonde shook her head, "Never. I thought you were so brave." She looked at Jane's face in the dim light, "I still do." She brought the hand to her lips and kissed it, hearing Jane's breath catch in her throat. "Thank you."

Jane stared at the TV, absently watching the local forecast for the next week, "For what?" She whispered.

"You saved my life. This past month has been hell for both of us Jane, first Ian, my father, and now Hoyt." She saw Jane cringe at his name. "He is gone. I saw it with my own eyes. I saw you kill him, I saw the doctor pronounce him. But I-I keep having this dream…I'm back there but then it changes. It's snowing and you're there with me-" Maura felt the tears sting her eyes. "God Jane, he could have killed you."

Jane finally turned to look at Maura, "Hey, don't cry. Please." She pulled the blonde to her. "Don't cry Maur, its over. He can't hurt us anymore."

"But, two more seconds Jane and Mason would have killed you. I can't lose you Jane." Maura sobbed into her shirt she felt Jane's hand thread through her hair.

Jane swallowed hard when she felt Maura's nails dig into her skin, everything from when she walked into the room with Hoyt till when Korsak escorted Maura and her out of the room was a blur, a horrifying, cold blur. She remember seeing Hoyt approaching Maura and suddenly it was like someone took over her body. Her blood ran cold and she just reacted with everything she had, she had to kill them, no one touched her Maura. Looked down at the smaller woman in her arms and felt her heart warm. "We're okay Maura. We've survived worse."

Maura took a deep breath a smelled Jane's perfume mixed with her own scent, it calmed her nerves. She concentrated on that smell and her tears began to slow.

"We should try to get some sleep." Jane mumbled into Maura's hair, she looked at the clock, "We have to be to work in less than three hours."

Maura nodded into Jane's shoulder, "I just don't want to have that dream again."

"You won't, not while I'm here."

"It is just so odd, the snow, and torches…why were there torches?" She mumbled, she wanted to analyze the dream out loud but the tug of sleep was becoming too great.

"Just sleep Maura." Jane whispered to her friend. She looked over the blonde head at the nightlight in the corner of the room. Someday soon, neither of them would need the light to scare off Hoyt's ghost. Someday he would be gone forever.

TBC…

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