A/N: Sorry for the delay in updates! Life has been keeping me ridiculously busy. Hopefully this last chapter doesn't stick out like a sore thumb. Decided to write this one in the third person. Enjoy!


Freshly showered, hair still damp from nearly and hour spent in the hot steam, Maura walked downstairs to choose a bottle of wine for the evening's festivities. It had been quite the trying day for both her and Jane so she figured it was the perfect occasion to break out the 'good stuff'. Perhaps her best friend could be convinced the set aside her favorite beer for just one night…

Maura's head turned, the sound of her front door clicking and opening to reveal a tall brunette carrying a large takeout bag.

"I thought I was supposed to buy…" The blonde met her friend with a smile. Although she was perfectly willing to provide food for the evening, she knew that Jane needed her greasy chow mein noodles from her favorite Chinese takeout after a stressful day like today. Both she and Jane knew that she would be utterly unwilling to purchase anything so ungodly unhealthy.

"Yeah, well you I KNEW you would refuse to get what I wanted so I just got enough for myself. You're on your own, hun."

Jane placed the large paper bag on the counter top, unpacking its contents. Several large white take out containers were placed on the counter before the last and tiniest was pushed in front of the blonde across from her.

"Braised tofu, extra bok choi, light on the sauce. Hold the salt, msg, and anything else remotely unhealthy and might I say utterly delicious…" The taller woman grinned, knowing that she had literally just made Maura's night.

"Oh, you shouldn't have!" Maura feigned shock and smiled, reaching for the wooden chopsticks left in the bag. She opened the top of the container and reached in, grabbing a small piece and gracefully placing it in her mouth. "Made perfectly to my specifications… Thank you, Jane."

"I figured we both needed some comfort food after today. Although I would hardly call steamed vegetables and cubes of soy bean mush 'comforting'."

"Unlike the mountain of carbohydrates you're about to consume, my body is craving AND requiring the vitamins and minerals that the steamed bok choi offers. The tofu will give me enough protein to replenish what I used running around all day. So yes, I would call this 'comfort' food."

"Okay… enough of the google-mouth and just enjoy your food." Jane smirked, grabbing her box of noodles and proceeding to plop herself on her side of the couch. "So what are we watching tonight?"

Maura gathered her food, the wine, and two empty glasses balancing them carefully as she made her way to her side of the couch.

"Considering the events of the day, I figured we would rule out anything with mass trauma or collapsing buildings."

"Good idea…" The brunette responded, mouth already full of noodles.

"Jesus Jane… You know you have to breathe at some point." Maura shook her head as she settled in next to Jane, delicately picking at pieces of her food.

"No time…" Jane responded through another mouthful. "This is my first real meal of the day. I'm STARVING!"

"Even more reason for you to have some of my vegetables. Here…" The blonde grabbed a piece of her bok choi and attempted to plop it into Jane's cardboard box. "At least have this one piece."

"You're going to contaminate my food!"

Jane playfully swatted at Maura's arm to no avail. Maura was quick on the draw, evading Jane's reach and triumphantly placing the tiny piece of vegetable in the brunette's open mouth.

"Now chew." The honey blonde smirked triumphantly as the woman next to her chewed and swallowed. "That wasn't so bad was it?"

"I guess…"

Maura giggled, so few times had she been successful in "force feeding" healthy food to her best friend. She'll take very little triumph she could get.

"So… what movie were you thinking about?" Jane took a break from inhaling her noodles to pour herself and Maura glasses of wine. "Geez Maura. Breaking out the good stuff tonight?"

"I figured why not." Maura took the filled glass and inhaled its aroma before taking a sip and savoring the rich complexity of the velvety liquid. Indeed, today was an occasion for the good stuff. "I have The King's Speech in my DVR."

"What else do you have?" Jane took a sip of wine and shook her head, not particularly looking forward to spending an evening watching anything remotely cerebral.

"Well, Angela recorded Bridesmaids…"

"Winner!..." The taller woman swiped the remote out of the other woman's hand and pressed buttons navigating her way through menus until she could play the movie.

"I suppose I could settle for some light comedy…"

"You'll like it Maur…"

The pair settled in as the opening credits ran across the screen. Through the first hour, they shared a few good laughs. Food was consumed and the bottle of wine was quickly emptied. It was a nice change to the events of the day. However, what had started as a lighthearted evening slowly began to wind down as exhaustion, both mental and physical, began to settle into the pair.

Maura leaned into Jane, resting her head on the brunette's shoulder. "Are you watching the movie?"

"No…. are you?"

"No…"

Jane reached for the remote, stopping the recording and turning off the television. A pregnant silence filled the room as the pair sat on the couch enjoying the contact and warmth of each other's bodies.

"You followed me into a crumbling building…" The brunette broke the silence, her not-so-silent thoughts resonating throughout the room.

"Yes… I did."

"You could've been hurt…"

"But I wasn't…" Maura sat up, turning to face the brunette next to her. Eyes filled with concern and compassion. "I could say the same for you."

"Frost… Tommy… TJ… I could've lost them all today." Jane sighed, eyes glued towards toward the coffee table in front of her. "I could've lost you…"

Gently, Maura leaned forward. Her palm reached for Jane's cheek, slowly turning and pulling her in so their eyes could finally connect. Jane succumbed… there were few things in life she couldn't resist – Maura's touch being near the top of the list.

"Jane," Maura paused for a second, waiting for silent confirmation that she had the brunette's attention. "You're never going to loose me."

"Promise?" Her voice was but a silent whisper, all the fear and reservations about the feelings dwelling deep inside of her percolating to the surface. Jane bit her lip, anxiously awaiting the answer to every unspoken question she had been tucking away inside.

Maura slowly leaned forward, gently pressing her lips to her best friend's. So sweet, so simple, so… right. It was the only answer she could ever dream to respond to that question with.

Jane lightly gasped, taken by surprise but unwilling to pull away. He best friend's lips were so soft and inviting. So… right. She let her eyes drift shut, basking in the sheer simplicity of this moment in time.

Seconds passed and the pair reluctantly parted… lips barely separating, foreheads resting on each other, sweet warm breath intermingling. A feeling of contentment settling between the two… realizing that despite everything – the crumbling building, the biological mother, the wounded soldier - they had finally found each other.

"I love you, Jane…" Maura's voice barely a whisper, her nerves beginning to settle in again. She had breached the point of no return and was willing to fully accept any and all of the consequences.

Jane's heart warmed at her best friend's admission. The brunette reached up to brush the pad of her thumb across Maura's cheek, capturing the light wetness that had trickled from the honey blonde's eyes. She smiled, realizing why she and Maura had been so hesitant to say what had been on their minds and in their hearts for so long. Because three single syllable words strung together have never meant so much.

"I love you, Maura…"

-fin


A/N: Well... that's all folks! (runs & hides...). Hope you all enjoyed it. I truly have no plans on expanding on this trilogy unless inspiration hits me like an anvil from the sky. I have other ideas brewing and still have to work on Music From The Heart.

THANKS FOR READING and I hope you all enjoyed it!