Ok, a slightly longer chapter, but I hope you guys think it's a good one, one step closer to Rizzles! Let me know what you think, drop me a review! Enjoy :)

Jane had just finished work, and was on her way to Maura's, which for the first time ever, filled her with anxiety. She reassured herself, at least she might be able to find out what was bothering Maura.

She knocked on the door and stood waiting for what felt like an hour, would Maura answer the door and pretend everything was fine?

'Hi Janey! Oh baby you look exhausted! Come in and relax, Moma's rustled up a feast for her girls'. Angela pulled Jane in for an embrace, she could feel Jane's nervousness but decided not to acknowledge it. Jane followed her mother into the kitchen where Maura stood, garnishing the pasta.

'Hi.' Jane spoke with trepidation.

'Hi Jane, how was work?' Maura asked the same question she did that same afternoon.

'Oh work is fine, you look a little better than you did this morning'.

'Yes most of the alcohol is out of my system now, I feel a lot better' Maura said without once looking up at Jane.

'I'm glad to hear it'. Jane moved to stand next to Maura and peer at all the food being prepared. 'You need a hand with anything?'

'I think we have everything under control, but thank you' Maura moved away from Jane almost immediately, putting a plate into the dishwasher. She couldn't stand such close proximity. As much as she tried to force herself to shake off her feelings, Maura couldn't let go of this anger inside, anger that felt a lot like jealousy. But why would she be jealous of her friend flirting with a guy at a party? Maybe she felt abandoned at her friend's party, but she knew lots of people there, so she wasn't being abandoned. Maura couldn't figure out her own feelings, and couldn't stop herself feeling them.

'So tell me about last night girls! You definitely seemed to have a good time Maura!' Angela broke the silence.

'Well, it was nice to see some old faces.' Maura said with her head still in the dishwasher.

'I had a good time actually, there were some really nice people there, which surprised me' Jane knew she was rubbing salt in the wound.

'That's good Janey, any nice handsome people there?' Angela probed Jane with a suggestive question and a raised eyebrow.

Jane started laughing at her mother. 'Actually I spent the entire evening talking to an incredibly handsome lawyer.' Jane didn't want to look at Maura after she spoke but tried to sense any shift in her mood.

'A lawyer huh?! Are you going to see him again Jane?' Angela became incredibly excited at this prospect.

'Uhhh, no I don't think so, I'm a little busy at the moment to be dating.' Jane sneaked a look at Maura who was stood at the sink facing the wall. Her shoulders seemed to drop with relief, Jane was sure Maura was jealous because she liked Harry.

Surprising herself and both Jane and Angela, Maura spoke for what seemed like the first time in hours 'That's a shame Jane, he was a real catch. I thought you really liked him?' Maura felt herself being far too obvious.

'Well, yeh, I did like him. But I dunno… not in that way I guess. Why don't you ask him out Maura?' Jane felt a sudden shift in Maura's body language as soon as she finished her sentence.

'Maybe I should, he was incredibly attractive.' Maura noticed a change in her mood, suddenly she felt she had a kind of step up against Jane.

'Uh-huh' Jane turned straight to the TV and took a sip of her beer, she felt a knot in her stomach, maybe she did want to date that guy.

'Jane you need to take more chances, you won't ever settle down if you don't date anyone!' Angela was disappointed at Jane's decision not to see the lawyer again. 'I need to pop out and get some more cheese, I won't be long!'

'Sure ma!... I'll text you his number Maura.' Jane grumbled from the couch.

Maura walked over to sit on the other end of the couch 'Jane listen, I'm sorry for the way I acted last night, I'm not quite sure what came over me. It all seems a bit silly now. Will you forgive me?' Maura's puppy dog eyes had it's desired effect on Jane.

'Sure Maura, we all do silly things with alcohol in our veins. It's no big deal.' Jane shrugged it off.

'Are you sure?' Maura's voice trembled with gratitude. Jane felt a sudden pang of affection toward her friend and gave into an urge to reach over to Maura.

'Sure! It doesn't matter, I know you didn't mean it' She smiled softly at Maura with her hand on Maura's knee, Maura looked as if she were about to cry. Jane stood up.

'Come here' Jane opened her arms, offering a comforting hug to her friend. Maura stood up and wrapped her arms around Jane's waist and sighed into Jane.

'I was really worried about you' Jane whispered in her ear, making Maura's heart pound in her chest. Jane tightened her grip on Maura's shoulders and moved a hand to the back of Maura's head, sensing her friends sadness. They pulled apart, Jane grabbing onto Maura's forearms 'Are you sure you're ok?'.

Maura nodded, fighting back tears. She had gone from feeling anger, to power and now after being so close to Jane, felt intensely sad. 'I'm fine' Maura smiled softly, bowing her head and turning to walk away.

Jane grabbed Maura's hand and pulled her back, now holding both of her hands. 'I'm sure that's what you say when you're not fine... Maura, what's going on?' Maura sighed, she knew at that moment, it was Jane, it always was Jane. The source of her happiness and her sadness, she was making her feel everything so intensely. It hit her like a ton of bricks, she was jealous of jane's flirting the night before, she felt dizzy and lightheaded at the realization she had feelings for her best friend.

'Woah, Maura do you need to sit down?' Jane grabbed Maura's shoulders, she could see her friend was about to faint. She pulled Maura in towards her and wrapped her arms around her middle. 'It's ok, I got you.'

'Sorry, I felt slightly dizzy' Maura said as she wrapped her arms around Jane's strong shoulders.

Maura was completely taken by surprise when Jane bent her knees slightly, held onto her tightly and lifted Maura up, she made a slight noise at the surprise and wrapped her legs around Jane. Jane walked them over to the kitchen and placed Maura on the seat. 'Are you sick?' She said as she put her hand on Maura's forehead to feel her temperature. 'You do feel kinda hot'.

Maura shook her head, 'no I really am fine Jane, I think last night took it's toll on me'. Maura took hold of Jane's hand that was rested on her forehead and held it with both of her hands. 'Thank you Jane, what would I do without you?' Maura said quietly, Jane never heard her speak so softly.

'You'd probably be passed out on the floor right now' Jane joked.

They both laughed. 'It's a good thing you're strong then, isn't it.' Maura said playfully, squeezing Jane's hand.

'It's a good thing you're not heavy, you mean!'. They smiled at each other, sharing a moment, completely forgetting the animosity that had gone before. 'I would never have let you fall'. And at that moment Angela burst through the door with her shopping bag, Maura and Jane separated before Angela saw them so close together.

'Ok girls, set the table! Lets eat!' Angela rushed into the kitchen, she could feel a change in the air. Maura and Jane had yet to break their eye contact. 'Uhhh helloooo' Angela waved at them, breaking their gaze.

'Oh sorry, ma! Sure I'll set the table, come on Maura, you feeling ok?' Jane grabbed hold of Maura's hand and helped her to her feet. Angela saw them and could tell they had put any differences they had behind them while she was gone.

They set the table and sat down for dinner. Maura sat quietly thinking about her feelings toward Jane and how she was going to handle it, every time she glanced at Jane, she could feel her feelings whirling around in her head, making her feel wonderful and awful all at the same time.

The evening was coming to an end, all three were stood in kitchen, having just finished tidying up. Maura was exhausted, partly because of her late night last night, but partly because she was exhausted with emotion. Every time she looked at Jane she had a wave of 1000 different emotions run over her, joy, happiness, fear, shame and love, all at once. Maura was oblivious to what Jane and Angela were talking about, she had been looking at Jane as she spoke and something hit Maura, and she couldn't hold back. A tear streamed down her face, Jane looked over, part way through her anecdote she was telling about work, and she noticed Maura was upset but didn't want to draw attention to it.

'... and even though we had the suspect, we couldn't find the warrant to his… Oh sorry ma, I just need to speak to Maura about something I just remembered about the case.' Before Angela could even look over at Maura, Jane had whipped her off her chair and they were already headed into the bedroom. 'Maura, what's wrong honey?' Maura's knees weakened hearing Jane calling her honey, she knew Jane was just being friendly. Maura pulled herself together and immediatly left the bedroom 'I'm ok, I'm just very tired Jane.' They headed back into the kitchen to rejoin Angela.

'Angela I think I'm going to excuse myself, I'm very tired.' Maura declared.

'No problem honey, Jane are you going to stay in the guest room, I don't like the thought of you driving home this late.' Angela demanded.

'I'm fine, ma.'

'Maura tell her, it's too late' Angela knew having Maura on her side was the way to win the battle.

'The guest room has clean sheets and is there if you need to stay Jane, it's no problem.' Maura tried to seem neutral.

'Ok, if you're sure.'

'Ofcourse. You know where the fresh towels are, and help yourself to anything you need, I must get to bed, thank you for a nice evening, both of you.' Maura said her goodbyes to Jane and Angela and went straight to bed. Jane had another coffee with her mum and then headed into the guest room to try and get some sleep.

Maura woke up in the middle of the night, unable to sleep. Her head spinning, she couldn't comprehend her feelings or begin to contain them. She led for an hour or so, trying to quiet her brain, but she just thought over and over everything. She was overcome with sadness, she had come to the conclusion her and Jane could never be together. She was sure Jane didn't think that way about her, she knew they could only ever be best friends. She burst into tears, uncontrollable tears, she felt ashamed of her feelings, she wanted to unknow she had these feelings, someone to take them away.

Jane was tossing and turning in bed, in a light sleep, the sound of quiet weeping coming through the walls. At first she thought she was imagining it, but after half an hour she was sure Maura was crying. She wrestled with what to do, should she leave more in her privacy, or go in and comfort her? Jane waited a while to see if she's stop, but Maura's weeps didn't stop, so Jane could no longer ignore her friends cries.

Maura heard someone get up and turn on light. She immediately turned off her bedside light and rolled onto her side away from the door, pretending to be asleep.

'Maura, honey what's going on?' Jane spoke with a gravelly voice, walking towards the bed.

Hearing Jane call her honey again, Maura couldn't pretend to not be crying and sobbed 'I'm sorry Jane, I woke you up! I'm so sorry Jane, I'm so sorry!' Maura was sobbing and Jane couldn't just stand there. She walked over to Maura's side of the bed and sat on the edge, Maura was still led down crying into her pillow, she sat up to see Jane.

'Don't be silly, you didn't wake me up. I couldn't sleep. Oh Maura, come here...' Jane put her hands on the lower of Maura's back and slid her along the bed and into and embrace. 'You have to talk to me darling, I can't bear to see you like this, has something happened with your family?'

Jane had no idea about Maura's feelings.

'No Jane, everyone is fine.'

'Is it your health? Please tell me if it is Maura.'

'No no no Jane please don't worry, it's nothing like that. I'm completely fine, I'm just feeling down.' Maura relaxed deeper into Jane's arms. She took a few sharp breaths to calm her crying, comforted by Janes hug, she felt calmer and shut her eyes.

'Has something happened to make you feel sad Maura?' Jane said as she started slowly rocking her friend as she could feel her take a deep breath and relax.

'No Jane, I'm just feeling very emotional.' Maura spoke very deeply and slowly, in a state of deep relaxation.

'Ok baby, as long as you promise to tell me if anything is getting you down?' Jane had never called Maura baby before, something about this situation of having Maura in her arms, rocking her to calm her and hearing her deep sorrowful voice, made Jane call her baby. Hearing Jane call her baby, so honestly and affectionately, sent one last teardrop rolling down Maura's face.

'Of course Jane.' Maura let out one big sigh, and Jane pulled her back to examine her face, and see if she was feeling better.

'You cross your heart and hope to die?' Jane smiled as she wiped away Maura's tears with her thumbs across her cheeks.

Maura smiled and sniffled back the last of her cries 'This is the second time I've wondered what I would do without you, this evening.'

'Well, I am the best person in the world.' Jane lifted her hands up as if to present herself as fabulous.

'I can't argue with that.' They both laughed and Maura felt her heart repairing.

'Well I'm not walking all the way across the hall again, scoot.' Jane gave Maura's hip a tap, a cue to move over. Maura didn't want to become more attached to Jane, and knew her sleeping in her bed was going to make her feelings worse.

'I don't think that's a good idea Jane,' Maura said, lying down and turning to face away from Jane.

'Oh, what difference does it make? This bed is bigger than my whole apartment, you won't even know I'm here!' Jane led down.

'Seriously Jane, go back to the spare room, what if Angela goes into your room in the morning and you aren't there?' Maura was anxious.

'Ah she never wakes up till gone 9, I'll be at work by then. Besides it's warmer in here.'

'Jane, you never listen to me!' Maura tried her best to sound angry.

'Maura, I really don't want to leave you in here, I would feel better in here, I'm worried about you, really.' Jane said with her utmost honesty.

'Ok, I'm sorry Jane, I'm just not feeling myself at the moment. I will be fine though, please don't worry.' Maura knew she was lying.

Jane could tell Maura wasn't telling the truth, and that made her worry even more 'As long as you keep your promise to tell me everything?' Jane was lying on her side facing Maura's back, she prompted herself up onto her elbow and put a hand on Maura's arm that was resting on top of the covers. 'You promise?' Jane leaned over and rolled Maura over and into her arms, holding onto each other tightly Jane whispered into her ear 'I can't think of you being anything but happy, you're my best friend and I'd do anything for you.' She planted a kiss on Maura's cheek and rolled onto her back shutting her eyes.

'I know Jane.' Maura turned onto her side away from Jane, she knew she wouldn't be able to go another day without telling Jane how she felt about her, keeping her feelings bottled in was exhausting her, and she knew it would only get worse. Her stomach tightened into a knot at the thought of telling Jane the next day, but she knew she had no choice.