A/N-I love R & I, unfortunately they don't belong to me but I do love to take them out to play. Thanks to everyone for the wonderful reviews so far. Keep 'em coming.

"You"

Maura's words rang in Jane's ears. Maura Isles was rarely subdued in fact she was one of the most lively people Jane had ever met, but the woman laying on her chest right now, was exactly that, subdued. Jane knew that the shooting four months ago had been hard on everyone; hell she was still paying for it, but apparently so was Maura.

"Maura?"

"Maura look at me." Tearful green eyes looked into Jane's.

Believing she might know the answer, Jane needed to hear her out.

"What are you talking about?"

"Jane, you almost died four months ago and I knew before then how I felt about you and did nothing." Taking a deep breath Maura shook her head, "I had never prayed before, you know I don't believe…in…in that, but, I did."

Putting her head back on Jane's chest, she continued. "You almost died Jane, I almost lost you and I prayed and prayed that I would someday have the chance to tell you how I felt. You survived but with a lot of, a lot of…"

"Baggage?" Looking up she saw Jane with a sad knowing grin on her face, "you're too nice Maur" nodding her head, Maura continued.

"Baggage then, between your lengthy recovery and your family, it was…a lot to deal with and I know that its been hard for you getting back too work and Jane, I know that you aren't 100% yet, but I wanted, no I needed to do something for you, you came back to me. Even if we could only be friends it was enough because the gift you gave me was worth more than life to me"

Jane looked at this woman who was baring her heart to her and felt guilty for having made her feel so much pain. Taking a deep breath, "So, when I found out about my parents and the house and all the other 'baggage', that surrounds me…"

"Well, I couldn't do anything about your parents, much as I would have liked to, and the other baggage, well, I like to think I've been there for you as much as I can be."

Hugging her tightly, Jane kissed the top of her head, "you have"

"Thank you Jane, but as I was saying, the house, well that I thought I could do something about."

"You know you didn't have to do that Maura." Feeling a bit uncomfortable, she shifted a bit on the couch.

Bringing her head up, Maura came face to face with Jane, "I should have spoken to you about it but I wanted to surprise you. You've always spoken so fondly about having grown up in that house, that I didn't want you to lose that, not after everything else."

"And…I owed…Jane, I owed so much for getting this second chance with you, I hope you can understand."

The hopeful longing look in her eyes told the story of a woman who was aware of the second chance fate had given her and she wasn't going to back away from it, not now. Looking expectantly at Jane, Maura hoped that she could understand her reason for buying her such an extravagant gift.

It was a lot to take in, Jane knew that the shooting had affected a lot of people, Maura more than most, and her feelings for the medical examiner had been growing for some time as well, but she had to admit if not for the surprise gift, they never might have acknowledged their feelings at all. "And what feelings were those Rizzoli?" she asked herself.

Looking into Maura's eyes, she knew. She had told Maura at the house that she didn't do feelings well, but that was because she had never spoken the words to anyone. She felt inadequate, Maura could do so much better than her, but the love in the eyes of the woman in her arms told her this woman had decided for herself whether Jane Rizzoli was good enough.

"Maura I…I…" she swallowed nervously, "what the hell Rizzoli! Spit it out!"

Maura's kiss silenced her, "shhhhh".

Gently at first she kissed Jane tenderly allowing her to feel the depth of her love. Jane answered her back, allowing herself to let go and feel what she already knew was there, love for one Dr Maura Isles. Maura's eyebrows raised as the kiss continued, deepened by Jane, probing, wanting. Nipping at Maura's bottom lip before she broke the kiss, "I love you Maura" she whispered.

Maura stiffened at the words, making to pull away from her, but Jane held on, tight.

In that wonderfully raspy voice that Maura adored, "Maura look at me"

"Jane you don't have to feel obligated because I …mmph" Jane's kiss swallowed the rest of her words. Maura could feel the passion and the feeling behind the kiss and surprisingly, she could taste the tears rolling down Jane's face. That was when she realized what it had cost Jane to tell her she loved her.

To intense a moment to last forever, they held each other, breathing heavily.

"Maura I've never…"

"I know Jane and I didn't buy you the house for you to tell me that."

"I know Maur, but, I'm an ass sometimes" catching Maura's eye she smiled, "and maybe I needed to be hit over the head with something like a house to realize what I've had in front of me for so long." Jane shook her head wryly "I've had feelings for you since well before the shooting, but I didn't want to scare you away."

"Remember, I don't do feelings"

Snuggling in closer, "oh I don't know Jane, I think you do feelings just fine."

They sat there quietly just enjoying each other's warmth and contact. A chuckle from Jane broke the mood.

"Hmmmm" Maura said lazily.

Amused Jane looked down tenderly "I was just thinking, I don't think I'll ever get rid of that pink canopy bed now"

"Hmmmm, it was very cozy."

"Yea," as she remembered their beautiful introduction to each other, "it was"

"Maura?"

"Yes Jane"

"Why me? Jane didn't know if she really wanted an answer but her insecurities had existed for longer than her relationship with Maura.

Maura sat up and looked at the strong, defiant, larger than life woman she fell in love with who was exposing the most vulnerable piece of herself and took Jane's scarred hands in hers.

"Jane Rizzoli, you are the most stubborn, opinionated, and at times obnoxious person I've ever met," Maura said in her best Dr Isles voice.

"But, you are also the most tender, considerate and loving friend anyone could ever ask for." "Anyone who loves you is lucky to have you and I am I would like to think smart enough to know a good thing when I see it."

Sighing deeply, she looked into deep chocolate eyes, "Bobby Marino almost took my chance to tell you how I felt away from me," eyes glistening, "I will never let that happen again." The conviction in her voice was exhilarating for Jane.

Grinning widely, she offered up a mock salute, "Yes ma'am!"

Maura's answering smile was all she needed.

Lying in Maura's bed, Jane waited for her to come out of the bathroom. She looked around the room; she usually stayed in the guestroom and had only spent one night in here before tonight.

"Ha!" she thought, "I'm nervous"

She leaned over to fix the pillows, wearing a tank top and black boy shorts, she was reaching over to the nightstand when a small cough interrupted her.

Her breath catching, she saw Maura standing there in a negligee of "nothing", it was so wispy you could see almost everything, though it strategically covered the naughty parts, just barely.

"Wow"

Maura walked in and did a little twirl, "do you really like it?"

Jane could feel the heat rising as she watched the woman she loved sashay toward her. "Uhm, oh yeah"

Maura came over to the still lying Jane Rizzoli "May I join you?"

"Please" scooting over, Jane made room for Maura. She was trying to control her breathing but damn Maura was hot!

When they made love in her old bedroom, everything had happened so quickly, she never had a chance to appreciate the beauty of the real gift Maura had given her, herself.

"God, Maura you're…"

"Do you like what you see?"

Nodding her head, they turned to face one another. Jane slowly traced a hand along her arm, eliciting a shudder from Maura. Pushing her hair from her face, Jane leaned in and traced a slow sensual trail with her tongue from Maura's collarbone to her ear. Maura's trembling was enough to push Jane further, settling on her sweet neck, Jane suckled her skin, biting gently and sucking, a strong shudder was Maura's response. Realizing she had found one of Maura's weak spots, she continued sucking.

Maura's answering groans and grabbing at Jane excited her even more. She trailed her tongue away from the sweet spot on her neck and let her tongue trail around to the back of Maura's neck.

"Jane! Oh… my goodness! Oh…oh…Jane…please…" grabbing at Jane she pulled Jane onto her and wrapped her legs around one of Jane's, grinding against it.

Excited by Maura's response, Jane shifted her weight and mounted her with one leg between Maura's and rode her. She continued to tease and suckle at her body, resting on one nipple and biting. The wave of passion overwhelmed them both as Maura came violently at Jane's hands. Allowing her to recover slightly, Jane rode her ever so gently before moving her leg and inserting her fingers between Maura's legs. With just that touch, Maura came again and again calling out "Jane…oh Jane…" Jane's name over and over, tears mingled in with the pleasure she felt, and Jane kissed her tears as she whispered to Maura.

"I love you Maura Isles."

"Oh Jane, I love you, thank you."

"For what?" She looked into Maura's eyes quizzically.

"For loving me."

"Dr Isles? Maura?" Hmmm" Angela Rizzoli let herself in. Seeing Maura's car in the driveway she expected her to call out to her to say hello as she usually did. When she didn't, she figured she would just let herself in and say hi to Bass.

Angela Rizzoli had found one very quirky thing in common with Maura Isles, she liked talking to her tortoise. It was soothing and she didn't understand why Jane always thought it was weird. No weirder than talking to your gun I guess, Angela had certainly walked in more than once while Jane talked to herself when she cleaned her gun.

Hearing a noise in the kitchen she found Bass in his usual spot, grabbing a strawberry from the counter, she fed it to him and realized how unusually quiet it was. Feeling horribly intrusive, she went checked the guestroom for Jane and not finding her started to leave. A familiar voice caught her attention from upstairs, "Janie?"

Walking up the stairs she grew more and more concerned as she heard what had to be Jane in pain. "Janie?"

The moans continued and growing more concerned and now angry, that Jane hadn't told her she had been hurt again she opened the door to Maura's bedroom.

"Oh my GOD!"

"Son of a BITCH, MA!"

"Oh my…."

"Jane Rizzoli what are you doing?" Hands on either side of her face, she couldn't believe what she was seeing, Janie, her Janie in bed with Dr. Isles.

Jane and Maura attempted to disentangle themselves from each other both very aware of their nudity. Pulling the sheets up to cover themselves,

"Come on Ma! Does no one in this family know how to KNOCK?" Exasperated, Jane ran a scarred hand through her tousled hair.

Angela opened her mouth to say something, turned on her heel and walked out, leaving the women in stunned silence.

"Shit…" Scrambling off the bed, Jane quickly got dressed, "I have to go talk to her Maur."

"I know, I'll be right down" Nodding, Jane ran out after her mother. This wasn't like Frankie walking in on the aftermath; this was her mother walking in on the act "holy shit I am in sooo much trouble" she thought.

"Ma…MA…WAIT!"

Catching her mother at the door she pulled her by the arm, "ma please…talk to me…ma…Aww come on Ma!"

Allowing herself to be led to the couch, Angela sat quietly fuming. She didn't know if she should be angry or happy. "Was she shocked? After the initial view, no, not really, Janie was never really feminine, and she knew Maura made her happy, but…"

Jane watched her mother's eyes, wondering what thoughts were floating around in there. Honestly not knowing what or how to say anything to her mother, she was grateful when Maura joined her.

Maura was terrified. Angela Rizzoli was a lovely woman but she knew exactly where Jane got her temper from and that terrified her because two angry Rizzoli women was more than she thought she could handle.

Sitting down on the loveseat, she pulled Jane down onto the seat beside her as they contemplated one Angela Rizzoli. Maura smiled, and tugged at Jane's hand, "hmm?" No one had said a word yet, but Jane knew Maura wouldn't try to get her attention without reason.

"Jane, she approves." Smiling at Angela, Maura's eyes thanked her.

"What?" looking from one to the other, "what do you mean she approves, how do you…oh…" she looked from her mother to Maura, "are you doing that facial symmetry thing?"

Nodding happily Maura smiled at them both, "thank you Angela."

"Humph" arms crossed on her chest, Angela tried to maintain an aura of severity but she couldn't, Maura was right, she did approve. It was obvious how much Maura cared for her daughter and vice versa, she was mad for other reasons.

A disappointed, Angela pouted at her daughter and Maura, "Why didn't either of you tell me?"

Just like with Frankie, Jane and Maura both started laughing, unable to believe how they had "come out" to Jane's family.

"Ma, we only just admitted how we feel to each other"

"What, when?"

"Earlier today Angela," the look Maura bestowed on Jane made Angela proud. She had never seen anyone look that lovingly at her daughter.

"Well…"

Drawing herself up straighter, Maura said, "I love Jane, Angela"

Surprised, Angela looked at her daughter who never ceased to amaze her, and smiling, Jane reached over and kissed Maura on the cheek, "I love her too Ma."

"Well, I'm glad, I mean I'm happy for you but well…what about me now?"

"What do you mean Ma?"

"Well, I live in the guesthouse right now, are you both going to be okay with that?"

Looking at each other, they realized this was the perfect time, "well, about that," Jane looked at Maura who nodded, "how would you like to move back home?"

"Jane the house was being foreclosed, I don't have a home anymore, thanks to your father" Angela spoke the last bitterly.

"Well I Have a gift for you, well Maura does actually…"

"We both do Angela" at Maura's words, Jane kissed her again, this time on the mouth in front of her mom.

"What are you two talking about?"

"Ma, Maura bought our old house."

"What?" Looking at Maura incredulously, "How, Why?"

"Well, for Jane and she wants to give it to you to live in apparently." Smiling, she took one of Jane's hands and kissed it.

"And, I think that's a wonderful idea, I gave Jane a gift that she is passing on to someone she loves, and she gave me a gift back."

"What did she give you?" Angela asked eyebrows raised, wondering what could compare to a house for goodness sakes.

Smugly and with a beautiful smile on her face, she kissed Jane's hand again making the other woman blush, "She told me she loves me.

So readers, its up to you, do I continue (I have lots more) or should I gently end here. Works either way you see. Thank you all for the wonderful reviews and please feel free to take a look at some of my other R & I fics, have lots more in the works, they give us so much fuel to work with Thanks and reviews are appreciated and loved-I make every effort to respond to all reviews.