I'm sitting on the armchair that is standing next to Maura's bed and watch her peacefully sleeping. I know that it sounds kinda creepy and I would agree if I'd be someone else I would find it ever so. But since Cory had showed up here in a drunken state I refused to leave Maura alone for the rest of the night and I refuse to get some sleep just in case that this blockhead dares to show up one more time. Maura tried to convince me that she's fine and that it'd be okay for me to head to my apartment and that we would talk about what happened tomorrow. In the same time, I have seen the fear in her eyes and told her that I won't leave her home for the night, and the next night if necessary. She tried to argue about that with me, vainly.

I take a deep breath and get up from the armchair, tiptoeing to her bed and carefully sitting down on the edge without waking her up. I scrutinize her and tuck carefully a strand of hair behind her ear, knowing very well that I shouldn't do that. "I told you that nothing will change and that I will be at your side whenever you need me, Maura, no matter what decision you'll make." I whisper and my heart is tightening painfully at the thought that she could want nothing more than friendship but I know that I have to accept it if it's that case. I continue with a heavy sigh, "sure, I will need some time if you are saying that you feel nothing more than friendship for me and it will hurt like hell, but I'll get over it and there is nothing in this world that could keep me away from you, Maura. No matter what we are then, you won't get rid of me and I promise you that I will be happy for you and the person you decide to spend your life with." I swallow hard and bite my tongue so I won't whisper into the room that deep within I am the said person. I clench my jaw and resist the urge to kiss her lips lightly before I do leave the house for the night. I let my fingertips trail down her arm and smile a little when I hear Maura sigh. It's not a sigh of annoyance because I disturb her sleep, it's a sigh of contentment. I have heard it every time we spent the night together after our sexual encounter. Yeah, sometimes she or I left shortly after we have had sex, mostly because we didn't want to raise suspicion or it was already late and had to work the next morning.

I furl my brows and feel a lump in my throat while I mesmerize her sleeping face. "God, I love you, Maura." I whisper into the dark room and swallow hard. "I wish you would know how much I love you and that you would let me love you unconditionally. You know that I'd move heaven and earth only for you. I wish that I could tell you that you are the love of my life without you picking up a fight. I hope that I would never hurt you no matter how hard you'd try to push me away. I already told you that you won't get rid of me that easily.

My eyebrows shoot up the second Maura starts to turn and I hold my breath, hoping that my whispering haven't woken her up. In vain because hazel eyes are finding mine and my heart skips a beat as soon as her fingertips are running over my jawline and stop at my lower lip. I want to ask her how much she caught but I know that she has heard every single word because she's smiling a little before she takes my hand in her own, tugging lightly at it.

A deep frown is gracing my forehead and she rolls her eyes tugging harder. "Jane."

The frown deepens and I stay where I am right now. "Can't you slap my face from your current position?"

She rolls her eyes once more and tugs really hard this time so I have to brace myself over her. Her smile widens and she starts to caress my cheek and neck which leaves me wondering if Maura's trying to seduce me. If that's the case, I'll turn her down because I am not here for that right now.

"I don't need time to think anymore, I don't need space anymore." She says with a steady voice.

I drop my eyes because it seems like my apprehension is coming true right now, that she only wants physical attention. "Maura, we shouldn't -"

"I love you, too." She cuts me off and I think that I must have heard wrongly. Maura takes a deep breath. "Ever since you drew back several men and women had asked me out, but the only person I could think of was you. That you would ask me to the Dirty Robber and have a good time with you, Frankie, Korsak, Angela and Nina before we head home and spent the rest of night alone instead of asking to have a candle light dinner in a French restaurant. I realized that I rather would have a burger and a beer with you instead of -" She trails off and frowns with a smile. "You would call it fancy food." She pauses and takes a deep breath but holds my gaze. "In the time I had dinner with someone else I was wondering what you would say about escargots, frog legs and the French cuisine at large. I imagined you chewing skeptically and cracking some jokes while we would have a good time. And then reality got me back and I was sitting there with someone who … wasn't you."

I take her words in and blink several times, furrowing my brows. "You had dinner with other people beside Cory, the moron?"

She huffs and swats my chest, with a smile.

I smirk but take a deep breath. "Of course, you have been seeing others beside him." I state and her smile drops. "You have been thinking about me all the time?"

Maura's rolling her eyes again which is very unlikely and which makes me smirk. "Don't be hubristically." She replies and I quirk an eyebrow. "But yes, I was thinking about you all the time even though I knew that I shouldn't. That's when I realized that I want no one but you. That I want to be with you for the rest of my life. I would understand if you now would need some time to progress it all and I will give you -"

I don't need time to progress it, hell, I was the one who was spilling her guts to someone who apparently was asleep. That's why I silence her by pressing my lips to hers. It seems like she is shocked for a second before she starts to kiss me back with a sigh of relief.

I know that I had a resolution and really had the plan to do keep my hands off of her, but it's easier said than done right now. Especially because this kiss is different this time, it's not greedy and saying 'Come on, let's have sex now". This kiss is promising and sweet even though she pulls me on top of her and starts tugging my shirt out of my pants.

She breaks the kiss but keeps her eyes closed, mumbling, "God, I love you, Jane."

I look closely at Maura and hold my breath. When we had been together, in bed, we avoided to say words like that and it had been hard for me to stuff my words back in my throat when Maura had her all over me, the words 'I love you, I want no one but you'. It seemed to be easier for her though, like she had built up a wall that kept her from exposing her true feelings. But this time it seems like this wall had crumbled down completely and that she means what she is saying.

I take a moment before I grab the hem of my shirt over my head.

Maura's eyes snap open and looks with guilt at me. "Jane, I don't want us to have -"

I know what she's about to say and kiss her gently before I smile. "I know, Maura." I know that she is not in the mood for sex, neither am I, we are both exhausted. But I can see that she needs contact and so do I so we both can be sure that this is really happening. I force my eyes open as soon as her fingers start to ghost over my skin. The never had done that before. They stop at the scar that has been left by the exit wound. The reminder of the shootout at the precinct and the only way to keep my brother and her safe.

"Never do that again," she hushes and I can see that she's trying to keep her tears at bay.

I kiss the corner of her mouth gently. "I won't." I hold her gaze while her fingers brushing my ribs that once had been bruised by reckless actions and the places where had been scratches. I realize that she's recalling every single little injury she had to patch up at her office or the couch in her living room. Hell, I have to be in the brink of death before I go to the hospital. Why should I go there? I got a private doctor the moment Maura came into my life. "I will never ever leave you alone. You got me, Maura."

"You just say it like that."

"You got me." I repeat and try a single tear on her cheek with my thumb before I kiss her once more. "And I tend to stay true to my word, Maura. You won't get rid of me that easily. Look at our story and yet I am still here with you."

Finally, she smiles the smile that caused me to fall in love with her. "Indeed, you are."

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Not quite done yet!

Hey, guys. This is a little update because I am not sure when I get the next chance to upload the next chapter and how many chapters are going to follow, and I didn't want to leave you high and dry.

Oh, and thank you all for your kind reviews!

I hope you'll like this update, too.

Enjoy,

T73.