Chapter 10

And I've come far enough to know
Love's worth never letting go of
~Trisha Yearwood – Down On My Knees

Maura looked at Jane, a smile lingering on her lips. The dark haired detective lay stretched out on the couch, partially wrapped up in one of Maura's blankets. Her eyes were closed though Maura doubted she was actually asleep. Jane's breathing was not consistent with someone who was sleeping. The bruise on the side of Jane's face looked even brighter now and Maura had insisted on putting an ice pack on it, even though the damage had been done. Jane had felt like a total idiot. Maura's eyes drifted from the bruise down to Jane's neck and lingered on the fine shaped lines of her collar bone before coming to a rest at the start of her T-shirt.

"How long have you known?" Jane asked unexpectedly, opening one eye and looking at Maura. She had caught her staring but the brunette pathologist did not seem in the slightest bothered.

"Known what?" Maura questioned in surprise, more startled by the question than by the fact that Jane had caught her looking at her.

"That you are in love with me."

Maura thought about that question for a moment or two, rearranging the analysis's she had made in her head and the events that had led up to this very moment. She then nodded, more to herself than Jane. Sparkling bright hazel eyes met Jane's and her answer was clear, simple and matter of fact. "Two days."

"Wow," Jane smiled and sat up. Maura's eyes only lit up more now that she moved. Jane ran her fingers through her hair and groaned as her back protested against the changed position. She made a mental note that she was to refrain from moving too much and clenched her teeth whilst she waited for the sharp pain to subside. She cast Maura a sideways glance. "Jesus Maura, I thought you were a fast learner."

"Well, I was thinking about what was happening to me but I wasn't sure," Maura answered in that way that was so typical for her and Jane shook her head in disbelief. She was unable to suppress a smile and shifted her weight so her head was now resting on Maura's shoulder. It was comforting, safe and relaxing to be so close to her. The other woman slipped her arm around Jane and caressed her gently.

"How can you not be sure about being in love? The way I understand it, the feeling is rather specific."

Maura ignored Jane's observation. "I was experiencing increased feelings of satisfaction and pleasure when I was around you. Elevated levels of dopamine are linked to increased energy, motivation to win a reward and feeling elated. Also, recent studies in neuroscience have indicated that as people fall in love, the brain consistently releases a certain set of chemicals, stimulating the brain's pleasure centre and leading to side effects such as increased heart rate, loss of appetite and sleep, and an intense feeling of excitement."

Jane laughed and nudged Maura into her side. The brunette giggled and Jane felt her heart jump up in her chest. "I wonder what it is going to take for you to just simply tell me you love me."

There was a knock on the front door and both women looked up, startled that their moment of intimacy had been disturbed. Maura slipped off the couch and walked to the door. Jane sat up, biting back the pain, and looked over the back of the couch to see who it was. She couldn't see the visitor's face but she recognised Korsak's voice almost immediately. It sounded like he and Maura were arguing and she clearly heard her own name fall from Maura's lips.

"It is rude to talk about people behind their backs!" she called and two seconds later Maura appeared, looking somewhat flushed, and she was followed by Korsak. His face noticeably lit up when he found Jane sitting on the couch and he patted her on the shoulder when he reached her. Neither of them needed any more words for both of them to understand that he was glad to see her. Jane made a mental note to get him a box of the best donuts in Boston when she returned to work.

"Where's Frost?" she than asked, knowing full well Korsak would not have come here alone. For one, he wasn't a fan of driving and would gladly leave it to anybody else. It meant he could also quickly get out of the car to pick up some poor, abandoned animal on the side of the road. And Jane knew Frost well enough that he too wanted to see how his partner was doing and her eyes glanced over Korsak's shoulder in the direction of the door.

"Getting over his fear of Bass," Maura answered and pointed at the door. A muttered swearword could be heard and Jane remembered she had seen Bass shuffle around by the front door earlier that morning. According to Maura he liked to sit by the glass and look outside. Jane reckoned he was waiting for his chance to escape. Frost appeared, looking slightly frightened and Jane recognised the distinct sound of Bass' paws across the wooden floor. Maura smirked when Frost walked in. "I told him he was harmless."

"Who? Bass or Frost?" Jane asked, reaching out to Maura and briefly taking her hand. "Because I have seen the way Bass eats his strawberries."

"Why can't you just have a cat, like normal people?" Frost groaned and his dark eyes fixed on Jane. "How are you feeling, Jane?"

"Gees, Frost, twenty stitches aside, I'm feeling on top of the world," Jane answered, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"How are your hands?" Korsak asked and Jane's gaze dropped to her fingers. Her hands were covered in defensive wounds, most of which had scabbed over during the night. The cuts were small and shallow and had only needed cleaning at the hospital. But they hurt a lot more than the large gash on her back or her leg. She shrugged and looked up.

"I'll be playing the piano again soon."

"I hope you take some lessons this time," Frost answered and walked around the couch. He shot a weary look over his shoulder as Bass appeared and sat down. Jane refrained from commenting and her partner looked at him. "You up for some questions?"

"I never expected to hear that sentence," Jane sighed and looked at Maura. "Got any coffee?"

Maura nodded and disappeared into the kitchen. A cupboard opened, a few mug were placed on the counter and Jane could hear her chat to Bass, who had clearly followed her into the kitchen looking for some more strawberries, and her eyes briefly met Korsak. She owed him though this was neither the time nor the place to mention it. But when she met his gaze and saw the twinkle in his eye, she couldn't help but smile.

"Do you remember what happened?" Korsak asked and Jane watched how he took his notebook from his pocket and scribbled something down. It felt odd, almost unreal, to be subject of their questions. It reminded her of what it had been like, just after Hoyt had attacked her. The fear, the reminder of her mortality, was very real. She took a deep breath and glanced over her shoulder. She wished Maura would come back.

"I came home," Jane began and her voice became distant. "The door was locked. I left my keys on the counter and..." She paused and her eyes narrowed. She experienced the brief hint of terror she had felt when her eyes had been greeted by the darkness of her apartment. "The light was off."

"The light?"

"Yes, I always leave a light on," Jane said and met Korsak's gaze. He understood what she was trying to say. The light kept away the shadows that looked like Hoyt. It erased the darkness. "So I don't come home in the dark. I had left it on that morning but it was off. And Jo wasn't there."

"Frankie told us he found her wandering around outside your building. She ran straight to him. The guy must have let her out," Korsak said and scribbled something down. Jane didn't even bother looking at his notes. Korsak's handwriting looked like it belonged in the Middle Ages. Not a single person could read his notes. She leant back and a deep sigh escaped from her throat.

"And then he was just there." Her voice trailed off and Maura walked back into the living room, carrying a tray with four steaming mugs of coffee, cream and sugar. She put it down on the coffee table and sat down next to Jane. Their eyes met and Jane felt the uneasy feeling fade away. She placed her hand on Jane's knee in support and Jane took another deep breath.

"When I woke up he was sitting on my bed." The bile rose in the back of her throat and her hands clenched into fists. It hurt but she ignored the pain. "And when I moved, he grabbed hold of me. We fought." Dark eyes fluttered shut as the images flooded back into her mind. She had to remember every detail. She had to tell them. She swallowed hard. "He called me a Jezebel."

"Did he say anything else?" Frost inquired and Jane's eyes opened.

Suddenly she could hear her attacker's voice in her head, loud and clear. Like he was standing right next to her, leaning in, speaking into her ear. A cold shiver crept down her spine and her fingers searched for Maura's. She glanced at the brunette and spoke to her and her alone when she repeated the words she had heard fall from her attacker's lips.

"Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled; but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge."

"Hebrew 13:4," Maura said instantly and three sets of eyes fixed on her in surprise. "What? I read."

"You read the Bible?" Korsak asked and Maura looked at him.

"You didn't?"

"Another Bible quote; another link to adultery," Frost said slowly and Jane looked at her partner. "All women look alike." His dark eyes found Maura's and he read her mind. "This has nothing to do with Jane. He did not single her out for a reason. This psycho is targeting a particular woman and Jane just happens to fit the picture."

"That makes me feel loads better," Jane groaned and suddenly she sat up. Realisation had hit her and she looked at Maura. "He smelled!"

"Excuse me?" Maura asked in surprise.

"He smelled!" Jane said and her eyes widened. Maura sat up too and Jane could almost hear the wheels in her head spinning. "And I mean he reeked!"

Korsak looked from Jane to Maura and back. "Smelled of what?"

"Like he had not showered for a week," Jane answered and felt her stomach turn at the memory. The smell had been horrible and it had been so distinct. A frown appeared above her eyebrows and she looked down at her hands. The images flashed through her mind and she looked up only to find Maura looking at her with great interest. "But it wasn't just stale sweat. It was something else. His shirt was wet. He was sweating."

"Hyperhidrosis is a condition that causes an abnormal increase in perspiration. Generally speaking, sweat does not smell. But there are conditions that that can cause very unpleasant odours. One of them is called Bromhidrosis," Maura answered, whilst looking at Jane. The detective looked at her, slightly bewildered. "It produces an overpowering and unpleasant odour, usually offensive. The smells vary from musty to downright rancid or even faecal."

"That sounds about right but I don't think we can track him down just because he smells," Jane groaned and looked at Korsak. "How did he get in to my apartment? The door was locked."

"CSU found residue of some substance in the lock. He must have used something to duplicate the key," Frost answered. "Similar traces have been found at the earlier crime scenes. I suggest you change your locks when you go home."

Jane looked at Maura. "I am not going home. Not for a while anyway."

Korsak looked at Jane's hand taking Maura's and he looked from the detective to the pathologist and back. "You are probably safer here, Jane. What do you want me to tell your mother?"

Jane grinned. Her phone had been buzzing for most of the morning but she had neglected answering. The last thing she needed was to hear her mother's voice. She knew Angela was worried but she really couldn't find the energy to put up with another one of her phone calls. She had forced Maura to pick up after it rang for the twentieth time and made her lie to Angela that she was sleeping. Her phone had stopped ringing now but only because Angela had made Maura promise to ask Jane to call her back.

"Tell her I am asleep," she grinned and met her partner's gaze. "Is CSU finished at my place?"

"Just about," Korsak answered and stood up, ready to leave. "They found another set of prints. In your bedroom. They will undoubtedly match the pair we already have but it brings us no closer to finding him. It's a good thing we have got everybody else's prints on file, your place was riddled with them. You should clean more often."

"Remind me of that the next time I visit that dump you call home," Jane answered in return. One of her eyebrows shot up. "I hope you can forgive me but I am unable to get up to see you out."

Maura followed Frost and Korsak to the door and Jane could hear them say goodbye. The door closed and Maura walked back into the living room. She sat down next to Jane and cast her a worried glance.

"You sure you're all right?"

"I am fine," Jane answered and scooted over until she could rest her head on Maura's shoulder. The other woman ran her fingers through Jane's thick hair and caressed the back of her neck. "You know, I have something to be that asshole grateful for."

"What's that?" Maura whispered and Jane's eyes looked up to her.

"You."

Gently she pressed her lips against Maura's and lost herself in the sensation of their tender kiss. Maura's fingers came to a rest in her neck and carefully pulled Jane closer. Jane rested her sore and tired body against Maura's and the pain she had felt slowly subsided. He hands trailed up the brunette's arms until they reached her shoulders. It was as far as she could lift her arms without experiencing sharp shots of pain.

"Do you think they know?" Maura asked when they parted and she brushed a strand of hair out of Jane's face. "Korsak and Frost, I mean."

"Maybe," Jane answered and looked at the woman she had considered her best friend but who was now her lover. "Do you want them to know?"

"Statistically, relationships that are kept a secret have less chances of success than those out in the open," Maura explained and when she met Jane's amused gaze, she smiled. Her fingers caressed the detective's cheek, gently trailing the shape of the bruise that sat against her skin. "Too literal?"

"Just a bit."

"Yes, I'd like them to know," Maura replied. Her eyes were smiling. "What about your parents?"

Jane snorted. "It is probably not what Ma expected but at least it will stop her pestering me about my love life." She thought about her words for a moment and pictured her mother's face the moment she told her she was in love with Maura. "Though I don't think they have any problems with it. My cousin Mario is gay. He and Dennis have been together since like forever. I swear he is part of the family furniture by now. How about your parents?"

Maura's face darkened and she averted her eyes. "I, err, I don't speak my parents much. To be honest, I am not sure whether they'd care."

"Oh Maura, of course they'd care! They are your parents; they'd want you to be happy!" Jane urged and took Maura's hand into her own. She remembered what Maura had once told her about her parents, how she had been adopted but that it had felt like they were too caught up in their own lives to really care. Sadness filled her voice. "Are you afraid they will judge you?"

Maura shrugged and sighed. "I don't know, Jane. To tell them would mean actually having to talk to them."

Jane frowned as she read between the lines. "When was the last time you spoke to them?"

"Three years ago," Maura answered and Jane detected the tears in her voice. "I called. They weren't in. I actually left a message on their machine. I even wondered whether they had lost my number and gave it again." Hazel eyes riddled with tears looked up and met Jane's. Her smile was forced and masked the brokenness she hid inside. "They never called back."

"Maura," Jane began but didn't quite know what to say. How do you tell someone their parents loved them regardless when for three years they had heard nothing? She squeezed Maura's hand and sighed. She was about to say something else when her phone vibrated. It lay on the coffee table and she looked at the caller ID. She felt a sense of frustration when she realised it was her mother and sent Maura an apologetic look before answering.

"Hi Ma," she said, faking a tired and groggy voice. "No, I am feeling fantastic. Haven't slept this much since I was a baby." Beside her, Maura smiled. Jane did not let go of her gaze. "No Ma, she is taking excellent care of me." She paused and listened to something Angela said before rolling her eyes. "Listen Ma, I have a headache and I really want to lie down. I'll call you later, OK?" She hung up, put her phone down and leant back in to Maura.

"How about we take a nap?" she asked innocently and Maura shook her head in amusement. "If I remember correctly there is room for two in that bed and you look like hell."

"You look great," she answered and stood up, reaching out a hand. Jane took it and Maura helped her up. Jane's body ached as she stood up and the headache returned. She couldn't believe it had not even been a white lie to get rid of her mother. On their way to the bedroom, Maura grabbed the small jar of painkillers and a glass of water and handed them to Jane.

"I don't need them," Jane argued but Maura popped the lid of the bottle anyway and gave her two capsules. Meekly, Jane put them into her mouth, took a large gulp and then stuck out her tongue to show the tablets were actually gone. Maura nodded approvingly and then watched how Jane clumsily lay down on the bed, desperate to find a position where her body didn't ache as much. Once she had rolled onto her side Maura climbed into the bed too and lay down beside the raven haired detective, facing her. They lay like this, in silence, until Maura's eyes fluttered shut and Jane too slipped off into a comforting slumber.