Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews guys, I love hearing your opinions! Hope you enjoy this chapter :)
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Jane's job as a homicide detective made her come in contact with complete, utterly-outrageous monsters. Because of her job she has found out stories no one should ever really know or live through.
Her job made her stronger in front of a sight that would normally make one weak in the knees or make one's stomach clench. When others crumble to the ground, she stands tall and takes the blow.
Any blow.
But nothing, nothing, could ever prepare her for the sight of seeing the person she loves most in this world lying unconscious in her partner's arms.
Nothing would soften the blow of seeing Maura pale and numb, a few feet away from her but as far away as she has ever been.
She tries to take a deep breath, but it gets stuck in her throat.
"Is she hypothermic?" She doesn't recognize the voice as her own.
"She has been for a while, but now her temperature it's rising again, and her colour is coming back to her. Jane…look, if you can't do th-"
"No!" She cuts him off, already knowing what he means. Jane frantically shakes her head, trying to sound more convincing. "I-, I mean I can do this. I won't let anyone else do this."
Frosts eyes her warily.
"Frost, really, I'm fine. I'll take care of her, you can go."
He keeps quiet for a moment, but then, slowly, he moves into the living room and gently lays Maura down on the couch. Just as he's about to leave, he speaks to Jane, without facing her.
"You're not okay…and you don't have to be."
Jane doesn't answer, but Frost takes her silence as a quiet agreement.
After he leaves, Jane takes a moment to compose herself before heading towards her friend. She is still sleeping, but stirs little when Jane crouches next to the couch. The detective stays there without moving, until Maura slowly opens her eyes.
"Wher-…Where am I?"
"Shh, don't try to talk, it's alright. You're at home, safe. It's okay." Jane gently starts rubbing up and down her arm.
"What…what happened?"
"It's ok, Maur', we'll talk about it later, okay? Now let's focus on getting your temperature back up."
"O-…Okay,"
"Okay, I got you prepped a hot bath. C'mon, let me help you get up."
Jane slowly tugs at her arm until the doctor gets up, slowly. Just as she reaches a sitting position on the couch, Maura takes a few steadying breaths, the action of getting up tiring her pretty badly.
When they both stand, Jane sneaks a steadying arm around Maura's waist, her other arm on Maura's shoulder.
"It's okay, I won't let you fall." They start walking slowly, Maura letting some of her weight into Jane's strong and steady arms.
"That's it, Maur', that's it. Come on, a few more steps and we're there."
It takes them a good couple of minutes to reach the bathroom door.
When they both get inside and Maura sees Jane has no intention of leaving, she decides to speak her thoughts.
"Jane what are you doi-"
"Do you trust me?" Jane cuts her off.
"Pardon?"
"Do you trust me?" Jane speaks every word loud and even, even though her resolve is crumbling on the inside.
"Of course I trust you, Jane. You're my best friend."
"Then I'm not going anywhere. I staying here to help you, no matter you like it or not. That's it, case closed."
Maura glares at her a little, before letting Jane undress her gently.
The brunette tries to maintain eye contact as much as possible, but her self control starts fading away way too quickly when Maura's underwear lies disregarded on the floor at the blonde's feet. Fortunately, the doctor has mercy on her and sinks into the tub only after a couple of seconds.
Jane shakes her head, trying to chase away the images of a naked Maura standing one feet away in front of her, before heading to the bath and starting the actual warming and cleaning process.
…
After a refreshing hot bath and a bowl of Angela's soup, Maura is starting to feel like herself again, though most of the feeling is due to Jane's warm presence next to her on the kind-sized bed. She wants to ask Jane to cuddle her all night long and keep her close, but she knows her behavior during the past two weeks made her lose that privilege.
As Maura works up her courage to ask the million dollar question, Jane starts speaking quietly.
"Why did you do it, Maur'? Why did you go running on that horrible weather?"
When she sees the blonde doesn't answer, Jane goes on.
"It's okay, I won't get mad or anything. I just…I just want to know. Is…" Jane takes a deep breath, bracing herself "Do you really resent my company that much as to go away from me on such a crappy weather?"
Oh, Jane, if you knew how far away from the truth you are… "I…I don't know what to say…"
"The truth would be a good idea." Jane's voice lacks her usual sarcasm, she just sounds…tired.
And that's exactly why Maura can't answer. She can't just tell Jane she is irrevocably in love with her and she can't watch her own heart break when Jane would eventually pull away from her because she has gotten better.
So she just doesn't say anything.
Jane takes Maura's silence as a polite affirmative answer to her earlier question, and rushes out of the room before her tears spill out. She has promised she won't get mad, and she hasn't.
She's not mad. She's heartbroken.
Only watching Jane storm away from her makes her realize what her silence meant to the detective. Before she can register what she's doing, Maura rushes after Jane, catching up with her at the bottom of the stairs. She catches Jane's wrist, and spins her so they are face to face, which, she realizes is a bad idea. Seeing those dark chocolate warm eyes filled with tears and pain, and knowing she is the reason this amazing woman in front of her is hurting, makes Maura's brain shut down.
And without her brain there to guide her, her heart takes over, and it's so powerful, there's no way she can bury her desire and love deep down a second time.
Maura throws her arms around Jane's neck, and raises on her tip toes, so their lips are mere inches apart. Jane, completely taken off-guard by Maura's behavior, manages to ask a question with the last remains of strength and self-control she has left.
"Wh-…What are you doing?"
Maura breathes her answer into Jane's lips.
"What you wanted me to do – something I won't regret later."
And with that, Maura presses their lips together, in the most heartfelt and magical first kiss the Universe has ever witnessed.
AN: I hope I didn't ruin everything, this chapter was a total bitch to write! Anyway, let me hear your thoughts!