Author Notes: Somehow it seemed impossible for me to move from the anguish before making it all right with Alex as well. For me this Maura has two pillars in her life. One is Jane and the other is Alex. I didn't want to skip this. A little pain before all this gets a little better. The next update will be up soon.

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Maura found herself standing at the door of her house at Beacon Hill. She could see a crying Alex through the hazy glass window adjacent to the door that had a plain view to the living room. Alex was curled up on the couch murmuring something over and over. She tried to step in her home but somehow the door won't budge. She tried again but failed. The cry was fading somehow and that didn't give Maura any better feeling. She pushed the door yet again, this time with all the strength she could muster; the door gave away. She then slowly pushed the door wider, and took hushed steps to reach up to Alex although she wanted to rush towards her asking her what had happened. She tried to decipher what Alex was mouthing now, so low that even the whispers seemed broken, words now only coming out between sighs. Maura carefully dropped to her knees in front of Alex, who was lying down in a curled position, and very gently tugged at her hand.

"What is wrong Alex?" she could barely hear her own words.

Alex suddenly shuddered as she raised her head to meet with Maura's gaze. Her face was pale and she looked weak. Her eyes were swelled up with all the crying and the trail of the tears that had dried out painted grim imprints on her cheeks. As soon as Alex's eyes locked on Maura's, a fresh stream of tears engulfed her. Maura could see hurt and worry striking her sibling's face at the same time and with the same intense vigor. Something seemed to trigger a churn deep inside Maura's chest as well. Somehow that singular desperate and worry-stricken face of her little sister cut through her like a sharp knife.

"Alex…"

"You broke your promise M. You promised me, and still you left me…" Somewhere deep inside, Maura had already realized that she was the reason why Alex was crying before Alex voiced those words, but when the words really did register themselves in Maura's ears, an irredeemable pain, a towering helplessness and almost unbearable anger swallowed her. Tears were about to drown her but she had to be strong for Alex. She was about to assure Alex somehow that she would mend everything and that it will be all okay, but Alex suddenly withdrew and everything around her began to evaporate in a overpowering darkness.

"Alex!" Maura's own cry reverberated in the room and it took her a few seconds to realize that it was a dream that had shook her awake. Someone stirred near her feet and she saw Jane shaken with the scream, trying to get back her bearings as well. She seemed to have dozed off while sitting there, and suddenly Maura realized, she was still in Jane's apartment, lying on her bed. She remembered a lot of crying and a lot of exhaustion setting in before. Jane must have made her sleep there. Her dream suddenly rushed back to her and with that the heart wrenching sobs of her sister.

"Alex…" Maura found her words triggering a swell of tears again. It wasn't just a dream. She had broken her promise. She was never going to forgive herself. Jane saw the rush of emotions as they flashed on her best friend's visage and she immediately rushed to Maura's side, hugging her sideways and rubbing her palms up and down her arms in an attempt to calm her.

"Hey, shhh… it is alright Maur. Alex is alright. She is okay. She is here. I called her after you slept. She insisted she wanted to be here. I think she is asleep on my couch."

Maura turned to look back into Jane's eyes as if verifying the validity of her statement. Jane's eyes stayed solemn and soothing and Maura didn't need any other proof to believe. "I want to see her Jane." That was all Maura could muster.