Approaching the end of this fic, dudes! Got maybe four chapters left, and I just figured out how I want this to end, so yay!

Enjoy!

Ages: 22 & 20

Jane walked through the door to their apartment and slumped against it tiredly, blowing stray hairs out of her face as she kicked off her boots and left them by the closet. Her gun, billfold, and officer's cap lay abandoned momentarily on the small desk by the door (even though Maura hated when she left her weapon sitting out in the open) as she stumbled into the kitchen, pulling a beer from within the fridge and taking a long pull.

After draining half the drink, she turned tired eyes on the living room, the unusual mess scattered through the room (disordered papers on the coffee table, a blouse abandoned on the back of the couch, an empty glass sitting on the side table) catching her eyes. She knew if she looked through the cracked open door of their bedroom she'd find Maura passed out in bed, tangled golden hair splayed around her head in a limp halo, bags under her eyes prominent without concealer over them and mouth open slightly as she slept deeply.

She wanted nothing more than to join her girlfriend and just forget her draining job for eight hours, but instead began to clean their apartment. She turned on the TV and changed the channel to one that played a variety of music, volume loud enough to hear but not so much that it would wake up Maura. She padded on socked feet through the apartment, setting the dirty dishes in the sink and tossing the abandoned shirt on top of the washer.

She nearly tripped over Bass, who was camped out between the island and stove, and reached down to pat his shell (she liked to think he bobbed his head in acceptance, eyes blinking slowly in agreement when she said he must be hungry) before setting some lettuce on the floor beside him. Jane ripped a piece of paper from a notebook on the counter and scrawled upon it in her tight writing.

Hey, Maur, I know you're exhausted, so I cleaned up for you. I'll wash the dishes when I get up, just leave them in the sink, and I left your shirt on the washer since I don't know what fru-fru thing has to be done with it. I didn't know if it could withstand the simplicity of our detergent or not (and she would never know the grin that broke across Maura's tired features when she read that part after she woke up) so I just left it there.

Watered Bass, he's munching on a lettuce leaf right now. Don't forget to text me when you get to the hospital if I don't see you before you leave.

And yes, I know Lucky Charms aren't a healthy breakfast, but they're what I'm having, so could you pick up a box when you come home again? I'm out.

Jane tacked the note on the coffee maker and slid her gun into the upper drawer of the desk, finally feeling the long day and longer night creep up on her and steal the little bit of energy she had left. She slunk into the bedroom and slid her pants down her hips, tossing them and her bra into a corner as she scrawled into bed. She draped her arm over Maura's stomach, head pillowed against her shoulder, and pressed a brief kiss to her neck before she shut her eyes (sleepless dreams, except for the moment when she felt Maura slip out from beneath her, reaching futilely until something soft that smelled like her girlfriend was pressed into her arms and she curled around it, and the soft, wanting smile that crossed Maura's lips when Jane grumbled as she held the pillow close).

Maura felt her eyes drop again and slowly forced them open once more. She dug deep for the halfhearted smile that graced her lips as she made her rounds, counting down the half hour until her rotation was over and she could drive home (home, that seemed like a foreign concept after almost sixteen hours in the hospital, surrounded by sickness and the quiet, monotonous sounds of machinery). Another glance at her watch showed that only three minutes had passed and she suddenly felt that Jane's once grumbled statement that time seemed to drag when you were almost done with some unsavory thing (and when exactly had her residency at the hospital suddenly gained that adjective, she wondered) was accurate, scientifically impossible though it was.

She carefully drove home after she finally clocked out and fumbled the keys as she approached the door to their apartment. Their neighbor across the hall, Penny, poked her head out her door and smiled at Maura. "Hey, just getting home?"

"Yeah, just got off my rotation. Sixteen hours."

Penny looked sympathetic and made a low sound at the back of her throat. "Yikes. Makes me glad I'm a waitress now. Jane left an hour ago, asked me to tell you," and Penny's eyes shone mischievously as she deepened her voice to mimic Jane's throaty rasp, "'don't even think of doing anything, just get to bed and sleep.'" Maura laughed quietly and Penny smiled. "She also said she would see you 'sometime this year,'" again deepening her voice and rolling her eyes, "and she loves you. Jeez, I'm starting to feel like one of those telegram deliverers," she said with a laugh.

Maura shook her head and bade Penny goodnight (even though it was past eight in the morning, and Penny flashed a megawatt smile before shutting her door) and shuffled into the apartment. There were dishes stacked in the sink, her pajamas still draped over the back of the kitchen chair, and several magazines spread across the coffee table, but she obeyed Jane's words and ignored it all, leaving her purse on the desk by the door and throwing the lock before shaking her hair free of the ponytail it had been restrained in. She sighed happily, groaning as she scratched her scalp and toed off her sneakers.

She briefly entertained the thought of food but, after snagging her fingers on a snarl, decided on a bath. "A long soak, then bed." And if she groaned blissfully at the thought of laying in their comfortable bed with the curtains drawn and Jane's pillow clutched to her chest, no one was there to catch it. She stripped as she walked to the bathroom, dropping clothes to lay wherever they landed, and started the bathwater (the steam billowed pleasantly over her skin and she breathed deeply of the damp air). A flutter in the corner of her eye made her turn to the mirror, a note taped to the reflective surface.

Figured you would want a bath, if anything, after coming home. Hopefully Penny caught you before you got in, but if she didn't, I love you, and I WILL actually speak to you face-to-face sometime this year.

I promise things won't always be like this, Maur. I'm going to get off the graveyard shift sometime soon, I know it, and you're going to finish your residency soon, and we'll have more regular hours.

Don't even think of picking up, leave it to me when I get home, just take a bath and go to sleep. I'll see you when I get home.

Maura shook her head (when exactly did Jane get to know her so well, she idly wondered) as she slid into the hot bathwater, sighing as her muscles relaxed and she became a veritable puddle of boneless goo. She laid her head against the edge of the tub and took her time washing away the smell of the hospital and the accumulated weariness that seemed determined to gather in her body.

Once dry, Maura walked back into the kitchen and dug through a drawer for pen and paper. She tacked the note on the coffee maker and then went into their bedroom (if her scientific mind hadn't known better, she would have sworn the bed was calling her name plaintively and getting louder the closer she got to it), pausing when she saw the old, worn stuffed turtle sitting on the middle of the bed. A small dish of strawberries sat in front of the plushy, along with a single rose and another small note. Maura smelled the fragrant flower as she read the short note, savoring the sweetness of the fruit as she chewed.

Now, don't go eating all the strawberries, share some with Bass before you go to sleep. I think he's missing you. Don't forget to put the rose in water, and hug your turtle when you go to sleep.

Maura found Bass half hidden beneath the coffee table and set the remainder of the strawberries (she may have indulged a little….don't judge, she hadn't had real food in more than eight hours!) in front of his beak, stroking his shell affectionately for a moment until her eyelids began to droop with exhaustion. She dragged herself to bed and hugged the plushy close to her chest, closing her eyes and imagining wild hair and strong arms pulling her close as she drifted off to sleep.

Jane, I left that sugar filled cereal you call breakfast in the cupboard; I still don't understand how you think that is in any way healthy to have on a daily basis.

I know we will actually speak face to face soon, our schedules simply haven't aligned yet (her face and shoulders dropped once she realized just how long it had been since they had seen each other awake, aware), but until then, I suppose these notes will suffice. Thank you for the strawberries, they were delicious, and Bass appreciated them as well.

I found this on my way home the other day, I thought you might like it. I love you, text me when you get off your shift.

Jane folded the note into her pocket and picked up the key chain with the Red Sox logo on it and smiled. She put it on the ring next to her house keys and picked up her cap, clipped her gun and badge to her hip, and gently shut the door, whistling as she walked out into the morning sunlight.

I miss your kisses, feels like forever since I've had one (even though they had exchanged half asleep pecks the night before, nothing compared to a full on Maura Isles kiss), and I know I'm going through withdrawl. Picked up a guy for drug possession today, he thought it'd be funny to run. I tackled him, almost broke my nose when he struggled, but I got him. My partner showed up just as I cuffed him, panting and sweaty….

I miss your warmth, the way you can hold me and it somehow feels like nothing can hurt me. I know this is an unreasonable, unscientific feeling, but it's there nonetheless. I think further research is needed to verify this sensation.

I left breakfast for you in the fridge, eggs and pancakes, just put them in the microwave. I also picked up a case of beer for you since you've almost exhausted the current one. Maybe, one of these….

God, that beer was the best damn thing when I came home tonight (this morning, actually, Jane thought when she checked the time). Thanks, babe. And breakfast was delicious, if a little cold. Don't judge, I was starving, and the microwave was taking too damn long! I grabbed a bottle of that fancy wine you like so much and set it in the fridge. Also made dinner, lasagna with salad so you wouldn't complain. I even ate some of it! Tomorrow, I've got….

Jane stretched luxuriously and groaned as her back popped, prying one eye open to glare at the intruding morning light that slipped through the curtains. "I hate mornings…." She muttered. She sighed and turned over, burying her face in her pillow, and felt the bed dip beside her (she froze, that never happened anymore) suddenly. Turning her head to the side, Jane encountered the most beautiful sight she'd seen in a long time (sixteen days, eight hours and….twelve minutes, to exact, but she wasn't keeping track or anything) as sunlight glinted off of golden hair that was splayed across the pillow next to her.

Faint freckles scattered across round cheeks captured her attention and Jane mentally cataloged every one (until she forgot, then started over again) until Maura shifted in her sleep and curled closer. Jane pressed a kiss to her forehead and slid stealthily out of bed, creeping into the kitchen and starting the coffee maker. She patted Bass' shell on her way by him and set a couple lettuce leaves in front of him, then grabbed a skillet from its place hanging above the island and rooted through the fridge, humming happily as she bumped the door closed and turned her attention to the stove.

Maura groaned as she woke up, dragged into alertness by the scent of…. "Oh god, coffee." Her eyes popped open and she swung her legs off the bed, scratching her hair as she stumbled to her feet. Her bare feet slid over the wooden floors silently as she walked into the living room and was treated to a surprising (and amazing, beautiful, arousing, and a dozen other adjectives that flashed through her suddenly hyper aware mind) sight; Jane, back to her, tank top hugging her body as she stood in front of the stove and her hips swayed to a jaunty tune on the radio.

Maura walked over and wrapped her arms around Jane's waist, pressing against her back and gripping her tightly. Jane froze for a second and Maura kissed the bare slope of her neck, fingers pressing into the jut of her hipbone as she felt the brunette's heartbeat triple beneath her lips. "Jay, you're here?" (Her tone was disbelieving, and Maura wasn't entirely certain she wasn't dreaming, to be perfectly honest).

Jane swallowed and Maura felt it again beneath her lips, then flipped a pancake on the stove. She put the pancake on a plate full of them, turned off the stove top and Maura had a split second's glance of dark eyes before she was swept into a tight hug, gaze obscured by wild dark hair. "God, I missed you."

Maura tightened her hold around Jane's shoulders and they rocked back and forth in the kitchen, re-familiarizing themselves with the feel of the other. Jane kissed Maura's temple, sighing happily as Maura scratched lightly at her back just there, groaning as she hit the sweet spot at the small of her back. She reluctantly pulled away, gesturing at the breakfast she had just finished cooking. "You wanna eat?" Maura's eyes darkened and she smirked, Jane flushing slightly and glowering in mock offense. "Breakfast, Maur, get your mind out of the gutter."

"Actually," she said conversationally, hands creeping up Jane's sides until her thumbs brushed tantalizingly along the underside of her breasts (and she relished the stutter in Jane's breaths, the way her eyes darkened and her mouth opened just a fraction) and she stood on tiptoe to whisper, "my mind was in our bed."

She nibbled on Jane's lobe briefly until she felt the brunette sway toward her, then pulled away with a coy smile. "I believe you said something about breakfast?" She leaned around Jane to grab the plate of food and turned away (fully aware of the pouting, longing expression that was on Jane's face), taking a seat on the other side of the island. Jane joined her after much grumbling and grousing, pulling silverware out and setting it between them, as well as glasses and a pitcher of juice. They sat down to their first shared meal in sixteen days (nine hours, and two minutes now) and dug heartily into breakfast.

Jane fiddled with her fork after shoveling her meal into her mouth, eyes flicking between Maura's face and her empty plate. She stood from the island and offered a shaky smile when Maura looked at her in concern (the fact that it was obviously a nervous and halfhearted attempt at best made Maura tighten her eyes worriedly) and disappeared into their bedroom. Maura followed her with her eyes until the door shut, then frowned, idly swirling her pancake through the pool of syrup on her plate. Several minutes passed, and Maura had lost herself in the abstract curves that temporarily appeared in the syrup behind her fork tine when she heard quiet shuffling.

Jane set her hand on her bicep (it was shaking enough that Maura felt sympathetic tremors down her own arm) and drew her to her feet. A small, innocuous bag was deposited into her hands and Jane took a step back, indicating that Maura should look in it. A hinged, velvet box fell into her hand and Maura's heart tripled suddenly (her own trembling hand mirroring Jane's, who had stuffed her fist into her pocket to disguise it) as she reached for the top of the box. Jane intercepted her hand, pushing a folded paper into her palm urgently. Maura briefly met her eyes before unfolding the note and reading:

Maur,

This wasn't planned, just so you know. I honestly had no idea we both had today off, but damn if I don't take advantage of it. I thought I'd keep this habit up a little longer though, just because I don't honestly know if I can say this without swallowing my tongue. So….here goes.

I know we're young, but we've known each other forever – no, don't roll your eyes – and….I can't honestly say that I'd rather spend the rest of forever with anyone other than you, even if the cosmos are conspiring and trying to keep us apart with our jobs.

So, Miss Maura Isles, you can indulge your wonderful, brilliant, curious, scientific mind now, and open the little velvet box I gave you. And, hey, don't leave me hanging too long, yeah?

Maura swallowed and took the box between her hands, breath catching in her throat when the ring appeared, winking merrily in the morning light as they stood silently together in the kitchen (one breathless, the other hopeful, shifting anxiously on her bare feet).

Jane gently plucked the ring from the box and, holding it aloft between her thumb and index finger, tilted Maura's head back with her other hand. "Maur, would you marry me?"

Maura's lip trembled and she threw her arms around Jane's neck, yanking her in for a kiss and smiling against her lips. "Yes."