The following day, even though she was not scheduled to work, Maura decided to go into the office and clear out the few extra items that were left over from the week. She had had a rather restful night's sleep and her outlook was a good deal more positive then it had been only twelve hours before. She had thought a lot about Jane as she drifted off to sleep, but the anxiety over their interaction was not as intense. Maybe it was the fact that she now had the prospect of a good friendship outside of work, or that her friendship with Kitty could some how act as a buffering agent between her visceral feelings for the detective and the woman herself. It didn't matter, because when she walked into the building, Maura had a lightness in her heart. She could do this. She could navigate these difficult waters and emerge on the the other side.

Maura stood by the elevator bank waiting, absent mindedly humming as she did. Before her elevator came however. she herd the unmistakable sound of Jane's foot steps in the lobby behind her. Maura felt a Jolt of adrenalin and willed herself to turn slowly and casually around. Once she did she easily found the detective in the crowd.

Jane had forgone her usual suit in favor of more casual attire, signaling to Maura that Jane was not called in on job time, but rather had opted to come in on her own. She had stopped in mid stride and though facing Maura, was looking away over her shoulder, conversing with a uniform officer who she had been passing.

The moment afforded Maura the opportunity to really look at the detective, without having to be covert about her efforts. Jane was clad in straight legged jeans that hugged her body and accentuated the length and shape of her legs. She had also opted for a light gray long sleeve thermal shirt that hugged her form and displayed the contours of her strong arms, lean torso and quite adequate chest. Over top of everything was draped a Red Sox jersey, which was meant to obscure her shield and sidearm, but which hung causally open framing the body rather than covering it up. For as fashion backward as the detective was, Maura could not fault her choice of clothes. Jane finished her conversation and turned to continue on her way when she stepped right into Maura's stare. For a long moment neither moved. Maura ceased breathing and Jane felt a flush of heat rise in her body.

Maura was supposed to be home. Jane had called in before she left her house to make sure of it. And yet here she stood, mere yards away, looking as well turned out and radiant as ever. Jane knew that she had to look some place else but found her body was not responding to her brain's commands.

The doctor drank in Jane's gaze and let the feeling it generated fill her to the spilling point before she shifted her eyes to elsewhere on the detective's face. It was at this point that she registered how pale and drawn the detective appeared. Her face was gray and her eyes sunken deep in the their cavities. Maura's willpower to remain rooted to her position by the elevators desolved as she noted Jane's obvious distress.

"Oh my!" Maura exclaimed as she closed the distance between them and immediately began assessing Jane's physical being. "What did you do to yourself, what happened after I left?" The words came out of Maura's mouth before she had had time to consider their implications, but in her concern she really didn't care. Maura leaned in to get a better view of Jane's face.

"Nothing, I went home, I just didn't sleep well is all." Jane mumbled. The proximity of the doctor was causing Jane's senses to short circuit. She felt Maura's breath on her face and the warmth from her hand penetrated her thermal sleeve. It practically seared Jane's forearm.

"I would not say that it was nothing, you look half dead, like a cat left out in the rain all night." Maura turned Jane's wrist over and felt for her pulse, while the other hand reached up and pressed a palm to the detective's forehead.

Jane was struck but how accurate the doctor's assessment had been, but said nothing. She was heady with the feel of Maura's bare skin touching her own. Even though the doctor was all business, Jane was incapable of compartmentalizing her own feelings. Obviously the doctor had no compunction about physical contact, and didn't see any of what had transpired between them as a problem that needed any attention. So Jane let the woman minister to her.

For all Maura's talk about being socially awkward, maybe it was Jane who had the problems. Maura seemed totally at ease with herself and unapologetic in her approach to life. What did Jane know about friendship anyway? The last time she had had a best friend was in junior college and that seemed like eons ago.

So long as she followed her three rules, Jane surmised, everything would be ok. No contact with Maura outside of work was not no contact at work, right? Jane had to deal with Maura all the time. It would be impractical and maybe even questionable for the detective to avoid the ME.

This decision made however, Jane had to break free of the doctors touch before her body began to act on its own accord.

"Really Maura! I'm ok." Jane insisted, extracting herself by means of wild gesticulation. "I'm not half dead, but if I do kick it I will let you know and you can examine me fully." Jane smiled uneasily hoping she didn't come across as too harsh.

Maura noted the detective's abrupt change of course and immediately backed off, realizing how much she had been pressing into the detective's personal space. Maybe her new found sense of wellbeing wasn't offering her the protection from her attraction to Jane that she thought it would. Oh Dear.

"Well come down to the morgue when you get a chance, I have some Ester-C in my office, it will help boost you immune system. Though use of ascorbic acid is controversial with regard to the common cold, a recent study at the Mayo clinic shows a significant benefit to those living in extreme conditions, and though you are not a soldier or mountain climber, your job does afford you a higher level of stress then most, which might qualify you for..."

Jane looked incredulously at the ME. Maura noted the look and ended her ramblings abruptly. As she did Jane replied.

"Ill be down shortly." Jane smiled and shook her head. "You should go on Jeopardy or something."

Maura looked perplexed. Jane reached out and squeezed her hand. "Thanks for the concern." Jane turned and dashed for the elevator. Reluctant to leave but happy to have an invite down to the morgue. Maura remained until Jane disappeared. acknowledging all over again how hard it was going to be, dealing with Jane. Not that she minded it at all.

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