A/N: Sorry for the delay. I was on an internet-less vacation. Here's a fluff-filled chapter for ya, and hopefully there will be more by tonight to make up for the time lost. Thanks everyone for your continued support.


Precisely one hour and thirty nine minutes had elapsed when Maura started to feel anxious.

She had been intently watching the clock, counting down the minutes within the promised timeframe. But now, with only nineteen minutes until the two hour mark, Maura was beginning to worry that Jane had encountered more than she had anticipated, perhaps factors complicating the arrest. Maura began to fear it would be yet another late night at the station, began to dread the possibility of a cold-blooded killer stealing another night of Jane's, another night of Jane's that Maura so desperately wanted for herself.

Maura had been thoughtful since Jane had left. She had been thinking of all that had occurred these last few days. It had, admittedly, all happened rather quickly. Though Maura concluded their romantic relationship was indeed sudden, she didn't believe it to be rash. And, it felt wonderful. Maura shared something unique with Jane, a profound bond of friendship built on fundamental compatibilities. Maura had been somewhat ostracized throughout her life, forever the oddball, the science geek. She had never before experienced the close companionship which Jane Rizzoli had given her. Maura valued Jane Rizzoli, as a person, a best friend, and now she was privileged to value Jane as something more.

Really, no other person was as special to Maura as Jane Rizzoli.

Jane Rizzoli, my girlfriend, Maura thought, smiling to herself. She really did enjoy that phrase.

Precisely one hour and fifty two minutes had elapsed when Jane appeared, standing under the frame of Maura's office door, an enormous smile of accomplishment spread across her face.

She startled Maura, who was hovering over some paper work at her desk, with a clearing of her throat.

"Ahem," Jane announced theatrically while closing the door behind her, "I believe I have eight minutes to spare."

Maura looked up, overjoyed to see Jane had returned promptly and safely, and even within two hours. She placed her pencil on her desk and rose from her chair, slowly sauntering over to Jane with a grin on her face.

Jane took leisurely, drawn-out strides toward Maura, and the two smiling women met in the middle of the room.

Maura playfully grabbed at Jane's blazer, smiling up at the detective with pride in her eyes. "Another criminal behind bars, detective?"

"Another one caught. Thanks for your assistance, Dr. Isles," Jane droned back, resting her hands on Maura's hips while Maura's hands traveled up to the lapel of Jane's jacket.

Maura gripped the clothing firmly, holding Jane close to her and running her eyes down Jane's body.

"You know, Jane…" Maura said, her voice low and alluring, "you look gorgeous in a dress. You really do. And I love it when I get to see you in one. But…" Maura laid her hands flat against Jane's chest and slid them up, across Jane's shoulders, and wrapped her arms around the detective's neck. She continued, "But something about your usual attire is really sexy. You look like Detective Jane Rizzoli. You look badass. It's a turn on."

"Yeah, you're right, I'm pretty much a badass," Jane joked in mock arrogance, flashing a trademarked Rizzoli smirk, "But you…" Jane continued, tracing Maura's sides lightly with her fingertips as her voice dropped to a tone seductively reverent, "are an adorable, beautiful, hilarious, generous, genius, sexy badass."

Maura blushed, both from the tenderness of Jane's fingers traveling her body and Jane's admiring words.

"Jane, I could use those same adjectives to describe you."

Jane raised her eyebrows in light disbelief, but she didn't deflect the compliment. Instead, she took Maura's face in her palms and stared at the beautiful woman before her, lightly caressing Maura's soft skin with her thumbs.

"Hey," Jane whispered in a low, affectionate rasp, "I love you, Maur."

Maura's eyes lightly closed under the sensation of Jane's loving hands cradling her cheeks, and her lips turned up into a peaceful smile.

"And I love you, Jane."

Maura's eyes remained shut, but she felt Jane leaning in to kiss her, and she braced herself for the sensation of tenderness that still freshly overwhelmed her body each time Jane's lips met hers. And, this time, of course, was no exception.

The kiss was slow, running over with emotion. The unimaginable softness of each other's gentle lips created in each woman a feeling of deep, infinite intimacy, like their closest moments were destined to be spent here, in this place where they breathed together as one, synchronized entity.

When Jane pulled back, Maura's eyes, instead of lust, reflected that emotional appreciation, and Jane smiled.

"I'm proud of you, Jane," Maura suddenly said, tightening her arms around Jane's neck.

Jane's face exhibited her surprise, and her confidence melted away into a pool of shy limpness. Her posture slouched and her shoulders curled into Maura's arms.

Jane was obviously at a loss as to how to take the compliment.

"Um…for what?" Jane tried.

"For being you," Maura said simply, "You just took another murderer off the streets and we dismissed that in two sentences of mundane conversation. You're incredible – in fact, one of the best – at your job, but you seek no praise. You're confident, but you don't strut around like a hero. You're strong, but you're caring. You're just, unabashedly, wonderfully, and assuredly you. Jane Rizzoli."

Jane blushed, squeezing her hands against where they were resting on Maura's hips.

She tried to shrug it off, "I just wanna, you know, be a good cop."

"Oh, you are," Maura assured her, "And, an amazing person too."

Jane tried to hide behind some humor, "You're just saying that so I'll take you home, aren't you?" She smirked.

Maura could have played along, but she didn't. She was serious. "No, Jane, I'm serious!" Maura loosened her arms around Jane's neck and leaned back, making sure she was looking in Jane's eyes with the utmost factuality, "You're everything I would look for in a…girlfriend…and more!"

Jane, somewhat more seriously, replied with a question that, admittedly, she kinda wanted to hear the legitimate answer to, "So, when you said I wasn't your type…?"

Maura cocked her head and stared thoughtfully at the ceiling. When she decided she had reached her conclusion, she shot her eyes back to Jane. "Honestly, I was masking deeper feelings."

Jane's lips formed a small smile, and she kissed Maura chastely.

"You're incredible too," Jane said matter-of-factly.

"Jane." Maura spoke abruptly, as if one simple statement of the brunette's name would dismiss any truth in Jane's words.

"Hey, hey, hey, hear me out," Jane continued, "You can't just stand there and tell me I'm amazing but then refuse to take a simple compliment. You are. You are incredible, Maura. You're so smart, it's ridiculous. I was pretty sure brains like yours only existed in stories until I met you. You're excessively generous and kind and sweet and strong. And. You're so gorgeous, you'd be ready for a photo shoot in the middle of performing an autopsy."

Maura laughed heartily, throwing her head back, but then her eyes returned to Jane's with such affection that Jane couldn't help but hug her. They stayed in an embrace for a while. It was…comforting, though neither woman was sure what in them needed comforted.

Maura whispered, her chin resting on Jane's shoulder, "We're…we're good for each other, Jane."

Jane sighed and pulled away. She ran both hands through her wild curls and looked at Maura. "Well, I at least know that…well, you're good for me."

Maura eyed Jane before turning around to return to her desk and tidy up its contents, ready to call it a day. "Likewise, Jane. I've never had a friend like you."

Jane was softened by the honest remark, and she smiled, watching Maura straighten her desk. Doing so, she remembered something.

"Hey, I'm off for the day after catching the perp, and I'm pretty sure I promised my free time to you, Dr. Isles."

Maura grouped some papers together and squared the edges to alignment with a few firm taps on her desk, laying them neatly aside. She grabbed her jacket and purse, and began walking towards the door.

She asked Jane, "Have you eaten?"

Jane followed her out of the office. "Not since breakfast."

Maura locked her office and then turned around to lace her arm through Jane's. "Let me buy you dinner."

"A little early in the day for that, don't you think?"

"Somewhat, yes. But I want to free up our evening for other activities," Maura said coolly.

Jane shuddered and Maura smirked.

As they walked, arm in arm, into the elevator, Maura winked at Jane.

Jane replied, "Yeah, in that case, no objections."