Author's Note: So, this is it – the final chapter. A big Thank You to all who read, put this on their faves, reviewed, followed… and hopefully enjoyed. :)
In the next day, Jane's mood hadn't improved, even though they did close the case fully; they determined where Terry had been living, and sent two cops there, the officers coming back with a stash of the drug the woman had used to paralyze her victims, clearly having home-made the stuff, and a bunch of other evidence, photos of the men she had been after and their schedules, making it obvious that she had been more than prepared when she had begun the kills.
The two men still alive were both locked up by the time the homicide detectives had finished going through the evidence, with trials for rape and murder in their very near future; thanks to the recordings from the interrogation room, the cases would be watertight this time, a small comfort for Jane after the tragic end the murder case had taken.
"You know it's not your fault, do you", Maura finally addressed her main concern about the whole situation as they met for lunch, sitting at the most secluded table they had been able to find at the small bistro, "we would have saved her, if we could, but there was nothing we could have done."
"I know", Jane sighed, pushing her food around instead of eating it, "but… I keep asking myself if there could have been some way after all, something to make sure she'd get out of this alive. After all she went through… God, Maura, if something like that happened to you, to us, I don't know what I would do to those guys."
Nodding, Maura reached over the table and grasped her hand, holding it tenderly; Jane looked down at their interlaced fingers, a position which seemed so natural and normal, then up at her again, the care and warmth and love she could see in her eyes making her heart clench up.
"We can't save them all", the medical examiner told her, squeezing her hand tenderly, "but still we have to try, day after day. And I'll do anything I can to support you in this…"
"I know", Jane gave back, now smiling slightly, "I couldn't do it without you."
The two smiled at each other for another moment, then the detective went on, the sudden change of topic prompting Maura to raise an eyebrow, then making her smile as she listened to the words her partner had to say.
"Let's take a few days off", Jane suggested, "and go somewhere, just you and me, away from it all, for a while. So we can just be together and enjoy that, before we have to worry about whom we tell and how we tell them and all that crap."
"Gladly", Maura agreed at once, liking the thought; figuring that they both had gotten done eating, since neither had touched their food for the last ten minutes except to poke at it, she waved for the waiter and paid their meals, Jane thanking her for the invite and making her smile yet again; they left the bistro together, and once they stood outside on the sidewalk, Jane asked the question which had been on her mind ever since the previous night.
"Why did you tell her she's not alone?" she wanted to know, giving Maura a curious look; shrugging, the medical examiner slung her purse over her shoulder as they started walking again, sorting her thoughts for a moment before she replied.
"Just so she would know... that we are not only with her physically, but in spirit, as well", she explained, making Jane nod after a moment, "and that we understand her and sympathize with her, and know that we didn't see her as an evil person. Do you think she understood?"
"I'm sure she did", Jane gave back, suddenly not caring anymore who might be watching and what they might think, grasping Maura's hand and holding it tenderly as they walked together, telling herself that life was too short for such inhibitions and that they had to enjoy the newfound romance between them as long as it might last, knowing that not all might be sunshine and rainbows from now on for them, but convinced that together, they'd weather all the storms, this knowledge making her smile again as they walked back to the precinct hand in hand, looking forward to the future they'd have together.
End.