Alright. This is a ficlet series, but the reviews and messages concerning Chapter 24 "Stars" have been overwhelming. For the first time ever, I present to you a Rizzles Ficlets Sequel.
Enjoy!

Maura,

You know I'm not very good with words and I'm not the type of person who can string my thoughts together to form beautiful, coherent sentences. So I just want to apologize for my lack of skill with prose as a sort of prelude into my response.

I won't lie to you, Maur: I didn't see this coming. I should probably also apologize for somewhat avoiding you these past couple of days, but I needed to try and think and sort myself out away from you and your unique ability to distract me.

I don't want to mess this up.

I'm going to take my time with this, I hope you don't mind.

First off, Maura Dorothea Isles, how dare you sell yourself so short. If I'm a star, then you're a supernova. You're beautiful and you radiate a soft kindness. When you're in the midst of a passionate rant, you get this fire in your eyes and your hands get wild with gestures and you just care so much, Maur. You care so much and you do so much, yet you never expect anything out of it. You are as close to perfection as any one human being can get. So if I'm a star, I'm off in a long-forgotten area of the universe and you are centre-stage, commanding the spotlight you deserve.

But I don't see you as a star, Maur. That's too plain a description for you; it's not nearly enough. You're a whole new galaxy, bursting with life and promise and potential, drawing everyone's eyes to you. How could anyone see you as less than something intoxicating and precious?

I need you. You're completely right when you wrote that I don't deal with emotional discussion well (of course... when are you wrong?). You talk about me understanding you, but the true feat of character is yours because somehow, you understand me. I love you for that. I need you for that. Before I met you, I was seen in one-dimension. I was simply the badass cop and though I still have that aspect of my persona, thanks to you, I am also so much more. Because of you, your touch and your presence, I have learned that I don't have to be alone anymore. I don't have to hide anymore; not everyone is out to hurt me or use me.

I love you for what you do to me. The butterflies took a while to get used to, but they've never fully gone away. When you're close to me, I can feel my heart beat louder and deeper than ever before, steadily reinforcing just how much I love you.

And I don't mean it in the platonic sense. Maura Isles, I am in love with you, too. I just couldn't bring myself to jeopardize what we have: an amazing friendship that I couldn't live without. But Maur, if you're willing to jump into this, I'm more than willing to jump in with you because I love you, Maura Isles, and I will follow you anywhere.

By the way, I hear you have a date tomorrow night. I'll pick you up at 7:00 sharp and wear anything you like; you always look perfect.

Your LLBFF (though I vote we change it from Life-Long to Lesbian-Lover Best Friends Forever :P)

Jane