A/N - I was called demented in a review ;). My sister was visiting when I read it out - and her immediate reaction was 'They got that you 'are' demented from your writing. I'm impressed.' So I have to say, I think that has been my favorite review of all time - my work here is done!
Okay - not quite done ... I still have some more chapters to post. I'm really trying to get it all finished (or close to) before a manic couple of weeks heads my way! I have no idea if I'll finish, but it does mean I'm going through the chapters a lot quicker than would be normal - so it increases the chances of mistakes being let through. Apologies if there are... it isn't because of my fantastic beta Honorcpt - but all my fault! If it's anything really drastic, please just let me know so I can amend.

So - I hope you continue to enjoy. Chapter 39 is written and just being tweaked! Cheers - SSA

Chapter thirty eight

Maura shifted in the bed as her sense gradually caught up with her waking. The first thing she became aware of, as always, was the smell of Jane. Mainly of her hair, but there was also another scent that was simply Jane that intermingled with that. She knew she could never describe it if anyone has asked, but she always recognized the scent. Then, Maura was very much aware of the soft tickling sensation as some of Jane's hair touched her skin, where Maura's chest leaned up against the warm haven of Jane's back.

This was all she ever wanted, and it had taken the tragic death of Sue for her to achieve this sense of being so loved, and she never forgot that. Some might consider it strange, but on a small side table in the main sitting room, Maura had placed the picture she had discovered of Jane and Sue in Sue's apartment bedroom in amongst other pictures of the Rizzoli and Isles families and close friends. When Jane had questioned her, she had simply replied it was only right Sue's memory was never forgotten. That she was an important person in Jane's life, whose death had also brought them together. She deserved the honor of that memory, to be at the forefront and not in a drawer, forgotten.

Maura had watched as Jane had allowed the tears to slip down her cheeks at the words, before moving across to pick the picture up where Maura had just placed it, a finger coming out to softly rest against Sue's image. Jane had then placed the frame back down, turning, still not attempting to stop the tears.

A simple 'thank you' had been enough for Maura's tears to also fall as they stood in a hug, no more words needed.

As Jane shifted position in the bed ever so slightly, Maura's heart quickened its pace, and she moved languidly, deliberately allowing her nipples to skim against Jane's bare back. Maura smiled to herself, at her bodies reactions and she wondered if her physical reaction to Jane would ever diminish? She hoped not, and somehow doubted it ever would. This was certainly more than pure lust.

As was so often of late, as her thoughts turned to her relationship with Jane, and how Maura hardly recognized the woman she had been - that it had taken her love of Jane and how it was Jane's help that had allowed her to live her life as she wanted, and not just for the approval of others. She was reminded of Jane's question, not long after Sue had died - how did she do it? How did she overcome the adversities in her own life. In truth, she had honestly believed she was okay with life as it was even then, but now - now she was finally who she was meant to be. Fighting back the emotion, Maura buried her face in Jane's hair and instinctively pulled her closer.

"Maura?"

Maura jumped slightly, before she tightened her hold. "Sorry I didn't mean to wake you."

Jane wriggled so that she was lying on her back, before turning onto her side, making sure they were facing each other, "I've been awake a while. I was just enjoying being held by you, but then you tensed. Are you okay?" Automatically, a couple of fingers came out to touch Maura's face and she slowly closed her eyes.

"I'm fine. There's nothing I need when I'm in your arms." Maura opened her eyes again, and frowned slightly at Jane's imperceptible solemn expression. "Hey, I'm okay. I was just thinking how much you have changed my life. How I finally feel complete with you."

Jane's stomach flipped, and she felt the all too familiar sting of tears that always seemed to erupt when Maura said something that tugged at her heart. It was purely out of love, and she had stopped trying to fight the reaction when it was just the two of them, alone as they were now. Maura leaned in, kissing the last of the tears away that had fallen slowly down cheeks.

Jane in turn gently tucked some stray strands of Maura's hair behind her ear, a habit so familiar that neither noticed. They were too engaged in just being together as one. Unable to find the words, and not needing to, Jane then changed position so that she and Maura kissed on the lips. It was tender and conveyed all that was needed without words.

"Do you know that I love you?" Maura asked, in hushed tones as she and Jane stayed cheek to cheek. Fingers coming together to loosely entwine.

Jane smiled, "Of course. I love you as well."

A hand trailed Jane's hip and caressed the side of her breast, causing Jane's breath to falter. "Such simple words in their own right, but they are so powerful." Maura muttered as she continued to move her hand, brushing the underside of the other breast.

"As much as I love when you regale me with words, I fail to see what this has to do with the here and now." Jane managed to say, as Maura's movements became more deliberate.

"Sometimes I just need to tell you. It might seem inadequate, but I can only say I love you, or show you."

"Right now, I'd rather you showed me." Jane said, having listened, Maura's voice making her shiver, and as she saw Maura begin to stop, she smiled and gave a slight nod of encouragement. It earned her the dazzling smile of Maura's that she could never get enough of. God, was she ever in love.

"I never knew how to ask for things, but with you, I'm learning to be that person. It's still far from perfect, but I'm getting better at it. I'm no longer just the woman people request simply because I have the Isles family name, so I can help at a charity event, or because I might be able to help as a medical examiner. With you, I'm Maura Isles, all facets of her."

Jane moved, pulling Maura in even closer, making sure they were both comfortable. "You always show me how much you love me, and it goes both ways ya know." Jane smiled as her eyes traveled from Maura's full lips to the hazel eyes that expressed feeling as much as words ever did.

"I'm so lucky to have you, that sometimes it also terrifies me." Maura admitted, as she watched Jane's eyes darken and travel a path that was so often mapped out with fingers and tongue.

"I know, and I often feel the same way. When Ellie..." Jane's words faltered and she fought down the emotion. "When she had us in the church, I just wondered if this was how it was going to be. That it was so unfair we might never get the chance to be together before we'd really started. But then, I also knew that when we got out of there," Jane smiled as Maura looked at her noticing what she was saying, how sure Jane was they would escape, "When we got out, that us being together was always going to be something we could both depend upon, regardless of anything else. We might be opposites in many ways, but as you say, it's always what completes us."

Maura smiled, and without warning, she turned her mouth, kissing down the side of Jane's neck. She then licked the heated skin, as Jane moaned. Jane moved to free her hands, and cupped Maura's ass, pulling them closer together.

Their hips tipped together, and Jane pushed her leg more firmly into the juncture between Maura's thighs. Maura was convinced just that alone was going to make her come and she desperately pulled back, trying to stop that from happening. It was too fast. Too soon. She saw the disappointment in Jane's face, and immediately regretted the action.

"Just too much..." Maura admitted, her voice raspy. "Need it to last."

Jane's grin was feral as she dropped down to capture an already taut nipple in her mouth, causing another moan to rip from Maura's mouth. A long slender finger dipped past a hip bone, and Maura emitted another moan, louder than the last, before she whimpered as the finger slowly stroked across wet folds, then over her clit. Maura knew if she wasn't lying down, her knees would have given away, she felt so weak. Dazed eyes met brown, so dark they were almost black, as Jane responded to Maura's silent pleas, and pushed two fingers inside, her thumb beginning it's rhythmic dance, and it was too much for Maura's overloaded senses. She sobbed as the orgasm claimed her.

"Fuck!" Maura could hardly breathe, and Jane couldn't help the chuckle.

"I think you're a little late with that command, and you've just been thoroughly fucked."

A weak hand came out to swat Jane's bicep. Jane grinned, as she brought her fingers up, licking them clean, with a deliberate satisfying pop as the last one was pulled from her mouth.

Maura shuddered at the act, and immediately brought their lips together, desperate to taste.

"What?" Jane asked as Maura pulled back, her face a mask of desire.

"You know exactly what." Maura replied, as she grabbed Jane's fingers, pulling the still damp ones into her own mouth, sucking even though she knew that there was nothing left to taste. It was the act in itself she needed. Jane's eyes slammed shut, and then flew open again as teeth captured a nipple, none too gently, before a tongue soothed the same path.

There was little either could perceive beyond the sensations of Maura, the way her tongue glided across skin. How teeth nipped, always with enough pressure to give the barest hint of pain, always enough to be enjoyed. The intensity of the room became thicker the closer Maura came to consuming Jane.

When Jane came, she couldn't stop the yell that erupted, the need to say Maura's name, and her body slammed back into the mattress, as the power that ripped through her seemed to go on forever.

"Fuck!"

Maura gave a self satisfied smile as Jane called out.

"Maura, someone called Nikki phoned."

Jane followed Maura out into the kitchen, and internally groaned at the sight and voice of her mother who was at the kitchen stove.

"Ma, don't you ever stay in a perfectly good guesthouse! I knew you shoulda had the apartment, not Frankie."

Angela rolled her eyes, deliberately ignoring Jane, and smiled as Maura squealed in obvious delight at the news of Nikki. Maura spun around, eyes sparkling. "Oh Jane, I hope Nikki can make the wedding, she was my best friend in school, and I know you and she will get on."

Constance, who was sitting at the kitchen island, coffee in hand smiled. "I haven't heard of Nicola in years Maura, I didn't know you were still in touch."

Maura's face fell slightly. "We did lose touch for a while." She admitted, as Angela gestured to them to sit down, as she began to serve breakfast. "But I saw an article she did in a science magazine for the pharmaceutical company she now works for in England. I used that information to contact her at work and we've been back in touch a little while now. It's mostly via email, only occasionally via phone, Skype or Facetime because of time differences and work."

Maura smiled towards Jane, not wanting to add it was once again because of this incredible woman, that Maura had felt confident enough to re-establish contact. Jane meanwhile saw the look on Maura's face, and immediately knew just what she was thinking and smiled back. As was now their daily habit when they weren't rushing into work, they entwined the fingers of one hand briefly before they even began to tackle breakfast.

"So this Nikki is English then? She sounded American to me." Angela asked as she put her own plate on the counter and sat down, as they all began to eat.

"No, she's American, but like me, she went to school in France. Her father is a diplomat, and she has only recently begun working in England. Apparently she was able to gain a grant for her research at Pfizer. Whilst she has worked for them over here, I believe in New York, they gained the funding from Parkinsons UK to try and find out the importance of the blood-brain barrier and the bypassing approaches being investigated in order to treat diseases of the central nervous system - including brain tumors, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and stroke. So many diseases are interlinked..." Maura trailed off as she realized Angela was sitting there with a slightly glazed expression.

"I'm sorry, as you know I tend to get over excited about..."

Jane shook her head. "Never apologize for who you are Maura. Never!"

"So, Nikki called." Constance picked the conversation up. "Did she leave any details?" She asked Angela.

"Oh yeah." Angela nodded, "I've written it down on your notepad by the main house phone Maura. She is flying in for the wedding."

Maura beamed. Jane just felt proud at the woman next to her. Angela broke the moment.

"Oh, and Janie, whilst it's lovely to know you two are happy, it sounded like you were playing whack-a-mole, or you're both suddenly super clumsy and dropping things or stubbing your toes, if the noises you were making is anything to go by. If, though you're practicing to be Raph the Mutant Ninja Turtle again and needing to use his superpowers, then by all mean, go right on ahead. Just thought I'd mention it, ya know."

All that was then heard was the clatter as Jane's fork hit the plate, followed a split second later by Maura's fork.

"You know you said I couldn't kill Ma..."

Maura looked quizzically at Jane, who was putting the breakfast dishes into the dishwasher, her back to Maura, who didn't say anything, knowing it had been rhetorical from Jane, and she was going to continue in whatever direction the conversation was heading.

"Well, that is going to happen if she keeps interfering or commenting on our life. Especially our love life." Jane straightened up, closing the door and setting the control, before turning the dishwasher on. She then spun around to face Maura, who had finished wiping down the countertops and cooker. "I will kill her. With my bare hands" Jane put her arms out in front of her chest, then closed her hands slowly, rocking them ever so slightly, mimicking strangling someone.

Maura smiled, before moving in, gently pulling Jane in closer by her waist. Janet's hands moved down and rested lightly on her hips. Maura then gave her a peck on the cheek. "I know you would never do that. However, I do think we need to look at redefining the way Angela uses this house. Especially once we are married. Unfortunately, we cannot take the keys off her, nor change the locks, because she can only access the guest house via this one." Maura sighed, as she rested her head into Jane's one shoulder, "but she does need to consider giving us more privacy, but I don't know how we do that."

"Simple. We get her an apartment." Jane watched as Maura looked up at her quickly, surprise etched on her face. "If we really want to stop Ma, then we're going to have to either restrict the access into here, and as you point out that can't happen because of the way it's designed to get to the guest house, or we get her to move. Lets face it, it is a 'guest house'." Jane used air quotes at the last two words, and a grimace crossed her features. "Guest being the important word in there. Not - I'm going to settle down, become a permanent feature and torture my daughter and future daughter in law to death. Lord help us if we ever decide to have any kids, she'd never leave here to even go the few feet back to her place."

Ignoring the mention of children, which Maura filed away to explore another day, she looked carefully at Jane, seeing the seriousness on her face. "But Jane, she can't really afford to move elsewhere. You know how little Stanley pays her overall. She could do it, but it would be a hovel of a place, and she would, without a doubt, struggle to pay her bills each month."

Maura heard the growl from Jane at the mention of Stanley, knowing how the whole situation of Angela at the cafe exasperated her. Maura plowed on with her explanation, "It's one reason I offered her the guest house in the first place, and your mothers circumstances, whilst improved because of the job at the cafe, are still very precarious." Maura paused for a split second as an idea formed, "I will look into an alternative. I can ask the family architect to come and see if there's is any way we can place another entrance way into the house. Perhaps by giving Angela a closed off corridor from the main front door so it will take her straight to the guest house door, and we can get separate keys for another doorway into the main house. Tommy and Frankie would also be separate to the main house when they visit Angela as well, and the family could only access the main home on our invitation. I bet a vestibule would be an ideal option if it's possible to build into the current structure."

Jane chuckled. "Family, architect, of course, everyone has one. And a vestibule? What it's gods name is that?"

Maura pulled away slightly, tapping Jane on the arm, knowing she was joking over the architect. Initially, Jane had been extremely uncomfortable about the money Maura had, but had slowly begun to accept it. Even if she still took every available chance to tease. "A vestibule or vestibulum has more than one meaning, each primarily based upon a common origin, from early 17th century French, derived from Latin vestibulum, which means 'entrance court. So in this instance, it means a lobby, entrance hall, or passage between the outer door and the interior of a building."

"Yeah. That sounds great because I'm getting to the point where it really is coming down to; she moves someplace else or I will kill her. Hey, I guess I could always lock her up at the precinct and throw away the key. That way I won't have Korsak and Frost investigating me for her murder." Jane, then looked down at Maura, a thoughtful expression on her face. She could tell Maura was desperate to impart more information about something; she was almost bouncing on her toes. It was one side of Maura that so many found hard to comprehend, but Jane adored even if she would never admit it. Jane thought back on the conversation, and a small smile appeared, "So, what else does a vestibule mean? You said it had more than one use."

Maura smiled brightly, as she moved away, her hands becoming animated as she eagerly began to talk. "The term vestibule is also used in anatomy. In general, a vestibule is a small space or cavity at the beginning of a canal. So, for example, the vulval vestibule is the posterior two thirds of the labia minora, the location of the urethral meatus and the paraurethral glands of Skene and the introitus of the vagina..."

Jane stepped forward, and immediately put a hand across Maura's startled face. She slowly allowed her hand to drop, "Enough, please, just..." Jane's voice lowered to an almost conspiratorial whisper, "I had enough of Ma talking about our sex life already this morning, without..." Jane looked at Maura, her eyebrows wiggling, "you know. More talk about female body parts."

"But Jane, it's about anatomy and simply another meaning of a vestibule." Maura said, trying not to show her amusement at Jane's discomfort, "it's a perfectly natural conversation to be having."

"Nope, not happening. For you, as a doctor, maybe... But... No." Jane said quickly, and she then dramatically shivered, "and dammit, you've just ruined the idea of getting an architect in. I don't think I could look at a vesti... You know... Without now thinking of..." Jane gestured towards her crotch, and whispered, "female parts. Just no - ewww."

Jane could only glower as Maura erupted into laughter, trying to obviously look serious again, but every time she looked at Jane, the laughter started afresh.

"Great, just laugh at me, I don't care." Jane pouted, as Maura then sobered, pulling Jane back into a hug.

"Aww Jane, I know you find this sort of thing difficult, but it really is natural and nothing to be embarrassed about."

"Yeah, except you weren't brought up in an Italian American catholic family with two brothers, but a swanky all female boarding school, where I bet communal showers were common place."

"Communal showers actually didn't happen. It was a shower room, but all the showers were individual cubicles. But I accept you raise a valid point. I'll try to refrain talking about vagi.."

Maura didn't get further as Jane captured her mouth in a kiss. After a minute or so, Jane pulled back, a smirk fixed on her face. "You were saying?"

"Nothing." Maura replied rather breathlessly, before moving in for another kiss.