The first thing she was aware of was a hand caressing the right side of her face. Soft and gently. The familiar and warm touch made her feel safe and able to unwind while memories started emerging. Not, yet, sure about the surroundings nor what had happened, Maura kept her eyes shut and held the hand that was comforting her. When she came to her senses, she slowly tried to remove the hand from her. Weak, she began opening her eyes. She was in her bed.

M: "Please, leave."

J: "Maura..."

M: "I mean it, Jane. Go home."

J: "I don't want to."

M: "Where's Frankie?"

J: "You told me you weren't together."

M: "This, again?"

J: "You were talking about dating!"

M: "I was helping him with a girl."

J: "I-I thought-"

M: "Well, you thought wrong."

J: "Why so many secrets? I know I've been an awful friend but...you're my best friend, Maura."

M: "Please..."

J: "Where did I screw up? I wanna fix this. I wanna fix us."

M: "It's not your fault. I'm the problem. I-I think it would be better if we stopped hanging out for a while."

J: "Better for who?!"

M: "Both. I want you to be happy, Jane. I don't want to be the one standing in your away."

J: "You're not!"

M: "I am, and...I don't trust myself around Casey."

J: "Since when do you hate him so much? You used to like him."

M: "Since he took you from me."

J: "Maura, I'm still here. I'm not going anywhere."

Jane tried to reach for her friend's hand, but she pulled away and started to look in the opposite direction.

M: "Please, don't touch me."

J: "Nothing has to change. You know I could never leave you. I'm only getting married. It's not that big of a deal."

M: "But it is!"

The doctor, carefully, stood up and started moving to the suite's bathroom. Jane held her forearm, trying to help her.

M: "Don't touch me. I mean it."

J: "Just tell me what I gotta do...please!"

M: "You really don't get it, do you?"

J: "Then, make me understand."

M: "Close the door when you leave."

When she entered the bathroom, the doctor closed the door behind her.

For the past days, even if they were acting friendly, the two friends kept things strictly professional. The doctor knew Jane wasn't upset with her, only hurt. It broke her heart seeing her that way but, again, she was hurt herself. Although she had high hopes for the future, taking a break from each other was the best thing to do right now. Both needed time to heal. The detective had to learn how to forgive her, and she had to learn how to control her emotions. Maura didn't want jealousy and resentment to get in the way. She wouldn't be able to forget herself if she lost the most important person in her life. Staying away from Jane was a small sacrifice to make for their relationship to survive. Knowing her friend, she also knew she understood they needed time.

Maura felt too sluggish to walk a few meters to the laboratories, so, she checked the e-mail to see if the results were in. Still in progress. She looked around the office only to see a plant Jane had gifted her last Summer. She smiled, remembering old times. Then, a knock interrupted.

Before she even had time to say a word Wendy walked inside. The doctor stood up and moved near her.

M: "What are you doing here?"

W: "I was walking by and wanted to make sure you received my flowers."

M: "They were lovely. My favourites."

W: "I know. I still remember."

M: "Wendy..."

W: "I'm sorry! Am I scaring you? I didn't mean to come this strong."

Maura chuckled softly.

M: "You've always been quite intense but-"

W: "You're single. I'm single..."

M: "And I still want to be single."

W: "Maura Isles, I'm not expecting anything. I know better than that, but we could spend some time together."

M: "You're very attractive, but I'm not in the mood."

W: "Who broke your heart?"

M: "Why do yo-"

W: "You were in a club with a wingman, and you keep texting me when you're lonely."

When Wendy started caressing the doctor's hair and leaned closer, Maura wondered why she was fighting so hard. Who cared if she made a mistake? She wasn't lying to anyone. She was single. Jane was getting married. Wendy knew she didn't like her...Wendy always knew how to make her feel good. And now, being touched, she decided she wanted to make a mistake-a big one. It wouldn't be a mistake after all. They were both free consenting adults. There was nothing wrong with whatever possibilities were running in her mind.

The doctor made their bodies touch while getting a hold on the woman's blazer, feeling the lapels' fabric. Wendy placed a hand on the desk and with the other brushed the doctor's cheek.

M: "I haven't been touched in quite a while."

W: "What a waste...I want to make you feel like a wom-"

J: "Maura?"

Jane stood by the door in shock, while the two women stopped what they were doing although neither of them completely pulled apart.

M: "Yes, Jane?"

J: "D-do...the lab results?"

M: "They aren't ready."

J: "Oh...ok."

W: "I'm sorry. You are?"

J: "Detective Jane Rizzoli."

W: "Oh! You're Frankie's sister!"

J: "Y-yes. I guess Maura told you about me."

W: "Not really."

J: "Funny, because she never told me about you either."

W: "Yeah, Maura is quite private in what really matters."

J: "Wylie? Sorry, I mean Winnie, I know Maura for a while, if you were that important I would know about you."

W: "Well, I've known her way before you and, yet, you never came up."

The doctor didn't know what to do. She knew both women well enough to know what they were both thinking. Wendy was provoking the detective just for the sake of it. She loved laughing at other's expense. Jane, on the other hand, realized she was being provoked and acted on it.

W: "I don't wanna keep you busy. See you tonight."

Wendy placed a kiss on Maura's face and walked away.

Maura hadn't seen the detective for the rest of the day. She knew she was still in the building doing overtime because of the new case, but she was nowhere to be found. In the last hour, she fought with Wendy. Not because of what happened earlier, but because she wouldn't stop laughing about how foolish she and Jane were. In Wendy's mind, her feelings were reciprocated. The doctor didn't want to hear any of that. Believing in fantasies and having people feeding those would only make her have faith in something impossible, eventually getting even more hurt. Yet, nothing of that mattered. Frankie told her Jane hadn't eaten since lunch, and that he couldn't find her. So, the doctor brought her dinner and headed to the only place she knew she could find her.

Every time Jane couldn't sleep or was more stressed than usual, she would go to the building's gym in the middle of the night. She enjoying being there when no one was around, usually with most lights off. The doctor had found her many times before, under the dim lights, crying in frustration while boxing.

As soon as she entered the gym, she heard the familiar sound from afar. Maura followed the sound, knowing her friend wouldn't like if she turned on the lights. Jane was aggressively throwing punches.

M: "I got you food."

J: "Not hungry."

M: "If you don't eat, you're gonna throw up."

J: "I don't care."

M: "Well, I do."

J: "You lied to me. You told me you didn't like Wendy."

M: "Because I don't."

J: "You didn't even tell her about me!"

M: "Jane, I haven't talked to her in years."

J: "The way she was touching you said otherwise."

Jane hit the punching bag hard and walked towards her friend.

J: "You seemed to enjoy it."

M: "It meant nothing."

J: "Of course. Everything means nothing to you."

M: "What's that supposed to mean?"

Maura took a step back, feeling her personal space invaded. She hated when her friend was acting like this, frustrated and in pain. She wished she could make things easier for her, but she didn't know how. In the past, the doctor learned that Jane didn't like to be touched nor helped in times like this. She also learned that she, herself, wanted to touch her badly in times like this. No matter how much she wanted to comfort her, Maura couldn't help how her body responded. Like, what happened in the past, Jane leaned dangerously close, making her focus on her sweaty neck and hair. And lips. She couldn't think of anything else. She needed to have her. There.

J: "You don't care about anyone but yourself. You flirt, people fall for you, and you throw them away. You're incapable of loving. Everything means nothing to you. W-we're all tools of you gam-."

Before, being able to finish, Jane made their chests touch and kissed her. Intensely, yet quick and bittersweet. Maura gasped loudly in surprise and pleasure, shutting her eyes and pushing her body even more against her. When she was about to place her hand on her neck to deepen the kiss, Jane, suddenly, jumped away and left. The doctor watched her in disbelief, knowing that now she really had to make her hers, even though she wasn't exactly sure about what had just happened.