N: Yep. Stuff is coming up. Read on and enjoy!

Safe.

Safe.

You're never safe.

I woke up with a start, sweating and disorientated. I blinked wildly, trying to chase away the darkness and focus on the thin stream of light pouring into the room. It took a minute to realize I wasn't in my own bedroom or the guest room. I was in Maura's room, in her bed. In her empty bed.

I swallowed hard, shivering as the sweat dried on the back of my neck. The small clock on her bedside table told me it was 12:30 pm in soft blue digital numbers. I'd slept almost nine hours, but still felt like I could sleep for another ten. I groaned and sat up, wincing at the aches infesting my body. Why was I so tired if I'd just woken up from a coma less than three weeks ago? I scooted to the edge of the bed, my mind trying to wrap around science I never understood. It helped to chase out the lingering threads of the nightmare that woke me up. I ran my fingers through my wild nest of hair, tugging at the knots. I glanced around the room. It was clear Maura had vacated the room awhile ago. Her side of the bed was cold and I could smell the remnants of a warm shower floating around the room.

I needed to take a shower. I need to wash off the sweat and shivers. I stood slowly, grumbling at how slow my body moved. I shuffled to the bathroom and stopped at the door, suddenly feeling strange about invading her personal space. Flashes of my shitty behavior of last night hit. I sighed and stepped back. I would use the guest bathroom.

I shuffled to the door and opened, frowning deeper when I saw the handful of stairs I had to navigate. "When did I get this fragile?" I rasped the words out. When did I get so fragile? Physically and mentally?

I sighed, braced a hand against the wall and headed towards the stairs. I managed two before Maura appeared around the corner.

"Jane." Her eyes locked on mine, and without hesitation she met me on the stairs, sliding a arm around my waist to take on my weight. "Why didn't you call for me?" Her voice was soft, warm and a little deep from sleep.

I shrugged. "I didn't know if you'd gone to work, or outside for some fresh air." I subconsciously leaned into her side.

"I've taken the rest of the week off. And it's very cold out this afternoon when I stepped out to collect the newspaper and mail." She smiled softly, guiding me down the last few steps. "Would you like something to eat? I can make lunch."

I frowned, shaking my head. "Maura, don't take time off for me. I can call Frankie or ma to stop by." I huffed, frustrated when she stepped away and I wobbled. "Why am I so god damn fragile?" I hissed through a clench jaw. "I can't even walk on my own to take a stupid shower." I slid into the hard wooden chair against the kitchen island. My stomach growling as I focused on the bowl of fruit in the center.

Maura stepped in front of me, gently grabbing my elbow. "Why didn't you take a shower upstairs? I left towels out for you and some of my soaps with muscle soothing essential oils." She stared at me as if I'd committed a grievous sin.

"I've intruded so much already. I felt your bathroom was where I had to draw the line." I turned away from the intense loving stare. My stomach dropping at the memory of her whispering those three little words at the height of my late night melt down. Three little words I ignored even as they pierced straight to my heart. "Maura. I." I sighed again, running hands through my hair.

I felt a warm hand slide to the small of my back, pressing gently. I was overcome with the shivers of warmth that filled my body. "Jane. You're fragile physically because your body has been through a lot. It's been through a lot and survived, give it a break. It will take time, but no one is rushing you." Her hand moved further up as I felt another hand fall to the bottom of my chin, tilting my face up to look at hers. I winced as the tears rose. Maura's face was a dark purple where I hit her, the sight hit me straight in the gut. I reached up, tracing the edges with light fingers. Maura leaned into my touch. "And no one is going to ask you to rush through to the other side of the nightmare. Your subconscious is sorting through it's own trauma. The dreams, the nightmares and the waking fear, it's all a part of healing. I read an article while you were sleeping. It was directed at soldiers dealing with PTSD, but it still held very valuable information." She stepped away and I immediately missed her. Maura moved to the other side of the island. She picked up a well worn journal. "I remembered the article and woke up from a dead sleep." She flipped through a few pages, tapping her finger on a page. "Here. I even highlighted it. One study suggested copious amounts of chemical therapy via prescriptions, but I'm not sure that's a great idea." Maura slid the article across towards me. "Luckily one doctor wanted to take a different approach. Love. Love and understanding was the only way to help someone dealing with a significant trauma. Love the person carefully, fully, and understand that when they lash out, it's not purposeful. It's a way of the brain to latch onto a better reality and fight past the pain." She smiled softly, fidgeting with the edge of a dishtowel. "I can do this, Jane. I've read the files on you and him. I have a solid understanding of what happened. You can talk to me, and I'll listen. I've also researched how to wake someone in the grips of a nightmare and do it gently to prevent a rough awakening." She tipped her head down. "But more importantly, I don't think your fragile. You just need love."

I swallowed the massive lump in my throat, blinking away tears wanting to roll down my cheeks with the others that already had the moment Maura went on her nerdy diatribe. I cleared my throat. "How long have you been up?"

Maura shrugged, picking at the towel. "I woke up an hour after I got you settled." She glanced at the clock and I could see her brain working. I cut her off before another ramble began.

"Seven hours. And that's after I never let you get to sleep when I decided to make an escape." I wiped my cheeks. My brain and heart unifying. They had already digested what Maura was suggesting and both agreed. I needed her. No one in their life would ever sacrifice sleep or time to be there for me. I'd been down this road a handful of times and my friends and family were tired. Tired of waiting for me to get my head out of my ass. Never mind the shitty boyfriends who dipped the second I came home with a bloody shirt and stitches. Most of them couldn't handle I didn't need them to dote on me, or that I preferred to be alone after getting into an on the job scrape. I turned my gaze to my hands. One was scarred. One was scarred and healing. It was as if two roads sat before me. I could be scarred. Or I could be scarred and healing.

"Jane. I apologize again if I've been too forward." Maura's voice trembled from across the counter top. "I don't know how to stop myself sometimes. I've always had a weak spot, as my mother said, to help where I felt help was needed." She paused. "I'll start some coffee for you while you shower." I heard the tears in her voice.

"I love you." I cleared my throat as the words came out broken and trapped around my exhausted voice. "I love you, Maura." I looked up into glassy hazel eyes and knew I made the right choice. I'd be scarred but healing. The first step was to admit to Maura I loved her. "I need your love. I need you." I winced at how silly it sounded as I confessed what I'd been hiding for the last week. I needed this woman and ignored it from the moment the spark of discovery lit in my heart over a slice of pizza in an empty brownstone. I reached across the counter top with my right hand, still bandaged and still sore. "I should've said it first." I turned my palm up, offering myself to the kind woman.

Maura half laughed, half sobbed and took my hand with extreme gentleness. She pressed her fingertips against my wrist. I knew she could feel how hard my heart was pounding.

Maura

"I thought you didn't hear me." My voice was soft.

Jane squeezed my hand. "I heard you. But like most things in my life that I refuse to acknowledge, I ignore it. Ma calls it my selective hearing skill." She smiled. "But you don't back down. You're stronger and tougher than I could ever dream to be."

I shook my head. "Impossible." I turned our hands over. "I do love you, Jane. It's not a spontaneous reaction to a traumatic event. Or a ploy to get you to listen to me." I ran my eyes over her long fingers until the gauze cut off my view. "Outside of science, you're the only human thing that makes sense to me."

Jane laughed, shaking her head as she withdrew her hand. "I'll take it. I don't know how Quinn or anyone else can't see how incredibly human you are. You are this ball of amazing science and love pressed into one adorable package." She scooted slowly off the chair, frowning as her body balked. "I'm making you breakfast. Go take a minute to rest, shower, plug into your charging station. I've got breakfast covered." She paused. "Then maybe we can talk. Talk about all the things we missed out on when I screwed up that first real date I had planned."

I held up a hand. "Oh Jane, I can make something. I had planned pancakes and maybe some healthy yogurt." I went to cut her off at the corner. "Go take your shower. I'll call Dr. Carbon and see if he can put in a prescription for a lesser pain killer." I had a mild pang of panic race through my body. What would I talk about? I never revealed myself on certain levels, especially to any romantic interests. I usually only got so far as my work and a touch of my college years. Most of my partners left before I could really grow invested and want to open up about my solitary life. Would Jane be able to sit through the lack of excitement I had growing up? The lack of everything other than a strong education and the ability wealth afforded me? I thought back to her question of what my favorite things were. I still couldn't answer her. I swallowed hard, realizing she might want what I didn't have to offer.

Jane appeared in front of me, grabbing my upper arms and effectively shutting down my internal rant. "Let me break this down for you, Dr. Isles." She reached into the front pocket of my robe, removing her cell phone. I'd snuck it out of the bedroom when I woke up. My way of allowing her a peaceful sleep. "I'm calling ma. I'm going to ask her to call in a favor to her cousin Harry who owns the diner on eighty fifth. All I need to know is what kind of pancakes you like. Blueberry, chocolate chip or banana nut?" She held up her phone. "If you want to hide things from me, you need to do better. I might be tired and on all the drugs in a pharmacy, but I'm still the best detective in this city."

I grinned, laughing. "Touché, Detective Rizzoli." I leaned forward, brushing my lips over hers, waiting for her permission. The tiny sigh escaping from her lips was enough. I kissed her deeply, smiling against her mouth. It was enough distraction to take her phone without her noticing. I stepped back, smirking at the hazy look on Jane's face.

"Wait, come back. I liked that." Jane pouted.

"Did you know during a summer in Paris, I learned how to pickpocket from one of Mother's security guards?" I winked, holding up her phone before setting it on the counter. I removed mine from the other pocket, dialing Angela. "I'll call in the favor. Angela is less likely to barrel over here and stay longer if I tell her you're still asleep. She's already called twice inquiring if you were awake." I pressed the phone against my ear. "What kind of pancakes would you like, Jane?"

Jane chuckled, coming closer. "Tell ma to order the wild berry surprise for both of us. Side of hash browns, with the farmers bacon." She leaned forward, kissing me softly before whispering. "I love you."

I sighed, closing my eyes and losing myself in the aura of Jane. It only took Angela's raspy voice hollering my name to bring me out. I flicked my eyes open at Angela firing off a thousand questions. Jane winked at me as she moved slowly towards the stairs. "Uh, yes. Hello Angela. Jane just woke up and requested the wild berry surprise from your cousin Harry's diner?" I watched her take one step at a time, each one stronger than the last. I grinned, watching her until she disappeared and heard the bedroom door close. "Yes. She'd also like hash browns and farmers bacon. Two orders please. She mentioned it could be delivered to my home? Oh, no. Everything is fine. It was just a very late night getting Jane settled into a non-hospital bed and routine. No, no. You don't need to come over. Jane is very groggy and only requested the food. She mentioned she'd like a couple more days alone before she took on visitors." I turned to look out into the backyard. The sun was shining onto the dewy grass. It was due to snow later tonight and I welcomed it. I listened to a few more minutes before agreeing to a late lunch at the end of the weekend. "Of course, Angela. I'll tell Jane you'll be over on Sunday." I hung up and set the phone down.

I glanced at the stairs once more. Thinking. Analyzing. Until it hit me. I ran up the stairs to my office and right to the stack of boxes I had left to unpack. I dug around, smiling when I found the two things I was looking for. Two things I'd shoved in the bottom of box when Quinn and a few others made fun of me for.

As I set the items on my desk, my phone rang. I smiled answering it. "Hello, Frost. How are you?"

Frost sighed. "I could be better. Look, I know you took the weekend off, but we need you to come to a scene."

I wanted to decline and tell him I left Dr. Azul in charge. She was trustworthy and one of my best assistants. His tone told me this wasn't something I could decline. "What is it, Frost?"

"I'm sending a picture over so I'm not completely blindsiding you." He paused. "Don't tell Jane. Just tell her you had to sign off on some reports for Susie. I know you can't lie."

I heard the beep and pulled the phone away, opening the text Frost sent. I gasped at the sight, covering my mouth. In the picture was a deceased male, lying in a large pool of blood. His shirt was torn open and on his chest, written in blood were the words.

Come find me, Dr. Isles.

"Barry."

"I know, Maura. We've locked the scene down. We need you to look at the body and see if you know him. Then I need to talk to you. You know, find out if there are any creepy crawlies in the past you pissed off." He sighed heavily. "I have a gut feeling, but I'll save it for when you get here."

I nodded, sucking in slow breaths to calm down. "Give me fifteen minutes." I caught the sight of my bruised face in the reflection of my refrigerator. "Make it twenty. I need to call Angela to sit with Jane until I can come back."

"You got it, doc."

I hung up and turned to look across the hall to my bedroom. Jane was still in there, humming and using my endless hot water heater to its fullest potential. I hated I'd have to be deceptive, and as much as I didn't believe in gut feelings, I knew what Frost was hinting at.

I had my own demons lingering in the shadows.