N: this is what it is. It's been a minute since i updated, but i'm hoping to get back on schedule soon. Hope you all enjoy this one!

Jane

Maura was asleep, mashed into my side as I watched the rest of the movie. I glanced down at her, smiling at how peaceful she looked. Her mouth slightly open as she slept, dead to the world. I wanted to sneak into her office and open the files Frost sent, and yet at the same time, I was perfectly happy with her snuggled up against me.

It was the first time in a long time the detective in me was taking the backseat. I never put the job second and it was a bone of contention in my life, especially with my ma. Everyone around me told me to take vacations, see the world, take a break, go out on dates. Live a life that didn't revolve around the horrors humans did to each other. Truth was, I couldn't stop being the detective. After Hoyt, being the detective was the only way I could stop thinking about what happened. For every monster I put away, another piece of my nightmare was put away. You could call it my own form of therapy. Instead of sitting in a head shrinkers office, I was out on the street chasing leads. Running away from the nightmare.

Maura let out a soft snore, burrowing deeper into the blanket I laid over her. I chuckled at how cute the woman was when she slept. A far cry from the serious and stoic doctor I caught glimpses of. I pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head as I reached for the remote. It was Maura who opened my eyes to a life that went past the gold badge. She led me to think about the future and right before Hoyt sucked me back in, I had begun to push the detective to the back. Eager to get home on time to call her just as her shift ended so we could speak on the phone. I even took vacation time to head to New York for a very long weekend with her. I wanted to spend time with the kind woman and not tied to a desk, pouring over files looking for a scrap of evidence. I wanted to settled down, slow down and fall further in love with Maura.

I let out a slow sigh. One maniac put down and another rises in his ashes. I had to protect Maura. I'd have to be the detective one last time and protect her. She'd already done so much for me. I frowned, angrily flipping through the eight million channels she purposely bought for me.

"I can hear you think." Maura's soft voice almost startled me. I looked down into sleepy hazel eyes.

I smiled. "Ma always said everything about me was loud. I think it's a genetic trait." I nodded towards the stairs. "We should get you to bed. You need more sleep after these last few weeks."

Maura sat up, stretching her arms over her head. "I do believe I could sleep for a solid day. I have been operating on very little rest since you were injured." She ran her hands through her hair. "You also should be resting, Jane."

I shrugged. "I've took five naps before you came home. I'm all stocked up on sleep." I scooted to the edge of the couch, reaching for the remnants of our pizza party. "I'll clean up."

Maura's hand fell to my shoulder. "What are you thinking about, Jane? I can see it on your face. You're thinking and you're worrying." She turned to face me. "I'm safe. Crown is, oddly enough, a gentleman. He never came close to where I lived. He never came to my work. He only left bodies for me and would meet me on neutral territory. He once told me he respected me. In his world, respect is worth everything."

"Yeah, but he follows you. He wanted to dismember your ex. Those two things outweigh his so called respect for you." I absently flexed my hands, wincing at the tinge of pain. "Maniacs don't have rules." My temper was rising, and Maura caught it. She moved away from me.

"I'm very aware of that." Maura stood, collecting empty plates from the table. "You're not the only one who faces darkness every day."

I caught the anger in her voice. "Maura."

"It's fine, Jane." She walked to the kitchen. A heavy silence fell between as she loaded the dishwasher. "I'm going to bed." Without another word, she left me sitting on the couch in silence.

"Dammit." I hissed under my breath as I wobbled to stand. I turned off the television and slowly made my away around Maura's house. Locking doors and checking windows out of habit, before hitting the stairs.

Maura

Somehow I ended up in my closet and began to stress organize. I was exhausted, beyond exhausted and my body begged me to let it shutdown and hibernate. But Jane's words had my mind racing and fighting off bouts of overwhelming frustration. I was rarely frustrated, always calming finding a path out of any complex situation. Then there was Jane and her stubbornness to let go. This is where my frustration laid. I knew she would be protective, but this was extreme. Her protectiveness wasn't allowing her to listen to what I was saying. Even though Crown was a serial murderer, he had rules and he never broke them. I was essentially safe from him. Jane on the other hand, might not be and I wanted to keep her hidden. Keep her safe. If only she would listen to me and hear out my own fears of letting another maniac into her life when she barely survived the last one.

I began rearranging my shoes. Moving them into color and heel height, desperate to ease this tension in my heart. I loved Jane, but she was incredibly complex and frustrating. It felt like each step we took together, we'd stumble back three more. I sighed, focusing on a pair of black heels.

"I think I've only ever owned ten pairs of shoes over the span of my life." Jane's voice fell across my back. "I've had my boots for three years now. Korsak even tells me I should throw them out and he has ties older than I am."

I kept my back to her. "Those boots are bad for your posture. You should look into a lower heel if you're going to wear them every day." I gently nudged a pair of red flats. "Poor shoes can affect your knees, hips and lower back. Causing years of lingering pain."

"You become a walking encyclopedia when you're upset." Jane moved closer, her left hand falling to my hip. "It's adorable."

I bent my head down. "Jane." I closed my eyes when she squeezed my hip.

"I love you and you make me want to slow down. But my first nature is to be the first line of defense for anyone I love. I took the punches for Frankie and Tommy when they were made fun of on the playground. I ran interference for my ma each time my pop tried to take advantage of her after they split. I run in the door first because I've always felt I could take the bullet over the guys behind me who had families and loved ones at home." I felt her breath on the back of my neck, sending shivers across the skin. "Did you know the first time I ever submitted an unforced vacation request was a week before Hoyt? I had plans to surprise you in New York. We were going to do all the silly touristy things I could think of. With you, I see a future I want to protect." Her voice wavered at the end.

I let out a slow breath. "Do you trust me?" I turned to face Jane, my heart pounding from her words. "Do you trust me, Jane?"

She searched my eyes and answered without hesitation. "Yes. More than anyone I've ever met."

I laid my hand over her heart. "Then trust me when I tell you I'm safe. I can't lie and would never lie to you." I felt her squeeze my hip again. "Please trust me, Jane. Breathe and let Frost and Korsak and all the others on our team take the load from you. Take a breath and be here with me." I swallowed hard.

Jane blinked, letting a tear escape as she sucked in a shaky breath. "How do you do that?"

I cocked my head. "Do what?"

"Make my heart stop and skip all at the same time?" She moved her hand to cup my jaw. "You're so perfect, Maura."

I leaned into her touch, shaking my head. "I'm far from perfect. I just put on the air of being perfect. I blame years of etiquette lessons." I looked in her eyes. "How do you do that?"

Jane smirked. "Do what?"

"Make me feel like I'm the only person and the room and nervous like I'm back in fifth grade and the new student in class?" I licked my lips, leaning closer to Jane.

I watched her swallow hard, moving to meet me half way. "Because." She leaned forward and kissed me deeply. I grabbed her hips to steady myself, pushing into the kiss. Jane parted from lips just enough to whisper. "I love you." She pulled me closer, kissing me once more. I felt her hands slide to the front of my waistband, her fingertips slipping under the edge of my shirt. I gasped at how it felt, sending my body into sensory overload. If Jane continued touching me, I wouldn't be able to contain myself. I'd been fighting my desire for her since I saw her in my shower in New York.

I went to step back, when Jane held me still. "Don't. Please, Maura. I need you." Her voice was deep, raspy and it whittled away the last threads of restraint I held onto. Her fingers slid further down, past the waist band of my pajama pants. My breath hitched and I met her gaze. I licked my lips and gave her a short nod. Her hand moved slowly until she covered me, groaning at how wet I was. She pressed her forehead against mine, eyes closed. "Tell me to stop, and I will."

I reached down, covering her hand with mine and pressed her where I desperately needed her. "Never."

Jane captured my lips with hers as her fingers dipped inside. The sensation was overwhelming. I pushed my hips down, silently begging for more. Jane met my demand, her fingers moving in a slow, steady rhythm. I closed my eyes, losing myself in the way it felt to have Jane inside. I buried my head into her shoulder as she walked us back until my back hit the wall. I whimpered as she picked up the pace, filling every one of my nerve endings with pleasure. Her fingers moving faster with every moan she pulled from me. I quickly found myself fighting to hold back the impending orgasm. The way Jane felt inside of me was something I wanted to hold onto forever. But my body was overloaded and in a breath I was biting her shoulder as a powerful orgasm exploded through my body. I clung to Jane as each wave of pleasure consumed me. My body clenching around her fingers, desperate to keep her there. I slumped into her arms as the last wave left me boneless and gasping for air. I swallowed hard. "Holy shit." My head fell back to rest against the wall.

Jane chuckled, blushing as she kissed me softly, pulling her hand free from me. I flinched at the sensation of her fingers brushing very sensitive skin. "I made you curse."

I bit my bottom lip, my body quickly recovering and asking for more from the brunette smiling sheepishly at me. "Yes you did. You should be proud. I can count the times I've used profanity on one hand. None of them in a moment like this." Jane stepped back, her hand on my hip to steady me as I took a wobbly step away from the wall.

She frowned. "I just had sex with you in your shoe closet." She ran a hand through her hair. "I'm sorry. I just couldn't hold back. I've been craving to touch you for a long time. And I wanted to show you I trusted you. That I love you." She shook her head.

"Jane, you made love to me in my shoe closet." I bent my head to catch her eyes. She finally looked at me. I grinned, still hazy from my orgasm. "I don't want you to hold back. As matter of fact." I hooked my fingers in my waistband and removed my pajama pants. Tossing them in the corner. "I'd like to show you how much I trust you, over there." I pointed past her at my bed before moving past her and removing my sleep shirt. I tossed it on the floor in front of her before turning to face her, my hands covering my breasts. "Are you coming?"

I watched as Jane's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. She moved forward, reaching for my hands. "I'm willing to bet neither of us are getting any sleep tonight." I laughed as she gently pulled my hands free.

"That's a very safe bet."

XXXX

Jane

"This could become my new favorite way to waste away a morning." I ran my hand over Maura's bare back, reveling in how soft her skin was. She was laying on my chest, her head tucked under my chin. I felt her smile as she kissed my collarbone.

"It's only four in the morning. We've not technically wasted much other than the night." She sighed heavily, her hand running along my side. We'd made love numerous times, only stopping if a position strained sore muscles or if my right hand balked under pressure. I was deliriously tired, but incredibly happy even though I knew I'd have a hard time moving later. Maura was a voracious lover and her knowledge of anatomy had me crying out her name over and over as she reduced me to rubber and had me seeing stars.

I chuckled. "Okay. This could become my favorite way to waste away the night." I sighed, happy all I had to worry about was what to eat for breakfast and if Maura would eat it in the nude. A naked Maura was easily my number one favorite thing. "You know, we need to work on finding your favorite things. We should do that this week while you're off. We should find your favorite movie, favorite song, favorite place to be."

Maura sat up, her hand skimming across my breast to rest on my sternum. "I want to show you something." She scooted out of the bed and ran out of the room, her naked ass making me sigh in delight.

"I think you showed me plenty last night." I pulled the blanket over my chest, a chill hitting my skin as my warm Maura blanket left. I ran my hands through my hair, maybe we could take a early morning shower together.

Maura ran back into the room with a small black box in her hands. She climbed on the bed, kneeling next to me. "I'd been thinking about my favorite things since you brought it up the day you came home. I dug in my unpacked things and found this." She opened the box and removed a thin silver chain with a pewter rocket ship charm. "When I was six, I was obsessed with this silly science fiction show. Rocket Rangers. It was a space opera my one tutor watched." She palmed the rocket ship. "I wasn't allowed to watch much television as a child. I was always too busy learning to be a perfect little lady and too focused on education. But my tutor would turn on the show for the first half hour of our lesson. He always felt fantasy was an equal part of my education. I had to learn to be creative and analytical. The show sparked my imagination and it's where I discovered science and medicine was my passion. I fell in love with show and bought this necklace via mail order. I could never wear it for fear my mother would find out and fire my tutor. Instead, I kept it in my pocket and it became my good luck charm. It was always with me until I met Quinn and he begged me to tuck it away in favor of the crystal necklace he purchased for me." She grinned. "The one ranger, Violet, looked exactly like you. Fierce, beautiful and always saving the day. I wanted to be like her when I grew up."

"You're beautiful and fierce, Maura."

She blushed. "I always wanted to meet Violet. She was my favorite and I harbored a terrible crush for her." Maura suddenly pressed the necklace in my hand. "Then I met you. I want you to have this, Jane. I want you to wear it as a reminder." She paused, overwhelmed with emotion.

I sat up, pulling Maura into my arms. "I want you to wear it, Maura. You don't have to hide it anymore." I slipped the necklace around her neck, laying the rocket ship in the middle of her chest. "Just so you know, I watched Rocket Rangers when I was a kid. Violet was my favorite too, but I wanted to grow up to be exactly like her. The hero of the show."

Maura grinned, kissing me quickly before she moved to lie next to me under the covers. "And you did." She laid her head on my shoulder. "But I think you're right. I need to find more favorite things in this world. I've missed out on a lot."

I smirked, kissing the top of her head. "We'll start later this morning. I have a few ideas."

Maura nodded, her eyes drooping closed as her breathing evened out. Exhaustion finally winning out. I tugged the blankets over both of us, moving Maura to a more comfortable position before I snuggled into the pillows. Sleep taking me quickly.

The obnoxious vibrating of Maura's phone woke me from a dead sleep. Maura was still asleep on her stomach, her face buried in the pillows. I leaned over her, grabbing her phone to turn it off before it woke her up and ruined our day. Maura was off for the rest of the week. Her assistants and team could handle death without her for a few more days. I turned the phone over and noticed it was a message from Frost. I tapped it, opening it right up. I'd have to tell Maura to set a lock on her phone before someone noticed.

I squinted in the low light. Glossing over Frost telling her there was a new body and her assistant had taken the scene, but he wanted her to see the photos. I scrolled down until I saw the body laying in the grass. Same MO as the first one left in the warehouse. I continued out of curiosity but stopped when I saw the close up on the chest of the male victim. I swallowed hard as my heart tumbled into the pit of my stomach.

Hello, Jane was written in the victim's blood.