Jane aims her gun as she moves silently around the parked cars, frantically searching for any signs of movement when she hears Maura cry out from a couple of feet away, her voice laced with unmistakable panic. She breaks into a run, moving as fast as her legs will go in the direction of the noise, skidding around the side of the white Dodge Charger so hard that she smacks into the car next to it, catching herself as she lurches into the growing pool of dark, red blood at her feet.

She looks down at the garish, multicoloured scrubs that she's mocked so many times before, frozen to the spot as she watches the blood blooming through them, dulling the cheerful yellow flowers as it spills through Maura's fingers where they are clamped to April's throat.

"Help me."

"Who?" It's all Jane can stutter as she takes in the carnage at her feet, twisting to look to either side of them, weapon shaking in her hands.

April gurgles wetly then coughs and when Maura looks up at Jane her perfect face is splattered with droplets of blood, a sight that snaps Jane from her shocked stupor.

"Oh my god." Jane drops to the warm, sticky concrete, holstering her gun as she does, eyes flicking wildly between April and Maura. The slow tide of blood reaches her knees and she stares at it, teeth clenched together tightly to stop the scream that threatens to escape her.

"I need something to slow the bleeding." Maura glances around them, gaze settling on Jane suddenly. "Take off your shirt."

Jane does as she's commanded, ripping off the blazer and button-up she's wearing and instinctively bending forward to bundle the shirt against April's neck.

"I'm going to move my hands away on three and I need you to press down, as hard as you can."

"As hard as I can? Won't it hurt?"

"As hard as you can, Jane," Maura repeats sternly, eyes brimming with terror as she looks down at April.

"Okay." Jane nods as Maura counts down, then removes her hands just long enough for a fresh wave of red to spray outwards from the slash before Jane covers it again, shuffling on her knees until she's knelt by April's heaving chest.

The material of her shirt begins to turn red quicker than Jane can believe and she leverages all of her weight behind her hands, wrapping them both around April's neck and squeezing as hard as she dares. Jane can hear her own heartbeat thundering as her eyes find April's and she forces a smile onto her face, taking the blazer that Maura gives her and layering it on top of her soaked shirt.

"Always gotta be dramatic, huh? Can't just walk off into the sunset like everyone else."

April attempts a reply, suffocating over words Jane can't make out as she gurgles helplessly, spluttering through the blood.

"Don't talk. It's gonna be okay. We're getting help. We're both here, me and Maura."

Wide, glassy eyes stare up at her as she raggedly whispers their names, a gut-wrenching look of terror dancing across her ghost-white face. Frail fingers curl around Jane's wrist, slipping off almost immediately as April's eyes close, the guttural sounds of her fight for her life trailing off to a deafening silence.

"Maura!" Jane yelps and Maura is at her side once more, leaving bloodied fingerprints across April's face as she checks her vitals.

"It's not working. What do we do?" Jane is frenetic as she feels April go limp under her hands, arms shaking as she desperately tries to stem the seemingly endless flow of blood.

"There's nothing we can do."

"Call an ambulance! Get someone down here."

"I did. It's too late."

Jane knows that April is gone, long before a scuffle of shouts and movement erupt around them, her brain refusing to accept the information even as strong arms hook under Jane's and pull her to her feet, moving her back away from the scene. The view of April's body is blocked by a huddle of officers and paramedics and Jane exhales shakily, taking a few trembling steps backwards.

Her vision blurs as she pants, gazing at red hands that look nothing like her own and then back up, searching in the crowd until she spots Maura between the sea of people, staring straight at her. The navy blue dress that Jane had zipped her into this morning is unrecognisable, parts of it almost black where April's blood has sprayed onto her. She takes a wobbly step towards Jane, face twisting as she brings a red hand to her mouth and then tears it away again, Jane laughing at the absurdity of the stark handprint that it leaves there.

"Jane…"

Jane throws herself forward before Maura has finished mouthing her name, hands locking under Maura's arms as Maura sags against her, threatening to pull them both to the floor.

"Maura. Maur, it's okay. I got you."

She feels powerless when Maura's head tips back and she faints, body going slack as Jane grips her tightly, refusing to let her fall. Finding a strength that Jane didn't know she possessed, she scoops Maura into her arms like a child, straining against her own exhaustion as she struggles to keep them upright, shouting out loudly for anyone who'll listen.

"I need a hand over here!"

"Jane!"

Frost is by her side in an instant, hands supporting both of them as they move towards the elevator that Korsak holds open, beckoning them to get in. All four of them enter, riding in silence to the basement, Jane grunting with effort as she holds Maura.

"Let me take her." Frost offers, hand snapping back to his side as Jane twists away from him violently.

"No."

"You're about to drop. Let me…"

"Don't touch her. I don't know…" Jane's voice breaks and she gulps back a sob, blinking through tears. "I don't know if she's hurt. I don't know if there's any evidence on her. My prints are already everywhere."

Frost puts up no further fight as they ride, instead opting to share the load as best he can without touching Maura as they move slowly towards the morgue. They enter the room with just enough time to lay Maura on the table as Jane fumbles, arms weak and heavy as she staggers to the side and out of the way.

The view of Maura, lifeless and bloody on the slab in front of her is another shock through her system and she hovers over her, relief flooding over her when Maura mumbles quietly, eyes fluttering open.

"I fainted."

Jane doesn't have time to respond as Korsak steps in, moving Jane to one side as he bends over Maura, talking indistinctly as he helps her to sit upright.

"Are you hurt?" His voice is gentle and soothing and Maura shakes her head, hand coming to shield her eyes from the light.

"No. No, I don't think so."

"Can you sit for me?

"Yes."

"Did anyone try to hurt you?"

"No. I didn't see anyone else. I was walking to the car when I saw the blood."

"What happened?" Korsak probes as Frost wets a bunch of paper towels and hands them to him. Vince gently wipes the splatter from Maura's face and neck as she speaks, a gesture so kind and so unexpected that Jane has to look away in fear that it will undo her - that the kindness amid the horror they're experiencing will be the thing that tips her into a breakdown.

"I knew it was too late but I couldn't just stand there and watch her without trying to help. I tried to pinch the carotid but I couldn't see it through the blood. My fingers kept slipping. I felt her aorta rupture when I moved my hands. I had Jane try and keep it closed whilst I called 911 and then Barry. Thank you for coming so quickly."

Frost rests a hand on Maura's shoulder, then takes hold of Jane's wrists and encourages her in the direction of the large, metal sink, manoeuvring her until she's sitting against it. He turns Jane's head away from Maura and Vince, then turns on the taps and brings a cloth to Jane's face, batting her hand away when she tries to stop him.

"Stop that." He cleans the dried streaks from her face and neck, brushing her hair behind her ears as he goes.

"Maura is safe. You are safe."

"April's dead."

"You did everything you could. Both of you."

"Oh god, Frost…"

"I know. I know." He coos softly as he guides her hands under the stream of warm water, moving her like a puppet as she gapes blankly at him, not knowing what to say.

"So, here's what's gonna happen. Korsak and I are gonna go find out what happens next. You and Maura are gonna bag what you're wearing, just in case, and get changed and you're going to stay locked in here until we get back, okay?"

"Okay." She replies dumbly as he dries her off, then he motions to Korsak and they retreat, Jane moving to hesitantly lock the doors behind them.

She crosses to the inner door that leads to Maura's office, flinging it open to check that it's clear before she busies herself in the locker that she knows holds clean scrubs.

She remembers the panic she felt for those few moments before she found them, a new wave of horror crashing over her as she replays it in her mind, almost able to imagine it being Maura's life lost instead. The thought sickens her and she steels herself, forcing it to the back of her mind as she fights to control her thoughts, teeth grit against the emotion she's fighting to hold back.

Jane turns, inhaling deeply before she finally allows herself to look at Maura, both of them bursting into tears the second their eyes meet.

"Oh, Jane…" Maura starts and Jane moves to her, pulling her own tank top over her head and laying it next to where Maura sits.

"I wanna hold you, but not like this. We need to change. Come here."

She waits until Maura is standing to turn her slowly, taking hold of the zipper to her dress and tugging it down, using just the tips of her fingers to slide it from Maura's shoulders as she's done so many times previously. There are no words exchanged between them as they help each other to undress, Maura taking over the unfastening of Jane's holster and belt when Jane can't do it herself, a soft, unspoken intimacy shining through even in the very worst of times.

The metallic smell of their clothes turns Jane's stomach and she quickly redresses, needing to be as far away from the offending items as she can before she vomits. She helps Maura into the scrub shirt and pants, then dresses herself quickly and takes Maura's hand, leading her into Maura's office, clicking the door shut behind them.

She doesn't turn on the lights but draws Maura to her and folds her into a hug, the scent of clean laundry and home and Jane finally tipping Maura over the edge.

She begins to weep, the sound muffled as she presses her face into Jane's chest. Jane strokes her back softly as she cries, pressing repeated kisses to the side of Maura's head, hoping to provide even the smallest scrap of comfort. She doesn't know how long they stay there and she doesn't really care as they cling to each other in the darkness, neither of them wanting to be the first to move away.

They stay like this until a frantic knock on the door makes both of them jump and Jane instinctively grabs for her gun, gripping nothing but air. She puts her body between Maura and the door as she watches the handle rattle, letting out a gasp when Frost calls her name.

"Jane!? Are you in there?"

"Yeah. Yeah, we are. Hold on."

She unlocks the door and Frost bursts in, lowering his weapon as he enters.

"Don't scare me like that. You both okay?"

The dread in his voice is apparent as he looks them up and down, holstering his gun as he flicks the lights on.

"We're fine."

"We're on lockdown. No-one in and no-one out until they have a clearer picture of what happened."

"No-one out? Are they still…in the building?"

"We don't know. Maybe. Cameras didn't catch anyone leaving externally, and the footage for the parking garage is missing."

"Missing? How?"

"I don't know J. Nobody knows right now." He gestures for her to move closer to him, lowering his voice as he speaks.

"They wanna speak to Maura."

"They?"

"Cavanaugh and a couple of detectives."

"Detectives?"

"Maura was the only other person down there. Cavanaugh knows about the fight."

"The fight?" Jane's cheeks burn as she puts two and two together, eyes widening as she makes the connection. "They wanna question her?"

"Jane…"

"You think she had something to do with this?"

"No I don't, but they need to find out what happened. You know that."

"They can go fuck themselves. Over my dead bo-" Jane stops herself, squeezing her eyes shut against the rage that overtakes her. "No. Not happening. You wanna take her? You really wanna try me right now?"

"J, please. I'm just tryna help."

"I swear to god Frost…"

"This isn't helping any of us. They just wanna ask her a few questions."

"You gonna cuff her? Make sure she doesn't slit anyone else's throat on the way up?"

Jane's shock is rapidly replaced by a fit of bubbling anger and she squares up against Barry, more than prepared to physically fight him if she has to.

"You need to calm down or I'll cuff you."

"Stop. Stop it."

Their heads turn at Maura's interruption, Jane breathing hard as Maura steps towards them, arms clasped around herself.

"Let's go."

"You don't have to do this Maur."

"Yes, I do."

"I'm comin' with you."

"No, you're not. You are under direct instruction to stay here, with me."

Korsak allows Maura to exit, hovering in the open door and blocking Jane from following as Frost and Maura leave. He closes the door firmly behind him, ignoring Jane's threats as he locks it, pocketing the key for good measure.

"Vince," Jane warns, hands curling into fists at her sides.

"Think about what you're doing. You wanna fight me on this, stop me protecting your ass before you go up there and rip it all apart 'cause you're not thinking straight?" He shrugs nonchalantly, staring her down. "Go right ahead."

"This is bullshit. She hasn't done anything wrong. She was trying to save her fucking life."

"I know. We all know."

"I…I couldn't help, ya know? I couldn't stop it. My stupid fucking hands…" Jane slams open palms against the metal filing cabinet, moving to strike them again when Vince stops her, curling her into a hug.

"I know. Let it all out, kid. It's just me."

And she does, crumpling into his arms, howling out the shock and anguish and anger until her throat is painfully raw and she has nothing left to give, screaming until the fresh memory of April's dying gurgles dissolves into numbness.

"And you're sure you didn't see anyone else?"

"Yes. I'm certain."

"Okay. I think we have everything we need from you, Dr Isles. Thank you for your time."

Maura remains seated as the two detectives stand, waiting whilst they've left the room before she sighs a weary sigh, shaking as she sinks back into the hard chair.

"Maura, I'm sorry. They had to ask."

Sean Cavanaugh had been nothing but apologetic and kind, fielding any unnecessary questions fired her way throughout the last two hours, refusing to let the detectives press her for any answers aside from the ones Maura had to give.

"I understand."

"Are you alright? I know that's a ludicrous question."

"No. No, I'm not. I think I'd like to go home."

"Home? Maura, I don't think that's wise."

"I have Jane."

"That's my concern. Do you think I don't see the threat posed to you both? Nothing stays quiet around here."

"I cannot be here, Sean. I cannot sit in this building knowing that her body is in my freezer and there's nothing I can do about it."

Maura had tried to argue a point for being the one to provide the final care for April, even though she knew she couldn't - that she wouldn't be able to, even if she had been allowed.

"I'm not letting you go without a guard, or two, and we don't have the numbers right now to pro-"

"I'll do it." Frost volunteers, speaking for the first time since they entered the office.

Sean looks between them, at Maura's tear-streaked face and Frost's expression of fierce determination, weighing up his options.

"I only want what's best for you, for both of you."

"We are leaving, whether we have your approval or not."

"Alright. I want you in full gear - take them home in an unmarked. You're to stay the night whilst we figure out what's going on." He points to Barry, then turns his attention to Maura. "I want you and Jane to stay inside the house until I say otherwise. Do not answer the door. Do not answer the phone. If you feel anything other than safe, you call them, and they will call for backup. You hear me?"

"Yes. Thank you."

"Go. Before I change my mind."

By the time Frost leads her out towards the front of the building, Maura is shivering in her scrubs, teeth chattering as they wait in the cold. He removes his blazer, wrapping it around Maura's shoulders and she smiles, eternally grateful that she has someone like Barold Frost to rely on.

She's about to ask what they're waiting for when a dark car pulls up and Maura catches sight of Jane hunched against the window, a pale palm pressed against the glass as she waits. Maura allows Frost to escort her to the vehicle, climbing into the warm seat beside Jane. She notes her bags between them, about to question who retrieved them when Korsak answers.

"I got them. I've cleaned them as best I could."

"Thank you, Vince."

"We'll get anything we've missed tomorrow. Buckle up, ladies. Let's get you home."

"I thought I'd lost you. I thought it was you, on the floor. I've never been so scared in all my life, Maura."

They're wrapped up in bed together, thoroughly showered and wearing clean pyjamas, whispering to each other in the stillness of the night as they begin to process what happened.

"I think my name was the last thing she said before she died," Maura admits sadly, breath hitching.

Jane's stomach is pressed against Maura's back as she curls around her protectively, chin resting against her bare shoulder as she holds her tight.

"Maybe if I'd had tried harder to stop the blood…"

"You wouldn't have been able to. It was too deep. A complete bisect of her carotid, and almost all the way through her aorta."

"I didn't press hard enough."

"Yes, you did. You gave her a few more minutes. She didn't die alone. She had us."

Jane nods numbly, lips grazing Maura's shoulder as she breathes the question she's been dreading.

"Would it have hurt?"

"Initially, yes. She'd have felt the cut, but her body likely went into shock not long after. A massive rush of adrenaline would have pumped through her, helping to block out the pain in her final moments."

"I didn't choke her? I felt like I was making it worse."

"You didn't choke her. Her airway was open. She could breathe. It was simply too traumatic for her body to handle."

"Okay. If you're sure."

"I'm sure."

Jane drops a kiss to Maura's shoulder, then another behind her ear lobe as she closes her eyes, face buried in Maura's hair.

"I feel so guilty that I didn't make her come to dinner with us. That I didn't apologise."

"She wouldn't want you to feel like that. And she fucked up Maur, not you. She knew that."

"Maybe I should have been kinder to her. She-"

"She was an ass. A stubborn pain in the ass."

"She wouldn't have been in that garage if she'd not picked up her things from the lab. She'd still be here if I'd not made her feel like she had to leave."

"Nobody made her leave, baby. Nobody at all. She wanted to go. Women to date. Hearts to break."

Maura laughs softly then, a wonderful sound that cuts through Jane's misery.

"Did she have a family?"

"A brother, living up in Canada. They'll let him know, but I don't think he'll come out here. They were not close."

"That's a shame."

"Yeah. But we'll do her justice. We'll be her family."

Maura twists until she's facing Jane, leaning up to kiss her softly.

"I love you. I love your family - our family. I love that they love me the way that they do. I never feel alone, not when I have you all around me. Always there. Always protecting."

"You're pretty much stuck with us now. You might regret saying that."

"I won't. You're my sanctuary, Jane. You're my home. I can face anything, with you."

"Good. I'd die before anything happens to you, Maura."

It's the last words she manages before they drift into an uneasy sleep, dragged down by the overwhelming fatigue that blankets them, forcing their eyes to close.

AN: Thank you so much for the continued, lovely reviews and messages, even after the cliffhanger of the last chapter! I promise there won't be any more...for now ;)