Maura begins to see the light at the end of the tunnel. For the last week, Jane had been working diligently with a physical therapist on mobility exercises so she could regain independence upon being discharged from the hospital. Jane was still on many pain medications, which made her drowsy and weak. Maura was grateful beyond words that Jane was okay, but she missed being able to hold a conversation with the other woman. She had so much to tell Jane.

Between the sleepiness caused by the pills, the exhaustion from her exertion at physical therapy, and general tiredness from the emotional turmoil she had experienced, Jane usually spent most of the day sleeping. Doctor Luna had cleared Jane for discharge from the hospital tomorrow, asking that Jane return in two weeks to have her stitches taken out during their check-up appointment. Jane's room was filled with things that people had brought along when they visited her. Half of the room was filled with flowers, courtesy of members of the department who clearly did not know her well. The other half was filled with jerseys, baseball caps, and even a signed baseball. Frankie had bought the signed baseball, making Jane give him a big kiss on his cheek in return. Containers were stacked on one of the chairs in the room and all of them were empty. Angela had insisted that she bring a home-cooked meal every day, which Jane had happily indulged considering her other option was tasteless hospital cafeteria food. Every day, Jane would be ordered to complete a full lap around the recovery ward as a part of her rehabilitation. She still struggled with bearing weight on her right leg, making her rely on a walker for most of the walk. Maura would walk alongside her, encouraging Jane as she shuffled against the tile.

"Are you sure you want to stick around, Maura? This is what life will be like in 40 years when I'm old and frail," Jane jokes.

Maura laughs as she hugs Jane across her waist. "I would love to spend the next 40 years with you. Besides, who is to say that I won't be the one who needs to be taken care of?"

The tone shifted as Jane became serious, turning slightly to look at Maura. "I'm going to take care of you for the rest of my life, Maura. I hope you know that."

Running her hand down Jane's hospital gown, Maura smiles as excitement rushes through her body as she imagines a life together with Jane. The rest of the walk is filled with flirting and teasing, and Maura feels as if things are finally beginning to get back to normal.

The following morning, Maura wakes up in the cot next to Jane's bed. The sunlight shines through the blinds in Jane's room and the world feels brighter as Maura sits up, eager to get Jane discharged and back home. Jane is already up and watching a baseball game on the small television mounted above them. The game is on silent and Maura watches as Jane cheers silently to avoid waking her up.

"Good morning, Jane," Maura says, her voice still husky from sleep.

She stands up and makes her way to Jane, placing a kiss on the top of Jane's hair. Before she can pull back, Jane pulls Maura's head back as she returns a kiss to the side of Maura's face. Maura contemplates giving Jane a kiss in a spot that is lower than her first one, but she decides against having their first kiss in a hospital bed. The nurse comes in with a stack of instructions for Jane to follow at home and a release form requiring her signature. Just as Jane finishes dotting the "i" in her last name, Angela walks in, already speaking at a million words a minute.

"Hi, honey! I can't believe you're going home finally. Where are you staying? I brought along a pillow and sleeping bag so I can help you out. I know the doctors have you on a strict schedule with your pills," Angela says all without taking a breath.

Instead of rolling her eyes, Jane smiles, grateful to at least have her mother around. She knows that she has put her loved ones through hell and back lately with all the times her life has been in danger.

"Hey, ma. I appreciate the concern but Maura's got it handled. I've been staying in her guest room and it's easier this way since her house is bigger and can fit this ugly walker they have me using," Jane says.

Angela puts a hand on Maura's shoulder as tears threaten to make their way out. "Thank you, Maura. That is so kind of you and I'm so glad Janie has you."

Maura puts her hand on top of Angela's. "Of course. Jane will always have a place to stay with me. And so will you."

Jane starts undoing the buttons on her hospital gown and hesitates as she looks at Maura. "Hey, Maur? Do you mind stepping out for a minute while my ma helps me change into my normal clothes?"

The two women had seen each other half-naked plenty of times before, but Maura understood Jane's newfound shyness given that Jane's body was covered in stitches, bruises, and cuts that were still healing. She gives Jane a smile to show that she isn't offended and promptly walks out of the room, drawing the curtain behind her as she leaves.

A few minutes later, Jane is dressed in her own T-shirt and sweatpants. Maura goes to pull the car around the front and makes sure to push the passenger seat all the way back to accommodate Jane's long legs. Jane hugs her mother goodbye and they finally drive away from the hospital that has become their home for the last few weeks.

"I can't believe I'm finally going home," Jane says as she stares out the window.

As Maura changes lanes, she puts her hand on Jane's leg and replies, "I have been waiting for this day. I was a bit worried it might never come." She was glad that Jane considered the Beacon Hill house a home and it warmed her heart.

Jane turns and puts her hand behind Maura's head, using her thumb to brush the skin against Maura's cheek. "I know. I'm sorry I put you through all of that."

Maura leans into Jane's touch and for the rest of the drive, Jane's hand rests on the back of Maura's neck, behind her hair. Maura only takes her hand off of Jane's thigh when they pull into the driveway and she relishes Jane's touch, having forgotten how good it feels. Maura helps Jane inside and sets up their lunch in front of the couch. Jane lights up when she realizes that Maura has made an exception to her rules about not eating in front of the television and gives Maura a sloppy kiss on the head. Maura also puts on an action movie, wanting to do everything she can to make Jane comfortable on her first day back at home. Halfway through, Jane falls asleep, the weight of her body resting on Maura. Maura spreads the blanket around the both of them and settles in next to Jane as the both of them drift off into sleep.

When Maura wakes up, the sun has gone down. Her stomach growls, which motivates her to get up from her comfy spot and look in the fridge for a snack. Her shifting wakes Jane up and Jane rubs her eyes as she stretches.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep," Jane says as she yawns.

Maura grabs an apple from the drawer in her fridge and rinses it off in the sink. "It's alright, Jane. I took a nap too."

Jane nods as she starts to stand up, using the couch as a crutch. "I'm starving. Wanna walk to dinner?" She must have sensed Maura's hesitation, as Jane quickly says, "Don't worry. My body can handle a short walk to Ralph's Pizza."

They put jackets on, as the weather has shifted recently to prepare for the onslaught of a cold winter. Maura slows her pace down substantially to stay alongside Jane and notices how Jane doesn't seem to mind that a ten-minute walk has turned into a twenty-minute walk.

"Do you remember what you said when you woke up?" Maura asks.

Jane contemplates this question. "Not really. All of that stuff was pretty hazy for a while and those meds made me groggy."

Maura isn't surprised, but she is too curious to give up. "Who is Sophie?", she asks, trying her best to not sound jealous.

Jane responds with a puzzled look on her face. "Sophie?" As Jane repeats the name to herself, she suddenly laughs as she realizes where she has heard that name before. "Did I also ask for Lucy and Antonio?"

Maura stops in place. "Yes. So you do remember?"

Jane smiles to herself as she says, "Well, sorta. I don't remember saying that when I woke up but I can't say that I'm surprised that I did. I had a really good dream. It was almost like a prophecy, or at least I hope it was."

Beginning to feel more confused, Maura follows up with another question. "Was Sophie why that dream was so good?"

Jane realizes that Maura had misunderstood her meaning and tries to correct her mistake. "Yes, that was part of the reason why. But it's not what you think. It was a good dream because Sophie was my daughter."

Maura continues walking as she mulls over the idea of Jane as a mother in her head. "I see. I thought that you didn't want kids?"

As they continue down the path, Jane's face is illuminated by the full moon. "I didn't. At least I thought I didn't. I knew that I really did not want kids with Casey but I kind of never thought about it much after. But my mind is beginning to change. And there is someone that I do want kids with eventually."

Maura can't tell her if her fingertips are cold from the temperature outside or if she is nervous. "Was that person someone from your dream as well?"

Jane clears her throat. "Maura, before I answer that question, I want you to prepare yourself a bit. I know what I have to say next might be a little weird and I don't want to freak you out or anything. It was just a dream."

As she feels her concern for Jane begin to increase, Maura tells herself to calm down so she can focus on Jane's words. Maura responds, "I will try my best to hear you out."

Jane takes a deep breath. "I had a dream that I had three kids. Well, we had three kids. I was married to you." Jane takes another breath, using the pause to gauge Maura's reaction. Maura looks at Jane expectantly, willing her to continue. "We had a really good life. We were both older and had this really nice house by the ocean. We had two daughters that looked like us and a son that looked just like Frankie did when he was in high school."

Maura listens intently, suddenly remembering Jane's confession during her award ceremony. "Jane, is this your way of telling me you're attracted to me or are you just sharing a dream?"

Jane laughs, recalling Maura's reference to the night that they had first laid in a bed together.

They were over the Longfellow Bridge now, staring down into the dark water. The street lights were reflected in Maura's eyes, making her look even more ethereal. Jane places her walker to the side, grabbing on the railing of the bridge with her right hand and Maura with her left. She places her hand on Maura's waist and pulls her in, using her other hand to hold Maura's face as she shifts her weight onto Maura. They stay there for a few seconds, gazing into each other's eyes. Jane wants to remember this moment forever. She closes the distance, hovering above Maura's lips as they feel the tension. Both of their breaths become uneven and quick in anticipation for what is about to happen. For the last eight years, this is all that Jane Rizzoli has wanted to do. Jane presses her lips against Maura's, losing herself in the softness of the other woman's lips. Their height difference makes Maura have to stand on her tippy toes, but Jane doesn't mind. Jane realizes that she has been kissing the wrong people, because her body has never reacted this way to anyone else. She feels the fireworks that romance authors write about and her brain shuts down as a response to the overwhelming feelings that she is experiencing.

Jane pulls back only long enough to ask, "Does that answer your question?"

Maura pulls her back in, deepening the kiss until the both of them forget where they are. The sounds of the cars whooshing by fade and all Maura can hear is her own heartbeat in her ears. She had only imagined what kissing Jane Rizzoli would feel like and reality had exceeded all of her expectations.

After years of longing, Maura's lips were finally between Jane's.