„So, what are you going to do when you're finished?" Jane asked as she shoved a fry into her mouth. Maura stole one from her and shrugged. "I have an internship at a hospital in France."

Jane raised an eyebrow. As much as she didn't want it to, it still hurt her. It wasn't as if they were together or so. She couldn't even say what they were, but she didn't want Maura to go to another place.

It also bothered her, that Maura didn't seem to be bothered by their separation at all. The blonde told her all about her fancy job and Jane listened in silence while pushing her plate away. She wasn't hungry anymore.

"What are you going to do after college?" Maura asked and stole another fry. She glanced at Jane who shrugged. "I want to become a detective." She said, taking a long sip from her soda can.

"I'm sure that you are going to be a great detective." Maura said and Jane became angry despite knowing that Maura probably meant it. "I don't know." She shrugged and studied the blonde as the mood in between them shifted remarkably.

Maura hadn't promised Jane anything. They had just met and bonded somehow. Jane didn't want to be angry or hurt but she couldn't help. And as their talk turned weird, they decided to call it a night.

R&I

Back to square one! She thought as she walked to the campus the next morning. Maura had lifted her spirit, had made her forget about her problems. But now they had returned. She wasn't living up to expectations, a fool that wasn't enough. She kicked a stone from the sidewalk and recalled the doctor's statement that she had to decide for one side, for one gender. Was this really the solution or was she – Jay or Jane – simply not enough for this world.

"Hey. You okay?" she heard Maura's voice as she kicked another stone away.

"Sure." She said and glanced at the blonde that walked up to her.

"You're not falling in love with me are you?" Maura asked as if it was a bad thing. Was Jane falling in love with her? Yes, she thought and realized that she had another problem.

"No, what makes you think that?" she asked, and Maura shrugged.

"I just thought that we should talk about this before it's too late. I'm not looking for a relationship. Just company." She shrugged and Jane nodded. "So am I." she said and saw ha satisfied grin on Maura's face.

"Okay. So we are good then?" she asked and their ways parted after Jane had led out another "Sure!"

R&I

Their next encounter was on the stairs to the lecture of legal and justice Monday morning. Jane had had a good game, doing a good job replacing Dougan who had broken his shoulder and who wouldn't be back until the next season.

The coach had been proud of her and the rest of the team had celebrated her as a hero. Yet Jane wasn't happy she thought as she sat down next to Maura. "You can still go to the first row." She whispered to the blonde, pointing to some empty seats.

Maura chuckled. "I can manage from here. This is the only class left we have together, and I enjoy your company." Jane looked into twinkling hazel eyes and said nothing more. Maybe it was stupid to behave like as if Maura was already gone, she thought. Maura would leave and forget her anyway. But right now, Maura wanted her company, and she was still here. So why not enjoy the time they had left?

There was so much she wanted to show Maura. Like the field where her father used to practice throwing balls with her and Frankie. Or the secret pond with the deck and the swing. Although knowing that Maura would never use it to swing into the pond, she wanted her to see it.

"Jay?" she heard Maura's whispered voice and glanced over. "Yeah?" she asked, and Maura tugged at her arm. "I thought we could have pizza afterwards. Or maybe burgers?" she whispered, and Jane nodded. "Of course. Whichever you prefer." She smiled at the blonde who mirrored her warm smile.

"Movie later?" Maura asked in another whisper and Jane nodded. "How about the cinema? The play the latest Stephen King." Jane offered and Maura agreed.

R&I

Jane felt Mauras fingers entwine with hers as they left the dark room when the credits were rolling down the screen. It was getting late and they stood on the walkway in front of the movie theater shuffling their feet.

"I need to go home. There's an exam tomorrow." Jane silently said. Their fingers were still entwined, and Maura nodded. "So, I won't be able to convince you to come to my place?" she asked, and Jane shook her head. "Unfortunately, not. If I want to become a detective, I have to study hard." She explained and Maura accepted it.

It was the truth. Jane had an exam the next day, but as she wouldn't learn anyways that evening she could have gone to Maura's place. But she was not in the mood, feeling a bit low at the perspective that Maura would be gone soon.

"Okay then." Maura sighed and Jane felt for the first time that Maura was fighting their upcoming separation as well. "How about meeting tomorrow afternoon?" she asked, and the hazel eyes lightened up a bit.

"Sounds good. At the coffeeshop around 2?" Jane asked and Maura agreed to be there. They smiled at each other again and Jane had the feeling that Maura had fallen in love with her as well. But it was too late now. They had three more weeks before the blonde would leave the states.

"We just make good use of our time." Jane whispered as she bent to kiss Maura's cheek. "Yes, we will." Maura sighed before turning and leaving Jane alone on the sidewalk. The brunette huffed silently and turned to walk to the opposite direction where her parents house was.

R&I

The coffeeshop was almost empty when Jane walked inside. Maura wasn't there yet, and she ordered herself a cappuccino which she took to their usual table on the terrace. She lit a cigarette and watched the people on the street.

She hadn't been Jane since meeting Maura and her mother kept scolding her for that. But Jane bravely ignored it. "At least you take care of your beard!" her mother had pouted the evening before and Jane had smiled sadly. "Yeah, at least something." She had murmured between gritted teeth. She cut it regularly and kept it short.

Some of her teammates had wild beards just for the sake of fun. There was even a bet as to whom would have the longest in two weeks. Jane wanted nothing to do with it. She wanted her beard nice and neat.

She felt a soft touch to her shoulder and turned to see Maura walk around her to sit in her spot. There was the usual soy latte without sugar and a cone of ice cream. Jane would never get why Maura didn't take sugar in her coffee when the ice cream in her hand was full of it.

Yet she didn't comment but greeted with a mischievous grin. Maura wiggled her eyebrows. "What?" she asked, licking her ice cream slowly. "How about an excursion?" Jane asked and Mauras eyes widened.

"Seriously Jay. I'm not in the mood." Maura whined as Jane persisted. She finally gave up and they walked back to Maura's apartment to have some more fun before it was time to go home.

"How was the exam?" Maura asked as they lay half naked on the rug.

"Good. I think that I've passed." Jane stated and let her fingers lazily dance over Mauras belly.

"How was your day?" she asked, and Maura chuckled. "Well, I finished my thesis. If I had had more time I would have filled some more pages."

"Don't you think that 800 pages is already enough?" Jane chuckled, knowing that Maura had been expected to write 400 to 500.

"Its such an interesting subject." Maura whined and Jane laughed.

"Do you want to leave me alone so that you can add to your thesis?" she asked and felt Mauras mind working on the question.

"No." Maura said. "I'd prefer to do something else instead." Her voice was sultry, and Jane laughed. "Again?" she asked teasingly with raised eyebrows, and Maura huffed before leaning in to kiss Jane. "I can't get enough of you Jay." She whispered into Jane's ear, leaving a pleasant shiver behind.