Maura knocked shyly on the door of the small, one story home, letting her mind wander to the last couple of weeks.

January had turned into February, and the two women had grown closer over rushed coffees between Maura's classes and the occasional take out lunch when the blonde surprised her friend at work. They had exchanged phone numbers and were constantly in touch. They talked about anything and everything. Maura's favorite thing was when Jane texted her something encouraging when she knew Maura was studying extra hard for something or was working long volunteer hours at the school clinic's front desk.

As Maura heard some scuffling behind the oak door, she thought back two days to when they were walking back to the library, each carrying an espresso as Maura was just about to drop Jane back at work after their lunch.

The two women stopped at the back service entrance to the library and Jane suddenly looked nervous.

"What's wrong?" Maura asked

"Uh... I have a question."

"Yes?"

"I've been meaning to ask you for some time now, and I've never been able to find the right moment."

Maura's heart started to race rapidly as her mind thought over what kind of questions Jane would want to ask.

"Just ask me, Jane. Anything." she pushed gently, hoping that she could blame her pink, blushed cheeks on the cold Boston winds that blew through campus.

"Uhhh..." Jane breathed before smiling widely, "You wanna meet my kid?"

Maura heard the dulcet timber of Jane's voice speaking just behind the door before it opened.

Jane stood before her, sock-footed, in a pair of straight leg jeans, an oversized sweater and her hair pulled back in a loose pony. The brunette smiled brightly, "Hey there."

She opened the door wider to let Maura in before shutting it.

"Welcome to Casa Rizzoli. Take your shoes off and let me take your coat."

"Here." Maura handed Jane a box of chocolates she'd been holding behind her, in the shape of a heart. "I didn't know what to bring, and tomorrow is Valentine's day, so I thought I'd just grab chocolate." Maura shrugged off her coat and slipped her boots off while Jane hung it up.

Jane took the box with a chuckle. "You can never go wrong with chocolate."

"Thank you for inviting me over."

"Yeah, come on in, someone is being very shy today."

The two young women turned the corner into a small living room. There was a long couch and a lounge chair facing a TV with a coffee table in the middle of it all. Covering the coffee table were coloring books, crayons and various other children's books. A small girl sat on the couch, looking very shy as she turned her head to watch her mother and the strange woman walk into the living room.

"Hales. This is my friend from school, the one I told you about. Her name is Maura." Jane walked up to the couch and lifted her daughter to stand on the arm rest, almost eye level with Jane. "Can you say hi to Maura?"

Maura smiled kindly at the little girl who was a spitting image of her mother. Curly, sandy blonde ringlets adorned a small head with dark brown eyes.

"Hi Miss Maura." Haley held her hand out to be shaken.

Maura shook it softly, with a chuckle, "Hello Haley."

Jane commented, "She calls everyone Miss. Ma really drills the manners into her."

The little girl smiled shyly, "You can call me Haley Mae."

Maura amended with a brighter smile than before, "Hello Haley Mae."

Jane squeezed Haley's side playfully, and stage-whispered in her daughter's ear, "What were we supposed to ask Maura?"

Haley's eyes lit up, "Do you like mac and cheese?"

The med student laughed, "I love mac and cheese!" she played up a little to gain the affection of the child, "How did you know?"

The entire evening went very well in Maura's eyes. The girl warmed up to her quickly, and chatted away about "Valleytimes" day the next day and how she and her mama had been writing in cards all afternoon for all her classmates. Haley looked up into hazel eyes with a bright smile, "Would you like a valleytimes card Miss Maura?"

Maura's heart melted, "I would love one. Would you make one for me?"

Haley Mae's smile brightened even further, "YAS! Momma will help!"

Maura couldn't help but laugh along with the five year old; she was very infectious.

"Do you have a Valentine?" Maura asked as Haley chowed down on a piece of chocolate her mother had given her from Maura's gift. The three were sat on the floor around the coffee table, sharing the box of chocolate "Is there a little boy you like?"

Haley's nose scrunched in distaste, "I don't like boys. Boys are smelly and gross." The little girl looked up at her mother, "Right, Mama?

Jane nodded mock-seriously, "They are very smelly and gross."

"My best friend is my Valleytime. Shelly is her name." Haley suddenly looked seriously up at her mother, "Mama, is Emmy gonna be your Valleytime again."

Jane blushed furiously; her eyes darting to Maura's for a split second before she leaned down slightly, "Uh…" she spoke quietly to her daughter, "Emmy moved back to New York, remember? She can't be my Valentine."

Haley looked a little sad, but nodded as she tried to sneak another chocolate from the box.

"Heya, hold on there, little grabby fingers." Jane chuckled as she swooped the box from reach, "I think it's time someone got their PJ's on."

Haley pursed her lips but agreed, "Okay Mama." Little feet trudged down the hall and out of sight.

Jane finally dared a look at Maura. The blonde sat on the floor a few feet away, looking at the empty glass in her hands like it held something very important.

Jane chuckled humorlessly, "I can't believe I just got outed by a five year-old."

The blonde didn't know what to say. Her heart was overjoyed that Jane was detached and didn't have a husband. Then she was happy because it didn't sound like she even had a girlfriend. But, then what if Jane didn't feel the same kind of feelings that were bubbling up slowly in Maura's heart? What if Jane didn't see Maura in the same way Maura saw her? All of Maura's happiness was short lived and replaced with anxiety.

The brunette looked up at the woman across from her, "Maura, I know that this can sometimes come as a surprise to people, seeing as I had a kid with a guy, and I'm also... gay. I'm sorry that I didn't say anything sooner. Honestly I didn't want to scare you off. I like you a lot, and I thought we could be good friends." Jane sighed and her voice trailed off, "And I don't have many of those."

The med student stood suddenly and then hesitated a moment, "I don't want to intrude any longer, Jane."

Confused brown eyes looked up at her friend, "What?"

"Haley is going to bed soon and I think I should be heading home."

Jane jumped up and followed Maura to the front door. "Maura?"

"Thank you for inviting me over and thank you for dinner. I had a lovely time, but I think it's time that I head home. I have a paper to write for tomorrow that I haven't started on." Little red spots started to appear on Maura's chest, but were covered by the coat she was pulling on quickly. Maura had a slight inability to lie, and when she did, it gave her hives.

"Maura, wait…let's talk about this."

Panic was settling in deep to Jane's bones as Maura almost ran from Jane's house.

"Maura please!"

"Good night Jane." The blonde mumbled as she walked out the front door

Jane could only watch as Maura slipped into her car and sped off.

"Mama? Where's Miss Maura?" the girl had come back out, now dressed in princess pajamas, holding a small stack of red construction paper and crayons.

The brunette just stared out the front door with sad eyes, "She went home baby."

Haley pouted and sighed, "But I didn't get to say goodnight!"

"Me either baby, me either."