Once outside, Jane took a deep breath of the fresh late autumn air. Maura shyly walked next to her before finally touching Janes hand and entwining fingers. Jane squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"What did you mean by you are going to sleep in the guest house tonight?" Maura finally broke the silence and tried to catch Janes eyes.

"Uh. I just thought that there is so much to process, that we might need some alone time." Jane shrugged but Maura kept her eyes fixed on her.

"Yes. Maybe it's a good idea." Maura slowly said. "And Marcella will want to have some time with her mama."

"You could come over to breakfast tomorrow though. That is if you want." Jane smiled, giving Maura's hand another squeeze.

"I would love that." Maura said. "Just text me when you are up and ready."

After a short walk they suddenly found themselves in front of an abandoned building. It was an old mansion which looked like it seen some centuries. Jane curiously walked around, the dry and frozen ground giving cracking sounds under her steps.

Maura followed her and almost bumped into the tall brunette when she abruptly stopped. There was an open window which led into the basement of the building. All the other windows and doors had been locked with cardboards, so they were surprised to find an open one.

"What do you think? Are we ready for a small adventure?" Jane asked with a wistful smile.

"Seeing the size of the house this will be a big adventure." Maura giggled gesturing at the mansion.

One of the things Jane loved about the doc was that she was in for any adventure. No matter if big or small. No matter what she was wearing. After sliding into the basement, she helped Maura down. They found themselves in a half dark room which was cramped with all sorts of equipment like most of the cellars are.

Jane pulled out her mobile and pushed a button to activate the flashlight app. They looked around the room, finding an old heater, skis, tennis rackets and much more sports equipment.

When they moved through a small aisle, they reached an indoor pool which was huge. They checked the mansion room by room, their fingers always interlocked. At one point they came into what looked a lot like a former ball room.

In the midst of it stood an old piano which had a magical attraction to Jane. The brunette lifted the lid to find all keys still in place. Her hand hovered briefly over the old wood before she dared to push one of the keys. The sound was still okay, which astonished her.

Becoming more daring she sat down to the little bench after swiping off some dust and began playing a melody. Maura who had been looking at a photo album on a cupboard across the room was surprised.

"I didn't know that you knew how to play piano." She said mesmerized. Jane gave her a small smile and was about to stop playing, when Maura begged her to continue. The long fingers took up their work. "I didn't know that I even still knew how to play." She replied.

"Why did you stop?" the blonde asked curiously.

Jane kept on playing, taking her time to reply the question. "Is it because of your scars?"

She knew that the subject would come up eventually. In fact, she was astonished of how long it had taken Maura the doc to ask for them. She glanced at her hands, the ugly scars which were decorating the back of them, and if one looked closely also the palms.

Jane took a deep breath. "Yes." She simply said, feeling Maura sitting down next to her and taking her hands into hers. The brunette felt nervous and wanted to rub them into her Jeans. Or even better: hide them. Never before had she let someone look at them for so long or so closely.

"Who did this?" Maura's eyes lifted while asking the question.

"It doesn't matter." Jane said, her mouth dry. "He's dead now."

"It must have hurt like hell. I assume the wounds were inflicted by a scalpel?" Maura asked, pain evident in her voice which made Jane study the doc. She usually refused talking about Hoyt and how Hoyt had kept her a hostage and how he had tortured her until Korsak had found and liberated her. The words were slowly coming out of her mouth and she even told Maura how she hadn't been able to work with Korsak anymore and demanded for a new partner after being sure that he wouldn't be able to trust her anymore after seeing her so weak.

All the while she was talking, Maura held her hand in hers. Her thumbs gently stroking over the scars on the palms which were facing them because they were turned upwards. Jane bit her lips before Maura caught them gently for a kiss.

"No one is invincible, Jane." Maura whispered against her mouth. "I have never seen a braver person than you. None of this is your fault. And it doesn't mean that you're weak." Maura continued in a soothing tone. Jane rolled her eyes towards the ceiling. She couldn't even count as to how many times she had heard these words before.

But for the first time they were reaching her soul. Tears fell down her cheeks and Maura gently wiped them away. Jane let her head fall onto Maura's shoulder, nuzzled into the warm neck, that smelled like lavender. Her tears kept flowing for what seemed like an eternity.

After a while she lifted her head and locked eyes with the doc who smiled gently. "Okay?" the doc asked, and Jane nodded, taking a deep sigh. "Okay." She said. She had shown herself at the most vulnerable, and it was okay she thought.

Her hands found their way back onto the keys of the piano and she wasn't surprised when another pair of hands appeared to join her. After repeating the moonshine sonata from Mozart three more times, Jane closed the lid again.

She stodd and stretched before she held out her hand. "Would you like to dance?" she asked, and Maura giggled. "There is no music Jane." She said.

"We don't need music, Maur." Jane suddenly felt lighthearted and it only took her three reassuring glances until the doc took her hand with a grin. Jane who had taken dancing lessons took the lead for a waltz. "Not bad for a blue-collar detective, hmm?" she teased, and Maura laughed gently.

"I always felt that you are far more than you let other people see. That's what I like about you Jane. Your curiosity never stops. There are no limits if something catches your attention. You are a brave and brilliant person."

"So are you Maur." Jane retorted the compliment. "and I like you for being so openminded to all of the nonsense in my mind."

"This is not nonsense." Maura scolded her. They stopped and looked around the room and its fantastic decoration. "It's a shame that people let things like this go to waste." Jane stated.

"It costs a lot of money to maintain it." Maura replied. "But I see what you mean."

"Hmmm. Lets go home, shall we? Its getting late already." Jane turned to her girlfriend. When Maura agreed they walked back to the basement and left the house through the window they had come in earlier.

R&I

The sun was setting when they reached the porch of Maura's home. For the first time in her life, Jane experienced the feeling of not wanting to go to work Monday. She wished the weekend would last forever and smiled at the new notion inside of her.

Angela was still there watching Marcella and greeted them by putting her finger to the mouth to tell them to be silent.

"She fell asleep half an hour ago." The matriarch whispered before hugging one after the other.

"Thanks ma." Jane said when it was her turn to be hugged.

"You're welcome. Its always a pleasure. She's such a sweet girl. Just like you at this age. An angel…." Angela winked and grabbed her purse.

And then Jane and Maura were suddenly alone in the house. Maura feeling as much of a stranger as Jane. They exchanged a shy smile. Marcella was asleep in the guestroom across the hall from the master bedroom.

"I should take her to her own bed." Jane stated reluctantly. Maura moved into her arms for a hug. "Do you want one last beer before you go?" she asked. The brunette nodded. "Kay." More shy smiles.

They were at home now she thought. As usual when coming from a visit to Maura, Jane felt odd. Despite Maura being there now, but the road trip had been a time without worries and sorrows. Not that they had any now. They had in fact been able to clear things up and had grown together.

But during the road trip, there had been no thoughts about work, coming out or anything else. Jane was scared for a moment that the bubble of their relationship would be threatened by the daily circumstances.

Maura who was just pouring herself a wine sensed Janes tension. She padded around the kitchen island to loosen up her sudden tenseness by giving her a massage. "Its going to be fine Jane. I'm not going to leave you." She whispered and Jane believed her. Her body relaxed instantly, and she nodded.

They settled into the comfortable couch and toasted to their future.