Author Notes: Thank you all for your interest and comments, etc. on the last chapter. I've been feeling really sad the last couple of days so it's taken me a little longer to finish this chapter than I would have liked.

Standing in front of Jane's desk, Maura placed her hands on her hips and stared. It took almost five minutes, and a smirk from Korsak, for Jane to respond. She glanced up, her eyes as tired as they had been a couple of weeks ago. She stared back, not quite focusing on Maura. Her heart sunk.

"We're going for coffee," Maura said, wrapping a hand around Jane's arm and tugging gently until she responded.

"I don't wanna go for coffee," Jane said, untangling her arm and sitting herself firmly back down on her chair. "We have a case."

"You always have a case," Maura said. "All cases can wait for you to finish drinking a cup of coffee. I'm sure Korsak can hold the fort."

He didn't respond, despite watching their every move. Maura cleared her throat and glared at him. "Yes, I can hold down the fort. Take a break, Rizzoli."

She turned back to her computer. "I'm fine."

"You've worked your ass off for two weeks straight," Korsak said. "I don't wanna see you for the rest of the day."

"No," Jane said.

"Are you disobeying direct orders, Detective Rizzoli?" He stood up, folded his arms across his chest and stepped toward her.

Jane rolled her eyes. "You're a pussy cat, Korsak. Don't play Sergeant with me."

"Then I'm gonna have to impose a leave of absence on you."

"What?" Jane stood up, her arms outstretched at her sides. "Why?"

"You look like shit. I didn't wanna tell you that because you're obviously dealing with something, but enough is enough. Maura wants to buy you a coffee, so let her buy you a damn coffee."

Picking up her jacket, Jane walked slowly across the room, her arms trailed by her sides. Maura smiled at Korsak, thankful for his insistence. It hurt to know that it took such brute force for Jane to finally spend some time with her.

By the elevator, Maura turned to Jane, her smile wide and hopeful. "Since you have the rest of the day off, how about we get lunch?"

"No, thanks."

Maura sighed. "You make it really hard for people to love you."

"Thanks, Maura." Jane rolled her eyes, sarcasm laced her voice. "I'm going home."

"You're not coming for coffee?"

"No."

The elevator doors opened. Maura stepped forward, Jane at her side. Once the doors closed around them, she turned to face her.

"I know what happened with Silver is really hurting you," Maura said.

Jane gritted her teeth. "I'm fine. It's not about Silver."

Maura shook her head. "Now you're lying to me and I do not appreciate that. This is what I mean when I said you make it difficult for people to love you. I am here for you. I want to be here to support you. You're make it really hard for me to do that. You act like nothing affects you, that it's fine."

"It is fine."

"What Korsak said was the most accurate description I can think of," Maura said. "You look like shit."

Jane raised an eyebrow. "Did you just say that?"

Ignoring Jane's surprise over her use of the vernacular, Maura persevered. "I know you well enough to know that you are not fine. You're like a duck; still above the water but paddling so fast underneath. Why won't you let me help you?"

"Cause I don't need help," Jane said, marching through the doors the second they opened. Maura struggled to keep up, her high heels not suitable for the fast pace at which Jane moved through the exit.

"I'm not going anywhere, Jane."

"Whoopee," Jane said.

Maura sighed. "Whatever is wrong, that is no reason to be rude to me. Just stop."

She continued walking down the street and away from the police department. Maura rushed along behind her, not wanting to lose her in the small crowd. She'd waited for two weeks, she'd given her space. Enough was enough. If she had to follow her all the way home, she would do.

"Please," Maura said, her voice strained. "Just stop."

Lowering her head, Jane stopped walking. Maura walked around to stand in front of her, to look her in the eye. Jane lifted her gaze, her eyes fixed on Maura's.

"Now what?" Jane asked, shrugging.

"Please let me be here for you."

"What's the point?"

Maura frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Talking to you won't change what's happening, it won't fix anything."

"Maybe it will help you feel better, to share what's going on."

Jane sighed. She clenched her fists at her sides. When she looked up again, she looked more fragile than Maura had ever remembered seeing her. "I'm gay, Maura."

A smile crept across Maura's face. She picked up her hand and lifted it up. "Is that why you've been hiding away recently?"

"Is that all you've gotta say?"

"There's nothing else to say," Maura said. "You're still Jane. Whether you identify as gay, or bisexual, or straight, it doesn't matter to me. What matters to me is that you're happy."

"I wish I felt that way."

Letting go of Jane's hand, Maura gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "What's the problem?"

"I have to tell people."

Maura narrowed her eyes. "Who says?"

"Now I know, I'm gonna have to tell other people. It's what people do, ain't it? I'm supposed to come out and tell the world that I, Jane Clementine Rizzoli, am a great big raging lesbian."

"Do you want to do that?"

"No." Jane shrugged. "I don't wanna have to tell people. It's none of their fucking business."

"Then you don't have to tell them."

"But," Jane began, before trailing off.

Maura ran her hand along Jane's shoulder. "You have reached a really significant place, you've realised who you are. I know that's scary. I know the thought of telling people is terrifying. You are the only person who matters in this, Jane. If you want to tell someone, tell them. If you don't, then don't. Nobody can make you."

"I guess."

"I am so proud of you," she said, wrapping her hands around Jane's back and pulling her in tightly.

"Thanks, Maur."

Maura stepped back, holding her at arm's length. "Is this really why you've been avoiding me?"

"I needed to work through it."

"You don't have to do that alone," Maura said, squeezing her shoulder. "You're not alone. You do know that, don't you?"

She smiled, a little light shined in her eyes. "Yeah. I know."

"Lunch?" Maura asked. Jane nodded.

x

Jane felt lighter. Despite her feelings about her sexuality still bottled up inside, she felt relieved to have shared them with Maura. She missed her. The last couple of weeks had been made up of work, eating, sleeping, and generally trying to avoid the thoughts that plagued her at two in the morning. She didn't think she'd be able to cope with another two weeks without her.

"We need to try again," Jane said, lay on Maura's couch.

"For a baby?" Maura asked, placing a cup of coffee on the table for Jane and carrying her own across to the chair beside her.

Jane turned her head to face Maura. "Yeah. I feel like everything's been getting in the way lately. My shit shouldn't be delaying this."

"I'd need to redo the math on when I'm ovulating."

"Let's do it now," Jane said, sitting up and clapping her hands together.

Maura raised an eyebrow. "You...wanna do math?"

"I wanna find out how soon I can knock you up."

"A week Tuesday," Maura said.

Jane frowned. "See, this is why you're the brains and I'm the brawn. I cannot do math that quickly."

"You're the brawn?" Maura asked. "I'd like to test that theory."

"You challenging my brawn-ness?"

"Maybe."

Jane stood up, her coffee abandoned as she walked across to the dining table. "Arm wrestle, right now."

"Only if you agree to do an IQ test," Maura said.

"Why?"

"I've always wondered what your IQ is, ever since you said you got into BCU. You may have chosen the physicality of being a police officer in young adulthood, but as an adult you're solving complex crimes."

"I'm no genius, Maur. Not like you," Jane said. "I'm not gonna be any sort of competition."

"No, maybe not, but I'd still like to know. Brains versus brawn."

"'K," Jane said, sitting down. Maura walked across the room and sat down beside her. "Doesn't really matter what my IQ is, baby's gonna have your brains."

Resting her elbow on the table, Maura clenched her hand. "It doesn't matter that the baby will not have your genes, he or she will still likely end up following baseball."

"He'd better do," Jane said. "Ready? One, two, three. Go."

Pushing with all her strength, Jane stared into Maura's eyes. She focused all of her attention on her whilst putting everything she had into wrestling her arm. If anyone had walked in, it might have looked just as much a staring competition as an arm wrestle. Jane swallowed, her throat was dry. She couldn't remember if she'd ever stared into her eyes for such a long time before. All she saw staring back was Maura's kindness, her sweet, loving self, in those beautiful hazel eyes. Jane tucked her lip into her mouth to stop her from licking her lips.

"You're good," Jane said. "Guess our kid won't have to worry about lack of strength."

"I ensure I remain in good physical health, not least so that if I was ever attacked I would be able to get away."

"That's a lesson our kid will need," Jane said. "If they get it from me it'll be punch first, think later."

With every second that passed by, the harder it was to retain full physical strength. Jane felt her arm weaken and with the briefest slip in concentration, Maura pushed her hand down against the table. Jane stared at her, her mouth agape.

"You beat me."

Maura smiled. "I anticipate if we did a complete full body workout, you would pip me to the post."

"Wouldn't count on it," Jane said. "I eat too many burgers."

"You're very strong," Maura said. "I imagine if we were to repeat this exercise on several different occasions, you would beat me overall."

"Maybe."

"I didn't do the math that quickly," Maura said. "I've been keeping track of my ovulation periods, ready for when we try again."

Jane returned to the couch, she lay back down. "That's alright, I let you win."

"Did you really?" Maura asked, walking back across the room.

Jane pouted. "No."

"Move over," Maura said, standing over her.

"No."

"No?"

"You didn't say please."

"Please, move over," Maura said.

Jane sat up. Maura slipped onto the couch beside her. Leaning back again, Jane rested her head against Maura's lap.

"This okay?" she asked, rolling onto her side.

"Yes," Maura said. "It's okay."

x

A couple of hours later, Maura stroked Jane's hair back from her face, absentmindedly running a hand through her hair as she slept. She didn't move, trapped under Janes sleeping head. The sun had set, the house grew dark. Maura re-read the only piece of literature she had in close proximity. The front door opened and Cailin entered the house.

Maura twisted round. "Did you have a nice time with your friends?"

"I did. What's going on?" she asked, quietly, signalling to Jane.

"She's sleeping."

"I can see that."

Maura raised an eyebrow. "Do not read more into this than is necessary. Jane's not been sleeping well lately."

"You're a good friend, Maura," Cailin said, giving her shoulder a brief squeeze. "I'm gonna head to bed. Are you still okay with me coming to work with you tomorrow?"

"Of course. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Cailin disappeared up the stairs. Maura slid her hand around Jane's cheek and brushed her thumb across her skin. She tugged the blanket off the back of the chair and tossed it over her body, tucking it up around her shoulders. Carefully, she untangled herself from Jane's side and placed a pillow beneath her head.

"Sweet dreams," she whispered and kissed her on the cheek.

x

"Morning sleepyhead."

Jane sat up. She could hear a voice but she couldn't see the person attached to it, nor did she recognise it. She rubbed her eyes and glanced around the room. Her eyes landed on Cailin, stood at the foot of the couch.

"You want eggs for breakfast?"

"Cailin?" Jane asked. "Am I dreaming? What are you doing here?"

She laughed. "It's not a dream, I arrived a couple days ago."

Jane scratched her head. "I didn't know."

"Scrambled?" Cailin asked.

"Yes, please." Jane stood up, stretching upwards. She rubbed a couple of pressure points on her back. "Where's Maura?"

"Showering. There's fresh coffee, if you want."

"Gimme," Jane said, smiling at Cailin. She lowered herself onto a stool at the counter and wrapped her hands around the mug Cailin pushed into her hands. "Thanks."

"I thought you were gonna sleep all morning," she said, cracking a couple of eggs into a bowl and whisking them.

"I feel like I already did."

"Maura was ready to wake you but I told her to shower, let you sleep longer."

"You weren't here last night," Jane said. "Maura didn't tell me you'd arrived."

"I was out with some friends I met when we came over here a few years back. It was nice to catch up."

"How long you here for?"

"That depends," Cailin said, stirring the eggs as they cooked. "After Mom, I don't really feel up to going back to university right now."

"You gonna stay here?"

"Maura and I haven't discussed it."

"I'm sure she'd love having you here," Jane said. "She's really enjoyed getting to know you again."

Cailin smiled and scraped the eggs onto a plate. She placed it in front of Jane along with a fork. "Me too."

"Thanks," Jane said, digging in.

Sitting down beside her, Cailin sipped on her own mug of coffee. "Maura told me about your girlfriend, I'm sorry."

"She…told you?" Jane choked on a mouthful of eggs. She coughed in an attempt to clear it.

"I'm sorry," Cailin said. "Maybe I shouldn't have told you that. She wasn't betraying your trust, or anything. She was concerned. She wanted someone to talk to and I was there."

"Guess it's just still new for me," Jane said, taking a long, deep breath. Knowing Cailin knew was more of a surprise than knowing Maura had told her. She didn't mind, she just didn't entirely expect it. "Still trying to understand it all myself."

"She's been worried."

"I know." Jane stared down at the eggs on her plate. "It's been hard to talk about, to anyone."

"Something smells nice," Maura said. "Are there any left for me?"

"I was just waiting for you to finish showering," Cailin said, standing up and returning to the frying pan.

"I can do it," Maura said.

"It's fine. Let me, please."

"Okay." Maura poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down beside Jane. "I may have forgotten to mention that Cailin was here."

"You think?" Jane pushed her empty plate out in front of her. "You may have also forgotten to mention that you've been talking about me."

"I have?"

Jane raised an eyebrow. "About Silver."

"What about Silver?"

"You told Cailin."

"Oh." Maura frowned. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, I was worried."

"It's fine," Jane said, smiling. "I don't mind. I'm just joking with you."

"Are you sure?"

"'Course. It's not like you told Korsak or Frankie."

"I'd never tell them, not unless you asked me to."

Jane's phone buzzed on the kitchen counter, and as if on cue, Maura's followed suit.

Jane picked up her phone at the same time as Maura, "Rizzoli."

"Isles."

x

"This is exciting," Cailin said, stepping over fallen tree trunks. "Do you always get cases like this?"

"Cases like what?" Maura asked. "Which factor about this case are you alluding to?"

"In the middle of woodland, where you have to climb through the forest to reach the body."

Jane rolled her eyes and swatted a mosquito buzzing around her face. "I'd rather we got less of them."

"The majority of our cases are in urban areas," Maura said. "I do not have access to exact statistics, however."

Maura walked across a pile of sodden leaves, thankful she kept a pair of sneakers in her vehicle for this very reason. As they approached the body, Maura placed her medical bag on the floor and snapped on a pair of gloves. The officer stood beside the body held his nose, whilst a crime tech ran his fingers across his face on multiple occasions.

"What is that smell?" Jane asked, turning back around and placing her hand across her face. Cailin closed her eyes and repeated her action.

Maura knelt down. "There is extensive decomposition. This body has likely been here for a couple of months."

"So no time of death," Jane said.

"No time, or date until I've done more analysis," Maura said.

She ran a finger across the man's bloated cheek, then picked up his hand. His fingernails, what was left of them, were full of dirt. Maura returned to his face. She lifted each eyelid, one at a time, shone a light into his nostrils, then opened his mouth.

"Help me roll him over," Maura said.

Jane knelt down at the other end of the body, pulled on a pair of gloves and helped to roll the victim over. Maura ran her gloved hands across the back of his skull. Still covering her faces, Cailin watched her as she worked.

"This man was buried alive."

"Seriously?" Jane asked.

"He has dirt under his fingernails, and he has dirt in ever orifice. I don't know how long he's been under the ground for but this was almost certainly murder."

"You can tell that just by looking at him?" Cailin asked.

Maura stood up and tugged off her gloves. "There are defence wounds on his hands suggesting some sort of struggle. The dirt under his nails suggest he was either digging by hand before he was killed and buried, or he was buried and he attempted to dig his way out. He has a wound on the back of his head that doesn't appear to be fatal. I will need to do more tests, but I am certain."

"Wow. Can I help with the autopsy?"

Running a hand across Cailin's arm, Maura smiled. "Only if you'll at least consider the lesser cared for specialisms."