Author's Note: Thank you all so much for the reviews. I enjoy reading every single one. Thank you, Gina, for being my awesome editor, and thank you, Breyer, for being the best idea buddy. Without you two, this story would not be this amazing.
The honey blonde is brushing off her jeans, trying to fix the t-shirt she's just put on. Today's the day. Maura's going to try and talk to Jane; to tell her about why she stopped calling, about how much she misses her. She wants her best friend back. She grabs a jacket, slipping her arms into the sleeves, pulling it up on her shoulders, and finally putting her hair up. The M.E. considers cutting it, but decides against it. Heading out the door, she walks down the streets to work. There are a few bystanders, watching her, and a sudden wave of anxiousness washes over her. Why are they all watching? What… What's wrong with me?
She quickens her pace, seeing the BPD in the distance. After Detective Frost's sincere words and claim to give her time to tell the other, Maura feels a sudden surge of courage rushing through her veins. Telling Jane would change everything. It would make everything better. Her feet carry her to the elevator, riding up to Jane's floor to find Korsak alone.
"Jane's down below, Dr. Isles. Went to ask Pike somethin' or another. Though she did seem in a bad mood." The doctor looks at him, wondering about why she would be in a bad mood, but then again, Jane used to get that way when cases weren't looking very well.
"Thank you, detective." She gives him a soft smile, at which she notes surprise in his features. It is the first time she's smiled in a good while. Hope. Hope has filled her up, brought her to think that maybe, just maybe, this can work. If she can just tell Jane something, anything, then maybe things can head back to how they were before.
She rides the elevator down, down, down, until she reaches the morgue floor, taking a deep breath as the doors open. Maura saunters forward, holding her palms flat on her hips. Her heart rate increases, the nerves running rampant under her epidermis. The sound of footsteps approaches her from behind, but Dr. Isles avoids turning her attention, seeing Jane interrogating Pike.
"Pike, come on! We need more evidence!" The raven cuts to Maura, eyes boring holes into her being. Maura gives a soft sigh.
"Jane, I need to-"
"Save it. I already know about the abortion," Maura's jaw drops slightly, the information – that one piece of vital information – dropping like it's nothing of importance. Jane turns on her heel, arms crossing over her chest. "I thought you loved Ian, Maura, why would you abort his baby? Or did you sleep with one of the villagers? Of all the things, Maura, I never took you to be a whore." The detective's words sunk into the former chief medical examiner like a dull blade attempting to sever the ulnar nerve of the arm. The pain comes in waves, rushing over her in different increments each time. Maura is losing touch with herself, if only for a few moments.
Bullets are blasting everywhere, blazes seen in the distance. The smell of smoke and alcohol have settled into her nose, burning in her nostrils. Her eyes catch glimpses of Ian, moments before he disappears again. Her body aches, bones feeling stretched out of place. Pains flow like water, dipping into every crevice and filling up before draining away and repeating itself. Strange voices fill the area. Footsteps approach.
A hand is on Maura's shoulder as she jumps, turning around and pushing the hand off of her, fear dripping into her irises. Frost is there, sympathy ridden in his countenance. She trusted him, and he betrayed her trust. The first time in so long, she opens up, and she's used. Her eyes shift from him to the fires in Jane's eyes, turning away quickly, sprinting for the elevator. There is heat pressing all over her flesh, trying to cover her; suffocate her.
Her eyes flick to Jane's, who is still watching her, glaring. The hope she had entered with is gone, dissipated, and Maura doubts it will return again.