A/N - first of all, thank you everyone for the wonderful reviews this story had on my last update. I meant to respond to those I could individually, but I'm afraid it's a slap on the wrist for me - so I hope this makes up some for it. As promised, here is another chapter for you. A lot lighter (at least, I hope you agree once you've read it) than the previous one. I loved Fred and Mark so much, they had to make a reappearance.

Also, thank you to all my readers, even if you haven't reviewed. I had a number of new followers, or favorite story alerts occur since I began updating this again. Believe me, as much as I love reviews, just knowing this is being read is also a huge boost.

Oh and a little reference to S3E1 here.

Finally, once again thank you Honorcpt and CrackdownDraco who both helped with beta work and make possible suggestions. If there are any mistakes, it's my fault, and I will apologize in advance - I will try and edit at a later date. Although I am copying across using the iPad, which is slightly more fraught with the chances of mistakes. I can only hope it all works as it is supposed to!

Chapter twelve

"Ma!" Jane croaked out as the older woman enveloped her daughter in a hug, barely giving them time to walk through the door. "Ma. Need. To. Breath!"

"Oh hush you! Why didn't you tell us you were coming home! We've been here, sitting, worrying! You could'va let your mother's know what you were doing. Is that tooooo much to ask? Is it? And Maura..." Angela broke her hold, and rushed to Maura, before she was also caught up in a bear hug.

"Ma, let Maura breath as well. For the love of Pete..." Jane grabbed one of Angela's arms, and tugging managed to get her to let Maura go. Maura sucked in a breath, before she smiled as her mother, using a cane, slowly walked over.

"Darling."

Maura leaned in gently to hug Constance, not wanting to hurt her, as they then exchanged kisses on cheeks, and found she had tears misting in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away, before taking another deep breath. "Mother, its wonderful to see you. Particularly since you're now up and about. Let's all go into the sitting room."

Constance smiled, and with her free hand, she grasped one of Maura's as they moved into the room to sit down. All except Angela who rushed to the kitchen, and put the kettle on. She pulled mugs out, her smile radiating. Jane and Maura meanwhile settled down on the couch, as Constance settled in the one armchair.

Angela finished making drinks, and quickly settled on the other armchair. She leaned forward, her face alight with pure delight.

"So, you two together now, ya know a couple?"

"MA!" Jane managed, her stomach clenched in dread.

"What?" Angela threw up her hands, "You wanna sit there and pretend nothing happened before all this? I wanna know."

Jane could see the calculation circling her mother and knew whatever was happening would be swift and unrelenting. She sighed heavily.

"Yeah Ma, we're a couple and we're working on it..."

Jane didn't get any further as Angela literally propelled herself out of the chair, embracing Jane within seconds, causing Jane to fall back into the couch awkwardly.

"Ma..." Jane's voice was muffled as she tried to push Angela off her. "For Christs sake... MA!"

Angela held on for a while longer before she moved and hit Jane solidly on the arm.

"Ow, what the hell?"

"That young lady is for putting us through this shit! You couldn't do it the easy way? Oh no, you had to go half way across the world into a sand plagued, mosquito infested, war torn..."

"Hey, blame Maura for that one, not me!"

"Maura only went there because of you..."

"Actually Angela, it was my choice, Jane could hardly be blamed for that." Maura spoke up quickly, seeing Jane getting steam rolled by Angela.

Angela moved, and before Maura could do anything about it, she was being held in a vice like grip.

"My babies are back, I'm so happy I could scream it out from the rooftops. And you don't have to defend Janie in this! And she's dating a doctor."

"MA!" Jane pulled on Angela's arm, and she finally released her hold.

Jane then stood up, and stomped across to the kitchen, where she proceeded to grab a bottle of red wine, opening it, and handing a large poured glass to Maura, a beer in hand, before she then sat back down again, but not before plonking the wine bottle and a spare bottle of beer down on the coffee table.

Angela watched Jane, eyes narrowed, before she sat back down in the armchair with a very audible huff.

"So, you're going back to work then?"

Maura looked across at Jane, unsure quite whom the question was directed to, and seeing Jane slumped in the couch, a scowl on her face, she decided to answer.

"Although Jane's suspension ends in five days time, she's already spoken to Lieutenant Cavanaugh..."

"So he knows you're back, but your own mothers have only just been told!" Angela screeched, "Holy mother Mary, Jesus and Joseph," Angela quickly crossed herself, with a look to the heavens, before her eyes dropped back down and she looked pointedly at Jane, "Have I taught you nothing? I thought I'd brought you up better than this. Whaddya thinking? "

"That we could avoid this kind of shit." Jane grumbled, and she threw up a hand and scowled even more as Maura shot her a look to show she was only stoking the fire with a comment like that.

"Janie!" Angela shook her head, "Show some respect." Her eyes then narrowed and she turned deliberately to Maura, whose eyebrows shot up as her eyes widened, a slightly worried look showing.

"So, why didn't you feel you could see us the moment you got back? Huh?"

"It was... " Maura stuttered, before looking helplessly at Jane, who was shaking her head.

"Seriously Ma, we have a lot to do and a lot going on. We wanted certain stuff in place before we saw you, including me taking a few extra days vacation so Maura and I go back to work the same day."

"I'm still disappointed in you - both of you." Angela finally sat back, "So, what is happening between you two?"

"We're seeing a counselor." Maura blurted out, then a look somewhere between horror and apology showed as she glanced at Jane, who seemed to sink further back into the couch.

"Oh Jesus, just when I thought it couldn't get any worse." Jane muttered, and then was enveloped again by Angela.

"Eww! Ma!"

"You know, your father and I went to see a marriage counselor once." Angela declared as she held on tight.

A very muffled, "You did?" Could be heard from Jane, who was curled up as much as possible, but still firmly in the clutches of Angela.

"Mmm."

"Wow, that was money well spent!"

"Janie! Do you wanna hear this or not?"

"Not - not in a million years."

"I'll stop hugging you if you or Maura tell me your story!"

All the fight seemed to drain out of Jane, "Okay, okay, okay! Get off, get off."

Angela moved off, a satisfied look on her face.

Jane meanwhile simply glared, "If you interrupt, or hug me or Maur again, I'm done and we're outta here! Understand!"

"Lips, sealed." Angela motioned with her hands as if she were turning a key on her lips, as she moved back to her chair.

"Mmmm." Jane felt it was the safest response, but also knew it wasn't likely to shut her mother up. God she needed another drink.

Maura watched the interaction closely and she could tell Constance was just as intrigued. It never ceased to amaze her that Jane was such a solid detective, someone who had faced down serial killers, violent criminals and extreme stalkers. Yet, her mother was the one person who could and would often set Jane on edge. More than that, Maura realized, Angela could put the fear of God in Jane like no other.

Angela listened in rapt fascination as Jane tried to condense the time spent finding Maura, and their return home as quickly as possible. Even Constance looked surprised by some of the story, and while they both knew of the Pibor incident, it still worried them both as Maura spoke up to give her version of events there.

Angela finally got up, and surprised Jane by gently kissing them both on the cheek, a hand then cupping their jaws, eyes misted with unshed tears. "I love you both!"

Angela then sat back down, looking at both women carefully. "So you had sex yet?"

Jane choked on her last swallow of beer, Maura giving her a helpful pat on the back.

"Joking!" Angela then said, a wide grin on her face, before she looked thoughtful again, "Kinda joking."

"Maura, can we please go home?" Jane knew she was whining but she didn't care one iota.

"Janie, you stay right here. You've only just come back and now you wanna abandon us! Not happening." Angela said, a grin still on her face, "And so, c'mon, tell us more about you. As in you two being together."

"Ma, nope, that is not going to happen." Jane said firmly, as Angela looked like a shark having scented fresh blood in the water.

"Oh well, if you insist."

"I insist!" Came the overly loud reply, as Jane then finally blew out a breath as Angela settled back into her chair.

Then Angela could barely contain the excitement in her voice, "Maura, I've been meaning to tell you, I've been shopping with your Mother! We went to some wonderful boutiques." Angela's eyes went slightly out of focus as she remembered the last couple of days.

Maura smiled, pleased to see that the conversation was apparently steering away from her and Jane, "Really? I didn't think the spring lines were in place until next week, although obviously, I've been a little out of touch recently."

"Oh they are already in place dear." Constance finally spoke, leaning forward slightly, her eyes twinkling. "Much of what I saw in Milan and Paris is now available."

Thinking about her upcoming shopping trips, Maura ran her tongue around her teeth, before nibbling her bottom lip, as Jane just rolled her eyes in an overly dramatic fashion, causing Maura to chuckle at her antics.

"Constance was brilliant!" Angela gushed, "She knows I have a different style than you would Maura, and she really helped me pick out some wonderful classic lines, but with such great colors. Stuff I never would have thought to have bought before. I have a wonderful linen skirt in a dusky pink."

"Dusky pink?" Maura replied, intrigue in her voice.

"Dusky pink!" Jane said, horror in hers.

Ignoring Jane, Angela nodded, "It's wonderful. Conservative Jazz is what the saleswoman told me. Sexy lady of the manor is what I call it, ya know."

"Oh god I'm gonna be sick."

"Jane, honestly." Angela said, a frown now on her face, "Just because you don't know if you wanna talk to Maura or jump her bones right now, don't take it out on us! Besides Sean really likes what I've bought."

That brought Jane up short, as she blinked rapidly, "Sean?" She hated her voice went all croaky on her. "What the hell has my boss got to do with you and your new outfits!?" Jane demanded.

"We like to... spend time together." Angela said, as she stiffened, daring Jane to make more of it, and decided to really push her buttons, "I love it when we play bad cop with a suspect."

Jane pushed her fingers into her eyes as they twitched. She was trying to get around what her mother had just said, "Oh my god, you totally have perverted sex games with my boss!" Jane said more to herself, as Angela smirked.

Angela then stood up, smoothing down her pants, before looking at her watch, "And on that note, I've gotta go sleep. I'm on early tomorrow and opening up the café."

Jane watched as Angela walked out towards the guest house. She moved and grabbed the glass of wine in Maura's hand, having no beer left, giving Maura, who had a grin on her face, a hard glare. She downed the contents in one; then scowled at Maura and Constance, who was also trying to smother her own grin. "The first one who says anything about that little conversation eats this glass!"

Jane stumbled towards her apartment front door, trying not to trip over her socks, which were somehow trying to come off her feet, a scowl firmly in place.

"Whoever the hell this is, they better have a fucking good reason to be hauling my ass outta bed..."

Still grumbling, Jane flung the door open, not even bothering to check who had their fist firmly banging on the door. She almost landed flat on her ass as she was engulfed, and it took all her strength to keep her and her attacker upright.

"Jesus Christ, are you trying to kill both of us?" Jane then asked, as she watched Mark walk inside, closing the door behind him, as Fred clung on to her for dear life. "What in the fuck are you doing here?"

Fred stepped back slightly, hands still firmly gripping Jane's forearms, "Well, that's a lovely greeting if ever there was one. We come all the way back here, fighting through blood, sweat and tears..."

"Oh for crying out loud!" Jane shook her head, and couldn't contain the laugh that was bubbling up at Fred's dramatics, "C'mon in properly and make yourself at home. I'll just go and let Maura know you're here."

Jane need not have bothered, as a rumpled looking Maura, her hair tousled slightly from sleep, in her silk pajamas came wandering in, stifling a yawn.

"Jane what on earth is going..." Maura didn't get any further as she spotted Mark and Fred, who both began to head her way.

She squealed in delight as Fred picked her up, twirling her around, before putting her back down, kissing her lightly, as Mark then moved in, giving her a hug.

"Well, this is an unexpected surprise." Maura said rather breathlessly.

"Ya think?" Jane said, holding back her laugh, as she moved towards her coffee machine. She looked up as Maura led Mark and Fred towards her couch. "I don't have any black tea here, just some fragrant stuff Maura likes sometimes."

"Jasmine tea, honestly, you should know what it is by now." Maura said, as she settled down on the couch, Fred and Mark either side.

Mark twisted around to look at Jane, "Coffee for us both is fine. As long as it's got an obscene amount of sugar in it for Fred, none for me. Cream in both please."

"Coffee it is."

Finally, Jane made the coffee, and pulling a small armchair across, she sat on it, while Maura, Fred and Mark stayed on the couch.

"So, what brings you here?" Jane finally asked. "We've only been back a few days."

"We were due to fly back from this term in a few weeks time, having already done eighteen months, and with the on-going attacks on outlying camps, we were told we could come back earlier if needed, since there is now plenty of medical cover in the main compound, since so many doctors and nurses have had to come back. While I think of it, Michele sends her love, as does Alice. Both are staying in camp to help out. One reason we've been able to leave, since Alice has taken over the work Fred had, while Michele is now taking on my patients, as well as any new ones who come in."

"Enough about us, what has happened with you two?" Fred asked quickly.

Fred could hardly stop fidgeting as he listened to Jane and Maura talk about their time back in Boston. He finally laughed loudly at hearing Maura recanting the meeting with Constance and Angela.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up at my expense." Jane said with a shake of her head.

"You have to admit, it is funny." Fred gasped, holding back fresh laughter at Jane's glare in his direction.

"No, it's not.'

"Almost as funny as that time we ended up swimming naked in Grant's pool."

Maura immediately blushed, and Jane perked up, "Oh yes, what's this about?"

Seeing that Maura had not divulged the incident, Fred lightly clapped his hands together, "Grant is an old school buddy of Mark's, his family own most of Cheshire..." Seeing Jane's blank look, he clarified, "It's one of our counties in England."

Nodding her understanding, Jane leant forward in rapt fascination, "So, although the main family home is in Cheshire, Grant has a place in Kent, not far outside of London. Like Mark, he went into medicine after school and is now a specialist-" Mark paused, "And of course you're not in the least bit interested in this."

"Well, duh," Jane said, with a light roll of her eyes.

"Anyway, in his gaff in Kent, which is huge, he's got an indoor pool. So, Mark and I are getting married - well Civil Partnership as it's known at the moment in England - and so we've got joint hen and stag do's going on. Mark and his lot are up in the main house, smoking cigars, drinking port... doing the stag bit... "

"You know I don't smoke." Mark interjected, as he then put up a hand in apology that he'd interrupted as Fred glared at him, "By all means, carry on."

"It was a bloody brilliant party, even I do say so myself," Fred carried on, Jane's eyebrows raised only slightly, "So there we are, knocking back the Champagne, followed on by the Vodka and Redbull - and I remember Maura was sitting there, drink in hand, when our friend Nadine suddenly slid across to her, topped Maura's drink up, and said something in her ear. I was to later learn it was 'The music's a pounding, there's dancing to be done.'

"Next thing, Maura is up on her feet, teetering for a second on those ridiculously high heels she insists on wearing, before gyrating around. Someone, I forget who, yelled out 'Hey hot stuff' and Nadine was there, with Maura, spinning around, dancing with another pal of mine. A drag queen who works out of the nightclubs in a place called Blackpool.

"She just said 'Let's do this,' and unzipping her haute couture dress, that I know cost more than I make in a month, she threw it down, and before I knew what was happening, Maura, Nadine and Stevie all have glow-stick necklaces on, and bugger all else; dancing away to the music being pumped out into the pool room. The lacy purple underwear she had worn was getting rapidly trampled underfoot. She really got into the spirit, crotch grinding with Stevie. Who I must also add is about 6 foot six inches tall without his high heels on, black, and makes me look butch. The sight was pretty impressive. They were an adorable couple. I think Nadine was a little put out though, because you could tell she was trying to hit on Maura, who bless her, was completely oblivious to the social cues."

Jane looked across at Maura, who was slowly getting redder by the second.

"I didn't think you had that in you Maura." Jane finally admitted.

"I was pretty drunk, and frankly I was hoping that Fred here would never again recite the incident. It's one I've tried to remove from my memory."

Fred tapped the side of his head. "Nope, it's logged right here. Followed on by you then diving into the pool, and pretty much everyone else followed you. Water going everywhere, shrieking and shouting like you've never heard before. The music was even getting drowned out. How the hell no-one actually drowned with the amount of alcohol that we'd consumed, I'm still not sure. It was a bloody fantastic night." Fred sighed with a dreamy expression on his face.

Maura felt the blush receding, as she finished her coffee, placing her mug with deliberate care onto the coffee table, "It was liberating. Besides, it was a private pool, it was hardly a display in public."

"It's more Fred is a bad influence," Mark spoke up, "And now we've got to know you Jane, I'm sure you're going to discover this sooner rather than later. I'll apologize in advance."

Maura watched Jane's eyes twinkling in amusement, but then frowned slightly as Jane seemed to pale in front of her. Putting a hand out, Maura couldn't stop the worry, as she asked lightly, "Jane?"

Jane looked at Maura, pure fear showing, "Is there any way in hell we can keep Ma and Fred apart?"

Maura looked shell shocked, then as fearful as Jane, as Mark and Fred both burst out laughing.

So, I hope you're still reading and enjoying this, and in the next chapter, we delve once again into the therapy sessions.

I'm now going off to tackle an update on Damage Control with Honorcpt. Oh boy!