Maura jerked awake at a sharp jab to her side. She sat up quickly, and there was enough light from the street lamps streaming in the window for Maura to see that Jane was having a nightmare. The detective's body convulsed and she let out a strangled scream. The M.E. immediately shook Jane lightly and called her name until she woke up. The detective was confused for a moment and tried to get out of bed, but Maura wrapped her arms around Jane to keep her from flailing her arms.

As Jane blinked the sleep from her eyes, she realized what was going on and before she could stop it, the tears came rushing out. She sobbed loudly and buried her face in Maura's hair. The sweet scent of the M.E.'s hair, mixed with Maura's fingers rubbing soft patterns on her back eased Jane's nerves immediately. She exhaled heavily and slowly pulled away from the M.E.'s embrace.

"Ugh," she said, wiping her eyes and clearing her throat, "I am so sorry Maura. I wasn't expecting this. I haven't had nightmares in a long time."

"It's understandable, after everything that's happened today."

"Yeah but, this was just…different."

Maura cocked her head slightly to the side and bent down slightly to look at Jane, who had hung her head down.

"Different how?"

Jane waved her hands and sat back against the headboard.

"It's nothing, really. Just go back to sleep."

"Are you sure you're okay, Jane?"

The detective nodded and patted Maura's hand lightly.

"I'm fine, really."

Maura hesitantly laid back down and again, fatigue quickly took over, and she was soon fast asleep.

Jane rested her head against the headboard behind her, and sighed. She knew there was no way she could go back to sleep after that nightmare. Before, all of her nightmares had just been Hoyt torturing her. She had almost gotten used to them. She could handle those, but this one was different.

It was like a replay of the day's events, all over again. Hoyt had Maura bound, and Jane was stuck there, running in place but never making it to the M.E.. Hoyt sliced his sharp scalpel into Maura's lovely neck, and blood spilled out. Just before the breath left her body, Maura called out "Jane, please!" but it was already too late. Jane was forced to just watch it all happen, running as hard as she could without ever making it to Maura.

Jane closed her eyes tightly and clenched her fists, trying to forget the look on Maura's face. It was the same in the nightmare as it had been earlier that day. The look was pleading, it was pained, but it was also something else. It was an expression that looked as if she wanted to say something, but couldn't decide if she should.

Maura had that expression on her face the whole time, even after they had left the hospital. Jane wanted to ask Maura if something was up, but at her party, the look was gone. It had been eating her up, and she was dying to know what it was. She knew Maura had wanted to say something, but she had no idea what it was. Sure, she had ideas about what she wished it would be, but those were so far off that it was ridiculous to even think them.

Again, the detective sighed, and finally curled back up in her bed. Daylight was already starting to stream in from outside, but she could feel how tired her body was. She knew that she needed some sleep. And though she would never admit it out loud, Jane felt safer, in a way, with Maura lying next to her. The detective scooted up close to the woman beside her, as close as she could get without actually touching her. The soft fragrance of Maura's perfume lulled her into a comfortable rest.

Maura woke up with a warm weight on her chest. She opened her eyes and saw Jane curled around her. Yes, it was true that, when Jane was up and awake, Maura felt safe with her. She trusted Jane with her life, but it was still pretty cute to see her asleep, curled up against her. The M.E. smiled and lay her head back down on her pillow. She was really quite confused. Since yesterday, Maura had been forced to face some feelings that were welling up inside of her, and frankly, she wasn't sure what to make of it all.

I've never really had friends, She thought to herself.

I don't know the appropriate amount of intimacy that usually takes place in a normal friendly relationship. I have however, heard people at the station talk. Some of them speculate that Jane and I are more than just friends. I mean, I'm not offended by the assumption. I've never seen anything wrong with having a partner who was of the same sex. Well, I've never actually experienced it, but I think that you should act on what you feel, regardless.

That's why I'm so confused. I can't deny the fact that I have strong feelings for Jane, especially after what happened yesterday. I almost just blurted it out, right then, while Hoyt had a scalpel to Jane's throat. I'm actually surprised that I didn't. There was a little nagging feeling inside that was holding me back, though.

I remembered how defensive Jane got every time one of the cops at the station would accuse her of "batting for the other team." Jane seemed to despise it if anyone would hint at her being a lesbian. I assume that this probably means that Jane is disgusted by the thought. That's the main thing that is holding me back.

Still, it is possible that Jane denies it so vehemently because it's the truth, and she's afraid of everyone knowing. If only I could know for sure! If I knew that Jane wasn't disgusted by the thought, and if I knew she could possibly think of me in that way, then I can't think of any reason why I wouldn't just consume her with passion. I'm very attracted to her personality. She's brave, sensitive (although she hates to admit it), passionate and protective. Not to mention how absolutely physically attractive she is. Her dark eyes and hair, dimples, toned musculature. She's absolutely beautiful, and she doesn't realize it.

The M.E. had been so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn't heard Jane speaking.

"Hey, Maura? You there?" The detective asked, untangling herself from the M.E. and sitting up.

"Yes, I'm sorry. What did you say?"

"I said sorry that I was…you know." She waved her hands between them. "That I was all over you. I must have moved while I was sleeping."

"Oh, it's okay Jane," she said, blushing because of what she had just been thinking about. "I don't mind."

Maura immediately regretted what she said. She saw Jane's expression become a mixture of amusement and confusion.

"You don't mind?" Jane asked, a smirk playing at the corners of her mouth.

The M.E. quickly tried to explain herself, which only became a bigger mess, because she couldn't lie, especially to Jane.

"I just meant…that it didn't bother me. You know, that you were…" She repeated Jane's action of waving her hands in between them.

"All over you?" Jane asked, still amused.

"Yes. I mean, we are LLBFFs after all," She said with a smile. "It shouldn't be a problem…right?"

Maura hoped that she was somehow telling the truth and hinting to Jane that she meant more, all at the same time. But Jane only responded with a "sure" and a chuckle, which left the M.E. in the same state of confusion that she had been before.