Chapter 8

The TV was still on but Jane was asleep when Maura arrived back in her room 6 hours later. She sat in the chair and held Jane's hand and then noticed that the shunt had been removed and that knowledge caused her to smile and it was that smile that Jane saw when she opened her eyes. "What are you smiling about?" She pulled Maura in for a kiss.

"I see they removed the shunt. That's a good sign." Maura sat on the side of the bed with her arm leaning on Jane's pillow.

"Yeah they took it out about an hour ago then took me down the hall to take a shower. It feels good to not only be clean but I got to get out of bed."

Maura leaned down to smell her. "Doesn't smell as good as your normal soap but it does smell better."

"Are you telling me I smelled?" Jane asked in mock horror.

"No sweetie, that's why they gave you those sponge baths but I can imagine how good it feels to be clean."

"I was just kidding Maura but keep in mind I've only had about a day to be bothered by lack of a shower. My legs are still a little wobbly and they say I'm going to have to build things up again but that won't take long."

"It's only been a week so there shouldn't be any atrophy just weakness, so it shouldn't take long for us to build that back up with some walking and jogging then we can head to the gym for more serious work."

"Do you have a mouse in your pocket?" Jane smiled at Maura.

Maura jumped as if Jane saw something she didn't then she looked in her pockets. "Of course I do not have a rodent in my pocket, why would I do that?"

Jane burst out laughing at the look of disgust on Maura's face. "Well you were talking plural when it's my legs that are going to need all the work."

"You were kidding again weren't you? You're going to have to give me a signal of some kind when you are doing that. You really confuse me sometimes, and you take far too much pleasure in being able to do that. What I meant when I said we was that I talked to my superior and told him I was going to need a replacement for the next couple of weeks so that I can help you recover. I have plenty of time saved up so if it takes longer than that I can take more time if necessary."

"You would do that? You would waste vacation time helping me exercise?" Jane could not keep the surprise out of her voice.

"Oh Jane it would not be wasted time, it would be spending time with you and helping you get better so you can get back to work. I know what you're like when you can't go to work so I will help you. You are worth it." She said the last part so quiet Jane almost didn't hear her.

"That's so sweet of you Maura but you really don't have to." She really really wanted her to but she wanted to give her an out if she needed it. She wasn't ready for the hurt look that crossed Maura's face.

"You don't want me to take care of you?" Maura felt like she had been kicked in the stomach. She stood up and walked away from the bed before Jane had a chance to stop her then turned back. "But you said earlier…"

"Maura come here." Jane reached her hand out to her. Maura looked up at her as she hesitated. "Come here please?" Maura walked back to the bed and prepared to sit in the chair when Jane patted the bed next to her. Maura sat down then was forced to move closer when Jane wrapped her arm around her and pulled her close. "Of course I want you to take care of me. I just know I can be a bitch when I can't do things for myself and I wanted to give you a chance to take back the offer if you wanted to."

"I will not take back my offer, why would I? I want to take care of you. I know you don't like being taken care of but for the first few days you'll probably still need help and I want to be one to be there for you. Will you let me?"

"I'd be crazy to refuse an offer like that." She pulled Maura down for a kiss. When they both came up for air they were breathing heavy. "And if that's one of the perks of letting you take care of me then you can take care of me for as long as you want."

"How else am I going to get you to forgive me if I don't use my womanly wiles to win you over." Maura snuggled close to Jane and husked into her ear. When she felt Jane shiver she laughed. "See they are starting to work already."

"Oh yeah they are definitely starting to work. They've always worked on me. Make sure I ask the doctor when I can resume certain activities." Jane could feel the dampness between her legs getting worse by the look of hunger in Maura's eyes.

"You mean when you can have sex?" Maura smiled evilly.

"Of course that's what I'm talking about. I can't wait to make love to you for the first time. I've wanted you for so long and to finally be able to know it's going to happen for real and not just in my dreams makes it so hard to wait."

"You've had dreams about us making love." Maura looked down at Jane quizzically.

"Oh you have no idea. It's your name on my lips when I touch myself and there have been times, I'm embarrassed to say, that it's been you I think about when a guy has been making love to me. I picture it's you on top of me not him."

"And here I thought I was the only one that did that. You excite me so much Jane and I can't wait for us to make love for the first time either." Maura actually shivered at the thought. "Oh you are so mine when the doctor gives you the go ahead."

The look on Maura's face reminded her of a lion getting ready to pounce on its next meal. And Jane was the meal. Predatory was the only way she could describe it and she liked it. "I've never seen this side of you before. I think I like it."

"God we need to get you out of here before I find a way to lock that door and take you right here in that bed."

"Aw shit Maura don't do that to me. You are so damn sexy right now. If I had known you had this secret side I probably would have taken you on one of the tables in the morgue a long time ago."

"You mean the dead people table?" Maura mimicked the disgusting way Jane had said it earlier. "And I would have let you." She watched closely as Jane's breath caught.

"Oh man you're killing me here Maura. To know I can finally have you but I can't do anything about it is the worst kind of torture. It just isn't fair."

"Don't whine Jane it's not becoming. But I do know how you feel, I feel the same frustration that you do. Even once you do get out of here you may not be able to make love for a few days if not more." Maura actually sighed in frustration. She stood up because she wasn't sure she could keep her hands off of Jane.

"I will find a way. I don't care what the doctor says we will find a way." Jane echoed Maura's frustration.

"Jane I will not allow you to do anything that may put your health at risk. Studies suggest that when making love the brain releases endorphins and you've just had a brain injury and there's no study that I could fine that would tell me what could happen. I don't want to take any chances."

"Leave it to you to do your research, is that another thing you did while you were gone?" Maura nodded. "Well if you couldn't find a study then apparently no one ever died from making love after a brain injury so it must be ok. But just to be on the safe side we'll ask the doctor later. Speaking of the doctor, was my little doctor jealous?"

"I just couldn't believe he was flirting with you even after he caught us almost in bed together. And yes I was jealous. You could have anyone you want, even a neurosurgeon, so why would you choose me?" Maura lowered her head so Jane would not see the doubt on her face.

"Maura come here. Sit beside me. Please." Jane reached up and took her face between her hands and spoke very seriously. "Maura Isles, I have loved you since the first time I laid eyes on you. I never believed in love at first sight, I thought that was only in those fluffy romance novels Ma reads until I met you. My heart does flip flops every time I see you and even when I just think about you. You are a gorgeous woman and I love that I can call you mine and I look forward to being able to let the world know that. You are gorgeous when you are all made up like you're ready for a photo shoot and you and you are gorgeous when you wake up in the morning with bed hair and no makeup. I actually like you better then. But that is not why I chose you over the oh so many choices you think I have. I chose you because you are a loving and giving woman. You opened your home to my family without even thinking twice about it. You've opened your arms to me many times when I needed a hug or needed someone to hold when I cried." Jane watched as the tears started falling down Maura's cheeks and she wiped them dry. "I love you so much, and just saying that doesn't begin to describe the depth of my feelings for you. Now that I know you feel the same about me I will do my best to make sure you never doubt how I feel about you. I truly believe you are my soul mate, that may sound cheesy but I really do feel that you complete me in every way possible." She smiled to break the tension. "So any questions?"

Maura smiled up at her. "Jane, that was so wonderful and you make me feel so special. I will never doubt your love for me and I hope you will never doubt my love for you. I think that one of the reasons we get along so well and have since day one is because we understand each other. I too believe you are my soul mate, my other half. I don't know what I would do if you were gone from my life, and I hope I never have to find out." She leaned forward and gave Jane a gentle kiss then sat back and just stared at her with a silly grin on her face.

"So from now on when someone starts flirting with me I will politely tell them I am well and truly spoken for ok?" Jane smiled warmly at Maura.

"Well you can flirt back as long as it's me you always come back to me."

"Oh you can be sure that I will always come back to you and I will keep my flirting to a minimum so that you will not have to be jealous. Although I loved when those green eyes of yours got dark when the doc was flirting." She leaned forward and gave Maura a long lingering kiss.

"So Jane are you ready to go home yet?" Jane looked around Maura to see the nurse standing in the doorway.

"I sure am when can I get out of here? And what are my restrictions?"

"The doctor just called and said he'd be by in about half an hour and you can ask him about restrictions but I came to get you started on the paperwork so that when he releases you you won't have to wait."

"Where do I sign?" Jane smiled up at the nurse.

"Well there's a little more to it than that. Maura you said you're going to be with her?" Maura nodded at Jackie. She handed her a bottle of pills. "Here are some Vicodin just in case she needs some for pain. She should be ok and may be able to get by with just aspirin but just in case you'll have these. You'll need to change the dressing around where the shunt was at least once a day until the doctor has her return in about a week. It's healing nicely and we want to keep it that way ok?" She looked directly at Jane when she asked the last question.

"What? Why do you look at me like that?" Jane tried to look innocent but failed miserably and finally gave in and smiled.

"You won't be able to get it wet until you come back to see the doctor."

"So we can do what they did here for my shower right. Tape some of that tape you got here over the hole and I'm good to go right?"

"Yes, that's what you'll be doing." She handed Maura a small stack of the plastic covers. "I'm sure you know how to use these right Maura?"

"Yes we used them after she shot herself. So I'm sure we can make it work."

"Here are some instructions for aftercare for the next few days I'll let you read those to her later Maura because knowing you you will read them and make sure she follows them meticulously." She had no doubt that Maura would have them memorized and posted on her refrigerator as soon as she gets home.

"Oh you can be sure of that." She gave Jane and evil smile. "And I will make sure she follows them to the letter." Jane gave a grunt of frustration. "And by the time I am done with her she will be happy to follow them."

"Oh come on you two, this is not fair. You can't gang up on an invalid." Jane gave them both her best pout.

"Jane you never have and never will be an invalid. Even when you are unconscious there is an energy that surrounds you that constantly says your body may be shut down but your mind is constantly in motion and you will never be shut down. Even in a coma you apparently were aware of who was an was not here. That should tell you something. So don't give me that crap about being an invalid."

"Maura did you just say crap? Hanging around a hospital sure has done wonders for your vocabulary. Next you'll be using words that would put a sailor to shame. That's my girl, I'm so proud of you. You've grown up so fast." Maura swatted her arm gently and smiled.

"Now I will leave you two alone to get Jane dressed and when the doctor comes by we will see what he says. Catch you later." Jackie turned and left the room.

"I'm going to get dressed and then I guess I should call Ma and Frankie and let them know they don't have to come back today." Maura helped Jane to the bathroom handed her the clothes she had brought back and stood by the door in case she needed help. Secretly hoping she'd need some help.

"Why don't we wait until we talk to the doctor, then we can let everyone know what the plan is. We have no idea when he is going to let you leave, it may not be for a few hours yet so let's wait." Maura spoke through the door.

Jane opened the door and headed back towards the bed needing more of Maura's help to get back. "Always the voice of reason aren't you? But I guess you're right." Jane sat down on the bed and gave Maura a kiss.

"And 98% of the time I'm right aren't I?"

"What? Not 100%?" Jane pulled her closer.

"A week ago I would have agreed with you but now I know I can be wrong." The smiled slipped from her face just a little bit. "But this past week has proven once again that my judgment of people can be way off the mark."

"Sweetie you have to place some of the blame on me. I could have set things straight right then and there as you were walking to the ambulance just by letting you know he shot me but I chose not to. I'm sure that would have drastically changed the outcome of this week so don't blame yourself ok?"

Maura sat up so she could look at Jane's face and saw that she was perfectly serious. "You're right this is all your fault. If you had just said something I would have been here. Thank you for clearing that up." Jane picked up the sarcasm in Maura's voice. "This is by no means your fault Jane. I made a choice that day and it turned out to be the wrong choice. And as I have said I will do whatever I have to do to make things right between you and me and between anyone else that takes issue with the choices I made. I know for a fact that had I known that day that Doyle shot you then yes things would have happened completely different but I did nothing to find out how Dean was or how you were doing knowing how bad you always feel after having to shoot someone. But I didn't. What kind of friend am I?"

"You are the best kind of friend Maura. Don't you ever doubt that. You've always been there for me, well except for this last week." Jane gave Maura her best smirk so that Maura would know she was kidding. She looked at Maura in all seriousness. "You have always been my rock Maura, you're the one I think of and turn to when I need my world righted. I was hurt when I saw that look in your eyes after I shot Doyle." She held up her hand when saw that Maura was going to say something. "Your words hurt too but I realized it was emotion talking and I got past it, and that was why I made sure the guys took care of you. You usually don't let emotions get in the way because we are usually on the outside looking in as cops and doctors, but this was personal and you aren't used to that." She looked up and saw the tears in Maura's eyes. "I know what you're thinking, what did I do to deserve a woman like Jane Rizzoli, well you actually deserve better but you're stuck with me." She once again gave Maura a smirk and watched as Maura finally smiled at her.