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"Maura, I leave for the academy in two days baby; I don't want to spend my last bit of free time with you looking at curtains and accessories for the house." Jane and Maura were currently scanning through catalogs and catalogs of home accents and furniture. Maura, who had been engrossed into a particular page, marked it and set the booklet aside.

They had moved in a week before and now had the essential furniture: a bed, living and dining room sets. Jane, trusting Maura's judgment when it came to decorating better than her own, had told the blonde that she would go with whatever she decided to buy. Maura in turn had designated one of the spare bedrooms Jane's 'man cave' and told the brunette that she was to decorate said room however she pleased. Jane had spent little time gathering all her sports memorabilia and putting up posters and organizing her things as she saw fit. The TV and living room set from their previous home was going in the room so all she needed now was a recliner and she'd be good to go.

"I realize you leave in two days, and that your training is going to last 25 weeks… that's nearly half a year that you're going to be away from me. I was just trying to do this together so you could have a say in our home too, bébé. If you want to do something different, then I'm all for it. What did you have in mind?"

"I know that it's going to be a long time apart Maur, but I am still going to have the weekends free. Hopefully you'll be able to have some time so that we can spend it together and that med school is not as demanding."

"It will be very demanding Jane, of that I have no doubt. Still, I will arrange my schedule so that I may spend the most time possible with you." Maura took Jane's face in her hands and gave her a soft kiss.

Jane leaned into the kiss. Her hands, which had been at Maura's thighs, now roamed freely as she explored the blonde's body while continuing to kiss her. She lifted Maura slightly and moved her back against the sofa cushions, giving herself more space to do as she pleased. Maura on the other hand was against the back of the sofa, chest pounding and blood rushing from her brain down to her very core; she felt dizzy… a wonderful dizzy.

"Jane, love…" she began in between kisses. Jane either didn't hear or didn't seem to pay attention to her as she continued to worship her girlfriend's body. "Jane… I have to breathe bébé…" Jane only stopped for a few seconds and allowed Maura to reposition herself and regain her breath. "I take it this is what you want to do for the two days you have left?" Maura questioned as she lifted a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at Jane.

"Something like this, yes… I was thinking that I could spend my last two days with you wrapped around my body or vice versa in bed. I know I'm coming back, but I want to explore every single inch of you before I leave Maura. I want to have the image of your perfect body and beautiful face impregnated behind my eyelids as I close them to go to sleep."

"If that's what my bébé wants, then that's what she'll get," Maura stated as she kissed Jane fully on the lips and made to get up off the sofa. She stood, took off her shirt and began to walk towards the stairs, undoing her bra clasp and removing her bra in the process. She turned her head to Jane, her wavy hair framing her radiant face. "Are you coming?" she asked seductively. Jane could do nothing but nod. Maura turned back around and Jane heard the unzipping of jeans as Maura began making her way up the stairs and into their bedroom.

Monday morning arrived only too soon. Physical training normally began at 5:30 a.m. but since this was their first day, cadets would have to meet at 9:00 am for orientation and the beginning of their classes. Jane was in for 25 weeks of 15+ hour days made up of rigorous exercise, training and learning. She felt she was ready, she had wanted this for a long time. The only thing that was going to be extremely difficult for her was to leave Maura behind. Going from living with the blonde for the past 3 years to only seeing her on the weekends for the near future was going to be tough, but she had to find it within herself to accept things as they were going to be and adapt. Maura would be waiting for her at the end, she knew it.

"It's 5:45 a.m. bébé, time to get up," Maura said sleepily as she wrapped her arms tighter around Jane's stomach.

"No… five more minutes. Actually, make it fifteen. I want to spend a few more minutes in this wonderful bed with you next to me Maur. I'm sure we're going to have crappy beds to sleep on. I won't be able to sleep without you in my arms… and now I'll have to wait a week before I can do it again," Jane said as she held the shorter woman even closer to her body.

"We'll be together again in one week bébé. You can do this. We can do this. You've wanted to be a homicide detective for as long as I've known you, and longer. This is the second step towards that. Just take it a day at a time, don't overwhelm yourself."

"What are you going to do with the remainder of your vacation?" Jane questioned.

"I'm going to try to finish furnishing and decorating the house. I found the cutest cage for Bass yesterday. It's large and will fit in the garage nicely. He'll be indoors with me during the day of course; he's going to be the only company I have while you're gone," Maura replied sadly. "I'd been used to living my life alone, but ever since you came into my life, I got used to being with you… to loving you and to having you love me. Now I don't know how I'm going to adapt to being apart."

"Just like you said Maur, we'll take it a day at a time. Our schedules are going to be so packed that the weekends will come before we know it, and we'll be together again. Have a little faith sweetheart."

Maura smiled. "I will," she replied.

They made out for a few more minutes before Jane begrudgingly got out of bed and headed for the shower. Once both got ready, Maura made them a full breakfast so that Jane could get a good start to her day before they drove out to New Braintree.

Maura had tears in her eyes as she hugged and kissed Jane goodbye. Jane called upon every fiber of her being to stop the tears that were welling up in her eyes as well; she couldn't be seen as a crybaby on her first day.

"I'll see you in a week. I love you baby," Jane said a she kissed Maura again.

"I love you too bébé," Maura replied. Jane gathered her things, waved goodbye with one last smile before turning and starting her walk towards the building. Maura wrapped her arms around herself, wishing the week went by quickly so she could be in Jane's arms again.

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