A few hour later Jane and Maura were sat on a bench in Central Park. It was seven o'clock at night so it was fairly quiet. "You know, my parents brought us here when we were younger. We all had to a place we would like to go to for a day. I remember my friend, Katie, she had just come back from visiting her father in New York and she was telling me all these amazing stories. All about Central Park. When my Pop asked us where we wanted to go I paid both Frankie and Tommy to say here. I was 15 year old, but they took me for $150 that I managed to save." Jane turned to look at Maura, who had pulled her feet up on the bench and wrapped her arms around her knees. "I mean my friend told me everything her and her dad did in the space off a weekend. She made it sound so magical. So...I dunno...perfect." Jane smiled and watched as a couple of people ran past them with dogs. "My Pop agreed, but my Ma wasn't so sure it was such a good idea. But anyway...we came. My Pop drove. As you can imagine being in a car with us at that age would be quite annoying. It was for the first half an hour before I got bored. I just leant my head against the window and watched as the whole world pasted me by. I was so excited to be going to Central Park. Frankie and Tommy were just happy to be able to get out off Boston for a day. I honestly believe, looking back now, that even if my friend spent the whole weekend cooped up with her dad in his apartment, she would have told me it was the best weekend she had ever spent with him. She hadn't seen him in two and half year." Jane stopped as she noticed Maura shiver. Taking off Frankie's jacket she wrapped it around Maura's shoulders.

Maura gave Jane a small smile. "Thank you. But aren't you cold now?"

"Na, I'm good." Jane whispered, wrapping her arm around Maura's shoulder.

"Carry on." Maura said resting her head on Jane's shoulder.

"He worked for the Navy. He was away for two an half year. He'd come back briefly but it would only be for a few days at a time. He called her up one day and said that he'd be home over school break and if she wanted to spend some time with him in New York. She could only a weekend, her mother were taking her and her young brother away. She spend a wonderful weekend with him, here in this park. Turns out when she got back to Boston her mother had to work, so they didn't go away. She wanted to come back her to be with father until he had to return to work, but her mother wouldn't allow it. Her father came and left her life with little explanation." Jane stopped and pulled Maura closer to her. "She didn't know that two and a half weeks later he'd get killed in a car crash. I was in New York when it happened. Off all the days in the year I had to be out off Boston when she needed me the most. When I got back from New York and found out about what had happened, I ran straight to her house. Her mother let me in and told me Katie was upstairs. When I walked into Katie's bedroom she looked at me like I was the last person on earth that she wanted to see. I tried to get near her but she moved further back and started screaming at me to leave."

Maura stayed quiet as she felt Jane's arm around her tighten. Jane very rarely talked about her childhood friends. In fact the only time Jane ever talked about her childhood was when she was telling a story. Even then they all had her family in, never any off her friends.

"Anyway..." Jane started. "I left her alone. Like she wanted. I figured that when she needed me she'd come and find me. We didn't talk for nearly a month and by that point I knew she'd never come to me for anything ever again. I watched helplessly when she fell into the wrong crowd, when she started with alcohol, then extended it to drugs. Within two months she was completely hooked. I didn't even recognise her any more. But I still help out hope that she'd come to her senses and come back to me. A few days later I found out that she had died. She overdosed."

Maura ran her hand under Jane's t-shirt and rested it on Jane's stomach her fingers running up and down Jane's side. There was nothing sexual in the movements, it was pure comfort. Maura wasn't very good with words at moments like this. And right know she'd give anything to be able to comfort Jane with words.

"I know now." Jane whispered.

Maura lifted her head off Jane's shoulder. "Know what?"

Jane gave a tiny smile. "She wasn't pushing me away. She was trying to pull me towards her, but it was too painful for her, for me to see her like that."

"Jane, you don't know that."

"I do." Jane sat up and turned on the bench so she could she Maura properly. Jane brought her hand up to cup Maura's cheek, "I do, because I'm doing the exact same thing with you." Jane whispered. "The last thing I want is for you to see me like this. But the more I try and push you away the more I pull you towards me."

"Then stop trying to protect me from things you think I'm too weak to hear or to handle."

"I don't think you're weak, Maura, you're the opposite. I'm the weak one, and that for me is a big deal. I usually run from my feelings but you aren't letting me. I'm just not used to having to face them head on." Jane said.

Maura nodded. "Okay. But you know I'm here for you."

For a while neither one off them spoke. They just sat on the bench watching life go by. Maura had removed her hand from Jane's stomach to take hold of Jane's hand. Maura was the first to break the silence. "Do you blame yourself?"

"For what?" Jane asked a little defensively.

"For what happened to Katie? Do you blame yourself?"

Jane knew there was no point in lying about this to Maura. So, weakly, she nodded. "Yea." She muttered.

"Why?"

"Because if I had figured it all out sooner maybe I could have talked some sense into her. She was my best friend, I should have known. I should have done what you've done with me. I should have pushed her to talk to me." Jane swallowed the lump in her throat before she looked at Maura.

Maura could she the tears glistening Jane's eyes and she automatically tightened her grip on Jane's hand. "You did what she asked you to. You gave her space. She would have come to her senses sooner or later. You can't beat yourself up over something that wasn't your fault." Maura gave a weak smile. "I pushed you because I made a promise to you on your wedding night. Remember?"

"I asked you to dance." Jane smiled. Thoughts from that night came flooding back to her.

Maura was stood talking to Frankie when Jane came up behind them. She jumped slightly when she felt someone place their hand on her lower back, only to relax when she turned slightly and saw that the hand belonged to Jane.

"Hi." Maura smiled.

Jane smiled. "Do you wonna dance?" Jane asked shyly.

Maura's smile grew. "I'd love too. But what about Robert? Do you want to dance with him?"

"I already have. And now I'm asking my best friend if she'll dance with me." Jane smiled. She was a little past being tipsy, but she hadn't had enough to be classified as being drunk.

Maura nodded before Jane took her hand and pulled her away from Frankie.

After they had danced through a few songs Jane pulled Maura to the bar. "Promise me something..." Jane said leaning closer to Maura so she could be heard over the music that was playing.

Maura nodded. "What?"

"Promise me that if me and Robert don't work out, for whatever reason, that you'll make sure I talk to you. About anything. Just don't believe me when I tell you I'm okay. Unless you actually know I am." Jane sighed. She didn't want to be saying all to Maura, her maid of honour. She knew deep down that this marriage with Jason wouldn't work. Not when she knew it should have been Maura who she'd married today.

"You know I don't have to promise you that. I'd do it anyway. But I will promise you that I will never let you go through anything without me. I'll always be here for you." Maura said before placing a soft kiss to Jane's cheek. "I love you." Maura whispered.

"I love you too." Jane whispered.

"I promised you that I'd never let you go through anything without me." Maura said. "That's why I pushed you, Jane. That's why I will always push you to talk to me."

…

A few hour later after they had their dinner Jane and Maura were walking back through Central Park to their hotel to get Maura's car, when Jane stopped and pulled out the Tiffany & Co box what she gave Maura earlier. "Open it." She smiled as she handed Maura the box.

Maura guided them both to the nearest bench before sitting down and opening it. She couldn't help but gasp when she opened it. She looked back up at Jane.

Jane smiled. "I don't know if I'll ever be ready to get married again. I want to be 'cause if you'll have me, I want you to be my wife. But right now all I can offer is forever." Jane sighed. This sounded so much better in her head than what it did saying it out loud. "I can't promise forever as your wife, but I do want forever. I want forever very much."

Maura smiled. She looked at back down to the beautiful platinum heart pendant with diamonds. It looked stunning. And for the first time ever Maura's breath was taken. She had seen a lot off beautiful jewellery, she owned a lot of beautiful jewellery, but she had to admit this was the most stunning piece she had ever seen. She didn't know what to say. She looked up at Jane again, and she knew she had tears in her eyes. Suddenly the right thing to say came to mind. "I want forever too."

Jane smiled as she took the pendant out off the box and fastened it around Maura's neck.

"Jane...it's beautiful. Thank you." Maura said as a few tears fell on her cheek. "But you didn't..."

"Don't..." Jane said stopping Maura from finishing her sentence. "I wanted too. It looks stunning on you. Do you really like it? If not you can change it for something else."

Maura shook her head, no. "I love it." She whispered, before leaning forward and capturing Jane's lips in a kiss. "I love you." She whispered when she pulled back.

"I love you too." Jane beamed. "We should get going we've got a long drive back home." Jane said, regrettably. She didn't want to leave.

Maura nodded. "I'll thank you properly later tonight?" Maura questioned.

Jane just smiled. She heard the question, she just didn't know if was ready for that just yet. Tonight will soon tell. She smiled as she took Maura's hand and continued their walk towards Maura's car.

Hi guys! I know it's been quite a while since I updated this story. To be honest with you I kinda lost all interest in it. I'm not sure where I'm taking this, so I'm open to all the ideas you may have. They may give me the motivation I need to continue this story.

I'm sorry for the delay.

Kay x