AN: Well, here is chapter five! I hope everything is good so far. Thank you for the positive and insightful reviews or PM. Keep them coming! Because I honestly have no idea how I am doing in terms story line and stuff. By the way, there was nothing sent in for the request made in Epitome of an American Beauty. So, pardon me, but if there is nothing given in, then there will only be a whole bunch of mushiness. ;) Enjoy!

It was close to three in the morning when Jane and Maura made it back to their room. The soldier had just died of complications from his broken rib injury. Maura tried everything she could with her limited resources, but it wasn't enough. Jane could tell that Maura was upset by the defeated hunch of her shoulder and the frown that was fixed on her face.

She sighed as she lifted the covers to her bed and scooted in. She was slightly surprised and pleased when Jane did the same at the other side of her bed. But Jane didn't stop there. She moved all the till she was right by Maura's side.

"Hey, Maur, I know that you are blaming yourself for that young man's death. But, there was nothing you could have done given your supplies and lack thereof. Please, don't put yourself through this, okay?" Jane looked straight at Maura, but there was no reply. "I don't know if it'll help, but whenever I was upset, my mom would come up to me and envelope me in a big hug. I would pretend that I hated it, even though I loved it when she did that to show me that she cared. Do you mind if I gave you a hug too?"

Jane was scared when she heard Maura sniffle, and that the sniffles were starting to turn into a full blown cry fest. "Shoot. What did I say to upset you?"

"Oh, no, Jane, it's just that that's the nicest thing anyone has said to me in a long while!"

Jane chuckled when she heard the reason, and without any hesitation, she wrapped her long arms around Maura, gathering her up, and pulling her into a position where Maura was leaning back against Jane's chest. They sat that way for a few minutes, content in the silence.

"Jane." Maura called suddenly.

"Hmmm?"

"I was thinking, both our parents are gone, I have no one left, and you have only one brother left. The people who dropped you off on my front porch just upped and disappeared. Forgive me if I assume too much, but to me, we only have each other." Maura paused a while to see if Jane was going to respond.

When she didn't Maura continued. "Everyone here thinks you're my fiancé. So, why not we get married? To tell the truth, I think that these past three months have allowed me to get to know you better. And I've come to love the person that you are. Especially with the little gestures that you show me by opening the doors for me, carrying the heavy items when I go down to the town, or by simply asking after me. I really appreciate that, Jane. I really do."

Thirty seconds passed, then a minute. Maura was afraid that she had spoken to rashly an was about to apologize, before Jane replied. "What made you suddenly ask me this question?"

"Well, that young man's death just prompted me to rethink my life. I've almost always never spent time to cultivate a relationship before. And I was thinking how it would be like when this war is over and everything goes back to normal, what will I do? Will I continue to act as the town's doctor? Always rushing here and there. Will all the people I ever know be merely acquaintances? Will I always have to come back to this empty home?"

Jane's heart ached for Maura as she listened to her talk. Jane determined in her heart to share something with Maura in return. "Maura, dear. I, I never knew you felt that way before. I wanna tell you something first. You know why I dressed up as a man and went and joined the army?"

"I guessed that it had something to do with your parents and brother, but I am not for sure."

"You are partly right. Before I joined the army, my brother and I were living with one of our neighbours. Every night, I would promise myself that when I grew old enough, I would leave to find that low life criminal. I would find him and honour my parents and brother when I finally served justice by killing him. Even back then, I kept my ears open for any news of any sort of murders.

"When the war came up, I knew that I had to join the army. Because I thought that that would be one of the ways I could hunt down my parents and brother's killer. I had nobody left. My brother decided to leave and join another regiment when I joined up too.

"To be honest, I didn't really know what I was looking for. I knew he would probably leave some clues, like he did at my house. When the neighbours and I were going through the wreckage, that night, I found a lone teacup with its tea plate, lying on the grass floor. Besides that, the only real memory was of how his voice sounded, and a brief glance that I had of him in the woods eight years ago. Maybe I was hoping that he would strike again, that he would make another kill and I would be there in seconds and try to gather clues on his whereabouts. It never happened. For eight years, there has never been a whisper of him.

"Until that night, he was in my tent when I entered. All along, he had been in the same regiment as me. Right in front of me, and I didn't even know it. It was like a wolf in sheep's clothing. When I was busy listening on what was happening on the outside, I didn't bother to check within the inside of my own regiment.

"He had recognized me and watched me carefully all along. The prey had become the hunter. The only reason I recognized him was only because of the way he said my name, with that cold, creepy, calculative voice of his.

"If it weren't for Korsak and, later, Cavanaugh, who found me and brought me here, I don't think I would have met you, Maura. Now, I tell you all this, to show you that for eight years, my only goal was to find that bastard. When he set that fire to my house, those flames consumed me too.

"Then I met you. You finally showed me that there is another reason to life. However, I don't know if I can give this up, if I love not honour more. I have come to love you for who you are too. I don't think my hands would have made such a speedy recovery without your help.

"But, Maura, please, give me time to think about this. Please?"

Maura was quiet for so long, that Jane feared that she had put her to sleep with the soliloquy she just gave.

"Maura?"

"I'm here, Jane. I am just trying to digest what you just said. Thank you for sharing that for me. And, yes I will give you time to think, I will give you all the time you need. But, please, remember the first night you met me, and you told me that you planned on sticking around here for a very long time?"

"Yes, I do remember, Maura."

"Well, just make sure you do, okay?"

"Of course."

"And, Jane. Now that you told me what happened before you came here, I want to ask – is that why you often have nightmares? I sometimes hear you tossing and turning in you sleep and calling out for somebody."

"Oh, did I wake you up often then? I am so sorry!"

"No, no. You didn't. I'm such a light sleeper anyways. It didn't bother me, really."

"You sure? It's just that, every now and then, I still dream of that monster. He still haunts me."

"I see. It's my turn to offer you something now. When I was young, and whenever I had nightmares, my mother or father would come in to sit by my side and hold my hand until I fell asleep. The nightmares would never come back during the rest of the night. So, Jane, if it helps, would you hold my hand and stay by my side?"

"I would love to Maura. Thank you."

"Goodnight, Jane."

"Goodnight, Maur."

With that, they both fell contentedly asleep. Both sleeping the most peaceful sleep they had in years.

Creeping in was easy, killing them was easier, waiting for the prey to appear is not. That's the part that I hate the most. But that is what is needed when a hunter sets a trap. Patience.

I wonder how long it would take for the news to reach Jane. A few days, probably? She and her friends had a way of keeping in touch. I probably will never know how they do it, but at least I can use this connection to my advantage.

Ah, there's another thing. I had doubts at first, whether she would come. What if she was so scared of our first encounter?

Ha-ha! But there is something that I have that I didn't have the first time. A partner. Someone who wants something too. Who was willing to work together to get what he needed. Willing to form a symbiosis with me.

I look down at the faded photograph that he sent me. I rub the face, wondering if I will get to feel it in real life.

Aye, together, we will make Jane wonder what 'in that sleep of death what dreams may come…" Yes, there's the respect that makes calamity of so long life.