Hey, guys. First of all, I wanna apologize if the last chapter was a bit confusing. I hope this one won't confuse you as well.

Second, thank you all for reading.

Third, this chapter isn't as long as the last, but I hope you'll like it too. So, enjoy.

T73.

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Maura is sitting at her desk in her study and looks at the closed door when someone is knocking on it. She isn't really in the mood for having the next talk with her soon-to-be ex-husband. "Please, go away." She says when the door opens a little.

Jane's head appears in the room and she frowns a little. "You sure?"

The ME rolls her eyes but smiles. "No."

Jane is smiling and closes the door after she entered the study. "Ben just left. He gave me his keys after I told him not to bother you right now."

"He wanted to come up," Maura asks with a sigh.

"Mm," Jane replies and put the said keys on the small desk.

"Thank you," the blonde says heavy-hearted and looks on a framed picture on the desk. "Under other circumstances, I would say that you can keep them, but you already have your own set of keys."

"Yeah, I am irresistible ." The Italian says and takes a seat on the black two-seater couch, and Maura chuckles.

Jane takes a deep breath. "Wanna tell me what's bugging you?"

Maura is clasping her hands together in front of her mouth and sighs heavily. "You know, I thought that I would know everything about Ben, but the case is showing me that I was wrong."

"You can't know every single detail about someone, Maura." Jane says softly and frowns once again.

"Is there anything about your life you haven't told me," Maura asks and looks long at her lover.

The detective purses her lips and is looking deep inside herself for an answer. "Well, yeah. Um … When I was younger I was into boys. I even had boyfriends."

Maura snickers and furrows her brows. "That was when you were in elementary school, Jane. You told me about that."

"But those were pretty serious relationships," Jane replies and sighs heavily. "Not everyone likes to share details of their lives. I mean, perhaps I also have siblings I don't know about because my father -" She makes a face and shudders. "Can't keep his hands to himself."

"But you tell me about that, even though you don't know if you're right." The ME replies and shrugs. "I told him about my childhood, that I was adopted, that I have social issues. About Colin, Paddy, Hope and Cailin. That I was framed with murder and such things. And now it turns out that I only knew a fraction of Ben's life. Although I am not together with him anymore, it still hurts so much. It still feels like a breach of confidence, Jane."

The detective is nodding slowly and looks long at the blonde, licking her lips. Somehow, she can understand what Maura is talking about, and somehow she also can understand Ben. "I am sure that he had not the intention to hurt you, Maura. For some people it is a lot easier to forget about their family history and their own problems. We both know now that Ben is not a bad person, that he never lied to you when be said that he is innocent. That you didn't marry a psychopath."

Maura is smiling a little and raises her eyebrows briefly. "You're right, Jane."

"Tomorrow, I'm leaving Boston for a couple of days," the detective says and frowns as she sees the blonde's questioningly eyes. "I'm going to Baltimore myself and talk to your parents-in-law about Sylvia Dowell."

"BPD pays another business trip?" Maura asks surprised.

Jane is pursing her lips and shrugs. "Um, no. That's on my bill, but I am curious what Ben's parents can tell me. It's an solo act."

Maura sighs heavily and leans back in her chair. "I'm coming with you."

The detective scoffs and shakes her head. "No, you have to be here in the case that there's gonna be another body, Maura."

"Susie knows about the case and she can keep the guys in the loop." Maura states and furrows her brows. "And I take my laptop with me. I can take a few days off too."

"I have the feeling that I've lost the battle in the second as I told you that I am going to Baltimore." Jane says and her shoulders slump. She nods at the frame that is hosting a picture that she can't see. "What are you looking at?"

Maura is blushing a little. "Promise me not to freak out."

"Scout's honor," the brunette replies.

The blonde hesitates and turns the frame around.

"I have never seen that one." Jane says and swallows hard as she looks at a happy Ben and Maura. "Was that taken in your honeymoon?"

"The day after we arrived," Maura says and turns another frame around.

Jane scoffs amused and her dimples are popping out as she sees the next picture. "Seriously?"

"It was on the desk before the one with Ben." Maura explains and shrugs. "I always liked it and you were pretty much never in my study. That's why I kept it here and stared at it when I missed your company."

Jane is smiling broadly and shrugs. "You don't have to justify yourself, Maura. I also have framed pictures of us, and I was staring at them, too, when I missed you. Now, come over here, I wanna to tell you a secret."

The doctor frowns and gets up to her feet. "What do you wanna tell me?"

Jane grabs Maura's hand and pulls her onto her lap. "I love you so much. I love everything about you, Maura."

Maura starts to smile broadly and kisses the Italian gently. "I love you too, Jane."

"I can stay if you want me to."

"Yes, please."

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Jane kisses down Maura's naked body and growls low every now and then and looks at hardened nipples. She has no idea how they got to Maura's bedroom, or how they got undressed into Maura's bed.

All that she know is that she is craving for the moans and whimpers that are pulled from Maura's throat. She's sucking a stiff nipple into her mouth and looks up as Maura arches her back.

Maura's eyes falling shut and her heart wants to jump out of her chest. She is biting her bottom lip and bends one of her legs.

Jane growls again and trace the said leg with her fingertips. "God, you are beautiful." She whispers after she released the bud.

Maura whimpers and her body starts to shake in anticipation. None of her other lover had ever made her so impatient like the Italian is doing every time. And in the same moment Jane makes her feel loved and wanted.

"Oh, God." She moans deeply.

Jane is smiling proudly. "Nope, Jane."

Maura is trying to roll her eyes what fails as the taller woman is kissing her collarbone. "I know, but every touch of you is setting my body on fire."

The Italian is smiling proudly. "You sound a little bit -"

"Hush," Maura cuts her off and presses her lips to Jane's.

Jane smiles into the kiss and deepens it as soon as hands roaming over her back. "Jesus," she mumbles as Maura drags her nails over her spine all the way up and Jane's hips are thrusting forward.

The blonde gasps and wraps automatically her legs around the detective's thighs, allowing more access.

Jane is leaning up on her elbows and clenches her teeth, looking straight into hazel eyes. "And now I'm jealous." She husks.

"Why?"

"Because I can't have my hands all over you while I … make love you."

Maura is frowning as realization is washing over her and she kisses the detective gently. "You don't need to have a pens to make love to me, Jane. It is about love and trust, and abandon. And I love and trust you unconditionally, Jane."

"And I am like pudding in your hands," Jane whispers against the doctor's lips. "There isn't anything that I wouldn't do for you, Maura."

Maura smiles and pulls Jane's head down, kissing her once more. She gasps as the left hand of the detective is sneaking down between her legs.

She moans as soon as Jane is entering her with ease and digs her nails in Jane's shoulders.

Jane grunts when velvet walls clamp down on her fingers and buries her face in the crook of Maura's neck, using her hips as leverage.

Maura starts to settle for Jane's rhythm and smiles as brown eyes meet hers for a second.

"Oh, Jane." She whispers into the Italian's ear and a chill is running through her body as Jane whimpers like an wounded animal. "Don't stop."

Jane is keeping her eyes closed as she gently thrust into the doctor. But then she growls as Maura places her hands on the small of her back with a moan and she picks up the pace.

"Don't stop," Maura begs as soon as she reaches the peek of her orgasm and put her hands on Jane's butt. "Keep going, honey."

"Jesus," Jane grunts again and frowns as she hears a strange moan and falls over the edge as soon as Maura's walls tighten.

"Stay," Maura mumbles.

"I haven't planned to leave," Jane chuckles.

Maura is squeezing her legs together when the Italian is about pull her fingers out. "Stay, please."

The Italian turns serious and frowns. "Okay, but I won't promise that my hand can stand still the whole night, Maura."

Maura is smiling and biting her bottom lip. "I don't care for now, Jane."

Jane smiles and nods, dropping her head to the blonde's shoulder.

Maura smiles and swallows back a moan when Jane moves a little.

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The next morning, Jane stops the silver rental car in front of a massive metal gate and her eyebrows shoot up. "Well, that explains why Constance never has complained about Ben. I had no idea that he's also stinking rich."

Maura is rolling her eyes and extends a note to the Italian. "His parents are wealthy, Jane. He always has worked hard for his money."

"For whatever reason," the detective mumbles under her breath as she types the numerical code into a keypad and arches an eyebrow as the heavy gate opens automatically. "I thought you have bought the expensive tailored suits he's always wearing."

The ME is looking long at the detective and huffs. "You had absolutely no prejudices, had you?"

Jane is sighing heavily and shrugs. "He wouldn't have been the first man who gets dressed and fed by his wife. And this hasn't to do with prejudice, Maura, just with a lot of life experience. And even if you … would have clothed him, it wouldn't have been my business."

"Suddenly, you sound like an grown-up."

"It happens every now and then."

The blonde chuckles and runs an hand over Jane's neck.

Jane furrows her eyebrows and takes a deep breath. "I barely remember Ben's parents. Did I talk to them at your wedding?"

"You did," Maura replies with a smile. "but it was already late and you were a bit drunk."

Jane looks apologetically at the doctor and smiles a little. "Yeah, I bad a lot of beer that day, but I didn't make you feel embarrassed, that was Frankie's job."

Maura scoffs and raises briefly her eyebrows. "And he did a great job. I wish the two of you wouldn't have had a drinking competition before my wedding."

"It won't happen the next time," Jane is promising.

The doctor looks surprised at the other woman. "Who is saying that there will be a next time?"

Jane purses her lips and kills the engine in front of the mansion. "Um, well … Never say never." She frowns now. "Does your parents-in-law know about your new relationship status?"

Maura unbuckle her seatbelt and sighs heavily. "I haven't talked to them for a while, I don't know if Ben had told them about our separation."

"Well, let's find out, then." Jane says with a heavy sigh and gets out of the car. "I hope that I'll make it back to Boston."

The smaller woman smiles and makes her way up to the main entrance, waiting there without knocking or ringing.

Jane is glancing confused at the blonde and furls her eyebrows. "And we're waiting for the door to open by an invisible hand?"

The door opens and a older woman is smiling at Maura.

The doctor smiles back at her and steps over the threshold. "Yes. Hello, Allison."

"It's so nice to see you again, Maura." Allison Novak says kindly. "I tell them that you arrived."

"Thank you," the doctor says and clears her throat as she sees the skeptical look of the detective. "Behave."

"Let me guess." Jane whispers. "Allison is the maid."

"Domestic servant." Maura is correcting her and is warning the Italian with her gaze.

Jane is smirking and looks around in the entrance hall. "Even your house looks small against this one."

"Sssh," Maura is admonishing the taller woman now and looks with a smile at her. "I really do like Ben's parents, and I hope it won't change after our visit, Jane."

"I'm gonna good girl." Jane retorts and smirks as Maura is scowling at her.

She clears her throat as soon as a man and a woman are coming down the broad stairs.

He is at the end of his sixties. He has a fair complexion, graying light brown hair cut short, and light blue eyes. He is tall, somewhat athletic, and is wearing formal attire.

She is in the same age like him. She has an olive complexion, curly graying brown hair worn long, and dark brown eyes. She is also tall, somewhat thin, and is also formally dressed. Though she is a beautiful woman for her age

It is obvious that they are Ben's parents. He got everything from them both.

Maura licks her lips nervously and tries to smile politely.

Mrs. Payton is the first who is hugging the doctor tightly. "It's so good to see you again, Maura."

Maura is hugging the older woman back. "It's good to see you too."

He is hugging her now and smiles. "It's been far too long."

Maura nods in relief and looks briefly at the Italian. "Jane, you're remembering Timothy and Nicole Payton, Ben's parents."

Jane is glad that Maura is saying their first names out loud because she can't recall them anymore. She smiles broadly and shakes their hands. "Of course, it's nice to meet you again, Mr. and Mrs. Payton."

"I thought we're beyond the formalities, and it's Tim." He says and arches an brow. "It's good to see you too, Jane."

The detective still smiles and has to cover her confusion. "Likewise."

Nicole is swatting the arm of her husband and starts to lead the way to another room that seems to be their living room. "Don't be rude, Timothy. Let our guests have a seat."

Tim rolls his eyes and follows the three women. "It is a little surprising that you come visiting us on short notice, especially for you, Maura."

Maura is sitting down on an antique-like couch and crosses her legs. "Yes, I know, and I am sorry for that. But we, our team, are investigating a very complicated case and we have a couple of questions."

Jane sees how the Payton's are exchanging a certain gaze and frowns. "You have heard about the murders in Boston, haven't you?"

Nicole is nodding slowly and sighs. "We did, yes. Ben is in the center of your investigation, isn't he?"

"Not anymore," the detective answers and looks at both of them. "I we talked to an Lieutenant Kevin Kessler and he made Ben our prime suspect, but he is cleared now."

Tim is huffing and clenches his teeth. "Kessler, I can't believe that this incompetent idiot is still working for the police, nor that he promoted to Lieutenant."

"I can understand your indignation about him." Jane agrees with him and is nodding. "And we talked about the false accusations with Ben, though there are still some unanswered questions. And that's why Maura and I are here now."

"I have found some skin particles and the DNA is matching with Ben's." Maura says and sighs. "But the DNA isn't his which leads me to the conclusion that the man we are looking for is blood-related with one of you."

"So, you think one of our sons is a killer," Tim asks annoyed and his wife is glaring at him.

The ME is shaking her head. "We know that Jordan is in Nassau with Sarah and that Mick is still in Colorado Springs, Tim. We are ruling them out."

"I know it." Nicole suddenly says and walks away from Tim. "I always told you that he's going to be a problem, Tim."

"He deserved a chance, Nicole." He replies and sits down on one of the big armchairs, sighing. "Just because I made a mistake, you can't punish him, all right?"

She huffs again and crosses her arms over her chest.

Maura's eyes are huge as she listens to her parents-in-law and frowns.

Jane looks at Nicole and then at the older man. "What kind of mistake did you do?"

He sighs again and runs an hand over his smooth chin. "I had an affair when Jordan and Ben were still little. It was … It was the stupidest thing that I have done in my entire life, but it just happened. Her name was Sylvia Dowell and she was my clerk as I put my shingle up." He pauses and catches the glare of his wife. "Sylvia and I worked for long ours and then, one thing led to the other. I am not trying to warrant the affair, it almost cost my marriage. I just … I was a young man and I made mistakes."

"Don't forget to mention that you got Sylvia pregnant." Nicole throws in and looks at the two women, raising her eyebrows.

He rolls her eyes and nods. "As I ended the affair Sylvia told me that she was pregnant for two months and that only I could be the father, because she wasn't seeing anyone else. I almost dropped dead that day, but I assured that I would take the responsibility for that child as well as for my other ones."

"And you did," his wife says and scoffs. "Geoffrey Dowell caused us all a lot of trouble since the day he was born. He was always in a fight since he learned how to walk and he was stealing even though Tim always paid a kind of alimony. He showed up at our door in the middle of the night and claimed that be would be a Payton too, and that he would have a right to our fortune. We paid his school and his study."

"Nicole," Tim groans. It is obvious that they had this conversation more than just once.

"No," she says louder. "Geoffrey Dowell was a sponge, and you know it. He never really worked for anything in his entire life. You were delighted as be told you that he wanna become a lawyer as well, and you sent him to Francis King Carey School of Law just because you and Ben went there."

"He is my son too." Time says louder and Jane is straightening up as soon as she heard the name of the university. "And I let all of my children have the same support."

Nicole is piercing him with her gaze. "You are right, he is your son, not mine. I don't have to stand up for Geoffrey and I tell you, he's a scalawag."

Tim is about to say something as Jane is clearing her throat.

She furrows her eyebrows and looks at the married couple. "You said that Geoffrey also went to Francis King Carey School of Law."

Nicole nods approvingly and pours herself a glass of water. "In the beginning, he was a really good student and it seemed like he finally found his right way. But then be started to stalk the girls who were interested in Ben and it looked like he completely lost his mind. If Ben came home, Geoffrey wasn't far behind. When Ben dated another woman, Geoffrey asked if he could have a chance with them too. It seemed like he was obsessed with Ben."

"Ben knew that he was having another brother," Jane asks carefully.

Tim looks long at her and shakes his head with a sigh. "No, none of our children knows that they have another brother. They knew Geoffrey but they saw him more as another playmate."

"When you took the responsibility for Geoffrey too, why haven't you told Jordan and Ben about him?" Maura asks and looks questioningly at the two older people. "I mean, he hasn't chosen his parents, it's not his fault."

"Maura," Jane says softly.

"No," Nicole states and sits down on the other armchair. "Maura has every right to be upset. I didn't want them to know about Geoffrey because be was an bad influence. As I already said, be caused a lot of problems, especially when the boys got older. Ben is the only one who comes after Tim and me. I mean, it is obvious that I have Spanish roots and Tim's -"

"Scotch-Irish," he says and rolls his eyes.

Maura and Jane are chuckling amused about his reaction.

Nicole smiles broadly and nods. "Anyway, Ben always was an eyeful. Our other kids are attractive too, but Ben was always something special."

"So, he was your favorite child," Jane states with a frown.

"Absolutely not." Tim retorts and holds up an hand. "We treated each of our children the same way, we had no favorite ones. But mothers and girls always favorited him and then there was Geoffrey who looked almost the same like Ben, but he was always seeking recognition. I don't know what went wrong with him. Because, even though I didn't endorse the affair, Sylvia was an sacrificially mother."

Maura is getting up to her feet and walks to the round table on which are glasses and a water carafe, and pours two glasses with the liquid. "Was?"

Tim nods slowly. "She died because of lymph node cancer when Geoffrey was twenty."

Maura is sighing heavily and walks back to the Italian. "Lymphoma often spreads to the lungs, liver, and or brain. It's treatable, but the mortality rate is still quite high."

Jane smiles a little at the ME and accepts the water glass. She was hoping that she also could talk to Sylvia, but that's definitely no option. "Do you know where Geoffrey is right now?"

Nicole looks at her husband and raises her brows. "You tell her, Tim."

He licks his lips and clears his throat. "I gave him a job after be got his attorney's certification. The first three years Geoffrey was working my office here in Baltimore, but then be asked to be transferred to one of the other offices at the east coast, so I sent him to Boston. That's an year ago."

Jane is blankly staring at him and Maura has stopped to breath.

"Has … has it ever occurred to you that Geoffrey could be responsible for the murders for which Ben was accused ten years ago," the Italian is asking now.

Nicole swallows hard and closes her eyes briefly.

Tim is dropping his gaze and runs his hand over his forehead. You don't have children, Jane, do you?"

She looks long at him and shakes her head. "No. No, I don't have children, Tim."

He exhales through his nose and nods slowly. "We had a bad feeling after the police was treating Ben like a criminal. A couple of people said that they had seen him with the women who got kidnapped and killed, but sometimes he was with us and his siblings. These people described the offender in detail and somehow I knew that they were talking about Geoffrey, but I didn't want it to be true."

"Why haven't you talked to me as the killing started in Boston all over again," Maura asks and the pain is evident in her voice.

The detective wants to take Maura's hand in her own, but she knows that it would be more than inappropriate right now.

Nicole smiles a little and shakes her head. "Honey, we didn't tell you because we didn't want to load this onto you. Tim and I knew that you would tell that -" She looks at the detective and furrows her brows. "Your colleagues because you can't lie. And you should be looking on that case with objective eyes."

"You could have spared us a lot of trouble," Jane states and furls her eyebrows.

"I am really blaming myself," Tim agrees and frowns deeply. "I wasn't thinking that Geoffrey would continue what be had started in Baltimore, Jane. If Maura wouldn't have announced your visit, we would have called or would come to Boston. I swear to God, we weren't covering his activities ."

Jane nods slowly and scoffs. "Then you can tell me where he is currently living and working."

"Of course," Tim says and holds his hand out as his wife is handing him pen and notepad. He hesitates before he writes the new information down.

"You're not wearing your wedding band, Maura." Nicole states and sips her water.

Maura is freezing and she is clenching her left hand to a fist, and Jane's eyebrows are shooting up. "Uh …"

Damn it, Jane is thinking to herself and tries to find something so they'll gonna change the topic.

Nicole starts to chuckle and Time shakes with a smile his head. "We know, Maura. Ben told us that the two of you separated."

Now, Jane is panicking and she looks for the closest way to run off. Damn it!

"I'm sorry," Maura says remorsefully. "I should have told you from the beginning, before we come here."

Tim hands Jane the note and looks long at her. "We haven't changed our mind about … you, Maura. You are a wonderful woman and you made our son happy, and we love you. Sometimes, there are insurmountablenesses that can cost a marriage." He still looks at the detective. "You'll regret it if you don't treat that woman respectfully."

Jane clears her throat and takes the note in her hand. Suddenly, she is feeling like on her prom night and she nods. "Yes, Sir. I'll treat her with all due respect."

Maura has to laugh briefly and looks at her parents-in-law. "You are not mad or disappointed?"

"Not as long as you're going to invite us when you're marrying Jane." Nicole says with a smile. Somehow she knew that the marriage won't last for long, or because the detective poured her heart out at the wedding in her drunken state.

"You're gonna be the guests of honor," Jane blurts out.

Maura looks surprised at the brunette and starts to laugh with Tim and Nicole as Jane is blushing.

"You're staying for lunch," he asks.

"We don't want to bother you much more." The ME answers.

Nicole lowers her eyebrows. "Maura, I insist."

Maura looks at the shrugging detective and nods with a sigh. "Okay, we'll stay for lunch."

Jane nods and smiles a little, squeezing the blonde's hand encouragingly.