Thanks for the reviews and favorites! The more you let me know you like it, the more excited I get to write the next chapter!

Once again, I do not own these characters. I'm just taking them for a spin.

Chapter 2

Wow. That was all Jane could think. Wow. I just kissed my best friend. And I liked it! Jane could feel Maura's eyes on her, so she slowly opened her eyes to meet Maura's gaze. She could see her own emotions reflected in Maura's eyes. "Wow," Jane whispered aloud.

Maura smiled. "Wow is right," she whispered back. She lifted her hand to caress Jane's cheek and pressed another gentle kiss to Jane's lips. "I know I was drunk, Jane, but I want you to know that this wasn't just a drunken mistake to me."

Thank God was the thought that immediately sprang into Jane's mind. But instead, she replied, "Same here, Maura. But I'm not sure what this all means." Jane took a step back from Maura and ran her hands nervously through her hair. "I mean, wow. That kiss was….wow. But, wow…I…."

Maura snickered at Jane's inability to have a coherent thought. Seeing Jane so flustered, Maura decided she need to take charge. She took Jane's hands in her own and said, "I know, Jane. I don't know what it means either. I feel something for you but I'm not sure what it is. And I don't think either one of us can really figure that out tonight."

Jane dipped her head. "Maur-" she started. I don't know what I feel for you, but I want to explore it was what Jane had wanted to say. But instead, she felt Maura's finger lift her chin up.

"Look at me, Jane," Maura pleaded. She was nervous Jane was about to run away from what was happening. When Jane's gaze met Maura's, Maura could see happiness but also doubt and confusion in her friend's eyes. "Jane, we are in uncharted territory for us. It's okay to be nervous and confused. I am. Let's just take some time to think about where to go from here."

Jane thought for a moment before responding. Her heart wanted to just grab Maura and kiss her again, but her head stopped her. "Okay," she replied, smiling awkwardly. "But how do you suggest we do that? We are around each other all the time."

"That's true, Jane. And that's exactly why I think we need to take some time to think about our next steps. I would truly hate for something to ruin our friendship and working relationship. I value you so much," Maura explained, fighting the temptation to take Jane in her arms once again. "I'm not suggesting we don't interact with each other. I'm merely suggesting that we take some time to inventory our feelings for one another." Maura had slipped into scientist mode. "Dissect our interactions and behaviors to figure out what is really happening between us."

Jane sighed. "That may be easy for you, Maur. But that's not how I operate. I don't want to dissect our relationship." Jane paused and took a gulp before continuing. "I want to explore it."

"What do you mean?" Maura asked, searching Jane's eyes.

Realizing they were still outside the door of the Dirty Robber, and noticing the crowd of men that had gathered at the window to watch, Jane said, "I don't want an audience for this. Let's go back to your place." Maura nodded in agreement, letting Jane take her hand to lead her to the car. They rode home in comfortable silence, each one lost in their thoughts about the conversation they were about to have.

Jane took the time to really think about how she wanted to reply to Maura's question. At the beginning of the night, Jane was just excited to spend the evening with her best friend. Sure, Jane had let het mind wander time and again to the thought of something more with Maura, but she was always just pushed it aside, as she had with all her previous girl crushes. Surely, it meant nothing. But seeing the sadness in Maura's eyes and sensing that Maura might have felt the same, Jane acted on her impulse to kiss her. After she had kissed Maura, a switch flipped for her. What she was feeling for Maura wasn't just friendship. She wanted something more. She wanted to see what truly was between them.

Maura, being more scientific in her approach to her relationships, analyzed every moment of the day. When she had gone to bed the night before, Jane was just her best friend. But now, Maura viewed her in a whole different light. What had changed? Maura created several hypotheses and tried to validate each one. The only one that withstood her scientific scrutiny was the one that she had secretly always thought to be true. I am bisexual and truth be told, have always felt more than friendship for Jane. But since I have never felt really in love before, I did not know how to classify my physical, emotional and mental responses to her. Therefore, I must conclude that I, Maura, am in love with one Jane Rizzoli.

Arriving at Maura's place, Maura opened her car door to get out. She was quickly met by Jane, who once again, took Maura's hand in hers as she led the way to her door. Using her key to Maura's place, Jane let them in. Once inside, Jane let go of Maura's hands, stepped forward and placed her hands on Maura's upper arms. She looked deeply into Maura's eyes as she replied. "I thought about this the whole ride home. I don't want to do this independently, Maura. It's easy for you to remove yourself from the situation and examine each minute detail. But for me, I would much rather just jump in and explore what happens."

Deep down, Maura became an innocent school girl, excited at the prospect of exploring Jane. Well, maybe not so innocent, Maura thought. But then, fear gripped her at the thought of the possibility that if they didn't work out, then she could lose Jane forever. And that was something that Maura just couldn't bear. "But what if we jump in too fast and find that we are incompatible and this doesn't work out? I don't want to lose you and our friendship." Maura's last sentence rang full of fear and apprehension.

Taking a step even closer to Maura, their bodies almost flush together. "You would never lose me, Maur. I…I-" Jane took a deep breath. Why was this so hard to say? She had said I love you to Maura many times before. Why was she struggling to say it now? Did those words carry more meaning now? Jane pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind. Regardless of what those words may or may not mean, the simple fact was that they were true. "I love you, Maura," Jane said sweetly, as she looked deep into Maura's eyes. With those words, Jane was suddenly struck with the answer to her questions. I am falling in love with her.

It was Maura's turn to let her gaze fall from Jane's eyes. She blushed. Please let those words mean what I think they do. "I love you, too, Jane." Maura replied as she looked, coquettishly, up into Jane's eyes.

Jane's breath hitched in her throat. Is she feeling what I'm feeling? Her stomach filled with butterflies. "Maur?" Jane asked, tentatively.

"Yes, Jane," Maura breathed.

"Well," Jane stammered. Steeling herself to ask the question, Jane pushed aside her nervousness and asked, "If you're okay with this exploring thing…" Jane paused, looking at Maura for a silent assent. Maura nodded, almost imperceptively, transfixed by Jane and what was about to come. "Then, maybe we can, I don't know, maybe, uh…go on, you know, a date?" Jane finished quickly.

"We've been on many dates already Jane. I don't see how that is any different than normal," Maura replied, inquisitively.

"Yes, Maura, we have. But I mean like a real date. I am formally asking you out on a date," Jane replied, laughing on the inside at Maura's naivety.

"Oh," Maura replied. "You want to court me?" She smiled.

"Well, uh, I guess?" Jane replied, startled by Maura's use of such an old-fashioned term.

"Courtship is the act of getting to know one another to decide if we would like to move our relationship into something more established, more formal," Maura offered in clarification.

"Yes, yes, that's exactly what I want to do," Jane replied, beaming.