DISCLAIMER: Not mine. Want, but don't have.

"Jane, sit down before you fall down." Maura snapped at her friend.

"I'm fine." Jane raked a hand through her dishevelled hair and jutted her chin out obstinately, continuing to watch the news from the middle of her living room.

It had been a long week for Jane, a long case – Maura had had limited involvement in this one but had heard all about it from Korsak this afternoon, who had dropped by her office to casually mention that Jane had been told in no uncertain terms that she was owed two days leave and she had better not show up at the office before Monday.

She'd arrived this evening to a frustrated, angry Jane, who had caught her criminals but needed to set up her court evidence, needed to ensure that once the cage door closed it stayed locked.

Maura just crossed her arms. Waited. Jane looked up from the news coverage of the case. "I have to work, Maur." She offered - a hint of a whine in her voice along with fatigue.

Maura just looked at her. "You have to sit, Jane. And you can either choose voluntarily to do so or I will employ other methods."

At that, Jane slunk over to her couch and threw herself down. "Considering the last time you employed "other methods" I didn't wake up for three days, I'm gonna sit. My decision entirely, just so we're clear."

Amused, Maura shook her head. "Those pills weren't that strong – you had pushed too hard. That's why you slept for so long."

Jane snorted, then patted the cushion next to her in invitation. "Two words, Doctor Isles. Horse tranquilizers."

She sank down on the couch, pulling a brush from her purse. "Turn around. Your hair looks like it should have things living in it."

Jane snorted, but turned her back to Maura obediently. "Well, one can't always look like the cover of Vogue, can one."

"Shut up." Maura started combing out the ends. "So tell me what's eating at you."

"You just told me to shut up. The two instructions cannot be followed at the same time."

Maura frowned at the back of Jane's head. Then leant in to murmur in Jane's ear. "If you would like to continue to be snarky, that's entirely your decision. I will point out however that I do know exactly where you're ticklish, and you do happen to be in a very. Vulnerable. Position." She returned to brushing, pleased to note the tips of Jane's ears were turning red.

"Fine." Jane groused, shifting slightly. "I just... I don't get this one. Man murders for money, to cover his debt. Totally get it; people have been killing for money since just about forever. But then his wife finds out, kills the guy that knows what her husband did, to cover for her husband. It's just...it's beyond me. I don't see why she'd do that."

"People operate out of fear or love." Maura said wryly, as she ran the brush through Jane's hair.

Jane shifted again, her shoulders tensing. "Yeah?"

"Mm-hm. It's where all our actions stem from, at the basic level." Maura kept the brush moving, long, even stokes, until Jane's hair was untangled and her shoulders were relaxed again. "Better?"

"Better." Jane agreed. "You've got skills, Maur."

She paused, then leant forward again. "You haven't even seen the beginning of my skills, Detective."

Jane went very still. "Are you coming on to me?"

Maura could feel the tension that was suddenly shimmering between them. She hesitated a beat. "Yes."

Everything was still. She knew her heart was pounding, she could feel her pulse vibrate against the tips of her fingers where she held the brush. She knew that she was breathing shallowly, that Jane was clutching one of the couch cushions so hard that her knuckles were white. That eventually one of them was going to have to say something. But she closed her eyes for a second, willing the moment to stay.

Once the stillness was broken, everything was going to change.

Over Jane's shoulder she saw her hands relax on the cushion. She didn't turn around. "Is it weird that I'm not entirely shocked?"

Maura took a breath, aware that time was moving again. And there was only one important question now. "Am I going to lose you?"

Jane turned quickly and yanked her into a hug so fast she dropped the brush, lost the line of thinking she was following. Jane spoke into her ear. "Just you try to lose me, Maura Isles. There's no way, okay? There's just no way."

She eased back, relief flooding through her, making it hard to form the next necessary words. "Jane... what I feel for you... it's extremely significant. But if what I'm offering isn't what you need, then that's acceptable." She smiled wryly. "God, Jane. Don't you know by now that the only thing I want for you is for you to be happy?"

Jane gripped her hands, smiled ruefully back. "That's funny. Don't you know by now that the only thing I need for me to be happy is you?"

Maura gripped back. "I know. I know that with all of my...what is it – guts. But you keep running, Jane. There are...boundaries, here that I don't know how to cross."

Jane squeezed their joined hands, then stood up, swiping at her face. "It's not as easy as clicking your fingers and suddenly everything is perfect, Maur. It's not as easy as kissing someone and all of a sudden it's hearts and flowers and puppies."

She raised a brow. "Puppies."

Jane glared at her. "Relationships are hard work, Maura."

"Yes," she agreed smoothly. "Look at ours."

She watched the surprise flicker over Jane's features, followed by another scowl. "Not fair."

She rolled her eyes. "If you're going to thow over-used sayings at me Jane, life's not fair."

Jane put her hands on her hips, spread her weight, like she was about to start a brawl. "What if I can't make you happy, Maur? What if I get so tangled up in you that we can't be friends anymore? What if personal and professional lines get crossed and I can't handle that? What if being a "lesbian couple" isn't something I'm good at? What if I disappoint you?"

Maura narrowed her gaze. "What if the loss of control we're both bound to experience isn't something either of us can handle? What if our reputations are compromised when this relationship inevitably gets out? What if I'm too...google-mouthed, for you? What if my tastes are too kinky – hell, what if your tastes are too kinky?" She shrugged at Jane's surprise. "It's not like we talk about it, Jane." She looked at the woman in front of her, who was so poised to fight but didn't realise that she was fighting herself.

"What if I disappoint you?" She said quietly, watching Jane's expression change. "I have thought about everything you've just said, and all I can come up with is that I love you. Sometimes that will help, sometimes that will make things worse. But that's the thing we have in common." She smiled, tried for bright and confident. "You love me, too, and you know it."

Jane opened her mouth to retort, then shook her head. Started to laugh. Maura eyed her warily. "What's so funny?"

Jane spread her hands, looking at Maura affectionately. "Us. No one annoys me like you do, you know that?"

Maura stood up to face her, instinct telling her she was going to have to make a point sooner or later. She folded her arms. "Likewise, I'm sure."

Jane grinned. "And now you're getting defensive."

"Am not."

"Are too – look, Maur, you can't just spring seducing someone on a person."

She folded her arms tighter. "Why not?"

Jane paced a couple of steps nearer, tentatively touched her shoulder. "Because it takes time for someone to get used to the idea of being seduced."

Maura narrowed her eyes, trying to ignore the fact that Jane's fingers were tracing small, anxious patterns on her collarbone. "I would have thought they'd be flattered."

Jane grinned, but her eyes were serious. "You would be right...but they'd also be scared."

Maura closed her eyes briefly. Of course. This was what it always came down to. She made a good pretend human being, but she was too awkward, too cerebral, to pass for long. No wonder Jane was terrified of taking that next step. She was just looking for a polite way to say no, thank you.

Maura took a breath, forced herself to meet Jane's gaze. "Of course. I'm sorry Jane, I should have anticipated. Most people do find me intimidating romantically, and I- forgot... I would never want you to feel uncomfortable – I didn't realise you are looking for a way to say no." She shrugged, forcing a smile, feeling Jane's hand tighten on her shoulder. "You know me, social moron."

She made to step away, already preparing to offer to get Jane a beer from the fridge, offer a path back to normalcy. Already preparing to get through another half hour before she would politely excuse herself, go home and fall apart at the notion that she'd ever thought Jane could love her in that way.

Jane tugged her back. "You are a moron." She studied Maura for a moment, then shook her head. "Ma used to say that it was amazing I'd become a detective considering I never could see what was right in front of my face."

Maura frowned, completely lost. "I don't understand."

Jane rolled her eyes. "Clearly, Little Miss Romantically Intimidating. Jesus, Maura, you're about as intimidating as a box of Cheerios."

She glared at Jane. "I'm sure I would find that insulting if I knew what that meant."

Jane smirked. "Probably. But I'm not scared of you." She paused, tilted her head, considering. "I'm not scared of you except when you wear that red dress that doesn't have a back. But I'm more scared of me, Maur."

She studied Jane, who looked smug and nervous at the same time. There was something under her casual words, and if she could just hear herself think past her own adrenaline rush and the thudding of her pulse in her ears... And then she understood, finally, what Jane was trying to say. "You want me."

Jane swallowed, then nodded, hesitantly. "I want you. Jesus, I more than want you." She backed away from Maura to pace. "But I've never done this before, and I've never had so much to lose by taking the next step here."

Still stuck on hearing Jane say the words, Maura struggled to focus. "So what are we saying here? I should be your friend, but I shouldn't...go further? I should stop?"

Jane huffed out a laugh. "Don't for god's sake stop, Maur. But this isn't going to be easy for me. And you've gotta give me a few days to get my head around this."

She thought a moment. "So I should or shouldn't wear the red dress?"

Jane groaned. "You're going to kill me."

Maura smirked, daring to take a step closer to Jane. "Probably not conducive to a healthy relationship."

Jane took a step back. "Time, Maur." She warned.

Nodding, Maura took a step forward. "Not too much time, Jane."

Jane took another step back, and almost fell into the fireplace. "I'm not afraid of you."

Meeting Jane's eyes, Maura smiled innocently. Taking another step forward, she placed a light hand on Jane's side. "I have the romantic intimidation level of Cheerios, remember? But you have a little something on your face, right-" She leaned in slowly, breathed in the scent of Jane's shampoo. Kissed her, just long enough for her to feel the urge to run her hands along Jane's spine. Just long enough for her to feel the quick, nervous rise and fall of Jane's side under her hand slow and deepen.

"-There," she breathed, meeting Jane's gaze as her eyes opened, knowing that her own were half-lidded and dark.

Jane closed her eyes again briefly, then gently tugged on a strand of Maura's hair. "Not fair."

Maura took a step back, knowing that anything more tonight would hinder, rather than help. She gave Jane an impish smile. 'Life's not fair, Jane. I'm going to go home and think about all of the ways I bother you. I see I will need to work on getting under your skin."

Jane raised a brow. "You're always under my skin."

"Good. I plan on being there a while." She shot back, smiling, feeling smug and satisfied.

Jane accompanied her to the door. They stood in the threshold a moment, watching each other.

"Nothing's changed, right?" Jane ventured, finally.

Maura shook her head gently, knowing Jane was looking for reassurance but refusing to allow her to hide. "Nothing and everything, Rizzoli."

She watched Jane take a breath, then take a deliberate step towards her. She backed up, reluctantly stepping outside. "I think I need to go. Baby steps, Jane." She turned towards her car with a mischievous smile on her face, waiting for it, counting down. Three. Two. One.

"Doctor Isles."

She turned. Jane leaned nonchalantly in the doorway, but there was nothing casual in her expression. "Yes, Detective?"

"I bet you're feeling pretty smug right now, huh?"

She tilted her head coyly. "Possibly."

Jane gave her a feral grin, and instinct told her she'd better start worrying, tout de suite. "You should probably start thinking about what exactly is going to happen to you when I get over being afraid of being seduced."

Jane grinned as Maura just blinked at her, stunned into silence, then shut the door.

Maura walked to her car, annoyed that that, damn the woman, now she was thinking about it. What was that expression Korsak was so fond of? "I do believe I've created a monster."

A/N: Relationships are hard. It's not like in the movies – it's one step forward, two back sometimes but if it's worth it, you walk the path. But sometimes you get a moment or two that turn out to be perfect, don't you think? Thanks for reading and thanks for reviewing and I hope you all have a fantastic week XD