AN: I know I've been a bit MIA lately, so I decided, what the hell, two updates in one day. Couldn't hurt, right? Also, y'alls' reviews are making my heart absolutely flutter with joy. Keep doing what you do. Much love.

Detective Jane Rizzoli was a badass. She really was. But she was also exhausted. Spending the past three months stressing out over a fight with her best friend, the past three days caring for said best friend, and the past day sitting at her desk feeling absolutely useless would do that to a person. It was all Jane could do to take Jo Friday outside for a short walk, before she collapsed on her couch in a stupor. Her last thought before she crashed was that she much preferred Maura's couch to her own.

It was the banging that woke her. At first, she couldn't remember where she was. Wasn't she supposed to be at Maura's? No, that was last night. Maura didn't need Jane to sleep in her bed every night; it wasn't like she needed Jane's presence. Jane couldn't help herself from wishing that Maura had asked her to stay another night. The incessant knocking pulled her fully awake and she managed to haul herself off the couch. She pushed Jo Friday away from the door gently with her foot and unlocked it, throwing the door open.

"It's three in the morn-" was all she got out before she took in the sight before her.

Maura Isles, Chief Medical Examiner of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, top of the social order, most fashionable and put together woman that Jane had ever met was standing in the hallway in front of Jane's door, dressed in an overlarge sweater and yoga pants (which hugged her curves in all the right places. Jane, the detective growled to herself, Stop.) and flats. And she was crying. Silent tears were flowing, unchecked down the blonde's face, and, based on her messy appearance and red eyes, it looked as though she'd been crying for awhile.

"Maur?"

Maura wasn't meeting Jane's gaze. She was staring at the floor, her shoulders were shaking, but she had yet to make a sound. Jane didn't know what to do.

"Maura?"

Still no response. Jane decided to bite the bullet, so she stepped out, into the hall. Maura took a step back and Jane froze. The doctor was acting like a skittish puppy and Jane didn't want to scare her. She needed to see Maura's face, to look into Maura's hazel eyes. Jane could usually get a better read on the situation when she could make eye contact, but the doctor was making that extremely difficult.

"Maura, come inside. C'mon," Jane managed to coax the other woman into the apartment by stepping back, and urging her in gently. She closed the door behind them and watched as Maura remained still, standing in the entryway. Once the door was closed, Maura let an audibly sob escape her lips and then she was crying and shaking and Jane was afraid she was going to pass out from oxygen deprivation or work herself into a full on panic attack. So she did the only thing she could think to do; she pulled Maura into a hug, squeezing tighter when the doctor attempted to squirm away.

"Shhh," Jane soothed, pulling Maura as close as she could. "It's alright. You're okay. See, I'm right here. C'mon," she led the doctor over to the couch and sank down onto the cushions, keeping Maura pulled tight to her. Keeping up the calming litany, she rubbed the smaller woman's back soothingly, playing with Maura's honey blonde hair now and then in an attempt to calm her. Jane didn't have a lot of experience with hysterical outbursts, that was more her mother's realm, but she could feel the physical contact working its magic. Maura's heartbeat was rapid, and her breathing was rapid. Jane could feel the warm breathes on her neck where Maura had buried her head. Every now and then there was a hiccup or a catch in Maura's sob and Jane would pull her closer, trying to eliminate any space between the two, trying to reassure the doctor through her mere presence that Maura was safe, that she was alright.

"It's okay, Maur. It's alright."

The shaking was beginning to subside, Maura's breathing was evening out, but Jane knew better than to pull away until the other woman was ready. Her own heartbeat was coming back down as she felt Maura relax into the embrace. The sight of Maura so worked up had caused Jane's own body to tense up in respond, her panic button set on high alert.

When she felt Maura shift against her, Jane made as if to move away but Maura's raspy voice stopped her, "Don't. Please."

Jane stopped moving and instead shifted so that the blonde was basically situated in her lap. This was more physical contact than the two had ever shared and in the back of Jane's brain, she could hear herself cheering or something, but she ignored it, stifling the urge to bury her own face in the blonde curls. She settled for placing a quick kiss there instead.

"I'm sorry," Maura murmured, a fresh round of sobs rising in her chest, but Jane cut her off before she could get going.

"Hey, hey, it's alright. That's what I'm here for right."

Apparently that was the wrong thing to say because Maura really did start sobbing again. "You're here," it was half a question.

"Of course I'm here, Maur. Right here, with you."

Maura's tearstained face finally looked up. Her puffy hazel eyes met Jane's own brown ones, and in that moment, if someone had asked Jane if she'd ever seen anything more beautiful, she would have been unable to respond. The pain reflected in the smaller woman's face nearly broke Jane's heart. She didn't want Maura to look like that. Ever. Maura's hand seemed to come up of it's own accord and she ran a finger down Jane's cheek. The brunette suppressed the shudder which made its way down her spine.

"See. I'm here."

"Oh, Jane," Maura's voice broke on the syllable and Jane grabbed the other woman's hand in her own, squeezing tightly as if to express her physical nearness. The tears were glistening in Maura's eyes, but she took a deep breathe and managed to hold them at bay.

"I'm sorry to-to come over so late. I didn't mean, didn't want to wake you."

"It's okay."

Maura shook her head. "It isn't. I overreacted. It was a completely foolish response, one which I should never have logically engaged in."

"Maur," Jane stopped the other woman before she could hide herself in logic. "Just tell me what happened."

"You weren't there," Maura whispered in response, looking away again. "I-I dreamed about you. I can't remember. It was just, I was alone. And you were leaving and I couldn't make you stay, Jane. I couldn't make you stay!"

Jane placed her hand underneath the skittish woman's chin and turned her so they were once again facing one another. Maura, normally so composed, so strong, appeared, in that moment more terrified than Jane had ever seen her. She looked at Jane as if the detective were a ghost, about to flit away at any moment.

"Well look. Here we are, together."

Maura shrugged her shoulders. "I couldn't make you stay. And when I woke up, you weren't there, and I couldn't, I had to, to know, to see you. To make sure you were still here, still real."

Jane couldn't help her own tears from forming at Maura's words, but she pushed them away, she pushed away the lump that was forming in her throat, the ache in her chest. She had done this. She had caused Maura to fall apart in this way, to dream such horrible things. Jane had never wanted to help someone so badly, to ease someone's pain so strongly that she would be willing to do anything, absolutely anything.

"I'm here. You're okay. I'm sorry, Maur. I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry, too. Please, don't leave me Jane. I couldn't, wouldn't be able t- Please."

"We're okay. I'm not going anywhere. We'll work it out. I promise," Jane stared into Maura's eyes, one arm still wrapped tightly around the blonde's shoulders, the one clasped tightly with the doctor's. "I promise."

"I'm sorry."

Jane didn't respond. Instead, she stood up swiftly, clutching Maura to her like she would a baby. It wasn't effortless, but it was right, and so Jane didn't put the doctor down as she made her way towards the bedroom.

"Jane!"

"Hush," Jane reprimanded.

She hugged Maura to her once more, taking in the doctor's warmth, her softness, her perfectness, before setting her gently down on the bed. She went into the bathroom and brushed her teeth quickly and then reentered the room where Maura was now sitting. Flicking off the light, she crawled under the covers.

"C'mere," she ordered, grabbing the ME's hand and pulling her down next to her.

"Jane," Maura was unsure.

"Shh. I don't want you to have those dreams anymore. I don't want you to have to feel that way. I'm not going anywhere, Maur. And I'm sorry for these past three months, and I know we have to talk about it. But right now, I'm tired and you're exhausted, and we both need sleep. So c'mon."

Maura settled herself next to the detective. Her hand resting lightly on Jane's wrist. Jane considered the next move for all of a second, before she pulled Maura closer to her, resting the blonde's head on her chest, wrapping Maura's arm around her waist. The doctor took a moment and then she relaxed, letting Jane take her full weight, and Jane relaxed as well, trying to take deep breathes to control the sudden rapidity of her heartbeat. She was certain Maura could hear the increased pace, her ear was resting just below Jane's collar bone.

"I'm sorry, Jane."

"Stop apologizing," Jane said softly, her voice dipping into a lower register with exhaustion. "I'm here. Sleep, Maur."

And the smaller woman did, slipping into unconsciousness almost immediately, safe, curled into Jane's side. But, the detective was awake long after Maura's tight hold released her t-shirt and the doctor's breathing adopted a steady rhythm.

What in the hell was she doing. She and Maura had slept together before, but never like this, never together together, pressed so tightly there was no space between them. Jane found herself breathing in sync with the other woman, her chest rising and falling to match the delicate fluttering she felt on top of her. This wasn't right. This wasn't how friendship was supposed to look. Detective Rizzoli was sure of that. But this was the most comfortable Jane had ever been whilst sharing her bed. The brunette had never been much of a cuddler, preferring to disentangle herself from her bed partner as sleep arrived. But with Maura's light weight on top of her, her hand resting against Jane's hip, any thought of pulling away left her head like a bird taking flight.

They fit together so perfectly it would be a crime to move away, to rob Maura of the comfort she seemed to find in the taller woman's arms. Hell, Jane was unwilling to rob herself of the position she was in. She felt more at ease now than she had...ever. Better than she ever had with Dean or Casey or-o-or anyone. Jane Rizzoli avoided feelings like the plague, but there, in the dark of her bedroom, Maura Isles held closely to her heart, Jane let down her walls, she let the feelings rush over her, consume her.

All the pain and rejection she'd been feeling came in immediately, but followed closely on their coattails was something more, something wonderful. Happiness, joy, a light airy feeling Jane could honestly say she'd never experienced before. And there it was, attraction, almost...lo- no. It couldn't be. Not yet. It wasn't lust; it went deeper than that. From the tips of her toes to fingers to her head and her heart. It was like a glow, Jane scoffed at her own romantic images, but it seriously was like a pit of warmth and contentment had settled in her stomach and spread deep into her bones.

She felt...something for this woman on top of her. Something ancient and primal and protective and wonderful. She didn't want to call it the "L" word. Not yet. She didn't want to set herself up for the hurt that could result if Maura didn't feel the same way. And Jane was certain the doctor didn't feel the same way, how could she? Maura was perfect and beautiful and smart, and Jane was, well, a homicide detective who could take down any perp and go to it with any of the guys. Yes, Jane was sure Maura didn't feel for Jane what Jane felt for her, but at this point, it was alright. Jane would take what she could get. And having the sleeping doctor cuddled up to her, so close they were basically a single person, was plenty. It was enough. For now.