The sound of steady, static beeps gave the hospital room a calm and controlled feeling. It was pouring outside - the thunder was roaring intermittently every few minutes. It reverberated through the floors like some sort of powerful seismic activity. Besides the mechanical drone of beeps and buzzes, the hospital room was quiet - a stark contrast with the raging storm just outside. Jane had dragged a wooden chair close to Maura's side. Maura was sleeping - breathing steadily with the help of a nasal cannula and the occasional use of an oxygen mask, although they hadn't needed it for a couple hours now. The assigned nurse popped in and out on occasion, adjusting the medications. They had given Maura a sedative to help her relax - even under the circumstances of her weaker condition, she grew increasingly aggressive each time she regained consciousness. The nurse had described Maura as being "resistive, distressed, and forceful." This surprised Jane, who knew Maura to be a tranquil character, with logical steps preceding every action. But what else would you do if you were suffocating? Jane mused with an irritated glance at the nurse outside the glass window. You couldn't expect her to be cool, calm, and collected when she could barely breathe? Jane adjusted her sitting position - she had grown numb to the wooden chair. It was almost like a single entity, a part of her own body. She had been there for hours - it didn't bother her. Jane had relaxed once she was able to see Maura, but a lump rose in her throat as she had walked in to see her best friend laying so still in the hospital bed, wearing a blue and white hospital gown and looking so very fragile.

Maura looked peaceful as she slept. She had been stable thus far. A doctor and two nurses had been waiting for the ambulance as the vehicle arrived outside the ER entrance.

Jane sat, head in her hands, which were propped carefully next to Maura's upper arm. She closed her eyes and recollected what had happened when the ambulance arrived. She had gone through it in her head for hours. It was a torturous cycle of rumination.

-"Jane..." Maura had gasped. Her body was rigid and fixed with fear. Her body arched forward abruptly once again. That line between consciousness and unconsciousness was a divisive, binding contract of character. The EMTs steadied her and wheeled her out, explaining Maura's condition to the awaiting medical personnel in the process. At that moment, Maura struggled slightly to regain her senses, but appeared to have lost consciousness shortly thereafter.

The EMT spoke to the doctor quickly and effectively, multitasking as he explained Maura's stats.

-"She presented with a BP of 80/60 and her heart rate reached a high of 189. Patient has severe discomfort in the upper quadrant region and is in severe respiratory distress. Chest pain was noted, and the patient was started on supplemental oxygen and IV fluid to account for signs of possible dehydration."

Jane had been instructed to wait. She was fighting every fiber of her being to do so, as she had watched Maura being wheeled into the emergency room. Voices were geared in her direction, but she could never remember who spoke to her. Everything was a blur.

-"Ms. Rizzoli, we are doing our best to assess your friend's condition. As soon as she has been stabilized, we will allow you to see her. We've been swamped with all these security problems lately - we are simply carrying out back-up protocol. The waiting room is through the double doors and you'll take the first right you see. You may wait there if you like - I will get you as soon as her condition permits."

"Thank you," Jane had said quietly. The ambulance ride had been enough to shake her up, and not just for the remainder of the evening.

She couldn't remember much from the waiting room. She couldn't count how many times she had paced from the table with the magazines to her double doors, and back again, just to pass the time. Why did they put magazines in the emergency waiting area? She had always wondered. As if that would be any help. Yeah, my best friend just collapsed at a crime scene, I think I'll just skim through sordid celebrity details while I wait to find out if she's going to be alright. Oh good, here's a People's magazine! Just what I needed! she had remembered thinking. All she knew was she had been bogged down by phone calls within that time. She had spoken to Frankie, Frost, Korsak, and her mother, who all had been heavily concerned. "We'll come over soon, Janie," she heard one of them soon.

The truth was that she didn't want any of them to come. She didn't want to be with anybody. All she wanted was a moment of silence. All she wanted was to make sure Maura was alright. But above all she wanted Maura to forgive her - it was a necessity so much more than it was a desire. Perhaps the serenity of Maura's hospital setting had allowed her to recollect herself. Jane leaned back and stared at the IV, the ongoing drop by drop percolation - she thought to herself silently. How quickly had everything gone by in those few minutes. From the crime scene to the hospital? How incredibly heartless she had felt with the passing of every minute. Her phone vibrated roughly on the wooden chair. She leaped swiftly to stifle its noise.

-"Rizzoli," she answered. "Yeah Ma, in the hospital. Yeah, she's stable - I'm with her now. No, I haven't spoken to the doctor yet...Yeah I'll call you as soon as I do. Love you too." So apparently Ma was caught in the rain, and the station was bogged down on another case. Dr. Pike came after all, Jane thought miserably. A wave of guilt surfaced once more. She stared at her watch - 8:37 PM. Four hours since she had been called to the crime scene.

A nurse came in about fifteen minutes later to tell Jane that the ICU would cease to accept visitors at 9:00 PM. The doctor who had been responsible for Maura's care upon entrance into the ER came in shortly thereafter. He addressed Jane without introduction - she was grateful to obtain some reassurance.

-"Her condition is stable, but we'll keep her here tonight to monitor her vitals. She's gone through quite the ordeal - I expect she'll need all the rest she can get. Dr. Miller, our cardiac specialist will be by tomorrow to discuss her current condition - I am afraid he's on-call tonight and will not be able to come by before visiting hours end, but if you come by early tomorrow morning, we'll transfer her upstairs so long as her vitals remain consistent." The doctor was kind and soft-spoken. He paused slightly. "She appears to have suffered a serious cardiac episode, has she been complaining of any discomfort lately?"

Jane hesitated. Careful not to unload an emotional drama to a complete stranger, she answered carefully. "She was showing signs, but never confronted it with us at the workplace." She was telling the truth...but it felt like a lie - only because Jane knew she could have done so much more. "She was exhausted earlier this morning. It was like she couldn't catch her breath - she seemed different. It's just...with what we do, you can never really tell when we're on the brink of a health crisis...or just - "

-"Has there been any extreme stressors that you know of?" He asked quietly.

Jane paused. "Yeah, I guess...yeah."

-"Sometimes these conditions can be exacerbated by stress, but we'll see how her condition is to be assessed by the specialist. Dr. Miller will be in to provide his consult once she's been transferred. It will be easier once she's awake. Drive safely, Detective."

"I will, thank you," Jane had replied, as he strode out carefully.

Her clock read 8:58 PM. She walked to Maura's side quietly.

-"I'll be back as fast as I can, Maura," she said softly, as she gave Maura a kiss on the forehead.

The hospital never sleeps, she thought to herself quietly as she stepped out the hospital doors. The sidewalk was wet from the rain. And neither do I. Not tonight.