A/N: As always thank you all for the feedback.

Since Christmas night, I had thought about little else but the moment Maura and I shared on her doorstep. I played it over and over in my head, wondering if it was my imagination that conjured up evidence of my feelings for Maura being mutual. Her hand in mine, her eyes looking at me expectantly, the mistletoe…

Part of me was regretful that I failed to act on my desires. Another part of me was grateful, because it gave me time to prepare; to make my feelings known in a special way. To prepare my thoughts, and to prepare how I was going to express my feelings.

I had decided that New Year's Eve was to be the night. I had decided that, with neither Maura nor I having a date for the BPD New Year's Eve party, I was going to be bold and kiss the girl at midnight. I realised that it may be a little cliché, but a bigger part of me thought of it as being romantic. I had planned to be standing next to Maura in that moment; I had planned to tell her that this New Year's Eve I wanted to kiss the person I wanted to share my life with. I had planned to kiss Maura at midnight, but things don't always go to plan.

I was nervous. There was still a part of me that was uncertain about the reaction I would receive, regardless of the fact that all the evidence I had gathered had indicated that a kiss, and more, would be welcomed.

I spent over half the day – yes, half a day – shopping for a new dress. I spent the other half of the day getting ready. I wanted to look nice. I wanted to impress. I wanted to make her look at me in a way that suggested that we share something more than just friendship. I wanted to attract her.

And it appeared to work.

I declined the invitation to get ready and go to the party together in the hopes of blowing her socks off when I arrived fashionably late and dressed to kill. The look on her face when I arrived and our eyes met told me that it was worth the effort. If I was not mistaken, there were eyes of lust watching me as we approached each other from opposite sides of the room. The Dirty Robber was jamb packed, but it seemed we only had eyes for each other.

"Jane, you look… wonderful," Maura exclaimed, her eyes lingering almost imperceptibly on my cleavage. "Did you buy a new dress?"

I was wearing a little mid-thigh, black number with a V neck; stylish, elegant, and accentuating the few female curves I have.

"Yes," I replied with a smile. "I bought it specially."

She looked up and flashed me with her signature grin; the one that I'm sure she stores away just for me. She has that special sparkle in her eyes, and the little dimple on her cheek. She is wearing a very sexy red halter neck dress, tight in all the right places and stopping just above her knees.

"Can I buy you a drink?" I asked, grinning mischievously and pointing towards the bar.

"Jane, the drinks are free tonight," she replied in confusion, before realising that I already knew that and was just making fun. "Oh, right. Well, lead the way, detective."

The lead up to midnight was perfect. We enjoyed each other's company, and the company of our colleagues and friends. We danced to a few songs in a circle with the gang, including Frankie and, believe it or not, Korsak. I say we danced, but in reality it was more a case of Maura dragging me up to the dance floor and me standing there swaying to the music and laughing at Korsak's attempts at refashioning Saturday Night Fever.

It was 30 minutes out from midnight when my trip to the ladies room resulted in my losing sight of Maura. I began to panic 15 minutes later when I realised that my plan was going out the window if I didn't find her, and find her fast. I checked the bathroom for the third time, and was interrupted by Ma wanting to know if I had found someone to kiss at midnight.

"Not now, Ma," I responded distractedly.

"What, Janie? I just care about you, and you know that not kissing someone at midnight leads to a year of loneliness," Ma said, following me around the bar as I continued to look for Maura.

"Look, all I'm saying is that it can't hurt, right?" Ma continued, oblivious to the fact that I wasn't really listening.

"Ma, it's just a silly superstition," I responded over my shoulder, my eyes squinting in an attempt to recognise the faces of the people standing in the dark corner of the room.

But alas, there was no Maura.

"God damn it," I sighed in frustration.

"Jane! Watch your language!" Ma admonished before noting the obvious distress on my face. "Who are you looking for?"

"Have you seen Maura?" I asked, finally turning to face her.

It was only a few minutes until midnight and I hadn't even found her, let alone had the chance to speak with her. I had planned to tell her how I felt before I just landed a kiss on her.

"Maura? Yes, she went outside to take a call," Ma said. "That was some time ago, though."

"Thanks Ma," I replied as I started pushing through the crowd towards the exit.

That's when I saw her. She pushed through the front door, her eyes scanning the crowd. When our eyes met from across the room, I felt like there was a whole conversation taking place with just a look.

I started to make my way to her just as the countdown to midnight began. The entire room full of people began counting down the seconds…

"10"

Maura just stood there, seemingly nervous about my approach, and I hoped that they were the same nerves I was feeling.

"7"

I was biting my lip in anticipation. I realised as I looked into her eyes that it wouldn't matter if we didn't talk about what felt before we kiss, because in a way, our whole friendship had been building towards this moment.

"5"

And right before I came within speaking distance of her, my view of her became blocked by some guy… I didn't know who. I didn't really care who. All I cared was that his arms were wrapping her waist and I didn't want to stay around to see his lips on hers.

"3"

I managed one last look as he began to move in for the kill before turning on my heel and walking back towards the bar.

My whole plan was ruined. But more importantly, Maura's first kiss of the New Year was going to be with someone else. Someone other than me.

I made my way through the crowd and behind the bar, ignoring Ma's questions about where I was going and what I was doing behind the bar, before making my way out the back door.

This is where I find myself now. Standing in the back alley of the Dirty Robber, thinking about all the times I've almost kissed Maura. Including this one – the fifth time I almost kissed her.

As a flash of lightening appears in the distance, cracking down over the night sky, I wonder if it would ever be the right time, or whether the world was trying to keep us apart.

A/N: Thank you all, once again, for all the reviews and feedback. I wanted to reassure those that have been anxiously following this story, hoping that I won't leave you all disappointed with the ending, that I have every intention of polishing off this story with a happy Rizzles ending. This is not the final chapter :-)