Disclaimer: I don't own, I rent.

As always: lyrics – flashbacks – present day.

A/N: Woah, two updates in one day, look at me go! I can't help it, I'm getting so inspired and excited by this story again and I can't wait to keep writing. And to Emma, I really hope you continue reading because I promise; this story WILL have a happy ending and all of your questions will be answered within the next…five chapters. Which I know seems like a lot, but trust me, I have a plan and I think you will like it in the end. :)

Chapter Six
"Mine"
December 2008

You were in college working part time waiting tables
Left a small town, never looked back
I was a flight risk, with a fear of falling
Wondering why we bother with love if it never lasts

I stood in front of the sink in my kitchen and stared out into the blizzard that was just starting to make it's way to Boston. The fact that it was three in the morning didn't seem to have much affect on me, I hadn't been able to get even a moment of sleep and I had no idea why. It had been a long week at work and I spent many sleepless nights at the station trying to figure out who killed the man and woman found near the park Monday morning. But finally, we caught a break yesterday and caught the guy. Turns out it was the wife's ex.

The things jealousies made some people do would forever astound me.

But why am I still not sleeping?

Normally I would have come home and barely made it to the bed before crashing into a good twelve or thirteen hours of sleep. But tonight, the sleep just wouldn't come.

Before I could consider it any more, a knock at the door caused me to jump and nearly drop the glass of water I'd been holding. Who on earth could be here at this time of night?

I was barely surprised when I saw Maura standing on the other side of the door, hair pulled back in a bun, clad in sweats and still looking like she was the most beautiful woman in the world.

"Maura! What are you doing here so late?"

I held the door open for her and she marched in and stood in front of the couch. I followed her over and sat in front of her and patted the seat next to me. She quickly shook her head and it was then that I noticed the look on her face. She didn't look quite upset. But she did look scared, and at the same time, determined.

"Ugh, Maur, are you going to say anything? You're kind of starting to freak me out."

"I think, no, I'm pretty sure, that I'm falling in love with you. I'm pretty sure I have been for a long time, and I just can't ignore it anymore. So I came here to ask you to dinner."

"You drove all the way over here at 3AM to ask me out?" I desperately wished I could say something a bit more eloquent than that, but I was having a little trouble forming any kind of words at the moment, let alone the right ones. Maura liked me? In a romantic way? How was that possible?

And how did I not see that one coming? I'm supposed to be a detective, right? But that one threw me.

"I- I couldn't sleep. Couldn't stop thinking about you and I just…I wanted to say it before I lost my nerve."

I honestly had no idea what to say. It wasn't like I hadn't thought about it before. I mean, the first thing I ever thought when I saw her was I couldn't believe someone so beautiful was even allowed to exist. But then we became friends. Best friends. She worked her way into my life and now, I couldn't imagine life without her.

What if something went wrong? What if one day, she decided she was tired of me? Or she didn't love me as much as she thought she did? What would I do then?

I needed time to think about this. I had to decide if this was worth the risk.

"Maura, I- I need some time."

"Oh. Okay. Time. I can do that. Take all the time you need. I'll just…I'll wait."

She smiled at me, but I could see the way her smile didn't quite reach her eyes, the eyes were a sudden panic had taken over. I felt horrible that I couldn't give her what she wanted right now. But I couldn't just jump into this, could I?

Before I could say anything else though, she was out the door. I sighed and made my way back to my bed, throwing myself down with a loud groan.

No, I wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight.

I say, can you believe it
As we're lying on the couch
The moment I can see it
I can see it now

Laying here with her, I can't believe I ever had a second of doubt. Of course we would be perfect together. We were perfect together as best friends, why wouldn't it translate into a relationship?

And really, was it all that different now? We did everything as we did before; there were just all these new feelings involved. When she touched me before, my heart never started racing, my palms didn't get all sweaty, I didn't get goose bumps, but now, all these things happened all the time. She didn't even have to touch me, even when she was just in the same room; she had this effect on me.

And now, laying here on the couch with her in my arms, watching her as she sleeps with her head on my chest, I can't even remember how it felt to not be this completely and utterly happy.

It didn't take long before the guys started giving me crap for "being so smiley all the time" and the jokes were never ending, but I could deal with them if it meant I got to end the day here, like this, with her. Besides, they stopped complaining so much when I starting brining them coffee most mornings. They especially stopped complaining when Maura invited all of them to go to the Celtics game they were going to in a few weeks.

I realized I was grinning again. I have been doing that a lot lately, thanks entirely to the woman currently lying on top of me. Why in the world she chose to love me when she could have anyone in the world, I will never know.

Do you remember we were sitting there by the water
You put your arm around me for the first time
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine

I never told anyone how much my parent's divorce affected me. Not even Maura. It wasn't something I liked to even think about, let alone talk about.

But it killed me.

I had always admired my dad. Growing up, he was my hero. I had always been a daddy's girl, Ma says even in the hospital I would cry and cry until he picked me up. That never changed over the years, he was always the strong and silent type and even though I loved my mother, she was a bit overbearing sometimes. That was one word I never would have used to describe him, and that's exactly why I loved him.

He let me be while still showing how much he loved me.

But then he left.

He didn't just leave Ma; he left us too. Neither Frankie or Tommy or I had heard a word from him since he left a year ago. Is this how he showed how much he loved us? By proving that people who love you eventually leave you?

At least I didn't have to worry about that with Maura.

Flash forward and we're taking on the world together
And there's a drawer of my things at your place
You learn my secrets and you figure out why I'm guarded
You say we'll never make my parents' mistakes

"Are you sure you don't mind?"

I fight the urge to roll my eyes and attempt to smile at her instead. Of course Maura would think that me doing something nice for her, something that was completely and totally my idea, would be an inconvenience for me.

"It was my idea, remember? Besides, you used to leave stuff here all the time and it wasn't a big deal. Why is it suddenly a big deal just because I'm giving you a place to put that stuff?"

I could tell she was touched by my gesture and even though I didn't think it was a big deal, I knew why it was to her. However small it was, it was a sign that I wasn't going anywhere, that I was going to stick by her no matter what, and I knew that meant the world to her.

So yeah, she could have a drawer.

She could have the whole damn apartment if she wanted, as long as I got to see that smile on her face.

When it was hard to take
This is what I thought about

I never expected to miss her so much so soon. We had only been dating for a few weeks, and already I could barely stand the few hours that went between my trips down to the morgue or our lunch dates or the times she came to drop off test results. Nights without her were nearly unbearable, though luckily they were few and far between.

But this weekend, Maura was out of town at some conference about something or other. I'm sure she told me, but all I really heard was "going to be gone for three days."

And here I am, staring at my phone, waiting for her to call, staring at that picture she took of us last week at the Celtics game. She got all decked out in Celtic green and she just looked so adorable. I could stare at that picture all day and firmly believed that she could never look more beautiful. Unless she was decked out in Red Sox gear, maybe. But springtime would come soon enough.

I smiled when a different picture of Maura popped up on the screen signaling that she was calling.

Somehow she always knows just when I need her the most.

I remember that fight, 2:30 am
As everything was slipping right out of our hands
I ran out crying and you followed me out into the street
Braced myself for the goodbye
Cause that's all I've ever known
Then you took me by surprise
You said I'll never leave you alone

"I can't believe you would accuse me of lying to you! Me! You know very well that I can't lie, Jane."

"But you're excellent and bending the truth, aren't you, Maura? Giving me just enough information to satisfy me, but not enough to tell me what you've actually been up to."

"Why do you assume I am even up to anything?"

"Um, how about because you haven't answered your phone all day, you said you couldn't work because you were sick, which you obviously aren't, you won't tell me where you were. What am I supposed to think?"

"You are supposed to believe me when I say that I was doing nothing I shouldn't have been and leave it alone!"

"How can I believe you when you don't give me anything worth believing?"

At that I walked out and slammed the door behind me. I knew I was probably over reacting, but I had been worried about her, damn it! And if it was really no big deal, why was she hiding it from me? Didn't she trust me?

"Jane! Jane! Come back! Please! At least slow down, I'm in heels!"

Something in her voice made me stop, but I didn't turn toward her. She would have to come the rest of the way, I wasn't giving in that easy.

"I'm sorry. I really am. I just didn't tell you because it wasn't a big deal. I went to see my parents in New York. I just had a little business to take care of. Honestly, it's nothing. Jane, I love you. I wouldn't lie to you."

Even though I was still mad, even though I still wanted to know what it was she was doing with her parents, something in her eyes told me that even though she didn't want to talk about it, she was telling the truth. About her parents, and about loving me. And that would have to be enough, for now.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

You said, I fell in love with a careless man's careful daughter
She is the best thing that's ever been mine

A/N: I know, not much progress in the way of present time in this chapter, but I will tell you that the fight at the end definitely has to do with Maura's secret, which there will be a great deal about in the next chapter. As always, please don't forget to review!