The following morning, early hours, Jane had received a phone call about a young disabled girl at the local hospital's A&E ward. It tore her apart to think that this could be the one they'd been looking for, the mother to their deceased baby, but all the signs were there.

Uniformed officers who had attended the hospitals original request to report a minor showing signs of after birth injuries had put two and two together. She was fourteen, with what appeared to be a mental and emotional age of a much younger girl.

The implications made Jane weary. She was exhausted from the case, and the links now forming in her brain of what might have happened were only making her feel worse. In only twenty-four hours her life had been so affected by this little girl. A tiny being, who had had no memory of her or of anyone else. She hoped at the very least, that their little Jane Doe had been able to experience and receive her first hug. To know what it feels like to share the warmth of another body, or a gentle kiss to her forehead before disappearing from the world. She held her breath and swallowed it, making a silent promise that her existence counted, that baby Jane Doe wouldn't be forgotten... not by her, anyway.

She pulled into the hospital car park, and reported to the A&E reception showing her badge. She was shown through to a small curtained off area where a social services worker introduced her to Lucia. Shock reverberated through her system. There was no doubt in her mind now. This was a case for the Special Victims Unit. This girl had been taken advantage of, and was in no way of understanding what had happened.

As she left, with her part of the deal being concluded, she rang Maura. It was just after 5am, and although it wasn't the most 'friendly' thing to be doing, she couldn't help it. They were subtly moving beyond friendship now, and the good doctor was the only person she wanted speak with about what'd just happened.

"Dr Isles…" Her sleepy voice was reassuring.

"Hey, it's me. Sorry to wake you, but I just…" …needed to hear your voice. Her larynx had tightened and her emotional state wouldn't allow her to voice it.

"It's fine. Has something happened?"

"Yeah, you could say that." She unlocked her car and got in. "We found her."

"The young mother to our Jane Doe?"

"Yeah… her…"

Maura sat up further in bed.

"What is it? Is she okay? Do you need me to come?"

"No, sweetie, it's alright… it's just… she's young, Maur… like really young… had to call SVU, she's at the hospital now."

The line went quiet for a while.

"Do you know what happened? Who did this to her?"

"No… and in all honesty I don't think I wanna know... not this time…" Jane rests her head in her hand, her elbow locked against the car door. She clenches her eyes shut hoping she's not about to push things too far. "Um, I know it's early, but can I come over? I could use a breakfast buddy… You know, keep my mind off…"

"Of course you can. You don't even have to ask."

It was what she was hoping for.

"I'll put on some coffee for you… maybe we can detour for some pastries on our way to work?"

"Sure… sounds good."

"And Jane?"

"Hmm?" She moves to start the car.

"Drive safe."

She smiles. "I will baby, don't worry."

The call ends before she can reverse her now newest term of endearment. A jolt of excitement ran through her veins the very moment it'd left her mouth. It was automatic, fearfully so, but yet it felt so right.

Jane arrived bearing pastry gifts and a weary smile.

"How did you get them so early?" Maura asked, moving aside for her entry.

"I saw the delivery guy, and kinda used my badge to buy after hours."

"Jane…" She shook her head. "You never cease in pushing societal boundaries, do you?"

"Hey, I thought you'd be grateful. Now you get to primp and preen so much longer than if I was chasing you out for breakfast."

Maura poured their coffees, wiggling her head in annoyance. "I do not primp and preen."

"Yeah, you do…" she says with a smirk, "I've seen you doing it in the morgue too." She begins mimicking Maura's actions by fluffing her hair.

"I do not do that!"

They have a much needed laugh.

"I like to refresh after an autopsy…" Maura continues, moving beside her at the counter with their coffees. "… or would you rather I didn't and become an olfactory representative of sodium hypochlorite?"

"What?"

"Disinfectant."

"NO, god, no… c'mere…" She tugs her closer and tears the paper bag open holding their goodies. "I like your primping just fine, now choose your sticky goodness before I eat it. I'm starving."

"I choose… that one." She fingers her selection delicately.

"Apple slice… mmm, good choice." Jane tears a corner off of that very pastry preparing to eat it.

"But I just chose that…!"

And lovingly places it in the doctor's mouth. She blushes at her own actions but won't hide from it. The moment she'd stepped inside all the darkness of her hospital visit had gone. It made her want to indulge in all things Maura, without any guilt coming along for the ride, for once.

Jane took a bite out of her donut and sipped her coffee. As she looked up she found herself bathed in a loving smile. "What?" she asks, her voice is apparently shy. Maura shifts and wraps her up in her arms. It's nurturing and gentle. She rests her head on Jane's shoulder.

"I thought you'd be sad when you arrived," she comments.

"I was... but then I saw you, so..."

She shrugs out of embarrassment, and feels a kiss landing sweetly on her neck, below her jawline. She holds her breath and closes her eyes as another one aims a little higher, on to the sensitive skin closest to her ear.

They hadn't done much of this yet, kissing; and it woke up her entire nervous system.

Jane swallows wishing she had the courage to do more, to touch her lips against Maura's, but it was a strength that always seemed to evade her. She settled for something else, another type of intimacy, by turning her stool and pulling her safely between her legs. This was now her most favoured position. Having never been the giver of such attention, it had surprised her yesterday how good it felt. She sighed resting her head on Maura's shoulder as they cuddled.

"I'm glad I can help soothe you, Jane."

"Yeah…" she deflects, "the coffee worked a treat," and dodges the bullet that is now Maura's hand. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding." She grabs her wrists and pulls her in again. "You don't know what you do for me, Maura." Making them stop and stare.

She shifts her gun so it doesn't dig in to her side too deeply, and places a kiss close to tender lips. She hears a slight catch of breath and sits back, smiling, before picking another bite of apple slice to give away. She holds it out for Maura to take but a sudden frown washes over the ME's complexion.

"Please tell me you've washed your hands since you left the hospital?"

"What? Maura, what do you think? I hate hospitals."

"I think the number of pathogens attached to your clothing alone would be in the high percentile…"

"You calling me germy?"

"What? No, Jane, I'm…"

"Maura! Magical Moments 101 says don't leave your significant other hanging or accuse them of being germ-ridden! Now, take it!" She holds the tasty morsel out again. "… take IT…" And places it neatly into a reluctant mouth. She licks her fingers afterward to prove her point of cleanliness.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to…" Maura's embarrassed, but then remembers Jane's argument. "Magical moments, huh?"

The officer blushes. "Shut-up."

"Oh no, I can't do that," she says, caressing Jane's face, "… because that would mean ignoring the sweetest implication of you being my significant other... and you are exactly that to me, Jane… I think you have been for some time... I'm so glad you know that without having had the opportunity of hearing me say it."

Respecting their still shifting boundaries, Maura leaves a kiss just shy of Jane's lips, and then moves to place some apple slice into the warmth of her love's mouth.

Please review... I hope my present/past tense is a little easier to read this time! Tj. :)