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A/N- Hey everyone, this is picking up where I left off. Next chapter will be up very soon as I have it almost finished. Thanks and don't forget to review, I like to know what you think.

Chapter 9

Jane had to admit that she was having a good time. Frost and Frankie had gotten really competitive now about which of them had the most rock star potential and had been upping their game each time one of them got up to perform.

Jane had watched her Ma with Korsak and now she had gotten over her initial revulsion at seeing her mother with anyone in a romantic way, Jane had to admit that they seemed to make each other happy and being that she loved them both, she couldn't complain.

Jane had recovered from the stream of molten lava she had turned into when Maura was up on stage and had managed to enjoy the evening chatting with old colleges and friends, some of which she hadn't spoken to in a long time. Jane had even suffered the ribbings she knew she would be subjected to rather well naturedly and the evening had passed without incident or event.

Jane's eyes searched the room as she had found herself prone to doing at any time when she lost the precise location of Maura for more than a minute, and found her friend stood by the bar talking with Tommy. Tommy had been a latecomer to the party and had sensibly kept himself out of Jane's vicinity since, knowing she was still mad at him for countless mistakes he had made in the last year or so, not least his designs on Maura.

Jane watched them now as they chatted, laughed and looked relaxed in each other's company. They looked like a stunning couple but Jane couldn't contain the anger she felt at the thought of them like that or indeed of Maura with any man. Jane wasn't sure when it had happened but she knew that Maura had gradually gone from regular casual sex with men to having hardly dated anyone that Jane could remember in recent months.

Maura's attitude had also changed since they had been friends, from one of an excited optimism about relationships to a kind of acceptance that she would be unmarried and alone, Jane hoped she wasn't responsible for that change but admitted reluctantly to herself that at least in part, she was. Jane knew that a woman like Maura would not stay single forever and that it would just take someone with half a brain and some guts to sweep her off her feet, selfishly she dreaded the day.

Maura looked around the room during a pause in her conversation with Tommy and found Jane's eyes fixed on her. The Doctor smiled and quickly excused herself from Tommy to join Jane. When Maura reached her she took her hand and leaned close to Jane to be heard over the band that had just started up again with Frost bursting into Purple rain by Prince aided by some mean air guitar.

"We are going to the bathroom." Maura ordered.

Jane said nothing as she tried to control the waves rolling in her stomach and what felt like a real hand tightening around her heart and followed Maura across the room.

When they got inside the bathroom the cool air and the harsh brightness of the light seemed to bring Jane to her senses a little and she stood leaning her back to the wash basins and mirrors, expecting Maura to enter a stall.

Maura glanced at the stalls to check that they were vacant and that she and Jane were alone in the bathroom before she approached Jane and without a word took Jane's glass from her hand, first sniffing at the contents and then tipping her head back to drain the glass.

"There is no alcohol in this." Maura stated looking Jane directly in the eyes as if issuing a challenge.

Jane shrugged lazily and averted Maura's eyes, rolling her own. "So, I'm taking a break. I don't wanna end up naked in a dumpster or handcuffed on a ship bound for who knows where." Jane explained reasonably.

Maura narrowed her eyes. "You haven't had a drink all night. I've been keeping track. You have had three of the zero alcohol beers that you sometimes drink when you are designated driver and you threw away all of the shots Frost bought you. I saw you take two sips of the champagne I bought, before you dumped it."

"Anyone ever tell you you'd make a great detective Dr Isles?" Jane cut in to Maura's rant.

Maura forced Jane to look her in the eye, taking Jane's Jaw in her hand and tilting her head back toward her own, giving Jane a look that said she meant business. "Do you want to tell me why you're not drinking at your own party?" She stood waiting with a hand placed high on her jutting hip.

Jane glanced at the floor then back up to Maura while she decided how to respond. "Maybe I don't trust myself." Jane answered in a quiet voice that was deeper than her own.

Maura frowned, dropping her hand and her demanding pose."Trust yourself?"

Jane stepped forward and put both her arms around Maura's small frame and clasped them together behind her, pulling Maura in close. Maura's right thigh slid in between both of Jane's as they fit together.

"With you." Jane said simply, leaning in for the lightest of kisses and silently daring Maura to kiss her back.

Maura pulled the upper part of her body slightly back, away from Jane's. "You're trying to distract me Detective."

Jane flashed a sexy grin. "Is it working?"

"No" Maura pulled back further and pushed Jane's shoulder back with the palm of her hand.

"Really?" Jane asked looking genuinely disappointed.

Maura quickly leaned back in and kissed the pout that was forming on Jane's lips. "Not completely." She amended.

Jane let her joined hands fall open so Maura could move away fully but the Doctor didn't budge and Jane felt Maura nudge her slightly with her warm thigh, oblivious that the action sent a bolt of fire through Jane.

"I should have seen it before now." Maura said shaking her head as Jane tried to focus on the words. "But I have been trying so hard not to look at you lately." Maura explained."Of course, I couldn't fail to notice that your bra size has increased by at least one cup size."

Jane automatically looked down at her own breasts and blushed slightly.

"And you have put on a few pounds, which do look annoyingly good on you." Maura continued, ignoring Jane's frown. "But it was the Chloasma that gave you away, during pregnancy the increased level of estrogen and progesterone hormone can stimulate the melanin cells in the skin to produce more pigment, though not uniformly which is why the result is a kind of patchy or blotchy tan." Maura swept her fingers lightly across the small slightly brown patch on Jane's cheek.

Jane pushed past Maura now without a word and left the ladies room walking right through the bar and calling to the remaining party goers as she went past. "Party's over folks, I'm going home."

Frost looked on as Maura tottered after Jane and he put out a hand to stop Korsak who had turned to follow. "Leave em to it." Frost said firmly.

Korsak frowned. "You sure?"

"Oh yeah." Frost returned, going back to his drink.