Author's note: Thank you very much for all the reviews and messages (I am going to reply to the messages today).

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Three – Angsty

She hadn't meant to slam the door of the restaurant but then she hadn't meant many, many things that were still going on. It took her five steps to realize that it was pouring and two more to come to the conclusion that she needed a taxi as it was Maura who had driven them to the restaurant earlier in the evening.

Repressing a shudder the moment icy rain drops slid along her nape and came to die against her back between her skin and her warm clothes, Jane swallowed hard and went to stand by the edge of the sidewalk just to see if a taxi that was available was coming her way.

Of course the street had to be empty. It never worked like in movies.

"Fuck it."

Her anger rose anew in her lower stomach – boiled in her veins – and caused her to turn around to resume her walking.

She needed to reach an avenue. Once there, she would have more chances to find a taxi. She had learned her lesson though: she would never go to the restaurant with someone else's car again. That was over. She was on the other side of town – it was pouring hard – and there was no way she would go back home walking. Or even running. She was too far. End of the story.

"Jane!"

And of course Maura had caught her back. How could she even run in the rain while wearing these vertiginous stilettos? Jane cast a glance at her own feet. She was wearing high heels herself, as a matter of fact. And a dress. A fucking classy black dress. What for? She honestly didn't know anymore.

"Leave me alone!"

Jane started walking again and tried to ignore the way her heart began to ache.

Well, this wasn't entirely true because it had started aching the moment she had stepped into the restaurant only to see that Maura wanted to introduce her to some guy. The typical good-looking guy, with an expensive suit and Italian shoes. An attorney, maybe. Who cared? She had completely zapped out whatever Maura had told her about him.

"Jane, what is going on? This isn't very polite. Why are you running away like that? You took me and Alex aback..."

Jane snorted and crossed her arms against her chest. She wouldn't stop walking. Certainly not. She was soaked wet and felt very cold now. They were in August, dammit. Why was the rain so icy?

"Oh, poor him."

Needless to say that Maura didn't miss the sarcasm in her voice. Not this time. How could she, anyway? Jane had been anything but subtle. Her tone was slightly insulting, as a matter of fact.

"You aren't being very nice..." Maura turned around the moment she realized how shaking her voice was. Yes, she was on the verge of bursting into tears in the middle of the street because Jane's behavior hurt her a lot more than what she would ever admit. "Why such behavior? He hasn't done anything to do. I wanted you to meet him because... Because he is nice and I am happy when I am with him..."

"Bullshit!" Alright. Perhaps Jane shouldn't have yelled it so loudly because it scared the only passer-by crazy enough to walk on the street in spite of the weather: some old lady in her eighties who made a step backwards the moment Jane abandoned herself to the sudden outburst. Feeling sorry, Jane raised an apologetic hand then focused back on Maura. "You met him last week! How can he make you happy already? Don't be so naive, dammit!"

She had stopped walking. Of course.

What was it that she could never hold her promise to herself when it came to take her distance with Maura? She had allowed her to approach and she couldn't now but accept to face whatever conversation Maura wanted to have.

She would never learn, would she?

"I felt happy within thirty seconds the day I met you. It isn't something I control. It just happens." Maura shrugged and bit her lower lip with great hesitation. She looked as confused as Jane. Not as soaked wet though as she had picked an umbrella before going out. "Why don't you want to give him a chance? I am not doing anything bad, after all..."

"He's not made for you. Can't you see it? He's boring and... And shy. This isn't the kind of person you need in your life. Don't be with someone just because you don't want to be alone anymore, Maura."

Jane looked down as a wave of shame passed underneath her skin. Her very last comment was a low blow. A very low one. She opened her mouth to speak but Maura turned out to be faster.

"Alex isn't... He isn't like that. He deserves his chance. Everyone deserves a chance. If I don't give him one, how will I know that I won't have missed out what could be the chance of my life?"

Jane shook her head and brought her hands to her face.

Her anger was such that she felt dizzy and wasn't sure anymore if what ran down her cheeks were rain drops or tears. The tension was building within her body; strong, impossile to control. Her breath was loud and she was shaking. She couldn't let this happen. She couldn't do that.

"Then give me one!" She held her breath and timidly looked up at Maura before swallowing hard as a delicate realization suddenly hit her. Her anger subdued, vanishing in an ocean of doubts. "Then give me my chance."

Something was starting to make sense, something that had remained blurry for too many years.

And before Maura had a chance to react, Jane closed the distance that separated them. She passed a hand on her friend's nape to drag her closer to her own body before capturing her lips in a desperate kiss.

The heat of Maura's skin – contrasting sharply with the iciness of the rain – made her shiver.

This was what she wanted.

This was what she had always wanted.

Surprised at first, Maura didn't move an inch. Maybe it only lasted a couple of seconds yet she had the feeling that time had suddenly frozen. Something was happening. Her brain was in turmoil, trying desperately to analyze the whole thing; this whirl of feelings she was going through. And then it made sense.

Suddenly. Comfortingly.

She let go of her umbrella – the item landing quietly on the asphalt – and couldn't help but smile in their kiss the moment she felt a warm feeling rise in her lower stomach and she abandoned herself to Jane's arms.