Happy Halloween, everyone. Or happy Friday if you don't celebrate. Here's the latest chapter. Parts of this chapter are super mushy. Not sure where it came from, but I hope you all enjoy it. If not, oh well.

Be safe out there.

Ch. 8

Though the informational brochures and websites Maura had provided, Jane felt it her due diligence to do some homework herself about the process they would embark upon. She convinced herself it was ninety-nine percent in the name of scientific study and only one percent to do with Maura's history of expertly presenting facts designed to mislead in order to avoid conflict.

"$60,000?!" Jane shouted.

Maura's face had scrunched up and her head mimicked an action her tortoise, Bass, was accustomed to in uncomfortable situations.

"Jane…" Maura said in a soothing tone, hoping to diffuse some of the detective's rage.

"…and that's the average! Some sites say there are additional cost on top of that. Maur, I love you. But you're already agreeing to put your body though so much. I can't add a bill, that large, to it." Jane spoke with a pained expression. She wanted nothing more than to have a child with the love of her life but her guilt wouldn't allow her the opportunity to be happy.

"Jane, my love. I would give every cent I have if it meant we got to share in the gift of creating and raising a child together." Maura caressed the side of Jane's cheek and she began to relax ever so slightly.

"Aside from that," Maura continued. "Those figures largely reflect going through an agency that provides the surrogates. They have to account for medical insurance for those that don't have policies not covering costs pertaining to surrogacy. The surrogate's payment, clothing stipends and various other costs that couples and the surrogate herself can come up with. I believe the largest part of the cost for us would be the in vitro fertilization. I'd be surprised if we end up paying even half of the figure you came across in your research." Maura finished her reassurances with a serene and satisfied look.

"And you're not just deflating the costs to make me feel good, are you?" Jane questioned.

"Of course not, Jane." Maura's voice pure silk speaking Jane's name.

Jane began to run a finger under the collar of Maura's designer blouse and shortened the space between her face and Maura's neck.

"Oh…" Maura squealed. "Are we going to have sex now?"

"Hmm?" Jane was a bit preoccupied.

Maura became suspicious when she hadn't felt the heat of Jane's lips on her skin.

"Jane, what are you doing? I thought…" Maura was cut short when Jane suddenly lifted Maura by the hips, forcing her to wrap her legs around Jane.

"No hives. Let's go!" Jane confessed with a sly grin.

"I can't believe you thought I was lying!" Maura exclaimed. Only, her outrage was put to an end when the desired lips made their way to her own.

"You are so beautiful." Jane beamed as she rolled away from Maura. Having brought her to orgasm. Twice.

"You're incorrigible." Maura gasped. Finally catching her breath in order to give a response. "But I forgive you for doubting me." She paused a moment and continued. "Feel free to make that part of your apology routine from now on."

"Yes, dear." Jane said and sealed her agreement with a kiss.

It was around eleven in the morning when Jane and Maura had finally made it out of bed and eaten breakfast.

"When should we start scheduling appointments to see all the specialists?" Jane asked. Working her way to the couch, the doctor following suit.

"Your last check up showed you were healed from the injuries you sustained so we could start with the O.B.G.Y.N. and the fertility specialist." Maura answered.

"Great! Will we be using the same doctors you've already seen or are we looking for new ones?" Jane responded.

"If you're looking for continuity, we could stick with the doctors I've been to." Maura offered.

"I think that would be best. I want you to be comfortable and I'm sure you've already done your homework with them." Jane said with a 'prove me wrong' tone.

Maura tilted her head, amused that Jane knew her so well. "As a matter of fact, both Dr. Gomez and Dr. Harvey have been published multiple times and are well respected in the gynecologic, fertilely and obstetric communities." She said, matter of fact.

"God, you're amazing. Googlemouth and all." Jane nearly squealed.

"You're not so bad yourself, detective." Maura countered.

"I love you so, much." Jane returned.

"I love you more." Maura challenged.

"Oh, you think so do you?" Jane charged.

Maura feigned upset at Jane's playful attack before answering. "As a matter of fact, no, I don't. It's an unquantifiable assertion. I've just always wanted to say it. You've finally provided me the opportunity." Maura offered with a simple shrug.

Jane swelled with the feeling of being deeply loved by the most extraordinary person alive. So, she decided to reciprocate.

"Try this one on for size. I've never loved you more than I do in this moment." Jane burned.

Jane knew she'd hit the nail on the head when she could see Maura's expression of starry eyes, cross her face. Though, she became curious when she witnessed the metaphorical light bulb turning on.

Maura hadn't realized that she'd been waiting for another such moment, as the one she was currently experiencing, to cross her path yet, here it was. She longed for Jane's words. Yearned for her affirmations of love. She'd become addicted to them.

"So which one was it?" Jane wondered aloud.

"Hmmm?" Maura reacted, once again tilting her head to side in confusion, having not caught up to the question.

"World peace? Hunger? Which one did you just cure in that big brain of yours?" Jane clarified and continued. "Because I can practically see the wheels turning in there."

"Cocaine users." Maura spouted. Having finally caught up after working out Jane's colloquialism. Luckily, she'd become familiar with the more popular expressions.

"You've…figured out how to…I don't know, can I buy a vowel?" It was now Jane's turn to scrunch her forehead and squint her eyes, mystified.

Maura shot Jane an appeased look. Sweet yet, all-knowing and smoldering.

"The euphoric state people attain when using cocaine has been likened to the state of being in love, in a study called "The neurology of Love." I never really took the meta-analysis into great consideration but I can feel the dopamine, oxytocin, adrenaline, and vasopressin being released and it is a wonderful experience. One of the greatest, in fact. I can see the draw for cocaine user. Of course, I would never endorse its use by any individual. The ramifications and side effects of extended use are terribly dangerous and life-ruining." Maura explained.

Jane could only stare in astonishment and tried to shake enough off in order to kiss the woman she loved whom, at the moment, seemed to love her back just as much.

Before the kissing could get heated, Angela had bounded into the kitchen with large bags of groceries.

"Hello, you two love birds." Angela crooned

Jane's natural reaction would have been to groan internally and give an exasperated salutation but, she'd actually missed her mother. So she got up, rounded the counter and embraced her mom.

"It's nice to see you, Ma. What's all this?" Jane waved her arms over the large haul.

Angela wasn't sure of the genuineness of her daughter's greeting. She half expected snarling Jane, for what she would consider an intrusion on her and Maura's relationship. Perhaps, giving the couple some much needed space after the little delivery she'd made, was a good call. For she knew it would stir lots of feelings in Jane. Only, she couldn't have known what the message would do to Maura. It may not have been enough to deter her in any case.

"I missed you, too my baby! I thought I'd come and make you some delicious lasagna. I also have things for tomorrow's gnocchi." Angela replied, realizing Jane harbored no ill will for her intrusion.

"Sounds good to me. Unless, you had other plans for tonight, Maur?" Jane looked over to the doctor for any doubts.

Maura analyzed Jane's expression. Looking for a sign that Jane might have been looking for an out. She found no such hesitation so she gave her approval to allow Angela to proceed. Maura enjoyed the interactions between the mother-daughter duo like this. Loving, engaging and playful. She so often seen and felt the tension roll off of Jane around her mother in the past. Even if she envied their relationship, that was always a part that she never quite understood. She had to infer that the stress of finding a man and settling down to build a family had weighed heavily on the detective. But she was glad they could be so genial, now.

Maura was ripped from her reverie when the Rizzoli matriarch started in on her hunt for any and all gossip from the two.

"So, what's new with the two of you?"