A/N: I struggled through this chapter. It's short, but I needed to update before this got pushed even further back. I hope you guys enjoy - your feedback and enthusiasm have meant so much :)

"We have to tell Jenna." Jane's voice was hushed, though it came out in frantic rush. She glanced toward the bathroom, trying to gage the amount of time she had left.

Maura frowned, her face contorting into an expression of panic as well, though the roots of it differed greatly from Jane's. "Jane, we're not about to ruin the most memorable moment of our daughter's life!" Jane watched her eyes dart nervously toward the bathroom as well, clamping her lips shut, though it was too late to control the volume of her voice.

"But that's the thing, Maur. I don't know Jenna's gonna view it that way…"

The bathroom door clicked open. Matt smiled pleasantly at the two as he resumed his position on the couch. Jane took a good look at him, trying to wipe away the jarring images and judgment from their first encounter. He was a nice looking boy, she concluded, as she took the time to properly seize him up. Fit and muscular, though not too broad. Tall, but not domineering. Square jaw, low eyebrows, which made his eyes look more intense than they really were. His eyes were surprisingly soft, a light hazel. They looked genuine.

It brought her comfort - made her feel less guilty. Because really, it was absolute shit that they were sitting here, having a conversation about solidifying her daughter's future, when the most impressive thing she knew about him was the size of his dick. How had it been that nearly five years had passed, and she had only met the boy who had won her daughter's heart in fleeting moments? She wanted to blame the divorce, but really, the lack of communication between her and her daughter had been years in the making. After all, she hadn't really modeled any healthy relationships for Jenna to pick up on.

She looked at the boy again. Man, she corrected. He was, in fact, a man, and proving himself to be a thoughtful gentleman as well. She knew his words had been backed with sincerity; she had seen it in his eyes as he had taken the confidence to plow through his request.

He was in love with her daughter.

This had reassured her for a moment. Maura had quickly voiced her approval, and Jane had somewhat reluctantly followed suit. He loves her, she had repeated to herself.

But did Jenna love him?

The door clicked open a moment later.

"I think that's Jenna," Maura spoke. Her voice pooled with relief.

The kids came clamoring through the front door. Cody's voice was loud and Jenna's laugh was sharp. Jane eyes veered toward her daughter as she entered the room. Jenna was wearing a pair of leggings and a large cardigan instead of her usual fancy getup. Her hair had naturally crimped, instead of its usual product-saturated state. She looked relaxed. She looked happy.

Her smile, however, faded when she saw Matt, hunched over on the couch, his lips small and sheepish. Jane's stomach tumbled, taking on the anxiety of the situation herself.

"Look what the cat dragged in." Jane's sarcasm had returned, attempting to keep the mood light.

"What are you doing here, Matt?" Jenna's tone was grating.

Jane wished her daughter would smile again. She wished that instead of the unbearable tension radiating between the two, she could feel the love that Matt had so desperately conveyed just moments before.

"I came because I was worried about you." Matt spoke firmly, perhaps even more so than Jane had yet witnessed.

"Well, I'm fine, Matt. You knew I was here. You know I have shit to deal with. So why the hell did you feel the need to show up here unannounced?" Jenna's voice came out in a low whine. Jane could hear the tears of frustration seeping from her words.

Cody slunk away before the argument escalated. Jane stole at glance at Maura, who was fidgeting terribly, her eyes fixated on the safe haven of the kitchen. Jane gripped the wheels of her chair a little tighter, unsure if she should intervene, though she sure as hell wanted to.

"Jenna..." Matt's voice was worn, exhausted, as if he had fought this battle one to many times.

It was a strange sensation for Jane to suddenly be rooting for him instead, silently pleading for her daughter to soften the hard, bitter heart swelling inside her.

It was Jane's heart. She saw too much of herself in her daughter, and it frightened her.

Jenna's eyes landed on Jane, perhaps for a small, fleeting moment giving up her pride. Her eyes flashed with desperateness, a hint of neediness, but it lasted a fraction of a moment, as Jenna turned her head in confident defiance. "Can we continue this conversation outside, Matt?"

He nodded eagerly, practically jumping up from the couch.

Jane's stomach sank so low she was surprised it didn't tumble to the floor.

XXX

"This is a disaster."

"You're being melodramatic."

"No." Jane argued. "We should have told her."

"There was no time to tell her," Maura reminded her, crossing her legs as she scooted closer to the edge of the couch. The scent of marinara sauce hung thickly in the air, reminding Jane that they had yet to eat. "This is Jenna's choice," she further added. "It's her decision to handle this how she deems fit."

"Yeah, but she's gonna fuck this up," Jane ran a hand through her hair in aggravation, her knuckles knotting in her curls. "She's a lot like me." Shutting out people, fearing commitment, fiercely independent, overly cruel and sarcastic, she rattled off the list in her head.

"She's a lot like the both of us." Maura corrected. She reached out, touching Jane's hand lightly, a gentle sigh brimming on her lips.

Jane watched her fingers, as they danced lightly against her skin. She took in a heavy sigh and captured Maura's hand beneath her own.