Maura was pulled out of her peaceful slumber by her unnecessarily loud ringtone. She frustratedly answered the phone, only to hear it was the headmistress from her school. She told Maura they had found a replacement for her who would be starting on Monday. Maura was needed to come in that week from Monday-Friday from 8am-1pm. When she got off the phone Jane had woken as well.

''Morning you''

''Morning'', Maura smiled lovingly back to Jane.

''Work?''

''Yes. They need me from Monday till Friday. Eight to one. Is that ok?''

''Of course. I'll miss you though''

''We still have the whole weekend together, every minute of it'', Maura reassured.

They made breakfast and got ready to go sightseeing. Maura showed Jane their small local town, and then they spent the afternoon at the beach.

''I spent Christmas day here'', Maura said sadly, looking into the distance recapping how immensely hopeless her life had been.

''What did you do?'', Jane hated hearing about Maura's painful memories, but she had to in order to help Maura feel better.

''I just listened to music''

''Can we do that?'', Jane asked.

Jane was already spreading their rug on a relatively secluded part of the sea side. The weather was not too hot, and they felt slightly chilly in their swim wear. They used the other rug to cover themselves up. Both women were grateful because it had become a painful challenge trying to keep their eyes off of each other's nearly naked bodies.

The brunette wanted Maura to never feel lonely ever again. And her mission was to wipe away all of Maura's sorrowful memories and replace them with new and happy ones.

''Let me'', Jane said reaching for Maura's radio. She didn't want Maura to pick one of her sad songs again.

Seeing that they could hardly keep any distance between themselves, Maura was the first to forwardly settle herself against Jane's side while the detective picked a song.

'' Never thought that I'd so inspired. Never thought that I'd find the higher truth. I believed that love was overrated. 'Till the moment I found you. Now baby, I know I don't deserve the love you give me, but now I understand that…''

Maura smiled at Jane's taste in music and hummed along. Jane was fruitlessly trying to dance in the impossible position she was in

'' If you want me, I must be doing something right, I got nothing left to prove, And it's all because of you. So if you need me, And baby I make you feel alive, I know I must be doing, doing something right. Oohhh, And baby I know I don't deserve the love you give me, But I don't really care, cause…''

''This here -you and me, I think that's what they call perfect. I could stay just like this forever''

''Me too'', Maura replied.

''Thanks for loving me Maura. For loving every bit of me, even the insufferable stuff''

''Thanks for loving me back. And just so you know, I would never change a single thing about.'', the blonde answered.

''Not even my messy habits'', Jane asked sceptically.

''Not even that. That's one of the things I learned from not having you around Jane. When someone is there, you complain about their behaviour or what not, and wish they would stop doing certain things. But the funny thing is that when they aren't there, its those very things that you miss the most.''

Jane laughed whole heartedly. It was a very sweet observation on Maura's part.

''I wouldn't say I enjoy your horrible eating habits or lack of etiquette, no. But I love all of you Jane. And before I loved you were like that, and when I fell in love with you, you were still like that. So there is absolutely no reason for me to want any different. Just like the song lyrics say Jane, 'if you love me, I must be doing something right. I got nothing left to prove'. You don't need to change a single thing, stay just the way you are ok.''

''Ok'', Jane was barely audible through the lump in her throat. She hadn't realized it was possible to love Maura even more than she already did.

So the better part of the day was spent lying on the beach, the two women busking in each other's company.

Evidently, small problems were starting to surface. Maura and Jane shared a bed every night since they were reunited, they had essentially never left each other's sight for days now. Professions of love were exchanged numerously and truthfully. They cuddled, boy did they cuddle. If babies could be made from cuddling, they'd have a soccer team by now. But there were two very important issues looming in the air.

First and foremost was the problem pertaining to their relationship status. None of them had asked the other out, so technically they weren't a couple. Then there was the issue that seemed to cause the most unease between them – sexual relations, or tension if you must. The pair were physically attracted to one another, no doubt. Not to mention Maura was a doctor, she knew all too well the signs of arousal. She experienced them herself, a little too often of late, and she could see them reflect from Jane.

The situation was highly difficult. Jane was frightened to approach Maura with the subject. Despite everything, she felt she had terribly wronged Maura and therefore had no right to overtake Maura in that decision. And she wasn't sure how Maura was feeling about 'touching' her after she'd just literally been with Casey. Let alone the fact that Jane had never been with a woman. Maura on the other hand, felt like Jane was trying to take things one day at a time and she felt she couldn't pressure the brunette. A very small irrational selfish part of her was still stinging over the fact that Jane had slept with Casey. She also wasn't sure what proper protocol was in the situation – does she act like the guy and ask Jane out, or does she sit back like a lady and let Jane take the lead. It was all too confusing and frustrating for both of them. The doctor sensed a falling out would present itself if one of them didn't do anything about the whole predicament. It was undeniably clear that Jane wasn't going to be proactive about it, so Maura took matters into her own hands- for the sake of both of them.

When they arrived home early evening, Maura told Jane she needed to rush to pick something up in the town. She was glad Jane didn't question her and just said she'd take a shower and make dinner. Maura rushed out and was back in an hour, just in time for dinner. The ambiance was that of their long ago movie nights, ending with Maura coiled into Jane's side on the couch at the end of the movie. The detective didn't want to wake her friend up so she carried her to bed, as she had done many nights in the past. That night was easier, because Jane didn't have to consciously fight so hard to restrain herself from taking things too far with Maura, too soon. She humoured herself with the creepiness of watching Maura asleep before she herself drifted off. She hated that Maura would be working from Monday, leaving her with only the next day to enjoy Maura for the entirety of the day.

The next day when they got up the sun was shining and the air was beautiful. ''Whatever that means'', Maura had answered to Jane's description. The brunette couldn't get enough of hearing stories about Maura and the children at her school. It filled her with so much more love for the woman she already loved way too much. Seeing Maura with those children was going to be the death of her she had said. Maura was not amused and told her she didn't appreciate any 'death' related jokes. Jane understood and quickly shifted gears.

Since the village was small, they had already exhausted the location. So Maura suggested for them to go to the big town nearby, since they wouldn't have enough time the following week. Jane was excited mostly because it would be enough of a distraction to keep her from gawking at Maura suggestively every two seconds.

''Sorry to pry, but are you guys American?'', one of the two teenaged girls asked sitting on the table just beside Jane and Maura, who were enjoying their late lunch after a tiresome look-around.

''Yes, why?'', Jane asked, amused.

''You make such a lovely couple'', the other girl gushed. ''Totally. You don't see gay people overtly showing PDA'', the other chimed in.

''Wooooooah'', Jane sing songed. ''take it easy there. We're…'', she gestured in the air, presumably trying to grab hold of the right explanation.

They both just looked at her confused. Maura was internally chuckling; she really wanted to hear what Jane had to say. Maybe this was the little push they needed.

''You're….?'', the black haired girl probed.

''Never mind'', Jane shook her head.

''You don't have to be embarrassed to tell us. We were staring at you since you walked in''

''What exactly is it that you saw'', Jane asked nervously.

''Please, just because we're young doesn't mean we're blind. All the 'eye-dash' you were doing'', they both laughed. ''Ewww'', the other added.

''You'd think I'd be used to it by now. Mum and her girlfriend do it all the time'', the one girl said to her 'sister' (it turned out).

''Except they don't do it in public like these two do''. They seemed to now be having a conversation on their own, as if Maura and Jane weren't even there. Maura hadn't said a single word. She was watching everything unfold, in awe and curiosity. Jane's eyes looked like they wanted to fall out. She didn't know if she was supposed to agree with the forward teenagers or deny it. She didn't want to be too presumptuous, nor hurt Maura. She desperately wished they had stayed in the village, away from the observant and clearly intelligent teenagers.

''And what exactly is 'eye-dash'?'', Jane regrettably asked.

''Eye SEX, geez'', Jane buried her face in her hands, Maura blushed, the teenager continued, ''well your hands'', she gestured to Jane, ''wouldn't leave her body for a fraction of a second. Despite the fact that you were literally standing in her personal space. Don't get me starting on the gentlemanness'', the girls both laughed. ''you pulled her chair out, let her order first. God it was like watching one of those Hugh Grant romcom's. You should see yourselves''.

Maura and Jane were utterly speechless.

''At least you don't hide it like our mum and her girlfriend do. You seem to not even care what anyone things. Its kinda cool you know''

The girls cell phone rang, ''ya'', she answered, ''good, we're on our way''.

''Mum's here, let's go'', she said to her sister.

''Bye'', they said in unison as they waved to a stunned Maura and Jane.

The remaining pair sat in silence for a good five minutes after the chatty girls had left.

''We should go to the art centre before it closes'', Maura spoke for the first time since their impromptu intrusion. She was happy Jane hadn't denied they were together, even though she hadn't confirmed it. To her, that was a start for Jane, and she would run the rest of the race for the woman she loved.

They finished off the rest of the day as if nothing had happened, tension in place though.

By the time the two made it home it was almost eleven pm. Maura had work the following morning so she got cleaned up and called it a night. They spooned as usual, none of them said a thing about that afternoon – juvenile behaviour it was, they both knew.

The early morning separation the next day was more than welcome. They certainly both needed space to think, and they couldn't be more grateful for the impending brief distance. Maura left a soft kiss on Jane's forehead when she left that morning, the detective was still blissfully asleep and Maura was happy she hadn't woken her.

Jane, fully intending on making her trip a 'vacation', as it was so called, never left her bed until 2pm when Maura returned. Her intentions were to allocate time to think about where exactly her and Maura stood, but there was a friends marathon on TV that stole her time. If Maura hadn't got back in the afternoon she might very well have forgotten to eat lunch. Maura gave her an hour by hour account of her day at work. The detective never thought she'd get enough of hearing Maura gush about her new job.

''So when we get back to Boston are you coming back to work with us?''

''Why do you ask'', Maura stalled.

''You seem quite taken with this job, and I can't say it does suit you, so I was kinda jus' wondering'', Jane began the conversation after their lunch.

''Would it be so bad if I didn't go back to forensics?''

''It was a big part of your life Maura''

''I know, but anyway, it's not a decision I have to make now. I'll think about it''. Jane wasn't sure why Maura was so determined to shut out the topic. She had told herself she wouldn't pressure Maura into doing or saying anything she didn't want to, so like that, the topic was closed until an opportune time.

''They said my last day will be Thursday, not Friday. So after school they will be having a farewell party for me, and you are invited''

''Really?'', Jane lit up.

''Yes'', Maura laughed.

''I can't wait. That's awesome. I get to see you work, with kids. And I get one day off the many days without you'', she shyly added.

Maura was chuffed by how much Jane really wanted to spend time with her.

''I want to take you somewhere on Friday night. Is that alright?'', Maura nervously asked. She was fidgeting with the hem of her blouse and Jane found the shyness quite adorable.

''Remember when we got here I told you you could take me anywhere?'', Jane reminded her.

''Yes, I'd forgotten. Good then.''

Thursday came faster than they had both anticipated. Everything was still in the air. They had not had a single meaningful conversation, therefore leaving them both greatly restless. The situation was a touch better for Maura, because she had a few hours to concentrate on her work and not dwell on her relationship with Jane, or lack of. Each time Maura had gotten home the next two days, Jane had already mentally worked herself off to death so much that the brunette just wanted to do anything but talk.

Maura sensed this each time, so they would spend the rest of their day doing 'fun stuff', as Jane so phrased it. By the time they would get home, it would be late and they would be exhausted. So from Monday night to Wednesday night they resorted to falling asleep in each other's arms – as always.

Jane was in a major state of euphoria on Thursday morning. She was to spend the day at the school with Maura and nothing she had done so far seemed to compete with the thrill of that day's activities. Maura, however, was a beautiful wreck on that same morning. The women at her school had asked her whether she and Jane were just friend, to which she replied yes, but still spotted the doubt on their faces. She hoped to God they would not say something unanswerable in Jane's presence. The last thing she wanted was to ruin the plans she had made for her and Jane the next day. It was better for Jane and herself to remain stagnant than to start backtracking.

To her relief, the ladies had granted Maura her silent wish. They threw meaningful glances to her here and there, but thankfully Jane never noticed. The brunette was busy enjoying the children, telling them about her job as a detective, and listening to the stories they had to tell about Maura. Jane was awed to the bone by how Maura managed to blend in with her new, very different job. During the student's break time, they cut a cake for Maura and made some t-shirts for her and Jane – with the cute handprints on them. To the kids delight, Jane put hers on immediately. Before they left, a number of children handed Maura farewell cards they had made for her. This produced a batch of tears down the blonde's cheeks. She was so overwhelmed by the love these children showed her. It never once occurred to her that she could have such an impact on people, especially little children. She had shied away from them when she was a kid herself, and as a grown up, she just hadn't ever been in an environment with young ones. It broke her heart to leave, but she knew Jane would mend it permanently in no time at all. It was a very small price to pay to be with the love of her life.

''Here'', Jane felt a tiny hand push a small envelop into her hand. When she turned around, she saw little Jane Wang standing next to her, looking unsure of herself. Jane knelt down so she was almost eye level with her.

''Is this for Mau-, Miss Isles?'', she corrected herself while asking the kid.

''No, it's for you''. Jane was stunned. The kids had made her a t-shirt, but none of them knew her well enough to write her a card. So all cards had been directed to Maura.

''You made this for me?'', she asked in shock.

''Yes. You can read it when you get home.'' Jane took it and delicately placed it in her pocket.

''Thank you sweetie'', Jane hugged her and she and Maura set off.

Maura hadn't witnessed the exchanged, so there had been no questions regarding the brief encounter.

AN: It's about time for a grown up conversation between the girls right? RIGHT! Also, the song is Something Right - Westlife. Seriously, its awesome.