(pre) Authors Note: If you have managed to make you way through chapter 1 and still somehow clicked on chapter 2; I applaud you. This chapter is just pure fluff. (even more than the first.) I hope you enjoy?

I forgot to state my disclaimers last chapter so I guess I'll do it now. I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS IN ANY OF THESE CHAPTERS.

"What are you thinking about" Maura's soft voice brought Jane out of her thoughts. She inhaled deeply and rubbed a nuzzling touch into Maura's chest to signify that she was indeed awake.

"Mmmmm— nothin'," she let out a soft and sleepy grumble on her exhale. Maura took a second to think of whether she wanted to push Jane for the real answer or not. Decidedly, looking down at Jane from an upward thinking pose she replied

"The human mind is not capable of conceiving nothing. For even if you strip your mind down to just the blackness, the void, it is still a something," Jane let out a sigh that Maura had become accustom to and for which did not phase her.

"I was thinking that as much as I love listening to your theories and insights into the workings of the human brain, I would really enjoy just sitting in peace," sarcasm has become one of Jane's go-to's for deflecting a question she doesn't particularly want to answer. But this time was different, as soon as she had said it she felt bad for the rudeness of her response. "I'm sorry Maura. That was really mean and disrespectful. You're here for me; you're the only person I have, and I'm nothing but an ass to you"

"It's okay. Some people use sarcasm to cope with the things they aren't sure how to deal with. Honestly, I didn't think twice about it." The hand on the small of Jane's back started stroking lightly over the dips and curves of her lower back. "Jane?"

"Hmmmm?"

"You are restricting the flow of oxygenated blood from transporting oxygen and other vital nutrients to 26 leg muscles"

"Mmmmkay."

"Jane!"

"Huh?"

"I can't feel my legs."

Jane quickly pulled her body from Maura's, and almost instantly missed the soothing warmth. "I'm sorry. Uhhhh—" Jane looked at Maura for what to do; unwilling to completely pull her body away from the other woman.

"Here," Maura decidedly spun her body to the length of the couch and slid further down, positioning a pillow behind herself. Jane took Maura's hints and unhooked her legs from around the doctor's body, allowing her to lay back. Without missing a beat, Jane positioned herself between Maura's legs and rested her head between the natural caress of her chest. Maura allowed Jane to wiggle and nuzzle her head to a comfortable spot and position. She waited for Jane to relax into her body before she pulled the few stray curls that refused to stay out of Jane's face to the side along with the rest of the thick waves. Her hand tangled into the roots of Jane's hair and she sighed a breath of content. Smiling, only to herself, she drew her fingers through the silky thick curls, drawing a sound out of Jane that was somewhere between a grumble and a moan peppered with a sigh. Her grin grew with satisfaction and she continued through deep midnight locks. Slowly. Gently. Cautiously.

"This must be really awkward for you. You don't have to do this if you are uncomfortable. Am I making you uncomfortable? I have to be making you feel uncomfortable because I'm making me feel uncomfo—" Jane stopped at the sound of Maura laughing, softly; but loud enough to pull her out of a rambling spout.

"I'm sorry, it's just, listening to you ramble and seeing you all flustered is a rare sight that I'm not accustom to" she stopped, looked down over her chest, and found Jane looking up at her, still horrified. She smiled gently, and looked into exhausted and bloodshot eyes. They sat in comfortable silence, holding each other's gaze for what should have been too long before Maura continued. "Jane," she paused again, gathering her words "as long as your you're not trying to rip my clothes off or stick your tongue down my throat, I'm pretty much comfortable with most of the things you do. Considering the fact that we have both seen each other completely naked, I don't think there is much to hide or be 'uncomfortable' about."

Jane smiled with what would be the most relief Maura's ever seen on Jane's face. The smiled lasted longer than one of relief should have, as vibrant memories flashed through her mind. Maura knew what Jane was thinking, and soon found herself being pulled into the undertow of that memory also. Trying to act horrified and irritated about the fact they had to strip and shower to wash off the, later found out to be, nonexistent deadly bacteria. Both trying and failing miserably to sneak glances at each other's body. Letting their minds drift back into the now, they both let out a long drawn out exhale and settled back against each other. Jane tried desperately to find the spot she had lost, and Maura once again slipped her fingers into the tangled mess Jane calls hair. The long, slow, gentle, and oh-so relaxing strokes started again. Maura could feel the corner of Jane's mouth curl up in a content satisfied grin, and once again felt proud of her self. For why, she wasn't sure. Many moments passed; but moments only measured in the long slow strokes made by Jane's thumb up and down Maura's rib cage.

"The last time someone ever played with my hair was when I was 6. Dad and the boys would go camping from Friday evening to well into the night on Saturday. Mom and I used to stay home and watch the same baseball games over and over again repeatedly until the tapes would wear out. I knew mom hated watching baseball, let alone the same ones over and over and over again." Jane paused to smile at the memory "she and I used to be able to recite every last word as the announcer captioned the game. We would just sit there, my head in her lap, and she would run her fingers through my hair until I fell asleep. In the morning I would wake up in my bed and run downstairs to bacon and bunny pancakes." Jane closed her eyes at what she could have sworn was the smell of bacon. "I miss those times," she stopped to swallow the lump in her throat "and it wasn't until now, 30 years later, having you run your fingers through my hair, that I'm remembering what it feels like to be a child; Innocent, optimistic, pure, unbroken and blind to what the world is really like." She looked to thank her best friend for not only tonight, but every day prior, but instead finding a teary eyed face. That's when it dawned on her: she was just talking about a childhood memory of her mother in front of someone who never got that. Someone who was always expected to act like an adult that she didn't get to have a childhood. Someone who saw more of her nanny than she did her own mother. "Maur, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean—"

"No, don't be sorry. I love when you tell stories from your childhood or about your mother. For me, it's a few seconds that I get to fantasize what it would have been like for me. And I get all the feelings you describe. As you were telling that story all I could feel was love, but only a love that a mother and daughter could have. Your mom really loves you. I hope you know that. She may not be able to run her fingers through your hair until you fall asleep, and then carry up to your bed. I know you act annoyed when she makes you bunny pancakes, but she loves you."

"I know," Jane smiled teary eyed herself, and reached up to thumb away the stray tear under Maura's eye. "And she loves you to, just like she loves me. You are a daughter to her." Maura closed her eyes and let out a hard shaky breath at an attempt to stop the tears. Maura pulls her fingers out of janes finger combed hair and gently caresses the sides of her face. Maura looked at Jane hoping she could see the words that were desperately clawing at the back of her throat. She couldn't, wouldn't let herself speak them, because she knew that no matter which way she said them they would come out laced with more intensity that should be felt between friends. If that is what they were. Jane, once again found her spot on Maura's chest, and tried to inch her head unnoticeably to the left following the hypnotic beating. Maura pretended not to notice, and again entangled her fingers into thick locks. Dragging her fingers oh-so-slowly through Jane's hair, from her silky roots to her rough split ends. Over. And over. And over again. Until her fingers tingled from the repeated motion. She watched as Jane eyes fluttered closed then shot back open: how she tried with every last ounce of energy she had fight off sleep, wanting her mind to consume every second of Maura's touch in fear that it would never happen again. But the time intervals between closed and determined eyes to stay open becoming progressively longer until they stopped all together. Maura then surrendered to the sleep relentlessly pulling at her eyelids. She made sure she stayed awake until the other woman had fallen asleep, feeling the need to make sure Jane knew that she would fall asleep feeling protected. She reached to the back of the couch to grab the large fleece blanket and throw over them, pulling it just over janes allowed the bubble of air under the blanket to heat up before she tangled one hand into Jane hair and the other at the base of jane neck tentatively stroking along the sensitive skin.

"Good night, Jane," she spoke even though she knew that Jane couldn't hear her. Much to her surprise she felt Jane stroke her thumbs across her ribs and mumble a slurred and incoherent 'good night'. She hardly finished her words before sleep claimed her.

(post) Authors Note: Again thank you for suffering through this. Always accepting ideas and thoughts because I want to know what you, the readers, want. Also if you can somehow slip in a review that would be amazing. Reviews and critiques are the only way I can become a better writer.

Also I forgot to thank my life saviors and editors; Amanda and Kristen. Thank you so much for suffering through my rough drafts which I can only assume made you either want to bang your head against the wall or pull your hair out. (probably both)