(pre) Authors Note: Well, its been a month since I've updated. Even with a few of you bugging and encouraging me to write/post more, I've had to force and seclude myself just to get this should-be-a-piece-of-cake chapter out. This chapter is short and is more of a linking chapter. Without this, the story would feel like there was a hole in it. It helps chapter 2 ease into chapter 4. Honestly, If you are reading this, 1: I cant believe that you still are and 2: you should really stop making yourself suffer.

"Jane," Maura whispered softly. She wondered what time it was but hypothesized it to be about 6:30 judging from the angle the sun was beaming in from the window. "Jane," she spoke a bit louder drawing out her name and placing her hand on the side of Jane's face stroking her thumb over Jane's cheek bone. "Jane, I know you're somewhat awake so don't act like your sleeping," you could hear the smile in Maura's voice. Jane slid her head to side of Maura's chest so her still light sensitive eyes were to Maura.

"Wha— how did y—" Jane spoke in a higher pitch than she intended. Maura lightly chuckled.

"You've been stroking your foot subconsciously along my leg for over an hour now" she looked at Jane with a satisfied grin knowing she had caught her.

"Oh, I didn't realize I was," Jane looked down away from Maura and felt her face heat up.

"Hence the 'subconsciously' part" Maura sassed back. Jane didn't respond impulsively like Maura thought she would and Maura felt a glint of guilty pride that Jane didn't have one of her smartass retorts. "Your belt buckle is pressing into my bladder. Could you please remove your body from mine so I can relieve myself," Maura continued before Jane could have the chance to conjure up one of those dreaded comments. Jane grumbled and didn't take any action to remove herself.

"But you're warm and it's so cold," Jane dramatically nuzzled her face into Maura's chest.

"Yes, well, you'll be both wet and warm if you don't get off of me within the next few seconds, because I will have urinated on you and your sofa," Maura responded trying to be serious but couldn't help but grin. Jane quickly pulled her body up from Maura's too look at her.

"Touché," she nodded and moved her body off of Maura's to the other side of the couch wrapping the blanket back around her thin body. Maura sat up, spun her body around to place her feet on the floor and stretched, arms above her head, back arched only by reflex, emanating an audible cracking sound from her muscles, and a moan from deep in her chest. She let out a chuckle.

"Remind me to never sleep on your couch again,"

"Yeah Maura about last night I—"

"We don't need to talk about it right now. You were in need I was there." Maura looked at Jane and smiled as if this were any other conversation they would have.

"Yeah but what I did was, was, was—"

"Look Jane, you have nothi—"

"I crossed a line Maura" she didn't as much raise her voice but picked up her head to catch Maura's eyes so Maura knew that she really wanted to apologize but just didn't know how to find the words.

Maura sat in silence searching Jane's eyes. Jumping from one eye to the other. Maura's brow furrowed, and Jane could tell she was deep in thought. Jane really wished Maura would say something. Something; anything. Her stomach was in absolute knots; Maura just stood up and walked away without saying anything. She felt like she couldn't breathe.

Jane felt tears surfacing and it frustrated her. She was done crying, Maura was never to see another tear run down her face. And with this frustration she was mad. Mad at herself for everything she allowed her friend to see. How Maura saw her break; crumble; completely and utterly vulnerable. But Jane was mostly mad how she pleaded and, almost begged it seemed, Maura for comfort. The way she asked; no, demanded that comfort from her. And how she got it. It crossed a line. But damn, feeling Maura's arms wrapped around her, listening to her heartbeat, laying with her until she fell asleep felt so perfect, so warm, so right. That was the problem. She knew in her head that, logically, between two friends there should have been a line crossed. She needed to feel like she crossed a line. But, laying with Maura just felt so right, like she belonged there.

Pulled out of her thoughts, she heard the bathroom door open and the light switch flick off. She turned to see Maura coming down the hallway, turning to grab her purse and her keys off the kitchen counter. Please don't leave. Maura spun on her heel and walked with a swaying grace over towards Jane.

Jane studied Maura with every coming step. Maura saw the weakened tiredness and hangover in Jane's eyes from waves of emotions the night prior. But she saw something else, something she hadn't seen before she walked away. It was a form of an internal conflict of some sort. Her bag and keys dropped to the couch. She knew now wasn't the time to press so she offered a smile and held out her hand.

Jane looked up; wanted to ask what was going on, but she trusted Maura, and Maura knew that. She slowly reached up and grabbed ahold of Maura's hand. She smiled and offered another; Jane took this one with less hesitance. She pulled Jane up and let go of her hands only to wrap around Jane's middle. Maura encircled her arms around Jane's waist grabbing ahold of her sides, pulling Jane into her own body feeling their stomachs pressed together. A contact, that not that long ago, made it hard for Jane to remove herself from Maura. Jane, even more confused by the situation, froze until the mere warmth of Maura's touch had seeped through her skin. Only then did she wrap her arms around Maura, pulling the slightly smaller woman against her wanting to ask so many questions but not wanting to break the comfortable and peaceful moment.

Maura was the first to release, picking up her purse and keys she had set down on the couch. She pulled Jane gently towards the door where their coats and winter-wear resided. She grabbed Jane's heavy gray peacoat that, she herself had bought for Jane at the beginning of the winter season, and swung it around Jane. Jane snaked her arms through one at a time but in the process, and she's not quite sure what possessed her, she stared at Maura. It was more than just a stare really. She wanted so badly to just have a silent almost soft moment, like they've had many times before, where they just look at each other and feel this internal warm, comfort almost. Maura was too transfixed on the task at hand to realize.

Jane reached to start sliding the buttons through the respectable holes on her coat, but so did Maura. Their fingers grazed each other at the top button. It would usually be a nothing and should be a nothing. But for some reason this slight touch brought her eyes up to Jane's piercing gaze. Maura's eyes tried to escape but Jane had her captive. And oddly enough, Maura was okay with this. More than okay, she was completely submissive and dare she say it, slightly warmed by this in the weirdest way. She broke their dangerous gaze, dropped her hand from Jane's coat and let Jane continue with the rest of the buttons. Was that really what it was? Dangerous? Maura quickly turned to grab and put on her coat along with her hat and scarf. She closed her eyes and tried to take an unnoticeable deep breath before turning with a nonchalant smile.

Jane looked up from finishing her last button and Maura was already reaching out before she could protest. Before Jane could stop her, Maura's index finger was stroking across her cheek moving further back dragging strands of thick curly waves behind her ear, circling around, lightly grazing her earlobe, but continued on unnecessarily with icy fingertips down the warm protruding muscle of her neck. Jane tried to hold her composure but gasped when Maura came in contact with the sweet spot at the base of her neck. She looked down to somewhat hide her face in embarrassment. Maura quickly moved Jane's hair behind her shoulder to make it look like her actions had a purpose and looked at Jane with a convincing apologetic face, even though Jane wasn't watching her.

Jane picked up her head and quickly raised her hand to tuck her hair behind the other ear before Maura had a chance to.

Maura turned to grab Jane's hat and scarf. Then curling her fingers under the hat she slipped it on Jane's head, sliding it back to uncover big brown eyes. There was something in the way Jane looked at Maura with those intense but soft eyes that never seized to make Maura smile.

She wrapped the seemingly never ending scarf around Jane, binding her up to her nose in fleece. Maura was absolutely astounded. Jane has always prided herself on always being a independent and self sufficient woman. So Jane, willingly letting her do these simple tasks for her, was more than surprising. Maura finished with the last of her thoughts as she was slipping on her last glove. She snaked her hands into Jane's pockets and pulled out the last pair, opening them for Jane to wiggle her hand and fingers through. She slipped on her boots and Jane did the same. Maura picked her keys and her purse up off the floor and opened the door turning the lock on the inside. Gesturing Jane through, turning the lock from the inside, she slid the apartment door closed, ending with a soft thud and a click

(post) Authors Note: I'd like to take a second to thank one of my editors, Amanda. I really don't know how you put up with all of my complaining. I know I couldn't if I were you.

(post)(post) Authors Note: Some of you might be thrilled to know that I have a super fluffy chapter 4 in the last stages of editing. Some of you might be terrified. (when I will post it; I don't know. Hopefully soon considering the fact that this wasn't a 'real' chapter.) I'm also currently in the process of writing chapter 5.

As always; please read and review. It is so greatly appreciated to us writers. (positive reviews also help us write better/faster/fluffier/smuttier. **wink wink**) much love,~ A.Z