A/N: Sorry for the delay. Thanks for all the love from last chapter! You guys are awesome!

Jane breathed in until her lungs were at full capacity, then exhaled as she felt warmth spread throughout her body, the sun's rays peeking through the curtains to kiss her face. Sliding her hands along the satin sheets, she pulled them closer to her chin without even attempting to open her eyes. The sleepy brunette couldn't quite recall what had woken her up, until she was reminded by the sensation of hands tracing light circles on her stomach.

Maura.

She smiled, basking in the afterglow of last night. They had finally crossed the threshold into being lovers, and Jane couldn't be happier about it. Even though the house nearly burnt down.

After airing out the dark smoke in Maura's kitchen and chucking a shoe at the smoke alarm to silence it, it was tacitly agreed upon that there was no salvaging their failed kitchen experiment, and that neither was all that hungry. For food anyway.

They had gone for round four, then five, and six and so on until Maura passed out exhausted, her hot body pressed into Jane's side. That isn't the position she was in when Jane woke up though.

The brunette sighed contently but squirmed a little at the feeling of arousal seeping into her body. Just thinking about this woman got her going, but as Jane reached out for the other woman, she was met by cold sheets. As her heart continued to accelerate, she wondered if it was only her thoughts getting her hot and bothered.

Jane's eyes flew open when she felt delicate fingers gripping her hips. Chancing a glance to the other side of the bed, she let out a deep chuckle, realizing exactly where the other woman was and precisely what woke her up. Breathing deeply, Jane tucked her hands under the covers to run her fingers through silky blonde hair. She tried to keep her hips steady as she felt Maura's tongue glide up and down her core, faster now that she was awake.

"Shit." She arched her back, opening her legs wider. She looked down her covered body to see the impression of Maura's head underneath the covers, slowly moving up and down. "Jesus, woman." She laughed, throwing her head back with the knowledge that she wouldn't last much longer.

Releasing her girlfriend's head, she reached up to grasp the headboard, trying her best not to clamp her thighs around the other woman's head.

A soft moan came from under the covers, causing her to lose all sense of modesty as she began rhythmically grinding her hips against Maura's warm mouth. Jane screwed her eyes shut once more, savoring the feeling of her girlfriend's plump lips gently sucking on her.

A pale hand crept out from below to wrap around Jane's breast. One tug at the Italian's nipple had her crashing faster than she could say I'm cumming. All restraint had completely vanished as her thighs clenched and she arched fully into the woman's mouth.

"Maur…" Jane groaned, hips raised in the air, smearing the wood of the head board with her sweaty hands. Ultimately, Jane's back collapsed onto the bed with a puffy thud.

Maura kissed her way up Jane's heaving body, emerging from underneath and hovering over Jane only to find her lover biting her lip.

Jane couldn't help the lazy grin that adorned her face as she looked up at her girlfriend, tucking hair behind her ear. Even with sweat matted hair and skin the color of a tomato, she looked absolutely stunning.

Sparkling hazel eyes locked on deep chocolate brown orbs. Maura smiled, whispering, "Good morning."

"Very good morning." Cradling Maura's face in her hands, she drew her down on top of her and pressed their lips together.

Maura moaned and sat up to straddle Jane's hips. "I thought you'd like that."

Jane grinned and moved her hands to the blonde's waist. "That is the understatement of the year… probably the century. I could wake up like this every morning."

Maura shivered as tanned hands caressed up and down her back. She leaned down for a chaste kiss before moving off of her girlfriend to tuck herself under her arm.

"Me too, Jane."

They laid there for a long moment, both trying not to read too much into the implication Jane's words left hanging thickly in the air. It was far too soon for that conversation, right?

As Maura rested her head on Jane's shoulder, the Italian ran the tips of her fingers lightly up and down the arm slung across her toned stomach. She nuzzled her nose into tousled blonde hair. "So… about last night."

Maura laughed airily before Jane even continued.

"I would say we made up for only about three of those five years…"

"Hmm... oh yeah? Because it felt like a lot more."

"Trust me on this one, babe."

Maura sat up on her elbow, pushing her hair aside so she can see the glint on Jane's eyes. "Okay, so what are you suggesting then, Ms. Rizzoli?"

The amusement in her own eyes was reflected in Jane's as she pulled her tighter and leaned up to kiss her neck. Maura tangled her hand in dark locks, breath already coming in uneven gasps in anticipation of whatever was to come next.

"Well." Jane quickly flipped their positions, settling herself between the older woman's legs before kissing down her throat. "I was thinking… since the kids aren't back until this evening… and we still have two years of catching up to do..."

Maura simply moaned and lied back against the pillow, no words needed to give her consent. Of course she wanted to go another round with this woman.

Jane made love to her body like a prodigy mastering an instrument; better than anyone ever has, and Maura knew that it was going to take monumental strength for her to keep from thinking about that persuasive tongue or those remarkably long fingers every second of the day. But when Jane started to kiss down her body, she grabbed onto her shoulders pausing her movement.

She waited for Jane's confused eyes to meet hers before smiling and lightly stroking her Italian's face. "Sweetheart, as much as I would love to be reminded why my voice is so hoarse and why my thighs are immensely sore… I am extremely dehydrated."

With an instant cocky smirk, Jane slowly snaked her tongue out to swirl around Maura's bellybutton. "It's not my fault I'm so addicted to the way you taste."

At that statement alone, Maura felt herself getting sucked back in as her lover continued on, kissing every single freckle on her inner thigh. She knew she was fighting a losing battle when Jane came back up, hips connecting with hers and grinding down.

"Jane," Maura released a shaky breath and held on to her lover's back.

The brunette smiled in victory as she brought her lips crashing down onto the woman beneath her. Breathy moans filled the air as Jane glided her body over Maura. Leaning on her elbows, she stared into Maura's eyes.

If anyone had told her two years ago that she would be in bed with such a perfect woman, not to mention her being the Maura Isles, she knew for a fact she would have laughed in their face. And yet, here she was. Jane was pulled from her thoughts at the sight of Maura leering up at her. Did I say that out loud?

"What?" Jane was confused even more when Maura's smirk turned into a full blown grin. "What'd I miss?"

Before Maura could respond, a loud rumble rang out in the room and startled Jane a little, causing the woman beneath her to burst into laughter. Jane looked down to her stomach, placing her hand there. Looking back up at Maura who was wiping the tears from her eyes she asked, "Was that my stomach?"

This only made the blonde laugh harder. "Yes. I'm afraid so."

Jane poked and tickled the woman's sides playfully for laughing at her.

"No! I'm sorry!"

"Stop laughing at me."

"How am I… supposed to… stop laughing when you're… tickling me?" she said between gasps as she squirmed this way and that way, trying to escape dexterous hands.

With a final poke, Jane stopped. "There."

They both lied back, Maura catching her breath and swiping her tears away while Jane watched her girlfriend.

"We should really eat something," said the blonde.

"That's what I was trying to do, Maura."

The blonde rolled her eyes, and with great resistance, extracted herself from the bed. "I meant actual food, Jane. You know… sustenance."

Jane flopped back on the bed as her eyes followed Maura's naked body in its path around the room, picking up clothing and silently cursing the wrinkle in her skirt.

"But you are food, Maur," Jane whined sitting up on the bed. "I mean, you taste just like pineapples."

"Jane!" Maura turned wide eyed with her mouth open.

Jane chuckled, "Okay, fine." Standing up and walking over to the stunned woman, Jane reached for the silk robe in her hand and quickly slipped it on. "How about you take a shower," finding her boxer briefs on the handle of the door, she slipped them on as well, "and I will go down to the kitchen and get breakfast ready. Last night was my turn to cook anyway."

The architect smiled, rising a little on her toes to place a sweet kiss on Jane's nose. "That sounds like the perfect idea."

Jane nodded, but before Maura could turn toward her bathroom she grabbed her around her waist and pulled her flush against her. "Or… we could go with Option two."

"Which is…?"

"I join you for that shower."

Maura giggled as Jane nuzzled her nose into her hair. "Jane. Come on," she said, weakly pushing the woman away, trying to create some distance between them.

"Fine. Fine." Turning Maura toward the bathroom by her shoulders, Jane gave her ass a quick slap and sent her on her way, earning a coy wink over the shoulder before Maura closed the door.

Jane stood there with a huge grin for a minute, before jumping up and punching at the air.

Hot steam followed Maura out of the bathroom when she re-emerged about fifteen minutes later before finding a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt to slip on.

In the shower, she couldn't help but reflect on the past few months of her life. When she divorced Ian, she thought that it would surely end her. That she would remain a lonely thirty-seven year old divorcée and workaholic mother of two. Maura had set her focus on her children and her work, making them her only priorities. But then she met Jane.

She knew there was something special about the dark haired woman the moment she sat down across from her for a mock-interview on her first day on the job. Jane had a confidence and a compassion about her and her work that others around her lacked. Contrary to what others who worked for her experienced, Jane seemed to take Maura's instruction and harsh criticism in stride; quickly excelling and exceeding any expectations.

Maura had rarely, if ever, met people who were not only driven, but passionate about even the little things that added up to create the bigger picture, and Jane was all about the details. She was always in awe of her in that sense.

Then there was the night that everything changed. Boss and assistant sitting in a dark office after hours completing paper work soon turned into friends sharing the load. Maura found out a lot about Jane that night, and in turn learned more about herself because she had never before been that interested in her employees' lives. And later when Ian came in and Jane had jumped to protect her, Maura could see that Jane cared about her and not just her job.

Now, descending the stairs towards the kitchen, she couldn't help but think about how far they had come. From hostile first impressions to developing an odd friendship, then through jealousy and near-death experiences, all leading up to them finally throwing out all the bullshit and admitting they want this. Last night felt like the final destination as well as the beginning of their journey all at once and Maura was grateful that she got a second chance to be with the woman dancing around her kitchen in nothing but her midnight-blue silk robe. How could she not fall in love?

Maura shook her head, it's only been almost five months. It was too soon to throw around the L-word. Or was it?

"Something smells good." She joined Jane and peaked at the contents of the stove.

"Thanks," she shrugged, "I haven't even showered, yet."

Maura playfully rolled her eyes at her, taking a cup of coffee which she assumed was hers.

"Not exactly your double-tall, non-fat, spice pumpkin espresso, but I thought this," leaning over, she placed a lazy kiss on Maura's lips. All teeth and lips. "Would make up for it."

It more than made up for it, if Maura's smile was anything to go by. Jane bustling around the kitchen taking care of her always made her day. God, she's so sexy when she cooks…and wears my robe…and exists.

She walked over to the other side of the island to take a seat on the stool, just as a thought popped into her head. "Jane, may I ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything you'd like, baby."

Maura blushed for a second, hiding behind her coffee mug before continuing. "Your first day on the job… you didn't have my coffee. But then I went up to Fairfield's office for ten minutes and when I came back down, there it was on my desk."

"Is there a question in there, Ms. Isles?" Jane said, her back to the other woman, but Maura could hear her amusement.

"How did you get my coffee so quickly? How did you even know what type to get? I mean, Jane. I know you were a fan of mine before you came to work for me, but stalker is more of an accurate assessment."

The Italian threw her head back in laughter. Bringing over the eggs and forking them onto a plate, she mumbled, "Maybe, I have magic."

Maura could tell that she was trying to hide something, with her head ducked and her less than concealed smirk so she got up and walked over to her. "Jane." Maura practically purred as she stood in front of the woman who was spreading grape jelly on to toast.

She avoided eye contact trying to hold in her laughter when she felt Maura's index finger raise her chin. Eyes meeting her girlfriend's, they stared in a mini stand-off, before Jane huffed and smacked her lips. "Fine. I'll tell you, but I'd much rather you think I had magic."

Jane watched her boss leaving for a solid thirty seconds before springing into action. Dashing over to the phone, she pulled out the notebook she had created earlier, in her hour before work actually started, containing all the extensions. Quickly finding Mr. Fairfield's office number, she silently prayed that her new boss was not there yet as she dialed the number. It was answered on the second ring.

"Mr. Fairfield's office. How may I help you?"

"Hey, listen this Jane… or uh… Mrs. Isles' office. She's on her way up to speak with Mr. Fairfield and I'll tell you one thing, she sure as hell is not happy."

After the woman had pretty much put her in her place, Jane had to take a moment to contain her own temper; not used to being talked to in such a way.

"Oh, well-"

"Also, do you have any idea what kind of coffee she drinks?"

"Um, well…" Just then Jane heard the elevator ding on the other side of the phone. Next she heard the nervous woman say, Mrs. Isles…and then the dial tone. She silently cursed, hanging the phone up.

"You better not let her hear you curse like that."

Jane nearly jumped out of her skin. She hastily turned around to find a young Indian man with thick-rimmed glasses, skinny jeans, and a patterned button up that was buttoned all the way up. He glared at her with his iPhone in one hand and a Starbucks coffee in the other.

"Uhm… hi. Can I help you with something?"

"Better not let her hear you say uhm either. She'll tear your ass apart."

Finally it dawned on her exactly who this curious character was and she stood up.

"You're Justin Pillar?"

"The one and only." He rolled his eyes, "And it's actually Pillay, but they always get it wrong. I think they were just messing with me on purpose."

The brunette looked at him skeptically for a second. He stared back at her for a moment before snorting and walking around her to the other side of the desk. Reaching into the drawer, he pulled out a scarf. "Relax. I'm just here to pick up some things of mine. Forgot them in the big boss's rush to get rid of me."

"Sorry about that."

"No, don't be. It was about time I got outta here anyway. I've paid my dues."

Jane watched on as he went around the desk picking up a few personal items.

"Good luck, buttercup," he said as he finally turned around to leave.

"Wait!"

The man turned back around and looked at her expectantly. "Right, you want advice." He tapped his chin walking towards her. "Don't argue with her; she's always right... Never mention her husband, or even marriage in general... Gain magical powers; read her mind… Oh, and never ever, ever, ever sleep. I think that's pretty much all you need to do to master the art of pleasing Maura Isles." He raised his eyes to the ceiling as if checking off a list of things needed to work for Maura. "And one more thing, she needs this every morning." He gestured to his coffee cup.

"Ah! Yes, she already chewed me out for not having it. What kind does she drink?"

"Double-tall, non-fat, spice pumpkin espresso." The man laughed and looked at the cup in his hand, rolling his eyes. "Can you believe that for the past year and a half I've been drinking the same coffee she does just in case something happened to hers? Crazy, right? Anyway," he turned away again. "Have fun!"

But before he could make it another step, Jane was standing in front of him, eyes solely on the cup in his hand. "That's a double-tall, non-fat, spice pumpkin espresso?"

When the guy nodded, she thoughtlessly tried to wrestle it from his hand. The man yanked his coffee away from her reach just in time.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh, come on man. She's needs her coffee and last time I checked, I don't have any magic yet." When he just stared at her Jane grumbled, pulling her wallet out of her pocket and shoving a ten dollar bill into his hand.

"Really? Ten bucks?"

"Yes, really. Look, you just got fired yesterday; I don't think you can afford anything less."

Justin squinted his eyes at her before snatching the money and handing over the coffee. "Only because I'd hate to see you dead on the news tomorrow," he said with a flare as he strutted toward the elevators, never to return.

"Not as good a story without the magic, huh?"

Maura stood with a look of shock on her face. She'd never known all of that went on behind her back and wondered just what other things Jane had gone through secretly to make her happy.

"Wow that is… quite the story."

"Yeah, well," she turned the burner off and looked at Maura, "He ripped me off though. Your coffee does not cost ten bucks."

The blonde giggled, walking over to the fridge and rummaging for a bottled water. "So have you mastered it yet?"

"What's that?"

"The art of pleasing Maura Isles," she said taking a sip of her water and leaning her back against the counter.

Jane glanced over her shoulder with a smile. "Almost there. I'm pretty sure I can read your mind and the whole sleeping thing… well, there hasn't been much of that lately."

Maura blushed, tucking her bottom lip between her teeth.

"And I definitely don't have magic."

"I'd say you do."

Jane chuckled. "Is that so?" She heard a shuffling behind her and when she turned around Maura had scooted onto the counter and was heatedly staring at her.

"Definitely. I mean, it's everywhere." Jane swallowed thickly as she turned around and started walking toward the blonde woman. "In your fingers… your tongue… your lips… your hips…" By the time Jane reached Maura she was positive that she could read the other woman's mind.

She stopped in front of her and stopped between her knees softly rubbing up and down Maura's thighs. The blonde sighed, placing her hands on broad shoulders as Jane kissed her neck. She nipped all the way up her freckled skin, slightly tugging on her lover's earlobe to whisper, "Wanna see a magic trick? I can make your clothes disappear…"

Abruptly, a large bang echoed throughout the house and before either could comprehend what was happening, Maura saw her worst nightmare come true.

"Hey, sorry for dropping them off so early, but the university wants…" Colin froze, car keys slipping from his hand and hitting the floor with a loud clatter. The three of them stared at each other waiting for the other to make the first move. It was the next voice that sprung them all into action.

Jane jumped away from Maura, tightening the robe's sash around her waist and Maura slid down from the counter as Colin reached down for his keys just when a head of sandy brown hair came barreling around the corner.

"Mom! Look what Uncle Colin gave… Jane?" Jacob was clearly not expecting to find his mother's assistant, who was strangely enough wearing her robe, in his house. "What are you doing here?"

Jane was completely unprepared for this. "Hey, bud. I'm… uh. Well I-… look."

"Wait a minute," Colin interrupted having finally come out of his comatose state. A slow smirk crept onto his face. "You're Jane?"

Once again, Jane tried to throw some words together for all the questions being thrown her way. "Y-Yeah. I just… we were-"

"Jane?"

And the Isles set was complete when the ever-pleasant Alice Isles echoed her name as well as she joined the party in the kitchen. Her eyes were wide as she looked from her mother, who was nervously patting down her wild hair, to Jane, who was tugging at the short hem of her mother's silk robe. "Oh, my God." Alice laughed so hard she teared up.

Jacob looked on even more confused. Seeing that he never got an answer from Jane, he turned to his mother. "Mom, what's Jane doing here? I thought you said you were going to stop working on Saturdays and Sundays," he pouted and walked closer to the pair.

As Jane saw him rounding the corner, she pulled on the all too short robe even more and scooted closer to the counter.

"Well, sweetheart, she… she… Jane uhm..."

"She came to take you to your baseball game."

Four sets of mixed up eyes turned over to Alice who was standing in the corner, rolling her eyes at these adults' sudden collective speech problem. "You always said you wanted her to see you play, so Mom invited her to your game this afternoon. Right, Jane?"

The brunette's eyes strained to show the appreciation for Alice's quick thinking before she snapped her head back to Jacob who was now sporting a hopeful grin. "Of course, sure. That's right. I know I promised to see you play, so here I am."

The boy rushed over to her, nearly tackling her in a bear hug. "That's so awesome! I'm gonna go get my baseball glove so we can practice before the game."

Before anyone could respond he was up the stairs, charging toward his room.

As soon as he was out of earshot, everyone sighed and started talking at the same time.

With a satisfied smirk on her face Alice walked over to stand between Jane and her mother, wrapping her arms behind their necks like a big happy family. "You guys owe me big time." She let go of them to go over and casually peck her uncle on the cheek before ascending the stairs herself. "Oh, and Jane? The walk of shame really becomes you."

Jane moved to chase the girl, but Alice squealed and ran upstairs before she even took a full step towards her.

"Yeah, thanks a lot, Sunshine!" Jane sarcastically yelled up at her with a full grin.

"You owe me!" Alice shouted before the sound of her door closing rumbled through the house.

The silence lingered in the kitchen, but the air soon dissipated into a cloud of awkward as Colin, with his mouth agape, walked past his sister to stand in front of the brunette. She was taller than him, so she looked down at him as he intently analyzed her. He finally raised his eyes to her hair and then to deep chocolate eyes and smiled.

"My God, sis. She's beautiful."

"Colin, will you stop looking at her like she's and exhibit in a museum."

He tilted his head from left to right and gazed into her eyes as if he were somehow mesmerized. "I can't."

Jane leaned back as he reached up to tug on one of her curls. "Uh… Maura?"

With a huff, the blonde moved over to her twin to pull his hand away, jerking on his elbow to create some distance.

"Jane, this is my brother Colin… Colin this is my," she glanced over her shoulder to make sure they were alone, "girlfriend Jane."

The taller woman stuck out her hand which was quickly taken by the man. "It's such a pleasure to finally meet you."

"You too."

He smiled with dazzling dimples and hazel eyes. He looks just like Maura. They all stood still for a second before Colin swiftly turned to Maura, taking her hand and hastily dragging her along out of the kitchen and into the foyer without a single word.

"Holy shit! That's Jane?"

"Colin," Maura chastised looking over her shoulder.

He smiled and ran a hand through his dark blonde hair. "Damn, sis. You did good. I mean, I know you said she was beautiful and everything but… wow. And you called her your girlfriend. So you're official now?"

As much as Maura wanted to be angry with her brother's behavior she really couldn't wait to share the news with someone. "We've been dating for about four weeks now."

"A month! What the hell?"

"Shh!"

"Maura Dorthea Isles. You have been dating her for an entire month and you didn't even tell me? Would you have told me if I hadn't walked in on you two defiling the kitchen just now?"

The blonde woman hesitated knowing what the answer would be. Colin gasped and stepped back, pointing at her.

"Oh come on, Colin! You know how you are. I just got her and I didn't want to scare her away with my pretentious brother."

He placed his hand over his heart in mock offence. "I prefer the term ostentatious."

Maura scoffed good-naturedly and her brother smiled back before his face abruptly turned eager with his wide eyes and raised eyebrows. "What the hell were you two doing in there?"

The smile quickly slipped from Maura's lips and her skin instantly blushed. She began to feel hot all over. Not like she did before her family came bustling in the kitchen, but from her not wanting to answer her brother's question. "Nothing," Maura squeaked.

Her brother narrowed his eyes at her and with the speed of a cheetah reached up to grasp the lip of her shirt. Maura twisted and squirmed away from him trying to keep him from seeing her hive covered chest. In the end, he relented and stepped back laughing.

"Maura, I know you can't lie. We break out in hives remember… which reminds me, we really need to see a doctor about that. I'm getting tired of rushing to the bathroom every time I tell a parent that their child has the potential to pass my class."

The blonde rolled her eyes and adjusted her shirt which was now stretched around the collar. "It's none of your business what we were doing."

"Did she spend the night?"

"Colin-"

"Did you have sex?"

"Colin Donté Isles, which part of none of your business do you not-"

He hopped up and down for a second like a kid in a candy store. "You guys finally fucked! I can't believe it… well I can totally believe it, I mean, she has this whole, like, Aphrodite thing going on with her long wild hair and her high cheek bones and…well don't get me started on those legs…"

"Don't get any ideas. She's my girlfriend."

Raising his hands in surrender, he chuckled. "That was loud and clear when I walked in on her sucking on your neck like a goddamn vampire bat… oh, hold on."

He took his vibrating phone out of his pocket and read the text message. He looked back up at her as he wrenched the door open and took one step outside before turning back. "Don't think this is over."

And with that, he was gone. Maura closed the door behind him and leaned her head against it. She steeled herself taking a few deep breaths before heading back into the kitchen.

Jane was sitting at the table looking at her phone. She had set their breakfast on the table and when she heard the shuffling of feet, she looked up in panic before her features relaxed.

Slowly moving over to the table to sit down, Maura looked everywhere, but at Jane. After a few seconds of silence Jane scooped up a spoon full of eggs and put them in her mouth. "That was… paralyzing."

Maura let out a shaky breath before turning to her food and beginning to eat.

The brunette looked over to her girlfriend who hadn't responded and placed a gentle hand on her back. "Are you okay?"

Finally locking eyes with Jane, Maura let out low laugh from deep within and knocked on the wood of the table. She laughed harder and harder as Jane looked on in confused amusement. When her laughter died down she took a second to breathe. "That was incredibly embarrassing."

"Yes…I can see why you thought it was so funny."

"Come on. Don't you see it? It seems like every time we are about to… do it… we get interrupted."

Jane chuckled and all was quiet except for the subtle scrapes of utensils against ceramic.

"So, that was your brother then?" Jane let her thought trail off and watched as the woman regretfully nodded her head. "He's very… unusual."

Maura chuckled at that and took a sip of her coffee. "Yes. That he is."

"Is he… like… gay?"

"You would think, but no he isn't."

Jane gave her an incredulous stare and placed her fork on her plate. "Are you sure?"

Maura simply shrugged her shoulders. "Let's just say that my brother once told me…I am whatever I am when I am it…whatever that means. I just know that he's never dated a man."

Jane seemed to be content enough with her answer – Why put labels on everything when they weren't always needed? – and they continued having breakfast. Once they were done, Jane got up to take both of their dishes to the sink.

"I could tell he was your brother the moment he walked in. You guys look exactly alike."

The blonde walked over to help with the dishes. "That's because we're twins."

Jane swung her head around to the smaller woman who had knocked her out of the way insisting to do the dishes. "You never told me you had a twin."

Maura shrugged her shoulders, mouth poised to say something when she was interrupted by Jacob skidding into the kitchen with a baseball and two gloves.

"Sorry that took so long. I couldn't find the other glove. Are you ready?"

The houseguest looked from Maura who was smirking and watching her and back to pleading hazel eyes. What is up with all the Isles' and hazel eyes that I can't say no to?

"Sure, bud," she relented and he threw a fist into the air. A lot like Jane did earlier. Jane decided to go change.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"She has to change, sweetheart," Maura whispered into his hair as she leaned down to place a soft peck to the top of his head. "Why don't you head outside and get warmed up in the meantime?"

The boy sprinted out through the back door. Shaking her head, Jane ascended the stairs thinking about what she was about to do. Playing baseball with a child is an old fashioned American activity. Father and son activity. A family activity. Her family.

An hour and a half later Maura looked outside through the side door window at Jane and her son passing the ball around. Her heart sped up as she saw Jane dive for the ball landing painfully down on the ground until she looked over to her son who did the same thing. They both had faces as hard as stone.

"And that's how you do it, okay?" Jane said standing up and brushing off her sweat pants and shirt that she had borrowed from Maura. "No matter what happens. You see that ball coming at you, you just gotta dive for it. Got it?"

"Got it."

About thirty minutes into their little practice, Jacob had asked Jane to teach him how to throw that curve ball she promised weeks ago in the Dirty Robber. Unsurprisingly, the boy caught on fast and they soon moved on to dive rolls and pitching techniques. Jane found that she rather enjoyed having this time with the kid.

She had found out how competitive the boy was when they had played Ping-Pong in LA. This kid was like a sponge; soaking up every bit of information Jane threw at him and executing it perfectly. Just like his mother. She felt a sense of wistfulness overcome her. Jane had always wanted her own kids, had even planned to with Amanda, but that didn't really work out. She felt a sense of protectiveness over this family… all of them.

"Okay, buddy. Now that you know all of them, I'm just gonna throw 'em at ya randomly."

"How about we practice some more diving?" he said jumping up and down.

"And have your mother kill me? I don't think she would like that. She already thinks she's slick standing in the shadows and watching us."

Jacob looked quickly over to the door watching his mother dash out of sight. "Yeah, she thinks she's clever."

"You all do, Mr. I-need-help-with-my-fast-pitch-but-really-I'm-perfect-at-everything."

Jacob cracked up at that. "I really like you, Jane. You should come around more often."

Jane's smile slacked for a second as she felt tears tingling her eyes. "I like you too, bud. I'm gonna play with you as much as I can, okay?" She watched the boy nod his head before his facial expression slipped into one of wanting and disappointment.

"Dad never plays with me anymore."

The brunette could feel her heart drop into her stomach as a single tear ran down the boy's face. She jogged over to him pulling him into a tight hug before kneeling down to his level.

"Hey, bud. Listen," she whispered as the boy stared at the ground. "I know you love your Dad, and I know he loves you too, but sometimes grown-ups… we just get so wrapped up in things and sometimes we forget what's important. But that doesn't make him a bad Dad, okay? Just be patient."

"You wouldn't be."

"What's that, Jake?"

He brought his sparkling eyes up to Jane's. "A bad Dad." At Jane's wide eyes he laughed. "Maybe you could teach my Dad. You could tell him about sports and how when Mom says 'no fries' it really means like two or three from his plate…well, unless they have lime in them." Jane chuckled at his sour face. "You'd be the best dad."

Jane barely contained the joy that threatened to burst out of every pore in her body. His words warmed her heart and she couldn't help wonder if it would be a bad thing to tell the kid about her and his mom dating. Just then the back door opened and said woman appeared.

"Jacob, it's almost time to go. You should go upstairs and change into your uniform." The boy yelped, giving Jane another squeeze around her neck before dashing past his mother and inside the house. Jane slowly stood up, brushing the knees of her pants and walked over to Maura.

"You know, oddly enough it's a bit of a turn on seeing you toss the ball around with my child." Maura said blocking Jane's entrance into the house. She tilted her head in concern when the brunette continued to stare over her head after the boy and didn't even register what was just said to her. Placing her hand on Jane's arms she said, "Is everything okay?"

She looked down at the smaller woman with a tight lipped smile. "Yes," she said leaning down to place a soft kiss on her lips. "And I plan on revisiting those sexy thoughts later, but right now we have a game to get to." She opened the door wider and walked past Maura leaving her wondering what had happened between her girlfriend and her son.

A/N: Still with me?