Disclaimer: I own nothing. All characters and stories belong to TNT, Tess Gerritsen (fan of her work- it's an author thing), and Janet Tamaro.

A/N: Post She Works Hard for the Money

Regrets

Maura and Jane were walking past the university again. Maura was flashing back to all the memories she had. She thought about all the nights studying, all the fraternity parties she attended, the sorority she wanted to be a part of. They were now all distant memories, memories that she could fondly remember.

Jane, however, looked at it with regret. She wanted so desperately to go back, to choose college so that she could live some of that life that she saw in those university students. She wanted to have those memories Maura had. But she didn't. She didn't only because Jane didn't want to cost her parents so much money. She remembered going through the university during her investigation. She could see all the fun that students were having, all the long hours that they put into their education. It made her think about what would have been, if she had chosen college instead of the academy.

Jane stopped and stared at the building thoughtfully. She couldn't help but think about her life if college had created a path for her. Maura continued for about a minute until she realized that Jane stopped. She walked back toward the wall were Jane was standing. She observed Jane who had her head tossed back and her long curls were trailing down her back. "Hey," Maura shot, waving a hand in front of Jane's face. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she said, shaking her head out of her incredible thoughts of regret. She looked to Maura.

"Thinking about college?" asked Maura with acute observation. Jane nodded. She watched as Jane slowly started to move again. She walked forward and Maura followed, beginning to trail behind. She watched as Maura struggled to catch up, only stopping to let her. "Do you have regrets?"

"Yeah," nodded Jane. She couldn't help it. She saw no point in hiding it anymore. "When I got accepted and didn't want to hurt my parents financially, the pain of my decision was almost too unbearable to deal with. Do you understand that?"

"Oddly enough, I do," answered Maura with known understanding.

Jane felt the sudden urge to hug her best friend, but ignored it to preserve the cop air that she carried so well. Maura pulled her into a quick hug and then let go. "I missed out on so much. Those college stories you tell me…they sound so amazing and I wished that that experience was something that I could have had. Does that make sense?"

"Yes," replied Maura almost immediately. Jane was surprised by the immediate answer that she placed an arm around Maura. They continued walking.

"Let's go," ordered Jane, with an arm still around Maura.

"Where?" asked Maura. Jane kept walking. "Where are we going?"

"I need a beer," she announced. "Feel like one?"

Maura laughed, "I'd rather have cabernet."

Jane smiled and they headed off to their favorite haunt.

Jane felt regret, but one thing she didn't regret was becoming a cop. It was cases like these that reminded her of why she wanted to become a detective in the first place.