"You're dead." Jane heard the soft hum and click of her translator as it dissected Maura's words. The room was silent, what the blonde had just said hanging in the room. Jane's stomach turned with nerves. The Captain looked over her shoulder at Konif and Shafter who looked just as confused as she felt.

"Did you hear that also?" she asked the room at large, all of them nodding their heads. Finally she turned her attention onto Dr. Peirce. "Is that what she really said?" he fiddled with his Omnicuff, frowning, making sure everything was right with their translators. A hand slipped into hers and squeezed it. Jane looked down at Maura who gripped her hand tightly. She rolled Jane's hand over, her finger lightly tracing across the center of Jane's palm, the skin smooth and soft under her touch.

"Did you just say that I'm dead?" Jane asked her softly, wanting to make sure she had heard right.

"Yes, I did," Maura spoke, her voice horse. Jane lowered herself so she was sitting down on the side of the bed, looking at Maura, allowing her to touch her hand. She could feel everyone's eyes flickering between her and Maura, but she ignored them.

"Okay….," Jane dragged out. Maura just sat there staring at her, her finger still slowly moving. Jane looked down questioningly, watching Maura's finger move back and forth across her palm, etching an invisible line there.

"You…. You had scars on your hands before you died… but…. You don't anymore?" She scrunched up her face, her mind still trying to catch up with everything

"My word!" Palmer gasped from across the room. "How did Jane go about getting those scars deary!?" he asked, the little man's curiosity getting the better of him. Jane threw a look at him over her shoulder. Maura closed her eyes, sighing heavily and shook her head, refusing to answer. Jane changed the subject again, grasping Maura's hand, stilling her movements.

"What do you mean I'm dead Maura, I'm right here." The blonde woman in front of her let out a bitter laugh. Peirce finally snapped into action and poured a glass of water handing it to her. Maura gently accepted it, saying a soft,

"Thank you," before drinking it. When she set down the cup speaking out, her voice was clearer and sounded more like herself.

"I mean exactly what I said Jane. You're dead and none of this is real. I… I know it's not." Maura slipped her hand out of Jane's let her own fall into her lap. Jane frowned; she looked back over at Konif who shrugged. Jane racked her brain for something else to say but couldn't find anything. It was the Professor who spoke next.

"What makes you think none of this is real dear?" Maura looked up and smiled softly at the old man on the other bed.

"I'm sorry, I don't think we have met…?" she asked dodging the question. Palmer slowly got out of the bed and shuffled over, smiling at her. Dr. Peirce awkward stepped out of the little mans way, grumbling.

"The name's Professor Alex Palmer, a pleasure to meet you." Maura beamed at the small mans title, shaking his offered hand.

"Doctor Maura Isles," the blonde spoke clearly, proud of her title.

"You're a doctor you say?" Dr. Peirce stepped forward again. The area around Maura's bed was starting to get crowded with the four of them there. Maura's face fell a bit, uncomfortable with all the attention. No one seemed to notice except Jane, who rested her hand against Maura's shin, squeezing it a little bit, trying to reassure her. Maura's eyes fluttered shut at the feeling of Jane's hand, past memoires fuddling her mind. Jane let go standing up and took a step back allowing Maura some room. She leaned against the end of her bed waiting for the answer just like everyone seemed like they were.

"I am," was all she said. She opened her eyes, adding, "Or I was for that matter." Peirce looked at Palmer frowned.

"Gentlemen," Jane rasped. "I think we should allow Maura some rest." Peirce opened his mouth to object but one look from Jane stopped his protest.

"I agree with you Captain," was all he said. Palmer stepped away from Maura's bed with a smile and hopped back into his own, making sure the blankets were tight around his small body. He yawned heavily into his hand. Dr. Peirce sighed silently and walked over to Palmer speaking softly to him. Jane held Maura's gaze for a few seconds longer before saying,

"I'll be back later to visit all of you," she looked at the other patients that were sitting in their beds.

"I'm looking forward to it deary," Palmer said yawning again. Shafter remained seated next to Konif's bed.

"Alright, I'll catch you later then Jane," her face darkened when she spoke next. "And I should have the report filed by then, hopefully."

"Jane… what we talked about earlier?" Shafter hummed softly. Everyone looked at Shafter and then back at Jane, wanting in on the secret. Everyone except Maura, she just looked down at her hands. Right, placing Maura by herself so she won't get to overwhelmed. The hairs on the back of Jane's neck rose as she felt Dr. Peirce take a small step closer to Maura.

"Maura, can you walk?" Jane asked deeply, Shafter had a point. Her fierce gaze rested on Dr. Peirce, making him freeze. If she left Maura here no doubt he wasn't going to let her sleep, just attack her with questions. The woman looked positively haggard. Her hands were bandaged, her shoulders were slouched and her eyelids drooped heavily. Jane ignored everyone's looks and waited on Maura's answer.

"I think so…."

"Dr. Peirce, may I take her to a room so she can have some proper piece and quite?" Jane voiced it more as a demand than a question.

"I would be OK with that. I was going to have her stay here while she rested but…" he trailed off, thinking it wiser just to answer simply. "Yes Captain." Dr. Peirce stepped out of Jane's way as she walked back over to the side of Maura's bed, offering her her hand.

"Come on," she said softly. "You look like you could do with some sleep in a more comfortable bed." Although Maura had slept well last night, she still felt the grips of fatigue. She hesitated for a second, remembering the feeling of Jane pressed against her, whispering in her ear in that bathroom.

"That Jane out there is an imposter, I am dead."

The blonde looked up into brown eyes. They were soft and held so much emotion in them. Maura's gaze dropped down to Jane's outstretched hand. Pushing down dark thoughts that rose, she firmly grasped it and stood up, wobbling a bit on unsteady legs.

"Careful," Jane said, grasping her waist to steady her. Maura smiled welcoming Jane's hold. But the Captain dropped the hand that rested on Maura's waist too soon for her liking and stepped away, allowing Maura to walk by. Jane tried to slip her hand out of Maura's wanting to give her her space but the blonde gripped it tighter. They slowly made their way out of the room, everyone's eyes on their backs and started to walk down the hallway.

Every one watched as Jane and Maura left down the hall, not even looking back.

"Well that was…" Konif started, lost for a word.

"Amazing? Extraordinary? Unbelievable?" Palmer offered up from his bed. Shafter humming in amusement, its hand squeezed Konifs who squeezed back.

"Yeah Professor something like that."

"I am very pleased that we can now finally speak with Maura. With the limited time that I have spent with her, she has a nice presence about her," Shafter said, closing its third eye and allowing the other two to fill up with blue; happy.

"Oh yeah?" the redhead asked, her own fascination with the woman from a different Universe getting the better of her.

"'Oh yeah' indeed Olga."

Maura finally let go of her hand, but slipped it around Jane's arm, holding onto it, her legs feeling wobbly still.

"You must be hungry." Jane noted, both of them only having eaten a meager meal that morning.

"Actually I am." Maura said, keeping a slow pace her eyes glued to the floor, eyelids blinking slowly.

"It looks like you'd rather sleep though," Jane bit her lip, always one horrible at small talk. But to her surprise Maura laughed, it was tired sounding and rough.

"You always could see what I needed most." People walked around them, some saluting Jane, others merely nodding.

"What do you mean?" But again the blonde shut her out.

"It doesn't matter really." Trying to keep the conversation going Jane changed the subject.

"You said that you're a doctor?" She pulled them to a halt, clicking the Holoscreen, calling the elevator down to them.

"Yes, but I don't think my medical license would be legal here. Where ever here is…" They stepped into the elevator, Jane sighing in relief when she saw it was empty. She pressed the button that would take them to Wing A, floor 0, she opened her mouth going to say something when Maura cut her off.

"Jane." Her voice was different, it was deeper, and it held a bite to it. She glanced at her and felt Maura slip her hand out from Jane's arm.

"Uh… yes?" she asked, confused at Maura's tone.

"Jane, look at me." Confused she turned fully to her, Maura staring at her face. The blonde eased up her hand, her eyes dancing around that face she knew so well. Her mind reeled, if this woman that stood in front of her was an imposter there should be some flaw. But the longer she stared at Jane's face, her hand frozen in mid air, the more she started to believe this was truly Jane.

The Captain watched Maura's face as emotions flickered through it; they changed so fast she couldn't place them. Movement caught her eye and she watched as Maura's hand crept closer. Jane's skin tingled, anticipating the feeling of Maura's touch. The door's opened, the action making Maura drop her hand, taking a small step back. Jane hadn't noticed that they were standing so close, Maura's toes touching her own. Her stomach flopped when the blonde stepped back, already missing the warmth that had radiated from her body.

Jane allowed Maura to step out into the hall way first; her eyes lingered on the silver plague that sat on one of the walls, names lining it.

"Oh….," she stepped up to it, running her fingers over an engraved name. Captain Vincent Korsak. "I know him… I…"

"You know Captain Korsak?" Jane asked shocked.

"I do. Although he's not a Captain…," Maura trailed off again, her eyes going down to the name that was under it. Captain Jane Rizzoli. In the medbay she had heard the people there call her Captain but it didn't really click in Maura's mind until now.

"You run this ship?" Maura asked, looking up at the brunette that stood a little behind her.

"I do."

"You never settle for anything besides the best. Let me guess? You're the first woman to be promoted to the status of Captain?" Jane's face grew hard.

"How did you know that?" Maura shrugged.

"Lucky guess." Jane gapped at her, not knowing what to say. First this woman had known her name even before she told it to her, she knew Korsak and now she was saying she knew that Jane was the first woman who was promoted Captain after the up risings. She stepped forward, her shoulders squared, getting into Maura's personal space.

"Who the hell are you?" she rasped, her voice threatening. Without thinking about it Maura placed her hand on a flexed arm, feeling it relax under her touch, just like it used too.

"I told you, I'm Maura." This time, Maura looked into Jane's heated gaze looking for something, looking for a flicker of recognition that would give her away, would tell Maura that Jane already knew her before all this madness. But there was nothing, nothing that gave Jane away. "If you're just Maura," she put air quotes around the name. "Then how do you know all of this?" Her voice was softer now, Maura's touch calming her.

"It's hard to explain… I don't even know myself," she paused looking at something behind Jane. "Jane," her voice broke, her eyes glistened with tears. "How did I get her… am I dead?" Jane was shocked at her question, her angry quickly faded.

"No Maura, no," she grabbed the woman's hand, gripping it tightly. "You couldn't be any more wrong Maura. It's just a long story." Jane spoke softly, afraid of upsetting the smaller woman again.

"Tell me Jane please. I'm just… so, so, so lost." Sob's broke through the womans speech. Jane grabbed Maura pulling her into a hug, wanting, needing to comfort her. The blonde sobbed into Jane, making the Captain hold her tighter. After a few minutes, Maura calmed down, her face still resting on Jane's collarbone.

"Come on, I think a bed time story is in order." Maura laughed as she pulled away from Jane who had a smirk on her face. They walked down the hall; Jane could see her door sitting at the end. Punching in a code on the Holoscreen the door opened softly, reviling a medium sized apartment. It wasn't as big as Jane's but it was comfy. A bed was tucked away in the corner, a window sitting above it, opposite of the bed was a desk, couch, and small kitchen with a table and two doors sat against the wall, one leading to a closet the other into a bathroom with a shower.

Maura walked in looking around. She stopped in front of a window that sat against the wall and looked out it. The soft blue of the ships shield rippled across the thick glass, space pressing against it. Jane watched silently as she wrapped her arms around herself, one foot tipping onto its side in the boots to big. Her skirt was wrinkled, her shirt was still covered by Jane's jacket, and she still had yet to take it off.

"If you don't mind, I can run down to my room and grab us something to eat and maybe a change of clothes for you?"

"Oh," Maura seemed to realize that she was still wearing Jane's jacket; she started to shrug it off.

"No keep it, you'll need a jacket trust me and I've got plenty. I'll be right back okay?" Jane didn't move; waiting to make sure that Maura would be alright by herself.

"Okay." Maura watched Jane smile, slipping out the door and turning left. Maura looked around the room at its bare walls and cold air. No one's lived her in sometime. She thought. She walked over to the double bed and sank down on it, the mattress was soft under her, promising a good night's rest. Her hands ached; bruises peeked out around the white gauze. She was surprised that she hadn't broken her hands. Her mind reeled, casting the images of what happened in the bathroom on her mind's eye. She closed her eyes remembering how the gun had materialized out of nowhere, the thought gave her goosbumps.

"I am really loosing it…" she whispered to herself. She thought about the thing that appeared in her living room before all of this. She rested her face in her hands thinking. She had seen a woman there in the murky image, a brunette woman who was yelling at someone, her finger stabbing into their chest. The murky image was enough though; Maura knew that it was Jane who was standing on the other side. Is this what happens when you die? You get sent here, the people seeming unsure of their pasts or how they died? Why was she different? How come she remembered everything before she was sent here through that blinding white tunnel? Was it because she had tried to kill herself? Suicidal people were forced to be in this place and remember their past as a punishment for taking their own lives?

Maura had too many questions and not enough answers. She lifted her head when she heard the noise of the door opening, reviling an arms full Jane. Maura started to stand up to help her but Jane simply flicked her hand, a silent, I got it. She carefully laid the stuff on the table, Maura walking up next to her.

"I didn't actually have anything that was already ready," Jane started which made Maura smile. "But I did manage to get enough to pass for sandwiches. Is that okay?" she asked, two sandwiches were wrapped up and sat on top of some folded clothes.

"Perfect," Maura said grabbing the food and setting it aside, allowing Jane to pick up the folded clothes and set them in the closet. "Do you want to eat and talk?" suddenly Jane was very nervous, she didn't understand why.

"Okay," Maura said, sitting down while Jane grabbed two glasses filling them up with water from the sink.

"It's not the best water in the world," Jane said setting a glass down in front of the blonde with a shrug.

"That's alright." Jane quickly un-wrapped her sandwich and picked up a half biting into it eagerly. Maura inspected the food, not wanting to know what was inside of it, Jane seemed to be enjoying it so Maura took a leap of faith and bit into it. Flavors swirled into her mouth making her moan softly, her hunger taking over. They ate in silence for a few minutes, both trying to quell the hunger pains.

"Hapsha, this ship, was hired by a Dr. Charles," Jane suddenly spoke making Maura look up from her food. "Normally civilians aren't allowed to ask for transportation from a military ship but he pulled some strings." She shrugged, taking a drink of her water before continuing. "He said he had a way of observing a parallel Universe." Maura gasped, her mind turning.

"Mine?" Jane nodded. "Are you telling me that I'm in a different Universe?" Jane nodded again. Maura stared down at the table, the woman across from her speaking again.

"But he needed to open a portal next to a black hole, so incase anything happened, the 'tear' would just be sucked into the black hole and not harm my Universe."

"But what would then happen to mine?" Jane laughed bitterly.

"I asked the same thing, he didn't seem to care though. I was ordered to pretty much make sure that he was able to do his little project no matter what." She sighed heavily before continuing. "So we got to the black hole and we opened the portal to look at your Universe and see how different it was from our own but for some reason-"

"It opened in my entrance way of my house and not overlooking a city?"

"Yeah. Everything was going fine. We watched you walk in and…" Jane trailed off, blushing slightly. "I'm sorry whatever happened to you to make you hurt that much," she said softly to Maura.

"Oh," the blonde whispered, covering her face with one of her hands.

"Then after you grabbed that black object all hell broke loose on my end."

"Mine too," Maura groaned.

"For some reason the portal actually fully opened on your side, something to do with the black hole mumbo jumbo, I'm not really sure. But the next thing I knew there was this white tube that had blown a hole in the side of my ship and things were being thrown out of the portal and then something happened," Jane grunted, her hand fiddling with the glass. "The shield around the outside of the ship started to fail, exposing the room we were in to space and Hapsha itself was being forced into the pull of the black hole. The shield kept flickering out and… and we lost some people, including Dr. Charles, but we managed to get everyone else out of there and then-"

"That's when I came through this portal?" Maura asked, trying to comprehend everything.

"Yeah I was about to leave when you flew out. There wasn't enough time to get us both out and I knew that the hole in the side of the ship was making Konif," she explained further at Maura's confused face. "The redhead woman that was in the bed next to you, she's the ships pilot." At Maura's nod she kept talking. "The hole was making it harder for Konif to steer the ship out of the pull, so I closed the door and you and I were launched into space… you know the rest."

Maura simply sat there staring at Jane.

"You're saying I came through a portal and ended up in a different Universe?!"

"You know, when you say it like that, it does sound pretty unbelievable," Jane said simply. Maura shook her head.

"This is just something I would conjure up. There are things here that interest my mind, people that I know… you're here." Maura was speaking faster now, her breathes coming in pants.

"Whoa Maura, just breathe, calm down."

"Calm down!" Maura shouted, standing up. "How am I supposed to calm down when all of this is fake? It's all just a conjuration of my mind and I actually killed myself and now I'm somehow here in this place?" Maura was pacing in the small room, Jane watching here. "And here you are," she gestured roughly towards the brunette. "Alive and torturing me."

"Maura," Jane started to stand up but Maura's gaze made her freeze. "You didn't kill yourself, I don't know why you think you did-"

"Because I had the gun in my hand, your gun! I was so tired of feeling the pain, so tired of having you come speak to me when you aren't even alive!" Jane finally snapped up, tired of hearing that she wasn't real. She walked up to Maura so fast that the blonde actually took a step back but Jane didn't stop, she firmly grabbed Maura's hand and placed it on her chest.

"I am very much alive." Maura felt it. The beating of Jane's heart as it pounded inside her rib cage, surrounded by her lunges that expanded and shrank with each breath she took, the air being absorbed and pushed into the blood stream, pushed into blood that was being pumped by the muscle that sat at the very center, the one that allowed everything to live. Maura could feel the heat of Jane's touch as blood worked its way through her body keeping her warm and her cells alive. Finally Maura looked up at Jane, hazel looking into fierce deep brown.

"I'm alive Maura."

"B-but I was there… when you died… When you were pulled out of that burning building… your body was…. I was there." Tear's fell out of her eyes against her will. Jane pressed against her hand harder.

"Whatever happened, I'm here now." Jane lifted her hand up, brushing away the tears with her thumb. Something in her heart made her want to comfort this woman as much as possible, wanted to make her feel safe and protected at all times.

Maura felt like a black cloud was starting to be lifted, her mind seeming to clear and push through the acidic mud that was eating at it, eating at her sanity. New memories seemed to surface, her standing in her morgue all by herself, talking to herself, no one talking back. How it was herself that talked her into believing that none of this was real in the bathroom, not Jane.

"I was somehow transported from my Universe into a parallel Universe," Maura said to herself, the tears stopping. She let out a soft laugh. "I don't think I can ever accept that… Everyone I know is gone, everything I've ever had doesn't matter now and you… you're the same… yet so different." Jane raised an eyebrow dropping her hands; Maura left hers on Jane's chest. "You're so… I don't know, quiet? You normally speak your mind whenever you get the chance." This brought a raspy laugh from Jane.

"Trust me, I do that."

"It's just so weird… like I have to re-get to know you." Jane finally asked the question that had been gnawing away at her.

"Who was I to you?" Maura dropped her hand and turned around walking away from Jane. "Maura?" even though they could speak to each other now, they had gone so long with just using their names that the brunette felt this was the best way to get her thoughts and feelings across. The blonde immediately picked up on the desperation, the need to know. She sat back down on the bed, sighing, leaving Jane standing.

"I…," she cleared her throat. She spoke so softly Jane almost missed it. "You're the love of my life." The brunette stood there, her arms slack at her side, back stiff, legs feeling like they were iron rods sticking into the ground.

"We… I mean… you and the other Jane," the term felt like daggers were being thrown at Maura's chest. "We're in love?" The sitting woman shrugged.

"I don't know about you. But I know I was. I knew I loved you since the day I met you. Almost ten years ago. It may seem unbelievable, but I knew." Jane didn't know how to feel, so she stupidly asked,

"And when you see me… are you still…?" Maura scoffed.

"Yes, I will always love you Jane, always." Jane shoved her hands into her pockets, her gaze falling to the floor.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Maura asked confused.

"That you have to see me, be around me. From what you've told me things didn't seem like they were easy for you after the other me died. But now here I am, alive."

"You have no idea," Maura whispered, her hand fiddling with her ring finger, spinning an invisible ring.

"I'll uh," Jane took a small step backwards. "I'll get out of your hair then. I don't want you to be uncomfortable around me," her words sounded hurt but determined.

"No, please don't." Maura stood up, going to grab Jane's arm but thought better of it. "Please don't just leave me alone Jane." The Captain watched as Maura's face fell. "Don't leave me alone again, please?" Maura let out an "oomph" when Jane pulled her into another hug. Maura could feel Jane's heartbeat against her body, her own heart matching it.

"Never, never again."

*sigh* feels.

They're finally talking. I'm happy about that. But ya know, there's still a lot of road to cover.

Thanks for reading, I hopped you liked this chapter it was a hard one to write :/

Thanks for reading and reviewing.

No pressure.

Take Care. - FTP