Here's the next chapter everyone! Thank you for the continued support! I'd love to know what you think after this chapter=)

Jane walked into homicide the following day, feet dragging but mind alert. She hadn't gotten much sleep the night before despite Maura's efforts to encourage her and tries to keep her spirit up. Jane had spent most of the night staring at the ceiling while she held a sleeping Maura in her arms. She would turn and see the blonde's face as she slept; the peaceful look on her features and the quasi smile on her lips.

The possibility of Charles Hoyt escaping prison or having a copycat made chills run down her spine. She hadn't known how she'd been able to keep her composure the day before. Though she'd gone through the required therapy to get back to work, she didn't know if there would come a time when his name or MO wouldn't make her uneasy. The nightmares, though not as frequent now that she slept with Maura, were still there. She didn't know how she would've been able to handle everything if it hadn't been for Maura. Maura meant stability. Maura kept her grounded. Maura meant love and happiness. Maura meant everything.

A new thought terrified her, and was what had really kept her awake the night before. Hoyt had gotten to her, and for better or worse, she'd come out of it and she'd dealt with it. Korsak had saved her life, Maura had saved her sanity. Her life wasn't what mattered to her anymore when it came to Charles Hoyt; it was Maura's. She knew how killers worked. She knew how they played mind games with their victims. Had he had her followed or watched? Could he have a way of knowing about Maura, and the place she now had in Jane's life? Was Maura now in danger because of her? No, she couldn't let that happen. She wouldn't let anything happen to Maura, no matter the cost.

"Do we have any developments?" she asked as she made eye contact with Frost and Korsak who were already busy with the bulletin board.

"Not a one Jane," Frost said as he shook his head dejectedly.

"We've been through everything we have Jane, we need more," Korsak piped in.

Jane shook her head in frustration. "What about the possibility of a copycat? Is that still on the table?"

"Pike is still working on the autopsy," Frost said, clearly annoyed. "The man is taking his own sweet time getting us anything at all."

"We're never going to get rid of that incompetent ass!" Jane growled out mirroring her partner's annoyance. "There's no use rushing him, he is going to go at his own pace and give us the mediocre work he always does. Let's take a look at what we have and try to go from there. It's gonna be a long day boys," she said right before taking a swig of her coffee.

Maura left the hospital a little later than she usually did that evening and had made a detour for some takeout on the way home. She'd spoken with Jane earlier during the day and they'd agreed that getting something to eat on the way was the best solution for dinner that night.

Maura entered the house, hands holding the bags of Chinese food, and quickly locked the door before going towards the kitchen. She saw Jane out of the corner of her eye sitting on the sofa, yet she was surprised the brunette didn't have the television on.

"Jane, I'm home and I got Chinese," Maura called out.

"I'm coming Maur," Jane replied before rising from the sofa to join Maura in the kitchen. "God that smells delicious."

"I hope you're hungry," Maura stated as she began to take out the containers. "I got your favorite."

"One of the many reasons I love you," Jane said with a kiss. "How was your day?"

"It was long, but it was routine. I had several surgeries scheduled today and just as I was about to get ready to come home we got a trauma in the ER so that required me to stay longer. I'm sorry I'm late."

"Don't worry about it Maur; I was busy looking over some files anyway."

"You brought your work home with you?" Maura asked, surprised.

"We just can't seem to get any clues on this case," Jane said, as the frustration began to mount again. "I brought everything home to look over it some more, see if there's something I'm missing. Otherwise we'd probably still be at the station."

Maura wrapped an arm around Jane's middle. "I'm sorry you're having so much trouble Jane," she said as she stroked Jane's back to try to ease some tension. "I wish there was something I could do to help."

"Thanks Maur, but you being supportive and doing what you're doing is perfect enough for me."

They ate dinner in relative silence. Once Maura had gone into some detail about a couple of cases and Jane had shared basic facts about the case she was working on, each woman seemed to drift into their own world. Well, Jane seemed to be lost in thought and Maura didn't want to get in the way of Jane's thought processes. She knew her girlfriend was troubled by something more than the case; she just didn't want to pry. She would give Jane more time, and hope that she would tell her on her own.

The end of dinner sent Jane back to the sofa to work on the case while Maura cleared the dishes and cleaned the kitchen. Once she was done, she poured herself another glass of wine, got another beer for Jane and went to join the brunette on the sofa.

Jane was looking at photographs of the victim when Maura reached her side, extending her hand and placing the beer in Jane's line of sight.

"Thanks Maur," Jane said as she took the proffered drink and took a large sip.

"You're welcome," Maura replied. "Is that your latest victim?"

Jane nodded in agreement.

Maura studied the photograph Jane had in her hands.

"That cut, it appears to be surgical in nature," Maura said after a few moments. "It's too clean, too precise."

"I thought so too," Jane muttered.

"May I?" Maura asked as she referred to the photographs on the coffee table.

"Go ahead," Jane replied.

Maura took the photographs in her hands and began studying them very carefully. Jane, having stopped what she was doing, now watched Maura with fascination, wondering what was going through the surgeon's head.

"I don't suppose you have any x-rays of the victim, do you?" Maura asked her, deep in thought.

"They took some at the morgue, but the ME we have is an idiot. I don't have any files like that on me. The report we got didn't mention any abnormalities with any x-rays. Why Maur? What do you see?"

"Well these marks here," she said as she pointed to the victim's ankles and various places on her legs and arms. "These marks are not new. They're not something that would've been done in the last few days. I'd have to look at xrays to make some definitive conclusions."

"Conclusion of what Maur?"

"You know I don't like to guess Jane," Maura breathed out.

"Please Maura, anything you could give me at this point would be of huge help!"

Maura continued looking at the photographs for a few more seconds before turning to Jane. "I've seen cases that look similar to this before, in people who lived under torture for long periods of time. I saw it frequently when I did relief work in Africa. If I can see some x-rays of your victim, I may be able to tell you if there are any other signs that may help you with your case."