A/N: Thanks as always for the kind words.
Jane dropped her keys in the bowl next to her door and turned to Maura. "You're lucky. I was so nervous about you last night I cleaned my entire apartment from top to bottom."
"There are worse nervous habits to have," Maura replied with a laugh.
"Alright. Wine." Jane moved to her kitchen and quickly began rummaging around for two wine glasses. "It's no chateau de whatever, but I think it should do."
Jane poured two (very full) glasses and silently passed one to Maura. "To freedom?"
Maura rolled her eyes and clinked glasses with her. Jane saw a small smile, but furrowed her brow when she looked closely. There was clearly still something on Maura's mind. Jane silently sipped her glass, waiting for Maura to share whatever was still bothering her. She remained quiet, fidgeting by rotating the stem of the glass as it sat on the kitchen counter.
As Maura wouldn't budge, Jane decided to move to different tactic. "Let me get that bath started for you. While it's no jacuzzi," she began, walking towards her bedroom, "it still hits the spot for those bad days."
Jane made her way to the bathroom, trying to rack her mind of comforting things to say. Or at least something to make her laugh. Normally she and Maura fell into such a quick and comfortable rhythm, but Maura seemed to be somewhere else entirely. She heard a rustling behind her to see that Maura had entered, glass in hand.
"I'll leave you some pjs and then get out of your hair."
"Jane?" Maura began, as Jane headed into her bedroom to grab a t-shirt and pajama bottoms, "Thank you."
Maura let out an enormous sigh of relief as she slipped into the bath. Taking a sip of her wine, she began rubbing her neck and shoulders in hopes to wash away the day.
"Bet even you were shocked you weren't the killer."
The reporters words played over and over in her head. What he said didn't hurt her. She was upset because he was right; she was shocked at her own innocence.
What Maura loved most about her job was that the evidence always spoke for itself. Whenever she was called for court, she always felt at ease, knowing that she wasn't attempting to convince the jury of anything. She was simply informing them of the forensics, and that these were hard and cold facts. From the moment she took off her jacket with Jane in the interrogation room, Maura quickly started adding up the facts. Bruises up and down her arms. Trace evidence of the victim under her fingernails. She could imagine delivering this information in a courtroom. Who needs a lawyer when all of the forensics stacked up so clearly? It was a cut and dry case. The jury would probably come to a conclusion within the hour.
While stripping off her clothes in front of Jane and Suzie, Maura had silently come to the conclusion that she had done it. God how she wished she could remember the rest of the night! But it seemed as if the more she tried, the further out of reach the memories became.
Self defense. It would be the only thing left for the lawyer to argue. He must have attacked me, and I fought back. Perhaps the shock of the attack explains the memory loss. But so many guests saw them drinking together and then leave together. It wouldn't look great. Without drugs in her system, it was all conjecture. The prosecutor could easily claim that the amnesia was all a ruse. Or perhaps her body went into shock after committing the murder.
But what about motive? The final plea. Why would the medical examiner of the commonwealth of Massachusetts want to kill a man? And now of course the answer was easy. She's a mobster's daughter. Does she even need a reason? She probably craves the thrill. The victim probably owed Doyle money, and this was his cruel way of enacting revenge. She-
"Maura? How are you doing in there?"
Jane's voice shook Maura out of her tailspin.
"Have you turned into a prune yet?"
Maura stepped out of the bathroom, shaking off her wet hair with a towel.
Jane was on the bed, lying on her stomach and rubbing behind Jo Friday's ears. She looked up and grinned.
"Hey," she beamed, "you look like you're feeling better."
Maura managed a small smile before thanking her for the bath and pajamas. She sank onto the bed, and scratched the dog under her chin.
They both silently petted the dog. There was a shuffle of noises outside which caused Jo Friday to perk up and search for the cause of the noise. The dog jumped off the bed and scampered into the living room. Now there was nothing left for Maura to do, but talk. But still, the words couldn't quite come out.
"Well I guess I'll leave you to it," Jane said quietly. "I'm sure you're beat. We can go by your place first thing tomorrow. I promise you'll be yesterday's news."
Jane got off the bed and opened up her linens closet so that she could prepare the sofa.
"Jane, wait."
It came out as barely a whisper.
"Stay?"
Jane turned around and saw Maura tentatively look from her lap up to Jane.
"I'm sorry, I know I'm being weird and not talking much. But I - I really don't want to be alone right now. It really helps to have you close. You're very... comforting." She finished lamely. "Your presence, that is. I just -"
"Hey, hey - Of course. No need to explain." She walked over and began to reach out. Maura looked just as broken as she did yesterday when she met her in the prison's visiting area. She perched on the bed and rubbed the Maura's folded leg as she whispered, "the day is almost over. You'll feel so much better once you get some sleep."
Maura and Jane began wordlessly moving the pillows out of the way and folding down the sheets. Maura crawled in and closed her eyes. Jane leaned over and turned off the bedside lamp, throwing them into darkness. A few moments passed.
"Jane?"
"Hmm?"
"How did you know? How did you know it wasn't me?"
Jane opened her eyes, which still hadn't adjusted to the darkness. She turned on her side towards Maura and propped her head up with her elbow. She could just barely see Maura's outline in the pale moonlight. She had her hands folded on her stomach and her head was pointed towards the ceiling.
"Maura," Jane began, shaking her head, "Don't tell me you ever thought it was?"
A/N: This chapter turned out a little differently than expected. I felt like I needed Maura to do some processing on her own before she turned to Jane. I know many of you were looking forward to angry Maura, so I promise to deliver!