Maura didn't really know what she was doing here so late at night. She sat at Jane's desk, trying not to snoop, but could find no better way to occupy her time while she waited in the empty Homicide office. She had already put the stray pens in the coffee mug where they belonged, and she had tossed some crumpled up post-it notes into the waste bin. Behind a small stack of folders, she found Jane's police bear, a little dusty, but still soft and cuddly. She placed the bear in her lap and squeezed it.

Earlier that day, Maura had found the last piece of evidence needed to connect their suspect to the murder. Arrest warrant granted, Jane, Frost, and Korsak sped away to bring the guy in. Maura finished out the work day by cataloguing the rest of the evidence and writing up her report. When Jane still hadn't returned by 6:30 pm, Maura had done the only thing she could think of. She went home.

Maura was used to being alone. At least, she had been until recently. The house had felt so empty when she got home. So much had changed over the last couple of weeks that she couldn't remember what she would do by herself in the evenings. Meditate? Read? She remembered the occasional visit from Angela, who seemed to be out tonight. She had eaten a quick dinner and turned on the tv, but without Jane next to her, none of the shows seemed the least bit interesting.

Even with the tv blaring, Maura's mind had wandered. Would Jane have gone back to her apartment after apprehending the criminal? Would she not have at least called to say the case had been wrapped up? Maybe Maura should call Jane to make sure everything had gone smoothly. Or would that be too needy? Maura had no frame of reference for this kind of thing. How much metaphorical space ought one give to her pregnant best-friend-slash-co-parent? It certainly wasn't a situation addressed in Emily Post's rules of etiquette.

A Pet Meds commercial had given Maura the solution. Joe Friday had been cooped up in Jane's apartment all day, and was probably desperate to be fed and walked. If Jane was already there, Maura would have an excuse—no, a reason—to stop by. And if not, she would simply be doing her friend a favor.

An hour later, Maura had let Joe take care of her business (the pup appeared to be in dire need of attention) and still hadn't heard from Jane. Worry had supplanted etiquette, and she decided to go back to the precinct. Jane would have to return to book the suspect at some point. So here she was in the Homicide office at 11 pm, waiting. With a police bear in her lap. She wiggled the computer mouse and saw nothing but work on the screen. She pulled up a new browser window and started shopping.

It was around 2 am when the detectives returned to their office, having spent several hours in interrogation, wringing a confession out of the suspect. Jane proudly led the group into the room, but suddenly held her arm out to stop and quiet the celebration. Maura's head was on Jane's desk, the bear still nestled in the crook of her arm. She was asleep.

No doubt this looked strange to Frost and Korsak. Maura generally went home when her work was done, and they were unaware that Jane had been sleeping over so much. Instead of explaining, she ushered them back into the hallway and asked for a little privacy to wake the doctor. They peered around the corner while Jane squatted next to her desk. She put one hand gently on Maura's knee and whispered, "Hey, Maur. Time to wake up."

Maura inhaled deeply and audibly as she lifted her head to the sound of Jane's voice. "Hmm?" Her eyes blinked open to find the detective smiling up at her as if she'd done something silly. She yawned. "What happened?" She stretched. "What time is it?"

"It's after two, Maura. What are you doing here?"

Maura put the bear back on the desk, accidentally bumping the computer mouse to reveal exactly what she had been doing. She said nothing, just looked embarrassed.

"That one is really cute," Jane said, pointing at a onesie with some chemical symbols on it, spelling out 'baby.' She hoped the guys couldn't see what she was referring to.

Maura smiled. "I ordered one of those. And one of these, as well." This one said 'baby genius' in chemical symbols.

"I'm counting on you to make that happen, ya know."

"I know."

Jane looked over her shoulder to see Frost and Korsak duck their heads back into the hallway. Still squatting, she faced Maura again and took her hand. "Were you worried?"

"I thought you might—" Maura cut herself off before finishing the thought. Instead, "Did you have dinner? You must be hungry." She closed the browser window, away from the prying eyes that currently lingered in the hallway.

"I ate. I'm fine, Maur. Stop deflecting. You thought I might what?"

"Forget." To come home. About me. That I love you. "To eat."

Jane stood. "Well I'm sure it wasn't the healthiest thing, but I got a snack from the machine." She fingered the bear's ear. "I'm awfully tired though. It's been a long night. You ready to go home?"

Maura nodded and took the hand Jane offered. Korsak and Frost just nodded their confused 'goodnights' as they passed.

They took Maura's car, leaving Jane's in the station lot. The drive to Maura's house was quiet. Maura thought she had overstepped a boundary, waiting up for Jane like that. She didn't want to upset her friend further by trying to explain why she had done it. But Jane wasn't upset at all. She knew Maura cared and she hated to see her friend worry, especially about her.

Jane pulled into the driveway and shut the engine. "Should I have called?"

Maura looked up from her fingers, twisting that ring. "What? No, no, I—"

"I don't want you to worry. Next time I'm coming home late, I'll call."

Home. "I fed and walked Joe." Her gaze shifted out the window. "Earlier. I thought you might have gone to your apartment after work."

This didn't make sense to Jane. If Jane had been there, she would have taken care of Joe herself. Maura wouldn't have needed to do it. But all she said was, "Thanks."

"She seemed lonely."

Finally the pieces came together. Jane really was a good detective. She smiled to herself. "Maybe I should bring her over here. And some clothes and things. Move in proper."

"Properly."

"That's what I said, properly."

"No you didn't, you said, proper."

"Can I move in with you, Maura?"

May I. "Yes."