Okay…I had a few questions about the baseball euphemisms and what they may or may not mean. After some research…I have decided to allow Jane to have her own voice on this subject, letting her explain what it means to her…so I hope that maybe some of the questions that were raised will be somewhat answered. Again thanks for reading and reviewing…I look forward to sharing more…until next time…have a good week.

Chapter 25- Show Me

"Hey Rizzoli…" A gruff voice shouted towards Jane.

"What Adam?" Jane looked up when she heard her name called out from across the dugout, an annoyed look on her face as her concentration was broken. She turned her attention from the intense scrutiny of her cleats with a scowl to see a tall, lanky boy with his hand gripping Frankie tightly by the shoulder.

"You need to fill your bone-headed brother here on the facts of life before he goes running his mouth about things he doesn't know." Adam scowled back at her.

With an exasperated sigh Jane looked at Frankie who was now red in the face and flustered by what Adam had said.

"Look…I didn't say I got that far with Cindy…you're putting words in my mouth." Frankie tried to shrug out of Adam's hold.

"Did you or did you not say you scored…" Adam's grip tightened causing Frankie to wince.

When Jane saw Frankie nod she let out a long sigh. She knew it would only be a matter of time before he was dragged into the stupid, macho games these guys liked playing and she had worried he wouldn't be able to hold his own. The forlorn look on his face indicated she had been right.

"You do know what it means to score with a girl…don't you Francesco?" Adam used Frankie's real name, knowing it would rile him up. "Everyone here knows you haven't gotten into Cindy's pants yet…"

Frankie began to struggle harder at Adams words as his instinct to protect the virtue of his girlfriend took over. He lifted his arms to push himself away from the hold on his shoulder, but Adam was stronger, wrapping his arm around Frankie's neck in a choke hold that left him gasping for air.

"Okay…enough!" Jane jumped up and pushed Adam away from Frankie. Adam conceded but not before they had drawn the attention of few others. He knew better than to provoke Jane. Everyone knew she was stronger than her lean, wiry frame indicated. It was like getting into a fight with lightening because she only had to strike once to shake the ground.

"Don't talk about Cindy like that…" Frankie choked out when he was able to catch his breath.

"Why not…you're the one who said you had her begging for it…" Adam snarled at a red faced Frankie.

"Hey, show some class…both of you." Jane pushed herself between the two boys. "What's this all about Frankie?" Jane implored as she looked at Frankie.

"Nothin…just talkin' shit…" He looked everywhere but at her.

Turning to Adam she raised a dark eyebrow in question. He knew she wasn't going to ask again so he quickly volunteered the information she was seeking.

"Well your brother seems to think he knows more about sex than everyone else here…" Adam shrugged his shoulders.

"Care to explain?" Jane inquired.

"Okay…he's going around telling people he scored with Cindy, but I don't think knows exactly what that means. He isn't a homerun hitter…not like you." Adam smirked.

"Really? And what would you know about my homerun record?" Jane could feel her anger rising at the assumptions.

"Come on Rizzoli…don't deny you've got a few notches on your belt." Adam had an almost lecherous grin on his face.

With a cold, calculated gaze, Jane studied Adam quietly for moment. No one but her family and Maura's family knew about her and Maura with the exception of Cindy and Giovanni. Pondering for a moment, she knew in her heart that neither Cindy nor Gio would betray thier trust allowing her to come to only one conclusion. They guys on the team thought she had a boyfriend. Looking over at Maura, a small smile appeared on her lips as an idea came to her mind.

"I'm not denying anything…" She grinned at him. "How 'bout you tell me what you think a homerun is and I'll tell what I think one is…?"

"Um…okay…" Adam pulled off his hat to run his fingers through his short dark hair while he thought about what he was going to say.

"Go on…I'm waiting." Jane crossed her arms. "Or do you even know…?"

"Hey…I know. Give me a second…" Adam huffed as he looked from Jane to Frankie. "'Kay, a homerun is when the deed is done." He said with finality.

"What deed is that Adam?" Jane smugly asked.

"You know…when you come…" He shifted nervously under Jane's intense gaze.

Jane winced at the vulgarity of Adam's comment before venturing to ask him another question. "Are you referring to your orgasm or hers?" Jane's eyes had hardened.

"Um…both?" His response was more a question than statement.

"I bet you don't even know how to tell when a girl has an orgasm do you Adam?" Jane already knew the answer based on the dumbfounded look on his face.

"By the sounds she makes or I guess when she tells you…" His answer was laced with uncertainty.

"How do you know she isn't faking it?" Jane countered.

"Hey…no one fakes with me…" Adam started to get angry at what Jane was implying.

"Yeah, well I can better that… let me fill you in on what to really look out for…" She started to say. "You sure you wanna hear what your sister has to say about sex?" Turning to Frankie she posed the question that had him taking a few steps away from her holding his hands up in surrender.

"Hey…the whole point of this conversation is make sure Frankie knows what the hell he's talking about…" Adam said.

With a determined look on his face, Frankie stopped moving away to stand his ground. He nodded his head to indicate that Jane should continue.

With a shrug of her shoulders, she turned her attention back to Adam doing her best to ignore Frankie's presence. "Don't say I didn't give you an out…" She muttered. "I know guys like you…only out for yourself. Minute men…that's what we call them." She pointed at Adam and the few curious onlookers that had decided to join the conversation.

"Hey…that's not true…" Adam tried to defend himself.

"Yeah? How do you know when a girl has reached the same level of satisfaction as you?" The question remained unanswered by the small crowd that had started to gather around them. "Well, let me give you boys some schooling…" She started to say causing them all to lean in closer to hear. "It's when you hold her at the edge, drawing out her pleasure in the slowest way possible. Sometimes you tease…sometimes you taunt…but every second is sweet torture. And when you feel like you can't bare it any longer, you do…for her…you hold on and wait savoring the anticipation of what is to come. It isn't until you hear your name falling from her lips in an almost desperate plea that you carry her over the edge with you, holding on for dear life as her body stiffens, and then trembles and shakes in your arms. You relish each second as she tightens around you before she finally releases you in a blissful haze. Then when you look down into her dazed eyes and flushed face you realize the power you have to turn the sound of your name from a desperate plea to a prayer filled with wonder and you thank the God's above for the opportunity to see what true beauty is. If you're ever lucky enough to experience that, then consider it a gift." Jane slapped her hands together, startling the group around her. All eyes were on her, wide and full of surprise as she made eye contact with each and every one of them. When she got to Frankie, his face had again turned bright red and he looked like he might faint. "And that, boys…is all I have to say about that…"

"Holy shit Rizzoli…where the hell did you come up with that?" Adam let out an almost shaky breath.

"I'm a girl, I know what it feels like…" She slapped him in the stomach with the back of her hand to lighten the mood.

"Man that was so hot…is that what it's really like?" Another boy piped in with a question.

"If you do it right…" Jane grinned as her eyes casually skimmed over to where Maura was sitting.

"Damn…you should teach sex ed…" Another voice chimed in.

"Yeah, well consider this a lesson learned. Always take the time to make sure whoever you are with feels as good as you do." Jane bowed slightly to accept her accolades as the small group broke out in applause. "I take cash and favors or your girlfriends can thank me later…" The words were out of her mouth before she realized what she had said.

"Hey, break it up…" Coach Conner shouted to the group. "Rizzoli…you're up." He pointed to Jane.

With a nod of her head, Jane grabbed an aluminum bat catching Frankie's eye as she did. He looked mortified by what he had heard and his face continued to glow red.

"I warned you…" She growled as she pushed past him.

All he could do was watch her as she set up in the batter's box. He hadn't wanted to stay and listen to Jane, especially since he knew she was talking about Maura. He had allowed himself to be bullied into something he was now regretting. It was a known fact that Jane was capable of giving anyone a run for their money when it came to trash talk, but Frankie was just starting to realize how good she was. Her confidence had never wavered when Adam pushed her and she pushed back. Suddenly Frankie felt a surge of pride for his sister who hadn't backed down when most would have. His attention turned back to Jane when he heard the metallic ting of the ball hitting the bat. He watched in awe as the ball sailed over the back fence.

Jane trotted around the bases taking bows as her teammates cheered her on. "Add another notch to my homerun belt…" She joked as she entered the dugout to pats on the back and gentle ribbing. "And no one puts their hands on my brother again…" Her gaze leveled on Adam who nodded in acknowledgement before she turned to wink at her brother who watched her with a mixture of surprise and wonder.

Maura leaned back against the bleachers behind her, propping herself up on her elbows. She could see that something was going on down in the dugout, something that involved Jane. Her curiosity was piqued by a sudden out burst of applause carrying over to where she was sitting. It wasn't until she saw Jane take her place at home plate as she prepared herself for the first pitch that Maura's breath got caught in her chest. A shiver ran down her spine as she watched Jane shimmy her hips before dipping down into her batting stance. That little shimmy had Maura rolling her head back so she could look up at the sky. A frustrated sigh escaped Maura's lips as images of Jane moving over her body came into play.

It had been nearly two weeks since their last night together, a Valentine's Day that Maura would not forget anytime soon. Their only relief had been a few stolen kisses and the occasional touch when no one was looking. It had gotten so bad that they had almost lost control one evening in Jane's room, but a Nerf football to Jane's head by Frankie had quickly cooled things off. As much as Jane hadn't wanted to admit it, they were both grateful that Frankie had stopped them. She couldn't imagine what would have happened if things had gone any further and one of Jane's parents had found them.

Using her hand to rub a cheek that was now warm with a flush, Maura turned her attention back to Jane when she heard the ball make contact with the bat as Jane sent the ball soaring over the fence. Maura smiled as she watched Jane move the way she had shown her at the batting cage. After their time there, Jane had come back and utilized everything Maura had shown her. It had raised her average quite a bit putting her in the cleanup position in the batting rotation.

As Jane took her time rounding the bases, she turned towards Maura with a huge grin on her face. Taking off her hat, she bowed at the waist to acknowledge the person who had helped earn the coveted third place at bat. The smile that reflected back at her had Jane practically dancing across home plate as she jumped up, landing hard with both feet on top of the white plate.

The giggle that erupted from Maura had the few people lingering around her looking over to see what was so funny. Shaking her head, she focused on Jane as she disappeared into the dugout behind a curtain of white and red uniforms. She could tell that practice was winding down so she decided to leave a little early so she could finish up a few things before going over to Jane's house for their weekly dinner.

"Jane…its Maura..." Frankie gave his sister a gentle shove to where Maura was standing on the other side of the chain link fence that separated them.

Looking over her shoulder, a shy grin appeared on Jane's face as she stepped over to stand in front of Maura. Threading her fingers in the chain link, she tried to adopt a casual stance as her eyes raked over the vision of beauty before her.

"Hey beautiful…" Jane whispered so only Maura could hear. Her stomach clinched at the smoldering look Maura was giving her, letting her know that Maura was just as frustrated as she was. Her mind wandered to the things she wished they could be doing later, but it was family dinner night at the Rizzoli's and there was no getting out of it.

Maura had seen Jane's eyes cloud over with desire as they stared at each other. Neither said anything as they continued to silently communicate their feelings. Reaching for the chain link fence, Maura threaded her fingers as close to Jane's as she dared. Searching dark, brown eyes for a reason to stop and finding none, she let her index finger lightly graze Jane's.

"It amazes me how deeply you can touch me without even using your hands…" Maura whispered back. She was rewarded by a shy smile from Jane as she smiled back.

"You leaving?" Jane had a slight pout on her face.

"Yeah…I've got some things I need to finish before I come over for dinner." Maura ran her finger over Jane's again, the need to feel her skin was almost overwhelming her.

"'Kay…what time you coming over?" Jane shivered as Maura's finger continued to lightly stroke hers.

"Probably around seven…"

"Alright…I guess that'll give me a chance to take a shower before you get there." Jane looked down at her feet, kicking at a rock.

"Maybe you can tell me what you did to garner such an uproarious round of applause earlier…" Maura laughed.

"Um…'kay…" Jane mumbled. She could feel her face getting warm from the blush that was creeping up her cheeks at the memory of what she and the guys had been talking about.

"Must be good to bring out the pink in you…" Maura teased. "I'll see you tonight…" As she turned to leave, she heard Jane let out a heavy sigh causing her to turn around again. "I miss you…" She mouthed to Jane.

"Me too…" Jane mouthed back before turning around to face the mayhem taking place behind her.

Frank sat in his favorite recliner, enjoying the evening news surrounded by a quiet house. Jane and Frankie were still at baseball practice and Tommy was in his room working on homework. He let out a contented sigh as he settled deeper into the comfort of his chair before his solace was interrupted by the appearance of two fighting teenagers.

"Damnit Frankie…I warned you." Jane threw the front door open and tossed her bag against the wall by the stairs.

"Whatever Jane…I so did not need to hear that." He followed her in the door, slamming it shut. With a toss, his bag landed next to Jane's. "You didn't need to be so…graphic." He raked his fingers over his face as if it might rid his mind of the images Jane had created with her words earlier.

"Hey…you hang with the guys…get used to it. It's not the first time and it won't be the last time…" Jane all but shouted as she sprinted up the stairs two at a time. "I get the shower first…" She called over her shoulder as she continued her climb to the top.

"Ugh!" Frankie shouted as he followed her.

If the sound of the door slamming shut or Frankie and Jane going at it wasn't enough to disturb Frank's quiet evening, he all but fell out of his chair when he heard his two oldest stomping up the stairs one after the other.

"I'm living in a house with a herd of elephants…" He shouted in exasperation.

"What's going on out here." Angela asked from the hallway near the laundry room.

"I don't know…I think we've lost control of our house Angela…those two are going to bring down the roof one of these days." Frank sighed as he threw his hands up in defeat.

"Are they fighting?" Angela asked as she slipped something into her pocket.

"You could say that." Frank blew out a heavy breath. "It's exhausting living with teenagers. Were we ever that bad?"

"Probably…" Angela laughed as she sat on the arm of Frank's chair.

Slipping an arm around Angela's waist, Frank pulled her down into his lap before kissing her on the neck. "Maybe we can swap stories later." He murmured as he kissed a trail up to her lips.

Cupping his face in her hands, Angela kissed back giving him permission to explore her mouth. It was soft and sweet at first, but before it could escalate they were interrupted by the sound of feet quickly making their way down the stairs.

"Ma!" Jane shouted as a towel hit her in the back of the head. Quickening her pace, she jumped off of the last three steps with a loud thud. "I told Frankie I had to take a shower first; Maura's coming over at seven." Jane whined before spinning around to find her mother and father in a lip lock. "Aw come on…gross! Take it to your room…" She threw her hands up in the air as she stormed towards the kitchen to escape whatever it was she had found her parents doing.

Leaning her forehead against her husbands, Angela let out a shaky breath and smiled. "It sucks having teenagers…"

"Yep, teenagers suck…but you insisted we have three." Frank laughed as his fingers found Angela's ticklish spots.

As Frank continued his playful assault, Angela shook with laughter as she half-heartedly tried to wiggle from his grip. They were both laughing so hard they didn't hear Jane reappear.

"Oh my God…really…get a room…" Jane was all but a blur as she took off up the stairs again.

Both Frank and Angela stopped and stared as Jane blew past them waving her hands up in the air. Giving Frank's cheek a light pat, Angela placed a quick kiss on his lips. "We'll finish this conversation when they move out…" She rolled her eyes.

"How 'bout later tonight?" Frank gave her a gentle squeeze before letting her go.

"Maybe…if you play your cards right." Angela winked at him as she made her way towards the stairs. "Wish me luck…"

"You should probably take a chair and a whip with you…" Frank laughed.

"I think I'll save the whip for later tonight." Angela smirked as she wiggled her eyebrows.

Frank stopped laughing and swallowed hard as Angela's words sank in. Blinking a few times, he just nodded at her, a slightly dazed look on his face. As he watched Angela disappear up the stairs, he said a silent prayer that the evening would end on a quiet note with his sometimes overbearing kids.

An unopened envelope sat on Jane's desk almost mocking her as she stared at it. The BCU emblem that stood out across the top stared back at her. With shaky hands she picked it up turning it a few times in her hands to gage the weight and what might be in it.

Dropping into her chair, she slipped her finger under the flap easily tearing it open letting the folded piece of paper fall into her hand. She took a deep breath as she slowly unfolded the letter. It took a second for her eyes to focus on the words as their significance sank in while she continued to read. The acceptance was a bittersweet victory, but she knew it was an empty one. With a sad smile she folded the paper back up and slid it into the top drawer of her desk. She could feel the tears threatening to fall as she rested her chin in the palm of her hand.

Contemplating her options, she knew deep down in her heart that her parents could never afford to send her to BCU, even though she had been accepted. It was something she would never ask from them. It would kill them to know that they couldn't help her with something she wanted so badly.

Her eyes trailed up to the acceptance letter from Boston Junior College that was currently pinned to her bulletin board. They had offered her a full ride scholarship if she would play field hockey for them. She knew it was her best chance at a college education, but still, it broke her heart to know how close she was to being with Maura after high school.

The sound of her mother moving around upstairs indicated that she wouldn't have much time before Angela appeared in her doorway. All she wanted in that moment was to find comfort in Maura's arms, but instead she sat alone in her room under the heavy weight of her thoughts.

It hadn't taken Angela long to make her rounds before she finally came to stand at Jane's door. As she quietly observed her daughter sitting at her desk, head in her hands, and shoulders slumped in defeat a bolt of fear hit her. She hadn't seen Jane look so beaten down in a long time and it nearly broke her heart to see it now.

"Everything okay sweetheart?" Angela asked from the door, not sure if she should step into the room.

"Yeah…" Jane quickly wiped at the lone tear that had streaked down her cheek before turning around to face her mother. "What's up?"

"Um…everything alright between you and Frankie?" Angela carefully inquired.

"Oh that…yeah…we're good." Jane shrugged Angela off. The anger she had felt earlier had quickly dissipated when she had opened her letter from BCU.

"Okay…I think he's done with the shower." Angela stepped into Jane's room. Her eyes swept over the area, taking in how much cleaner Jane was keeping it. It was one of the perks of having Maura over for dinner so often.

"'Kay…" Jane sighed as she looked over at the clock next to her bed. She relaxed a little when she realized that she still had an hour before Maura would arrive.

"Did you get the letter I put on your desk?" Not knowing what was in the envelope that had been addressed to Jane from BCU was killing her with curiosity. It had crossed her mind to open it, but she knew it wasn't her place, not to mention Jane would be furious. When Jane nodded, Angela couldn't hide her curiosity any more. "What did they want?"

The silence that surrounded them as Jane pondered what she would tell her mother became uncomfortable as it stretched on longer than Jane had intended.

"I applied…but didn't get in." She forced herself to meet her mother's gaze as the lie rolled off of her tongue all too easily.

"Oh Jane…I'm so sorry. Isn't that the college Maura is going to?" Angela moved across the room to hug Jane. When Jane didn't push her away, Angela knew how much her daughter was hurting. Pulling away, she cupped Jane's face and kissed her forehead. "It'll be alright…you've still got the Junior College option to consider."

"I know Ma…" Jane allowed her mother to comfort her for a brief moment before gently untangling herself from Angela's hold. "I'll be okay." Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

Angela nervously shifted from one foot the other as Jane looked at her expectantly. Knowing it was now or never, she reached into her pocket and pulled out something, quickly shoving it at Jane. "I found these in the back pocket of your uniform…" The words tumbled out of her mouth in a rush.

Furrowing her brow as she took the small piece of material her mother had handed her, Jane looked down to see what it was. The neatly folded black lace lay in the palm of Jane's hand for a second before she made a fist around it and shoved it in her desk drawer.

Um…sorry…" Jane mumbled as her face turned bright red. "I'll give them back to Maura."

"Yeah…I didn't think they were yours, but I was afraid to ask." Angela watched Jane fidget.

"As if I would wear anything like that…" Jane couldn't stop herself from smirking.

"Look, I get it Jane…really I do. But could you please try to be a little more careful next time…it was quite a shock…" Angela's voice trailed off as she felt herself growing more embarrassed with each passing moment. She had been mortified to find Maura's black, lacey underwear in Jane's pocket. Even though she didn't want to admit it to herself, she knew exactly what they had been doing on Valentine's Day and finding the evidence in Jane's uniform was too much reality for her.

"Look, I said I was sorry Ma…" Jane's defiant attitude was slowly making itself known again.

With a curt nod, Angela turned to leave Jane alone in her room. "Must have been a good night…" She muttered as she reached the door not realizing that Jane had heard her.

"You have no idea…" Jane quipped back loud enough for her mother to hear, drawing a deep blush from the older woman as she made a hasty exit.

"You know you shouldn't tease her like that…" Frankie said as he stepped into Jane's room.

"What the hell, do I have a revolving door or something?" Jane jumped up from her desk.

"Nah…I just wanted to talk to you." He said as he ran his fingers through his wet hair.

"What?" She gave him an annoyed look over her shoulder as she gather her stuff to take to the bathroom.

"I'm sorry I acted like a jerk earlier…I shouldn't have overreacted to what you said." He shrugged his shoulders as he watched her moving around her room with purpose. "You did warn me…"

Looking up from what she was doing, she nodded at him before sitting down on her bed with a heavy sigh.

"S'alright…" She said gruffly, feeling her emotions close to the surface.

"Can I ask you something about what you said this afternoon?" He moved closer to her, not sure if he should sit or not.

"I'm not going to share the details of my sex life with you Frankie…" Her temper started to rise again.

"Come on Jane…give me a little credit." He sat next to her. When she looked at him expectantly, he continued. "I wasn't necessarily thinking about what you said as much as how you said it. It's obvious you put a lot of emotion into what you said."

Jane cocked her head to the side to give him a sideways glance. "And?" She urged him to go on.

"And I wanted to ask you about the emotions…ya know…how you can make someone feel like what you described..." He coughed nervously.

"What are you sixteen…?" Jane asked.

"I'll be seventeen in July…" Frankie corrected.

"Are you thinking that Cindy is the one? And I am assuming there hasn't been anyone before her." She raised an eyebrow in question.

"Yes, and no there hasn't been anyone before her." Frankie looked away not able to meet Jane's eyes as he made the last declaration. For some reason he was embarrassed to admit to Jane that he was still a virgin even though he knew he shouldn't be.

"Hey…come on, nothing to be embarrassed about. I wasn't much older than you…and to be honest I think I should have waited." Her expression was serious.

"Waited for what…?" He asked.

"I should have waited for Maura…" Jane clarified.

"So you and Maura have…you know…" He cleared his throat. When she nodded her head, he studied her for a moment as he tried to decide what to say next. "That's how you knew all of that stuff earlier…you're in love with her aren't you?" Again Jane nodded but didn't say anything. "Will you tell me something?"

"What are you asking me Frankie?" Jane looked at her brother with a perplexed expression.

"I guess I'm just starting to realize that sex is more than just the physical stuff… girls need the emotional stuff too." He shrugged his shoulders as he looked down at his hands that were now resting in his lap. "The emotional stuff is important, isn't it?"

Jane studied her brother for a moment without saying anything as she pondered his question. "I kinda think it's more important. Anyone can just have sex…you need to pour your heart and soul into someone if you want to experience something wonderful. It can be scary and unknown, but wonderful all the same." Jane stood up and looked down at Frankie. "Look, I know you really like Cindy, but make sure it's right for both of you…don't just think about yourself." She shrugged her shoulders.

"'Kay…I'll try. Thanks for talking to me about this…" His voice trailed off as he stood up too. "On a more conversational note, I'm gonna ask her to prom."

"You're only a sophomore Frankie…" Jane started to say.

"Yeah but Cindy is a junior…" Frankie cut her off. "What about you?" He asked without thinking about what he was saying.

"What about me?" Jane gave him a confused look.

"You and Maura?" He clarified.

"Yeah, that'd go over really well…two girls going to prom together as each other's dates." She rolled her eyes at him.

"Um…sorry, I guess I didn't really think about it. You'd like to take her though, wouldn't you?"

"Of course I would. It's a rite of passage, something she should experience." Jane frowned as she thought about it. The fact that they wouldn't be going to prom together was something she hadn't considered until that moment. Sadness washed over her like a tidal wave as the reality of the limitations they would be facing together as a couple threatened to drag her under.

The sudden forlorn look on Jane's face had Frankie ruminating on what he could do to help his sister. He could see that she was disappointed by the prospect of not being able to go. As he pondered the situation, the beginnings of an idea started to grow in the back of his mind bringing a smile to his lips.

"I think you should get ready…Maura will be here in a little while." Frankie said as he pushed her towards the door. "Go on…"

"Yeah..yeah…" She let him push her out the door. "We good?" She stopped at the bathroom door to ask.

"Yep…" He nodded his head as he took off down the stairs to discuss his idea with their mother.

When Jane stepped into her room, she was still feeling a bit raw from the whirlwind of emotions she had experienced earlier. Her heart was heavy with grief at the knowledge that she had been accepted to BCU but would never have the chance to go. It wasn't only the loss of her dream to go to college with Maura that weighed her down, but she was feeling angry about the prom. She knew it was irrational, but she just couldn't shake her irritated mood even after her shower.

"Hey there…" Maura's voice brought Jane from her contemplative introspection.

Looking up, Jane found Maura sitting on the edge of her bed patiently waiting for her. "Hey yourself…" She said softly as she moved over towards her closet to find a sweat shirt, not really making eye contact with Maura.

It wasn't so much the softness of Jane's voice or lack of eye contact that caught Maura's attention, but the slump of her broad shoulders that were usually so imposing.

"What's wrong?" Maura moved across the room to stand behind Jane. Running her hands up Jane's tank top covered back she stopped to gently knead the tense muscles in Jane's neck and shoulders before moving over her biceps.

"Nothing…" Jane stopped searching for her sweat shirt as she tried to resist melting into Maura's touch.

"I don't believe you." The words were murmured against the bare skin that Jane's tank top did not cover. Maura's lips moved across Jane's shoulders as she placed a trail of light kisses from one shoulder to the other. "Tell me…what's wrong."

Not sure if she could articulate what it was she was feeling Jane turned her attention back to the search for a sweat shirt. When she found what she was looking for, she removed it from the hanger and shut her closet door. She didn't turn around to face Maura even when she felt arms slip around her waist; instead she just tossed the sweat shirt towards her bed.

Maura placed her cheek against Jane's back and held onto her. She could hear Jane's shaky breath as she continued to hold Jane in her arms. "Please Jane…"

Feeling Maura's warmth surround her gave her the courage she needed to say what she was thinking. "I was thinking about prom…" She sighed.

"And what were you thinking?" Maura asked.

"You should be able to go…ya know…" Jane struggled to speak. "Maybe you should let that Fairfield jerk take you…if not him, then I'm sure one of the guys on the team would love to…"

Jane felt Maura pull away, the warmth turning to something cold in an instant. "What are you saying Jane?"

"I'm saying that you should go to prom if you want to…just because I can't take you doesn't mean you shouldn't have the chance." Jane dropped her head in defeat when she felt Maura move around her so they were now facing each other.

"Let me get this straight…you're giving me permission to go to the prom…with someone else?" Maura placed a hand on either side of Jane's face, lifting it until they were eye to eye.

Jane realized she had made a mistake even before she looked into the depths of hazel-green that held a mixture of anger and sadness. She crossed her arms in an attempt to protect herself as she stared wordlessly at Maura.

"Tell me this is some kind of joke Jane…you don't really mean it do you?" Maura implored. She got her answer when Jane clenched her jaw and looked away even though Maura was still cupping her cheeks. "Let's get something straight right now…" Maura forced Jane to look at her again. "You don't make decisions for me…not now…not ever. We are partners in this relationship. I won't have you falling on your sword as some noble gesture. Do you understand?"

The intensity of Maura's words hit Jane hard as she nodded in understanding. She gave up all resistance when she felt Maura move to put her arms around her waist. Resting her chin on top of Maura's head, Jane allowed herself to let out a heavy breath she could have sworn she had been holding since she had found Maura in her room.

"Prom isn't important to me Jane…you have no idea how many formal parties I've had to endure in my young life." Maura placed her cheek against Jane's chest.

"I'm sorry Maur…I just don't want to hold you back. It breaks my heart to know that I can't take you…I can't dance with you…there are a lot of things we won't be able to do together because people won't accept it." Jane kissed the top of Maura's head.

"You wanna tell me what happened in the digout today to get you that applause…" Maura asked in an attempt at changing the subject. She looked up at Jane to see her contemplating what she was going to say.

"Dugout Maura…and it seems that the guys really don't know all they think they do when it comes to sex." Jane couldn't contain the laugh that shook her body as Maura held her tight.

"Any let me guess…you gave them the 511 on the subject." Maura looked up at Jane, her face filled with innocent curiosity.

"It's 411 Maura…and you could say I gave them some schooling on the matter." Jane winked down at Maura drawing a sly smile from her.

"You want to tell me what you said? From where I was sitting, it sounded pretty good." Maura ventured to ask.

"I'd rather show you…but I'm afraid it's gonna have to wait until we get some alone time." Jane sighed.

"Hummm…show me huh…I'll hold you to that." Maura smiled up at Jane before she placed her head back against Jane's chest. Closing her eye's she took a deep breath before slowly exhaling. She could feel Jane go momentarily rigid in her arms causing her to open her eyes. It didn't take her long to realize what had happened when she let out a breath across Jane's chest again saw the effect it was having on Jane's body.

Holding Maura close was exactly what Jane had needed to calm her raging emotions. Even though she was trying to control her need to feel more of Maura as they stood holding each other, the feeling of their bodies pressed together was weakening her resolve. It wasn't until she felt Maura's warm breath washing over the thin material of her tank top causing her nipples to stiffen that she realized her body was in danger of taking over.

"Jane?" Maura whispered.

"Hummm?" Jane whispered back.

"You're not wearing a bra are you?" Maura ran her fingers up both sides of Jane's body before brushing against the hardness she found there. Scrapping a nail lightly over the spot on Jane's body that she was currently captivated by, Maura marveled at the way Jane's body responded to her touch.

"I came in here to change…" Jane let out a shuttering breath. "Oh God Maura…" She moaned, arching into Maura's touch. As her resolve crumbled under the strain of emotions she had been trying to control she couldn't stop herself from giving into Maura's exploring hands. When she felt Maura slip her fingers under the hem of her tank top, lightly brushing the warm skin underneath, Jane gave up. With a need she couldn't contain any longer, she pushed Maura up against the closet door seeking out the delicious taste of her mouth.

Jane's vigor took Maura by surprise as she found herself pushed up against the closet door with Jane's body and lips pressed against hers. The exquisite feeling of their bodies melding together as a sexual current passed through them both caused Maura's knees to go weak.

"You're not playing fair Maura…" Jane breathed out heavily in-between kisses as she pinned Maura's arms above her head to keep her from reaching her from falling.

"Neither are you Jane…" Maura leaned into Jane to capture her mouth in deep kiss. "You didn't think I would miss that little hip shake from earlier did you?" Maura's lips became more demanding as her tongue sought out the velvety softness of Jane's. She could feel Jane smile against her lips as her body shook with silent laughter. "You think it's funny to tease me all afternoon?" The words came out in a growl as Maura continued to explore with her lips and tongue.

When Jane let Maura's arms drop, Maura reached out to grab her hips. With a jerk, she pulled their bodies closer together.

Jane's legs began to shake so she put her hands against the door behind Maura to hold herself up. She closed her eyes and lifted her head when she felt Maura's lips move away from her own, dipping down to kiss her neck. So lost in the feel of Maura's mouth moving over her skin, she didn't see the Nerf football sailing across the room until it hit its target. Her eyes flew open when she felt the ball bounce off of her head and land on her bed.

"Break it up…" Frankie called from the hallway.

With a heavy sigh, Jane leaned her forehead against Maura's. She could still feel the heat emanating from Maura's body distracting her thoughts when another football made impact with her shoulder.

"What the hell?" She looked over her shoulder to see Frankie's head in the doorway. "You're pretty good at that…maybe you should try out for quarterback next year…"

"Yeah?" Frankie was stunned by the off handed compliment.

"Yeah…but let's see how well you can take a tackle…" She growled as she took off after a very surprised Frankie, leaving a somewhat stunned Maura barely holding herself up.

Maura shook her head as she watched Jane run after Frankie. The threat of her shaky legs no longer being able to hold her up caused her to lean against the closed door behind her for support. Running both hands through her hair, she slid down until she was sitting on the floor. She let out a shaky breath as she concentrated on reigning in her out of control emotions. Something was going to have to give or both of them would spontaneously combust from sexual frustration. As she sat there, leaning against the door a plan started to formulate in her mind causing her to smile in an almost wicked way.

"What's with the cat that ate the canary smile?" Jane stopped in her doorway to study Maura before walking over to stand over her.

"You didn't hurt Frankie did you?" Maura asked looking up to find Jane watching her intently.

"Nah…now don't change the subject." Jane squatted down so she was eye level with Maura. "What's with the smile?" She reached out to cup Maura's chin so she could rub her thumb over Maura's bottom lip.

"I forgot to tell you that my father will be able to make it to the opening Red Sox game…so it will be nice having our families together." Maura smiled again.

"I don't know…something tells me it's more than that." Jane continued to contemplate as she looked into Maura's eyes trying to see the truth. It was the playful mirth that she saw looking back at her that had Jane backtracking. "You can tell me later…" She leaned in to place a soft, but meaningful kiss on Maura's mouth.

"Better yet…how about I show you?" Maura sighed into the kiss.

Taking Maura's lips in the softest of kisses so she didn't get them all hot a bothered again, Jane also sighed. Even though she had her full attention on Maura, she saw something move out of the corner of her eye. With lightening quick reflexes, Jane plucked the ball that was headed her way from the air and turned around to throw it back in the direction it had come from.

It had happened so quickly that Maura wasn't sure exactly what was going on. One minute Jane was kissing her and the next the connection had been broken. With wide eyes, Maura watched in wonder as Jane caught the ball aimed at her head with little to no effort on her part. When Jane whirled around to throw the ball back, Maura could see a startled Tommy standing in the doorway just in time to see the ball hit him in the face with a loud smack.

"Hey…" Tommy yelped when the ball hit him with a resounding thud. "I was only doing what Frankie told me to, he said you were an easy target." He reached up to rub the cheek that was now stinging.

Jane stood up and grabbed her sweat shirt that was lying on the bed. Pulling it over her head, she relaxed into its warmth before turning back around to Tommy.

"Whatever munchkin..." She said dismissively as she reached down to offer Maura help standing up. "But I have to say, you've got a pretty good arm there." Her smirk was playful as she pulled Maura to her feet.

Tommy had a surprise, but proud look on his face as he watched his sister approach him. "You really think so?" He couldn't contain the excitement of having his big sister think was good a something. "I'm sorry I interrupted you guys…"

"S'alright, sorry about hitting you in the face." Jane casually ruffled his light brown hair as Tommy shrugged his shoulders to indicate it was okay.

"I was wondering what that basket filled with balls was doing outside your door." Maura gave Jane a coy smile. "Kind of self-explanatory now that I think about it..."

"You know, maybe a 'Hey Jane…Ma's coming up the stairs'…might work too." Jane said as she quirked a dark eyebrow at Tommy.

"Yeah…well it was Frankie's idea." Tommy wrapped his arm around Jane's waist as they headed towards the stairs. "So you really think I have a good throw…?"

"Yep…" Jane put her arm around Tommy's shoulder letting him lead her out of her room. Looking over her shoulder, she winked at Maura who was following with a soft smile on her face as she watched the brother and sister in a rare moment of peace.

As Maura watched Jane and Tommy, she couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face. It was a rare occurrence to see a tender moment between the often rivaling siblings, but when it happened, Maura could see the fierce protectiveness and love Jane had for her brothers. As she followed them from Jane's room, her mind turned towards the plans she had been formulating before Jane had come back. The smile she had on her face turned back into that almost evil grin Jane had caught earlier.

When Jane saw Maura's slightly smug grin, a shiver ran down her spine. 'There's that smile again. Why do I feel like Maura's the cat and I'm about to be the canary…?' She thought to herself as she watched Maura carefully. Jane knew that Maura was working through something in her mind and she hoped it had something to do with getting them some alone time. Reaching back, she took Maura's hand in her own, pulling her along as they headed down the stairs to dinner. Jane gave a gentle squeeze to let Maura know that she had noticed that Maura was lost somewhere in her thoughts.

Maura squeezed back and gave Jane a wink that let her know she was doing exactly what Jane had thought she was doing, planning some much needed alone time. Without a word, she followed Jane and Tommy down the stairs to share another dinner with the people she had come to love as family.