It was after 8 PM, Jane was itching to leave. She knew Maura had left BPD an hour before.

Take your time Jane. Maura had urged over text.

I need time to make dinner anyway.

I'm coming over as soon as I can. Jane urged.

Don't worry. I know your work is important.

Jane relaxed when she had read the last text. But as time droned on, Jane still couldn't see an end to the paperwork that was stacked in front of her. Late on your first real date with the woman. Great job, Rizzoli. Jane chided as she pushed a frustrated hand through her hair letting out a long sigh. I could just come in early and wrap up. Yeah, I can do that. Jane began to close files, restacking pages as she went. The burden of being even later than she already was lessened dramatically as she began to close out her day.

"Working late?" A cool, feminine voice called from the doorway. Jane swallowed thickly before looking up to meet the eyes of the harbinger of her potential breakup.

"Not anymore, I'm gettin' out of here." Jane returned her eyes to the manila folders in front of her. But then it hit her, that smooth rose scent that coated everything in its path. Jane hesitated only a moment before she was shuffling papers again, stuffing notes and slips of paper in the cracks.

"I'll walk down with you." Lauren smiled. When Jane met her eyes again, she couldn't help but melt at the sight. The blonde's face lit up sincerely.

"Sure," Jane grabbed her keys from the drawer before shutting off the lamp on her desk.

"I wanted to apologize for before...outside the café." Lauren dropped her eyes, unable to look at Jane. The action was not lost on the brunette. "Can we start over? I'm not an ogre, I swear."

Jane pressed the down arrow on the elevators before she looked back at Lauren.

"Don't worry about it." Jane smirked a reply.

The elevator opened before them. Jane gestured for Lauren to enter first. She acquiesced, a small grin growing on her lips. Jane thought nothing of it. Not until the doors closed in front of them and Lauren didn't press the L on the key pad. Jane leaned forward to press it for them but Lauren stepped in her way, pressing the STOP button as she did. Jane's mouth went dry.

"What the hell?"

"Jane," Lauren smiled devilishly. "Go out with me."

Jane didn't reply. Her face unreadable. Her mind, however, raced uncontrollably.

"I know you're attracted to me. I can see it in your eyes every time you look at me," Lauren stepped forward, closer to Jane. "And when you try not to." Her voice was low and inviting. Jane's could barely squelch her initial fight reaction as she struggled to consider everything in front of her.

"I am attracted to you." Jane admitted. The truth always makes for a better lie. "But you and I both know we can't see each other. What about your rules, ogre?" Jane smirked and Lauren's smile widened. Before, Jane would have taken Lauren up on her offer, completely unable to control herself. This woman radiated sex with every curve of her body and smirk on her face. She had the potential to be the best fuck-buddy Jane ever had. But there was Maura. Jane knew there would always be Maura. Things were very different.

"I make them. I can break them." Lauren reached forward daringly, brushing Jane's hair from her neck. Lauren stared longingly at the smooth flesh she uncovered. A chill went through Jane. Then, invited by a sudden notion, Jane reached out hesitantly to Lauren's hips. When Lauren didn't stop her, Jane pulled herself closer to the blonde. Lauren backed into the wall of the elevator as Jane neared. Lauren's smile of victory grew as she watched the brunette advance. Jane was only inches from Lauren's lips when she stopped abruptly and beamed up at Lauren, meeting her eyes in challenge.

"Not this time." Jane whispered. Using her advantage, Jane pressed the L button on the keypad and the elevator jumped into gear, sailing downward.

The doors opened immediately upon reaching its destination and Jane thundered out of the elevator, a smug grin on her face. She didn't hear the blonde exit the elevator. Not right away anyway. By the time Jane reached the front doors, she had pulled out her phone, searching for Maura's number.

"Maura," Jane breathed when her blonde answered. She couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Jane, what's wrong?" Of course you know something's wrong, this is why I love you.

"I think I just fucked up." Please don't kill me.

"What happened?" Concern dripped from every word.

"I met Lauren Stokes in the elevator as I was leaving."

There was a pause. "And?"

"She asked me to go out with her."

Maura didn't answer.

"I turned her down!" Jane added quickly. "But I may have just made an enemy."

"Where are you?"

The question was so sudden that Jane couldn't process a response. She stumbled over an answer like she had lost the ability to speak.

"Jane," Maura was now firm. "Where are you?"

"Getting in my car…I'm coming over," there was a pause as Jane waited for an answer. "Why?" She added.

"How quickly can you get here?"

"20 minutes?"

"Make it 15." There was no question. There was no option. Maura demanded. Before Jane could answer, the phone beeped that the call had ended.

Fifteen minutes later Jane was speeding down Maura's street at a speed she never thought she would need to go without a crime scene or a murder waiting for her on the other end. Pulling onto Maura's driveway, Jane slammed her car into park and ripped her keys from the ignition. Jane feared the worst, feared the inevitable. She couldn't help it. She prepared herself to see the worst possible outcome. Jane extracted herself from her seat, pushing the door open hurriedly in her attempt to meet Maura's deadline.

Before Jane could dread her future any further, Maura threw open her front door, leaving it wide open behind her as she strode out of the house approaching Jane. It took only seconds for Jane to lose all perspective as she took in the blonde before her. Maura was wearing a man's white button down shirt; it flared haphazardly around the one button that had been done up as the blonde's quick pace loosened the edges. Jane noticed the only things Maura had on were the shirt and her bra and panties. Jane forgot everything all at once, leaning against her car to keep her knees from giving out at the sight.

And then Maura was on her, her lips crashing onto Jane's. Maura pulled at Jane possessively, refusing to relinquish any hold on her. Jane stomach dropped as the force of Maura's passion overcame her. The rush of it left Jane breathless. And wanting more. Jane wrapped her arms around Maura, holding her tight against her body. All of Jane's questions erased, all worries ebbed immediately as Maura pressed her against her car. Maura's tongue begged for entrance, Jane granted it eagerly. Their tongues intertwined in haste.

Suddenly, Maura pulled away just enough to look up at Jane. Jane's brown eyes softened noticeably as she looked down at the blonde in her arms.

"You're mine, Jane." Maura stated matter-of-fact. Jane grinned ear to ear.

"Yours?"

"I don't want to play this game anymore. This game where we pretend we don't mean anything to each other."

Jane nodded in agreement, wanting more than anything to belong solely to Maura.

"We've been playing this game for months. Even before we really knew each other." Jane had had feelings for Maura for so long she forgot when they started. They had scared her then and they scared her now. But here, with Maura so close, Jane's worry abated.

"It's why you left." Jane added.

"It's why you pushed me away." Maura concluded.

"I'm so sorry, Maura. I know I can be a jerk..." Jane's regret ran deep. She didn't realize how deep until that moment.

Maura shook her head, shaking away the apology and chuckling warmly, "It made me want you more."

"Really?" Disbelief shadowed Jane's face.

"Be my girlfriend."

"Maura," Jane didn't know what she was thinking when she said it. She didn't know why she wanted Maura to think clearly about this.

"Jane." Maura didn't care what Jane said.

"You sure you want to be strapped to blue collar Jane Rizzoli?"

"Jane!" Maura laughed at the joke. Their joke.

Jane held her tighter, burying her face in Maura's neck. Jane kissed her neck softly before meeting Maura's eyes again.

"I'm serious, Maura. I'm not the kind of girl you want to be in a relationship with. I'm…I'm…

"Mine. You're mine." Maura smiled.

"I'm yours." Jane confirmed.

Maura reached up, pushing a hand through Jane's long hair. There was something in Maura's eyes that Jane hadn't seen before, there was something calm. Maura relaxed in Jane's arms.

"Come inside, dinner is getting cold."