Chapter Twenty

When Melissa bent down to help Jane with the room key and accidentally grazed her friend's hand she finally understood what Kelly had been saying that morning. Their eyes had briefly locked and she saw it. The longing. The desire. The denial. It was an astounding confluence of emotion in a brief look, it left her feeling like she'd been gutted. For a moment she was right back there in the hospital room being drawn into those dark, wounded eyes. They hadn't been able to fight their attraction. Jane's kiss had been firm, yet tender. Soft and exploratory. Electrifying. Arousing. Sobering. It was unlike any kiss she'd ever experienced up until that point of her life. All of those feelings came rushing back during that second their eyes locked and she knew she had to get out of there.

Melissa stepped back and jammed her hand in her pocket, for no real reason other than she felt incredibly awkward. She vaguely waved over her shoulder and made sure to mention getting back to her wife. She hadn't meant to leave the door open to staying after that, but thankfully Jane knew better than to ask her to stay. Because she would have. She would always stay if Jane asked her too and before that one look, that one moment in time, she would never have questioned why that was. Now she was questioning everything. Was Kelly right? Was Maura right? Was she simply seeing things that weren't there because everyone was telling her and Jane they knew better? Even Gabby had accused them of having an affair. It made no sense. It wasn't like that at all.

Melissa made it out to the street before she had second thoughts about leaving. She was allowing a brief moment to be more than it was. So what if she flashed back to their first kiss? It didn't have to mean anything unless she made it mean something. That was the lesson she needed to learn and Kelly had been the one to explain it so plainly the night before. Her wife. Her love. She was insecure, but she didn't need to be. Neither did Maura. A random moment here and there of remembering a different time and briefly feeling those feelings didn't mean they wanted anything to change. They were with who they were with for a reason. If they had wanted to be together, they would have stayed together. She chose not to dwell on the fact that she had wanted Jane. She had wanted that future with Jane. She had loved Jane. She chose not to think about the depth of the love that gave her the strength to walk away so that Jane could be happy with Maura. Thinking about that would only muddy waters that were finally clear and calm.

Jane wasn't going to stay in her room. She was going to go looking for alcohol. Melissa knew it, because after that uncomfortable moment she herself craved a little whiskey to take the edge off. She gave herself props for that, because it was the first time in a long time she wanted booze instead of a warm body beneath her. Booze she knew how to fight. Jane though? She wasn't so sure she'd be able to resist the need to drown it all out. It was her first real test since her sobriety began in true earnest, at least that she knew of. Melissa sighed and turned back around. She had to intercept her friend before she made a bad decision.

Melissa didn't see the shadowy figure across the street watching her closely. She was too busy fortifying her mind for what lay ahead. She realised quite quickly after turning into the hall Jane's room was in that she had been right to be concerned. Jane was staring at her door. Melissa quickly made her way along the hall, choosing not to say anything as Jane was clearly focused and struggling with her balance. If she didn't know better she would think her friend was already fall-down drunk. She hastened her gait when Jane's body appeared to stumble forward a little, teetering on the brink of balance.

Melissa reached out and then actually full on sprinted a couple of yards as Jane started falling backwards. It had taken all her strength to grab her friend's shirt to stop her from falling, she dropped to her knees to ease the pressure on her grip, quickly moving her arms underneath Jane's back to ease her down.

"Jesus Jane," she whispered, her heart thrumming rapidly in her chest. Jane was out of it completely. She immediately checked for a pulse to make sure it was simply unconsciousness. She breathed a sigh of relief when her first instinct proved correct. Jane was breathing on her own and her heart rate was in the normal range.

"Come on Jane, wake up." Melissa begged, slapping her cheeks lightly in an attempt to draw a response. There was no response. She was out cold. "Fuck."

"You won't wake her anytime soon, Missy."

Melissa's head shot up, she recognised that voice. The wannabe Batman voice. Deep and rough. Her heart started pounding in her chest when her eyes fell on the owner of the voice dressed in black standing at the end of the hall. He had his jacket pulled around his neck, ball cap and some sort of mask covering the lower part of his face. All she could see were his eyes, they were a shade of blue she had only seen once before. She shook her head rapidly, this couldn't be real. It couldn't be happening again. She wanted to open her mouth. She wanted to say something, anything, but she couldn't. She was terrified.

He took two steps forward, his eyes glinting with glee at her fear. He tilted his head in curiosity. Melissa watched every movement, trying to find her voice. All she managed was to shake Jane hoping she would wake up. Not that it mattered, she was clearly in no position to fight. All she had was herself.

"Missy, Missy, Missy. What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time?"

His tone was one reminiscent of a disappointed parent. Melissa found an inner resolve to at least try and find the key to the room. Her hand reached for Jane's pockets, while her eyes never moved from his. She had to protect Jane. Her hand wrapped around the key and she pulled it free. She leapt to her feet and tried to unlock the door, all the while watching him stalk slowly down the hall. He didn't seem worried about anything. He wasn't in a hurry. It was literally a public hallway, but he wasn't fazed. That terrified her even more.

He stopped and laughed. Her hands trembled as she finally got the door open. Was he toying with her? She didn't know and she didn't care. She grabbed Jane and pulled her into the room, turning back to shut the door she was foiled by his foot getting in the way. "No," she growled, pushing hard against the door and his foot. "Not again!"

He was stronger than her though. As hard as she tried she couldn't get the door closed, he eventually burst through the door and she retreated, stumbling backwards, almost tripping over Jane. Her eyes widened in alarm when he reached into his pocket and pulled out a retractable scalpel. "No, no, not again. Not Jane. Please. I'll do anything you want. Just please, don't hurt her."

"Anything?" His eyes sparkled deviously and Melissa didn't know whether to be relieved or even more terrified.

"Anything." She agreed and she meant it. She would lay down her life to protect Jane.

He stepped closer and leaned in, tearing the necklace from around her neck. He held up the chain and looked at the ring, his eyes then locked with hers. "If you love your wife, make her leave. If you don't, I'll kill her."

"I don't understand…"

"I'm not finished." He clearly didn't like being interrupted. He popped the blade out and brought the scalpel up to her neck, holding it alongside the scar from where she had been shot. "Keep Jane far, far away from Doctor Isles. I don't care how you do it. Tell her you love her for all I care. Just keep them apart."

No, no, no, no!

This wasn't good. This was bad. So very bad. She couldn't do that. Could she? He was asking her to walk away from love. How many more times in life would she have the fortune of finding a love like the one she had with Kelly? Asking her to try and keep Jane from her love too. Why? What the fuck was he up to? Could she even trust him to honour his end of the deal? Did she have any choice in the matter? "What happens if I can't?"

He glanced down at Jane. "Then she dies. Your wife dies. Gabby dies too."

Melissa swallowed nervously, her heart was beating so fast she thought she might end up having a heart attack or a stroke. Her entire body shook from the flashes of what happened in Chicago to someone she barely cared about at all. If he were to come for those she loved too? She felt like she was going to throw up.

Nothing about this interaction made any sense. He was so aggressive and vitriolic the last time she encountered him. He absolutely would have killed her if not for Kelly. She couldn't understand why he would be entertaining her plea bargaining. Did he want Jane to suffer? Had he meant to drug her and not Jane? It had to have been at the pub. He must have slipped something into Jane's drink, or was it meant to be her drink? Had he made a mistake? No, he seemed too calm and calculated for that. Jane was wrong. This had absolutely nothing to do with Hoyt. His end goal had changed. Was he obsessed with Maura? Was he trying to get everyone out of the way so he could swoop in, a knight in shining armour? What the fuck was happening?

"This isn't about Jane, is it? Or Hoyt?" She just had to know. She had to take something from this to give Jane, to help her stop this evil bastard. To give them both some chance of getting their lives back. A chance to be with the women they loved. Because she already knew Jane wouldn't risk Kelly's life. She wouldn't do that to her. Would she? Would she be able to stop her need to protect Maura at all costs from this guy? Oh God, what if Jane couldn't do it? What if she was faced with the truth and couldn't stay away? She sure wouldn't care about her own life, she'd take that risk to save Maura.

"No more questions. Do we have a deal?" His blade broke the skin. His head tilted as if he was fascinated with the blood that pooled around it. He wasn't cutting deep enough to kill her. She understood the warning for what it was.

Melissa's heart sank. It didn't matter what she said. In the end it would come down to Jane, because she wouldn't lie to her. Not if he didn't ask her not to. He hadn't, not yet anyway. She would tell the truth. She had to hope Jane could think their way out of this deal with the Devil. "Yes."

"Good." He stepped back, tossed her necklace and ring aside and put the scalpel away. "No hospital and no cops. I'll be watching."

Melissa's eyes followed the ring, tracking where it landed so that she could recover it at the first opportunity. She was startled by the fact he had moved so quickly across the room while she was looking away. Finally locking eyes with him once more she said, "At least tell me what you gave her?"

He stared at her for a long moment before answering, "Just a roofie. Screw it up and they all die."

He disappeared as easily as he had appeared. Melissa took a moment but forced herself to look out into the hall. She checked left and right, but he was gone. He had simply vanished. She closed the door and locked it. She then helped Jane onto the bed, placing her on her side in the same recovery position she had seen Maura use on Gabby the day before. Once that was done she looked around until she found her ring. It was the symbol of a love she may yet have to forsake. She slipped it back on her finger before returning her thoughts to Jane's predicament.

Melissa sifted through her memory of the first aid courses and research she had done on how to be safe as a woman out in public. If you suspected you had been roofied, drink as much water as possible and stay in a public space. Clearly the latter didn't matter in this instance, rape was not the concern and hopefully after her deal, neither was murder. She couldn't exactly force any water down Jane's throat, but she filled a glass and had it ready to go the moment her friend showed even a remote moment of consciousness. It was incredibly important to flush the toxins from the system to reduce any potential organ damage. She just had to pray he had known what he was doing with the dosage. Jane didn't look like she was overdosing on Rohypnol, but what the Hell did she know? Drugs were never her thing - not unless it was threatening to swallow a whole bottle of them to end her own life.

Melissa paced back and forth across the room repeatedly, anxious for Jane to regain consciousness. It could be hours though, if she remembered the literature correctly. Worrying about Jane was the only thing keeping her mind from taking a trip down memory lane. It was the only thing stopping her from becoming completely useless. She already had a low, dull ache building in her chest. Grief from a decision she hadn't truly made yet. She needed Jane's input. She needed to know she wasn't going to be walking through this Hell alone. If anything happened to Kelly she couldn't… she wouldn't recover from that. The thought of having to live without her was overwhelming. She wasn't prepared for that. She prayed Jane would know what to do.

Fear wrapped its tendrils around her heart and squeezed tightly, killing all desire she had to keep pacing. She climbed onto the bed with Jane and laid down on her side facing her friend. She had to make sure she kept breathing. She thought Jane looked so peaceful. She definitely had the better end of the whole deal, that was for sure.

Melissa's phone rang. She pulled it from her pocket and choked back a sob from viewing Kelly's name across the screen. She would be worried. She should have checked in by now at the very least. She would have. If not for her encounter with the Devil. Now she couldn't risk it. Not until she knew the game plan. She could only hope that when it was all done and dusted that Kelly would forgive her.


After spending the morning being a shoulder for Maura to cry on Gabby had found herself dismissed and adrift. Alexis had texted while she and Maura were talking that she had an urgent work thing crop up. The result was some unexpected free time. Melissa having Charlie gave her little to nothing to keep her occupied, leaving her alone with her own thoughts. Her immediate response was to pick up some obnoxiously unhealthy snack food and a six pack of beer so that she could camp out on her couch and watch the afternoon session of day two of the Sheffield Shield cricket match between Tasmania and Victoria on television.

Ed Cowan was in the middle of a blistering knock for Tasmania when the doorbell rang out, drawing Gabby out of her semi trance state. She placed the bowl of crisps and her beer on the coffee table, dusted the salt from her hands and headed down the hall to open the front door. She smiled widely when she saw Alexis standing there. "Hey gorgeous, didn't expect to see you so soon."

Alexis smiled, leaned in and greeted Gabby with a soft kiss. She pulled back and lifted an eyebrow. "Please tell me you managed to consume something other than potato chips and beer?"

Gabby shrugged sheepishly and led her girlfriend into the living room. "I just wanted to zone out watching cricket."

Alexis was eyeing the coffee table. "I can see that. Would it have hurt you to eat a non carb loaded vegetable? Or some protein?"

It was incredibly adorable the way Alexis had slipped right back into fussing over the foods she ate. It was like they were eighteen again. Gabby was half tempted to mention the bag of Peanut M&M's she had demolished just to see if it made her girlfriend's head explode, but decided it wasn't worth the disruption. Cowan was close to his century and she wanted to see if he made it. "Well I figured when I saw you, that would be covered."

"You are so lucky I'm in a good mood Gabby."

Gabby sat back down and made a point of dusting off the position next to her, despite there not being any crumbs. "Then join me. Cowan's about to notch a century."

Alexis accepted the invitation and for the first time since they had reconnected she tucked in against Gabby's side. "How is Tassie doing?"

"Bowled the Vics for just under three hundred this morning. Cowan has been treating it like a whiteball match while everyone else is falling over around him."

"So same old same old then?"

Gabby laughed. "Something like that. Will need a better second innings I suspect, unless Paine can provide some run support."

"Not going to happen," Alexis said, her eyes on the television. Tim Paine had just been bowled out.

"Oh well." Gabby didn't particularly mind. She was more of a fair weather cricket supporter anyway and Tasmania had not been doing well since lifting the Sheffield Shield at the end of the 2012/2013 season. She held out hopes for a bounce back season, but she didn't expect it. Besides, it wasn't lost on her that she was being afforded the opportunity to do the holding, instead of being the one to bury herself into her girlfriend. It made her feel good. She didn't mind showing her softer, more vulnerable side to Alexis, but she was starting to wonder if she would ever be anything close to who she once was. The entire day was validating her protective nature. "I'm just happy you're here."

"Me too, love, me too."

"Work meeting went alright then?"

"Yes, it did. I'm sorry that I had to duck out like that. I wanted to be available when you were done helping Maura. How is she by the way?"

Wasn't that the million dollar question? She sure didn't seem okay, but she had remained adamant with following through on the decision, which was inflicting most of the damage. Gabby rubbed her hand along Alexis' shoulder, thankful that they had each other. Maura's situation was a perfect reminder of what she herself had recently been through and it wasn't something she'd be close to okay with if Alexis hadn't welcomed her back into her life. "Maura is uniquely stubborn."

"Oh? How so?"

"Let's just say she's too smart for her own good sometimes."

Alexis hummed, clearly biting her tongue and it got Gabby's attention. "Spit it out. What are you thinking?"

"I was just thinking that yes Maura does come across quite intelligent, but she did let you get away, so you know."

Alexis was clearly being playful, but Gabby wondered if there was a hint of concern there. It was definitely time to have a conversation to clear any misconceptions. She didn't want her girlfriend to be worried about history of any sort repeating. "Maura's not someone you have to worry about. Besides the obvious fact that she'll be in love with Jane until her dying breath, she's just my best friend. We're better that way."

"You don't miss her?"

Gabby chuckled. There was a reason Maura had been attractive to her in the first place. Despite some obvious differences there were also a lot of similarities between her and Alexis. Granted a lot of that had been a subconscious thing she hadn't been openly aware of at the time, hindsight was a beautiful gift. "All the things I could possibly miss about my time with Maura, you provide."

Alexis pulled back and studied Gabby's eyes. "Oh, she was great in bed wasn't she?"

Gabby laughed. Alexis' facial expression and attitude was ridiculously adorable. She was pretending to be huffy and it wasn't working because she was almost preening. Gabby gave her girlfriend an over exaggerated nod and agreed wholeheartedly, "You have no idea."

Alexis playfully swatted her shoulder while shaking her head in apparent disbelief at her gall.

Gabby quickly leaned in and pressed a lingering kiss against her girlfriend's lips. It had a fortifying effect. "You know I don't ever want to lie to you. So yeah, she's amazing, but there's always more to it than that and you know it."

Alexis grinned, which sent a wave of relief through Gabby's body. She hadn't realised she was actually feeling tense about it despite the playful nature of their conversation.

"Oh I know, my dear. I know."

"Besides, you're a much better cook." Gabby delivered her line very seriously, despite knowing it might earn her another slap to the shoulder. She was pleasantly surprised when Alexis responded by capturing her lips with her own. Things were going to escalate very quickly if this kept up. Kissing Alexis was an aphrodisiac unlike anything else she had experienced in life.

When Alexis brought the kiss to an end Gabby found herself wanting more. This woman could be her complete undoing and she honestly wouldn't care. She nipped at Alexis' lips and drew them back into a longer, deeper, passionate kiss. At some point during the kiss she eased her girlfriend back down the length of the couch and slipped her thigh between her legs. She broke the kiss and gently stroked her girlfriend's face, while their eyes locked onto one another. An intense wave of emotioned rolled through Gabby's body and she smiled, "Maura's great, but she's not you."

Alexis brought one hand up to Gabby's face and just let it rest against her cheek. It was clear in her eyes the level of love she was feeling and it only fueled the building emotion within Gabby. She wasn't there yet, it was going to take time, but knowing that Alexis felt that way left her not just wanting to escalate things but needing to. She felt Alexis thrust her hips and she knew she wasn't the only one feeling that need.

"You are too smooth Gabrielle, too smooth."

Alexis slipped a hand between their bodies and guided it to the band of Gabby's trousers. Their eyes locked and Gabby smiled before leaning down to capture Alexis' lips in a searing kiss. Permission granted.

On the television in the background, Ed Cowan drove a ball through the covers for four to bring up his century. Neither of them noticed.


Jane opened her eyes and immediately closed them again. The light was too bright and she felt nauseous. Worse than that she felt like she had been mowed down by a semi trailer. She tried to think her way through what was happening, but she felt pretty blank. There were flashes. She had been talking to Melissa. She'd seen her right before she passed out.

"Ugh," Jane rolled over and opened her eyes again, taking in her surroundings. The blandness of the room triggered her memories of a different time and she immediately sat up. She looked around the room for the sign of any alcohol, but she didn't see any.

The sound of retching filtered into her ears. It was coming from the bathroom. Jane slowly swung her legs over the edge of the bed, well and truly aware that she wasn't going to feel steady on her feet. She felt like she was drunk, but she couldn't see any evidence of that. She must have been drugged. When she made it to her feet she immediately clutched the back of her head, the pressure felt like it was going to shatter her skull. "Missy, is that… is that you?"

Melissa appeared a few moments later looking very pale. She had obviously washed her face, but whatever had happened had left a lasting impact. "Hey, don't get up."

"Are you alright?"

Melissa didn't answer, instead she made a beeline straight for the side table and the glass of water she prepared earlier. She picked up the glass and held it out towards Jane. "Here you need to drink this."

Jane took the glass and had a couple of light sips. She didn't think she could stomach drinking much more, but from the look on Melissa's face she didn't think she'd have any choice in the matter. She took a couple more sips before reaching over slowly and putting the glass back down. She redirected her attention to her friend, concerned by what she had heard when she woke up. "Were you drugged too?"

Melissa shook her head, her eyes drifting back towards the glass of water. She was clearly fixated on it. "No. Could you try to drink more water, please?"

Jane sighed and made a point of reaching over, picking up the glass and taking a few more sips. The liquid was going down a little easier now and she did feel a little thirsty. "What the Hell is goin' on?"

"You were roofied."

"No shit." Jane didn't have the energy, or the stomach for anything other than the facts she wasn't plainly aware of. Her entire head felt like it was going to explode. She focused on her breathing, but it only made her feel worse. She closed her eyes for a moment to centre herself before opening them and explaining, "It was either that or I drank more than I've ever drank before."

Melissa jammed her hands in her pocket and bounced up and down on her toes. She struggled to meet Jane's inquisitive stare. "I think you were drugged at the pub. I came back to make sure you weren't going to leave to find alcohol and uh, you passed out right in front of me."

"Okay," Jane said dumbly, her brain still working slowly. If that happened, which she assumed it did because Melissa didn't appear to be lying, why was she in the motel room? Why wasn't she in a hospital bed? "Why am I not in the hospital right now?"

"He told me 'no hospital'."

Jane simply stared for a solid minute, her entire insides crawling with an unholy realisation as she watched Melissa basically fold in on herself. She had not seen her friend look that small since she was lying in a hospital bed recovering from nearly dying. "He?" she asked, despite fearing she already knew the answer.

Melissa turned and raced back into the bathroom, the sound of her retching, spitting and running water all the confirmation Jane needed. She didn't know what happened. She didn't know why it happened. She didn't know why they were both still alive. She just knew that she had to get up. She placed the glass back down on the table and slowly rose to her feet. She took one step and then another, cautiously, until she felt certain her feet weren't going to fail her. She was worried about Melissa. "Missy, you gotta tell me what happened."

Melissa returned from the bathroom again, looking all the more worse for wear and worried. "It was him."

Jane swallowed down a little bile that forced its way up. She needed to call Maura to make sure she was safe and alert to the possible dangers, but she saw a trickle of blood on Melissa's neck and it sent a wave of absolute horror washing through her body. No wonder her friend was losing her lunch repeatedly. Jane quickly bridged the last little gap between them and drew Melissa into a fierce hug, her hand gravitating towards the dried blood. "You're okay. You're okay."

Melissa waited for a few moments before gently pulling back and shaking her head. "I'm not okay Jane. None of this is okay. He was going to kill at least one of, if not both of us…"

"Why didn't he?" Jane asked the most pertinent question she couldn't shake, while she gripped Melissa's shoulders tightly with her hands and stared her down.

"Because I begged him not to. I promised to do anything he asked."

The statement alone was enough to take Jane's breath, but the sadness in Melissa's eyes and the despondency in her tone worried Jane. What did she have to do? God, did he? "You didn't… I mean, he didn't…"

"No Jane. As vile and disgusting as that feels, I would have preferred it. If I don't make Kelly leave and go back to the States… he's going to kill her."

Surely he couldn't have intended to kill them. He must have been playing a game all along. Perhaps trying to prove he could get to them whenever he wanted. Because none of what she was hearing made sense. Why would he make any deal at all? Jane searched Melissa's eyes, absolutely torn up by what her friend must be feeling. She stumbled backwards a little, physically shaken by what she saw staring back at her. She had never seen Melissa's eyes look so broken. She felt the back of her legs hit the bed and she sat down, all the while still staring at Melissa. What the Hell had her friend had to endure? There had to be more to this. If he wanted Melissa for himself, which the whole idea of getting Kelly out of the picture seemed to indicate, why didn't he just take her? "What else does he want?"

Melissa spoke solemnly, "For me to keep you away from Maura."

The mere mention of Maura snapped Jane back into action, she felt around in her pocket for her phone, but couldn't find it. She turned and started to search the bed in case it had fallen out of her pocket, she couldn't see it there either. At this point she was feeling frantic and climbed off the bed and knelt down to look under the bed, which only left her feeling unsteady and nauseated.

"Jane, stop. He said he would kill you, Kelly and Gabby if you go anywhere near her."

While she logically understood the words coming out of Melissa's mouth, the only thing Jane felt was absolute concern for Maura and a belief that Melissa was standing in the way of her doing what she needed to do. "Give me my phone, Missy."

"Jane, just wait a minute okay. Let me speak and then if you still feel the need to call Maura I'll give you your phone back."

Jane unsteadily got back to her feet and stared her friend down. She wasn't messing around when it came to Maura's safety. "You have one minute."

"I don't think Maura's in any danger, at least not right now."

Melissa rubbed the back of her neck. She looked so apprehensive that Jane found it hard to believe what she was being told. At the same time there were lives on the line so the least she could do was listen to Melissa's version of events. Her friend had reason to be apprehensive and worried. Her wife's life was on the line. Jane sighed and sat back down on the edge of the bed. She should be informed before making any decisions. "Why not?"

"Honestly, it was everything he said and how he said it. I dunno Jane, he mentioned you and Gabby by name and with Maura it was almost reverent and respectful. He called her Doctor Isles. I dunno what his deal is, but I don't think this guy has anything to do with Hoyt."

Jane watched Missy take a seat on the rickety chair she pulled out from beneath the banged up desk with an old television sitting on top of it. There was something missing from what her friend had described. "What about Kelly? How'd he speak about her?"

Melissa shook her head and played with the ring on her finger. "He didn't say her name once and when he did refer to her, he was angry. He'll kill her, Jane. I have no doubt."

Jane didn't doubt it either. She was surprised he hadn't already made an attempt on Kelly's life. It sounded like he wasn't happy with her at all, probably because she had interrupted back in Chicago. A Hoyt-esque night. What changed? What was his motive in the first place? It sure didn't seem like wanton death and destruction. Not given he was willing to make deals. Yet he had carried out a vicious attack in a manner that would have required research and a knowledge of the inner workings of their friendship group. He had them dead and buried and yet all he wanted was Kelly gone and Maura free from her presence. What was the ultimate goal?

"We have to rethink everything."

"Yes we do." Melissa reached into her pocket and retrieved Jane's mobile phone. She tossed it towards the bed. "It's your decision Jane."

Jane managed to catch the phone after a brief juggle, her coordination wasn't at its usual level. She glanced at the device and back over at Melissa. Her chest tightened. The thought of leaving Maura out there blissfully unaware that danger was now lurking very close by didn't sit well with her, but what other choice did she have? She couldn't risk Kelly's life, or Gabby's for that matter. It would be a different story if it were merely her own life on the line, but it wasn't. "You're gonna send Kelly away then?"

"I dunno how I'm supposed to make her leave, Jane. If I tell her the truth… Well, no, I don't think she'd listen. She wasn't there for the worst of it. She doesn't get it. She doesn't truly comprehend how dangerous he is."

Melissa sounded so despondent, Jane could barely stand it. Her friend had endured so much in life and to finally be on the brink of happiness only to have it yanked away like this? It was fucked up. It didn't have to be permanent though. Jane knew she would find a way to catch the bastard. She had to. There was too much riding on it for her not to. There would be short term pain, but in the long term they would be free and happy to pursue who they needed most in life. "So lie. It'll suck right now, but I know you Missy. I know you will carry that to keep her safe."

Melissa shook her head vigorously. "I can't lie to her, Jane. I can't. Honesty is all we have. Even when it hurts. Even when it doesn't make sense. Even when I'm a fucking arsehole, we've been honest. There's no getting that back if I lie to her."

Jane closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. It was breaking her heart looking at Melissa. At least she could console herself with the belief that Maura needed time away. Maura wanted her to go explore her options and figure out what she felt. Maura wasn't anticipating much contact anytime soon and as a result neither was she. The only thing she struggled with was not warning Maura there was potential danger looming. Maura's absence was already predetermined. It sucked. It would continue to suck. However, once this was done and he was caught, she would find a way to fix it.

Melissa was actually losing something. She was being called on to willfully deceive her wife. An action that Jane could tell might be the final straw. It was a simple little thing, but it made sense. It was the one thing Melissa could control. She could be truthful, even when there were times her decision making left so much to be desired. Jane opened her eyes and locked onto tearful blue ones. She clenched her jaw and nodded to herself with the knowledge there was only one thing to do about it. She found a sense of internal fortitude from the decision. She would protect the last straw of dignity Melissa had left. Standing up tall she said, "I'll handle it. I'll make her leave."

Melissa joined Jane on her feet and gazed at her curiously. "How Jane?"

Good question. The truth was most definitely out, Melissa hadn't been wrong with her assessment of her wife. Though Jane felt it was more because Kelly was obsessed. There was one way she could make Kelly leave. She could lean into the insecurity she had seen at the root of all of Kelly's actions.

Jane took a deep breath, steeling herself. Then in a flurry of movement she erased the gap between them and barely allowed herself a moment to catch Melissa's eyes with her own. Her hands went to Melissa's waist as she leaned in and captured her lips briefly. It was a short, sweet kiss. Just a moment in time to give her some truth to use against Kelly. She hadn't expected the flash back to another time. The reverence with which they had kissed. She stepped back, a little shaken. Melissa was staring at her looking completely stunned.

"There," Jane said, "Now it won't be a lie when I tell her we kissed."

After a long minute of awkward silence building between them that left Jane wondering if perhaps she hadn't thoroughly thought through her decision, Melissa finally spoke. "You can't tell her that Jane. She'll tell Maura. You know she will."

"You don't think I know that?" Jane was more than aware the first thing Kelly would do would be to run to Maura and tell her everything that she said. She knew. She was a little worried given the timing and the circumstances, but at the same time, she was free to see and be with whoever she wanted and Jane had to believe that when the dust settled and the truth was out there that Maura would understand.

"I can't let you take that risk. Maura already left you because of our friendship. You can't throw away your happiness for me." Melissa shook her head and turned away.

"What's the alternative?" Jane asked softly. Kelly had proven she cared, or obsessed, depending on your point of view, enough to not give up easily. She was the only wildcard that Kelly had shown any inkling of not wanting to fight. She was the only reason she could see Kelly leaving.

"I don't know. We'll think of something."

The one thing Jane was sure of was that they had to be in it together. Whatever decision they came to had to be a joint one, but Melissa was blind to reality. She didn't understand the power she held over the women that fell under her spell. Gabby was proof of that. Kelly was proof of that. Hell, to some extent she was proof of that. Right now at this moment, she was ridiculous proof of that, because there wasn't a thing she wouldn't sacrifice to protect any part of Melissa. Be it her life, her dignity or the wife she herself couldn't stand. There was a small sense of satisfaction at the thought of fucking with Kelly on a deep level, but it wouldn't do permanent damage. Kelly would come back.

Jane pulled herself out of her thoughts and noticed the trembling of Melissa's shoulders. She couldn't see her face, but she had no doubt her friend was crying and trying to hide it. Melissa was the only one who had ever put her first even when doing so brought her heartbreak. Jane couldn't, Hell she wouldn't, forget that. She wrapped Melissa up in a hug from behind, kissing the back of her head several times, allowing her lips to linger, allowing the kisses to be tender. She allowed them to convey emotion she knew could only confuse the situation. She didn't care anymore. Even if it cost her the love of her life, she would work every angle she had to keep Kelly safe for Melissa's sake.

"Maura walked away from me, Missy." Jane whispered against Melissa's ear, allowing her voice to become more reverent, "Twice now she has chosen to leave me behind. You never did that. You never left me like that."

"Jane, stop. I left you. I chose Gabby, remember." Jane could feel how tense Melissa was, she hadn't relaxed into the hold yet. She was walking a precarious tightrope.

"You didn't have a choice. You let me go, you didn't leave. There's a difference." Jane knew she was pushing it, but she had made her decision she wasn't backing out now. She gently pulled Melissa's hair away from her neck and pressed several kisses against her bare skin. She didn't know if it was working on Melissa, but she was sure seducing herself. She was probably going to Hell for this and Maura might not ever forgive her. "I'd do anything for you Missy and she knows it. It's about time you knew it too."

"I know." Melissa whispered, her body melting into Jane's arms.

"So trust me when I tell you, that if Maura cannot understand the necessity behind a little deception then she isn't worth my time."

Melissa turned in her arms and looked up into Jane's eyes. She brought her hands to rest against Jane's abdomen. "Warn her. Go get more of your stuff, and pass her a note or something. Tell her everything. Tell her to act normal. Just something… anything, please."

Jane sighed. If only it was that easy. "Maura can't lie. She gets hives and has even been known to pass out. She's gotten better over time at obfuscating the truth, but this is, no. Not on this level. Besides we don't know if he has us or her or all of us under surveillance. I can't risk Kelly's life. I can't risk your happiness."

Melissa studied Jane's eyes for a moment before stepping away and pulling herself free of Jane's grasp. "Don't do this Jane. Don't blur these lines. Don't look at me like that. You're not mine. You've never been mine."

Jane nodded slowly, her hands falling to her hips as she turned to look at the door, needing a moment to sift through her thoughts. They were in a pretty precarious position. She had literally been ready to seduce Melissa if that was what it took to get her on side, which would have been wrong on so many levels. Fuck. She really wasn't thinking clearly and yet at the same time, she felt like she was seeing things for what they really were and had always been. Maura had walked away from her twice. The first time she didn't even get a say in the matter. The second time everything she had to say was ignored. She deserved better than that. Melissa had always given more than she had received in return. In another time, in another place, she may have been irrevocably Melissa's. Hell if it weren't for Kelly right now, maybe she would shoot her damn shot. Maybe she deserved more.

Jane shook her head clear of her thoughts. Melissa loved Kelly and regardless of how heartbroken she was feeling, she loved Maura too. Not to mention she was clearly not in her right mind. She wandered back to the bed and sat back down. "I shouldn't have done that. Shouldn't have held you like that or kissed you like that. I just have this unquenchable desire to protect you and sometimes I think it gets a little confusing."

"I understand Jane, trust me, I do. I just think we need clear heads here. Perhaps you should sleep on it and in the morning, if you still feel this is the only course of action I'll accept your help."

Jane agreed, completely. "Stay with me tonight. Sleep beside me."

"Jane," Melissa was clearly not impressed, "What did I just say?"

Jane smiled conspiratorially, "Let's just say I've learned a few things about using words to my advantage from my time with Maura."

Melissa quirked an eyebrow, presumably in curiosity.

Jane elaborated, "Plausible deniability. I will be able to quite literally tell Kelly we slept in the same bed. We slept together. What she chooses to interpret that to mean is entirely on her. No lies and Kelly gets a lesson about the dangers of insecurity."

"I'd say you were a genius, if I didn't think you were going to take a sick level of pleasure from this." Melissa didn't look impressed, but she didn't exactly look mad either.

"Oh hush," Jane waved Melissa off. "She'll forgive you. If she doesn't, she isn't worth your time."

The silence that descended upon them wasn't lost on Jane. She may have found a moment of levity in the situation, but there wasn't a damn good thing about what was happening. As much as she liked the thought of getting Kelly back for her manipulation of Maura, in practice it wasn't necessarily something she stomached so easily. Melissa was going to be hurt from this and she knew that was going to create a whole set of difficult circumstances for them to navigate without falling into bed with one another or down a whiskey filled pit of despair. The stress of the situation was very, very real. This was just step one. They still had to figure out a way to get this guy to make a mistake. They had to figure out what his motives were. The longer it dragged on the harder it would be to convince Maura and Kelly of the truth.

"We're dancing with the Devil, Jane. There's every chance we get burned."

Yup, there she goes, voicing the damn obvious. "Well I definitely agree about sleeping on it. If you don't go home tonight, Kelly will stew. She will marinate in her own insecurities. It'll be easier to make her leave." The look on Melissa's face prompted Jane to add, "To make sure she's safe."

Melissa wrapped her arms around her own body, effectively hugging herself. At that moment she looked so damn small to Jane and it caused an ache in her chest. One thing was for sure, by the time this was over she'd know for sure whether there were real feelings lingering between them. Maura would have her answer.

"Tell me you'll stop him Jane."

Staring into eyes glistening with fresh tears Jane had no choice but to summon up all the bravado she could muster. "That's a Goddamned promise."


A/N: Firstly a couple of apologies. I'm sorry it's been a few extra days than normal between chapters, I had some good things happening that kept me busy, and then a bit of a depressive slump that I'm still trying to ride through. Shorter chapter and might be a couple weeks before the next one, mostly because my confidence falls off a cliff when I'm depressed and I don't ever want to put out anything that feels half hearted.

However I have a wonderful partner and she will ensure that even if I'm moving slowly on this that I keep moving so you do not have to worry about me disappearing. This story will continue to be updated. Thank you all for reading and being supportive and please remember this is a soap and there are a lot of emotions in play currently!

I wonder what this guys end game is? Are Jane and Missy going to take this too far? Are Kelly and Maura even going to buy the ruse?