Jane wasn't dirty.

But she could be.

Not for Tommy drink driving and hitting a priest. He earned that; it wasn't like he had to serve more than a year if he kept clean inside. But for Tommy pulling a bank job, she'd have... but she'd also thought he'd robbed Maura, and she'd have seen him in prison for life for that. She'd have watched him burn for that.

Not for Frankie, shooting an unarmed suspect. The suspect had been armed, luckily. She would have let it shake out, let the cards land where they fell. She'd have protected and shielded him as best she could, but she wouldn't have incriminated herself in exhonerating him.

Not for Frank, when Florida Police Department called saying they had him in holding. She'd said 'good', and hung up immediately.

Not for Angela. Maybe for Angela, it would depend what she'd done. If she killed someone in self-defence Jane would get her a lawyer, out up her condo. She wouldn't interfere, but she'd make sure Angela walked.

But for Maura she lied to Federal Agents. For Maura she was ready to let evidence go, delete incriminating footage. For Maura she let a man point a desert eagle into her still-painful gunshot wound. For Maura she'd do time. For Maura she would - and had already shown she could - kill whoever threatened her. For Maura she took calls from Paddy Doyle, even when the conversation headed into grey zones. He loved Maura, but he wasn't a good man. For Maura she would turn her back on the law, break all the rules, take every risk.

Every risk except telling Maura she loved her. That was too much of a risk, even for Jane, who shot herself and went in without backup and jumped off of bridges.

Jane could be a dirty cop, but she didn't have to be. Maura never did anything that necessitated her to be. But Jane would, in a heartbeat, betray her moral compass in favour of Maura's.

"If I did kill someone," Maura said, her voice wistful, full of memories. She got like this sometimes. Remembering all the men who'd done her wrong, all the times she'd been wrong to trust someone. Her faith in Jane never wavered, but her faith in herself was so insubstantial.

"I'd help you hide the body," Jane said without hesitation, giving Maura's shoulder a jostle with her fist across the space between them on the couch. Maura took Jane's hand.

"I'd never ask that of you," Maura said seriously.

"You'd never have to," Jane told her. "I know lots of great places to hide a body."

"I know," Maura said, and she sounded comforted.

"I wouldn't for anyone else, you know that, right?" Jane asked, concerned that Maura thought this was something she offered to just anyone. Concerned that Maura might think Jane would go dirty for just anyone. Maura slid Jane's hand over her shoulder as she tucked herself in against Jane's side.

"I know," Maura said again, settling her head against Jane's chest.

Jane wasn't dirty, but some of her thoughts were as Maura wrapped her arm around Jane's waist, humming contentedly as she made herself comfortable against Jane. Jane's heartbeat was thrumming in her chest, fast and erratic.

"Why are you so nervous when we're close?" Maura asked, letting one hand land over Jane's heart.

"It scares me, what I'd be willing to do for you. It scares me, what I'd give up for you," Jane said quietly, making no effort to move Maura's hand.

"If you ever killed someone, I'd find someone to frame it on. I'd falsify evidence. Jane, I'd give up my entire education and career for you. And you... you know I love you. You do, don't you?"

"Love you too," Jane mumbled.

"No, Jane, I - I love you to the exclusion of all other people. I would sacrifice everyone else in my life like a pawn for you. You're the queen of my chessboard."

"I'd rather be a knight," Jane grumbled. "You're the queen."

"But we're on the same side, aren't we? We're on the same page? You understand what I'm telling you?" Maura asked, looking up, her hand still on Jane's chest.

"I would do anything for you," Jane said honestly, looking down into Maura's face, so close to her own.

"Good. I have something in mind." Maura got to her feet, and Jane felt a moment of loss before Maura's hand snagged hers and dragged Jane to her feet, not letting go as she made the way to the bedroom.

Jane wasn't a dirty cop, but she could be very, very dirty.