DISCLAIMER:I do not own Rizzoli & Isles nor any of the characters from the show. I am writing this purely for entertainment, not profit. Rizzoli and Isles are property of Tess Gerritsen and TNT.

Please find the full disclaimers in the beginning of Chapter 1.


Chapter 33

Jane was at the kitchen counter, still a little bit disoriented, considering what she could do for dinner.

"Jane?" she heard Maura's voice right behind her, and turned slowly not to hit Maura.

Maura leaned forward into Jane, and Jane hugged her. It was the first proper hug they had shared since all this started, no awkward positioning.

Jane kissed the crown of Maura's head.

"You have no idea how good it is to know you are alive and well." Jane rasped, finally letting herself relax.

"It feels really good to be alive and well." Maura replied, her voice muffled in Jane's chest.

When Jane finally let go of the hug, Maura offered: "Why don't we order delivery? And tomorrow we know your mother organized a celebration luncheon. So we don't need to bother cooking…"

"I like that idea. Like old times."

"Exactly like old times."

They ordered Chinese, and except for Maura avoiding alcohol because of the medication, they spent an evening as they spent countless evenings before. Chatting, bantering, laughing, planning, and sharing.

With their stomachs full, Maura took her antibiotics, while Jane proceeded to clean up and put everything on the dish washer.

"Does everything look in proper order downstairs, Dr. Isles?"

"It does, Jane, thank you."

"Should we go ahead and see what we need to adjust for your night? Are you able to negotiate the stairs with your knee? Or should we aim for the guestroom?"

"I can manage the stairs as long as I don't do it more than once a day."

"Okay." Jane offered. "You go ahead, I am right behind you."

Maura slowly moved one stair at a time, negotiating her still sore knee. But she managed to do the entire set of stairs.

"Are you good?"

"Yes. It was easier than I anticipated, actually."

"That's good. How much elevation do you need to sleep today?"

Maura thought for a moment. "Two pillows should be more than enough."

That was real progress, compared to the fact Maura had been using three to four in the hospital.

While Jane set up everything, Maura proceeded with her nightly routine, and came a while later from the bathroom already wearing her silk pj's.

She sat in bed, and moved to lay down, groaning in pleasure.

"There is no place like home…"

Jane laughed out loud. "Dorothy, from the Wizard of Oz? Really, Dorothea?"

Maura flung a pillow at Jane, missing her, and provoking more laughter.

"Are you comfortable?" Jane inquired, picking up the pillow that Maura had thrown at her.

"Yes."

"Is there any other medicine you need? Anything we can do for your ribs?"

"I just forgot to bring up a glass of water."

"I will bring it back for you." Jane smiled at her.

Jane went downstairs, brushed her teeth, and changed into her PJs, before picking a coaster and a glass of water to take upstairs to Maura, as well as the bag with her medicines, just in case for her to have them handy.

"Here you go." Jane arranged everything by Maura's bedside table, at her reach, before turning off the lights. "Good night, Maura, sleep well."

"Jane?"

"Yes?" Jane turned around, just to see Maura had raised the covers for 'Jane's side of the bed'.

"What if I have another nightmare and wake you up? You need your sleep…" Jane asked sheepishly.

"As if I have not been having nightmares and waking you up every night multiple times a night? Having you here to ground me has been really helpful, Jane." Maura admitted quietly.

"We are quite a pair." Jane smiled, moving to slip under the covers.

"Two peas in a pod." Maura replied with a chuckle.

"Good night, Maura." Jane offered, as she got comfortable.

"Good night, Jane."

Jane fell asleep quickly, her meltdown a few hours before having sapped her of more energy than she cared to admit.

She was not sure if Maura had whimpered or thrashed before, but Jane woke up to Maura's cry, the covers pulled from Jane in a woosh as Maura sat in bed urgently, and then whimpering at the pain in her ribs due to the sudden movement and her panting breathing.

Jane sat in bed quietly, her hand moving to stabilize Maura's right side where her ribs were giving her trouble.

"Maura?" Jane tried.

A strangled sob and a sniffle were Maura's reply.

Jane moved forward, leaning her body against Maura's back, one of her arms crossing in front of Maura's torso, pulling Maura back against her.

That seemed to break the dam of Maura's control. She cried, and Jane could feel the effort Maura was making to catch her breath as her body shook lightly with her crying.

Jane put her chin on Maura's shoulder, whispering sweet nothings in Maura's ear. That she was safe. That she was home. That it had been only a nightmare. And that everything was going to be okay.

Jane only stopped whispering her sweet nothings when the sobs and the sniffles stopped.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Jane offered, when she felt Maura relax against her.

Maura just shook her head no in the dark.

Without removing her hand from Maura's right side, Jane leaned back to lie down, bringing Maura with her. Maura immediately found a comfortable position with her head on Jane's shoulder. When Jane felt Maura relaxed, she removed her hand from the top of Maura's bruised ribs.

"Will it always be like this?" Maura whispered.

Jane kissed Maura's forehead.

"The nightmares will reduce until they are so far apart you will think they disappeared…" Jane offered gently.

Maura nodded against Jane's skin, without admitting to Jane that her question was of a different nature. In her nightmare, Jane was not there with her. Maura's question was more wondering if this, them together, could always be like this. Not that Maura would ever admit it in a fully awaken state, not to Jane, and not even to herself.

Jane gently ran her fingers through Maura's hair until she felt Maura's compassed breathing against her skin. Only then Jane allowed herself to fall back asleep.

And that night neither Maura nor Jane had any more nightmares.