The pain was intense. Her hands felt as though she was holding balls of molten lava in each one, the severe burning sensation travelling from her palms, down the length of her arms like symmetrical trails of fire. Blood gushed from the areas where scalpel disappeared into flesh, trickling hot and sticky between her fingers.

The pain in her hands was far from her mind, however, as she knew that there was worse to come. He loomed over her prone body, sneering, his face a contorted mask of unadulterated glee. He was breathing heavily, his anticipation so great that he was having trouble tempering his excitement. His body pressed into hers, pinning the rest of her down and rendering her even more helpless.

"This is it, Janie," he breathed, and she could feel the putrid breaths upon her lips, he was so close. "It's the moment we've both been waiting for." He rasped, pressing a scalpel against her neck until a bead of blood appeared, staining the blade crimson. With a sickening grin he brought the tool to his lips, his tongue flicking out to claim a taste. She looked on in disgust as he sighed contentedly, as if her blood was the sweetest nectar.

"Ah, I've waited so long to have you, Janie," he continued, "So many months wondering what it would be like to hear you scream, to see terror in those pretty eyes of yours." As he spoke he lifted his body, his legs still straddling hers and keeping her pinned. "And now I have you, I'm going to savour it for as long as possible. I'm going to savour you, Janie." He began to cut through the fabric of her shirt, a continuous line from her neck to just beneath her breasts. With a sly grin, he touched the point of the scalpel to the top swell of a breast, pressing with just enough force to drive the tip into her skin painfully without drawing any blood.

"Scream for me, Janie."

"NO!" Jane woke with a violent start, her arms flailing as she tried to fight her way out of her nightmare.

"Jane! It's all right, you're safe now!" A soft pair of hands had grabbed Jane's arm and held it fast. She opened her eyes, her pupils darting in every direction as she panicked. Her heart refused to slow down, her body still wrongfully sensing she was in danger. When her wide-eyed gaze landed on Maura however, she instantly began to feel calmer. The energy brought on by her fear-induced adrenaline sapped away from her and she fell back on the bed. But her breathing was still fast enough that Maura realised she was hyperventilating.

"Jane, listen to me, you need to take deep, calming breaths, okay? Do it with me." She said, beginning to take deep breaths and feeling satisfied when Jane began to follow her lead.

After a few moments Jane humorously asked, "Are we pregnant?" Much to Maura's relief. A Jane who didn't make fun of her at the most serious moments was not a normal Jane.

Maura smiled. "You were hyperventilating."

"Thanks for that, Captain Obvious." Jane replied, but her small smile took any sting out of the words. "Where am I?" She asked, looking around.

"You're in a private suite at Boston General. You've been here under sedation for just under a week."

"A week?!" Jane exclaimed. "What's happened? Where's Hoyt? Is he dead?"

At this Maura looked away. "No. Detective Korsak wounded him but it was not fatal. He was treated and promptly incarcerated."

As the subject of Hoyt came up, it occurred to Jane that she couldn't move her hands. She looked down at them only to see that instead of hands, two blunt white clubs made of bandages greeted her. "Maura..." She swallowed. "Please tell me I still have hands."

Following Jane's unsure gaze, Maura smiled softly. "You still have hands, Jane, they were treated and sutured as soon as you were admitted. There is still a long healing process, of course, but your doctors have assured me that with time and some physical therapy, you will regain full use of both."

Jane sagged back against her pillows, which she suddenly realised were her own. Ma must have brought them, she surmised. "Thank God," she declared, still on the subject of her hands. "How would I eat a cheeseburger with no hands?"

Maura decided it was time to get serious. "You almost lost a lot more than your hands, Jane." She murmured.

Jane frowned. "I know, but at least we caught the bastard." She reasoned with a growl.

"Catching Hoyt would have meant nothing to us, Korsak, your family, me, if you had been killed in the process." For the first time ever Jane could hear real anger in Maura's tone. Her voice was a fierce whisper, the fact that she was not shouting making her words all the more powerful. "I do not know what insane logic you used to justify running off to face him alone, Jane, but I can say with certainty that there is no reason good enough. You could have died, Jane."

"I know, okay?" Jane cut in, "I know and I'm sorry, I just didn't think."

"No, you didn't think." Maura sighed, her anger all but evaporated. She had never been one to hold a grudge, but when Jane had been brought in, unconscious, her hands shredded and covered in blood, Maura had thought the worst. She'd used all of the power granted to her as the commonwealth's Chief Medical Examiner to find out exactly what was happening regarding her best friend's treatment. She'd insisted that she be kept in the loop and notified of all decisions related to the rehabilitation of Jane's hands. Now that she was out of the danger zone, Maura had saw fit to release thee anger she had been holding on to. An anger born of fear and worry.

"So, what happens now?" Jane asked, feeling thoroughly chastised.

"Well, the doctors are going to keep you here for one more day to ensure there are no dramatic side effects to the medications they will be giving you," Maura explained, "And tomorrow you will be discharged, providing you agree to stay with me whilst you recover."

"Righ-wait, what?" Jane squeaked.

"Your hands need to be looked after by someone with knowledge of such injuries. And somebody will have to assist you in the usual every day tasks that involve using your hands."

"I don't need a babysitter, Maur'." Jane groused.

"Yes you do," Maura replied, her tone brooking no argument,"And it either has to be me, or your mother."

"Oh I should have known you'd have a trump card like that." Jane grumbled. She was no fool, and as such she was going to choose the lesser of two evils. "Fine, but I'm not coming quietly!" She grumped, taking one last stab at rebellion.

"That is not surprising in the least." Maura laughed.

"Ma! Don't button it all the way to the top!" Jane complained as Angela helped her to dress.

"Why not?" Angela asked, "You look so smart when you wear shirts like a proper lady!"

"Well, I'm not a proper lady, am I?" Jane scowled, "And I don't like it buttoned to the neck, it feels like I'm choking!"

Angela scowled, reluctantly unbuttoning the top two buttons of the shirt. At the same moment, Maura stepped into the hospital room, an amused smile on her face that revealed she had heard the bickering from down the corridor. As impeccably dressed as ever, her heels tapped out a smooth rhythm as she entered.

"Are we ready to leave?" She asked, looking at each of the Rizzolis in turn.

"Yes! Ma was just finishing up, finally!" Jane quickly answered, earning herself an indignant swat over the head from Angela.

"Angela, will you be needing a ride?" Maura asked the Rizzoli mother, much to Jane's chagrin.

"No thank you Dr Isles, I brought my own. Its so nice of you to ask though, Janey, isn't she nice?"

"Yeah Ma, she's real nice. Lets go!" Jane huffed.

"Don't be so impatient!" Angela scolded, but she followed Jane and Maura down to the hospital car park without another word. She finally spoke up when they stopped beside Maura's Toyota Prius. "Is this what you drive? Its so new looking! And I heard they're good for the environment. Janey, why don't you drive one of these?"

"Because the damn thing is so quiet I can never tell when its started up!" Jane explained. "Where's your car, Ma?"

"Oh I parked it outside. The prices for parking here are phenomenal!" Angela complained.

"You better not have parked it on double yellows again because I can't keep waiving the tickets for you, Ma!"

"Er, I better hurry home, your father will be wanting his dinner made soon!" After some hurried goodbye hugs, Angela trotted off to find her car, which Jane was sure would have a ticket by now.

"Your mother is an exceptionally interesting character, Jane, you should be nicer to her." Maura admonished as she clicked her car key fob. The Prius unlocked with an electrical whirr and the Doctor opened the driver's side door, preparing to get in.

"That was me being nice." Jane chuckled. Without thinking, she lifted a hand to open her door and immediately realised it wasn't going to happen. "Er, Maur', little help?" She held her bandaged hands up and raised her eyebrows in question.

"Oh, of course, I didn't think." Maura stuttered. She hurried around to Jane's side and opened the door. "M'lady," She chuckled.

"Really?" Jane glared, but soon smirked along with Maura. She had a contagious smile.

"Ah," Jane sank into Maura's luxuriously comfy sofa and closed her eyes with a happy sigh. "Thank God I didn't have to stay in the hospital another day. That place makes me stir crazy."

"Are you hungry? I prepared a simple chicken soup before I left to pick you up." Maura offered as she removed her jacket to reveal a gold silk blouse underneath. She was inordinately glad that Jane was happy to be away from the hospital, to be in Maura's home.

"Sounds like heaven, is there anything I can do to help?"

"With those hands you'll be nothing more than a wrecking ball in my kitchen," Maura laughed, "Stay there, rest, it won't take too long."

Jane happily followed orders and after only a moments hesitation, began searching for the TV remote. Maura had every channel available, including sports. She'd catch up on what important sporting events she had missed in the last week whilst she waited.

Spotting the remote neatly placed on the coffee table, she reached forward to grab it, only to accidentally bash it with a club-hand. She scowled. Getting used to these bandages was going to take a while. Using both clubs, she sandwiched the remote between her hands and brought it to her knees where she managed to place it face up on one thigh. That was the easy bit over and done with. Carefully aiming her knee at the TV, she attempted to turn it on by bashing the remote in the general area of the on/off button. She whooped when the red light flashed green and moments later, the TV was on.

Buoyed by her success, she grinned as she bashed the remote again, this time aiming for the channel changing button. Unfortunately, the channel remained the same, but the sound disappeared. "Damn it." she muttered, giving the remote a glare of disapproval. She knew the number for the sports channel, but the buttons were so small, and her clubs were so big that she'd never manage it. Unless...

Maura hummed to herself as her soup bubbled away in a far too large pan. She'd made too much for just the two of them but, she decided, she could always freeze the rest. She heard the sounds of the TV in the other room and smiled, glad that Jane was settling in. Adding a few dashes of pepper to her concoction, she wiped her hands clean and went to rejoin Jane for five minutes whilst the soup continued to boil. It smelled delicious already and she hoped that it tasted just as good.

She had to stop in her tracks when she stepped into the living room and saw Jane - and Jane's tongue as it pushed the buttons on her TV remote. She folded her arms with a smirk and waited for Jane to notice her. After a few moments the channel changed and Jane cheered, her tongue still hanging out of her mouth. Maura laughed.

Jane heard the laugh and whipped her gaze to Maura. "Wha?" She asked, tongue still lolling in the open.

"You know, there are an abundance of germs hiding in the crevices of that remote, and now they are all having a party with the natural bacteria that can be found on your tongue." Maura stated. "And if you'd just called I would have changed the channel for you."

"You were busy, and I did it, didn't I?" Jane grinned, her attention now on the highlights of the most recent Red Sox game that were being shown.

"Yes, but if you keep using that method the remote will short circuit because of all the saliva you drool into it."

"It was either that or my toes, you pick." Jane returned, fairly certain of the outcome.

"Hmm," Looking around, Maura's eyes seemed to search for a solution from around the room. "Perhaps.." Opening a nearby drawer, she brought out a pencil who's ends were still blunt and unsharpened. "If we place this in your breast pocket, you can pick it up with your teeth and use it to push the buttons. It might be easier and more hygienic than using your tongue."

"Yeah, and maybe I could draw you a masterpiece to say thanks for your help!" Jane chuckled, accepting the pencil into her mouth and manoeuvring it into her pocket.

"There are actually an abundance of artists who paint beautiful pieces with only their mouths as a means to hold a brush. It has become an established subcategory of the art community."

"Ooh, maybe I'll be the next big thing!" Jane crooned sarcastically, but not unkindly.

Used to Jane's sarcastic nature, Maura merely smirked and left her to check on the soup. It was going to be an interesting couple of months indeed.

Ten minutes later, Maura reappeared with two bowls of soup on a tray and placed them on the coffee table. Jane was so engrossed in the baseball game on TV that she didn't even notice Maura's entrance until the Doctor sat beside her.

"Oh, hey Maur'. Can you believe this? The ref must have been paid off or something because he's missing everything! Man, that smells good." She had finally spotted – and smelled – the chicken soup on the table. "Do you have any beers?"

"I do, but you know you can't have them with your pain medication. I can get you juice instead." Maura supplied, quite prepared for the argument that was about to come.

"Aww, come on, Maura, just one little sip!" Jane begged, not too seriously.

"I have orange juice, I'll get you some of that." Maura replied in a tone that said that was that.

"Hmpf," Jane grumped. She looked at the soup in her bowl. It really did smell delicious, and she was ravenous after refusing a hospital breakfast this morning. She ignored the spoon set at its side – she'd never be able to pick it up, and went straight for the bowl, cupping it as best she could between her clubs. She could tell it was hot by the steam that rose from it in warm waves, and blew on it accordingly. Just as she was about to lift it to her lips, Maura came back.

"Jane! What are you doing? You're going to spill it all down yourself if you eat it like that!" The Doctor scolded, hurriedly placing the freshly poured orange juice down on the table. She reached out to take the bowl from Jane but was thwarted when the Detective yanked it out of her reach.

"Well how did you expect me to eat it?" Jane demanded, confused.

"I'm going to feed it to you." Maura stated as if it should have been obvious. Maybe it should, but Jane hadn't even considered it.

"Oh no, I can do this on my own." She insisted, lifting the bowl to her mouth. Maura watched with bated breath as Jane tipped the soup into her mouth, the bowl balancing precariously at its new angle. After a few sips, the bowl slipped against Jane's bandaged hands and a splash of soup exited the bowl and landed on her jacket.

"Aww damn it." Jane scowled, hurriedly placing the bowl back down. "Don't say a word." She grumbled to Maura, who was grinning with amusement.

"Will you let me feed you now?" She inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm not a child, Maur'." Jane groused, but there was genuine unhappiness beneath the usual scowl.

"Of course you're not, Jane, but there is no shame in accepting help from a friend. It is only for a while, at least." Maura soothed. She smiled softly and lifted Jane's bowl and spoon. "Open up." She teased, diffusing Jane's upset and bringing a smile to the Detective's face. Jane accepted the spoonful of soup into her mouth much to Maura's delight. She'd never dream of saying it out loud, but the image of Jane being spoon-fed was adorable.

"Mmm, that's some good soup, Maura, keep going." Jane gushed after swallowing the first mouthful. Her stomach was taking over now and getting food into her belly was her number one priority, regardless of how it got there.

When the bowl was empty, Maura exchanged it and the spoon for a clean white napkin. "You have a little bit, right here." She muttered. Without stopping to think, she wrapped her free hand around the side of Jane's neck and pulled her forward so that she could dab at her mouth. Her fingers teased the soft hair at the back of Jane's neck whilst her thumb lightly caressed the Detective's cheek. It was a somewhat intimate gesture and it wasn't until Maura caught Jane's gaze that she realised it as such.

She'd placed her hand in order to steady Jane's face as she wiped her mouth, but now her fingers burned where they touched skin. Jane's face was impossibly smooth against her thumb which she was alarmed to find was brushing back and forth like the caress of a lover. When she'd done it she hadn't even thought about what she was doing, but now it was all she could think about.

Jane, for her part, was feeling similarly confused. Maura's hand against her face felt nice, but the look in her eyes was strange, uncertain. She had no idea why the room had suddenly become so hot or why the feeling of Maura's fingertips at the back of her neck were making her hairs stand up on end.

"Uh, Maur'? You done?" She tentatively asked.

"What? Oh, yes! Sorry, I-...I got a little distracted." Maura was flustered which was extremely out of character for her. She pulled her hands away and cleared her throat. "I can finish mine now."

"Aww, it'll be cold by now, sorry." Jane apologised.

"It's perfectly fine." Maura chuckled, and began eating, the earlier awkwardness forgotten for the moment.

"These are the antibiotics, you're to take these twice a day, and these are your pain meds." Maura explained, popping the pills from their foil pouches as she spoke. Jane sat on the edge of Maura's guest bed, yawning widely and stretching her limbs in a show of exhaustion.

"And let me guess, they taste great!" She said with fake cheer.

"Come on, they won't be so bad." Maura consoled, bringing a glass of water from the bathroom and sitting beside Jane. "The painkillers will make you drowsy, so it would be best if you only take these before bed. Unless you start feeling intense discomfort throughout the day."

"Thank you, Dr Isles." Jane said, playfully rolling her eyes. Maura offered her the antibiotic first, and it was as disgusting as she expected. She gulped the fresh water gratefully when Maura held the glass to her lips. "Eugh, that was gross!"

"I can't promise the painkillers will be much better." Maura regrettably admitted. She offered them up and Jane took them, grimacing when they touched her tongue. Maura pressed the glass to her lips and tipped.

Jane swallowed too fast, however, and began to choke, spluttering water down herself. "Oh my God, Jane, I'm sorry!" Maura began frantically patting Jane's back, though not with enough force to do any good. After several moments of retching, Jane fell back onto the bed and took lungfuls of much needed air. Maura, worried as she was, knelt beside her and cupped her face in both hands. "Jane, can you breathe? Is there anything still trapped in your airways?" Her words were rushed with panic, her thumbs brushing the trails of water from Jane's chin.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Jane managed to gasp, "Just - just give me a minute." Jane was embarrassed more than anything. She felt like a baby and she hated that feeling of helplessness. Maura had released her face and was sitting back on her shins, concern written all over her face. "I think I just need to sleep now." Jane mumbled.

"All right, I'll help you change into your nightwear." Maura matter of factly replied whilst sliding off the bed.

"What? No!" Jane exclaimed, her cheeks turning red. There was no way on earth that was going to happen.

"You'll need help, Jane, and we can do it the easy way or the hard way." Maura stated with amusement in her tone.

"No! I mean – you don't understand, Maur'!"

"What's not to understand? Where are your pyjamas?" Maura was already unzipping Jane's suitcase.

"I don't...I don't have any." Jane finally muttered.

"What?"

"I said, I don't have any pyjamas...I sleep in my underwear back home, okay?" Jane explained, the redness on her face significantly darker at this point.

"Oh, well that isn't uncommon. In fact, a large percentage of single women sleep entirely nude every night. It is a source of comfort for most." She shrugged elegantly. "You'll need fresh underwear."

"Maura! Come on, no."

"I'm a doctor, Jane, I have seen naked women before."

"Horribly mangled, dead naked women!" Jane proclaimed, "And I'm your friend, isn't it against some doctor law for you to see my...to see me like that?!"

"Of course not, this isn't an examination, Jane, I just want to help. Ah, here we are." She pulled a pair of lacy red panties from Jane's suitcase and held them up for inspection. "Do you have a matching bra?"

"Maura!" Jane yelped.

"You can't not match, Jane, that would be heinous." Maura was thoroughly enjoying herself at this point.

"Jane threw herself back onto the bed with a frustrated groan. "Yes, there is a matching bra!" She surrendered.

Moments later, "Eureka!" and then Maura was tugging at her trousers without a smidgen of delicacy.

"Maura! Can you not?!"

"You're right, this would be easier if you could stand up."

"Maura!"

"Jane." The stern expression accompanying Maura's single enunciation of Jane's name was enough to make the Detective slide off the bed and stand. Albeit with a glare on her face.

"Okay, but you have to close your eyes or I'm really not doing this."

"Jane, I-"

"Maura, please?"

The pleading look in Jane's eyes was Maura's undoing. Her friend's dignity had suffered enough for one day, and she would do her utmost to prevent her from suffering any more. She nodded and gave Jane a small smile. "I'll close my eyes."

"Thank you."

"You'll have to direct me." Maura stated, placing the fresh underwear upon the guest bed. With as little ceremony as possible, she stood before Jane and slid her jacket from her shoulders. As she began to unbutton Jane's white shirt, she closed her eyes.

"Right, you've got em' all, now pull it out of my pants." It was said in all innocence, but the way Maura grasped the sides of her shirt and pushed it up against her ribcage, effectively yanking it out of her pants, was decidedly not so innocent, though Jane was sure it was meant to be. Goosebumps arose across her stomach and she was glad Maura couldn't see them. She'd definitely have something to say if she did.

"O-okay, I can handle this next bit on my own – but keep your eyes closed!" She shrugged the shirt from her shoulders, letting it drop to the floor and turning so she had her back to Maura. "Right, you've gotta undo my bra." She couldn't help the blush that came to her face. At least Maura couldn't see it so that was a small consolation.

"Right, of course." Maura couldn't see, so she lifted her hands until her fingers brushed Jane's lower back. Having found that, she felt her way up along the smooth planes of skin, secretly marvelling at how silky it felt against her fingertips. There were several bumps along the way, of course, and she wondered if they were the common melanocytic nevus, or mole, as it was better known. She wondered how they looked altogether on Jane's back, if she could join them like a dot-to-dot and create art.

She continued her exploration until her hands met fabric. She deftly unhooked the garment and let her hands fall back by her sides, awaiting further instruction.

Jane let loose the breath that she was holding. She could still feel the ghost of Maura's hands on her back, eliciting the involuntary response from her. What was that all about? It was nothing, surely. She'd been looking for Jane's bra, that's all. She let the bra slide down her arms and hit the floor. "Okay Maura, you can put my fresh one on now."

They managed to do this with little difficulty, Maura respecting Jane's privacy implicitly by keeping her eyes closed the whole time. There was no more inappropriate touching, and Jane couldn't decide whether that was a relief or a disappointment.

"Can I open my eyes for the moment?" Maura politely asked. Jane saw no harm in it now her breasts were covered.

"Yeah. Can you get me a long shirt out of my bag?"

"I thought you didn't like to wear pyjamas." Maura responded, her intelligent hazel eyes open now and meeting Jane's.

"Well, this is your house and I gotta be decent, don't I?" Jane retorted. Maura did as she was bid and retrieved the only long shirt she could find. It was clearly a man's shirt but it had an overwhelming scent that was all Jane. Forgetting herself, she almost pressed her nose to the fabric, drawn in by the unmistakable fragrance of Jane's natural smell. At the last moment she stopped herself and cleared her throat awkwardly.

"Is this one all right?" She inquired.

"Yeah, that's the one. Bring it over."

"It smells like you, Jane, you must sleep in this often."

"Only when it's cold. I wasn't lying to you about sleeping in my underwear mostly." Jane teased. She lifted her hands so that Maura could slip the shirt over her arms and head, shrugging it down when it was bunched around her shoulders. "Right," Jane said, exhaling deeply, "You need to get my pants off." She blushed. It wasn't exactly a sentence she ever thought she'd be saying to her best friend.

Maura knelt in front of Jane, ready for the task. She closed her eyes without having to be asked.

"Just do it fast, okay?" Jane instructed, there was no need to drag this out.

Maura nodded and set to work on the button and zip of Jane's jeans. Once they were undone, she yanked them down unceremoniously, bringing Jane's underwear with them. The backs of her fingers brushed Jane's legs as she pulled the garments down but she chose to ignore the way that felt. It wasn't easy because the closing of her eyes had left her more attuned to her other senses, and Jane's skin was just so smooth against her fingers.

When she'd pulled them all the way down, Jane stepped out of them and kicked them to the side. Maura had the fresh pair of panties on hand and held them open so that Jane could step into them. The Detective did so and Maura began to pull them up. It wasn't until she had them all the way up that things began to feel awkward again. As was her way to do things properly, she hooked her thumbs inside the edge of the panties and ran her hands around Jane's hips, ensuring that none of the edges were folded over. As her thumbs went around Jane's back, she realised she was effectively hugging the woman and they were pressed very close together.

Their eyes met and the awkwardness solidified into a tangible thing. They were both frozen for a few moments, each unsure of what the next move should be. It was Maura who backed off first.

"There, you may sleep now."

"Uh, right, thanks Maur'."

Maura turned away to leave the room, but Jane stopped her with a clubbed hand on her shoulder. "I mean it, Maura. Thanks for all of this. I can't promise I'm going to be the easiest of patients but you've gotta know I appreciate everything you've done and will do."

Maura smiled and put a gentle hand on Jane's arm. "You're welcome." She replied.

They continued on in this manner for the next couple of weeks. True to her words, Jane was a difficult patient, but Maura was a perfect caretaker and more importantly, she was skilled in the art of calming Jane down. Jane's bad moods, brought on by frustration, never lasted long with Maura's gentle coaxing. A routine was established and things became as normal as they could be.

One night, however, Maura was woken by the unmistakeable sound of Jane crying out in her sleep. Pulling on her silk robe, Maura hurried into the guest bedroom where Jane was thrashing, calling out for Korsak and, as her fits became more violent, her mother.

Flicking on the lamp, Maura rushed to the bedside. "Jane, wake up!" She put a restraining hand on Jane's chest, pressing her down gently. An arm swung out at her, making her duck to avoid being backhanded. "Jane!" She cried, effectively jolting the Detective awake.

"Huh?" Jane woke with a start, her voice groggy with sleep. She spotted Maura and after a moment she noted that the Doctor was holding her down with a hand on her chest. "Wha? What happened? Why are you...?"

"You were dreaming, Jane. Dreaming something terrible..." Maura quietly explained. It was only now that she noticed there were tear tracks down the sides of Jane's face. Whatever she had been dreaming about must have been traumatic to have had that effect.

Jane sat up, a frown on her face. "Right..." She mumbled.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Maura offered. Jane sighed, lifting a hand to push her wild hair out of her face. Maura grabbed her wrist before she could. "You've been bleeding." She stated, and Jane saw that the bandages were indeed soaked with blood above where her palm should be.

"Must have done something in my sleep, clenched my fists or something." Memories of the dream came back to her in quick flashes. Bloodied scalpels piercing her flesh. Hot breath on her cheek and wandering hands on her body, making her feel dirty and disgusted. Terrible things whispered in her ear from a terrible mouth. Coming back to herself, she closed her eyes. "Sorry."

Maura couldn't stand the cloud of misery that had overcome her friend. She smiled softly. "It's all right, Jane. I'll replace your bandages and then, if you'd like, we can talk." Without giving the Detective a chance to answer, she retrieved her supply of fresh bandages and, after getting comfortable on Jane's bed, set to work on her patient. She stripped the old bandages away, revealing the torn flesh underneath. She'd seen the wounds many times in the last few weeks, and even though they looked much better now than they had back then, it was still a shock to see such damage. Hoyt had not been merciful when he'd sliced through Jane's palms. The wounds had been messy, the skin torn and the flesh underneath savaged. He had ensured that Jane would have unsightly scars for the rest of her life, forever reminding her of the horrific experience.

The surgeons had done what they could, and luckily for Jane she was looking at a full recovery. Physically, at least. Maura knew there were emotional scars that would take much longer to heal. Gently she washed the wounds she could see and applied new bandages. "Was it about Hoyt?" She finally asked.

"Yeah." Jane replied a little dejectedly. A few moments of silence followed before she spoke again. "Why did he pick me, Maur'? Why did he single me out?" She was studying the bed covers intently as if she might find the answers written between the threads that held it together. "I don't even fit his profile. I'm single, unattached. Taller than his usual victims, too. Did I bring this on myself? Did going after him make me a target? Did I deserve it because I couldn't catch him fast enough?" Her voice was beginning to break and tears were forming at the corners of her eyes.

"Jane." Maura said firmly. She grasped Jane's face in her hands, forcing the Detective to look at her. Locking gazes with the dark eyes that held so much pain, she said, "Hoyt went after you because you are strong, Jane. You are the strongest person I know, in fact. He chose you because he wanted to take the immense power that you possess by bringing you down. But look, Jane, you're still here, you're still alive and you are still strong. And Hoyt, he is nothing. Don't ever forget that." She held Jane's gaze a moment longer, and then she was holding the taller woman against her chest whilst she cried out all the emotion she'd tried hard to keep bottled up inside. Maura pressed her lips to the damp curls on Jane's forehead and waited for the storm to end.

Jane woke to muted daylight, the thin curtains of the guest room letting in some but not all of the morning sun. The previous night came back to her in dribs and drabs, her memories boosted by the dull ache in her hands. The last thing she remembered was falling asleep in Maura's arms, completely exhausted by the overflow of her emotions. Poor Maura. I never should have stayed here, she shouldn't have had to deal with that. She rose, lifting her still-weary head from the pillow with a sigh. It was then that she realised she wasn't alone.

Maura lay beside her, close but not touching, her breath an even cadence of sleep. Her honey-blonde hair was in disarray, the first time Jane had seen it as anything but perfect. She slept on her side in a foetal position, her limbs comfortably loose. She looked sweet and peaceful. Jane wondered if her dreams were as chock full of information as her waking mind was. She didn't want to wake her but, glancing at the clock, she could see it was almost noon. Unlike Jane, Maura hated to miss the morning. There wasn't much of it left but there was still time for breakfast, and Jane was hungry.

"Maur'." She prodded the sleeping Doctor's shoulder none too gently. "Time to get up!"

Maura woke slowly, her eyes opening and glancing around before her body began to move. She groaned quietly as she stretched her limbs out. "My God, what time is it?"

"'Bout eleven thirty," Jane answered, playfully patting Maura's hair down with her clubs.

"Oh, wow, its very late." Maura said. She looked around before noting, "I must have fallen asleep here last night. I'm sorry."

"Hey, its all right, I didn't even know you were there. I was dead to the world after...well, I was sleeping heavily anyway." Jane amended, not wanting to rehash last night's events. It had happened and now it was done. "Thanks for that, anyway." Then before Maura could strike up a conversation about it she said, "How about breakfast?"

Smiling, Maura nodded, "I have tofu pancake mix, I could whip up some of them for you?"

Jane made a face. "Tofu? Really? That stuff still exists? I thought it was made illegal for falsely impersonating real food."

Maura laughed. "They're very nice, give them a try!"

"Fine, but only for you." Jane grumbled. "Lets go then, I'm starving!"

In the kitchen, Jane watched Maura cook breakfast from her place at the centre counter. The Doctor fussed over the meal like Jane's own mother always did, tasting and adding ingredients here and there. Jane had sampled a lot of Maura's cooking over the last weeks and it was safe to say she was an amazing chef. Jane usually couldn't get enough of whatever Maura was spooning into her mouth, and luckily Maura always made a healthy amount so that she could have more. She secretly planned to return the favour when she was back on her feet. Or hands. Whatever.

Maura turned with a sizzling pan in hand, the pancakes within letting off a delicious aroma that made Jane's stomach rumble. Maura was still in her pyjamas, a blue silk ensemble that shimmered in the morning light. Her hair was still mussed despite Jane's comical attempts to smooth it out earlier. Her hazel eyes, though still tired-looking, were filled with warmth as they always were. She dished the pancakes out onto a single plate and quickly washed up. She was like that, Maura, she didn't like mess. It was a wonder she was Jane's friend at all because Jane was extremely messy.

Maura sat beside Jane and proceeded to cut the pancakes up before offering a filled fork to Jane. Jane took the bite, returning the smile that Maura gave her. This routine had become so normal that Jane now felt comfortable with Maura feeding her. She wouldn't like it to be a permanent thing, of course, but for now she was content. She watched as Maura ate a bite herself and was struck by just how comfortable life had become, how completely natural it felt to be sitting with Maura in her kitchen and eating breakfast together. Warmth gathered in her chest, making her heart pick up pace a little. It was a strange feeling that made her feel giddy and shift in her seat.

"Hmm, this needs syrup." Maura commented, and stood to get said syrup.

Jane coughed her awkward moment away. "You read my mind...it's not tofu syrup is it?"

"Of course not," Maura smirked, and Jane felt that feeling arise once again, "It's honey."

"Honey! Great, yes, I like honey." Jane said quickly. Maura was looking at her with a bemused expression, her head tilted like a puppy's. "What?" Jane cautiously asked.

"You're being strange." Maura stated.

"No I'm not, I just want syrup!"

"Hmm." Maura squeezed a generous amount of syrup on Jane's half of the pancakes.

"More." Jane requested.

"You will make yourself sick." Maura admonished.

"More!" Maura sighed and did as she was bid before resuming the routine of feeding Jane. The pancakes were eaten much faster and much more heartily than before, and Jane had decided tofu pancakes weren't all that bad.

"What are you watching?" Maura queried a couple of weeks later,

"Horror." Jane replied, dipping her head to snatch a piece of popcorn from the large bowl in her arms without looking away from the TV. Maura sat beside her and looked at the violent and gory scenes being depicted.

"I'm surprised you would enjoy this kind of thing, considering what we do every day at work."

Jane shrugged. "Guess I'm always making sure that I can handle this stuff, even when I'm not on the job."

Maura daintily took a piece of popcorn and popped it into her mouth. She chewed thoughtfully before asking, "Does it work?"

"Not really...the real people we see have lives, loved ones, pets, hopes and dreams that they have had stolen away from them. The people in these films will get back up when the director yells cut and go on their merry way. Its not the same."

"Yet you still watch them?"

"Mostly for humour," Jane said, chuckling now, "I mean look! She's following the creepy noise out into the dark and windy night! There's no power, nobody around for miles and she thinks the safest thing she can do is go wandering around chasing the murderer!"

Maura laughed, "That does seem to be a common theme with this genre." They continued to watch in companionable silence until Maura said, "You'll be free of the bandages tomorrow."

"I know."

"I expect you are looking forward to that."

"Yeah, I guess I am." But the truth was, Jane wasn't looking forward to it all that much. Being free to use her hands again would mean returning to her own home. Her own empty home where she would eat dinner and breakfast alone most mornings and wake to an empty house every day. The thought was depressing. She genuinely liked living with Maura. They meshed together so well that being separated now would be like losing a limb. It was a saddening thought.

Maura, for her part, was having similar thoughts. She knew without a doubt that she would miss Jane's constant company. Never had she had a friend who made her feel so cherished. Having Jane in her home made her feel happy, to a point that she knew tomorrow would be extremely difficult. With that thought in mind, she leaned against Jane's shoulder with a sigh, a feeling of abject sorrow overwhelming her.

Jane finally turned away from the TV then and looked at her friend. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"I'm going to miss you being here, Jane, very much." Maura admitted.

Jane smiled, a little sadly. "I'll still be around, Maur', you can't get rid of me so easy."

"I know, I know..." Maura seemed to shuffle closer, prompting Jane to raise her arm and put it around Maura's shoulders. It was a sweet embrace, made all the more sweet when Maura shifted her head into the crook of Jane's neck. Whilst they had never gotten so close before, neither of them felt as if they were crossing any boundaries. It felt comfortable, and right.

After a moment Maura held one of Jane's bandaged hands with her own, lightly smoothing her thumbs over the thin fabric. Jane watched in fascination as Maura simply touched her hand, the growing feelings within her chest rising up again. She swallowed haltingly.

"Hey, Maur'...is there any chance, maybe, that you could take those off now? Tonight?" She tentatively asked.

Maura sat up a little. "They really should..." She trailed off when she saw Jane's expression. It was a curious one that she couldn't really decipher. Jane's eyes were dark, almost black in the half light cast by the shaded lamps around the room. The message within them said that this was important. Sitting up properly, she began the delicate task of unwrapping each bandage, being as gentle as she could be despite the fact that Jane's hands were almost fully healed now. She placed the bandages neatly on the side of the chair and looked over Jane's hands with the keen eye of an experienced doctor.

"They look fantastic, Jane, the scars are healthy and should whiten as time goes-" Maura cut off when Jane pulled her hands out of the Doctor's grasp. A second later they were cupping Maura's face, a thumb gently caressing Maura's bottom lip.

"Maur'," Jane breathed.

"Hmm?" Maura hummed, speechless for once in her life.

"Shh." And Jane kissed her.