DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters.
...
Glad that the case was finally closed, Jane sat down on Maura's couch and took a sip of her beer. She couldn't stop thinking about it, though.
"Jane?" Maura was saying something before but noticed that Jane didn't hear a word of it, lost in thoughts.
"What?" Jane snapped back to reality.
Maura didn't answer, she instead joined Jane on the sofa.
"I just keep asking myself over and over how a woman could commit such a cold-blooded murder. It doesn't make any sense to me," she said when Maura gently touched her arm.
"Jane, you have to stop thinking about it. You have been working so hard and for so long without a break. I'm worried about you."
"Geez, you sound like my mother!" Jane said to add some levity to the conversation. However, she appreciated the human contact. Maura was right. She had been working on this case practically twenty-four seven for several days. Maybe she should take a few days off. Just get the much-needed sleep, spend some time with Maura doing something not work related for once.
"You don't have to worry about me, I'm fine. And if nobody gets killed today I have this weekend off. So, do you have anything planned for this weekend?" asked Jane.
"Nothing special, just a bit of yoga, maybe shopping. You know," Maura said. "Why? Do you have something planned?"
"Not really, I just thought it would be fun to just hang out. You, me, lots of food and a TV. Sounds good?"
"Sounds terrific. And that way since you will be already here you can also join me for yoga. Won't that be great?" Maura said excitedly.
Jane rolled her eyes and put up her best mock-excited voice. "Swell, I can't wait! It has been way too long since my back hurt, time to fix that."
Maura noticed the irony but wasn't mad. The exhaustion and all the horror of the past week finally caught up with her, too. In spur of the moment she grabbed Jane by the shoulders and pressed them together in a tight hug.
"Uhh, ok," Jane was caught of guard by the unexpected action.
"I'm so glad you're my friend, Jane." Maura said, not letting go.
This statement warmed Jane's heart. She finally relaxed and returned the embrace. She pressed her face to Maura's hair and whispered a shy "I love you, Maur."
"I love you too, Jane," was the reply.
Maura was happy at that moment. She adored these rare moments of intimacy they shared. Sometimes she thought she was being more intimate with Jane that with anyone she dated in the past couple of years. Not on physical level, but emotionally. They were each other's rock, shelter in a storm and a true friend. And their physical boundaries have improved drastically since they first met. Maura's adoptive parents didn't display emotion much and she grew up not used to being touched. And Jane always squirmed in discomfort when someone tried to hug her. Maura wasn't even sure how they managed to get from there to holding each other in warm embrace, but she was glad that they did.
…
When Jane woke up it took her a minute to get oriented. She fell asleep on the sofa watching TV which was still on. All the lights were on also, but it was dark outside. She looked at the clock and found out that it was past two a.m. She noticed she was sweating from heat and she had to pee. It was then that she registered that Maura was practically lying on top of her, one hand tangled in her long, dark hair and the other laid casually on her ribcage, head comfortably nestled on her shoulder.
"Maura," she whispered softly.
Nothing.
"Maura." This time she said it louder.
Not even a stir. Clearly, she must have been exhausted. Jane didn't want to wake up her friend but there was no way around it. She really needed to go to the bathroom after drinking several beers.
With the hand that Maura wasn't squishing underneath her body she grabbed her shoulder and shook her, saying loudly: "Maura, wake up."
Maura started with an incomprehensible sound leaving her mouth. She then looked up to Jane. The confused look on her face amused Jane greatly. The doctor was usually a very composed woman.
"You're squeezing my bladder."
That didn't help the confused blonde at all.
"What are you talking about?"
"You are lying on top of me. I need to use the bathroom, now."
Maura finally got the hint and sat up. Jane was finally free and almost ran to the toilet while Maura was trying to organise her thoughts. She started by turning of the TV, because its constant noise was very distracting. When everything was silent she dimmed the lights and took a sip of water. She needed to compose herself, because she just woke up from a very erotic dream in the arms of her friend and she just didn't know what to do. She was already starting to forget the dream, but her underwear was still moist. Her mind was spinning. What happened as she slept? Was she moaning? Oh, god! Was she humping Jane's leg? Is that why Jane woke her up? Because she was dry humping her in her sleep? Such things as erotic dreams are natural, and masturbation is important to physical and mental health and Maura would never be ashamed of either, however, this was entirely different case. Jane wasn't a complete prude, but she was shy, and she rarely shared any details of her sex life. And now she is probably hiding in the bathroom, too embarrassed by the whole situation to come out.
"Oh, Jane. What have I done?" whispered Maura to a silent living room.
…
After a very satisfying pee Jane went back to the living room.
"Maur, can I stay here tonight? I don't feel like walking home right now, I'm still way too sleepy."
Maura looked at her a bit quizzically, like she was almost surprised to see her. "You want to stay here with me?"
Jane was a bit confused by the question. "Well, yeah. I mean only if you don't mind."
"If I don't mind? I expected that you would mind."
"Why would I mind? I have slept here before. Just now, in fact. And it's almost half past two."
Maura looked at her for a while, thinking. Then, "You really don't mind, Jane?"
"No, of course not. I think you are still tired, you're not making much sense. Let's just go to bed, hm?"
This seemed to shock Maura a bit more. Her mind was overflowing with thoughts, but she decided to just shut it all and whatever happens, she will think about it in the morning. Her mouth was dry despite the water she drank earlier, and her heart was beating so strongly she could feel it. Her hands were shaking a bit. She took a deep breath, held it for a while and upon releasing it she tried to relax. She wasn't going to lose her courage now.
Without a word she headed for the bedroom and motioned for Jane to follow her.
Jane expected to be led to the guest bedroom but was surprised to find that Maura has led her to her own bedroom. Did Maura want to have a sleepover? They did it sometimes, mostly so they could stay up and talk until they just fell asleep from exhaustion. She didn't think now was a great time for chatting.
As Jane approached the bed she asked "What? Didn't you have enough for one night?"
Maura looked at her, shocked again. How far did they get without her knowledge? What were they doing in her sleep? This is insane.
Jane saw the shocked expression and thought that she somehow managed to insult Maura.
"Relax, I'm just joking. Didn't take you as a big cuddler, tho."
"Well usually I'm not, but you are an exception."
Jane smiled and started to undo her pants. Her clothes were all wrinkled, because she previously fell asleep in it, but she was at least going to take her trousers off and her bra, too. She figured she'll just sleep in her t-shirt and panties.
Maura came a bit closer to her. "Do you need some help with that?" she asked tentatively.
"No, Maura. I'm sleepy but I'm perfectly capable of undressing myself. Thanks for the offer."
"Ok, then." Maura thought this was probably as odd for Jane as it was for her. For all she knew neither of them had sex with a woman before. And then there was the fact that they were best friends. She didn't know what the protocol for lovemaking between best friends was. And she couldn't think about it, because she decided she will not think about anything until the morning. As reckless or irresponsible as it may seem, in that moment it just made sense in her head. If they were really doing it, if they will really breach that final boundary between them tonight, she will be brave. So, she just put aside all the hesitation and in one fluid motion she took her shirt off.
Jane was sitting on the bed pushing her legs under the cover, her pants and bra on the ground. She looked up and was surprised to see Maura in nothing but her underwear.
Out of the million things that seemed to run through her head at the same time, for some reason she said: "A lacy bra and a thong? Did you expect a different kind of company tonight?"
Maura answered in her classical manner. "No. I don't need an excuse to wear the clothes that I like."
She climbed into bed. Jane didn't understand why Maura would sleep in that instead of her usual PJ's but was too tired to care. She lied down comfortably next to her friend, closed her eyes and said: "Night, Maura." She started to relax and give herself to sleep when: "Jane?" Maura's voice was soft.
"Hmm?"
"Open your eyes."
She did so and found Maura looking at her, face very close to hers. She wasn't moving, she was just looking into her eyes. Then at her lips and then to her eyes again. Then Maura slowly as if to give her time started to close the distance. Jane realized she is about to be kissed. She stayed very still, too stunned to move or speak or even think, her heartbeat quickened.
They finally met, lips softly brushing lips. Maura was suddenly so happy. As if she completed a puzzle she didn't even realize she was solving. She loved kissing Jane and she felt like she could do it forever. It felt so good, so right. This was her Jane, her best friend, her rock and shelter. Nothing could be better than this. She was even feeling aroused all over again. But then she noticed that Jane still didn't move a muscle. With one last brush of her lips she ended the kiss to give Jane some space and give her time to react.