A/N: I am sorry for the delay, I had a bit of a problem getting this one finished. Towards the end it just didn't want to write itself. Again, this is not betaed by anyone.
THANK YOU to all my wonderful reviewers. You guys really made my week. Thank you! Please, if you liked this chapter, or the story in general drop me a line. It really does brighten my day.
Disclaimer: Don't own anything. R&I belong to some peeps at TNT and the song belongs to Keith Urban. The pictures that inspired what Maura wears, heck this whole story is owned by Beadhead. Google Sasha Bedhead if you haven't seen the picture.
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It took almost an hour for Jane to get through the red tape at work. While in the waiting room at the hospital she called one of Maura's assistants to go clean up the morgue, she also called personal and left messages to get the incident report started and to get the ball rolling on the workman's comp claim for Maura. She needed to do something to keep her mind busy; she couldn't stand the thought of sitting around waiting, wondering if Maura would ever work again. She was just putting her phone back in its case when the doors whooshed open and the surgeon, whose name Jane just remembered was Dr. Morton approached. She stood whipping her sweaty hands down her slacks.
"How-"
"She's fine, resting comfortably." He answered before she could ask. "The damage was not as extensive as I imagined. She just nicked the artery, but she still sliced into it, that was why there was so much blood. It was smart of her to leave the scalpel where it was. She will most likely have some issues with the hand for a while and physical therapy will be needed. Until she gets her hand moving we won't know the extent of the damage."
"She won't loose her hand?"
"No, defiantly not."
Jane felt her shoulders slump, "Thank God. Thank you."
The doctor smiled, "We actually just knocked her out with a local, and numbed the hand itself. It should be numb for at least six hours. If she has someone to stay with for the next few days I don't have a problem releasing her tonight."
Jane's eyebrows rose, she thought for sure Maura would be kept overnight, at least. "Really?"
He nodded, "She is a doctor, she will know to keep her hand clean and elevated. I'll want to see her next week to check the stitches."
"Yeah, umm yeah I'll stay with her tonight. She'll be more comfortable at home."
The doctor smiled again and pointed to the nurses' station, "I'll have the paper work waiting there in a about an hour, a nurse will show you to her room."
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When Maura awoke the next morning there was a throbbing in her right arm and there was a dull ache behind her eyes. She rolled her head to the left and saw Jane curled up awkwardly in the small chair at the end of her bed. She frowned, this wasn't her house. She took in the dark color on the walls, Jane's apartment her brain told her. She rubbed her eyes trying to remember just what happened. She tried to flex her aching hand through the gauze cast and gasped in pain. Suddenly it flooded back, being exhausted, trying to do a Y incision with her left hand, imagining Jane in first her tight blue dress, and then in the lbd Angela insisted Jane buy. She remembered being taken to the hospital, but after that things got blurry. She sat up gingerly and fought the wave of nausea that rolled through her. She looked down at herself. Her purple dress and lab coat were gone and in its place was one of Jane's white starched dress shirts, she frowned, only two buttons were fastened and she could see her matching peach lingerie underneath. She looked back at Jane again; she smiled at the rumpled looking detective. She probably didn't get much sleep last night, especially in that position. She looked closer at Jane, there was a purplish red bruise forming on her neck, she frowned, it looked like a hicky. She felt her face flush, was Jane in the middle of a date when she called? She tried to remember, no Jane was upstairs in the squad room. Suddenly a flash of memory hit her.
"Jane, come on." Maura giggled pulling Jane flush up against her. Jane squirmed against her, trying to push her away but she was attempting to avoid touching Maura's arm.
"Maura, you're…high. Can we not do this now?" Jane tried again to push Maura away.
"No! Come on Jane! Don't you like me in this shirt?"
"I…I like it Maura it's very becoming of you. It's late let's just go to bed."
"Ohh Jane! You have no idea how long I've waited to hear you say that." Maura nuzzled her face into Jane's neck.
And that's where the memory just stopped. No matter what Maura did she couldn't remember anything past that. She felt her face flush; did she really come on to Jane like that? Or was it some medicine induced dream. She looked back at the bruise on Jane's neck, if it was a dream, how did that get there? She sat up and swung her legs over the bed. She groaned as she moved, her head ached and her hand thumped like a drum.
Jane suddenly sat up, "Maura?"
"I'm here." She whispered.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" Jane stood up and stretched her back cracking as she did.
Maura opened her mouth to tell Jane that cracking her bones like that leads to arthritis but found that she had no energy. She sighed, the memory or what she thought was a memory was tickling the back of her mind. "Could you please help me to the bathroom? I don't trust my legs."
Jane nodded and put her arm around Maura's shoulders, "Are you okay?"
"Yes, I will be. I just have a head ache and my hand is throbbing."
"I have your pain pills, but you have to take them with food. How about I start breakfast?"
Maura nodded, she got a grip on the counter and pulled away from Jane. "I can manage from here."
"Are you sure? I can-"
"I'll be okay Jane." Maura smiled weakly. "I'll be out in a minute."
Jane paused a moment before leaving the room as she closed the door behind her she ran her hands through her hair. She wondered how much of last night Maura really remembered. They were headed for Maura's house when everything went a little crazy, apparently morphine combined with all the other drugs running through her system made Maura loosen up, a lot. Jane began pulling out cereal bowls she flashed back to last night.
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The doctor had said that Maura might act a little loopy; the anesthesia they had given her was a different mix. He said it made patients feel pretty good. That combined with the morphine might make her act a little…off. Maura was quiet getting into the car, she leaned her head against the window, sagging against her safety belt. Jane felt confident it would be all she could do to get Maura into bed before she fell asleep. As Jane was getting ready to turn on the freeway that would take them out of the city and towards the doctors house Maura suddenly grabbed Jane's arm. "Take me to your place." Her speech was slightly slurred, the sudden motion in the dead quiet car scared Jane and she jumped, causing the car to swerve.
"Jesus Maura!"
"Sorry." She smiled sheepishly, "Take me to your place; I don't want to go home."
"But Maur, don't you think you will be more comfortable in your own bed?"
"Nope, take me to your bed." She sighed, her fingers slowly trailing up Jane's wrist. "I like it when we stay at your place. You let me sleep in your bed. At my place you sleep in the spare room."
Jane frowned and looked over at Maura. Her eyes were slightly glassy and she had a slight smile on her face. "Ummm, okay?" Jane wouldn't admit it out loud but she liked it when Maura stayed at her place too. Having her best friend in bed with her made the nights easier. It was four years after Hoyt first attacked her but the nightmares were still there. Having Maura close seemed to chase away the horrors she saw at night. As she turned left and headed back in to the city she felt Maura tug her right hand off the steering wheel and intertwine their fingers. She smiled and gave her friends hand a squeeze.
Maura managed the steps to Jane's apartment better than she expected. Once inside she plopped down on the couch while Jane began to arrange the pill bottles from the hospital on her counter. She shrugged out of her blazer and put her gun away before turning to Maura. "Are you ready for bed?"
Maura shrugged, she stood and pulled off her scrub bottoms. "I hate scrubs, I always had to wear them in medical school, and I hated them then too. They are so unflattering to anyone's body type." She began to take the top off also, but sadly she got stuck.
"Jane? Are you out there Jane?" Maura began giggling. "Jane! I'm trapped!"
Jane, who was standing, staring flabbergasted in the kitchen since Maura dropped her pants moved forward. She wasn't sure if she should try to put the shirt back on or pull it the rest of the way off. Maura had it stuck, pulled over her head, he right arm was extended up while her left flailed around trying to get a grip of the material. Jane tried not to laugh or stare at the creamy skin that was revealed. When Maura almost hit her in the face Jane grabbed her left hand, "Maura, stop." She grabbed the blue material and pulled up, carefully pulling it down over the large bandage on her right hand.
Maura smiled at Jane, "Thanks! You saved me." She tossed over her shoulder winking at Jane. She slandered towards Jane's bed room adding an extra sway to her hips.
Jane watched her go, her hair a mess and nothing on but two little scraps of peach under things hiding her assets. Jane bit her lip, God she was gorgeous. She looked down at the scrubs that lay at her feet. 'Not now!' she told herself. 'Maura is drugged and has no idea what she is doing.' Shaking her head she double checked the lock and the door and turned the lights out and followed Maura's very shapely behind into the bedroom. She was not prepared for the sight that greeted her.
"Maura, what…"
"You need to go shopping Jane." Maura stated. She was rummaging through Jane's closet haphazardly throwing things that didn't meet her approval on the floor. "Do you think it's hot in here? I'm sweating." She stated throwing a blue shirt that Jane considered one of her best work shirts on the floor.
"Its…its fine." She pulled her eyes away from Maura's butt to look at the mess that was on her floor. "Maura I know you aren't feeling any pain right now, but what on earth are you doing?"
"Looking for something to wear."
"Aren't you tired?"
"Humm?" She paused to look over her shoulder at Jane. "No, why?"
"Well, you've just had surgery; you have been up since probably five yesterday morning and haven't eaten in almost twelve hours. How about we go to bed and look for something to wear tomorrow?"
Maura shrugged, "Adrenalin, once it wears off I'm sure I will crash but right now I'm wide awake." She pulled a white dress shirt from the hanger and slipped it on. She smiled, flipping up the collar and pulling the sleeves up to her elbows. She did two buttons in the middle of the shirt and turned towards Jane. "What do you think?"
Jane froze, her mouth went dry. She knew for quite a long time that she was attracted to Maura but had never made a move towards her friend. She had a feeling that Maura might feel something for her but she had wanted to let Maura come to her. After tonight though, she wondered if she would be able to wait. The shirt was too big on Maura but it showed off all of her feminine wiles very nicely. Her hair was a mess and her makeup had been long since removed by the nurses but she looked the most beautiful Jane had ever seen her.
"Jane?"
"Um… you-you look really good in my shirt." She mumbled rubbing the back of her neck. She gave into her desire and let her eyes trail up Maura's legs, up to the spec of peach underwear peaking out under the shirt to the glimpse of bra looking out from the unbuttoned shirt. When she got to Maura's face though she frowned, Maura had a look she never recalled seeing before; a sly grin fitted her lips as she looked Jane up and down. Jane swallowed hard, she felt like she was about to be eaten.
Maura slowly began walking towards Jane, stepping over the pile of clothes she created and Jane took a cautionary step backwards. Maura began to hum something, Jane frowned, it sounded familiar…what was she- Suddenly Maura launched herself at the brunette. Jane reacted quickly enough to catch her before she face planted on the hard wood floor. Jane grabbed Maura's shoulders and pulled her back, "What the hell Maura?"
Maura giggled, before singing, very loudly and terribly off key. "Maybe it's a little too early to know if this is going to work! But all I know is that you're sure looking, GOOD IN MY SHIRT!" Maura shimmied her shoulders and began to dance around in Jane's arms giving her a great view of her ample cleavage.
Jane's eyes widened, "No-no, Maura, shhh you'll wake up the whole building." She clamped her hand over her mouth. "Shhhh."
Maura had reduced herself to a ball of giggling mess in Jane's arms. The taller woman was forced to almost pick Maura up to keep her from going down. She pulled her hand away from her mouth, "Maura, shh." She tried to keep from laughing herself she had never seen her friend so goofy.
Maura nodded into Jane's chest, "Okay, I'll be quiet."
Jane felt Maura's hot breath on her chest; Maura's good hand began to trail up and down her back. She closed her eyes at the feeling. "Maura…"
The blonde pulled back, "You're beautiful Jane, did you know that?"
"Maura, please." Jane worried her bottom lip, Maura's face was flushed, her eyes were shinning, and she looked so good…
"Jane, come on." Maura giggled pulling Jane flush up against her. Jane squirmed against her, trying to push her away but she was attempting to avoid touching Maura's arm.
"Maura, you're…high. Can we not do this now?" Jane tried again to push Maura away.
"No! Come on Jane! Don't you like me in this shirt?"
"I…I like it Maura it's very becoming of you. It's late let's just go to bed."
"Ohh Jane! You have no idea how long I've waited to hear you say that." Maura nuzzled her face into Jane's neck.
Jane groaned, it was so hard to try and tell Maura 'no' when her body was screaming 'yes'. All of a sudden she felt Maura's tongue on her neck followed by her teeth. She swooned almost taking them both down "Maura! That's it!" She gave Maura a light shove and she bounced back onto the bed.
Maura laughed, "Jane, I didn't know you liked it rough."
Jane groaned, "Maura, obviously some things have, umm shall we say developed. And as much as I'd like to explore them with you, right now you are not yourself and I won't take advantage of you." She bent over and began to pick up the clothes that were scattered everywhere. "I think it would be best if we both just went to sleep." Jane looked up at the blonde who was looking at her through half shut eyes.
"Okay. I'm really, really sleepy." Maura murmured. "Jane?
"Yeah Maur?"
"I love you." Her eyes slid shut.
Jane smiled; she let the clothes drop from her hands. She crossed to the bed and sat down. Her fingers reached out and brushed the gold hair from Maura's face and gently kissed her forehead. "I love you too. I just hope you feel the same way when you wake up in the morning." She covered Maura with the sheet and went back to cleaning up the bedroom. After everything was put away she collapsed into the chair at the foot of the bed to think over everything that happened that night. She wasn't sure how much Maura would remember, or if Jane wanted her to remember any of it. She was planning on getting up and getting ready for bed but the next thing she knew she was being awakened by Maura.
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Jane had just finished pouring the coffee when Maura walked into the kitchen. She kept her eyes down and eased herself on to one of the bar stools at the counter. Jane smiled at her, the shirt was rumpled, most of the buttons were now closed and her hair was a mess. She looked down at the bandaged hand which Maura left laying on the counter top; Jane reached forward and pushed Maura's hair out of her face a smiled. "How are you feeling honey?"
Maura kept her eyes down, in truth she felt horrible. Her stomach was in an uproar, her hand throbbed and her head ached. The worst of everything was that she felt so stupid for hurting herself in the first place. She sighed and looked up at Jane; her eyes again fell to the purple mark on Jane's neck. She felt her eyes prickle, "Ho-horrible." She moaned. The tears began making their way down her face. She used her left hand to shield her eyes from Jane. "I'm sorry."
"Hey, hey, don't cry." Jane reached around Maura's shoulders and pulled her close, "its okay honey, we'll get some pain meds in you and some food and you'll feel a lot better okay?"
Maura leaned into Jane's side, it felt so good to have her hold her, run her fingers through her hair. She didn't want to pretend anymore, but what if Jane rejected her? She looked down at her hand, she needed to know. This, whatever it was, was getting in the way of work. She had never been one to confess feelings before. She took a deep breath, "Jane?"
"Yeah sweetie?"
"Last night…" She pulled back and let her hand trail up to trace the mark on Jane's neck. "Did I do this?"
Jane felt her heart beat increase, she swallowed hard. "Yeah, but it's okay Maura, really."
"Last night is just a blur, I really don't remember much." She paused, "Did you like it?"
Jane felt her face grow hot, "Yeah, yes I did."
"You really did?" Maura looked up in to Jane's eyes searching to see if she was telling the truth. She saw the love shining through the tired looking chocolate color orbs she had fallen in love with. "You really did." She repeated, this time stating what she saw. "Jane?"
Jane felt like she was in a dream, she was tempted to pinch herself. Here she was standing in her kitchen, Maura was admitting she had feelings for her, sexual feelings. Yesterday's confusion and pain seemed very far away. "Humm?" She murmured her hand was gently sliding over Maura's tangled locks.
"Will you kiss me?"
Jane shook herself out of her dreamlike state, "You want me to kiss you?"
Maura nodded, "Please?"
It was a soft kiss, almost chaste. Just two sets of lips meeting for a brief moment. Jane pulled back and smiled. "Wow."
Maura's beaming face matched her own. "Jane?"
"Yeah?"
"As much as I would love to make out with you right now could I please have my pain medication? I have a throbbing cephalaligia and my first dorsal web area is throbbing."
"Umm, yeah." Jane smiled and quickly pecked Maura's lips. "I love it when you talk like that." She stepped away to being pouring the cereal into bowls. "It's sexy."
"Really? No one has ever said that to me before." Maura reached for Jane's hand, "Thank you."
"You know what else I think is really sexy?"
Maura felt her face coloring, "What?"
"You, dancing around my bedroom almost naked at 2 am, high on pain meds singing a country song." Maura's face fell.
"What?"
"Oh yeah, it was great. Really I had no idea you could sing."
"I-I can't Jane, oh God please say I didn't sing!"
Jane started laughing, "Oh you sang."
Maura hid her face behind her good hand, "I'm afraid to ask."
Jane giggled pushing a full bowl towards Maura before stepping around the counter to sit next to her. "I happened to agree with the song choice. You do look really good in my shirt." She took in Maura's naked legs dangling off the chair and her barely covered body.
"I didn't." Maura's face turned even darker.
"Oh you did. I wouldn't mind another show, after this comes off though." Jane gently touched the bandage.
Maura pulled her hand away from her face and stirred her cereal. "This is your entire fault you know."
"What?"
"This," She gestured to her hand with her spoon. "I was so preoccupied thinking about you in the dresses your mother forced you to buy that I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing."
Jane raised her eyebrows, "Dr. Maura Isles daydreaming?"
"Well Jane, you might think I look good in your shirt, but you look good enough to eat in your dress."
Jane burst out laughing again, "That is one of the corniest thing I've ever heard you say."
"What? No, you did not just call me corny."
"I did because it is true."
"No it is not!"
"Eat your cereal."
"No, not until you apologize."
"Eat, or you can't have your meds."
"Jane…"
"Maura… Just eat, maybe after while, when the pain meds kick in I'll reenact your little dance last night."
"Oh no, I danced?"
Jane nodded, "It was sexy."
"Sexy, my dance was sexy?"
"Oh yes, the little I saw was very eye appealing."
Maura blushed and ducked her head. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For not making me feel embarrassed."
Jane smiled and nudged her arm, "Never. I'm just glad you are going to be alright."
Maura leaned over and gave Jane a gentle kiss, "Me too."
Fade out
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