It was mid-morning when Jane woke up. The blinds were closed, so her bedroom was cozily dim. Yawning, Jane started to stretch, before stopping when she felt her bare skin sliding against Maura's. Grinning and scooting herself closer, she was surprised when she felt Maura lean up, but happily returned the quick kiss. After snuggling for a few more minutes, Jane's stomach growled. Sitting up and laughing, Maura turned to face Jane, not bothering to cover herself.

Finally opening her eyes, Jane groaned quietly and pulled Maura back down. When she tried to kiss her, Maura pushed her away and shook her head, smiling and getting out of bed. "We both have morning breath, which I insist we remedy before going back to bed. And, I think we both need to eat. After all, we have all weekend, and we should keep our strength up."

Groaning again when Maura got out of bed and walked to the bathroom, still naked, Jane shook her head fondly and moved to follow her. Several minutes later, after they'd both brushed their teeth and put on some clothes, they headed for the kitchen.

Jane was going through the fridge, when she suddenly spun around with a horrified look on her face. Getting up quickly, and rushing over, Maura stopped when Jane bolted toward the door. Staring in confusion, worry, and shock, Maura watched as she grabbed Maura's purse off the floor and started going through it. When she pulled Maura's keys out, and started to open the door, Maura ran over and slammed it shut before Jane could head out it.

Staring up at Jane, unaware she was crying, she opened her mouth a couple times, but couldn't find anything to say. Finally giving up, she slumped against the door and started to slide down it, covering her face with her hands. Jane stared at her in confusion for a moment, before dropping to her knees and pulling Maura into her arms. When Maura stiffened and yanked away, glaring at her in anger, Jane gaped.

Bolting to her feet, Maura started looking around. Grabbing her purse from the floor, she snagged her shoes off the floor on her way to the bedroom. When she came back out, carrying her wrinkled dress, Jane was standing in the middle of the living room. Blocking her path, Jane tried to pull her into her arms, just to have Maura dart around her. Beating her to the door, Jane leaned against it.

Clutching her things to her chest and staring at the floor, Maura shook her head, still crying. "This is your apartment, so I'm the one who should leave. I'm sorry if last night was a mistake. I know you said my past didn't bother you, but I know reality is often different than what one imagines. I'll understand if you'd rather not see me, beyond a professional capacity, again. You can either retrieve your things from my house, or I can have them delivered. I hope we can be friends again, someday, but I'll understand if that's not possible."

Jane's mouth hung open as she gaped in shock for several moments, watching Maura standing in her living room, staring at the floor and crying. Finally blinking and almost jumping across the few feet separating them, she pulled Maura into her arms and kissed her, hard. Only pulling back when she felt Maura start to respond, she looked down into her confused face. Pulling everything from her hands and dropping them to the floor, Jane led Maura to the couch and pulled her to sit facing her. Holding Maura's hands and bending down to meet her eyes, Jane sighed. "I have NO idea what just happened. Tell me. Please. What in the world made you think I could possibly think last night was a mistake. I love you, and last night was probably the most amazingly, wonderfully, beautiful night of my life. Please, just tell me what happened, so I can fix it. Please. I refuse to lose you, without even knowing why. What happened in that beautiful head of yours?"

Maura's head shot up, and she searched Jane's face. Not finding anything but confusion and worry, she opened her mouth, then snapped it closed and shook her head. "You were leaving. You looked absolutely horrified, suddenly, and you couldn't wait to get out of your own apartment. To get away from me. What else was I supposed to think? I knew this might happen. I thought I'd prepared myself for the way it would feel, but I was wrong. I know I'm not like a biological woman, and I never will be. I'm sorry if I somehow led you to believe otherwise. There are some ways that my body will never function and react the way a genetic female's does, and most of them are sexual. Can I go now? Please. I just. I need to deal with this alone."

Sighing and pulling a resistant Maura into her arms, Jane wrapped her in a hug and kissed the side of her head. "Oh, Baby, it has nothing to do with you. I promise. Last night was amazing, and I hope to have many more just like it. I loved watching your body react to me." Pulling back, Jane smiled at her. "What you saw, had nothing to do with you. I just realized that we forget the food in your car, last night. I was going after it." Wrinkling her nose, she shook her head. "Although, now that I actually think about it, I don't think that's a good idea. There is no way that eating something that sat in your car all night is a good idea. Do you think the dessert, at least, is ok? I mean, cake doesn't have to be refrigerated, so it should be ok, right?"

Blinking in shock, Maura started laughing, then it turned to tears, again. Letting head rest on Jane's shoulder until her breathing calmed, she pulled away and wiped her eyes and looked at Jane questioningly. "You really mean it? You don't regret last night? You're not disgusted by me? Are you sure? Please be sure. I don't want you to suddenly realize you regret being with me, or that my past bothers you. I don't think I could take it if you waited. If you have any doubts, I need you to tell me, now. I would rather hurt now, and start to try to heal, than have you decide after six months that you need to be with a real woman."

Leaning against the back of the couch, Jane ran a hand through her hair and sighed, then turned to look at Maura. "Is this what you've been worried about? Is this why you didn't make more of a big deal when I said I wanted to wait? And why you looked worried when you undressed, last night? You think I'm going to suddenly change my mind about loving you? It's NEVER going to happen. I don't know who did that to you, but I will never do that to you. I promise, if I EVER have doubts about us, I'll talk to you about them, BEFORE doing anything. Can you promise to talk to me if something like this happens, again? Please? If you're worried about something, or think I'm upset, please tell me. I can't help fix it, if I don't know what's going on. I love you, and I want you to always be in my life, but that means talking BEFORE we react, whenever possible. Ok?"

Nodding and letting Jane pull her into her lap, Maura sighed and buried her head in Jane's neck. "I'm sorry I overreacted and panicked. Thank you for stopping me. I love you so much it scares me, sometimes. I know it would hurt more than I can imagine, if you decided this was a mistake. I'm not sure how well I would deal with it, and it scares me. If you can promise to tell me if you start to doubt or regret being with me, then I can promise to tell you if I notice my past experiences coloring my perceptions of your actions, or our relationship. You may have to point it out to me, though, and you may have to stop me, if I panic, again. I will try, though. I promise."

Grinning and tilting Maura's chin up to kiss her deeply, Jane pulled away and kissed her forehead. "I love you, and I will do my best to make sure this works out. I will ALWAYS stop you from running out on me, unless you have every right to. You mean too much to me for me to lose you over something like a stupid misunderstanding. Do you think you're the only one scared by how much this means? I was terrified of losing you, so I kept my feelings to myself. Now, I'm just terrified of losing you. I love you so much, that it almost hurts sometimes, when you're not around. So, we're ok? You're not going to leave, right?"

Relaxing in Jane's arms, Maura nodded. "Yes, we're ok. No, I'm not going to leave. I really am sorry for overreacting, and I promise to try to do better. Now, we really should eat something. If you want to get the food out of my car, then you should be wearing more than a long shirt and panties. The dessert should be fine, but the rest of your steak is going to have to be thrown away. I'm sorry. I know you were looking forward to finishing it."

Laughing and hugging Maura closer for a moment, Jane stood up and stretched. "Don't apologize. Last night was MORE than worth it. Ok, I'm going to put on pants, then I'll go get the food. I don't think you want your car to smell like leftovers, anyway. The smells might already be baked in, at this point. I guess it could be worse, at least steak smells good."

Maura rolled her eyes and got up, heading for the kitchen. "I'll see what I can make for breakfast. I'm glad you've started buying real food. No matter what argument you use, I will never be convinced that sugar-laden cereal is an appropriate breakfast, and it certainly isn't appropriate for the children it is marketed for. The idea of feeding a child, who needs a balanced and nutritious diet for proper brain development, a meal consisting of little more than sugar and milk, is appalling."

Kissing Maura on her way to the bedroom, Jane rolled her eyes. "I never ate that stuff, as a kid. There's no way Ma would've let me. Now, I'm an adult, and I can choose what to eat, because I'm an adult, so I eat what I want. Well, I used to. Now, I eat what you want me to eat. It's a good thing I love you, or that would kinda suck."

Ignoring her, Maura started getting out everything she needed to make omelettes.

They spent the rest of the day lounging around Jane's apartment. Jane insisted they sit and talk, instead of going right back to bed. They talked about their previous relationships, friendships, jobs, and countless smaller topics. By dinner, they both felt more sure in what the other wanted, and Jane better understood Maura's reaction, that morning. Any talk of their future had been carefully avoided, by unspoken agreement. Both had found themselves changing wording mid-sentence, or biting back a comment, more than once.

When Maura's growling stomach made her blush, while Jane laughed, they realized they'd never eaten lunch. Stretching, and grinning when her own stomach started to growl, Jane got up and pulled Maura to her feet. "Do you still want to go back to your place? This morning kinda derailed that plan. We can order something, and it should get there right after we do. Or, we can pick something up on the way."

Shrugging and keeping her hold on Jane's hands, Maura looked around at Jane's apartment. "We can stay here, if you'd like. It feels almost as much like home, as my house does. My reasons for wanting to spend the weekend at my place, don't really matter, anymore. I think I like the idea of staying here, and not letting the rest of the world intrude. There's something comforting about seeing no one but you, all weekend."

Rolling her eyes, Jane pulled her closer. "Didn't you just say, a little bit ago, that you need to work on asking for what you want? Well, start now. If you want to go home, because you have something planned for us, just say so."

Maura laughed and leaned up to give Jane a kiss. "It's nothing like that. The plans really don't matter, now. I was going to wear the negligee I wore on our first date, and I had candles I was going to light, for our first time. I bought the negligee to wear for our first time, and I thought it should be worn for that purpose, even if you already saw it. So, like I said, my reasons for wanting to spend the weekend at my house, no longer matter."

Eyes wide, Jane started dragging Maura down the hall. "Oh, they matter. We're definitely going back to your place, now. No way am I missing out on the chance to take that nightie off of you. That's all I've wanted to do, since I saw you in it."

Laughing, Maura watched Jane get dressed, and dutifully put on the clothes thrown her way. Not even ten minutes later, Jane was dragging her outside and helping Maura into the passenger seat of her own car.

Sunday afternoon found them naked in Maura's bed. Maura had her chin resting on Jane's chest, looking up at her while Jane played with her hair. They were both so comfortable, and the house had been quiet, that the sound of Jane's phone ringing made them jump.

For a moment, Jane flailed over the side of the bed, reaching for the jeans lying on the floor on the other side of the room, before she rolled her eyes and rolled back onto the bed. When Maura raised an eyebrow in question, Jane laughed. "I'm not on call, this weekend. Ma knows not to expect us at dinner. There's no one that would be calling that can't wait. If it's important, then everyone knows they can call you. Even if I weren't already here, I always take your calls."

Cuddling back into Jane's side, Maura smiled. "I like that everyone we know, knows they can reach you through me. It means almost as much as knowing that mine is the only call you always answer. It makes me feel important, loved."

Smiling and leaning down for a kiss, Jane went back to playing with Maura's hair. "You are very important, and very loved, and have been for a very long time. Now, do you want to take a nap before we have to go find more fuel, or are you ready for another round?"

Laughing and sitting up on her knees, before straddling Jane's waist and leaning over her, Maura twined her fingers through Jane's and held her hands against the pillow over her head. "Why don't we have another round, then a nap, then food?"

Flipping them so she was lying on Maura, Jane laughed at her surprised look. "Police training, remember? If I can't get out of a simple pin, then I don't deserve my badge. Now, you said something about another round, then a nap? I like that plan."

A few hours later, they were in the kitchen, finding something to eat, when Jane remembered the missed call. Going after her phone, she came back down the hallway carrying it and looking at it in confusion. "Didn't you tell Andre we're together? I thought you did, which is why I never made a point of mentioning it to Paul. I mean, I've talked about you, and things we've done, but I don't think I ever actually SAID that we're a couple. Now, he's calling and asking if I grew the balls to ask you out, yet."

Thinking, Maura shook her head. "I don't think I've ever expressly stated it, either. At first, I didn't want to tell him before we'd told everyone here, then I guess I assumed that you'd told Paul. He hasn't mentioned it in a few months, and I just never thought to bring it up. How did we neglect to tell them? They played an integral part in us finally getting together."

Shrugging and leaning against the counter, Jane suddenly started grinning. When Maura gave her a confused, and mildly worried, look, she grinned wider. "I have some unused vacation time that Cavanaugh has been after me to use. If you have the time, why don't we take a trip to New York, in a few weeks? Paul keeps telling me that if I come to visit, I can stay in their guest room, and that I should bring you with me."

Raising an eyebrow and leaning against the opposite counter, Maura crossed her arms over her chest. "Yes, I have vacation time. I typically only use it a day at a time, when I need the time off, or just take the extra pay at the end of the year. What are you planning? I know that look, and you have something more in mind than us simply visiting friends for a few days."

Grinning wider and starting to type a text, Jane held it out for Maura to read, before sending it. "Well, we've waited this long to tell them, so I don't see the harm in waiting a little longer. If you can keep from telling Andre, I can put Paul off, and we can play with them a little, when we visit. After all, they did meddle and poke their noses in, while they were here. After the manipulating they did, I think it's only right that we return the favor. How hard do you think they will try, before they realize we're already together?"

Staring for several moments, until Jane started to squirm, Maura suddenly grinned, hit send, and handed her phone back. "If we visit for a week, then they'll be working against a perceived deadline. Provided we don't somehow give it away, it should be at least a couple days before they either figure it out, or we're forced to tell them. If we manage to find a time that works for all of us, by the end of the week, then we can put in for our vacation time. I must insist, though, that if it seems like they might be upset by our ruse, that we tell them the truth, immediately. After all, they are our friends, and they did play a part in us getting together. I don't want to upset them, over a silly joke."

Pulling Maura into her arms and kissing her deeply, Jane grinned and shook her head. "You are devious. I'm glad you're in my side. This is going to be so much fun. And, they can't be mad at us, since they want us to be together, anyway. How could they be mad at us for doing what they wanted?"

Maura swatted Jane's arm and pulled away, going back to chopping vegetables and dumping them into a bowl for salad. Jane wrapped her arms around her from behind, the phone lying on the counter behind them, forgotten.

A/N: Ok, everyone, this is it. I'm leaving it here, on purpose. I'm planning on a sequel, of sorts. I just don't know when it will be started. It will be a series of one-shots and short stories from this universe, in no particular order, and spanning their lives together. It will be titled either 'Learning to Love,' or 'Learning to Live: Snapshots.' I haven't decided, yet.

Someone mentioned the possibility of covering their wedding and children. It's a possibility that'll be touched on, but not in any real depth. The sequel will cover whatever pops into my head, for this universe. There are several threads from this story that I plan to explore. The sequel will have no real timeline or coherent order, although I WILL try to remember to let you know where and when each snippet falls. It will also probably never be marked 'finished,' since I'll add to it whenever the mood strikes.

Now, I just want to say THANK YOU, to everyone. This story has been an amazing journey, and I have gotten to talk to some amazing people, because of it. I never expected even a FACTION of the react this universe garnered, and I was continually stunned, and flattered, by all the feedback. I'm sorry to see this story end, but it's run its course. Hopefully, everyone will enjoy the sequel, just as much.

Now, I like to let everyone know exactly how long each story is, at the end. I had an informal goal of having this story reach 100K words, but it fell short. It's still the longest story I have ever written. The final count, not including author's notes, is 91K words and 199 pages. I came closer to my goal than I expected to. Everyone, this story is officially a short book. Thanks for sticking with me.