It’s been four weeks since the shooting and Jane Rizzoli was feeling on edge. She had expected to be back to normal within a couple of weeks, but her body was healing slower than she’d like. She hated being dependent on others. It irked her that her left hand had a mind of its own. She’d be holding a cup of coffee and a sudden spasm will cause her to either spill the contents or worse like this morning to drop the cup. To top it all off she hadn’t been cleared for duty yet. It didn’t help to know that while she was sitting on her ass in Maura’s living area her partners were out there closing in on the bad guys without her. Jane glanced at her watch. Great! It was at least another hour before Maura got home from the office. She could hear Angela preparing dinner in the kitchen and she sighed inwardly. Angela was the best mother in the world, but sometimes her perky attitude and constant mothering drove Jane crazy. She switched off the television and carefully got up from the couch. As she started to shuffle towards the kitchen she heard Maura’s key turn in the door. “Ma! Maura’s home!” she yelled towards the kitchen. “Hi Jane.” Maura smiled as she closed the door behind her. “How was your day?” Jane rolled her eyes and said “I feel like the local hairdresser. I really don’t know how hairdressers do it, do you?” Maura frowned in confusion. “Hairdresser? I’m not sure I’m following you” “She never stops talking! It’s like she has verbal diarrhea or something” Jane exclaimed. “Please make her stop Maur! I promise I will be your slave if you can get her stop! I will do anything for a little peace and quiet” she dramatically pleaded with puppy eyes. Fully aware that Angela was standing right behind her. Maura laughed. “Anything? I’ll have to see what I can do then, won’t I?” she winked mischievously at Angela over Jane’s shoulder. “Knowing Jane you really should determine payment before you do the deed, don’t you Dr. Isles?” Angela said conspiratorially to Maura. “Why don’t we eat and then I will leave you girls to your own devices” Angela suggested. “That way nobody will owe anybody anything?” Conversation at the table was relaxed and Maura felt herself unwind from the day. It still amazed her how much the Rizzoli’s loved each other. It was evident in the light banter between the two women. Being included in their family was one of the most precious gifts anybody has ever given her. As if sensing that Maura was distracted Jane reached over and touched her arm. “Maur, are you okay? You’ve been extremely quiet tonight.” The light touch sent bolts of electricity up her arm and Maura looked up into Jane’s concerned eyes. “I’m fine Jane. I was just thinking about how good it feels not to come home to an empty house at the end of the day.” She said. “ And how nice it is to come home to family” she added softly. Angela’s eyes filled with tears and she stepped around the table to Maura giving her a quick hug before starting to clear the table, letting Maura know in her own way that she felt the same. Jane squeezed her hand lightly and smiled affirming the sentiment. After Angela had left for the night Jane looked at Maura. “You look exhausted Maur. Are you really okay?” Maura looked away and sighed. “I am fine Jane. Things at the office has been hectic the last couple of weeks, but that’s nothing new” “You need a break” Jane stated. “I know. I’ve been planning to get away for some time now, but things have not been working out. After doctor Rogers retired we haven’t been able to get a replacement until last week. Hopefully things will start to quiet down now that we are back to full capacity down in the morgue.” Jane smiled and said “Having a grouchy patient at home sure didn’t help much, did it?” “Oh Jane, coming home every day has been the light at the end of a very dark tunnel for me.” She said simply. “Your homecoming has been the light at the end of a very dark tunnel for me too. Anything to stop the constant chatter around here.” Jane said with a smile. Maura smiled back and tried not to read too much into that statement from Jane. Moving to the living room Maura sat down next to Jane. Perfectly content just to listen to her friend talk about her day. Laughing at her little jokes and smiling as Jane let off steam from being cooped up all day. To Maura nothing could be better than having Jane around. She settled deeper into the couch facing Jane and listened to her rambling about some classic baseball game she had watched on ESPN during the day. Maura smiled as Jane started massaging her tired feet unconsciously. And as she listened to the low tone of Jane’s voice she started drifting off to sleep. “And he practically hit the ball a mile into the stands.” Jane continued her story unaware that Maura was asleep next to her. When Maura didn’t reprimand her for exaggerating Jane glanced over and found Maura sound asleep. Jane stared at her friend surprised at the tenderness she felt for the woman who next to her mother had quickly become the most important person in her life. Maura was beautiful, smart and sophisticated. Jane could not imagine life without the petite medical examiner in her life. She loved the socially awkward doctor like she had never loved anybody else before. It surprised her that sitting next to her on the couch felt so completely natural. Letting her eyes roam over Maura’s form she couldn’t help admire the perfect lines of her body. To sum it up Maura Isles was hot. She ran a finger over the curve of Maura’s calf and gently traced the shape of her knee. At the light touch Maura moaned softly in her sleep. Wondering if she could reproduce the sound Jane let her fingers trail down Maura’s leg again. So engrossed in her little project Jane was unaware that Maura was observing the concentration in Jane’s gaze. With each touch, electricity shot through Maura’s body and her abdominal muscles contracted involuntarily. Curiosity got the better of her and Maura closed her eyes and gently shifted deeper into the couch, causing her legs to move further down towards Jane’s delectable touch. Jane’s hand stilled momentarily. Scared that she had awakened Maura she glanced at her friends face. Apparently satisfied that Maura was still asleep she let her hands continue their ministrations. Maura’s skirt had moved up her thighs and Jane felt her mouth grow dry at the sight of Maura’s well-toned muscles. She ran the back of her hand over the exposed skin and smiled at the low moan that escaped Maura’s lips. “Oh, Jane…” Maura gasped suddenly. Jerking her hand away as if burned Jane looked at Maura in alarm. Not daring to breathe for fear of waking Maura. The M.E’s eyes were still closed and Jane sighed in relief. Slowly and carefully she slipped from under Maura’s legs. Her hand shaking as she ran it through her hair. What was she doing? Wanting her best friend to moan at her touch? She was practically accosting Maura while she was asleep. Jane stumbled away from the couch. Too upset to hear the frustrated sigh that Maura let out.