“Here.” She handed the file to Jane who read through the pages while chewing on her thumb nail.
Maura watched in silence. She had anticipated Jane’s reluctance to speak to anyone and called Doctor Beck herself. It had taken her two hours of convincing, but he’d eventually sent her everything she would need to at least get Jane on the right path.

Jane looked up from the file and raised an eyebrow in question. “Why do I need to keep a journal?”

“You clearly have a problem opening up to anyone.” The words fell from Maura before she had a chance to edit them. “You’re too insular! So if you keep a journal, then you are starting to get these thoughts and feelings out in preparation for the therapy sessions I’ll hope you’ll eventually attend.”

“Why can’t I just talk to you?” Jane closed the file and placed it back on the coffee table.

The question startled Maura given how reluctant Jane had been to tell her about the panic attacks. “Well, I don’t….” Maura frowned. “I mean, it’s not my area of expertise.” She decided, smiling sadly.

Jane nodded slowly. “How about as a friend?” she offered. Jane had tried therapy and it just didn’t work for her, she found herself lying to her therapist almost as often as she did her mother.

Offering a radiant grin, Maura nodded slowly. “I think I’d like that.”

“Ok, so when do we start this?” Jane felt her heart hammering in her chest at the mere suggestion. The papers that Maura had prepared for her had been all very simple, the tasks straight forward and clear. And terrifying.

 “How about I go and get a few supplies and then we can go from there.” Maura offered, “But there is something you need to do for me first.”

Jane closed her eyes and tried hard to compose herself. A warm hand landed gently on her shoulder, squeezing softly and she leant back into the warmth of her friend. “Don’t worry, you can do it. I promise.” Maura whispered.

Feeling more alive than she had in days, Jane nodded. “Yes I can.” She agreed softly. She felt renewed life tugging at the jagged edges of who she was becoming and allowed it to sooth her, warming her soul and sparking the fire that she’d feared was long extinguished.

“What do I have to do?” Clenching her jaw, she turned to face Maura, steeling herself against the battle she knew she was about to march in to.

Brushing deep chocolate hair from Jane’s finely chiselled face; Maura couldn’t supress the grin when she saw a familiar fire in her friend’s eyes. She grazed her thumb slowly over a fine cheekbone and studied that fire, it would engulf the detective sooner rather than later and for the first time since she’d arrived, Maura was starting to feel its warmth radiating from the brunette.

“You have to go into your bedroom and take those pink dots off the mirror.” She said simply. “Today is a new start and you don’t need them anymore.”

Jane grinned and hopped to her feet, almost joyously.

“No problem!” she said as she practically skipped into her bedroom.