“Maura?” She frowned towards the sound of her name being called. “Maura!!” Again but more insistently this time.

“Frankie?” she towelled her foot dry quickly and ran into the living room.

“What’s happened?” She glanced around the room, looking for a reason for his urgency. He seemed fine on initial inspection. Jane sat on the sofa, a beer in one hand and her head in the other.

“Jane.” Her voice softened immediately and she knelt before her, her fingers reaching up to caress the soft skin of her friend’s cheek. Guiding her face up, Maura studied the deep brown eyes before her. Jane didn’t need to speak, not here. Here she was safe and the things that haunted her had less power. Looking into the hazel eyes of her friend, she knew she was understood.

“He’s back, isn’t he?” Maura whispered, looking briefly to Frankie who only nodded slowly.
Maura reached out and removed the beer bottle from Jane’s grasp, replacing it with her own hand, her thumb tracing absent-mindedly over the scars she felt there. “It’s going to be ok.” Maura told her softly.
Jane cocked her head, searching Maura’s eyes. “I thought you said you couldn’t lie.” She stated softly.
“I can’t.” Maura told her. “I promise you, it’s going to be ok.” Jane smiled, and reached out to her friend, wrapping her in a bear hug. She held her like she was the last thing tethering her to the earth.

Frankie headed towards the door; he couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable in the room. He felt like he was intruding on something that wasn’t for his eyes and so tried to make his leave quietly. Maura caught his eyes as he reached the door.

“Don’t go far?” she whispered. He smiled at her, the concern in her voice, the way she brushed Jane’s hair and held her tightly. He was pleased to leave his sister with someone who cared so much about her. There was something else about Maura. A fierce determination in her eyes, a burning penetration that made him nervous. He’d never seen that look before. “I won’t.” He promised.

Korsak and Frost stood outside Jane’s apartment building studying the area. They’d been called by the patrol cops who had been assigned to guard Jane’s apartment. They’d gone upstairs and found a teacup on her doorstep, their briefing had told them that this was beyond what they were willing to be blamed for and had called Korsak immediately.