As Maura turned into Jane’s street, cartons of Chinese food and a bottle of wine on the seat next to her, it was almost 11pm. The autopsy had taken longer than she had anticipated and Parmenti and Summers’ comments had ruffled her more than she cared to admit. All she really wanted to do was go home and have a long hot bubble bath, but something brought her back to Jane. Whatever it was, she was losing control of it and, truth be told, she didn’t want to have to hide it anymore.

Collecting together the evening meal, she locked the car and slowly made her way up the stairs into Jane’s building, not bothering to knock when she got to Jane’s, she let herself in, glad to be ‘home’.

“Where the hell have you been?” Jane was wild, her unkempt hair giving her the appearance of some insane cave woman.

Maura felt the fire in her stomach, she really didn’t want to have to fight with Jane on top of the evening she’d had. “I even called you!” Tears streaked down the brunette’s face, unbeknownst to Maura they were tears of relief. “You didn’t even answer me, where were you?” Jane stopped, her hands planted firmly on her hips and she waited for Maura to reply.

Maura stared, agape at the reaction. “What the hell Jane?” In spite of her increasing anger, she set the wine bottle carefully on the table, pushing the mountain of mail out of the way. “I just walked in and you’re screaming at me.”

Jane backed up; the delicate fury that radiated from the honey blonde set her on edge. It was a tone she’d never heard from her friend before and it unsettled her more than she cared to admit.

“Maura, I’m…..”

“Yes Jane, yes you, it’s always all about you.” Maura growled, a low hum in her throat that made her feel ill and empowered at the same time. “Have you ever thought that not everything is about you?”

“Maur, please… I didn’t mean… I just…”

“I don’t want to hear it Jane.” She threw the Chinese take-out at her friends feet, “I’m leaving, I’ve had enough self-centred, arrogant bullshit for one night!” She turned smartly, covering the four paces she’d taken into the apartment in two large strides. “You don’t even want me here so why should I bother?”