They never saw us coming, 'til they hit the floor.

Chapitre 1

Dr. Maura Isles was often questioning her best friend's sanity when she was on the field. More than once, Jane had put herself in danger while running after a suspect or protecting an innocent. More than once had she nearly got herself killed. She was living by the police's motto, 'to protect and serve', and it was often placing her in dangerous situations like that time she had shot herself to save her brother's life or that time she was shot while protecting Tasha which ended in her losing the baby she was carrying. And then, she had jumped from a bridge and had gone missing a whole night. You would think that she would understand after a while and numerous minor and major injuries. But Jane was acting out of instinct. She was following her gut and running headfirst in a situation that required composure and consideration.

Today, Jane was yet again proving how reckless she could be. She had reluctantly accepted to go with her to retrieve a package during their lunch break after she was promised some of that greasy junk food she liked although it wasn't healthy. She had just eaten half of her order when everything went south. Three armed guys turned up in the restaurant. Jane had conveniently picked a spot that gave her a full view of her surroundings. She noticed them first, observed them while Maura was stealing her fries. Her hand flew to the gun on her side. Police instinct. She was ready to intervene.

"Maura," she whispered, "they're about to rob the restaurant. Take everyone out of here and call for backup."

She was about to protest that she wouldn't leave her alone in this, but Jane was already up and walking toward the counter. She kept her hand close to the gun hidden under her jacket as she got in line, using her receipt to pretend that they had forgotten something in her order.

Maura gathered their stuff as calmly as possible and headed toward the exit. She dropped a bag next to the table of a couple of teenagers (the only other customers present in the restaurant) and somehow managed to convince them to follow her out. They ran away as soon as they were out of danger. She couldn't blame them. She would have done the same if Jane wasn't facing three dangerous men inside. She contacted Korsak who promised to send back up.

Her survival instincts forced her down when she heard gunshots. A bullet hit the double glazing of the door. The pane cracked but didn't break until a body was thrown across it. She yelped. It was Jane struggling to get back to her feet. She was slipping and cutting herself on the glass shards. The three guys ran through the broken door and jumped above the detective. Jane took off after them.

Maura hesitated. What could she do? She had done what Jane asked her to. The two teenagers had run to safety, and she had called for backup. The sirens were coming closer. She couldn't go after Jane. She didn't have a gun, nor was she a cop. Jane would be mad at her if she was running after those men who hadn't hesitated in firing at a police officer and throwing her through a glass door. But on the other hand, Jane was alone against three criminals. As good of a cop as she was, the chances of her catching them on her own were low.

New gunshots echoed in the streets. Jane would say that she was listening to her gut as she ran in the direction that her friend had taken just minutes earlier. She found her standing in the middle of the street, gun in hand, looking for the men. Her back and arms were covered in glass shards that she hadn't noticed yet. Taking them all out and cleaning the small wounds would take a while.

"Jane!"

Jane turned around. She was frustrated to have lost the criminals. That wasn't a case for a Homicide detective, but she just happened to be on site when the crime had occurred. Troubles were following her everywhere she was going.

Maura walked toward her. Jane was on alert, but no sign of the three men. Just a car coming their way at high speed followed by two police cars all sirens on. Jane was standing on their way. They wouldn't be able to avoid her or to stop in time.

"Watch out!"

Her scream was lost in the cacophony of engine roars and wailing sirens. Time slowed down. Jane turned around. The car skidded on the road. Maura ran toward Jane to push her out of the way, but she was too late. The radiator grille hit her. Her body was thrown on the hood, rolled on the windshield and fell to the side of the road. The car left the scene without even slowing down, patrol cars on its tail.

"No!"

Maura rushed toward her friend, her heart hammering in her chest, panic strangling her. Her mind was calculating the speed of the car and the force of the collision, listing all the wounds Jane could have sustained. None of her conclusions were good. They had left her no chance.

Jane's body was lying in a heap of limbs on the sidewalk. Maura didn't dare touching her, too afraid to worsen her wounds. Her sight was blurred with tears falling freely on her cheeks. And Jane smiled at her. She was probably dying, and she was smiling at her. How could that be?

Jane raised a hand to her face and cupped her cheek in a soft tender touch. Hey upper body was in relativity good condition. It was he lower part who had taken all the damages. Maybe she had been lucky, but the calculations Maura bad made in her mind were such that it Jane survived that collision, she would suffer great consequences in the pelvis and upper legs area where the car had hit her first. She could tell that she had several fractures. It would take months to recover.

"That sounds stupid but..."

She coughed, pulled a face at the great pain it caused her. The second collision with the windscreen had caused damaged to her upper body. Broken ribs were to fear, which brought the question of internal damages to the organs stuck underneath. Maura let out a sob. She didn't want to lose her best friend. Not like that. Not ever.

"You can never sound stupid to me, Jane."

"Says the most clever person in the room," smiled the detective.

"Cleverest."

"See?"

Maura chuckled through her tears. Jane was wiping those tears away with her thumb. The smile didn't leave her face, her hand was trembling but soft on her cheek.

"I've always wanted your face to be the last one I'd see before leaving."

"You think I'd let you go that easily? Help is on the way."

"You know what else I wanted? To feel your lips on mine. I was too scared to say it before but if it's my last chance-"

Maura placed a hand on her lips to force Jane into silence. She slowly leant and pressed a chaste kiss to her friend's lips. The salt of her tears and the metallic taste of Jane's blood made it sound like a goodbye kiss. She put her forehead against Jane's.

"If you survive this, Jane, I'll give you more than you've ever dreamt of," she murmured.

For Maura had wanted to kiss her for years. All the casual touches and sweet attentions, as well as Jane's overprotective attitude toward her had made her heart flutter with shameful feelings she had had to hide because she thought that her friend was only into men. Hopefully, her detective would survive so they both would get the happy ending they deserved...