The day had been planned for months, well years in Maura's case, she'd been dreaming of this day since she was a little girl, but now it was here, and it couldn't have been more perfect.

Jane had proposed a little over a year ago, and had stolen Maura's heart completely. I suppose you could call their relationship a 'whirlwind romance' but the fact was Dr. Maura Isles loved Detective Jane Rizzoli; they had fallen for each other the moment they met, well, maybe soon after at a time when Jane wasn't dressed as a prostitute.

The Maura that Jane had met that day was very shy, very aware of her quirks, and was very alone; but as she looked down at her wedding dress, the diamonds sparkling in the light of the Hawaiian sunset, Maura couldn't remember how it felt to be lonely.

There she stood. The most beautiful woman in the room, waiting at the altar for her equally as beautiful bride; Jane heard the music strike up as she felt butterflies starting to stir in her stomach. At that moment, Maura appeared as a heavenly vision, her mother's arms linked in hers, both were silently crying, Jane worried momentarily until her eyes dropped to her soon to be wife's mouth, which was beaming that smile that was only for Jane.

Maura couldn't help but stare at her partner, not believing just how lucky she was to be able to call her 'mine'. Jane's dress was very simple, but the way it curved to her body, and flowed around her legs made it perfect; the white flower in her hair being a last minute touch at Maura's hand, the last subtle attempt at femininity for the detective. Her dark hair in signature curls gently draped in front of her shoulders, her olive skin radiating with the sun they had been exposed to over the last week.

The Medical Examiner's dress on the other hand was a design of complete perfection. It was designer of course, a name that Jane couldn't even dream of pronouncing, but it seemed to shimmer in the dying light of the day, Maura was literally glowing with happiness. As they joined each other at the altar Jane took Maura's hand from Constance, and held it tight. The detective's fingers gently tracing over the engagement ring she had proposed with last year; not believing how much it had became Maura, it was a part of her, and soon the ring would be joined by it's partner, the ring that would bind them for eternity.

They timed it perfectly, as the sun set fully into the ocean, the fairy lights that surrounded the altar sprung to life, guiding their way to the dance floor. The slow melody began playing to their first song together as a legally married couple; embracing one another, Maura gently rested her head against Jane's chest, the sound of her heartbeat making that moment complete. Closing her eyes and smiling into the bosom of her wife, she could feel Jane's fingers playing with her hair,

"I love you" Jane whispered, as Maura tightened her arms around her perfect partner.

"I love you too Janie."

"Janie? You've never called me that before Maur."

"Yes well. I thought it's time I called you something other than detective." With a wink, Maura cupped Jane's face in her hands and kissed her slowly, then as the passion gained momentum she moaned into Jane's slightly parted lips, kissing her more fiercely than she ever had in her life.

"Maura?"

Maura's eyes flew open, it took a few moments for her to realise where she was. The light from the candles had burned down to their final glow causing soft shadows to dance around the room; she had fallen asleep on Jane's chest, her arms wrapped around her tightly, she could feel Jane's hand stroking the back of her head.

"Jane? How long was I asleep?" The detective noted the confusion in her voice.

"Not too long, we were just talking about our dream wedding's, I was asking what cake me and Casey should be having." Jane laughed as she played with the ring on her finger; the silver band with a slightly smaller diamond than she had in Maura's dream gave a dull glisten instead of the bright sparkle she deserved. Maura felt sick. She didn't know if she could take this any longer.

"Jane, I need to tell you something." Maura sat upright, taking Jane's hands in hers, the small smile fell from Jane's face as she looked deep into Maura's eyes.

"You can tell me anything Maur you know that."

"You need to promise you won't get mad." Her eyes were starting to glisten with the tears she had been holding back ever since Jane announced her engagement.

"Of course I promise, please tell me what's up!"

Forever impatient detective, Maura thought, as she began the most important conversation she had ever had in her life.

"You can't marry Casey…" Maura's hands had been tightly holding onto Jane's, but they made for her left hand, slowly easing the ring off her wedding finger. The detective couldn't even stop Maura if she tried, what was even happening right now?

"This isn't the ring you should be wearing. The ring should be the embodiment of you, a tough diamond that sparkles with the intensity of the sun every moment of the day. Not some glorified rock set into a cheap band." Her initial calm tone had vanished, and the ME felt herself becoming brave, she needed to do this.

But Jane soon interrupted her.

"Maura what the hell? You can't just take my engagement ring off and then tell me what I should be wearing! I can't exactly give it back to him and say, 'try again it doesn't shine bright enough'! What's gotten into you?"

"For once in your goddamn life Jane Rizzoli will you be patient enough to listen to me?"

Jane immediately fell silent, Maura never spoke like that, not to anyone. Whatever this was, Jane knew it was important.

"I… Jane, I…" Maura's confidence had vanished. She just couldn't get the words out, Jane was standing right there and she couldn't say the three little words she had tried so desperately hard to say for the last ten years.

"Maybe it's time I went home." Jane stood up and leant over Maura to get her jacket.

"No…please. Please don't leave Jane."

"Maura. Just tell me whatever it is. I'm your best friend you can trust me."

Maura had barely gotten the words out of her mouth before she placed her lips on Jane's begging her not to go.

"I love you." Maura blurted out, finally managing to say those three little words, but braced herself for the response; truly expecting the worst from the beautiful woman she wanted more than anything to love her too.

But it didn't come. The anger, the shouting, the goodbye she had braced herself for; all she saw were tears growing in Jane's eyes, before she started laughing. Laughing? Of all of the reactions Maura expected, this wasn't one of them. She started to get angry, and found herself trying to sit up as Jane changed positions, to one straddling Maura.

"Took you long enough" She smiled into the kiss she placed upon the frustrated ME's lips, "I hated that cheap ass ring anyway." She hastily slid the ring off her left hand, leaving it to drop and roll somewhere under TV cabinet; her fingers however soon found a new purpose, twisting into the gentle honey curls that lay against the back of the sofa.

"Wait, you knew?" Maura was furious. "Why didn't you say something? Why didn't you make a move?"

"Because I didn't want you to think you were my second choice. I didn't want you to believe that I only realised I loved you because of that ring. I've wanted you for years, I just couldn't find the right words."

"Jane Clementine Rizzoli. You asshole."

" !" Jane faked horror at the language of the ME, "I thought you never learned such words in that fancy boarding school of yours."

"I didn't, I learned them all from you." She smiled at her detective… her detective.

…

"Maura! Did you fall asleep on me again? The film is nearly over."

"Wait, what?" Maura looked around at her environment, the candles were still burning, and Jane's right arm was round her shoulders, "were we just talking?" Maura asked, still slightly dazed.

"Well, you were. I was sure you said 'I love you' at one point. Who were you dreaming about? Not that new creepy guy down in the morgue?" She asked innocently, looking over at Maura who still seemed really confused.

"But we weren't. We were talking and you…" She glanced at Jane's ring finger; the ring was firmly still there. "Oh."

Jane had followed Maura's eyes to her ring finger. "What is it?"

"No nothing, coffee?" She quickly got up from the sofa and made her way over to the elegant coffee maker on the kitchen counter. She felt familiar arms tighten around her as Jane brushed the hair from Maura's left ear.

"Maura, you know, you said more in your dream."

The pit of Maura's stomach dropped, how was she going to explain everything to Jane without knowing exactly what she'd heard?

"Did I? Oh it was probably nonsense, studies have shown you are more likely to talk in the arms of someone you're very comfortable with… I mean, someone who you feel safe with and…"

She didn't finish her sentence. Jane's lips were on hers within a matter of seconds, her heart started to beat frantically and her shirt buttons were coming undone by the second. Was this really happening?

Oh God please don't let this be another dream.

…

This was originally a one shot, but open to writing more depending on the response. Happy reading!