Title: Enchanted
By: Bailee
Pairing: Jane/Maura
Summary: Sometimes, life is a fairytale. Sometimes, life is a tragedy. For some of us, it's both.
Disclaimer: I don't own, I rent.
A/N: First, I must say that this is my first time writing Rizzles ever and my first time writing any type of fiction in about three years, so forgive me if I am a tad rusty! Please don't hesitate to review!
A few notes about this story that might help it be a little easier to understand. This story will basically be read like a series of one-shots, but they will all be related to one another, some will be told from Maura's POV, some from Jane's, some will be the same moments told from both sides. I promise it won't be confusing, though!
This story doesn't really follow the books or the show; it's just a little fun with the characters.
I have a pretty solid idea of where this story is going to go; each chapter will be based around one song by Taylor Swift and told in either Marua's POV or Jane's. Some will be pure fluff, some will break your heart, and the timeline will be jumping around, so don't expect for it to go in order, it's more like a collection of their memories as they recall them. Like I said, I have a good idea of exactly what I want to do, but if there is a specific song you would like to see incorporated in the story, please let me know and I will see what I can do.
Also, in some chapters, I might only be using sections of the lyrics, as they don't always all fit perfectly, because, let's face it, Taylor is a straight girl from a small town in the country and all her songs are written about boys. Also, ignore pronouns in the lyrics, they won't always match the story!
And for the sake of the story: lyrics – flashbacks – present day.
Now that all the business is out of the way, let's get to the story!
Chapter One
"Back To December"
December 2012
I'm so glad you made time to see me
How's life? Tell me, how's your family?
I haven't seen them in a while
I sat nervously, checking my cell every fifteen seconds to check the time. 8:47. Thirteen minutes. Minutes passed like hours as my mind raced, recounting everything that had brought us to this point.
"What?" she asked me, tears already filling her eyes, "You're…what?"
I couldn't even reply. It had taken enough strength to get it out the first time. No way could I muster up the courage to get it out a second time. It's not like I wanted to do this. Not like I didn't want to be here. Not like I didn't want her.
But this would be the best for both of us. Well, for her anyway. Things just couldn't go on the way they were. She was too important. I had to do this. I had to protect her.
"I don't understand. I thought we were…I thought you were…happy. I…" she trailed off and I had to look away. The tears in her eyes were too much. And if I started to cry, I could never do this.
The presence of the other woman sitting down across from me jarred me from my thoughts. She was as beautiful as ever. "Hey," I said shyly, not really sure how to start the dreaded conversation.
She gave me the faintest hint of a small smile before replying, "So, you're back."
"Yeah."
This was going to be harder than I thought. But if I wanted a chance to make this right, I knew I had to take it. I knew I wouldn't get another.
"So…um…I…how's, um…how is everyone?"
I winced at my words. They didn't sound like me. Nothing about this was right or natural. If it were a normal day, she would have smirked at me, made some snide remark about a dog having my tongue or something. But today was anything but normal.
"Everyone is good. Same as always."
You've been good, busier than ever
Small talk, work and the weather
Your guard is up and I know why
Because the last time you saw me
Is still burned in the back of your mind
You gave me roses and I left them there to die
When the last box was packed up and put in the truck, my eyes took in my surroundings and did one last check to make sure nothing had been left behind.
The flowers. The beautiful flowers that dripped with unspoken I love yous and kisses that would never be shared. I feel myself sigh and wipe away the tear that had begun to roll down my cheek.
Taking one last look at the flowers on the counter, I shut the door behind me.
So this is me swallowing my pride
Standing in front of you
Saying I'm sorry for that night
And I go back to December all the time
"Did you really just ask me here to see how everyone was doing?"
"No, I just…I miss you."
I could feel the tears threatening to fall and willed myself to think of anything else to keep them at bay.
"Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but that was your choice."
The anger was apparent in her voice. She had a right to be angry. I felt a tear escape my eye and quickly wiped it away, hoping she didn't see.
"What did you expect, Maura?" I used to love the way she said my name. "That you would come back here after two year, two years, and I would jump into your arms like nothing has changed?"
It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you
Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine
And I go back to December, turn around and change my own mind
I go back to December all the time
I walked through the falling snow, freezing, yet no real desire to go inside or to get warm.
It was the day before New Years Eve. She said she couldn't wait; that she wanted to ask me at midnight tomorrow, she had the whole thing planned out, but as we laid on her couch after our movie ended this evening, she thought now was the perfect time.
"Marry me, Maura."
Those three words would certainly haunt me for the rest of my life. Those three, tiny, perfect words. The ones I had dreamt about hearing as a child, when my future still looked like a fairytale and I didn't have social anxiety and abandonment issues. Where there was still a prince in my future.
And now, all I saw was Jane. Jane was the only future, I wanted. I am sure of that. I love Jane with all my heart.
But sometimes, life isn't that easy. Something else I didn't know when I was younger, dreaming of heartfelt proposals with long speeches and carriage rides and fireworks, sometimes, you have to make hard decisions. Sometimes, you have to put those you love before yourself. Sometimes you have to protect them. And sometimes, unfortunately, you have to leave them to protect them.
These days, I haven't been sleeping
Staying up playing back myself leaving
When your birthday passed and I didn't call
I sat there all day with the phone in my hand. It had been eight months since I left. Eight months since I had heard her voice. Eight months since I slept through the night.
I glanced at the Red Sox tickets lying on the table in front of me. I considered sending them to her countless times, it's not like I was still going to go without her, but I figured she probably wouldn't have gone if she had known they were from me anyway. We would have had a perfect day together.
I had planned out her birthday from morning until night. Starting with breakfast in bed, well, okay, maybe more than breakfast would have happened in bed. Then an afternoon of baseball, complete with a few beers and the evening to themselves.
Yes, it would have been perfect. And now, I can't even bother to pick up the phone and wish her happy birthday.
But it was probably for the better this way. She deserved better than me. She deserved better than someone who would always end up hurting her.
And I think about summer all the beautiful times
I watched you laughing from the passenger side
And I realized I loved you in the fall
"Jane. Jane, please. Tell me where we are going!"
"Nope. Not going to happen."
I put on my best pout, the one that always got me the movie I wanted to watch, the restaurant I wanted to go to, the times she agreed to go shopping with me.
"That's not going to work, Maura. Not this time. Please, just get in the car. I've planned this whole weekend for us, we are going to enjoy it the way I intended, dammit!"
"But how do I know if I am dressed properly?"
There it was, that famous Rizzoli smirk. I did my best to keep my pout in place, hands on my hips, standing my ground between her and the door.
Next thing I knew, she was next to me, wrapping her arms around me. I felt her press a kiss into the top of my head.
"Maura, you look perfect."
I smiled up at her, catching her lips with my own and walked with her to the car. Yes, I most definitely loved Jane Rizzoli.
And then the cold came, the dark days
When fear crept into my mind
You gave me all your love
And all I gave you was goodbye
"I'm sorry."
It was all I could say. Of course, I didn't expect nothing to have changed. I was a genius, after all, and there was no subject I had excelled in more than that of Jane Rizzoli.
"You're sorry? Really? Well, I'm sorry too. I'm sorry it took me proposing to you for you to realize that you didn't love me."
"Is that really what you think? That I don't love you?"
"I can't think of any other explanation."
There was no stopping the tears now. I let them fall freely without even bothering to wipe them away. I expected her to hate me. I expected her to yell. I didn't expect that.
I miss your tan skin, your sweet smile
So good to me, so right
And how you held me in your arms that September night
The first time you ever saw me cry
"I've always loved you, Jane."
Maybe the is wishful thinking
I looked into her eyes, begging her to see the truth in them.
Probably mindless dreaming
For a split second, I swear I saw a flash of hope in her eyes.
But if we loved again, I swear I'd love you right
"Jane, I will always love you."
I'd go back in time and change it, but I can't
So if the chain is on your door, I understand
"I can't do this."
She stood to leave the bar and I felt every shred of hope I had held onto all this time slip from my grasp. I was certain if she left now, she would walk out of my life forever.
"Jane, wait!"
I ran out the door after her, and to my surprise, she stopped.
"Please. Don't go."
"Maura," she took a deep breath, "It's too late."
And at that very second, I felt my heart break into a million tiny pieces. Logically, I knew this couldn't really happen but I now understood the metaphor.
Sitting on Jane's left hand was a small, beautiful, devastating diamond ring.
I go back to December, turn around and change my own mind
I go back to December all the time
A/N: I hope you guys liked this! I know this chapter was pretty sad, but I wanted to make sure I really set the scene so you could get a pretty good glimpse into their relationship. I'm very excited to write the next chapter, it will be pretty much purely fluff and from Jane's POV. Look out for it in the next day or two, and don't forget to review and tell me what you liked and what you didn't so I can make changes for next time. Thanks for reading!