AN: Hey again. While it's not necessary to read my story "Surprising" you will find that I do make reference to it in this one. I would also like to apologize to any French speakers that may read this, I am a poor excuse for a Canadian and my French skills are about as good as Jane's in this story, so I used Google Translate to get what I wanted. I apologize in advance.
Jane Rizzoli had a lot of wedding rings. Technically she only had one wedding ring, but she had many rings that represented her marriage to her wife, but the jewelry box in front of her wasn't aware that it only held the other rings that Jane associated with her marriage. It didn't even contain her actual wedding band, a thick plain band of platinum that matched the slimmer band that adorned her wife's left ring finger and the diamond surrounded by platinum that was the wedding band's constant companion. That ring, which had been lost and found three times, resided on a gold chain around her wife's neck, only leaving that place when they had formal engagements and both she and her wife were sure that it wouldn't be lost.
The box in front of her held her own diamond ring, a stand in for the engagement watch that she had received, her wife knowing that she wouldn't sport any rock on that finger, let alone the huge one that sat staring at her, while she was in class or out in the training field. But Jane's wife's plan had backfired because she had given Jane an obscenely expensive TAG Heuer (that was also platinum) that Jane was not only afraid of losing, but of scratching... or using. It, like her actual wedding band, only left this box when she was required to dress formally and up. But she did love looking at the TAG Heuer, though she felt sometimes that it may feel jealous about the cheap Casio that was her right wrists favourite friend. She felt guilty about the TAG Heuer. The diamond was similarly only engaged infrequently, usually when Jane was required to wear a dress at her wife's instance.
The other bands in the box were exactly the same in appearance to her wedding band, but instead of platinum were made of cheap sterling silver, they were her everyday band that represented the platinum band that could be worn anywhere and if one of them happened to go missing in the field, well it was only $37 to replace. Her wife had balked at the idea of something so pedestrian, and yes that was the word her wife had used to describe Jane's plan when they were speaking about it after the second time she had lost her wedding band, but after the third time Jane had lost it her wife caved and agreed that perhaps the platinum band should not be worn in the field.
After the first time Jane had lost the platinum band in the field, she had considered simply not wearing the band at all in a better to be safe than sorry attitude, but that lasted less time than it took to walk to her car on her way to work. She had barely made it out the front door before panic set in and she felt naked and exposed without it, turning and running back inside to fetch the band and placing it back on her finger. Jane was immensely and indescribably grateful that her wife had simply wrapped her arms around Jane's waist, and hugged tightly with a soft kiss to her shoulder and not made fun of her. Jane knew that the way she felt was slightly foolish, everyone knew that she was married and everyone knew that she was prone to losing things and she also knew that no one, especially her wife, would think less of her for not wearing it to work, but that didn't stop the thoughts from crossing her own mind.
She could still remember the scared faces of the Boston Policy Academy Cadets as they crawled on their hands and knees through the tactical firearms course scouring the ground for the platinum band. The tears in her eyes made it difficult for her to see clearly, but even as the sun went down her cadets and fellow instructions had stayed to help her. Eventually one of the cadets, who normally looked at Jane with fear and trepidation on his face, yelled that he'd found it, and the whole cohort let loose a sigh of relief that their mission was complete as Jane roughly hugged the young man who still looked scared, but less so than normal. Jane had placed the band back on her finger and dismissed the class, clutching her left hand in a fist in the hopes that it wouldn't fall off. She had sent a text to her wife when she knew she would be late home, but hadn't expected the search to take as long as it had so when she arrived home and found her wife asleep on the couch, she simply crawled over the smaller woman's body and wrapped her tightly in her arms and cried as the fear left her body.
Jane couldn't even tell you why almost losing her wedding ring frightened her so badly. She wasn't scared of the psychological mumbo jumbo that magazines and TV shows would have you think what losing a wedding ring means. She was comfortable and secure in her relationship with her wife, and she knew that the bonds of their relationship meant more and were stronger than a piece of shiny metal, but it had frightened her. Deeply.
The second time she had lost her wedding band she was with her family in her own backyard playing with her brother's children. There were three nieces and nephews now, TJ the oldest at 10 and his sister Angie was 3, were her youngest brother Tommy's children. TJ loved being a big brother to his sister, for he flatly refused to call her his half sister, and he loved Tommy's wife Christine. Barry who was 2, was Frankie and Nina's son. They had been having a family barbeque with the whole family and extended family, when Jane had lost her wedding ring. The search for it this time didn't take nearly as long as it had the first time, sweet TJ shouting with glee that he found it in the long grass near the vegetable garden. Jane had scooped him up and hugged much the same as she had the cadet. TJ was quickly rewarded with a trip to Fenway and a sox jersey and hat and foam finger and all the food that Jane and her wife could stuff in him.
Her wife had noted that Jane was constantly making a fist of her left, different from the way that she often flexed and unflexed her hand because of residual pain from her encounter with a serial killer. While she had called the idea pedestrian, she could admit that the idea of stand in bands of cheap sterling silver had merit because she could see the toll losing the wedding ring had on Jane. Though she did also say that she wouldn't be caught dead anywhere fancy with Jane if she wore the stand in anywhere fancy (she didn't mean that, which Jane knew) she suggested they hold off on the purchasing of the stand ins for a little while.
Jane had agreed, but when she lost it again a mere three weeks later, Jane made the decision herself and headed for the nearest jewelry store. Though that time she had "lost" it, it was only in her pocket because she removed it at the firing range and forgot that she put it in her left pocket instead of her right where she always put it, the fear was still the same. The proprietor of the jewelry store was not in the least bit perturbed by Jane's request for eight stand ins, nor for the gold chain that Jane had purchased at the same time, but did state that normally it was men who made this request of him. In fact, to Jane's chagrin, he had said in his 56 years of running this jewelry store and the 47 his father had run it before him, she was the only woman who had ever asked.
Well he wasn't the only jewelry store in Boston, so Jane felt slightly better of herself.
That night when Jane had presented her platinum wedding ring on the gold chain to her wife there was no argument about it. They had struck the deal that Jane would wear it to formal functions along with the TAG Heuer and the diamond, but for the rest of their life, or until it no longer needed to, it would reside around her wife's neck. Her wife had simply swept aside her honey blonde hair, and turned so that Jane could fasten the clasp of the gold chain around her neck. That night, as they made love, Jane was as mesmerized by the pendulum of her wedding ring around her wife's neck as she was by the way it hung between her naked breasts, keeping time to their passion and love making.
There were three stand in sterling silver wedding rings left in the box, number five having been lost today. It was lost somewhere in the early morning and Jane had felt naked, exposed, and uncomfortable all day. At lunch she had phoned around and finally found a shop that could take her in that night and do what she needed done, it had made her feel a little bit better, but as the time was approaching she had begun to wonder what her wife would think of the plan. Jane was tired and frustrated at constantly losing her wedding wing, and she needed the permanence of something else, so she had concocted her plan. She needed to eat at least an hour before the appointment, so ensuring that her wife wouldn't be working late she had made reservations at their favourite restaurant near the shop and was planning a date night.
Slipping the TAG Heuer on her right wrist, she closed the box leaving all of the other bands in the box, waiting for her wife to exit the shower so they could leave.
~~~~~~~if my heart were a compass you'd be north~~~~~~
"Maur, you ready?" Jane called through the door.
Maura Isles was almost finished getting ready for their date night. She didn't know what her wife had planned, and she didn't really care all that much, but she had been surprised by the lunch-time phone call. Their normal date night was Friday night, going all the way back to the days of just friendship before Jane proposed suddenly in Paris, when Friday's had been reserved for each other. They had kept the same date during Jane's year in Quantico while they were engaged, unless she had a case, but Jane would still come home to Boston and to Maura, even if she stayed in their Beacon Hill house by herself. They kept the same date when they were married the day Jane returned to Boston from Quantico. They had kept the same date when Jane took up her current position as instructor at the Boston Police Academy.
Jane had been offered her position in the homicide unit back, but had found that she was a better instructor than she had been detective and went with the position that kept her safe. Maura would not have stopped Jane if she went back to homicide, but was as thankful as Angela had been when Jane took the instructor position. Jane was safe everyday, and that was all that mattered really.
Checking her hair and make up one last time, she exited the bathroom fingering her wife's wedding band around her neck smiling to herself. Jane had never been one for jewelry of any sort, but her dedication to her wedding band and its safety warmed Maura's heart. She thought that Jane was a bit silly about insisting that it stay with Maura for this reason or that, but she found the fact that it was always with her, in one way or the other, made her heart overflow with love. Often she would find her hand wandering to it around her neck when she and Jane were apart holding tightly to the band and chain. Even when they were together in the same space, separately doing chores or reading, she would hold it. It felt like she was holding Jane.
Jane let out a small whistle upon seeing her, which made Maura blush. Even after being together for as long as they had been, through friendship, engagement, and marriage, the fact that Jane still found her attractive sent a thrill of longing through her. Maura knew that she was beautiful, having been told so on many occasions by both men and women, but knowing that Jane's affections hadn't waned in the years they've known each other made Maura feel radiant.
"Thank you Jane," she whispered stepping into Jane's arms. She noticed that Jane was wearing the tailored red shirt and black pants Maura had gifted her, as well as the TAG Heuer. Reaching up she gave Jane a kiss, and sunk into it when Jane's arms wrapped around her, her hand still on the ring around her neck.
"Come on, we should go." Jane whispered into her neck.
"Jane, your ring." Maura stopped her, reaching up to unclasp the chain from around her neck. As she always did when they performed this ritual, Maura slipped the platinum band on Jane's finger and kissed her chastely as they had done at the wedding ceremony. But as she made her way to put the chain on her bedside table Jane grabbed it from her hand and slipped it in her pocket. Maura simply raised an eyebrow at Jane, questioning this change in routine but Jane simply smiled and winked at her, grabbing her hand and pulling her from their bedroom.
"Where are we going?" Maura knew the restaurant must be one that she would have chosen, because of the watch and Jane's attire, but since this Tuesday night was special and surprising she didn't know what to expect.
"It's a surprise," was the only response she got.
"Remember when you asked me to marry you?" Because Jane hadn't asked, she hadn't demanded it either, but she definitely hadn't asked. Maura hadn't needed her to.
"Surprise!"
"That is the only surprise of yours that I have liked," Maura mumbled under her breath as Jane closed the passenger side door for her. It wasn't true, she smiled at Jane, there had been many wonderful surprises since that day including tonight's date night, but Maura wouldn't ever tell Jane that.
When they were on the road, Jane reached over and grasped Maura's left hand in hers and softly ran her fingers along and through Maura's, every now and then fingering the diamond on Maura's finger. They rode in comfortable silence, Maura's eyes drawn equally to the way their hands were joined and to Jane's face as she focused on the road. She didn't know where they were going, but she didn't really care because she was with Jane.
~~~~~~~~~we were born to make history~~~~~~~~~
A small village in France
After Maura had said she would marry her, Jane began to panic about getting her an engagement ring. She knew that Maura would be happy with a twist tie around her finger, because she had said as much, but Jane wanted Maura to have the best. Jane wasn't worried about the financial differences between them, but in this once instance she was feeling slightly inadequate. She remembered the tiny stone that Casey had gotten for her, and while it had been garish and she had been overjoyed to wear it, Maura needed something that was as beautiful and refined as she was and Jane knew that that kind of ring was out of her league.
As out of her league as Maura was.
But after Maura had interrupted her to say yes to her proposal, any of thoughts of rings wasn't even in the same plane of existence as they walked quickly back to their bed and breakfast. Their first time making love had been clumsy and sloppy, neither of them having been with a woman before, but they made it work.
The second time they had figured it out a bit quicker.
The third time it was if they had been doing it their entire lives. Jane had never had that connection with someone. She had always enjoyed her experiences with others, but it was a road of discovery with them that often took months or years to be as comfortable with them as she was instantly with Maura. Maura had said the same thing.
But now as they lay naked and uncovered, bodies still pressed together hands and legs and arms entwined with the sheets, Jane was holding onto Maura's ring finger and a frown had overcome her face.
Rings were back on her plane of existence.
"Jane, darling, what's wrong?" Maura had asked sweetly, enjoying the feel of skin against skin and the way that Jane was softly caressing her ring finger.
"I'm thinking about an engagement ring." Was the quiet response that Maura got, as well as feeling Jane tense against her.
Maura rolled softly from her back against Jane so that she was laying on her stomach facing Jane. They were still entwined together, though now they were chest to chest with Maura's chin resting softly above Jane's breasts. Jane's arms wrapped around Maura's body holding her close causing a shiver to run through Maura and a wave of love that while Jane was uncomfortable, she wasn't hesitant at showing physical affection.
"What about them?" Maura could hazard a guess at the problem, but also knew that she would do whatever Jane wanted. She had been honest that she would be okay with a twist tie, but would rather have a ring, any ring, and she knew that their financial situations would cause problems with others but as it had not yet been a problem in theirs in friendship, she hoped it wouldn't be in marriage.
"You deserve more than a twist tie, and I'm not sure I can afford to give you much more than that." Maura was suddenly sure that a twist tie had been a euphemism for a cheap ring, and she let out a small giggle.
"Hey!" Jane said trying for indignant, tickling Maura's side which made her laugh louder, prolonging the tickling, Jane had begun to laugh as well.
When they finally finished laughing, Maura reached up and kissed Jane on the lips, quickly falling into the passion of the embrace. "No, darling, I just got that you meant twist tie as a joke." She said honestly, fitting her forehead into the space between Jane's chin and chest.
"Did you think I was serious?" Jane asked, tightening her grip on Maura.
"No," Jane began to tickle her again, "okay, maybe a little," Maura quickly added to make Jane stop.
"I just want you to have something you can be proud of," was the whispered response that made Maura's heart melt a little.
"Oh Jane, I'd be proud of anything you gave me."
Jane pulled her up for a searing kiss that quickly deepened. Maura moved to settle between Jane's thighs, and twinning her fingers into raven hair. When they separated Maura still rested on Jane's chest, with one of Jane's leg wrapped around Maura's thigh, and her hands trailing wandering paths of fire across Maura's back.
"I know you would Maur, but it's about me too, you know?" There was hesitation in Jane's whispered voice, and suddenly Maura had an idea.
"I have a proposition for you."
Jane just nodded, her fingers still trailing across Maura's back.
"I'll pay for it."
"What?"
"There's a jewelry store a couple blocks from the café, we'll go in together and you can pick something for me and I'll pick something for you, and then I'll pay for it."
"You can't do that?"
Maura just smiled, "Yes I can, Jane. I can do what I want."
"But..." Maura was glad that Jane seemed to be considering her offer.
"Jane I would be happy with whatever you choose, but if this is about you and the way you feel, let me do this for you. It'll be for us."
"But Maura, we're already going to live in your house when I come back to Boston and my mother lives in your guesthouse and you've paid for everything on this trip and-"
Maura could tell that she had already won, but she interrupted anyway "and I would do all those things with a twist tie, and if I can do all of that before we're married, I would do them after."
"Okay."
"And yes we'll live, wait... okay?"
"Okay." Jane leaned up and kissed her again.
"Bonjour, belles femmes. Que puis-je vous aider qujourd'hui?" Jane had no idea what the shopkeeper said, but Maura instantly launched into a rapid French conversation with him, gesturing to her and to the display cases while the man nodded his head and responded in kind.
"Hello madame," suddenly a young woman was in front of Jane, smiling at her. Thankfully she spoke English and Jane sighed. Over her shoulder she saw Maura walking away with the shopkeeper still speaking animatedly with him in French.
"Hey, uh hello."
"Monsieur Allard has informed me of your situation, and since he does not speak English he has asked me to assist you with his deepest apologies." The young assistant looked contrite at what Jane assumed was her bosses shame, but she was thankful that the assistant was here.
"No, that's perfectly all right. I supposed I should have learned some French before I came to France eh? All I can say is that line from that song, and I only know what it means because they say the same line in English and I'm rambling, I'm sorry."
"It is quite all right, madame, I know of the song you speak." She said smiling at Jane.
"My name is Jane. Call me Jane."
"Oui, Jane, and you may call me Jacqueline."
"Okay Jacqueline." Except Jane said it like "Jack-Lean" and was thankful that the assistant smiled at her.
"Monsieur Allard has said you need an engagement ring for ton amour, that is correct?"
Jane nodded and waved vaguely at Maura.
"Oh, she is tres belle. Very beautiful." Jane smiled deeply, and looked over at Maura who was smiling and laughing with the shopkeeper.
"Do you know her ring size? Monsieur Allard has said that you would like to leave with the rings today, if you know her size we will be able to choose from the selection we have available in that size."
"Uhh..." Jane hesitated. She was pretty sure Maura was a 7, but she couldn't remember.
"Not a problem Jane, give me your hand." Jane thrust her hand at Jacqueline who slipped a contraption on her left ring finger. She quickly wrote it down and moved to Maura and Monsieur Allard. When she returned, she said "Ton amour wears a size 7, so let us move over here, away from her so we have privacy." Jane did an internal fist pump for remembering Maura's ring size.
Jane and Jacqueline looked at various rings for almost an hour, Jane rejecting each one until finally coming back to one that she had rejected at first. It was modest in size, though she couldn't be sure about the price because she had steadfastly refused to look at prices. Jacqueline was aware of what was happening, but Jane could tell that she wasn't judging the situation, simply helping Jane choose with understanding.
"This one is almost as beautiful as ton amour, though I do not believe there is a ring in existence that could rival un si beau." Jane just nodded, still staring at the ring.
"This is an 8 carat diamond, set heavily in platinum. The two smaller diamonds on either side are each 2 carats. Monsieur Allard designed this one himself, it is one of a kind." Jane didn't know about that, it looked like every other diamond ring she saw. But the etchings on the side of the diamond were exquisite, and Jane was surprised by the beauty in it.
Sensing that Maura was behind her, she quickly covered the three rings in front of her with both her hands. But Maura was looking the other way, and Jane knew that she was trying not to look at what Jane was looking at. She said something to Jacqueline who smiled and nodded, and said "diamant" and "platine" which Jane didn't need to speak French to know that those words meant diamond and platinum. Maura nodded, and fumbled for a caress of Jane's cheek still not looking at the rings Jane was covering. Jane's head followed the retreating fingers as Maura went back to Monsieur Allard, a smile taking over her face.
"It is so pleasant, seeing two in so much love. How long have you been together?" Jacqueline asked as Jane uncovered the rings and picked up the one she choose, disregarding the other two.
"Uhh..." Should she be honest here?
"Oui?"
"A day, I guess?" Really it had been eight years with minor hiccups here and there, but it was a long story.
"Pardon?" Jane tore her eyes away from the ring, and looked up at Jacqueline who wore a mask of confusion.
"We were friends for a long time, though I think I've been in love with her one way or another all along. We came to France for a vacation and yesterday at the café I was just watching her and I knew that I wanted her." Jane smiled at the memory of Maura in her yellow sundress, and blushed at the memory of the same dress on the floor of their hotel room.
"Oh, the café, La Petite Lilly?" Jacqueline asked.
"Yes," Jane smiled, wondering how she knew.
"Mon amour works there, Philipe?"
"Oh, he's the one that speaks English real good. I like him!"
Jacqueline smiled and blushed as she retrieved a box for the ring Jane had chosen. "He is wonderful. One day we will be married, Monsieur Allard has already agreed to provide our rings. I hope that Philipe will agree though, he is a very proud man, I mean to say-" she stuttered, realizing that she may have insulted Jane.
Jane held up a hand and smiled. "It's all right Jacqueline." Without hesitation she reached out for her hand, and when Jacqueline placed her hand in Jane's, she squeezed.
"Madame Jane, I did not mean-"
"You're right. I am like Philipe, but if he loves you as much as I love Maura then his pride doesn't matter." Jane knew that she would do anything for Maura, and allowing Maura to pay for her own engagement ring was a shot to her pride, but the love she felt for her silenced everything about it.
"Please forgive me madame," she swallowed thickly, removing her hand from Jane's. "Jane."
"There's nothing to be forgiven Jacqueline."
Just then Maura and Monsieur Allard returned to them and Jane bent to give Maura a chaste kiss, wrapping her arm around the smaller woman's waist and holding her tight. Maura's arm wrapped around hers as Monsieur Allard and Jacqueline had a quick conversation.
"So you have each chosen an engagement ring, would you like to purchase wedding bands while you are here as well?" Jacqueline asked, while Monsieur Allard smiled beside her.
Jane deferred to Maura who had a better understanding of these things, who smiled and nodded at the shopkeeper and his assistant. Monsieur Allard stepped away and returned with a selection of plain platinum bands. They quickly choose the ones that would match their engagement rings, Jacqueline pointing out the thickness of the ones that would fit comfortably with the ring Jane had chosen. Jacqueline began to box and wrap their purchases while Maura handed Monsieur Allard her credit card and Jane noticed that there were five packages being wrapped, assuming that Maura had gotten something else while Jane was looking at rings.
"What else did you buy?" Jane asked wrapping both arms around Maura's waist and kissing her again.
"I assumed you wouldn't want to wear an engagement ring when you were at work, so I got you something that you could wear."
"Why would you assume that?" Though Maura was right, as she usually was when it came to Jane. When she had worn the ring Casey had given her, that whole day was terrible. Half of her mind had been on the case they were working, the half on losing it. But looking back, Jane was sure that was more to do with who gave it to her rather than the ring itself. Even then, even subconsciously, it had been Maura she wanted to be with so wearing it hadn't felt right. "I mean, you're not wrong, but I'd wear it for you."
"I know you would Jane," the smaller woman said kissing Jane's neck as she did so, "but I also know that you'd be worried about losing it as well. So I got you something you could wear on a daily basis to think of me and we can save the engagement ring for special occasions."
"Thank you Maur, I love you. But I don't need to have anything to remind me to think of you on a daily basis."
"I love you more." The kiss they shared was broken up by the return of both Monsieur Allard and Jacqueline. Maura spoke with them both in French and Jane just smiled down at Maura and fell a little more in love with her. Jane grabbed the bag from Jacqueline and smiled at them as they made their way out of the little jewelry store.
Jane had been shocked at the TAG Heuer, Maura had cried at the ring Jane chose, Jane had cried at the ring Maura had chose and they had made love again after putting the rings on each other's fingers. The next day when Maura put her foot down and said she needed at least two hours alone to work on her book since she had done nothing the day before due to the lovemaking and the ring shopping, Jane had grabbed her book and went to their café alone and had a frank chat with Philipe about pride and love, and explained what happened the day before. He nodded with understanding and gave her her coffee for free, a smile on his face.
~~~~~~your very existence become my sacred missions bane~~~~~~
-Back in Boston-
After the finished at the restaurant with almost thirty minutes to spare, Jane decided they could walk to the shop where they were headed, still not revealing the location to Maura. They strolled the lively streets arm in arm, talking about nothing and everything they wanted, small laughs and smiles, a small bubble keeping their own little world amongst the populations around them.
"We're here," Jane said, a small hint of trepidation in her voice.
"Jane, this is a tattoo parlor." The confusion was evident in her voice. "Why are we here?"
"I have an appointment," she made of show of checking her watch which Maura chuckle, "seven minutes."
"But why?" Maura was worried about what kind of horrific thing Jane was thinking of getting. Even though when she had painted the fake tattoo on Jane for a case a couple of years ago she had to admit to herself, both then and now, that it was quite possibly one of the sexiest things she had ever seen.
"I lost another stand in today." Was all Jane said.
"How on earth do you keep losing your wedding rings Jane?" Maura said with a laugh. It was one of the funniest things about Jane. She was soft and gentle, but given to flailing about to make her points. She was most definitely the most animated speaker Maura had ever known, and while she found the situation almost comical she knew that Jane felt deeply about it.
"I don't know."
Automatically she reached for the ring around her neck, but quickly remembering that Jane was wearing it. Actually Jane was not wearing it, she had retrieved the chain from her pocket and was slipping the wedding band back on to it and refastening it around Maura's neck.
"So why are we here?" But Maura already knew the answer, and found that she was excited about the answer.
"I'm going to get a band tattooed on my ring finger. When there's nothing there I feel wrong. I don't know. I went 41 years without anything being there but since we got married I don't want there to be nothing there, and when this heals I can wear the ring to fancy places like I like to, and when I eventually lose the next stand in this will be there and I won't feel so wrong."
Maura's knees when weak during Jane's rambling confession and she kissed Jane with all the love she was feeling.
"Anyway, this is one of the best shops in the city and I checked and they just had their health and safety license renewed last month, and they agreed to take me right away and... yeah."
"Okay Jane. Let's go."
When Jane was sitting in the chair and the tattoo artist was preparing his materials they were making small talk. Maura had her left hand wrapped around the wedding band around her neck, and her left hand was holding tight to Jane's right hand as she leaned against the table. The artist was talking about the amount of times he's done this, and talking about the love while Jane explained why she was getting it done.
"So how long have you guys been married?" The artist asked, and Maura laughed when Jane's face turned red.
"Ten months," Maura chuckled, bringing Jane's right hand up and kissing the back of it.
"And you've lost your ring how many times?" He asked, stopping his preparations to look incredulously at Jane.
"Eight!" Maura laughed again.
"Actually eleven," Jane mumbled under her breath with set both the artist and Maura laughing again.
"Do you have the band you will wear when this heals?" The artist asked, and Maura showed him.
"Okay, I think our best bet is for me to free hand this. I can make it as wide as your band," he said taking a look at the ring, and when he released it Maura once again wrapped her hand around it, "but I think we should go about half so that when you do wear it it's covered. You said when you called that you do wear it sometimes?"
"Yeah, special occasions and such."
"Okay, can you put it on where you normally wear it, so I can mark where it sits to map out where to do your tattoo?"
Working together Maura and Jane put the wedding band on Jane's finger and the artist made his marks, Maura slipped the ring back on the chain and back around her neck, quickly grasping Jane's hand as the artist began his work.
After they were finished and paid, they walked back to the car arm in arm, the streets having quieted over the last hour.
"Jane?" Maura began, when the reached the passenger side of the Mercedes and Jane was reaching for the handle.
"Mmm?"
"I love you."
Jane quickly enveloped Maura in a hug and they kissed each other under the soft streetlights. Several moments later they broke from each other smiling and breathing hard. "I love you more."