A/N: I read somewhere that Jane might live in Revere so that's where I got that from.

Disclaimer: Don't own the characters they belong to Janet Tamaro and TNT and Tess Gerritsen.

Maura was at work and Jane had the day off. Constance was visiting and carelessly flipping through channels on their television demurely sitting on the couch and sipping wine. Jane smiled to herself briefly. Constance and Maura were so alike in their mannerisms it was almost scary at times. It was hilarious that neither seemed aware of it, but Jane knew.

She and Maura had been dating going on three years. They moved in together just last year after months' worth of traversing back and forth between Beacon Hill and Revere, months of waking up at odd hours just so she could run to her apartment to change into clean work clothes. Eventually, it just became easier to move in. And the way Maura presented it to her was really adorable. There was a pros and cons list, multiple color coded spread sheet detailing chores and finances and schedules and how they could make it all work. All Jane really needed to hear from her was the question and she would've said yes in a heartbeat, but the way Maura's eyes got all serious and heartfelt, the way her voice sped up and slowed down, the intonation of her words left her sitting across from Maura halfway paying attention chin in her hand while her insides turned into a complete puddle of mush.

But now, she was the one with an important question to ask. She took a deep breath as she walked into the living room. "Constance?"

The woman's head perked up. "Yes, Jane? Did you want to watch the television?"

"What? No. Umm, I was actually wondering if I could talk to you…in the office?" She pointed a shaking finger down the hall. Constance quirked an eyebrow in amusement, but stood nonetheless to follow the brunette.

Jane swallowed thickly as they walked through the door. On her desk were two velvet boxes. She smiled at the picture of Maura next to her computer before turning back to Constance. "There's something I need to ask you."

Constance was a smart woman. Based on Jane's actions and the boxes on her desk she knew where this was going, she knew what her answer was going to be, but she figured she ought to listen to Jane's spiel. "I'm listening." She pulled Maura's desk chair out and sat down.

Jane took another deep breath, giving herself an internal pep talk. "Okay," She mumbled under her breath. "As- as you know, I'm a cop." She licked her lips nervously, shaking her head at herself. "I've been decorated. Umm." She picked up the longer of the boxes. "I was awarded The Medal of Valor."

Constance's eyebrows shot up. She knew Jane had been decorated but she had no idea she'd received an award of such prestige. "That's very impressive."

"Yeah, I was an officer, a young kid trying to work my way up through the ranks. I was working with the Drug Control Unit. We were outside of an apartment complex. We were about to go in and serve our warrant when shots rang out. It was my first time in a real firefight. I thought – until then I was always worried I would freeze when it happened, you know? I thought I wouldn't be ready, but it wasn't like that at all."

Constance watched as a rueful smile fell onto the detective's lips as she leaned against her desk relaxing a little.

"You see that stuff in movies but it's different in real life. It's faster, more intense, chaotic. Bullets were flying everywhere from all directions, different calibers, different rounds, and as I'm about to take a shot at one of these gangbangers I see this kid out of the corner of my eye. There was a little boy, crying in the yard across from us scared to death, frozen. I told the guy next to me to cover for me and just ran. I swear I've never run so fast in my life."

Constance laughed lightly, leaning forward in her chair as she listened to the detective speak.

"All I could think about was that little boy. All I could think about was how I needed to keep him safe and if I didn't the badge around my neck meant nothing. If I didn't get to him before the bullets, I knew nothing in my life, nothing I ever did for the rest of my career would mean anything. I took an oath to protect and serve. It is my duty to protect the innocent and what's more innocent than a scared kid? Bullets hit the concrete near my feet, officers were yelling. I could hear sirens off in the distance, but all I cared about was getting to this kid."

Constance looked curiously at her, head tilted in a way that mirrored Maura's.

"We hid behind a nearby car. He was shaking against my chest and sniffling against my shoulder. I was breathing hard, one hand on my gun, one hand around him ready to do what I needed to do to keep this kid safe. Eventually, the shooting stopped. The second after the all clear, he looked at me his blue eyes wide and wonderful. His little hand squeezed mine tight, his cheeks were red and puffy and tearstained. I'm not much for philosophy or thinking about the grander things or why we're put on this Earth, but right then I knew. I was put here to do this job. I was born to do this. My Ma never liked the fact that I was a cop, but I told her that story after the ceremony and she finally understood."

Jane put the box back on the table turning fully to Constance. "I know I'm a little rough around the edges and a little…blue-collar, but I feel the same way about your daughter. I feel like I was put here to love her. I feel…I feel whole when I'm with her. I don't know how it happened." She gave a breath of a laugh. "But, Maura is everything to me and I'm never going to find anyone like her ever again and I don't want to. I love her. I love her so much and I…" She grabbed the second velvet box on the table. "I wanted…I wanted to ask you if I could have her hand in marriage. I w-wanted your blessing before I asked her."

Constance smiled standing from the chair. She placed her hand over the detective's shaking fingers. "I give you my blessing, Jane."

Brown eyes widened in shock. "Really?"

"Yes, really." Constance chuckled. "Did you think I was going to say no? You protect my daughter in a way I don't think anyone ever has, including myself. In the time I've been around the two of you I've seen you make her laugh, make her let loose, which are things she's had trouble doing in the past and on her own. I know she loves you with all her heart and I know she will say yes whenever you choose to ask her."

"Th-thank you." Jane stuttered. She felt woozy, like she was going to fall over any second now.

"Is that the ring you chose?"

Jane nodded, opening the velvet box in her still shaking hands. "You think she'll like it?"

A/N: I may do a chapter two if I can think of a good proposal idea. (Also, I'm not entirely sure if that incidence alone would actually grant an officer a medal of valor because those are one of the highest awards a public safety officer can receive (I'm sure she would get an award but I'm not sure if it would be that one) but this is fiction and yeah.)

Thanks for reading!