"So should I treat you different?"

"Hm?"

"When we're in Boston. Should I treat you different?"

"What do you mean?"

Jane and Maura were on the train that would take them to the east coast, their luggage stowed and Jane's foot resting on the seat across from her, next to Maura, in their small private compartment. As per Jane and Maura's plan, they had gotten to the station so early that they were the first people there, giving Jane time to apply her fake mustache of choice. This one was less ostentatious than Jake Wyatt's, tapering out towards the corners of her mouth, and with no matching beard. She also pulled her hair up and hid it under her hat, in case anyone arriving at the station might have recognized the area-famous female deputy. When other passengers did indeed begin to show up (and there weren't very many of them), Jane was overly chatty, eager for their trip to begin.

Maura hadn't said a word about her conversation with Angela.

It was the first time she had ever kept something from Jane. After leaving Angela to finish up her work at the corral (that Korsak had hired her to do), Maura went into town to ask Frost and Frankie if they would come with Korsak in the morning to help carry out the girls' luggage. That way, when Maura returned home, she could stay true to her reason for having gone out in the first place.

"Sweetheart, you all right? You don't look so good."

Maura did her best to smile, trying to avoid the stomach ache she could feel coming on. "I'm fine, just tired. And a little nervous about our trip, I suppose."

She sat down on the edge of the bed when Jane held an arm out to her. "It'll be okay, Maura. I'll be there, and you can count on me for whatever ya need, all right? There ain't nothin' to worry about. It's gonna be great. Believe me."

"Mm-hm. How's your foot?"

"Oh, it's fine. Feels right back to normal."

Maybe at some point Maura would have said something about Angela, but Jane spent the next half hour or so talking about nothing but their trip to Boston. She had been so busy with work while they were preparing to leave that she hadn't gotten much of a chance to gush about it to Maura, and oh heavens, was she now. Jane tended to be enthusiastic and talkative about most things anyway, but there was something different about this—she kept coming up with new things to be looking forward to, new ideas to share, new questions to ask. Her excitement ebbed away the slow-growing anxiety that had been building in Maura's gut, but that apprehension came back once Jane drifted into sleep.

Even though Angela hadn't condemned Maura, even though it seemed she wanted to ignore what she had seen, even though it could have gone much worse, Maura did not want to bring it up. Jane wouldn't be able to enjoy herself on this trip at all. Regardless of the fact that Angela had promised not to breathe a word of what she'd seen to anybody, Maura knew Jane would worry about that happening. It was true Angela had a big mouth, but considering she didn't want to seem to think about it much herself, there was nobody she would gossip to. The fact of the matter was that she knew, and there was nothing that could be done about that information—especially not when Jane and Maura were on the other side of the country. Why make Jane stress about it?

I'll tell her when we get back. Let her enjoy this sabbatical from town, from her job—let us both enjoy it. She doesn't need to know yet.

After a somewhat restless night, Maura had hoped for a quiet beginning to their train ride, but Jane could not for the life of her stop talking.

"How d'you reckon I oughtta treat ya?" she repeated when Maura seemed to have spaced out for the tenth time. "Would the fellas in Boston think it was funny if I was too nice to ya? Or, what's the word you used the other day—def…"

"Deferential?" Maura offered with a small smile.

"Yeah, that was the one! Do ya think we could sell this whole married thing a little easier if I weren't so def-rential to ya? Maybe you should try bein' a little more of it to me," Jane said, folding her arms and feigning a cross look, which finally got Maura to laugh. Jane cracked a grin too. "What're you laughin' about, little woman? You tryin' to make a joke outta your husband?" She brought her leg down and slapped her own lap. "Get your ass over here."

"I do think it might be best if you would refrain from using language like that while we're in Boston," Maura said, settling herself on Jane's lap and putting her arms around Jane's neck.

"Mm, right. What was it in French?"

"Derriere."

"Oh yeah, I liked that one." Jane snaked one hand down to Maura's rear, giving it a pinch through her many layers of skirts. "Derriere!"

Maura giggled and gave Jane a short kiss, not wanting to dislodge the fake facial hair. "Hm, that's going to take some getting used to," she said, gently her finger down one side of the mustache. "Although you won't be wearing it when we're alone, and I suppose I won't be kissing you very much in public."

"You won't?" Jane asked with a frown.

"No, dear, that wouldn't be proper," Maura said patiently. "But I promise—" She left a long kiss on Jane's cheek. "Everyone will know and see how much I love you, anyway. If I may make a request?"

"Anything," Jane whispered, her lips brushing against Maura's jaw.

"Treat me the way you treat me at home."

Maura's tone was serious, but Jane couldn't fight a smile. "And how's that, Dr. Isles?"

The answer seemed simple. "Like you love me. Like you respect me. Like I'm your best friend."

"Well God knows it won't be easy, but I'll try," Jane said with a grin.

"You know what won't be easy?"

"What?"

"Keeping myself from kissing you in public." With that, Maura offered one more small peck before climbing off Jane's lap and back onto her own seat, explaining, "It's easier to appraise you from over here. My, my, Jake Rizzoli. You are one handsome devil, you know that?"

"Yes," Jane replied stoically. "Yes I do."

A moment later they both burst into hysterical laughter, true though Maura's assessment had been. They had spent an inordinately long time deciding what to do about Jane's hair, as neither of them even considered cutting it too short. (Neither mentioned the particular reason for this, which was the role Jane's hair seemed to play when they were making love: Maura could only ever ground herself by tangling her fingers in Jane's curls, and Jane adored the way that felt.) Jane was worried about looking too uncouth in front of the Boston elite and embarrassing Maura, but Maura said she didn't care much about that. So, Jane adopted a look accepted by Bill Cody and Bill Hickock, cutting her hair to just below her shoulders and keeping on a mustache. It wasn't quite the style in Boston, but if it was good enough for Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill, Maura believed it was good enough for Jane. After all, they weren't going to Boston to ingratiate themselves into northeastern society. Let Jane's inherent Western-ness shine through.

The reason Jane was in disguise at all right now was because of the fact the train's personnel (if not at least a few of the passengers) would be with them in Boston, and there was a possibility of raising a few eyebrows if Maura boarded the train with another woman and left it with someone who appeared to be a man.

It wasn't until they were preparing to go to dinner that Maura finally got up the courage to inquire about something she thought was missing from Jane's disguise. The curtains to their compartment were drawn, offering even more privacy than the closed doors and giving Maura the extra encouragement that she could not be overheard.

"Jane?" she whispered.

"Yes?"

Maura tried to sound casual, running a brush through her hair, as if this question was of little consequence. "I only wondered if you might—well, you… when you have masqueraded as a man in the past, I noticed you were, uh…" The brush got caught in a tangle, and Maura hissed, her next words coming out quickly as she kept her eyes determinedly on the passing scenery in he window. "There are certain anatomical differences between men and women, and while I realize you're wearing enough layers to hide your thin chest—"

"Thank you," Jane chuckled.

"—and that it could possibly go unnoticed if you weren't to try compensating for… a… piece of anatomy you do not posses—"

"Maura," Jane gently interrupted, for fear that the woman's head would explode if her face got any redder. "Lemme show ya something." She pulled a small bag down onto her seat, and after rummaging through it, removed a long, thick sock.

"What's that?" Maura asked warily.

"This," Jane said, handing it over, "is my manhood." She laughed when Maura almost dropped it. "Frost and I figured it was the best we'd come to the real thing. I just balled up a couple other socks and stuffed 'em in there, and there ya have it."

"And it works?" Maura asked, handing it back.

Jane stood up and smirked, unbuttoning her trousers. "Accordin' to you it does," she said. "Weren't you just sayin' ya noticed it before? Guess I wasn't the only one gettin' an eyeful when we was at Stanley's tavern, huh?"

"I never stared at it," Maura said reproachfully, feeling her blush deepen. She kept her eyes fixed on Jane's face as Jane stuck the sock into her pants. "I felt it—when you came up to the dressing room and pressed yourself into me from behind."

"Oh, yeah," Jane muttered, feeling a little embarrassed as she always did when she recalled how she'd treated Maura that night. She buttoned her trousers back up and in a deeper voice than usual asked, "How's it look?"

"Very natural," Maura said thoughtfully.

"Not too big?"

"No, I don't think so," Maura whispered, standing up. "How is it when you walk?"

"Oh, it stays put," Jane said with a bit of a roguish grin, taking the few small steps she could in their compartment. "See?"

All sense of decorum suddenly gone, Maura impulsively reached out for the bulge to see what it felt like when Jane walked back in front of her. Jane, who had been mid-step, gasped at the sudden sensation, and her eyes locked with Maura's.

They were late for dinner.

The dining car was filled with older couples, a few of whom exchanged friendly glances with Jane and Maura as they walked in and sat down. Both of them loved the fact that everyone in there presumed they were married. It was such a simple but indescribably wonderful gift, and they couldn't help but take advantage of the freedom. Jane had led Maura into the car by hand, and didn't let go when they sat down opposite each other. It just felt too good to be able to hold her hand and look at her for as long as Jane wanted, without worry of rousing any suspicion or strange looks.

Jane loved feeling the fine material of Maura's gloves. Her own hands were comfortably bare, even though Maura had informed her that it would be perfectly suitable for a gentlemen to cover his hands with the proper type of glove (six pairs of which were packed with them). But when it was just the two of them and there was no work to be done, Jane preferred to leave the gloves off. There was so much she had missed out on before by ridding herself of that precious sense of touch.

As they waited for their food to arrive, Maura's eyes kept drifting to the window next to them. "What're you thinkin' about?" Jane asked, running her thumb across the back of Maura's fingers.

Maura gave Jane's hand a squeeze, murmuring, "Those clouds. The sun is almost gone, and you can still see them. Aren't they lovely?"

Jane spared a glance for them. "Yeah."

Maura continued to stare at them, smiling to herself. "Do you remember, Jake, the last time we were on a train together? You said the passing landscape reminded you of my mother's paintings. Everything's in motion, but you still get the general idea of what's passing you by." She looked back at Jane, who was smiling in remembrance of the occasion. "I never really understood all the value my mother saw in abstraction, in letting yourself go. It made me feel uncomfortable, and I much preferred solid, non-negotiable reality." She shook her head and caught Jane's eye again. "Jake, I love what you've done to me—how you've shown me it's all right to let my head rest in the clouds now and then."

"I'm the one who oughtta be thankin' you," Jane said with a crooked grin. "You're the one keepin' my feet on the ground when they need to be."

The elderly couple who had been sitting at the table behind Jane and Maura stopped by just then on their way out of the cart. "Excuse me," the woman said, beaming down at the two of them. "Newlyweds?"

"You could say that, yes ma'am," Jane replied with a grin.

"You see, Earl? I told you!" the old woman giggled, giving her chortling husband a light shove. "How long, dears?"

"Just over a month," Jane answered.

"Well, may the two of you be as happy many years down the road as you seem to be now," said Earl. "Laurie and I are just three days away from celebrating our fiftieth wedding anniversary, as a matter of fact!"

"Oh, how wonderful!" Maura gushed. "Jake, if we're to make it that long, you'd better be a little more careful on the job."

"Aw, I ain't so reckless!"

"Like adventure, eh, son?" Earl asked, clapping a sturdy hand on Jane's shoulder. She looked up at him, and he said sternly, "Don't you go breaking this girl's heart, now. A man who can't call himself a family man ain't so much of a man, is he?"

"Uh…no, sir, I reckon not," Jane said.

"Oh now, Earl, let's leave them to their evening," Laurie said, tugging her husband's sleeve. "You two have a nice trip!"

Jane and Maura returned the sentiment, and their food arrived shortly thereafter. As they ate, Maura began interviewing Jane in a style they had discussed, figuring there was a good possibility some of Maura's former acquaintances would want to get to know Jane a bit better.

"So Jake, tell me," Maura said. "What is your occupation out there in the wild west?"

"Well, Miss, I'm a deputy," Jane replied. "Been workin' for the law for quite some time now. It ain't always easy work, but sometimes that's the work that's most worth doin'."

"Mm, how interesting," Maura said, feigning an unimpressed look. "So what exactly is it that you do, day by day?"

"That depends on what day it is. If I'm workin' a lot, it could include a whole lotta things that'd bore ya to tears to hear about. We stop robberies, catch criminals, and try to bring a little bit of order to the county, best we can."

Maura put on another voice to say, "Well, that must be quite fulfilling!"

"Yes, it is," Jane said lightly. "But you wanna know the most rewarding job I've got?"

"What?"

"Makin' Maura smile."

"Oh, Jane," Maura whispered, the name muffled as one hand went up to cover a chuckle.

Jane laughed as well. "What? It's true! Y'know, I probably don't tell her this often enough—but some days when I come home and we ain't had a very successful day… crooks got away, or someone got hurt, or we was too late for somethin'—I get home, and Maura's there, and all of my disappointment just seems to go away. And I think to myself, if I can get Maura to smile just once, this day won't be wasted. And I ain't had a wasted day with her yet. Have you seen her smile? 'Cause it's the loveliest one you'll ever see by far. Show me a lovelier one and I'll show you a pig that can fly. It'd be worth dyin' for, that smile."

"May you never have to resort to that," Maura said, grinning like a fool at Jane's words.

"I don't aim to."

When it became dark, they returned to their compartment. Maura suggested some reading, and when Jane opened her own travel bag to get out a worn copy of Treasure Island, she wound up pulling out a letter instead.

"What's that?" Maura asked.

"Huh. A letter." Jane unfolded it and smiled. "Hey, it's from Ma!"

Maura instantly stood up straighter, heart racing. "Angela?"

"No, 'Ma' as in Stanley," Jane said sarcastically. "Want me to read it out loud?"

"Er—can I read it?" Maura asked nervously, reaching out her hand. Jane often conceded as Maura was the faster reader, and this way, maybe she could edit out any details about the conversation she and Angela had had that the woman may have included.

But Jane waved her hand. "Naw, c'mon, she wrote it to me. I'll get us through, it don't worry." She cleared her throat and gave the letter a dramatic flourish. "A-hem: 'Dear Janie – it is now just past 5:00 in the morning and I am sitting outside the Sheriff's office. I want to give him this letter for you on his way to pick up you and Maura. I know you are very excited about your trip to Boston and I hope you two girls have a lovely time. It feels nice to know where you're going for once, even though I know there are still a lot of things you don't tell me. Maybe you will never tell me some things, but that's the way life is suppose to be, I guess. Jane, I love you so much and am so glad to see you so happy. I know I can always count on you to do the right thing even if it takes you a while to get there. May God bless and keep you on your trip, and be with you until we meet again. Love, Ma.' Huh. Well! That was nice, wasn't it?"

Maura had turned her back to Jane as she undressed so her face wouldn't give her away. "Mm-hm," she said. She picked up the letter herself to scan it as Jane undressed, and Maura couldn't help wondering if Angela had suspected she'd read it, too. It was nice to get the confirmation that Angela wasn't going to turn her back on Jane for whatever relationship she seemed to be in with Maura, but it was also pretty clear she wanted to go back to pretending it didn't exist. That was probably the best reaction they could hope for.

It took a while, but Jane eventually figured out how to open the bed in their berth. Although the quarters were cramped and not too comfortable, Jane and Maura loved every night spent on that train ride. For once they had nowhere to be in the morning, so they could stay up later than usual and sleep in as long as they wanted.

On the morning of the day they were set to arrive in Boston, Maura couldn't help noticing that Jane seemed a little anxious. "Are you all right, dear?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah, I'm fine," Jane muttered, kneading her hands. She glanced up at Maura and knew the woman could see right through her. "I just …I dunno, I mean I don't care if they don't like me or if they don't think I'm good enough for ya after Fairfield, but I don't want 'em judgin' you for it. I don't wanna embarrass ya."

"Darling, that's very sweet, but we've talked about this," Maura said, sitting down opposite Jane and taking her hands. "We're not going to Boston to try and impress all the people in a society I wanted to get away from. We are going …so I can say goodbye to it. I spent too much of my youth feeling bad about how other people my age there perceived me, and I intend never to let that rule me again. I'm a citizen of Hollow Creek, Arizona, not Boston, Massachusetts—it'll take more than a few snide looks and raised eyebrows to phase me."

Jane smiled nervously. "Think we'll be okay, huh?"

"I know it. In fact, the only thing I'm worried about is instilling envy on all the other ladies when they see what a specimen I'm married to."

They both laughed like it was a joke, but neither had any idea how true the statement would turn out to be.

Jane was dressed very much to impress, wearing the first of the ensembles Adelaide had made specifically for this trip. The clothes were very new and very clean, which would make them rather difficult to criticize. Her pressed brown trousers matched the thick vest she wore over a rust-colored shirt, which itself was the most western-styled piece of apparel she was wearing. Boots were always Jane's footwear of choice, but she had forgone them (at least today) for a pair of sensible dark-brown shoes with no heel. Now Maura, wearing a periwinkle-blue dress, was a little closer to her in height.

"So your friend Charlotte's meeting us at the station, right?"

"Yes—oh and Jane, I'm sure you'll like her."

When 3:00 rolled around, Charlotte was indeed waiting at the station with her two younger sisters, Emily and Anne, both of whom had come with her out of eagerness to see the husband Maura had casually mentioned. While they waited for the train to arrive, the younger girls pegged Charlotte with questions about it at all, as if Charlotte had been in correspondence with Maura since.

"Did she say anything else? What's his name?"

"What's he do?"

"Could you believe it when Garrett came back? My word, my heart just about broke for him. If I wasn't already married and if he hadn't moved to Italy—"

"I know! How could Maura have possibly done better?"

"Charlotte, do you know who broke off the engagement? Her or Garrett?"

"Girls!" Charlotte cried. "Please, stop! I'm sure Maura will explain everything once she gets here. Look! There's the train now."

Emily and Anne chattered on as the train pulled slowly to a stop. "I wonder if this fellow came between them?" the latter mused.

"Perhaps he came in after Garrett left because he felt sorry for her."

"You know, I still just can't understand. It doesn't seem like Maura, does it? How could she have gone and gotten herself married so soon after Garrett left?"

"Because she was lonely?"

Charlotte interrupted their gossip when she saw Maura getting off the train with a lean man behind her. "Oh look, there she is!"

Anne turned to look at Emily. "Or because she found that."