A/N: Thank you so much for your lovely comments. Our girls are growing up and headed toward high school, so the rest of the chapters are either going to have a K+ or T rating. I hope you don't mind. :)

February 14, 1990

Eighth grade marked the third and final year of Jane and Maura's middle school experience. What they had expected to be the most awkward and difficult three years of their lives had turned out to be some of the best. They were still far from popular, but they had each other and that's all that mattered to them.

Now that they were a couple, Jane and Maura were even more inseparable than before. They weren't allowed to be home alone whenever they visited each other's houses, but they were allowed to hold hands and hold each other on the couch whenever they watched movies together. Being alone with a closed bedroom door was out of the question, but the girls were allowed their privacy from time-to-time. Jane and Maura thought their mothers were being paranoid, but they were grateful that the 'no sitting next to each other' rule from fourth grade was no longer in effect.

The nature of their relationship had also changed. They were girlfriend and girlfriend instead of best friends and, although it was just a label, Jane and Maura used it to refer to each other every chance they were given. Instead of asking if she could visit Maura, Jane would ask, 'Can I visit my girlfriend Maura?' Her parents and her brothers were becoming annoyed, but Jane didn't care. She had waited years for Maura to be her girlfriend and she knew having a girlfriend like Maura was something to brag about.

Jane wasn't sure how it happened, but she had become more chivalrous. She'd walk Maura to class and carry her books for her and, to show her gratitude, Maura would make sure to kiss her before she entered her classroom. They'd leave notes for each other in their lockers, which usually consisted of nothing more than their ramblings about how pretty the other was and their undying love for each other, but they treasured each note and kept them safely tucked away in their respective bedrooms. Jane would always hold doors open for Maura and when they'd sit down for lunch in the auditorium Jane made sure to pull a chair out for Maura.

For their first anniversary, Jane had wanted to do something romantic, but an upcoming history test had put a stop to their plans. It wasn't the first time they had studied for that particular test, but with the test scheduled for the next morning, they didn't want to be too confident and go without a bit of last minute studying the night before.

Mr. and Mrs. Isles had plans for Valentine's Day and with Frankie and Tommy's friends at the Rizzoli house, the girls had no other option than to spend an evening alone at Maura's house so they could study.

Their books and study guides were in front of them on the kitchen table, but all they could focus on was each other. Jane reached for Maura's hand across the table and she rolled her fingers between hers as they both tried to read.

"We know this," Jane pointed out. Her statement broke the ten-minute long silence between them that resulted from them pretending to study.

"The test is tomorrow morning," Maura brought to her attention. "History is our first class."

"And today is our anniversary," Jane argued. "Our first anniversary. Do you want to spend it studying for a test we already know we're going to pass or do you want to do something special?"

"We could go swimming!"

"I don't know," Jane hesitated. "I was thinking we could watch a movie together and cuddle."

"You said special," Maura reminded her. "Why would we do something that we do every weekend if you want to do something special?"

"I don't have a bathing suit."

Maura had gotten up from her chair and quickly made her way over to Jane. As fun as it'd be to swim with Maura, Jane knew swimming with Maura meant seeing Maura in her bathing suit and she wasn't quite ready for that. Jane had never been self-conscious about her body, but she was nervous about being so exposed in front of her girlfriend. She's just as nervous as you are, Jane tried to tell herself, but when Maura nearly pulled her out of her chair she knew she couldn't be further from the truth.

When they reached Maura's bedroom, Jane made herself comfortable on Maura's bed as she grabbed a bikini for herself and one for Jane.

"I'm not ready," Jane admitted.

"What aren't you ready for?"

"This. I'm not ready to get dressed in front of you…or get undressed."

Maura tossed a bikini to Jane. "You can change in here and I can change in the bathroom."

"No," Jane shook her head. Time to grow up, Jane. "We can both change in here, just promise you won't look at me."

Jane became nervous all over again when Maura failed to respond. Instead of promising, she turned to face one wall and Jane faced another. Curiosity was getting the best of her and Jane had the strongest desire to look at her girlfriend. Her bikini bottoms were already on, but once her t-shirt and bra were off, she noticed Maura looking at her bare chest. Never in her life had Jane felt so embarrassed. When she immediately crossed her arms over her chest, Maura started to smile.

"I peeked," Maura confessed.

"I know."

"How would you know unless you attempted to peek at me?"

It was a valid point and Jane wasn't quite sure how to respond. She had attempted to peek at Maura, but Maura had changed into her bikini quicker than Jane had expected. Still unsure about how she should verbally respond, Jane playfully tackled Maura onto her bed. Maura tried to wiggle herself free underneath Jane, but it was no use. Jane had her pinned down and Maura soon realized it'd be more beneficial if she stopped being playful and just held Jane close to her.

"Jane, are you cold?" Her question took Jane by surprise. She didn't have goosebumps and she wasn't shivering, so why did Maura think she was cold? Jane had waited for a long, scientific explanation from Maura, so she was taken by surprise yet again when Maura playfully tapped her finger to Jane's right nipple. "It's slightly erect."

"Maura!" Jane gasped. "Maybe we should get dressed and get back to studying."

"Or we could get under the covers," Maura suggested.

The thought of getting under the covers with her made Jane's entire body start to tingle. She knew what getting under the covers could possibly lead to, but when Maura cupped her face in her hands and looked at her with so much love in her eyes, Jane overcame her nervousness. "Let's make it even," she said as she undid the clasp on Maura's bikini top. Maura offered her no resistance. She untied the final knot and set the bikini top at the foot of her bed.

"Jane?" Maura looked over at her. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah," Jane responded, no longer able to stop herself from blushing. "When we were in sixth grade, I saw you in your training bra and—"

"I'm still wearing that size," Maura groaned.

"Yeah, but you've filled out a little more," Jane added. "I've noticed. I mean, I don't stare directly at your chest when I'm with you. No, wait, I do. I'm not going to lie to you about that."

Maura grabbed her hand. "It's okay, Jane."

"It is?"

"It is," Maura reassured her. "I like when you look at me."

"I'm looking at you right now. I can't stop looking at you. I keep thinking about that time I saw you in your training bra and I thought that was one of the greatest things I've ever seen, but this is so much better. You're so beautiful, Maura. Your body is beautiful. Everything about you is beautiful."

Jane watched as Maura carefully pulled her comforter and bed sheets down just enough for them to get in between. It wasn't the first time Jane had been in Maura's bed, but it was the first time she had been in her bed while wearing nothing more than a pair of bikini bottoms. Jane's nervousness had returned, but her girlfriend was so ease.

"Maur, are we—"

"No," Maura said softly. "We're not ready yet."

"Then what are we doing?"

"Shush," Maura said as she held a finger up to Jane's lips.

Jane playfully kissed Maura's finger. "You did not just shush me."

Paying no attention to what her girlfriend had just said, Maura rested her head on Jane's chest. "I'm listening to your heartbeat."

"Something wrong with me, Dr. Isles?" Jane quipped. She was nervous about Maura's head on her chest and wanted at least some levity in that moment.

"It's soothing."

Maura was right—it was soothing. The more Jane was able to calm herself and just enjoy the moment for what it was, the more she realized this was, perhaps, the best moment she had ever had with Maura. They weren't making out and there weren't any intentions of taking anything to the next level, yet it was such an intimate moment between the two of them.

They had kissed once while Maura was on top of her and, during that single kiss, Maura's mom walked in without any warning.

"Maura Dorthea Isles!" No longer able to look at the sight before her, Constance closed the door and waited for her daughter to get dressed.

Jane wanted to hide under the covers. "This is bad. This is very bad."

"We'll explain what we were doing," Maura insisted. "Jane, everything is going to be okay."

The girls scoured the room for their clothes and underwear, no longer caring if they saw each other fully naked as they changed from the bikini bottoms into their clothes. When they opened the door, they noticed Mrs. Isles was no longer waiting for them.

"Mom?" Maura called out.

"Mrs. Rizzoli is on her way," Constance responded. "The four of us are going to have a talk."

"A talk or the talk?" Jane whispered to Maura.

Fifteen agonizing minutes later, Jane and Maura were in the living room with their mothers. They wanted to explain themselves, but they had a feeling their mothers weren't going to let them get a word in edgewise, so they sat down next to each other on the couch, holding hands to reassure each other that they weren't in this alone.

"No holding hands right now," Angela commanded, but Jane refused to let go of her girlfriend's hand. Instead, she pulled Maura toward her and let Maura rest her head on her shoulder.

"I'm not letting go of her," Jane insisted. "Maura and I love each other and you're not going to separate us."

"We thought we could finally trust you," Constance began. "You girls were left alone for two hours so you could study and this is what happens."

"It's not what you think," Maura told her mother. "Jane and I are saving ourselves until—"

"I don't want to hear it, Maura," Constance interrupted.

"But it's the truth," Jane said in defense of her girlfriend. "Maura isn't lying to you. We weren't having sex. We have self-control. We don't just paw at each other the moment we're left alone."

"Jane and I are a couple," Maura began. "We're in a committed relationship and it's normal for us to be curious about each other's bodies. That's what you witnessed. It was just our innocent curiosity."

"Innocent?" Angela asked in disbelief. "You call being on top of Jane while you're naked innocent?"

"We weren't naked," Jane pointed out. "We were wearing bikini bottoms."

"What if I would have walked in ten minutes later?" Constance asked. "Would you still have been wearing them?"

"I was just holding your daughter. Had you walked in ten minutes later we probably would have been asleep," Jane snapped.

"Jane Clementine Rizzoli, you will not take that tone with an adult," Angela warned. This whole situation was staring to make Jane angry. She knew what she had done with Maura wasn't exactly innocent, but it wasn't wrong either. They had no intentions of having sex and they had done nothing more than hold each other.

Maura looked into her eyes. "All I wanted was to hear your heartbeat."

"To see if it really skips a beat when I'm around you?" Jane asked in hopes that it would cheer Maura up. "Maura, I love you so much."

"I love you, too, Jane."

"Why can't you two believe us?" Jane asked their mothers, well aware that she had raised her voice. "Why can't you believe that Maura and I love each other and it's love in the purest form? Yes, we think about sex, but that's normal. I can look at Maura's body and appreciate her beauty without having some uncontrollable urge to have sex with her. We can just hold each other and that's enough. Maura and I are waiting until we're older because even though we love each other now we know we'll love each other even more later and we'll be more emotionally ready for sex."

Maura couldn't stop herself from smiling. "And it'll be even better!"

Her girlfriend had just ruined her argument, but Jane thought her little outburst was adorable. Without caring that their mothers were watching, Jane kissed Maura right then and there.

"Three weeks," Angela interrupted. "You're grounded for three weeks."

"Three weeks seems fit," Constance agreed.

"Three weeks?" Jane asked. "We're grounded for three weeks? Really?"

"Three weeks is fair," Maura immediately added. Three weeks without Jane was cruel and unusual punishment for her, but she knew their mothers were capable of making their punishment last much longer.

Before Jane left, she was allowed two minutes of privacy to say goodbye to Maura. They were going to see each other the next day at school, so instead of talking they spent nearly the entire two minutes kissing.

"I know the perfect make out spot on campus," Maura whispered in Jane's ear.

Jane playfully lifted her up. "Have you been taking other girls there?"

"No," Maura responded in between kisses. "I read there by myself that day you were absent. We could go there every lunch period from now on. Being grounded for three weeks only means no making out after school."

"But no one can stop us during school hours," Jane realized. "I love my genius girlfriend." They had approached the two-minute mark, so Jane stole one more kiss before finally letting go of Maura.

Jane was trying to abide by the rules, but Maura wasn't quite ready to let her leave. "Happy anniversary, perfect girlfriend."

"Happy anniversary, even more perfect girlfriend."

The girls were caught kissing yet again, but no more time was added on to their punishment. The next three weeks were going to be long for Jane, but with the mental image she had of being in bed with Maura earlier and the make out sessions that Maura had planned for their lunch break, Jane knew it was all more than worth it.

And it'll only get better when we're in high school.