AN: Here it is everyone. This is the last chapter to Another Chance. Thanks to everyone who has read and/or reviewed this story. It's been a great experience writing my first story ever and actually finishing it. I'm even more surprised that people liked it and it was cuz of you guys that I kept going. Thanks everyone! I hope you guys like it. Enjoy. =]

Chapter 10

Joanne propped her door open with one of her boxes and began to move things out into the hallway. Her back was turned to the door when she heard her voice.

"Joanne?"

The lawyer froze.

"What are you doing?" Maureen looked around Joanne's apartment. She saw the boxes piled on the floor. "Are you moving? Why?"

"I told you not to come," she said, without turning around, "I don't have a reason to stay here."

Maureen felt her heart plummet to her feet. She stepped inside the apartment, wanting an explanation.

"Where are you going? Why are you going?"

"I'm transferring to Boston to work at the firm there. And I already told you, I don't have a reason to stay in New York anymore," Joanne said apathetically.

The lawyer tried her hardest not to let her voice waver or to turn to look at the brunette. She busied her hands with the boxes, trying to sound as uncaring as possible. The pain was too intense for her to bear.

"Joanne, could you at least turn to look at me when I'm here?! I don't understand why you're going!" Maureen said, her brows furrowing, "I've come to you. I want to be with you. That's why I'm here…I thought you'd be happy," she whispered.

Maureen grasped the lawyer's wrist, forcing her to turn around.

"Are you going back to your old ways Maureen?"

Confused, Maureen let go of Jo's wrist. "What?"

"You're with Michael! I saw you with him yesterday. Why are you even here? I told you not to come because it's only going to make things worse for me!" Tears filled her eyes. She couldn't control her emotions now.

"You can't be with both of us Maureen. I'm not going to let you start your games again. I don't want end up hurt because of you."

"Joanne you misunderstood something."

"I saw you both in front of the theater."

"Joanne, I was there to break off the engagement! You misunderstood."

"Don't lie to me Maureen! I don't want to be a part of this anymore!"

She turned back around, reaching for the packaging tape to close up the box in front of her. Maureen however, wasn't done and forcefully turned Joanne back towards her again.

"Look at me! Look Joanne, LOOK." She raised her left hand to Joanne's eye level and pointed to her ring finger. "It's gone honey. Joanne, I'm not engaged to him anymore. I've chosen you."

She reached for Joanne's hand, holding it tightly in hers. "Believe me," she whispered.

Their eyes met. It took a few seconds, but there, Joanne could tell that she meant every word. They were silent for a few moments until Joanne's lips turned up into a small smile. Maureen's face broke into a goofy grin.

"Maureen…," Joanne began. She didn't bother finishing as she lunged toward the diva, her arms wrapping around the woman's neck.

Maureen laughed happily as she held onto Joanne.

"I love you honeybear. I love you so much." Joanne's voice was muffled by the brunette's shoulder, "I'm sorry I acted the way I did before."

Maureen chuckled, pulling away to look at the lawyer. "You always had a habit of jumping to conclusions at everything you see," she said.

"Well it didn't help that I saw you kissing him!"

"I didn't kiss his lips Joanne! Gosh, are we really going to do this right—"

Joanne silenced her with a kiss. Their lips moved softly against each others. This kiss was slow and gentle. There was no rush as they both took the time to explore each other's mouths. Maureen slid her hands up Joanne's arms to her neck pulling her closer. Joanne broke them apart after a few minutes.

"Hold on a sec" she whispered, moving towards the door of her apartment.

Maureen watched as Jo pushed the box propping her door open back into her apartment, allowing the door to shut. She locked it quickly.

Joanne walked back to Maureen, smiling, and took her hand, leading her to the bedroom. Before Joanne could begin to say anything, Maureen's lips were already on hers, ready to continue what they had started.

XxxxX

They both lay on the queen sized bed, their legs and the blankets tangled together. Joanne's fingers were tracing circles along the curves of Maureen's hips. The lawyer was content to be where she was because she never felt like she belonged anywhere else but with the woman that lay beside her.

The two lovers had just spent the last few hours exploring one another like the very first night they were together. They held each other close not saying anything.

Maureen inched her head towards Jo's but pulled back a little when Joanne reciprocated the movement.

"Don't move," she said quietly, stroking Joanne's cheek with her fingertips. She leaned in again, bringing her lips extremely close to Joanne's but not kissing her.

"Baby, don't tease me." Joanne said, wrinkling her forehead, but giving a small smile, "Kiss me."

Maureen brushed her lips against Joanne's but released her lips just as quickly.

"Do you feel that?" Maureen whispered. She pressed her brow against Joanne's. She breathed in the woman's scent.

"What?" Joanne asked quietly.

Maureen took Joanne's hand and placed it on her chest. "This." Her heart was beating rapidly. Maureen could feel the flutter of her heart and the happiness inside it knowing that she was finally free to love Joanne fully.

"I love you, I'm sorry it took two years for me to finally see."

Joanne smiled, Maureen was never one to do something so corny, but Joanne was pleasantly surprised. She pulled Maureen into her arms, nuzzling her neck.

"Better late than never", she whispered, sighing as she felt Maureen's arms tighten around her, "mmmm...better late than never."

XxxxX

The next morning the two women awoke early, but remained in bed, happy to be with just one another.

"How did Michael handle it?" Joanne asked, stretching her arms above her head.

"Not well. He tried to convince me otherwise, I didn't know what else to say to him."

"I'm sorry."

Maureen shook her head, "Don't be. I get to be with you now," she smiled gently. Maureen traced her thumb across Joanne's lips before kissing them.

"I love you," Joanne said. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest, thinking about how she and Maureen were finally together again. She felt her eyes begin to fill with tears.

"Pookie, what's wrong?" Maureen wiped away the lone tear that escaped from Joanne's eye.

"It's nothing, I'm just…." She laughed through her tears. "Since the day that I saw you again, everything just rushed back to me. I love you…being here with you, feels…wonderful."

Maureen watched as Joanne's eyes widen as if remembering something. "I have something for you. I'll be right back." She detangled herself from Maureen's arms, padding over to her closet.

"What are you doing Jo?" she heard Joanne shuffling things around in the closet, listening intently as she heard the lawyer ripping the tape off a box.

"Yes!" Maureen heard her whisper.

Joanne quickly walked back to the bed, sliding in under the covers.

"I thought maybe, you might want this." She picked up Maureen's hand, slipping the ring onto her finger. Joanne looked up at her love's face. "I want to be with you…for the rest of my life. I'm never going to let you go again."

Maureen listened to Joanne, bringing her hand up to look at the ring. She remembered the ring's significance years ago and pulled Joanne in and crushed her to her chest. "I only want you. That's all I want," she whispered.

Joanne smiled, holding Maureen close to her. "I think we should go to the Life today. The Boho's will be happy."

Maureen nodded.

"Did you know Collins knew all along?" the lawyer asked, chuckling.

"Yes," Maureen shook her head, "He should have just told us what to do from the way beginning and we wouldn't have gone through this and I wouldn't have wasted all this time!"

Joanne laughed, "We broke up. I think the time we spent apart was good for us." She moved a stray curl from Maureen's face and tucked it behind her ear. "Something or someone out there thought we should be given another chance. And its happened baby. I have you again and you, me."

Maureen listened to Joanne's heart beating in her chest.

'Another chance at this love. Another chance at doing it right.'

'Don't let her go Maureen.'

'I won't. Not now, not ever.'

THE END

AN: And thats it folks. Thanks again to those who've reviewed again and again. Reviews are still appreciated. Maybe another story will come to me soon. =] Peace.