"I'm back!"

Jane dropped her water bottle on the table and unstrapped the arm band holding her phone, placing that next to the bottle. Pulling the elastic band out of her ponytail, she listened for a reply.

"Maura?" she called out, walking towards the office, where the ME had been when she'd left for her run.

"I'm in here!" She heard Maura call out from the bathroom.

She turned in that direction and stopped outside the door. "Hey. Just letting you know I'm back." She started to head for the bedroom.

"Would you like to join me?" The slightly muffled words drifted out from behind the door and she froze in her tracks. Tilting her head to the door, she listened. She didn't hear the shower running.

The tub.

A slow smile spread across her face. If anyone had told her last week that she'd be invited to take a bath with Maura Isles, she'd have punched them in the face for invading her fantasies. She pictured Maura in the tub and bit her lip. It was amazing how fast she could go from neutral to hot when it came to Maura.

Turning the knob, she pushed the door open and peeked in, her assumption confirmed. Maura was in the tub, her arms resting on the edges, the bubbles stopping just below the swells of her her breasts. Her hair was pinned up with a fancy barrette and those hazel green eyes were sparkling as they met hers.

"Hi," Maura greeted softly, smiling at her. "I thought maybe you'd like to jump in here after your run."

"You thought correctly," she agreed, quickly taking off her sneakers and socks and tugging off her shorts.

Aware of Maura's gaze on her, she continued to undress, resisting the urge to cover herself or ask Maura to avert her eyes. She internally rolled her eyes. This woman has now seen her in all stages of undress. Has touched her in the most intimate of places. Yet she still had a problem walking naked in front of her. She frowned. Maybe I am a prude. She pulled off the tank and sports bra before shimmying out of her underwear. Reaching Maura, she leaned in for a kiss before stepping over the edge and slowly lowering herself into the water.

"Ahhh," she sighed as hot water hit her overworked muscles. She slid her legs under Maura's until her ankles were against her hips. Smiling at the blonde, she ran her hands up and down Maura's legs under the water.

"We made good use of the shower yesterday," she murmured, remembering.

Maura licked her lips and chuckled. "We certainly did," she agreed, her mind flashing to pulsing jets and streams of water and slippery skin. "Ooh," she shivered as Jane scraped her nails gently on the inside of her thigh.

Jane smirked, loving the reaction she had on Maura. She leaned back, closing her eyes. "What's on the agenda for the rest of today?"

Maura gazed at Jane for a long moment. Then she sighed and rubbed the outside of Jane's leg with her foot. "Jane, we really need to talk about what's going to happen at the end of this week."

Jane cracked an eye open. "Is that really in the agenda?"

Maura shook her head. "We only have 6 days left in Paris."

Jane felt the seeds of nervousness take root. She knew it was inevitable, but she was so enjoying this time with Maura. She had never been happier in her life. She wanted it to stay just like this forever.

She groaned. "Is that why you got me in here? So I can't escape?"

Maura frowned. "Why do you feel like you need to escape?"

"I don't know." She sighed. "I'm just afraid."

"Afraid of what, exactly?" Maura shook her head. "Why don't you want to talk about this?

"Because Maura! I just got you! I'm not giving you up," she mumbled miserably, sinking down under the water.

She resurfaced and pushed her now wet hair out of her face. She met Maura's gaze, the ME looking less than amused.

"Jane, I don't understand. Why would you have to give me up?" She sat up and gestured for Jane to move. "Turn around, come here."

Jane shifted so that she was facing away from Maura and the other woman reached forward pulling Jane back between her legs and against her chest. Pressing a kiss to the side of her head, she wrapped her arms around the detective and rested her head against the brunette's. "Talk to me," she demanded softly.

Jane ran her fingers over Maura's arms, loving the feel of Maura's strong legs wrapped around her waist. Ignoring the pleasant sensations, she sighed. "You would be going back to Boston, I'd be going to Quantico. Long distance relationships can work but they suck. It's a strain on relationships. So I've decided that I'm going to stay in Boston. I'm just dreading making the phone call."

Now it was Maura's turn to sigh. "You've done quite a bit of thinking and decision making without me." She tightened her grip on Jane. "Listen to me. I know how fiercely independent you are and I wouldn't dream of taking that away from you. Just- please, Jane, please know that from this moment forward, you no longer have to shoulder burdens on your own. You didn't have to before either, but especially not now that we're together. We need to be a team, we need to communicate. You don't have to make decisions by yourself."

"I know, Maur," she whispered. She looked over at Maura. "It's just- I made a commitment to the FBI. I feel terrible backing out of it." She pressed a kiss to Maura's jaw. "But it wasn't a hard decision. I choose you. I'm always going to choose you."

Maura dipped her head for a real kiss. "Well, I love you for saying that." She kissed Jane again. "But you don't have to give up Quantico, Jane. I can go with you."

"But…" Jane sighed. "Boston's our life."

"You have legitimate roots there, yes. I do, too, but not for the same reasons." Maura shook her head. "Boston's your life."

Jane started to protest but Maura stopped her. "My life is wherever you are," she continued.

She kissed Jane's shoulder. "I am fortunate enough to work because I want to not because I have to. I have the luxury of stopping and going whenever I wish. If I want to pursue writing, I can write anywhere."

Jane shook her head. "No, Maur. That's not fair to you, to your work at BPD. You're amazing at what you do. You need to go back."

Maura took a deep breath. "Actually," she began, glancing at Jane. "I wasn't planning on returning, Jane," she confessed. "I was contemplating staying here in Paris. If not here, then I was going to move on somewhere else. I had said my goodbyes to Boston. To my co-workers, friends, family, even the morgue. All I had left to say goodbye to was you."

She smiled at Jane who was just staring at her wordlessly. "It felt right at the time. Now I know it's because I was meant to go with you. I can work at a MEND clinic in DC. Or not. I can figure it out." She shrugged, running her hands over Jane's shoulders. "I go where you go, so you decide where that is."

Jane turned almost all the way around so she could meet Maura's gaze. "You mean that?"

"Absolutely. Do you really think I'm going to be apart from you now that I finally have the opportunity to be with you?" She laughed lightly. "Oh, Jane. You couldn't get rid of me if you tried," she murmured, brushing Jane's wet hair behind her ear and then trailing her fingers down a strong jawline.

Jane leaned in for a kiss, which Maura returned in its intensity. However, when Jane attempted to take things further, Maura pulled back.

As Jane leaned forward again, Maura placed a finger on her lips. "Before this goes too far," she cautioned lightly with a smile. "What are you going to decide?"

"Really?" Jane rasped before sucking the tip of Maura's finger in her mouth.

Maura laughed as she pulled her finger away. "Yes. Really. We can't dodge this any longer. If you could do anything, what would you like to do?"

Jane's smoldering eyes met hers. "I'd like to fuck you right now in this tub," she answered matter of factly in her husky voice.

Maura's heart rate quickened and she bit her lip. She wasn't sure if she'd ever get used to Jane saying things like that without turning into a quivering mess.

"Jane," she warned but her hands betrayed her as they inadvertently started to wander over the smooth expanse of skin beneath them.

"What?" Jane countered, reasonably. "You asked if I could do anything, what would I like to do?" She kissed along Maura's neck, her tongue sneaking out for little tastes. "That's exactly what I'd like to do."

Maura's eyes closed but she stood her ground. "You know what I mean."

Jane stopped what she was doing and sighed. Maura had to stifle her protests reminding herself that she was the one asking Jane to focus on what they were going to do.

She rested her head against Maura's. "I guess… well, I'd like to stay at Quantico for at least a year. I made the commitment and my days as a cop are over."

Maura held her tighter at that declaration. "Maybe I can keep my eyes peeled for opportunities in Boston while I'm gone. Firearms instructor, or something like that. We'll end up back there," she promised. "I know we will."

She glanced at Maura. "Would you be ok with that?"

Maura beamed at her. "Absolutely," she murmured.

Jane returned the smile. "Great, that's settled." She shifted so that she was facing Maura completely. "And unless you have any further objections, now I'm going to fuck you in this tub."

"No objections," Maura breathed, crushing her lips to Jane's as the brunette reached between her legs.

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"Let's Skype Ma." Jane finished drying her hair and threw the towel on the island in the kitchen and walked over to get her iPad.

Maura looked up from her agenda. "Ok," she agreed amicably. "Any particular reason?" She stood and walked over to where Jane was on the couch. "Just to say hello?"

Jane shook her head. "No." She stopped. "Well, yes, but I also want to tell her, you know? About us," she finished, looking at Maura. "If that's ok with you?"

Maura smiled and nodded. "Of course." She didn't tell Jane how pleasantly surprised and touched she was. Jane, who normally waited until the last possible second to tell her mother anything, whether it was of importance or not, was about to tell Angela about their new relationship. Willingly and on her own.

"How do you think she's going to take it?" She asked hesitantly.

"I don't know." Jane shrugged. "She either accepts it and is thrilled to pieces or she doesn't and never speaks to us again. It'll be one or the other. There's no middle with my mother."

"What if it's the latter?"

Jane looked up. "I'm sorry, Professor. Is 'latter' the most recent thing said?" she asked and Maura rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Then we deal with it. I mean, that's something I'd like to think wouldn't happen, but…" she looked back down, pulling the iPad out of her case. She glanced back at Maura and smiled. "It's not going to affect how I feel about you."

Jane set the iPad up and sat up on the couch, pulling Maura down and back against her. Holding the iPad up so they were both in the screen, they waited for Angela to pick up.

The ringing screen suddenly changed to video mode and it was evident Angela was moving as the picture was blurry and the movements were jerky.

"Hey Ma,"Jane called out.

The camera panned to the ceiling and then went into a blur again as it was spun around. The camera went crazy again before going black as it was placed face down. The toilet flushed, then came the sound of running water. Jane looked at Maura in disbelief. "Is she in the bathroom?"

Maura tilted her head. "Based on the sounds alone, I would have to say yes."

Jane faced the iPad again. "Ma! Are you in the bathroom?!"

Angela's face appeared in the window. "Not anymore!" She smiled brightly.

Jane groaned. "You didn't have to answer if you were in the bathroom!"

Angela looked indignant. "And miss a Skype from my daughter?! I don't think so. Hi girls!" Her face was so close to the screen that Jane held the iPad further away.

"I can see up your nose, Ma. Don't hold the phone so close!"

Her mother pulled the phone back. "Better?"

Maura smiled fondly. "Yes. Hi, Angela."

"Hi Maura!" Angela returned the greeting. "How's the book coming along?"

"Very well, thank you. I'm truly making progress."

"That's wonderful, honey!" Angela gushed. "I'm so happy for you!" She beamed. "Hey Janie?"

Jane smiled. "Yeah, Ma?"

"How about you, sweetie? You having fun?"

Jane nodded. "This is the best trip of my life," she answered honestly. She filled her mother in on some of things they'd done since the last time they'd talked to her.

Angela could always tell when something was on her oldest child's mind. She let Jane talk but when it was her turn, she didn't beat around the bush any further.

"So what's going on, girls? Do you have something you need to tell me?"

Jane looked shocked and Angela waved her hand. "You could've called or texted just to fill me in. You Skyped for a reason. Now spit it out."

Jane sighed. "You're right. We do have something to tell you." She was nervously picking at a random thread on the couch pillow and Maura picked up that hand and laced her fingers through Jane's.

Angela's face fell. "Is it bad? Are you ok? Maura, are you? Do you need-"

"Ma, stop! We're fine!" Jane interrupted trying to calm her down. "It's a good thing!" She glanced at Maura. "Well, we think it's a good thing."

Maura nodded. "A wonderful thing," she confirmed.

Jane took a deep breath, deciding to just say it and get it over with. "Maura and I… we're together, Ma." She let out the rest of her breath with a small whoosh and waited impatiently for her mother's reaction.

Angela's face was blank and both women waited, wide-eyed. Then she positively lit up and she started laughing. "I knew it! I knew it!" The phone suddenly went dark as Angela hugged them to her chest. "Oh, I am so happy!" She held the phone up and smacked her lips together as if she was kissing the screen and Jane cringed and turned her head as if her mother were right there in person.

"Ughhh, stopppp!"

Maura laughed at their antics and then Angela was calling Frankie over. "Frankie! Your sister's on the phone! Get over here!"

Jane looked at Maura. "I guess she's ok with it." She smiled and Maura beamed back happily.

Jane thought of something and turned back to the iPad. "Hey! What do you mean, you knew?"

Frankie's face appeared. "Hey Janie. Hi Maura."

"Hey Frankie. Where's Ma?"

Frankie looked behind him. "She went to get something." He looked back at them and then down almost shyly. "I heard you say you're together now. That's great, you know?" He looked back up. "I'm real happy for you."

"Thanks, little bro. Surprised?" Jane asked.

"Well, yeah, but I guess it also explains a lot." He laughed. "It's cool. Here comes Ma. I'll talk you both later. Love you."

"Love you," Jane echoed and Maura said goodbye.

He disappeared and was replaced by Angela again. Jane sat up straighter. "Ma! What did you mean when you said you knew it?"

Angela held up a photo frame that held three photographs. They were each of her and Maura. "I found these pictures when I was making the album for you. I thought I'd put together a little collage of you and Maura."

The first one was of Jane and Maura sitting at the bar at the Robber. Jane had her hand on Maura's arm and was talking and Maura was gazing at her, laughing. The second was at Korsak's wedding. Maura was leaning back against Jane and their heads were tilting towards each other's. They appeared to be listening to someone speaking. The third one was the most defining. The two of them were dressed in comfortable clothes, sitting on the couch in Maura's living room. Jane was leaning back reading paperwork on a case, Maura sitting next to her, but slightly facing away, her back resting against Jane's side. She was reading a medical journal. A glass of wine and a beer were on the table.

"I'd always suspected, but this really did it for me."

By themselves, each picture was innocent. Placed together, however, they painted a different picture.

Angela continued. "I only want you to be happy, Janie. Maybe years ago I wouldn't have been so receptive to it, but it's different now. I feel like I've actually witnessed you and Maura fall in love." She brushed a tear away. "Any fool can see you're perfect for each other." She smiled. "I love you. And I love Maura."

Jane's eyes welled up and she caught Maura in her peripheral vision, discreetly wiping the corner of her eye.

"We love you, Ma," she whispered and Maura nodded.

"We do, Angela."

"Ok enough of this now." Angela laughed. "We'll talk more when you get back. Go enjoy your vacation."

Jane smiled. "Bye, Ma."

The other two said goodbye and then Jane disconnected. She looked at Maura and shook her head. "See? Accepted and thrilled to pieces," she said. "Thank god it wasn't the 'latter," she added and Maura kissed her cheek. They both knew how devastated Jane would have been if her mother hadn't been ok with it.

Standing, Maura reached out a hand to pull Jane up. "Come on. Let's go for a walk along the Seine and get something to eat."

Jane stood next to her and Maura snuck her arms under the taller woman's and pressed close for a much needed hug.

Jane hugged the smaller woman close, burying her nose in Maura's hair. "Mmm. I love you," she murmured.

"And I love you."

Jane pulled back slightly. "How come you never say 'I love you, too?'"

Maura looked up in confusion. "I just did."

"No, I mean, like, in those words. If I say it first, you always respond with 'and I love you'. I know it means the same thing, but I'm curious."

Maura thought about it. "Well, I suppose it's because "I love you, too" sounds like such an automatic response. Something you say without thinking about it." She shrugged. "I think about it and mean it with my whole being every time I say it, whether it's first or in response to your saying it."

Jane smiled at her. "That's incredibly sweet. And it makes sense." She bent her head to meet Maura's mouth, teasing the doctor's lips with her own.

Their kisses grew stronger and after a minute, Maura's hands found their way under Jane's shirt. "Or we can stay here and order in."

"No." Jane pulled away and smiled down at her. "We need to get out of here now or we'll never leave the apartment again." She smirked, her eyes flickering to Maura's mouth. "You've turned me in a hormonal teenager who just wants to do it all the time." Grabbing Maura's hips, she bumped their pelvises together a couple of times playfully.

Maura giggled at the somewhat crude gesture. Her smile fading, she stared at Jane seriously. "I can't even look at you without wanting you immediately," she confessed.

Jane kissed her, her hands cupping her jaw. "I can't keep my hands off you." She released Maura's face and wiggled her fingers towards her in a tickling manner.

Maura let out a little shriek and grabbed them, keeping them away from sensitive areas. "Don't!"

Jane chuckled and held their entwined hands up. Looking down, Maura sighed. "These hands and that massage started everything." She ran her thumb over a scar. "These wonderful, amazing hands."

"You were the first person I ever let touch them," Jane whispered. "Aside from my doctors, obviously." She frowned. "They were so ugly," she remembered. "So broken and damaged." She shrugged. "I guess they always will be in a way."

She started to pull away but Maura's strong grip stopped her. She looked up and found Maura gazing at her intently. She held Jane's hands up. "These hands have committed incredible acts of bravery."

She held them close to her heart. "These hands have comforted me, held me, and protected me."

She ran her fingers over Jane's. "These hands have been all over me and inside me, bringing me to heights of pleasure I've never felt before."

She kissed the back of one them, letting her lips linger. "These hands are not ugly and broken and damaged. The person that did this to them was. These hands are beautiful and resilient and strong." She stood on her toes and wrapped her arms around Jane. "Just like you are," she whispered, gathering her into a hug.

As Jane's grip tightened around her, Maura closed her eyes, reveling in the feeling of how lucky she was to have this woman in her life and how many times she had come so close to losing her.

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"Can you please go over there to that store and get a bottle of wine?"

They'd just enjoyed a leisurely stroll along the Seine and now were getting hungry.

"I don't know what to get," Jane protested.

"Anything."

Jane scoffed. "I am not walking into a wine place and getting 'anything'. I'm going to come back with the wrong kind and you'll look at me with that…look."

Maura tilted her head. "What look?"

"You know, the exasperated one that means 'Jane, I trusted you with one thing…' To which I will respond 'Don't look at me like that, Maura, I told you I didn't know what I was doing.' So, let's just save ourselves the trouble." She handed Maura her phone. "Find a picture and screenshot it. I'll show someone that works there."

Smiling, Maura did so. Jane took her phone back and sighed heavily. "Why can't you just come with me?"

"I'm going to take care of dinner."

"Ugh. Ok." Jane frowned, wondering what the newest yucky thing would be.

"Meet me back here!" Maura called out hiding a smile as she watched Jane walk away. The detective had been so good about trying new things while they were here. She couldn't wait to see how happy she was going to be when she saw what Maura ordered.

Jane was already back when she returned. "Here's your Beaujo-blah-blah," she mumbled as she presented the wine with a flourish.

"Perfect. Thank you."

"Uh, what's with the balloon?" Jane asked as she sat next to her. Maura was holding a vibrant pink balloon depicting a pink flamingo.

Maura held it out to her. "It's what we're having for dinner."

"Flamingo?!" Jane gasped, looking aghast. She shook her head vigorously, handing her back the balloon. "No fucking way."

Maura started laughing. "Jane," she began, but the taller woman cut her off.

"Nope. I tried the weird fish and the duck, and the snails. But I draw the line here, Maura. There's no way I'm eating flamingo."

Maura was laughing so hard, she almost couldn't breathe. "Jane," she tried again.

Jane crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I'm not, Maura."

"Oh my god, Jane." She wiped the tears out of the corner of her eyes. "Oh sweetheart, I'm not asking you to eat flamingo." She kissed Jane's cheek, still laughing. "It's just the name of the restaurant. The Pink Flamingo. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised."

Looking uncertain, Jane took the balloon and tied it to back of her chair. They enjoyed a glass of wine while they waited for dinner. Shortly afterwards, a bicycle pulled up. The rider wore a pink shirt with the same logo as the balloon.

Maura paid and looked at Jane as she opened the box. "Pepperoni fromage supplémentaire." She grinned. "Pepperoni, extra cheese."

Jane gasped as she realized what it was. "Pizza?"

Maura nodded. "It's delicious."

Jane leaned over and grabbed Maura's face, kissing her. "Oh god, I love you!" she gushed, reaching into the open box and grabbing a slice.

Maura watched her affectionately as she devoured the piece and reached for another.

She waved her hand at Maura. "You better grab one before I eat it all," she mumbled, her mouth full.

Maura chuckled and took a slice, her eyes closing as she took a bite. "Mmm," she moaned. "This is so good."

She opened her eyes and met Jane's. The brunette smirked at her. "See? Pizza gives you an o-face, too."

Maura laughed. "Oh stop," she murmured, blushing a little.

Jane chuckled and looked around. "I'm really going to miss being here with you." She sighed, taking a sip of wine. "I know we'll be together, but it's almost…magical here." She shrugged.

Maura placed her hand on top of Jane's. "We'll come back," she promised. "We have a special connection to Paris now. We'll always associate it with where we found out our feelings towards each other were reciprocated." She leaned forward and lowered her voice. "Our first time together."

Jane squeezed her hand. "Best decision of my life, coming on this trip."

"Oh, Jane. I wholeheartedly agree." Maura smiled. "We still have almost a week left. We'll make the most of it."

Jane nodded slowly, the wheels in her head already turning. She was going to make this last week in Paris something Maura would never forget.

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A/N: Almost done! I'm trying to figure out the best way to end it. It's harder than I thought it would be. I guess because I don't really want to end it, that's the problem, lol. Just a quick thank you to everyone who has offered feedback and reviews. It's very much appreciated. Writing this has been a lot of fun.