Thirteen years old

"A new French restaurant has opened in the South End. Wouldn't it be perfect for your 15th anniversary at the end of the week?"

Knelt down near a few logs she was about to put in the fireplace, Maura turned her head and looked at her daughter sat on the couch next to Jane.

"We have never celebrated it, honey... Besides, it is on December 23rd; just before Christmas Eve. I am not sure that three days of consequent meals is such a good and healthy idea."

The scientist's remark made Jane chuckle. Only briefly, though. As soon as Maura's look of disapproval landed on the brunette, the detective straightened and cleared her voice.

"She might be right, Aly. It's a very sweet idea that you had but I'm not sure we should indulge in..."

A snort coming from the kitchen made the three of them turn around. Angela was sat at the counter – in full gardening activity – and as she looked up from the miniature flower pots settled in front of her, she shook her head at Maura and Jane.

"How come you never celebrate your anniversary? Your wedding day, your first date... Although you're wrong, Aly. It's their 14th anniversary that they should be celebrating, this year. Not the 15th. And now I think about it, it wasn't in December but in July."

A quiet panic spread on Jane and Maura but they barely had time to cast a furtive glance at each other that their daughter had already replied.

"No, I'm not! They slept together for the first time on December, 23rd. First kiss and all, as a matter of fact. It got settled on a double six – a dice game – and mom J lost her bet. That's how it all started. They were friends with benefits for over eight months before deciding to become a couple."

Jane couldn't help but make a face at the teenager's revelation. Perhaps they should have never told her the entire truth about their story, in the end. When Aly was still a child, they had skipped a few parts of their singular past but then time had passed by and when their daughter had been old enough to hear it, they hadn't hidden anything about it.

"What? What game? Oh my god. Was that the bet you once had vaguely told me about before rushing out of the room and leaving me no chance to ask you for more details, Jane?"

With panicked eyes, Aly stared at her grandmother before asking in silence Maura for an explanation over Angela's surprised reaction but the medical examiner looked down at her lap.

"Ma'! This isn't the right place nor the right time to talk about it, alright?"

With anger, the matriarch grabbed a flower pot and rolled her eyes as disappointment settled in. It was not the way Jane and Maura had become an item that bothered her but the fact that both women hadn't told her the truth; during all these years.

"But it's okay to say that to your daughter who seems to be knowing for quite a while already... I can't believe you dared to tell her that one of the reasons why she's here is thanks to some sort of kinky stuff. You'll owe her a therapy..."

Aly burst out laughing. She liked her grandmother's exaggerated remarks, the falsely dramatic side of life she always showed up at some point. There was something utterly funny in it; especially when it happened during a family gathering.

"I'm fine with it, don't be worried. It might not be perfect like a romantic comedy but it's quite unique... And sort of carries along this strange awkwardness that makes life beautiful, worth a try."

...

Now

Focused on their talk over the teenager murder case, it took them long seconds to notice the candles on the dining table as they stepped into the house. It was snowing hard – the roads were icy – and it had taken them longer than the usual to make it back home safely after a full day at work.

"Happy anniversary... You have twenty minutes to go up – take a shower – and change into the clothes I've chosen for you; you will find them on your bed. Apéritif will be served here once you're ready."

All smile and obviously happy of her surprise, Aly stood in front of them; hands in her back, an apron still tied around her waist.

The electric atmosphere of the past few days had eclipsed the upcoming date on the calendar and only now did Jane and Maura remember that it was December 23rd. Touched by the extremely unexpected attention, they obeyed their daughter's order without a word and – on time and dressed – came back to the living-room for their drinks.

"Please enjoy your American Flyers – lime juice, Champagne, rum and cane sugar – accompanied by a few hors d'oeuvre: eggplant mousse, salmon consumé and mini-cheese soufflés. The house would like to remind you that any talk related to the BPD isn't allowed. Bon appétit!"

The teenager turned on her heels and was about to go back to the kitchen to make sure that the rest of the dinner was under control when Jane stopped her; glass of Champagne in hand.

"Wait. Where did you learn how to prepare this kind of not so alcohol free cocktail, exactly?"

Aly smirked – danced on her feet – then winked as a light laugh passed her lips.

"I'm afraid the maître d' doesn't reveal her tricks..."

For some reason and since a very young age, Aly had always paid attention to their couple. One way or another, the little girl she was by then insisted on celebrating it; openly and loud. Then as the years had passed by, she had naturally decided to be in charge of their anniversaries or of the few nights out that she secretly organized for Jane and Maura.

As they settled at the table thirty minutes later to start their dinner, Maura cast a glance at the kitchen before smiling at Jane. Bending over, she whispered to her wife.

"I guess we should have reconsidered the notion of child slavery a long time ago."

The brunette – at first surprised by the scientist's humor – burst out laughing and captured her partner's smile in a delicate kiss. The dinner couldn't have happened at a better moment. The murder case they were dealing with was tough, and stressful; especially at this time of the year. It was a nice way to sort of escape from it, if only for a few hours.

"Hands and lips off, please. I have had dinner already and would like to keep it down."

The honey blonde rolled her eyes before her daughter's remark but nonetheless – yet reluctantly – took her distance with Jane before settling further on her seat.

She was starving anyway, so it seemed better to not disturb the person in charge of her meal; especially when this person happened to be Alessandra Rizzoli-Isles. A single remark and the situation could go from perfect to utterly bad.

"What is it?"

Her curiosity piqued, Jane frowned and looked at the squared box that the teenager had put down in her plate. Maura had a similar one, only of a different color.

"These are your respective presents. I hope you will like them..."

If Aly used to be in charge of their anniversary evening plans, it was the first time that she offered them something and – touched, taken aback by the gesture – both women focused on the boxes; opened them with shaking hands.

"Oh my god."

The silver rings were plain yet thin and delicate; matching each other. Maura grabbed hers and noticed the message engraved inside:

Maura and Jane – December, 23rd

"Matthew's father owns a jewelry. He offered to do it for me. Of course, dice would have been more... Symbolical... But it isn't something that you can have on you constantly."