Author's note: thank you very much for all the reviews, really; they mean a lot to me. And now... The chapter many of you were probably waiting for... Enjoy the read!

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Chapter thirteen

Wednesday Morning

Jane stopped – looked at Maura in disbelief – then shook her head before grabbing the breakfast plates to put them in the dishwasher.

"Why did she come to you? It doesn't make sense at all!"

Maura shrugged, disarmed by the question. The discussion she had had with Sara the evening before kept on weighing on her. A lot. And after a sleepless night of doubts, she had finally given in then confided it to Jane. She knew that her partner wouldn't tell everyone about it and she desperately needed to know that she had done right.

"At times it is easier to talk to someone we barely know... I don't know, Jane. It just happened. I couldn't go and dismiss her. She looked terrified!"

The brunette softened – cleared her voice – and bit her lower lip. She had been as surprised by the news as Maura had been and now she couldn't stop thinking about Roberta and Marco. They were open-minded, they would be okay with it. But still... Right now they had absolutely no idea that their daughter was planning on coming out to them sooner or later.

"What did you tell her? You never really came out to your parents, they assumed it after Elizabeth's death... And you just went with the flow. Sara must have been disappointed."

Maura grabbed a dish towel and started fidgeting it nervously.

"I told her that she didn't have to rush into things... That it was better to choose a moment when nobody will have anything else in mind and they would have time to discuss it calmly, and answer questions if there was any to come up... But most of all, I told her that she didn't have to lie nor hide... That she would do just fine."

Plate in hand, Jane remained still and looked at the blonde for long seconds. Maura looked in pain, torn and in need of being comforted in the decisions she had had to take a bit hastily the day before. At no moment had she asked to find herself in the middle of such delicate situation and it wasn't easy.

"I think you said the right things, Maur'... I really do... But you could have told me earlier!"

The scientist approached her coffee maker and proceeded to take off the filter to clean it. They had overslept and were almost running late to the appointments they had made for the day. She needed to hurry up.

"I wasn't going to interrupt the party and even if I had come to you right away, what would it have changed? She came to me, Jane... Not to you. I don't even think you're supposed to know about it in the first place if you see what I mean. And then... We were exhausted and went to bed right after the party. I didn't want to bother you with that and didn't know if I had to tell you at all about it."

It was fair enough, Jane had to recognize it. She turned the dishwasher on and dried her hands on a towel.

"Well... Now we're at it, is there anything else you feel like revealing?"

Her question had been light enough but as she saw Maura hesitate and frown, Jane swallowed hard; felt how her heart began to beat faster in panic.

"What is it, Maur'?"

Carefully, the honey blonde put the filter down on the counter and locked her eyes with her partner's. Taking a deep breath, she quickly looked for the right words susceptible to minimize Jane's reaction.

"I might need to see Daniel tomorrow."

A heavy silence welcomed her statement and she took advantage of it to go on. If she lacked precision in her argumentation, the Italian would jump on the occasion to throw a fit.

"Do you remember the Larson Case?"

Jane nodded. Slowly.

"I rarely have to deal with mummies, Maura, so yeah... I remember it. Why?"

Sweeping away invisible crunches on the counter, the blonde sighed loudly.

"Well Daniel is attending a conference for archeologists and on Friday they will discuss the case... He asked me if I could answer a few questions about it and if I could lend him photos, data from it. It is purely professional, Jane."

Perhaps she shouldn't have added the last sentence because as she looked at her partner, Maura saw a wave of anger spread on Jane's face. Yet she had been honest. Daniel didn't want to have a drink for the purpose of chatting about life and such. He needed her professional view on a case she had worked on.

"When did he call you? I didn't hear your phone ring this morning."

That was the negative side of living with a detective. Jane didn't jump to conclusions – unless her jealousy showed up without any warning – and always asked for questions that highlighted a cruel logic.

"He didn't call me but sent me a message yesterday when I was at the Yacht Club with my father but then I got wrapped up in the whole supermarket thing – and the fact they didn't have the flour you needed for your lasagnas – which stressed me out because forty people would show up a few hours later... Then the laundry happened... And then Sara... I completely forgot about it!"

Maura was being honest. Jane knew it. Not just because the medical examiner couldn't lie but because her voice was betraying her slight panic. The fact she had forgotten to the message should have comforted the brunette – and deep inside it did – but something else took control of everything: her well-known jealousy.

After all, Maura forgot at times that she had given a kidney to Caylin so it wasn't that surprising.

"You won't go."

The Italian regretted her words immediately but didn't take them back. Confused, Maura frowned and looked at Jane for a few seconds before replying.

"Excuse me?"

The detective's breathing had turned rough and loud. She was fuming against herself for reacting this way but threw it on Maura instead.

"I said that you wouldn't go. Turn him down."

The blonde chuckled. Not only was she taken aback by her partner's words but they were now going on her nerves. She wasn't panicked anymore – afraid that Jane would throw a fit of pointless jealousy – but simply mad.

"What? Who do you think you are? You aren't my mother, Jane. You can't force me to do something. Besides, I am 38 years old. Don't you think I am old enough to take my own decisions?"

It was too late. The brunette knew that she would regret everything she would say but she was too proud to ever admit it. She crossed her arms on her chest and rose a mocking eyebrow.

"Obviously you aren't old enough to realize how naïve you are."

This time, Maura scoffed. Her fist landed loudly on the kitchen top, making her partner jump of surprise. She never lost her patience, or at least not that way. It was a first, a bitter novelty in their couple life.

"That's enough, Jane! Everyone doesn't want to sleep me, you know. If you happened to see Casey or any of your ex, I wouldn't throw a fit at you for that. And you know why? Because I trust you, and I love you... And I know that you love me too. That's all I care about and it's what you should keep in mind. Nobody matters but you. Absolutely nobody. It's a matter of trust, dammit! Why can't you just trust me? I've never flirted with anyone nor... I've never let you think I... It's insulting! I am an adult. I know where I stand and what my feelings are. Nobody – not even you – will ever tell me what to do. You don't like it? Too bad because it's how it works... You cannot keep me away from anyone you consider to be a potential threat. It's vain and ridiculous."

Jane was about to reply when the patio door opened and Angela – followed by Constance – came in.

"What's going on in here? We can hear you from the guesthouse!"

As Maura looked down – too ashamed to answer – the detective shrugged and whispered apologies. Violet and Matthew were upstairs, they had probably heard them as well.

"It seems like that we have arrived just on time... This is for the two of you, starting in an hour. You have been thinking about everyone so far and it is now time for you to focus on yourselves. This wedding is – beforehand – yours. Enjoy."

Constance held a couple of coupons out to Jane and Maura then smiled, as peacefully as ever.

"A day at the spa? It is really nice but we don't have time for it today, unfortunately. We have to go to..."

Angela rose her hand in the air to stop Maura. Shaking her head, she winked at Constance.

"We will do it for you. As much as we are proud of the way you have been handling everything until now, go have some time for yourselves – to have a little rest – and let us manage what is left... Which is nothing at all, anyway. And it isn't as if we don't know about weddings! You'll see a day at the spa is exactly what you two need."