Sunday.

Thanksgiving.

They are supposed to let the whole family and their friends know they are officially a couple.

They spent Saturday laughing at Angela's possible reactions to the news. More to ease their own nerves, really, if not for anything else. Jane knows her Ma will love her no matter what and that Maura is already considered family, but still, she can't help but be anxious a little about sharing the news. What if she will take it badly? Not to mention Frost or Korsak, she'd hate to know they would hold something against her because of this, especially that she sees them almost every day of the week.

Maura has tried to get Jane to relax, but if she were honest with herself, she was just as nervous. She craved Angela's support just as much as Jane. Probably even more, considering her history with motherly love and affection.

So even though they are optimistic, these dark thoughts intrude their minds with more and more force as Sunday lunch gets closer, until they get to a point they can't focus on anything else. Fortunately they don't really have to prepare anything, Angela storming into the house at 8 a.m. on Sunday morning to start getting things ready.

At the moment, Maura is in the kitchen watching out for the turkey so it won't get over cooked. Jane has settled on leaning on the doorframe, a dreamy expression settling over her at the sight of the honey blonde. Maura can feel Jane's eyes on her, but she knows better than to say anything and ruin this moment of bliss. It's in moments like this that she feels like the most loved woman in the world, and she will do everything possible to prolong it as much as she can.

But Jane has other plans. A few months ago she would have settled on watching, and wishing. Now, she walks confidently up behind Maura and snakes her arms around the smaller woman's waist, gently swaying them together. They still haven't decided when exactly today they will let everyone know, but it will certainly happen in the next 24 hours.

Not wanting to think about it anymore, Jane let's her head fall in the crook of Maura's neck and softly kisses her below her ear before hugging her closer. She lets herself drown in Maura's scent and nuzzles deeper, before slightly raising her head until her lips are ghosting Maura's ear.

"I love you."

Three words. Eight letters. A thousand promises.

Not asking for a response. Merely stating the obvious.

Maura leans back into Jane, a huge grin plastered on her face. She turns her head and captures Jane's lips in a sweet, lingering kiss.

"I love you too, Jane," Maura says after they break apart for air. She gives Jane a small kiss on the nose and another dazzling smile before pulling apart from her arms.

"Come on, Jane, don't pout," Maura tries to keep her face serious, but the look on Jane's face when she went over to the oven to get the turkey out really makes it impossible. She breaks into a laugh, which only makes Jane's bottom lip stick out a little more, before sticking her tongue out to Maura and breaking into a fit of laughter herself.

Little did they know that Angela, Frost, Korsak, Tommy and Frankie were all in the hall, picking her jaws up from the floor after witnessing what can only be called finally getting your head out of your ass and realize what you need and want has been in front of you the whole damn time.

Jane and Maura don't even have time to finish laughing, considering Angela has run across the living room with light speed and now has them trapped in a bear hug, jumping up and down, not able to conceal her happiness.

Jane needs to literally shove the way out her mother's embrace, taking Maura by the arm with her, so they can catch their breath. They don't get much time though, everyone else in the room bombarding them with questions and talking simultaneously.

"How did it happen? When did it happen? It was about damn time for you to realize you were perfect for each other! How long have you been hiding it from us? Are you a couple or are you just dating?"

And then of course, Angela's special set of questions about weddings, grandbabies and highly inappropriate subjects.

They all sit down in the living room, the food all but forgotten. Maura sits down sideways in Jane's lap so the detective's face could still be seen, even though Jane seems more focused on burying her face in Maura's blonde curls and hugging her close than answering the questions.

Nuzzling into Maura is much more enjoyable anyway.

Having no other choice, the doctor takes it upon herself to bring up to date their friends and family. Even more if it meant having Jane hold her the way she does.

Finally, after telling the story of how they became aware of their feelings and how they became a couple, mindfully letting out the make-up session from the ice rink, they all sit down to eat, even though no one is actually concentrating on the food.

…

Jane and Maura are currently lying in the king-sized bed from Maura's room, overwhelmed by today's turn of events. They hoped and maybe part of them knew Angela will take the news fairly well, but none of them has expected that kind of reaction from her. Saying it was amazing is an understatement. Not to mention how well Frost and Korsak took it, and Tommy actually reacted like a man not like a 5 year-old-boy like he usually does, managing to not make a fool of himself. Jane kind of expected Frankie to be ok with it, but still she felt a sense of relief when he hugged her goodbye and told her to take care of her girl. Her girl.

Maura Isles is her girl. Jane feels giddiness taking over only thinking about that sentence, not to mention everything it means.

She rolls onto her side facing the blonde and props herself on one elbow so she can fully view Maura's gorgeous face. Her eyes are closed but from the small curl of the plump lips Jane can tell Maura knows she is watching her. The detective leans down and kisses her tenderly at first, but it doesn't take long before the spark that ignited at the ice-rink makes its presence known once again. Before long they have changed places and Maura is on top of Jane, straddling her, Jane's hands roaming on her back, under her tank top. Maura upper body is flushed with Jane's, her lips attacking Jane's neck and jaw before arriving once again on the detective's mouth. Surprisingly, Jane lets the blonde have control over the kiss, Maura's velvet tongue engaging in a languid and sloppy dance with Jane's, that makes both of them lightheaded. In the heat of it all, Maura's right arm found its way down into Jane's boyshorts, and started drawing lazy circles through the fabric of Jane's panties.

"No, wait-…wait a sec," Jane's voice is muffled by Maura's hair, as the blonde is sucking on her pulse point, but she hears her all the same and immediately stills her actions.

Slowly, she rises, an apology already on the lips, but Jane is quicker to explain.

"No, I mean, just…Don't get me wrong. I want this," Jane says as she gestures between their bodies, "I want you. I just…I don't want you to make a decision that you will regret later. I don't want you to regret this later. I can wait as long as I need for you to be ready. So, just…you don't have to do anything you don't want to because you're afraid I'll walk away if you don't. I can wait, Maura. For you, I can-"

"Jane." Maura voice is soft, but the determination is clear.

"No, Maura, listen-"

"No, Jane, you listen. Listen closely, because I really need you to understand what I will say to you right now, okay?"

The look in Maura eyes takes Jane's breath away, so all she can do is nod.

Fierce.

Determined.

Loving and adoring and awed.

Soft and full of fire in the same time.

Maura leans in a little, and looks Jane in the eyes, right into her soul, tattooing the words there.

"I. will. never. regret. you."

Author's Note: One more chapter and we are done, guys. You in?