Chapter Twenty-One

Jane carefully removed her engagement ring and put it on the other hand. This was it. She was about to go out into her favorite place in the world, stand in front of all the people she loved, and pledge her undying devotion to the person she loved most of all. There was no denying that this was, in fact, the most important day of her life.

It was a day she had fought for, to be sure. Just a few weeks ago, everything had nearly unraveled. Davies must have been listening in through their cell phones, must have heard Maura say she was leaving for fencing practice and headed towards their house to carry out his plan. Jane had gotten the text 15 minutes later asking her to set out Maura's fencing mask. She'd gone upstairs to get it, set it by the front door, and returned to her homework in the kitchen – only to find Davies waiting for her. He'd told her his plan, to make it look like she was running away from her ill-advised engagement. She knew he meant to keep her alive but that he viewed Maura as disposable, and the thought of Maura getting home while he was still there terrified her. She didn't want to mention that Maura was on her way back, so she'd simply cooperated fully to ensure they would be gone by the time she got there. Later she could work on an escape plan, or hope that Frankie and the others were able to track her down, but for now she just had to make sure Davies didn't do anything to harm Maura. So she wrote the note at gunpoint, making sure to throw in a subtle detail that would make it clear to Maura that she wasn't leaving willingly, and then she let Davies tie her hands and take her out to his car.

As it turned out, they weren't fast enough. Jane had completely panicked when Maura ran out behind the car, even more so when Davies attempted to run her down and then shot at her. She saw Maura make it back into the house just before Davies sped away, but a minute later, she realized Maura was following them. She tried desperately to send her fiancée a mental message to stop following and just get help, but Maura wouldn't stop, and it turned out that she knew what she was doing after all. Jane knew from past experience that Maura was not easily angered but was scary as hell when she did manage to get pissed off. It would be an understatement to say that Davies pissed her off that day by taking Jane. He was probably lucky she didn't castrate him with her broken sabre.

The investigation into Davies' illegal activities was still underway, but it was already safe to say that he was no agent anymore and would likely go away for life. Jane was now free to marry the love of her life without the threat of car bombs or angry notes.

"Janie, are you ready?" Angela called.

Jane took one last look at herself in the mirror. She was wearing her perfectly tailored off-the-shoulders wedding dress, the one that drove Maura so wild she went down on her in the dressing room. They'd had professional hairstylists and make-up artists come in, and Jane's hair was neatly pinned up, with a few curls hanging down. Her makeup looked spectacular, and she was wearing the diamond Red Sox necklace Maura had given her for Christmas. Even she had to admit, she looked great. She couldn't wait to see Maura's reaction.

"Yeah, I'm ready," she called back, picking up her bouquet of red and blue roses. She opened the door and walked out to her mother.

"You look so beautiful," Angela gushed, hastily adjusting Jane's veil and giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Take your place. I'll give Maura the warning."

Jane went to her spot, peering out at the sunny ballpark. She hadn't seen Maura all day, and it was driving her nuts. Angela was a firm believer in the superstition that it was bad luck to see the bride before the wedding, and she'd gone out of her way to keep the two of them apart. She'd even made Jane sleep in the guest house with her last night, which meant Jane hadn't slept at all. But she would have Maura all to herself tonight, and during the next two weeks, which they would spend island-hopping in Greece. They were even visiting Lesbos, which seemed fitting.

When the string quartet outside began playing "Here Comes the Bride" (or perhaps "Here Come the Brides," in their case), Jane began her walk through the stands, lifting her skirt with one hand as she descended the stairs while guests craned their necks to look at her. Across the park, the jumbotron lit up with the words CONGRATULATIONS JANE & MAURA while showing one of their engagement pictures. Jane couldn't help grinning at the sight; she'd never expected to see her own face, or Maura's, on the Fenway jumbotron. She took her place on the platform behind third base and turned around, anxiously awaiting the appearance of her bride.

The string quartet started the song over and Maura emerged. Jane caught her breath. Nothing had quite prepared her for the sight of Maura as a bride. Her hair hung loose around her bare shoulders, and she wore the diamond and sapphire necklace Jane had given her, the one that matched her engagement ring. Her long silk train trailed behind her as she made her way slowly down the stairs, eyes glued to Jane the entire time, a breathless smile on her face. She stepped up onto the platform, handed her bouquet to Nina, and took Jane's hands, giving her a dazzling grin.

"We made it," she said softly.

"We did," Jane agreed. Damn it, there were tears in her eyes. She was not going to do this. She would not cry.

The ceremony began, and Maura's gaze never left Jane's the entire time. The smile remained on her beautiful face, hands clasping Jane's, as Maude, the justice of the peace they had hired, began to speak. Jane barely listened as she went on about the importance of the covenant they were about to make; all she could think about was the gorgeous woman in front of her. Maura the bride, who was here for her. She had chosen her out of everyone in the world.

Suddenly Jane realized Maude was talking to her. "Will you, Jane, have Maura to be your wife? Will you love her, comfort and keep her, and, forsaking all others, remain faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"

What others? Jane thought. "I do. I will," Jane said, keeping her eyes on Maura. The blonde lit up upon hearing the words as if she were just now learning that Jane intended to love her forever.

"Will you, Maura, have Jane to be your wife? Will you love her, comfort and keep her, and, forsaking all others, remain faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"

"I will!" said Maura sweetly. Her face blurred and Jane blinked rapidly, clearing her vision.

"Now that you both have declared your intentions, it's time to share your vows with one another," said Maude.

Jane's heart sped up. This was real. This was really real. This wasn't a plan anymore; they were actually doing this now. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she haltingly repeated the words the justice gave her to say. "I, Jane, have chosen you, Maura, out of all of the world, to be my lawfully wedded wife. To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, to love and to cherish till death do us part."

Then it was Maura's turn to say the words, gazing intently into Jane's face the entire time, and that was when Jane felt the first tear trickle down her face. Keep calm, maybe no one will notice, she thought, but then Maura let go of one hand and wiped the tear away with just the sweetest, gentlest touch, and Jane began sniffling. Stop it, Rizzoli, Jane thought frantically.

Maude seemed unfazed, however, and simply asked for the rings. She held them up and blathered on about rings representing love without end while Jane did her best to pull herself together. Maura smiled encouragingly as the justice handed Jane Maura's ring. Jane took Maura's hand and, carefully locating the correct finger, slid the ring on. "I give you this ring as I give you myself, with love always," she repeated quickly, and then a sob escaped.

Maura patiently took Jane's ring and put it on her finger, repeating the same words. The engagement felt like just a practice now. This was the real thing; they were bound to each other permanently now. Taking Maura's hands again, Jane struggled to catch her breath between quiet sobs.

"Are you okay?" Maura whispered.

Jane nodded. She couldn't speak anymore.

The justice read some sort of blessing, and then she pronounced them legally married. "You may seal your marriage with a kiss," she told them, and Jane, taking Maura in her arms, did exactly that. The justice made some final proclamation, and then the string quartet began playing Mendelssohn's "Wedding March."

"It's time to go in," Maura said gently, linking arms with Jane and guiding her back up the way they had come out. Jane just had to trust her since she couldn't see a damn thing through the tears.

"I'm so sorry," Jane gasped as they got inside. "I meant to hold it together better than this."

"It's okay," said Maura. "We fought hard to get to this day. It's kind of hard to believe it's finally happening."

"You're my wife," whispered Jane.

Maura kissed her. "And you're mine."

Jane finally pulled herself together long enough to pose for pictures outside before going in for the reception. The string quartet also came inside to play while everyone ate dinner. After the cake they played "All I Ask of You," the song Jane proposed to, while Jane and Maura had the first dance (a dance they had spent hours practicing, since Maura said they had to do it but Jane insisted she didn't know how). This time, it was Maura's turn to cry.

"This was all I ever wanted," she whispered to Jane. "I just wanted to be with you, all the time, forever."

"You will be," Jane promised her. "I'm gonna be right by your side as long as I'm alive. That's what I just promised you, in front of all these people."

"I know." Maura sniffled, but she was smiling. "You also promised it in the Temple of Love in Paris while a different string quartet played this song."

"It's always going to take you back there, isn't it? I know it'll do that to me."

"Always. You gave me the most amazing gift that day, and I don't mean the ring."

"Well, you gave me the most amazing gift that day, so we're even."

"Did I?"

"Well, yeah. You said yes."

Later the quartet packed up and the DJ Jane had hired came out, ramping up the party a bit. Everyone seemed to have a good time. As promised, the World Series trophies were out on display, and Jane wasn't the only one insisting on having her picture taken with them. There was also an exciting moment at which someone pointed out that Nina hadn't touched the champagne and everyone correctly guessed why. All in all, it was the best party Jane had ever been to, and yet she couldn't wait for it to be over so she could be alone with her new wife. Finally, a limo arrived to collect the two brides and take them to the waterfront hotel where they would be spending the night.

Jane couldn't keep her hands off Maura in the backseat of the limo. She held her close, trailing lips and tongue over her wife's bare shoulders and neck while Maura's fingers lightly traced her collarbones. When they arrived at their destination, they hurriedly gathered their belongings and rushed hand in hand up to their room. As soon as the door closed behind them, Jane switched the light on and began steering Maura backwards towards the bed, tongue in her mouth, fumbling desperately with her skirt. There were a lot of layers under here.

"Okay, where the fuck is your pussy?" Jane finally demanded, flustered. "It's like digging for buried treasure down here."

Maura laughed. "I'll help you." She lay back on the bed, gathered her silk skirt and the many layers of tulle underneath, and lifted to reveal that she already wasn't wearing underwear.

"Damn, lady, were you au naturel under here this whole time?" Jane breathed, kneeling before Maura as her hand crept up a smooth leg.

"Not the whole time, but near the end I decided it was time to start getting ready." Smiling serenely, Maura spread her legs apart a bit more, revealing her glistening pussy.

"How'd you get this wet already? I've barely touched you."

"I've been looking at you for hours. I bet you are too."

"I know I will be after this." Jane's fingers had finally made their way to the top of Maura's soft thigh and onto her heat. She got down on her stomach and captured her with her mouth, drinking in her juices as she lubed up her fingers and slid them inside. Maura cried out, letting her dress fall back down around Jane, leaving Jane in her own little wedding dress tent in which she was all alone with Maura's pussy. She didn't mind that at all. She kept busy licking and sucking and thrusting, playing Maura like a well-tuned instrument she'd been practicing for years, until she heard the sweet sounds of Maura's orgasm.

"Remember when we did this the first time, in Paris, and you had to tell me what to do?" Jane asked as she crawled out from under Maura's dress.

"You knew what to do. You just needed some encouragement," Maura said fondly, still lying back on the pillows. "You've raised my body temperature and now I'm hot in this dress."

"Guess I'd better get you out of it then." Jane lifted the blonde from the pillows so she could unbutton her dress, then carefully slid it off of her and draped it over a nearby chair. She took off the petticoat as well and then paused for a moment to take a mental picture of Maura wearing nothing but her veil before slowly unpinning it and placing it with the dress.

"Now you," insisted Maura, reaching for Jane's hair so she could take everything down.

"You like for me to wear my hair up, but then you can't wait to get it back down," Jane observed.

"Well, it looks sexy either way," Maura told her as the curls began to fall around Jane's shoulders. "But it has to be down during sex so I can get my fingers in it."

Jane chuckled. "You do like to do that."

"You're so beautiful," Maura murmured, caressing the exposed skin of Jane's shoulders, chest, and upper back. She unzipped the dress partway and pulled it down just enough to pop out Jane's breasts. She took one nipple in her mouth and rolled it between her teeth as her hand began pulling up Jane's skirt, feeling blindly for her way underneath. Her struggle was somewhat amusing to Jane, given that she had experienced the same problem earlier, but she was horny as hell now and didn't have the patience to keep waiting. So she lifted her dress, giving Maura's fingers easy access.

"Sorry, I'm still wearing underwear," Jane apologized. "I'm not as good at thinking ahead as you are. But it's a thong!"

No sooner had the words left her mouth when she felt eager fingers grasp the thong and pull it downwards, impatiently yanking it off. Then Maura's lips moved to Jane's other nipple, encircling it as her fingers drew slow circles around Jane's clit. Moaning, Jane ran her fingers through Maura's silky hair and up and down her back. Her skin was extra soft from all the spa treatments she'd had done yesterday, and Jane supposed hers was as well. She made a mental note to thank Maura for her wisdom in insisting they get that done.

Soon, though, she found herself unable to think about anything but the deft fingers now moving in quick circles around her clit. Maura moved from one nipple to the other, sucking, nibbling, circling, until Jane's back arched and she yelled loud enough to let the people in the next room know how much fun she was having.

After that, Maura eased the wedding dress the rest of the way off and snuggled up to her new wife, fingers idly circled her breast.

"I will say, I'm enjoying married life immensely so far," Jane remarked.

Maura giggled. "It won't be real married life until we're back from the honeymoon and the excitement has died down and we're just living our day-to-day lives together."

"Well, that we've been doing for years, so I already know we enjoy that. But now there will also be sex, which makes it so much better."

Maura kissed Jane's chest and rested her head on her shoulder. "It does. And I have always enjoyed doing everyday things with you."

"I'm not sure what was wrong with us, though. Why did we do all that boring normal stuff without the sex for so long?"

"I don't know," Maura laughed. "But we're on the right track now."

"Yeah, we are." Jane pulled her close and kissed her. "Remember last year when we were getting ready to go to Paris and you said something about starting the next big adventure?"

"Yes. It was a much greater adventure than I was expecting!"

"Mmm. Now we're starting another one. You think this one will surprise us as well?"

"At this point, I would be surprised if it wasn't surprising!"

Jane chuckled and closed her eyes, her fingers tracing their way through her wife's hair. My wife. Those were words she knew she'd be repeating in her head for some time to come. "As long as you're with me, I'm up for any kind of adventure."

"Well, for starters," said Maura, "our plane to Greece doesn't leave until three tomorrow, and we don't have to check out of the hotel until noon. So, there's no real reason why we need a good night's sleep."

Jane burst out laughing. "So, what did you have in mind instead?" she asked innocently.

"Jane!" Maura lifted her head, her face a mask of horrified surprise. "It's our wedding night! We should devote it to—"

"Nonstop fucking?"

Maura fought back a smile while giving Jane a reproachful look. "You knew what I meant, didn't you?"

"Of course I did." Jane gently rolled Maura onto her back, lowering her own naked body onto the blonde's. "And I absolutely agree."