Author's note: thank you for all the reviews. To the guest who was disappointed in the previous chapter: I don't find sex degrading/sinful so I don't see anything degrading in being caught in some sort of foreplay by adults who - if they are adults - won't make a big deal of it either nor be less respectful in the end. But that's just my opinion (it would be slightly embarrassing though, I agree).

Chapter twenty-nine – Me, You, Everybody

"You're living vicariously through us, aren't you?"

Frost burst out laughing. "Why of course! Although not just me, everybody! It's better than The Truman Show. Every day we get updates of what you've been doing thanks to the resort web page. Nobody goes to the cafe anymore. We all gather by the computer to follow your adventures; your mother included."

Jane moaned and hid her face in her hands for the thousandth time which only made her colleague resume his laughing.

"By the way, there's a tennis tournament next week. We all hope you'll take part in it."

Sigh. Obviously, she had pissed whoever was in charge of her fate. There was no other explanation possible to all of this. Biting her lower lip, she shook her head at the computer screen then cast a brief glance at Maura in her back. The honey blonde was joyfully swinging her hips at the pace of a merengue playing in the speakers.

"No, I won't. But Maria Sharapova over there will so you should get your dose of entertainment. But don't bet against Maur'. She'll win this tournament. I've seen her play. She's a beast."

"Hey, Jane!"

Allyson's voice took her out of her daydreams – embarrassing reminiscence of her earlier Skype session with her colleague – and made her turn around. As usual, the GO was all smile; sporting nothing but a bikini.

And a sarong. Progress.

"Where's your wife?

Plate of rice in hand, the Italian scanned the restaurant room – squinted her eyes – and shrugged. Maura was nowhere to be seen.

"I don't know. Last time I saw her, she was talking with Emily by the stairs. Why?"

Allyson made a face and checked a list on her clipboard. She sighed, tapped her pen on the wooden frame of it then shook her head.

"She asked for a Head but we only have Wilson left. Do you think she'll be okay with a change of racquet? For the tournament."

Ouch. No, she won't. The frame might not match her clothes and the racquet-string tension won't be the same. She will get mad. Really mad. She will complain, over and over. Scientifically. It's not good. It won't be pretty.

"Yeah sure!" She's gonna kill you, Rizzoli.

Allyson gave a satisfied nod and left towards another group of girls chatting loudly by the fruit buffet. Still unsure of the chaos she had signed up for, Jane walked to a table and sat by the window. Another sunny, beautiful day in Punta Cana. White sand, transparent waters and endless palm trees. Perfect.

They had crossed Guadalupe and Lisa on their way to the restaurant. Hand in hand, happy as ever. Whatever they had done to overcome a rather delicate couple crisis had worked well. Unless they were simply good at pretending. Hard to imagine what they were going through by a simple observation of their attitude.

Jane took a mouthful of rice and closed her eyes. A bird was singing somewhere on her left – probably up in a tree – and contrasted nicely with the metallic clinking of the silverware; the murmurs of the conversations.

People know for you and Maura. They know. They know what you do, what you are. What are you? Why can't you stop asking yourself so many stupid questions? You are Jane. And that's it. You are... Bi? … Gay?

The word resounded loud in her head and she opened her eyes immediately then looked around as if to make sure that nobody had noticed her inner thoughts; as much as this wasn't very realistic. Nobody could guess the slightest thing. Of course not.

"I have just crossed Mario. A UPS package has been delivered to our room. It comes from Boston." Maura sat on her chair but frowned as she looked up at Jane. She wrinkled her nose, pursed her lips. "Are you alright?"

Suddenly very interested in her rice, the Italian stared at her plate for long seconds before daring to speak out loud. "Do you think I'm gay?"

The question took Maura completely aback. Five minutes before, they had been talking about their plans for the afternoon – the prospect of taking a nap and enjoying the warm waters of the lagoon – and suddenly her lover oriented the light conversation towards something a lot more delicate. Interesting but unexpected.

"These are only lab-..."

Growl. Eye roll. " Oh come on, don't play the 'labels' card. Be honest with me, Maur'." Jane cast a glance around, glad to have chosen a small table a bit apart from the rest of the crowd. "Do you think I'm gay?"

You've spent the whole week proving you weren't much straight. What else do you need, Rizzoli? Look at what you've done. She looks terrified, now.

"Then... I don't know. In theory and considering your background, you would be bisexual... Yet is that a problem in the end anyway?"

Fair question. Jane looked aside – pondered the words – and finally shook her head. "No. It's just that I wonder how people see me, how they define me when... When I've never really been able to do it myself."

That was it. That was exactly what she had in mind. You've nailed it. She didn't have an issue with the idea of people putting her in a category more than in another one – it had very little importance in the end – but she didn't know herself where she stood in all of this. Whenever she thought about it, everything was blurry.

She had fallen hard for Meredith – had had a few crushes on other women – but her life had mostly been linked to men so far; more or less gloriously, if she had had to be honest.

Confusion grew in her head. She winced, swallowed hard. Obviously, the early Skype session would follow her for the rest of the day; haunting her thoughts, embracing them of question marks all along.

"I'm not going through an identity crisis or anything. Sorry... I just..." Just what, exactly? Ugh. She bit her lower lip and shrugged apologetically at Maura.

"I am not judging you. For once you give into introspection..." Smirk, wink.

"You're bi?" That's one way to be direct and sound intrusive.

Maura smiled – peacefully as ever – and shook her head before leaning over to caress the brunette's cheek with tenderness. "No. I am simply yours." She blushed, looked down as the meaning of her words hit her.

The kiss made the honey blonde smile. A sweet caress on her lips. Slightly daring. Jane wasn't demonstrative in public.

"Get a room. Or a hammock on the beach. I feel sorry for your neighbors, here. Nobody wants to stay just next to a freshly married couple." Miranda winked at them.

"Oh, we aren't very vocal."

Jane widened her eyes in horror and stared at Maura in the hope the medical examiner would get the message to stop immediately. Splendid. What is it gonna be, next? Our favorite sexual position?

But the honey blonde misunderstood her partner's gaze. "As long as you don't repress anything, it is perfectly fine to not be loud. It doesn't prevent you from reaching..."

"We got it, Maur'. Thank you for the explanation and self-introspection. Really." Jane stood up – forced a smile at Miranda – and made a face at her lunch tray. She wasn't really hungry anymore. "I have received an important... Package... So I think I will go, now."

It had to be the gun sent by Cavanaugh. She couldn't let it in a cardboard box, right on the coffee table. Good thing they had a safety box. Yet how would she hide it under a thin tank top the day after? See, Frost? These aren't vacations. It's an evil plan, and nothing else.

"Okay. Don't forget the Couscous Dance Party tomorrow night! Have a nice day, girls!"

Jane repressed a moan of despair. Another Couscous Dance Party? Really? Yes. This was not the way she used to plan her vacations. At all.

"Do you stay here? I need to check what kind of 'package' Cavanaugh sent me. And maybe assemble it, or at least clean it."

Maura scanned the room – pouted – then shook her head. She stood up; instinctively passed her arm around Jane's waist. "I think I will really have a nap. You woke me up a bit harshly this morning... I need to be fine enough for the tennis tournament, next week."

Jane froze. Tennis. Tournament. Racquet. Find something. Don't be clumsy on that one. They left the restaurant and walked up the path that led to the small buildings nearby.

"Funny you alluded to this tennis thing, Maur'..." Nope. Not the best way to announce what Allyson had told her a bit earlier.

Enthusiastically, Maura grinned and nodded. "I am so glad to have packed a few tennis outfits. It wasn't on their list but since they had tennis courts, I assumed it would be fair enough to bring some with me."

Jane forced a smile. She loved it when the blonde looked thrilled at the prospect of taking part in an activity. It was cute, warm. Maura lived her life to the fullest, enjoying every second of it as if it could be the last one. She learned from everything. From absolutely everything. With eagerness.

It was rare to find someone who could easily recognize the beautiful things in life. The awesomeness in them.

"Have you ever played with a Wilson instead of a Head? Maybe you should give it a try..." Drama in five, four, three, two, one...