Author's note: thank you very much for all your reviews (hopefully I will be able to reply to them, now)

January

Chapter Thirty-Six: And A Happy New Year

She didn't believe in coincidences. Her job had taught her that they didn't exist. Everything happened for a reason, starting for the worst. And by the pictures she was now staring at, this was exactly what they were facing.

"What did they hide from us? Obviously the senator knew that something was going on. What is it? All of a sudden he's interested in a cold case and a few days later someone's found out murdered according to the same modus operandi."

Cavanaugh locked his eyes with hers – swallowed hard – but shook his head as if renouncing to confess a couple of things he had been told and asked to not reveal. "Just do your job with what you have."

She scoffed. "Don't you think it's what I'm trying to do? It'd be easier if I had all the information about something that was – somewhat – expected!" Yeah. Awesome. Yell at your boss. Best decision ever, Riz'.

But the lieutenant didn't pay attention to her outburst and left without a word. Provincetown seemed so far, all of a sudden. The few days she had spent there with Maura had been perfect. Relaxing and quiet. Why did her comeback have to be so direct? Almost violent. Be happy. At least you now have an excuse to not stay all day long at your desk.

The well-known sound of heels clicking on the floor made her instinctively smile. Her heart sped up its pace, she took a deep breath and straightened up. Would her body ever stop reacting so strongly to her wife's rather imminent presence? No, it won't. Deal with it.

File in hand, the medical examiner walked in the room – politely smiled at the few officers – and went straight to Jane, by Korsak's desk. "The results are negative. She was perfectly healthy and... Nothing seems to indicate that she was a cocaine..."

The 'pop' sound of a bottle in her back made her stop. Amused, Maura turned around and grinned at the scene. She had never minded working on bank holidays. There was something sweet in it, a very strong team spirit seemed to suddenly rise from it and she had stopped counting the amount of times when she had felt part of a family with her colleagues more than with her own relatives.

"You haven't started the New Year's Eve celebrations? The party is in full swing at the morgue. People even bought me some alcohol-free champagne so I could join!"

Jane blinked – bit her lower lip – and squinted her eyes at Maura, wondering if she should find her nerd side cute or dreadful. Oh come on, who are you kidding? You love it!

"That's... What we had assumed, Maura." Glance at Korsak as the sergeant chuckled. Vague sign of the head to make him stop.

With the same genuine smile, the honey blonde tilted her head on a side and frowned. "How come you managed to guess it?"

Pause. Jane ran her tongue over her lips. Not bursting out laughing had become an art. "Because I am a good detective?" But as Maura was about to reply, the Italian stopped her. "You... Have confetti in your hair. Everywhere. And even one..." Jane approached a finger from her wife's cleavage to take a big blue one. "On your chest. I see the lab team knows how to party wild." Sarcasm much.

"At least we have more than a couple of burritos and an already empty bottle of cheap champagne. Not that the alcohol-free one is that good. It mostly tastes of apple and sugar. Ugh... What I would give for a glass of Veuve-Cliquot!"

As if her wish had just been heard by some invisible force, Frost walked in; bottle and glasses in hand. "The last one they had at the deli... Come on, Dr. Isles... You can't say no to it! The last glass before a brand new year!"

Maura shrugged timidly, clutched to the toxic report she was holding. "Just a little bit, then." If only to forget the disappointment brought by the alcohol-free one.

Jane sighed. She was amused by her wife's reaction but the pictures of the victim on Korsak's desk did weigh a lot on her shoulders. They had come back from the crime scene at 7pm, cancelling their plans for the evening before the last-minute events and had skipped dinner to attend the autopsy. She surely was hungry – and tired – but the night would be long.

A voice rose on the other side of the room. "The coffee machine's broken!"

She swallowed hard. The night would – indeed – be long. Long and painful. "Give me a full one, Frost. I'm gonna need it. What the hell is this new year if it starts with a broken coffee machine?" Sitting on the edge of Korsak's desk, she shook her head and joined her colleagues' laughter.

"What are your resolutions for the new year, Rizzoli?" McCormack – from the drug unit – approached their little group and raised his glass joyfully.

Jane squinted her eyes and crossed her arms against her chest. "Well... I guess some plans are already in the making..." She cast a glance at Maura as a delicate smile lit up her features. "And since they do come by two – there was a special offer on that day – something tells me they will take most of my time!"

She had never expected such a change. Her life was really about to take another direction. Of course, a few details wouldn't change. She would still be working at the BPD – with the same unit and schedule – but she would have children. Two of them. When she came back home in the evening, there would be a couple of babies waiting for her and Maura. Asking nothing but a thousand of kisses. Or at least that was the way she saw things.

Chances were that Maura would give birth in April, or even in March. That left them three months to finalize the whole thing from the maternity bag to the nursery. Or nurseries. They still hadn't taken a decision regarding it. Was it better to leave them together at first? And if so, when was it time to get them in separate bedrooms? So many questions remained unanswered that she preferred to pretend it wasn't there. Everything would be alright. She was sure of it.

"And you, Dr. Isles? Any resolution?"

Korsak's voice brought Jane back to reality. Her curiosity piqued, she turned around to face the blonde and waited for her answer hoping she wouldn't throw herself in a lecture about the fragility of wishes in modern times and such.

Glass of champagne in hand, Maura looked down – seemed to analyze the question – and shrugged. A long moment passed before she replied. "I just want this new year to be as sweet as the one I am about to leave behind."

Nobody had time to react to her words as a group of rookies began to scream the countdown at the top of their lungs. Everyone turned around and looked at the television screens. Live from Times Square – crowded and joyful place – while the BPD remained somewhat quiet.

"Happy New Year!"

Jane turned around to look at Maura – approached – and passed a hand on the honey blonde's waist as she bent over to plant a kiss at the corner of her lips.

What a strange way to celebrate their first new year as a couple. Quite symbolic if she had to be honest. The BPD – crime scene pictures and lab results – while the night began to fade away and they wouldn't be home before the first hours of the morning. Not really more stressing than Christmas with the family though, let's face it!

"Happy New Year..." Her whisper died against Maura's ear, melting into the scientist's smile before a large grin embraced her graceful features.

"Happy New Year to you as well. I love you."

People were hugging and yelling joyfully around them but they couldn't hear them. Lost in their bubble they were cut from the rest of the world thanks to a mere gaze. The weight of a smile and the shade of feelings many couldn't understand. Everyone didn't have this capacity to focus and forget the rest.

Everyone didn't have the chance to meet his – her – soul mate.

"Do you need anything else? I need to type the report of the autopsy. I could do it tomorrow but this is something I prefer to not postpone, especially since the senator seems so eager to have details about it."

And back to reality. Back to their routine. Jane cast a glance at Frost and Korsak who shook their head and shrugged. Maura's job was done, here.

The medical examiner nodded – took a last sip of her drink – and turned on her heels. "I will be in my office if you are looking for me. Or in the autopsy room. This is where the party is held!"

Jane made a face – nothing compared to the mock of horror of Frost but still – and shook her head. Had she really married the biggest nerd of the planet?

"Okay... Back to work." Without adding anything, she went to sit at her desk but didn't manage to focus on the pictures of the victim. They had just said goodbye to what had been the most important year of her life. It meant a lot to her. Nostalgic much? She frowned, bit her lower lip.

Yes. She was being nostalgic. Yet eager to see what life still had in store for her.