Disclaimer: Read Prologue
"Tale as old as time/ Song as old as rhyme/ Beauty and the Beast" – "Beauty and the Beast" by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken from Disney's "Beauty and the Beast"
Ch. 18: A Tale As Old As Time
I love you…
The words echoed throughout the castle and as the final petal fell to the bottom of the belljar. As the petal touched, it started to glow and beat as if it had a heartbeat. Suddenly, it came alive and zipped up from the bottom of the jar, hitting the side of the jar with a hard with brute force. The jar crashed to the ground then it zoomed throughout Jane's chambers until it hit the empty frame of the Mirror. The Mirror's frame start to pulsate and the shards of the Mirror started to rise from the ground, zipping out of the chambers.
They traveled across the castle grounds until it reached a weeping Maura. The young woman was holding her beast, running her hands through the fur as she placed her forehead against Jane's. "I wish we had more time. I wish I could tell you how much ," Maura whispered.
Suddenly, the shards began to spin around the two. Unsure of what was happening, Maura held Jane's hand as it continued then the shards formed together into the mirror. Jane's body then began to rise from the ground, prompting Maura to jump back as Jane's body sunk into the mirror.
Awestruck, Maura watched as the mirror spun with each spin revealing Jane's body changing. The wound on Jane's body closed slowly and the paws changed into hands and feet. As the mirror continues to spin, Maura didn't realize that sparks of magic flying from the mirror as if it was raining. As each magic spark touched the ground, Maura noticed that castle began to shake which prompted Maura to grip onto the stone. She looked over and her eyes widened to see that Charlie's body was gone.
Meanwhile, the shards' magic sparks landed throughout the castle, the magic reached the shelter. The objects, that were once full of life, were now lifeless but, before they were disenchanted, they huddled together as one family.
The small specks began to touch the objects; one by one and suddenly, the shines started to shimmer brighter with each one connecting together. With the connections, the light began to brighten and change form with human shapes rising.
Mirror continued to spin until finally, the shape changed into a human form. It shot up into the sky then it began to descend down to the ground until it touched the ground. When the body touched the ground, the castle suddenly surged with a bright light and a low rumble.
With the rumble, the balcony lifted up from the ground and attaching back on the highest tower. As it attached, Maura released her hold on the balcony, walking over to the body that rested on the floor. Maura paused briefly, glanced up to see the Mirror skating across the sky to another part of the castle then she resumed her walk toward the body.
She knew the shape but, at the same time, she doubted that it could be.
Or can it, Maura thought.
Suddenly, the body moved, arching and pushing themselves off the ground with a low groan. "Oh god," Maura heard causing her to gasp for she recognized the voice. Tears started to stream down her face as the body pushed the cape off to reveal a human formed Jane. She rubbed her neck and she blinked her eyes, running her hand through her loose, wavy, dark brown hair. Feeling the hair, Jane's eyes widened and she looked down to see that she had human hands. Her eyes then darted to her feet then straight out to Maura with disbelief.
"Maur," she whispered in shock.
Maura moved closer with her hands over her mouth while Jane stood up wobbily. "Jane, is it you," Maura sobbed.
The other woman smiled widely, moving closesr to Maura until she was able to wrap her arms around Maura's body. Maura raised one of her hands as it touched Jane's cheek, running her thumb against it. "You're alive," Maura said softly.
"I guess so…"
"Jane…I…"
"Maura, I love you too," Jane smiled.
Jane then cupped Maura's cheek, pulling her forward and kissing her passionately. Maura returned the kiss, holding Jane close, fearing that she'll disappear again. They pulled back and Jane looked up to see the Mirror floating in the sky with great confusion. "Charlie," Jane asked in confusion.
Maura shook her head with a sad expression once more. At the sight, Jane shook her head in pure sadness, pulling Maura into a tight hug.
"Janie," Maura and Jane glanced over her shoulder to see a older woman walking onto the balcony with astonded expression.
"Ma," Jane callled out, approaching the woman. Others followed the older woman and immediately, Maura started to remember the faces she saw in the Mirror World. They all were hugging each other and cheering happily at the sight of their human forms once more.
Korsak glanced up at the sky, seeing the Mirror and asked, "Isn't the enchantment over?"
Jane nodded and wrapped her arm around Maura protectively when the Mirror began to spin once more, this time, faster than before. As it spun, the magic sparks began to rain from the sky with it touching the castle and with sunlight shinning through the darkness. Suddenly, it started to descend in a fast rate, prompting Maura and Jane to shelter into the tower with the servants.
When it reached the balcony's floor, the Mirror crashed with a great explosion with Jane shielding Maura, expecting glass shards but instead it was a giant dust cloud that formed that sunk back into the ground. As it sunk down, it began to change shape forming a human body's silloutte.
Maura and Jane stepped back out onto the balcony and watched as the silloutte solidify. Maura's eyes widened in surprise and she rushed over with Jane following close behind as she flipped the figure on the floor over onto their back.
"Charlie," Maura called.
Angela and the other servants' eyes widened and rushed over, circling Charlie as Maura placed her older sister's head in her lap. She touched Charlie's cheek while Jane placed her head on Charlie's chest.
"There's a heartbeat," Jane whispered in pure surprise.
"Charlie," Maura said once more.
Suddenly, Charlie's eyes started to blink open then she let out a groan before they open completely. "Maura," she said softly at the sight of her little sister; her eyes darted from her sister than it went to the hand on her chest, traveling up to see Jane's emotional face, "Jane?"
Jane nodded and smiled, "We're free."
Charlie looked down at her hands, raising them up and mumbled, "I'm alive." She quickly lifted the side of her shirt to show the scar that seemed to have faded to an extent. Maura and Jane helped her up and she looked at the other servants, smiling at them as she engulfed them in a hug as she laughed, "We're human!"
"Human again," Korask cheered.
TJ was lifted from the ground by Tommy, swinging him around with happiness and laughter. Angela and Frost danced around with Kent and Susie while Frankie kissed Nina happily and ardently.
R&I
With the enchantment lifted, the castle reconstructed to its former glory and the first thing that the servants did was reopen the castle gates. Tommy with TJ rode in with Frost, Nina and Frankie rode into the village while Arthur rode back onto the castle grounds. As Angela and Korsak with Kent and Susie gave Arthur a proper tour of the castle.
Meanwhile, Jane and Maura entered the garden maze and sat by the old piano, sitting close. Maura reached out her hand, placing the back of the hand against Jane's soft skin. Jane raised her hand and placed it over Maura's then turned her head in, kissing the inside of her hand.
"It feels so surreal," Maura whispered.
Jane nodded in agreement and retorted, "I thought I never be able to hold you again." Hearing those words, Maura moved closer to Jane with their foreheads touching and continued, "Maura, you saved me. You saved all of us."
"You gave something I never thought I would have, Jane."
"That be?"
Maura cupped her cheek and whispered, "You gave me love and adventure."
Jane smiled, "And I always will, Maura."
She then leaned in and kissed Maura ardently with a wide smile.
"And with that, they lived happily ever after."
"Wait!" The narrator gave a curious look at one of the children as the child stood up from the ground, "What happened to Jane and Maura? You mean they just live happy ever after?"
"Well, of course," the narrator smiled.
"There you are," the children looked up as did the narrator to see Angela entering the ballroom with two others, trailing behind.
"Hi Nonna," one of the children greeted as he ran over to Angela, giving her a big hug.
"Thomas Junior, your father and the others were looking for you because the ball is going to start soon," Angela said to TJ.
"Sorry Nonna but, Charlie was telling Jane and Maura's story. I didn't want to miss it!"
"Oh really," the children gasped at the sight of Jane and Maura entering the library. Jane's hair down and was dress in formal attire, wearing her emerald green dress coat with a black waist coat with Maura matching with her, wearing her dress from the night of Jane's transformation. The children bowed their heads and Charlie stood up from her seat, giving a small bow to the two.
For the first time, Maura looked at her sister in a more relax light. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, revealing her features more than ever. The scratches from the battle was still on their face but they had faded in the last couple of days. In addition, there was a change as well for Jane let the servants take away their old colors that were dull and began to dress with color and more relaxed but with servant qualities.
But, Jane let Charlie dress differently, leaving the personal servant confused but delighted. She wore a white shirt with Jane's old silver waist coat over a pair of riding pants. To finish off the new dress up, she gained a new dark blue dress coat.
However, Maura noticed the calmeness in her face.
The children charged over to Jane and Maura, greeting the two. Maura glanced up to see Charlie stand up from her chair and dusting herself off. She then grabbed her coat from the chair and placed it back on as Maura approached her.
"You dress up nicely," Maura stated to Charlie, pushing back a strand of Charlie's hair behind her ear.
"As do you, little sister," Charlie retorted with a wide smile. Maura reached up her hand, touching her sister's cheek and let her thumb rubbed the scar on her cheek. "I'm here," she reassured softly.
"I thought I lost you also," Maura confessed, feeling the tears form in her eyes.
"Both of us thought we did," the two looked over to see Jane wrap her arm around Maura's waist.
Charlie patted her sister's hand then touched Jane's shoulder in reassurance. "Jane! Maura! Charlie! The ball is going to start," TJ shouted out to them.
They all pulled back, letting out a small laugh as Jane bowed her head to Maura then placed her arm out. They then started to walk out of the library with Charlie following close behind.
The doors opened and Maura entered to see everyone gathered around the ballroom, laughing and dancing; most of them being servants of the castle who were under enchantment, making Maura realize that the staff was bigger than the group that she knew. When they heard the doors, they bowed their heads at the sight of Jane and her as they walked to the center of the ballroom.
Jane greeted, "Friends, family, we are gathered together for the celebration of the new hope and life we have gained because of this person before us."
"Jane," Maura shied away with a blush.
"Maura, I love you. More than you ever know and if it wasn't for you, I would be lost. Gone, even." Jane then looked at Charlie who was standing next to Arthur who gave an approving nod. It was with this nod, Jane went down on one knee and smiled up at Maura causing the other woman to gasp.
Jane smiled and took out a beautiful round emerald ring from her pocket, holding it up to Maura as she asked, "Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Maura smiled widely and whispered, "Yes, Jane."
The ballroom echoed in cheers with Jane standing up from the ground, placing the ring on Maura's finger before lifting her up happily. Maura cupped Jane's cheeks, kissing her happily until they pulled back to see her main group of family and friends approach. Angela hugged Jane happily as she whispered, "I'm so proud of you."
"Thanks, Ma," Jane retorted.
"Janie!"
Jane turned and was embraced quickly and tightly by Frankie, Tommy, Frost and Korsak while Charlie and Arthur approached Maura.
"You knew," Maura asked the two.
Charlie nodded as did Arthur who took his daughter's hands into his and kissed the knuckles then said, "I saw how you talked about her and it reminded me how your father spoke about your mother. How I spoke about Constance and even though I'm not your real father, Jane still asked for my blessing."
"And mine," Charlie added.
Maura held her father's hands then pulled him into a hug. "Papa, you will always be my father," Maura emphasized. "Nothing will change that."
"I agree on that, Arthur," Charlie said. She then looked at the man and gave her a small smile, "Arthur, you've done everything that my parents would ever want and so much more."
"But I lost you in the process, Charlotte."
"It's not loss, Arthur. I gained many things; home, family, friends, and now, peace. So I need to thank you, Arthur."
Maura smiled as did Arthur before Charlie felt a hand on her shoulder and looked over to see Jane. She hugged her friend then pulled back, "I'm happy for you both."
"Thank you," Jane said in appreciation. "You've been by my side through everything and I can only say that you deserve more than what you have now."
"Jane, I have my sister back in my life and we are alive and free. What more do I deserve, my friend?"
"A better title than my personal servant?"
Charlie gave a confused look, "What?"
"Korsak wants to be free to travel and he is getting older. We talked about it and he insisted that who else would be better than you to be the new captain of the guard." Maura's eyes widened as did Charlie's in surprise as Korsak approached with a sword. "On one knee, my friend," Jane insisted.
Charlie went on one knee and bowed her head as Jane took the sword in her hand. The cheering and yelps of happiness stopped, silenced by the sight of Charlie before Jane. "I dubbed thee, Charlotte Doyle, the new captain of the guard and royal protector of the Rizzoli-Isles family," Jane stated as she blessed the new captain.
She stood up and looked around as everyone cheered once more.
"Let's celebrate," Frost shouted loudly and suddenly, Drake resumed playing his bagpipes louder than ever with the band that was with him. Jane handed the sword back to Korsak then took Maura's hand, escourting her out of the ballroom to the outside balcony.
The two stood together, gazing up at the beautiful night sky. Maura took in a deep breath, closing her eyes, taking in Jane's presence and smiled, prompting Jane to ask softly, "What are you thinking about?"
Maura opened her eyes and looked up at Jane.
"You," Maura answered. "A while back, I never thought I would have adventure or find love and I did in the most unlikely of places. I found you."
Jane turned toward Maura and the two were back facing each other, gazing into each other's eyes. Jane pushed back a strand of Maura's hair behind her ear and whispered, "So the beauty fell in love with the beast."
Maura grabbed Jane's hand and moved closer. "No," she stated, "Maura fell in love with Jane and she returned that love wholeheartedly."
"I like that much better," Jane smiled.
"I thought so."
Jane then leaned in and kissed Maura, knowing with great happiness and hope that life was going to be so much better especially knowing that Maura found Jane; she found the real Jane under the beastly exterior.
Their love was one of fairy tales.
Their love was true.
The End
Hello readers! Thank you for being part of this amazing journey. It's been a long two years or so since I started writing this. Of course, I plan to continue writing and I plan to write a new Rizzoli and Isles story soon when I get time between classes and prep for grad school.
Yup, graduating finally!
But, I definitely plan to write another fic really soon like within a couple weeks so look out for the story!
Again, thanks for the amazing support and I can't wait to see you all soon!