Angela:
The day before Thanksgiving was the busiest day at work. People returning to town would meet up with their friends before the holidays officially started. The extra people in the bar meant it was all hand on deck. Even Vince and Kiki were not exempt, Vince slinging drinks behind the bar, Kiki delivering food to tables. It also explained why Frankie, Nina, Maura, Kent, Linn, and her partner Sidney were crowded around a table meant for two. Ever the gentleman, Frankie had offered Nina the seat, and stood behind her, hand on her shoulder as they talked. Sidney had done a similar thing for Linn, offering her the seat and leaning over the redhead, their arms wrapped around the young Detective. Maura and Kent were standing on the sides, picking fries from the shared plate, laughing along with everyone.
Weeks ago in DC, Jane had been very guarded about reconnecting with her best friend. "We weren't fighting, Ma. We just weren't handling the move well." It was a lie. Frankie had told her the truth, after some coaxing. For years, Angela believed something like that would make things abundantly clear to both women. She never imagined it would pull them apart. "But I realized yesterday that I miss her like crazy. I'm gonna do better."
Whatever Jane was doing, things were better. When Angela got home, she was happy to find that they were talking on the phone just about every day. And on weekends, Maura was spending time with the brunette while helping oversee the construction of the new MEND clinic. Also, Angela had seen a huge improvement in Maura's mood since the encounter at the future clinic. She didn't rush to bed anymore when Angela got home after work. She opened up more about the trip to Paris, the air of sadness hanging over her words now gone (although she was still tight-lipped about that kiss). And she was spending more time with her friends outside of work. Maura had become a regular again and was acting more like her old self.
Delivering a round to her Son's table, Angela took the opportunity to check on some of the other guests before ducking back behind the bar. She fell back into an easy rhythm with Vince and Kiki, grateful for the crew on the busiest day of the year. She wasn't sure how much time had passed when Vince grabbed her attention, pointing to the door. She heard the squeal from the Doctor before it registered to her what she was looking at.
"Jane!" A blonde mass rushed at her daughter, her arms wrapped around the taller woman's neck. Jane accepted the intrusion of space with the same ferocity, her arms wrapping around the Doctor's waist and rocking back and forth. Considering Maura had just come back home on Sunday night, and they had only been apart for two and a half days, the greeting between the two didn't add up.
Angela used a free moment to wave, calling out her Daughter's name. But before she could see if Jane turned her head, an older man put himself between the two, blocking her line of sight. "I don't know if you've noticed since you're too busy chatting with your friends, but I've been waiting for a refill." His voice was loud and raspy, and despite the glint of amusement in his eyes, he came across as intimidating.
"I wasn't chatting, I was waving." She pointed at the brunette for emphasis. "My Daughter, Jane. I haven't seen her much since she moved to DC."
"Yeah, whatever. I don't want your life story." The glint of amusement was gone, the man leaning closer over the bar, the volume of his voice staying constant. He slammed money down on the bar. "I want a fucking refill."
This was not Angela's first time dealing with a belligerent guest, and it wouldn't be the last. Most learned not to mess with her the first time. As the man leaned closer, Angela could see the whites of his eyes turning red. So instead of handing him the beer he wanted, she turned, scooped ice into a cup, and poured him some water. At his bewildered look, she raised her eyebrows, leaning closer to him to meet his eye. "I'm afraid I'm uncomfortable serving you that refill, sir."
"You can't do that!" The man sputtered, his face turning several shades of red. At Angela's affirmative answer, he balled his fists, banging them on the counter. "I want to speak to the person in charge."
Vince was already there, seeing the situation escalate from the other side of the bar. "There's nothing to talk about. I trust my bartenders' judgment." He waved the man off, waiting until he was seated back at his table before turning to face Angela. "Why don't you take your break?"
Shaking her head, Angela cleared some glasses off the bar, reaching for a rag to wipe the countertop. "It's crazy, I can't leave right now."
"It'll be crazy all night. You get a break, Ange." He gestured toward the table, where Maura and Jane were standing impossibly close, picking at the basket of fries. "Go spend a little time with Jane." His eyebrows raised as he ushered her along, walking with her along the bar to the time clock. Taking his hint, Angela clocked out for her break and made her way to the table.
The first thing she did was attack her daughter from behind. "Janie! It's so good to see you!" The brunette stiffened up at first, but Angela could feel her giggle, her shoulders relaxing as she realized who it was. Angela waited until she felt strong arms come up to meet hers before releasing her oldest child, pressing a kiss to her dimpled cheek. To her left, Nina had stood, offering her seat to Angela, something she accepted gracefully. She plopped the beer she had grabbed for Jane on the table. "How was your drive?"
"Long." She took a swig of her beer. "But worth it." Angela caught the hint of a smile, the subtle glance toward the Doctor. Were they standing closer than normal? Or had it been too long since she saw them together? Before she could watch them more, Jane shifted her focus to the rest of the group. "I hit traffic in New York. It added an extra hour to my trip."
"I told you, you should have left last night." The Doctor teased, popping a french fry into her mouth. "You could have let yourself in, I wouldn't mind."
"And I told you that I wasn't driving while sleep-deprived. Drowsy driving is dangerous, Maura." While Angela could hear the hint of teasing in her voice, she knew Jane was serious. They had already learned how devastating car accidents could be.
With a nod, Maura turned her head to face Jane. "You're right. And I'd rather have you here later and safe, than not have you here at all." Her face shone as she spoke, and again, Angela wondered what she was missing.
Refocusing her attention on the young redhead, Jane flashed a mischievous smile. "So I hear Frankie makes you play bad cop?"
On her left, her oldest Son began shaking his head and waving his arm, making Nina giggle as she leaned against him. "I don't make her. She insists."
This made Jane laugh, and she helped herself to some of the fries. "So why do you insist?"
"It's more fun!" Linnet leaned forward as she spoke, wearing her own mischievous grin and dragging a giggling Sidney forward with her.
"Okay, but you're like, the least intimidating person here. Other than Sidney, but I haven't heard them talk much."
Sidney giggled behind the redhead, shaking their head and letting their shaggy blonde hair fall over their eyes. "So this is like my second time meeting Linn's work friends, so I'm still warming up. But trust me, Linn is way more intimidating than me." The redhead pumped her fist at the statement, making the group giggle.
Soon the whole table began ranking each other from least to most intimidating. The conversation was lively with everyone telling stories to prove why they placed people where they did. Kent was very upset Maura was ranked above him (Jane reminding him that Maura had stabbed a suspect with a scalpel to get him to stop running, and that seemed to resign him to the decision), Angela asked them to include her (placed just above Linn, considering she handled herself like a pro with the bar asshole), and Frankie fought like hell for the coveted title of "most intimidating." As Angela stood to return to her shift, he had Nina, Maura, and Kent all arguing that the title belonged to Jane. And as Vince took her place among the group, she heard him argue in Jane's favor, too.
Angela returned to the bar, noticing the angry man from earlier and his party were gone. A new group of college-age kids sat in their place, passing around phones and laughing at the images shown. Letting out a sigh of relief, Angela took her place beside Kiki and prepared for the second half of her shift.
The rest of the night, she watched the gathering from afar. She watched Jane's look of surprise when Nina brought in her bridesmaid proposal, and the warm embrace between the two women who would become sisters. She observed Jane talk about her new job, Maura's hand resting comfortably in the small of her back as she talked. While bringing them refills, she listened to the reminiscing of their favorite cases. And just once, she swore she saw Jane look at Maura the same way Frankie looked at Nina, eyes softened with a wide grin. When she blinked, the moment was gone.
It took around an hour for the group to thin out. Sidney and Linn took off first, Sidney lacing their fingers together and pulling the giggling redhead playfully across the bar. Next, Frankie and Nina, their jackets slung over their arms, Nina giving everyone one last hug before she saw them the following day. It left just Jane, Maura, and Kent huddled around the table, speaking in much softer, subdued tones. But Angela could see the exhaustion on her daughter's face, how she zoned in and out of the conversation, and it wasn't long before the brunette was at the bar, saying goodbye.
"Ma, I'm dead on my feet here. So as much as I want to catch up, I need to go to Maura's and collapse."
"That's okay, baby. We have all day tomorrow." Angela pulled her head forward so she was bent over the bar, and pressed a wet kiss to her oldest child's forehead. Jane scrunched her face at the contact, wiping off the remnants, but laughed along with her while shaking her head.
The Doctor came up behind her as she was shaking her head, and a knowing glance in Angela's direction made it clear that she had seen the whole thing. Her hand on Jane's arm, she ushered the brunette along, letting out a chuckle of her own. "Goodnight, Angela."
"Goodnight you two. Drive safe." As the two women left, she watched as Jane fell into Maura, allowing the blonde to support her as she walked. Angela stole a glance at Vince, hoping he'd seen the same thing. His eyebrows rose in response, a laugh bursting from his lips. Angela joined him at his spot behind the bar, shaking her head as she dropped some glasses in the sink.
Vince thanked them all profusely for their help at the end of the night. Angela gawked at the tip money split between them. It was comparable to Superbowl Sunday or St. Patrick's Day, and she was thankful for the extra money to put in her rainy day fund. Saying her goodbyes, she waited until all the young waitresses were in their cars before pulling out of the lot herself.
Maura's house was indeed quiet, which shouldn't have surprised her considering how exhausted Jane was. Angela pulled a couple of bottles of water out of the fridge and headed to her apartment. Once inside, she stopped to look at the photos spread over her wall. It was hard to remember the kids so young. She hovered over a picture of young Jane in a bathing suit, floppy hat abandoned as she pointed at the ocean with delight. There was one of Tommy buried under sand, a proud Frankie holding a small yellow shovel. A few pictures of them dressed up for Halloween, one of each of them at their first communions, all distant memories now. With a breath, Angela began removing them from the wall, placing each into the small box with care, leaving the wall bare.
The ringing of her phone woke her hours before she was ready to be awake. A glance showed eighteen missed text messages from Frankie, who had clearly grown impatient with her, deciding to call instead. Answering her phone, Angela rolled over, sandwiching it between the pillow and her cheek. "Can this wait?"
"Ma! What if something was wrong? I've been trying to reach you for fifteen minutes." Despite his serious question, she could hear the playful tone in his voice, as well as the chuckle from his other half in the background.
"If something was wrong you would have called first. So again, what is so important that you had to wake me up after four hours of sleep?"
"Have you seen Janie's Facebook?"
Angela rolled onto her back with an exasperate d sigh. "Facebook is why you woke me up?"
"Yes! Go look at it, Ma. Thank me later." Angela was glad he hung up the phone before heard her string of curses. As much as she wanted to ignore her son's tip, Frankie had piqued her interest. Begrudgingly, she opened the app. Jane's relationship status was the first thing she saw.
It made her sit straight up in bed, her yelp of joy breathing energy into her body. It was accompanied by a profile picture change of Maura gazing at Jane with a river behind them, Jane seemingly oblivious of Maura's obvious feelings. A quick glance through the comments showed that many people were supportive, many of them commenting on the fact that it took them so long to get to this point. Angela then noted the anniversary date, more than a month earlier, feeling her stomach sink as she thought. She hoped, and not for the first time, that Jane knew that she only ever wanted her to be happy. That she wouldn't care who Jane ended up with so long as she was happy. And she prayed that none of this was why Jane chose to announce this news like this, without talking to her first.
Putting on her slippers and the robe Maura got her for Christmas last year, Angela made her way to the main house. Neither of the women were in the kitchen, so Angela continued to the foot of the stairs. "Girls! Get down here, you have some explaining to do!" In response to her yell, Angela could hear laughter and footsteps coming from the bedroom at the top of the stairs. At Jane's voice reassuring her they were coming, Angela stood by the island and attempted to appear relaxed.
Jane bounded down the stairs first, taking them two at a time, a sheepish grin on her face as she pushed her hair out of her eyes. Maura wasn't far behind her, her cheeks red, her blonde hair unkempt. She settled behind Jane, her hands resting on the taller woman's hips. Both of them looked at her, studying her face, as if unsure what to say.
Unable to bear the awkward silence, Angela walked towards them, arms outstretched. "I love you girls so much." She wrapped them both in her embrace, her head landing between both of theirs, leaving both within reach for a kiss to their cheeks. Pulling away, she cupped Maura's cheek, her thumb running over a dimple. "I mean that, you know." She spoke to Maura directly with that one, smiling as the Doctor nodded. "I hope you both know that I'm okay with this." She waved her arms between the two women before settling her arms at her sides, hoping she understood what they meant.
Jane giggled at the motion, her face soft as she met Angela's eye. "We know."
"Are you sure? I know I raised you in the church, and I know what some people like to say, but I hope you know I don't think like that, Janie."
Her Daughter stopped her rant by placing her hands on her shoulders, her brown eyes serious. "Ma, I know."
Angela let out a sigh of relief, turning to walk toward the kitchen. "Good."
"Why would you try to set us up if you weren't okay with it?"
Jane's voice made her stop in her tracks, her heart racing. Without turning around, she could picture her Daughter's face, her eyebrow quirked, her sly grin. After a beat, Angela attempted to brush it off, continuing toward the cabinet with the tea. "I didn't try to set you up."
Jane settled in a chair at the island. "Come on, Ma, I'm a Detective."
"Not anymore!" Angela tried to deflect.
It was Maura who spoke next, settling in the space next to Jane. "True. But you forgot something important." She paused, letting Angela start the kettle before continuing. "Hope and I talk." Her heart skipped a beat. She struggled to remain calm as she realized her cover was blown. Leaning against the counter, she listened to the evidence being presented by her interrogators. "She told me you suggested that I check out that property in DC. You had the address so you could set up the chance encounter."
"Yes, she said you actively sought her out to figure out how to get us talking. You called her while she was in Morocco to conspire with her."
"And Frankie told Jane he wouldn't be able to keep the kiss secret for long, so you had to have some idea of what would happen."
"Who even uses a GPS anymore? We have phones now!"
With her arms raised, Angela stopped them. "I plead the fifth!"
"Ma, you can't plead the fifth, you aren't at trial!" The two women laughed, bringing levity to the interrogation and relaxing the older woman's nerves. Angela let out a nervous chuckle at the sound. As it died down, Jane snaked her arm around Maura, pulling her closer, radiating joy. "For what it's worth, thank you. You made us talk, which we needed."
Stepping forward so she was standing across from them, Angela couldn't help the grin that stretched across her face. "I'm so happy for you both."
Using her other hand, Jane held out her finger, pointing, her face fierce. "But don't ever meddle in our lives like that again!" The way she held Maura, in this new pose, shifted from sweet to protective.
"I will agree to try under one circumstance." She paused, making sure both had her attention. "Next time you have a relationship milestone, I want to hear it in person before you post it online."
"Deal." Jane held out her hand, which Angela shook, then leaned back in her chair. Angela could see her hand running up and down the Doctor's back. "I think you should make us breakfast to apologize."
"How about I give you my card and you can go get doughnuts. I have a turkey to start."
"Oh! That's a better idea!" Jane jumped up, rushing to the door and nodding as Angela told her where she kept her wallet. She was back before Angela had pulled out the spices for the turkey, a bright red wallet in her hand. She paused by Maura, who was digging out the large roasting pan from its spot in the back of the cabinet. "Glazed for you?"
The blonde laughed, her face lighting up as she rested a hand on Jane's waist. "Am I ever going to live that down?"
"No." She smiled before leaning in for a chaste kiss. Angela didn't fight the grin stretching across her face as she watched them interact. "I'll be back in a bit."
Maura answered in a soft voice, her hand lingering as Jane pulled away. As Angela watched, her eyes drifted up to the words on the back of Jane's shirt. Her eyes widened as she called out behind her oldest child.
"Jane! You can't wear that shirt out!"
"Why not? It's true now."
"Jane!"
"Bye, Ma!"
Jane closed the door behind her, leaving Angela dumbfounded and Maura giggling at the counter beside her. When Angela's mouth closed, Maura spoke. "When is it acceptable to start drinking wine?"
Laughing, Angela pulled the younger woman into an embrace. "I'll pour you a glass when we get there."
Jane returned after about a half-hour with doughnuts and lattes. After a small break to eat, the three women started working to prepare a Thanksgiving feast. It was refreshing to watch the two younger women work together, moving around each other with ease. Or to watch the little touches and looks that they didn't need to hide. When Jane had finished her dish and changed her clothes, she didn't fret as Maura fixed her outfit, straightening her collar and adjusting her necklace from Nina. And when the food was done but the guests were late, they sat on the couch, Maura with a glass of wine and Jane with her beer, and whispered things meant for their own ears. As much as Angela wanted to eavesdrop, wanted to be a part of the lives they were making, she was also enjoying watching them interact from afar.
Frankie and Nina were first to arrive, her oldest Son blasting past her to sit on the couch next to his sister. "So wait, did you put the date you actually started dating on your Facebook post?"
"Well, hello to you too."
Frankie rolled his eyes. "I said 'hi' last night! I need to know, Janie!"
Jane chuckled, tilting her head as she addressed her brother. "Frankie, why would I lie about that?"
The Detective shook his head, resting it in his hands. "Shit. I thought I timed it right."
"Timed what?" The Doctor spoke up, her face wrinkled as she studied Frankie.
Frankie let out a sigh and bit his bottom lip. "There's this pool…"
"No!" Jane's mouth dropped as he spoke.
"Well, after Ma told me she got you two talking again, I figured it would just be a matter of time. So I guessed another three weeks."
The Instructor laughed, throwing back her head. "Sucks to be you!"
"Wait!" Maura leaned forward, her eyebrows furrowed, hazel eyes darting between the elder Rizzoli siblings. "So people at the station were gambling over us?" At Frankie's nod, she continued. "Specifically, they were gambling over the inevitable start of our relationship?"
"No, babe, they were betting on the day we would wear the same outfit to work."
Angela watched Maura's mouth purse, her eyes glaring at the brunette teasing her. After a moment of glaring while Jane giggled, she refocused on Frankie. "How long has this been going on?"
Frankie shrugged, scooting closer to Nina who sat on the arm of the couch. "It was started before my time. I didn't even know about it 'til three years ago."
Maura's face relaxed as she took in the information. Her hand drifted to Jane's knee as she turned again to face the brunette. "How clueless were we?"
This had the room erupting into laughter, then cheers as Jane grinned and pressed an endearing kiss to the blonde's lips. "Pretty damn clueless." She said as they parted, her thumb reaching up to trace Maura's dimple.
It didn't take long for everyone to start telling stories about the first time they knew that Maura and Jane had something special. When Tommy and TJ arrived, the youngest Rizzoli sibling joined in. TJ squeezed himself between the two women, thrilled with the attention he was getting from them. Watching them interact with her only grandchild warmed Angela's heart. She couldn't help but imagine more children running around in the future.
When Hope and Cailin arrived, they served dinner. It was a typical loud Rizzoli affair, one that Maura become used to, and one that Hope and Cailin seemed to enjoy. After eating, Angela cleaned with Frankie and Tommy while Maura sat to the side, deep in conversation with her birth Mother.
It was just before dessert that Angela was surprised by arms grabbing her from behind. She yelped out in shock, then began laughing as she realized that Ron had dropped by. "You made it!" She craned her head around to press a kiss to his lips, settling into his chest as she stood. "We haven't had pie yet. They're good, but I'm no Joann."
"Joann doesn't make pies. She cooks an amazing dinner, but buys pies from the store." He settled his head on her shoulder, gazing across the room at the same people she was watching. "Did you tell them yet?"
Angela shook her head. "I've been more focused on their news today." As if she'd heard them, Maura reached up, absently twirling one of Jane's curls around her finger, then dropping her hand to rub circles in the brunette's back. Gesturing towards them, Angela couldn't help but smile. "I mean, look at them! My girls are so happy."
Ron pressed a kiss to her temple. "They are. But you can't keep putting this off."
Despite her stomach sinking, she couldn't ignore the fluttering of hope in her chest. "I know. You're right." But instead of changing the status quo, Angela stepped forward, yelling out, "Who's ready for dessert?"
Friday, Angela had some downtime. Of course, she took advantage of the sales, picking out several toys for TJ, and presents for each of her children. Jane and Maura had tagged along at first, just until their appointments to go dress shopping with Nina. Maura filled a cart with kitchen equipment for Jane to bring back with her to DC, ignoring her girlfriend as she whined about her lack of counter space. When they left her, their fingers laced together as they walked to Maura's car, and Angela felt her heart skip a beat.
After shopping, Angela had a short window to shower and get ready for work. Vince had given her the earlier shift, knowing she wanted to spend time with Jane while she was in town. And while it was still a little busy, it wasn't nearly as crazy as Wednesday night had been. She could handle tables and the bar, and no drunk patrons gave her a hard time. She left at nine, before things got too busy, waving to Kiki and dumping her tips in her purse. Pulling into Maura's driveway, bright lights shone from the main house, inviting her in.
Maura and Jane were sitting on the couch, Jane with a beer, Maura with a glass of red wine. They were laughing, snuggled together under a blanket. It was Jane who called her over, craning her neck to look behind her. "Oh good! You're home." "How was your shift?" The blonde moved the blanket next to her, making room for her to sit.
Angela sat with her leg underneath her, so she could face them easily. "It was good. Uneventful."
"Well, that's always a plus." Her Daughter punctuated that thought with a sip of her beer.
This made the blonde chuckle, her hand resting on Jane's knee. "You always hated uneventful days. You'd always end up in my office whining about how bored you were."
"You know, I'm starting to wonder how much of that was boredom, and how much of that was because I wanted to spend time with you."
Her head tilted, Maura considered it. "I mean, we were friends, Jane, you could have just been looking for companionship."
"Yeah, but I was friends with Korsak and Frost. I didn't hang around their desks."
"True. But they worked in the same space as you. My office provided you with an escape from your surroundings."
"Maura!" The brunette's voice squeaked as it jumped into the higher registers. "Can you stop using your beautiful brain for three seconds and let me be mushy, please?"
The blonde giggled. "I'm sorry." She leaned forward, pressing a short kiss to Jane's lips. "Of course you only came down to the morgue to see me."
"That's better." A grin stretched across Jane's cheeks, revealing her dimples, her face softening as she got her way.
"Ahem." Angela cleared her throat, snapping them out of their stupor. "So how did dress shopping go?" They answered together, Jane apathetic, but Maura enthusiastic. "Did you take pictures?"
"Not of Nina's dress. She wants to keep it a surprise." Maura pulled out her phone as she spoke, opening her camera roll. "Jane found this gorgeous off the shoulder gown with an open back." She scrolled. "And I found this beautiful boatneck asymmetrical dress. They will both be a deep, blackberry color."
"Beautiful." As Maura put her phone away, Jane pushed herself forward, putting her bottle down on the coffee table. "So I guess it was a success."
"Yeah, a roaring one." Jane leaned forward, her elbows resting on her knees. She took a deep breath. "Ma, we've got to talk to you."
Both women wore serious expressions, and Maura's wine glass joined Jane's bottle on the coffee table. Settling back into the arm of the couch, Angela searched their faces for clues. "What's going on?"
It was Maura who took the lead, her hazel eyes looking just past Angela's face. "We were planning on talking to you this weekend anyway. Yesterday you said you wanted to hear our relationship milestones in person, and I thought we should do it sooner rather than later." Her eyes flicked to Angela's face as if trying to see how it was going, before fixating again on a spot just beyond her head, taking a deep breath before speaking. "Hope asked me to run the clinic in DC."
Angela glanced between the two women. Maura's face was a mixture of anxiety and joy. Which made sense, considering the change in her life. Jane's face was soft and laced with sympathy. Turning her attention to the Doctor, Angela attempted to meet her eye. "And this change, will it make you happy?"
"Well I can't predict the future, but the idea of being closer to Jane makes me immensely happy." Her hand rested on Jane's thigh, her fingers scratching a soothing pattern as she spoke. And Jane's face melted at her words, her brown eyes looking at the blonde with admiration.
Angela leaned forward then, wrapping her pseudo-daughter in a strong embrace. "I'm so happy for you, Maura. This will be a good opportunity." Releasing her, she watched the anxiety disappear, and Maura started radiating joy. "So you won't be doing forensics anymore?"
"Actually, I may have found a way to do both."
Jane joined in from the sidelines, switching her focus from Maura to Angela. "While Maura was visiting me in DC, she ran into an old colleague."
"I've consulted with her in the past when she was working in New York City."
"And now she works at a fancy college and consults with the FBI."
"Yes, she runs the Forensic Division at the Jeffersonian Institute." Maura filled in the information Jane had simplified. She paused for a moment, as if gathering her thoughts. "Dr. Saroyan and her husband are trying to expand their family. So when they match with the right child or sibling group, she's planning on taking a leave of absence."
"Leaving them with an opening for a forensic pathologist."
The two of them delivering this news in person was conflicting for Angela. On one hand, she was over the moon at the idea that they were finally starting their lives together, after all this time. On the other, she was upset that they were doing it from so far away. "That's amazing! But it sounds temporary, is it temporary?"
"Well, Dr. Saroyan has kept the option open for me to work part-time after she returns. But we'll build that bridge once we get there."
Jane's groan turned into a giggle, her hand coming up to rub the Doctor's back. Angela laughed along with her at Maura's blushed cheeks. When they relaxed, Angela offered the younger woman her congratulations. "That's amazing news, Maura. I'm happy for you."
The blonde swallowed, stiffening her back as she replied. "Unfortunately that means I'm selling the house." Jane's sympathetic look made a lot more sense now. When she didn't answer right away, Maura continued, her voice picking up speed. "Of course, I can wait as long as it takes you to find a new place. There is no rush. The clinic won't be up and running until after the new year anyway, and I can keep working on it over the weekends. I don't want to make that transition harder on you, Angela. I'm more than..."
"I'm moving in with Ron." This stopped the blonde from talking quicker than she had imagined. Both women watched her with wide eyes, Jane raising one eyebrow, asking her to continue. "He asked me on our road trip. I've been packing for a month. I was trying to figure out the right time to tell you."
"Ma, that's great."
Maura nodded, her shoulders relaxing. "It is. I'm just perplexed." Her eyebrows furrowed as she gathered her thoughts. "Earlier this year you were looking to move out, to show you were independent and capable of living on your own. Why change things?"
Angela reached out to rub the younger woman's arm. "Oh, sweetheart. Thank you for helping me realize that I can take care of myself if I have to. Thank you for giving me a place to land. But Ron and I realized that what I'm sure you two are learning." She paused, switching her attention between the two. "We lost so much time. Sure, it was a short break, but we lost time. And you two are lucky, you're young. But with me and Ron, I'm just not sure how much time we have left."
"Ma, I hate it when you talk like that." Jane interrupted, her face set as she stared right into her eyes.
"I'm not trying to be morbid, Jane. I'm trying to be practical." She watched her Daughter's face soften before continuing. "I did the wrong thing after the shooting. I pushed him away when I should have held him tighter. So now I'm holding him tighter."
There was silence for a minute as they all digested the news each party had shared. It was her Daughter who broke the silence, her eyes fixated on Angela's face. "You seem happy, Ma."
"I am happy. Mostly. I mean I'm not happy that both of you will be a seven-hour car ride away. But I'm so glad you'll be together."
Jane leaned forward, wrapping her arms around the blonde's waist and pulling her closer. "Yeah. And Ron is lucky to have you. I'm proud of you for taking the next step forward."
"I'm just glad I wasn't kicking you out before you were ready!" The laughter that bubbled out of her once her tension was relieved was infectious, taking all of them with her. Jane rested her head on the smaller woman's shoulder, her arms still wrapped tight around her middle. When it had died down, She gestured behind them to the island. "There is wine if you'd like some."
"Don't mind if I do. Do you want a refill?" She reached out for Maura's glass.
Maura tried to grab it, but Jane wasn't letting her go. She struggled, laughing with hands on the strong arms surrounding her. "Jane, will you let me get my glass?"
In response, Jane shuffled her head further into Maura's neck. "No. Ma said I should hold you tighter."
"I don't think this is what she meant." Given her Daughter's antics, Angela walked over to pick up the glass herself. She could hear them giggling as she poured two glasses of wine from the bottle Maura had left out. When she settled back on the couch, she handed Maura her glass. "Thank you, Angela."
"You're welcome." She watched the two of them, completely comfortable with each other, like it was always meant to be. She reveled in this opportunity to see them like this, when they were most comfortable. And she figured she had restrained herself enough. So when Maura raised that glass to her lips, she asked, "so which one of you is going to give me more grandchildren?"
"C'mon, Ma!" Jane yelled, mirth in her eyes, and Maura almost spit out her wine. Her cough after she swallowed and the wave of her hand made Jane let go, giving her space to breathe.
With a hoarse voice, the blonde looked at her girlfriend. "You did warn me." She went back to coughing, Jane rubbing her back, Angela yelling at her to put up her arms. When she had worked through it, she sat back, a smile on her face. "Maybe don't ask that question while people are drinking. Or eating, for that matter."
"Yeah, or don't ask the question at all! We talked about one relationship milestone today, let's not get crazy."
"Okay fine, but you're not off the hook!" Angela conceded. Settling down, they talked about Maura and Jane house hunting together, some of the properties they were looking at, and Jane shared her moving tips. When they went to bed, Angela slept like a weight had been lifted.
The next month was a whirlwind. Jane and Maura split weekends. One weekend Jane would be at the house, helping to declutter the study closet, and also helping Angela move boxes to Ron's. The next weekend, Maura would bring loads of things to Jane's apartment, and oversee the development of MEND. During the week she scheduled video interviews with several candidates. When she wasn't working a case, she would help Angela pack boxes in the carriage house.
Angela was moved out before Christmas. Her presents she left behind, wrapped under the tree in the corner of Maura's house. There was something bittersweet about that holiday season, the last one in the place she had called home for seven years. Everyone was moving on to better things. Even Tommy seemed to be moving on, promising to bring his new girlfriend around soon. Maura's house was looking barer each day. She had sold several things that wouldn't fit in Jane's apartment, and things she deemed necessary were in a storage unit in Virginia. The emptiness of the rooms made the house feel larger. Despite this, there was joy in the house. Joy from TJ, who still believed in Christmas magic. Joy in the room when the girls kissed under the mistletoe. Joy in Nina leading the group in Christmas carols. It almost made Angela forget what was coming.
Two weeks after the new year, Angela watched Frankie pull closed the back of the U-haul truck. He high-fived Jane, then pulled Maura in for a hug, whispering something in her ear. She pulled away, smiling and nodding before moving on to Tommy. He shook her hand, telling her he would see her at Easter. At last, the woman Angela had always considered another Daughter stood in front of her. Before she had the chance, Maura pulled her in for a fierce hug. "Thank you. For being the Mother I needed."
"Oh, sweetheart. I'm just a phone call away. Or a short seven-hour ride. I'm always here if you need me." When Maura pulled away she could see that she was holding back tears. Caressing a round cheek, she bit back tears of her own. "Now you two call me when you get to DC. And make sure my girl treats you right."
This made the blonde chuckle. "I have your number."
At Jane's arms circling her from behind, the Doctor sunk into her, making Jane hold her up. The brunette pressed a kiss to the younger woman's temple. "You ready, babe?"
Maura nodded and started walking to her car. Jane hugged her Mother once more before climbing into the driver's side of the truck. And with a wave and two honks of the horn, they were off to start a new chapter of their lives.
A/N: Thank you all for bearing with me given the super long breaks between some chapters. I hope this ending is to some sort of satisfaction. And who knows, maybe I''ll play with the characters again soon!