Chapter 3: Under the rain

Maura couldn't keep the smile from her face when she woke up and not only was Jane still there, but at some point during the night, they had moved closer together. Maura was now spooning Jane from behind, but Jane had a tight grip on Maura's hands as she held them close to her chest.

She didn't want this moment to end. She wanted to stay right here with Jane wrapped in her arms forever. She wanted to stay in this moment in time when Jane was hers, Jane was here, and things felt uncomplicated.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Jane mumbled into her pillow, causing Maura to jump slightly.

"I didn't know you were awake," Maura admitted softly.

Jane turned around in Maura's arms and returned her embrace. "I can hear the wheels turning in your big brain," Jane teased.

"Brains don't have wheels," Maura countered, despite knowing that Jane knew this, but Jane just rolled her eyes.

"I know," Jane said in mock annoyance. "But is there something on your mind?"

"I'm just having a hard time accepting that this is all really happening," Maura said. "It's not just a reaction to everything changing, is it?" she asked nervously. "I mean, are you afraid of losing our friendship, and now you're overcorrecting what you see as a mistake you made? Are you going to realize one day that you never wanted th…"

Jane surprised Maura by pulling her into a tighter hug and squeezing her just enough to force a giggle to escape. "I am correcting a mistake I made…a huge mistake, but I'm not going to change my mind. First of all, I've known how I've felt about you for a long time – well before this job came up – so you can be assured that my feelings are not just a reaction to that," Jane said vehemently.

"I'm scared," Maura admitted weakly from the safety of Jane's arms with tears burning at the corners of her eyes.

"Then let me prove to you how serious I am," Jane said into Maura's hair. "Let me take you on a date today. Please? We'll take this slow if you want, but that doesn't mean I'm any less sure. It means that I'm so sure of how I feel that I'm willing to do the work to show you."

"Slowly," Maura corrected automatically. She didn't lift her head from where it was buried against Jane's chest as she nodded. "I think that would be a good idea."

They ended up staying like that for nearly an hour, just cuddling in bed. What Maura didn't know was that Jane spent the entire hour planning what she hoped would be the best first date Maura had ever had.

When they finally got up, Maura made them breakfast. They mostly engaged in unimportant small talk while they ate, but by the time they finished, Maura knew she couldn't avoid the bigger conversation anymore.

"Jane, can we talk a little more about the logistics of what comes next?" Maura asked as she set down her fork.

"Y-yeah," Jane stuttered, her anxiety evident in her voice.

Maura took a deep breath. "Are you still okay with the idea of me moving to Virginia with you?" she asked vulnerably.

Jane turned in her chair at the kitchen island so that she was facing Maura. "Not only am I okay with it, but I love the idea of you moving to Virginia with me," Jane said. "And just for the record, I would feel that way even if we weren't taking this next step in our relationship because my life is undeniably better when you're in it."

Maura couldn't stop the small smile that tugged at her lips. "Okay, well, I guess I have some calls to make today, then," Maura said.

"Wait, are you sure about your job?" Jane said hurriedly. "Because I know how much you love your job. I mean, what you said last night makes sense, but the last thing I would want is for you to leave your dream job because of me."

"Like I said, I had already been seriously considering not returning to my position, but the truth is, if we're going to be in a committed, romantic relationship, we're both going to have to sometimes make compromises in our individual lives. However, in this case, I don't feel like I'm making any compromises since I can still do all of the alternatives that I have been considering. You should know, though, that I am willing to make compromises to make this work. As long as you are too?" she added the last sentence uncertainly.

Jane reached out and took Maura's hands in hers, giving them a reassuring squeeze. "I am," she said confidently. "Because you are so much more important to me than any job…than anything really."

Maura decided to call the governor and Kent before they continued talking through the logistics of the next few weeks. The governor asked her to assist in a three-month transitionary period to hand over the duties of the chief medical examiner to Kent, who Maura had recommended as her replacement. She easily agreed as long as it didn't require her to work her typical hours. The more she thought about the future, the more she wanted to make sure that she could be with Jane as much as possible, even if it meant she had to travel back and forth quite a bit. She had blocked out the idea of seeing Jane regularly once she moved to Quantico for so long that now that it was not only a possibility but what they both wanted, she couldn't imagine anything else. It was like the floodgates of her future with Jane had burst open.

"I know you have a year-long lease, but by the time I move to Virginia full-time, I'd really like to be in a house. I figure we could look at houses during my trips to Virginia, and once we buy one and fully move in, we can explore the consequences of breaking your lease or subletting," Maura said as she added items to her to-do list that she had started to prepare to move.

Jane choked on her coffee, spitting out half of it in her surprise.

"Are you okay?" Maura asked, concerned, as she reached out to rub Jane's back comfortingly.

Jane wiped her mouth clean with her napkin before returning her attention to Maura. "Um, did you just ask me to buy a house with you?"

"Oh, um…" Maura started, unsure of what to say. She had just assumed that they were going to live together if they were moving to Virginia together, but clearly Jane hadn't thought the same thing.

"The answer's yes," Jane added quickly. "I just wasn't expecting…I mean, you said you wanted to go slow…we…we haven't even kissed yet."

"I just thought…" Maura said thickly as tears clouded her eyes despite her best efforts to keep her emotions in check.

Jane pushed herself off of her chair and wrapped her arms around Maura. "I think it's a great idea," Jane said as she held Maura tight.

"Is it too fast?" Maura asked when they separated?

"I kinda feel like I've been living here for the past few years, so maybe it's actually really, really slow," Jane joked, drawing a smile from Maura.

"So, you're really okay with it?"

"110%"

Maura rolled her eyes. "You can't be more than 100% okay with something," she said.

"Fine, then, 100%," Jane responded with a smirk.

"Okay, then," Maura said, trying to hide a little bit of the happiness radiating through her. She didn't want to seem overly excited.

"We'll have to talk about the finances before we look for houses, though," Jane added.

"I know, but not today," Maura said quietly. She knew exactly how that conversation was going to go, but Jane was right, it was one that they had to have if they were going to be in a serious relationship.

"Deal," Jane said. "Okay, so let me see if I have this straight. We're going to drive down to Virginia together tomorrow, which is Wednesday, and you're going to fly back to Boston late on Sunday. Your three-month transition period starts Monday, October 17th, and your last day is Friday, December 16th."

"Yes, so, we will also have to figure out our holiday plans, but we have time," Maura said.

"We also need to tell my mother…and everyone else," Jane said.

Maura laughed, then quickly sobered. "Do you think your mother will have a problem with us being in a romantic relationship?" she asked. Angela had often made comments about Jane finding a husband, so Maura wasn't sure how she would feel about Jane being with a woman.

"No, I think she'll lose her shit when she finds out you're moving away, too," Jane replied.

Maura pouted, but at the same time, she realized that the idea of someone being sad that she was moving away was unfamiliar to her. She had, of course, been sad when other people moved away from her – most notably, Jane – but she didn't think anyone, even her parents, had really been sad when she moved. Maura hadn't realized that she had fallen deep into her own thoughts until Jane waved her hand in front of Maura's face.

"Earth to Maura!" Jane said. When Maura finally looked at her again, Jane asked, "Where did you just go?"

"Nowhere," Maura said. "I just…it hadn't occurred to me that people might miss me if I moved. Or are you saying that because your mother lives here?"

"What? No! Of course, not," Jane said, baffled. "Do you really think that's all you are to her? A landlord?"

"No…no, of course not," she said truthfully.

"Okay," Jane replied skeptically. "Because that could not be further from the truth. I wasn't thinking about her living arrangements at all when I said that, and that won't be the first thing she thinks about when we tell her you're moving."

Maura nodded. "Well, anyway, I'm not going to sell the house right away. Obviously, I'll need somewhere to stay over the next three months, and I'd rather be in my own home than a hotel. Plus, I'm not even sure I want to sell the house right away when I move to Virginia," Maura said. Then, realizing how that sounded, she added quickly, "Not because I'm unsure about moving. It's not an escape route. I just…"

"I know, Maur," Jane said kindly, stemming Maura's ramblings.

"Okay, sorry," Maura said, a soft smile gracing her face. "But we should probably tell her today."

"But I want to take you on a date today," Jane pouted.

"This evening, I thought," Maura replied.

"Well…my plan would be better earlier in the day. I was hoping that we could go right after lunch," Jane replied.

"Oh, okay," Maura said, already liking the idea that Jane had planned something more than a fancy dinner in such a short time.

"Alright, I kinda wanted the date thing to last all day and evening, but I guess we can't really avoid the ma thing," Jane said. "So, why don't we have a mid-date intermission and invite ma over for coffee and dessert?"

"You're quite confident in yourself, aren't you? Maybe I'll have my friend call with an emergency an hour into our date," she teased.

Jane laughed.

"But yes, I think that's a good idea. While I, too, would like to spend the day with just the two of us, I agree we absolutely have to talk to your mom today, so dessert and coffee sounds good."

"Okay, I'll make lunch while you go change," Jane said. "Put on clothes that you don't care if they get ruined or are at least easy to clean."

"What?" Maura asked in surprise. It's not that she needed a fancy first date, but she was intrigued by Jane's instructions. It didn't sound like something she would like, but she trusted Jane.

"I promise," Jane said. "It'll be okay, and if you hate it, we can change stop and do something else at any time."

"Okay," Maura said with a smirk. "Any other instructions?"

"Ummmm, actually, yes, pack a bag with a change of clothes, including a bra and underwear."

"Should I be scared?" Maura asked teasingly.

"Maybe," Jane quipped in return. More seriously she added, "No, I promise, we can change our plans at any time, but go get ready."

An hour later they were in the car. As they drove through the torrential fall rain, Maura couldn't stop trying to figure out what Jane had it mind. They were clearly headed north, but Maura couldn't figure out a destination in this direction that also explained the clothes she was currently wearing. She had to admit that while this was the complete opposite of what she would usually wear for a first date, she was quite comfortable. She was wearing capri-length yoga pants with a t-shirt and sweatshirt.

When Jane pulled into the parking lot at Revere Beach, Maura was even more confused. "Jane, what are we doing here? It's not exactly beach weather. It's pouring."

Jane turned off the car and turned to look at Maura. "Okay, so you can say no, and we can totally find something else to do, but this morning when we were lying in bed, I kept trying to think of the perfect first date. And of course, I thought about all the traditional first date things, but like isn't that what everyone does for you for the first date? Then, I thought about the things we like doing together…but we already do them together, so it wouldn't be special, and I want today to be special.

"So then, I tried to think of things you might never have done, which naturally led me to things I did as a kid," Jane explained, the smile growing on her face the longer she spoke. "Have you ever played on the beach in the rain?"

Maura chuckled. "No, I can honestly say I have not played on the beach in the rain," she said.

"And I checked; the surf at Revere Beach isn't rough today even with the rain," Jane added. "So, it's perfectly safe."

Maura was touched that Jane checked on the safety because she knew that Jane really did check only for her. It just wasn't something that Jane would care about if she was alone. To be honest, Maura didn't really see the appeal of Jane's proposal, but she was willing to give it a chance…she would probably be willing to give just about anything Jane suggested a chance.

"Okay," Maura replied with a smile. "Show me how to play on the beach in the rain."

Jane laughed before suggesting they leave their shoes in the car since they were parked right next to the sand. When they were ready, Jane walked around to Maura's side of the car, but Maura had already opened the door, so Jane held out her hand to Maura.

They started walking to the water hand-in-hand. "Promise you'll tell me if you want to leave?" Jane asked, speaking over the sound of the rainstorm around them.

"I will," Maura replied, giving Jane's hand a reassuring squeeze. They remained silent until they reached the water, stopping in the ankle-deep water. "It is beautiful in a unique way," Maura said as they looked out over the water. She had obviously been to many beaches, but usually it was either sunny or she wasn't stopping just to enjoy the view.

"Yeah, I always loved these kinda days as a kid because the beaches are empty, but it's still the beach, ya know? I don't know how to explain it. I find it peaceful even though most people wouldn't describe this as peaceful," she said, waving her hands in the air to indicate their current environment, and Maura instantly understood. Peaceful would never have been a word Maura would have come up with to describe the weather and their surroundings, but the truth was, that's exactly what it was. It was peaceful in a completely different way than most people would expect.

"Anyway," Jane said nervously. "Come on, let's build a sandcastle. Wet sand makes the best sandcastles." And that's exactly what they did, although the heavy rain beat down their castles quicker than they could build them. Still, they had a blast trying to make something that would withstand the weather.

"Noooo!" Jane screeched with a larger than normal wave came up the beach and destroyed what little success they had had.

Maura keeled over laughing at Jane's childlike disappointment – a response she regretted moments later when they went to wash off their hands in the ocean and Jane splashed her. "That's for laughing at me!" Jane said through her own laughter. They laughed and splashed each other for a few minutes before they decided to take a walk down the beach. Every few minutes, Maura would stop to look at a shell, even pocketing one or two as a keepsake from today, or Jane would stop to find a flat rock to skip in the water.

Jane was leaning over, trying to dig a large shell out of the sand without breaking it, but all Maura could see was a perfect opportunity to splash Jane. She kicked up as much water as she could at Jane from behind, surprising the other woman.

In her surprise, Jane stood up too quickly, trying to spin around, but instead falling into the water instead. They were both laughing hysterically.

When she finally caught her breath, Maura walked over to Jane to help her stand, but that was a mistake. Jane pulled Maura down on top of her. She used her body to keep most of Maura out of the water (because there was a difference between soaked by rain and soaked by the ocean), but she still made sure to tease Maura as best she could, threatening to drop her deeper into the water.

Finally, they made their way back out of the water. Maura wasn't sure the last time she had laughed this much. As skeptical as she had been about Jane's idea, she was having a blast.

They started to walk back in the direction from which they had come. Maura didn't want this part of the date to be over yet, but she was starting to get cold. She hadn't realized that she had started shivering.

Jane noticed though. Jane wrapped her arm around Maura, pulling her close in an attempt to use her own body heat to keep Maura warm. Maura responded by slipping her arm around Jane's waist as they continued walking.

"Sorry, I should have considered that we'd get cold," Jane said.

Maura stopped them and stepped in front of Jane. "I don't care how cold I am," she said. "Thank you for this. It was perfect."

Jane pulled Maura into a tight hug. "I'm glad you enjoyed this," she mumbled near Maura's ear. "I know it was a weird first date, but I…"

"I mean it, Jane," Maura said, pulling back just enough so that she could look Jane in the face. "It was perfect."

Their eyes locked, and all Maura could see was love and desire in Jane's eyes. She wasn't sure when she consciously decided to move, but she found herself slowly leaning forward until their lips met.

It was slow and tentative at first, but as they familiarized themselves with the feeling of each other's lips, their confidence grew. Maura loved the mixture of rainwater, ocean salt, and something uniquely Jane. She couldn't get enough, so she swiped her tongue along Jane's bottom lip, begging for entrance. Jane granted her silent request instantly, and their kiss quickly heated up.

When they finally separated, Maura tried to memorize everything about this moment: Jane's cheeks flushed from arousal and the cold, Jane's curls wet and stuck to her face, Jane's eyes sparkling with an unadulterated joy.

"I love you, Maura," Jane said so quietly that if Maura hadn't been inches away, she wouldn't have heard it over the sounds of the rain and waves around them.

"I love you, too," Maura replied as she captured Jane's lips in another kiss. She could do this all day…except for the fact that she was cold. When she started shivering again (the heat of the moment had temporarily warmed her enough to stop the chills), Jane guided them back towards the car.

They changed into dry clothes in the car (somewhat awkwardly given the limited space). On the way back, they stopped at Boston Joe's for warm drinks.

"Okay, so I had planned dinner," Jane said as they stood waiting for their drinks. "But to be honest, I didn't really consider the wet hair…and all that."

Maura couldn't help smiling at Jane's obvious nervousness. "Let's go home, take warm showers, order take-out, and watch a movie on the couch," Maura suggested.

Jane hesitated for a moment.

Maura's face fell. "Sorry, I didn't mean…"

"No, don't apologize," Jane said quickly. "I would love that, but is it…date-like enough?" she asked, vulnerability lacing her voice.

Maura's smile grew. "Jane, it's really very sweet that you're concerned about that, but…more than anything, I still just want to be us," she said. "Today has been a perfect first date, and going home and doing our normal thing will continue to make this a perfect first date. Take-out and movie night with you is my absolute favorite thing to do."

"Really?" Jane asked.

"Really," Maura said, and her eyes flitted to Jane's lips. She wanted to kiss Jane again, but she wasn't sure how Jane would feel about kissing in public. In the end, she didn't have to decide. Jane read her intentions perfectly and leaned in for a soft kiss. It was chaste but incredibly loving. Warmth flooded Maura's body in response. She loved that Jane didn't hesitate to kiss her in public.

The barista called their names before they could say or do anything more.

"Let's go home," Jane said, taking Maura's hand in hers as they walked out of the coffee shop.