"Do you have a timeframe in mind?" Maura asked, looking out over the fields of Virginia as Jane drove them through a mountain range. Jane shook her head, paying attention to the road.
"I'd do it today if I could, but Ma would kill me if I got married without even telling her I got engaged. But then, I just want it out of the way so it's done, so I'm already married to you, and I know we should wait a while. Make sure all the little habits we have aren't deal breakers when we live together."
"And you wouldn't mind introducing me as your fiancé?"
"Well, not for work, but at your social events you bet I'm going to be bragging about my hot, smart fiancé every moment I can. It depends though, if it doesn't feel safe, if there's any danger by having you associated with me..."
They were driving through a small town, and Maura asked Jane to pull over. They spent a happy half hour picking up gifts for their extended families. Jane carried the goods out to the car, even though Maura could have easily helped. It was those little moments, things that would have been a little rude and presumptuous from a man but seemed natural - that Jane would do it without asking in case Maura decided to go somewhere else or look at something else on the way back to the car - because Jane knew her so well, had been asked to carry things before. Maura opened the trunk for Jane and kissed her cheek when she leaned in to put down the packages.
"What's that for?" Jane asked, and Maura smiled, leaning in to help her arrange the packages.
"For being good to me," Maura said, closing the boot.
Maura drove the rest of the way to their dinner reservation.
"Are you sure you want me to have this?" Jane asked, fidgeting with the ring. "It was your grandmother's. What if I lose it?"
"Do you normally lose jewelry?" Maura asked.
"No, but this looks expensive. I don't know that I should be wearing it at work, with the kind of people we interview."
"That is fair," Maura said. "I can get you something plainer, for work, and you can wear that on the weekends."
"Naw, I don't want to be that kind of person, with multiple rings."
"I want you to have something comfortable to wear to work," Maura insisted. "If you hadn't beaten me to the proposal, I would have asked if you wanted one from my family or one from me."
"Mau, you know I love your family. Well, most of them, Paddy senior is an ungrateful... But I love you. I'm marrying you. And this is something you've loved for a long time." Jane looked down at the ring, moving it around on her finger.
"So are you," Maura pointed out. "We can give it back to Constance, and then you'll only have one ring."
"Are you sure you prefer that one?" Jane asked as Maura pulled up to the restaurant she'd chosen. Maura looked at the ring on her finger.
"How could I not? I've loved that ring for a long time, that's true. But I love you more than a ring, and you chose this for me." Jane's smile was shy against Maura's mouth as she kissed her.
"Engaged?" Angela yelled over Skype, flinching when Jo started barking in surprise at the sudden noise. "Sorry Jo," Angela said, a lot quieter, pulling Jo into her lap. "Where?"
"At a creek, on a hill, during a trail ride picnic."
"Oh Maura, you planed all that?"
"Hey!" Jane said. "Why'd you assume she'd asked?"
"Janie, you know you're not one for commitment," Angela said, and Jane gestured at Maura.
"You ever seen me committed to anyone else?" Jane asked, and Angela shook her head.
"I just always thought Maura would take the initiative, I suppose," Angela said. "Did Jane get you that ring? Oh, it's gorgeous, Janie." Jane had learned to live with her mother's disapproval, but the part of her that longed to be a good person, to be a good daughter glowed at the assessment, at making her Ma happy.
"She did," Maura said, holding it up to the camera. "She has excellent taste in jewelry as well as women." Maura looked confused as Angela wiped at her eyes, Jo looking up and licking her chin to offer comfort. "Did I say something wrong?" Maura asked.
"No, I just never thought I'd see the day when my daughter, the big, tough Detective Jane Clementine Rizzoli, got herself engaged."
"Hey Ma, we're happy you're happy, but Maura still wants to tell Constance and Hope before it gets too late, and we only have the one laptop."
"You told me first?" Angela asked, crying harder, and Jane rolled her eyes.
"No, we found some kids in the woods and immediately told them instead. Ma! You live with my fiance, of course..."
Angela covered her mouth and nodded, waved her hand and disconnected.
"Is Constance going to cry too?" Jane asked, leaning back against Maura on the couch in the room they spent their time in.
"She's had a bit longer to prepare, since you asked her about rings. I don't know. Should we find out?" Maura asked, starting the call.
Notes:
So I guess they have a few more museums etc to see, and then a week or so to try living together, and then the Frost wedding so I don't know if I can jam one more murder in there or not but I might as well try because it's not Rizzoli and Isles without gruesome murders.