AN: Happy update day! This chapter is a little shorter than usual, but as you'll find out it's a very, very important one, essential to establish what's going on in Jane's mind. Throughout the second half, song lyrics are formatted in italics. The song itself is called 'Turning Page' and lives on a very long playlist of songs I have on repeat when I write for this story!

"I'm leaving. At the end of next week."

Maura doesn't break focus from the autopsy she's finishing as Dr Moore enters the morgue, arms crossed over her chest as she leans against the doorway.

"I wanted you to be the first to know. Can we talk?"

"I don't have anything to say to you." Maura's reply is intentionally cold and she hears April's dejected sigh from across the room. She'd be lying if she said the unhappy sound didn't satisfy her, just a little.

"I'll do the talking if you'll listen? Please, Maura."

Maura chews the inside of her lip thoughtfully, then closes the screen of her laptop, pointing towards the skin stapler that sits across from her.

"I suppose I could use an extra set of hands."

"Of course." April ties a disposable apron over the bright flowery scrubs she wears then snaps on a pair of gloves. She carries the stapler to Maura, then pulls up a rolling stool next to her, peering down at the body.

"That's quite a contusion. Ribs are broken to the left. Fractured sternum." April glances down at the hands of the body laid in front of her, running a gloved fingertip over several cuts and broken bones present on what's left of the misshapen fingers. "Driver?"

"Passenger. The dashboard splintered inwards, crushing his hands. The driver had traces of oxycodone and methamphetamines in his system."

"But that's not what killed this man, is it? Nor the crash."

"No. He died prior to the collision." Maura lifts the white sheet covering the lower half of the torso, revealing a long, gaping wound to the outer left thigh, dark blood congealed around fragments of bone that stick out sickeningly.

"That's some blade. What are you thinking?"

"They found a machete in the trunk. Prints matched those of the drivers. Likely a deal gone awry."

"Clean-cut case."

"That's certainly one way of putting it." The satire of her word choice draws a small giggle from Maura and April ventures a smile, holding out the stapler for Maura to take. She rises, bending over the body and carefully inserting the first of many staples she'll need to close the long incision she'd made earlier.

"I hope you don't feel that you have to leave because of me. I know that's not what I said, but I said a lot of things in anger."

"I did too. I was incredibly childish Maura. I regret every word. I cannot stress that enough."

Dull. Boring. Monotonous. Insults picked thoroughly apart in therapy that still peck at Maura, no matter how hard she tries not to hear them.

"I appreciate that. Thank you."

April nods, the slight bruising under her eyes even more apparent under the white strip lighting and Maura tilts her head as she assesses, unable to help herself.

"Ecchymosis. Any difficulty breathing? Pain? I can see some slight swelling."

"None. It's not broken, a little tender." April presses her fingertips to either side of her nose, prodding until Maura is satisfied. "I didn't want to leave things the way they are without talking to you first."

"There isn't much to discuss."

"I don't want your forgiveness, and I have no explanation for the things I said. I was having a very bad day, and I unleashed it on you and I've felt awful ever since. You're not any of those things. You're funny and warm and intelligent and I think Jane is lucky to have you."

Maura concentrates on the neat line of staples, not knowing what to say. April seems sincere enough, but Maura can't help but feel that she's saying this for her own benefit, to relieve the guilt she feels before she leaves.

"I'd prefer not to talk about Jane, but thank you."

"Noted. It's none of my business."

"Where will you go?" Maura changes the subject quickly, gaze flicking up to April and back down.

"Back to Washington. And it's not because of you. I've outstayed my welcome, and well...you don't need me here. I spoke to Sean and he made that very clear. I'm not much use to anyone, living out of a suitcase and picking fights with coworkers."

April chuckles lightly, rolling closer to Maura when she stops stapling, shaking out her hand abruptly.

"Cramp? I hate these guns, whatever happened to a needle and thread? Here, let me." She holds out a hand and Maura nods, passing the gun across and flexing her fingers to relieve the spasm. She's spent so long in the morgue today that her muscles ache from the cold and she shivers involuntarily, curling inwards to try and warm herself up.

"I can finish this if you want me to? I don't want to step on your toes."

"I'd appreciate the help. Thank you." Maura lingers, checking the time and then looking back at April. "Would you like to come for a drink? I'm meeting Jane shortly, for dinner. We could toast to...new beginnings?"

"That's a generous offer, Maura, but I don't think it's a good idea. Maybe some other time? When things have settled?"

"I'll hold you to it. Goodbye, April."

"You did what?" Jane splutters into the wine glass she's drinking from, quickly dabbing at the spray of red that lands on the table with a napkin.

"I asked her to come to dinner. She declined."

"She does have some decency then. You are so..." Jane fumbles for the word, wiping the napkin across her mouth, "...polite. A week ago you wanted to brain her with the heel of your Louboutin and now you're inviting her to crash our romantic dinner?"

"I felt sorry for her. And they were Valentino, actually."

"Maura!" Jane hisses quietly, finishing off the steak she's been working her way through. She murmurs a noise of approval at the final mouthful, then turns her attention back to Maura, one eyebrow raised. "You know what I mean. I thought you weren't giving her a second chance?"

"I'm not. I was trying to be civil. She is leaving, after all."

"Not a moment too fuckin' soon if you ask me. I'm surprised you didn't offer to help her pack. Maybe I will. I'll take her to the airport myself, just to make sure she doesn't change her mind."

"You will?"

"Yeah, I will. I'll escort her all the way to D.C if I have to. You think I won't? I got the air miles banked, baby. Watch me."

Maura dissolves into laughter at the serious expression on Jane's face and Jane breaks into a grin, laying down her knife and fork and swilling the end of her wine around the glass before she drains it. She sits forward, elbows leaning on the table as Maura continues to laugh to herself behind her hands.

"You find that funny, huh?"

"Mmhm. I do. I can really picture it. Jane Rizzoli, air marshal."

Jane slides one hand out across the table, taking Maura's and threading their fingers together. She traces a lazy circle on Maura's palm gently, smiling at the soft sigh it elicits.

"I think she'll be fine. No escort necessary."

"What did she want anyway?"

"To talk. Apologize."

"And did she?"

"Yes."

"Nothing else? I don't need to go hunt her down?"

Protective Jane makes Maura's heart flutter a little bit faster and Maura shakes her head, smiling.

"Nothing else. I think she genuinely feels bad."

"Sure you don't want me to just, you know, shoot her?"

"Ahh you're very late to that party, Barry has already offered his services." Maura shrugs comically and Jane grins again, bringing their hands to her mouth so she can kiss the back of Maura's softly.

"I know you don't want me to apologize, but I am. I'm sorry that you had to hear any of the stuff that came out of her mouth. I'm sorry I didn't get there sooner."

"Don't forget throwing me over your shoulder and carrying me away like a child..."

"Hey, if the kicking and screaming glove fits..."

Maura screws her face up into a scowl, heel connecting with Jane's shin under the table.

"Ow! Hey, you're stronger than you look. You don't even work out, you stretch."

"Well, yoga is deceptively good for muscle building. Consistency is key. That, and keeping up with my very active girlfriend." Maura pauses, one eyebrow raised. "In bed. I'm talking about sex. With you."

"Maura!" Jane gasps, pressing a finger to her lips, an indication that Maura should stop talking.

"You're blushing."

"This is a high-class establishment. Keep talking like that and they're gonna kick us out."

"So we can go home, and I can show you how I'd like the sex conversation to end?"

Jane throws her napkin onto the table, raising an arm to signal to the waiter. She's on her feet as the table is cleared, jacket on and card in hand as she impatiently waits to pay, a look on her face that makes Maura a little weak at the knees.

"Let's go, Dr Isles. I can't wait to hear what you've got in store for me."

"This isn't quite what I had in mind." Maura stands awkwardly in the hall, eyes firmly closed under the strict instructions Jane had given her as they'd walked up the driveway.

"Stay there. Humor me."

Maura grumbles tiredly but does as she's asked, slipping out of her shoes and propping herself up against the wall as she waits. The way that Jane had been feeling her up on the drive home had made Maura hope they'd already be in bed by now, and she's trying her hardest to hide the slight irritation she's beginning to feel when Jane takes her hand, guiding her through the house to the living room.

"Okay keep 'em closed. One more minute."

Jane accompanies her words with a delicate kiss, then her footsteps fade again and Maura waits once more, feeling ever so slightly self-conscious until she hears the familiar bars of a song floating through the room.

"I believe I promised you dinner and a dance."

Maura opens her eyes, blinking through the darkness at Jane in the centre of the room. She stands with an arm extended out to Maura, her smile lit only by the flickering light of the candles she's hurriedly dotted around the room.

I've waited a hundred years
But I'd wait a million more for you
Nothing prepared me for
What the privilege of being yours would do

"So. Would you care to dance?"

"Yes." It's no more than a whisper but Jane moves forward anyway, taking Maura by the hand and spinning her around once, then drawing her close, arms wrapping around Maura's waist tightly. They move unhurriedly, Jane quietly singing lyrics here and there, Maura's forehead resting against her cheek as they dance.

If I had only felt the warmth within your touch
If I had only seen how you smile when you blush
Or how you curl your lip when you concentrate enough
I would have known what I was living for all along
What I've been living for

"How did you know?"

"Know what?"

"This song…" Maura turns her head to look at Jane, eyes filling with tears that threaten to spill. She'd been listening to this song on repeat for the last few weeks, something about it striking a chord with her from the very first moment she'd heard it.

"I heard you singing it, in the shower."

"Oh." Maura feels herself blush and Jane chuckles, head dipping to kiss Maura gently.

"Don't be embarrassed. It's a good song. Kinda makes me wish I could play an instrument, so I could sing it back to you. I guess this is the best I can do, for now."

Your love is my turning page
Where only the sweetest words remain
Every kiss is a cursive line
Every touch is a redefining phrase

Maura is crying before she can help it, overcome with emotion at the gesture. She buries her face into the crook of Jane's neck, sliding a hand down across Jane's shoulder to rest against her chest.

"Those are good tears, right?"

"Yes. Happy." It's all Maura can manage as she clings to Jane, smiling through the falling tears.

She's so, so happy. She never wants this moment to end.

"You know that I love you, don't you? So much." Jane's voice drops, just audible above the music and Maura nods against her chest, fingertips gathering the fabric of Jane's shirt and squeezing reassuringly.

"And you know that you're worthy, of the love that I give you? You feel that?" Maura nods again and it's the truth - all of the different ways that Jane loves her rocks Maura to her very soul, euphoric and terrifying all at the same time.

Maura feels it in Jane's actions - from the way that Jane is present for her, celebrating her achievements and holding her hand through moments of frailty, never judging or ridiculing, simply being there. She feels it in every tear that Jane dries, in every glorious smile she returns.

I surrender who I've been for who you are
For nothing makes me stronger than your fragile heart
If I had only felt how it feels to be yours
Well, I would have known what I've been living for all along
What I've been living for

"I don't care what anyone thinks. I don't care what anyone says. I only care about you. That's never gonna change. I'm yours, Maura."

She'd spent the last two nights in Maura's study, long after Maura had fallen asleep, writing a letter for her mom - an unravelling of the things that Jane fears she might struggle to explain verbally when the time comes. She'd managed four pages, ink flowing therapeutically across the paper before she'd given up, struck with the overwhelming urge to get in her car and drive - to scrap her well thought out plans to wait to tell Angela, to throw caution to the wind and lay it out right now, clear to see.

Jane had been halfway there when she'd made herself stop, pulling over to the side of the road, hands slamming against the steering wheel in frustration at her indecision.

In some manner, her failure had played out in the best possible way for her. Jane isn't sure she believes in fate, but she does believe that everything happens for a reason, and her chickening out had led her directly to where she's standing now, slow dancing to the song she wants to hear at their wedding.

Though we're tethered to the story we must tell
When I saw you, well I knew we'd tell it well
With a whisper, we will tame the vicious seas
Like a feather, bringing kingdoms to their knees

She'd parked up on a random street and had been pacing a block to compose herself before heading home when she'd seen the ring, sparkling at the back of a window display in Cartier.

Breathtaking. Elegant. An embodiment of everything that Maura is, right there under her nose.

She'd gone back this morning under the guise of getting into work early, hopping from foot to foot as she waited in the cold for an hour before opening, determined to be the first person to walk through the door and take it home with her, and she had.

Jane thinks of it now as she sways with Maura, ironically tucked away in a blazer pocket at the back of her closet. Jane almost regrets not bringing it with her for this seemingly perfect moment, but it's not time. Not yet. Not until she can be open first with her family and friends, especially her mom. She owes her that much, at least.

Maura settles against her chest once more, their bodies moulded together as they dance, still clinging to each other long after the song has ended, not a care in the world as it melts away around them blissfully.

Nothing else really matters to Jane but this.

Nothing at all.