a/n: Thanks for keeping up with this story! Means a lot when you guys are interested and leave reviews. Now the moment you've all been waiting for, the confession. Buckle your seatbelts ladies and gents and get the popcorn ready...


Friday came and went in a flurry of last minute preparations, laughs and too many stories to count. Yet Jane couldn't help but pick up on a certain level of distance between herself and Maura. It was like the ME was purposefully holding her at arms length. Of course, Jane was no stranger to that tactic, using it one too many times herself. But Maura was different. Maura talked and rambled and always confided in Jane. The fact that she was so distant worried the brunette and she couldn't help but wonder what might be wrong. Before Jane knew it and before she could ask Maura about it, however, Frankie and Nina were getting married, the church bells ringing as the new Mr. and Mrs. Frank Rizzoli were announced outside the chapel.

Later that night, Jane stood, her back pressed against the bar of the Dirty Robber as she watched Nina and Frankie swaying together on the dance floor. The wedding had been beautiful and Jane couldn't have been happier for her little brother. Maura and Angela did a wonderful job planning and decorating, the ceremony was personal and all who attended felt the happiness flowing from the couple. Standing next to Frankie at the alter she felt proud to be his best man and caught Maura's eye across the aisle more than once. Jane had studied Maura in her burgundy bridesmaid dress and saw something in the woman's gaze that she couldn't quite place. Longing? Hopefulness? Defeat? That, along with the doctor's stand-offishness left Jane worrying about her friend.

Now, as she watched her brother and new sister-in-law dancing together, she could see the love radiating from them. It made her heart ache because she was nowhere near having that kind of love. And despite her hardened exterior, Jane desperately wanted the love her brother and Nina shared.

She let out a sigh as her eyes trailed from Nina and Frankie to where Maura was dancing with Kent and Tommy. The doctor tipped her head back in laughter at something her brother said and Jane felt a warmth flutter in her chest. Jane wished she could understand all the confusing emotions she was feeling towards her best friend. Ever since Maura told her she slept with a woman in Paris, Jane's emotions had been all over the place.

"She's pretty incredible" Jane jumped slightly at the voice beside her, pulling her out of her thoughts.

The brunette turned to see the shorter woman's gaze fixed on Maura, a reverence in her eyes. "Yeah she is" Jane paused, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

The woman flushed and shook her head. "No, you don't." She straightened and held her hand out for Jane to shake. "Detective Emma George, Boston homicide."

Jane shook the detective's hand as understanding dawned on her face. "Of course, you're the fantastic new detective everyone keeps telling me about."

Emma gave her a grin and shrugged noncommittally. "Yeah, I guess that's me."

Emma settled her back against the bar as Jane asked, "How are you liking homicide?"

"It's not what I expected but I love it. I mean, working with Dr. Isles and solving murders is all I ever dreamt about, but it's different from how I imagined."

"How do you mean?"

Emma gestured vaguely at where Maura was standing. "When I was in robbery I read the stories of Dr. Isles and Detective Rizzoli. Fighting crime and looking badass while doing it." The red-head shrugged. "I guess I expected more action and less paperwork."

Jane shot her a wry grin. "Now there's something I don't miss. Paperwork's a bitch."

Emma snorted. "Tell me about it. Especially since Korsak over there retired" she hooked her thumb towards the older man, "and the brass is dragging their feet finding his replacement." Jane shifted uncomfortably and Emma's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Is there something you're not telling me? Maybe that you passed the sergeant's exam and could save me from this dreadful paperwork?"

Jane's eyes widened in surprise at the detective's conclusion, sputtering to come up with a response. "How- how'd you know?"

"Frankie's awful at keeping secrets, especially from me" Emma laughed.

"I'm going to kill him" Jane muttered causing the red-head to laugh even harder.

"Don't. I promise I won't tell anyone. Not even Dr. Isles, even though she deserves to know."

Jane shot the other woman a glare. "And what do you know about what Dr. Isles deserves to know?"

Emma held her hands open in defense. "We've been working together for the past three months. We talk."

Jane's gaze narrowed, her curiosity getting the best of her. "Talk about what?"

"You know the usual. Love, my boy troubles, her girl troubles, work, family" Emma continued but Jane's brain stalled when Emma said 'girl troubles.'

"What do you mean girl troubles" Jane interrupted Emma's nervous rambling.

Emma's face flushed and she nervously shifted her weight so she was no longer leaning back against the bar. Her eyes darted across the room, looking for someone to save her.

Luckily, Frankie was coming over. "I've said too much already. Just have an open mind. I'll catch you later Jane." And with that, Emma disappeared into the crowded dance floor, leaving a stunned Jane in her wake.

Frankie took Emma's position, settling against the bar and watching his guests dancing. "What was that about? She ran off like a bat out of hell."

Jane shook her head. "I have no idea." She slung her arm around her brother's shoulders. "I'm proud of you little brother. The love you and Nina have, I aspire to have that one day."

Jane fixed her eyes on Maura and Frankie couldn't help but chuckle quietly to himself. Little did she know what Maura was going to confess in mere hours. Hopefully, his sister would listen to Maura and won't immediately freak out. If she kept an open mind and open heart, maybe she and Maura could have what he shared with Nina.


Jane and Maura stumbled through the doctor's front door, laughter and joy spilling out from their every pore. Weddings always have a way of filling people with happiness and Nina and Frankie's was no different. Maura turned and shut the door with a soft click, making sure the lock was in place as Jane stepped out of her heels with a soft groan of relief. Maura turned towards Jane, stepping out of her own heels and placing them on the mat where they belonged. The ME felt the nerves and anxiety climbing back into her head as she began to think of the confession she was about to unload. She busied herself by pouring and downing a glass of wine as a reinforcement and grabbing a beer for Jane.

Jane floated to the couch, the mixture of champagne, wine and love making her feel light as air. She vaguely heard Maura ask if she wanted a beer and Jane gave an affirmative nod of her head. Jane felt weightless, as if she could fly. The worries and unease about her job and leaving Boston faded to the background as she focused on the present. Being here with Maura, watching Frankie and Nina get married, a week of time in Boston, it was filling her veins with a happiness she hadn't felt in a long time. She let out a sigh of happiness, accepting the beer Maura offered.

The doctor smiled adoringly, but Jane picked up on a hesitancy in her eyes. "You look happy."

Jane smiled as Maura sat next to the brunette, their shoulders and thighs pressed together like when they normally watched TV. Jane let out a soft hum. "I am happy."

"Are you happy in Quantico?"

Jane frowned as her bubble of peace and light-heartedness was popped by Maura's question. She turned to dismiss her best friend but stopped when she saw the emotion and concerned etched on the doctor's features. Her openness prompted a quiet, but honest answer from Jane. "No."

Maura let out a sigh and turned her gaze to the ceiling. "If you're not happy Jane, I want you to know you can come back to Boston. They still haven't filled Korsak's position and I'm sure BPD would take you back in a heartbeat." She paused and looked as if she was fighting herself. "But I need to tell you something first."

Jane creased her eyebrows in concern. "Whatever it is Maura, you can tell me."

Maura shot Jane a watery grin. "I've thought about how to tell you for the past month, and I still haven't found the right words."

Jane drew back from Maura to face her fully, placing her beer bottle on the table and taking Maura's hands in her own. "Maur, what is it?"

Maura took a deep breath to fortify herself. "I'm in love with you" she whispered but Jane heard it as if Maura shouted it from the rooftops.

Jane's eyebrows creased in confusion. "You're in love with me?"

The doctor nodded. "I know you probably don't feel the same way and that's okay but I needed you to know. Whatever you're comfortable with is fine with me. I just don't want to lose you" Maura said, a desperation to her tone.

Jane absentmindedly nodded, but her mind was whirling. Maura loved her. Jane Rizzoli? Daughter of a plumber from South Boston? A woman who didn't eat healthy, didn't understand the high society world Maura was from and had baggage the size of Mount Olympus? A woman who wore the badge of a detective with honor and would die protecting the people she loved? How could Maura love a woman like that? How could Jane deserve a woman like Maura? Simple answer: she didn't. Jane abruptly stood up, got her heels and put them on without a word. Mumbling to herself she searched for her purse and her keys and Maura felt panic rising as she realized what was happening.

"Jane, Jane where are you going?"

"I- uh- I have to go back to Quantico. I left something there that I need."

"Jane it's 1 in the morning, you can't drive! We have to talk about this." Maura felt her voice rising in volume.

"I'm fine, Maura. I just need time to think." Jane was heading to the side door to leave. Suddenly, Maura's house was closing in on her and she felt like she couldn't breathe. It was all too much and Jane just needed distance to process.

"So think here!" Maura grabbed the brunette's arm. "You don't have to leave. We can get through this together. Nothing has to happen, I promise" her last words came as a desperate plea. Something to keep Jane in Boston with her. Maura could handle just being Jane's friend but they needed to talk and that couldn't happen if Jane left.

"I can't Maura!" Jane raised her voice. "You just told me you're in love with me! I can't stay here right now. I need to think. I need-" Jane threw her hands up in exasperation. "I don't know what I need!"

"So let me help you! Please!" Maura's voice was verging on hysterical, something Jane never heard before in the doctor's ever sophisticated tone. But here, in this moment as Maura felt Jane slipping away, she couldn't stop her emotions from winning over her need to be polite.

Jane gave the doctor a sad smile. "I can't Maura, I'm so sorry."

With that, Jane was out the door, the sound of it shutting reverberating throughout Maura's whole body. Maura felt like she was folding in on herself as she collapsed to the ground, her shoulders shaking as sobs took over her frame. She had confessed she loved Jane and it blew up in her face. Out of all the reactions she imagined, Jane shutting the door on her was never one she pictured. She could feel her heart breaking, possibly to the point of being irrevocably changed. How was she going to continue on?


a/n: and there we go, there's the angsty confession. I hope I didn't write it too OOC but I figured after a bomb like Maura being in love with her, Jane would need space and distance to process. I'm thinking there will be either one or two more chapters and then the epilogue. It depends on if there's a place to break the remaining story up that makes sense. We'll see :)