Hey everyone! Sorry about the delay in writing however I just started my new job and it has been a real struggle finding time to editing and such but it's finally here! Thank you all for your reviews and support it really doesn't mean a lot! Hope you all enjoy! Any questions/queries feel free to PM me!
As soon as Maura, Jane and Arabella made it back from viewing the new soon to be house all the little girl could talk about to her grandparents was when they were moving in so she could decorate her new room. Pleased to see her little girl the happiest she had been in months, Maura just happily let her carry on.
"Can me, you and Jane paint it bring pink mama, please?" Arabella begged with her mouth full of the last of her spaghetti bolognese. Jane couldn't help but be elated at the little girl accepting her so quickly.
"Don't talk with your mouth full sweetheart." Maura lightly ordered as she wiped Arabella's mouth of sauce. "And yes, we can paint it pink for you." Everyone chucked as the little girl did a victory dance in her seat.
"Can I be finished now mama?" After receiving a nod from Maura, Arabella jumped down from her seat and ran through to the living room to play with her dolls leaving the four adults at the table.
"So are you sure about the house you picked sweetie?" Constance asked as she began to stack the empty plates at the table.
"It's absolutely perfect, just the right amount of space. Thank you for finding it so quickly for me mother." Maura appraised as she took her mothers hand and gave it a quick squeeze.
"Anything for my girls." Constance brushed it off as she finished stacking all the plates and taking them through to the kitchen sink.
"So what did you and mother get up to this afternoon?" Maura asked innocently. Jane could see the slight change in Arthur's body language and could tell whatever it was wasn't something Maura was going to like. Arthur was saved as Constance entered the dining room again.
"So what are we talking about now?" The older woman asked as she sat down and took a drink of her red wine.
"I was just asking what you and father got up to this afternoon." Maura asked again. Constance's eyes glanced over at Jane trying to gauge whether or not to say in front of the detective which the dark haired women sensed as she began to get up from her seat.
"I'm just going to go and see what Arabella's up to." Jane explained warily.
"What's going on?" Maura demanded as she realised she was being left out of the loop on something. Jane sat down quickly as she was unsure of what the situation was going to turn into.
"I went to go and see Ian in the hospital." Constance replied with great trepidation of her daughters reaction to her explanation.
"How was he?" The calm response took everyone aback however Jane could tell by the way Maura was relentlessly clicking her nails together under the table something was annoying her.
"He was fine." The vague answer only made Maura more annoyed, Janes hands quickly taking a hold of the blondes to stop her.
"Fine?"
"Yes Maura, he was fine. I went to go and see that there was no way he could come after you and your children again and he won't be bothering you again. You are going to press charges aren't you darling?"
"No I'm not." The answer caused everyone around the table to glance at one another in complete shock as to what Maura had just told them.
"Why ever not?" It was Arthur's turn to question this time as his face took on a look of confusion.
"You don't know how many times Arabella has had to sit and console me, her own mother. I've put her through enough and she doesn't deserve having to live with knowing what her father did. I pray as I go to sleep every night that Arabella won't remember having to see me the day after Ian attacked and raped me and if she doesn't I don't want her asking why her father is locked away, I won't do that to her. I know what it's like to find out your biological father isn't a nice person and I wouldn't wish that upon anyone. Ian won't bother myself or my children again after the tongue lashing I'm assuming you gave him today anyway, he will be too interested in the secretary he was having an affair with that you probably saw with him today anyway. I'll file for divorce tomorrow morning and that's as much as I'm doing. I want a fresh star with my new baby boy and little girl and I'll be perfectly happy with that." After Maura finished her speech she got up from the table and went in search of Arabella. Arthur got up and went off to clean the dishes in the kitchen.
"So.. Maura's adopted?" Jane enquired trying to make some kind of conversation with the older artist.
"Arthur and myself adopted her when she was just 2 days old, a little bundle of pink blankets. I know most parents say it but she truly was the most beautiful little girl I've ever seen with her big hazel eyes and whisks of blonde hair. Every day I thank god for giving us such a blessing." Constance's eyes glassed over as she though back to the day Maura was first placed in her arms, begging Arthur to let them take the baby in.
"Well I've only known her a matter of days but from what I've seen you raised her to be an amazingly strong women." Jane praised the older woman but didn't realise the mistake she had made until Constance shook her head in response to the detective.
"I had nothing to do with that, the nannies brought her up. I was never there for her and I will never forgive myself for letting Maura. I always made excuses about work for not showing up at school plays or ballet recitals and I never realised just how much hurt it caused but I do now. I know she doesn't trust my promises I make now and I don't blame Maura but I do everything I can to help and I'm so thankful she even allows me to be with Arabella." Constance surprised herself at how open she was being with Jane and understood exactly how Maura had become so close to the detective so quickly. The detective didn't seem to judge what she was saying but seemed interested to listen to what she was telling her.
"As I said before I haven't known your daughter very long but I do know she loves you and your husband a great deal. It may not be my place to say and I'm sorry if you think I'm being rude here but she I can see just how fragile she is when she think I'm not looking so please don't let her down."
"I won't, don't worry." Constance replied with a genuine smile on her face.
"Okay well I'm just going to go and see how Maura is." Jane finished as she pushed her hands off her thighs, setting off to find the girls.
"Hey there." Jane whispered as she took in the sleeping 4 year old who rested on Maura's lap, a little hand placed under the pregnant women's bump.
"Hey." Maura responded, her voice taking on a sleepy tone.
"Sounds like somebody is tired." Jane observed whilst placing her am behind to sit on the back of the sofa, Maura taking this as a prompt to lean into Janes side.
"It's been an eventful day." Maura commented as she thought back to the hassle of trying to pick a house and handle coming face to face with Paddy Doyle. The encounter still weighting heavily on both women's minds. "Patrick Doyle is my real father in case you hadn't already figured it out." A deep sigh was let out by the doctor as she confessed to Jane her real connection to the mob boss.
"Well they don't call me Boston's Best for nothing." Jane joked causing Maura to laugh properly for the first time all day. Maura was amazed at how the detective could make her laugh so much. If she thought hard enough she would be able to remember a time when she laughed with Ian but the horrible times greatly overpowered the happy beginning with Ian. With Jane all the blonde felt was protection and yet with Ian it was fear that overtook her love for the father of her children. Instead of caring for her, he took away her independence and happiness for life but she decided there and then it was no more. It was time to get her life back.
"I think I'll go back to work once this little ones born." Maura voiced her thoughts as she stroked her ever growing bump.
"I'm sure everyone would be overjoyed to have you back. Everyone still talks about how they wish you would come back and get rid of Pike."
"I never did like that man. Always rearranged the morgue when I had to go away for meetings." Jane chuckled as the irritation was clear in Maura's voice as she recalled her job as an ME.
"Why did you leave? If it's too personal you don't have to answer it's just everyone loves you at the station and by what I hear you were amazing at your job."
"Ian didn't like me leaving the house in case people realised what was going on at home. Don't get me wrong I loved looking after Arabella everyday but I missed my job and rarely saw anyone except from my mother and a few of Ian's friends." Maura was avoiding eye contact with Jane which she quickly picked on and placed her her hand under Maura's chin lifting it up so their eyes locked onto one another.
"There's nothing wrong with wanting to have a job as well as be a mother. We all need a break sometimes. What he did to you was beyond cruel and just plain wrong. How's about tomorrow me and you go out for lunch and I'll even go shopping? That's a deal and a half right there." Jane didn't even have to think twice about offering to take Maura out shopping even though it was her worst nightmare. Maura deserved a day off and a day off she would get. Anything for Maura, Jane thought.
"I'm not sure.."
"I'm not going to push you. Think about it and if you don't feel up for it then we can just have a movie day with loads of chocolate instead." Jane laughed, winking at the beautiful blonde.
"I'll think about it. Thank you Jane, it means the world to me." Maura replied, finishing with a kiss to the corner of Janes cheek before her eyes began to close, the detective nearly melting at the contact of soft lips brushing slightly against her own.
"Anything for my favourite." Janes face sported a massive grin as she tightened her hold around the women making herself comfortable. I could get used to this were Janes last thoughts as she fell into a light nap.
The sounds of light snores was the only thing that could be heard in the living room until Constance's phone clicked to signal the photo had been taken. Constance and Arthur had walked into the living room to check on the trio and found the beautiful sight of them all snuggled up together snoring. The older women couldn't help herself and quickly rushed off to find her phone to take a picture.
"They would certainly make a beautiful family, wouldn't they?" Constance smiled brightly as she continued to stare at the photo that lit up her phone screen.
"That they would." Arthur agreed as he looked on too.
"Would be nice to see Arabella with a few more brothers and sisters." Constance smirked as she looked the the evident connection and love shared between the women already. Arthur just lightly scoffed in response as he went back to drying the dishes he had already washed before.
"You heard it here first darling." Constance replied with a smirk as she set the picture as her home screen.