EDITOR'S NOTE: At last! The final chapter! I really hope you enjoy it! As always, I would love to know what you think!

CHAPTER 20

Maura hardly dared breathe. The silence was punctuated only by the throb of her own pulse, loud in her ears. She was stunned by the fervour of Jane's declaration. The distinctive low register of her voice, rough with emotion, caused Maura to shiver reflexively. She tried to gather her thoughts and make sense of what was happening. Questioning hazel eyes searched stormy brown ones for any suggestion of uncertainty or regret. Instead, Maura found sincerity and determination. Nevertheless, she was conflicted as a burgeoning yet fragile hopefulness wrestled with familiar feelings of self-doubt. The battle was short-lived and the old foes prevailed as a single pervading thought caused Maura to step back, her shoulders slumped in defeat…Casey.

Jane saw the movement and immediately panicked, realising Maura was about to pull away yet again. 'Maur…Don't leave me!' Jane's plea shattered the silence and scattered the ME's darkening thoughts instantly, leaving her confused. Maura scrutinised her friend as glistening brown eyes stared back, anxiously flicking between her eyes as she tried to read Maura's intentions.

'Jane?' Maura, quizzed, her tone concerned.

'Don't leave Boston, your job…Me.' Jane's voice cracked..

Maura stared at the taller woman, her own worry growing in response to Jane's evident panic. 'I…I don't understand. You're leaving too, with…'

'No!' Jane interrupted fiercely, 'I'm not.'

Maura was stunned, her brain stumbling over the new information. She had been bracing herself for days with the understanding that Jane was leaving, but now Jane was staying?

'Is Casey staying in Boston?' Maura probed, her brow furrowing as she tried to grasp what this all meant.

Jane sighed, shaking her head wearily, 'I'm not marrying Casey', she stated flatly, fixing her eyes on Maura's, willing her to understand.

Maura's eyes widened in shock. 'What? I don't understand...Why? What happened?' Maura frowned, her jaw clenching as she searched Jane's face for signs of distress or trauma.

'Did he hurt you?' she said, her voice taking on a thread of iron as her thoughts raced ahead to possible actions she may need to take, violent and otherwise. She stepped towards Jane without realising she had moved, her posture straightening from the self-protective hunch she'd been stuck in since she first found out about the proposal.

'Maura…' the ME's stomach fluttered in response to the familiar rasp of her voice and Jane's tender expression.

Maura was so confused, her brows pinched into a frown as she reluctantly broke the connection between them and lowered her gaze. Jane responded immediately, her fingers brushing the ME's cheek with featherlike gentleness as she tucked errant strands of hair behind her ear, leaving flushed skin in its wake. Jane continued to stroke Maura's cheek affectionately before reluctantly letting go, but only long enough for persistent fingers to gather the smaller woman's hands in hers, drawing them in and holding them to her chest.

Maura stared at their entwined hands for a few long moments, willing her mind to catch up with what was happening. The gentlest squeeze of Maura's hands invited her to look up. She complied, her eyes sweeping up to meet the intense gaze of the detective. Jane took a steady breath, chocolate brown eyes fixed on Maura's as deliberate words scraped across gravel.

'I like Casey….' Jane paused for a moment, then leaned in closer, her expression serious and earnest, 'but I love you.'

Maura stood in stunned silence. She opened her mouth to speak but words failed her as she absorbed what Jane had said. Before she could doubt their meaning, Jane drew her even closer, dipping her head slowly but surely until foreheads touched. Maura's heart shuddered, her skin prickled and burned, warmth blooming in her chest as she leaned greedily into the touch despite her swirling thoughts, hungry for the connection. Maura felt Jane's heart hammering beneath her hands. The shift from earnestness to intimacy was swift and unexpected. Maura's fingers itched to embrace the woman who now filled the space between them. She longed to draw Jane in, but she didn't dare break the spell. As the seconds ticked on, Maura felt their shallow uneven breaths fall into sync.

Maura hadn't noticed the unclasping of hands until Jane's were gently cradling her face, her look of devotion and longing unmistakeable now. Maura's breath hitched as fingers lightly caressed her face. Her eyes fluttering shut as Jane's slow, ragged breaths puffed against her lips with each exhale, leaving them tingling with an urge that startled Maura. Jane's lips brushed hers fleetingly before trailing tender kisses along Maura's cheekbone to her ear, causing her to groan softly. 'I love you,' Jane whispered again, the ME's last remnants of doubt melting away as their eyes met once more. In this moment, there was no Casey, no worry about the foundation, no organisation of Beth and Constance's recovery, there was just the two of them, their breath, and the feeling of coming home to each other.

'I love you too, Jane', Maura affirmed, an exultant laugh bubbling up as she marvelled at the truth of her words, Maura's eyes danced as she regarded a beaming Jane, eyes glistening with happy tears. They held each other's gaze, communicating the power of all they were feeling without the need for words, each wanting to cherish a moment. It was Maura who finally broke the silence, her desire to be close to Jane too powerful to resist. She reached out, gently cradling the face of her soulmate, tears of joy spilling freely now as their lips met.

THE END

AUTHOR'S NOTE: SO! I have finally achieved a lifetime ambition of completing a multi-chapter story. I think that's why I had such a block for this final chapter and had to leave it….for years! What a joy and relief to be able to mark it as complete.

I hope you've enjoyed the ride. Thanks to everyone who has liked and followed this little Rizzoli and Isles adventure.

Thanks also to my wonderful beta, Whitewave42. She has been so encouraging, helpful and patient. Please check out her amazing stories.

Finally, I would love to know what you all think about this labour of love! So please can I ask you to leave a review as this story will likely be the last one I write!