I literally wrote this epilogue before I'd finished the story, y'all. How much of a sap am I?
2 Years Later
"Hello, hello!" Jane's voice echoed through the hallway as she followed her girlfriend into the house, laden with presents.
"We're in the kitchen!" her mother called out.
A sudden thumping sound came crashing down the stairwell preceding a flying child and a large man giving chase. "Hiya, Auntie Jane and Amie!" A brown haired blur shouted as she shot past them.
"Merry Christmas!" Maura called after the retreating girl, laughing.
The larger figure swung to a quick stop in front of the two woman. "Welcome to the mad house," Frankie gasped out, pecking Maura on the cheek.
Jane swatted him in the stomach, "Time to lay off the donuts, eh, Brother?"
Frankie glared at her from where he was bent over trying to catch his breath. "I'd like to see you try and chase that kid around for an hour. Jesus. I'm not as young as I used to be, ya know."
Jane merely let out a shout of laughter and followed the disappearing back of the Medical Examiner. "Merry Christmas!"
"Yeah, yeah," Frankie waved her teasing off.
"Come and get me, Unk!" Came a taunting voice from deeper inside the house and Jane shot him a devilish smirk.
"Well you heard the kid, Unk. Let's get a move on."
Frankie punched her lightly as he brushed past her. But she took it good naturedly. Walking into the kitchen, she was overcome by all the activity. Her mother was at the stove, checking the turkey, so focused, she didn't even notice her daughter, while Lydia chopped up vegetables determinedly at the table. Maura had already slipped an apron on over her Christmas dress, a stunning green number that Jane hadn't been able to take her eyes off of as soon as Maura had descended the stairs that afternoon. Suffice it to say, they were a bit late. The detective threw a wave at everyone, unable to resist pecking Maura on the cheek as she slid past and into the living room, safely depositing her load of presents under the tree.
Frankie had finally managed to capture Annie and was in the process of giving her a severe tickling. TJ and Frost were hanging a bit of last minute mistletoe around the window, while Sarah, baby in hand, gave directions.
"Looking good, gentlemen," Jane observed and Frost winked at her.
"Hey, Aunt Jay," TJ nodded to her. "Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas," Jane responded, smiling up at her nephew. Somehow, he'd managed to grow what felt like a foot in the past several months. And then she turned to Sarah and accepted a one-armed hug from the baby-laden mother.
"Let me see this little man!" Jane cooed. She should have been disgusted with herself for slipping so quickly into baby talk, and Maura would have been appalled; the doctor said it messed with a baby's development on some level or something. But babies were cute; you were supposed to talk to them like they were cute. That was the whole point.
Sarah handed him over gratefully. "He's starting to get squirmy if he stays in one pair of arms for too long," she explained. "I can't wait for him to start walking, but at the same time, it's terrifying."
"This kid? Mobile? I'd be scared out of my wits," Jane joked, pressing a quick kiss to the baby's button nose. "Damn, Frost. I never thought I'd be saying this, but you make a pretty darn cute kid."
"Don't tell him that," Sarah stage whispered. "It makes him feel all proud of himself."
"What was that?" Frost asked from his position next to the window.
"Nothing, Barry," Sarah singsonged, walking over and kissing him on the cheek.
"Mind if I steal Michael for awhile?" Jane asked. "I think the ladies in the kitchen could use a baby break."
"He's all yours!" Sarah enthused, and went back to bossing her husband around.
"Your mommy has your poppa whipped, little man," Jane said to the kid in her arms. "Absolutely whipped," she inhaled the sweet baby smell that still surrounded the kid and hugged him close. "But, I guess you're pretty lucky. Your parents are cool, little dude. Just, when it comes time for you to learn how to shoot, make sure you learn from the best. Your Auntie Jay."
"Jane!" Maura exclaimed when the detective re-entered the kitchen. "You will not be teaching him how to shoot a gun."
"Well, duh, Maur. Not until he's ten at least."
Maura snorted, rinsing her hands in the sink and walking over. "Let me see this guy," she ordered, swooping the baby up and into her capable arms. "You are so adorable!"
"Was that...a baby voice I just heard come out of your mouth, Doctor Isles?" Jane questioned mockingly, but she grinned when Maura glared at her. "Hi, Ma," Jane turned her attention to her mother who was muttering furiously under her breath and stirring the gravy on the stove top.
"Oh, hello, Janie," she sounded distracted.
"Anything I can do to help?" the detective offered.
Her mother finally looked up and patted her eldest tenderly on the cheek. "Just don't get in the way, dear."
"Ma," Jane grabbed at her heart. "I'm hurt."
"Sit, young lady," her mother gestured to a chair, "And stay out of the way."
Jane grudgingly took the seat next to Lydia and shot her sister-in-law a sheepish smile.
"Merry Christmas, Jane."
"Merry Christmas," she responded.
"Janie," her mother's sharp voice cut in. "Maura was just telling me that the two of you aren't getting one another gifts this year. What kind of ridiculousness is that?"
"Angela," Maura started, but the matriarch cut her off.
"It's Christmas. The two of you are supposedly madly in love,"
"Maaa," Jane whined.
"You're supposed to buy each other beautiful gifts that represent your love and devotion to one another," her mother continued, unfazed by her daughter's interruption.
"Jane and I decided to donate the money that we would have spent on one another to a family in need instead, Angela," Maura explained. "We both felt that it was better to give than to receive, and we have everything we could possibly want."
Jane shot her a girlfriend a grateful look when her mother looked thoughtful. "I suppose that's a nice gesture," Angela conceded. I love you, Jane mouthed behind her mother's turned back and Maura smiled at her. God, she looked lovely.
"Where's Tommy?" Jane forced her eyes away from the gorgeous picture that was the ME swaying in the doorway, baby sitting contentedly on her hip.
"Oh, he'll be here soon," Lydia interjected in her breathy voice. "He got a last minute job he had to oversee."
"And Vince should be here soon as well," her mother added.
"Coming from that menagerie of his?" Jane joked.
Her mother and her girlfriend glared at her. She shrank under the force of their stairs.
"Kidding!" She jumped up from the table, unable to sit still a minute longer when so much energy was coursing through her. It was Christmas Eve for goodness' sake. Who could sit still on Christmas?
"Snow ball fight!" she yelled into the living room, pleased when Frankie and Annie immediately popped up from the floor and TJ and Frost abandoned the mistletoe, leaving behind an annoyed looking Sarah. "C'mon, babe!" Jane called.
"The baby, Jane," Maura exclaimed.
"Here, honey," Angela bustled over and grabbed the baby out of her arms. "Go play!"
Jane certainly didn't need to be told twice and she rushed back over and grabbed her girlfriend's arm, ignoring any protests to the contrary. "I brought your snow stuff in with the presents. No excuses. It's tradition!" And those two magical words shut Maura up immediately. Rizzoli family traditions were not to be trifled with. She let Jane lead her over to the door and the two sat down on the stairs, pulling on snow pants and boots, hats, mittens, and scarves.
Annie was done first with TJ and Frankie on her tail. The three shot out the door, with Frankie calling over his shoulder, "Guys against girls!"
Once Maura was finally ready, Jane grabbed her glove clad hand, swinging her around and give her a quick once over. "What?" Maura asked.
"Nothing," the brunette blushed slightly. "You're just beautiful is all."
It was Maura's turn to blush, but Jane's kiss cut her off.
"Now, c'mon. Let's go kick those boys' asses!"
"Language, Jane!" Maura squealed as they ran out the door and Jane laughed loudly and ducked the first snowball TJ threw her way. It was Christmas alright.
Hours later, after dinner had come and gone, plates having been filled and refilled while folks spread out around the living room, accompanied by loud exclamations of delight over the meal. After the pies had been cut into and devoured and Jane and Maura had finished the dishes, a task they'd taken over the past two years. After copious amounts of wine had been polished off and everyone was feeling fat and satiated, just the way one should feel after a perfect Christmas feast. After presents had been opened, wrapping paper strewn, willy-nilly about the room. After thank yous and hugs had been exchanged when gifts were discovered. After Annie had fallen asleep on her dad's lap and the baby had been safely stowed away in the pack-n-play up in Angela's room. After all the adults had settled down in front of the tree to reminisce about another year come and gone, Jane slipped quietly outside, seeking a few minutes of solitude.
The brunette hugged her arms around herself at the sharpness of the cold after spending hours in a packed, overheated house. But the chill was nice: it cooled the warmth in her cheeks and cleared her head a bit. She walked down off the porch and turned in a slow circle in the walkway. They were in Boston, so it was dim, but she could still make out the stars in a clear sky of milky blackness. She closed her eyes and let the snow flakes land gently on her upturned cheeks, taking a moment to appreciate the quiet, all the happiness she was feeling. It should be illegal, how happy she was. She heard the door open and close behind her, but she didn't turn around.
"It's been the perfect Christmas," she said quietly after a moment.
"It has," and Jane could hear the smile in Maura's voice. She opened her eyes and spun to face the blonde. Maura's hat was pulled down over her ears, but she wasn't wearing a coat, instead, she had one of the throw blankets pulled around her shoulders. Jane took a moment simply to appreciate the stunning grace that the doctor possessed. Her curly blonde hair fell in waves to her shoulders and her hazel eyes were sparkling in the white Christmas lights.
Jane cocked her head when she heard the first few bars of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" make its way out through the cracks under the door. A bark of laughter from Frankie masked the music for a moment, but then the lyrics filtered through once more. "It's my favorite," she nodded towards the noise.
Maura smiled at her. "I know, pretty girl."
Jane couldn't help the blush that spread across her features at the pet name. She took a few steps closer and Maura came down off the porch so they were on the same level. "Merry Christmas, Maur."
"Merry Christmas, Jane," Maura answered, sliding her arms around the detective's thin frame. The two held that position for a moment before Jane started swaying them softly to the music. Maura giggled as they slid over the ice coating the walkway.
"Do you remember the first time we danced?" Jane whispered.
Maura didn't answer, knowing there was more.
"Gosh, it must have been, what? Sixteen years ago. We were at that stupid BPD Christmas Party and you were supposed to be on a date with what's his name. Andrew Strickman or something."
"Strikeman," Maura corrected.
"Right, but he stood you up. The douche," Jane growled. "So you were all upset, watching everybody else dance. And I sat there, all night, watching you, and I finally worked up the courage to ask you to dance with me."
"I remember," Maura whispered.
"But I warned you, remember? I warned you that I couldn't dance worth sh- squat," Jane laughed slightly at the memory. "But do you remember what you told me?"
Maura hadn't forgotten, but she wanted to hear it from Jane's point of view so she stayed quiet.
"You looked at me with those big hazel eyes, so serious, and you said," Jane is trying to control her giggles. "I couldn't believe it, Maura Isles, getting all philosophical, but you said, 'Life's a dance, Jane. And I believe you're quite good at it.'" Jane pulled away and ran a hand down Maura's cheek fondly. "It was, quite possibly the corniest thing I'd ever heard. I mean, come on, Maur. Life's a dance? Really?"
"But you danced with me."
"I did, and I stepped on your toes the whole time," Jane pressed a kiss to Maura's pink lips.
"I wanted to laugh at you, when you said it," she confesses. "But you looked so serious, and so," Jane let out a sigh, "so beautiful."
Maura looked shyly down at her shoes.
"You looked so perfect," Jane reiterates, lifting the doctor's chin so they are once more eye to eye. "Just like tonight."
"Jane," Maura's voice comes out in a whisper. There is something different in her detective's chocolate eyes.
"I know, we said we weren't going to do presents, Maur, but Ma's right. It's Christmas," she is fingering something in her pocket. She looks both loving and a bit frightened. "I was going to wait, until tomorrow, but," she pauses, lost for words. "I love you, Maur."
"I love you, too," Maura says, holding tightly to Jane's other hand.
Just then the song changed to Johnny Mathis' "I'll be Home for Christmas." "Life's a dance, you said," Jane repeated and Maura nodded. And then, Jane was on one knee in front of her, the snow soaking into her pant leg and she had pulled a black velvet box out of her pocket and was holding it up to the woman above her, the small diamond sparkling in the starlight. "Maura Isles," Jane paused, and then she grinned, "May I have this dance?"
Silent tears were filling the doctor's eyes. "Yes," she managed. "Oh, yes."
Jane smiled up at her and slipped the ring out of it's resting place, sliding it onto Maura's cold finger with shaking hands. The doctor pulled her back to her feet, kissing her desperately. Whispered yeses and I love yous making their way out between warm lips. Jane wrapped her arms around the doctor and started swaying them in place again in time to the faint Christmas carol.
"Merry Christmas, Maur," she whispered, happier than she'd ever been.
"Merry Christmas, pretty girl. I love you."
Fin
Oh my goodness. So corny. Please someone come and gag me with my own spoon. Did you love it? I hope so. Merry Christmas, everyone! Love.