Alright, folks! Here it is—the epilogue to Blind! Thank you all for the incredible support you've given me and this story!


"Ya know, I feel I did this whole thing backwards," Jane said as she and Maura sat across from each other on a picnic blanket, each sitting cross legged with their knees touching. The spring breeze was soft and both women basked in the warmth of the evening sun. Jane wore dark jeans and a cream colored sleeveless blouse while Maura wore a red and cream colored sundress with a gentle floral print.

"Why do you say that?" Maura asked as she handed Jane a fork to enjoy their slice of chocolate cake with.

"Well, a year ago I kissed you, then asked you to be my girlfriend, then took you out on a date. I feel like most normal couples don't do things in that order," the detective laughed.

"Are we a normal couple, though?" Maura teased.

"You make a very good point there," Jane shrugged as she and Maura ate the dessert they'd purchased to finish off their one year anniversary picnic celebration.

The two women finished the slice of cake quickly, eager to get home to their bed for a night of anniversary sex. Though they had been together a year, their sex life had shown no signs of diminishing and for that both women were grateful.

"Would you like to exchange presents now or at home?" Maura asked softly, eager to share her present with Jane.

"Here," Jane said with certainty. "And you're giving me mine first."

Maura laughed at the childish grin Jane gave her as twisted her torso to reach into the purse behind her. She pulled out a small box with a bow on top and handed it to Jane, suddenly self-conscious of her home made gift.

"I made it myself," Maura said quickly as Jane slid her fingers beneath the tape she had used to seal the top of the box to the bottom. "I know you said you didn't want an extravagant present so I thought something homemade might be fitting…" she trailed off as Jane pulled a deck of cards from the box, each card hole punched in the upper left corner and attached to a key ring.

"52 Reasons I Love You," Jane read Maura's elegant script that she had written on the first card. Flipping through the deck, Jane saw that Maura had written something on each of the cards in her own handwriting, with the occasional wallet sized photo glued to a card. "Maura…" Jane trailed off, looking up to her girlfriend who was nervously fiddling with her necklace.

"Do you like it?" Maura asked nervously.

"I love it!" Jane smiled as she leaned forward to kiss Maura with as much love as she could muster. "It's absolutely perfect," Jane whispered when she pulled away from Maura, their lips still only an inch apart.

Jane flipped through the deck of cards for a few more moments, smiling as she read the sometimes heartfelt and other times goofy reasons why Maura loved her.

"I guess great minds really do think alike," Jane said as she set the deck of cards down and reached behind her for a thin square package she had wrapped and handed it to Maura. "I also made you your gift."

Maura's eyes lit up as she took the square from Jane. It felt to be the same size as a wall calendar and Maura couldn't help but tear the wrapping paper from the gift, eager to see what it was.

"The Doctor and The Detective," Maura read the front page of what appeared to be a book made of square scrapbook cardstock paper and bound with yarn. "A Love Story," she added as she noticed the subtitle. The words were written using stickers and on the cover Jane had glued a photo of she and Maura that had been taken when they went ice skating the previous winter. Both women were bundled up but laughing as they clung to each other on their skates.

"You should read it," Jane said with a smile. "I had to make, like, 10 trips to the craft store because I had no idea how hard writing a storybook could be."

Laughing, Maura opened the book and began to read what Jane had written. The words had been typed on a computer and printed on plain paper but Jane had cut the paragraphs from the plain paper with scissors that created a border on the paper so, when taped to the colored cardstock, they stood out.

Once upon a time in a kingdom far, far away a beautiful woman named Maura was born. That same year in a kingdom not so far away, a snarky woman named Jane was also born. On this page Jane had glued a childhood photo of Maura as well as one from her own infant years.

The two women were very different. Maura liked science and math and shopping while Jane liked sports and recess and fighting on the playground. The photos on this page were of Maura standing in front of her middle school science fair project and Jane holding a trophy after winning a little league softball tournament.

Eventually, the beautiful Maura became Doctor Maura and the snarky woman became Detective Jane. Maura smiled as she saw her graduation photo from medical school glued next to Jane's academy graduation photo.

Doctor Maura and Detective Jane found themselves working together to keep the Kingdom of Boston safe from evil. At first they were just co-workers… The photo on this page was a group shot of Frankie, Vince, Korsak, Jane, and Maura. It was taken early in their time working together and the two women were on opposite ends of the group.

But they eventually became the best of friends. The next page made Maura laugh as she saw a photo of she and Jane hugging after completing their marathon, complete in P.U.K.E outfits, laughter on their faces after having crossed the finish line held up by Angela and Frank.

Doctor Maura helped remind Detective Jane to eat her leafy greens and Detective Jane helped remind Doctor Maura that sometimes a burger and beer are the best way to end a long week. A photo of the two women sitting next to each other at the Dirty Robber was glued to this page, both women holding a burger in their hands after Jane coerced Maura into ordering one. Jane was beaming with pride while Maura looked slightly nervous for her health.

It wasn't until a horrible accident left Doctor Maura without her sight that she and Detective Jane realized that maybe they could be more than best friends. Maura laughed as she saw the photo of her and Jane on her bed, both of their eyes covered with gauze patches.

Soon Detective Jane took Doctor Maura out on a proper date and told Maura those three magical words. The photo Angela had taken of the two women on their first date as they kissed was stuck to this page and Maura felt her eyes grow misty as this was the first time she'd seen that photo.

After their first date, Doctor Maura and Detective Jane were inseparable. They promised each other to always make time for date night and they always had fun. This page had several smaller photos of Jane and Maura from some of their weekly date nights. One at Fenway with both Jane and Maura in Red Sox hats, one of the women in dresses at an opera Maura had wanted to go to, one of them with flushed faces after a wine tasting event where they'd maybe gone a bit overboard with the wine.

They even traveled to the Kingdom of Paris to spend time with Doctor Maura's parents. Maura smiled as she saw the photo Constance had taken of Jane and Maura with the Eiffel Tower in the background.

But the Kingdom of Boston is where Doctor Maura and Detective Jane felt happiest. They fought bad guys by day and snuggled each other by night. The photo Maura saw on this page was one Frankie had promised he had deleted. Maura and Jane were spooning on Maura's couch after falling asleep and Frankie had snapped the photo for blackmailing purposes.

Detective Jane loved everything about Doctor Maura. She loved her big brain and her strong heart. She loved her pretty eyes and the freckle behind her right ear. She loved her compassion and her dedication. The photo on this page was taken on New Year's Day just as the clock struck midnight and Jane had dipped Maura low to the ground as they kissed to celebrate a new year.

One of the things Detective Jane loved most about Doctor Maura was that she could ask Doctor Maura any question and would get an answer. There were no photos on this page. Instead , Jane had drawn little thought bubbles with random questions written in her favorite color of purple and Maura's responses written in blue. "How many bones are in the human body?" "Can we name your next tortoise Turtle?" "Do you love me?" "What's the difference between Caduceus and Rod of Asclepius?" "Why don't pickles count as a serving of greens?"

But there was one question that Detective Jane really wanted to know Doctor Maura's answer to. It was a question that Detective Jane knew would change her and Doctor Maura's life forever. Jane had drawn a huge question mark on this page and Maura frowned when she turned the page and saw nothing but a blank page.

"Jane?" she said as she flipped through the remaining two pages and saw nothing on them. "I think you've forgotten a page," she laughed. "Did you…" Maura trailed off when she looked up from the book and saw that Jane had moved to kneel on one of her knees.

"Do you wanna know the question that Detective Jane really wants to ask Doctor Maura?" Jane said, smiling as she saw Maura's eyes widen.

Maura found herself unable to speak thanks to the lump forming in her throat so she simply nodded her head yes.

"She'd really like to know if Doctor Maura would make Detective Jane the luckiest person in the whole kingdom by marrying her," Jane said as she pulled a crimson box from her pocket and popped it open, revealing an elegant diamond ring. "Will you marry me, Maura?" Jane asked, never breaking eye contact with Maura.

Maura nodded her head rapidly, still unable to speak as she processed what had just happened.

"Could you maybe make if official by saying yes out loud?" Jane smiled as she watched Maura excitedly nod her head.

"Yes!" Maura said, quickly moving her body forward to take Jane's face between her hands and kiss her deeply. "Yes, yes, yes," Maura said in between kisses to the detective.

"Well that's a relief!" Jane laughed as she took Maura's left hand from her cheek and slid the diamond ring onto her ring finger. "Perfect fit," she murmured as she kissed the part of Maura's finger just above the ring.

"Oh, my gosh. Jane!" Maura gasped as she finally got a good look at the ring. "This is absolutely stunning," she said as she wiped a tear from her eye with her free hand and continued to look at the ring that felt so incredibly natural on her hand.

"Kinda like you," Jane smiled as she watched Maura's face glow.

"Come here," Maura said, grabbing Jane's hand and tugging her towards the blonde. Maura slowly leaned back until she was lying on the blanket and Jane was above her, their tongues battling each other.

"Get a room!" someone called out and Maura pulled away from Jane quickly, gasping in surprise as she saw Frankie walking towards them with a camera in his hand.

"What…" Maura trailed off, looking up to Jane.

"Remember you scolding me for sending a text about 20 minutes ago?" Jane said with a smile as she stood up and helped Maura do the same. "It was me texting Frankie to get here and hide in the bush over there so he could be our unofficial photographer. I figured we could use the blank pages at the end of the story book to put the photo of me proposing and then maybe one of the wedding."

"You've been a part of the Rizzoli clan for years but I guess this is when I should officially welcome you to it," Frankie said as he reached the edge of the blanket where Jane and Maura were now standing.

"Thank you," Maura smiled as she held her arms open and gave Frankie a hug. Frankie then pulled Jane into a hug, clapping her on the back with a grin.

"Thanks for letting me be a part of the plan," Frankie said as he turned his camera on to show the women the photos he had taken. There were quite a few, several taken in quick succession showing Jane moving from her cross legged position to the kneeling position, the moment Maura looked up and her eyes widened, the look on their faces when Jane opened the box to reveal the ring, and the way Maura grasped Jane's face to kiss her before allowing the ring to be slipped on her finger.

"Oh my goodness," Maura breathed as she saw the photographs. "These are incredible."

"When I asked Janie if I could help her with the proposal and she told me I would be hiding in the freakin' bushes, I wasn't too sure she hadn't lost her mind. But I think I got some okay shots."

"They're great, Frankie," Jane said as she wrapped an arm around Maura's waist and pulled her close.

"How long as she been planning this?" Maura asked Frankie, curiosity making it unable for her to not ask.

"Well, she mentioned to me on the 4th of July last year that she'd one day want to marry you but I think she got really serious about it around Christmas time," Frankie admitted.

Jane blushed when Frankie told Maura that after only two months of officially being a couple she had mentioned marriage but when Maura turned to her, her eyes sparkling, her embarrassment left.

"I love you," Maura smiled as she kissed Jane softly.

"Love you, too, Mrs. Rizzoli-Isles," Jane grinned against Maura's lips.

"Gross," Frankie laughed as he made vomiting noises. Jane simply reached her hand out to shove him, never breaking the kiss with her fiancée.

"We should head home," Jane smiled as she pulled away and grasped Maura's hand in her own. She quickly packed the blanket and dishes back into the picnic basket they had brought and began to walk back to she and Maura's house with Frankie.

They made it back to their house within ten minutes and, with a sly nod from Frankie, Jane opened the door and let Maura walk in first, allowing her to be the one who heard the shouts of 'Congratulations!' coming from the crowd that had gathering in their living room.

Maura spun to face Jane who had a guilty smile on her face.

"I hope this is okay," Jane said as she nodded towards the decorations that her friends and family had put in their home and the crowd. Angela, Frankie, Tommy, Korsak, Frost, Susie, and Cavanaugh all were holding glasses of champagne and cheering for the couple.

"This is perfect," Maura said as she once again felt tears well in her eyes.

"Let me see your ring, Maura," Angela gushed as she was the first to break away from the crowd and come to the couple, grasping Maura's hand and examining the ring her daughter had purchased for her.

"It is lovely, Janie!" Angela said as she kissed her daughter on the cheek before wrapping her arms around Maura in a tight embrace.

The two women made the round throughout the living room, Maura finding no problem in describing the storybook Jane had created for them to every one of her friends. Jane stood by proudly, keeping an arm wrapped around Maura's waist the entire time.

The doorbell sounded and Maura turned to face Jane, a questioning look on her face.

"Could you maybe get the door?" Jane asked naturally.

"Of course," Maura smiled as she felt Jane release her grip on Maura's waist. Maura felt as though she was floating as she walked to the front door, happiness radiating from her every pore. She had a smile on her face as she opened the door and her smile grew when she saw who was on the other side of the threshold.

"Maura, darling," her mother smiled when Maura opened the door.

"Mother," Maura breathed, stepping aside to let her mother in. "Father," she added as she watched her father walk through the door with a large cake in his hands.

"I apologize for our tardiness," Constance smiled as she entered the house. "We picked up the cake from the bakery but your father then remembered how you used to love Neapolitan ice cream as a child so he insisted we stop at the store to pick some up."

Maura's father set the cake and grocery bag with ice cream on the counter before coming to stand next to Constance, smiling down as his newly engaged daughter.

"You are simply glowing," her father said as he noticed the smile on his daughter's face. "Reminds me of the day I asked your mother to marry me," he said.

Hearing that, Maura couldn't stop herself from wrapping her arms around her father for a hug before giving one to her mother as well. Both of her parents surprised her by returning the hug with a tight squeeze.

Jane suddenly appeared holding two glasses of champagne, offering them to her future in-laws with a smile.

"My husband and I are so thankful that you included us in your plans to propose to our daughter," Constance told Jane with a soft smile.

"I'm so thankful that I had your blessing to propose," Jane replied as she once again wrapped an arm around Maura's waist. "Your help with getting the childhood photos of Maura was great. I think she loved the book."

"Oh, where is the book?" Maura asked excitedly. "I'd love to share it with my parents."

"I put the basket in the hallway closet," Jane replied as she nodded in the direction of the basket she had placed her creation in.

Maura quickly walked to the closet and pulled the book out, encouraging her parents to join her on the couch to show them the book. Jane watched with a smile as she began to talk to her parents with ease, something Jane knew Maura had wanted to be able to do for years.

Angela walked up next to Jane, smiling at the loving gaze Jane kept focused on Maura.

"You did good, Janie," Angela said sincerely as she nudged Jane's shoulder softly.

"Thanks, ma," Jane smiled as she sipped her champagne contentedly. "It sucks that it took Maura losing her vision for us to get together but looking back I don't think I'd change a thing. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"The way that Maura looks at you is like you're the best thing that's ever happened to her, too," Angela responded.

"Enough with the mushy gushy feelings," Jane laughed as she finished off her champagne and turned to the cake Maura's father had carried in. "Who wants cake?" she called, immediately capturing the attention of everyone in the house. The group made their way to the kitchen where Jane held a knife, poise to cut into the cake.

Maura snuck behind Jane and placed her hand over Jane's on the handle of the knife.

"Can I help?" she whispered in Jane's ear, laughing when Jane shivered slightly and only nodded her head.

The two women picked up the knife and cut the cake into squares, laughing as they attempted to cut with Jane's dominant hand covered by Maura's less dominant hand. They finally cut enough pieces for the group and passed them out, deciding to share a piece. Maura cut their shared piece in half and, with the entire group watching them, turned to Jane.

"Maybe we should practice feeding each other cake so we're prepared on the big day," Maura smiled as she picked up the small piece of cake from their place.

"Ya think?" Jane replied, arching an eyebrow as she noticed the mischievous glint in Maura's eyes.

"Yep," Maura replied as she nudged Jane with the paper plate, smiling when Jane picked up the other half of the slice.

Jane lifted her half of the piece up, preparing to offer it to Maura while Maura mirrored her actions. She kept her eyes locked with Maura's which left her vulnerable to attack.

Maura quickly lifted her slice of cake and pressed it to Jane's face, laughing as the detective gasped in surprise at having the red velvet cake smeared on her face.

The entire room burst into laughter, even Constance unable to hide her chuckle at her daughter's actions. Jane was momentarily stunned until she regained use of her motor functions and raised her own piece of cake.

"Jane," Maura attempted to warn in between giggles as her fiancée still had cake covering her face. "This dress is custom," she tried to bargain as she took a step back. "If you stain it I will not be pleased," she said in between laughs.

"I'll pay for dry cleaning," Jane shrugged as she grabbed Maura playfully around the waist and pressed the cake to her face, laughing at the squeal Maura released.

The two women laughed as they embraced each other, not noticing the photos being taken of them or the way everyone in the room watched them.

"I love you," Jane smiled as she kissed Maura's frosting covered cheek.

"I love you, too."


Well, that's all folks! 12 chapters of fluffy, angsty, and pretty cute Rizzles goodness.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter or the overall story. How I can improve, other plotlines you'd like to see written, or anything else!

Thanks for coming along for the ride!