Hey, guys. So here's the last update of Our Lady's Tears of this year. Thank you all so much for reading, following and reviewing this story. It really means a lot to me. Thank you all over again.

I wanna wish all of you a happy new year.

Enjoy this little chapter.

T73.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jane has decided to go to the gym to blow off some steam. That's why she is now wearing a simple black shorts, a black sports bra and her read sneakers that she's only wearing in their internal gym.

She has added to her workout outfit a pair of boxing gloves and stands at one of the heavy bags.

The Italian rolls her head in her neck and takes a deep breath with closed eyes.

She is sure that Ben has told Maura that she is thinking that he has to do with the murders in Boston.

Jane isn't quite sure if the ME is knowing about his dark past, but something is telling her that Maura would have come to her and tell her that DA Benjamin Payton was a murder suspect back in Baltimore, and that Maura wouldn't have married him when she'd known those facts.

All right, Jane knows that Maura has a bad taste when it comes to men. Somehow she is mainly attracted to men with a criminal history.

There was Garrett Fairfield, the one who killed his own brother.

Ian Faulkner, the one who was guilty because of identity theft and drug smuggling.

Denis Rockmond, the serial killer who made statues out of hookers.

And now Benjamin Payton, a DA and perhaps a serial killer who is wanted in Baltimore and Boston.

And when Maura isn't dating psychopaths then she dating men with a fatal, genetic diseases and she is diagnosing them.

She growls through clenched teeth and throws her first jab against the punching bag.

She has seen through all of Maura's crushes since they knew each other, and Maura hasn't always liked it because especially Fairfield and Faulkner were those whom the ME has cared about the most and it tore Jane apart when she had had to hurt Maura, when she had to see her best friend heartbroken.

She growls again and slams her left fist over and over again against the defenseless bag until she's feeling a burning pain in her fingers.

She is hoping that none of her colleagues are coming in right now, because then him or her are switching places with the bag.

She hasn't closed her eyes but she is so lost in her thoughts that her vision is blurry, and she only her the blood rushing in her ears.

She is sure that Ben has said something charming to his wife and now Maura is bickering with the decision to leave Ben.

If that is really the case then Jane is gonna change her mind about the blonde, then she won't think anymore that Maura is an genius. Then she has the opinion that Maura is an idiot.

She is so lost in her thought that she isn't realizing that she is beating the bag like a barrage with her fists.

"Jane"

The Italian can feel all her anger and frustration bubble up in her and she is leaning her forehead against the rough leather and hammers at the punching , not caring about the planned frequency anymore.

"Jane."

Jane is clinging to the bag and rams her right fist into her enemy's side like her life depends on it, and a frustrated whimper escapes from her throat.

"Jane!"

The detective stops but doesn't turn her head in the direction of the voice. "WHAT?" She yells back.

"Stop," the voice says softly. "Stop it."

The tenderness in the voice makes Jane turn her head and she looks into worried hazel eyes.

She straightens up and a single bead of sweat is tickling down her temple. "You're not gonna leave him, are you?"

Maura tilts questioningly her head to the side and frowns. "What?"

Jane shrugs and pulls the corners of her mouth downward. "I've seen you talking with Ben. It was like nothing has changed between the two of you. I thought you have told him about us."

Maura takes a step closer and frowns. "I did, Jane. I have told him about us."

Jane is clenching her teeth and shrugs with a sarcastic laugh. "And now what? Now we're gonna have a threesome every now and then? Sorry, but -"

"Shut up," Maura is cutting her off and the Italian's brows shoot surprised up. "Just shut up, Jane. A threesome is not going to happen. I might be an open-minded person, but at some point I don't like to share.

Ben just said to me that he is picking up some things before he goes back to his office and that he had a nice chat with you. That's why I was looking so shocked as you left the conference room.

I wanted to ask you what he has said to you, but you were already gone."

Suddenly, Jane is feeling like an idiot and looks down at the floor with pursed lips. That's what happens when she's making hasty conclusions.

Now she is understanding why Maura rather relies on hard facts then gut feelings.

Maura smiles a little and walks to her lover. She's lifting the detective's left, gloved hand and opens the Velcro.

She pulls the glove off of Jane's hand and runs her thumb over red knuckles.

The evidence of the detective's anger, frustration and jealousy.

She lifts the hand to her lips and kisses it gently.

Jane's heart is leaping in her chest and she cups the smaller woman's cheek with her hand.

She furrows her eyebrows and shakes her heard.

She is scowling herself and sighs heavily as she steps closer to the blonde, bending her head slightly. "I'm sorry, I am an idiot sometimes."

Maura chuckles and nods once. "Yes, you are sometimes."

"Hey," Jane whispers before she captures Maura's lips with her own.

Maura smiles into the kiss and runs her hands over sweat covered shoulders.

She moans low as the Italian deepens the kiss and steps closer.

She tilts her head to the side when Jane breaks the kiss and kisses her down the neck.

The blonde's eyes are rolling in the back of her head and she can't suppress a deep moan.

All of a sudden she starts to laugh as she feels a boxing glove on her back.

Jane pulls back and frowns deeply. "What? Why are you laughing?"

"I'm sorry." Maura replies and gets the gloved hand off her back. "But that's not sexy at all."

Jane rolls her eyes and smiles wryly.

Maura runs her hands over her lover's shoulders and drags her nails over the back of Jane's neck. "I love you." She whispers and kisses the Italian again.

"I love you too." Jane mumbles almost inaudible against the ME's lips.

Maura laughs again and breaks away. "Oh, my God, with you I almost feel like I am in school again."

"Because you are totally giggly again," Jane asks with furrowed brows and a smirk.

Maura slaps the brunette's shoulder with a smile. "No, because you can't decide if you should talk to me, or if you should kiss me."

Jane smiles broadly and shrugs. "I just said that I love you too."

"But you have to decide what you're gonna do first, Jane." Maura replies with a smile.

Jane is getting rid of her other boxing glove and looks confused at the doctor. "Why? I am a woman, I can multitask."

"You are a woman on the outside," Maura laughs and raises briefly her shoulders. "But in the inside you are -" She gasps as soon as the detective is lifting her off her feet and she wraps her legs automatically around Jane's thighs.

"Thank God, your wearing pants today." Jane says with a glint in her eyes.

Maura is biting her bottom lip as she looks down and hums approvingly, but her eyes are giving her away. "You have to stop doing that at work."

"Why," Jane asks and smirks.

Maura opens her mouth to answer but only a smirk is the result.

Jane laughs and set her down again.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jane is brooding over her notes in Maura's house and runs her hands though her hair.

Something is bugging her, and it is not Ben's presence that is still lingering in the house.

She turns the page of her notebook and sighs heavily before she looks at the ME who is sitting at the other end of the couch, reading one of her beloved medical journals.

The Italian furls her eyebrows and lowers the notebook. "Um, what has Ben told you about his past, Maura?" She asks and swallows hard.

She knows that she has to be careful in that. It is true, she doesn't like Ben but she doesn't want seem that she wanna belittle him at all.

Jane can tell that Ben hasn't told the blonde his whole story, because the detective is sure that Maura wouldn't have gone this far with the attorney.

Maura lowers the magazine and glance at the other woman. "Ben has told me everything. That he is from Baltimore, that he has four sibling, that he was top of the class in his high school and that he went to Francis King Carey School of Law." She pauses and shrugs. "His parents and Ben have a close relationship even though his father was rather unhappy that Ben wanted to become attorney instead of working in the family's law firm."

Jane nods slowly and sips her beer. "Did Ben tell you about his previous girlfriends and why he moved to Boston?"

The blonde blinks a couple of times and frowns a little. "I know that Ben had other women before me, Jane, when you're driving at this topic. He told me that he moved to Boston because he had the opportunity to went to Harvard Law School, and he took it instantly."

"I am sure he did," Jane mumbles to herself and frowns. "How did he got this opportunity?"

"His father has some connections," Maura answers and closes her magazine now, turning her body to the detective. "Why are you asking me all these questions about Ben all of a sudden?"

Jane looks long at the confused blonde and chews on the inside of her cheek.

She isn't sure anymore if she should break the news about Ben's real motives why he left Baltimore, or if she should wait and give him the chance to explain himself, and to explain Maura why he hasn't told her the whole truth. To tell her why he has kept the real reason from his wife.

Jane is dying to know why he did that, too.

She turns the corners of her mouth downward and shrugs. "I was just curious and realized that I never asked him or you why he came to Boston. That's all."

Maura is scrutinizing her lover long and she can see that Jane is something holding back, something that seems to bother her, but she can't tell what it is.

"Something is telling me that you are not telling the whole truth, Jane." She sates and tilts her head to the side.

Jane's facial muscles are twitching and she takes a deep breath. Now she's hating herself for asking so explicit about Ben and what he has told her.

Stupid me, she thinks to herself and licks her lips. Stupid me, stupid me. Why on earth can't I shut up just for once?

"I think you should … you should talk about with Ben. I don't wanna be the asshole who's talking bad about his back," she says and sips her beer.

"Since when?" The ME laughs, and the laugh is more sarcastically.

The Italian rolls her eyes and pulls the smaller woman to her. She wraps her arms around Maura's middle as soon as the blonde leans with her back against Jane's front.

She kisses the crook of Maura's neck and takes a deep breath. "I mean it, Maura. You should talk with Ben about why I asked such questions. I mean, not everything the two of you was -"

"You are right, Jane." Maura states as the detective is trailing off. "Not our entire marriage was bad. We had our ups and downs like every other couple, but he is a really good man. And I am sure that he will a woman who he really deserves. I mean, I already told you that I loved him, but it was not enough."

Jane is tightening her hold and nestles her nose against the smaller woman's neck. "I didn't want to ruin your marriage, Maura."

Maura runs her hands over Jane's bare forearms and shakes her head slightly, frowning. "You didn't ruin my marriage, Jane. You maybe initiated the separation, but didn't ruin it. A lot of things has happened the last few months that you don't know about. None of you know about."

The Italian is quiet for a moment and just holds the woman in her arms, wondering what Maura was keeping from her.

She knows that it would be a huge mistake to push Maura, but the detective in her always wanna have answers. "Do you wanna talk about it," she carefully asks.

The blonde hesitates for a second and shakes her head. "Not tonight, no."

Jane nods approvingly and kisses Maura's neck. "Okay." She whispers.

Maura is closing her eyes and enjoys the moment.

She is aware that she has to tell Jane what went wrong in her marriage, and she knows that she could have share her problems with her best friend, but somehow she was afraid that Jane would rub her express wedding in and that the Italian would've said I told you so.

The ME also knows that this idea, this thought is more than ridiculous. Jane would never twist the knife when she would confide in the Italian.

Jane would rather have tried everything to support her than to make fun of her.

Maura sighs heavily and turns her head to the right.

She smiles when she looks into lovingly, brown eyes and melt more into the Italian.

Jane smiles back at the smaller woman and kisses the ME's soft lips gently. "You know that you can tell me everything, don't you?" Jane says as she pulls away.

Maura's smile grows bigger and she nods slowly. "Yes, I do. But I just wanna enjoy the rest of the night with you."

"What do you wanna do the rest of the night?"

"Just sitting her and cuddle."

"Maura!" Jane groans loudly and let her forehead drop to the blonde's shoulder.

Maura snickers amused and lifts her right shoulder a little. "Don't you dare pretending that you don't like to cuddle, Jane. Every time when we share a bed and I wake up before you, I feel like I am trapped in a vise."

The detective groans again and starts to shake her head without looking up. "That's what you are saying, you can't prove it and I am denying it."

"And that's why you're holding onto me like a spider monkey right now?" Maura asks and arches an eyebrow.

Jane growls low and is about to break her embrace when the ME places her hands on her arms.

Jane furrows her brows and looks long into hazel eyes.

Maura is holding the gaze and swallows hard when she sees the unconditionally love for her in those eyes.

Jane isn't the first person who is looking lovingly at her, but none of her previous partners had ever looked at her like the Italian right now.

She smiles and cups Jane's cheek with her left hand, caressing it with her thumb. "I love you, Jane."

Jane is smiling back at her and takes a deep breath.

She will never get tired of hearing those words from the woman that owns her heart for years.

She has never though that she really would her them from Maura. She was sure that she has missed her chance and now she is sitting in the ME's house and holding her tight, and kissing her.

"I love you too, Maura." She replies sincerely and frowns slightly. "I love you from the bottom of my heart and that will never change, no matter what. And there is nothing in this world that I wouldn't do for you, Maura, absolutely nothing. When you need me, I'll be there."

Maura smiles with tears in her eyes and closes the last gap of their lips, kissing the Italian sweet and gentle.

Jane sighs softly and pulls the smaller woman even closer, suddenly she starts to smile into the kiss.

Maura breaks the kiss and furls her brows. "What?"

The detective shakes her head and shrugs. "Nothing. It just … I have never thought that I would her those words from your mouth."

Maura tilts confused her head to the side. "I said many times to you that I love you."

"Yeah, but in the context of our friendship," Jane retorts and exhales through her nose.

Maura smirks and straddles suddenly Jane's hips and kisses the detective again. "I love you, and not just as a friend."

Jane smiles wryly and her hands find their way to Maura's thighs. "Should I stay tonight?"

Maura's smirk grows wider and she raises briefly her eyebrows. "Only if you want to."

"I want to." The detective states and kisses the blonde again.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next morning, Maura is coming into the kitchen and is freezing when she spots Angela standing behind the kitchen island.

The older Rizzoli looks up at her and smiles friendly. "Good morning, Maura."

Maura forces herself to smile and hopes that Jane is still standing under the shower, and that she won't come down before Angela has left the main house again. "Good morning, Angela."

"I thought I could make breakfast for you and Ben before the two of you are leaving for work." Angela says and wipes her hands in her apron. "I know that the two of you are as bad as my children when you have a lot to do. And you really should eat breakfast today."

Maura is licking her lips and walks to her coffeemaker. "That's very kind of you, Angela."

The older woman is looking long at her and brace herself on the counter. "I haven't seen Ben's car in the driveway. Did he stayed in his office?"

Maura doesn't look at the other woman and pours herself a cup of coffee. She knows that Angela would see right through her when she would turn around, and the older woman would ask her what has happened to them.

She is asking herself how she should explain that she put Jane up to do exactly the same thing what her father has done to Angela.

Angela has raised her children better, and she could never forgive herself when Angela would harangue Jane.

Maura closes her eyes as she hears footsteps on the stairs and she was never more relieved and horrified that she doesn't have to face Angela alone.

Angela glances in the direction of the stairs and her eyebrows shoot up as her daughter enters the kitchen. "Jane! I didn't know that you stayed here last night."

Jane freezes and all color is draining from her face. "Um, yeah. Well Maura and I … We … we went through some files last night and it got late. And Maura … offered me to stay here because … because … Because I had a little too much, too."

Angela is eying her daughter skeptically and narrows her eyes. "And Ben stayed at his office?"

Jane's eyes are looking first at Maura and then at her mother, frowning. "Um, well … It is a little more complicated, Ma. And Maura and I really don't have much time this morning. We have to catch a killer."

"Jane Clementine Rizzoli," Angela says warningly and the detective is flinching. "Something is really off here and I wanna know what on earth is going on."

Jane walks to the blonde and grabs her at the elbow. "We have to go now, we're already running late."

"Jane!"

"I had no coffee and no breakfast," Maura whispers as she almost stumbles over her own feet.

"Jane!"

"Neither had I," Jane growls low as she makes her way to the front door. "I buy you a coffee on the way to the station. Come on, Maura." She smiles at her mother before she's leaving the house. "Bye, Ma."

Maura smiles apologizing at the older woman. "Bye, Angela."

The matriarch huffs annoyed and put her hands on her hips.

She is more than sure that the two women is keeping something from her, and she'll find out what.