A/N: Here is a short little epilogue. I didn't want to get too much into what happened in the last chapter. This one is purely fluff. I just want to thank you all very much for making this experience wonderful! I loved and appreciated all of the reviews.
Life as she knew it changed for Maura the day that Jane had almost died in her arms. Since that day Maura had had such a shock when she was thrown back into daily life without the brunette. Work was different without Jane around, as well as her home life. Now, Maura's days consisted of getting Lina ready for school, picking her up from Angela's house, making dinner, cleaning the mess Lina always made and then getting the little girl ready for bed. Some nights Maura dreaded the next day, she dreaded how empty it would be without Jane around.
Jane had been recouping from her injuries at the hospital for almost two weeks. And as the days neared for Jane to be released from the hospital, Maura had taken Angela up on her advice to throw Jane a welcome home/birthday party. It would be a welcomed distraction from what they had just been through with Hoyt. It would also be a way of getting out of the rut Maura and Lina had found themselves in.
"Now Stinky, remember what Grandma and I said about your momma's birthday?" Maura asks the little girl as she helps her out of the car.
"Don't tell momma about the party." Lina huffs out, rolling her eyes as if bothered that she was asked the question. "I'm not stupid."
Maura stops in her tracks, bending down, she comes to Lina's height. "I would never think you are, you are a bright young girl. If anyone makes you feel that way then you tell me and I will take care of it."
"Okay, but My Maura? Can I be smart like you and be a doctor and pretty like you?"
"Stinky, you are so very pretty, just like your mother. And you can be anything you want to be Lina. Your mother and I will make sure you are happy and on the right path." Maura stands and grabs the small hand that reaches out to her. "Now, let's go see you momma, she has been waiting for you."
"'Kay My Maura."
"Finally!" Jane screams as she comes around the hospital bed. Bending down she wraps Lina in a hug, hiding the wince of pain from the watchful blonde. "I have missed you my little stinky!"
Dropping the bag of clothes on the bed, Maura turns and watches mother and daughter hug and reconnect with stories of what had occurred in the days apart. "Well, it sounds like you two did just fine without me." Jane smiles, pulling out her clothes from the bag.
"We did, but it didn't make us miss you less." The blonde declares before pulling Jane into a hug and kissing her deeply. "I would ask you what you missed most but I think I just saw what that would be." Jane grins as Maura's face reddens.
"I would be lying to say that I didn't miss that Jane, but I missed other things more." Maura pulls away not wanting to push for anything more in front of Lina, "I just want you back with us and safe in our home."
"Me too."
"Yeah, me too!" Lina pulls both the women together so she is sandwiched between them. "Let's go home to the quite house." Looking to Maura, Lina smiles and tries with all her might to wink, but her attempts end with her closing both eyes.
"SURPRISE!" Jane is momentarily startled, but soon realizes that this is a party for her.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." She acts as if she were put out but as her brothers near she can't help the smile that forms on her face. "Didn't you both see enough of me in the hospital?"
Reaching out, Tommy slugs his sister in the arm. "I guess I can't get away from your ugly mug.
"Speaking of ugly mugs, where is your girlfriend Tommy?" Jane fake searches the living room. "No, seriously Tommy, I'm really proud of you."
"Yeah…you know…me too." Tommy rubs at the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable with this much affection. "Frankie here just landed a girl too. Well, I think so. He's fighting Frost over her, but you know us Rizzoli's?"
And in unison the three of them laugh as they speak, "We always get the girl." And it's the first time that Jane has said this with them and it makes the three siblings laugh even more. "That was better with the deepness your voice makes." Frankie goes to high five his sister. "What as opposed to your high, girly voice?" Jane smacks his hand as she walks off to visit with her partners.
"Jane?" The brunette stops her sentence mid conversation with Frost. Turning around she comes face to face with Constance Isles. "May I have a word?"
"Certainly." Jane says as she excuses herself. "I'm glad you could make it Constance."
"Well, it is the very least I could do." The older woman reaches out to place her hand around the brunette's forearm. "From what I was told, the reason why you were injured was because you were trying to save my daughter."
"No, not really…I just got blinded by things and it happened."
"Jane, you and I both know that isn't true." Constance lets go of Jane and the brunette can see the tears threatening to fall in Constance's eyes. "I can never repay you for what you did. You saved my daughter on so many occasions. And for once in her life she is truly happy."
Jane looks across the room searching for the blonde, "She has made me more than happy." Jane smiles when her eyes come to rest on Maura, who is playing with Lina. "Not just me but my daughter as well. I could never imagine my life without her."
"When the time comes and you would like to marry Maura, if you need anything you let me know okay?"
"I don't need time." Jane's eyes come back to make contact with Constance's. "I don't need anymore time. I know, that I would want…no need…I need to spend the rest of my life with your daughter. So if I have your blessing and assistance then I can happily start my life with her."
Constance lets the tears fall as she pulls the brunette into a hug. "Jane, you have my blessing."
"What a night?" Maura asks as she finishes cleaning up the night's mess. "Now that I'm done cleaning do you all want to watch a movie in bed?"
"YES!" Lina screams as she sits up on the couch. "MOVIE, MOVIE, MOVIE!" She chants as she holds her mother's face in her hands.
"I guess I can't say no now, or I'd be the bad guy." Jane says sarcastically.
"No Momma, you're not a baddy. You're the good guy."
"Well then, let's get upstairs." Jane grabs the squealing little girl and throws Lina over her shoulder. Maura follows laughing all the way as she watches her girls play.
After getting ready for sleep and starting the movie, the three of them lay in bed. Lina is lower between Jane and Maura cuddling Jo Friday, as she listens to the TV. The two women lay with their heads close together at the head of the bed. "I was thinking?" Jane says breaking the silence.
"Hmmm?" Maura hums her answer as she watches the movie.
"Maybe you and I can get away and have some time together."
Interest peaked; Maura looks to the brunette, "Just me and you?"
"Yes." Jane looks a bit nervous and Maura can tell. Maura's eyes search Jane's as she gets the flash of memory from earlier, "Jane?"
The blonde's face registers shock and happiness. Instantly Jane knows that Maura has seen her conversation with Constance from earlier at the party. "I am never going to be able to keep things from you am I?"
"I…I…" Speechless, Maura tries to answer but Jane doesn't wait. "Will you Maura? Will you marry me?"
"Yes!" Maura immediately answers as she tackles Jane over and within seconds she feels a tiny body on her back as well as little paws. "Did you hear that Stinky? I'm going to marry your momma!"
"YAY! My Maura is going to be my mommy!" Lina hollers as she stands and jumps up and down on the bed, Jo Friday is barking wildly at her feet.
Laughing, Jane brushes blonde strands of hair out of Maura's face, "I love you Maura Isles…Rizzoli."
Kissing Jane, Maura pulls back and giggles as she watches her family attack her and wrap her in a crushing hug. And Maura knows that she will always be happy and whole with Jane by her side.
I will miss writing this story because each and every follow, fav, and review made me love updating each chapter. AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL! Hope to see you back when I start me next story! xoxo