Aaaand I'm posting this early. Just cause I can. Last chapter will go up at the usual time which is (for me, here in Australia) between 5-6am tomorrow morning :-)

Sunday 18th August 2013

Yesterday wasn't too bad. Think I found my wedding clothes.

Ooh, tell me about it!

No, Maura! It's bad luck to talk about the bride's clothes before the wedding!

Actually, I believe the correct saying is that it is bad luck to SEE the bride's DRESS before the wedding.

Whatever. Still not telling you.

Humph.

How did you go anyway, Miss Pouty Toddler Face?

I'm not telling you. It's bad luck.

Maura! Come on.

No.

Rargh, fine.

Please?

NO.

Fine. It's not like I care anyway.

Good.

…GAH!

Monday 19th August 2013

Well, uh… that was interesting. Walked into the bullpen to see Casey sitting at my desk. Stopped dead in my tracks and stared at him blankly, while Korsak sorta shrugged helplessly at me. This is our conversation:

J: Uh… Casey?

C: Hi Jane

J: Hi… look, don't take this the wrong way or anything, but uh… what are you doing here?

C: I, uh… I missed you.

J: You dumped me. Like… two and a half months ago.

C: I know. I just… I was having issues.

J: Because of Maura?

*Korsak clears throat awkwardly*

J: *looks around* Look, we shouldn't be having this conversation here. I'm at work.

C: Do you want to have dinner with me? Tonight? We can talk then.

J: I don't know… I…

C: Please?

J: *flounders* *stammers* Um… okay. Yeah. Okay.

C: I'll pick you up.

J: No! I mean… no, I'll just meet you. Let's say 7pm, Dirty Robber.

C: Okay, Jane. I look forward to it. *leans forward to kiss me* *I lean back out of reach*

J: *awkwardly* Yeah, it'll be good to talk and catch up.

C: Right. *sits back, also looking awkward*. Um, see you then.

J: Bye.

C: *leaves*

K: Uh… so what exactly are you planning on telling Maura?

J: Oh God. *head falls onto desk with a loud 'bonk' noise*

Uh yeah, so… I love you Maura!?

You're going out to dinner. With Casey.

Um. Yes.

Without me.

Um.

You're going out to dinner with your ex-boyfriend.

Yes…

And you didn't ask me.

Um. No. But I don't need your permission, you know!

Hm.

…Can I go?

Of course you can go. As you previously stated, you are not in need of my permission. You are a grown adult, capable of making your own choices.

As stupid as those choices may be.

Maura!

What?

Look, it's not that I WANT to have dinner with him, it's just that I feel like I at least owe it to him to tell him that there's no hope in person. I need to tell him I'm in love with someone else, and I wouldn't feel right telling him over the phone.

Look, if it makes you feel better you can come pick me up after I meet him?

Fine.

Fine? That's… really, that's it? 'Fine'?

Yes, that's fine. I'll pick you up after your dinner with him. Will 8pm be appropriate?

Better make it 7:30, I don't think he's going to want to talk much after I drop this bombshell on him.

Fine, 7:30 it is then.

Maura, what do you have planned?

A plan is a detailed proposal for doing or achieving something. I have no such detailed proposals in mind.

Uh huh. I'm going to get back to work now. Love you?

Love you too Jane.

19th August 2013

Huh, sitting here waiting for Casey when I suddenly realized that I'm sitting in the exact same booth we were in two and a half months ago, when I got hammered and ended up leaving a hickey on Maura's neck in the bathroom. Interesting.

Kinda wish we had a better getting-together story but there you go. Oh, Casey's here.

19th August 2013

Well THAT was interesting. I don't think ANYONE was prepared for that, let alone Casey.

Poor guy.

Oh, you can't feel that sorry for him or you wouldn't have STAKED YOUR CLAIM on me so blatantly in front of him.

I can still feel sympathetic towards him! I just feel an odd sense of smugness as well.

Right, well can I tell the story?

Be my guest.

Thank you. Okay, so Casey walked in the door of the Dirty Robber, I quickly put away Diary and smiled at him as he came closer. He leant down and kissed me on the cheek.

C: Have you ordered yet?

J: No, I was just about to though.

C: I've heard the burgers here are good.

J: Yes, they're amazing.

C: *places order for two burgers and two drinks*

J: I wish you wouldn't do that.

C: What, eat?

J: No, order for me as though we were still together. We're not. You dumped me.

C: I'm sorry. I just… I guess I wish I'd handled things differently.

J: You guess?

C: I was so confused Jane. You were… you ARE… one of the most beautiful women I know. I was head over heels in love with you, but you barely seemed to want to spend any time with me.

J: I know, and that wasn't fair to you, but…

C: *interrupts* No, it wasn't fair, but you know what I realized? I wasn't fair to you either. *reaches across the table to take my hand*

J: *shakes head* How weren't you fair?

C: I didn't give you a chance. All women want to spend time with their best friend, it's natural. But I couldn't accept that. I didn't want to share you, even to a platonic relationship.

J: Um, yeah… about that…

C: *interrupts* I've had to do a lot of growing up lately, Jane. I admit that. I wasn't very mature back then, but now I am. Or at least *laughs*, at least I'm better than I was. So I want to give this another chance.

J: Casey… I…

C: *lifts my hand and presses a kiss to my knuckles* I'm not saying it won't involve sacrifices on your behalf too, but that's what a relationship is. It's give and take. You know, like… I'll agree to not be so weird about Maura if you agree to only spend one night a fortnight with her.

J: *blankly* One night a fortnight.

C: Yes. Then, you know, you could spend like one weekend every couple of months catching up.

J: Huh.

C: You see? I've grown, Jane. I'm a better person than I used to be.

J: *pulls hand out from his* I've changed too, Casey. I've discovered what it is I really want out of life.

C: Tell me. *folds arms and stares into my eyes beseechingly*

J: Casey…

C: No, Jane, please just tell me. We'll figure it out. Whatever you want out of life is fine by me, it's what I want too, I just…

J: What I want… WHO I want… it's not you.

C: *blinks* What?

J: I'm sorry Casey. But I'm not in love with you anymore.

C: *takes both my hands in his* Jane, please. We can figure this out. I know you're mad at me for the way I ended things with you, but please, please don't ruin our chance at happiness.

J: It's your chance at happiness, Casey. It's not mine. Not anymore.

C: But…

*door slams open to Dirty Robber* *I look over Casey's shoulder with raised eyebrows to see Maura, frowning ferociously and stalking in* *Casey's mouth is hanging open as Maura pulls my hands from his grip, wrenches me up to a standing position, twines her hands in my hair and brings my mouth down to hers* *tongues battle furiously* *I groan*

C: I… oh.

M: *breaks away from me* She's with me now Casey. And may I suggest getting an eye checkup, as you have been holding her hands for a good few minutes now and have still not noticed the engagement ring on her finger?

C: *eyes dart down to first my hand, then Maura's* Oh. *looks at me* Jane… *pleadingly*

J: I'm sorry Casey. But you were right to break up with me. I'm not in love with you anymore. I… I don't know if I ever really was.

C: I… Jane…

M: I think it's time for you to go now, Casey. We will send you a wedding invitation.

J: *hisses in Maura's ear* Maura!

M: *half shrugs unrepentantly in my direction*

C: *nods slowly* *stands up* I just… I'm sorry, Jane. And I wish you both the best of luck. *starts walking out* *pauses half way* You're good for her Maura. Treat her right, okay?

M: I will.

C: Goodbye Jane. I will always love you.

J: *steps up behind Maura and wraps arms around her waist* Goodbye Casey.

So after that the burgers that were originally for Casey and I showed up, and Maura and I ended up having an impromptu date.

After which I took her home and showed her exactly how much the thought and sight of Casey touching her affected me.

Maura has quite the jealous streak, Diary! But I'm not complaining.

No. The neighbors might be complaining however…

Yes, well, that's not my problem. :-)

I'm so lucky you chose me, Jane.

I didn't choose you Maura. I was made for you.

You are such a sap.

Am not.

Are too.

Well, I'm your sap.

Forever mine.

END CHAPTER EIGHT

So I'm a sap too, so shoot me. Only the epilogue left now... I feel quite sad... :-( Please review :-)