I love you Jane. So much. You're my best friend and I wish you every possible happiness in the world.

After hours of mentally rehearsing what she would say late at night when the reception wound down to its inevitable close, Maura decided that this phrasing was the most palatable. It allowed her to avoid lying without coming across as too contrived or insincere. She didn't have to actually say "congratulations" to Jane, which would be, in effect, a lie. She didn't feel in her heart of hearts that congratulations were in order.

It wasn't that Maura was bitter. She could never resent her best friend – truly the best person she had ever known and had the privilege of loving. But she couldn't bring herself, in all honesty, to congratulate Jane on a commitment that Maura felt would inevitably turn out wrong for her.

This way, this line, as she had practiced it ad infinitum in her mind, was the best she could do. This way came across as socially acceptable while still remaining faithful to the unique closeness and frankness that had always kept them together.

And this way, Maura was prepared. She knew what she would say, when she would say it, and even how she would confirm it with the appropriate physical gestures of affection and good will.

What she wasn't prepared for – what she had never been truly able to prepare for – was Jane.

Maura had just returned from fetching her jacket from the venue's coat closet, stepping back onto the outdoor dance floor to thank Angela for a wonderful evening. In her mind, she was also thanking the older woman for giving birth to and raising the most beautiful person Maura had ever known. Angela seemed to sense Maura's frustration with the inadequacy of words, for she enveloped the medical examiner in a long, warm, maternal hug. In that embrace, Maura imagined Angela was trying to convey some gratitude of her own.

Warming to the possibility of settling back into a permanent niche within the Rizzoli family dynamic, Maura found herself blindsided by Unexpected Variable Number One.

Jane approached her. Without Casey.

Maura had fully expected to step up to the newlyweds and gently part them for the briefest instant on the pretense of imparting well-wishes and saying goodnight to the bride. Her duties as maid-of-honor had been fulfilled as far as she could see, and there was no reason for her to stay any longer. But Jane – apparently still hyper-vigilant even at her own wedding – must have seen the beginnings of Maura's leave-taking and thought to head her off. Perhaps she was afraid Maura might try slipping away without saying goodbye, without being thanked for her generous assistance with the wedding plans and preparations.

If this was the case, Maura had to acknowledge that Jane's fears would not be entirely out of the realm of possibility. But she had planned to approach Jane first.

"Maura." Jane's voice husked softly from behind her. She turned, and Angela left them alone without another word. Maura peeked over Jane's shoulder, looking for Casey. "You're leaving?"

Maura met Jane's eyes. Unexpected Variable Number Two – those rich dark eyes were shining with unshed tears. Maura couldn't discern from Jane's expression whether the tears stemmed from a positive or negative emotion, or whether they were simply the relief of pent-up stress. Or she's sad to see you go, Maura mused for a moment, but swiftly quashed the idea before it developed into an unhealthy fantasy. "Things seemed to be winding down." She shrugged. "I thought I'd say my goodbyes and call it an evening." She offered a soft smile.

Jane nodded. "Could I…talk to you for a second? Before you go?"

"Of course, Jane."

They stood in an uncharacteristically awkward silence for a few seconds. Maura spent those seconds almost uncomfortably aware of Jane's splendid physique, displayed with such class in the rose colored evening gown she had changed into for the reception. Another of Maura's selections. The medical examiner finally deemed the pause had lasted long enough and it was appropriate to prompt Jane. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Jane shifted her weight slightly, almost slipping into "posturing detective" mode before catching herself. Maura suppressed a smile at Jane's old habits refusing to quit. "Actually, I've had this sense for a while – basically all night – that you've had something on your mind that you want to tell me."

And now came Unexpected Variable Number Three. Maura's stream of consciousness froze over and everything in her seemed to lock up. She had been depending on one of Jane's momentary lapses in her normally acute emotional intuitiveness. On her maddening lack of perception in certain matters of the human heart.

Now is your chance. Take it, or regret it forever.

Maura unconsciously shook her head, telling her ego she wasn't ready. Luckily, Jane appeared to interpret that as meaning, "No, there actually wasn't anything I needed to tell you right now," and let it slide. Instead, she stepped unbearably close and put her arms around Maura, holding her tightly, resting her chin on Maura's shoulder and letting out a tiny sigh. Maura returned the embrace wholeheartedly.

Jane seemed to sniff out a small chuckle, saying, "I'll miss you." Maura stiffened. "On the honeymoon. You know, because I'll get bored…without a case to solve." Maura relaxed, wrapping her arms just a little tighter around the detective, discreetly inhaling her scent. "Might have to call you once or twice and have you enable my addiction to criminal drama."

Maura smiled. Indulged in a light chuckle. "You'll be back soon enough, and then you'll wish you had stayed away longer."

"Yeah, maybe so, but that doesn't change the fact that…I'll still miss you, Maura. It might be the longest we've been apart in…ever."

Another few seconds passed. Maura gathered the courage to say her piece and walk away. "I love you, Jane. I love you so much, you're my best friend, and I wish you every happiness in the world." She found that she truly meant every word.

The last Unexpected Variable was nearly her undoing. At these words, Jane shivered. Maura could have attributed this to the evening breeze that had picked up as the day drew to a close. They had chosen a partially outdoor venue to take advantage of warm spring weather, and it was entirely possible that Jane had become slightly chilled from standing outside so long in not much clothing. But the timing, the context, everything aside from the meteorological circumstances pointed to this shiver stemming not from the physiology of homeostasis, but rather the physiology of emotion.

Maura found her mind's eye flashing unbidden on a few personal watershed moments in her relationship with Jane.

Jane allowing herself to be led gingerly to the sidelines in the wake of a fatal car bomb explosion. Jane huddled against her, face hidden in her shoulder, trembling from shock and pain in Maura's arms as BPD milled about, fighting to regroup.

Jane's arms holding her up in the hospital after the hit-and-run that almost killed Constance. Her hands tenderly cradling Maura's injured ones at Constance's bedside.

Jane supporting her again after serial killer Dennis almost slit her throat. Cupping her face, her head, squeezing her body to keep her from falling to pieces, making her feel safe again.

Jane in her arms again when Maura informed her of the risks of Casey's restorative spinal surgery. Sobbing silently, lost and afraid, clinging to her best friend because Maura was the only rock she had to cling to.

Maura sighed, unable to contain so much emotional turmoil for much longer. "And I'll miss you, too."