A/N: Here's the first of a series of New Years Eve chapters. :)

Jane had survived her first few days as an assistant manager—survived being the key word for her. The couple of weeks before Christmas weren't particularly busy at The Basement, but the store received a steady flow of customers buying Christmas gifts for loved ones or cassettes and CDs of Christmas music for themselves. Jane and Mark were more attentive during those days because many of their customers were parents looking for a particular item for their teenage sons and daughters. These customers had no interest in the music on their shopping lists and they often mispronounced the names of the bands, so it was up to Jane and Mark to make sure they left the store with the correct items. Helping customers made their shifts go by faster, but by the end of December they were ready to go back to the days of making a house of cassettes and shooting the breeze.

New Years Eve was a much-awaited transition from holiday shoppers to their regular clientele and Jane was relieved to not have to be so attentive. When the store was finally closed for the day, Jane closed down the registers while Mark went about fixing the displays.

"I kinda like this," Mark said while alphabetizing a row of cassettes. "You're my boss and work is kinda like the two of us just hanging out."

"It's the only time we get to hang out," Jane sighed. Talking to Mark caused her to lose count of the money in the drawer so she had to start again. "Working full time is harder than I thought. The hours aren't bothering me, but I miss Maura."

"You live together," Mark reminded her. "You share a bed and everything. How can you miss her?"

"You'll find out when you're married," Jane responded. When she thought about what she had just said, she realized she had just aged herself more than she had hoped.

"You're eighteen and you already sound like my grandma," Mark laughed. "I shudder to think what's going to happen to you by the time you're thirty."

"I'm not ashamed of loving my wife and wanting to put her first," Jane retorted. "I know I'm eighteen and people expect me to care about nothing other than sex and partying, but that's not me and that's never been me."

"That's never been either of us," Mark pointed out. "Our lives have always been different. We don't come from rich families and we've worked for everything we've got, but I'm proud of us, Jane. We're doing alright for ourselves and if it turns out that Markie is pregnant then I'm still going to be alright and I'm going to work my ass off to take care of this baby."

"If she wants to keep it," Jane brought to his attention.

Mark nearly knocked over a stack of cassettes. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know."

"Jane," Mark raised his voice. "What do you mean?"

Jane quickly jotted down the amount of money in the cash register on an invoice and debated whether she should approach Mark. He had been her best friend since she was a baby and she hated to see him hurting, but she was afraid of saying something she'd regret if she hadn't already.

"Mark, I—"

"Save it," Mark attempted to smile. "I know what you mean. It's Markie's body and it's her decision. I just don't want to think about it. Either way, I'm fucked."

"So is she," Jane brought to his attention. "She's the one who might be pregnant and she's the one who is going to face so many physical and emotional changes. You two need to be there for each other. I know she's in Seattle right now, but—"

"She's not in Seattle," Mark interrupted. "She's with your wife."

"She's back in Boston?" Jane asked. "So, are we having a double date tonight?"

"Jane, it's…it's not just her," Mark hesitated. "It's the whole goon squad."

"So, it's a triple date?" Jane tried to be optimistic, but her New Years Eve was already taking a turn for the worst.

"You wish," Mark laughed. "Stash and Roxie broke up, which means Stash is going to be giving her the silent treatment and Roxie is going to be throwing a fit because she isn't paying attention to her. Happy First New Years Eve as a married couple."

"Really," Jane groaned. "I love Markie and Stash is cool, but I can't stand Roxie. She's just like those girls who thought they were better than everyone in high school and she still has that mentality. Why are they even here? Markie is here to see you, but why is Roxie here?"

"They're calling it a reunion," Mark shrugged. "I guess they just miss Maura."

Jane smiled at the thought of Maura's friends missing her so much that they flew in from their hometowns a week early to see her, but her mind soon wandered to the plans she originally had for her and Maura. Her parents were going out on a New Years Eve date and her brothers were going to a party, so Jane and Maura were going to have the entire house to themselves. With Jane's work schedule, they didn't see as much of each other as they used to, so New Years Eve was going to be a way to make up for lost time and celebrate the end of the year that brought so much change to their lives.

"Maybe we should do something," Jane suggested.

"Like what?" Mark laughed. "Go to a college party?"

"A college party," Jane scoffed. "Spare me."

"Yeah, we'd never get invited to a high school party let alone a college party."

Jane never wanted to admit it, but there were reasons why she and Mark were never invited to parties. Many of their peers were offended by Jane's sarcasm and lack of desire to fit in and, although Mark was friendlier than Jane, he had a tendency to criticize the music played at most parties.

"It's all this electronic and synthesizer bullshit," he'd say. "There's no artistic value to it."

Silence fell over them as Jane mentally debated how they should spend their New Years Eve. Her first New Years Eve with Maura was supposed to be special, but now that her friends were back, Jane wanted Maura to be able to spend time with them—preferably without her.

"Stuevie's!" Jane said excitedly. "We can go to Stuevie's and then invite the girls to come when it's closer to midnight."

"Stuevie's," Mark agreed. "Roxie can't bitch there and, if she does, the loud music will drown her out."

Maura was alone in the Rizzoli household, but unlike the house she grew up in, there was still comfort in the Rizzoli house even when everything was silent. Jane wasn't due to arrive home for another two hours so Maura took it upon herself to prepare herself for the night they were going to have together.

She had already showered, applied her makeup and, as far as clothing went, she had no intentions of wearing anything other than one of Jane's flannel shirts. There were half a dozen shirts to choose from, but Maura's eyes fixated on the shirt Jane had worn the night they had lost their virginity to each other—or the night they attempted to lose their virginity to each other had Roxie and Stash not walked in on them.

It had been one of the most memorable nights of Maura's life and she was hoping for another night just as special.

Jane had expected a night like every night they had since they were married, but Maura wanted Jane to have more than what she was expecting. Her plan was to create a romantic night for them starting with a relaxing bath by candlelight and ending with the two of them being each others New Years Eve kiss.

Maura held the shirt up to her nose to inhale the familiar, comforting scent and for a brief moment she felt as if her wife were in the same room as her. She would see her later that night and she had seen her just hours before, but Maura still missed Jane even if she'd never admit it out of fear of Jane thinking she was co-dependent.

It's Jane, Maura reminded herself. She's just as co-dependent. She thought about the notebook and their wishing star and even Jane's bedroom door that had once been covered with pictures of her and she smiled when she realized she had nothing to be embarrassed of in front of Jane because Jane, although she'd never admit it to Mark or the guys, could be just as sentimental.

Maura was buttoning the final button on Jane's shirt when she heard the doorbell. It was too early to be Jane, so Maura decided to put on a pair of jeans before going downstairs to answer the door. They weren't expecting any guests, so Maura was under the impression that it'd be one of the neighbors just wanting to wish Frank and Angela a happy new year.

"Dort!" she heard a girl shout as she pounded on the door.

"Dorthea!" another girl shouted.

It had been nearly a month since she had heard anyone call her Dort and the sound of her nickname made her smile. She hadn't been expecting them, but her girls—her support system—had come for a visit.

Maura quickly opened the door and prepared for the inevitable group hug she was about to receive. She never considered herself a hugger, but hugs from her friends filled her with comfort.

It wasn't long before Stash tackled her to the ground. Nothing had changed for her or for Roxie, but as she looked at her best friend she noticed a shift in her demeanor.

"Markie?" Maura asked.

"She's been a spazz since the airport," Stash pointed out.

"I'm not a spazz," Markie argued. "I'm expecting."

"Expecting what?" Roxie asked. "What are you expecting from us?"

"Roxanne!" Stash said while helping Maura off the ground. "She's not expecting anything from us."

Roxie scrunched her face. "Then who is she—"

"She's expecting something from her vagina," Stash interrupted.

"Her vagina?" Roxie asked. "Like, her period or something?"

"I think she'd murder someone if it meant getting her period," Stash commented.

"Hopefully, it's you," Roxie snapped back at her.

Maura couldn't believe what she was witnessing. One of their dearest friends had just told them she might be pregnant and they were still arguing.

"They broke up," Markie clued Maura in. "Stash didn't tell her family about Roxie and now Roxie is offended. You're pretty much up to speed now."

"And why didn't you tell me you might be pregnant?" Maura asked. She motioned toward the couches in the living room and she couldn't help but smile when Roxie opted to sit on the carpet instead of sitting next to her ex-girlfriend.

"I wanted to tell you in person," Markie began. "Mark knows and he told Jane, but don't be upset with Jane. She was sworn to secrecy because I wanted to tell you myself. I didn't want to take the test until I was with you guys, so I came back to Boston a week early."

"And I missed you guys," Stash pointed out. "So that's why I came back."

"And I got sick of the Hollywood scene," Roxie added.

Maura noticed Markie roll her eyes. "How late are you?" Maura asked in hopes of steering the conversation back to Markie.

"Five weeks," Markie said nervously.

Maura wanted to faint. "Five weeks? How did this happen?" She soon realized how her question must have sounded to them.

"Dort," Stash hesitated. "I know you're not an expert on heterosexual sex, but you know biology and, well, when you insert a penis inside a vagina."

"Stop," Markie playfully smacked her. "Don't scare Maura."

"We need to buy a pregnancy test," Maura said urgently. "You can't keep putting this off. Now is the best time to take it. You have all of us here and we'll stay by your side no matter what happens."

"Yeah," Roxie added. "We're in this together. Time to pee on the white stick of doom."

Maura looked around at her friends and observed their playful banter. They were merely freshmen and, by all means, their lack of maturity showed it. She's not ready for this. None of us are.