Author's note: thank you very much for your kind words; there is one chapter left after today's chapter, it is time for us to start a new Rizzles story.

Chapter Twenty – From a Generation to Another

She had two hands and two feet – two big eyes – and the most beautiful complexion Jane had ever seen. She was all pink. Perfect. Healthy.

"Does this little girl have a name?" The nurse brought back the newborn to Catherine who was lying in her bed. The absence of reply made the employee laugh. "It's okay, take your time. She has a family name, it's all fine."

Jane and Maura nodded. Their daughter was born at 11.23pm on August, 25th. The labor had gone rather fast for a first pregnancy and Catherine had been perfect from the beginning to the end. She had handled the pain with a lot of courage and had remained focused – listening to the midwife – until a crying newborn had been put down on her stomach.

"You'll have to take her in your arms at some point." Catherine laughed lightely before looking up at Jane and Maura. She was holding the baby and seemed to find the adoptive parents' sudden timidity rather cute. "She doesn't bite, you know. She can't. She doesn't have teeth."

"Sometimes newborns actually have some." Maura's voice timidly rose in the air. She looked down at her hands immediately. Why had she said that in the first place? Nobody cared. "She has shared a very special bond with you for the last eight months and a half. It is only fair – and probably reassuring for her – to be in your arms right now."

Catherine smiled. Maura's words made sense, a lot of sense. Perhaps it was even the reason why the baby was so calm in her arms. Yet of course Maura had used an excuse to hide better the truth. The emotion had been such when she had seen the newborn being placed on top of Catherine's stomach that she was still shaking and she knew that Jane was just alike.

It had happened. They were mothers. Yet none of them could properly realize that this day had finally happened.

"How about her name? She needs a name..."

Jane shrugged and cast a shy glance at Maura. How could she say to Catherine that they hadn't agreed yet on any of them? It would make them pass for irresponsible idiots. Bad timing as their daughter was now part of this world. Very, very bad timing.

"Do you have any suggestion? We are her adoptive parents but you're still her birthmother. You can make suggestions too. You're part of this litte girl's life and you'll always be."

Maura passed a hand on Jane's back. Her wife's words had touched her because it was exactly how they wanted it to be. Just because Catherine wouldn't raise their daughter didn't mean that she had to be excluded from the parental sphere.

They had chosen an open adoption for this exact reason.

"Jane is right. Is there any name that you would like us to choose?"

Catherine seemed to hesitate. She looked down at the little girl in her arms and pouted. She was tired but the anxiety she had feared over this moment had been swept away by a wave of serenity. She knew that she had made the right choice. Jane and Maura would take care of this baby. She was in peace.

"Maybe my paternal grandmother's name...? She played a very important role in my life. As a matter of fact, she raised me! My parents used to travel a lot... Sadly she passed away a few years ago."

...

Constance turned out to be the first one who entered the hospital room. Angela followed her within a few seconds.

Maura was holding her and Jane's daughter for the very first time. There was something powerful that emanated from the touch. It looked almost too real to be believed. The newborn hadn't protested when she had left Catherine's arms.

Jane had held her first - for a few minutes - then she hd passed her to Maura so she could go and tell their relatives that they could come in.

"Good evening, everyone..." Maura couldn't help laughing lightly. It was such a strange moment. She looked at Jane for acknowledgement then flashed a bright smile at the rest of their family. "May I introduce you to the latest Rizzoli-Isles addition... This is Lou-Mae. She is named after Catherine's grandmother. Lou-Mae Rizzoli-Isles."

The name was old but Jane had liked the sound of it as well as its symbol. She would probably make it shorter with the passing of time and call their daughter 'Lou' which would go on Maura's nerves since she couldn't stand nicknames but she was proud of this final choice. The newborn had even reacted – somehow – when they had said the name out loud for the very first time.

Constance came closer to Maura and softly caressed her granddaughter's cheek. The baby was peacefully sleeping. She smiled before focusing on her own daughter.

"I'm proud of you."

Constance's words passed underneath Maura's skin and rushed through her veins to embrace her heart in the most intense way ever. She swallowed hard, touched by the confession that her mother had whispered the moment she had locked her eyes with hers. In front of everyone.

"It's a beautiful name. Excellent choice. Now give me my very first granddaughter." Angela started walking towards Maura but Jane stopped her right away. "What?"

"She's sleeping, ma'. You're gonna wake her up. Just look at her from a distance. Don't touch her." Jane snorted knowing very well whom she was talking to. "I mean it."

Angela rolled her eyes but didn't insist. They were at the hospital – Catherine had just given birth – and everyone was happy. She would catch back on hugs and kisses once they came back home in a couple of days.

Someone knocked on the door. The whole room turned around only to see a nurse poke her head inside.

"It's getting late and I'm sure Catherine is tired. We're going to take care of Lou-Mae for the night. She'll be in the nursery... You can all come back tomorrow though."

Angela and Constance nodded and left after a very last goodbye to the baby and to Catherine. Jane and Maura found themselves alone with the young woman in the room as the nurse had left again to go grab a second pillow.

"Please come home any time, Catherine. You are welcome to visit us whenever you want... You don't even have to call before... And when you are abroad, we will Skype with you just as we had said we would... It is..." Maura swallowed hard and bit her lips as a new wave of emotions submerged her. "Thank you so much..."

Tears of an absolute satisfaction embraced Maura's cheeks before coming to die at the corner of her mouth. They were salty. Salty and warm. Delicate and sweet.

...

I realized I'd cried when I felt that my cheeks were kinda weird like dry. I guess I wasn't myself when you came to life. It knocked me out completely. I heard you cry and then I saw that little moving thing being put down on Catherine's stomach. It was you. Healthy, pink. Already curious to see what the world had in store for you.

We drove back home that night in a complete silence and maybe that's why I remember Maura's words so well the moment we passed the door and went to open a bottle of champagne in the kitchen. It was late, we were emotionally exhausted and still buzzed by the whole thing because you'd showed earlier than expected.

"To life."

I rose my glass and cheered with Maura. We hadn't said that for an eternity and it brought us back to the very beginning of this journey. So many things had happened since then... Our world had totally changed.

Of course I thought about Petunia and Timothy. Your birth had a special touch after all the things we'd gone through. Everything came back up. Like a movie in slow motion.

It brought me back six years earlier when Maura had asked me to be part of her plan. It had worked out. It hadn't been easy all the time – the road had been very bumpy and sometimes dark – but we had succeeded. You were our reward. Our so precious reward.

Catherine visited us a lot during the first few months of your life. She was happy to see you grow up in a nice environment. We covered you of kisses and I felt like putting bubble-wrap paper everywhere to make sure that nothing would ever happen to you. Then when you turned four months, she had to leave again. She couldn't stop working...

I remember her first mission with Doctors Without Borders after your birth. She went to a small village in India. We Skyped a lot and all these kids always showed up next to her. She looked so happy. She was convinced to have made the right decision and she was relieved to see that we were good mothers. Adoption's probably not easy. It's a huge choice one makes. I'm so thankful she trusted us enough to give us this opportunity.

I'm glad the two of you get along. I'm a little less glad to see you wanna travel the word just like her. This isn't something I approve because I won't be around to make sure you're safe and that boys keep a reasonable distance with you. But I know you'll be careful... And Maura'd kill me if I didn't let you go or something.

But that doesn't mean I'm whipped.

Jane Rizzoli isn't whipped but I made it clear a little while ago already so let's focus on different matters now.

You made your first steps when you were nine months old, at the morgue. Talk about a creepy place for such memory. You never believed in Santa Claus but you were a big fan of the Tooth Fairy. You played baseball and learned the piano. You hate brocoli but have no food allergy.

I know you by heart... I didn't give life to you but I made sure that you could lean on me whenever you needed to for the past eighteen years. I was here when you had a nightmare, when you needed a hug. Nothing has changed, Lou... Absolutely nothing. I'm still here for you and I'll always be.