Author's note: thank you very much for all the reviews (and sorry for the erratic replies, the connection here in Greece is a bit so-so)

July

Chapter Six: The Promised Land

A ribbon of green and nothing else. Bright – pure – just in front of her eyes. Jane opened the window and took a deep breath of the relative fresh air before a quiet smile played on her lips as she turned around to look at Maura. The honey blonde was unpacking her bag, humming along the songs they had listened to during their drive up to New England.

Perfect weekend, far from the scorching heat of Boston.

"It's like we've just plunged into a remake of Four Weddings and a Funeral!"

Maura raised an amused eyebrow. "Hopefully without the second part of the title."

"Very funny..." Or not. "It looks like the Bed & Breakfast where Hugh Grant meets Andie MacDowell. So... British!" And they were there for a wedding as well. Lisa and Guadalupe's date had finally arrived, for the detective and medical examiner's highest pleasure.

Nice way as well to not think too much about their very own – and rather secret – big date on the calendar that was now approaching. By the end of the week, they would face the artificial insemination. The first one and – hopefully – the only one they would ever need.

Hard to say it wasn't stressful. This getaway to New England couldn't come up at a better moment.

"You should get your dress out of your bag now instead of daydreaming about Hugh Grant..."

Jane smirked – made a few steps back into the room – and grabbed the bag she had dropped on the floor as they had arrived. "Jealous much?"

Snort. Shrug. "Of course not!"

Of course yes.

The brunette chuckled but didn't insist and reluctantly took her dress out of her bag before staring at it, unconvinced.

"This is the part I hate the most about weddings. I mean that and the drunk uncle who always wants to dance with you. The dress. Why oh why do I have to wear one? I can be classy in a pair of pants."

Maura abandoned her own unpacking and walked to Jane, positioning herself behind her as the detective seemed lost in the contemplation of her reflection in the large mirror. Hands on her wife's hips, the blonde rested her chin on her shoulder and smiled brightly. "Because you are even sexier in a dress... That and because Lisa's family belongs to the upper social class so this wedding obeys to rather traditional rules. Women in dresses. And hats."

Jane's eyes widened in horror. Good thing she didn't know anyone but Maura and the brides or else she would have never gone back to the BPD, too afraid to suffer from a rather priceless humiliation from her colleagues.

"Hmm. Please tell me I won't have to wear one for our own wedding celebration. Your family also belongs to the upper social class."

"Yes but we are a lot less conservative. As long as you don't show up in a bikini then you should do just fine, I promise."

Jane sighed, only half-convinced. "Well, I'll go have a shower now. Would you mind doing my hair when I'm back? I lack the required patience for that."

"Sure!" Smirk. "Although... I wouldn't mind doing a bit more than just your hair."

The Italian took her shirt off and headed to the bathroom. She shook her head at the remark. "You're dirty, Maura Isles-Rizzoli.."

…

It had been a beautiful ceremony and for the first time – while she observed Guadalupe and Lisa going from one table to another at the dinner – Jane almost regretted to not have had one herself. Until now, she had felt satisfied with their quick wedding to the courthouse but as the seconds were passing by something told her that – maybe – she would have liked something a bit more traditional.

Or not. You spared yourself the equivalent of ten years of stress, consider yourself as lucky. You will already have enough with the weekend in August when you have to face the Isles for more than two hours. Such thought made her swallow hard. They had settled on a date for their very own wedding celebration and had even found a nice hotel roof with a view over Boston Harbor. Everything was planned and booked. All the credits to Maura's efficiency.

"How have you met Lisa and Guadalupe?" Emma – an art dealer – smiled as her question hit the air and she locked her blue eyes with Jane's.

"Err... In Punta Cana, a few months ago. We were staying at the same resort and were... We were neighbors. They had the room next ours. And you?"

"Harvard. We followed the same classes."

Jane felt Maura restrain a gasp at the mention of the Ivy League. Nerd mode: activated. For God's sake, Maur'... Not during a wedding dinner. Everything but that, come on...

"Oh, you didn't go to the BCU in spite of their excellent curriculum? How come?"

And too late. Jane rolled her eyes, hid her embarrassment behind her glass of champagne. At least she still could get drunk, her bedroom was on the upper floor. Not too far to go.

"Family tradition. My great-grandfather graduated from Harvard, as well as my grandfather and my father..."

Maura nodded – obviously impressed – and relaxed on her seat, resting a hand on her lower stomach. She had eaten way too many hors-d'oeuvres... But before she had a chance to add anything, Margaret – Emma's sister – squealed.

"Oh my god, are you pregnant?"

What? Panicked, the honey blonde looked from right to left in seek of an explanation. It was the first time someone assumed such thing. Even her colleagues hadn't noticed anything as she had gone through her hormonal injections.

Or at least they hadn't said anything.

"Now it's so obvious... You're glowing, your cheeks are slightly full and your hips round. When are you due?"

"Who is due apart from Guadalupe?" Lisa's voice resounded loud, full of surprise, joyful.

"Maura!"

Jane raised a hand in the air to protest but the art dealer – shocked by the news – grinned and called Guadalupe.

"Maura is pregnant! I didn't know you were trying too... Oh my God, best news ever. Our kids will grow up together!"

The hell happened here? Wake up! React, Riz'! Say something! Say something before Maura passes out! Look at her... She's paler than a freaking ghost!

"Actually, I am not..." But before the honey blonde got the chance to finish her sentence - explaning her hand on her stomach had nothing to do with any pregnancy whatsoever - Lisa rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Oh, I see. You haven't broken the news yet, right? No worries, we won't say it to anyone... I will bring you more bottles of water if you want. We have an excellent wine selection tonight but obviously you are now reducing it to a minimum... Oh I am so happy for you! Now I get why you seemed to have slightly put on weight!"

Jane couldn't help but chuckle which – by the stare Maura shot her – assured her that she had just ruined any chance to get a sweet love making session later in the night.

"There is a misunderstanding, here. I am not pregnant. Sorry..."

A heavy – confused – silence followed her statement. Jane took a deep breath and bit her lips, uncertain whether what she was about to say was actually wise considering the established – and well followed until now – rules.

"Not yet. Maura isn't pregnant yet but maybe by Friday. I mean... Hopefully. We're done with the hormonal injections. The insemination is scheduled for the end of the week."

We. She had always hated these couples who used such pronoun when alluding to something that only concerned one of them yet it was exactly what she was doing now. You became your worst nightmare, Riz'. Congrats. Now deal with it. And with Maura. You broke the news supposed to be a freaking secret without asking her for her opinion before. Way to go.

Yet curiously – as she turned her head around to look at her wife – Jane found herself looking at a peaceful Maura. The honey blonde was smiling, in full talk with Guadalupe about babies. She looked anything but mad.

Lucky you, Rizzoli. Lucky you. This time, that is. Don't screw it twice.

The rest of the evening went on smoothly but as they retreated back to their bedroom in the first hours of the morning and slipped into bed, Jane couldn't help but shook her head. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything."

She heard Maura roll on her side – in the dark – and felt her eyes on her. She didn't need to be more precise. The scientist knew perfectly what she was talking about.

Shrug. "It was still better than to remain speechless and stuttering as I was. What a reaction... I guess it just took me aback. I wasn't expecting that. Not at all."

"I won't say it to anyone else, Maura. I promise it."

Looking at the ceiling – smiling – the honey blonde passed an arm behind her head and bit her lower lip before shrugging. "I don't care about it, Jane. Just... Just promise me one thing."

Silence. The Italian frowned – rolled on her side to face her wife – and cleared her voice. "What is it?"

"Just... Just promise me to always be here for me, with me. This is all I really want from you... Be here for me as I am for you."

"Why would I leave?"

Shrug. Maura knew even before talking that her voice would break as soon as the first word would pass her lips. Yet she replied, with no courage whatsoever but her full honesty. "Don't die... Don't get killed... Please."

Jane swallowed hard. They had never talked about it – consciously or not – but the risks of her job floated above their heads; even more now that they were about to start a family.

"I promise it." Jane tended her arms – took Maura in a urging embrace – and planted a kiss on top of her head as her whisper slid on her lips before vanishing in the night. "I promise it."