Author's note: thank you for all the reviews (you will see in tomorrow's chapter why they can't have the water heater earlier; sadly I talk from experience, here)

Chapter Eight: How To Look For Solutions

"Relax. You get the dress back within two hours. Consider this nearly disaster as belonging to the past." Martini in hand, Amy winked at Maura and let a satisfied sigh pass her lips as she settled further on her armchair.

The scientist barely paid attention to the remark and cast a glance around. Considering the direction things seemed to have taken since the morning, she wouldn't have been surprised to run into Jane at the hype lounge she was now at even if – in all theory – the brunette had very little to do here.

"Looks like I made it on time to help you with the situation!" Apolline laughed lightly and grabbed an olive from a little plate. She started chewing on it rather enthusiastically. "So apart from the little dress mishap, what have I missed so far? Anything?"

"Beacon Hill goes without hot water for the rest of the week."

Maura squinted her eyes at Amy and barely held back a growl. She hadn't had time to properly talk about the situation. The Scottish clan's unexpected arrival – two days in advance – had brought one serious last-minute change of plan. If she had to be honest then she would have said that she hadn't done anything but run away from the whole mess, pushed by Amy who had somewhat managed to get Jane's attention on something else as Apolline and Maura had taken the dress to the Prius out in the street in all discretion or so. In reality, it had more looked like a farce than anything else.

The only positive point was that the dry-cleaner had had optimistic words about the situation.

"I will never be able to face Jane again. Not after what we just did. I cannot lie. She is going to see that something is going wrong with me." Shame or guilt, Maura could hardly say but the truth was that she felt bad; terribly bad.

"Don't be so dramatic, Spooky Mo." Apolline smiled reassuringly – leaned over the table – to hold tightly her cousin's hand. "I am talking from experience so you can trust me. A wedding brings a very high level of stress but don't focus on all these little details. Try to look for the positive side. It should be a happy moment for you, a unique one." The British woman rolled her eyes. "I went through it way back in February. Tuppence burnt James' tie a few hours before the ceremony and nobody saw it!"

The revelation got welcome by a silence that Amy broke after long seconds of hesitation.

"Since when do we have an arsonist in the family?"

Apolline shook her head at the comment then patted Maura's hand for moral support before making a sign at the waiter.

"He burnt it with his pipe so remember to keep him at a reasonable distance from your dress if he is smoking around. Now that being said, all I want you to understand is that my wedding went rather – I mean, I guess – smoothly in spite of all this. The same will happen to you." As the employee made it to the table, Apolline smiled at him. "A bottle of whiskey, honey. The situation is serious, here."

Maura swallowed hard.

"But you just said that it was insignificant."

Apolline cast an embarrassed glance at Amy – moved nervously on her armchair – and cleared her voice to win some time.

"Why it will become insignificant as soon as you have enough alcohol in your blood. Sometimes in life, you need a little help."

...

A hand on her forearm made her jump of surprise. Barely repressing a scream, Jane turned around only to see Tuppence standing there by her side. She forced a smile, a polite one.

What else could she do, anyway? Half of Scotland had decided to make it to Boston earlier in order to enjoy whatever the city had to offer. Sadly right now at her place, it wasn't hot water.

"May I help you?"

The old man shrugged and motioned evasively at the empty living-room. Angela had decided to go out with everyone for a very late lunch while Tommy had left with TJ. The house was quiet again – if only for a few hours – which meant that the detective could fight her latent migraine in better conditions.

"Where is Maura?"

Jane took a deep breath and tried to find the right words that would sum up the fact that she had no idea at all about this. The honey blonde had disappeared at the same time as Apolline and Amy, the last one claiming that the three of them had to go out for a family tradition of some sort promising – nonetheless – to stop by a couple of hotels to see if they hadn't a few rooms available.

"She's not here right now." Now that's one way to be vague without daring to say that you have no idea whatsoever where your future wife might be.

"Perfect. I just wanted to make sure that she wouldn't be around. Come with me, Jane. By the way, I hope that you haven't forgotten anything about our family."

Jane reluctantly followed the old man; not that she had anything else to do but she was not really in the mood for a new lesson about the clan. As a matter of fact, she was in the mood for nothing but – eventually – run away with Maura as far as possible.

The Thelma and Louise road trip had never seemed so appealing. Minus the tragic ending.

"I hope everything is okay. I am sorry for the water issue. Feel free to use the guest house as often as you feel like to. We will find a solution very soon to..." Jane stopped walking only to stare right in front of her at the piece of clothing hanging by the patio door.

Tuppence smiled.

"Sure I could have got you a kilt but – as much as I am not conservative – traditions are traditions. So I hope you will like this."

Not really knowing what to say, Jane approached the tweed jacket at the colors of the family and let a grin light up her features. She was extremely touched by the gesture.

"Maura has one..."

The Italian nodded and tried the piece of clothing. It suited her perfectly; made-to-measure. She turned around to look at her reflection in the mirror of the lobby.

She was elegant and – suddenly – had the feeling to be back to Scotland wearing the clothes Maura had bought her previous to the travel. She hadn't worn them much in Boston. Habits had kicked in again rather quickly.

"I know she does." She smiled at Tuppence with honesty. "Thank you very much. I love it. Too bad it won't match my wedding dress, though. I would have loved wearing it for the ceremony."

The old man burst out laughing and shook his head.

"Wear it for the formal pre-wedding dinner on Friday and you will officially be a McLeod." A wink sealed the deal and as quietly as he had come, Tuppence left to go and sit down on the couch where he resumed the reading of a novel.

Jane observed him – hesitantly at first – before nodding to nobody but herself; determined. She let her feet lead her to the couch and cleared her voice.

"I know you turned down the others' invitation to go out in the city for a while but would you like to go to the BPD with me and meet some of my colleagues? I have to go and grab a few stuff there."

Tuppence looked up from his book and stared straight in front of him; pondering the question. For a very long moment.

"In this police car of yours?"

Jane made an apologetic face and nodded, a bit in vain. She had almost forgotten that her own car was still in the hands of Giovanni and that she had to drive around in the BPD one. She shrugged, ran her tongue over her lips.

"I am afraid so..."

Tuppence burst out laughing and literally jumped out of the couch. He walked to the lobby to take his coat abandoned there and nodded.

"Best news I have heard so far! But... I do have a question, though."

Jane squinted her eyes at the old man, uncertain of what to expect from him.

If there was one thing that she had learned about Maura's family, it had to be that she couldn't pretend to know them enough to anticipate their reaction to absolutely anything. Anything at all. She waited.

And waited.

"... Yes?"

Seeing that the last two people in the house were on their way outside, Jo Friday trotted to them and began to jump joyfully around Jane; asking her owner to take her with her. The brunette looked a bit sorry at the dog. This was not a ride Jo Friday could take part in.

Hesitating, Tuppence shrugged and smiled at his interlocutor.

"I have to say that I would love it if you put the siren on at some point. It is just an old child dream. Needless to say, I have never been arrested so it never made it to reality."

For long seconds, Jane remained quiet; staring in disbelief at Tuppence. Unsure of whether she had heard his wish that well. She frowned hesitantly.

"Sure...?"

The old man grinned.

Jane opened the door and let him pass first, repeating to herself that she should know better than to be surprised by Maura's relatives' reactions.