Author's note: Thank you very much for all the reviews, I highly appreciate them.

Chapter Fourteen: How To Not Panic

Cell phone in hand, Jane stepped into the living-room area of the suite and stopped by the couch where Maura had sat down to read a book.

"I told them to wait a little. According to the news, the roads are too dangerous for the moment so they are still in Boston."

The honey blonde looked up from her novel – nodded – and made some room on the small couch for Jane to sit down by her side. It was almost 3pm and the snow was now falling hard.

Way too hard for anyone to drive to Harvard.

"Perfect. Anyway the dinner starts at 9pm so needless to say that they have time to reach us here."

Jane put her cell phone on the coffee table and yawned. She was tired in spite of the coffee she had shared with Dr. Fredericks a couple of hours earlier. Caffeine hadn't kicked in. Unless it was just a side-effect of the stress she had felt these past two weeks. She hadn't been spared to say the least.

"You can lie down for a bit if you feel like to." Maura bent over the couch and caressed her partner's cheek before smiling brightly. "Take advantage of these extra hours of quietness."

For a long moment, the brunette stared – in silence – at the flames that were dancing in the fireplace as if lost in her thoughts. Her face impassive. She ended up wrinkling her nose, pursing her lips.

"Frost is on a big case."

Surprised, Maura straightened up and closed her book before abandoning it on the coffee table near Jane's cell phone.

They hadn't talked about work for a whole week. Such a long lapse of time that it almost sounded weird, all of a sudden. As if irrupting in a world deprived of crime scenes, violence. She hadn't forgotten about it but had easily – too much, perhaps – made abstraction of it.

"Did he call you?"

Jane shook her head and forced a laugh but its lightness fell flat. She rolled her eyes, sighed before settling further on the couch.

"No. I found about it on the web. I checked the news and it was there." She paused – hesitant – then gave in the inner thoughts that seemed to eat her up. "I don't like it. I don't like the fact he didn't call me. I'm his partner, dammit."

The semblance of a smile seemed to slide on Maura's lips but she chased it immediately. She knew what Jane meant, what she felt. The frustration that came within all this.

"You have a week off, to prepare your wedding. This is the reason why he didn't try to reach you... He knows that it isn't the right time for you. Monday will come soon enough. I am sure that within hours you will have caught back on it."

Jane nodded yet didn't look very convinced. She bit her thumbnail and frowned at Maura. As if not so sure of anything anymore.

"Do you think I should be at the BPD right now? Do you think taking a whole week was too much? You know it's not how I am. Usually... I feel like I've given up on the guys – on Frost – and it's not nice at all."

"Don't take it bad, Jane but... I am pretty sure that the BPD can handle cases when you aren't around to help. It is okay. Besides, you have been very active, this week. You can't forget your private life – not like that – just to focus on nothing but your job." Maura blushed and looked down. It was clear that the words she had used could have been directed to herself as well. She made a face. "We are... We are job freaks, aren't we?"

At least the question made Jane laugh. She stood up and went to pour herself a mug of coffee. Cast by the window: she could barely see the trees through the thick curtain of snow.

"Must be why we are about to get married. Nobody else can understand this. I mean – maybe it's a bit different for you – but for me... You're actually the first person I'm in a relationship with who is nice regarding this and understands what my job means to me." Mug in hand, she turned around to look at Maura and smiled. "Thank you for this."

The medical examiner squinted her eyes at her partner then ran her tongue over her lips. She moved on the couch, slightly.

"Are you experimenting pre-menstrual syndroms that you are suddenly emotional?"

Jane widened her eyes in utter disbelief. And yet, she should have known better. Now that she did think about it, it was Maura's signature from beginning to the end.

"What?! Maur'! Why are you... Why do you talk about that? Gosh I'm just trying to be nice and sincere, here. There's really no need to talk about women's cycles."

"But there is nothing wrong about it." The medical examiner shrugged, oblivious to the whole issue. She opened her arms – wide – to implicitly ask Jane to cuddle with her. "Then whatever is or is not going on in your uterus... Thank you."

The Italian obliged yet made a face.

"Just stop the uterus talk. Please."

...

The restaurant room looked perfect. Yet terribly empty. Trying to not show her slight anxiety, Maura walked to the big fireplace lit up for the occasion and started a breathing exercize. Anything to pass somewhat unnoticed.

Complete fail.

"They should be here by now!" Storming out of the kitchen in an elegant dress and wearing the new tweed jacket that Tuppence had offered her, Jane heavily sighed. She paced the room, walked to her partner. "It's almost 8.30pm!"

Maura held back a moan of despair and – reluctantly – looked up at Jane. They should have known better than to assume everything would now go smoothly until the ceremony; or even until the end of the weekend. Their respective families had left Boston a while ago and they yet still had to make it here.

"The roads aren't cut. We checked it. I mean, you did; by calling the police. They are probably just driving slowly to avoid having an accident. Let's just... Let's just sit here and have a drink, okay?"

Jane nodded yet casting a glance at the door every five seconds. They should have been drinking champagne with everyone by now. But the room was empty and terribly quiet. Actually, she had had a bad feeling around 6pm when she hadn't seen any car show up at the Bed & Breakfast. But too busy to think about it, she had taken a bath then got ready.

Slightly in vain though if she now checked the place surrounding her. Apart from Maura, there was nobody to compliment her on her efforts to look nice.

"Apolline, Amy... And now you. Is drinking the answer to all your issues in your family?" Hand in the air, Jane shook her head to apologize. "I'm sorry. I'm being an ass. You're right. Let's have some whiskey or whatever. Something strong. Please."

Don't take it that bad, Rizzoli. You might end up in the Guinness Book Record for being the first and only bride in the world who celebrated her pre-wedding dinner alone. Being a precursor is good. It is not every day you can make history.

"They still have thirty minutes to arrive... And even if they make it here late, is it such a big deal? I prefer them to arrive at midnight and healthy than a police officer showing up in ten minutes to tell me there was an accident on the road."

Jane nodded but preferred to pass under silence Maura's uncertainty that showed up now clearly on her face. The honey blonde was freaking out as much as her. She just tried to hide it.

"We should have got married at the courthouse. I'm sorry, it's my fault. Because it was you, I... You know... I just wanted something big and memorable. Even if fifty people isn't considered that much for a wedding but you see what I mean."

Maura rolled her eyes – stood up – and walked to a large table where bottles of liquor were waiting for her a bit too easily. She grabbed an old whiskey and poured two glasses. If she wanted to really be honest then she had to admit that Jane's stress was cute; if only because it showed how much she cared for it. But the current situation was not something that made her smile; even less laugh.

Their wedding was turning into a farce and – as much as she tried to convince herself of the exact opposite – she knew where the truth lied; bitterly.

"Who would have assumed that some sort of a blizzard would fall over the area, today? It had not been announced, after all. The weather forecast had not seen this coming."

"Maura..." Not missing the weakness in her lover's voice, Jane walked to her then passed her arms around her frame before planting a tender kiss on her lips. One that she hoped comforting. "Maybe we can rent a sled and celebrate the dinner on the road, wherever everyone is."

Maura laughed lightly and shook her head at the ridiculousness of such idea. She shrugged and let her hands caress Jane's hips.

"Forget the sled. Let's build an igloo and spend the night in there. Just the two of us..."

But before she had a chance to add precisions about her sudden fantasy, the door flew open and Amy stormed in; cigarette in hand.

"Bring the booze! We are thirsty!"