New Year's Eve
Jane's viewpoint
Everyone was back in LA by the 30th as we'd arranged to spend New Year's Eve together. They didn't know what we'd planned; even I was a little hazy on the exact specifics up until the night before, when Maura had finally spelled out everything we were doing.
She'd organised for us to be at a place in Santa Monica, we'd be partying there from around seven and everyone was staying overnight at the hotel it was part of, the Viceroy. She'd arranged it all, food, drink, accommodation, everything. There was going to be dancing, a DJ playing the hours leading up to midnight and after, plenty of other people partying too but in a place that was a little exclusive, there'd be no gate crashers at this party, only registered guests.
I was relieved as it meant that my plans would work out as well, the fewer people there the better. Alex and Liv had arrived early in the day and I'd picked them up from LAX, joking that they just couldn't stay away. Alex had laughed and blamed my 'magnetic' personality, before sobering and mentioning that it was Liv who had insisted that they make the trip back so soon. I just smiled and told them we were all glad to have them back, before driving them back to our place.
Maura and Alex had happily fallen into each other's arms; after reconnecting they'd been if anything even closer, Skyping back and forward several times a week. Earlier in the week I'd seen her chatting online as I wandered past and stepped up behind her to say hi, to find that Maura was Skyping not only with Alex but with Natalie too, those three really had ended up as thick as thieves.
While they were catching up in the kitchen, Liv stepped up beside me and spoke in a low voice.
"It took a lot of convincing to arrange this Jane, you owe me" I just smirked at that.
"Difficult convincing Alex to spend time with Maura and Nat; I call BS on that one Liv" She shrugged and then smiled.
"It was worth a try. So what's the plan for tonight?" I shook my head.
"Maura's planned all of this and she wants it to be a surprise" Liv just looked at me and lowered her voice even more.
"And what about what you've got planned?"
"That's gonna be a surprise too, but thanks for being here" I got a hard look.
"You're not going to tell me, even after arranging for us to both be here?" I shook my head.
"Nope, can't. I need to kinda wing it; don't want to over think it. I'll know it when the time's right. Just keep Maura occupied if I start getting antsy ok?" In the face of her probing I clammed up, instead wandering out to join Maura and Alex.
Three hours later we were picked up by a town car and transported to the Viceroy Hotel out in Santa Monica, where we were checked in and escorted to our rooms, the Emperor Suites. They were nice, a huge comfy bed and big bathrooms with roomy showers, the two most important things in a hotel room I've decided; when staying anywhere with Maura both tend to get lots of use. I looked around, realising that the prices for this place must be huge, let alone on New Year's Eve, but I decided that this was Maura's night, if she wanted to spend money making tonight something special there was no way I was going to object, not tonight.
We got texts from Nat and Sharon, letting us know that they had arrived and checked in and would meet us downstairs in the 'event space' at 7.30; both also commented on their suites as well. I had a quick shower and got dressed, I wanted to be comfortable, but not upset Maura who wanted to have a big night, so I wore the black silk slacks from the suit she'd bought me, teamed it with a brand new deep crimson silk wrap blouse that we'd got the last time she'd dragged me out shopping and a pair of black two inch heels. Maura loved me in the Laboutine's but my feet hurt just thinking about five or six hours standing and dancing on concrete on them, so not tonight.
I was standing there, idly looking out at the last rays of the sun dropping into the Pacific when I caught Maura's reflection in the window glass as she stepped out of the bathroom, making me turn to take her in. I don't know how that woman does it, but every time I think I can't see her looking any better she somehow tops it.
Tonight she was wearing a Dior dress she'd picked up when shopping with Nat and Alex a few weeks back when they were visiting, it was all black and powder satin and organza she'd told me, tight across her breasts and loosely flowing around her legs. I thought it looked stunning, it left her shoulders bare and her hair spilled down over them, she looked young and fresh and beautiful, on a pair of matching black and white spiked heels she was breathtaking.
"Do I look good enough to be seen out in public Jane?" I picked my eyes up from once again admiring her legs to see her gentle smile, her eyes sparkling with merriment. Feigning nonchalance I leaned back against the window and slid one hand into my pants pocket.
"Yeah, I think I'd be willing to be seen out with you" She sauntered over towards me, the tips of her mouth twitching upwards.
"Oh good; I was afraid that you might not want to be seen with me, so I would have to go out all alone. I feared I might find myself with no one to dance with to see the New Year in" I smiled as I levered myself off the glass and took a step towards her.
"Oh, I'm sure someone would have taken pity on a fashion disaster like you" She stood in front of me; our eyes almost level on her five inch heels, humour dancing in her eyes.
"I suppose I could have asked Anastasia or Olivia to dance, but I did rather have my heart set on dancing with you" I leaned in towards her as her hand came up to my cheek, feeling her warmth through my skin, making me smile.
"Far be it for me to break your heart then" Her lips were warm and her caress soft as we kissed, just drawing it out as our arms slid around each other. I slid my hand down and ran it up her thigh, before lifting it to squeeze her butt gently. For a second she deepened the kiss before wheeling away, just a little flushed. Turning back to me she laughed.
"No Jane, we are not doing anything right now. Do you know how long it took me to get ready?" I grinned.
"One hour twenty two minutes from a standing start, if you count the shower, which you wouldn't let me take with you" I pushed my lip out in a pout, to no avail. Her laughter was quick and light.
"If I had showered with you Jane, we would probably still be there" I took a step towards her, my smile as innocent as I could make it, which probably wasn't very much right now.
"And what's wrong with that?" Her eyes narrowed as she watched me advance on her.
"Normally nothing, however tonight we have people waiting on us" I took another step forward.
"So let them wait" Maura got a speculative look on her face and I thought I was going to get lucky, before she stepped back and shook her head.
"No Jane, after midnight, then yes" I growled; dreadful teasing woman.
"What if I don't want to wait until then?" She turned, strolling over to pick up her matching clutch, before glancing over her shoulder and smiling wickedly.
"Jane, I promise I will make it worth your while to wait" I winked.
"Promise?" She smiled for a moment then winked back making me grin.
"I promise"
Arriving downstairs we met up with Alex and Liv at the entrance to the celebrations area. Laid out in front of us was a series of semi-private cabanas, each with lounges, chairs and a dining table, all facing a large central paved patio area. Everything was done up in white, right down to the covers of the chairs, in the light of the torches around the patio they almost glowed, it looked a bit like a scene from a James Bond movie.
As we stood behind a group waiting to be seated, we were joined by Sharon and Brenda, as hugs and kisses were exchanged all round, they looked good, Sharon in a dark grey / silver dress with a set of strappy heels, Brenda in a tight red dress that showed off her curves and a familiar pair of red heels. I could see a few patrons eyeing us up, we all looked good.
Alex was in a deep purple and white dress that showed off her legs, while Liv had worn black pants and a deep green button down top. Even compared to Ana and me, Liv was definitely the least 'girly' of the lot of us but given where she works in SVU that's understandable.
Maura gave our name to reception and we were immediately shown through to the largest of the cabanas. It had a large table for eight at the back, lots of small bowls filled with all sorts of nibbles and it was filled with comfy white leather lounges up front, with plenty of open space in front for dancing.
No sooner had we sat down when Natalie and Ana arrived, Nat dragging Ana along behind her laughing. Nat was wearing a burgundy dress that ended a few inches above the knee, it highlighted her legs and was tailor made for dancing while Ana was wearing deep blue loose silk pants and a matching top that looked a little like something out of the Arabian Nights, all rich and luxurious over a set of heels, she looked exotic and lovely.
"Sorry we were late, we were distracted" I looked them over, my eyebrow lifting as I noticed Natalie's lipstick was a little smudged and Ana's hair was mussed. Before I could say anything Sharon reached out and handed a napkin and a compact from her clutch to Natalie, who looked a little confused.
"What's that for?" Brenda leaned forward and smiled.
"To clean up the scene of the crime" I watched them both colour as we laughed, seeing Maura glance at me from the corner of her eye, I knew exactly what she was thinking, that could just as easily have been us.
While they cleaned each other up, a female waiter arrived, she introduced herself as Michelle and told us that she'd be our dedicated waiter tonight, before taking our drinks orders, with beers, champaign and wine all round, as we settled in for what was certain to be a good night.
In fact I was wrong, the night wasn't good, it was great. Everyone was having a fantastic time; we laughed, danced, ate, drank and generally had an amazing night. At one stage all four couples were swapping dance partners on the area outside our cabana, I was watching Alex and Brenda dancing a waltz together, I knew Brenda was good, very good, I'd seen that at the Ball, but I didn't know Alex had done ballroom dancing, together out the front of our cabana they were the centre of lots of attention. They looked good enough to do the whole "dancing with the stars' thing.
I turned to see Liv standing there, a little entranced and a little wistful.
"Hey Liv, you OK?" She turned slightly and smiled.
"Yeah, just enjoying watching her dance" I nodded.
"You don't dance like that?"
"No, not my thing, I kinda missed that bit of my education" I sighed gently, remembering just how hard Liv's upbringing had been.
Ana had grown up an Army brat after losing her mom, Maura's childhood had been a very lonely one but Liv's... hers had been one full of drunken abuse from her alcoholic mother. When she should have been out doing normal kids stuff like dance and music classes, she'd either been looking after her mother as she came off a bender or trying to get by on whatever money hadn't already been spent on booze.
It had been hard and she'd missed out on a lot, fortunately her life had turned around since she got out and even more so since she and Alex had become more than friends. She now lived with someone who worshipped her, a feeling Liv returned with interest, she got to enjoy a better life, full of love and happiness and comfort and was much happier than she'd ever been before.
Given the life I had with Maura, I completely understood why. Turning, I looked round, looking for someone to dance with her, to bring her a little out of her shell. I was looking for Maura or Natalie but they were chatting with Ana, their backs to me, when my eyes locked with Sharon. She was watching Alex and Brenda, smiling happily, when she saw me looking at her.
Looking back, she raised an eyebrow, as I tilted my head fractionally towards Liv. For a moment she frowned, before realising what the expression Liv was wearing meant. With a smile and a nod she strolled over.
"They look good out there don't they?" Liv turned and smiled at Sharon's words.
"Yeah, Brenda's amazing, she's a fantastic dancer" Sharon's laughter was quick and rich.
"Don't tell her, I don't want her getting a big head about it" I smiled and nodded as Liv made a zip lips gesture. Sharon looked over at Liv. "Tell me Olivia, do you dance like that?" Liv's eyes widened.
"God no, nothing like that, club dancing's about the best I can do. I'm nothing like them"
"Well, seeing as my girlfriend's stolen yours, the least I can do is invite you to dance with me" Olivia turned, looking embarrassed.
"I couldn't, I have two left feet" Sharon's laugh was quick and rich.
"Excellent, I have two right feet, so we'll be perfect" She reached out and offered her hand. For a moment I was afraid Liv would decline, I could see the embarrassment in her eyes, the fear of looking silly. "It's OK Olivia, I'm not all that good so we'll be fine" I smiled, I'd seen Sharon on the dance floor at the Ball and she was far better than good. With a swallow Liv nodded and Sharon led her out onto the floor, where she helped Liv get set up and slowly led her through the preliminary steps of an abbreviated waltz.
"Nicely done Jane" I turned at Natalie's voice to find her standing close.
"How much of that did you catch?" She smiled; her eyes on Sharon and Liv as they slowly made their way through the basic steps.
"Enough. Y'know, under that hard-ass detective costume, you're pretty soft" I turned to object but her gentle smile just disarmed me. Before I could say anything, she looped her arm through mine and tugged me towards the others. "C'mon, I want to dance with you, you big softie" She led me out onto the paved area where the others were dancing and turned, grinning. "I'll even let you lead"
We slipped into a rythm, as I saw Maura and Ana join us, as we spun and swayed, over Natalie's shoulder I could see Liv, with a shy smile on her face as Sharon led her through a waltz. It was obvious that Liv was a novice but Sharon was nothing but encouraging, which was exactly what Liv needed. Alex saw them together and smiled happily before leaning close to Brenda and whispering something which made her laugh.
I'd noticed that Sharon and Brenda were if anything even closer tonight, they were practically joined at the hip, lots of smiles and long looks and constantly touching each other, little reassurances that the other was there and happy and content, it brought a smile to my face and I noticed I wasn't the only one to see it either. Seeing them together so happy, I chalked it up as another fantastic success in what had been the best year of my life. Hopefully, if all went well, I'd end it on an even better note.
We sat down to dinner around 8.30, a selection of hot and cold meats, seafood and salads; the food was great, the conversation and the company better. The night was full of laughter and teasing, everyone having a wonderful time, which was exactly what we'd expected, the people with us were really special and we loved having them here.
I was chatting to Natalie about handling the media; I'd run a mile from them back in Boston, give me a drug-crazed ganger any day, but she was telling me a few silly stories from the other side of the camera, making the media seem a little less scary, when I heard a Maura and Alex speaking, the change in their tone catching my attention immediately.
"I insist Maura; we really want to contribute tonight"
"Oh please Alex, there really is no need, it has all been taken care of"
"Like hell Maura, I asked about tonight's cost, Liv and I will not let you entertain us all without contributing"
"Please Alex, I really want you to be my guests, so please do not worry about it" Ana looked up from where she'd been sitting opposite and nodded.
"The suite's here normally run about $800 a night; they must be almost double that tonight, so we're paying for ours" Sharon leaned over as well.
"We'd also like to contribute as well Maura. It's not fair for you to carry the costs alone"
I knew this was expensive, but I had no idea how much, Maura had taken care of it all but I was doing the maths and it was adding up to a fairy sizeable figure even before the cost of the cabana, food and drinks. I still wasn't totally comfortable with spending large amounts of money, a hangover from my working class upbringing as the daughter of a plumber, but I wasn't going to not support Maura.
"Hey guys, it's ok, we wanted you here with us tonight and you're our guests" I got the evil eye from most of the people around the table before Alex spoke again.
"Maura, you have to let us contribute to the night, please" Maura was adamant, I could see it in the set of her shoulders, most people didn't realise that when she set her mind to it Maura could be as stubborn as me, maybe more so.
"No, I will not hear of it" Brenda leaned in as well.
"But Maura, we're here because we want to be, let us pay our way, please?"
"I said I will not hear of it Brenda, this is important to me" She stood up and took a step away from the table, before looking round to where we were sitting, watching. For a moment she bit her lip, before taking a big breath.
"For most of my life New Year's Eve was spent watching other people celebrating the night on television as I sat alone at home" She looked down at the floor for a moment as we watched, though my heart went out to her once more. Finally she looked up, her voice soft and hard to hear over the noise from outside.
"Now I have the people I care so deeply for here with me tonight, so I have something very special to celebrate" She looked across at me and smiled, before continuing, her voice stronger. "Tonight is for having a wonderful time with the people I love, together. That's worth more to me than any monetary amount"
I went to stand and pull her into a hug, but was beaten to it by Alex and Sharon, who'd been a bit closer. While they were occupied I felt a hand on my shoulder, turning to see Brenda standing there, her brown eyes shining.
"That's one hell of a woman you have there Jane, you're very lucky" I smiled at her before looking back at Maura.
"Don't I know it and I'm not the only one, we all are" I got a stunning smile in return and we stood there for a moment in a companionable silence as I looked around at everyone having a great time and thought it was as good a time as any.
Walking across to the table I grabbed a glass of Champaign for Maura and another for me and made my way over to her, handing one across and getting a quick kiss and a smile in return that made me melt.
Turning I wrapped my arm around her waist and looked around at our friends here with us tonight.
"Hey everyone, I've got a question for Brenda" I watched her head come up from where she was standing with Sharon, a question in her eyes. "Brenda, you said you'd like us to say here in LA when our secondment ends, I can't imagine why you'd want to keep us around, but if the offers still good, we'd like to take you up on it"
Brenda smiled that huge, happy smile and raised a glass, a laugh in her voice.
"Happy to have you stay Jane, as long as Maura's part of the deal. Do you know how hard it is to find a really great M.E. these days?" I just gave her the Rizzoli glare but it wasn't working tonight, she just laughed at me as Maura smiled.
"We'd both love to stay, if you will have us" Sharon smiled in return.
"Even if we didn't have a position for you, we'd find one"
I turned and reached out, snagging an arm around Alex and pulling her in to my side, then waving Liv over.
C'mon Benson, get your ass over here" Maura waved her over and slid her arm around Liv's waist as I did the same with Alex.
"Then it's agreed, we get to stay here in LA, which means Alex and Liv get to visit us lots" There was a cheer and a toast to that, as Alex leaned in to gave me a kiss on the cheek and Maura gave Liv one as well, before Sharon and Brenda came up to thank us for staying, as if it was any difficulty to stay here with friends.
The DJ swung into action not long after and the next few hours saw us out on the patio, dancing and partying hard, it was a night that we'd remember for a very long time, I knew if all went as well as I hoped we'd never forget it.
I stood there for a moment, just enjoying the buzz and the feeling of happiness, when I saw Michelle, our waiter, regarding me with a contemplative look on her face. I took a few steps over to where I could talk to her.
"What's up Michelle?" She looked startled.
"Oh, I'm sorry, its nothing" I raised an eyebrow.
"Michelle, your surrounded by cops, we notice things, it's our job" She looked like she was going to try and deflect again but I just smiled at her, as she caved.
"I was just wondering, you look like you've all been friends forever" I smiled.
"Maura and I have only known Olivia and Alex for just on a year, its only been a few months for Brenda and Sharon and Ana and Natalie" Her jaw dropped.
"Really, it seems like it's been a lot longer, the way you're all at ease with each other" I smiled even wider.
"They're special people, we're really lucky"
"Yeah, you really are"
"You have someone special for you?" She shrugged.
"No, I'm studying psychology; don't really have time for someone right now"
"Don't worry, when the time comes, you'll know"
"Was it like that for you?" I looked over at Maura, she was chuckling at something Brenda had said.
"Hell yeah, fell in love with my best friend, wasted too long not telling her. Promise me you won't make that mistake when the time comes, ok?" She nodded.
"I won't"
"Good. By the way, thanks for looking after us tonight"
"It's been a pleasure, everyone's been lovely and with you guys I don't have to worry about being hit on by some drunk guy before the end of the night"
"I thought we'd have to deal with some of that tonight but it's been good" Michelle smiled.
"When I found out you were all cops, I let the other waiters know. They kinda let it slip to their tables so you wouldn't be bothered" I stared at her for a second then grinned.
"Thank you Michelle, we all appreciate it" She grinned back at me.
"It was my pleasure, besides, if their too scared to hassle you then they won't come over here and bother me either" I laughed.
"Good thinking" I looked around and stepped closer. "Michelle, I need a huge favour" She nodded.
"Sure, if I can"
"When it hits midnight, can you get the DJ to hold off for about two or three minutes, I have something I need to do and I would really appreciate some quiet"
"Oh...Kay... I guess"
"Michelle, this is really, really important to me, to us" I saw her eyes flick up to Maura as her face lit up.
"Oh my god, are you really going to..." I nodded.
"Yeah, so I need a little quiet, can you do that for me? Please?" She smiled, leaning forward and giving me a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"Consider it done" I smiled.
"Thank you"
"Don't worry Jane, it'll be fine"
I checked my watch, it was about a quarter to midnight, so with a whispered demand to Ana to keep Maura occupied, I dashed back up to our room and grabbed my package, before racing back down before I was missed with a few minutes to spare.
Seeing Maura chatting with Ana and Brenda, I slid in alongside of her, sliding my arm around her and pulling her close, getting a small smile as I did. I let the conversation finish as Michelle appeared to pass out Champaign flutes as everyone naturally paired off. Checking the time again I smiled at Maura.
"All set babe?" She smiled and nodded, before looking at everyone.
"May I have everyone's attention for a moment please?" I watched as heads came up and gazes focused on us. Maura took a deep breath as her arm pulled me in a little tighter.
"Jane and I would like to thank you for being here with us tonight. It means so much to have you here with us to celebrate the end of one year and the start of the next" There were smiles all round as she continued. "New Years Eve is traditionally celebrated in the company of your closest friends and family. While our families are not here tonight, I could not wish for a better, more wonderful group of friends to spend the night with"
"That's our line Maura" It was Alex, getting laughter all round as Sharon smiled.
"Nowhere else we'd rather be" Natalie grinned.
"Or people we'd rather be with" Maura's breath hitched for a second, before she rallied, a slight catch in her voice as she dealt with the emotions running through all of us.
"The last year has been very, very special. Some of us relocated..." She raised her glass to Ana and Nat, getting glasses raised in return. "...which turned out to be the right decision for us all" She looked around.
"We listened to our hearts and found the love we had always sought and dreamed of" Brenda and Sharon glanced at each other and smiled shyly as Alex gave Liv a quick kiss and I pulled Maura tighter to me, resting my head against hers and feeling a lump in my throat all over again.
"We met new people who turned out to be so much more than just friends" I looked at Ana and Nat, then at Sharon and Brenda, seeing the same smiles and happiness there as I was feeling, for a moment I felt myself floating in the joy that seemed to surround us all.
"Truly all our lives have changed so much, in so many ways. The last year has been full of blessings, I find it hard to imagine that the coming year could possibly top it. That said, in the company of the people we love, how can it not be anything but extraordinary. Thank you for being here, thank you for being our friends and thank you for being the people we love" There was silence for a second, I could tell everyone was dealing with their own emotions, I knew I was. Concerned by the silence, Maura quickly looked up at me, worry in her voice.
"Did I say something wrong?" I swept her into a hug, crushing her to me.
"God no, you said everything right babe" When I finally let her go we looked up from each other to see smiles all round. Ana lifted her glass.
"To Jane, and Maura, for being the best friends anyone could possibly ask for" Alex spoke quickly.
"To Maura and Jane, for being the people we love" Brenda smiled.
"To Maura and Jane, for everything they've done for us" The toast was drunk, as we stood there happily for a moment, before I heard the DJ call out less than two minutes to midnight. I motioned to Michelle and she moved round, refilling everyone's glass' before slipping off towards the DJ booth with a wink for luck.
We stepped out of the cabana onto the patio, joining many other people celebrating as they joined in on the countdown. We all took up the count as an electronic clock wound down the last ten seconds, as I stared into Maura's eyes, before a cheer went up and fireworks started going off down on the beach.
I pulled Maura into my arms as she pressed close, losing myself in her embrace, her kiss. This time last year it had been just another New Years Eve, this one was everything I could ever have hoped for, in the company of friends and in the arms of the woman I loved. The kiss was full of passion and love and sheer unadulterated joy, as I realised once again just how right this was.
Her parents, my brother, the people we'd worked with back in Boston, they were all wrong, Maura and I were meant to be together and by god no one was ever going to keep us apart.
I could feel the love she felt for me and the knowledge that I belonged to her gave me such a sense of rightness and completion that I felt full to bursting and I knew I was making the right decision. We stood there for a moment, whispering words of love and devotion as we clung together, smiling at each other in a happiness that I'd rarely ever known.
I stepped back, seeing Maura's soft smile and it hit so hard, I'd made the person I loved happy, nothing else could ever compare to that feeling. As I glanced around I could see our friends lost in each others arms, reaffirming their love as well.
I reached into my pocket, feeling the felt surface of the small box in my hand and shaking just a little as the enormity of what I was about to do hit me. For a second I hesitated, what if it wasn't what Maura wanted, what if she said no?
With effort I calmed my fears, they were irrational and stupid, I knew Maura, I knew her like I knew myself. This was what we both wanted, needed.
Palming the box, I dropped to one knee as Maura looked at me, her head tilting to one side in that quizzical habit I know and love, she wasn't sure what I was doing.
For a moment I paused, frozen as she stared at me, a quiet seemed to settle over us as I saw realisation dawning on Maura's face. I knelt there as I saw the shock appear in her face, her hand rising unbidden to her mouth as she understood what I was doing. I could feel our friends eyes on us as I spoke, a little loudly to be heard over the background buzz.
"Maura Isles, you are everything I have ever sought in a person. You are my friend, my confidant, my lover, my safe harbor in times of turbulence and trouble, you have made me a better person, made me strive to be worthy of you, to make you smile and bring you joy"
The noise on the patio was dying away as more and more people turned to watch, the sound of the fireworks dimly heard as my world narrowed down to just Maura, it'd always been that way, just Maura.
I thought about all the things we'd been through as I recited the words, I'd spent days working on the right words, then weeks practicing, making sure I knew them perfectly, if I ever got just one thing right it had to be this.
"I was bewitched by your beauty, charmed by your humour, captivated by your intellect, awed by your friendship and humbled by your love"
"Your presence fulfills me, your smile entrances me, your friendship comforts me and your love completes me, I swear that I will continue to strive to be the person you deserve, every day for the rest of my life, for as long as we both shall live"
I could see Maura was smiling, oblivious to the tears running down her cheeks. I swallowed a lump that had appeared in my throat so I could go on.
"Maura Isles, in you I have found the one and only true love of my life. I cannot conceive of a life without you by my side" I reached down and opened the small box, before holding it up to her in supplication.
I'd searched LA for just the right ring, dragging Ana from store to store getting a second opinion before we'd found the perfect ring, entwining red gold, yellow gold and platinum set with diamonds, flat so Maura could wear it under her gloves at work and not have to take it off. It sat there, a symbol of everything I felt. Everything I'd hoped and dreamed of, with Maura, the woman of my dreams.
"Will you do me the incomparable honour of being my wife?"
The world shrank and dissapeared, leaving just Maura and I, as I stared into her eyes, seeing the love and joy I felt reflected there and I knew her answer before I asked.
"Will you marry me?"
.
Fini
.
A/N Well everyone, we finally come to the end of this particular journey. When I started writing Intersecting Lines I had no idea that it would end up so long, let alone 100 chapters.
The story grew, from being Jane and Maura's experiences to encompass Brenda and Sharon as well. Both couples are fun to write and with Natalie and Anastasia they almost write themselves. I can almost hear their words as if they are speaking them for me to transcribe them.
This isn't the end of their stories though. I have most of Intersecting Lines Book Two plotted out and much already written; it will be significantly shorter than Book 1, a more easily digestible meal perhaps. Book Three's key scenes are down on paper, partly in outline form, others completely finished.
Then there is the Passion and Possession series to finish, plus a major bridging story to link Books Two and Three starring Olivia and Alex, Kate Beckett and the CSI:NY crime lab, plus some stand alone stories to write.
I'm humbled that so many came with me on this journey and that you liked what I had to say.
Hopefully my future works will be better than this and you will be willing to follow me again.
Until then, thank you for your words, your encouragement and most of all, that most precious of commodities, your time.
It's said that each of us is born with a finite amount of time and how we spend it is the mark of how we live our lives. Spend each second as if it is more precious that gold, for when it is gone no amount of money can possibly buy us more.
Thank you for sharing some of that precious time with me, truly a gift without equal.
Mike