"Where are we going?" Maura asked, following an uncharacteristically energetic Jane cautiously, the blindfold over her eyes forcing her to proceed slowly in her high heels and grip Jane's hand tighter than usual.

"You'll find out!" Jane promised. "Soon. We're almost there."

Maura would have tried to figure out where they were going based on approximate distances and the turns they'd made since the precinct, but Jane knew her too well and stopped every so often to spin her around and disorient her.

"Now, I know this isn't the usual type of thing you go to, but I figure it combines two things we each love into one thing we can do together," Jane said and then brought Maura to a stop. She took off the blindfold and it took a few moments for Maura's eyes to adjust to the blinding contrast of the sunshine.

Maura had visited the familiar bricked expanse that was Boston's Museum of Science many times, but she'd never set foot on the grounds with Jane. And although she'd ventured through many of their more morbid exhibits, she had yet to step foot inside the Colby Trophy Room. Jane had the good sense to take Maura's blindfold off outside of the building, but the sign advertising Antique Firearms Exhibit – Colby Room was a clue that didn't need a detective to be solved.

"Now that I think about it, an exhibition on historical weaponry seems like a foolproof way to get you to go museum browsing with me," Maura commented as Jane took her arm and led her into the building.

"Hey now, a lot of these guns are here specially. You don't know a lot about old guns do you?" Jane asked, pausing mid-step and looking concerned.

"No Jane, they're not exactly my forte nor my expertise. Do we need a guide? I know several employees here who could-" but Maura was cut off by Jane's fervent, "No. I'm all the guide you'll require tonight."

"Are you sure, Jane, because it would really be no trouble-"

"Seriously, Maur, have a little faith," Jane pleaded softly. They entered the Colby Room, which although adorned with its usual collection of animal heads and pelt rugs, also had several small tables set up with glass display cases and wiring. Jane drew them up level to the case nearest to them.

The detective studied the weapons within for a moment before turning to Maura. "These are two flintlock pistols, early 1800s, from Hispanic America. Can you guess which famous revolutionary had these strapped on at all times?" Jane cocked a hip and an eyebrow as she waited for Maura to collect her thoughts.

"Gaspar de Portolà?" she guessed, surprised by the feeling of uncertainty seeping into her abdomen.

"Simon Bolivar. They were bought for more than 1.5 million dollars in the early 2000s in New York, so it's a miracle the curators managed to snag them for the exhibit," Jane praised before whistling at the exquisite relics fondly. "Then again, a lot of the guns here are like that." They walked to the next case and Jane barely had to look at the piece within to start unloading her info upon Maura.

"This is one of the more infamous antique guns in here. It's believed to never have been fired although some rumours indicate that the owner used it for his suicide in the mid-1940s. Guesses?" Jane smiled a little smugly, enjoying her role of Maura for the moment.

"Hitler? He's the only famous supposed suicide of that time period I can think of, but it's never been proven beyond a doubt that he killed himself," Maura rambled a little bit, feeling a blush creep onto her cheeks at Jane's proud nod.

"This is Hitler's golden gun, a 7.65mm Walther PP. It went off the grid for a while after 1987, but keeping any historic gun hidden away is a crying shame. You can even see the inscription on the barrel, something that even people on the internet can't discover. Most people think of Hitler's "Golden Gun" as the Liliput Model I pistol he was gifted before World War II even started. But this gun," she gestured to the specimen in front of them, "is the one that always comes to my mind when I hear the phrase." She gave a little shrug before pulling Maura over to another case.

"Okay, now please tell me you've heard of Wyatt Earp," Jane began in a pleading tone. The 'or else' went unsaid but Maura felt it was probably along the lines of 'no sexy times for you tonight.' Luckily, being around the police force and Jane especially had given Maura enough cause to research the history of law enforcement.

"Yes, I've heard of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. They were in Tombstone, yes?" Maura was 98% sure she was correct, but the little shimmer in Jane's eye as she enthusiastically agreed was well worth the questioning tone.

"Yeah, exactly Maur! This is Earp's real life .45 Colt Revolver. The man took this into the O.K. Corral and came out without a single scratch!" She shook her head in awe and disbelief and all Maura could think was I am so in love with this brilliant, brilliant woman. "As a gun from the 1880s, it's in amazing condition. It could probably still fire off a couple of rounds, if we had some shells kickin' around. I wonder how accurate it is…"

"Jane, we're not stealing a nigh priceless gun so you can play with it." Maura admonished, recognizing the devilish glint in her darling's eye.

"But-"

"Not a chance," Maura reiterated before pulling Jane along to the next case. "Tell me about this one."

Jane pouted but only for another moment before lighting up with excitement again. "Okay this is like the third most amazing display in the place, the first will be obvious to you as soon as we get to it, and the second was Earp's Colt – but this is still really, really awesome. You know Jesse James right? Outlaw, bank robber, notorious, yadda yadda yadda. Well this is the gun that killed him, this is Rob Ford's .44 caliber Smith & Wesson. And I know it doesn't look like much but it's like the most famous traitorous firearm in existence. Also it killed Jesse James, did I mention that it killed Jesse James?"

Maura's heart could not have felt more full of love for this beautiful woman. Pride was also a contender because Jane was so smart and nobody really knew or cared to know it. She got the job done and that was that, but there was so much more lurking beneath those department store v-neck t-shirts and Maura was so lucky that she was allowed behind the curtain, so to speak.

"You may have mentioned it once or twice," Maura allowed, smiling broadly. Jane smiled playfully back.

"It's important. It killed Jesse James. Come on Maura, be excited!"

Maura rolled her eyes – Jane smirked at the habit she'd managed to pass on – and shook her head indulgently. "Next."

"Unbelievable," Jane muttered to herself, but moving on to the last display case regardless. "Fine. I shouldn't even have to tell you whose this was, Maur, you're a pretty big history nut."

A six-inch derringer, beaten up and unimposing lay on a cushion and Jane was right; Maura didn't need to read the sign to know that this was the gun which killed the President.

"How did the collectors get their hands on this?" Maura wondered aloud. To her surprise, Jane answered her.

"Federal government seized it from a gun collector's possession proclaiming it was of great national historical value. It's on loan from the Smithsonian for the duration of the exhibit before it goes back home," Jane explained. She gestured at the guards on either side of the pedestal, "It doesn't look like much, but the pocket pistol that assassinated Abraham Lincoln is a pretty precious artefact that the government takes no chances with these days."

Maura looked over at her with a questioning gaze. "What?" Jane demanded defensively. "I can read and use Google too, Maura."

"I'm not insulting you; I'm just impressed with your knowledge about these weapons is all. Knowledge is a good look on you," Maura added as an afterthought, blushing slightly.

"Well thanks doc, but antique weaponry is about as interested as I get in history. Everything else is your department."

Maura nodded, "I think I can agree to those terms."

Jane grinned. "Brilliant. Now let's go for ice cream!"

"I hope you mean gelato…" the doctor warned as she was led away by a sugar-starved Jane on the prowl.

Jane stopped abruptly in the middle of the hallway. "I'm Italian Maura, of course I mean gelato."

***
Hey guys, sorry it's been so long since I've written anything. It may take some time for me to get back into the swing of things and write at the quality you've come to expect, but I'm working on it. Thanks for sticking by me and reading my little Rizzles snippets. And of course, I'm always taking requests.