Jane is flinching a little as soon as Maura is sitting down on the garden chair next to hers and smiles at her wife. She can see that the doctor has caught her staring at her daughter and Adam, who standing at the other end of the yard and appear to joke around.
It has taken Maura and Liz aback as Jane came up to him and asked if he want to join them for dinner at the weekend. Shed did it because she wanted to see if he treats her daughter as respectful in spare time as he does at work, and now she knows that he does.
In the beginning, she was skeptical because she and Maura had been around, but she was taught better because he still had his hands to himself when they reappeared in the living room.
"I never have seen her so happy." Maura states as Liz laughs heartily and takes a sip from her wine.
Jane is still looking at them and takes a deep breath. "Me neither. Well, not as an adult."
"And you okay with it that he is five years older than her?" Maura asks and takes the hand of her wife in her own.
Jane scoffs and shrugs. "It's not like we would have a say in it, Maura. And all that matters to me is that Adam is treating Liz good, that he don't hurt her like Hanley did."
Maura frowns at the name and licks her lips. "We do have a knack for lunatics."
"Yeah," the Italian laughs and runs her hand over her tired eye. "Yeah, that's true. I start to believe that it is hereditable. But my gut is telling me that Adam is a good person."
Maura is nodding slowly and takes a deep breath. "You have been right, though."
Jane turns her head and furrows her eyebrows. "I know, I think. About what have I been right?"
Maura chuckles and nods at the young man. "That he is like you."
"When did I say that?"
"The evening Liz told us that she is dating someone."
"Really?" The Italian asks with an high-pitched voice and her shoulders slump as the blonde nods. "Shoot."
The ME chuckles and takes another swig of her wine.
Adam drops his chin to his chest and smirks. "Are they still watching us?"
Liz looks past him without attracting any attention and nods with a laugh. "Yap."
"Good to know." He chuckles and perks his brows briefly. "Well, who can blame them?"
"What do you mean?"
"You are their only daughter, it is understandable that they are skeptical when it comes to a man who is interested in her."
"Your parents did the same?"
"My mother did the same." He answers and looks briefly up at the night sky. "She never liked Anne, my ex. Or any other women in my life."
"I can't wait to meet her." Liz is laughing after a short time of silence.
Adam laughs himself and takes her hand in his own. "She will love you."
"Oh, yeah," she asks with a smirk and steps a little closer. "How do you know?"
"I know." He replies matter-of-factly and joins her chuckle.
"You can be a jerk sometimes."
"Other people already called me a lot worse things than that." Adam states and takes a swig of his beer. He becomes dead serious and swallows hard. "Liz, I have to tell you something. It has been bugging me the whole day, and the last night."
Liz can see the seriousness in his eyes and her heart drops. If Ma is going to transfer him now, I'm gonna kill her. She swallows the lump in her throat down. "Okay."
He takes a deep breath and steps even closer. "Liz, I think I am seriously in love with you."
Liz is staring at him and blinks a couple of times. "Excuse me?"
Adam is wishing right now that those words never had left his mouth and he has a deep frown on his forehead. "I, um, I … I thought that we … I thought that we talked about the same thing as you said that you care about me and that you like me very much." He pauses and is the one who's blushing now. "I am sorry, I shouldn't have assumed that we talk about the same thing."
She steps into his personal space and laughs amused. "It is the first time that I hear you stammering."
He doesn't move and shrugs. "It's a little embarrassing right now."
"I have never seen you embarrassed." She states and steps even closer, and this time her face isn't giving her away, she keeps it straight.
He still doesn't move. "Because it doesn't happen many times."
Liz is smirking and wraps her arms around his neck and enjoys it that he isn't that self-confident in that moment. She drags her nails over the back of his neck and furrows her eyebrows. "I think that I am in love with you too." She says and pulls his head down.
Adam hesitates all of a sudden and frowns. "What about your mothers?"
"What about 'em?" Liz asks back.
"They are sitting over there, watching us."
"Oh, they had watched me when I was doing much worse things." She replies and closes the last gap.
Jane clears her throat and looks into her lap as soon as she sees the couple kiss, smirking. She is surprised by herself that she doesn't become furious in that moment. Maura is pursing her lips and looks with a grin into her wine glass. "I think he just declared his love for her."
"I think you are right." Jane replies and takes a deep breath.
"That's it?" Maura asks surprised and glances confused at her wife. "You are not freaking out? You don't threat to kill him if he is hurting our daughter?"
Jane shrugs and looks at her wife. "I realized that our little girl isn't so little anymore and that Adam is a good man. And I know that heartache belongs to life, Maura. I had it many times before I could be with the love of my life. Maybe Liz found her perfect match a little sooner then I did, maybe not. That's something only time can tell. But what I can tell is that she will never be alone if she needs us."
Maura smiles proudly and is tugging at her wife's hand. "I am really proud of you. Let's go to bed."
Jane nods and gets up from the chair. She is proud of herself because she said those words out loud. She follows her wife and looks at the other couple with a smile. "Night, guys."
Liz scoffs and steps away from Adam. "Night, Ma."
Adam smiles broadly and risks a look at his watch and sighs. "I'm gonna call a cab."
"You can stay." Liz states and perks her eyebrows.
He sighs heavily and shakes his head. "It's your parents house, Liz."
"So?"
"I can't do that."
Liz has to struggle to keep an straight face and licks her lips. "You can't stay with me in bed and hold me?"
"Well, that I can do." He admits and his shoulders slump. "But I have nothing to change in my trunk."
She gives him a peck and shrugs. "All you need is to hold me tonight and wear a shirt in the morning. My mothers and I share a lot, but that would be too much."
Adam nods approvingly and follows the brunette. "I can do that. Lead the way."
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She is breathing heard and frowns deeply as her muscles starts to burn and she is cursing him for being so stubborn.
She gave up the yelling a couple of minutes ago and forces herself to keep up with him. She knows that she is going to be in trouble if he increase the pace.
Liz is focusing on her own pace and her own heartbeat. Just a little longer, just a little longer , she thinks to herself and pushes herself with a loud groan.
She sees her chance and growls through clenched teeth before she gives him a good bodycheck as he is about to turn right.
He stumbles against the wall before he slumps to the ground.
She draws her gun and points it at his head. "On your stomach and hands behind your head." She barks and the man is following her instructions.
Adam is coming from the other side and doesn't look so surprised like any other detective probably would do, but he is breathing hard too. "I told you that I am a good training partner." He chuckles.
Liz scoffs and smirks for a second, rolling her eyes.
He cuffs the murder suspect and forces him back on his feet. "If a police officer says don't run, do not run!"
She put her gun back in the holster and high five with him before they fist bump.
Mark finally rounds the corner and groans loudly when he sees that the chase is over already. "Seriously? I am too old for this shit."
Liz chuckles and pats the man's shoulder. "Come on, old man. I buy you a cup of tea."
He rolls his eyes and follows her with a laugh. "I don't drink tea."
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Liz is entering the bullpen and furls her eyebrows as she sees the empty desk of her mother and Adam's. She greets her uncle with a nod and crosses her arms over her chest. "Where are they?"
Frankie doesn't look up from his notepad and points over his shoulder. "They are discussing something with Maura in the conference room."
She nods slowly and takes a deep breath, looking over Jane's desk. "New case?"
Finally, he is looking up and frowns. "I have absolutely no idea what they have to talk about."
Suddenly her heart is dropping and she holds up a folder. "She is retiring?"
Frankie leans back in his chair with a long sigh. "She is in the age to think about it, Liz. None of us is getting any younger."
"I know that, Frankie." Liz replies and takes a look around. "It's just … I have been watching her leaving for work all my life, and I honestly can't imagine doing this job without her, or Mom."
Frankie gets up to his feet and walks over to the coffeemaker. "I am sure that she won't retire tomorrow, or the next week. Or anytime soon. Just like Maura."
"Still," she mumbles and throws the folder back on Jane's desk. She takes a deep breath and smiles a little as he comes back with two mugs.
"You are as worse as Jane when it comes to surprised." He chuckles and starts to take the photos from the latest case down from the board. "She hate changes too."
"I don't hate changes." Liz grumbles into the mug with a frown. "I just wanna be prepared."
Frankie turns his head with a knowingly smile. "So you don't like surprises."
"Exactly." She agrees.
He turns around and places the documents in a box and glances long at his niece. "If I show up tomorrow at your place and show you a nice Porsche, telling you it's yours. You are not taking it because you don't like surprises?"
She is smirking wryly and shrugs. "That kind of surprises I do like."
He scoffs and shakes his head with a broad smile. Frankie looks up as soon as he hears the familiar sound of boots and furls his eyebrows as he sees the irritated face lf his sister. "Everything's alright?"
Jane nods approvingly and licks her lips. "Yeah, everything is okay." She eyes her daughter and frowns.
Liz can see the look and tucks her chin in. "What?"
Jane growls low and sits down on her chair. "Nothing. It's just not my day." She says and runs her fingers over her eyebrows.
"Uh-huh."
Maura licks her lips and clears her throat. "I go and get my things, then we can go home."
"All right." Jane agrees with a sigh and opens the top drawer to get her keys out of it.
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"Did you eat my sour cream and onion chips?" Liz asks as she emerges from the kitchen and glares at Adam.
The young man is freezing and looks down at the empty bag of the said chips, still chewing. "No." His shoulders slump as soon as she crosses her arms over her chest and arches an brow. "Maybe."
She huffs annoyed and turns back to the kitchen. "I didn't know that I have to label everything with my name as I agreed to shack up with you."
"Are you going to pick a fight because of some stupid chips." He asks and gets up from the couch.
"We are a couple for two years already, you should know by now that I can't argue with you." Liz retorts and starts to search through the kitchen cabinets. "I just wanna have something that is greasy and unhealthy." She furls her brows. "Can it be that we do not have such thing?"
He smirks and shrugs with his shoulders. He still can remember how shocked Liz has looked as he asked her almost a year ago to move in with him, to take the next step in their relationship.
She had hesitate and he proposed that they don't have to live in one of their apartments and that they can go on a apartment-hunting so they can start a life together.
Liz had told him that she'd need time to think about it before she would make a decision and he had totally respected that.
And after she had told him that she would love start a life with him they were searching for a condo.
He only hesitated only once during this time, that was when had been viewing of a condo in Chestnut Hill. He liked it too, but now so much the price. He always had told Liz that he is into her and not her money, and that he probably can't afford it.
He still isn't sure how his girlfriend had talked him into it anyway.
"You ate it all." Adam says matter-of-factly.
Liz straightens up and scowls at him. "Now, I ate it all? I only told you to grab the chips and not to eat them all by yourself."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, drama queen." He says and pulls her closer at her hips. "Stop making a fuss about it. I'll buy a new bag tomorrow."
She makes a pouty face and heaves a sigh. "Ma was a little bit oddish today."
"So this is about Jane and not the chips?"
"The last time she behaved like that was as she had a heart attack."
Adam takes a deep breath and tries to smile reassuringly. "It has been a long day, Liz. I am sure she doesn't have another heart attack."
Liz wants to take her phone from the kitchen island and furrows her brows. "Maybe I should call her and ask her if she is alright."
He grabs her at her wrist and lowers his eyebrows as she looks questioningly and a little taken aback at him. "Your Ma is fine, Liz. I am sure of that."
She seems to give in for a second, but then she grabs her keys from the island. "All right, I am back in a bit."
Adam groans and wraps his around her from behind. "That what makes you so good at your job is really bugging me right now."
Liz turns her head and furls her eyebrows again because she can't understand the whole situation right now. "Why don't you want me to go and check on my parents?"
"Because." He simply says.
She waits for to continue and frowns. "Because what?"
"Just because." He whispers and chuckles.
Liz narrows her eyes with a smile. "Adam, what are you hiding from me."
"Nothing."
"Adam."
"Elizabeth."
She huffs annoyed and wriggles out of his arms. "Fine, you can sleep on the couch. You are not allowed to enter the bedroom until you tell me what you're hiding."
"I can live with that." He counter and sits down on the couch with a shrug, turning on the TV.
Liz takes a deep breath and walks towards the bathroom door. "And you are not allowed to come into the bathroom when I am in it.
His head swirls around and he growls as he sees that she is pulling her shirt over her head. "Well, that is unfair."
"You're a big boy." She replies and winks. "You'll survive it."
"I'm gonna watch a porn then."
"Don't you dare, Adam Laverty." She warn from the bathroom and he chuckles amused. He is sure that she doesn't mean it and follows her with an envelope in his hand.
She glances at his reflection and frowns. "Why are you in here?"
"That was in the mail." He answers as he steps closer and holds the envelope in front of her eyes. "And because I can't resist your lovely charm."
The brunette rolls her eyes and takes it in her hand. "That has to be the invitation to Leslie's and Chaz' wedding. Yap, I am right."
"Is there a time you are wrong?" Adam asks and let his lips trail over her shoulder.
"Plenty of times." She states and smiles at his reflection. "I can't believe that their getting married."
"Why?"
"Because we always said that we wouldn't find a man who could keep up with us and the job."
Adam is meeting her eyes and smirks. "And did you find a guy who can keep up with you and the job?"
She chuckles and smirks. "I think you know the answer."
"I do." He states and sighs. "And did you change your mind about marriage?"
"I did, but right now I like it the way it is."
"Okay," he mumbles and steps back.
The smile on her lips is dying and she turns around. "What's wrong?"
Adam takes a deep breath and turns the corners of his mouth downward. "Nothing."
She leans against the sink and scrutinizes his face long. "You are a terrible liar."
He chuckles and looks at his hand as she takes it into hers. "Scout's honor, everything is fine."
"You sure?"
"Yes."
Liz is looking long at him and can tell that Adam is anything but fine, but she hates to be pushed, that's why she isn't pushing other people she cares about.
Adam steps closer again and bends his head. "I am fine."
She automatically wraps her arms around his neck and nods before she closes the gap. "Now get out because I wanna take a shower."
Adam lets his head hang and he purses his lips. "And gone is my chance to take a shower with you."
Liz chuckles as he starts to head out and then she stops as soon as the door is closed. She closes her eyes and releases a shaky breath. The voice in the back of her mind is yelling at her to run, but she decided to ignore it because she isn't sure that her relationship with Adam would survive it.
She is sighing and runs an hand through her hair, shaking her head.
