Author's Note: Thank you very for all your reviews and messages. It's really nice of you to take the time to post something every day or so.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Jane walked out of the elevator. She made five steps then stopped. She looked on her right and then on her left. A ribbon of buildings, streets and trees spread in front of her. Or below her feet to be more exact. Everywhere. The sky was blue and clear. It wasn't overcast and she could see as far as little hills in the distance. A green patch as well. She frowned.

"What is that?" She pointed out the green patch as soon as Maura reached her. "Woods?! There are woods in Paris?!"

Maura gave Jane a nod. She grabbed Jane by the elbow then pulled her closer to the edge of the last floor of the Eiffel Tower. The place wasn't packed as they now regulated the amount of tourists on each floor but they weren't alone nonetheless and it was difficult to share a somewhat personal moment on top of the famous monument.

"It's le Bois de Vincennes... Ancient royal woods. There's even a castle there." A smile curled up Maura's lips as she apologetically shrugged at Jane. "We didn't have time to go there. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. We can't see everything." Jane ran a hand through her hair as realization hit her. She burst out laughing. "I can't barely believe that it took us so long to climb on top of the Eiffel Tower!"

The monument was impressive from the ground and the view was rather breathtaking from the top but Jane understood why Maura didn't like it, why so many Parisians seemed to actually despise it. It wasn't Paris. It didn't have the soul of the city. It was a must-see and it ironically symbolized the French capital but it had little to do with all the streets Jane had walked through, all the buildings she had looked at and all the public gardens she had stopped by.

The Eiffel Tower was almost – and rather unexpectedly – impersonal.

"Let's take a picture." Jane grabbed her cell phone out of the pocket of her coat. It was a sunny but quite cold day nonetheless. She had even bought a scarf on her way to the monument. They had watched the weather forecast on television and had been surprised to learn that it was already snowing in Boston. It would be a cold winter. "For ma'..."

"Oh, sure!"

Jane rolled her eyes and for brief seconds she sounded just like the Jane from Boston, the grumpy yet funny homicide detective. It warmed up Maura's heart. She hadn't missed grumpy Jane but grumpy Jane reminded her of home nonetheless.

"Then her goddamn Eiffel Tower obsession will stop. At last."

They made their way to a quieter area of the floor. The view behind them was still just as breathtaking. Maura came closer to Jane. She slid an arm around Jane's waist then smiled at the cam on the cell phone. Her pose was classic if not just random.

Against all expectations and without any warning, Jane decided to place herself behind Maura at the last moment. Quickly. Too quickly for Maura to react. She leaned her chin on top of Maura's shoulder before kissing said shoulder as she took the pic.

"Jane..."

The unexpected move had caused Maura to freeze. She had kept on smiling but her heart had skipped a beat. She had no issue with Jane kissing her in public but she hardly found it appropriate if Jane wanted to send said picture to her mother.

The kiss was very telling. Their pose as well. It wasn't how friends took pictures together.

Jane let go of Maura in order to check the picture but it was nothing but an excuse. She barely looked at it. She counted until five in her head instead then pressed the 'Send' button. She swallowed hard and forced a smile in order to reassure Maura who looked very confused.

"Done."

...

"And what's been your mother's reaction? What did she say? Did she call you?"

Maura cast a glance at Jane before holding back a sigh of despair. She and Jane had just told Léopoldine about Jane's odd – and unplanned – coming out of some sort.

Jane laughed lightly, casually. But deep inside, she wasn't as relaxed as she pretended to be. Deep inside, she felt lost and anxious. She didn't like her mother's silence. It didn't fit. Angela Rizzoli never turned silent.

"She still has to reply, as a matter of fact."

A glass of wine in hand, Léopoldine raised an eyebrow with great perplexity. She honestly looked surprised by Angela's silence but the timid smile that suddenly played on her lips betrayed her desire to reassure Jane and Maura immediately.

"Give her some time. That's all she needs..." Léopoldine looked down at her plate. She perfectly knew that she hadn't convinced anyone. She had miserably failed. She cleared her voice and took a deep breath before looking up at Jane and Maura anew. "So your stay is coming to an end, isn't it?"

One day. They still had one day left. And a thousand questions that remained unanswered.

They had climbed on top of the Eiffel Tower in the morning before going for a walk by the Seine in the afternoon. They had hold hands all along but had barely chatted. The bitterness of an imminent departure weighed on their shoulders.

Things would have been different if they had known what was expecting them in Boston but they didn't. Their future wasn't bright but uncertain, made of nothing but what-ifs. They were hopeful and wanted to believe in it but only time would tell.

"So... Are you going to Quantico, Jane?"

Jane gave Léopoldine a very brief nod. She felt ashamed to admit that it was still her plan because she hardly believe in it anymore. As a matter of fact, a little voice in her head kept on telling her that she had never wanted it. She had forced herself into it because everyone around her was making changes. Everyone but her.

It wasn't easy andthe more she thought about it, the more Quantico appeared as a mistake.

"It's a big opportunity to work for the FBI, you know. I didn't go to college so... Joining the Bureau is very meaningful, I guess."

I guess.

Léopoldine didn't miss the last two words that Jane said. They meant a lot more than what Jane was eager to admit. But since Léopoldine didn't want to ruin the smooth dinner that the three of them were having in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés then she didn't mention it.

"I'm sure it is."

"Quantico isn't far... Besides, I'll make sure to have my weekends off." Maura spoke loudly, too loudly. It made her attempt at being positive fall flat. "For years I accepted the same work schedule as my employees while I am the chief medical examiner... Maybe it's time for me to use the privilege that my job position brings."

The situation isn't perfect but it's a realistic scenario. Many couples work in different cities - in different states - and they handle it quite well. At least Jane wants to believe in it, it's already a lot more than what I had dared to imagine. So I'll do my best to make it work. I really will. We can do it. We have to.

"Fair point." Léopoldine nodded at nobody but herself. She paused for long seconds then let a mysterious smile light up her traits. She looked up at Jane before focusing on Maura. "Nothing is irreversible anyway."

Jane let the words sink in. She knew that Léopoldine had meticulously chosen them, that there was nothing random about them. On the contrary. They were extremely meaningful.

"So did you like Paris, Jane? Wouldn't you like living here?"

"Oh, Léo..." Maura shook her head at Jane apologetically. Just when Léopoldine showed empathy and sweetness, she had to be just as blunt as her mother again. "Quantico, she's going to Quantico."

"What?! She doesn't speak French but she could easily learn then find a job... Gosh, you know that we have influence at the US embassy. This wouldn't be an issue at all."

Except France isn't where we should live. It may have all started here – in Paris – that doesn't mean that we should stay in this city. Our life is in America. In some place there. We just need to figure it out somehow.

Perhaps I could move to Paris and embrace the French life style but Jane isn't made for that. She won't live abroad, even less in Europe. She's too attached to Boston. This is what happens when you have a strong family spirit, Léo. I don't blame you for not getting it. I know way too well how it doesn't run in our family. Just accept the fact it's different for Jane. And for me, because Jane's family is my family.

"Paris is a wonderful city. I first decided to come here because of Maura but..." Jane gave Maura a shy smile. "But I've really discovered a city and... And Paris will always mean a lot to me."

"So... No US embassy?"

Jane burst out laughing. She shook her head at Léopoldine before giving Maura a wink to let her understand that everything was okay. She was okay.

"I don't think my mother would agree with this."

The same mother who still had to send a message back to Jane. It wasn't too early in the US anymore. Angela had had to check her messages by now. Her silence made Maura feel uncomfortable. Jane had been very blunt with that photo.

Too blunt, maybe.

But then it was Jane. At least she had been true to herself. She had found the courage to assume her feelings and it had touched Maura a lot more than what she had then expressed. Jane was serious about them. She wanted to believe in their story.