DISCLAIMER: I do not own Rizzoli & Isles nor any of the characters from the show. I am writing this purely for entertainment, not profit. Rizzoli and Isles are property of Tess Gerritsen and TNT.

Please find the full disclaimers in the beginning of Chapter 1.


Chapter 16

Maura was dragging her two pieces of luggage. Her stay was supposed to be short, a week, but she had at least six different interviews scheduled, and it was cold… So, more clothes than she liked to take on a trip.

She heard her name in the unmistakable deep voice of Jane Rizzoli shouted across the sea of people disembarking in that Friday afternoon. It brought a big grin to Maura's face to see Jane there, anxiously waiting for her.

Maura felt herself lifted from the floor when Jane hugged her.

"Jane!" she gasped, surprised.

"God, I missed you…" Jane whispered by Maura's ear before placing her back on the floor, moving a hand to cup Maura's face, and kissing her deeply.

If Maura was completely honest, despite the fact they had only been apart five days, and had spoken over video every one of them, Maura had desperately missed Jane. Being physically close to Jane had quickly become Maura's latest addiction.

"Wow… That was quite a reception… And here I was, thinking I was just going to call a cab to go to your apartment…" Maura blushed, not used to being the focus of attention of someone as intense as Jane.

"I have been counting down the minutes, Maura…" Jane admitted, taking the luggage handles in one hand, while offering her other arm for Maura to loop hers in, that Maura accepted thankfully as they negotiated their way among the crowd.

Jane steered Maura to the parking lot, where she loaded Maura's bags in the trunk of her car.

"It is not too late… If you are not too tired, could I interest you in a dinner date?" Jane invited, shyly, as she held the door on the passenger side while Maura accommodated herself on the car.

Maura was pleasantly surprised… For someone who until ten days ago had been contemplating suicide, it was refreshing to see Jane planning ahead and anticipating something so eagerly.

"I would love to…" Maura smiled gently at Jane.

Jane closed the door before walking to the driver's side.

It had been very cold, but it had not snowed in the past twenty-four hours, so traffic was not terrible.

Jane drove them to the restaurant.

"I have not been here before…" she disclaimed. "But I read it is a contemporary French cuisine fusion of some sort that made me immediately think of you."

Maura smiled. "We will find out together."

Maura was positively impressed with the menu, and made the selections for her, helping Jane out with her selections, also picking up a wine for them to try.

"Hmmm…" Maura closed her eyes as she let the wine roll on her tongue. "This is delicious, Jane. Thank you for inviting me out…"

"My pleasure… Welcome back!" Jane raised her glass in a cheer to Maura, and Maura clinked their glasses.

They ate in amiable conversation, Maura sharing details of her talk to the governor, and of the positions in DC she was applying to, while Jane listened intendedly, asking interested questions.

They ordered their desert, and Maura noticed Jane nodding discreetly to the waiter, but she dismissed it thinking it was just her impression.

She was proved wrong when their plates arrived, and her piece of chocolate flourless cake had neatly scribbled on top: "Will you be my girlfriend?"

Maura looked wide-eyed at Jane, who was anxiously observing her:

"Is this for me?"

"Hmmm… Only if your answer is yes…" Jane blushed furiously.

"Oh, Jane, of course the answer is yes!" Maura extended her hand, to intertwine her fingers with Jane's and squeeze them gently.

"I am sorry, I didn't realize until after you left that I had never really asked you…"

"Neither I have asked you… I think I just assumed… Will you be mine?" Maura offered a shy smile to Jane.

"For as long as you will have me…" Jane squeezed Maura's hand back, before they focused on their deserts, exchanging a few pieces to taste the other's.

Jane got the bill, insisting she had been the one inviting, before they got back to the car to go to Jane's apartment.

Once there, Jane rolled the bags to the bedroom, and opened the closet.

"Where are your things?" Maura asked, surprised.

"On that corner of the closet. I knew you would need space for winter clothes if you had different interviews."

"You didn't need to move all of your things…"

"They are not that many anyway. And it pleases me to make space so you can be comfortable here."

Maura noticed Jane had done the same with the bathroom cabinet, moving all her things to a corner to make space for Maura's.

She quickly unpacked, and changed into comfortable clothes, before walking back to the living room, where Jane had just sat back in the sofa, already in comfortable lounge clothes, with two mugs of hot cocoa for them.

Maura smiled, sipping from her cocoa, before placing it by the coffee table and snuggling against Jane.

"I am comfortable here…" Maura whispered, as if answering Jane's previous comments. "Even if there was no space in your closet or cabinets…" she added, with a chuckle.

Jane leaned in to kiss Maura deeply, her hand on Maura's jaw, slightly tilting Maura's head back – a thumb on a cheek, long fingers reaching out behind an ear and the root of silky honey blond hair.

When they broke the kiss a while later, they were both out of breath.

"How could I keep my hands off you for ten years?" Jane whispered, chocolate brown eyes lost in Maura's hazel ones.

"I think none of us realized we were more than friends before…" Maura whispered back. The same thought had crossed her mind many times in the past two weeks. How could they both have been so oblivious to what was right in front of their noses?

"I…" Jane began, but hesitated, closing her eyes and swallowing hard.

"What?" Maura moved a hand to the back of Jane's neck, massaging her nape for her to relax the sudden tension.

"I want you, Maura…" Jane spoke, her voice barely a breath. "I don't know how… But I want to make love to you… May I?" Jane blushed, lowering her eyes.