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 22

"You did it!" Jane cheered proudly.

Maura was beaming in front of her as Jane hugged her tightly.

Maura had just stepped down from a hearing with the State Department, Jane had been on the audience, tensely waiting for it.

The past months had been a crazy uphill battle. Maura had not only taken over the reins of the Isles Foundation, giving continuity to all the programs and efforts her parents have built over the years and making then flourish like never before. But she had also started a war relief program, and today after a long bureaucratic battle, she had managed to achieve the official recognition of the war crimes that had happened in Switzerland.

"My parents and the other victims deserved this justice." Maura stated somberly.

The territory of the border closer to Germany had still been inaccessible, but the conflict had not evolved or expanded, and the expectation was that it would dwindle down in a few more months. And although that was good news for many – it meant this would not gain proportion – it felt really meaningless for the many who had lost their lives already and for whom nothing could be done.

"They did, Maura, and you got it for them. Singlehanded, because I never realized before how little people care…"

"I don't know if people don't care, or if they just don't want to take sides. Diplomacy, in a way, is a balancing act that probably requires a lot of times that people just close their eyes to the obvious."

"Well, you didn't close your eyes for a single moment, Maura, no matter how ugly the truth was. And I am really proud of you…" Jane praised, honestly.

Jane opened space for the people who were approaching to compliment Maura. And Jane could see how much of a bitter-sweet victory this was. It was a victory in the bigger scheme of things, for sure. But it didn't change the fact that Maura's parents had been senselessly murdered and nothing could bring them back.

Jane waited until the crowd around Maura dwindled, before she offered her arm, and Maura looped hers through it.

"What's next?" Jane inquired gently.

Maura sighed, tiredly.

"I need a break of a few days before I can think of anything else…" Maura admitted.

These past few months had been a roller coaster for her. The first two months there was the war and their recovery, physical and emotional.

Then there was the whole moving to DC: resigning, finding the apartment to move in with Jane, and moving both their stuff there, that took another three months.

And parallel to all of that had been her work in the Foundation, that had just seen a major win.

"Maybe that vacation to a warm place we talked about while we were recovering in Austria?" Maura tried, hopeful.

Jane chuckled. "That sounds lovely…"

They agreed on a long weekend. Jane would take the Thursday, Friday and Monday off, and they would fly Wednesday night to make the best of their time.

"Where are we going?" Jane asked when she set to prepare her luggage.

"Destin, Florida."

"The name of the place has a very nice ring to it."

"I thought so too… And it is famous for being this quaint little perfect seaside city…"

"Amen to that."

They arrived late to the resort they were staying at, were conducted to their exclusive bungalow, and went straight to bed. So it was a fabulous surprise to wake up and realize their bungalow had floor to ceiling windows that opened to the sand and to the lightest blue sea Jane had ever seen in her life.

Jane sat in bed when she realized Maura was not there, but she grinned widely when she saw Maura walking back with a breakfast tray that had been just delivered to their door, a light negligee on top of her silk PJs.

"Good morning…" she offered in a bright smile to Jane.

"To you! Did you rest well?" Jane sat in bed, stretching lazily.

"I don't think I realized how tired I was. I slept like a rock."

"Likewise. It is very quiet in here, only the ocean sounds…" Jane sighed contentedly.

Maura joined her and they had a relaxed breakfast in bed, and Jane brought the empty tray to leave outside of their door.

"What are the plans today?"

Maura grinned.

"No plans. This is a much needed vacation… Walk on the beach, enjoy some sun, dive in the sea, relax, nap, eat…" Maura replied, almost dreamily.

Jane knew the past few months had been very intense with all that happened, so she was not surprised to see Maura really focused on relaxing, although Jane didn't ever remember Maura being so intentional about it.

They changed into their bikinis, and lashed each other with a healthy amount of sunscreen before they hit the sand. They walked side by side the entire extension of the resort beach slowly and leisurely, back and forth. There was nobody else in sight, and it was only them, the sounds of the ocean, and their relaxed conversation.

Then, they stopped in the sand strip in front of their bungalow to sunbathe for a bit.

When the sun became too hot, Jane stood up to jump into the water, and when she confirmed to Maura the water was at a pleasant temperature, Maura joined her.

They playfully floated in the calm waters beyond the surf for a while, before Jane kneeled on the shallow waters and gently cradled Maura's floating form in her arms to kiss her softly.

"I love you…" Jane whispered against salty lips.

Maura moved to kneel in front of where Jane was kneeling, before kissing her again, now with passion and abandon, hands intentionally roaming the expansion of naked skin exposed by their bikinis as the ocean waves passed through them slowly.

"We will get sunburnt…" Maura reluctantly stood up after kissing Jane one more time, and helping her to her feet.

They walked past the surf in direction to their bungalow, to shower and remove the salt and sand from their hair and bodies prior to lunch.