So... I had a lot of people telling me this story felt incomplete, so I went back and reread it, and found myself agreeing. So here's the conclusion. It is now finished. :-)

I will have the next chapter up of My Saving Grace sometime this weekend too. :-)

R&IR&IR&I

I've always been emotional. I was always the child that was quick to tears in the schoolyard, who took things just a little bit too much to heart. And my mother... my adoptive mother, Constance... she told me that I just had to be brave.

But I didn't know how.

How could I be anyone but me?

But I tried. I gulped down tears, I spoke more openly about my interests, and I tried to forgive people when they hurt me... but still, it wasn't enough. Mother still told me that I had to be brave. I wanted to tell her that I was trying and it wasn't working...but I couldn't. Finally, I just accepted that perhaps bravery was not in my repertoire. Perhaps someone else had received my share of bravery, and when I finally met that person, we could use that combined pool for both of us... which is a fanciful thought with no basis in reality and science, but I take comfort in it nonetheless. Perhaps, while I am woefully inadequate in this area, someone else shines.

When I met Jane Rizzoli, this thought seemed no longer so fanciful. She was incredibly brave. Brave, and beautiful, and smart, and funny... it didn't take me long to realize I was falling in love with her. But I'm not a brave person, so I didn't do anything about it. Even when I saw her looking at me with a look that seemed somehow more than mere friendship, I stayed quiet, because I couldn't lose her. I wasn't brave enough to be on my own again. But when Jane started pulling away all on her own, an overwhelming fear took its grip on my heart. So I asked her what bravery is like. I wanted to know, because it's something I can never even begin to imagine. My whole life had proven it to that point: I was not brave. I could not be brave. But Jane could.

She tried arguing against me, of course, as I knew she would. Said that she wasn't brave, said that I was... but I knew the truth. So I walked away. I walked away after telling her I would kiss her, because I'm not brave. I wanted to... but I couldn't. I was too scared. I was too scared that being with me would somehow make her vulnerable, or that I would hurt her in some way. I couldn't do that. I'm not brave enough to put her heart on the line for my own selfish reasons.

I'm not brave. So I walked away.

I... I never expected her to follow.

"What's it like, Maura? Being brave?"

Her hands frame my face, her fingers gently stroking my hair out of my eyes as I blink up at her owlishly.

"I... I don't..."

"Maura..." she whispers, her eyes soft and tears glistening on her lashes, "you're going to have to do this. I want to... but..."

"But I'm not brave, Jane."

Jane's head lowered to my shoulder for a few seconds before she raised it and stared into my eyes, her gaze fierce. "Fine. I'm brave then. Share it, Maura. Kiss me. Please."

What's it like to be brave?

Let's find out together.

I kissed her.

Turns out I was brave after all.

I just didn't know it.

END (for real this time)

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts but thanks just for reading! Lots of love, Katie xoxo