Jane lies back carefully on the bed, a huge grin on her face. She was waiting…

She'd asked on a Thursday night while they were playing Bananagrams. Once they outlawed medical terms-Jane sometimes even won. They'd been sitting on the floor facing each other, legs tangled together under the table, an abandoned beer bottle and glass of wine sat on coasters next to them. She'd had the ring for over a week, wondering when she'd get the nerve to ask, to ask Maura to marry her. She'd looked up as she said 'peel' to see Maura's twinkling eyes and mischievous smile followed by the groan as she turned over a 'Q'. Jane had laughed and grinned back, realizing this might just be the right time-a regular Thursday night, pizza and drinks and Bananagrams in their living room forever was what she wanted. So while Maura concentrated on her tiles, Jane dug into her pockets and muttered 'dump' leaving the ring, a simple diamond seeded low in a white gold band, among the white tiles strewn across their coffee table. Jane had waited patiently for Maura to work all her letters so she could say 'peel' next.

The longest minutes of Jane's life passed before Maura triumphantly said, "Ha! Peel, Jane," and looked up to get a tile.

Jane didn't say anything as Maura went to grab a tile but stopped short as she spied the ring amongst the tiles.

Eyeing Jane, "Jane Rizzoli, what are you doing?"

Jane couldn't help the laugh…"Maura Isles, what do you mean?"

Maura waves her hand at Jane, nonplussed and adorable. "That is not a tile." She finally says.

Jane shakes her head, "No."

"No."

"It's an engagement ring."

Maura's eyes widen, "I see that."

Jane raises her eyebrows, "So?"

Maura grins, "So?"

Jane crawls on her knees towards Maura on the other side of the coffee table and launches herself at the doctor, taking down the wiggling and giggling woman. "Maura Isles will you marry me, be mine forever, put up with me forever, let me make you laugh and love you forever?" Jane says between laughs and kisses.

"Jane Rizzoli, this is how you ask me? While tackling me on our living room floor?" Maura sputters, still laughing.

Jane leans up on her elbows, pushes curls off Maura's face, behind her ears.

"Yes?" She says smiling uncertainly.

Maura nods, "OK," wrapping arms and legs around Jane.

"OK?" Jane questions shyly.

"Yes, I'll marry you and put up with you and love you and laugh with you forever." Maura whispers, a wide, happy smile on her face.

"Good." Jane says leaning down to kiss her fiercely.

Maura walks out of their bathroom to find Jane lying on the bed chuckling. She straightens her dress, tucks a curl behind her ear.

"What are you laughing about?" Maura asks smiling at her girlfriend. "You look beautiful, by the way."

Jane sits up at the sound of the doctor's voice, her retort lost as she takes in the vision that is Maura Isles. She opens her mouth and nothing comes up, Maura is laughing at her.

Maura is wearing a cream colored dress with thin straps that flows breezily down to her knees. Currently barefoot, her lovely hair is loose around her face and Jane can't help the tears that are suddenly right on the edge of her eyes.

Breathless, "Maura, you look beautiful." She stands to embrace the doctor.

Chuckling into Jane's collarbone, "I hope so –we are getting married today after all."

She reaches up to frame Jane's face, "Don't cry sweetie. I love you so much. I can't wait to say yes to you in front of our friends and family." She leans in to kiss trembling lips. "We deserve this." She whispers. Jane just nods, wraps long arms around Maura sighing in contentment kissing the curls on her head.

Maura had asked on a Friday morning, she'd texted Jane to come down to her office when she got back from a crime scene. They'd both been called in early, rudely woken from sleep, Maura elbowing Jane in the stomach accidently, the 'oof' comical as Jane made to answer her phone.

When Jane walked into Maura's office she found the doctor's eyes closed, chin balanced on her hands, flat on her desk. There was a pastry bag from their favorite bakery and two coffees next to her.

Jane smiled at the site, remembering a day when the roles were reversed and she took a chance telling Maura her feelings.

Jane leans forward to kiss Maura's forehead. "Hey? One of these for me?"

Maura smiles as she opens her eyes, taking in her detective.

"Why, yes. How are you? Any leads?" She asks, sitting back in her chair, sipping her coffee.

Jane sits down on the chair opposite Maura. "No leads yet but we still have work to do. So what do I owe this early morning summons?"

Maura smiles a small smile and then starts, "Well I have something important I want to talk with you about. Promise me when I say what I'm going to say, you'll talk it through with me?"

Jane smirks, "Of course, Maura. You're my best friend." She puts her free hand on top of Maura's.

"Well Jane, I have been feeling a little off this week, nervous."

Jane narrows her eyes as she leans forward looking at the doctor. "Oh, really? Well, do tell." She says smirking.

Maura lowers her eyes, nerves getting the best of her. She studies her nails.

Jane quiets and moves to nudge Maura's chin up –so they were eye to eye.

"Hey." Maura looks up at Jane. "I'm just kidding, talk to me. You're making me worried."

Maura smiles faintly, squeezes Jane's fingers, "Oh, I'm fine. In my mind this seemed like it would be easy."

Jane tilts her head, gazing at the doctor. "You once said it wouldn't always be easy. I'm stubborn and you're bossy."

They chuckle looking at each other, Maura's easy smile coming back to the surface as she stands and walks around her desk. She sits down in Jane's lap and wraps her arms around her neck, kisses her sweetly on the mouth.

"You always know how to make me feel better. I feel foolish. I wanted to do this, ask you, and be clever."

Jane can't help the snort that comes out of her nose. Maura slaps her shoulder.

"Why the snort, Detective Rizzoli?"

"Why, Maura? You are one of the cleverest people I have ever met, beautiful too. I am a captive audience so get on with being clever."

Maura grins and continues to absently stroke the hair away from Jane's temple, Jane's eyes flutter closed, her partner's touch hypnotic.

Maura took a big breath in, "Jane Rizzoli, I love you and I love that you asked me to marry you while we were playing Bananagrams."

Maura tips up Jane's chin and give her a quick kiss, soft lips to soft lips before continuing, her voice low. "But I realize I want to see you as much as I can. I want to be the one who takes care of you all of the time. If you're ill, need help, even just to be on a regular Friday night with take-out and movies."

Jane blows out a deep breath at hearing her own long ago words, her lips turning up.

"And I know now that waking up in your arms is how I sleep best. I'm sorry to just put this on you on a Friday morning but there it is."

Maura leans back and peers into Jane's sparkling, damp eyes. "It turns out I want more. Do you? Will you marry me?" She finishes her voice barely a whisper.

"Oh, sweetie. Of course. Of course." She whispers before leaving a kiss on inviting lips and wrapping her arms more firmly around the doctor.

Maura sighs in relief and settles into Jane's mouth, enjoying the languid kiss, their tongues tangling.

Jane kisses her once more before pulling back. "You did know you already said yes when I asked so I was a gimme, right?"

"Jane, I know. I just always wanted to ask you too. Thank you for letting me even though it wasn't as I had planned." Maura whispers into the shell of her ear, Jane's breath hitching.

They silently look at each other as Jane turns the engagement ring around and around Maura's finger.

"I almost forgot, I got you a ring too."

"No, you didn't."

"I did." She reaches discreetly into the deep vee of her blouse, taking the ring from her bra.

"Maura! You put my ring into your bra? I can't believe you." Jane can't help the laughter that makes it way up her throat.

Maura looks at the thin band of diamonds in her hand and back at her chest before dissolving into giggles. She sits up straighter and wipes her eyes before taking Jane's left hand in her right one.

"Jane Rizzoli, will you marry me? Be my wife? Share my life, our life?"

"Yes, Maura Isles. Yes."

Jane releases Maura so she can grab her shoes from the walk-in closet. Jane smooths her own dress down. She cannot wipe the grin from her face. She gets to marry Maura Isles today.

Eying the dreamy look on her detective's face, "Ready, sweetie?" Maura asks offering her hand for Jane to take. They head out down the hallway.