Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Rizzoli and Isles.

Speak for the Future

- By Megannrosemary

"Will you marry me?" Jane's dark eyes lifted from her meal to gaze at the blonde beside her.

"Yes." Maura didn't hesitate in her answer, only looked questioningly at her friend and waited patiently for clarification.

She gulped audibly, pausing to take a sip of her beer before picking her way through an explanation. "I just thought you know if you're not seeing anyone and I'm not seeing anyone when we hit fifty...we should get married so we don't die alone in our old age."

"You don't wish to get married now?" Amber eyes glistened with soft-edged hurt.

"No!" She jerked, a cucumber flying off her plate and onto the carpet. "I just thought we could have a pact, just in case."

"Just in case?"

"Just in case you find someone you want, really want. Someone you'd rather marry than me." Her voice cracked and she set her plate on the coffee table. "But then if you don't, which would be crazy because who wouldn't want to marry you, I can take care of you."

"You take care of me now."

"But you need love Maura, someone who loves you and you love them back just the same," She picked her words carefully , like she was talking to a suspect or a victim's family, like her next words could make or break her case. "I mean, if we were married, it wouldn't be that different from what we do now." Me hopelessly loving you, playing house with you and waiting, just waiting and hoping, just hoping for the day you love me back.

"You don't have to convince me Jane, I already said yes."

She ploughed on, her words coming faster and faster, her normally low husky voice rising to a squeak." We already spend our evenings together, coming here after work, eating dinner, watching TV and sometimes even sleeping in the same bed. I mean I wouldn't expect you to sleep in the same bed as me when we're married...if you didn't want to. If you did want to, I mean that would be nice. And we'll go grocery shopping like we do on the weekends now, and we'll argue over kale like we always do and I'll do a beer run while you berate the wine guy..." Colour leeched out of her face, her hands shook, "Wait...You did?"

"I did." Maura took her hands in her own, settling them on her lap.

"Oh, ok it's settled then." Jane nodded, taking a deep whooshing breath. Her heart faster, with excitement rather than fear. She had ten years now, to keep her feelings in check, and gather the courage to admit them. Tugging her hands from their soft embrace, she shook Maura's hand perfunctorily, "There, we sealed the deal."

The blonde shook her head, "We're getting married Jane." She slid closer, studied dark eyes carefully before closing her own eyes to the brightness of the room and pressing her lips to Jane's. She meant for a soft, quick kiss but Jane gasped at the contact, opening her mouth and welcoming Maura's lips, her tongue, her nipping teeth.

Her fingers grazed Jane's forearm, caressing a sizzling path from her wrist to her elbow.

Jane knew, she'd known for a long time that kissing Maura was going to feel that good. It was the single greatest moment of her life so far but it didn't stop the sinking feeling in her chest, knowing that the kissing couldn't continue.

She pulled back reluctantly, forcing the elation back into a cardboard box that she shoved to the back of her mind.

Maura rested her head on her shoulder, reaching across to grab the remote and turn on the TV. "That's the proper way to seal the deal, Jane."

"Right, of course." She didn't protest as the narrator's voice began its monologue about Yersinna pestis, the bubonic plague and the deaths that devastated Europe in the thirteen- hundreds. She was engaged, so to speak, to Dr. Maura Isles, the love of her life. She'd kissed that same woman. That same woman was curled into her side, with a leg draped over hers and a hand resting on her hip.

Just like that, things were different.

She cursed herself.

She praised herself.

She barely registered the rest of the show, her mind swirling with conflicted happiness.

Like every night, Maura tidied the kitchen while Jane leaned against the kitchen counter and teased her that she'd missed a spot.

Like every night Maura asked if Jane was staying. She nodded in agreement and moved about the house locking doors, checking windows and safely stowing her gun.

Like every night they got ready for bed, Jane pulling clothes from her drawer in Maura's dresser and her toothbrush from the silver cup in the bathroom where it sat beside Maura's.

"Is the alarm alright for six-fifteen tomorrow?" The blonde asked, setting the time before slipping out of her robe and sliding into bed in a silk slip.

"Yeah, works for me." Jane flopped on her own pillow and shut off the light.

The room plunged into darkness, the blue digits of the alarm clock casting an eerie glow about the bedroom. Maura curled on her side for warmth, drawing closer to Jane who remained stubbornly on her back.

"Maura," She whispered after several minutes, "What if it was different?

"What if what was different?"

Jane turned to meet her gaze in the low light, "What if things were different when we were married, what if we you know..."

The blonde reached out, brushing a curl from her cheek and tapping her finger against her chin. "What if I don't want to find someone I'd rather marry, what if I'd rather marry you."

She gasped, "I guess that would be different."

"Would it be good?" Maura licked her lips, her eyes flicking to Jane's.

"Yes, it would be good." The brunette admitted softly, "I'd rather marry you."

Maura's hand found her hip, her thumb rubbing in small circles in the hollow made by the bone. "Does this mean we have to wait ten years?"

"No, I suppose we don't." She squeezed her eyes shut. This hadn't been part of her plan. She'd been gathering her courage for weeks to ask Maura to make a friendship pact for weeks now and now they were flying into the end zone after a couple of hours.

It wasn't part of her plan.

It was terrifying.

It was wonderful.

She brought Maura closer, so that she lay in her arms, her body fitting perfectly against Jane's curves. "Now what do we do?"

The blonde lifted her head, slanting her lips across Jane's, tasting the mint flavoured toothpaste as her tongue explored eagerly. She reached for her hips, pulling them together, rocking slightly to speak for the future. Her hands skimmed along the bared skin of her stomach, and slipped up to cup full, naked breasts. Her thumbs brushed across hard nipples and she sucked on her lower lip. She was breathing heavily and her eyes shined brightly as she spoke, "Now, you can take me on a date."

With a final quick kiss, she turned over and settled herself into the curve of Jane's body, pulling her strong arms around her. "Good night Jane."

"Good night Maura."

A/N: I have chapters I need to write but this idea came to me and I guess I had to get it out. Thanks for reading!