It's late, I know! So I've made it longer!

Chapter 10

Maura had never driven so fast, nor broken so many speed limits in her life, but now she found herself careering round corners, putting her foot down on gas pedals just to get through traffic lights before they hit red, and zig zagging in between cars. Oh, and she was sure she had been caught by at least one speed camera. Jane would be proud. Silently, she cursed Frankie and the way she had told her at the most inopportune of moments that the brunette had only left about 20 minutes ago, meaning that if she hurried, she could probably still catch her. The nerve of the man, she thought, stepping on the gas even harder as she swung into the lane leading to the airport.

"She's gone, isn't she?" She knew the answer even before the question left her lips. Frankie himself stared awkwardly at his feet, not quite knowing what to say in response. "Frankie?"

He sighed despondently, answering, "Yes. Yes, she is."

Her legs wouldn't hold her up any longer and so, she collapsed on the floor in front of her, head in her hands as she wept. Frankie was alarmed. Never before had he seen the good doctor become so utterly decomposed and overwrought. This was exactly why he didn't have a relationship despite his Ma's urging and constant nagging about how she'll never see her grandchildren at the rate he was going. He looked down at Jo Friday whom he was still holding and who was looking at him rather accusingly as if to say, 'do something!' He put her down and she ran over to the woman who was still on the floor attempting to snuggle in and provide comfort. It only made her cry harder causing Jo to sit down at the side of her, one paw over her eyes. She whined pitifully at the impossible man before her thinking of how much she wished her owner was here because if she had been, she would have put a stop to the crying woman long time ago. Frankie ran a hand over his face, groaning internally before making his way over to her and placing a hand on her back in the hopes of providing some source of comfort and understanding. Gradually, the tears stopped till they became mere hiccups.

"She'll be back, you know. She only got called away because it was an urgent case and they needed her help." That got her attention.

"So she's coming back to move her stuff? Arrange a mover to collect it?"

"Well, no. She kinda asked if I could help her with that." He was genuinely grateful that she had prepared beforehand and packed everything up because it meant, he wouldn't have to do it. Though, he would have to tell their Ma, and god only knew how that was gonna go down. Not well at all. "But she'll be back for Jo Friday." He said it as a means to perk her up but it didn't seem to work as she continued to pick at the hem of her dress. "You love her, don't you?"

It was the second time in the course of less than an hour that she'd been asked that question. And for the second time, she said yes.

"You know...you could call her. After all, her flight only leaves in about an hour's time. She must have only just got there roughly 10 minutes ago." At that, her head snapped up.

"What?"

"She's still at the airport..." But his words fell on deaf ears. Maura was already out the door...

Coming to a rather harried stop at the front of Logan airport, she put the car into park, slammed on the handbrake and dashed out of her car, purse in hand, ignoring the man who was very obviously shouting at her that she couldn't park her car there. Entering the departures area, she scanned the boards anxiously for the next flight leaving for Washington DC. Finding the flight in question, she was alarmed to see that the gate was open for boarding. That didn't give her much time.

She approached the next available counter, relieved to see the lack of a queue. The woman behind it smiled at her as she came up.

"Good afternoon, Ma'am, and how may I assist you?"

"I need to get on the flight that's leaving for DC now." The smile on the attendant's face faltered slightly.

"You do realize it's due to leave in about 20 minutes right? We won't be able to check in any luggage you may have, given the fact that it is being loaded onto the plane as we speak?"

"Yes, I know. It's just me. No luggage. Just me. I just need to speak to someone who's getting on that flight urgently. I'll pay for whatever seat you have available."

The woman tapped away, bringing up her records.

"We have one more in economy but it's all the way at the back." Maura grimaced at the thought of the lack of leg room in economy but beggars couldn't be choosers. Not today anyway.

"That's fine. It'll do."

"They must be very special," the woman said, giving her a well-meaning smile as Maura handed over her credit card to process the transaction.

"She is."

Maura weaved her way through the crowd people as she made her way to the gate with mere minutes to spare, her eyes searching for the familiar frame of the tall, lanky brunette. She almost wept on the spot when she spotted her.

"Jane!"

The Detective turned to see a very frantic Maura Isles tottering as fast as her five inch heels would carry her. Disbelief crossed her face followed by a whole host of other emotions; shock, surprise, complete and utter amazement. In fact, if she hadn't been so shocked, she would've laughed at the sight.

"Maur? What's wrong? Wh..." Jane's words were promptly cut off by the feel of the Doctor's lips on hers as her arms automatically curled round the smaller woman who pressed herself flush against her, arms snaking round her neck. Whatever questions that had been running through her head died on her lips as she felt the soft lips of Maura Isles on hers. And she was in heaven. The two women finally broke apart as the need for oxygen becoming too much for both. Drawing back, the ME fiddled with the Detective's collar, smoothing her hands down her uppers before eventually leaving them to settle on her forearms. She needed to say what she had come there for. And to do that, she needed a bit of distance, otherwise she'd be forever losing herself in Jane.

"I know I'm probably too late, what with you having accepted this job and everything but I don't want to spend the next however many years weighed down with regret at what could have been, for not having come after you, for not having told you how I feel, for not saying 'I love you too'. Because I do. Love you. And if this job is what you want, then I'll come with you. If you'll have me. I was so stupid for not telling you earlier because I couldn't fathom losing you. I kept thinking that if we were somehow in a relationship, and it were to fall apart, I wouldn't be able to go through losing you because not only would we no longer be together but we'd no longer be friends either, and I couldn't bear the thought of that happening. But when you told me about the new job, you took me by surprise and I found myself realizing that I was set to lose you anyway, and that hurt more. I don't know why, it just did. But I love you, Jane Rizzoli," she said fiercely, "I love you, I love you, I- mmphh." And this time, it was the blonde who found herself cut off, Jane's mouth crashing against hers. And she was lost. In the wave of emotion, in the feeling of those lips against hers, in the beating of her heart as it raced in time with the brunette's with every touch. There was nothing soft or gentle about it. It was equal amounts demanding and loving, years worth of pent up frustrations yet impassioned and reverent.

It was perfect.

Her hand snaked into the Detective's curls, pulling her impossibly closer. Feeling Jane's tongue against her bottom lip asking for entrance, she opened up, tongues battling for dominance. The clearing of a throat drew them both out of their love impassioned haze and they broke apart, glancing in the direction of the noise.

To the side of them stood a very embarrassed-looking airline staff. She gave them a sheepish look as if apologizing for having interrupted their moment.

"Boarding passes, please." From the corner of her eye, Maura caught some very enthusiastic passengers who had gotten caught at the end of the line in the process of boarding grinning from ear to ear at the both of them. She groaned softly, burying her head in the crook of the brunette's neck, her arms having never let go.

"Maur?" The gravelly intonation of Jane's voice reverberated in her chest where Maura's ear was, sending shivers down her spine. She pulled back slightly not wanting to be out of the brunette's hold. Looking towards the direction in which Jane surreptitiously shook her head, her gaze swiveled from that beautifully chiseled face to the one of the airport staff who was seemingly still waiting for an answer.

"Oh!" She dropped her arms from the brunette's neck as she fished around for her boarding pass in her purse.

"Maur...what are you doing?"

"I'm getting my boarding pass, Jane," she said, as if stating the obvious until it occurred to her. Her head snapped up. "Unless of course...you don't..." she couldn't find the strength to get the words out, not wanting to believe that she was too late, that perhaps...this was it for them, that Jane had had enough.

Jane eyed the ME carefully.

"What about your job?"

She let herself breathe. Perhaps that wasn't it at all.

"I can work anywhere," came the simple response. "Of course, I'd have to find a replacement but it shouldn't be much trouble and, oh! We'll have to find somewhere that's big enough for the two of us, or we could always ask the FBI for slightly larger accommodations..." She was ever so slightly aware that she was jumping the gun a bit. And making assumptions in the process. Thought of the latter made her hyperventilate slightly, uncertainty hitting her from all directions. The sound of a deep throaty chuckle brought her back to the present. Finding brown orbs on hers and a small smile curling on the brunette's lips that she had been kissing with fervor only moments ago, Maura blushed.

"Already with the U-Haul huh, Maur?" The blank look on the ME's face was enough to make Jane laugh softly. Of course she wouldn't know the reference, she thought to herself. Directing her attention to the ever-patiently waiting woman, "I think our plans have changed." The woman nodded, giving them a small smile before going over to close the doors and inform the pilot that their passenger list would be less two. Maura blinked at the sudden turn of events.

"Jane?" she questioned.

"Hmmm?" she said, slinging an arm round the ME's shoulders, guiding them back the way they had come. Maura's arm snaked round her Detective's waist, the thought of being able to call Jane hers hitting her hard. She looked up into the face she loved so much.

"What about your job? The promotion you applied for at the FBI? Wasn't it what you've always wanted? You told me once that apart from getting into homicide, you had always dreamed about going to work for the Feds somewhere down the road."

Jane shrugged. "Dreams change. Besides, I have everything I want right here."

Et voila! The End! You all got your Rizzles ending in the end. To be honest, it's always been Maura and Jane all the way for me, and whilst I couldn't bear the thought of separating them States over, I was of the opinion that this story was starting to reach it's closure. And what better way to do so?

Thanks once again for all the reviews and your lovely support. You've all been wonderful sticking with me throughout. And to those of whom I didn't manage to reply to, I apologize. I know there are a couple who got lost in the works which I will try and go back and find. In the meantime, I will be concentrating on my other stories like Sixteen Again. Oh, and for those of you who read Post-Its, there's something already in the works for that too!

Stay awesome guys!