A/n: The song is from a Cold Case episode (though it is otherwise well-known, duh) called "Wednesday's Women," and Tracie Thoms sings this song at the end (beautifully, I might add). Youtube it, people. Also, if you get the 'See What I Wanna See' reference, you're amazing.

This chapter goes out to AgainstTHEwillOFtime, who came up with the idea of Joanne being able to sing, and then challenged me to write about it. Thank you!! So, here it is, in the last chapter, and I hope you all like it!

.x.

Chapter 12

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

It was a Saturday afternoon, and Maureen was climbing the stairs of her and Joanne's apartment building, huffing and puffing as she went.

She had run all the way there from the little flower shop on Avenue C, hoping to surprise Joanne, who thought she was still at her audition.

Maureen should've still been at the studio where it was held, but she had been one of the first ones there, and was able to go second. Now, it was 2pm, and Joanne wasn't expecting her until at least 5. At the thought of Joanne, Maureen smirked. She was probably cooped up inside, working on a case, and not outside enjoying the beautiful spring day.

As Maureen opened the door, a bouquet of yellow roses in hand, she stopped, hearing a faint sound coming from their bedroom. It sounded like Joanne was probably playing a CD on the stereo in the bedroom.

"This little light of mine....I'm gonna let it shine...." Maureen heard, wondering why Joanne would be playing gospel music; she wasn't even religious.

Maureen approached the doorway of the bedroom, gasping at what she saw inside.

Joanne was sitting on the bed, barefoot, with her rimmed glasses perched on the end of her nose precariously. She leaned forward, staring intently at the paperwork spread out on her lap and around her. She had a pen in her mouth, obviously deep in thought. A small smile graced her lips. "This little light of mine...I'm gonna let it shine...Let it shine, let it shine...let it shine..."

Maureen grinned. Joanne was singing. She realized that she'd never actually heard her girlfriend sing, and she wondered why. Joanne continued humming the tune, occasionally opening her mouth to sing the words, and Maureen continued to watch her from the doorway. She wanted badly to go over to Jo and kiss her, now especially, but she also wanted to let Joanne finish.

Her voice was almost heartbreakingly beautiful, like honey with a bit of gravel to it. She could tell that Joanne had soul; she sung perfectly, like she'd been trained to do it professionally. Totally on key, with something extra special, and Maureen felt herself fall even more in love with Joanne.

It was right then and there, watching her girlfriend sing the gorgeous song in such an uninhibited manner, that Maureen knew she could love Joanne forever.

Finally, Joanne looked up. Her eyes landed on Maureen, widening in shock and embarrassment. Maureen smiled, walking toward her. She sat down next to Joanne on the bed, holding out the roses. "Bravo," she said, and Joanne blushed.

"How long were you standing there?" She asked, and Maureen grinned. "Long enough."

Joanne looked down at the bedspread, tracing patterns onto it. After awhile, she said, "I'm not that bad, really, I could do better-"

"Oh, please, Joanne!" Maureen wiped a tear from her eye; one that Joanne hadn't noticed was there. "I never knew what an amazing voice you have, Pookie."

She tilted Joanne's chin up, kissing her lips softly. "You...you liked it?" She sounded surprised, like no one had ever complimented her voice before.

"Are you kidding? I loved it. You should sing with me sometime." Maureen wrapped her arms around Joanne's waist, kissing the corner of her mouth, and then moving to her cheek.

Joanne blushed, unable to stop from smiling. "I used to sing in my high school's chorus. I loved it."

Maureen pulled away, her brows furrowing. She took Joanne's hand in hers. "Why didn't you pursue it?"

Joanne sighed. "My parents pulled me out during my senior year, so I could get into a Law Studies class. They didn't think singing was very practical."

Maureen frowned. "God, that sucks. I'm sorry." She pulled Joanne into a hug. "Well, you can sing for me anytime. At least, I hope you do."

Joanne smiled, finally noticing the neglected yellow roses sitting on the bed. She lifted them to her face, smelling the fresh scent. She smiled sheepishly at Maureen. "How much did they cost?" She asked almost shyly.

Maureen knew that Joanne always felt weird about getting presents, no matter the context. She never knew the proper way to repay the giver, and always felt like she had to even the score.

"Does it matter?" Maureen said absently, gently stroking Joanne's brown cheek.

Joanne looked from the roses to Maureen, leaning forward to kiss her. "Thank you, Maureen."

"Just out of curiosity...Why yellow? I've never gotten yellow roses before; just pink or red," she added.

Maureen shrugged. "Well, when I went to the flowershop, I knew to look for roses, because they're your favorite."

Joanne nodded, threading her fingers through Maureen's curly hair, flattered that she'd remembered.

"And I was going through the different bouquets, and I found the regular red ones, which seemed a little cliched, to me. Overused, you know? Bo-ring. The pink ones symbolize friendship, I think, but you hate pink. Plus, we are definitely not just friends." She let her hands wander to Joanne's ass, as if to prove her point.

"Then my eyes sort of landed on one lone bouquet of yellow ones, just sitting there, behind all the other ones. I thought, those ones are for Jo, so I bought them."

Joanne smiled, looking at the roses again. "I think it was because they stood out so much, you know? Like... you're different, Joanne. Different from Mark, and everyone I've ever dated before." Maureen said quietly, and Joanne raised her eyebrows at this.

"Aw, Honeybear...that's so sweet." Joanne pulled Maureen closer to her, burying her nose in the diva's neck. "I love you, you know," Maureen said softly, and Joanne grinned as she felt her heart swell with love for Maureen.

"You do?" Joanne couldn't help but asking, wanting to make sure that Maureen really meant it.

"Very much."

"Good. Because I love you, too," Joanne said into Maureen's neck, and she felt the other woman smile into her shoulder. "More than you know."

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"I always remembered that day...you said I was a good singer," Joanne said softly, a small smile forming on her lips.

Maureen gasped, resisting the urge to punch Joanne's unsupportive parents in the face. "Of course you're a good singer! You're fucking amazing. Your parents are...well, they're your parents." Joanne laughed at the last part, and both of them looked into each others' eyes, before quickly directing their respective gazes to something else in the room.

Joanne once again looked from the roses to Maureen, tears forming in her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but Maureen held her hand up.

"Listen, Joanne. I know things aren't perfect. You're not perfect, and neither am I. We all make mistakes, and...well, personally, I've made a lot of mistakes, but...I love you. You'll always be the only one for me, Joanne, you know that?"

Joanne smirked. "Maureen--"

Maureen cut her off. "No, Joanne! Listen. I'm just a girl...standing in front of another girl...asking her to love me."

Joanne laughed. "Stop quoting Julia Roberts movies and kiss me!" She pulled Maureen to her, enveloping the diva into her arms. "You don't have to ask me to love you," Joanne said after they'd kissed.

She led Maureen into the living room, sitting down on the couch with her. "I'd say we go in the bedroom, but I'm tired," Joanne smirked, pulling Maureen into her lap.

"It's quite alright, Pookie," Maureen said, wiggling her eyebrows. "You can reward me for that brilliant speech tomorrow."

Joanne nodded, satisfied, as she stroked Maureen's hair. "Good."

Maureen sat up slightly, looking at Joanne with a nervous expression on her face. "You...love me right?"

Joanne rolled her eyes playfully. "Yes, Maureen. Haven't I said that already?"

"And...you like lying here with me like this? I mean...you like this, right?" Maureen asked, unsure, and Joanne sat up all the way.

She looked at the drama queen strangely. "Umm...Maureen, are you okay?"

Maureen looked at her. "Just answer the question."

Joanne nodded. "Okay, yes, then. There's nothing else I'd rather be doing than snuggling with you. It's my favorite."

"So...Could you see yourself snuggling with me for the rest of your life?" Maureen asked, her eyes wide.

"Y-yes...?" Now Joanne was nervous, for reasons she couldn't name.

"Well then what do you say? Want to spend the rest of your life with me?" Maureen asked, exasperated that Joanne didn't get the point of her questions.

Joanne's jaw dropped. "Are you asking me...what I think you're asking me?" Maureen nodded, reaching for the forgotten bouquet of roses on the coffee table.

"Look inside, Pookie."

Joanne took the bouquet, her hands cold and shaking. She dug around inside, not finding anything. Finally, frustrated, she pulled the entire bunch of roses out, setting them on the coffee table. At the bottom of the plastic package was a ring.

"I know it's not the ring you've always wanted," Maureen said quickly. "It's not gold, and there aren't any diamonds or any of that. But...it's sterling silver," she laughed shakily, "so it's sort of...valuable. In a way."

Joanne smiled, putting the ring on. "I know...I know. It's my ring, I've been wearing it forever. I took it off my finger on the way over, when I decided. But...I promise, Pookie, the next show I do, I'll buy you a real one."

Joanne shook her head, still smiling. She looked at the ring, which had a Celtic design on it-- there were knots and intertwined pieces of silver on it.

The ring was beautiful.

"I love it," Joanne simply said. "I don't want a different ring."

"So...will you commit to me again, Joanne? For real, this time?" Maureen asked with a smile.

Joanne grinned, kissing her tenderly. "For better or for worse," she said, nodding emphatically.

Maureen kissed her on the cheek. "In laughter, and in strife."

"Oh, that's a good one," Joanne remarked idly, all tiredness gone from her body as she dragged Maureen into the bedroom.

The Beginning

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I don't own RENT, Cold Case, or even Notting Hill.

Alright, so, I'd like to thank everyone who has ever reviewed this story! Reviews mean so, so much to me, and you've all made me very happy indeed =) I loved writing this.

Special thanks to those who reviewed, like, every chapter:

Gorgeous Smile

Love That Wicked

Phases of Obsession (whom I couldn't reply to, unfortunately, but my Fiyero was Colin Donnell...My Nessa was Kristine Reese and my Glinda was Helene Yorke, if you're wondering. Haha)

.arte

SPEEEEEEEAK

MissBonhamCartersPoppet, who beta'd several chapters of this =D

Anddd last but not least, The Last Truffula Tree, who beta'd and encouraged and is super nice and awesome, go review her stories, they're seriousfuckingly amazing!

You're all amazing!! And watch out for another story from me, coming up pretty soon...The plot bunnies have been attacking me lately.