Author's note: thank you again very much for all your reviews, I really appreciate you took some time to write them.

Chapter Twenty:

Jane ended up the call and in a sigh of frustration rolled her eyes before shaking her head quietly at Maura. She crossed her arms on her chest then frowned.

"It's a cold case."

Not paying attention to the brouhaha in the background – Angela and Cailin in the kitchen while Tommy, Frankie and Korsak were in full talk on the couch – the medical examiner took her partner in her arms and hugged her tight.

"I am sorry..."

Maura knew how Jane hated these moments when her investigations led to nowhere and they had no choice but to close the case without solving it properly. By then, the detective thought about a thousand things; from the victims to their families. The culprit who wouldn't be punished. As much as she had done her job, the taste of failure floated heavily.

Leaning against one of the columns of the lobby where she had retreated to take her call, Jane slid her hands up Maura's forearms and let the honey blonde take her by the waist before leaning over for a kiss; a long one. Quiet. Before the buzzing routine of special days, they hadn't had much time for themselves in the morning and even less since everyone had arrived for the meal.

"Hands off, Rizzoli."

Frost's voice made them jump of surprise. Bottle of wine in hand, the detective looked utterly sorry. As if to excuse himself for the interruption, he immediately motioned at the kitchen.

"There's a gnocchi emergency and your mother needs you asap."

Casting a glance at the kitchen, Jane nodded in silence and leaned her head backwards against the column; not letting go of Maura's hand.

"Is it too late to skip Thanksgiving this year?"

The smirk that appeared on Maura's lips just like the way she rose a dubious eyebrow put Jane on high alert and before the scientist got a chance to lose herself in some obscure explanation over the American celebration, the brunette sealed the well deserved silence with a light kiss.

She was about to turn on her heels and reluctantly enough go help in the kitchen when the door bell stopped her in her tracks. As if to win some time with Maura, the detective grabbed the honey blonde's hand and let her open the door.

"Hope! It is so nice to see you. Welcome back here."

An impeccable smile lighting up her features, the older woman didn't miss the way Maura and Jane were standing in the door way hand in hand. But out of politeness, she didn't make any remark and stepped inside when invited to do so. Excusing herself, the brunette left for the kitchen as Angela called her name for the thousandth time within a minute.

"How are you doing, Maura? How did it go? Cailin can be quite intrusive, at times. I hope that she didn't turn out to be too much of an issue."

Closing the door behind her, Maura thought about the last months; the arguments, the plans to set her up with Jane, the misunderstandings. The tears, the laughter. And the past few weeks when at last she had managed to get to know Cailin better. They had spent time together and even if they were different, a special bond linked them; a strong one that made Maura proud.

"She is a very nice person. It is going to be strange to not have her around anymore."

She was honest. Somehow and in spite of the roller coaster Cailin had made her live, Maura didn't want to see her sister leave. Not yet, never.

She was catching back on time, on all these fantasies she had had as a little girl to have a family and siblings. At no moment had she imagined that relations could be so complicated – painful – but all in all she found it addicting and beautiful.

An hour later while everyone finally got to gather around the table, the honey blonde smiled while studying the scene. It was perfect, just as she wanted. Yet noticing her sudden silence, Jane bent over and pressed her knee.

"Is everything alright? You look... High."

The comment made her chuckle. Without saying a word, she locked her eyes with her partner's and nodded confidently. Yet missing the way Cailin had witnessed the whole interaction – from her very own seat – and kept on smiling.

"Since this is a family gathering, I would like to know whether I have a chance to get my first nephew or niece here around this table next year."

Maura choked on her glass of wine at Cailin's remark. Not that Jane was doing any better. Red as she had never been before, the brunette was staring intently at her sweet potatoes while a nervous laugh was shaking her whole body. Obviously, Hope's daughter would always manage to surprise them one way or another.

"Oh, you have been thinking about adoption or an IVF? Not that I am surprised. It is rather logical or at least common for couples who have been together for a few years already to feel the urge to build a family."

Stunned, Maura looked up at Hope. How many people exactly had assumed that Jane and her had been friends and friends only?

...

"Checkmate."

Jane opened her mouth to protest but shook her head instead, smiled playfully at Maura on the other side of the table whose grin didn't leave much room to imagination over her victory.

Everyone had left for a few hours, now. The home falling back into a silence it hadn't known for a long time. Trying desperately to sweep away the oddness of the situation, the detective had got her partner to play chess and there they were, now; sipping their tea while focused on the board.

Sighing loudly, Jane grabbed a black and white picture discarded on the table. It was one of the shoots Cailin had taken of them in Boston Common; in black and white.

While she was trying to feed the ducks, Maura held her backwards to prevent her from falling down in the water; laughter lighting up their features, the photography capturing the sweet for the eternity.

She loved it.

"Revenge time, Maur'."

Pouting, the medical examiner leaned her chin in the palm of her hands and passed her tongue over her lips. Her eyes locked with her partner's, she remained quiet for long seconds before grabbing one of the pieces and playing with it suggestively enough for Jane to smirk.

"A penny for your thoughts."

Maura let go of the wooden piece that landed soundly on the board and let her fingers tiptoe until her partner's hand; sliding on it in a bold caress.

"As much as I deeply enjoy playing chess – especially with you – one has to be versatile and dare to go towards other games, at times."

Jane swallowed hard, played along. It had been a while since they had got the chance to actually not be interrupted by anyone at Maura's place.

"Could you be more specific? I don't like guessing."

Amused, the honey blonde rose a perplexed eyebrow and stood up before making a couple of steps backwards. Without breaking eye-contact with the detective, she unzipped her dress; the sound echoing in the quiet room.

The fabric landed on the floor, she stepped out of it.

"Is that enough of an evidence, for you?"

Jane finally stood up – passed around the table – and approached Maura. She pouted, squinted her eyes at her partner standing now in her underwear in the middle of the living-room.

"Not quite but with this kind of rules, I should do just fine."

The medical examiner's lips captured her partner's in a deep – eager – kiss. As she broke apart – slightly breathless and aroused – Maura grabbed Jane's hand and led her towards the stairs.

"Perfect. On to the first round, then."

The End

Author's (last!) note: thank you very much for having read this story, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Tomorrow, I will start posting "Sweet Sixteen", the sequel to "To Fix You" which will be mainly centered on Jane and Maura being an established couple dealing with their teen daughter so if you like "daily life" stories/sweet and funny Rizzles moments close to the ones you had here that highlight them both as a couple you should like it. If you haven't read "To Fix You" but are nonetheless interested, no need to read this one first. Although if you feel like to then feel free, of course.