Epilogue

The plastic bag landed loudly on the table, forcing Maura to abandon the reading of The London Times and to frown at the package. Jane grabbed the chair opposite the blonde's and sat down in a long sigh.

"I have three cents left. Honestly, I guess I could have hardly done any better."

The coins rolled on the table and crashed against the scientist's coffee in a metallic melody. Curious to see what was in the bag, Maura bent over and opened it; laughed out loud.

"You know, Jane... Cadbury do commercialize their products in the USA as well. There was no need to literally buy everything in sight at the airport store."

Vaguely offended, the Italian moved on her seat – crossed her arms – and shrugged. A pout played on her lips, allowing her to gain some time to find a good reply to put in. Except the words didn't come up at all and she ended up scoffing.

"You could have changed your British pounds into American dollars anytime. There was no need to put all your savings in chocolate bars... As much as they are quite tasty."

As if to accompany her words, Maura grabbed one of the Cadbury and bit into it.

They had left Rugby School for a few hours and everything already looked different. Oddly enough, it seemed like the world was finally catching back on them after ten days of having lived in some sort of a bubble. Out of time, out of everything. They hadn't realized it until Heathrow had wrapped them up – in its noisy routine – and they had been taken out of guard. Soon they would board and fly away, back to Boston.

"Are you scared?"

Jane's question sounded fair, honest. Maura slightly froze then passed her tongue over her lips, looked on a side before shrugging.

"... Apprehensive..."

The brunette intended a reassuring smile but it only resulted pale, shy enough. They hadn't alluded to it yet but it nonetheless weighed on their shoulders, on their minds. What would happen, now? Were they supposed to make a special announcement and if so say what? They barely knew what was going on. It seemed complicated – if not just risky – to go any further in the process.

And yet they didn't have much of a choice about it.

"It's gonna be okay. We're gonna do okay."

Maura nodded – more out of politeness than anything else – and watched how Jane pressed her hand in a tender gesture. Perhaps it was incredibly stupid of them and their apprehension had no reason to exist but it was still there, growing as the hours that separated them from Boston disappeared.

"I... Yes... Yes, you are right. I guess...!"

The honey blonde laughed nervously and bit her lower lip. She wanted to believe Jane yet knowing the Italian herself wasn't convinced by her own words but they had no plan whatsoever; no idea at all. She might have assumed that the past two weeks had been tough, Maura was suddenly realizing that it was just the beginning. Angela would pick them up at the airport. Would they hold hands? Would they... In exhaustion before these wonders that remained unanswered, the medical examiner shook her head.

"You never told me why you came here in the first place, how you took such decision."

Jane's lips formed an "oh" of surprise before melting into a bright smile. Her cheeks reddened, as if the question had suddenly intimidated her slightly. She grabbed a chocolate bar out of the plastic bag then began to play with it. Nervously enough.

"When you called me, I knew you weren't fine and the truth is... The truth is that I couldn't stand the idea of you being somehow in pain without me being able to help you go through it. I know you don't need anyone 'cause you're independent and such but it hurt me. It hurt me to know you were so far and so lonely."

Maura remained still for a few seconds as the explanation settled in her head and set off a whole series of reactions in her body. Her heart beating faster, a warm feeling spreading over. Then, she bent over the table and cupped Jane's face before planting a soft kiss on her lips.

"Now I hope when I go back to the BPD it won't be to pack my things because I might have forgotten to stop by Cavanaugh's office to ask him for a few days off, actually..."

Uncomfortable enough, Jane laughed away her own remark while Maura's eyes widened into a deep – frank – panic. The blonde shrieked.

"Excuse me?"

The brunette rolled her eyes, rose her hands in the air as if to plead guilty once and for all.

"We were on that crime scene when I... Well... When I decided that my place wasn't there so I basically said goodbye to Korsak and Frost before rushing back to my place to book a flight and pack a suitcase. It was quite a spontaneous move."

Maura was now horrified. Unless anger was slowly – but surely enough – embracing her features. Jane could hardly say except the blonde's reaction wasn't extremely positive all in all.

"I couldn't care less about getting fired if it meant I could help you, Maur'. That's... Call it whatever you want, stubbornness or stupidity, but that's the truth and I can't change it. Or at least I don't want to."

Maura took a last sip of her coffee and rose an eyebrow unconvincingly.

"Oh, it isn't stupid, Jane. No... It is extremely irresponsible... Yet the sweetest thing you could tell me... But I prefer to warn you: there is no way I work with another crime unit team so you'd better stick to the BPD for many, many years from now."

The brunette was about to reply when a feminine voice in the microphone announced the boarding of their flight. Immediately, both women stood up and grabbed their belongings. As Maura rose her bag, something slid out of it and landed on the table. She picked it up, read the card.

Alumni Dr. Maura Dorthea Isles – and guest

Invitation for the 500th anniversary of Rugby School

From July, 19th to July, 29th

House: Rupert Brooke

Her invitation. She remembered how Jane had been holding it at Logan Airport when the brunette had driven her to her flight. They hadn't talked much, that day. Maura had been too stressed and unsure; a bit sad to leave that life she liked so much behind if only for a few days. She was proud of whom she had become, what she had built all by herself in Boston. A career, friends. A second family. She didn't want to go away from all of this. Never.

"You ready, Maur'?"

The blonde looked up and nodded at Jane. Furtively, she slid back the card in her bag and followed her partner; grabbed her hand. Was it the end? As they headed towards their gate, Maura bit her lip and analyzed her own wonder.

No, it wasn't the end at all. On the contrary. It might have looked blurry - and somehow fragile - it was just the beginning.

Casting a furtive glance at Jane and how determined she looked, Maura nodded to herself.

Yes. It was just the beginning. Their beginning.

The End

To be continued...

Author's note: thank you very much for all the reviews that came to highlight my day all along this story, the first chapter of the sequel will be posted on Tuesday; I hope you will like it.