Chapter Nineteen: How To Never Forget A Few Things

Epilogue - five years later

As they entered the building, she spotted Frost on her left. Everyone had turned around to look at them walk towards the officer but – for some reason – the young detective was the one she had focused on while holding Maura's hand tightly. The bagpipes resounded loud in the old bandstand yet barely covering the loud beats of her heart. She wasn't nervous but emotional.

Because she was finally getting married to Maura.

They stopped by the officer and turned around to face each other.

As she locked her eyes with Jane, the honey blonde forgot the rest; their guests, the snow outside. The Scottish music fading away for the moment everyone had waited for all morning. Clutched to her bouquet of holly, she let herself – consciously enough – fall into an ocean of memories from the moment she had met Jane to this day when they would wear matching wedding band and seal their union for the rest of their life.

Life is delicate and fragile, Isles. Take great care of it, cherish it.

Their I do hit the air with grace before floating around peacefully, with great honesty. The silence – all around – embracing the emotion betrayed by their shaking voices, their shaking hands. Her ring brushed her finger, soon followed by an imperceptible caress of Maura's thumb as she let go of her wife's hand.

There they were.

As she bent over to kiss Maura, Jane focused on the way the blond curls framed the scientist's face; the delicate hairdo that she had chosen. It was simple yet perfect for an image that she wanted to remember till the end.

You will never forget this moment, Rizzoli. Engrave it in your mind, in your heart. It is now yours for the eternity. Yours and Maura's only.

"Jane?" Pause. "Jane! Wake up, you are going to be late."

The brunette rolled on her side and squinted her eyes as she opened them only to face the shadow of her wife in the window frame. She moaned, ran a hand through her hair.

"What time is it?"

Maura checked her watch and sat down on the bed to plant a warm kiss on her wife's cheek.

"11am. You asked me to wake you up before I go. Breakfast is ready. We made pancakes." Before a complete lack of reaction from the Italian, Maura frowned and cleared her voice. "Jane? Come on, wake up!"

The detective finally sat up but jumped of surprise as the siren of a firefighter truck resounded loud in the room. She turned around and lifted her pillow to grab the toy then shook it to make it stop. In vain. She moaned.

"Damn these things."

Maura chuckled – grabbed the toy – and took the batteries off.

"You can always count on Finn to drop his trucks in the most unusual spots of the house!" She let an amused smile play on her lips before standing up again to adjust her clothes. "I have to go, now. The lunch with the senator is at 1pm and I need to stop by my office before. See you later."

With a quick kiss on her wife's lips, Maura exited the room leaving Jane to herself and the sensation her dream – the reminiscence of their wedding ceremony – had stirred up.

They had married five years earlier and yet the mere detail was still as vivid in the Italian's head. It came back – from time to time – in her most serene nights; the softest trick of her subconscious. A lot of things had happened since this weekend in Harvard.

Some planned, others a lot less.

Like their four-year-old son. They had changed their mind about maternity and parenthood. Quite suddenly.

She had carried Finn for nine months before giving birth to him, proving to everyone – to herself – that she could conciliate a demanding job and a family life like anyone else. He was a bright little boy who warmed up their darkest days and softened their doubts. The best addition to their life.

The best thing she had done so far besides marrying Maura.

Still a bit sleepy after a rough night at the BPD, Jane stood up and walked downstairs to the kitchen only to come to face Amy. The socialite was sitting on a stool, reading newspapers.

"Good morning, Yankee."

Jane waved at her and walked like a zombie to the coffee pot for a well needed mug. She took a sip and finally cleared her voice; repressing a yawn.

"When did you arrive? I didn't know you'd planned to come to Boston, this month."

Amy put the newspapers down on the counter and shook her head at Jane before adjusting her new pair of Chanel glasses on her nose.

"I wanted to see my favorite little cousin in the whole wild world. Don't say that to Apolline. That could cause a serious family drama if she happened to learn that her daughter – Sophie – is not first on my list. What can I say? Finn is witty. I like this."

Jane nodded. Her son surely owned some repartee.

"I have to be at the courthouse by noon something, the judge required to see me but if you want we can have lunch after this. I should be available around 1pm and I have the day off."

The grin on Amy's lips sealed the deal.

Jane was glad to have her around. If they had hit it off way back then in Scotland, she had learned to appreciate the socialite even more once she had married Maura as the British woman had bought an apartment in Boston and came to visit now quite often. Amy was exhuberant – funny – and honest. Smart as well.

Somehow, she reminded Jane of Constance.

"So... Wood it is!"

Jane stopped – pancake halfway to her mouth – and frowned at Amy's statement.

"What?"

Maura's cousin rolled her eyes and pointed out at the date on the newspapers she had been reading previously.

"Today is your fifth wedding anniversary. Your traditional gift is – thus – wood. And it usually goes for silverware. If you have forgotten the date, skip the knife idea. Maura could seek vengeance a bit too easily."

"We don't follow that." Jane marked a pause but before Amy's worried look, she shook her head and rushed in to add a precision. "We stick more to the gem thing. And this year, it is rose quartz. Ma' is babysitting Finn, tonight."

Amy smiled. She looked satisfied.

"What did you get Maura, then? And do you still celebrate it at this shitty little coffee store up there in Harvard?"

The question made Jane laugh. It was a tradition, now. She had proposed there and they went back to this place every year to celebrate their anniversary. It was not a five-star restaurant but its symbol was strong enough. It was worth any renowned chef. Any big name.

"I got her earrings that you will only see when she shows you. There's no way I unwrap the whole thing. It took the girl forever to actually wrap the box!"

Amy turned her e-cig on and made a face.

"I know marriage and I don't get along but all these gifts is the only thing I miss for never having committed to anyone. Of course, I could buy them for myself but this is a lot less fun."

"Don't you have your usual groupies for this?" Jane smirked and walked to check today's schedule on the fridge, just next to Finn's latest drawing.

"Oh no. That would feel way too whore-ish for me."

Jane repressed a chuckle and politely nodded instead. She checked the time on the oven clock and rolled her eyes. If she didn't hurry up a bit, she would be late. Putting down her mug and biting a very last time in a pancake, she exited the kitchen then rushed to the stairs.

"It's not I don't like talking with you – Amy – but I need to get ready!"

The socialite nodded vaguely before returning to her newspapers reading.

Upstairs, Jane walked to the bathroom and took her shirt off. She was about to step into the shower when a sheet of paper scotched to the mirror above the sink caught her attention. She stopped in her tracks – turned around – and read the message on it.

"I remember every detail of our wedding day as well...

Happy anniversary, Jane. I love you.

Maura."

Jane smiled. Brightly.

The End

Author's note: thank you everyone for all the reviews and private messages you sent me during this story. I hope you really enjoy it. I have a project for December and would like your advice. I would like to write a fic that would somehow follow the principles of an advent calendar - Rizzles oriented, obviously - yet I am not sure whether it is better to write a whole series of oneshots/drabbles (one per day) or a multiple-chapter story which own schedule/timing follows the calendar; the story would start on December, 1st and would end on December 31st (thus included a Rizzles Christmas etc). Feel free to let me know what you prefer. Yet since there are five days left before December 1st, I think that I will write oneshots in the meantime or have a little break then come back for the "big" December project in five days. Anyway, let me know what you think and what you would like to read.