Author Note: Thank you to everyone who has read, commented, followed and favourited this story. I knew it was going to be an interesting one to post, given that so many people are 100% for Jane/Maura, but I didn't quite expect the mixture of comments I have received. I was saddened (and one commenter put it into words better than I probably will here) that it also brought out some pretty nasty comments, not just about me and my writing, but also about Nina and about the colour of her skin. I am still working on getting those comments removed, because I don't think it's fair that anyone should have to read them. Whether you liked it or not, this is the story that I have created, and it is a story I am proud of, and will never apologise for. This is the final chapter, which I'm a little sad about, but I'll also be glad to take a step away from some of the harshness I've felt over the course of this story. Thank you for joining me on this journey.

Maura sat in her car in the Boston Police Department parking garage, reapplying her make-up as she waited for Nina to arrive. The white car pulled into a spot a few spaces down and the engine shut off. Maura opened her door, picked up her purse and shut the door behind her.

"Can I talk to you?" she asked, approaching Nina's car with caution. Memories of their last conversation still lingered and she didn't much want a repeat.

"I'm late," Nina said, barely acknowledging her presence. She set off for the elevator. Maura couldn't allow her opportunity to be wasted.

"Don't throw it away," she said, following her across the lot.

"With all due respect," Nina said, twisting around to face her. "Maura, this is none of your business."

"Actually, it is." The words did nothing to appease Nina as her brow creased. "Jane is my friend."

Nina placed her hands on her hips. "The friend you fell in love with, then abandoned."

The conversation was not going as well as she'd anticipated. She'd run through it on the drive over, hoping that she could find the right words to make things better.

"I've made mistakes," she said. "I hurt the person I love, and I have paid for that every day since. Don't ruin something good because of what I did."

"What Jane did."

"No. It was me."

Nina shook her head and slipped her car keys into her purse, she took a couple of steps closer to the elevator. "Jane shouldn't have brought it to work."

"Maybe she shouldn't," Maura said, following her. "But that doesn't mean she should be punished for something that was my mistake. I take full responsibility."

"You can't just take responsibility, Maura. Jane needs to accept her part in it."

"She does."

"You've spoken to her?"

The tension in the air became unpalatable. Maura gritted her teeth and admonished herself for speaking before she thought about the implication of her words. If she made it worse, Jane would never forgive her.

"I told her what I'm about to tell you." She paused. "Don't throw away the chance to be with the person you love because you're scared."

"Who said anything about love?" Nina asked, her eyes wide, but Maura could see the same look she saw in Jane's eyes when she'd put the possibility into words.

Maura lowered her purse at her side and stared at Nina, dejection evident in her voice. "I threw away my chance with Jane. I put what we had down and expected it to be there when I got home. I missed my opportunity. Jane is right there, waiting, hoping that you will forgive her. I know that you don't want people to know, and I understand. I know it isn't easy to accept a part of yourself. But you're not alone. You have Jane, and I know that if you just give her a second chance then you two will be able to find happiness."

"Who said anything about love?" Nina repeated, her eyes glazed over.

"I know that Jane loves you," Maura whispered, her tone laced with tears. The more she said it, or thought it, the more it hurt to accept the reality.

"She told you that?" Nina asked.

Maura smiled. "She didn't have to. She's stubborn, and she drinks too much beer, but she is the greatest person I have ever known. If she's going to be with anyone else, I can't think of anyone as kind hearted and funny as you."

"I," Nina began, but Maura cut her off.

"If you love her as much as I hope you do," she said, forcing the confidence back into her words. "Then that's all that matters."

Jane chewed on the end of her pen. The BRIC door was open, but Nina was nowhere to be seen. All of the regret and sadness she'd felt over the last day overwhelmed her, distracting her from the one thing she had left in her life.

"Ow," she muttered, pulling the broken pen out of her mouth and spitting bits of plastic into her hand.

"Serves you right for chewing it," Korsak said from across the squad room, a smirk on his face.

Jane glanced up, her line of sight to her sergeant severely hindered. Her eyes travelled up the body of the woman standing in front of her, landing finally on Nina's dark brown eyes. She didn't look happy, nor did she look as angry as she had the last time she saw her.

"Can we talk…in private?"

"I," Jane began, glancing around her to Korsak who nodded his approval. She stood up. "Let's go."

They traipsed into the corridor and headed for the interview room. With her hand on the door handle, Jane pushed the door open, only to be pulled back by the voice of a uniformed officer.

"You're Rizzoli, right?"

"Yeah," Jane said, frowning.

"That must make you Holiday."

Nina's lips pressed tightly together as she nodded her affirmation.

"I knew it," he said, his eyes travelling across their bodies, landing finally upon their chests. "So, I have a buddy, his name is Steve, he'd totally be up for it. If you want."

"Up for what, exactly?" Jane asked.

"You know," he said, raising his eyebrows and licking his bottom lip. "You two, me and him…"

"Us and you, what?" Nina asked.

"You know," he said, sliding his finger between a circle he'd created with his other hand.

"Oh," Nina said, glancing at Jane. She held up her little finger and gave it a wiggle. "What do you think?"

Jane tilted her head from one side to the other, a smirk slipping across her face. She placed two fingers an inch apart. "Probably more like that, I think I'll give it a miss."

"Me too," Nina said, walking into the interview room.

The man stood, his face flushed, as Jane waved him goodbye and closed the door behind her. She turned, her heart racing with adrenaline. When her eyes met Nina's, her smile wide, she felt her whole world fall into place.

"I love you," she said, the words falling from her mouth before she could stop herself.

"I love you too," Nina said, stepping forwards, slipping her hands around Jane's cheeks as she captured her mouth with her own.

They pulled back, breathless. Jane's fingers still wrapped tightly around Nina's waist, her eyes fixed on her girlfriend's. "I'm sorry, you wanted to talk."

"That's all I wanted to say," Nina said, pulling Jane back in for another passionate embrace.

x

They walked into the Dirty Robber at the end of their shift. Jane placed a hand on the small of Nina's back as they approached the bar, her hands a little shaken with the anticipation of what she was about to do. Nina smiled at her and gave her hand a quick squeeze.

"It'll be fine."

"You haven't met my mother."

"Except every time we've been to the Dirty Robber since I arrived in Boston," Nina said.

"No," Jane said. "I mean, you haven't met her properly. When you're an acquaintance, she's nice."

"I'm sure she's lovely. Maura holds her in high esteem."

"So does the Devil."

"Really?" Nina asked, with a crease of her brow.

"No," Jane said. "I just never told her about Maura and I; I never found out how she would react to me coming out."

"If she's half the woman I expect her to be, then she will love you regardless. Come on."

They stepped forward, Jane dragging her heels as she slouched onto a bar stool.

"What can I get you, Janie?" she asked.

"A liter of vodka for me and a beer for Nina."

"Jane!" Nina said, kicking her as she sat down beside her.

Jane smiled her best smile. "Ma, this is Nina."

"Janie, I've met Nina before." Angela uncapped a beer and placed it in front of Jane.

"You've met Nina, our CSA/IT tech before," Jane said, supping on her beer for a bit of Dutch courage. "But I wanted to introduce Nina...my girlfriend."

"Your...oh!" Angela's brow furrowed.

"Please say something more than oh. Even if you need to shout at me."

"Why would I want to shout at you?" Angela asked, placing another beer in front of Nina. "It's lovely to see you again, Nina. I know Janie can be a handful."

"Ma!"

"But she's got a good heart." Angela leant against the counter. "Did she tell you about the time she took off her diaper as a toddler and ran around the yard in her birthday suit?"

"No, Ma," Jane shouted, reaching out to cover her mouth.

Angela raised a hand to stop her. "If you're going to bring your girlfriend round to meet your mother, she will hear my stories."

"This is why I don't bring people home," Jane said, rolling her eyes at Nina. "I'm sorry about her."

"Actually," Nina said, a smirk spread across her face. "I'd love to hear more about Jane when she was a child."

Jane groaned, turned around and drank her beer. A smile crept onto her face. Maybe her relationship with Nina was unexpected, and maybe her mother was embarrassing the hell out of her, but she couldn't think of anything better in that moment.

THE END!

Author Note: Whilst this is THE END of this story, I hope you will join wolvesr34 in her Unexpected…Ever After one-shot to follow up on this story with a bit about what happens to Maura next.