Attention: I have to begin with a sincere apology to all readers. I've mistakenly named my created character after a character that actually existed on the show. I've only seen the first two seasons, and I realize this has caused confusion and I am truly sorry. Therefore, I'm editing the story and replacing the previous name "Riley" with "Kadin." I chose Riley because it's one of my favorite unisex names, and having a unisex name is vital to the storyline. Coincidentally, it turns out there's a female character named Riley in season 3. If I had known that, believe me, I would have avoided all of this confusion ahead of time. So again, I'm sorry that was my careless mistake. HOWEVER, read the following carefully:

Please understand that this story focuses on Maura and her relationship with another woman. I realize and respect that many of the readers here are going to expect a romance between Jane and Maura; I promise you nothing, but I can tell you Jane's reactions will play a pivotal role in the story. I ask you to drop preconceived notions at the door and read this story for what it is. After all, Jane and Maura are not an actual lesbian couple on the show, and this is a website devoted to imagination, so the room for interpretation and creative license is limitless. I will not censor or restrain my creativity. Maura's character is amazing and I have chosen to explore this path with her. You're welcome to walk down it with me, if you'd like.

DISCLAIMER: If you have read the summary and the A/N's above, then do not leave a reply about how upset you are or how deceived you feel. No one is forcing you to read this story. If you don't like the pretense, turn around and leave now, don't come crying on my review page 20 minutes later. I'm not publishing this story somewhere else and I'm not taking it down; those are unreasonable requests. This is not a Rizzless only community, if you thought otherwise, please come back to reality. Hopefully, I've labeled this clearly enough for you. I've been a member of this site for a number of years, I have two profiles, and I've published under several categories and genres, but never have I seen a more whiny, self centered, narrow minded fan base than this one, which I also find a bit ironic considering all the readers seem to be here for lesbian story lines. Regardless, I began this story and I will finish it. I've explained, apologized, and edited all that I'm going to, so continue at your own discretion.

A/N: To all reasonable readers, I apologize for the above mess getting in the way of your story. I know it's ridiculous.

I

"Streptococcal pharyngitis coupled with otitis interna." Maura diagnosed.

Kadin scrunched her nose and smiled, "Your unique way of saying that I have a sore throat and an ear infection."

"Strep throat is not just a sore throat. You're going to need a rotation of antibiotics to combat the virus and the internal ear infection." Maura removed her blue gloves and tucked them neatly back into her bag. "Have you experienced vertigo?"

"No, I'm not really much of a U2 fan." Kadin cleverly quipped.

"Dizziness, nausea, or vomiting?" Maura clarified. "Does the room ever feel like it's spinning?"

"Only when I'm looking at you." Kadin winked and leaned back against her couch cushions.

"Kadin." Maria gently scolded.

"Maura, I'm fine." The slightly younger women reassured. "This isn't my first time at the rodeo, I had strep throat twice my sophomore year of high school. I'll take a few pills, I'll drink plenty of fluids, I'll lounge on the couch in my pjs while watching a Jersey Shore marathon, and by Monday, I'll be good as new."

"Jersey Shore, really?" Maura folded her arms across her chest and tilted her head to one side.

"Hey, don't underestimate the healing powers of GTL." Kadin pointed her index finger at the medical examiner. Maura stared at her blankly, clearly not catching the reference. "Gym, tan, laundry." Kadin explained.

"I don't approve of tanning beds." Maura finally remarked. "Studies have overwhelmingly proven that tanning beds cause significant increases in melanoma and…"

"Are harmful to your eyes." Kadin interrupted. "I know, we post warning labels all around the salon down at the spa."

"Actually, I was going to say they remind me of coffins." Maura pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, one of her subtle signs that she felt nervous or anxious.

"Strange." Kadin noted, "I would have imagined the Queen of the Dead enjoyed coffins."

Maura's face stiffened at the remark, though she realized it was only Kadin's playful nature. "Who's your primary care physician?" She asked, getting back to the subject at hand, "I can pick up your antibiotics and bring over some dinner for you. Swallowing is going to be painful for a few days. Do you have a favorite soup? Oh, and ice cream?"

Kadin smiled up at the kindhearted woman before her, "Maura, you don't have to…"

"I want to." Maura quickly interjected. "You shouldn't be out in this cold weather. Let me."

Kadin sighed and reached over to her end table and pulled out a small black book. She flipped through several pages till she found the one she wanted. "Here." Kadin handed the book to Maura, "Ask for Dr. Hallowell. She'll write the prescription and send it over to my local pharmacy."

"Dr. Cheyenne Hallowell?" Maura inquired, familiar with the reputable physician's name. "Well, at least your choice in primary care physicians isn't as poor as your taste in reality television."

Kadin laughed lightly, "Cheyenne is my sister-in-law."

Maura's eyes snapped up, "Oh." She mouthed. She handed the address book back to Kadin, "Perhaps, I shouldn't call."

"What? Why not?" Kadin glanced down at the address book.

Realizing Kadin wasn't going to accept the book, Maura placed it on the coffee table in front of her, "I don't want to arouse any suspicion or…" Maura paused, "you know…" She awkwardly fidgeted with her bracelet, twisting it several times around her wrist. "Dr. Hallowell is on the Physician's Board."

"Oh, I see." Suddenly, a metaphorical light bulb illuminated over Kadin's head.

An instant wave of guilt washed over Maura, "I can call Dr. Anderson down on Kelso and he'll send a prescription to the pharmacy by my local market. I can pick up some groceries, come back, and fix a light dinner." Maura swallowed heavily before continuing, "The market also has a Redbox."

Kadin adored every microscopic detail of Maura and her willingness to go above and beyond was equally as charming. The idea of spending an evening together, dinner and a movie, was far more tantalizing for Kadin than the medical examiner probably realized. Nevertheless, Kadin understood early relationship etiquette and she respected the fact that Maura still desired to keep her personal life discrete and their relationship secretive. She picked up her address book and tossed it back into the end table drawer.

"You're not afraid of catching my strep?" Kadin asked, one of her eyebrows rose as she spoke.

"I have an excellent immune system and if we use hand sanitizer and not exchange bodily fluids, such as saliva, then I should be fine." Maura cleared her throat.

"So, no kissing?" Kadin concluded with a mischievous smirk.

"No kissing." Maura repeated steadily.

Kadin shrugged, "Cuddling is okay?"

Maura paused to think for a moment and then nodded, "Yes." She answered quickly. "Cuddling would be acceptable."

"You're a sweetheart, Maura. Thank you." Kadin reached over and took the medical examiner by the hand. "I feel better already."

Maura blushed at the comment and her mind scattered; she clutched for a coherent sentence to use as a reply, but the jumbled words came out choppy and awkward, "Endorphins." She nodded. "The b-body releases... I-I mean the brain releases, um, serotonin when…"

"Cream of Mushroom and Rocky Road." Kadin stated seriously.

Maura stared into the woman's eyes for several seconds before it registered she had named off a soup and an ice cream, answering her questions from several minutes prior. "As for the Redbox movie, surprise me." Kadin's phone buzzed across the coffee table, she released Maura's hand so she could answer it. "Hello? Hey, Davie. Yeah, I'm fine. Yeah, it's just a slight case of streptococcal pharyngitis." Kadin glanced over at Maura and smiled. "No, I don't need anything. I'm in excellent company." Kadin laughed. "Hey, listen, if you have any questions while I'm out…" Kadin paused, allowing Davie to speak. Maura watched intently, "Don't worry about that, Davie. I'll be back to work on Monday, if you need anything, don't hesitate to call. All right, thanks, friend. Take care." Kadin ended her call and looked over at Maura, "Davie… from the spa."

"I gathered." Maura replied. "Well, I should get going. I'll be back as quickly as I can."

"Don't rush yourself, really." Kadin took a seat back on her couch. "Hey, you know what? You should bring over a pair of pjs, that way I don't feel so insecure."

"You, insecure?" Maura asked skeptically as she grabbed her purse and medical bag from the coffee table.

"C'mon, Maura. You're wearing a designer dress and two hundred dollar shoes. I'm sporting Joe Boxer, here." Kadin pointed back to herself.

Maura nodded, "All right. I planned on stopping by the house to pick up a bottle of red wine, anyway and pajamas would be more… comfortable."

II

As Maura hurried through the market, grabbing her short list of items, the persistent buzzing of her cell phone finally distracted her enough to warrant her attention. She was a bit shocked to see three missed calls from Jane. Her initial thought was there had been a murder, but she hadn't received an official call, so unless Jane was trying to get an early jump, there must have been some other emergency. Fearing the worst, Maura dialed Jane's number and placed the phone to her ear.

"Maura!" Jane exclaimed. "I've been trying to call you."

Maura noticed the loud background noise behind Jane, but couldn't quite place her location, "Jane, I'm sorry, I've been preoccupied. What's going on? Is everything okay?"

"I'll tell you what's going on." Jane began, "The Pats are killing the 49ers and you're missing it! Get your ass down here. Frost and Korsak are already three drinks in."

"Football? You've called me three times over football?" Maura clarified.

"Well, yeah." Jane let out a laugh. "And drinks." She added.

Maura paused for a moment, and then inhaled deeply before replying, "I'm sorry, Jane, I can't."

Jane blocked her open ear with her finger and stepped away from the noisy bar so she could better hear Maura, "You can't?"

"I can't." Maura repeated. "I've got other plans tonight, but thank you for your invitation."

"But…" Jane trailed off. "O-okay." She finally answered.

"I'll talk to you soon. Enjoy your evening."

"Yeah, you too." Jane replied as she hung up her phone. She turned and walked back to the bar where Korsak and Frost were sitting. "She's not coming." Jane announced. "She says she has other plans."

Frost and Korsak glanced up at Jane; both seemed unaffected by the news. Korsak focused his attention back on the game. Frost ordered another beer and handed it to Jane, "Drink up, Rizzoli; we're gearing up for the playoffs, tonight."

Jane took a small sip of the beer, "Hey, Frost, do you think Maura's been acting strange, lately?"

"You mean stranger than her normal strange?" Frost asked.

Jane nodded and shortly answered, "Yeah."

"No, I haven't noticed anything. Why you stressing it, Jane? Maura doesn't even like football. She only puts up with it for you." Frost polished off his beer.

"I know." Jane defended. "But I thought she'd like to come down and have a beer with us, at least."

"I've never seen Dr. Isles drink a beer." Frost chuckled.

"Hey, she a drank a beer with me once." Jane's tone hardened. "She could order wine, if she wanted. The point is that we're all hanging out."

"Right, we're hanging out." Frost pointed to the three detectives. "Isles has other plans." He reiterated.

Jane placed her hands on her hip, "Wait a minute; do you know something I don't know?"

Frost smirked, "No, but when someone says they have other plans, it usually means they have other plans with another person."

"You think Maura has a boyfriend?" Jane's question seemed more like an accusation.

"Look, if it was anything to be concerned about, Maura would tell you." Frost assured. "Now, come on, you're missing the game." He nodded towards the television.

"You know, I-I think I'm just gonna go catch the rest of the game at Ma's with Frankie." Jane finished her beer and set the empty bottle on the bar. "Thanks for the drink, Frost. Catch you tomorrow."

"Yeah, tomorrow." Frost gently shook his head then turned back to face Korsak, "Women." He muttered.

"No comment." Korsak replied as he sipped on his vodka tonic.

As Jane pulled up to the guesthouse, she took notice that Maura's car wasn't in the driveway. As she stepped inside, Angela and Frankie were lounged on the couch enjoying the game.

"Jane, what a pleasant surprise." Angela smiled as she stood to greet her daughter, "I didn't know you were dropping by."

"Yeah, I thought I'd come watch the rest of the game with you and Frankie." Jane flashed a smile.

"Oh, that's wonderful." Angela's face lit up with sincere joy. "Do you want a beer?" She asked eagerly.

"I would love a beer, Ma." Jane removed her jacket and crashed onto the couch next to her brother. "Brady looks good tonight."

"Eight for ten, one hundred and twenty-three yards." Frankie stated proudly.

Angela brought her daughter an opened beer and sat down on the couch beside her children, "If only Tommy were here."

"Ma…" Frankie and Jane both moaned in unison.

"What? Is it so much to ask to have my three kids together for some quality time?"

"Tommy's working, Ma." Frankie chimed in as he grabbed a handful of chips. "He's doing good."

"I know that." Angela defended. "I just wish we spent more time together as a family."

"We're spending time together, right now." Frankie jumped from his seat as Brady threw his second touchdown pass of the night, "Did you see that?!" Frankie exclaimed, "Beautiful! Right into the end zone!"

"Frankie, calm down. You're going to spill beer all over Maura's couch." Angela scolded. She quickly grabbed several napkins, "Here, be careful."

"Hey, Ma, have you seen Maura this evening?" Jane asked casually.

"No." Angela answered truthfully. "Was I supposed to?"

Jane shrugged and laughed lightly to cover her awkwardness, "No, it's just… She mentioned having other plans…"

"Oh, she's on a date." Angela's eyes widened.

"No, Ma, I didn't say that." Jane quickly leaned forward.

Angela smiled, "Well, honey, you don't have to; what else could other plans mean?"

"You think she has a boyfriend too?"

"Too?" Frankie asked. "What are you doing, taking a survey?" He teased.

"Jane, sweetie, Maura is a very attractive lady." Angela began, "But so are you. You could easily have two or three dates a week if you…"

"Ma, stop." Jane held up her hand. "I don't want to talk about dating."

"You brought it up." Angela rolled her eyes.

"No, I didn't bring it up, I just asked if you'd seen Maura. You brought up dating."

"Because she's on a date." Angela's voice heightened.

"Wait, so you know she's on a date, or you're just assuming?" Jane interrogated.

"Janie, come on, I'm trying to watch the game, here." Frankie interjected. "Leave Ma alone. She doesn't know anything."

"Thank you, Frankie." Angela replied. "Sweetheart, I know you get a little possessive over Maura sometimes, but she can't drop everything in her personal life every time you want to hang out."

"Ma, really…" Jane began to shake her head.

"Look, all I'm saying is, it's a good thing to hang out with, go out with, other people." Angela continued, "I'm sure she'll fill you in on everything later."

Jane sighed heavily, "Yeah, yeah, you're right. It's none of my business if she's on a date."

"No, not really." Angela agreed as she reached for the bowl of chips.

Jane cast her a glare, but said nothing as she sank into the couch cushions and half-heartedly watched the rest of the game.

III

When Maura returned to the cozy little east side Apartment, Kadin had built a fire in the fireplace, padded the couch with extra blankets and pillows, and had set the dining room table for two. As romantic of a scene as it was, Maura scolded the young woman for working instead of resting while she was away.

"Your prescription lasts for five days." Maura explained as she pulled out the bottle. "You're to take two daily, with food and water, and I also asked Dr. Anderson to include throat lozenges and an ear drop solution that will help with the clogging."

"Wow, thanks, doc." Kadin smiled as she reached for her prescription bag. "I have everything I need."

Maura returned the smile, happy to have been of service. "Go. Relax." Maura ordered. "I'm going to prepare dinner. I'll call you when it's ready."

Kadin glanced down at the medicine, "I should wait till dinner to take the antibiotic, shouldn't I?"

"Yes." Maura grinned as she nodded her head. "There will be food and water at dinner."

"Okay." Kadin whispered. She resisted the urge to kiss the other woman, due to their no saliva contract instated earlier, but saw no harm in enveloping her in a warm embrace. A few moments later she released Maura, then retired to the living room to wait for her dinner bell.

Dinner was amazing. Maura threw together a homemade version of cream of mushroom soup, which was way better than the canned version Kadin was accustomed to; the ingredients were fresh and danced across Kadin's taste buds, even though swallowing was painful, she didn't mind. For dessert, they each had a bowl of Rocky Road ice cream as they sat across from each other on the couch. Bentley, Kadin's lovable cat, had made himself comfortable next to Maura and purred continuously as she stroked his head.

"He's taken to you quickly." Kadin observed.

"He's adorable." Maura replied as she sat her empty bowl of ice cream onto a coaster. "I have a tortoise at home." Kadin couldn't help but giggle. Of course Maura had a tortoise, a dog or a cat would be too conventional and that just wasn't Maura. Maura temporarily felt a hint of embarrassment, but it quickly faded when Kadin slid her hand across the couch and laced it with hers. It was the little encouragements like that one that gave Maura the confidence to keep going. Kadin never criticized; she never judged. Instead, she made Maura feel like she was glamorous, unique, and special and so many other wonderful things that elated her senses and fluttered her heart.

It's not like Maura planned to become involved with another woman; no, she had never envisioned herself in a position such as this, but what started as an odd attraction quickly grew into a deep adoration. They met at Spa Zen, one of Maura's favorite getaways. As Maura was exiting the steam room, Kadin was refilling the mud baths. She tripped over a misplaced water hose and fell head first into the tub. Maura was the first on scene to help pull the woman out of the mud and assisted in hosing her off. Aside from a bump on the head, Kadin suffered no major injuries and Dr. Isles felt confident in allowing her to immediately return to work. The two became fast friends as they laughed off the awkward meeting and when Maura left the spa that day, she gave the woman her number. It seemed harmless, but each day, Kadin sent Maura a text. At first, it was more 'thank yous' for the woman's kind nature, but soon her texts turned into inquires about her day, when she'd be returning to the spa, and whether or not she'd be interested in attending an art exhibit at the Ellen Miller Gallery.

It was during the art exhibit that Maura discovered Kadin's interest in women. To her own surprise, she was very comfortable with the information. Quite frankly, Maura had a difficult time imagining Kadin on the arm of any man. She was a gorgeous woman, athletic; yet, feminine and charming. Her light brown hair and green eyes made her appear exotic. She was gentle natured and playful, which eased Maura's spirit, and when she talked to Maura, nothing felt as important as her attention. Many "non" dates later, Maura and Kadin shared their first kiss outside of Maura's front door. They were saying goodbye to an entertaining evening spent in the audience of the Broadway music Wicked. Kadin had been so patient; she never pushed, never pulled, and never pressured the medical examiner. As Maura fidgeted with her keys, they fell from her hand and landed on her stoop. Reflexively, Kadin scooped up the keys and handed them back to Maura. Maura's hand lingered over the keys and a finger gently brushed the back of Kadin's hand. Maura's heart was beating so loudly, it left a dull ringing in her ears. She took a sharp inhale when Kadin's hand slowly lifted to her cheek. Maura closed her eyes, breathing in the sweet fragrance of Kadin's perfume splashed across her wrist.

"Thank you for a wonderful evening." Kadin whispered into the cool night air. "I hope you enjoyed it as well."

Maura's eyes flickered open, "I did." She managed to reply, even though it felt her voice was trapped in the back of her throat.

She could see the desperation in Kadin's eyes and her internal conflict on whether or not to take further action. At that moment, Maura realized just how close they were standing; close enough to brush lips with only minimal effort. She must have instinctively or subconsciously moved closer to the woman, because she would have sworn it wasn't a conscious decision; Maura simply wasn't that brave. Fear tore its way through Maura's chest, but quickly dissolved when she felt the soft, warm, press of Kadin's lips against her own. It was subtle, quick; and then suddenly, a stronger and more passionate kiss followed. Maura leaned into the woman, allowing Kadin to hold her in her arms for what felt like a severed period of time, but surely wasn't longer than the flash of a few seconds. It was a purity Maura had never known before; the most delicate and sensitive expression of tenderness she had ever felt.

"Earth to Maura." Kadin waved a hand in front of the medical examiner. "Any sign of intelligent life?"

Maura suddenly snapped from her daydream and realized she had gotten completely swept away in her memory. "I'm sorry." Maura immediately apologized. "I was just thinking."

"About?" Kadin inquired harmlessly.

"The night we saw Wicked." Maura answered. She glanced down to see Bentley now asleep in her lap. "Bass may get jealous." She joked.

"I may get jealous." Kadin smirked. "What movie did you bring?"

"Oh!" Maura smiled, thankful for the pleasant distraction, "Yes, I almost forgot. Sorry, Bentley." She apologized as she woke the cat and lifted him from her lap so she could reach her purse; he stretched, yawned, and repositioned himself comfortably on the back of the couch. "I couldn't choose between two, so I brought both. You choose." She handed the movies to Kadin.

"Looper and Total Recall." Kadin read aloud. "I've read great reviews about both." She glanced up at Maura. "I now see your predicament."

"They're both on the Redbox top 20." Maura noted. "And Looper has an overall score of 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is really quite impressive."

"Well, why choose? We could watch both. If you're up for it."

"Sure." Maura answered without much need to ponder the question. "I'm off work tomorrow."

"Really? No more homicides on Fridays?"

"Actually, I'm required to take a certain amount of days off, which are scheduled for research under one of the grants that I work on, but I've already completed my research for the grant, so…"

"So, movie night?" Kadin held up the DVDs.

"I'll go change into my pajamas." Maura stood from the couch.

"Pjs, Maura." Kadin replied.

"I'll go change into my pjs." Maura smiled.

A few minutes later she returned to the living room and found Kadin curled up on the couch and the movie ready to play. Though she was extremely comfortable around the woman, she still took precaution when they were in close proximities. She often preferred for Kadin to take the initiative, which suited them both well. Kadin understood Maura's boundaries perhaps better than Maura herself. Kadin lifted the blanket and motioned for Maura to come near. This would be their first movie night. Though they had shared many embraces, several kisses, and other gestures of affection, they had never cuddled up tightly for an extended period of time. Maura was pleasantly surprised to feel how well her body fit with Kadin's. Kadin wrapped an arm around Maura's stomach and held her securely. Maura relished the closeness between them; she'd never lain so intimately, so perfectly entwined, with another person.

"Comfortable?" Kadin asked.

"Very." Maura replied.

"Good." Kadin reached over for the remote and pressed play. Maura rested her head on Kadin's chest and the smell of Maura's shampoo filled Kadin's nose, provoking Kadin to place a gentle kiss on the top of Maura's head.

"I thought we agreed on no kissing." Maura teased.

"We agreed on no saliva swapping." Kadin countered. "But if you'd like me to sanitize your hair…"

Maura burst out into a giggle, "Please, don't."

Kadin laughed as well but then cleared her throat, "Shhh, Maura, I'm trying to watch the movie. I hear its rated 85% on Rotten Tomatoes."