A/N: THIS IS NOT SPOILER FREE! If you are not caught up on Season 5 then please do not read this story because it will ruin the show's continuity. But if you don't mind the spoiler then okay go for it. The first few chapters are going to time jump especially this prequel and chapter one but stay with me. And please be kind, I've never tapped into the Rizzels story line writing wise but I really wanted to share this. Reviews, complaints, critiques are all welcome. But again be kind.

Chapter 1: Nouvel Amour: A Prequel

It happened so fast that it had snuck up on the tall brunette one afternoon on her rare days off. She was at Maura's, barefoot; sitting pretzel style on her bed discussing how they'd take care of the baby she was now carrying after breaking it off with Casey. Casey had said he would be involved and that they would figure it out but his tour had been extended.

Maura had a glass of wine in her hand, Jane desperate to wrestle it out of her hands and take a tiny sip but knew Maura wouldn't have any of it.

"Well. Statistically speaking a baby with two mom's grow up just as well as they do, if not better than with a man and a woman." Maura took a small sip, her legs tucked under herself still in her skirt.

"Two moms?" Jane echoed. That's when it hit Jane. That's when her stomach flip-flopped, not due to the new life inside her, but to how she felt about Maura. She had said the baby was theirs. And Jane knew that all the nights they had been spending together, the pillow talk, trusting her with her secret despite she blabbed it to her mom. No. all the years they've spent together, she knew why it had never worked out with anyone else. She was in love with her dear sweet best friend Maura. How had she not seen this before? Never in her life had she felt more at ease and safe than she had with Maura. Never had she trusted anyone more than the beautiful blonde sitting next to her. She was in love. It had crossed her mind before, but she shook it off and took it as love, not love-love many times before. Hell even Frost had said she and Maura would make a great couple and now she began to wonder if he had been trying to hint at what Jane had been suppressing. Things had been building up to this moment.

"Yes. You and I will raise the little one. You can do the man stuff, throwing the baseball, I can take her to ballet classes-" Maura's voice had pulled her out of her musings.

"Man stuff?" She echoed.

"Jane. Let's be honest. I cannot throw a ball to save my life."

"That doesn't make me a man."

"You are correct Jane it doesn't. I just was implying you know more about sports than I and would be better at other things than you. We both have our strong suits. I meant no offense. Girls can do anything guys can do.

Jane laughed before answering. "I understand. I'll do the sports since I was a tom boy and you can do the tea parties since Constance had that with you."

Maura smiled, pleased she understood what she had meant. If it were up to her, no matter what gender the kid would be playing with whatever he or she wanted. Jane was raised gender neutral and she found herself jealous of that. It didn't matter Jane was a girl, she was never forbidden from playing from Lego's or GI Joes like she had been.

Jane resisted the urge to reach out and caress her sweet doctors hair. But she knew, knew Maura didn't play for that team. Her team. She shook her head from the thought and focused on the now, now was not the time to realize how Maura's lips looked as they puckered and took a sip. Or how she held a glass. Oh god. She was in love with her best friend…

"How do you know it'll be a girl Maur?" Attempting to mask her realization and feelings and continue on as normal between the two.

"I don't I just thought it would be nice to have a little girl running around."

Maura put her glass down and studied Jane.

"Are you alright?" She asked. Jane was sweating and picking at the fringe of her boston red soxs sweatshirt.

"Huh?"

"Jane you're sweating. Are you going to throw up?"

"Um maybe."

"It's the hormones, here hold on let me get you a cold compress."

"Maur- you don't have to-" Maura waved a hand, just like Jane did when she heard something but was going to do it anyway.

Oh Maura what have you done to me… Jane thought as Maura padded barefoot into her master bath to get her a cold towel. It had taken the woman five years to realize it, but the whole time, since the first day they had worked together, hell since the first day they had class together in high school, making it what, 20 years? Maura was the one she loved and had always loved.

Many Years Ago...

It was the first day of school in a new place for Maura and she had high hopes she'd make a good first impression. She was often the outcast, spewing to many facts or just not picking up on social cues. It was the start of 9th grade, her freshman year of high school and Constance had enrolled her at Saint Catherine's the moment they had settled into Boston. She had pressed her uniform nice and neat the night before, packed and repacked her bag and packed a healthy lunch, knowing cafeteria food was certainly the less healthy of an option out there.

She walked, head held high into her first class, having done an orientation the week before with her mother about where each classroom was and was appropriate behavior, (cellphones when class was not in session, no being out of uniform unless it was a Friday) and which locker was hers. Maura was determined that this year would be her year. She took a spot in the second row, aware her first teacher, Mr. Eckles did not have seating assignments, and other students began to trickle in. A tall, thin brunette took the seat behind her, Maura had noticed her as soon as she walked in, confident and looking a tad rebellious.

"Rizzoli." Mr. Eckles said from behind his desk, sorting what Maura presumed were the syllabus' for the day.

"Yes sir?"

"Your shirt. It's not school uniform." He said. "You have five minutes before the bell rings to change it or it's detention."

"But sir, our washing machine broke…" Maura was trying not to eaves drop but it was hard since the girl was right behind her.

"Rizzoli, change it before the bell and it won't be a problem."

The girl, Rizzoli, whom Maura assumed was her last name, sighed and muttered an obscenity only she could hear. She bit her lip, ignoring the cringe she had when she had said the bad word, Maura had a thing about language... She turned in her seat to face her.

"My lockers right outside the classroom. I have a spare of everything. I'm prone to spilling coffee on things so I stocked my locker with extras just in case. You could borrow my polo if you like." Maura offered. "Oh and I'm Maura Isles, just moved here from Italy." She realized she hadn't properly introduced herself and her mother would have chastised her. She held out her hand.

"You don't have to do that. Really. And I'm Jane, Jane Rizzoli." Jane took her hand and shook it, then brushed a mess off curls out of her face.

"Oh it's no trouble. Why go to detention if you could avoid it? Seems only logical you should change into something proper." She said.

Jane stared at her for a beat. She had never met someone who spoke so regally. Especially at the age of what, 15?

"Take her up on her offer Rizzoli. Four minutes." Mr. Eckles had been eavesdropping himself but didn't even look up from his desk when he said it. Not that either of them had been speaking low.

"Well. Okay then. Let's get me in proper uniform." Jane smirked and the two left their backpacks under their desks as they walked into the hall.

Jane followed Maura to her locker, which as she had promised was right outside the hall.

"So Italy huh?" Jane mused as Maura turned her lock to the right, then to the left, then back to the right.

"Yes. My parents travel a lot for work so naturally I go with them if it requires a move." She handed her a white polo, one of the two hanging from her locker she had cleaned and supplied during the tour.

"I've never even been out of the country. I'm guessing you're living near Beacon Hill?" She said as Maura shut her locker. Maura nodded.

"How did you know?" She asked as Jane took the polo.

"You don't hear parents traveling abroad and Italy alot unless it means money. Not that I'm judging you, really. Was just curious." Jane saw the pained look in Mauras face as soon as she said money. Jane was not one to judge someone on money but personality so she quickly backpedaled with her comment.

"Oh. No, well you're right, it seems most people with wealth live off Beacon Hill." Maura stated.

Jane took the polo and walked to the girls bathroom right next to the classroom. Maura shut her locker, waiting not saying anything or moving. She had given her the shirt and didn't know what to do next.

"Come with me, I want to hear about Italy. It'll take a minute I promise, don't want to strip in the hallway now do I?" Jane joked, somehow sensing the girls discomfort.

Maura was surprised, she knew girls traveled in packs to the bathroom but then again, she had never had a real friend before so all of this was new territory for her. Not that Jane was her friend. She had just offered her proper clothing.

"Oh, um, yes, of course." She trailed after Jane.

"Thank you Maura for this. It was very kind of you to offer when we've only just met." Jane said as she yanked her grey polo that she had hoped no one would have noticed off.

"No-no problem." Maura stammered. She was enamored with Jane's physic. She was toned yet still feminine. Her angular face was grinning at Maura as she pulled on the white shirt and tucked it into her skirt. Jane was beautiful and it took all she could not to say that out loud.

"So do you miss Italy yet? I love looking at pictures of the Ponte Vecchio, Venice and Tuscany." She asked her as they walked out of the bathroom.

"Not particularly. Venice was lovely to live in but it's sinking at a fast rate-" She stopped herself. She was not going to be that girl who yammered on with facts. This was her new chance.

"It's sinking?" Jane asked intrigued at the young woman infront of her.

"Yes it is actually, slowly but surely one day there will be no Venice. It's rather unfortunate but with global warming and the rising of the sea, building a city on water... So therefore it's slowly sinking." Maura could have smacked herself outright then in there. Why had she just blabbed all that?

But to her surprise Jane laughed, a genuine laugh, not a cruel one that Maura was used to. "That's amazing. How do you know all that?"

"I read a lot." She answered simply, surprised she hadn't scared off the beautiful brunette before her.

"Hm. Well how is Boston treating you?" She asked still grinning, a grin which Maura wished she could photograph to memory.

"I'm still new to Boston and love exploring. I was going to go out after school if the homework load wasn't to heavy and maybe do some sight seeing. Boston Harbor, Museum of Fine Arts, USS Constitution museum..."

"I could come with you if you like. I've grown up here my whole life and on top of all that history, I can show you good places to eat." Jane opened the door of the classroom for Maura.

Maura crossed the threshold, wondering why Jane was being so nice to her. Was it just because she offered her a shirt and she wanted to make it up to her? She's read about this, making things even so you don't have to repay someone else back later.

"I mean if you'd rather go alone…"Jane said, sensing Maura's hesitation.

"Oh no, no, it would be great to have someone show me around." Maura answered and they both slipped into their seats seconds before the bell rang.

"Great, sounds like a plan. And I'll have this shirt washed and pressed as soon as I can. Meet me outside after school?" Jane asked.

"Yes, yes I will."

Mr. Eckles beamed at Maura and then nodded at Jane before handing out the syllabus.

Had Maura just made her first friend?