Intro

All my life, I have approached things with a scientific eye. Recently, I have attributed that to my job as a medical examiner, but really my love for knowledge and evidence can be traced back through my years in medical school, to college, high school, and even when I was a young girl. I can, of course, argue that one would require a scientific eye for this profession, when so much is based off human biology, anatomy, chemistry, and many other scientific disciplines. Science is factual, evidence-based, testable…logical. It simply makes sense to me. I can trace a drop of blood through the human body, describing in detail the journey it takes through veins, arteries, ventricles, capillaries, and could probably do it all while speaking a language other than English. I could estimate the trajectory of a bullet, based on an entrance wound. I can look at my wife's swollen belly, and can tell you the approximate size of the fetus in centimeters, and tell you which organs and organ systems have been developing so far during the pregnancy.

Scientific inquiry is the one thing that makes complete sense to me. But while I may be able to provide key information in homicide investigations, my passion for scientific inquiry has never helped me when it comes to love.

Love is an abstract concept, a feeling, which completely baffles me. How can something that is so strong, at times rendering us speechless or at the verge of tears, be completely unquantifiable? As a doctor, I of course am aware of the human body's relation to love. Hormones and other natural biologic responses play a large role in the "science" of love, but when it comes down to it, love simply just happens, whether we expect it or not.

In my case, Jane happened, and everything I knew about logic, scientific inquiry, and love was thrown right out the door.

Chap. 1

Ironically, the moment I met Jane was fairly ambiguous. In fact, I didn't think I would ever see her again after our first encounter.

I had taken a new position as a Chief Medical Examiner at the Boston Police Department, which I was of course ecstatic about. While college, medical school, internships, and my residency in pathology were extremely helpful in providing the tools and skills needed for my chosen occupation, I was looking forward to putting my skills to use to aid in investigations and to help provide justice through evidence. I had been working the past few years in an Assistant Medical Examiner position, and was genuinely excited to move up through the ranks and to be in such a prestigious position as a Chief Medical Examiner.

My first day at BPD was a whirlwind, with lots of paperwork to fill out, security clearances, and a tour of the establishment, all of which took place before 1pm. Finally, Lieutenant Cavanaugh released me for the remainder of the day to get things settled in my office and to meet the team of criminalists who I would be working with on a daily basis. I had not eaten since my breakfast this morning, which was at 6:30am. My daily routine had been altered slightly due to the busy morning agenda, and I was starting to feel the rumble in my stomach, which had been triggered by ghrelin, which is often called the "hunger hormone."

Typically I tried to avoid cafeteria-style settings because they are a breeding ground for bacteria, but I quickly realized my need for sustenance, and could feel the early stages of hypoglycemia beginning to set in. Deciding the best option would be to grab a salad and some yogurt from the café in the lobby, I made my way towards the café.

As soon as I stepped off the elevator, I was literally stopped in my tracks when I collided with another person.

"ooommph"

"Oh shit! Easy there killer…"

It took a moment for me to regain my senses, but when I had smoothed out my cashmere sweater and pencil skirt, I was completely appalled by what I saw. Standing in front of me, clad in a skintight dress made from some who-knows-what (probably cotton/poly blend) material, nylons (complete with a run in them), and animal print (how utterly tacky) heels, was a woman who seemed to be about my age. With the heels, she was significantly taller than me, and even with the ill-fitting clothes, I could tell she was athletically inclined as evidenced by her long, lean torso and shapely limbs. Her hair was wild, with dark curls falling down her back and framing her face. When I got a good look at her face, I was surprised to find a pair of deep brown eyes staring back at me with a beautiful intensity. Although her face was covered in a particularly heinous layer of makeup, her cheekbones were noticeably well-defined, and transitioned nicely into an angular jaw and chin.

I took stock of her outfit, her pale complexion, her shoddy makeup job, and was able to hypothesize about her probable profession. This woman was clearly a prostitute, and I couldn't figure out why she would be in a police headquarters. Maybe she was being released after being detained… I struggled to regain my composure, then decided to apologize:

"My apologies miss, I didn't see you when I got off the elevator" I managed to get out.

"Uh yeah, no worries, I was coming through here like a bat outta hell and didn't see you either" she replied. "Hey, are you new here? I haven't seen you around before, and I am here a lot…so…" Her sentence trailed off.

What did she mean she was here a lot? Had she been arrested before for prostitution? Should I be seen associating with this woman? There were a lot of questions flying through my mind, but I pushed them down and tried to maintain a calm front. But I couldn't focus under her intense gaze.

"Well yes, I am new here. First day here, actually. My name is Dr. Maura Isles, and I am the Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts."

Her face broke in to something of a half-smile "No shit? Wow, a new fancy-pants doctor huh? I bet you make what I make in a day in one freaking hour."

I didn't quite know how to respond to that statement, so I smiled weakly and tried to extricate myself from what was obviously an awkward situation. "Yes, well…I was on my way to the café for some lunch, so if you will just excuse me. I apologize again for running into you. I hope I didn't injure you…"

She broke into a full grin while looking herself up and down. Her eyes seemed to sparkle as if she was trying to contain her laughter. Was she enjoying the awkwardness? "Nope, I have never been better. Well, maybe I will see you around or something…see ya."

And with that, she turned and headed toward the exit. I watched her as she left and saw her reach up and run her hand through her hair, seemingly trying in vain to tame the curls. As she stepped out the door, her head turned back and her eyes caught mine for a brief second. She smiled briefly, raised her hand in a slight wave, and then disappeared.

I stood there for a few moments contemplating the exchange. I had never related well to other people in the past, so awkward interactions were not something I was unfamiliar with. But as I moved towards the café once again to finally get something to eat, I couldn't help but wonder what she meant when she said that maybe she would see me around. On what planet would a Medical Examiner and a prostitute cross paths on a regular basis? I shook my head slightly to clear my thoughts, and headed into the café for a much needed lunch.

I didn't think about that day for months.

A/N - So...this is my first attempt at fanfiction. I don't typically write for pleasure or creatively, but usually for work (i.e. research papers and other straightforward things). This is my creative outlet and I hope you all enjoy. I hope I am doing the characters justice. Of course feel free to review/comment or whatever. I am still getting used to this format and how to add and edit everything, so if there are any glaring issues let me know :) This story will loosely follow the major plotlines of R&I, but mostly will utilize Maura as a character for the story.