To the unfamiliar eye, Maura Isles was a picture-perfect example of relaxation. Calm and collected, she sat nonchalantly in the waiting room, thumbing through back issues of Vogue that she'd long read and were currently lining the bottom of Bass' box. However, if one was familiar with the blonde, they would see that she checked her watch a little too often for someone who could mentally calculate time from the moment she looked away. She also was licking her fingers to turn pages, something she abhorred doing with an object obviously handled by many people. With a practiced ease, she uncrossed and switched her weight to her other hip, taking care to tuck the cotton summer dress underneath her legs. Her nerves were wearing thin, and knowing Jane, she would likely be here for a few more hours.

Maura's phone, which sat on the seat next to her, buzzed and illuminated, revealing that Angela Rizzoli was also just as impatient as she was. Confident that talking on a cell phone in a waiting room was rude, she felt a little less guilty when the notification of a missed call appeared on the screen. Before she could unlock her phone to check for a voicemail, a message popped up, from the older woman no surprise.

Is she okay? Please tell me that she is.

I'm sorry, she's still in surgery. Due to her age, this could take considerably longer than if she'd just mentioned it when she was younger.

Could you really see Jane admitting that she's in pain? Come on, she's the one who only got her broken finger set when it swelled too big to fire her gun.

This does seem to be a reoccuring issue. I'll let you know when she's out- promise. She may complain, Angela, but I know she appreciates your concern.

Ha. I'm sure. Thanks for driving her, Maura. I still haven't gotten my car back from Gilberti's. Maybe you could swing by and get it after you drop Janie off? Giovanni seems to really like you two, and you know…

You want him to fill the fluids for free again?

Of course not. I wanted to see if he would power-wash the floormats. They still smell like iron when it gets hot. Jane should've been the one to wash them, she's the one who bled on them! But, thats gonna have to wait.

I'll try, but I can't promise anything.

You're good people, Maura. I'll be waiting for your call.

Thank you.

She knew the woman meant well, Maura just never seemed to expect an ambush from her best friend's mother. Angela was just nervous about her daughter being under the knife for the umpteenth time. Actually, she was nervous too, but more so because Jane had to be put under for the procedure which, even if it had minute risks, still made Maura's overactive mind fill with all sorts of possible negative outcomes.

It's only an extraction. The success rate is over 80% and is performed very often.

Thoughts ranging from dry socket and infection all the way to nerve and tissue damage flooded her mind. Dentistry was not her strong suit, but she did know the basics. Whether those statistics helped or hindered her, Maura did not know. Of course with little resources other than the posters on the wall with cartoon teeth doing asinine things with forest animals, the doctor felt vastly unprepared to aid her best friend in her recovery. Jane would likely be facing a few days away from her desk, unless plagued by something else. If something were to happen to her surgery site, the detective could be facing weeks or months of recuperation.

Maura's palms began to sweat and she jumped when a page of the forgotten magazine tore in her hand. The anxiety similar to the biochemistry incident of 1996 was building in her chest, she could not fail at this task. Jane's well-being was her responsibility, something she took very seriously. Quickly she opened her Amazon app and began rush ordering every possible thing she could need. Her phone was quick to tell her that if she ordered everything in the next 45 minutes, she qualified for free overnight shipping. The doors that lead to the back rooms opened and Oral surgeon, David A. Keith, stepped out with a cheery smile on his face.

"Dr. Isles?"

"Yes," Maura replied simply, too nervous to process anything other than clinical jargon.

"Detective Rizzoli is doing well. She's coming out of the anesthesia right now, if you'd like to be the one to wake her. It's comforting to come to and see a familiar face," he opened the door for her and beckoned her into the hallway. Maura simply nodded and followed his lead for a few feet. Once they stopped at the nondescript door, she understood his lead and went inside. The latch clicked into place and Maura took a moment to settle her thunderstorm of nerves.

There was a stool next the chair where a sleeping Jane Rizzoli laid. Maura set down her purse and set her warm hand on the quiet woman's arm. Slowly her hand worked up and down the tanned skin, warming the extremity. Minutes later, after the detective had neglected to rise, Maura decided to be a little more aggressive. She lowered her lips to the curly hair and moved a chunk away to whisper in her ear.

"Jane, Jane. Wake up," her mouth brushed Jane's ear, making her jump and pull back.

Tears began to stream from Jane's closed eyes, pooling on either side of her head and staining the tissue paper underneath her. The tiny stream turned into full on sobbing as Jane slowly started to rouse from her sleep. Maura's instincts took over as she started to take her friend's vitals.

Before she could panic too much, the door opened and the Doctor walked in. At the sight of a frantic Maura, he chuckled and waved back and forth.

"She's not in any pain, I promise. It's pretty common to cry right before waking up, especially those who are resistant to relinquishing control while conscious," he smiled and bent towards Maura, his glasses sliding down the bridge of his nose. "And believe me, she did not want to go down."

With another wave and a small laugh, he once again left Maura in the room with a teary-eyed Jane. She turned back towards the brunette and swiped away the alligator tears with the back of her hand. She took a moment to watch her best friend, letting herself slip and admire the handsome face of Jane Rizzoli.

After a few somber minutes, Jane's eyes fluttered open and she turned towards Maura, a look of surprise on her face.

"Mhhhnnnggg," she struggled to gain control of her mouth. She looked wide-eyed at Maura, her scared features turning into something Maura couldn't quite place.

"What?" Maura placed a hand over her mouth to prevent an uncharacteristic giggle from escaping.

"Who," Jane murmured, shaking her head a few times. "Who...are….you?"

"I'm Maura," the blonde said gently, not wanting to overwhelm or irritate Jane.

"You're Maura?"

"Yes. How are you feeling, Jane?"

"I'm Jane?" brown eyes were sluggish and unfocused.

"Yes, you're Jane Rizzoli." Maura's voice was soothing to the confused woman.

Jane rolled onto her side and motioned for Maura to move closer. Once she was close enough to see the cotton inside her friend's mouth, she stopped and placed a hand on her shoulder, making the brunette lay back down.

"You're..beautiful."

Maura halted her actions. Did Jane just call her beautiful?

"Are you my wife?" Jane mumbled. Her once hazy eyes seemed clearer now.

"No, sadly we are not married," Maura assured her, obviously amused at her friend's confusion.

Jane's face morphed into disgust as she took in the form of the woman in front of her.

"But, you're so beautiful. How..are .." Jane shook her head and tried to get up by herself. She swaggered back and forth hesitantly and held a hand out for Maura to take.

Maura shot her a shy smile and led her out of the door. Once they navigated out of the Doctor's office and into the prius Jane looked towards her friend and tried one last time to reason with her.

"Well, why aren't we dating then? You're so beautiful!" Jane set her hand on Maura's thigh. She looked at her with a curious expression and waited for an answer.

"I...honestly don't know," Maura replied, shrugging innocently. "We've just never entertained the idea, I suppose."

"Well I would like to entertain that please," Jane retorted, laying back in her seat.

"Would you really?" Maura asked with a glimmer of naive hope.

She looked over to see Jane snoozing in the front seat, a little line of drool spilling onto her shirt. The big brooding detective looked so tiny and vulnerable that Maura just stopped and took all of it in for a moment. Perhaps they needed to have a talk when Jane recovered in a few days. Suddenly Maura remembered the ever-growing list of items she had yet to purchase on her phone, and sighed.

"Maura, did you know that aliens tried to take Tommy once from school?" Jane murmured from the seat next to her. The blonde just sighed and shook her head, this was not going to be a fun experience. They drove away, Jane mumbling about nothing and Maura deep in her thoughts about the question she'd been asked.