A/N Forgive my multi-chapter story absence but I have returned with something new. Like always- AU simply because I seem to pick and choose what canon I acknowledge, what I ignore and what I decide to make up. This is a Rizzles tale mixed with my usual love of crime drama. But we will also take a little look into Jane's past and the early career of our detective. As per usual- I will post a new chapter daily. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Quite literally- but mostly in reference to character rights and all that legal stuff.

Chapter One

Remind me to never let my mother fix me up ever again! -M

Maura finished typing the text message to Jane and hit send. She stood in front of the restroom sink and while she gave her best friend a few moments to send a response she checked her hair and makeup in the mirror. Her double check was completely unnecessary as her appearance was impeccable as always. Mainly, she was stalling for time. She was hoping Jane would supply her with at least one good sarcastic comment that would help carry her through what remained of a so far horrible blind date.

She had excused herself from the restaurant's table under the pretext of needing to freshen up before dinner arrived. It wasn't a complete falsehood as she did plan to wash her hands so she wasn't in fear of breaking out in hives for having made the request. What she had failed to mention to her date, an impishly boring and equally obnoxious commodities broker, was that she also needed a break from the monotonous rambles of her date's endless dialog. The man hadn't stopped talking since she had met up with him an hour ago.

One of the longest hours Maura had ever had to endure.

She released a heavy sigh as she looked down at her phone. A quick response from Jane appeared not to be forthcoming and she knew she couldn't delay her return to the table any further. She took in one last deep breath, returned her cell phone to her purse and slowly made her way back to the table. Perhaps, she thought, he will at least stop talking when the food was brought out. She made a mental note to decline dessert and coffee and hoped for a quick end to the evening.

R&I

Remind me to never let my mother fix me up ever again! -M

Jane looked down at the message from Maura as it displayed across her screen. She couldn't help but snicker at the message. If Maura was texting this early in the evening the blind date must be a complete disaster.

She started to type a smart ass remark but paused and looked up at her partners sitting across from her.

"Guys, it appears that the good Dr. Isles is trapped on a bad blind date," she said with a smile.

Both men looked over at Jane and seeing the smile on her face and her phone in her hand they both quickly figured out that Maura must have sent a complaint to Jane.

Frost smiled, "Why on Earth is she agreeing to blind dates?" The ME was an exceptionally beautiful woman and he was sure she could date anyone she wanted. Going on a blind date didn't seem to be something the ME would need or even want to do.

"Her mother," was all Jane offered up as an explanation. "She couldn't say no."

"Did she say what this guy's issue was?" Korsak asked a bit curious. "Hopefully he isn't another serial killer."

While he and Frost snickered at that comment, Jane didn't smile. It was too soon to be making jokes about Rockman especially considering how close Jane came to losing Maura. Korsak noticed Jane tense at what he meant to be a joke. He felt bad.

"Sorry," he said sincerely. "Too soon?"

Jane merely nodded at that question and let it go. "She hasn't explained what the issue seems to be. But she just asked me to remind her never to agree to another one again," Jane said. With the phone still in her hand she had an idea. "I think we need to step in and rescue her."

"Just tell her to say she has to respond to a crime scene," Frost offered. That's what he did from time to time to get out of something. He had always found 'work' as a great excuse to get out of situations including bad dates.

"It's not that simple. Our genius ME can't tell an outright lie," Jane pointed out. "The last thing she needs is to hyperventilate and pass out in front of this guy. We will need to get a little bit more creative to successfully get her out of there."

All three seemed to contemplate the situation for a moment.

"I got it," Jane said and she hit the series of buttons that sent a call to Maura's phone.

R&I

As Maura approached the table, her date smiled at her and made the gentlemanly move to stand and pull out her chair for her. His manners were at least noble she concluded as she retook her seat. It seemed too bad that his personality seemed to be void of any natural charisma or wit.

"Thank you," she said trying to smile in appreciation of the gesture.

"You're welcome," he answered back as he, too, sat down. "Now," he said as they had both settled in, "I had been telling you about…"

He was interrupted by the ringing of Maura's cell phone.

Maura looked apologetically to him as she pulled her phone from her purse. Glancing at the screen she saw that it was Jane and she had to fight herself not to smile.

"Dr. Isles," she said as authoritatively as she could manage.

"Listen very carefully to everything I'm about to tell you," Jane started. "We're staging an intervention on your behalf but you are going to have to do everything I tell you- when I tell you to- otherwise you will be stuck facing an entire evening with what I assume from your text is an unsuitable suitor."

Maura had to resist the urge to break out into a huge smile. The playful tone in Jane's voice alone was making it hard for her to attempt to stay stoic.

Jane's voice once again filled her head. "Now, repeat after me. Say 'I see'," Jane requested of Maura.

"I see," Maura dutifully repeated. Again, she struggled not to break out in a smile. She really wanted Jane to get her out of the rest of this date and she knew she wouldn't be able to pull off whatever Jane was planning if she smiled or started to laugh.

"Good. Now, look over at Prince Not-So-Charming and give him a slight nod as if you are really sorry for the interruption." Jane snickered as she gave this direction and Maura heard chuckles from what sounded like Vince.

Maura did as she was told and gave a slight nod to her date who seemed to be understanding of her need to continue the call. It continued to be difficult for her to not smile at Jane's efforts to rescue her from the date.

"For the record," Jane said as she assumed Maura was trying to convey her apologies to the dweeb she was sitting across from, "this would be an easier task to achieve if you were able to lie. But I can't have you break out in hives over this guy so just keep doing as I tell you and you should be good. Now, say 'Ok, how soon'."

Maura cleared her throat before trying to speak hoping that she could pull this off. She wasn't sure she wouldn't experience a vasovagal episode. "Ok, how soon?" Maura repeated as she was directed. She didn't feel any physiological responses to simply repeating what Jane was asking her to repeat. She was suddenly delighted that this appeared to be working.

"Good. You are doing good," Jane reassured her friend.

"Tell her to just dump the guy and make a run for it!" came Barry's voice in the background.

"Frost, quiet! I'm handling this," Maura heard Jane's muffled exclamation as she must have tried to cover the phone.

Maura couldn't help but hear both Vince and Barry laughing in the background and she once again had to resist the urge to smile. She could easily picture the scene with the three of them all sitting at the Dirty Robber and laughing at this rescue attempt. She heard Jane's voice come back over the phone.

"Ok, we need to wrap this up. First, say 'where exactly'," Jane instructed.

Maura, as she had since this whole escapade started, complied. "Where exactly?"

"Now, in a few seconds I will want you to say, 'I'll head there now' but not yet. After you say it you need to hang up and apologize for the interruption and say you need to cut the date short. He will ask if everything is ok and you need to say yes. Which is technically true since you are about to get your freedom. Then you need to tell him you are needed for a consultation. Don't elaborate. Just say you are needed for a consultation. Korsak, Frost and I are at the Robber and we need your expert opinion on several urgent matters so again you aren't technically lying so no fear of hives. Once he buys the consultation story, excuse yourself and head over here. There's a glass of wine ready for your consultation on whether it was a good year for the grapes from that particular vineyard. Got all of that?"

"Yes," Maura managed to answer.

"Good. Ok, say 'I'll head there now' and hang up. Loose the dweeb and get over to the Robber to join us." With that, Jane disconnected the call.

"I'll head there now," Maura said and hit a button on her phone before she lost her nerve. She looked over at her date. "I'm sorry but it appears that I need to cut our evening short." She placed her cell phone back in her purse and pushed her chair back from the table standing up.

"Is everything alright?" he asked totally unaware of what the emergency seemed to be.

"Yes," Maura answered. "But I am needed for a consultation." She didn't want to elaborate and had by that point stood up and was moving to back away from him trying to avoid eye contact with him as best she could. She knew she was walking a fine line between lying and just not elaborating and she was afraid if she lingered too long her body would finally betray her.

The man seemed to take it all in for a moment and just as Maura was afraid he was going to probe for details he simply said, "I understand. Being a Chief Medical Examiner puts you in pretty high demand I'm sure. I won't keep you."

Maura simply nodded but was very relieved he was not going to press for details. Jane was right about her inability to lie. She was afraid to get off script for fear of a sudden breakout of hives. "If you will excuse me," she uttered completely avoiding a second apology that would not have genuine. She quickly walked away not giving him a chance to attempt to reschedule the evening.

To her credit, she didn't burst out laughing until she was safely in her car and on her way to the Robber.

R&I

All three were laughing as Jane disconnected her rescue call with Maura.

"That was brilliant," Frost said through his smile. "Do you think she can pull it off?"

"I think so," Jane said through a smile. "I believe I was able to give her just enough to say that wasn't a lie but good enough to get her out of the date. If she gets here within the next fifteen minutes or so, we will have our answer."

Korsak nodded and made a move to stand up, "I've got next round," he announced as he started to make his way towards the bar.

"Vince," Jane said making him turn around, "please procure a glass of the Robber's finest for Maura." She was sure Maura was already in her car and on her way to join them.

He smiled and nodded as he restarted his trek to the bar to obtain the necessary beverages.

R&I

Twenty minutes later Maura walked into the Robber and spotted her friends. They hadn't seen her walk in yet and that gave her a moment to just take in the sight of them. Not just three colleagues but three dear friends all sat relaxed with bright smiles on their faces. Very dear friends. That notion made her smile and she couldn't help but think about just how lucky she was to have such good people in her life. The thought warmed her heart.

She kept her eyes on Jane as she walked towards the table for she was the one who had made all the intimate personal connections she had in her life possible but it was who Vince spotted her first. "Maura," he shouted out with a smile. Both Jane and Barry turned to greet the newly arriving ME with equal smiles and warmth.

"My heroes," Maura replied as she took a seat next to Vince and across from Jane.

The three snickered at the recollection of their effort to get Maura out of her date.

"Was it really that bad?" Barry asked as Maura settled in and Jane pushed her a glass of wine.

Maura didn't answer for a moment not one to be overly negative. "Let me put it this way," she said gathering everyone's attention. "There seemed to be a crowding issue. Between my date, his ego and his mouth there simply wasn't enough room at the table for me as well."

Jane groaned in sympathy while Frost and Korsak snickered. "Well, there is plenty of room here at this table," Jane said. "Even with all of our egos and mouths." Her comment causing all four to laugh.

The group spent the next hour just enjoying each other's company. It was a relaxed evening filled with plenty of laughter. But finally Korsak announced he was going to head out and Frost joined him shortly thereafter. That left Jane and Maura alone at the table each with about half of their last beverage left to finish.

"So," Jane said when they were finally alone. "Was he really that bad?"

Maura sighed. "He was nice enough but he just wouldn't stop talking. And while I find commodity trading somewhat interesting, I don't find it that interesting."

"Sorry," Jane said with sympathy. "I still don't know why you agreed to even go out with him."

"I told you," she said. "My mother knows his father and I just couldn't get myself to say no. But," she paused, "I doubt I will have that same issue next time."

"Do you want a next time?" Jane asked a little curious if Maura was really looking to start a relationship with someone.

Maura thought about that for a minute. "I'm not sure," she admitted. Jane couldn't help but notice the hint of sadness behind Maura's answer. "I mean I just don't have a good track record with dating." Both she and Jane seemed to mentally flash to Maura's last attempt at a relationship- Dennis Rockman- and how close they came to it ending with losing Maura. "But I don't know if I am ready to accept being alone for the rest of my life."

Jane worried about her friend's tone. "Hey," she said and looked right into Maura's eyes. "You are not alone." She said it emphatically and let a small silence settle between them to make sure Maura took in what she was saying. After a moment she reached across the table and took Maura's hands into hers. Continuing to stare directly into Maura's deep hazel eyes Jane finished her thought, "You may not be in a relationship but Maura you will never, ever be alone."

Maura looked at her friend and smiled. She knew she had Jane and Jane's family in her life. She had the friendship of Vince and Barry. Most times that was more than she thought she had a right to ask for and maybe, just maybe, that was even enough.

Jane couldn't help but notice that the smile Maura had returned as she looked back at Jane didn't quite reach her eyes. There was still a sadness in Maura's features and Jane wanted to figure out a way to take that sadness away. She wasn't sure how yet but she knew she would think of something.