A/N: This is my very first attempt at any kind of fiction writing, so I would greatly accept any comments and/or criticism.
Twenty two year old Maura Isles had just started her first semester at the Boston Cambridge College of Medicine last month. She had always done very well throughout high school and during her time as an undergraduate at Boston Cambridge University. Despite her previous accomplishments as a student, she knew she would have to really have to dial in her focus if she were to be equally successful in medical school.
Last Friday, on the main campus, a gunman made attempts on his ex-girlfriend's life. Luckily she only sustained minor injuries, and campus police shot and killed the troubled young man. Maura's thoughts kept drifting between the horrible incident and her professor's lecture on the function that the kidneys played in the urinary system. It was the Monday after the shooting, and she found it difficult to concentrate on the doctor's monotone voice. Last night's restless sleep wasn't helping either. She had dreamt about an ex of her own, Garrett Fairfield. They were engaged to be married when she had broken it off with Garrett just prior to starting medical school. Maura felt Garrett trying to pull her away from her studies and ultimately chose school over her wealthy, future beau.
So caught up in her own thoughts, she didn't realize the lecture had ended until her friend Ashley nudged her arm. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. This whole shooting thing just has me a little rattled, I think." Maura replied. She looked at her notebook and realized that she probably missed the past 15 minutes of class. At least Dr. Martins posts his slides online.
"I can totally understand. My brother said he saw the dead guy after he was shot." Ashley was shoving her books into her backpack. "Dead people give me the creeps. I can't wait to be finished with anatomy lab."
Maura just shrugged in response as the girls exited the classroom. When they emerged into the hallway, Ashley noticed an armed security offier at the main entrance of the building. "Hey, was he here this morning?"
Maura directed her attention to the entrance where Ashley was motioning. "No, I definitely would have noticed him. They must be increasing security all around campus. Studies show that traumatic events such as shootings increase the likelihood that another shooting spree will occur, so it certainly makes sense."
Her friend replied with a chuckle and a shake of her head as she opened the door to the restroom. "How do you have time to read about stuff like that?"
As the girls split her thoughts returned to her lack of note taking during the last class. She decided to head over to the library, which was practically her second home, and use the hour and a half before her next lecture more efficiently.
…
Twenty two year old Officer Jane Rizzoli had graduated from the Boston Police Academy five months ago. She had been struggling to get in any more than 25 hours a week with Boston PD, so she decided to take a full time position at Boston Cambridge University. She was the 'new guy' on the job, but had very quickly earned the respect of her fellow officers. She was off duty last Friday when the shooting on campus occurred. Due to recent calls about sightings of other gunman's on campus, which all turned up to be dead ends, UPD had increased their security all around campus. For the time being, there was to be an officer assigned to each building on campus.
Jane had arrived at her designated post, the medical school library, at 8 A.M. She was to report there and wait until the head of UPD came to give her further instructions. Sargent O'Rourke stopped by about half an hour ago to give Jane her orders. She was to remain in the library during its hours of operation, 8 A.M. to 8 P.M. Monday through Saturday. Ugh. Of course I would get stuck at the library. This place smells like moldy books. Why couldn't I be put on patrol at the baseball stadium? Although the library was dull and quiet, this meant a significant increase in her hours. She really couldn't complain about that part.
Since she arrived early that morning only, a handful of student had entered the library. She was swallowing the last of her coffee when the library door quietly opened. Out of the corner of her eye she caught glimpse of a beautiful head of blonde hair. The sweet, slight scent of the girl's perfume lingered as she confidently walked over to a table in the corner of the modest first floor of the library.
For whatever reason, Jane couldn't find the strength to remover her eyes from the new addition to the room. Jane had always dated men, boys if she was being honest, but she occasionally found a women here or there who she found herself exotically attracted to. She had never been with a women and had to admit that she found thought of it rather exciting. There was definitely something that attracted her to the girl sitting at the table with her face buried in not one but two textbooks. Not your usual type, Rizzoli. Maybe the library won't be so bad after all.