Hey guys, I'm working on my other stories and didn't really want to start a new one until one of the others is finished, but that idea stuck in my mind. I won't abandon any of my other stories. And of course, you are welcome to share your thoughts with me.

I hope you'll like this one.

Enjoy,

T73.

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I sit at my desk and a groan. The headache I suffer from this morning is the result of a weekend of drinking extensively. Not because I'm suffering from heartache but because I lost a bet on Friday with my lovely brother Frankie, and that's why I had to pay for two nights his, Korsak's and Maura's drinks which were extensively exploited.

I should have called in sick.

You're wondering what the bet was, don't you?

It's that time of the year again when BPD gets a bunch of rookies and unfortunately, I was betting that Rowe, our lieutenant, would spare us this year's rookie.

I was wrong!

And since I'm a woman of honor, I paid my debts without complaining.

If I only would have stuck with water this weekend, but I'm not that kind of person when I'm challenged, I never was, and Frankie dared to say that he could drink me under the table.

Well, back to the topic! Calling the rookies wouldn't be fair, they have been on the streets for at least a year and worked some crime scenes, festivals car accidents and so on almost everything the city of Boston has to offer.

At some point, the brass decided to establish a regular rotation to avoid a kind of nepotism. At that time Frankie blamed himself for that and we told him not to be ridiculous and that he wasn't the only patrol officer who had connections in BPD.

I raise my head off my desk when someone sits down on its edge and let my eyes wander over legs that seem almost endless, legs that I don't see for the first time, and hopefully not for the last time either.

If it would be somebody else then I would most likely turn as red as a beetroot when they'd caught me staring at their legs.

I raise my eyes and Dr. Maura Isles' amused ones.

She lifts her brows and holds a paper mug right under my nose. „Coffee?"

I make a face, shake my head and raise a water bottle. „I stick with water," I roll my eyes as Maura tugs her chin in surprise. For now."

She grins broadly and sips the coffee that was meant for me.

Maura and I have been best friends for years now, and at the time we've been through one or another tragedy we probably wouldn't have been able to endure on our own. Tragedies like Charles Hoyt and the sudden accidental death of our good friend and colleague Barry Frost. I could continue a really long list of tragedies in our lives, but first of all I'm really not in the mood for that and secondly, you're certainly not interested in it.

However, what hardly anyone knows, Maura and I know each other not only from work.

Yeah, right, we've met before! We have known each other for much longer!

Well, maybe known is a little too much.

We were young, we were carefree and we were adventurous. And then we lost sight of each other.

It was short, it was sweet and then it was over.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the time with Maura, but both of us were well aware that at the age of nineteen, we were not quite ready for a serious relationship and I was aware that Maura would move to the other side of the country after the summer.

We made the best out of the short time, saw each other almost every day, visited coastal towns and museums (which were not my favorite places to visit) and spent as many nights together as we could.

Yep, Maura and I had a classical summer romance when we were teenagers and then our time was over.

Of course, we tried to stay in touch, but Maura was busy with her medical studies and I joined the police academy, and at some point, we were too busy with our own lives.

When I found out that she'd become the new Chief Medical Examiner of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts I was ...

You probably think that I was horrified and that her sudden appearance reopened old sores but that was not the case.

I won't deny that I was really surprised when I saw Maura for the first time and I could clearly see that she was no different.

I also won't deny that we first had to get to know each other again. After all, many years had gone by and we had changed. We were no longer the careless teens we were once.

You certainly think that we had blamed each other because our ways had separated in this way.

Come on, this is no cheesy romantic comedy and it wasn't like we'd fallen madly in love with each other.

We cared for each other, we liked each other, but neither of us ever said I love you.

Okay, I won't lie to you either.

Since Maura's back in my life, every now and then I have some inappropriate thought and do wish that we could be nineteen again, enjoying our lives together, and sometimes I catch Maura with the same expression.

I mean, which best friend would let the other undress her with the eyes?

„You look awful," Maura states, scrutinizing me long.

I sit up in my chair and furrow my brows. „Wow, thank you very much." I'm sipping my water and let my eyes trail over her body. „And you look -" I grumble and she raises her brows, and my shoulders slump. „As always."

She glances down at me and chuckles.

I roll my eyes again and immediately regret it. I change my sitting position and furl my brows. „What brought you up here?"

She's grinning again and shrugs without answering my question.

„You wanna see with which rookie I have to deal in the next few weeks, don't you?"

Her smirk grows and I groan.

„You know, when I was still a patrol officer back then, we didn't have to be assigned to units, it was: First in time, first in line."

„That's why you're a homicide detective now," she asks, turning down the corners of her mouth.

I scowl at her and furl my brows. „First of all, I was a patrol officer for years and then I joined Vice before I was transferred to Homicide."

„I know," she replies, placing her hand on my shoulder. „You really deserve it."

I blink a couple of times and set my jaw. I've heard such undertone more often in my career. „Are you trying to imply something?"

Maura glances surprised at me and shakes her head. „No, I don't. I mean it. You worked hard for the job as a Homicide detective."

Yes, I admit it, sometimes I overreact, especially when it comes to my job in this unit.

Too many times I was accused to have this job just because I'm a woman And I know that Maura would never imply such a thing.

She also works in a man's world and also has some hard days. There are way too many jackasses who think that an attractive woman can't handle the work of men.

I'm talking about Maura, not me.

There are many male MEs who can learn a thing or two from my best friend.

I run a hand through my hair and heave a sigh. „I'm sorry," I mumble.

My favorite doctor nods and smiles a little. „I know."

I lean back in my chair and frown. „Are you free tonight?"

Maura smirks at me and nods. „Yes, I am."

„Can I come over," I ask and am rewarded with a huge smile.

I know it sounds weird that I ask her if I can drop by, but I am indeed adaptive.

A few weeks ago, I wasn't in the mood to spend the night alone, got a six-pack of beer for me, a bottle of red wine for Maura and Chinese takeout for both of us, and barged in her house without calling or ringing the doorbell.

Big mistake!

Unfortunately, I had forgotten that Maura had a date this evening and caught the two on the couch, making out.

I can't even remember the name of the other blonde.

Anyway, after that night, I avoided Maura like the plague.

Not only because the situation was more than awkward for me but also because ...

Well, I can't really explain why I left the beverage and the food on Maura's kitchen counter and wished Maura and the nameless woman a good night.

I clear my throat to push the memory to the side and furrow my brows. „I bring pizza." I chuckle when Maura makes a face.

Yeah, I know that she's a health fanatic, but that doesn't mean that she can't have a greasy pizza every now and then.

I lean in and lift my brows. „I know that you love Italian."

Maura keeps eye contact, swallows hard but the corners of her mouth twitch briefly upwards.

I grin triumphantly and lean back in my chair when she glances down at me for a second.

Any other woman would blush shamefully, but Maura isn't like any other woman. I already found that out during our summer romance.

I have to mention that I am not like any other woman, either, in many ways.

I open my mouth to add something when suddenly all my colleagues get up to their feet and turn their attention to the entrance of the bullpen.

Maura does the same and I roll my eyes with a groan while getting up to my own feet.

I hate it when everyone pretends that they would listen to what Rowe has to say unless he talks about promotions, failures of our precinct or about a cop who's getting a medal attached to his chest in public.

Maura thrusts her elbow into my ribs and I scowl at her for a second before I start smirking.

I know that the appeal has something to do with showing respect to Rowe, but he also can assign us the rookies while we sit and drink coffee.

Speaking of coffee, I glance at my desk and eye Maura's paper mug.

„Don't you dare," the doctor hisses and I chuckle.

I listen to Rowe's encomium about the achievements of the rookies in the last year and cross my arms over my chest with a sigh.

Maura looks at me admonishingly and glances down at her phone, that she's holding in her hand the entire time like she's expecting an important call.

I eye the four officers next to my lieutenant skeptically while going deaf. I've heard similar encomiums way too many times, one more time and I'll be institutionalized.

I take a closer look at the group of four.

The dark-skinned young man holds his chin up proudly while he has pushed his thumbs through the belt loop of his pants-

At first glance, he seems eager to be a member of the homicide unit. At second glance, I rather have the feeling that he's eager to cause trouble and to drive his mentor crazy.

I always support young officer who can't wait to get on the streets, but I also like it when they listen to those who are more experienced.

Then I take a look at the tall, dark-haired man and furrow my brows.

He makes a completely different impression. On the contrary, he seems nervous and almost shy, insecure.

God, I hope that this guy won't be assigned to me.

Then I glance at the light-blond woman and tug my chin in.

She lets her gaze wander over us detectives and has a smug smile on her lips as if she's expecting us to recognize her.

I get the feeling that I could try to hammer my knowledge home to her, and yet it would be in vain.

I make a face and run my fingers over my left brow.

Please, dear god, please don't let her be my protégé.

I promise to live a sinless life if you hear my prayer.

I grunt and then eyes the last officer and my heart stops.

I must have poor eyesight!

The young woman has dark hair and brown eyes and smiles like a Cheshire cat.

If I wouldn't know it any better, I would think that I look at the reflection of my younger self.

I furl my brows and glance down at my best friend.

Maura looks like she has seen a ghost. She's ashy and her eyes are as big as saucers when she swallows hard and starts to fumble with her phone.

I know that there are upset her so quickly, and it seems like she has seen something or someone that makes her extremely nervous.

„Rizzoli," Rowe's voice tears me out of my train of thought and I blink at him, I notice that the crowd slowly dissolves again.

I conclude from Korsak's dumbfounded expression that the shy officer was assigned to him.

I turn my head and see Blondie sitting down at Frankie's desk and trying to start flirting with my brother immediately.

The dark-skinned officer follows Detective Kaiser, a good man, but old enough to retire.

„Rizzoli," my lieutenant barks again and I swallow a groan as I look back at him and the grinning woman that looks like my younger me. „You'll spend a lot of time with Officer Knox for the next couple of weeks."

Knox smiles broadly when she approaches me and extends her hands when she stands in front of me. „Detective Rizzoli, it's an honor to meet you. I heard a lot of good things about you."

I ignore Knox and frown deeply when my best friend starts leaving. „Maura -"

The doctor looks briefly over her shoulder and frowns, too. I'll see you tonight, Jane."

I growl deeply and start the attempt to follow Maura and almost knock Knox over without introducing myself properly.

I groan and look at the surprised young woman. This is anything but to start the training of an attentive young officer. „I'm sorry," I say, frowning and pointing at my desk.

I lick my lips and don't exactly know what to do. Following Maura or staying with Knox. „Um, on the shelf are the files of the cases we already solved. Feel free and have a look. I'll be back in a minute."

Knox blinks a few times and sits down on my desk chair hesitantly.

I take a deep breath and follow Maura down the hall just to see that she's entered the elevator and that the doors are closing.

I can see her apologetic look and drop my hands to my sides.

I close my eyes for a second and turn on my heels so I can apologize properly for my behavior.