It Started with Breakfast and a Murder

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. Most all characters belong to TNT/Tess Gerritsen. Contains spoilers for a few episodes of S1. Please read and review, and as always thanks for your continued support, comments, and suggestions.

Saturday morning Jane Rizzoli woke up on her couch, fully clothed, and feeling as if something had died in her mouth. Her body ached, and her head throbbed. She rubbed her hands across her face trying to wipe the invisible cobwebs away and regain an upright position. She made it to her feet and shuffled to the kitchen with only one eye open.

Upon surveying the area, she discovered quite the mess. She stumbled a bit and quietly made note of the items on the counter. "Empty salsa jar, half empty bag of tortilla chips, empty bowl of guacamole, four empty beer bottles, empty package of cheddar cheese, and an empty bottle of wine. Hmm, must have been a fun night."

She yawned and stretched her long arms up toward the ceiling. "Hold it!" She said to herself. "Where's Maura?"

She knew Maura didn't go home after their late night snack and drinking party, but where was she? The bathroom light was on, but the door was shut. The detective sprinted over and knocked lightly. When there was no answer she pushed the door open. The room was empty, and Maura's toothbrush lay on the counter next to her bag of toiletries.

Running her hands through her unruly curls, Jane pushed the half closed bedroom door open. Lying on her bed, in a tangle of sheets was Dr. Maura Isles. She was face down, one leg hanging off of the bed, her face smushed into a pillow, and breathing deeply. Jane smiled, and knew her friend hadn't slept well after drinking an entire bottle of red wine, a feat she was unaccustomed to.

Jane walked further into the room and noticed Maura had changed into a pair of Jane's pajamas. They were red and black plaid. Her mother had given them to her, and she never wore them because she thought she looked goofy in them; but somehow, they looked perfect on Maura.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Jane tried to rouse Maura, "Hey sleepyhead get up." She shook Maura's shoulder—no response. Jane decided it was time to change her tactics.

"Maura, get up, there's an online only shoe deal at Barney's" With that, Maura twisted into a sitting position.

"Don't toy with me Jane Rizzoli." Maura playfully slapped Jane's arm.

"Wow, I look better than you for once."

"It was that wine; not the best vintage." Maura groused.

"Sure and drinking all of it helped the situation how?"

"It didn't. Can you reprimand me after I've had some coffee and breakfast?"

"Of course, what are you going to make?"

Maura flopped back down on the bed, and put a pillow over her face.

"OK. OK. I'll start breakfast. You go get cleaned up."

Twenty minutes later, Maura emerged from the bathroom, showered and wearing a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt she had left at Jane's. Her damp hair began to curl as it dried, and Jane thought she looked younger and more relaxed.

"Hey, you ever hear of Cap'n Crunch?"

"Is that the strange little man from vice that keeps staring at your butt?"

Jane laughed nearly choking, "You're kidding? Right, no you're not. It's cereal. Eat it while you're waiting, it'll make you feel better."

Maura could think of at least three medical explanations as to why that shouldn't work, but she was too tired to argue as Jane poured her a bowlful and added plenty of cold milk.

Maura looked at the cereal floating in the pool of liquid. "That can't be healthy, and it looks awfully hard."

"Oh yeah; It'll cut the roof of your mouth up, but your head won't hurt anymore."

Maura dipped her spoon in and took a healthy mouthful of the stuff. "It's good."

Jane nodded as she flipped bacon, cracked eggs, poured orange juice and water, and made coffee. It was quiet, except for the sounds of cooking food and Maura crunching on the sugary confection. Maura didn't like to admit it, but she did feel slightly more alert. She wiped her mouth on her napkin, and got up to set the table.

Jane paused to watch her. She was amused at how Maura could be a total social klutz, yet move about Jane's apartment as if she belonged there. She really liked the M.E. and knew the feeling was mutual. Neither of them had ever met anyone quite like the other, and it was refreshing for both.

The strikingly beautiful detective lost many friends after becoming a cop. Some got married and moved away, some were uncomfortable with her new job, and others disappeared when they grew tired of Jane always having to leave social gatherings because of work. Things were definitely different now because her new best friend was different.

Jane watched Maura stand on her tippy toes as she reached for the cups on the top shelf of the cabinet. Jane smiled and thought their friendship worked because they got each other, and their work partnership made it easy to spend time together on and off the clock. She liked to think Maura enjoyed her sense of humor, her sarcasm, and her tenaciousness. She knew she loved Maura for her dedication to her work, her willingness to try new things, and….Jane stopped mid-thought and swallowed hard. "Did I say love?"

"Jane, Jane…you're going to burn the bacon."

"Huh?" Jane turned the flame off "Yeah, right. Sorry, I was daydreaming. I guess."

They sat down to eat, and Jane dropped her fork and spilled her juice. Maura grabbed some paper towels, and a new fork.

"Jane, are you OK?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just not fully awake." She smiled and crunched on a piece of bacon. She was about to pour another cup of coffee when both of their phones started to vibrate. They looked at one another and simultaneously reached for the buzzing items.

"Isles"

"Dr. Isles?" Maura heard Frost say on the other end of the line.

"Rizzoli"

"Detective Rizzoli?" Lab technician Roberts asked.

As if on cue, they both looked down at their phones and then exchanged them. They were blushing, and Jane knew that Frost wouldn't let her live this down. It would take him about five minutes to tell Korsak that Maura had answered Jane's phone at 8:30 AM on a Saturday. Jane returned her attention back to the phone call. An alarm had gone off at a warehouse, and when the police showed up to investigate, they found a body lying on the floor. What had started off as a peaceful Saturday was shattered by the discovery.

When they arrived at the murder scene, Jane and Maura saw a man lying face down in a puddle of his own blood. Maura kneeled down by the body and began to bag fibers she found on the back of his shirt. Jane studied the body carefully and noticed the handle of an ice pick peeking out from under the man's shoulder.

"Maur, can we roll him?"

The M.E. nodded, and two techs from the coroner's office carefully flipped the man over.

Maura gasped. "Jane, this man worked for my father."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure. I saw him the night Patrick Doyle took me from the morgue."