A/N: All rights of Tess Gerritson and TNT are acknowledged and respected.

It's Tommy's birthday! It's been two years since he was released from prison and despite a couple of scares with the law; he's been on the straight and narrow. The Rizzoli family are having dinner to celebrate. Maura has graciously given up her home for the occasion. She wouldn't have it any other way. Angela has prepared a meal fit for kings. They are all just waiting on Maura; she was catching up with a girl from her fancy French boarding school. Clarissa Wyndham had ended up marrying some Earl or Duke or something and she was in Boston for some la de da do; as Jane called it.

The boys are shouting at the TV trying to influence the outcome of the evening's baseball game. Jane goes to the fridge to get them all another beer. "Wow, dinner smells great Ma" Jane waters at the mouth; she's getting hungry.

"How much longer do you think Maura will be" Angela asks.

"She said not to wait for her; she's not sure when she'll be able to get away" Jane says.

"No, no Maura's family now Janey. I want to wait for her" Angela smiles. "Although I'd like you to set the table for me please sweetie."

Jane hands the boys their beers and starts setting the table. She then helps her mother by opening some wine to let it breathe. Just as Angela gives up and invites the boys to the table, Maura comes bustling through her door. "I'm so sorry I'm late." She smiles and goes over to Tommy to give him a hug. She then hands him a present.

"For me" Tommy looks genuinely surprised. He and Maura have moved from their early attraction to a really lovely plutonic friendship; one they both value enormously. When Tommy finishes unwrapping the gift he is looking at a Chess Set worth probably more than anything else he owns. "Wow" is all he can say; he's speechless.

"Oh my, that's really beautiful" Angela adds looking at the gift. Maura has no sense of value when buying gifts for people. Money has never been an object and it pleased her to put thought into and bring joy when giving gifts. It used to frustrate Jane; she used to feel so much pressure to spend money she couldn't really afford when buying gifts for Maura. It wasn't until she realised Maura genuinely appreciated the effort more than the gift itself, that it stopped bothering her. Jane smiles, she'd once found this old, apparently rare, cheap second-hand book on science and given it to Maura and it was now proudly displayed in Maura's office.

"Gosh dinner smells fabulous; I hope you haven't all been waiting for me" Maura announces; excited and happy at Tommy's reaction to her gift.

"Only a bit Maura" Frankie laughs as he tears himself away from the game, turning the TV off.

As they all get settled and start passing food around Jane asks "so how was the fancy who hah this afternoon."

Maura looks at her "it was what I was expecting and I feel quite certain you would have hated it Jane." She smiles as she serves herself some vegetables.

"Probably" Jane smirks. She looks at Tommy "so how does it feel to be a year older little bro?"

Tommy chuckles "the same as it did yesterday."

Angela smiles "you have no idea how each of your birthday's make me feel." She leans over and pinches Tommy's cheek "you were such a beautiful baby." Everyone laughs as Tommy blushes.

When everyone is content with food and all have spread far and wide to clean dishes or watch baseball or sit over coffee and chat Jane asks Maura about James. Maura has a new man. "Why didn't you bring Jimmy to dinner" Jane is mocking Maura's friend's name.

"James had to leave the function early remember, he had to fly to Texas for a Polo competition" Maura reminds Jane.

Jane leans back in her chair "oh how could I forget; Jimmy Montague had to race off to Texas for his Polo game" she is giving Maura a friendly jibe as their phones start to ring. "Rizzoli" Jane picks up as she grabs her phone from the kitchen bench.

Maura has to scrounge around her handbag; "Doctor Isles" she finally responds. They both hang up almost simultaneously after confirming to the various callers they're on their way.

"Come on then" Jane announces to Maura "I'll drive." Jane and Maura give their apologies to Angela, Frankie and Tommy as they head out to a late evening murder. When they pull up at the residence of Judge Fidel Holmes the house is a hive of activity. Bright lights shine on the perimeter and police tape cordons off an area holding media and spectators back.

It's an otherwise delightful autumn evening. Not cold but pleasantly cool. The gardens and lawns of the Judges home are immaculate. The house is large and warm. It's painted in a light coffee colour and trimmed in white. It smacks of money which Jane notices right away and for which Maura is completely oblivious. When they reach the scene of the murder they are greeted by Korsack who's over the body looking for evidence and Frost who is standing back a ways from the victim.

Maura goes straight to work on assessing the body. Jane looks at Korsack and Frost and starts looking for answers. "So what do we have" she opens.

"Point blank, single shot to the side of the head Jane" Korsack starts.

Frost adds "He's not married Jane, he lives here alone."

"Who found him then" Jane asks.

"Another Judge" Jane looks away from the victim and straight at Frost who continues. "Yeah Judge Lincoln called it in. He and Holmes were supposed to have dinner and watch the game…"

Korsack finishes for him "when he got here he could hear the TV but Holmes didn't answer. When Judge Lincoln tried the door he says it was open."

"Oh; so where's the Judge now?"

Frost and Korsack look at the dead man. "Not him" Jane says in exasperation, "the witness!"

"He left Jane; says he'll call by in the morning to give us his statement" Frost explains sheepishly.

"What and you just let him leave" Jane looks at him frustrated. She turns to Korsack for an explanation. He just shrugs.

Maura walks over and joins them; she's ordered the body back to the morgue. "He's been dead approximately three to four hours. It appears a single bullet has penetrated his temporal lobe; his death would have been instantaneous."

"Are you going to work him now" Jane asks.

"No Jane; I don't think there's anything to be gained by that; I'll start the autopsy in the morning."

Jane, Korsack and Frost decide there's nothing more they can do until the morning either. It's nearly 2am as they depart and leave the scene to the techs who will comb over it for a long time yet. Jane drops Maura off to a silent household; the remnants of Tommy's birthday gathering long gone. "I'll see you tomorrow Jane," Maura offers and smiles as she heads inside. Jane waits in the car watching until Maura is safely locked inside before heading home to her eagerly anticipated bed.

The morning after the night before greets Boston with a spectacular fall ambience. The clear sky supports a brisk morning temperature but promises delightful warmth as the day progresses. Jane however is struggling to return the compliment to Mother Nature. She hasn't been a great sleeper since her first date with Charles Hoyt but when it's further complicated by a late night punctuated with murder, her mood doesn't match the welcome the day has offered.

When Jane arrives at the precinct she goes via the café to thank her mum again for the great dinner last night. She also grabs the coffee she's desperate for. She arrives at her desk to witness Detective Frost sitting at his own; looking immaculate despite his late night, tapping out a tune on his much-loved key board. Korsack joins them ten minutes later, one hand holding his weathered brief case the other, a large strong coffee.

As each starts to process the events of the night before and prepares their approach to solving the murder of Judge Fidel Holmes their moment of silent thought is corrupted by an agitated Lieutenant Cavanaugh. "What is this; go slow on homicide week" he blurts at his usually best performing team. "Surely I don't have to remind you of the heat surrounding the murder of a Boston Judge?"

Jane stands to greet Cavanaugh, "no sir but it makes it all the more important we do this well and get it right. Our only lead is the person who found Holmes and he happens to be another Boston Judge. One who pulled punches last night by leaving the scene before being properly questioned," Jane reports.

"I get it Rizzoli but play that card carefully; if and until you can prove he's any more than the poor bastard who thought he was going to a friend's to watch Baseball, you play by his bidding." Cavanaugh looks at Frost and Korsack as he continues. "The brass is already all over my ass on this so I need by best team at its best on this; am I clear?" Korsack and Frost just nod. "I want you to keep me up to date on everything Vince; don't leave me hanging on this one, not even for a minute."

"I won't Sean; take it easy" Korsack reassures his boss and long-time friend.

When Cavanaugh leaves Jane expresses her frustration. "That's right; he doesn't ask about our open on the dead street kid does he!"

"Jane" Korsack pulls her up. "It's not his fault. This takes full priority or it will be all our asses in that sling" he reminds her.

"I know, I know; I just hate that he thinks he has to come out here and remind us of that. What does he think we're doing sitting here twiddling our thumbs?"

Korsack shakes his head at Jane and pulls out their trusty old board. They've solved many a case in front of it. He sticks the photo Frost has just printed of Judge Holmes up on it. "OK, a bullet to the head without a weapon at the scene is usually a pretty good indication of murder" Korsack starts. "So let's find motive, means and some suspects" he adds.

Jane starts to feel more energised. Her mind is kicking into gear. "Frost pull up what you can on the cases Holmes is presiding over; it's often the reason a Judge attracts unwarranted attention."

"On it Jane" Frost's fingers immediately start to dance across the keys laid out in front of him.

Jane looks back at Korsack, "I know it's early but I'm going to see Maura and see if she has anything of interest yet." Korsack nods at Jane as she heads to the morgue.

When Jane walks into the morgue Maura is concentrating over the body of Judge Holmes. She is in her black scrubs, purple gloves and has her hair pulled back off her face with bobby pins. She has a tray of tools beside her, a clip board and pen in one hand and is managing some sort of medical tool in the other. "Hey Maura" Jane announces giving no thought to Maura's state of concentration.

Maura pulls herself away from her thoughts to greet Jane. "Good morning" she smiles.

"Got anything yet" Jane gets straight to the point.

"The entry and exit wounds suggest a forty calibre bullet."

"Huh, interesting. Do you know if CSU found the bullet?"

"I haven't been notified Jane but they'd usually contact you first."

"Anything else" Jane pushes.

"Too soon for any real scientific data but you should probably know that I knew Judge Holmes socially," Maura offers.

"What" Jane looks at Maura surprised. Maura has mentioned this in such a 'matter of fact' way Jane's not sure how she should process the information.

"Yes, he was at the British Consulate Cultural Art Exchange I attended with Clarissa yesterday" Maura continues in an informative unemotional tone.

"Maura I drove you home from the crime scene last night, you never thought to mention this then?"

"No" is Maura's simple response.

"Maura" Jane says in frustration. "What else can you tell me about him?" As Maura's about to respond Jane gets a text message. "Hold that thought Maura, I'm going to have to get back to you Judge Lincoln's just arrived to give his statement."

"OK; oh Jane, they've always been quite discrete but I don't think it's any secret that Judge Lincoln and Judge Holmes were in a homosexual relationship."

"They're gay" Jane looks at Maura. This is an important insight into how Jane will approach interviewing Judge Lincoln; if he's the partner he's just moved on to the list of possible suspects.

"Well they don't advertise their relationship but it is common knowledge in our social circles" Maura explains indifferent to their sexual orientation.

"Oh good, then he won't be surprised that I know" Jane heads towards the morgue exit.

"Oh no; he'll be surprised that you know but he won't be surprised that I know."

Jane stops in her tracks. "What's that supposed to mean Maura?"

Maura looks at Jane confused "nothing. I'm just saying…"

"Forget it Maura," Jane lets the door swing behind her as she leaves. Jane's a tad annoyed at Maura. She knows what Maura just said was completely innocent but it's those types of remarks that remind Jane she comes from a very different world to her best friend.