AN: I started rewatching season 4 on a whim and when I got to the Dance with the Devil episode, got an idea and wrote an angsty version of events. Meant to work on Taste Test but angst is what I'm feeling so it's what I'm writing. As usual, I would love to hear what you think. I imagine this would only be 2 chapters long.

Chapter 1

For at least the tenth time, the weary Medical Examiner checks the clock on the wall.

3:13 AM.

Exhausted but determined, Maura dives right back in, making a Y-incision on the third and last body. Truth is, she had been ready to turn in several times in the last few hours. As much as she realizes how important every piece of evidence and clue is in this case, the one that could potentially lock Paddy Doyle up for the rest of his life, she knows she could very easily have gone home to return early the next morning. Coming to work early is nothing new to her, especially for a case as important as this one is.

But Jane has been calling. And texting. Each correspondence asking for an update, asking her to check and then check again for anything she might have missed, and reminding her of how crucial anything she discovers could turn out to be. The detective keeps coming up with details and minutiae for her to make sure to check on and she has, despite her growing frustration.

She has persevered, fought off sleepiness and fatigue with cup after cup of coffee, ignoring every single study she has ever read detailing the negative effects of more than 600mg of caffeine, roughly six cups which is exactly where she's at at by her current count, ingested in a day.

She notices the slight tremor in her fingers and how she has had to pause and cement her next move in her head before letting her fingers work. It goes against her every meticulous and conscientious instinct to proceed despite her exhaustion but her work ethic and that other instinct of doing this for Jane and for the case wins over.

After another painstaking half hour, she gives in to fatigue and decides a short, invigorating nap in her office couch would not hurt.

In uncharacteristic ungraceful fashion, her body drops onto the couch, sleep instantly overcoming her as soon as she lets her eyes close.

"Dammit, Maura. Why aren't you picking up?" A grouchy Jane mutters to herself frustratedly after the fourth call that goes straight to Maura's voicemail. Even her text has gone unanswered.

Fully aware that the doctor had been at the morgue till at least around midnight, she had thoughtfully stopped to get Maura her favorite nonfat soy latte to combat the effects of insufficient sleep.

Coffee in hand, Jane saunters down to the basement, somewhat frustrated that instead of following leads and digging into the Ghett's car, she's going downstairs to the basement to deliver Maura's caffeine fix.

As she steps out of the elevator, Jane spots Susie approaching.

"Have you heard from Dr. Isles, Susie? Do you know what time she's coming in?" she inquires without preamble.

Susie gives her a confused look.

"Isn't she already in her office? Her door's closed which means she's in there. And to answer your first question, I haven't actually heard from her, I just walked in a few minutes ago," Susie replies helpfully.

Jane grunts out a thank you, frustration increasing by the minute. She swears if she walks in to the doctor doing yoga, she would confiscate and hide every candle and cut up her blue yoga mat into tiny little pieces.

Jane enters Maura's office, fully prepared to rag on the doctor.

When she finds the office dark except for the lavender scented night light on the wall by the foot of the couch, she squints and scans the room for signs of the M.E. She hears light snoring from the couch, walks closer and finds the blonde curled up, neck resting on the arm at an odd angle.

The detective quickly notices that Maura is still in her scrubs, snoring like she's never heard her to before, completely oblivious to the world outside.

She walks around the couch to kneel by the doctor's face. A grimace fleets through her features when she sees up close the odd angle the doctor's neck is in, sure the blonde will wake up with terrible stiffness.

She feels instantly guilty, remembering how many calls and texts she had sent Maura's way the previous night. And then she remembers her text this morning when Maura was not picking up, the reason now right in front of her.

Where are you, Maur? I don't really have time to go down there now, I have a lot of leads to follow and Ghett's car to take apart with Frost.

Jane growls quietly, at herself. She watches Maura's head, less than an inch away from sliding off the arm of the couch, mouth slightly open in a light snore. She debates whether to wake her or let her sleep, eventually deciding on the former. The right thing to do would be to drive the doctor home to let her shower and rest a few hours at least.

Jane taps Maura on the elbow gently. "Maura...hey, wake up, Maur." She leans in closer when the blonde does not budge. "Maura, come on. Wake up, hon."

The snoring stops and slowly, Maura's eyes open, the face right in front of her startling her. She lets out a cry and recoils sharply.

"Jane!" Her hand goes up to her forehead, instinctively massaging the throbbing on her temples. "You shouldn't have done that, you scared me."

"I'm sorry," Jane offers, "Why didn't you go home? This couch isn't very comfortable."

She receives a half-lidded glare from Maura. "I haven't even finished the autopsy on the third body," Maura informs her as she struggles to sit up, motioning for Jane to give her space. "I started on it but I was too exhausted to finish. I didn't think my half-asleep state would have been beneficial for the case."

"You could have gone home and then come back this morning to finish." Jane gets out of Maura's way, feeling more than a slight hint of irritability from her. "Here, I got you your soy latte," she offers up, remembering the steaming cup she has in her hands.

Maura proceeds to her desk, picking up her purse and coat like she hadn't even heard Jane speak. "For your information, I got your texts last night and…" she pauses, noticing and then reading the new ones she had received while sleeping, her frown seemingly intensifying. Jane scrunches her nose in a grimace, realizing Maura must now be reading the last one she had sent. "...this morning. And I will check on everything you asked me to check on when I return. I'm going home to shower and change, Jane."

"Hey, don't even worry about those, Maur. I'm sure you'll check on those anyway...you know, without me asking or telling you to."

"Why did you then?" Maura startles her with the question, sounding scarily close to being uncharacteristically confrontational. "You know I'm always thorough with my autopsies, Jane. You have even, on more than one occasion, complained that I may be too thorough. So why the sudden concern about it now? Is it because this is about Paddy, my father, and convicting him?"

"Maura, no. Of course not," Jane answers quickly, approaching the blonde and reaching out with a hand to her elbow. She feels a bit of relief when Maura lets her hand linger. "Jesus, I trust your professional and personal integrity, Maura. How can you -"

"Even when it comes to Paddy, Jane?" Maura challenges her.

Jane notes the bags and dark circles under her best friend's eyes, her paleness, and figures the lack of sleep has gotten to her.

"Come on, Maur. You're tired and sleep-deprived. This isn't the time to talk about this. Let me-"

"So there is something to talk about, Jane?" Maura cuts her off. "I thought we had gotten past this after you shot him and we were at odds over it and then we made up. I thought there was no longer a question of which side I'm on."

"There isn't, Maura!" Jane reasons, tempering her frustration. "Come on, let me take you home so you can freshen up and sleep a bit more," Jane pleads, not wanting the situation to escalate.

Maura just stares at her for a long, agonizing moment. "Did you not trust me when I told you the first time that there was absolutely nothing on the first body that would link it back to Paddy?

"I did."

"Then why suggest I check closer to make sure I hadn't missed anything? Which I did, by the way. I redid the autopsy from start to finish." Maura puts her purse back down on the desk, Jane's eyes trailing the movement of her hand.

Not a good sign, she thinks to herself. "I just wanted to make sure, Maur. It didn't mean anything."

"Dammit, Jane. I told you I was sure after the first time. I'm always thorough," Maura reminds her, frustration evident in her tone.

"I know that, but this case is important to me."

"It is to me, too!" Maura explodes, causing Jane to jump back a bit and instantly regret what she had said. She had walked right into that, unknowingly implying that this isn't as important to the doctor. "This is my biological father, Jane. Whether it's to convict him or acquit him, I want accurate evidence, only facts. Or did you think I wasn't going to dig hard enough because I don't want him to be locked up for the rest of his life or maybe face the death penalty?"

Jane takes a deep breath, battling between contrition and her own frustration. "Of course not. That's...that's not fair, Maura. You know I trust your judgment more than anyone else'. But this is your father, even if only biologically, you can't help the emotional involvement and that's expected. You're human, you're not a robot...despite the rumors." She tries to add some levity to the conversation but the joke falls flat.

"I can't believe you, Jane. Do I need to remind you I convinced Hope to testify against him? That's just it, you say you trust my judgment but when it comes to Paddy, you still doubt me. Is this still because I was upset when you shot him?"

Jane groans, running her hand through her curls in frustration.

"Maura, no. We're way past that. I thought we'd put that behind us?" Jane reaches for Maura once again in an attempt to get through to her, grasping her by the elbows.

"I thought so, too," Maura comments quietly, quickly cutting off the detective as she opens her mouth to protest. "I have to go, Jane. I really do need a shower and then I'll be back to finish," she says as she turns to leave.

"Wait, Maura. You can't just -"

Maura turns back around to face her. "I've barely slept, Jane. Or would I need to go completely sleepless and work two straight days in order to prove to you that I'm working hard on this case and doing my job with absolutely no bias?"

Maura sees the pain her words cause, seeing it in Jane's eyes. She feels a pang of guilt and slightly regrets the harsh words. But she is exhausted and frustrated and all she wants to do is leave and soak in her tub and forget about the case and Paddy and Jane for a bit.

So she walks away and leaves Jane to watch her go, still holding a soy latte in her hand.

TBC