"Do you really have to go," Callie asked. Callie Torres was my best friend and a world class orthopedic surgeon but right now she was whining like a three year old. I zipped up my suitcase and looked at her sitting on my bed, shaking my head at her antics.

"Yes, I really have to go," I confirmed, heading towards the door. "Need I remind you that you're the one that volunteered to stay behind?"

"No, but-"

"Robbins, Lil' Robbins, you ready," Mark called, dropping his suitcase in the hallway next to mine.

"Coming Uncle Mark," Connor said as he walked out of his room, his suitcase rolling behind him. My blued eyed little five year old boy probably had more action figures and comic books in there than clothes. "I'm ready."

"Did you get your Red Sox jersey for the game," I asked. I was a die hard Red Sox fan and in the three years since adopting my son he had become one as well.

"I've got everything, Mamma. Are Uncle Derek and Aunt Mer going to meet us at the airport?"

"Yes, and you will listen to everything your aunt says while your uncles and I are at the conference."

It was probably a bad idea to bring an five year old with you to a conference for work but I couldn't leave him on the other side of the country. Connor came to the hospital when he was two and dying of brain cancer. Derek Shepherd was his primary physician and by the time he had saved him, I was in love. When getting ready for this trip I figured it would actually probably be safer if was with us because the four adults on the trip were the ones who knew his medical care best. Besides, Meredith was just going to watch Zola the whole time anyways and Connor loved that little girl.

Luckily, the kids slept through the flight and were well rested and alert by the time we made it to the hotel. Zola was only three so Derek and Meredith were taking her to the circus but Mark and I were taking my son to a Red Sox game. Mark had East coast connections and the seats he managed to score us were to die for.

"This is so cool," Connor exclaimed as we went to find our seats. We planned our arrival so that we could get there before batting practice and thus most of the seats were empty. Mark sat on the end so that he could go get food and I sat Connor to my left in between us. "How did you get these?"

"I've got skills," Mark joked, ruffling my son's hair. "I'm gonna go get some food, what do you want?"

"I want a hot dog. Oh, and a pretzel. Can I have a coke?"

"You can have one," I stressed the one, only allowing him to have small amounts of sugar. If he were a normal kid I'd spoil him to death but large amounts of sugar weren't good for him considering how fragile his system is. "I want the same, Mark."

"What, no beer," he laughed.

"Someone has to drive your drunken ass back to the hotel."

"Good point, so, three hot dogs, three pretzels, two cokes, and a beer for me. Is that it?"

"Sounds about right. Do you need money?"

"No, it's on me."

It wasn't long after he left that the field was being prepped for batting practice and the seats around us started to fill up.

"You almost made us late for batting practice," said a raspy feminine voice. I turned to my right to find a group of people coming our way. The speaker was a tall, lanky woman with long brown hair, brown eyes, and olive skin.

"I'm sorry but I had to change my shoes," a voice like bells exclaimed. I looked around the other woman to find the most gorgeous person I had ever seen in my life. She was probably shorter than me by a few inches with long golden hair, fair skin, and riveting hazel eyes. She was dressed in a beautiful cobalt dress that stopped just above her knees, sleek black heels, and an elbow length black jacket. Her frame was slight and she slipped past the taller woman, to stand in front of the seat next to me. "Will it make it better if I take the outside seat?"

"Much."

"Are you a cop," Connor leaned forward as he caught sight of the badge on the brunette's hip when she sat down.

"Connor," I warned as he sat himself in my lap and inspected the stranger.

"Detective Jane Rizzoli, Boston Police Department," the brunette, Jane, smiled, offering Connor her hand. He took it and shook it with vigor, smiling as she handed him her badge to inspect. "What's your name?"

"Connor, I wanna be a cop one day."

"Really, why is that?"

"I wanna save people's lives like my family but I don't wanna be a doctor. I think being a cop is better."

"I'll remember that tonight when I have to give you a shot," I said playfully, nudging my face into his cheek. He handed the detective back her badge and I offered her my hand, awkwardly reaching over the gorgeous stranger seated in between us. "Dr. Arizona Robbins, I'm sorry about my son he's just very curious."

"It's okay," Jane shrugged, pointing to the woman next to her with her thumb. "Maura here is a doctor too."

"Oh great," Connor gave an exaggerated sigh and slipped from my lap. My jaw dropped at his forwardness when he plopped himself in the detectives lap and turned to her with a smile. "She's gonna get all nerdy, wanna talk baseball?"

"Of course."

I smiled as they got into an intense discussion about their favorite players and turned to the aforementioned doctor with a smile.

"A doctor, huh," I grinned, not knowing what to do but trying desperately to impress the woman next to me.

"I have manners, I swear," the woman implored, shaking my hand. Her touch sent electricity up my arm and by the way she dropped my hand I could tell she felt it too. "Dr. Maura Isles."

"Arizona, it's nice to meet you. What do you practice?"

"I'm the Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. You?"

"I, I'm the Head of Pediatric Surgery at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in Seattle, Washington."

"You are a long way from home. Are you here for the conference?"

"Yes, and because my son has always wanted to see a Red Sox game."

"What's his diagnosis," Maura asked, taking my hand. I looked at her, and she smiled reassuringly and squeezed my hand. "I can tell by the way you act. You're fully invested in our conversation but your eyes keep watching him to make sure he's okay."

"He has brain cancer," I whispered, looking at Connor laughing with Jane as they pointed out players on the field. "He was two when he was first diagnosed; he's five now."

"Three years, that's a long time."

"I'm friends with one of the country's top neurosurgeons and he has been amazing in treating Connor. Do you know Derek Shepherd?"

"I've heard of him, people say he's amazing."

"He's a great guy. We're actually here with him. He and his wife decided to take their daughter to the circus tonight while my best friend and I brought Connor to the game."

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear," Mark smiled, handing me two cardboard trays of food. "Maura?"

"Mark Sloan," Maura exclaimed, letting go of my hand.

"Do you know every woman in the country, Sloan," I spat.

"Only the really gay ones," Mark replied cheekily. "It's nice to see you, Dr. Isles. I see you've met my friend Arizona?"

"How long are you going to be making gay jokes?"

"I believe that was directed at me," Maura said in a sheepish voice. I turned to her, shock taking over my features. "He pursued me at a conference in New York and could not understand why I wouldn't go out with him until I told him I was gay."

"You didn't have to lie to me," Mark smiled.

"I didn't lie, I am gay."

"That's why Robbins here wouldn't sleep with me too, no matter how hard I tried."

"I wouldn't sleep with you even if I wasn't gay, Mark," I smiled at him. Connor came over and sat in my lap, taking his food tray and digging in. I ruffled his hair lovingly but I could tell he was losing energy and the game hadn't even started yet. "I apologize for him, I really do."

"It's okay," Maura smiled.

"You never said why you were here. You don't seem like the baseball type."

"I've only recently taken a liking to the sport but Jane loves it so I got her the tickets."

"Is Jane your…"

"No! Jane's my best friend and I love her very much but I'm single and she's straight."

"In that case…," Mark started.

"Shut it, Mark," I cut him off. When he was done with his dinner Connor settled into me and we watched the game, conversation flowing between the four adults. By the seventh inning Connor was exhausted and, as much as I hated to miss part of the game, I decided to take him home. "I'm really sorry that we can't stick around but Connor needs his rest."

"We understand," Jane assured, smiling at a drowsy little boy in my arms. As we were standing up to go I felt a hand on my arm, stopping me. Maura was standing, offering me a gentle smile as she stepped closer.

"What are you doing for lunch tomorrow," Maura asked. "I figured since you didn't know Boston and convention food is highly unhealthy that we could get lunch."

"That'd be great," I smiled. "Are you going to the conference?"

"I'm actually one of the speakers. I will meet you in the lobby of the hotel?"

"Sounds good."