A/N: A series of "one shots" that might take longer than longer to update than regular chapters of the "Lupus Amicitia" series. Starting mid/late Season 6, start of Season 7 and then flashing back to just before the pilot episode and Season 1. These vignettes will be set during specific episodes and perhaps in-between… this writer writes things as she goes. Whenever I try to have a specific, laid out plan… am always tinkering with it, messing it up and ruining the reading & story continuity for everyone else other than me!

These one shot "vignettes" are told from the wolf's perspective. Overall story(ies) are written in italics, italics in " " are the speaking between Jane Rizzoli and Lupine/Vuk. Regular print in " " are the outside speaking such as between Jane and others- Maura, Korsak, Frost, etc.

So, MAJOR SPOILERS for those who may not have fully watched the TV series or specific episodes. Don't want spoilers? Don't read and if read without seeing certain episodes, please don't blame me… I did give ya'll sufficient warning!

Setting: Starting during the events of Season 6, episode 13: "Hide and Seek" & following subsequent episodes of Season 6 and beginning of Season 7.

Prologue

"I can't stand it anymore!" I burst out to my human companion, Jane Rizzoli. The raven haired Boston Police detective huffed and sat up from her desk, scooping up a massive armload of files as she did.

"Jane?" Sergeant Detective Vince Korsak carefully calls out to his subordinate… In reality, mainly views her as a partner and, in a sense, a daughter as well.

Jane sighs again as she pauses at the threshold leading into the corridor for the elevators. "I'm all right, Vince." Her tired voice struggled to reinforce her resolve and façade of strength, yet at the same time mentally convey her graciousness for the older man's care for her. "I just need a more quiet place to think and go over these files to see who might've had something against me enough to snatch up Maura."

I notice Vince's understanding nod and sense his gentle care of Jane as she waits for an elevator to arrive, running a weary hand through her unruly mane of curly hair. Jane sags against the back wall of the elevator car, struggling against the overwhelming urge to shut her eyes. I override her… which isn't too hard given Jane's long piled-up exhaustion.

Our vision darkens as the human eyes close. Jane's ever acting, thinking mind is running through all types of what if scenarios and possibilities of why the Chief Medical Examiner was abducted… how this faceless and nameless person is staying invisible not only to us, but to everyone else trying to find him or them. And of course that miserable, constant, useless (well, to me that is) question of "Why?" is plaguing not just Detective Jane Rizzoli and her family, but everyone of the Boston PD.

A sudden ding of the elevator's arrival to its destination startles both me and Jane. I knew that I was exhausted, but I can often go longer than the human metabolism. While Jane's unique human side can also go longer than the typical, non-werewolf human nature, it's still limited than the wolf side… my side; I, too, must have reached my limit due to my losing track of those few moments from the 3rd floor from Homicide to the Basement, where the crime lab, morgue, and Maura's office are located.

Jane huffs a sigh along with myself as she pushes off the wall and grits our teeth and trudges down the corridor to the crime lab. I attempt to gather resolve along with Jane as we subconsciously prepare to face the extremely peculiar Dr. Kent Drake who's been Maura's assistant the past few months. * Along with Detective Rizzoli, I too find something highly unusual, far beyond weird about this British or Irish, Scottish guy. Something neither of us can put a definite finger on… it drives me more crazy than Jane. Perhaps I veer more towards Maura's organized and attention to detail than we realize. I want something more conclusive, more definite regarding this Dr. Kent than just a "weird vibe."

A brief chill to my senses, via Jane's bare arms, startle me back to the present reality with a bright glow. The detective has flipped on some of the lights within the office of Dr. Maura Isles. It's not all that much cooler than other places in the building, but is certainly quieter. "Did we simply come here for more silence or to somehow feel closer to Maura?" I ask the detective as she wearily sinks into the soft colored sofa.

Jane huffs as she rubs her eyes and face, darkening our vision once more. "I dunno. I guess more of both…" she takes several long and deep breaths through the nose so both of us can smell the lingering scents of our Human Friend. The detective fights the threatening tears along with me as we detect traces of Dr. Maura Isles' unique scent, along with the chemicals and cleaning agents that never truly eliminate the deco of the morgue and the nearby labs. But more importantly, the traces of Maura's shampoo and perfume are the scents we both earnestly cling to. Also traces of lotion the scientist uses to keep her hands not just soft, but also moisturized from the drying out of constant hand washing and the gloves she has to constantly wear for her work. **

Jane finally leans back into the couch's cushions, pulling several files into her lap with a sigh and begins reading. We both fall into our routine patterns of reading and problem solving, thinking and starting to formulate theories and scenarios as we begin going through the names and events within the files…

… I find myself being jostled as Jane suddenly leans forward with one file. "Check this out, Lupine…" my human companion says as she lifts one page for me to continue reading. "This might be something…"

A subtle noise catches our attention. We both look up to notice several more lights now on in the morgue. Strange, I could've sworn only the usual low florescent lighting being on when the morgue was empty. Jane slowly rises up and cautiously walks towards the door near the end of Maura's desk. She, too, is suspicious. Could Weirdo Kent possibly have come in to examine a possible incoming body that might've been brought in? While Dr. Isles is missing, it would fall to him or another medical examiner to conduct an autopsy while so many are mobilized in the search and recovery… uhm, rescue of Maura. Crime and death didn't stop… as much as both of us would wish it would. We wish it could stop so all of Boston PD and other agencies could focus solely on getting her back.

Jane steps in further through the propped-open door and we spot a white sheet covering a body on one of the examining tables. It certainly wasn't there when we arrived and Kent nor anyone else is around… Just as quiet before, if not more so. Somehow we both can literally feel the silence. The detective notices nothing else out of place near the sheet-covered table. Normally tools, instruments, and even personal effects, mainly clothes, of the deceased would be spread out at this point.

We suddenly sense another presence in the room… specifically, right behind us. Jane quickly turns and we discover Susie Chang. How could she be here?! We both briefly wonder about it until we notice the extreme pallor in the senior criminalist's complexion and somehow an ethereal light emanating from just her body.

Susie minutely smiles in greeting as Jane continues behold her with wonder. "Don't worry, Jane… and Vuk." I somehow hear Chang's voice say Maura's given name for me in my own thoughts. That Serbian word for wolf. *** Susie's voice strangely echoes in both Jane's ears and to my own hearing, as if speaking from a faraway place while simultaneously right in front of us. I briefly wonder how Susie Chang might've known about my specific nature until I realize that she's still speaking. "I'll take good care of her." Chang finishes as she hands Jane a tag from the clipboard in her opposite hand.

We first notice the blood droplets on the tag before finally seeing the name… Dr. Maura Isles along with other information usually written on a tag filled out for a deceased person, oddly in bright, blood red ink.

This is unacceptable! Jane and I somehow feel ourselves shaking as we stare at the tag and look up at Chang. Maura can't be dead! A growling roar and howl starts rising out from within us. "SHE CAN'T BE DEAD!" I roar as something starts pulling us away from the morgue and its colder temperatures… away from Maura…!

…Jane's eyes suddenly open as we took in a sharp inhale and discover ourselves back on the couch in Maura's office. Our eyes quickly scan the windows behind the ME's desk, ensuring the usual low lighting is still on, ensuring nobody is working in the morgue. The detective is now lying down with the throw normally kept on the back of the sofa now covering her tall and lanky figure. Jane is puzzled along with myself at how she went from sitting to a now-horizontal position with the blanket. Several stray tears seep from her eyes… or watering, as Jane often corrects while trying to maintain a strong front. She never tries to appear weak like most stereotypically view human females.

A new, yet very familiar scent close by catches our attention. "Hi." A just-as-familiar voice gently and softly greets. Jane lifts her head to look up and discovers her human mother, Angela Rizzoli sitting in a nearby matching chair with her feet propped up on the small coffee table's surface. The older woman's tender gaze beholds her daughter while struggling to keep her own worries from manifesting and at bay.

"Hi," Jane sleepy, exhausted, gravelly voice speaks as she slowly sits up.

"I came looking for you and found you asleep." Angela explains as our vision darkens slightly as Jane's long raven hair falls forward as she leans forward, rubbing her eyes.

That explains the blanket and possibly the moving from sitting to lying down. Jane tries explaining to Angela why she is down here, but the ever-present exhaustion is causing her to fumble with her words. Even I wouldn't be able to get it straight if I were the one to explain. I can't remember the last time… if ever, of being this exhausted let alone Jane and our combined existence.

"It's all right to take a short nap, Janie," the ever-caring motherly feelings emanate from Angela along with her words. "You've been up for a long time."

Jane and I simply exhale loudly as we continue to both individually and collectively regroup from the images… the feelings evoked by the dream. It has struck us so profoundly- far worse than anything of Hoyt's. We both wonder if we can continue or if our efforts in finding our Human Friend are worth it. Will we only find a body… if we ever find her?

Jane tries massaging her scalp, coincidentally where my ears normally are whenever our body shifts occur and I'm fully present and in control. This realization triggers more feelings as I recall my favorite sensations when Maura would rub both my ears and scratching around their base on my scalp. The detective struggles along with me to fight the tears away, along with the corresponding emotions as she simply rubs her hair.

We both huff a massive exhale as Angela asks if Jane is all right. I automatically convey my own feelings, unable to bear repressing them any longer. Jane agrees with me as she pushes her hair away from her face. The detective can no longer deny it, either. "No," Jane slowly confesses and keeps her eyes averted, in case indicators of my presence are visible in her eyes as my exhausted voice likewise subtly intermixes with the human's. "No, I'm not."

We eventually did find Maura later that same day. Jane secretly credits me for this small victory against whomever is "at war" with her… and in a sense with me. I try to get Jane to share some of the credit, but the human refuses. She believes that had we not have this combined nature of human and wolf, she would've succumbed to exhaustion, a breakdown, or worse. "It was your nose that first detected her perfume in that room she was held in!" Jane constantly reminds me whenever we argue over it. "Plus the tracking in those concealed and creepy tunnels…"

"…Hey, that was practically impossible!"

"'Practically,'" Jane repeats in a somewhat mimicky tone, "Not COMPLETELY impossible."

"Now who's accusing whom of thinking more like Maura," I smirk and Jane growls slightly.

Now the two of us are plagued by nightmares and the constant yearning of wanting to stay near not just Maura, but also Angela, as much as possible. Especially at night. Jane and I both agree that we should prevent any possible re-attempt to abduct either of them and sneakily remain close by at night. Despite Cliff Harris' death, that still didn't mean whoever is truly behind all of this would enlist another person to snatch Maura again, or even the both of them.

While Jane would normally sleep in the guestroom of Dr. Isles' residence, the detective instead settled for the couch in the living room. This option was chosen for the best possible outcome of us hearing anything from the main front door and the stairs, which led up towards the master bedroom. It also allowed a good view of the back door leading towards the guesthouse where Angela lives. Although Jane likely wouldn't admit it, deep down we both prefer sleeping here than in that utility closet Frankie calls a spare bedroom in his bachelor pad. Plus, he's a cop and more than capable of taking care of himself. However, despite all of the things Maura especially has endured both recently and in the past, she still isn't law-enforcement trained. Even Angela Rizzoli's fierce personality- smacking a referee with her purse during a hockey game **** doesn't disqualify the need of protective surveillance and detail.

At least this is what Jane uses to justify her reasons for quietly entering Maura's home after seeing her mother home after work at The Dirty Robber. ***** While Angela says nothing, I sense that the older woman knows precisely what her daughter is doing even though Jane cleverly disguises her departure once seeing her mother home.

"Are you sure you're good enough to stay awake, or at least more alert than me?" Jane asks as she pulls down the light blanket from the back of Maura couch.

"Would you stop worrying?" I growl.

"You're not worrying enough!" Jane growls back as she flops back onto one of the pillows and fumbles in spreading the throw over her legs and torso.

"You're worrying too much!"

The detective huffs a sigh as our vision, more enhanced by mine, studies all of the shadows cast by the faint lighting through the windows. The Moon is in a quarter and some of its light filters in. We're both tired of this round-and-round debate over who worries more and who doesn't worry enough. Even though Maura was found relatively unharmed and able to sleep somewhat, our unknown enemy is still out there.

"It's jus… un… til we catch him…" Jane begins drifting off, her face turning towards the sofa's cushioned back.

I smile as Jane slowly breathes in deeply, savoring the scents of our Human Friend and faint traces of Angela. We both take comfort that they are safe at present. Despite Jane now being asleep, a part of her mind just won't stop trying to remain alert, even though I'm still awake and a part of my senses are ever alert regardless if I fall asleep or not.

At times like these, I wish I could override the entire human instinct completely… And stop her from having nightmares… but as our doctor friend would say, I know human beings (along with me- since Dr. Isles says: "All intelligent creatures dream.") ****** require dreams in order to truly and sufficiently obtain the benefits of sleep. So, unfortunately, Jane's pleasant dreams, and nightmares as well, are requirements of life.

Although Jane believes I'm still overly paranoid due to her own feelings, I cannot escape the notion that something else medically is going on with Maura. I believe even the doctor herself isn't aware of it yet. As with the weird vibe of Kent Drake, I can't quite put a finger… or in my nature, a paw on it. Other doctors and medical specialists can miss things; that is why the term: "second opinion" was invented. Also, along with cops, people of the medical fields can be terrible patients, too.

The raven-haired human groans lightly in her sleep as she shifts position. I sigh as I try to reduce my thoughts and wonderings so they won't disturb the human… and possibly Maura upstairs, considering the fact that she has sensed our thoughts and feelings in the past. I sigh again, realizing that our Human Friend hasn't shown any indicators of sensing my thoughts, feelings, etc., since finding her from that abandoned asylum. Another piece of evidence to my gut instinct.

"Well," I ask Jane as she places the wireless cameras loaned to her by Detective Martinez and his DEA resources back in their protective carrying case. "What now? Back to her couch and catching what sleep we can?"

"I dunno, Lupine." Jane's weary voice rasps as she shoves the case closed and latches it. "I dunno."

We remain silent as the detective clomps towards the door of Maura's house and triple-checks the locks before conducting a walk around the entire residence, testing the ground level windows of both the ME's house and the guesthouse before finally checking all the locks of its door. Jane briefly stretches her senses of hearing and smell, nudging me to combine mine with hers. After several long moments, nothing out of the ordinary is detected, leaving Jane slightly disappointed. She's subconsciously wishing she'd sense something so she'd have a reason to pursue it.

"We're both afraid," I reluctantly confess, which annoys Jane. She leans her head back against the headrest of her unmarked police car.

"Brilliant observation," she snarls before shoving her keys into the ignition. "How…EVER did you figure that out?"

"Look, you really wanna pick a fight with me right now?" my tone has an edge that usually stops the human from going too far. I desperately hope she's not too exhausted to not be aware of it and continues pushing me.

Jane's hand trembles and pulls away before turning the ignition. She doesn't fight the tears escaping her eyes as we sit in the car for a long time. She still cannot admit it aloud, but her thoughts and feelings to me more than simply confirm it. The detective never admitted her fears in the aftermath of Hoyt… it was simply our, and Maura's, secret. Since she never had to admit it to anyone else, she simply fell back to her usual habits and processes when dealing with this. However, Charles Warren Hoyt only got personal with Jane Rizzoli, not targeting her family and friends, along with burning down her apartment and messing up her finances and other personal identity.

"This is completely different for us," I gently convey to Jane as she tried to get a hold of her emotions. "More people are involved now. Practically the entire Boston PD, too."

"Yeah… I know that," Jane furiously wipes her eyes. She struggles to breathe deeply to not succumb to outright sobbing. "Why can't we get that surge of strength that we did when Hoyt began hurting Maura just before we killed him?" *******

"Because we don't require adrenaline surge…" I automatically respond and pause. "… or perhaps we've used it all up in recovering and watching over Maura?"

Detective Rizzoli huffs, exhales greatly. Her eyes turn towards the small carrying case in the passenger seat beside her.

"Maybe you should talk to someone like our Human Friend suggested?"

The detective's thoughts flash back to the previous day when she met a therapist in the city park with coffee. She recalls his words, the veiled ultimatum of him refusing to meet her outside of his office of practice. Her instinctive feelings and habitual thoughts start running rampant and I gently force her to stop.

"What is so wrong by admitting you're afraid out loud?" I gently prod. "You've done it before…"

"He's NOT Maura!" Jane protests as she leans forward and turns the ignition.

"No, he's not," I agree and feel the habitual thoughts of the detective not wanting to bring an outsider into her most intimate feelings. She's also fearful of potentially making him and possibly his other patients a target. The scenario of being responsible for multiple deaths and/or other issues such as identity theft, breaches of security…

"I get it!" My thoughts firmly convey with that edge back in my tone to Jane.

"Why can't one single decision NOT have risk?" the human huffs with a slight growl. "Will I ever get to make a simple decision without having to question it?"

I sympathetically embrace Jane, the closest we can ever physically comfort each other. In times like these, the two of us wish we could truly separate into two bodies and literally comfort each other like we and Maura comfort each other. "As with any relationship, and as with police work, it requires risk." I finally speak up as Jane pulls into the parking garage of the Boston PD Headquarters building. "I believe psychologists, psychiatrists and anybody who works in mental health are fully aware of the potential risks."

Jane huffs and I sense her starting to protest. "Think about it," I quickly encourage her to consider. "I'm sure Maura would immediately agree with me. Given Hoyt's mental condition, and whatever's going on with whoever is targeting us, they've GOT TO have some type of mental issue, or issues, to go to such lengths as these.

"So, why not take a chance?" I add. "Also, we've somehow got to learn to leave the "what ifs" in the future and deal with them as they come. What was it that Al told us when we were pups and she was the sports medicine specialist at the school? Something about climbing the next step ahead of time?"

Jane grins lopsidedly as our memories combine to see our mysterious friend Alison or "Al" that she practically commanded to be called. "It was 'Not think about the next step before climbing the one in front of you.' It was a line in a movie." ********

"Just because it's from a movie doesn't mean that it's not true." I playfully nudge the human. "How many firefighters have you seen skip several ladder rungs or…"

Jane simultaneously rolls and crosses her eyes in annoyance. "Okay, okay… shut up!" The elevator doors part onto the 3rd floor and she crosses the corridor to enter the squad room. "People might hear the growling in my throat."

"Just think about it," I tell her as I yawn and try to catch a small nap while the detective settles into her desk chair.

Though Jane eventually spoke to Dr. Kaplan later that same day with coffee in park, and finally confessed out loud in a shaky voice that she was afraid, it still didn't mean the heart-tugging and mentally-trying events had stopped. Korsak's standing for hours on an unexploded landmine and Jane and I both feeling the fierce loyalty, not just as police partners, sitting out there with him as the Bomb Squad cleared out the surrounding area of explosives, but as a friend as well. Finally learning the identity of the person behind all the crap on us… Alice Sands, nee McFadden, who was in the Police Academy with Jane. Both of our memories of her are extremely faint, and we learn that she was in prison for drugs. We get there at the prison only to learn we're three days too late! Our fury becomes unmatched as we seethe and struggle to work out our feelings over it.

While Maura still isn't back to her usual physical regimen of running, Jane permits me to transform and take over. I run through the wooded parks and undeveloped regions around Boston to exorcise our pent up rage and anxious feelings. Although Jane rests while I run, it's still not as sufficient as a full night's sleep.

"Perhaps we can convince the PD and Maura to take a 2 month vacation or something and just get away from it all?" Jane eventually suggests to me as we stumble up the stairs of the townhouse the human sub leases from one of the ME's BCU friends on Sabbatical.

"Sounds good to me!" I huff along with Jane who scoffs a chuckle and collapses into the bed. "Just as long as there's some wooded terrain for me to run in!"

Although her eyes are closed, Jane smiles with me and we both secretly wish and dream of some far off place where Maura, Jane, and I can be free to roam without having to fear or look over our shoulders. Simply being free.

I knew it! I just knew it… Why did it require a bullet grazing Maura's right temple to prove my fears?! Perhaps it was a combination of both events- the ME striking her forehead against the nearby forklift as she unsuccessfully struggled to escape from abduction at the hands Harris and now the glancing strike of the rifle bullet as Alice Sands shot at all of us as we stood outside The Dirty Robber- unsuccessfully sending Vince Korsak and his new bride Kiki off to their wedding night.

Damn you Alice! Damn you for everything! If Jane releases me fully onto you, you'll know what true fear and terror can be! It's not just what you've done to just Jane and unknowingly me and also Dr. Maura Isles… it's my 'human pack' that has been endangered because of you! And as Angela Rizzoli's fierce devotion to everyone in her own circle… you DON'T mess with family!

Now Maura Isles is no longer being what she normally can be. Her incredible and beautiful mind is no longer its incredible self. In fact, she has trouble functioning normally at all. Along with Jane's unvoiced fears, I too worry if this bleed on the brain becomes permanent and Maura is no longer able to truly fulfill her role as a Medical Examiner, let alone Chief Medical Examiner of the Commonwealth.

"What if she's already forgotten me?" I whimper fearfully as Jane watches the door close and hear the lock tumblers to the doctor's house. I show the detective my own specific memories of what I believe support my fears and suspicions.

Jane sighs as she looks up at the night sky... trying to see any stars and trying to keep the tears from falling. I combine my sense of vision with hers so the human can view any stars that happen to be overhead.

"Thanks," Jane finally speaks after contemplating various points of light in the cosmos. She proceeds to walk the short distance from Maura's to the townhouse she now lives in. Her hand drifts towards her weapon, still strapped to her belt under her blazer, unclipping the release in the holster so she can pull the gun quicker in case Alice Sands, or anyone else sick enough to help her should attack. We keep our senses combined and stretched out to the fullest so neither of us should miss anything.

Jane's phone vibrates on her waist's opposite side, indicating an incoming text. She forces herself to keep from pulling it out until after she locks the door to the townhouse and does a quick walkthrough throughout the residence. We huff an exhausted sigh as Jane sinks down onto the bed, kicking off her boots and flinging her blazer in the rough direction towards the chair near the opposite corner at the foot of the bed. She places her badge and weapon on the nightstand and finally pulls up the text message.

It's indeed from Maura, as we suspected. She asks Jane to text her when the detective arrives back home safely and that she was already in her bed for the night.

"I'm sure she remembers you," Jane finally responds to my expressed worry. "Despite everything going on and…"

"So much has changed, Jane!" I interrupt, "in such an extremely short time!" I cannot help but allow my thoughts to flash back through the past years and Jane joins in with me.

"I know," she sighs wearily as she reclines fully onto the bed after texting Maura her safe return and too being in the bed for the night. "Our lives seem so much simpler back then…"

The human drifts to sleep, her dreams continuing to join our shared memories over the past fifteen years of knowing Dr. Maura Isles… our Human Friend.

* Per Season 6's first episode: "The Platform" Dr. Kent Drake is assigned to be Dr. Isles' assistant on a 6-month rotation before taking over as the assistant medical examiner in Springfield.

** As an EMT and also formerly working in a hospital… latex and non-latex gloves always make my hands constantly sweat and also sap out remaining body moisture from the hands! And the constant hand washing I do too… swimming pool chlorine along with everyday stuff!

*** A nod to both Sasha Alexander/Dr. Maura Isles' ability to speak the Serbian language in Season 3, Episode 8 "Cuts Like A Knife" and established storyline in the "Lupus Amicitia" series.

**** Season 4, Episode 8 "Cold As Ice" where Jane describes Angela Rizzoli's "Hockey Mom" years.

***** Season 6, Episode 14 "Murderjuana" where Korsak learns of Jane seeing her mother home while Jane unsuccessfully tries to get Frankie to be quiet about his offer to drive their mother home from work… likely leading to where Jane sneaks into Maura's house, sleeping on the couch.

****** From the movie: "2010: Space Odyssey Two" in which the scientist who invented the artificial intelligent computers "HAL 9000" & "SAL 9000" and says that to SAL when the computer asks him if she'll dream.

******* Season 2, Episode 10 "Remember Me" in which Jane finally puts an end to her real life nightmare, Charles Hoyt.

******** From the movie "Hoosiers" in which Gene Hackman plays the role of a small high school basketball coach that is based on true events in Indiana Basketball. I personally don't follow traditional sports such as: basketball, football, baseball, etc. But I like movies such as "Hoosiers" and "Rudy" that show the triumph of human spirit.