'Maybe I should go with her...' Thought Jane as she packed up for the end of the day. 'Nah. Room full of stuffy people. Medical babble that I don't understand and will forever not try to. But she's always been there for me... Maybe I should just do her this one favor.'

But just before she could make up her mind, Maura walked in with a smile on her face. "What's up with you? Just yesterday you were all frowns when I said I couldn't go with you to the medical examiners ball."

"I'll have you know, I have a date!" She said in a matter of fact tone. Maura wasn't surprised when she saw how set back Jane was. "Oh really now? Penis or..."

"Yes my date is a man." Maura said wanting to turn back around and head downstairs to where no one could bother her. "Would this man happen to be Doctor Ken-"

"No Jane. I said he was off limits and I meant it. I'd rather go alone then have to go with him." She said but instantly feeling awful about it. She didn't mean it in a negative way, she just wasn't very fond of him. "But you did get a date, right? Not someone who you just made up. Like an actual person with a wee wee is going?" Jane asked, trying to tease her even more. But also hoping that Maura actually has a date so she doesn't have to go with her.

"Yes Jane." Maura said with a sigh. She just wanted this conversation to be over with more than anything at that moment.

"Great! Now I don't have to go out of guilt or sit at home and feel guilty about not going." Jane said not realizing what she just said.

"Wait. You just said 'sit at home'... Does that mean you really don't need to help Angela with something?" Maura said in anger. Before anything, Jane knew she had to play it sneaky. "I uh... So who's the lucky guy that gets to attend this interesting ball with you?" Jane said trying to change the subject.

Suddenly, it was Maura's turn to play sneaky. "You have to remember that no one wanted to go with me." Just then, Jane sensed the hesitation and stalling that Maura was creating. "Maura, who is it?" She said in a serious tone, concerned about what she was going to say next.

"Frankie."

"Frankie as in my brother?" Jane said in complete shock. Maura just nodded, trying not to laugh at Jane's surprised face. "My brother? Frankie. The one who barely knows any medical term?" She continued still in shock. Once again, Maura nodded. The feeling of laughter was now replaced with fear of what she was going to say next. 'She's going to yell very loudly now... Oh boy.' Was all Maura was thinking as she waited for Jane to speak up.

"I'll tell you something Maur. You are one lucky woman because he wouldn't even do that for me!" Now it was Maura's turn to be surprised. "So you're not mad that we're going to this event together?" She asked trying to process it. "Why would I be? I'm just surprised that he would even say yes to the whole thing. You know him, more interested in baseball than anything else."

"Actually, he was the one who offered to go with me."

Now Jane was really surprised. "No he didn't." She said in disbelief. He's not at all interested in medical talk. Why would he offer to go now? "Why would I lie to you Jane?" Now Maura was offended. She didn't have a reason to lie to her. "Okay okay... I'm sorry it's just hard to believe that Frankie would actually volunteer to go you know?"

Maura gave her a look that signified that she forgave her. She looked down at her watch and saw that she was running a little behind. "Oh I have to go! I have to go get ready." She said before she left to head downstairs. "Have fun!" Jane shouted. "I know Frankie won't." She said in a much quieter voice.

:) :) :)

"You look absolutely stunning..." Frankie said with his mouth wide open in shock. He couldn't help but smile. He looked at her as she stood there in a black dress that complimented every curve of her body. Navy blue six inch heels that made her just three inches shorter than him. Her hair up in a French twist just made everything more elegant.

"And you clean up very well yourself if you ask me!" She said smiling back at him. "I love that suite. How come I've never seen it before?" She said trying to make conversation. He held out his arm for her to take so he could walk her to the car. "It's the suite I wear to special events."

He opened the passenger side door and watched her carefully get in. "Thank you." She said right before he closed the door.

As he hopped in to his side of the car, Maura couldn't help but feel something she hadn't felt before. It wasn't anything bad. But she also didn't know if it was good. It wears different.

As he started the engine, Maura turned to face him and say, "Thank you for volunteering to come with me. You have no idea how much this means to me." She put her hand over his but quickly pulled away- feeling something weird. "Hey don't say that. I wanted to go!"

They say there in silence looking at each other, trying not to break. They made it out of the driveway without either of them laughing. But Frankie was the first one to laugh. "Okay I didn't want to go at first but I thought 'Why not?' You know? Why not educate yourself. You learn something new everyday! But if someone says something I don't understand, which is probably everyone saying everything I don't understand, I'm coming to you for help."

"Hopefully there will be another medical examiner who was looking for a date and ended up with a cop who didn't understand anything science related. If not, then just stay with me." She said giving him a smile. "I could use the company."

"Honestly, me too. I don't know how I'll deal with all the... You know."

"Well you know, maybe someday we can go to a baseball game together and you can teach me about the game. That way we can be lost and teach each other things." The idea made him laugh. He didn't know whether to find her cute or just trying to help.

"Maybe." He said not trying to make any promises before he fulfills this one. Even though he thought he wouldn't be able to make it through one-third of the night.

"I'm sure you'll be fine. If you're anything like Jane, you won't. But if you aren't then I'm sure you'll at least make an effort." She said with a little sound of hope in him that he won't leave her half way through the night.

As they stopped at a red light that was only a block away from the event, Frankie couldn't help but feel nervous about what he was going to face that night.