A/N: I want to thank everyone for continuing to follow this story and thank you to all the new followers. I have noticed that there is a lot about the boys and soccer, it won't be the main focus it's more of a bridge to connect the two women for future rizzles. I hope you like the new chapter, it's a little slow as it more of a builder for the friendship that is ahead.


It was the end of her first day back, which was slow and had been quiet. Jane knew she should have relished in the peacefulness before she caught her first case but all she had hoped during the day was that there would be a murder so she could get to work with the new medical examiner. It was ghoulish to think such things but it was a matter of fact that it would happen, she just wished it would have happened her first day back. She wanted the chance to know more about Maura Isles. Her mother had been right, something was odd about the woman, what with her designer dress and quirky personality but it didn't stop Jane from wanting to know more.

So with great displeasure, Jane had left work on time and made it to her mother's home before the time she had estimated.

"HEY MA!" the brunette screams out as she shuts the front door. She heads to the kitchen where she hears voice.

"Are you hungry Janie?" Angela asks grabbing plates down from the cabinet. "I made more than enough for you to take home with you if you aren't."

"No, I'll eat here." Jane ruffles her son's hair as he sits at the table doing homework. "You have a good day bud?" Nicholas nods not looking up but grabs his mom's hand off his head and squeezes it before focusing back on his studies.

"How was your first day back?" The older woman sneaks in a kiss to her daughter's cheek before she has a chance to protest.

"Ma!" Jane dramatically wipes her face and her agitation quickly fades as she sees her son looking up at her laughing. "You think it's funny? I'll do it to you and you'll see how funny it is huh?" She jokes and her son laughs even harder before she bends down and kisses him. Turning her attention to her mother, Jane answers, "Good…boring, but good."

"That's…good I guess?" the older Rizzoli shrugs as she brings the food to the table and everyone sits down. After they say grace, and begin eating Jane looks to her son, "Want to hear something way cool?"

"Yeah."

"I found out today that I work with Nate's mom." Jane watches as her son is overcome with excitement. "NO WAY MA!"

"Yes, way."

"You work with Maura Isles? I thought she was a doctor." Angela asks a little confused at the new information.

"She is. Maura is The Chief Medical Examiner for the Common Wealth of Massachusetts…our coroner, which means that she is a doctor."

Angela shakes her head, "She's a death doctor. Yuck. I don't know if I want Frankie seeing her."

Jane's stomach drops at her mother's words, "Ma, Maura isn't a 'death doctor' she is just a doctor." She doesn't know why she feels the need to defend this woman she just met but she does. "And another thing, you need to stop trying to set up Frankie or strangers for that matter."

If Angela is insulted she doesn't show it as she continues to meddle, "Why did Frankie say he wanted me to stop? Did Maura tell you something?"

Jane groans in frustration, "Really?"

"Ma, he tells you all the time to stop…right to your face and for Maura, she didn't say anything but most people aren't like us. You need to realize that some people don't want to be set up by a stranger."

"Oh, I'm not a stranger Janie." Angela scoffs at her daughter's words. "We talked, I went to her home…were friends. I actually have been meaning to call her." The elder Rizzoli tells her daughter and to this Jane has no words, she looks to her son and rolls her eyes.


Rushing to her phone Maura was expecting the call to be work but was surprised to hear a familiar raucous voice. A smile appears on her face as she listens to the woman on the phone, "Dr. Isles, this is Angela Rizzoli. Are you busy? Did I call at a bad time?"

"Hi Angela. I was just helping Nathaniel with his homework but it isn't a bother, what can I do for you." Maura says genuinely happy to have this woman calling her.

"Nicky was saying that Nate…Nathaniel was going to tryout for soccer tomorrow and I was wondering if you would like for us to come and have us pick the two of you up? The adults usually grab a coffee and Nicky gets a juice drink before heading to the field."

"Oh, I don't want you guys to change your schedule for me and Nathaniel." Maura says a little unsure if she would be comfortable in this situation. It has been some time since being in big crowds; tomorrow she had planned to stand by herself. Maybe make small talk with a few parents but nothing more than that. The thought of being stuck with Angela and her family made her a feel a little out of her element.

"It's nothing Maura, we will be by at seven. Nicky is going to be so happy to hear you guys are coming along. Have a good night Dr. Isles." And the older woman hangs up before Maura has a chance to protest.

Maura puts her phone down and instantly she feels the nerves in her stomach as she thinks of the next morning and how she will be with Angela, Nicholas, and Jane Rizzoli.


About fifteen minutes after seven, Maura and Nathaniel watch as the car pulls up their home. Angela is quick to jump out of the passenger side door, "I am sorry we are a little late, Nicky couldn't find his soccer bag." She says as she pulls the blonde into a hug before pushing her to the front seat as she climbs into the back with the boys. Maura goes to protest but stops when the back door closes, instead she climbs into the front.

"Oh…" she exclaims as she notices that there is a dark-haired man driving the car. "You're not Jane."

"No." he says laughing, "I hope I'm not."

"Jane had to work this Saturday, Frankie had the day off and always comes along when he can." Angela says proud of herself.

The field is filled with kids doing drills, warming up their little muscles for the actual tryouts. Maura is not familiar with anything, and for once she is happy to have company that can inform her of what going to transpire.

Maura watches as the boys line up with their numbers on their backs and she can't help but giggle as Nathaniel and Nicholas do an offbeat handshake/cheer.

Angela and Frankie flank the blonde as they all wait in anticipation as there loved ones begin. All three cheer as the boys run and pass the ball showing how coordinated they are and when they line up for the next drill all of them cheer once more at a job well done. The blonde can't help to feel overwhelmed with happiness as Angela wraps her arm around her and says, "Nathaniel is really good I hope he and Nicky are on the same team."


Jane was thoroughly upset that Cavanaugh assigned her to work on Saturday. In the past he always tried to assign other detectives for the weekends knowing that she was a single mother and wanted time with her son. If it weren't for the fact that she was just on medical leave, Jane would have brought up the issue to the lieutenant but she knew better. So, instead of cheering on her son at tryouts, Jane and Frost load into the cruiser to head to her first case since coming back. She had always been the one to drive but her hands were a little achy so she let her new partner take the wheel.

As they pull out onto the road, Jane's phone begins to ring. Looking down she sees it is her mother calling.

"Yeah Ma?"

"We are heading out on a call," She pauses when her mother starts to talk over her. "How do you know where we are going?"

Detective Frost gives her a sideways glance as Jane begins to have what he understands as a small argument.

"Fine. We will be there in a few, but for the record I don't think it's appropriate for you to be hanging out with my coworkers." Jane huffs into the phone before hanging up. Looking over to Frost she informs him, "Head to Jefferson Park…we have to pick up our Medical Examiner."


After much debate Maura finally gave in and agreed that Angela could watch Nathaniel for the rest of the day. Which left the only thing else beyond her control was her outfit. Due to the activities of the day Maura was dressed in her most casual clothes, which consisted of a designer top, jeans and sandals. She was more than worried how her colleagues would perceive her. Which is why when Detective Rizzoli came sauntering up to everybody she self-consciously tugged at her blouse.

"Dr. Isles." Jane greets the blonde before giving her family hugs.

"Detective Rizzoli." Maura replies, turning to the other detective she greets him as well.

"Hey Bud, how did you do?" The blonde watches the tall brunette out of the corner of her eye.

"Really good! Nate…" He stops and chances a glance at the other kid and his mother. "Nathaniel and I got on the Fireballs. That's like, the best team in the league Ma!"

"I'm so proud of you both!" Jane hugs her son. "I don't know how long I'll be today but when I do get a chance we can go and buy you some new cleats and maybe go to a movie, okay?"

"Alright." Maura, still watching becomes intrigued as she sees the boy's demeanor change. "Be safe. Love you Ma." He says as he grabs his mother's hand and rubs the scar that is still pink. It is this intimate moment between mother and son, that for the first time, Maura notices the wounds on the brunette's hands. And as curiosity gnaws at her, the other woman's words echo in her head, 'I think everyone that watches the news knows my name'.

"Dr. Isles?" She hears Jane call to her and she wonders how long she has been trying to get her attention.

"Sorry, I was caught up in my own thoughts." She blushes as she speaks. "What was it you were saying?"

"I asked if you were ready to head over to the crime scene?"

"Yes, just let me say goodbye to Nathaniel and I'll be ready."

"Where are you from Dr. Isles?" Jane looks over her shoulder to the backseat where Maura sits.

"Um…" Maura tries to answer but her mind is distracted as stored data comes forth. "Sorry, I lived in San Francisco for 7 years but I am originally from Boston."

"California? Where at?" The detective again looks back to the doctor.

The blonde head shakes a little from nervousness and before she can think to stop herself, she begins to blurt out, "Driver distractions are the leading cause of most vehicle crashes and near-crashes. According to a study released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA for short, and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, 80% of crashes and 65% of near-crashes involve some form of driver distraction. The distraction occurred within three seconds before the vehicle crash. So as your passenger I would highly advise you to keep all focus on the road." And the moment she finishes she begins to curse herself for being so eccentric. This very reason is why it was hard pressed to find friends throughout her life. Most people thought she was peculiar for spurting out facts at the most inopportune times.

Therefore, when she sees Jane sideway glance at Frost and watches them both fight the urge to laugh she knows that she once again has made the situation weird. Only when Jane speaks again is she put at ease, "Really? I knew you were smart but that's pretty cool that you can remember all that." Jane says looking forward as she speaks, which shows she took into consideration what the blonde had just said. "Anyway, good to know but don't think I'm going to stop drinking my coffee when I drive. I don't care what your statistics say Dr. Isles." For once in her life, when she hears Jane laughing she knows that she isn't being laughed at but laughed with. And with that she grins and says, "Fair enough.


Walking to her car Jane looks at her watch for the time. It had been a long and tedious day with Dr. Isles. The brunette would definitely say it was a learning experience to put it nicely. She had learned the hard way that Maura Isles and Dr. Isles were two very different people. On site, Dr. Isles was painstakingly precise with her work. She was so different than Dr. Pike, the blonde never guessed nor did she rush her findings. Even if this bothered Jane, she knew that the job was finally going to get done right. But that didn't stop the throbbing headache she had from the difficulties of learning how another person works. Jane smirks to herself as she thinks about how the Doctor would have an explanation to why she had a headache. It amazed her that she had only been around the other woman for a day but had already learned so much. It is this thought that Jane remembers that she was the one who gave Dr. Isles a ride in and that her mother was watching her son. Turning around Jane heads back into the precinct to ask if the blonde is ready to head home for the day.

After looking up the number for a cab company, Maura had began shutting down her computer and putting files in their appropriate cabinets when she heard the ding of the elevator outside her office she stopped and rounds her desk.

It's only a few seconds before she hears a knock at her open door, that she looked up to see the tall brunette.

"Hi, Dr. Isles." Jane walks into her office and as she passes the décor, she points at the tribal masks that occupy the area on the wall, "Those look…neat."

"Thank you, Detective Rizzoli." The blonde turns off the little lamp on her desk. "I was just going to call for a ride and leave for the day. I had Senior Criminalist Chang deliver the toxicology report, if you need to discuss it further I can set aside some time in the morning."

"No, I don't need to discuss the reports. I came down here to give you a ride to my Mother's."

"I was going to call for a cab, I don't want to be an inconvenience to you." Maura Isles looks to the other woman hoping that she insists it would be nice to get to know more about her.

"I am going there to pick up my son, it isn't a big deal to drop the two of you at your place. Nick will be happy to spend more time with his friend." Jane smiles when she sees relief on the blonde's face.

"Alright." Maura happily agrees, "I'm ready."


This chapter was a bit of fluff and filler as Jane and Maura become acquainted. Next chapter should be up in a few days. In it there will be more with the ladies moving into the friendship phase.