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Maura noticed that once she was out of the car that many of the cops were looking in her direction, having not realised that to most officers that a prius is pretty much a spaceship. Her eyes fell to the floor, feeling embarrassed despite not knowing what they were staring at.

It was when she felt a hand on the small of her back and a gravelly voice in her ear that she looked up once more.

"Thinking of a change of footwear?" Jane had noticed the doctor looking at her feet and raised an eyebrow in an attempt to make Maura feel more at ease.

Maura grinned, "I can assure you detective that my shoes," she twisted the four inch heel. "Are very comfortable." With a flourish she began walking toward the crime scene tape.

Jane ran to catch up with her "I don't know if I can agree with you on that but it's your choice." Both women laughed and grabbed their badges to show to the attending officer.

As they drew closer to the man Jane's smile widened further. "Hey Maura, I want you to meet someone."

Maura felt Jane grip her arm firmly and pull her towards the nearby officer. Not accustomed to receiving physical contact she savoured it even if it was for a moment.

"Maura this is my brother Frankie." Maura noted the pride in Jane's voice as she presented him. Maura felt a pang in her chest but didn't know why.

"I've heard a lot about you Dr Isles."

"It's nice to meet you Officer Rizzoli."

Jane feeling slightly left out jumped in, "Anything you need Frankie's your man." She watched her brother puff out his chest and was already grinning about what she was going to say next. "You know all the coffee shops in Boston, don't you little brother."

His face fell and pushed her shoulder, "Shut up."

Meanwhile Maura was trying to suppress her giggle but also felt that same pain in her chest from earlier. Loneliness. Her mind instantly flew back to Holly wondering what she was doing at that precise moment.

Once again feeling a hand on her upper arm she looked up at Jane who smiled and pulled her under the yellow tape. If Maura had turned back she would have seen Frankie wiggiling his eyebrows suggestively at the two women. Praying that she didn't do just that, Jane quickened her pace.

Once again introductions were needed for Maura.

"Dr Isles this is my partner Barry Frost." She said motioning towards the man to her right, who was standing a fairway back from the body.

"That's your car over there isn't it?" Frost's eyes lit up with excitement, which was not lost on Maura, despite not seeing anything to be excited about.

"Yes, yes it is."

"Display Audio with Navigation, Entune App Suite and JBL. 6.1-inch touch-screen with integrated backup camera." He whistled. "Damn that's a fine ride you've got yourself doc."

Maura laughed lightly "It does its job."

Fearing a full on sales pitch from Frost, Jane jumped in, "And this is Sergeant Korsak."

Korsak gave put out his hand to Maura who grasped it, "Pleasure doctor. Now can we stop with the car porn and get to work." Frost looked at the ground Maura and Jane met each others eyes and laughed. "The vics this way."

The two detectives and the doctor followed him into a nearby alleyway where the body was found. He was lying on the ground covered in bruises, cuts and scrapes. Several teeth had been knocked out and his eyes were swollen shut. Blood had dropped from his broken nose onto his cheeks. Whoever he was, he looked a wreck.

Maura instantly bent to take his liver temperature and make initial observations. She looked up at the detectives who only stared back expectantly, except Frost, he looked like he was about to bolt.

"Victim appears to be in his early twenties. Due to the advanced stage of rigor mortis and his liver temperature indicates he expired around five to six hours ago. I'll know more once we get him back"

Jane looked at her watch, "So time of death was between 6 and 7 am?" Maura nodded in response.

Frost, gagging, said "Ugh Jane? If you don't need me hear I'm gonna go check for witnesses."

"Yeah go ahead." she looked back down at the doctor "Hey Maura is it okay to touch."

"Only if you wear gloves."

"Don't worry this isn't my first rodeo."

The phrase confused Maura and she frowned, "I don't see a rodeo here Jane."

Thinking she was joking Jane laughed, but when she looked back down at Maura and was met by questioning eyes she stopped. "No Maura what I meant is I know the proper etiquette." She emphasised this by putting on her purple gloves.

"Oh I get it now. Sorry, I'm not so good with colloquialisms."

"S'okay. I don't really know big words like that, so we're equal 'eh?" she winked down at Maura who once again felt something in her chest, but this time it was not a stabbing. It was more like a flutter.

Jane bent and began to search the victim's pockets. Coming up empty she sighed, "No ID." Looking at the victims swollen face she said, "I don't think we're going to get a photo ID from that either."

"I'll get the crime lab to do a facial reconstruction when we get back. Is it okay to leave now?"By standing Maura caused a whiff of her perfume to be blown Jane's way which left her unable to answer.

Luckily Korsak replied for her, "Sure doc we'll see you later. Jane I'll drive you back?"

The question helped Jane gather her bearings, but still unable to speak she just nodded.


Back at the morgue Maura worked tirelessly, finishing the autopsy around half four. She could feel the pressure of the day finally taking its toll as she stood and headed into the elevator.

Walking into the precinct felt different when not accompanied by the lieutenant. Now it felt scarier. The cops seemed much less respectful and walking in she noticed that one of them failed to stop staring at her breasts, even when she met his eyes. Noticing Jane and her partner she hurriedly walked over.

"I have the results from the autopsy and the facial reconstruction for you." She said handing them to Jane, who took the photo of the face, "Here Frost run this through the criminal and military databases, see if you get a hit." Then she attempted to read the file the doctor had handed her.

"Maura you are going to have to dumb this down for me."

"Okay TOD would be around 6.05 am and the cause of death is asphyxiation due to a crushed trachea caused by a direct punch to the throat."

"This bastard killed that guy with his bare hands."

Maura flinched at the swear but continued, "Yes, I found no wounds consistent with any weapons." She paused taking the file from Jane's hands, who once again pulled them away out of fear that she would bring up the scars. Maura once again ignored them. Smiling Jane went back to listening to Maura.

"I did however find a navy blue fibre between the victims teeth, the crime lab are testing it now." She looked the clock on the wall and let out a large sigh. Looks like I won't get back before bedtime. "The results should be ready in around three hours."

Hearing the doctors sigh Jane followed her gaze and noticed it rested on the clock, "If you've somewhere to be Maura, go. We've got this; a lab assistant will bring the results up later."

"Are you sure?" Maura's grin was the size of Texas and Jane knew she wouldn't be able to say otherwise after seeing that.

"Yeah go."

"Thank you!" Maura resisted the urge to hug the detective, opting for a shoulder squeeze instead.


Maura practically ran to unlock her door knowing full well that she only had around an hour and a half to enjoy with Holly before her bedtime.

"Mommy!" Maura was nearly knocked over by the whirl of golden curls before scooping Holly up in her arms.

"Hey little girl, how are you?" she laughed as Holly pulled back with a pout firmly in place.

"I'm no little Momma. I four!" Maura only squeezed the little girl tighter as she laughed and placed a finger on her little nose.

"Not for another month you're not." She heard Holly sigh in defeat and put her on the ground.

"Hey Dr Isles, same time tomorrow?"

"Yes, thank you Annikah."

"Did she behave today?" Maura asked as she helped her babysitter into her coat.

"Yes she did and we made some great cupcakes."

"Oh you did, did you?" Maura said more to Holly than to the woman in front of her. The little girl looked up at her and beamed.

"Bye doctor."

"Goodbye Annikah, safe journey." With that Maura closed the door behind the young woman and turned to her daughter, whose smile had begun to falter.

"What's wrong baby?" she bent to knee level meeting her daughter's eyes.

"I miss you today Mommy."

"I missed you more." She picked Holly up once more and spun her around, causing the little girl to burst into a fit of giggles. "Now." she said with a stern voice which made the little girl's laughter stop. "Let's go try these cupcakes!"


Thanks for reading, have a great day!