I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while, I've been extremely busy. This chapter is longer to make up for it (:

Chapter 4

Dinner at my place? Jane shot Maura a text. Maura's phone buzzed across the autopsy table. She picked it up and glanced at the caller ID. What does she want? Maura asked slowly putting the phone back down. Sighing she picked it up again, she should at least give her friend a best chance to explain things. Explain this husband of hers. Clicking the message icon Maura read the text, sure, 7? She sent back.

Jane's phone played the death march. Finally, she let out a breath she'd been holding since she sent Maura the text. Reading the text back from Maura she smiled, so she hadn't completely screwed up. Sounds good she replied and set her phone down to get back to work. If she wanted to get out of there on time to get home and clean up a bit, she was going to actually have to be productive for once.

Five o'clock came quicker than expected and soon she was headed out the door to run home and clean up. Not that her house was dirty, just not as clean as it could be. Pulling up to her apartment she jumped out of the car and locked it. She jogged up the steps and unlocked her door with practiced ease. Walking in she almost kicked off her shoes, but then she remembered shed rushed home to clean not to make a bigger mess. She walked into her bed room to kick off her shoes and tossed her jacket onto the bed. She also decided she'd just go ahead and change into jeans and a tee shirt then.

Walking out of her bed room she started gathering the dirty dishes strewn across the living room. She rinsed them quickly and placed them in the dish washer. She straightened up the couch and blankets that had been casually tossed there. Satisfied with the condition of her living room she turned to her kitchen. Plenty of dirty dishes greeted her, mostly pots and pans from the occasional cooking she did – which was always out of a box. She decided to hand wash those since her dishwasher was already half full. Besides, she did invite Maura over for dinner – she should try to cook, even if it is hamburger helper.

After the dishes were done she checked the time 6:45 Maura will be here any moment. She thought to herself. She took out a wine glass and a beer for herself; she pulled out a bottle of wine from the wine rack in the corner as well. She just had time to glance around her apartment one more time before there was a knock at the door.

"Come on in, Maura!" she shouted from the kitchen, opening her beer.

"Sorry to disappoint, love." David said opening the door. David, she'd completely forgotten about her offer to let him stay there.

"Oh, David I'm so sorry I forgot you were coming!" she quickly said rushing towards him and grabbing for his bag, "You can stay in my room." she said, frowning as he swatted her hand away.

"I'm perfectly capable of carrying my own bag." He said giving her a pointed look, then smiling at her he finished "besides, beautiful ladies don't carry things for me, I carry their things. Bed room still back and to the left?" he asked walking that way. She nodded, smiling like a food. She still couldn't believe he got to her like this; all he did was call her beautiful – compliment her appearance. She'd had that before, so why was it so different with him? Why did it mean so much more? She heard his bag fall onto the floor next to her bed, and his jacket being tossed across the bed. He walked out barefoot and in jeans and a tee shirt – much like her. She smiled at their similarity, and handed him a beer. Taking it in he thanked her and leaned against the island. Popping off the top he took a long swig, and she couldn't help but watch him. Besides the fact that he was extremely handsome, she'd missed the time they had spent together. She was more than happy he was back in her life. She must have been watching too long because he caught her staring. Looking down at her from his 6'4' frame he smiled.

"See something you like?" he winked placing his free hand on her hip. She rolled her eyes "you wish!" she replied taking a drink of her beer, in an effort to avoid blushing, however she made no attempt to move. His thumb sneaked over the waist band of her jeans and onto the bare skin in the gap between where the tee shirt and jeans obviously did not meet. Glancing sideways at him she was about to speak when the front door opened. Quickly Jane jumped and whipped her head around to see Maura standing in the door. Obviously, she'd stopped mid stride – surprised by the scene before her.

"Maura hey!" Jane called happily, and a little too chipper, desperately covering her embarrassment.

"Jane..." Maura said slowly, looking from her best friend to the man standing behind her, her husband.

"Maura, this is da- Riley, Riley Taylor. Riley, this is Maura Isles." She gestured between the two, respectively.

David quickly set down his beer and crossed the room extending his hand, smiling. "The Maura Isles? As in doctor?" he asked

Maura tilted her head to the side slightly, "Yes… uh?" she began in confusion shaking his hand.

"Dr. Riley Taylor, I studied a few of your med school case studies a year ago when I had a sick patient. Your studies were in those of adults, but I figured that a 19 year old male and a 17 year old male were close enough in growth to count your study as a worthy piece of text to analyze." She still looked slightly confused. "I'm a pediatric specialist." He clarified for her.

"Ah, I see." She nodded, slightly raising an eye brow. Jane had married a doctor without telling her? "Glad I could have helped." She replied moving to the kitchen.

"Oh absolutely, your take on the case was brilliant, you are brilliant." He replied, following her to the kitchen but opting for the spot he once occupied next to Jane.

"Well thank you." Maura blushed slightly. She wished she could dislike this man, she hated that he was married to her best friend and that she knew nothing about him. But so far, she just couldn't find anything about him to hate.

"Hey babe, I'm going to go lay down for a bit, alright? I'll let you two have some privacy, let me know when you'd like me to start making dinner?" Jane nodded surprised, that he caught onto the fact that Maura was over here for personal reasons and not just the occasional visit.

"Sure honey." She replied, and he bent down to kiss her quickly. Pulling away he grabbed his beer "it was nice to meet you Maura." He said before walking down the hall to Jane's bedroom.

"You too, Riley." Maura called after him. After he had shut the bedroom door she turned her attention to Jane. Before she could even say anything Jane started apologizing. "Maura, I am so sorry you had to find out like this." Jane said opening the bottle of wine for her friend. "I meant to tell you, really I did and I just, I don't know I didn't know how." She said pouring a glass.

"Why was it so difficult Jane?" Maura asked taking the glass she was offered. "How long have you been married?"

Jane walked over to the couch and Maura followed her, sitting down slowly Jane was able to buy some time. I need to tell her the truth. No, you know better than that – when you're under you're under. You don't tell anyone. Jane sighed to herself; preparing to give Maura the cover story the FBI had provided her and David with, 6 years ago.

"Almost 6 years." She said looking at her hands.

"What? Are you kidding me?" Maura asked

Jane shook her head no, "That's why I never got into any serious relationships. Riley is always off working so it's hard and no one really understands our situation."

"I would have understood, Jane." Maura said, Jane felt the emotion in her voice and knew she was hurting her friend.

"I'm sorry Maura, really I am." Was all she could say. When her eyes meet Maura's both friends could see the understanding in each other's eyes. Maura gathered Jane into a hug, "its ok." She said softly.

From inside Jane's bedroom David listened to the exchange, he knew Maura was Jane's best friend, and he knew how hard it was for her to lie to Maura. But he was proud of her all the same. They knew she could handle this job 5 years ago when the FBI had recruited her to go undercover as his wife, but they never thought it would have lasted this long. Everyone hoped that they'd catch the 'friendly clown', as he'd named himself before any more kids had been kidnapped and killed. Well they'd baited the clown alright; he killed 4 kids before taking off after Ben "their" son. He was never able to get Ben though, and soon went into hiding when he got too close to being caught by the FBI. But he was back now, and in full action – so they were going to try one last time to bait him with Ben. That's why David was here, back in Boston. To retake his place as Riley Taylor 35, practicing pediatric specialist, who was happily married with a son. However, only time would tell how well their plan was going to work this time.

Hope you guys are enjoying this so far.

Reviews are greatly appreciated (: