Disclaimer: The usual applies. Not mine.

Chapter Four

Maura returned to the morgue after her lunch with Jane, intrigued at the dark-haired detective's behavior during their time together. She intended to ask Jane about the scars on her palms but didn't get the chance. Once Maura sat back in her chair after dabbing out the small stain on Jane's shirt Jane found a reason to return to the precinct. Maura stayed at the restaurant, enjoying her soup and salad combo and puzzling over why Jane Rizzoli fled so quickly she nearly overturned a nearby table. If Jane was like her why did she act so flustered? Maura made a mental note to ask Laura about this when she went in for a reboot.

Jane practically ran back to the precinct, her takeout container dangerously close to spilling open. Jane didn't notice. She ran back to the bullpen, dropping her lunch on her desk and continuing on to the back bathroom. Once inside she locked the door behind her and gripped the edge of the sink while she stared in the mirror.

The woman staring back at her looked strange: wild hair every which way, wide eyes filled with terror, nostrils flaring from her run back to work. She knew she looked every bit of how she felt, a woman in danger of falling in love with a colleague.

"Damn, damn, damn. Get hold of yourself," Jane instructed. Instead the image in the mirror looked even more terrified, if possible. This can't happen, Jane told herself. I can't fall in love with Maura. She's a woman and she's out of my league. Jane cleared her mind of everything but all things Maura Isles. In their short time together Jane recognized class and Maura had it in spades. She probably grew up privileged. She isn't going to want a blue collar working class Italian detective who's also a woman.

Jane's panic wasn't new to her. She developed feelings for a robbery detective when they both ended up on the same joint task force a couple of years earlier. Jane didn't make a move but the other woman, Christina, did. Almost petrified to respond Jane finally started to relax and enjoy herself with Christina. The two spent a lot of time together outside of work and Jane toyed with the possibility of a real relationship with Christina. Until the morning Jane went to work early and found Christina parodying her to her robbery colleagues.

Jane was mortified. She fled the precinct, called in sick for the day and silently fumed and cried on her couch. She cleaned her apartment, did her laundry, and tossed anything that reminded her of Christina in the trash. Jane returned to work the following day resolved to get through it. Her resolve wasn't needed, however. She found out that Frost and Korsak truly had her back. Korsak chewed Christina out in front of the others when he heard what happened. Christina slunk back to robbery while she awaited a transfer. Jane never spoke of what happened to anyone.

Now the problem reared its ugly head once again. Jane Rizzoli was determined to not allow anyone in at least not anyone who had the potential to make her work life difficult. It's okay, I'll just make sure we have only a professional relationship. No drinks after work, no lunches together. Maura Isles and I will never be friends. Feeling calmer Jane put her hair in some semblance of a ponytail and returned to her desk.

Maura read the text from Laura and made a note in her calendar. She was due in the lab the following afternoon for her reboot. Laura explained to Maura that a reboot was necessary every couple of weeks to make sure all of her parts remained in good working order. As a top of the line model Maura understood how important these reboots were and resolved to take them seriously. Also she made a note to ask Laura about Jane. She dipped her head down to access her emotional needs module. Hmm, she thought as she brought her head back up, same sex relationships are not against policy. Maura went back to work, her thoughts on Jane Rizzoli.

"Is everything working okay, Maura? No short circuits, unnecessary reboots, or slowing of your circuits?" Laura asked. Maura was stretched out on an exam table, her shirt open while Laura accessed her panel.

"I haven't experienced any problems I'm aware of, Doctor. I'm not aware of losing any time that would indicate a reboot occurring without my knowledge."

Laura nodded in approval. "So far you seem to be in working order. How's work? Are you enjoying your duties?'

"Immensely. Being chief medical examiner for the city of Boston seems to mesh well with my personality. I enjoy helping the police catch bad guys and put them away. I'm extremely detail oriented and I've overheard talk that I'm better at my job than the previous examiner, a Dr. Cuthbert." Laura nodded again.

"We've been told the same. What about personally, Maura? Are you making friends or trying to fit in?"

"I seem to fit in professionally. I'm curious about this one detective, Jane Rizzoli. We went to lunch the other day but she suddenly ran out."

"Did she receive a call she needed to respond to?"

"No, I was not aware of her cell phone suddenly ringing. Nor did I detect a pattern of a text message being delivered."

"What were you talking about?"

"Nothing, really. Jane developed a small stain on her shirt front and I reached forward to dab at it for her. She was wearing a silk shirt-silk stains easily-and I didn't want her to lose the blouse. She looked wonderful in it, it really compliments her olive-toned skin. When I sat back Jane jumped up, almost knocked a nearby table over, and fled down the street."

Laura frowned. While Maura spoke she observed the doctor-Maura's eyes lit when she spoke of Jane. Could she be developing feelings for the detective? Laura wondered. Cyborgs didn't usually mate and while Laura was not adverse to Maura having an emotional relationship with another person this was unknown territory. Laura feared for Maura in the respect that a human could not possibly understand a cyborg.

"Are you attracted to Jane, Maura?" Laura asked gently. Maura looked puzzled for a moment then dipped her head down to further access her emotional stability module.

"Oh, I see what you mean. Maybe. I don't really know. I would like to get to know Jane better first, but I'm not ready to sleep with her."

"That's good. Most humans want to get to know each other before they become physically intimate. But does Jane have feelings for you?"

"I suspect she does. She looked down my blouse while I was rubbing the stain off hers. Doesn't that usually indicate a human's desire?" Laura wanted to laugh for a moment. Maura sounded like a doctor, at least, with a clinical detachment to emotional issues normally reserved for clinical studies.

"Maybe, but wait a while, Maura, before you say or do anything. Maybe try to be friends with Jane first. Then see how she acts."

"Bummer. I was hoping to get to see more of her body, she's gorgeous." Laura sighed.

"Lie down for a moment, Maura. I want to check something in your modules. I suspect I may have allowed a little more of my brother Sammy's influence in than I intended." Laura put Maura under and accessed her panel. Accessing the language and emotion modules Laura tapped in a few new commands. After a few moments of tinkering Laura closed Maura's panel.

"Are you my mother?" Maura asked as she opened her eyes. Laura sighed once again. She made a note in Maura's file to check the programming. Laura was grateful that Maura's friendship with Jane Rizzoli, if that's all it was, was in the beginning stages. She didn't look forward to receiving an irate call from Lt. Cavanaugh informing her that his chief medical examiner was running around asking female detectives if they were her mother.

Maura checked her messages as she left the lab. An urgent one from Jane had been left fifteen minutes earlier. A body had been found in the woods. Jane left her detailed directions and Maura found the site quickly. She grabbed her bag and gave her ID to the officer in charge of maintaining the crime scene personnel.

"Dr. Isles, glad you're here," Jane said in a formal tone of voice. "We've been inspecting the area around the body but he hasn't been touched. We left everything as it was."

"Thank you, Detective. I appreciate your professionalism."

"No problem. Are you okay? One of the uniforms mentioned you had a doctor's appointment this afternoon," Jane regretted the comment as soon as it was out of her mouth. On the drive to the crime scene she coached herself to remain detached where Dr. Isles was concerned and here she was asking the m.e. a personal question.

Maura looked up and smiled. "Just a checkup but thanks for asking." Maura started her preliminary examination of the body. "Twenty-five to thirty year old male, in good shape, possibly an athlete, with few external marks on the exposed portion of his body, I'm probably not going to have a cause of death until the toxicology reports are back."

"No signs of any trauma at all, Maura?" Jane winced as she spoke Maura's first name.

"No, none visible to the naked eye, Jane. Let me get him back to the morgue and I can get a more detailed examination done before I start the autopsy."

"Thanks, Maura," Jane said. She turned back to Frost. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing, Frost?" she asked in a low voice. The whole time she'd been around the body she noted a younger man on the edge of the crowd, seemingly nervous.

"The guy in the blue hoodie?" Frost asked. Jane lowered her eyes to not attract the man's attention.

"Yeah. Think we should have a chat with him?"

"Seems warranted. I'll saunter over so I'm behind him when you approach. Maybe we can keep him from running."

Maura watched the two detectives coordinate their strategy while she made notes. Frost moved away from them, acting like he was looking for evidence on the ground. He kept the man in his peripheral vision, as did Jane. As Frost moved into place Jane looked up and made eye contact. The man hesitated for a split second and then ran. Frost moved to tackle him but the man strong-armed Frost and dropped the detective to the ground. Jane gave chase.

Maura watched as Frost got up and began to give chase. She saw the suspect take an end run around the large oak tree toward the entrance to the woods but saw Jane go in the opposite direction. Fearing Jane would lose her suspect Maura sprang into action. Motioning to her lab assistant to supervise the removal of the victim Maura straightened up and checked her bag.

"I'm going to my car for a moment, take care of our victim will you? Don't crack him, lay him on his side. I'll see you back at the precinct."

"Yes, Dr. Isles." Maura walked sedately around a large clump of bushes. Looking around she saw no one watching her. Thrusting her palms out two cables spun out. She hooked both cables on the top of the tallest tree. Maura jumped onto the trunk of the one tree and used the cables to pull herself up.

Once in the top of the tree she looked out for the suspect. She watched him as he started to enter the last clearing before reaching the parking lot. Jane and Frost were nowhere to be seen. Calculating the distance Maura began to swing from the tree and landed on the back of the suspect. He'd slowed up, trying to blend in when he didn't see anyone around him. The woman on his back took him by surprise. Unable to overcome his shock quickly enough Maura had him on his stomach and pulled the man's hands behind his back, just as if she were handcuffing him.

"Jane!" Maura called out. She retracted the cables before the detective answered.

"Maura, are you all right?" Jane asked as she saw Maura sitting on the suspect's back.

"I was heading for my car, to return to the precinct and I saw your suspect. He tried to grab me, Jane. I was so scared."

Jane moved quickly to handcuff the suspect. Frost ran over and led the suspect to a uniform and a cruiser. Jane turned and pulled Maura into her arms.

"It's okay, Maura, you'll be fine," she soothed the medical examiner. Damn she feels good in my arms, Jane thought.

This is a lovely feeling, Maura thought. I wonder what it's called?

TBC