A/N: So, I humbly give you another chapter- I hope you'll like it- let me know! Thanks for the reviews. In answer to the question (and honoured that my Italian still passes)- I have been to Venice several times, Italy generally is one of my favourite destinations- it is such a wonderful country. To keep it 'authentic' I choose places I know throughout the story. - As always: Rizzoli & Isles belongs to TNT and Tess Gerritson...I own nothing, just love them!

Real love is the love that sometimes arises after sensual pleasure: if it does, it is immortal; the other kind inevitably goes stale, for it lies in mere fantasy.

Giacomo Casanova

Day 7, 06:55 GMT+1, Venice, Danieli Hotel, Riva degli Schiavoni

"Jane, Jane" Maura hushed. "Wake up!" No reaction from the brunette lying next to her. It was such a peaceful sight and she really didn't want to disturb it, but she had to. She needed her to wake up. Carefully she brushed a brown curl from her face. Oh my god was this woman gorgeous. Her features were precisely outlined on olive skin as if she had been sculpted by one of the grand masters. Maura sighed. The sight was too perfect. The considerably messy curls, which made them more charming, were contrasting the white linen, as was the flawless tanned skin. Jane was a fidgety sleeper and her body was only partly covered. She could stare at her for hours, but she really had to wake her up. All the talking had been useless, so she tried to gently tap her shoulder. Nothing. The doctor's next attempt was conducted with considerably more force. Zero reaction. Maura knew that Jane was always a very deep sleeper, but she became uneasy. Out of habit she moved closer over her friend and inspected her neck, seeing her carotid artery doing its task.

The brunette had not moved or responded in any way, but her now slightly parted lips caught Maura's eye. Mhmm. No she couldn't, could she? Considering it, it was not such a bad idea. The ME had always wondered how it would feel to touch them. Her fingers had established that Jane's lips where incredibly soft the day before. The stupid gangway- she was not ready to condone her high heels- had made her fall and impeded the longed meeting of their labia oris. Mhmm, this was really tempting and if she thought of it, had no consequences. The brunette was known to be particularly dizzy in her awakening phase, so she would never remember what had awoken her. And if, in the rare occasion that she recollected and inquired, her memory would be so blurry, that Maura could blame sleep inertia. Then again, lying was not her strong suit. Difficult. The odds for her recalling the first seconds of her wake phase were low, very low. And if, then it was most likely that Jane would not dare to approach the topic for it would be too upfront. Yes, weighing the slight possibility of a negative outcome against the highly pleasurable, highly alluring satisfaction of her curiosity, turned out in her appetites favour.

Maura wet her lips and slowly bent over her friend. She could feel her breath on her face. Steady, calm. Then she did it, she narrowed and let their lips touch. It was a gentle and airy contact, but it triggered a sensation in Maura's body that was tremendously unsettlingly pleasurable. She nearly forgot her intention to pull back immediately to disrupt any suspicion. Wow. That was a really bad idea Dr. Isles. She wanted more. She wanted to kiss her fully. She wanted to taste her. She wanted more of Jane.

"Huh?" Jane came to life. "Maur', sleep. I want to sleep."

It had worked. The women next to her had come out of her dreams.

"Jane, good morning. You have to wake up. We're late. If you still want to see the Palazzo Ducale, we have to get ready. Come on, it is really worth it! " Maura answered as cheerfully and as composed as she was able to manage. Oh oh oh, she still felt Jane on her lips and had to fight every nerve and muscle in her body that was telling her to pull back into a real kiss.

"Maur, you were a banana republic dictator in your past life…I am sure." a sleepy Jane mumbled, leaving the doctor certain, that her little detour had not been taken note of.

Day 7, 14:43 GMT+1, Venice, Palazzo Ducale, court yard.

They had taken the tour through the palace of the doge and Maura had had enough opportunity to distract herself from what had happened in the morning. There were splendid works of art and architecture, historic facts and stories that she was more than eager to share with Jane to get her mind back on track. They had listened to the audio guide twice, which turned to the doctor complaining that the information provided was either insufficient or disputable and engaging in further elaborations.

"Not shabby how this doge lived, it's nice, but the outside is a little much pinkish for my taste" Jane stated.

"You mean the façade? What you are referring to are the diamond-patterned ornaments made of white and reddish limestone. It's characteristic for the Venetian Gothic style, and this is its masterpiece. One aimed to show power and it's a representation of the Venetian self-projection. Pink or red is not always associated with loveliness and peace. On the loggia you have two adjacent rosy marble columns, which served as the location where death sentences where proclaimed." the blonde illuminated.

"Geez, Maur, always you and the dead. Maybe you could ask if they had an autopsy room here as well?" the brunette teased.

She felt it was easier to banter with her friend, then to think of what might have happened yesterday. Something was really off, and she was torn between being relieved that they did not kiss the night before - considering she could not just kiss her best friend, whatever urges she had - and the desire to give into what was haunting her since she had set foot on Europe. Filthy Europe. She hated how she couldn't trust herself and especially her thoughts. Today had started rather weird as well; unbelievable as it was, but she had had this delirious sentiment that Maura had given her a good morning kiss. Jane Rizzoli had gone baloney.

"Remarkably Venice is known to have a long tradition of interest in autopsy. In the sixteenth century two anatomical theatres were installed where public dissections could be witnessed, disputed and even music was played in the background."

"Gross. Change of subject, please." The brunette begged, instantly regretting her reference to Maura's profession.

The blonde obeyed and swiftly moved across the courtyard, signing Jane to follow. The brunette's attention was yet again on Maura in motion, her wonderful curves teasingly displayed. In the morning she had gladly noticed that the doctor picked some jeans out of her bag, sure they were not as distracting as her other attire. She was so wrong. Those skin-tight Armanis were rolled up at the ankles that slid into Louboutins. The thin blue and white stripped blazer played around in a perfect fit. It was not long enough to rescue Jane by covering the accentuated well formed behind. This woman. Woman, as in female Jane, right, don't go there.

The detective tried to concentrate on what Maura was showing and explaining. Her efforts seemed not satisfactory to the ME:

"Jane, I did ask you something?"

"Uhm, sorry I was taken aback by the beauty." she conjured an excuse.

"Well, then again, who could these two gentlemen be? To help you, we're in Venice and we're standing at the bottom of the Scala dei Giganti?"

"Dunno, maybe two giants?" she mustered and Maura seemed pleased. Her smile was more than rewarding for her not so brilliant answer.

"Exactly. To be precise: At the top of the staircase, you see Mars on the left, with his shield, who is known as the god of war. Neptune's to the right, god of water and the sea. He's easily recognizable by his long hair and beard, often also depicted with a trident. They are enormously big statues, referring to the power over land and sea, which Venice proclaimed her own."

"Wow, they are huge. And really I think it's fascinating how you can read everything by knowing the clues. Just like being a detective." Jane grinned.

Maura turned to her and beamed. "You are so right Jane. It is always about knowing the clues, and then you'll get to the bottom of the facts. In your profession, in mine, in art…" the ME stopped talking and walked close to her friend. Her voice changed the timbre and she hinted: "You know what else you and those giants have in common?"

The blonde settled herself facing Jane and placed her hands on her friend's hips. The green eyes stared at the taller women's and the brunette could make out a sparkle in them that she learned to be dangerous. All she could do, more or less paralyzed by the sensation of the well-manicured hands on her hips, was to raise an eyebrow.

"I will show you." the smaller women disclosed and skilfully rolled up Jane's t-shirt, revealing her abdomen. Then she let her fingers slide along the perfectly formed abdominal muscles and pointed out their names one after the other.

"Your rectus abdominis….pyramidalis…obliquus externus abdominis…traversus…."

Jane was not sure if she was going to faint right on the spot. Her skin burned under every touch and she shivered. Her mind went blank. All she could sense was Maura on her. Soft, light, tempting, teasing.

Out of a reflex she grabbed the doctor at her upper arms and pushed her away.

"What?" the seductively looking blonde mouthed.

Jane followed her first impulse and straightened her t-shirt down. Then she managed to vocalize: "I can't believe you woman. You are publicly undressing me."

Maura bit her lip, tilted her head and smiled enthrallingly. "I was merely trying to make a scientific point and tell you that Antonio Rizzo must have sculptured his giants after a well-defined model like yourself."

She turned on her heel, grabbed a startled Jane's hand and announced: "Come on I'll show you how Casanova escaped."

A/N: Please leave a review! Jane has had it now…in the next chapter she'll get to the bottom of it and… ;)