Jane parked in front of her mother's house. "Who's that woman?" Angela asked not moving from her seat.

"What do you mean, who is she MA? I just introduced you to her, Doctor Isles she's a science teacher in the school." Jane obviously stated, and Angela threw her hand not accepting that answer.

"Well she seems more than just a teacher to you." she mumbled and she made her way out the car and closed the door.

Jane rolled her eyes at her mother and drove away. 'Is it that obvious that I like this woman?' she thought to herself, then shook her head to clear her mind. She drove back home silently listening to the Boston Red Sox opening night.

Jane parked her car right out front her apartment and walked up the stairs. Joe Friday was already at the door to greet her with loud barks and sneezes.

"Hey Joe, how was your day all cooped up in here?" She walked over to a cookie jar and pulled out a treat for her dog.

"You should come to practice with me tomorrow bud! All the girls would be excited to see you again. Plus you'll meet a very beautiful teacher too." Jane picked up Joe Friday and raised her to put her face to face.

"What do you think about that?" she continued to lick Jane's nose which caused her to laugh.

"I'll take that as a yes!" Jane giggled and walked to her room to get ready for bed.

Jane entered the school building after dismissal with Joe Friday walking by her side. She walked to the main office and all of the woman at the front desk started to woo over the dog.

"Is Joe Friday here to visit the softball players?" Donna asked opening her drawer.

"Yeah, I feel bad keeping her up in the apartment all day."

Jane watched as Donna pulled out a doggie treat and whistled to get Joe Friday's attention. She laughed when Joe excitedly ran over to the woman to take the treat. The younger italian had thanked her and started to walk back out when Donna called back out.

"Do not forget about Friday."

"What's Friday?"

"The faculty party at Angie's cafe." Jane groaned and threw her head back.

"Listen, I'm your mother's best friend. If it's not her nagging you, it's going to be me." Donna laughed when all Jane did was stick out her tongue and turned to leave when she walked into someone.

"Oh Jane it's you." Jane looked up to meet Maura's bright smile.

"Sorry Maur, I really should stop meeting you like this." she rubbed her neck and watched as Joe Friday started to run in circle around the honey blonde.

"Why hello" Maura bent down in her heels and started to pet Joe Friday.

"I was looking for you after dismissal, I thought you may have forgotten about me." Maura said slowly standing up from her squat position.

"Yeah, I mean no. I did not forget about you, I just drove to my apartment real quickly to pick up Joe Friday. Maybe she could exercise with the girls." Jane laughed.

"That's a good idea. Did you know just as humans dogs can become obese too. Between 20 to 40 percent of all dogs seen by veterinarians in the United States are considered overweight."

The italian stared at her in awe not even knowing to respond. Then Donna coughed very loudly which made Jane jerk out of her gaze.

"Right let's go out to the field, the girls should be just about ready." Jane opened the door for Maura with Joe Friday already following her. She glanced back at Donna who was slowly sipping her coffee, staring at her.

The girls started to do their 5 mile run while Jane opened up two park chairs for her and Maura. The blonde smiled and sat, taking out sunscreen and her big sun hat.

"Here Jane put some on."

"Nah it's okay. I'm fine."

"Jane, the sun is the leading cause of skin cancer and contributes to skin aging."

Maura still had her arm stretched out with the 50 spf bottle in her hand. Jane huffed and threw her head back.

"Ughhhh okay. But I'm going to need your help with my shoulders. They're really sore from boxing session." She pointed her finger and Maura just giggled and stood up. She took the bottle back from Jane and started to massage the lotion into her shoulders.

"Wow that feels so good."

"You're really tense Jane, you should go for a massage sometime."

"That sounds expensive. I don't want to spend anymore money that could be going to this team."

Maura only hummed in agreement and faced Jane, she started to rub in the protector all over her face. Then she was finished but didn't move her hand from Jane's face. She was so intrigued with this feeling the brunette caused her to have. They only broke apart when two of Jane's batters started yelling and laughing as they raced to be the first done.

"COACH YOU SAW ME CROSS FIRST RIGHT?!" Brittney said trying to catch her breath.

"Na-uh, I totally came in first." Veronica said trying to pull back her very short brown hair into a ponytail.

Both Jane and Maura laughed and then Jane said "C'mon girls, you know I could beat you two so it does not matter which of the the two of you won now."

Brittney pushed Jane at her remark. "Is that what you think coach?"

"It's what I know." The rest of the girls finished their running and started to crowd around Jane and Brittney.
" Want to bet on it?" Brittney grinned.

Maura's smile was so big as she watch the softball team interact with Jane.

"Alright, when I win you and the rest of the softball team will have to double all of the exercise for the rest of the week." Jane said fixing her sneakers.

"Okay when I win, you have to do all the exercises with us." All the girls started to cheer in agreement.

Brittney and Jane shook on and everyone walked to the start of the track. Maura stood at the other end with both of her hands out to see you gets there first. Veronica counted them off.

"3..2..1… GO!" Brittney went full speed ahead while Jane only jogged, and Maura tilted her head trying to figure out what Jane was up to.

Brittney started to slow her pace try and catch up with her breath as Jane caught up to her. "How's your breathing going?" Jane asked with her signature grin. Brittney didn't reply as she picked up her speed again and that's when Jane started to actually run.

Maura still had both her hands out as the two competitors were coming at her at full speed.

Just by a second Jane slapped her hand before Brittney. The whole team looked at Maura.

"Who won Dr.?" one of the girls called out.

"Coach Rizzoli did touch my hand first." Maura said with sympathy as all the girls sighed.

"Hey it was really a close call, but listen you do all the exercises full out today we'll have lunch at my mom's diner, on me!" Everyone cheered.

"Good race Britt, you're for sure the fastest on this team." Brittney tied her long blonde hair in a bun and lazily smiled her face still pink from the run.

Maura kept Joe Friday in her lap as she watched the rest of the practice, she had gotten a few texts from Jack but she had ignored them not wanting an argument to spoil her good time.

Practice was over and the whole team started to head to the cafe. Jane and Maura walked behind the group as Joe Friday was being held by Veronica at the front.

"Sorry we didn't really talk." Jane rubbed her neck.

"Don't be silly Jane, you're their coach. It's your job to put all of your attention towards them. I still had a nice time watching you."

Jane had caught what Maura had said and smirked. "Huh, you enjoy watching me."

Maura opened her mouth and closed it again. Realizing what she said and how it sounded. "Oh, I meant…" Jane opened the door for Maura cutting her off. "I heard what you said. No take backs." She winked and watched as Maura's face flushed.

The girls pushed all of the middle square tables together in the center of the cafe so they could all sit together. All them said their polite hello's to Angela before sitting down and looking at the menu. "Hey Janie, I'm so excited for this season. I love it when the team is here."

"Thanks Ma, I'll pay everything with a check today." Angela had nodded and looked over Jane's shoulder.

"Oh Maura! So glad to see you again!" She nudged Jane aside and gave Maura a huge hug. The honey blonde absolutely hated hugs but she was starting to make an exception to the Italian mother.

"It's nice to see you as well Mrs Rizzoli" Maura replied finally being able to catch her breath again. "Please, it's Angela sweetie." She corrected before giving a look to Jane which was unseen by Maura as she made her way back to the kitchen. The teachers sat together in their own booth.

"This is the booth we sat in last time." Maura thought aloud as she scooted in.

"Did you want to sit somewhere else?" Jane said already shuffling out the booth. "Don't be foolish Jane. I like this spot." she blushed and sat back down. Joe friday was in Veronica's lap starting to drift off to go to sleep.

"How long have you had Joe Friday?" Maura asked as her phone buzzed. She looked down at her phone and saw Jacks name, quickly ending the call facing the phone faced down on the table.

"Just about a year, Korsack gave her to me. He's a close family friend, more of an uncle to me. He said I needed a companion since I lived alone, but mostly because his wife wouldn't let him take in anymore strays." Jane laughed which caused Maura to smile. Her phone buzzed again vibrating the table which caused Jane's attention, she once again silenced it and put it back down.

The girls started to all laugh and Jane turned around to see Tommy trying to balance 6 plates of spaghetti. "Okay why do all of you girls insist on ordering the same thing." He asked slowly putting all the plates down before running back to the kitchen,

"I take it as your family really do like the girls." Maura said sipping on water.

"Yeah these girls are my very first team, started it four years ago. They've all been with me since their freshman year. We come here after almost every practice." Jane was very proud of her harding working team.

"Do you always pay the bill?"

"Yeah, sometimes this is their dinner. A lot of these girls go without a sufficient amount of week during the week, due to their low income families. Public school food isn't the best. The least I could do." Maura was in awe at Jane's commitment to the girls.

Maura went to private school all her life, and her family is very well off. She knew public schools where whole lot different but she never experienced it first hand. Working in a public high school has helped her learned how different everything is.

The phone buzzed again and Maura cursed silently.

"You know you could answer that." Jane said and Tommy came to take their order.

They placed it and Maura turned her phone off and threw it in her bag.

"It's Jack, I do not wish to speak to him right now. He's going to argue with me and I'm having a nice time."

"Why not, are you two okay?" Jane obviously knew the answer to her question but asked anyway. Maura took a deep breath in before answering.

"Last night we had a disagreement. I had gotten to my home late because we were here, and he was there waiting for me which I didn't know. He'd just assume I'd be home. Our anniversary had passed and we haven't celebrated yet. But I was so exhausted yesterday and he asked if he can come over today, I told him no. That I'd be spending my time with you and he left." Maura shrugged as if it didn't bother her at all. Jane raised her eyebrows and took a long sip of her coffee that Tommy just finished placing down. She was surprised that Maura a woman she only started to befriend a few days ago chose her over her relationship.

The softball team finished their dinner and all started to put on their jackets to leave. Jane and Maura did the same and when Angela came by with the check book Maura took it.

"Maur what are you doing?"

"Paying for the check." Maura obviously stated putting her credit card into the book making her way to the register. "Maur you don't need to do that." Jane said as she caught onto her wrist.

"Well I want to." She shook off her grasp and walked away. Jane then leaped forward and hugged Maura from behind. "Jane what are you doing?"

"Oh nothing just want that book!"

Jane reached for it and then Maura bent over and the girls caught the sight of the two teachers playfully wrestling over the check, they started to laugh and cheer. Angela heard the joyful noises and came out the kitchen. She witnessed Jane laughing and smiling genuine for the first time in a long time.

Jane started to tickle Maura which caused her to drop the book.

"Hey that's not fair!" she yelled in between her laughs. Jane jumped to the book then Maura tripped her but before she could celebrate her win Jane pulled her down with her causing everyone to laugh even more.

"ANGELA! Angela quick take my card." Maura snatched the check from Jane and threw it further away from them. She had Jane pinned to the floor holding her with all of her might. Yoga and Zumba really did help with her strength. Jane and everyone else were laughing so much that they didn't hear the bell to the door ring.

"Maura?" A deep voice caused the whole cafe to silence .

Maura was still on top of Jane her hair was in a loose ponytail with strands in front of her eyes. Then by the sound of a familiar voice made her look up.

"Jack?"