"She really is something to look at, isn't she?"

Maura swivels, her drink sloshing in her throat. She finds Ian's eyes, her own eyes filled with panic, though she attempts an ignorant tone as she speaks, "Excuse me?"

"Oh come on, Maura," he drapes his arm lazily around her shoulder. They're in the basement of the frat, a scene that has become surprisingly familiar. "This isn't the first time I've caught you staring."

She quickly takes another sip of her rum and coke, giving herself a moment to formulate a response, though she's left with nothing but a guilty expression. There's no point in being subtle now; she darts her eyes back to Dell, whose toned midriff is exposed as she lifts her arms, dancing gorgeously by a group of eager boys. Dell likes any kind of attention, Maura has decided, which is why Maura is sometimes so frustratingly invisible though other times quite the opposite. Dell glances up at one of the boys through her dark lashes, very lightly licking her lips. Maura's stomach flops, landing rather painfully.

"Like I said," Ian tugs her back into the moment. "Definitely something to look at."

Maura sighs, leaning dejectedly against Ian's arm. "Sometimes I wish she weren't."

Ian tips a hefty portion of his drink into her glass, offering her a supportive, yet sad smile.

She turns back toward Dell, who has left her flock of boys for a greater prize. Archie leans up against the banister of the staircase, so unintentionally charming, and Dell latches herself onto him immediately. For being an alum, he has been spending an aggravating amount of time here.

"I thought they weren't together anymore." Maura tries not to sound so wounded, but the ache in her words seeps though.

"They've always been so on and off," Ian tells her, following her eyes over to the pair. He gives her arm a squeeze, a small comfort, and she's glad he doesn't press the topic. "It's just how she is."

With Dell, it's nothing but a series of indefinites. Maura bitterly reminds herself that Dell owes her nothing.

XXX

"Sorry about the mess," Jane bulldozes a pile of old food wrappers and crumpled papers to the back seat of her car.

Maura is much too excited to fret over the state of Jane's car. She buzzing with a strange energy as Jane starts the engine, and she tries not to wiggle in her seat as Jane turns on the radio, giving it a good slap before it starts working.

"Sorry," Jane mumbles. "This car is a piece of shit."

"Stop apologizing," Maura answers her. "You're starting to sound like me."

The comment leaves Jane grinning as she begins to hum along with the radio, a song which Maura vaguely identifies as Springsteen. Her humming is low and throaty, as appealing as every new thing Maura learns about her.

"Sorry," Jane mutters when she catches Maura staring. "Ma instilled me with a love for the oldies - I should ask what you'd like to listen to, though."

"Oh, this is fine," Maura assures her.

"But, really, what kind of music do you like - you know, for future reference?" Jane diverts her eyes from the road for a moment to find Maura's eyes.

"Classical. Especially Tchaikovsky and Bach."

"Should have known."

A moment of hesitation. She hates being made the fool. "Is that meant to be derogatory?"

"No, it suits you. I like it." Jane smiles, darting her eyes away from the road again. Maura's glad that Jane is driving. It means she doesn't have to look away.

Their voices fade, and they're left with the gentle drone of the radio.

"Thank you for helping me obtain my test results earlier," Maura speaks after a moment, then continues a bit timidly, "Is that a tactic you've used before?" She pauses, but only very briefly. "Susie told me," she adds quickly, "that you used to work in homicide."

"Yeah, I learned how to get my way with Susie pretty well," Jane laughs a bit. "She's loyal - it's just unfortunate that she's latched on to Pike of all people. But yeah, sorry I didn't tell you myself, about being in homicide." Maura notices her gripping the wheel a little more tightly. Her profile glows lightly in the sunset, accentuating her furrowed brow. "I meant to, but it's not exactly a lighthearted conversation, so I never really knew how to bring it up. I'm assuming Susie told you what happened?"

"Very briefly." Maura hopes she hasn't crossed a line.

"Yeah, I mean, you don't wanna know the gory details or anything, but it was rough, you know? So Cavanaugh's having me do some time in drugs for time being, til I'm completely cleared," Jane finishes. Maura notices her looking at the knotted scars on her hands.

Jane sighs. Maura chews on her lip. "So, would you care to culture me in the world of classic rock?" Maura nods toward the radio.

"Me, teach the brilliant Maura Isles something? I never thought such a day would come|"

Everything is momentarily perfect.

XXX

"Is this the place?" Jane asks as they pull into a gravelly parking lot.

"It would appear so," Maura answers as she glances down at her phone's GPS.

Jane stops the car. They're engulfed in silence. Jane seat-belt clicks as she unhinges it. "Well, let's do this."

Maura wishes she had another pair of shoes to wear as she teeters behind Jane in her heels, carefully wading through the gravel. "Where do you think we should look?" Jane hisses, stopping to survey the large factory.

Maura is not used to being in charge. She hesitates, glancing around the area. "Let's try the back." It only seems logical that their victim would have tried a less conspicuous entrance if their suspicions are correct.

Jane nods, continuing to lead the way, until they have reached the back. Their eyes simultaneously land on a gated doorway, with a thick vine of a leafy plant weaving through the rusty barbed wire.

"Is this your honey suckle?" Jane points her finger just centimeters from the plant.

Maura nods, easily identifying the plant. She pulls a pair of gloves out of her purse, placing a small sample into an airtight bag. Her heart races wildly, from pride and excitement, and just a tiny bit of anticipation.

She notices Jane examining the flaking barbed wire. Jane looks up, finding her eyes. "Do you think we should take a sample of this? I'd wager that our victim was trying to climb up this fence to get into the factory when she cut her shoulder. Did you find any rust in the wound?"

Maura nods. "Yes, there were traces of rust. I could see if they match." She touches the jagged wire lightly with her gloved fingers.

"Here," Jane pulls out her pocket knife. Jane holds the bag open as Maura shaves off a sample of flakes.

"Well," Jane mutters, placing her hand on her hips. It's nearly dark now. "Is that it?"

"For now. We cannot make any further conclusions until we get these results back."

"Ready to be the office heroes tomorrow?" Jane's walking taller than usual, her stride confident and unbearably sexy.

"Hopefully we will be viewed in that light," Maura sighs a bit nervously.

"You worry too much." Jane waves her off, the pair sliding into the car. "Korsak is gonna be over the moon when he finds out he doesn't have to drive all the way to the Berkshires." She begins to back up; The car lurches terribly. "What the-" Jane stops the car.

"I believe you have a -" but Maura doesn't get to finish, because Jane has already stepped out of the car, an influx of profanities spilling from her lips.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCKKKK!" she moans, and Maura quickly joins her, her heels nearly catching on the gravel as she confirms her suspicion. A big, rusty nail protrudes out of the front wheel as it sags against the ground. Jane leans up against the car, swearing a couple more times.

"Do you have a spare?" Maura asks a bit meekly, once Jane has paused for a breath.

"No," she groans. "I used it a few years ago and never replaced it."

"I'll call for a tow then," Maura offers, and Jane lets out a defeated sigh, nodding morosely. She hangs up after directing the truck, leaning up against the car beside Jane.

"I'm really sorry," Jane apologizes, raking her fingers through her hair.

"Don't be," Maura assures her. "This is the most fun I've had in ages,"

"Yeah?" Jane perks up considerably.

"Truly. I'm quite incapable of telling a lie."

Jane laughs. "Really? Wait, never mind. That would make that statement contradictory. Well, you know I'm going to use that information to my advantage now." She wiggles her eyebrows. Maura scrunches her nose.

The tow truck arrives, dumping them at a tiny little auto shop just as the sun dips beneath the horizon.

"Well, we're closed up for the night, but I can get you in first thing in the morning," the owner informs them, his dark hair slicked back. He wipes his hands on his pants, giving the hood of the car a pat. "But you, sweet cheeks, let me know if there's anything Giovanni can get you tonight." He clicks his tongue, winking in Maura's direction.

"Oh, well-" Maura starts. She glances quickly toward Jane, whose eyes have become dangerously black.

"Aaaand we're leaving," Jane ushers Maura promptly from the premises, glaring quite heinously in Giovanni's direction. "Fuck him," Jane hisses, stepping out to the edge of the road, glancing around quite helplessly,

Maura touches her arm gently, surprised by her outburst, though the unexpected display of protection leaves her feeling warm. She doesn't mention to Jane that this type of attention is not foreign to her. She waits for Jane to gulp in a few breaths of air, pointing to a sign a few yards away, "There's a Bed and Breakfast about a mile from here."

"Those places are so creepy." Jane kicks a rock into the road.

"Well, unless you'd like me to go ask Giovanni for a ride elsewhere, it appears to be our only option." She glances down the dark road.

"Better start walking then," Jane grumbles, but then smiles meekly, pressing her hand gently, yet still quite protectively, against the small of Maura's back.

A/N: I just want to thank you guys for your feedback and let you know that I love hearing what you think. Every single bit of feedback means so much to me and really inspires me to keep writing :)