Korsak hadn't felt this bad since his younger days when he was known to put away a bottle a night, sometimes mere hours between his unresponsive slumber and punching his time card. He realized why his first wife had left him pretty good.

He tried sipping water to calm his stomach, only making it worse. His head swam a bit. He closed his eyes and took in deep, relaxing breaths, berating himself yet again for drinking a whole bottle of whiskey. Cavanaugh wasn't in yet. No one was in that mattered, really.

That's when he heard the familiar morning rumble that was coming into the bullpen. Keeping his eyes closed, he heard Jane and Frost's banter on top of the crinkling of take-out food bags, the squeak of Styrofoam coffee cups and Maura's voice throw in a few "Jane's" around that enigmatic smile he had rarely seen her use for anyone else. She had a smile for others, yes, but it was nothing like the smile she had for Jane.

He felt ten times worse.

He opened his eyes to Jane handing out breakfast sandwiches and coffees. His stomach rumbled then turned to nausea, yet he smiled and thanked her for his meal. Maura watched him as he fiddled with his sandwich.

"Sergeant, your color seems to be a bit off this morning." She remarked, watching his brow moisten. "Are you feeling nauseous?"

Korsak smiled a bit, "Yeah, I guess I am, Doc. Drank a little too much last night." His cheeks tinted faintly as Jane reached into her desk. She came up with a bottle and tossed it to him.

"Here, boss," She said, "Drink half of this. You'll be good as new in like five minutes."

Korsak read the bottle, "Huh, who knew?" He upended the small bottle and drank, screwed the lid back on and said, "The bubble gum flavor doesn't go down that well, but we'll see."

Jane laughed, unwrapping her sandwich, "Yeah, I learned that pretty early. Now I just buy the clear one." She took a bite. The doctor looked between the detective and her boss.

"Jane?" She asked, "What did you give him? I know for a fact that there is no cure for a hangover. In fact, science shows that-"

"Maura," Jane cut her off, "It's just kid's Benadryl. Relax."

Frost piped in, "Really? That works?"

Maura stopped unwrapping her sandwich and cast her mutely exasperated look toward Jane who was busy eating her sandwich. "Jane, Diphenhydramine is not marketed for hangover relief and when I suggested you try a Benadryl to ease the motion sickness you were experiencing, I did not intend that you keep stock of it to cure a hangover. "

"Oooh, your "fun facts" were used for evil, Doctor." Jane joked, "Now they must be destroyed."

Frost grinned then noticed something that didn't seem right.

"Hey, Janie, is that the Doc's sandwich your eating?" He asked, "Cause no way I've ever see you eat spinach and tomatoes." Jane tried to think of something. She was hoping that no one noticed the contents of her sandwich, being focused on Korsak and his hangover.

Maura smiled and held up her own, "When we stop by Miguel's on the way in, I insist that Jane eat a whole grain egg white vegetable omelet sandwich. So she does. She could benefit from more fiber and vitamin A in her diet."

"Geeze, MA!" Jane spat out, "Stop talking about fiber! No one talks about fiber!"

"Jane," Maura said, "I talk about fiber. I am a doctor, after all."

"Good, then why don't you wear you scrubs or something when we are at the store and you are hounding me about vegetables and fiber so that everyone listening knows you are a doctor, and not someone obsessed about how much I poop a day." She deliberately didn't say shit.

The room broke up in laughter. Korsak, feeling better began to open his sandwich and caught Cavanaugh in the corner of his eye, chuckling along with everyone else. He locked eyes with his boss and took a huge bite of his sandwich. Smiled.

"Feeling better, Korsak?" Jane shot over his way as Cavanaugh retreated into his office. Korsak took another bite and turned his smile over to his former partner. "Better than good, Janie. That trick sure did work." To Maura, "Thanks, Doc. I'll repay that favor for promising not to drink so much again."

Somewhat satisfied, Maura bit into her own sandwich.

Thirteen hours later, Maura stirred white wine into Arborio rice and glanced into the oven at her short ribs. Before she left for work that morning, she had prepped the mis en place and gotten the ribs into the oven before Jane had shown up to take her to work.

She took a sip of the crisp Savoughn Blanc she had chilled for the dinner she was working on, mindful of the time. She had offered dinner to the detective earlier that day, and she knew that Jane would show up hungry for food and thirsty for beer. As much as this behavior was a put off in men, Maura found it endearing in Jane.

Ladling chicken stock into the drying rice, Maura stirred and stirred. She knew from her upbringing and countless plates of risotto, stirring constantly in the first quart of stock was essential to produce a creamy, starchy risotto. Her plan was to finish the dish with a good chunk of grated Grana, fresh English peas and as much Irish butter she would allow herself.

The doorbell rang. Maura wiped her hands on her apron and padded in bare feet across her living room's hard wood floor to the door.

"Jane," She smiled as the detective smiled back at her. Without shoes, Maura felt like an elf in front of her friend. "Come in."

Jane made her way into the house, shedding her jacket. "Whatever you are cooking smells great." She said, following the doctor into the kitchen. Maura handed the detective a beer and went back to ladling and stirring.

"Risotto." She said, taking a sip of her wine.

Jane smiled again. "I totally love risotto. The only thing I love more than risotto are Ma's short ribs." She leaned against the counter and watched Maura stir.

"Well, then you are in luck," Maura said, "Because I've got your Ma's short ribs in the oven."

Jane's smile widened. "You really are the best, Maura."

Maura matched her smile. "I know, Jane."