As a precaution I just want to mention the very end of this chapter that there is a fight breaking out between two people. I only mention it because I do not want to upset anyone with it. The scene is brief but will be continued in chapter 7 for a short bit.

I hope that it doesn't take away from the story at hand. This chapter was finished fairly quickly. I just started writing today and couldn't stop. I'm proud of it. Things are starting to pick up, things are starting to clear up and things are really starting to come to light.

I just hope you don't mind being treated to a second chapter update so soon. Thank you for reading and being so patient with me, please review and as always enjoy.

Chapter 6

Beautiful. Gorgeous. Stunning. Perfect. If Jane had to pick a word to describe the woman beneath her it would be perfect. Jane lightly kissed the blonde's neck trailing her way to the blonde's jaw. Jane loved the way the woman reacted to her touch. The sounds that escaped the blonde only added to Jane's desire. Jane leaned down to whisper in the blonde's ear.

"Do you have any idea how you make me feel? What you do to me?"

A strong arm around Jane's shoulder pulled her down into a heated kiss. A tongue brushed her lips requesting entrance. Jane gave the woman what she wanted. Surrendering her control for the moment.

But just as quickly as the kiss had started it ended. Jane waited, knowing the blonde wanted to lead. And lead she did. With little effort the blonde reversed their positions so she was now straddling Jane waist. She leaned down and took Jane's earlobe between her teeth. The action earned her a moan of approval.

"The same way you make me feel Jane." She breathed into her lover's ear. She took Jane's hand and directed it between them.

Both of them moaned in response. Jane wanted to take it slow, make it last. But she didn't think she had the control necessary to slowly take the woman on top of her. She didn't think the blonde could hold out either. Everything up to this moment had been unrestrained and feverish. Jane wanted to hear the blonde cry out for her when she came.

"I want you Maura…"

"You have me." Maura pushed her hips forward to grind against Jane's hand. "Now take me."

Jane jerked up in her bed, panting heavily. Her sheets were bunched up in a tangled mess around her and her sleep wear was soiled with sweat. She pressed her hand to her chest and tried to slow her breathing. Her heart was pounding out of her chest. She felt like it might explode.

"Christ…"

The alarm next to her bed was screaming at her. It hadn't registered at first but now it was painfully clear. Five seconds later the alarm slammed against her bed room wall and fell silent. The frustration from waking up from such a vivid dream having been enough for Jane to lash out. Sex dreams were not an unusual for the detective. But sex dreams about her best friend? Those bothered her. It wasn't right. There was a line that you just didn't cross with coworkers. Jane had learned that after multiple failed relationships with men she worked with. And Emily don't forget about Emily.

"Can we just not go there please?"

Jane dropped her head. She was beginning to answer herself. This is the kind of thing that will get you a psych eval. She just needed to stop thinking about everything. Take a minute and clear her mind.

She swung her legs off the side of her bed. With her clock now in a dozen pieces she checked her phone for the time. 6:00AM. She had an hour before she had to leave for work.

It had been a couple days since Maura had joined Jane at the batting cages and told her about Alex's broken arm. Since then Nina had been going over every bit of security footage again, looking for something she had missed. Korsak was following up with people who worked with Grace Harper. They had always gotten the same story; everyone loved Grace.

Jane found a clean towel and headed towards the shower. She needed a cold shock to her system to at least get rid of some of the discomfort between her legs.

XXXXX

Electronics were not Jane's best friend that day. First she had destroyed her alarm clock, then her microwave refused to work, the security scanners at the store had gone off when she had walked through and now the elevator was moving as slowly as possible. She impatiently pressed the call button again trying to will it to move faster. She was now running late because she had thought she could swing by the store and buy a new clock before heading into work. It was clear that she had been very wrong.

Finally, the elevator doors slid open in front of her. Jane hit the button for the fifth floor followed by a frantic pressing of the close door. The last thing she wanted was some chatty rookie joining her in the claustrophobic metal container. She looked down with a sigh. The warmth of a cup of fresh coffee was painfully absent. When Jane missed her morning coffee she could be extremely difficult to work with.

As she made her way to her desk Jane noticed Korsak with his reading glasses on reading a report. He glanced up, noticed his partner was without her morning coffee, and went back to reading. They had worked together long enough to know each other's habits. Korsak would wait until Jane was seated at her desk and looking at him expectantly.

"Long morning?"

Jane rubbed her eyes as she nodded towards her partner. "I had to run to the store to buy a new alarm clock. I didn't think it would take as long as it did." She leaned back in her chair to pick up a file sitting on her desk. It wasn't anything about the case. Jane just needed something to flip through while she waited for any briefing Korsak may have.

"Why did you need to get a new clock?"

"Mine had an unfortunate meeting with the wall." Jane dropped the file back on her desk with the others. At least one good thing had happened, DNA for another case she had been working on came back with a positive match. They'd be able to put one killer away for what he'd done. "So ignoring the fact I haven't had any caffeine this morning, have you found anything?"

"Nothing useful from any of Grace Harper's co-workers. A few of them remembered meeting Alexis Eldsfield but all they could tell me was that Alexis seemed friendly enough." Korsak had already relayed all the information he had gathered the day before but he didn't mind going over it again.

"What about Nina?"

"Same, nothing from the camera at the crime scene that stood out. She's working on collaborating Alexis' story that she'd been out walking her dog but so far nothing. We're looking at an eight block radius from the crime scene to Alexis' apartment. There's a lot of ground to cover and not many eyes to do it with."

Jane glimpsed over towards BRIC where Nina Holiday was already watching more security footage. There were hours of it to go through and even with three techs and Nina watching through it all it would take days to watch it all. Unless, of course, they found something. Alex walking her dog like she said, the killer walking away from the scene, someone following Grace from the 21st Amendment to the place she died. Any of those things would get the ball moving again.

Their warrant for Alexis' DNA still hadn't come through. Apparently it was less of the judge's fault and more the incompetent prosecutor assigned to the case. Jane hated lawyers just as much as she hated doctors (the ones that worked on live people) lawyers just complicated things. Recently they prosecutors that came through her department were either fresh out of school, experienced but incompetent, or extremely good but demanded somewhere else.

"Did we ever get the name of Alexis' girlfriend? The one she said left the bruises on her abdomen?"

Korsak shuffled through some of the papers spread out on his desk before he found what he was looking for. He glanced over it then got up to hand it to Jane. "Marian Wright. She's a history professor over a BSU. Lived in Boston all her life, graduated from UNC, she has a younger sister who lives in Columbus. Nothing more than a speeding ticket on her records." Everything Korsak was saying Jane also read on the paper he'd handed to her. Why would someone like this wind up with someone like Alexis? Jane wondered.

"Maybe we should pay her a visit? Maybe she could shed some light on what kind of person Alexis really is."

"It's worth a shot."

"Let's go. If we're lucky we might be able to catch her at lunch."

XXXXX

Alex handed the drink in her hand to Marian, who took it with a grateful smile. She had been surprised when Alex had called and asked to meet her for lunch. It wasn't an unusual occurrence. Even with their arrangement to keep things casual outside the bedroom they often found themselves meeting up to go for dinner or to a movie. Marian hadn't been looking for anything serious and neither had Alex which was why their relationship worked so well.

For this particular lunch date, they had met up at a small diner not far from the BSU campus. There were a few students scattered throughout the building, but it was fairly slow for this time of day. Which Marian appreciated.

"So Alex why the sudden lunch date?"

"Is that what you're calling it?" Alex grinned. "I didn't think you and I had 'dates'"

"What else would you call it?" Marian asked, returning a smile.

"Friends getting lunch?"

"Oh so we're friends now?"

"Haven't we always been?"

It was true that even though their relationship had started out as nothing more than a physical one after a while they'd become friends. Marian knew about Alex's other partners and Alex knew about hers. Neither of them met those partners outside of a quick fuck and maybe a night at one of the lesbian bars they frequented.

"So is there a reason you wanted to meet me for lunch?" Marian asked glancing towards the kitchen to see if their food was being prepared.

When Alex didn't answer her immediately Marian turned her attention back to her friend. Alex's smile had been replaced by a small grimace. During the time Marian had gotten to know Alex she had learned that there was a lot that Alex didn't tell her. Alex was under no obligation to Marian everything about herself. She only ever grazed the surface when talking about her past. But right now Marian was the only one she could confide in who would actually listen to her.

"I just needed to talk to someone," she admitted. "You're really the only person I figured would listen…"

"Is this about the murder?" Marian reached across the table to place her hand on Alex's. She knew some of the details and that Alex was a suspect but she didn't think Alex had anything to do with it. "Are you alright?"

"Aside from being the main suspect in a homicide investigation I'm great." Alex watched as a waitress walked by with a tray of food. "I just can't get it out of my head that if I hadn't left Grace would be alright."

"Alex you can't think like that."

"It's hard not to when everyone thinks I killed her." This time the waitress stopped at their table with the tray of food. Alex thanked her. "Hell last week they interrogated me, they think they have more because of DNA and some security footage."

"Couldn't you just give them a DNA sample so they can rule you out?"

"Yeah…About that." Alex rubbed the back of her neck giving Marian a sheepish look.

"Alex what did you do?"

"I may have gone off on the lead detective and told her to get a warrant."

"Correct me if I'm wrong but couldn't you just go to them and offer to give a sample."

"I mean, yeah I could."

"Listen as much as I love the whole macho butch thing you've got going you causing problems with the police is definitely a turn off."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Alex said defensively. "I do not have a 'macho butch thing' going on."

Marian was right. What was stopping her from going back to the detective and voluntarily giving her a DNA sample? Alex didn't have an answer. Except that maybe she was too stubborn to go back and admit she'd acted irrationally.

"I'm serious Alex, don't go making any more trouble for yourself."

"Alright if it'll make you happy I'll go by tomorrow."

"This isn't about me. You know I don't care what you do. But I don't sleep with woman who get in trouble with the law."

Alex laughed even though she knew Marian was serious. Her reputation wasn't what it used to be but Marian was a professor whose reputation meant everything. Alex had a large amount of respect for the woman who frequently spent the night with her. She wasn't going to take their friendship, however strange and unconventional it may be, for granted.

"Does this mean I can talk you into coming over tonight? We haven't pissed off Jason in a while and I really want nothing more than to take you any way I can."

Marian rolled her eyes: "You're such the romantic Alex. It's a wonder more women don't swoon over you."

"Only for you darlin'."

"Is eight alright?"

"Perfect. And if you ask nicely I may even buy you dinner."

"Mmm I highly doubt either of us will be thinking about dinner tonight," Marian said huskily.

"I will be if we don't get to eat our lunch. I've gotta get back to the site before one. And I'm sure you've got something you have to teach."

"History."

"History," Alex repeated with a smile.

XXXXX

The office Marian Wright occupied at the University was small but could comfortably hold four or five people. When the detectives had arrived they'd been informed by a secretary that they had just missed Ms. Wright. Not wanting to make a waste out of their time Korsak and Jane elected to wait for the instructor to return. Just to use up some of their time Jane had run to grab lunch. Sitting across from Ms. Wright now Jane realized tacos had been a bad idea. She was starting to feel the heartburn.

"What can I do for you today detectives?" Ms. Wright asked with a weary smile. It wasn't every day she had lunch with a woman who was a suspect in a murder case and then return to find two detectives waiting for her.

"We were hoping you could help us out," Jane said. "We wanted to ask about your relationship with Alexis Eldsfield."

"I'm not sure what you're hoping to gain from talking to me." Aside from what she'd read in the news and what Alex had told her, Marian didn't know much about the case. Marian didn't know Grace Harper at all. She'd never been introduced to any of Alex's friends.

"Are you aware that Ms. Eldsfield is a person of interest in an ongoing homicide investigation?" Korsak asked.

"She mentioned that the detectives on the case had taken a special interest in her. I assume that you are those detectives."

Jane shrugged. Apparently Marian was the person Alex went to since she hadn't been in contact with Cody since the murder. One thing that Jane noticed about the office was that all of Ms. Wright's personal belongings had one thing in common- Alex wasn't in any of them. It was possible that the instructor didn't like to showcase her relationship with Alex. "I'm curious Ms. Wright, how come Alex isn't in any of your pictures?" Ms. Wright turned her gaze from Korsak to Jane. She looked at the detective quizzically. It was like she already expected Jane to have the answer.

"Of course she isn't. Why would she be?"

It was hard to tell who was more confused. The detectives or Ms. Wright. They all just stared at each other for a minute.

"We were under the impression you two were dating," Jane said slowly.

"I see." Marian sunk farther back into her chair. Her fingers drummed against the desk is a constant rhythm as she thought. "I'm afraid you've misunderstood our relationship detectives."

"Our apologies," Jane said. "Could you tell us what the nature of your relationship is?"

Marian glanced at the door. Her body language told Jane that whatever her relationship with Alex was it wasn't something she went around openly speaking about.

Once Marian was sure no one was about to barge into her office she allowed herself to relax slightly. Whatever Alex had said to the detectives that brought them to Marian she had apparently left out what they actually were to each other.

"I met Alex not long after she moved here at some bar, I can't remember which, she had bought me a drink and we started talking," Marian recalled. Her gaze far away as she focused on the night she'd met Alex "I'm normally not the kind of person that takes strangers home from bars but that night I did. You see detectives I had just gotten out of a relationship and wasn't looking for anything serious. Alex wasn't either but she also wasn't looking for someone she'd have sex with once and never see again."

Jane gave the woman a skeptical look. She'd gotten an idea about Alex's habits during the investigation. She was under the impression that Alex preferred one and done over anything else. Marian seemed to notice the way Jane was looking at her.

"I don't expect you to understand detective, not many people would, that's why I'm not public about it. We have an understanding that there's no commitment and no expectations. All it is between us is-"

"Sex," Jane finished.

"Exactly. Although Alex and I do go out sometimes we're nothing more than friends, if we're even that. In fact, I see other women from time to time as does Alex."

"Do these other women know about the arrangement?" Korsak asked.

"I always disclose to any prospective partner. Most are fine with it," Marian paused. "As for Alex I know she won't take anyone home with her unless they understand she's not looking for something serious."

"Do you know of anyone who might have gotten jealous?"

"We don't really discuss the other women we see."

"Have you ever known Alex to get violent?" Jane would want to look into Alex's other partners later. She wanted to learn what she could from Ms. Wright while she had the chance.

"Never around me." It was the truth. Alex could get angry but she was always in control of her actions. "She would never hurt anyone unless her life was in immediate danger. Alex isn't a bad person detectives. She may not make the best choices and she may step on the wrong feet but you can't fault her for being human."

"We appreciate you taking the time to speak with us Ms. Wright." Jane rose and extended her hand towards Marian. "We'll let you know if we have any more questions for you."

Marian took the hand Detective Rizzoli offered to her then she did the same with Detective Korsak. "Of course. And I would appreciate it if you would keep what I told you about Alex and I quiet."

Jane nodded: "Of course."

XXXXX

"I might just be getting old but hat exactly did that meeting accomplish?" Korsak asked as they made their way back to the car.

"You are getting old," Jane teased. "We learned that Alex does in fact have a violent side and that she's sleeping with multiple women. And you know how jealous women get."

"So one of Alex's partners could have been the killer?"

"Bingo. We just need to get their names. And we can rule out anyone under 5'7" to be safe."

"And what about Alex?"

"We get our warrant for her DNA and go from there. If it isn't a match at least we'll have someone else to look at."

"It's a start."

"I'll have Frankie get access to Alex's phone records, hopefully they'll help identify the other woman she's seeing."

Jane slid into the passenger seat with a slight grin on her face. Anyone listening to the conversation they had just had with Marian Wright would assume it yielded little information. Even Korsak hadn't been able to see what they had found out through the talk. On the surface they really hadn't learned much, although Jane had a good reason to dislike Alex now. Her choice not yours. Stop being so judgmental. She sighed. This talking to herself, even in her head, was getting real tiresome. On the other end Jane had learned something about Alex. And if Alex proved to be innocent Jane figured she could use it to her advantage.

She would never admit it out loud, but Jane did wish Alex was guilty of the murder. But there was also a part of her that knew how wrong it was to think that. Innocent until proven guilty. That was how things were. She'd already gotten ahead of herself at the beginning of the case and that had gotten them nowhere. Now that she had taken a step back and was willing to look at the other possibilities things were starting to fall into place.

XXXXX

Maura hadn't seen Jane at all that day. She sat alone in her office with her laptop in front of her. All the paperwork that had stacked itself up on her desk was now gone. It wasn't often she was able to get so much work done. Usually Jane would come down and find a way to distract her from her work.

Not that it took much for Maura to get distracted by Jane's presence. Whenever Jane entered a room she commanded the attention of others. Maura doubted that her friend was aware of the effect she had on people. Jane was so many different things; caring, strong, protective, confident. All of those things made Jane who she was. They were also the reason Maura found herself attracted to the woman.

She had never been one to hide her attraction towards a person. She felt no shame in her interest of women. It had been years since Maura had last been in a relationship with a woman. Recently her lovers had all consisted of men. Because of that Maura had never mentioned her bisexuality to her colleagues. It had never come up and no one had ever asked. They few times the subject had come up with Jane, Maura had been vague about her experience on the subject but had never once denied it.

What she did do was try and get over the fact that she had feelings for her best friend she knew would not be reciprocated. Maura had picked up over the years that Jane was very uncomfortable talking about her own sexuality. She wasn't sure why Jane was so averse to talking about it, but she tried to avoid it as much as possible. From what she knew about Jane's previous partners they had only ever been men. Jane was straight, the only interest she had for Maura was that of friends.

Maura had believed that up until the night at the batting cages with Jane. She had gone there with the express goal of giving the information she had found to the detective. The last thing Maura had expected was Jane dragging her into the cage to give her some tips. Having Jane pressed up against her brought up ideas that Maura had only ever fantasized about. She could have sworn Jane had felt the same thing she had.

Of course when she had been about to ask Jane about it the owner had interrupted. After that Maura couldn't bring herself to ask the only question she really wanted the answer too. As soon as Jane had stepped away from her it was as if a fog had lifted and Maura could think clearly again. If only she had any idea what she did to me…

"Dr. Isles sorry to bother you but I have something I'd like you to take a look at." Kent's accent was unmistakable.

"Does it have anything to do with the Harper case?" Maura asked as she pushed herself out of her chair.

"No it's from another one of your cases."

"Which one?"

"Benjamin Wakefield?"

Wakefield had been overflow from a car accident that fell outside of her jurisdiction. One of the other Medical Examiners had asked her to take a look at him if she wasn't too busy.

"Alright, let's see what you have."

XXXXX

Back before her assault Alex had enjoyed going out to meet with friends and her then girlfriend Dana. She had been a very social person even though her list of friends was small. After her life had started to fall apart Grace and Cody had been the only ones who really stayed in touch with her. Alex hardly ever went out unless it was to barhop with Grace, meet up with Marian at some lesbian bar to get drunk and dance for a few hours, or take Blue out for a walk. The latter being what she was doing at that moment.

Blue padded along obediently at Alex's side, his tail wagging and tongue hanging out the side of his mouth. The route Alex had decided to take had her passing Cody and Grace's house. She had wanted to give Cody space but after a week she had started to get worried. Alex didn't know if she would be able to handle knocking on his door to check on him so she settled for just passing by.

"What do you think buddy?"

Blue looked up at his owner like he understood what she was asking. Alex knew he couldn't respond but after years together she found it easy to ask him things. He was a dog after all.

Alex surveyed the front lawn outside of Cody's home from across the street. His car was in the driveway and everything looked fine. Alex sighed. She wished she had some kind of excuse to cross the street and see if Cody was home. Unfortunately, she didn't think 'I've been worried about you since you haven't reached out to me to let me know how you were holding up. Since y'know I left your fiancée alone and now she's dead'.

It was probably just best for Alex to leave without talking to Cody. He would come to her when he was ready.

Alex had just started to move again when she heard someone call her name. She turned to see Cody on his front porch, staring her down. Unsure of what to do Alex just stood where she was. Cody started to move towards her. Each step forward was slow and exaggerated. To Alex her friend looked horrible. Cody looked like he hadn't bothered to shave since the last time they saw each other. He looked worn out, defeated like a man that had lost everything that mattered to him. Which he had.

"Hey Cody, I was getting worried about you."

"Shut up."

"Cody hey easy." Alex stepped back as Cody continued to advance at her. Suddenly he didn't look so worn out. Now all Alex could see was rage. She just hoped Blue wouldn't lunge at Cody while trying to protect her. "Hey knock it off Cody."

"I said shut up Alex!"

Cody shoved Alex back causing her to lose her balance and her grip on Blue's leash. Alex didn't know what to do. Cody was coming at her and he didn't look like he was going to stop. If he tried to hit her, Alex would have to fight back. But for now all she did was whistle at Blue. The low pitch she had trained Blue to recognize as heel. Blue didn't come at Cody but he did growl.

"You've got some nerve showing up here."

"Cody you're my friend I was worried about you!" Alex shouted.

"This is your fault! She's dead because of you!"

Alex was a fighter. She had trained rigorously to be able to protect herself and fight off an attacker if she needed to. She could hold her own against men and women in the ring. She was skilled with her MMA fighting. She was no professional but if someone came at her who wasn't trained she could take them down without a second thought.

Alex was also extremely good at reading her opponents next move. But this time when boney knuckles connected with her jaw she hadn't expected it. She stumbled back in complete shock. Everything she had learned about self-defense was suddenly gone. Cody was the last person Alex would have ever expected to come at her.

"Cody please I don't want to hurt you."

She could only hope that she didn't have too.