I know I promised two chapters a day, but I have a Geopolitics midterm tomorrow and Ratzel is beckoning. Enjoy!

J: Hey, Maur. Late night coffee run?

M: I'm on a date.

J: Can't wait to hear about it.

M: Well you will have to. I have to go.

J: Sarcasm.

M: Darn! I never can get it over SMS. I am much better at reading facial expressions. I've read many books on the subject.

J: Some date that must be if u r spending so long texting me.

M: She is riveting, thank you. Don't you have a murderer to catch?

J: She?!

M: Bye, Jane.

Jane was correct. She was having an awful time on her date. She had asked the token lesbian in BPD, Officer Kate, to dinner in desperate attempt to arouse Jane's jealousy.

Maura watched as Kate downed a third tumbler of scotch and wiped her greasy burger hands on her black officer pants. Yes, this was a terrible idea. Jane would at least use a napkin.

"Canfyoupassdakatchup?" Kate asked, her mouth full of burger. Her straight brunette hair was pulled back into a lumpy ponytail that bobbed with each terrifying mastication of meat. Maura found herself wondering if Kate were actually part canis lupis.

Once finished with the offending hunk of meat, the officer relaxed back in the booth, spreading her legs in a manly fashion and smiling lazily. "I never took you for the gay type, Dr. Isles."

Maura demurely took a sip of her wine, wishing she could flaunt social norms and quaff the entire glass in one go. "I have never limited myself to one gender, but in my adult life men simply have seemed easier."

"Easier?" Officer Kate asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Yes. I've never had a dearth of men desiring me. I always, however, seem to have a lack of women."

"What does that make me?" Officer Kate asked, offended.

This would be a long night.

Maura smiled apologetically. "The first in a long time."

"So, uh, you and that detective…uh, Rizzoli…were never a thing?"

A long, long night.

Maura sighed, "Against popular belief and wishes, no."

"Damnnnn. You just won me fifty bucks, doc!" Officer Kate leaned her tall frame over the table with her hand in the air. Maura scooted back in her seat, eyeing the uplifted hand in confusion.

"Can I get a high five, doc? Not gonna leave me hangin, are you?"

Maura started rooting through her purse. "I don't seem to have a five…would you mind a ten?" She awkwardly placed the ten-dollar bill in the uplifted hand of the perplexed officer.

"Nah. It's okay. Dinner's on me," she said slowly, handing the bill back to the strange medical examiner. She was beginning to think this date with the "doc" was not such a great idea.

Suddenly, the implications of Kate's previous statement dawned on her. "Am I correct to assume that you had a bet with other officers that Jane Rizzoli and I were lovers?" Maura asked, incredulous.

Kate coughed uncomfortably, her pale green eyes refusing to look into the medical examiner's sharp hazel ones.

"I'm terribly sorry, Officer, but I really must be going," Maura said, smoothly sliding out from the booth and out of the restaurant.

Jane sat stock-still at her desk, holding her cell phone away from her body as if it were diseased. Her mouth was ever so slightly agape, her eyes glazed. Korsak was almost positive she had fallen asleep with her eyes open.

"Jane? Hey, Jane." Korsak threw a crumbled piece of paper at her.

Jane blinked once in response.

Korsak began crumpling up another piece of paper, "Earth to Jane!" It bounced neatly off her head and onto the empty desk of Frost.

Korsak walked up to her and shook her gently. "Jane?"

Jane pointed mutely to the open phone in her right hand.

Korsak looked at the text conversation and smiled. "Well gee! It's about time!" He clapped Jane on the back. "Don't worry, Jane. She'll come around."

Jane nodded pensively, lost in thought.

Maura is gay.

Was this not something her best friend should have told her before? There must be some best friend rule somewhere that requires full sexuality disclosure. Why didn't Maura tell her? Was Jane that unapproachable? Was she a bad friend?

Maura likes women.

Did that mean… could that mean…the possibility was there that… No. Maura couldn't. She didn't. She wouldn't. Not possible. She was Maura's best friend.

Maura likes women.

I am a woman.

Suddenly, Jane looked up at Korsak, squinting her eyes with distrust, "Wait. What do you mean, 'she'll come around'?"

The older detective hooked his thumbs into the top of his pants and shifted his weight uncomfortably. "I, uh, just meant that she'll be around the precinct tomorrow. Right, Frost?"

His question was meant with silence, Frost's empty chair doing nothing to help him save face with the seething detective.

"Still no word on him?"

"Some. Frost's mother's car is gone from the house. The neighbors haven't seen anyone in or out of the house since last night."

"I don't like it. Once it reaches the 24 hour mark, I'm filing a formal missing persons report," Jane said.

Her phone lit up with a text from Maura.

M: We've got something on the fingering.

J: Jesus, Maur! I don't wanna know about ur sex life!

M: Oh. Sorry. I meant to say, "We've got something on the fingerprints." I'll be at the precinct in five.

Part of Jane was really curious to know what her gay best friend was able to do with her dexterous fingers. Quick, precise fingers travelling down to her swollen clit.

J: Check before u sext, Maur. Practically gave me a heart attack.

Jane felt her before she saw her. The erratic speeding up and slowing down of her heart in conjunction with her quickening breaths and a moist feeling under her armpits precipitated the blonde breezing in.

A tight green dress blanketed her rolling curves, skillfully dodging mountainous breasts and taut calves. Her golden honey locks were swept to the side, perfectly framing her heart-shaped face and forest-flecked eyes.

Jane couldn't keep the smile off her face. "You look good." The statement came out lower than she intended. She tried to tear her eyes away from the foresty ones in front of her, but found herself entirely unable to.

They were green like the tops of trees, black like the dirt underneath, golden like the color of newly-fallen leaves and brown like the pelts of little animals scurrying in the undergrowth. Foresty.

Maura lightly touched Jane's cheek with the tips of her fingers and smiled softly. "Thank you."

Korsak made a point to noisily get up from his desk. "Dr. Isles, you look lovely," he said. "What have you got for us?"

"Great news: nothing!" Maura said with a smile.

"Nothing?" A triumphant smile spreads across Jane's face, mirrored by Korsak.

"Nothing."