She would deal with the memory of making love to Jane in the only way she knew how.

Alphabetically.

Areola, bartholin, bend, climax, calorimetry, dehydration, dimple, estradiol, erythermas, enchantment, firm, friction, glutius maximus, hyoid, honeyed, hypothalamus, imprint, interior, Jane…Jane. kinesthesia, limb, lipase, moan, mouth, neck, nectareous, oxytocin, plump, peak, quiver, red, rasp, sheets, sex, somatic, swell, tongue, tingle, tease, union, vastus medialis, venus, veneer, wean, want, xenobiotic, ystera, yearn, zinc, zaratite….

"Dr. Isles?"

Maura looked up quickly to find Kent standing in the open doorway of her office with his lab coat over his arm in a patient fashion. How long had he been standing there?

"Yes, Kent?" She sat up from her list and cleared her throat. The pen she was holding felt lighter now than it did a moment ago. Her fingers prickled softly under the release.

"I know you asked not to be disturbed…" he paused and looked about the office. It was in its usual state of affairs. He had just assumed she would be taking the late lunch hour to meditate as she often did on busy days like this, but it seemed she was still working. "You're working?"

Maura nodded as she moved some papers around on her desk. "Yes, I am, I was..." She shrugged uncharacteristically as she read his confusion. "Working on some creative writing." She clasped her hands over the new pile and smiled at him. "Come in, please, did you need something?"

He smiled a familiar smile as he entered the office. "A muse? By all means maestro." The tall Scott slipped his hands into his pockets letting his lab coat bunch up some and hang limp at the same time in the space it left. "Have you finally picked up the murder mystery again?" As he understood it Maura was still rather shy about her hobby, he was honored when she asked him to read a first chapter of something she had been toying with in the creative writing course she took last year. She wanted to ensure its medical accuracy and since Kent had so much experience in the field of emergency medicine, she thought it a good idea to get his insight. That was four months ago though, she admittingly had been too busy to pick it up and had only been reminded of that now.

Maura glanced at the stack of papers under her clasped hands for only a moment before looking up at her friend patiently. "No."

Kent shifted under her honesty. "Ah…" He smiled. "Well alright then."

"Have any of the serum tests we ordered come in for Fiona Murphy? I would like to rule out any neurological disorders that could have led to an accidental death." It was the ribbon she needed to tie the final autopsy up for the homicide unit. An accidental death due to preexisting neurological conditions seemed highly unlikely especially when they noted her toxicology report, but it wasn't her job nor her preference to rely on statistical anomalies in human biology to dictate the Medical Examiner's Office policy on submitting final findings. Also, she promised herself this was the only valid reason to visit the homicide wing today without seeming… well she wasn't sure really what she was worried about. She'd gone upstairs for a nail file once. Still…

Kent motioned behind him. "We've expedited them. Cambridge says thirty minutes. I was just going to lunch and wanted to know if you wanted anything."

"No." She shook her head. "Thank you." He bowed gently as he often did and turned on his heel. "Kent?" Maura called, he stopped. "Would you mind closing the door on your way?"

He chuckled. "Sure."

She listened for the reassuring click of metal as the door fit perfectly against its frame before running a hand through her hair and unearthing the list she had started at the top of the hour. A smile brushed her lips as she stared at her own handwriting as she might a stranger's.

"Creative writing." She chided herself softly.

Jane seemed to slip into every cell she needed to focus today. An invasive mitochondrial neutralizer, pooling her energy solely for the purpose of memory. The pathologist struggled momentarily with the thought that it might have something to do with her actual brain and not her joy and concentration the night before. After taking a short ten-minute examination of her mental dexterity she spent ten more minutes reading an article on long term effects of cranial bleeding before dismissing the anxiety induced moment with a small laugh.

Nothing was wrong and yet her heart raced, and her mind clenched to the sensory overload that was her fingers inside the other woman. The science of the lab today seemed dull and routine beside the image of Jane under her, brows knitted in tormented pleasure. Pleasure that she gave her, created for her…

Maura bit the end cap of her pen a moment before adding another two words in front of areola.

Adenosine triphosphate

An energy-carrying molecule found in the cells of all living things.

"It captures chemical energy obtained from the breakdown of food molecules and releases it to fuel other cellular processes." Maura murmured to herself. She sat with that for a moment liking the way the process automatically revealed itself in her mind's eye amino acid chain by amino acid chain. Why then was it so hard to stay focused today? Beside her a small timer went off signaling the end of her lunch hour. With a sense of forced responsibility, the blonde stood from her desk, quieted the alarm and slipped the list into a bottom drawer with her personal items. She had given herself time to process and now needed to attempt to go back to work. Fiona Murphy's murderer was still out there.

##

Jane glanced at her phone absentmindedly before clearing her throat some and looking around. There was a familiarity to all these buildings that took her back to childhood. The halls were always the same institutional beige, the faintest smell of musk and plastic. A circulation issue, Maura would state poor air quality… She'd wrinkle her nose too and look around in a sedated panic as she mentally ran the list of potential air born toxin present. Jane smiled a little to herself at the mental image nefore checking her phone again and then centering her thoughts to observe more of her surroundings as they walked. An eruption of self-criticism stabilized her thoughts All this day dreaming was gonna get one of them shot, she didn't want that.

Institutional beige…

The furniture too was always surprisingly small and unkept just as the thinning doors and walkways seemed only to narrow and creek the further you went in.

"Our Lady of Mercy started out as a Catholic school for young girls in the forties." Masha Beollini the center director explained as she led the two detectives down a aged narrow hall towards her office.

Jane nodded to herself. "You don't have to convince me of that, this place is taking me back." She deadpanned at her partner who chuckled.

"You're safe now."

Jane smirked. "Yeah."

"You attended Catholic school?" Masha glanced with an amusement over her shoulder.

Jane nodded. "What are all these rooms used for now?" She asked redirecting as they passed what looked like sleeping quarters.

"These are our supply rooms mostly now, the community run spaces are upstairs." She motioned to a door. "Please." She ushered them into a room the size of a vacuum closet without windows. The old plastic smell grew stronger here. Masha sat behind a small desk with a modern desktop and turned on a small air purifying device at her feet. "We get a few grants a year, not enough for the aesthetic things like round tables and smoking dens. I'm afraid. All of the money we raise goes back into our programs, our youth and adult swimming courses are very popular but most of the traffic we see during the week are for our sobriety clinics. AA, ACOA…"

Jane and Vince glanced at one another as they sat down in the two wobbly wooden chairs offered to them.

"Ms. Beollini we are investigating a homicide." Korsak began.

Jane nodded. "We believe that the victim was a regular in one of the groups here."

"A homicide." Masha looked appropriately perplexed. "Here?"

Korsak pulled out a photo from his breast pocket and handed it over to the director. His chair sighed at the motion and Jane spread her feet some to steady her own chair as it wobbled and ready herself if she needed to catch her partner.

"Do you recognize her?" They both knew she had. The silence between the three of them had lasted too long.

"I… I don't know her name, but we have had coffee." She breathed gazing at the image.

Jane glanced at her partner. "I know everyone's name who I get coffee with."

Korsak nodded once at her. "Me too."

Masha Beollini shook her head snapping out of the daze she had been in at recognizing another human she had known and knowing with an utmost certainty that she would never see her again. "I'm sorry, at the meetings, I host the ACOA meeting." Both detectives waited. "On Monday's…" She quickly handed the photo back to Korsak. "We usually have cookies and coffee in the morning sessions, an incentive for those who share…" She trailed off with a frown. "She's been murdered?"

Jane studied her body language as Korsak confirmed it and asked what she remembered most about their victim. Masha was telling the truth; she could tell by the way syllables in her mouth dropped every now and then as if far too worried to commit fully to a word, and by how her brow wrinkled in an unnatural way.

"She came to every Monday meeting."

"What did she talk about?" Jane asked.

Masha hesitated. "I…" There didn't seem to be a reason not to tell them what she had shared but she still hesitated. A small sniffle escaped her. "Do you think it was someone in the group?"

Jane glanced at her partner again. "We're unsure." She bit her lip in thought. The sniffle was interesting and the moisture in her eyes seemed to be real. What was she missing here? This was not the response of a stranger. "Ms. Beollini it's important that you tell us what you know. Even if it seems small. It could help us find Fiona's killer."

"Fiona…"

Jane lifted a brow. "You really did not know her name?"

Masha shook her head. "We talked about coffee mostly." She paused. "Fiona…" She waited again. "She never brought up what she shared, just coffee. I think she worked in it or something, she knows… knew way too much to drink the mud we serve."

Jane sat back in her chair. "And yet she did, why is that?"

Masha frowned. "I'm not sure…"

When they got back into their unmarked Jane reached for her now stale coffee in the console between them. She had taken the driver's seat this time out of habit, Korsak didn't seem to mind as he got comfortable beside her in the passenger. "Why would you drink bad coffee?" She thought aloud before taking a sip of her own.

Vince shrugged gently. "Habit?" Fiona went every week.

"…No." Jane shook her head slowly. Even she struggled to look at instant coffee the same after Maura went into a full rant last summer about how it was slowly killing her. Where there was knowledge there was a greater distinction in otherwise acute action. Fiona Murphy chose every Monday to drink this coffee.

"Who's serving the coffee?"

"Mhm." Jane blinked. "Murphy sat in that group every Monday. Everyone in that group could have motive if she said something incriminating or even upsetting…"

Korsak pulled out his detective's pad where he had scribbled down some notes. "She talked about her past drug use, her parents drug use and how difficult it was to connect with people now that she was clean…" He quoted Masha Beollini's words before flipping the pad closed. "We also know she was pregnant."

"So she connected with someone." Jane put her paper cup back down between them. "Well, you don't exactly need to do much connecting to get pregnant."

"Pretty Ironic right?"

Jane quirked a brow at him and he offered her a playful smile. "So maybe she looked into other avenues to meet people, connect."

"The coffee shop manager said she was a loner but great with guests. Management material."

Jane took control of the steering wheel after adjusting her seatbelt. "No one on that camera seemed to be interested in her." She backed out of the spot they had parked in. "Maybe she met her killer on an app?"

"An app?"

"Yeah, like an application on the phone."

"What kind of application?"

Jane waved him off. "You know like a dating app."

He sighed. "She barely has a digital footprint Nina would have uncovered that already."

It was true. "Yeah…" Jane nodded as they got onto a main road. "So, this fetal tissue Maura mentioned might be our only way of finding who hurt her." She hated feeling like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop in a case like this, the effort was there, they were working all angles and yet they still needed to wait. "If anything it will tell us a little more about how she spent her time."

"We also can't rule out a connection to drugs, Jane."

She knew that. "The means doesn't make sense. Drugs are loud yknow? Poisoning seems far too personal."

"Could she have poisoned herself?"

Jane glanced at him automatically understanding his meaning. "Did she even know she was pregnant?"

"Interviews with the roommate suggest she didn't."

Jane shook her head at how little they actually could confirm. "Nothing out of place anywhere, her work locker, her room…"

"We know that it's possible she took drugs two months ago."

"Which lines up more or less with pregnancy…" She recalled her first couple weeks of pregnancy. "She had to know." She mumbled to herself before glancing at her partner. "Everything is just thrown off, your sense of smell, everything." She thought more. "Maura says it's a biological thing, so you don't ingest toxins or whatever…"

"You think she knew she was pregnant?"

Jane shook her head. "I don't know anymore."

"Did Dr. Isles say when she would have something?"

"She's waiting on more labs." Korsak looked out the window. "What are you hungry or something?" She teased. He nodded and shrugged at the same time and Jane snorted. "We just got doughnuts. You're ready for lunch already?"

"Something light, a salad."

"A salad?" Jane tossed him another look. "You know that's not gonna minus the dozen doughnuts you just ate?"

"Whose side are you on here?"

"…You think these meetings actually help?" Jane asked after a second thought. She had had the urge to check her cell phone again but realized she couldn't while driving. She was wondering if Maura would text her that she had results from the fetal match or if she would just text her to say hi.. or whatever… There was also a large part of her that wanted to make sure she didn't miss anything from Tommy.

Korsak watched the road in front of them as he thought. "You know talking about things is always better than keeping them inside, Rizzoli."

"It's looking more likely that whatever she said there got her killed."

"She seemed to be doing her best."

"Yeah…" It just seemed a bit too much to Jane. You went into a room with strangers who could really be anyone and you talked about things that were traumatizing, and then you had bad coffee and cookies and you walked away with this false sense of security that no one would say anything. That no one would remember. "Stalker's paradise if you ask me."

"What do you think of Beolini?"

Jane sucked her teeth gently and then looked at him once they hit a red light. "I don't think she had anything to do with her death. She's in shock."

"You thinking of calling her to come in?"

"Yeah, I am."

"Any way you can get her to give you those names of Monday's meeting? No was Judge Kowalski can get us a warrant with how thin of a lead it is."

"I thought he owed you?"

"He owed me four years ago, now I owe him."

Jane chuckled as she kept her eyes on the road. "I can try." She thought about how exactly she'd be able to make that connection as they made their way back to the precinct. Masha Beollini seemed to be a woman of principal, yet there was something there she couldn't quite put her finger on, something she knew she needed to identify in order to get what they needed without a warrant.

##

Maura smiled at the unexpected phone call. "Hi Mom." She answered warmly.

"Darling, Hello." Came Constance's equally warm yet formal greeting. "I have not heard from you in some time. I thought I would call with an offer to tempt you, so I am in favor again."

Maura sat back into her desk chair and swiveled it at the ankle amusedly. Her mother's voice seemed so grand today. It was a relatively new thing she observed in the past three years really. An obtuse over affection as if Maura were a little girl again. The Medical Examiner found it endearing, especially since those days were far from jovial. "That won't be nessicary."

"Is now a good time?"

"Yes, of course." She checked her watch and then nodded to herself.

"Wonderful, and the offer?"

Maura smiled. "I am open to it. Though I must warn you it isn't likely to change your favor."

Constance chuckled. "Your father and I will be in town in a week or so. I was wondering if you would like to accompany us to the Opera. Rigoletto, I believe. We have a balcony reserved."

"I would love to."

"How is your Italian, dear?"

"Jane?"

"I'm sorry?"

Maura blushed heavily. "—I beg your pardon. As a romantic language I believe I will have no difficulty following. I'm also very familiar with the opera having seen it with Dad, do you remember?"

"Ah yes, this would explain his exuberance, he says they are re-imagining it." Constance sighed. "You know how he can be."

Maura smiled at the idea of her father boring her mother to death on the details. She was an artist, a big picture visionary. She cared little for the actual nuts and bolts of things and the opera was one of the most detailed productions on earth. She and her father would go every Christmas on her stays home away from boarding school while Constance worked in her studio. Going as a trio would be nice. Especially since Maura did not remember the last time her parents where in the same state at the same time together. Their marriage seemed closer these days but by what standard she wasn't sure.

"Yes." She straightened up in her seat to access her calendar on her laptop. "What days will you be in town?"

"Only three I'm afraid." Constance gave her the dates. "I've seen on CCB the park murders have been solved, I trust you had a hand in this?" She sounded proud.

"Hardly." The ME played down. "Forensic pathology aided at several points of the investigation, but we have a dedicated team of law enforcement here." She moved some things around on her calendar to block out the three days. She could take them to dinner the next night if they were free.

"And how is Detective Rizzoli?" Constance asked, Maura hadn't been sure but there seemed to be a sense of teasing in her tone, a lightheartedness that was familiar to the topic. Ever since Jane had confronted her all those years back the older woman had admittedly taken a liking to her forwardness. She seemed all edges to Constance, of course except when it came to her Maura. The fondness turned to gratefulness when Maura eventually told her about getting arrested, kidnapped, the concussion and subsequent trauma…. It seemed this Jane Rizzoli was committed to protecting her daughter. Maura did not grow up with many friends, so it was nice. She lived somewhat vicariously through her daughter's re-enactments of their adventures together. Then something happened, and Constance stopped hearing about her at all, and in the absence came a thoughtful silence the artist noticed most in their recent trip to France. A wistful yellow to her pragmatic daughter's shades of grey. Something had changed.

"Jane." Maura tried not to contain her smile. How was Jane? She hadn't seen her at all today after breakfast, but her tall frame had been cemented into the pathologist's frontal cortex causing all kinds of chaos. That image of her was very well. Beyond well. Breathtaking. "She is well, Mom. We are meeting for dinner soon actually."

"Oh, how lovely. Please send her my regards."

"I will."

"Has she seen Rigoletto?"

Maura smiled a little more. "I have my doubts."

"Well, she and Angela and more than welcome to join us, we have a private balcony so your father can observe stage left."

Maura was about to accept for them but stopped herself. "I will make them aware of the invitation." She wanted Jane and Angela to come. They hadn't done anything fun together since, well since well since she left for France really. Still, she took pause. Things weren't exactly as they were when she left for Paris, and she wanted to be sensitive to that. "Will you have dinner with me at Garzon the following night?"

"I dream about their garlic confit, darling." March chuckled. "Every night."

"Do you think Dad will enjoy it?"

"Well he has no real choice on the matter now does he?"

"I'll make a reservation for our normal time." Maura smiled. "I want to hear all about your trip to Tanzania."

"Of course, darling, and we must plan our next Parisian escape, I had such a delightful time with you this year."

"I did too, Mom." She smiled fondly at the memory of them sipping cappuccino and reading magazines on their patio after they hung up. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that the average American lived to about seventy-eight point nine years of age. Her father was in his early seventies and her mother five years behind him. The duo showed no signs of slowing down as they galivanted the globe, but Maura realized with a small sigh that they too were human. She wanted to spend as much time with them as she could. Just then her cell phone buzzed again signaling a text message. It was from Jane.

Got caught up. On my way down.

Maura smiled softly as she immediately set to reply.

Have we narrowed down a location?

They had been planning dinner all afternoon over text message. Why? Maura didn't know, they could have just as easily picked up the phone and figured their where or their what. Hell at this point both women knew the other's order by heart wherever they went anyway. Still, it was rather nice to get little messages from Jane throughout the day as they debated what kind of cuisine they'd want and triangulated their top picks with the Robber and Maura's book club. She broke her excitement though when Jane finally appeared in her grey slacks and white button down wearing an apologetic look.

Maura smiled softly as she watched her take her time to enter the office. They hardly got time to spend together when they were only friends and Jane had an active investigation, she forgot how quickly plans could change. It seemed Jane had as well.

"I know that face." The blonde smiled as she rested her medical bag down on her desk.

Jane sighed loudly as she put out her hands in efforts to enlarge and validate the micro expression of let down on her lover's face. "We got a match on the fetal DNA." She explained while keeping her distance a couple of feet away from Maura's desk. "Low life drug dealer named Bernard Cortelyou."

Maura nodded. "That is good news?"

Jane perked up a little. "Yeah because narcotics has been keeping tabs on him for a few weeks in connection to petty theft in Southie. Korsak gave the okay to bring him in for questioning." She felt her triumph off putting and began playing with her hands. "We wouldn't have gotten that if you hadn't saved that fetal tissue."

Maura nodded again "I was only doing my job."

Jane took a small step forward. "Well we needed it so y'know, thanks for being you and all.." She offered the ME a small smile. Jane missed her, couldn't stop thinking about her, wanted to kiss her… "I can't leave." She explained.

Maura let out a soft sigh before offering a small smile in return. "I know, Jane."

"You do?"

"Yes." Maura moved to place her briefcase beside her medical bag. "We knew that there would be adjusting, this is nothing new." She reassured them both.

Jane slipped her hands in her pockets. "So why does it feel new?" Maura was right, she had canceled on the ME more times that she really wanted to remember now and never really thought much of it. There was a hierarchy of things at her immediate attention with work that was slowly revealing itself to be flawed. How many times had Maura been disappointed? Why now was it that she noticed how the other woman could steal herself up from feeling this way with just a glance.

"It feels new." Maura explained as she left her desks side and approached Jane. "Because on some level I suppose it is. For us, right now." She touched the other woman's arm. "However, we have done this before and I am okay."

Jane seemed skeptical. "You're sure?" She whispered.

"Yes." There was a small moment between them that left them both lighter. "Although I think it is important to note that you are now indebted to me."

Jane's little smile widened. "I'll do anything."

Maura didn't hide that she was pleased to hear this. "Do you have time to sit?"

Jane nodded easily and they moved to sit opposite one another at her coffee table. Jane plopped down in her usual manner on her seafoam couch and Maura sat with her legs crossed on one of the cream-colored designer chairs.

"So what do I owe you?" Jane sat up some.

"How was your day?"

Jane quirked a brow. "The Boston Pops?" She made a sickened face. "Maura please."

She laughed. "No no, I haven't seen you. I've been… thinking about you." She found herself suddenly awkward and unsteady. Shy. "I would have asked you this at dinner."

Seeing this caused Jane to soften. "I um, I've been thinking about you a lot today too, Maura." Jane rolled her eyes at herself. "Obviously."

"I haven't been able really to focus as I would like to." Maura further explained not being able to help herself. "I've been making lists."

Jane's look was a tender tease. "Lists?" Maura waved it off as she took in a small breath and waited for Jane. "How was today?" Jane nodded to herself. "Good.. Good I guess." She shrugged. "I think maybe our victim had this…connection with the center director where she went to meetings. This woman." She scratched her chin absentmindedly as she thought through it all aloud. "She didn't know her name but she seemed pretty shocked to find out about her death."

"I imagine most people would be shocked to learn that someone they spoke to often has been murdered."

"Yeah, I know it was just, different." She motioned with her hands "I dunno, Maura."

"Intimate?"

"Yeah, yeah she seemed… hurt. Like she had been lied to." She rubbed gently at her cheek in thought a moment before shaking the thought away. "Anyway, Korsak talked me into ordering a salad."

Maura beamed. "Impossible."

Jane chuckled. "Well we did eat about a dozen doughnuts before."

Maura nodded anyway. "Yes, I will take the small victory where I can."

Jane smirked. "How was your day?"

Maura thought on the events of the day. "Tedious, productive still."

"No, last minute meetings?"

"No, thankfully." Jane nodded. "My mother called." She began.

"Oh yeah? Which one?"

"Constance."

"Connie Connie." Jane chimed. "What'd she say?"

"She'll be in town with my father in a week and half and wanted to know if you and Angela would accompany us to the opera."

Jane bit the inside of her mouth. "That a good idea?"

"I thought it might be." She hesitated. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well we said we would tell your mom first… about our thing."

Maura didn't understand why Jane's entire posture seemed to suddenly change. "Do you not wish to do that together?"

"I…" To be honest she hadn't even thought about the physicality behind it all. "You want me to be there?" Maura's features cloaked neutral which made her impossible to read. It was the one instance where Jane's detective skills were rendered useless, and it always stirred a small panic in her when it happened.

"Yes."

"Okay… " Jane looked around. "I'll be there, but so will my mother who…." She shook her head. "Is up my ass right now about… I don't know yet but she's suspicious of something."

Maura's features relaxed, she almost seemed amused even. "She has something to be suspicious of, Jane." Jane nodded but offered nothing else up. "We do not have to tell my parents right away. I've made a reservation for the next night."

Jane nodded again. "Two dinners?"

Maura began to smile. She knew how Jane hated this sort of thing, add in the anxiety of all they were going through. "Unless of course you have to work." She reminded.

"I think I have to work?" Maura shook her head no and Jane sighed and uncrossed the arms she realized she had just crossed. She leaned forward a little to meet Maura's posture. "I meant what I said." They made eye contact. "About telling you mom… I'm just…" She shrugged gently not having the words for it.

"Apprehensive?"

"I think so."

"I am as well, some." She admitted out loud for the first time. "I often hold my parents at times unreasonable standards for myself over lesser matters."

Jane smiled a little. "I'm betting a blue-collar Boston cop was not a part of those standards."

"While I am certain it is furthest from their expectation my mother is quite fond of you." She paused. "I cannot reasonably predict an unfavorable outcome, Jane."

"They know about all these other women too?"

Maura chuckled. "I beg your pardon?"

"The often enough women." Maura laughed and Jane quirked a brow. Today she had almost glared at Kenya, a cute senior lab tech who sometimes went to yoga with Maura. She wouldn't say it was driving her into a bit of paranoia, but she decided after eating her salad that she wanted to know who else Maura had been with because it had to be someone at work. Where else did the ME go? How she'd get all this information was still playing out in her mind though. She couldn't outright ask right? That'd be weird. "That's not a no Maura."

Maura blushed softly. "No, if your question is do they know my specific sexual history the answer is no, however sexuality was taught to me as a fluid concept." She never for one second doubted her parents' acceptance of her but the conversation gave light to Jane's internal worries about her own family and in that moment she wished with all her heart that she could speak with such certainty about Angela. "Will you come?" She asked gently. If Jane said no she would understand it, and she knew Jane knew she would, still she wanted her there and she could not apologize for it or pretend otherwise.

Jane's nod came sweetly, without hesitation.

"Thank you."

They let a moment of comfortable silence pass between them before Jane sighed and leaned back into the couch. She stretched once before resting her hand on her stomach.

"Would it help if I picked something up for you all?" The ME offered. A salad though nutritious was insufficient for Jane's appetite.

Jane stretched a hand to the back of her head next. "Nah I think they are ordering a pizza." It dropped. "I'll have some of that."

"And tonight?"

Jane smiled at her, shrugged, and then kicked out her right foot toward Maura's. "I wanna see you."

Maura let a soft blush tinge her chest. "I would like that as well." She folded her hands against her lap. "We have prior commitments, no?" She reminded. Jane was wearing an impetuous grin. The kind she wore this morning while massaging her thighs. It was distracting… "I also do not support jumping out of windows." Jane nodded slowly.

"I don't know what time we'll be able to get finished tonight either." She wouldn't want Maura waiting up for her anyway. The reality of it set her features.

"Perhaps we should take pause."

"Pause." Jane seemed adorably confused by this particular use of words. "For how long?"

"A night." Surely, they could manage that right?

Her brows knitted softly. "Makes sense."

Maura tilted her head amusedly. "Do you propose another plan?" Jane became tight lipped which made her chuckle. "Nothing?"

She bit her lip as she tried not to laugh too. "It's not the time or place, Maura."

"So, we are in agreement."

"I didn't agree to anything."

"You cannot abstain."

"Says who?" Maura lifted her chin. "Oh I see you." Jane motioned to her. "You're the boss?"

"Indicated by the insignia on the door."

Jane was grinning. "Doesn't mean anything here." She motioned between them slowly before crossing her arms to her chest.

"I believe we have reached an impasse then, Jane." Maura pursed her lips while trying to ignore her blush deepening.

Jane sat up some in her seat as if to show she was unmoved. "Guess so."

They openly smiled and studied the other's amusement though in a way only two people who have been intimate could. It was in fact quite amusing to sit here, with a woman you had known for years and see her in an entirely new way yet with all the familiar trappings. There was nothing that could change the playfulness in Jane's soulful brown eyes or the quiet goofiness to Maura's smile. Oh but the desire, noted by big broad brush strokes of oversensitivity, was very much a tangible thing in their energy exchange. It had the two women near giggly.

Jane's hip began to buzz loudly signaling an incoming call effectively breaking the spell. The detective frowned as she reached for it and looked at the caller. "It's Korsak." She brought the phone to her ear.

Maura stood from her seat and Jane followed. "Please." She motioned for Jane to answer the call before walking over to her desk and grabbing her bags. Jane followed her and picked up the heavier medical briefcase with her right hand before Maura could and spoke into the phone with her left.

"Rizzoli. …Yeah….uhuh….I'm on my way." She hung up. "Let me walk you to your car at least Maur."

"If it's urgent Jane you know that I can—" Jane sighed loudly interrupting her and the ME chuckled at the look she was giving her. "Oh. You're being sweet?" She asked seriously.

Jane rolled her eyes trying not blush. "I'm tying to." She murmured. "Give me a break will ya?" Maura only smiled at her. "…Quit it."

Maura chuckled finally. "I am not doing anything." They made their way toward the door. Jane made a point to walk ahead of her. "Jane you're walking too fast."

"How are you gonna out run a killer in those shoes?"

"In general?"

Jane glanced over her shoulder and slowed down some when she noted Maura walking a tad slower than her normal pace usually was. "Yeah, why not, in general."

"Then I would say your line of questioning is flawed." She waved goodnight to a lab tech that passed them in the hall on their way to the elevator. "Thank you for today, Kenya."

"G'night Dr. Isles."

Jane looked between the two women curiously and then raised a brow at Maura when she was caught with what she assumed was her "case face".

"Hm?" She played dumb.

Maura shook her head at her best friend being weird. "Your question is flawed."

"In general?"

"Based on statistical averages. Most homicides occur somewhere between the hours or midnight and five in the morning."

"So that means?"

"In the general sense I wouldn't be wearing shoes at all and all research that I have found on the matter suggest a bare foot strike pattern is most effective."

Jane grinned softly. "So I can walk faster then?"

Maura scooted a little closer to her as they walked. "No."

"Tasha call you?" Jane finally remembered as they entered the lift. The ME's perfume pleasantly consumed the space. It gave the detective an excuse to stand a little closer to the blonde as the doors closed.

"Yes, I was on the floor. I have to return her call."

"Let me know how it goes."

"Why?" Maura asked suspiciously. Jane just offered her a mirrored curious expression which meant she knew something but wasn't saying anything. Maura simply rolled her eyes and Jane smirked. "Have you heard from Tommy today?"

"No." Her smirk fell. "Thought about calling him."

"Call."

"Why? He say something?" Jane looked at her.

"No, but I am sure he would appreciate it given yesterday and this morning."

Jane played her brother's face back in her head and sighed. "I snapped at him a little today." Maura looked at her. "This morning, I told him to stay away from our old man."

"Oh Jane." Maura shook her head.

"I know, I just… " She remembered something as the doors opened to the main lobby where a few colleagues came on limiting the amount she really could say as they waited for the three administrative workers to get off at the second floor. "I forgot to tell you something." Jane shared once they were alone again and on their way to the third floor where the garage elevator connection was made.

"What is it?"

"I agreed to drive Ma and Pop to another appointment." Maura gave her a knowing look. "I didn't want Tommy doing it, but I couldn't really say that right?"

Maura sighed softly. "Angela seemed intent to handle this her way." She reminded. She loved Jane's heart, her metaphorical heart of course, it seemed to have room for just about everyone and everything she encountered. Her brothers and her mother took an unprecedented hold somewhere there though that she had witnessed often overjoyed the other woman but also at times overwhelmed her in a profound way. She didn't like it because she was protective of Jane as she understood it. Sometimes she didn't mind letting it be known. "Do you think it is her boundary?"

"She didn't say anything about it when I told her I was gonna do it."

"I see."

"I don't really trust him around either of them."

"What do you believe he is capable of?"

Jane shrugged. "He's the common denominator in all Rizzoli family drama, Maura."

"Could this also be you checking in on him?"

They looked at one another for a long moment before Jane looked ahead and said nothing more on the matter.

Maura had parked on the top floor of the parking garage as always. Though the chances of encountering the elements prematurely was high given the rainy season they had been having, she loved stepping out from the suffocating metallic aroma of the elevator to the open night's sky when she left for work. She and Jane had gotten into a disagreement once over it. It was secluded, only one camera but Maura found she rather feel the rush of cool night air on her skin and reconnect with the living world than live in fear anymore.

Tonight the sky was a dusty blue and a small wind had picked up from the east brushing her hair in her face every now and then. She took in a deep breath and smiled to herself when she felt Jane increase her pace just a half measure as she looked around. She decided then to loop her arm with the her to slow her some. The warmth of her torso against the evening breeze watered her.

Jane looked down at her right where Maura had held onto her and sighed at the other woman. "It takes longer for you to drive down." She started her list of reasons why parking so high up was a tactical error. Maura raised her brows playfully and Jane narrowed hers. "Maura I'm being serious."

The ME smiled to herself as she rested her ear against Jane's shoulder "I know."

"I couldn't think when you got kidnapped." She remembered aloud. "Couldn't sleep, couldn't eat." She had no idea what would happen to her if that were to happen now. It would only dawn on her later when she got into her bed alone that not one thing would change.

"I suppose you thought it was relatively easy to function when you were missing. When you were kidnapped. When you were being hunted and you called me from that elevator." Maura pushed gently as she looked over at her. There stroll slowed. Jane opened her mouth to say something but then closed it. "I think we've proven to each other our resiliency, Jane."

Jane looked at her. "I know it wasn't easy."

"I like parking up here." Maura motioned with her chin at the Boston city skyline surrounding them twinkling brilliantly against the dust.

Jane nodded to herself as she finally slowed enough to look around them, It was rather beautiful. "Yeah alright." They looked at each other after some time passing of them standing still. "Reminds me of New York." Jane offered quietly.

"Yes."

They got to Maura's car and Jane stood by as the ME got organized in the front seat. She closed the door for her and leaned against it as Maura started the car and rolled the window down.

"Text me when you get home?" Jane peered into the driver's side window.

"I will." She smiled at the way Jane shifted her weight some. "Are you going to kiss me goodbye at least?" She joked and the detective blushed.

Jane rested her elbows so she was at Maura's level now. "Actually I think there was some science medical thing we needed like last yesterday. Very important, only the Chief Medical Examiner of the Commonwealth can handle it."

"Is that so?"

"Yup, super nerdy stuff. Isotopes and molecules and sub-cranial hefeweizen." The two laughed quietly before Jane leaned further into the car so they could share two very soft kisses. "Bye Maur." She murmured before pressing a firmer kiss on her cheek and backing away.

Maura was all smiles as she shifted gears. "Au revoir."

"Yeah." Jane waved as she watched the car pull off. "Au revoir."

She stuffed her hands in her pockets as she made her way back toward the elevator. She was bummed to not be having dinner with Maura. More than bummed, but whatever way she felt about it she needed to put it aside so she could work. Jane cleared her throat some and smiled still. She could still feel the other woman's soft lips against hers.

"Pause." She shook her head at the entire idea. There was no stopping them now was there?

##

Jane was met with a determined looking Frankie and Vince dressed in their bullet proof vests when she got off the elevator.

"Janie, where you been?" Frankie asked but looked at Korsak who brushed away his question to halt Jane from dashing into the wing and grabbing her own vest.

"Narcotics are joining us, they found Cortelyou on Henderson Street dealing."

"I'm coming." Jane slipped past them. "Let me get my—"

"—Simple nab and grab. We'll be back in ten." Korsak stopped her. "You have a visitor. See to it that she's comfortable."

Jane furrowed her brow as Vince ushered an equally confused Frankie along with him and the elevator closed. She then rounded the corner to find none other than Masha Beolini sitting in the chair beside her desk with a tissue clutched in her hand and deep worry lines set into her tear-stained face.

AN: And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp, and surely I'll be mine. And we'll take a cup of kindness yet, For auld lang syne.

KathleenDee