You Don't See It

Disclaimer: Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles do not belong to me. No infringement intended and no profit will be made from their use.

A/N: A new multi-chapter fic. I'm thinking it'll be about five chapters, but I'm not really sure. This is in the same vein as my last story. One or more of our ladies are oblivious to their feelings for each other. What happens when someone points it out? Also, this is a challenge for myself to write more from Maura's point of view.

Detective Frost was sitting on the couch in Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Maura Isle's office. They were going over the forensics evidence from a case they worked on a few months ago that was about to go to trial. As the junior detective under Detectives Korsak and Rizzoli, Frost had not yet testified in a murder trial, and he was determined to not screw it up. Maura had testified in dozens of trials and had agreed to help Frost review the forensics as well as prepare in general to give testimony.

When they were finished for the day, Frost got up, started gathering his stuff, and said, "Thanks, Dr. Isles."

"Detective Frost, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Maura?" Maura said as she moved back to her desk and started looking through files she needed to deal with.

"Sorry, Maura, it's just habit. You can certainly call me Barry too, although I'd prefer Frost."

"Of course, Frost."

"You too. You and Jane have anything planned this evening?" Frost said, just trying to make conversation.

"I don't know what Jane has planned for this evening, but I have a date," Maura answered.

Frost paused what he was doing and looked at Maura and said, "What do you mean?"

Maura smiled as she answered, "I have a date, dinner to be precise, with the new prosecutor in the District Attorney's office, David Parks. We met a couple of weeks ago when I was in court for the Randall case and he called me a few days ago and asked me out."

Frost looked surprised and confused for a few moments before saying, "Oh, okay, well, have fun."

Maura tilted her head in confusion at Frost's reaction and thought about his original question. "Detective, I mean Frost, why are you surprised that I have a date?"

Frost looked away, embarrassed, "Oh, I uh, no reason. I just was confused about something."

Maura thought about Frost's original question. "Frost? I'd like to think that we aren't just colleagues, that we're friends. Please be honest with me. You asked if Jane and I were doing anything tonight."

"Okay, look, I kinda thought that you and Jane were dating," Frost admitted.

"Why did you think that?" Maura asked.

"You two spend a lot of time together. I just thought, I don't know what I thought."

"Barry, you're a detective, and a very good one. You must have actual evidence that led you to believe that Jane and I are dating."

Frost sighed and said quietly, "It's just the way the two of you are together, I guess. The way you look at each other, sometimes stare at each other. It's only the past couple of months I've thought there was something going on?"

"And you thought we'd keep it a secret?" Maura asked.

"Well, there are a lot of reasons you might want to keep it secret, at least at first. You know, like working together, it could be awkward if it didn't work out. But it doesn't matter anyway because I was wrong. So don't worry about it. And have fun on your date," Frost said, trying to finish the conversation.

"Does anyone else think we're dating?" Maura asked, oblivious to Frost's discomfort.

"Um, I don't know. Korsak and I talked about it once. I would never talk about Jane behind her back like that with anyone else. I think Frankie might have thought about it, but he's never said anything to me directly."

"Oh. That's... interesting," Maura said stiffly.

"Crap, Doc, I'm sorry. I don't want you think I'm gossiping about you or something."

"No, no Frost, it's fine. I just had no idea..." Maura said and trailed off.

"Alright, great, well, thanks again and I'll see you around," Frost said as he practically ran out of Maura's office.

David Parks was handsome and charming. He dressed nicely. He was smart and committed to his job, being another cog in the justice system wheel. He also seemed legitimately interested in Maura's job and asked her a number of insightful questions about it. But Maura found herself unable to focus and enjoy herself. Normally she would find a man like David interesting enough for at least a few dates, if not more, and one, maybe even two or three, sexual encounters, but Maura didn't feel the slightest interest.

Maura was distracted and she was fully aware of what, or more precisely who, was distracting her. Jane. After the conversation with Frost, Maura couldn't help but analyze what he had said. She was only left with more questions though. Did she and Jane really act like a couple, enough so that people who knew them well would think they were dating? And what did that mean? Did Jane know people thought they were dating? Did Jane want them to be dating? No, that was silly. Or was it?

David had just said something and Maura had no idea what it was. "I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

"I asked if you were okay. You seemed distracted just then."

"I'm sorry. I am a little distracted tonight."

"Does it have to do with a case?" David asked.

"No. It's something else that came up at work today that's been bothering me. I'm sorry. I probably haven't been very good company."

"Actually, I think you're delightful company," David said.

"That's sweet," Maura said, with a smile that felt forced.

The check came and David insisted on paying. They left the restaurant and David walked Maura to her car. Maura was thankful they had met at the restaurant. It made getting away easier. At the driver's side door, David leaned in and kissed Maura's lips. "Would you like to go somewhere to have dessert or something?"

Maura had kissed him back, placing her hand on his shoulder. She will herself to say yes, even if it was just to distract herself from her thoughts, but she couldn't. She would be using David and that wasn't fair to him. "I'm sorry David. I like you but I don't want to lead you on. Maybe we can try this again in a few weeks when I'm not so preoccupied."

"Try again in a few weeks? That's one of the more interesting blow-offs I've heard."

"I don't know how to explain this, but I need to sort some things out," Maura responded.

"Is there someone else?" David asked.

"No. Maybe. I mean, I don't think so."

"Well I guess that's just unspecific enough to be the truth. And I guess that could explain some things. Okay Maura Isles. I'll tell you what. I like you. Give me a call if you clarify things and want to have dinner again."

Maura watched David walk away and then got in her car. Maybe? she thought. Where did that come from?

At first Maura thought she would just forget about the conversation with Frost, that it would simply fade away from her mind because it was just a silly misunderstanding. But a few days later, Maura was still thinking about it. There were a few questions that she couldn't answer. Did Jane and her really act like a couple? What did that mean? How did Jane feel? And the fact that Maura couldn't stop thinking about it made Maura wonder how she actually felt.

Maura decided she needed to do what she always did when she didn't know the answer to something. Research. She had to form a hypothesis and then test it. For this research she had two hypotheses. It was figuring out how to test them that was the hard part.

Friday evening, Maura knocked on Jane's door and heard her yell, "Come in."

"Why are you always telling me to lock my door if you don't lock yours?" Maura said as she entered the apartment. "Where are you?"

"Down here," Jane said from the floor in front of the couch. Jane was face down on the floor, balanced on her toes and forearms, wearing only shorts a sports bra.

"What are you doing down there?" Maura asked as she sat down on the couch.

Jane rolled over on to her back. "Ab workout."

Maura poked Jane's stomach with the toe of her stiletto. "You told me you didn't do any ab workouts."

"I usually don't but I've been feeling kind of flabby lately, I guess. I put on a few pounds this winter, and you know, summer is right around the corner."

"Jane," Maura laughed, "I had no idea you could be so vain. Are you trying to look good for anyone in particular?"

"Hey, I'm not being vain," Jane protested. "I just wanna feel good about myself, alright? It doesn't have to be for anyone else."

"You're right, of course it doesn't. Well, what do you think about me? Did I get flabby this winter too?" Maura asked, gesturing to her own body.

Jane sat up and looked Maura up and down, probably for a little too long. She stood up and averted her gaze. "Nah, you look good. I think you should just keep doing whatever you're doing. I'm gonna take a quick shower. You wanna order some food and pick a movie?"

"Sure," Maura called after Jane and then retreated into her own thoughts.