With a soft knock Detective Jane Rizzoli stood a little sheepishly in the doorway of the office of her best friend, Doctor Maura Isles – the Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Waiting until she was motioned inwards before striding into the room and detouring to the right to slump on the couch that sat in front of the window that separated the office from the hall.

"Hey Maur," she offered softly, feeling a little anxious seeing her friend for the first time since the previous night's unusual events.

Maura cast a thoughtful glance over her friend, noting the blush creeping up her olive toned cheeks. Her wild dark curls were somewhat tamed in a ponytail and as usual the bold detective wore a stock standard pant suit, black with a deep red oxford shirt. Finally she settled on dark chocolate eyes that couldn't quite hide the elation Jane was clearly feeling.

"So I take it last night was quite successful," a playful smirk tugged at Maura's lips, although the cheeriness did not make it all the way to her hazel eyes.

Jane didn't think it was possible for her to flush any harder but the warmth shot across her features under the intense assessment of her best friend. "It was uh, certainly somethin'."

"Well are you just going to sit there, or are you going to tell me about this man that you left me alone for?" Maura kept her tone light, even though underneath a part of her was disappointed Jane had left the Isle's Foundation fundraiser early. That said she had explicitly sought and received permission to do so, and as such she didn't think she had any right to express her disappointment.

Maura felt a gentle touch on her forearm and she turned from the bar, wine in hand and smiled broadly at Jane, who stood before her in an elegant black dress that accentuated her body perfectly; never mind that she was still reeling that Jane had agreed to wear a dress in the first place. "Jane."

Jane couldn't help it, her eyes ghosted from head to toe over the vivacious curves hugged tightly by a deep red dress that clung to her best friend in all the right places. For a moment she forgot why she had sought her friend out rather than waiting for her to return from the bar. Her eyes finally latched onto hazel and she knew she had been caught staring, but she shrugged it off with a typical Rizzoli smirk. "So uh, I know I promised to stay longer than this but, uh, I was wondering if you'd mind if I left early?"

Maura's smile faded as she looked inquisitively at her friend, "Any particular reason, or are you just bored already?"

Jane winced internally at the disappointment in her friend's voice. She sighed, knowing she would have to be honest in the hopes that it would lessen the blow; although deep down a part of her knew that the truth would hurt too, but her friend wouldn't dare argue with it. With an awkward shrug she said, "I have an opportunity to increase my immune goblins!"

Maura stared blankly at Jane for a moment before her eyes went wide when she realised what was being admitted. Her friend had met someone worthy of sexual intercourse. She forced a coy smile and corrected the terrible hack job Jane had managed, "You mean immunoglobulin A? By all means Jane, go, have a good time."

Jane couldn't help but avert her eyes at her friend's question; she didn't want to lie, but she had never really been overly open about the fluidity of her sexuality. Granted she knew Maura wouldn't have a problem with it, but she had never been comfortable with the labels, still she had been asked a question and her choice was to go along with the assumption or tell the truth. She sighed and looked back up at Maura who sat at her desk, hands folder together in front of her peering back earnestly and attentively. "Well see, I didn't exactly go home with a man."

Maura managed to stifle the surprised gasp that tried to escape her lips at Jane's intimation. She pursed her lips thoughtfully as her best friend suddenly found her cuticles interesting. "Jane, look at me please," her voice was soft and inviting, not at all judgemental.

Jane lifted her eyes, suddenly clearly vulnerable. She wanted to say something, but she couldn't. She needed Maura to continue and make it easy for her, to ease her fears and quell the uneasiness building up inside.

Sensing her distress Maura smiled warmly and instead of focusing on the revelation by dissecting the fact Jane was attracted to women she just broached the topic like it was something she had always known. "Well then, tell me about her?" She waggled her eyebrows playfully, "And the intercourse, how was it?"

Jane groaned and rolled her eyes, "Intercourse, really Maur? Do you always have to be so damn formal?" However as much as she complained she had to chuckle as her body instantly relaxed because her best friend knew her so well. She offered up a soft smile, "Thanks Maur."

"No need to thank me Jane. I'm just happy you are comfortable sharing all parts of yourself with me." That was the truth, as much as Maura secretly longed to share much more with her best friend, she could happily settle for this strangely close friendship that bordered on inappropriately intimate at times, without ever really crossing the line into anything more.

Suddenly remembering that she had work to do Jane jumped up and started backing towards the door, "I really gotta go though. We can, uh, talk about this tonight if you want."

"Oh, wait Jane." Maura waited as her friend paused in the doorway and looked at her inquisitively, "I forgot to mention that my birth mother is coming over for dinner tonight."

Jane had known that Maura had tracked her birth mother down, but she hadn't yet met her nor really knew too much about her, just that she too was a doctor. "Ah, well we can do dinner another night Maur, no worries."

"Would you like to join us? I think it would help me feel more comfortable if you were there."

Moments like these were what Jane lived for, she would do anything if Maura only asked. Grinning broadly to ensure the blonde didn't think she had over reached she said, "Sure thing. I'll see you tonight, what time?"

Maura smiled, pleased. "Seven."

And with a nod of confirmation the detective was gone.

A/N: Well... things are going to get a little awkward in chapter two ;) ok flat out weird HA HA My brain has an obtuse idea and well... next chapter will be fun :) Thanks for reading.