A/N: I had this story but set it aside. It was between this and 'You Just Call Out My Name' and I wasn't as happy with this story. After a short break I needed a distraction so despite saying I was going to wait until after season 3 was finished before posting again; here is the story that was put off because of YJCOMN...

Another murder in Boston; so what's new! Korsack and Frost are the first from homicide to arrive at the scene. As they survey the perimeter there are a lot of anxious uniforms running around. What they have on their hands is what the wise and experienced Korsack refers to as an 'inconvenient murder'. As the city wakes and moves towards the peak hour; this murder is going to frustrate and annoy a lot of people. This crime will need a major Boston City thoroughfare to be closed; traffic is going to be a disaster and tempers are going to fray everywhere.

The sound of clicking heels causes Korsack and Frost to turn. One would excuse them for thinking the woman approaching them was lost. Dr. Isles; the Boston Medical Examiner looks more like she should be at a fashion show in Paris. She comes from money and it never ceases to amaze Korsack that she chooses to work as their coroner. The quirky out of left field doctor however has turned Boston Homicide from a bunch of cynics waiting for her to be a disaster, to a bunch of die-hard supporters. Frost and Korsack are at the top of that list.

Maura smiles at them as she asks for their preliminary observations. "Our Jane Doe was found here an hour ago by an early morning jogger. Victim is female, mid thirties and it looks like a rape homicide" Frost explains.

"Hmm" Maura is staring at the victim as she slides on her latex gloves. "Excuse me gentlemen" She gets on her haunches and starts to take a closer look. It takes Dr. Isles around forty minutes to complete her on-site examination. She closes her note-book and slips it into her medical bag. She closes the bag and stands. She peels off her gloves as she signals to the EMT to take the corpse to the morgue. It's only after this task is complete that she notices cars blowing their horns and commuters shouting abuse at the uniforms trying to direct traffic around their scene.

"Goodness me Sergeant Detective Korsack there seem to be a lot of unhappy commuters this morning" Maura states the obvious.

"No kidding Doc; uniforms are ready to re-open the road. Are you OK with that" Korsack asks.

Maura nods. Frost approaches; he's been talking to the jogger who found the victim. "Hey, where's Jane?" He looks to both Maura and Korsack. "I know the traffic's bad but I thought she'd be here by now." Maura and Korsack grab their phones and check for messages.

"I don't know" Maura says as she holds down the number one on her phone. It prompts the smart dial to call Jane. After a moment she looks at Frost and Korsack; "oh. It's gone to voicemail."

Korsack dials operations. He informs Frost and Dr. Isles that Operation's weren't able to reach her.

Frost frowns, it's not like Jane not to be at a crime scene. She says it always gives her a better sense of the killer. If she can't make it she always calls.

"I think I will call by her apartment before I go to the morgue" Maura informs Frost and Korsack. They encourage Maura; they tell her they'll call her if they hear anything. Dr. Isles promises to do the same.

Maura is about to knock on Jane's door when her phone rings. "Dr. Isles" she answers. Frost informs her that Jane's called in sick and won't be in today. That's funny Maura thinks, she and Jane had caught up for dinner last night and while Jane was quiet and looked tired she hadn't said anything about not feeling well. Maura shrugs as she knocks on Jane's door; Jane never says how she's feeling so why would last night have been any different.

When Jane answers; she is standing there dressed as if she were about to be dragged on a shopping spree with Maura. She has on her favourite jeans and her favourite leather jacket. She has her hair pulled back and is even wearing a light layer of makeup.

"Maura" Jane mutters in shock.

Maura just stares at Jane with a surprised expression on her face.

"What?" Jane stares at Maura but doesn't invite her in. She scans her foyer behind Maura as if she's looking for someone else.

Maura gets an incredulous expression come across her face. "Jane Rizzoli, are you playing knookie?

Jane looks at Maura horrified. "What on earth are you talking about?"

Maura raises her eyes, "you know; a day in which liberty is taken upon oneself to exclude themselves from school or work obligations while, most likely, pretending to be sick or having a death in the family. Usually this time is spent with a significant other. Who is he Jane?"

Jane grabs Maura "Get in here!" she pulls her into her apartment and shuts the door. "First of all you mean hookie and second of all; what I'm doing is none of your business!"

"I'm sorry; it's just when you didn't turn up at the crime scene we were all concerned."

"Really Maura; just one day, one time I take a sick day and all of a sudden I'm playing hookie with some guy. Come on!"

"Funny Jane you're not dressed like you're sick. You look like you're begging off work to go on a; I don't know; maybe even a casual date."

"Maura, please don't do this; it's not what you think so just let it go. I need you to go back to work and tell anyone who asks I'm not feeling well. I need you to; hell Maura I need you to not be here and to not ask questions!"

Maura is surprised and concerned. She can't believe what Jane's just said. "So you just want me to leave and you want me to lie for you?" She frowns at Jane.

"Maura, that's two questions!" Jane stares at her.

Before Maura can speak there is a knock at Jane's door. She looks at Maura then at her door. Reluctantly she opens it. Maura looks at her guest and can't believe her eyes. Standing in Jane's doorway is Dr. Jackson Hughes.

"Oh I'm sorry Jane I didn't know you had guests, hello Dr. Isles."

"Dr. Hughes" Maura finds her voice.

"I'm sorry Jackson, Dr. Isles is just leaving. Come in and have a seat. I won't be a minute." Jane grabs Maura's arm and escorts her outside.

Maura looks at Jane when she closes the door "I see, so it's not what I think? I've never known you to put a man before murder Jane."

"Maura that's not fair and you're out of line." This is a scene she so did not want to share with Maura.

"Oh; oh; really, when did you meet him? Why haven't you told me about this?" Maura's feelings are hurt "we sat at dinner last night and you never even mentioned him. This isn't like you Jane; well not with me anyway!"

Jane looks at Maura; she has every right to feel hurt. Jane's keeping something from her but now is not the time to fill her in. Jane's not sure she ever will. "I'm sorry Maura I'm just not ready to talk about this." Jane forces a smile.

Maura looks at Jane intently "I know Dr. Hughes Jane; and well; well, I hope you know what you're doing." Maura hesitates and then adds. "Be careful."

"Maura I think you're being a little melodramatic. Look if anyone asks; tell them we've spoken and I'm seeing a doctor today. At least that way you don't have to lie." Jane again forces a wry smile.

"OK!" Maura pauses and then lets a long breath escape. "OK Jane, I have an autopsy to perform on a woman who looks to have been brutally raped and then murdered." Maura's words hit Jane hard. Jane hates that she wasn't able to be at the scene this morning. She hates that she'll be a day behind in trying to track down this killer. At this very moment Maura will never know how angry she really is.

"I'm sorry Maura, I'll give this case my full and undivided attention as soon as I can; I promise."

Maura looks at Jane; the disappointment is evident in her eyes. She doesn't say anymore as she turns to leave.

"Maura call me later; fill me in on everything you can; please" Jane almost pleads.

Maura doesn't look back; she just raises her hand in a half-hearted wave and is gone.

When Jane goes back into her apartment Jackson is sitting on her lounge with a concerned look. "Is everything OK" he asks.

Jane looks at him "I didn't know you know Dr. Isles?"

Jackson smiles "I wouldn't say I know her but our paths have crossed from time to time. How do you know her?"

"Jackson she's the Chief Medical Examiner and I'm a homicide detective."

"Oh; of course!" Jackson stands. "Why was she here?"

"There's been a murder and I should have been there. When she heard I'd called in sick, I guess she called in to check on me."

"Isn't that somewhat unusual" Jackson looks at Jane with a frown.

"Oh know that's Mau… I mean Dr. Isles." Jane hesitates and then continues. "Actually Maura's my best friend. I was surprised she turned up rather than call, with the murder and all but no Maura would definitely check up on me at some stage if she heard I wasn't feeling well."

Jackson laughs. "Well maybe she did call, because I called twice and both went to voicemail."

"My phone;" Jane races off to look for it. She returns from another room. "After Operations left a message this morning I switched it to silent. I knew once Korsack, Frost and Maura started calling I'd lose my confidence and not go through with today."

Jackson looks at Jane seriously "Jane if we don't start to find some answers I'm afraid you may have to get used to not turning up at crime scenes. It could turn out that you have to prepare yourself for not being a cop!"

Jane looks at Jackson, fear flashes across her face. She hides it as quickly as it appears. It fascinates Jackson. "Well that's why you're here" Jane says with wavering confidence.

Jackson reaches for Jane's hands and pulls them up in front of him. He turns them over as he examines the scars. "Then we better get to work; come on let's go."

Jane frees her hands and opens a draw to pull out her keys, wallet, badge and gun. Jackson smiles, "you won't need the badge or the gun."

Jane looks at the items in her hand. "Oh!" She puts the gun back in her draw but hangs on to her badge. "Sorry; I'll leave the gun but I don't like to go anywhere without my badge, if that's OK?"

Jackson nods and they leave.

As Maura drives to the morgue she tries to asses what's just happened. The most dedicated homicide detective in the precinct has just bought off on a case to spend time with Dr. Jackson Hughes. It is so unlike Jane that Maura is really confused. There's no doubt Hughes is dashingly handsome and he's very tall which Maura knows Jane likes in a man; given her own height. However Maura's heard he has a terrible reputation with women. Jane's usually so good at reading people Maura's surprised Jane hasn't picked him for it.

When she arrives at the morgue she dismisses Jane and Hughes and focuses on the victim. Jane's a big girl she tells herself; who am I to interfere. She changes into her autopsy scrubs and gets to work. She carefully scans the clothes of the victim looking for loose particulates. She fills a number of Petri dishes before removing the garments and sending them off for further analysis.

Maura then scans the naked body in great detail. She checks the nasal passages, the ears and throat. She takes samples from under all her nails. She does a vaginal exam and swabs for any residues. She takes blood samples. She x-rays the woman's body for information. All the while she is preserving samples and taking notes. The process takes her well over an hour at which point she is ready to start the 'Y' incision. Maura goes and grabs a grey surgery scrub to throw over her blacks. She pulls on a mask and tests the saw. She's about to start cutting when Detective Frost walks in. She decides to wait.

As Frost addresses her Maura removes her mask. "Is there anything you can tell me yet Dr. Isles?"

"Most of the loose particulates are what you would expect given the victim was found on the side of a road" Maura explains. "She's badly beaten and bruised but there are no broken bones. The damage around her genitalia suggests the rape was extremely violent but we're still running tests on all the samples taken from her, Detective."

"Cause of death" Frost asks.

Maura shakes her head. "Even if I wanted to guess; I don't as yet have any idea. It is odd. I'll know more after I get her blood samples back and inspect her organs.

"I ran the prints you sent me Doc; she's not in the system."

Maura shakes her head and looks at the woman on her table.

"It never gets any easier Dr. Isles" Frost explains.

"I'm sorry Detective?"

"Seeing women beaten, raped and left for dead."

Frost has copped a lot of harassment from his colleagues because of his sensitivity to death. Maura has a soft spot for him. She pats his arm "I expect for good Detective's, it never does." She smiles at him.

Frost smiles and turns to leave; he turns back "Oh hey; did you speak to Jane?"

Maura hesitates before responding. "Yes… She was at home when I got there."

"Is she OK?"

"I don't know Detective but she was… Ah she was seeing a Doctor today."

"Man she must be sick; Jane seeing a Doctor. Huh!" He's shaking his head as he leaves.

His words trigger a thought in Maura; a worrying one. He's right Jane hates Doctors. She never goes and sees one without being forced and even then she always comes and talks to her first. Jane is forever asking Maura to fix her odd complaints. Maura cannot see Jane seeing Hughes for medical reasons and she can't believe Jane would shirk a murder investigation for a date. Maura makes a mental note to push Jane harder on what's going on. She shakes the thought, dons her mask; picks up her saw and starts cutting.