Summary: Jane Rizzoli is the determined but distant homicide detective. Maura Isles is the new but socially awkward medical examiner. Jane has a secret and Maura needs help. Will Jane allow Maura to discover her secret and can she help Maura solve a problem that has been haunting her since she was a child and can they work together to not only find answers but also, perhaps, a chance at love ?

Timeline: Okay, I am taking the timelines a little freely there. This story is set after the events in The Surgeon book (so post-Hoyt) but before the first episode of season 1, "See One, Do One, Teach One." In the first chapter there is a mention of the first meeting as described in season 3 but I am taking everything freely from there. In a way I want to rediscover Jane and Maura from another point of view and develop their characters and their relationship as they get to know each other.

Rating: T, for language and some swearing

Disclaimer: Rizzoli & Isles belongs to Tess Gerritsen, who is a brilliant author, and also to Janet Tamaro and TNT. I suppose in a way they also belong to Sasha and Angie, who have not only given these women a face but a voice as well.

Pairing: Rizzles eventually but the hints will be there all the way through

Chapter 1

"Serendipity.
Look for something, find something else,
and realize that what you've found
is more suited to your needs than what you thought you were looking for."

~ Lawrence Block

South Boston was quiet on this early Thursday morning. The area was predominantly occupied by young professionals who had descended upon this part of Boston throughout the years still and who now lay soundly asleep in their beds, their mind free of work pressure and morning traffic jams. One of the strongest appeals about this side of Boston was the quick and easy access to the downtown areas. Once it had been home to many Roman Catholic families and several churches still donned many of South Boston's street corners. These days the area had transformed into an appealing home to those who were making their way up in the business world. In a few hours' time the expensive cars would be clogging the city's streets and men in pinstriped suits and women in pencil skirts would be making their way into one of the many office buildings.

A lone police car drove down one of the narrow streets, lined with new build apartment blocks on either side. Most of the windows were still dark and the uniformed officer behind the wheel kept his eyes peeled on the road ahead of him. His shift would end within the next hour and a half and after a long, boring night officer James McKinnon couldn't wait to sign off for the day. His luck was in too because it was his long weekend off. Three days of not having to wear his uniform or drive a patrol car around the streets of Boston. He wasn't fond of the night shifts that were demanded of him but it was part of being on the beat. He had only graduated from the Academy last year and he was eager to make his way up in the ranks. As the thought crossed his mind he cast a casual glance at his partner. Tim Sheen had been a police officer for over twenty years and had taken many rookies under his wing. Something about his laid back attitude made that the young men and women fresh out of the academy felt comfortable around him.

"You doing anything this weekend?" James asked as he let the wheel slide through his hands before indicating he was about to turn left. The roads were clear.

"The wife has invited her mother over," Tim said with a lazy smile. "I think I'd be lucky if I didn't end up at Homicide within the forty eight hours."

James grinned. "That bad, eh?"

"My mother-in-law makes Cruella DeVille look like Mary Poppins," Tim answered. He reached for the scanner on the dashboard as it creaked and as he did so, he furrowed his brow. Something in her peripheral vision caught his eye and his head snapped back. His reaction was out of instinct and he reached for the wheel. "Pull over."

"What the hell?" James asked in surprise, slapping his partner's hand away as he tried to control the vehicle. "What for?"

"Just do it!"

James stopped the car, spooked by the sudden urgency of his partner's voice, and lined it up with the sidewalk. Tom opened the door and quickly abandoned the vehicle. James undid his seatbelt and followed his partner out into the crisp early morning air. He took his flashlight from his belt, switched it on and let the yellow beam dance over the dark tarmac and paved sidewalk as his partner walked back in the direction they had just come from. James took a few more steps in his direction before freezing in his step. Tim had come to an unexpected stop and covered his mouth with his hand.

"Jesus Christ!"

James let his flashlight shine onto whatever it was that his partner had seen and felt his stomach drop. The bile rose in the back of his throat as the beam of light reflected off the contorted face of a woman. Her eyes were wide open but glazed over and void of life. She laid sprawled out between a couple of black trash bags. James opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. He had never stared death in the face before and the sound of his flashlight dropping to the ground echoed around the quiet street as he turned around before emptying his stomach in the nearest bushes.

Tim reached for the radio attached to his uniform. "Officer Tim Sheen to Command Central. Do you read?"

A crackling woman's voice answered. "This is Command Central. "

"We've discovered a body on Longdon Avenue, South Boston," Tim said with a shaky voice. He averted his eyes so he no longer stared at the woman's pale face. A cold shiver crept down his spine. He had found bodies before, maybe once or twice, but this was the first time where it felt as if the victim looked straight at him, like a quiet plea for help that was never going to be heard. "I am requesting Homicide assistance."

"Understood. Homicide will be dispatched as soon as possible," answered the woman's voice on the other side of the radio. "Secure the scene and wait until back up has arrived."

~()~

Jane Rizzoli stepped out of her black sedan and tried to smooth the creases out of her blazer as she straightened her spine. She stifled a yawn and reached back into the car to pick up the cup of fresh Starbucks coffee she had picked up on her way here. The persistent ringing of her cell phone had roused her from a restless sleep less than an hour ago and she had answered without even checking the caller ID, knowing a phone call before sunrise could only mean one thing. Hearing her partner Barry Frost's voice on the other side of the line announcing a body had been found erased whatever little sleep still clouded her mind and by the time she had taken a quick shower and got dressed, Jane felt remarkably alert for someone who had enjoyed less than four hours sleep. She double checked her badge was clipped to her black slacks and then stalked across the street towards the yellow police tape that marked the crime scene. She registered herself with the uniformed officer on duty and looked around for Frost. She found him at a safe distance from the body and the corners of her mouth subconsciously twisted. For a Homicide detective, Frost was surprisingly unable to be around death.

"What have we got?" she said when she reached him. He looked a little peaky as he checked his notebook and Jane observed Vince Korsak standing about two feet away, looking at something that was lying between a couple of black trash bags.

"Female. Looks like several stab wounds to the abdomen. No ID and no handbag." Frost looked up from his notebook. Jane observed the rings around his eyes. Here stood another detective who had not slept enough. "We're waiting for the Medical Examiner."

Jane pinched the bridge of her nose. They were standing in a large residential area and not really the type of place where people went round leaving dead bodies on sidewalks. Her dark eyes scanned the area, taking in the faces of the small crowd that had gathered outside the police lines. "Any idea how she ended up here?"

Frost shook his head. "No, and when you see her you'll understand why."

"You coming?" she questioned him but Frost shook his head and muttered something about making inquiries. Jane patted him on his arm, suggested he'd get some bagels from the store at the end of the street and then walked up to Vince Korsak, who had now knelt down to one knee.

"I hope you're not proposing to her," Jane snickered when she reached the older detective and he looked up when he recognised her voice.

"Jane." His eyes lit up as they met hers and the smile that spread across his face was genuine. Vince Korsak had been on the job for many years and Jane had taken a strong liking to him. Together they had been through a lot and he was one of her closest friends, if not one of her only friends. "I didn't know you were on call."

"My lucky night," Jane replied and turned her head to look at whatever Korsak had been looking at. An unexpected sense of shock engulfed her when she realised their victim was naked. She lay partially propped up against one of the trash bags, her right arm almost protectively draped around the dark plastic. Her left arm had been folded beside her body, with her hand in her lap, allowing it to half cover her most intimate parts. Jane's gaze lingered for a moment on the woman's blood stained face before trailing down her neck towards her chest. She recognised the stab wounds Frost had mentioned. Dried blood covered the edges and dark streaks desecrated pale white flesh.

"I take it she didn't walk out here naked on her own," Jane concluded. "Someone brought her here."

"Someone who really wanted her to be degraded in every way possible," Korsak agreed and looked at the dark haired woman standing next to him. Jane Rizzoli was the only female detective in the Homicide Department and she had been his partner until recently. As the thought crossed his mind his gaze briefly darted down to Jane's hands. She hid them in the pockets of her blazer. He had noticed she was edgy about the scars and she didn't like people to see them. Korsak's eyes drifted back up and came to a rest on Jane's hardened features. She wasn't unattractive but, and he didn't mean to piss her off, but Jane didn't particularly care for her appearance. Thick black curls framed her face, accenting the sharp jaw line and dimples in her cheeks whenever she smiled. Rough-and-tumble Rizzoli, he called her. What you see is what you get and if you didn't like it, you had better clear the hell out.

"Looks like the ME's here," Jane said as she looked up to discover another car pulling up just outside the crime scene. She whistled through her teeth as she studied the expensive, shiny car. "Jesus, what pathologist drives a freakin' Lexus?"

"Must be that new one everyone's been talking about," Korsak guessed. He leant in to Jane. "I wondered when we'd get the pleasure. I heard she's a bit of a weird character, this one."

Jane snorted at that statement. "Would you call anyone who cuts into dead bodies normal?"

They watched the driver of the Lexus get out of their car and the first thing Jane noticed was a high heeled open toe shoe, black leather with a fine strap around the ankle. A second foot was placed firmly beside the first before they stood up. Jane watched the legs move around the car and her eyes trailed up along finely shaped calves until they reached the end of a black dress that reached till just above the knee. Her curiosity was triggered and Jane's eyes drifted up further. The black dress clung to a well formed figure and was accented by a dark red jacket that reached down to the woman's waist. Everything about the outfit screamed that it had been put together with great care and probably had a price tag larger than Jane's monthly salary six times over. Honey blonde locks of hair fell down the woman's shoulders, framing her face. She clutched her medical kit and a pair of gloves as she crossed the street and reached the uniformed officer with the clipboard. Jane strained her hearing to listen to the woman state her name.

"Doctor Maura Isles, Chief Medical Examiner."

Jane glanced at Korsak, masking her surprise over the unexpected arrival behind a face of professionalism. "Whatever happened to what's his name?"

"Retired, or so I heard," Korsak answered. He rolled his eyes. "It's allright for some."

Jane watched as the woman she now knew to be Doctor Maura Isles made her way towards them. The woman walked with small steps, possibly due to the height of her heels, and Jane took all the time in the world to observe her. Maura Isles seemed unfazed by the early hour and looked immaculate, as if someone had just ripped her straight out of a fashion magazine. The sound of her heels clicking against the pavement could have been annoying but Jane somehow found it refreshing. A hint of recognition appeared in her eyes as the woman came closer and then it hit her.

It had happened a few months ago, in the cafeteria back at the station. She'd been working undercover for the Drugs Squad and was dressed up as a hooker but had been called back to hand in her report. Stanley refused to give her the coffee and donut because she had no money, even though he knew damn well who she was, and this woman had appeared out of nowhere, trying to push a couple of bucks into her hand. She had been offended and sneered something about her having to mind her own business. The woman had replied she ought to try some healthier options, Jane couldn't remember the exact reason why, but she had turned around and left, without the food or drink. As she watched Maura Isles come closer she realised with a shock this was the very same woman. A slight feeling of embarrassment crept up on Jane.

"Good morning, detectives," Maura said rather perky. Inquisitive hazel eyes flashed from Korsak to Jane and seemed to linger a little longer on the slender detective's frame. A slight frown spread across her face. "I don't think we have met before."

"Detective Vince Korsak," Korsak said and jerked his head towards Jane. "The grumpy one over here is Detective Jane Rizzoli." Maura Isles smiled at the greeting. "Good morning to you too, doc"

"Morning," Jane said without making eye contact. "Not so sure about the good part." She pointed at the body between the trash. "Certainly isn't a good morning for her."

"Don't I know you from somewhere?" Maura said unexpectedly, her gaze still fixed on Jane's face. Recollection dawned in her eyes. "I've seen you before, I think. In the cafeteria." Maura's eyes shamelessly lowered down to Jane's legs before wandering back up. "You look… better."

Jane groaned softly. She had hoped the medical examiner wouldn't recognise her. After all, wandering into BPD dressed in a leather mini skirt with fishnet tights and knee length boots, finished off with a white fur jacket wasn't the best thing she had ever done. She ran her fingers through her hair and averted her eyes. "It was for a case." It was muttered so softly that no one really heard her. She watched as Maura pushed her hands into a pair of gloves before kneeling down beside the body. Slender fingers trailed over the stab wounds in the victim's chest.

"You see any blood?" Korsak asked, looking at Jane.

"No."

What she did see were the dark coloured marks on the sidewalk. She turned on her heel and looked at the small patch of grass ran alongside it. It was wet. Jane's dark eyes darted to the small but bright green front lawns on either side of the street. They belonged to the new build apartment complexes. What she saw were the sprinklers and she heaved a sigh. Man's vanity had extended beyond the appearance of a body or a house. Now even the freaking grass had to look good at all times. It was the middle of August and the temperatures had been in the high eighties for days. Of course people had sprinklers. God forbid if your grass started to go yellow and died.

Jane's eyes found Korsak. "You think she was killed somewhere else?"

"I would have expected more blood if she'd been stabbed here."

"Good point. Besides, a naked woman in the middle of the road is bound to get someone's attention. I'll make sure Frosts asks the neighbours." Jane glanced over her shoulder at her partner. He was talking to a man dressed in a pair of grey sweat pants and a t-shirt clutching a water bottle. He looked like just another high end business associate about to go for his morning jog.

Maura Isles studied the victim's contours. The woman's face was pale and red smudges of blood marred her appearance. Strands of burgundy red hair had fallen into her eyes. The stab wounds in her chest appeared deep and she let her index finger slide across the edges. They were smooth and as she pushed a little against the skin she could see deeper into the wound. She seemed well nourished with little body fat. Her strategically placed arms covered her genitalia and her breasts, though the curves of her womanhood were still displayed to the world. Maura felt a certain need to cover her, to shield her from all these prying eyes, and to give her back some of the dignity that had been taken from her but she knew that there was far worse to come. An autopsy was unforgiving in every meaning of the world.

"What's your guess, doctor Isles?" Jane asked, fixing her eyes on the other woman.

Disturbed from her trail of thoughts, Maura looked up with a smile gracing her lips and she brushed a strand of hair out of her face. Bright, hazel green eyes met Jane's dark brown orbs. "Oh, I don't guess, detective."

Jane blinked. "Excuse me?"

"I find that guessing is not something that I like to take part in. I rely on science to give me definitive answers," Maura answered with a straight face and Jane couldn't tell whether the medical examiner was being serious or was trying to pull her leg. "I will hopefully be able to provide you with answers after I have performed the autopsy."

"O-kay," Jane answered hesitantly. She wasn't quite sure what to make of this new medical examiner's answer. She was used to being told a possible cause of death, and in this case it seemed pretty obvious, and she usually enjoyed a little speculation at the scene. She found it triggered her brain into a certain thinking mode that allowed her to spot patters far quicker than when she had to read the details of a piece of paper.

"Jane?"

She looked up when Frost appeared behind her. She turned to look at him. "Got anything?"

"That guy over there said he came home at 2 am last night and put out the trash," Frost said and gestured at the black bags. "Those are his."

"I take it a dead naked woman wasn't part of the recycling?"

Frost shook his head. "Trash collectors usually make their rounds down these streets around nine." He checked his watch. "That's in three hours' time."

"Officer Sheen reported the body to Command Central at 5.02 am," Jane remembered. "Where is he?"

Frost pointed at the patrol car parked across the street and Jane spotted the uniformed officer sipping from a styrofoam cup of coffee. His younger partner leant against the door of the car, looking pale and in desperate need of some sleep. She nudged Frost, left Korsak to deal with the medical examiner and they crossed the street.

"What you make of the new medical examiner?" Jane asked once they were out of hearing range.

"She's hot."

"Besides the obvious, Frost."

"She's strange."

Jane snorted. "Really, Frost? Strange? You call yourself a detective? What, you found your badge at the bottom of a Crackerjack Box or something?"

"Hey, you asked, I answered!" Frost came to his own defence. He looked over his shoulder to find Korsak talking to Maura. "Never met a medical examiner who doesn't at least establish cause of death at the scene."

Jane didn't get a chance to reply as they reached officers Sheen and McKinnon. She pushed her hands back in her pockets and let her eyes briefly wander of the two men's faces. Nightshifts were unkind to people, she remembered. She had done plenty of them herself in the past. She flashed them an encouraging smile. "We'll just kept his short and you can go home to your beds."

"Thanks," Sheen answered. "It's been a long night."

Frost opened his notebook. "Can you talk me through what happened?"

"We were just finishing up our patrol. You know, final rounds and stuff before heading back to the station," McKinnon answered. Jane detected the fear in his voice and felt sympathy for the guy. Rookies weren't trained to deal with crap like this. Even some of the most hardened men and women on the job still felt their stomach turn when they reached a crime scene and Jane knew more than a few hardcore homicide detectives who still couldn't face an autopsy without Vapo-Rub smeared under their noses.

"I was about to call it a night, check in with the operator and make our way back, you know," Sheen said. "I leant forward…" He mimicked the action by leaning towards Jane. She instinctively moved away. "When I reached for the radio, I thought I saw something. I just looked real quick and I saw her lying there."

"Did you see any cars drive down here while you were doing your patrols?" Jane asked.

McKinnon shook his head. "It's been pretty quiet all night. Not much happening down here on a Thursday. It's the Friday and Saturday nights that are in the interesting ones. Bar brawls, fist fights…" He shrugged. "Never seen a dead person before."

Jane resisted answering that he would get used to it. People died every day. Sooner or later it would be someone he knew. She glanced at Frost, who had finished writing. "Allright, go home guys. If we need anything else from you, we'll let you know. Get some sleep." The two uniformed officers nodded in appreciation and got back into their car. As they drove away Jane thought to herself that neither of those two men was going to get any sleep at all.

"Detective Rizzoli?"

She turned around when she heard Maura call her name and slowly walked back towards the medical examiner. She sat on her knees beside the victim and had pushed aside one of the trash bags, ready to move the body and bring her back to the morgue.

"What is it?" Jane asked when she reached her.

Maura pointed at something lying next to the victim, partially hidden by her hair. Jane recognised the fine golden chain that had once been a necklace and she beckoned for one of the crime scene investigators to come over so he could take a picture before she took an evidence bag from her pocket and carefully picked it up. The chain dangled between her fingers and glistened in the early morning sunlight.

"That is a Swarovski pendant," Maura said and a gloved hand reached for the necklace Jane was holding. Their fingers, though separated by latex, brushed against each other as Maura studied the pendant more closely. Jane felt a shiver creep down her spine and fixed her eyes on the other woman's face. In those few seconds she made another observation. Maura Isles was beautiful.

"Are you done?" Jane asked as Maura let the pendant slide through her fingers. It came out harsher than she had intended and the female doctor seemed taken aback. "I need to take this to Evidence."

"Sure, I'm done." Maura composed herself. "She is the only autopsy on my list so far so I'll see you in an hour?" She stood up and looked down at the detective still kneeling beside the victim. Jane looked up to her, puzzled. Maura grinned. "You do attend autopsies, don't you, detective Rizzoli?"

Jane smiled. "I guess I am now."