Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Not makin' money.

A/N: Just something to bide the time. I'm really hoping the writers give us a sincere apology for Season 3, with Season 4. So I figured I'd have some fun.

Jane flexed her hands against the cold and followed Frost further into the woods. Up ahead she could see the crime scene tape wound through the trees, and Maura's techs milling around. "Who's our vic?"

"Jared Krantz, 32. Some dog walkers found him about two hours ago. He was stabbed three times, Dr. Isles is with the body now."

Jane nodded and ducked under the tape, leaving Frost to whatever it was he did on the outskirts of crime scenes, and made her way to where the ME was crouched. Jared Krantz was laid out on his back, one arm spread across the ground, the other draped over his chest. The front of his shirt was covered in blood that was just starting to dry to a dull brown-black.

Maura glanced up at her approach and smiled. "Be careful Jane. There are footprints we haven't gotten casts of yet." She motioned to the ground at the body's feet.

The detective nodded and circled around until she could kneel next to Mr. Krantz's head. "Can you determine cause of death?"

The smirk on her face could be seen from space. "Prelimary cause of death appears to be multiple stab wounds to the chest. I'll know more when I get him back to the morgue."

"Time of death?" Maura's sigh was almost inaudible.

"Based on live temp, no more than three hours." The blonde looked tired when she glanced up at Jane. "Again, I'll know more when I get him back to the morgue."

Jane nodded, deciding not to prod her friend on guessing, or bringing up the Time of Death Uncertainly Principle. Besides she didn't want the lecture that particular nugget of knowledge always brought up. The flu outbreak that was currently sweeping through Massachusetts had hospitals across the state at overcapcity, and so far 18 of those cases had died. Dr. Maura Isles was exhausted. She may not have had to do all the autopsies, but she was the boss and had to coordinate the entire state.

"There are defensive wounds on his hands, and particulates under his fingernails."

"Well, people tend to get grabby when they're being murdered."

Maura chuckled, and glanced at her friend again, giving a small smile before standing. She stripped off the latex gloves on her hands, and sighed again. "I've seen enough here. I'll tell the techs the body is ready to move as soon as those casts are taken."

Jane rose as well and unconsciously offered her arm to Maura, assisting her out of the shallow ravine the body had rolled into. Looking up at the growing clouds in the sky she scowled. "It's getting late. You going to hold off on the autopsy until the morning?" She watched the blonde head nod. "Ok, so how about I show up on your front step with a pizza, and your cuddle buddy around six?"

Maura laughed again, and gave Jane a dimpled smile that secretly rendered the detective's brain unable to utter a thought more complex than 'Oh pretty'. "Jo Friday, isn't my 'cuddle buddy', I just sit still longer than you."

"You keep treats in your pocket." Maura's jaw dropped at the accusation and a loud and well thought out protest was about to be declared, but Frankie broke up the fun.

"Jane! Think I found something." Her little brother was crouched next to a fallen tree about 20 feet away, his flashlight shining into a hole in its top. He'd almost missed it there but the small box didn't appear to be too cleverly hidden.

He felt Jane lean over him, "Good eyes, Frankie."

She motioned for a tech to start taking pictures. Glancing at the ground she shook her head. They wouldn't find footprints here. The ground was littered with leaves and tall grass. The tech moved away and she glanced back in the hole. The box was partially open and had obviously been dropped back into it's hiding spot quickly. Maura glanced around her shoulder at the tree, then handed a pair of gloves to Frankie.

Jane nodded at her brother and he reached in to take his find out. Maura's quiet instruction for Frankie to do the job carefully whispered across her ear. Frankie's hands slowed, before gently working his fingers around the box and lifting it free. She smirked, 'Teaching moment.'

She knew her brother made regular visits to the morgue. Maura had been training him on how to handle evidence, how to check for fibers, and much to his distress, that science had a method and you had to follow it. Well according to Maura. But he was learning.

He stood up and turned to Jane, starting to hand her the box. "I'm not wearing gloves. You open it."

Cradling it, he pulled the lid open. Inside was a collection of things that didn't make sense. A journal, a metal coin, a disposable camera, and an SD card. "Well, that was anticlimactic."

Jane grinned at her brother. "You never know Frankie, I've had gum wrappers help me solve a murder."

Maura looked at them both and shook her head. She could be around them for the rest of her life and never understand a sibling relationship. When she found out she had a little brother, and a little sister, she was still at loss. Granted one was dead, and the other hated her with a determination that could only come from a teenaged brain, but still she was fascinated.

"Jane, I'll see you later. I'm going to follow the body to the morgue and fill out the inital paper work." The ME nodded to Korsak and Frost on her way out, and trudged toward the techs now laying out the bodybag beside Jared Krantz. Jane noticed the tired slump to her shoulders, no matter how imperceptible it was.

Korsak jerked a thumb over his shoulder, "Doc gonna do the autopsy in the morning?" She nodded and Korsak looked at his notebook. "We're still trying to track down next of kin. Not much luck so far. "

"He had a phone on him. I can check it out and see what I can find." Frost held the baggied phone up.

"All right. Frankie, close the box and bag it. We can't do anything more here." Jane glanced around again then started toward the trail. The box Frankie found would have to be gone over by the lab before they could touch it. The autopsy wouldn't happen until tomorrow, and Frost was going to work his magic on Krantz's phone. Aside from initial paperwork, there wasn't much left that could happen before tomorrow. Climbing into her cruiser, Jane smiled. A part of her would like to work all night finding a lead, the other, the part she wanted to hide, was twitching and excited. She was going to Maura's tonight. Something neither of their schedules had allowed for a week.

Jane supposed she should be worried that she wasn't going to pull an all nighter for justice, but that hidden part was getting harder and harder to fight.