hat if the past few years of your life were fake? Everything you'd felt, every person you'd met, every memory you had, was all a figment of your imagination? Every relationship you'd developed, was only a simple dream? But what if you'd dreamed about someone you'd never met? That's how it was for me. My names Jane Rizzoli, and I'm a detective for the Boston Police Department. A few months ago, I was shot on duty. I'd been in a coma for over 6 months. But the thing is, while I was unconscious, I was still living my life. Not how it was, how it used to be before I was shot... But how I wanted it to be. How I had always imagined it. I met people and had experiences most people don't get to have. I'm in a relationship with Casey Jones, and have been since before I was shot.

While I was in a coma, I met a girl. Her name is Maura Isles, and she was a medical examiner for the Boston PD, who worked side-by-side with me to solve murders. Now, the thing is, Maura isn't real. I've never met her; she's just a figment of my imagination.

That day that I was shot, changed my life forever. What I didn't realize is, the moment that would leave the biggest impact on my life, and forever change my world, was when I opened my eyes for the first time after being in a coma for 8 months. The day that my dreams became reality

Jane opened her eyes, squinting because of the bright light. She felt like a newborn baby, opening their eyes for the first time as they're brought into the world. This was the first time Jane had seen light in 8 months, and the first faces she saw was her boyfriend Casey.

"You're awake," he said in his sexy British accent.

"Casey? Where's Maura?"

"Who? Who's Maura?"

"What? Casey, I- go get Ma."

"Jane-"

"No, Casey. Please, just go get Ma." Casey left, worry on his face, and soon enough, Mamma Rizzoli walked in. When she saw that Jane was awake, she ran over there and hugged her tightly.

"Jane Clementine Rizzoli, don't you ever do that to me again!"

"How'd I get here?"

"Y-you don't remember?"

"No... Last thing I remember I was with Maura at the Dirty Robber."

"Jane, you died. The day Frankie got shot... Bobby took you hostage and put a gun up to your head. You grabbed it and shoved it into your stomach, and he pulled the trigger just as a sniper shot him. From the angle the gun was at, it went into your heart."

"Ma, that was years ago." Angela looked at Jane with a worried look on her face.

"Jane, that was 8 months ago. You've been in a coma since."

"No," Jane said, "that's not true. I- I was with Maura," she said with tears in her eyes. "Where's Maura? I need to see Maura." Jane had a terrified look on her face, and she sat up quickly. "Why isn't Maura here? Is Maura okay?"

"Jane, who's Maura?"

"Ma! She's my best friend! She's the ME for BPD! We solved murders together... We've been friends for two or three years."

"Janie, the only medical examiner that's worked for the Boston Police Department for the past 5 years is Dr. Perlmutter."

"No, you're wrong," Jane cried. She got out of her bed, and grabbed her clothes. She went into the bathroom, changing out of them and running out of her room and to the front desk.

"Hey, aren't you the cop that got shot?" The receptionist asked.

"Yes, but that's not important right now. I need to know if you have a patient by the name of Maura Isles."

"No, but there's a girl named Maura that comes to visit Hope Martin, but I'm not sure of her last name."

"Hope... Hope... What room is she in?"

"She's a doctor, detective."

"Has Maura been here lately?"

"She actually just left a few minutes ago. She's probably still in the parking garage. Detective, may I ask what this-" Jane was already gone. She was frantically walking to the parking garage.

"Maura!" She called out. "Maura!" She yelled.

"Hope?" A voice nearby said. Jane turned towards the voice, and ran over to Maura and hugged her tighly.

"Oh, Maura... You're alright," Jane said, pulling away.

"Um... I'm sorry, but do I know you?" Jane looked at Maura with concern on her face, and laughed.

"You're kidding, right? You're Maura Isles, right?" Maura's face dropped, and she stared at Jane.

"Yes," she said gruffly. "I'm Maura Isles."

"You're my best friend... Have been for 2 or 3 years."

"Um... I'm sorry. I've never seen you before." Maura's face softened, and her eyebrows raised. "Oh wait, yeah I have," she smiled, and Jane's face lit up. "On TV. You're the detective that got shot, right?" Jane's face dropped again, and a tear rolled down her cheek.

"What the hell?" she asked herself. "I'm not paranoid. I- I don't remember how I woke up here. I- last thing I remember, I was with you. I got shot years ago... That's how you and I met, we- we met because of..." Jane trailed off, and remembered why Hope Martin sounded familiar. "Because of your mom."

"Constance?" Maura asked, confused.

"No, Hope." Maura stared at Jane with wide eyes, and gulped.

"How did you know that? I've never told anyone," she said in a gruff voice.

"You told me." Maura stared at Jane, confused and scared as hell. "Listen, you're saying you don't know me, I'm saying you're my best friend... So, ask me questions about yourself."

"What do I do for a living?"

"You're an ME. If not for the BPD, somewhere else."

"My middle name?"

"Dorthea." Maura looked surprised, but kept going.

"Any pets?"

"Bass, your turt-" Jane corrected herself, like Maura always had. "Tortoise."

"Okay, lets get more personal. Parents' names."

"Constance and Mr. Isles adopted you. Your biological father is crime boss Paddy Doyle and your mother is Hope Martin."

"Any siblings?"

"Your half sister Cailin and your paternal half brother Colin."

"Holy shit," Maura cursed under her breath.

"And you hardly ever cuss."

"I- I think you need to go," Maura said, opening her car door.

"Wait, I'm sorry, I came on too strong. I don't know how I know all of this, but... My mom is saying I've been in a coma for 8 months.. That can't be possible because I got shot years ago, ever since you and I became friends. When I got shot and rushed here, you were visiting your mom and you and her helped wheel me onto the operation room."

"Jane... its Jane, right?"

"Yes."

"Jane," Maura said again. "Sometimes, when someone's in a coma, they dream. For the 8 months you were in a coma, you must have been dreaming everything, thinking you were really living. Did the days seem to go by fast, and did some random things that you couldn't explain happen?"

"Yes."

"You were dreaming... I don't know how you know all of that stuff about me, but-"

"Maura, maybe we were meant to meet. I mean, why else would I dream about someone I've never met before, and know everything about thEm? It doesn't make sense unless we were destined to meet. I know it sounds cheesy, but-"

"I'll tell you what," Maura said, starting her car and fastening her seatbelt. "How about we go out for a beer tonight? My treat."

"Sure," Jane smiled. "That'd be amazing."

"Great. I'll meet you at the Dirty Robber at 9."

"Sounds great," Jane said as Maura shut her car door and drove off. Jane heard quick footsteps and turned around.

"Jane Rizzoli!" Angela scolded. "Don't run off like that again!"

"Ma, do you believe in fate?"

"No. Do you?"

"I do now," Jane said, looking at the parking space where Maura's car was once parked, just moments earlier.