”Maura Isles has done the impossible and vanished without a trace.” He spoke to no one in particular.

Jane sat in her car. After the confrontation with her mother the day before, she hadn’t wanted to go to the café for her coffee so had opted to use the Starbucks a few blocks down. Sipping the bitter liquid, she stared at the pastry she’d purchase with disdain.

”If it’s the last thing I do.” She promised, ”I will find her. I will have her back.” She tossed the pastry out the window and into a trashcan. ”I can’t live without her.” With nothing left to lose, she pulled out her cell.

-/-

Maura wandered through the streets slowly. The one thing she hadn’t considered about moving to San Francisco were all the hills. Nothing was flat in this town. She passed various bars, clubs and cafes, each with a rainbow flag flying proudly outside before turning into a quaint little store.

”Hey there.” She was greeted by a sultry purr and turned suddenly. The woman that stood before her was tall, strong, Amazonian. For all intents and purposes, she was Jane. The same finely chiselled cheekbones, carefully sculpted musculature, rich chocolate eyes. She had moved 3000 miles and still she bumped into Jane Rizzoli on every damn corner.

”Hi.” Maura stuttered, fighting the urge to turn and run screaming from the store.

”Can I help you with anything?” The woman asked, regarding this strange woman carefully. ”You just hiding in here?” she asked when Maura offered no response. ”You look like you just ran into an ex or something.”

Maura nodded. ”Or something.” She agreed.

”Bad break up huh?” the woman asked softly. Maura could only nod. It wasn’t the best break up she’d ever had. Despite their only having a friendship, she’d never been closer to another human being than she had been to Jane. Their relationship had been closer, more intimate than any sexual relationship she’d ever had. Maybe that’s why it hurt so much more.

”Yeah, well.” The woman continued organising her paperwork as she spoke. ”She’s an idiot.”

Maura looked up suddenly. ”What makes you think it’s a woman?” she asked. Maura wasn’t naïve, not in the slightest, she knew what people said about them back in Boston, she knew they all thought she and Jane were dating, or sleeping together at least. But she wasn’t in Boston anymore.